cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Genetic diversity and structure in semiwild and domesticated chiles ( Capsicum Annuum ; Solanaceae) from Mexico

The chile of Mesoamerica, Capsicum annuum, is one of five domesticated chiles in the Americas. Among the chiles, it varies the most in size, form, and color of its fruits. Together with maize, C. annuum is one of the principal elements of the neotropical diets of Mesoamerican civilizations. Despite the great economic and cultural importance of C. annuum both worldwide and in Mexico, however, very little is known about its geographic origin and number of domestications. Here we sampled a total of 80 accessions from Mexico (58 semiwild and 22 domesticated) and examined nucleotide sequence diversity at three single- or low-copy nuclear loci, Dhn, G3pdh, and Waxy. Across the three loci, we found an average reduction of ca. 10% in the diversity of domesticates relative to semiwild chiles and geographic structure within Mexican populations. The Yucatan Peninsula contained a large number of haplotypes, many of which were unique, suggesting an important region of chile domestication and center of diversity. The present sampling of loci did not conclusively resolve the number and location of domestications, but several lines of evidence suggest multiple independent domestications from widely distributed progenitor populations.
Bundling, information aggregation and entry deterrence

Abstract This paper provides an explanation for bundling based on its information aggregation effect. Using bundling, the monopolist can hide the information of each monopoly market by aggregating information. We show that the monopolist chooses bundling in an early period because bundling removes potential competition in the following period.
TGF-β influences the life and death decisions of T lymphocytes

TGF-beta is a powerful mediator of immune cell phenotype and function. In TGF-beta1 homozygous null mice, aberrant regulation of the immune response culminates in lethal cardiopulmonary inflammation. In dissecting the underlying mechanisms leading to the attack of self, a role for TGF-beta1 in controlling apoptosis and T cell selection patterns was uncovered. Increased levels of apoptosis and TCR mediated cell death disrupted normal negative and positive T cell selection in the thymus. Moreover, in peripheral T cell populations, increased T lymphocyte death was associated with increased expression of apoptosis-inducing receptors. Persistent activation of T cells engendered unchecked apoptosis which, rather than reducing, further exacerbated, tissue inflammation due to the absence of TGF-beta1. TGF-beta, normally generated by macrophages during clearance of apoptotic cells contributes to dampening of inflammatory sequelae associated with phagocytosis. Collectively, these data demonstrate a pivotal role for TGF-beta in multiple stages of T cell apoptosis, selection, activation and clearance.
Magnesium Substitutions in Rare-Earth Metal Germanides with the Orthorhombic Gd5Si4-type Structure. Synthesis, Crystal Chemistry, and Magnetic Properties of RE5−xMgxGe4 (RE = Gd−Tm, Lu, and Y)

A series of magnesium-substituted rare-earth metal germanides with a general formula RE5−xMgxGe4 (x ≈ 1.0−2.3; RE = Gd−Tm, Lu, Y) have been synthesized by high-temperature reactions and structurally characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. These compounds crystallize with the common Gd5Si4 type structure in the orthorhombic space group Pnma (No. 62; Z = 4; Pearson’s code oP36) and do not appear to undergo temperature-induced crystallographic phase transitions down to 120 K. Replacing rare-earth metal atoms with Mg, up to nearly 45% at., reduces the valence electron count and is clearly expressed in the subtle changes of the Ge−Ge and metal−metal bonding. Magnetization measurements as a function of the temperature and the applied field reveal complex magnetic structures at cryogenic temperatures and Curie−Weiss paramagnetic behavior at higher temperatures. The observed local moment magnetism is consistent with RE3+ ground states in all cases. In the magnetically ordered phases, the magnetization ...
Prioritized Congestion Aware Routing Protocol in Distributed Sensor Network

In Distributed Sensor Network congestion becomes a major problem. In case of congestion, system requires more power to deliver data. Congestion leads to indiscriminate dropping of data, i.e. Data of more importance might be dropped while others of less importance are delivered. The proposed system uses data prioritization. Advanced Congestion Aware Routing (A-CAR) is a priority aware routing protocol. A-CAR dynamically discovers the routing zone and enforces differentiated routing based on routing zone and data priority. High priority packets are routed inside the routing zone and low priority packets generated outside the routing zone uses off-routing zone nodes only for routing. In effect, routing zone nodes are dedicated to serving high priority data, thereby providing better service. A-MCAR (Advanced mobile congestion aware routing protocol) provides mobile and lightweight routing zones to address sensor networks with mobile HP data sources and/or bursty HP traffic. In A-MCAR as node moves ahead, nodes coming in the range of moving node changes to HP mode and the nodes out of the range are in LP mode.
Morphometic Analysis of TCGA Glioblastoma Multiforme

