cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Genome-wide RNAi.

In many species, double-stranded RNA can specifically and effectively silence genes. This newly discovered biological phenomenon, called RNA interference (RNAi), has practical implications for functional genomics. As shown by two recent reports, RNAi provides a rapid method to test the function of genes in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans; most of the genes on C. elegans chromosome I and III have now been tested for RNAi phenotypes. The results validate RNAi as a powerful functional genomics tool for C. elegans, and point the way for similar large-scale studies in other species.
The Grass is Always Greener on The Other Side: A Test of Present and Alternative Job Utility on IT Professionals’ Turnover

The costs associated with the turnover of information technology (IT) professionals continue to draw the attention of IT managers and researchers. Although a weak labor market has limited the quantity of turnover, organizations' most skilled IT personnel are still coveted and valuable resources. These IT professionals are also those most equipped to leave their firm and find new work. In order to reduce costs, retain key employees, and manage turnover, managers need to understand the factors that drive quitting behavior. The research model suggests that the utility of present and alternative IT work are key cognitive influences on an IT professional's decision to search for new employment, intention to quit, and, ultimately, turnover. We test the research model using longitudinal data that include actual turnover behavior. The research model explains 44% of the variance in intention to quit and 13% of the variance in actual turnover. After establishing the influence of utility on the quitting process, we conduct additional analyses to identify the elements of present and alternative job utility that are the most salient for IT professionals' quitting processes. From the additional analyses, we derive specific guidance to practice on the management of IT professionals.
Computational studies of the development of functionally specialized neural modules

Three hypotheses about the activity-dependent development of functionally specialized neural modules are discussed in this review. These hypotheses state that: (1) a combination of structure function correspondences plus the use of competition between neural modules leads to functional specializations; (2) parcellation is due to a combination of neural selectionism, the idea that learning results from a stabilization of some neural connections and the elimination of others, and a locality constraint, which states that connections between nearby neurons are more easily stabilized than those between distant neurons; and (3) a temporal and spatial modulation of plasticity can induce higher functional development in later-developing parts of the nervous system relative to earlier-developing parts. All three hypotheses have been implemented and evaluated in computational models. Limitations of current neuroscientific methodologies mean that computer simulation provides one of the only tools available for evaluating and refining our large-scale theories of the development of functionally specialized neural modules.
Synthesis of (6-3H)-1alpha-hydroxyvitamin D3 and its metabolism in vivo to (3H)-1alpha,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3

[6-3H]-1alpha-Hydroxyvitamin D3 was chemically synthesized and its full biological activity and radiochemical purity were demonstrated. With the use of this preparation it has been possible to demonstrate in vivo that in rats the [6-3H]-1Alpha-hydroxyvitamin D3 is converted to [6-3H]-1alpha,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3, the natural hormone. In fact, in the intestine and bone of rats given 32 picomoles of [6-3H]-1alpha-hydroxyvitamin D3 each day for 6 days, more than 80 percent of the lipid-soluble radioactivity exists as [6-3H]-1alpha,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3, a finding that suggests that much of the biological effectiveness of 1alpha-hydroxyvitamin D3 is due to its conversion to 1alpha,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3.
New slip rate estimates for the creeping segment of the San Andreas fault, California

New continuous and differential global positioning system (GPS) measurements of recent slip rates and 30 yr alignment-array offsets from the central creeping segment of the San Andreas fault yield a maximum right-lateral slip rate of 25 ′ 1 mm/yr. This slip rate is 20% slower than the 30 mm/yr slip rate accepted for this segment of the fault and 35% slower than the 39 mm/yr slip rate predicted between the Sierra Nevada-Great Valley block and the Pacific plate. New continuous GPS measurements between pairs of sites that flank the creeping segment at intersite distances of 1.0 km and 70 km give relative fault-parallel slip rates of 28 ′ 2 and 30 ′ 2 mm/yr, respectively. These observations indicate that right-lateral deformation rates increase with distance from the fault. Possible explanations for the gradient observed in the geodetic data are elastic strain accumulation along the creeping segment or significant distributed deformation on off-fault structures.
Group vs. individual exercise interventions for women with breast cancer: a meta-analysis.

Abstract Background. Both during and after treatment, cancer survivors experience declines in physical and psychosocial quality of life (QoL). Prior research indicates that exercise interventions alleviate problems in physical functioning and some aspects of psychological functioning. For survivors seeking social support, exercise programmes that are conducted in group settings may foster optimal QoL improvement (by addressing additional issues related to isolation and social support) over individually based exercise programmes. Methods. We reviewed literature on group cohesion in exercise studies, and conducted a meta-analysis to test the hypothesis that group as compared to individual exercise interventions for breast cancer survivors would show greater improvement in QoL. Results. As currently implemented, group exercise interventions showed no advantage. However, they typically did not provide any evidence that they capitalised upon potentially beneficial group processes. Conclusions. Future exercise ...
Interactions of inorganic phosphate and sulfate anions with collagen.

We use direct infrared measurements to determine the number of binding sites, their dissociation constants, and preferential interaction parameters for inorganic phosphate and sulfate anions in collagen fibrils from rat tail tendons. In contrast to previous reports of up to 150 bound phosphates per collagen molecule, we find only 1−2 binding sites for sulfate and divalent phosphate under physiological conditions and ∼10 binding sites at low ionic strength. The corresponding dissociation constants depend on NaCl concentration and pH and vary from ∼50 μM to ∼1−5 mM in the physiological range of pH. In fibrils, bound anions appear to form salt bridges between positively charged amino acid residues within regions of high excess positive charge. In solution, we found no evidence of appreciable sulfate or phosphate binding to isolated collagen molecules. Although sulfate and divalent phosphate bind to fibrillar collagen at physiological concentrations, our X-ray diffraction and in vitro fibrillogenesis experime...
Experimental and numerically modeled effects of altered loading conditions on pulmonary venous flow and left atrial pressure in patients with mitral regurgitation

Pulmonary venous flow measured by pulsed-wave Doppler transesophageal echocardiography reflects the effects of mitral regurgitation on left atrial pressure contour. To assess the relationship between pulmonary venous flow and left atrial pressure in patients with mitral regurgitation under altered loading conditions, we studied 25 patients with 3+ or 4+ mitral regurgitation and a control group by measuring pulmonary venous flow with transesophageal echocardiography and left atrial pressures after administering saline solution ( n =6), nitroglycerin ( n =6), phenylephrine ( n =6), or nitroprusside ( n =7). After administion, the left atrial pressure v wave increased in the group given phenylephrine, concomitant with an increased diastolic flow. In contrast, the left atrial pressure v wave decreased in the group given nitroglycerin, concomitant with a decreased diastolic flow. Changes in diastolic flow were closely related to changes in the left atrial pressure v wave under all loading conditions ( r =0.91; p
Decomposition of spin susceptibility of tetrathiafulvalenium-tetracyanoquinodimethanide (TTF-TCNQ) and analogous compounds

The method of separating the spin susceptibility, $\ensuremath{\chi}$, of tetrathiafulvalenium-tetracyanoquinodimethanide (TTF-TCNQ) and analogous quasi-one-dimensional compounds into the contributions of the individual chains by means of EPR data is reexamined in the light of more recent information on the compounds. For TTF-TCNQ it is concluded that, if proper consideration is given to the experimental uncertainties, the method can be used to obtain reliable qualitative results. For hexamethylene-tetrathiafulvalenium tetracyanoquinodimethanide (HMTTF-TCNQ), however, it is shown that the decomposition is unreliable since analysis of the data for different directions of magnetic field yields quite different results for the individual stack susceptibilities. It is suggested that the reason the decomposition does not work in this case, among others, is that the interstack interaction is too large. Recognizing these difficulties with the decomposition removes a number of apparent paradoxes or anomalies, such as: (1) the sign for thermoelectric power being opposite to the sign of charge of the carrier responsible for conduction; (2) $\ensuremath{\chi}$ for TTF being 5 or more times $\ensuremath{\chi}$ for tetraselenafulvalenium; (3) $\ensuremath{\chi}$ for the HMTTF chain being independent of temperature over the range where for all other chains investigated in this family it is not.
Mechanical damage and strain in carbon fiber thermoplastic‐matrix composite, sensed by electrical resistivity measurement

The volume electrical resistivity of a unidirectional continuous carbon fiber thermoplastic (nylon-6) matrix composite was found to be an indicator of strain and damage during repeated loading in the fiber direction. The through-thickness resistivity irreversibly and gradually decreased upon damage (probably fiber-matrix debonding) during repeated compression or tension. Moreover, it reversibly and abruptly increased upon matrix damage, which occurred reversibly near the peak stress of a stress cycle. In addition, the resistivity increased reversibly upon tension in every stress cycle, and decreased reversibly upon compression in every stress cycle. On the other hand, the longitudinal resistivity irreversibly and gradually increased upon damage. Moreover, it decreased reversibly upon tension in every stress cycle and increased reversibly upon compression in every stress cycle. The through-thickness resistivity was a better indicator of damage and strain than the longitudinal resistivity.
Type 1 diabetes, inflammation and dendritic cells

Type 1 diabetes (T1D) is an autoimmune disease that targets the insulin producing β cells. Numerous studies with rodent models and indirect evidence from diabetic patients indicate that T cells are the primary mediators of β cell destruction. However, the key events promoting the breakdown of self-tolerance within the T cell compartment remain ill-defined. We propose that defects in dendritic cells play a critical role in driving β cell autoimmunity.
Fairness Perceptions of Employee Promotion Systems: A Two‐Study Investigation of Antecedents and Mediators

The present research provided a test of the Ferris, Buckley, and Allen (1992) model depicting the antecedents and consequences of promotion systems in organizations. A 2-study design is utilized to investigate the role of promotion system characteristics as mediating the relationship between organizational factors, environmental factors, and job factors/employee characteristics and perceptions of organizational justice and advancement opportunity. Results provide convergence of support for the model across both studies. Implications of the results and directions for future research are discussed.
Relaxed variants of Karmarkar's algorithm for linear programs with unknown optimal objective value

Variants of Karmarkar's algorithm are given for solving linear programs with unknown optimal objective valuez*. These new methods combine the approach of Goldfarb and Mehrotra for relaxing the requirement that certain projections be computed exactly with the approach of Todd and Burrell for generating an improving sequence of lower bounds forz* using dual feasible solutions. These methods retain the polynomial-time complexity of Karmarkar's algorithm.
Phytochemicals Attenuating Aberrant Activation of β-Catenin in Cancer Cells

Phytochemicals are a rich source of chemoprevention agents but their effects on modulating the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway have remained largely uninvestigated. Aberrantly activated Wnt signaling can result in the abnormal stabilization of β-catenin, a key causative step in a broad spectrum of cancers. Here we report the modulation of lithium chloride-activated canonical Wnt/β-catenin signaling by phytochemicals that have antioxidant, anti-inflammatory or chemopreventive properties. The compounds were first screened with a cervical cancer-derived stable Wnt signaling reporter HeLa cell line. Positive hits were subsequently evaluated for β-catenin degradation, suppression of β-catenin nuclear localization and down-regulation of downstream oncogenic targets of Wnt/β-catenin pathway. Our study shows a novel degradation path of β-catenin protein in HeLa cells by Avenanthramide 2p (a polyphenol) and Triptolide (a diterpene triepoxide), respectively from oats and a Chinese medicinal plant. The findings present Avenanthramide 2p as a potential chemopreventive dietary compound that merits further study using in vivo models of cancers; they also provide a new perspective on the mechanism of action of Triptolide.
C-terminal-binding protein directly activates and represses Wnt transcriptional targets in Drosophila

Regulation of Wnt transcriptional targets is thought to occur by a transcriptional switch. In the absence of Wnt signaling, sequence-specific DNA-binding proteins of the TCF family repress Wnt target genes. Upon Wnt stimulation, stabilized β-catenin binds to TCFs, converting them into transcriptional activators. C-terminal-binding protein (CtBP) is a transcriptional corepressor that has been reported to inhibit Wnt signaling by binding to TCFs or by preventing β-catenin from binding to TCF. Here, we show that CtBP is also required for the activation of some Wnt targets in Drosophila. CtBP is recruited to Wnt-regulated enhancers in a Wnt-dependent manner, where it augments Armadillo (the fly β-catenin) transcriptional activation. We also found that CtBP is required for repression of a subset of Wnt targets in the absence of Wnt stimulation, but in a manner distinct from previously reported mechanisms. CtBP binds to Wnt-regulated enhancers in a TCF-independent manner and represses target genes in parallel with TCF. Our data indicate dual roles for CtBP as a gene-specific activator and repressor of Wnt target gene transcription.
Natural Antibiotic Resistance of Bacteria Isolated from a Peat Bog at Poutwater Pond, Holden, Massachusetts

Plant material has accumulated in the Poutwater Pond peat bog for thousands of years. The area has acid conditions and a thick (5 meter) accumulation of slowly decomposing plant material. The nature of the microbes living at different depths in this environment is not well known. Bacteria were isolated from a core collected at the peat bog and brought in to the laboratory. Samples from different depths were cultured on trypticase soy agar. A streak plate method was used to isolate some colonies of bacteria. The BIOLOG™ technique used for microbial community analysis showed that the assemblage of microorganisms remains similar at different depths of the peat bog. Gram staining showed that both Gram negative and Gram positive rods were cultured from different depths of the peat bog. The BIOLOG™ identification system was used to identify four of the bacteria as Pseudomonas chlororaphis, P. fluorescens, Bacillus mycoides and Alcaligenes denitrificans. Some bacteria have been tested for antibiotic susceptibility. Bacteria demonstrating antibiotic resistance occur at different depths of the peat bog. The results of this study are useful in understanding the organisms that live under these conditions.
The association between plasma caspase-3, atherosclerosis, and vascular function in the Dallas Heart Study

Caspase-3, an apoptosis protease, is expressed in atherosclerotic plaques. We examined the relationship between plasma caspase-3 levels, aortic compliance, and atherosclerosis. Caspase-3 was measured in 3,221 subjects from the Dallas Heart Study. Electron beam computed tomography measures of coronary calcium (CAC) (n = 2,404) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) measures of abdominal aortic wall thickness (AWT) (n = 2,208) and aortic compliance (AC) (n = 2,328) were obtained. Multivariate analyses were performed, adjusting for age, sex, ethnicity, body mass index (BMI), traditional cardiovascular risk factors, and cardiac medications. In univariable analysis, caspase-3 associated with CAC (P < 0.0001), AWT (P = 0.002), and AC (P < 0.0001). After multivariable adjustment, 4th quartile caspase-3 (compared to 1st quartile) was significantly associated with CAC (P = 0.004), AWT (P = 0.02), and AC (P < 0.0001) with similar findings for caspase-3 as a continuous variable. Caspase-3 independently associates with CAC, AWT, and AC, suggesting a link between apoptosis and atherosclerosis.
Experimentally assessing the relative importance of predation and competition as agents of selection

Field experiments that measure natural selection in response to manipulations of the selective regime are extremely rare, even in systems where the ecological basis of adaptation has been studied extensively. The adaptive radiation of Caribbean Anolis lizards has been studied for decades, leading to precise predictions about the influence of alternative agents of selection in the wild. Here we present experimental evidence for the relative importance of two putative agents of selection in shaping the adaptive landscape for a classic island radiation. We manipulated whole-island populations of the brown anole lizard, Anolis sagrei, to measure the relative importance of predation versus competition as agents of natural selection. We excluded or included bird and snake predators across six islands that ranged from low to high population densities of lizards, then measured subsequent differences in behaviour and natural selection in each population. Predators altered the lizards' perching behaviour and increased mortality, but predation treatments did not alter selection on phenotypic traits. By contrast, experimentally increasing population density dramatically increased the strength of viability selection favouring large body size, long relative limb length and high running stamina. Our results from A. sagrei are consistent with the hypothesis that intraspecific competition is more important than predation in shaping the selective landscape for traits central to the adaptive radiation of Anolis ecomorphs.
Simple Length Determination of Single-Walled Carbon Nanotubes by Viscosity Measurements in Dilute Suspensions

We describe a fast, reproducible method to accurately measure the length of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs). The method is based on measuring the viscosity of a macroscopic sample of dilute suspended SWNTs. The average length is determined from the difference between the zero-shear viscosity of the suspension and that of the solvent. Using the relationship between viscosity and length, the average length of HiPco SWNTs is found to range from 400 to 700 nm, in agreement with atomic force microscopy (AFM) measurements. Compared to AFM, length determination by viscosity is faster and appears more reproducible.
Correlation Analysis of Extreme Observations from a Multivariate Normal Distribution

Abstract In measuring visual acuity, the extremes of a set of normally distributed measures are of concern, together with one or more covariates. This leads to a model in which (X, Y 1, Y 2) are jointly normally distributed with Y 1, Y 2 exchangeable and (X, Y i ) having a common correlation. Inferential procedures are developed for correlations and linear regressions among X and the ordered Y values. This requires determination of the covariance matrix of X, Y (1) = min{Y 1, Y 2} and Y (2) = max{Y 1, Y 2}. The inadequacy of certain estimates that ignore the nonnormality of {X, Y (1), Y (2)} is also discussed. Although the bivariate case is emphasized because of the context of the visual acuity model, many results are given for the more general multivariate case.
Lifetime measurements of excited neutral donor states in GaAs detected by resonant elastic light scattering

Recovery of electrons from excited neutral donor states in GaAs is time-resolved using a novel optical readout technique and pulsed terahertz excitation. Long (0.1-1 mus) 2P state lifetimes are measured at various magnetic fields.
Global Asymptotic Stability and Robust Stability of a Class of Cohen–Grossberg Neural Networks With Mixed Delays

This paper is concerned with the global asymptotic stability of a class of Cohen-Grossberg neural networks with both multiple time-varying delays and continuously distributed delays. Two classes of amplification functions are considered, and some sufficient stability criteria are established to ensure the global asymptotic stability of the concerned neural networks, which can be expressed in the form of linear matrix inequality and are easy to check. Furthermore, some sufficient conditions guaranteeing the global robust stability are also established in the case of parameter uncertainties.
Water Use Data ? who Needs It?

: This paper addresses problems in the design of a water use data base and valuation of water use data. An examination of the economic efficiency and distributional aspects of selected water management problems indicates that there are benefits to be obtained from water use information and, thus, there is a potential value to water use data. Water use information is viewed as being produced by combining water use data with other data in a modeling context suggested by theory relevant to the problem at hand, and a well designed water use data base will facilitate this synthesis. Data “needs” in the production of water use information via economic modeling are described to illustrate the relationship between theory and data. Some of the desirable characteristics of a water use data base and inadequacies of the existing water use data “base” are described. The fugitive nature of the water use data resource and a lack of understanding of both the information “production function” and the role of water use information in decisionmaking complicates the water use data valuation problem.
Risk Assessment for Special Protection Systems

Summary form only given as follows. Special protection systems (SPS) have been widely used to increase the transfer capability of the network by assisting system operators in administering fast corrective actions. Compared with constructing new transmission facilities, SPS can be placed in service relatively quickly and inexpensively. However, increased reliance on SPS results in additional risks to system security. In this paper, based on existing reliability evaluation methods, a generic procedure for risk-based assessment of SPS is proposed. The procedure can help the system operator to identify the risk brought by SPS and to make SPS-related decisions. An illustrative example which uses a generator rejection scheme (GRS) for transient instability is provided.
Semantics-syntax correspondences in second language acquisition:

This article investigates knowledge of semantics-syntax correspondences in SLA within the Principles and Parameters framework. A parameter of semantic structure is used to investigate knowledge of two distinct, but underlyingly related, verb classes: change of state locatives and 'psychologi cal' verbs. Chinese and English contrast in terms of the parameter setting. Experimental evidence indicates that adult Chinese learners of English L2 initially transfer parameter settings, but are able to reset the parameter. However, they only acquire L2 lexical properties and concomitant syntactic privileges with ease when L2 input adds a representation to their grammar. When positive L2 input should pre-empt overgeneralizations based on rep resentation transferred from the L1, for some learners L1 influence persists until quite advanced stages of acquisition. The implications of the results for the parameter-setting model of SLA are discussed.
Natural selection with varying selection coefficients – a haploid model

In this paper an exact treatment is given for the stochastic behaviour of the frequency of haploid genotypes in an infinite population when the absolute fitnesses of the two genotypes vary at random over generations. The main qualitative result from this treatment is that natural selection will favour that allele with the largest geometric mean fitness. A diffusion equation is derived whose solution is identical to the exact solution. The drift coefficient for this equation is of the form − μp(1 − p) + σ2(½ − p)p(l − p). This differs from the drift coefficient used in previous treatments of this problem and reduces the rate of quasi-fixation. Various waiting time problems are solved using this diffusion equation.
DiffGen: Automated Regression Unit-Test Generation

Software programs continue to evolve throughout their lifetime. Maintenance of such evolving programs, including regression testing, is one of the most expensive activities in software development. We present an approach and its implementation called DiffGen for automated regression unit-test generation and checking for Java programs. Given two versions of a Java class, our approach instruments the code by adding new branches such that if these branches can be covered by a test generation tool, behavioral differences between the two class versions are exposed. DiffGen then uses a coverage-based test generation tool to generate test inputs for covering the added branches to expose behavioral differences. We have evaluated DiffGen on finding behavioral differences between 21 classes and their versions. Experimental results show that our approach can effectively expose many behavioral differences that cannot be exposed by state-of-the-art techniques.
Area-efficient gain- and offset-compensated very-large-time-constant SC biquads

A signal flow graph analysis of K. Nagaraj's (1989) very large time-constant biquads based on charge splitting is described. With the addition of offset-storing capacitors, gain- and offset-compensated biquads are obtained. By applying the charge differencing technique, the biquads can be made very area efficient. Simulation results are presented to confirm the analysis. >
Simultaneous masking in newborn chickens.

Abstract Simultaneous masking was used to investigate the development of frequency analysis in newborn animals. The ability of young chickens to detect a tone in the presence of a second tone was measured. In the first experiment data were collected with a 500-Hz masker presented at 15 or 25 dB above absolute threshold. Signals to be detected varied up to an octave from the masker ( ± 1 9 , ± 2 9 , ± 1 3 , ± 2 3 , and −1 octave). Receiver operating characteristics (ROCs) were constructed from delays in ongoing peeps that occur when chicks detect the presence of the signal over the masker. Psychometric functions were fit by probit analysis using areas under these ROCs. Amounts of masking were estimated by the degree to which psychometric functions were shifted toward the right by the presence of the masker. There is no developmental change in these masking patterns, corroborating recent data from human infants. Masking was shown in a second experiment to be similar at a higher frequency (given intensities corrected for improving absolute thresholds). In conclusion, masking patterns derived from chicks′ peeps are like those from adult humans. Frequency analysis, as measured by simultaneous masking, appears to be mature in chickens at hatching.
Diffuse Hα in a Fractal Interstellar Medium

Observations of cloud structure over the last 10 years have led to the conclusion that it is fractal in nature, with a fractal dimension characteristic of turbulence, as found in the laboratory. Such structure has an open texture, with a volume filling factor of nearly 90% for gas that is at low density. Turbulence makes such cavities by clearing away material during convective motions. We propose that most of the low-density intercloud medium is the result of turbulence and not overlapping supernova remnants. This model has important implications for diffuse Halpha and ionisation of the halo. Fractal clouds have a gradually decreasing average density with increasing distance, so ionisation zones around these clouds can be very extensive. Fractal clouds are also highly clustered, making the mean free path for ionising photons at least twice as large as in the 'standard cloud' model. This long mean free path allows stray ionising photons from midplane HII regions to reach and ionise the halo.
TOWARD A DESCRIPTION OF DOGEN'S MORAL VIRTUES

Revitalized interest in "the virtues" has affected the study of Buddhism in recent years, and in this regard we may benefit by focusing on the Zen Master Dogen (1200-1253). Seeking to describe Dogen's moral virtues, we might begin by a study of his primer, the Shobogenzo Zuimonki; a particularly efficacious template for this project would appear to be one provided by Edmund L. Pincoffs in his book Quandaries and Virtues: Against Reductivism in Ethics. This modus operandi reveals Dogen's exhortation of a broad array of mandatory and nonmandatory virtues, partially depending on whether or not the intended recipient is a layperson or one leading the religious life. If valid, this description may benefit Dogen Studies as well as contribute to, and encourage, other "Western" efforts to articulate Buddhist ethics.
Diabetic Vascular Disease An Experimental Objective

It is well known that humans with diabetes have more atherosclerosis and its complications. The causes of this relationship are, however, unclear. Although recent data show that improved glycemic control reduces arterial disease in type 1 diabetes, other studies have shown that subjects with "prediabetes" have more cardiovascular disease before the development of hyperglycemia. Thus, either hyperglycemia and/or lack of insulin actions are toxic to arteries, or metabolic derangements exclusive of hyperglycemia are atherogenic. For >50 years animal models of diabetes and atherosclerosis have been used to uncover potential mechanisms underlying diabetes associated cardiovascular disease. Surprisingly, diabetes alone increases vascular disease in only a few select animal models. Increased atherosclerosis has been found in several animals and lines of genetically modified mice; however, diabetes often also leads to greater hyperlipidemia. This makes it difficult to separate the toxic effects of insulin lack and/or hyperglycemia from those caused by the lipids. These studies are reviewed, as well as more recent investigations using new methods to create diabetic-atherosclerotic models.
Direct multi-frame structure from motion for hand-held cameras

We present two linear algorithms for recovering the camera motion and 3D scene structure directly from the image data in a a multi-image sequence. The first algorithm generalizes the point-based approach of Oliensis (1999) to intensities. The second generalizes the Lucas-Kanade (1981) optical-flow method to a direct method.
Particle Swarm Optimization as a general design tool in power engineering

Particle swarm optimization (PSO) is a relative new evolutionary computation technique. The algorithm is theoretically simple, and computationally efficient. In the past decade, PSO has been widely applied to different problems. In this paper, we present our work on the application of PSO to four problems related to power systems, machine, and power electronics. The four problems are power system islanding, tuning of conventional power system stabilizers, parameter identification of permanent magnet synchronous motor, and tuning the of a harmonic detection algorithm. For each of the above problems, background, algorithm design, and some simulations are provided. PSO applications to the above four problem are all implemented offline. To achieve better performance, our recent work on the real time implementation of PSO to PMSM parameter identification is introduced.
A Scalable Phonetic Vocoder Framework Using Joint Predictive Vector Quantization of Melp Parameters

We present the framework for a Scalable Phonetic Vocoder (SPV) capable of operating at bit rates from 300 - 1100 bps. The underlying system uses an HMM-based phonetic speech recognizer to estimate the parameters for MELP speech synthesis. We extend this baseline technique in three ways. First, we introduce the concept of predictive time evolution to generate a smoother path for the synthesizer parameters, and show that it improves speech quality. Then, since the output speech from the phonetic vocoder is still limited by such low bit rates, we propose a scalable system where the accuracy of the MELP parameters is increased by vector quantizing the error signal between the true and phonetic-estimated MELP parameters. Finally, we apply an extremely flexible technique for exploiting correlations in these parameters over time, which we call Joint Predictive Vector Quantization (JPVQ). We show that significant quality improvement can be attained by adding as few as 400 bps to the baseline phonetic vocoder using JPVQ. The resulting SPV system provides a flexible platform for adjusting the phonetic vocoder bit rate and speech quality.
Obstructive Sleep Apnea and Cardiovascular Disease: Role of the Metabolic Syndrome and Its Components

Although obstructive sleep apnea and cardiovascular disease have common risk factors, epidemiologic studies show that sleep apnea increases risks for cardiovascular disease independently of individuals' demographic characteristics (i.e., age, sex, and race) or risk markers (i.e., smoking, alcohol, obesity, diabetes, dyslipidemia, atrial fibrillation, and hypertension). Individuals with severe sleep apnea are at increased risk for coronary artery disease, congestive heart failure, and stroke. The underlying mechanisms explaining associations between obstructive sleep apnea and cardiovascular disease are not entirely delineated. Several intermediary mechanisms might be involved including sustained sympathetic activation, intrathoracic pressure changes, and oxidative stress. Other abnormalities such as disorders in coagulation factors, endothelial damage, platelet activation, and increased inflammatory mediators might also play a role in the pathogenesis of cardiovascular disease. Linkage between obstructive sleep apnea and cardiovascular disease is corroborated by evidence that treatment of sleep apnea with continuous positive airway pressure reduces systolic blood pressure, improves left ventricular systolic function, and diminishes platelet activation. Several systematic studies are necessary to explicate complex associations between sleep apnea and cardiovascular disease, which may be compounded by the involvement of diseases comprising the metabolic syndrome (i.e., central obesity, hypertension, diabetes, and dyslipidemia). Large-scale, population-based studies testing causal models linking among sleep apnea, cardiovascular morbidity, and metabolic syndrome are needed. Citation: Jean-Louis G; Zizi F; Clark LT; Brown CD; McFarlane SI. Obstructive sleep apnea and cardiovascular disease: role of the metabolic syndrome and its components. J Clin Sleep Med 2008;4(3):261–272.
Kinetic resolution of two mechanisms for high-affinity granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor binding to its receptor.

Granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) is an important hematopoietic cytokine that exerts its effects by interaction with the GM-CSF receptor (GMR) on the surface of responsive cells. The GM-CSF receptor consists of two subunits: GMR, which binds GM-CSF with low affinity, and GMRβ, which lacks intrinsic ligand-binding capability but complexes with GMR to form a high-affinity receptor (GMR/β). We conducted dynamic kinetic analyses of GM-CSF receptors to define the role of GMRβ in the interaction of ligand and receptor. Our data show that GMR/β exhibits a higher kon than GMR, indicating that GMRβ facilitates ligand acquisition to the binding pocket. Heterogeneity with regard to GM-CSF dissociation from GMR/β points to the presence of loose and tight ligand-receptor complexes in high-affinity binding. Although the loose complex has a koff similar to GMR, the lower koffindicates that GMRβ inhibits GM-CSF release from the tight receptor complex. The two rates of ligand dissociation may provide for discrete mechanisms of interaction between GM-CSF and its high-affinity receptor. These results show that the β subunit functions to stabilize ligand binding as well as to facilitate ligand acquisition.
Marketing Vegetables: Leveraging Branded Media to Increase Vegetable Uptake in Elementary Schools

Objectives:Children do not eat enough servings of vegetables underscoring the need for effective interventions encouraging this behavior. The purpose of this research is to measure the impact that daily exposure to branded vegetable characters has on vegetable selection among boys and girls in elementary schools.Methods:In a large urban school district 10 elementary schools agreed to participate in the study and were randomly assigned to one of four treatment conditions: 1) no changes to the cafeteria; 2) vinyl banner displaying vegetable characters which was fastened around the base of the salad bar; 3) short television segments with health education delivered by vegetable characters; 4) combination of vinyl banner and television segments. We collected 22,206 student-day observations over a six week period by tallying the number of boys and girls taking vegetables from the school’s salad bar.Results:Results show that 90.5% (from 12.6% to 24.0%; p=0.04) more students took vegetables from the salad bar when exposed to the vinyl banner only, while 239.2% (from 10.2% to 34.6%; pConclusions:Evidence from this study highlights the positive impact of branded media on children’s food selection. These solutions for both marketers and children can be powerful tools in encouraging healthier choices for children.
Monomeric Rhodium(II) Complexes Supported by a Diarylamido/Bis(phosphine) PNP Pincer Ligand and Their Reactivity Toward Dihydrogen

A rhodium(II) complex of a diarylamido/bis(phosphine) PNP pincer ligand, (PNP)Rh(OTf) (2, where OTf = O3SCF3 and PNP = [κ3-P,N,P-(4-Me-2-(iPr2P)-C6H3)2N]), has been prepared by oxidation of the rhodium(I) precursor (PNP)Rh(H2C═CHBut) (1) with AgOTf. A series of related rhodium(II) complexes of the general formula (PNP)Rh(X) (where X = OAc (3), OSiPh3 (4), OC6H4F (5), Cl (6)) was synthesized via simple anion metathesis reactions starting from 2. In addition, complexes 3 and 6 could be prepared by hydrogen atom abstraction from (PNP)Rh(H)(OAc) (7) or (PNP)Rh(H)(Cl) (8) with TEMPO ((2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidin-1-yl)oxyl). Solid-state X-ray structures of compounds 2–6 revealed an approximately square-planar environment about Rh. Analysis of the structural features of 2–6, EPR spectroscopic data, and DFT computational studies are most consistent with a +2 oxidation state for rhodium. Reactions of 2, 3, 5, and 6 with H2 were explored. The reaction of 2 with H2 gave the new complex (PN(H)P)Rh(H)2(OTf) (9), and ...
Tibetan medicine: Illustrated in original texts

. . . added functio laesa (loss of function)." Galen did nothing of the sort, of course, but Dr. Hurley is not to be blamed for copying this statement from the textbooks where it has had canonical status since the latter half of the 19th century. The remainder of Dr. Hurley's historical remarks are equally inaccurate for the most part, but since only a few historians of medicine and biology will be offended, the matter is not worth belaboring. More to be regretted is that so much of Dr. Hurley's very competent review should center on the develop¬ ment of Celsus' rubor and tumor, ie, on the purely vascular aspect of the acute inflammatory process, at a time when our ideas of the significance and pathogenesis of inflammatory pro¬ cesses—such as glomerulonephritis, thyroiditis, and arthritis, to name only a few—are undergoing the most rapid and interesting developments since the days of Metchnikoff.
Addressing Federalism and Separation of Powers Social Violence: The Ordinary Citizen Beyond Shelby County, North Carolina and Ohio and Voting Rights

This essay builds on my experience at a voter integrity group named True the Vote meeting at its Ohio Summit on August 25, 2012 and subsequent developments in the US Supreme Court and states. I examine this topic experience through four lenses: private and public forms of what I term social violence; negotiation theory; recent work on explicit bias, implicit bias and stereotype threat; Derrick Bell’s work on interest convergence theory and the personal limits of that approach when one operates in both the domestic and international law spheres; Francesco Alberoni’s work on how movements get started and in particular a person reaches depressive overload and what he terms the nascent state, seeks affinity with others to create a movement that confronts institutions. Through these four lenses, I hope to assist reflection on a manner of thinking about the Shelby County’s, the North Carolina’s, and Ohio’s and Voting Rights.
Spectroscopic studies of yellow nitrogen-doped CVD diamonds

Abstract Photoluminescence and absorption properties of commercial brownish yellow nitrogen-doped gem quality CVD diamonds have been characterized using imaging and spectroscopic techniques. The measurements have been performed on the diamonds in as-received state and after treatment with electron irradiation and high temperature (LPHT) annealing. It is found that single nitrogen defects in CVD diamond possess very high temperature stability, the positively charged single nitrogen atoms being exceptionally stable. In the as-received state, the diamonds show the signs of nitrogen aggregation, which are the result of the post-growth HPHT treatment. The treatment with electron irradiation and LPHT annealing has caused further aggregation of neutral nitrogen atoms and suppression (up to complete removal) of brown color. Many optical centers with narrow zero-phonon lines (ZPLs), not reported for natural diamonds, have been found all over the visible and near IR spectral ranges. Most of these centers are tentatively ascribed to Ni-related defects. A strong optical center with broad ZPL at a wavelength of 498.2 nm was excited with 325 nm laser. The effect of resonance Raman scattering on quasi-local vibrations of an optical center with ZPL multiplet at about 488 nm is reported.
Changes in Heat Resistance of Escherichia coli O157:H7 Following Heat Shock

This study examined the effects of a heat shock at 45°C for 30 min on the subsequent heat resistance of Escherichia coli O157:H7 ATCC 43894 in Trypticase soy broth (TSB) and ground beef slurry (GBS). Cultures were grown to stationary phase, stored for 24 h at 4 to 6°C, and then heat shocked to simulate consumer mishandling of meat during the summer. Control or heat-shocked ATCC 43894 cells were then transferred to prewarmed TSB (54, 58, and 62°C) or GBS (58°C) and refrigerated TSB and GBS that were subsequently heated to and held at 58°C (TSB and GBS) and 62°C (TSB only). Heat shock increased D values by 37, 68, and 50% in 54, 58, and 62°C prewarmed TSB, respectively, but had no significant effect on the D value in 58°C GBS. Immediate plating of heated samples yielded greater cell recovery than if samples were held on ice prior to plating. Heat shock did not lead to significant increases in D values when cells were transferred to 4°C TSB and GBS that were heated to the test temperature. This study showed that for E. coli O157:H7 ATCC 43894 the heat-shock effect was lost upon subsequent chilling and rewarming and overshadowed by the protective effects of ground beef constituents. The results do not support the hypothesis that short-term temperature abuse will significantly increase the heat resistance of E. coli O157:H7 in ground beef.
Pictorial Scaffolding in the Schema Construction of Concepts

Understanding of concepts is a common theme of study across disciplines. In particular, the study of how concepts are understood is undertaken in mathematics education, mathematics, cognitive psychology, artificial intelligence, pattern recognition, and man-machine cognition. This chapter describes such an interdisciplinary approach that utilizes aspects from several disciplines in the pursuit of increasing understanding of mathematics among students in remedial classes.
Can corporate diversification induce more tax avoidance

Abstract This study investigates whether there is a tax avoidance difference between stand-alone firms and diversified firms. Stand-alone firms are defined as firms that always report only one business segment and diversified firms as firms that report more than one business segment. I show that diversified firms persistently engage in fewer tax avoidance practices than stand-alone firms. This finding cannot be explained by firm characteristics and ownership structure, and is insensitive to alternative testing methods. I interpret the main result as indicating that lower levels of tax avoidance in diversified firms are not primarily altered by corporate diversification, and tax effects are not of first-order importance in corporate diversification.
Volatile Places, Volatile Times: Predicting Revolutionary Situations with Nations’ Governance and Fragility Indicators

The current study examines the predictive validity of the World Bank’s World Governance Indicators (WGI) and the Fund for Peace’s Fragile States Index (FSI) in identifying the location and timing of revolutionary situations in 26 countries that have popular mobilization movements within the last two decades. The results of case comparative analyses provide some empirical support for both the WGI and FSI measures in predicting the timing of revolutionary situations (i.e., the year preceding the onset of mass protest was often one of the most “fragile” time period in a nation’s pre-revolutionary history). However, these aggregate measures have low predictive value in identifying the between-nation differences in their relative risks of having a revolutionary situation (i.e., revolutionary nations are not necessarily countries with the lowest scores on measures of misgovernance and fragility). Possible explanations for these findings and limitations of the current study are discussed in terms of their implications for future research.