Our goals are to develop a computational histopathology pipeline for characterizing tumor types that are being generated by The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) for genomic association. TCGA is a national collaborative program where different tumor types are being collected, and each tumor is being characterized using a variety of genome-wide platforms. Here, we have developed a tumor-centric analytical pipeline to process tissue sections stained with hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) for visualization and cell-by-cell quantitative analysis. Thus far, analysis is limited to Glioblastoma Multiforme (GBM) and kidney renal clear cell carcinoma tissue sections. The final results are being distributed for subtyping and linking the histology sections to the genomic data. A computational pipeline has been designed to continuously update a local image database, with limited clinical information, from an NIH repository. Each image is partitioned into blocks, where each cell in the block is characterized through a multidimensional representation (e.g., nuclear size, cellularity). A subset of morphometric indices, representing potential underlying biological processes, can then be selected for subtyping and genomic association. Simultaneously, these subtypes can also be predictive of the outcome as a result of clinical treatments. Using the cellularity index and nuclear size, the computational pipeline has revealed five subtypes, and one subtype, corresponding to the extreme high cellularity, has shown to be a predictor of survival as a result of a more aggressive therapeutic regime. Further association of this subtype with the corresponding gene expression data has identified enrichment of (i) the immune response and AP-1 signaling pathways, and (ii) IFNG, TGFB1, PKC, Cytokine, and MAPK14 hubs. While subtyping is often performed with genome-wide molecular data, we have shown that it can also be applied to categorizing histology sections. Accordingly, we have identified a subtype that is a predictor of the outcome as a result of a therapeutic regime. Computed representation has become publicly available through our Web site.
Cyclotron-Cherenkov and Cherenkov instabilities

The effect of the conventional Cherenkov instability on the cyclotron-Cherenkov maser is investigated for the case of a relativistic electron beam propagating along a background magnetic field in a dielectric using particle simulations. Both Cherenkov and cyclotron-Cherenkov instabilities are excited when the phase velocity of light in the dielectric is less than the beam velocity. It is demonstrated in the high-power regime, where the cyclotron-Cherenkov mode has the higher growth rate, that the Cherenkov mode has little effect on the nonlinear efficiency of the cyclotron-Cherenkov mode. High-efficiency is possible, confirming previous predictions based on single mode calculations. The effect of beam momentum spread is studied. >
Fragile X Syndrome in a Normal IQ Male with Learning and Emotional Problems

ABSTRACT The present case study features an adult male who was diagnosed with fragile X syndrome after the identification of this syndrome in his more affected brother. The patient presented with a Full Scale IQ within the broad range of normal and has been diagnosed with a schizotypal personality disorder. He shows significant deficits in the social and emotional aspects of daily life, but has striking cognitive strengths relating to reading and vocabulary as compared to most males affected with fragile X syndrome. DNA testing of blood leukocytes revealed that he has a fully expanded FMR1 CGG repeat mutation associated with almost complete lack of methylation. Protein studies demonstrate a limited production of FMRP, the protein produced by the FMR1 gene. It is believed that the near absence of methylation of the fully expanded mutation and the resultant expression of the FMR1 protein is responsible for the strong cognitive abilities of this fragile X patient. J. Am. Acad. Child Adolesc. Psychiatry , 1994, 33, 9:1316–1321.
Applying randomized projection to aid prediction algorithms in detecting high-dimensional rogue applications

This paper describes a research effort to improve the use of the cosine similarity information retrieval technique to detect unknown, known or variances of known rogue software by applying the feature extraction technique of randomized projection. Document similarity techniques, such as cosine similarity, have been used with great success in several document retrieval applications. By following a standard information retrieval methodology, software, in machine readable format, can be regarded as documents in the corpus. These "documents" may or may not have a known rogue functionality. The query is software, again in machine readable format, which contains a certain type of rogue software. This methodology provides an ability to search the corpus with a query and retrieve/identify potentially rogue software as well as other instances of the same type of vulnerability. This retrieval is based on the similarity of the query to a given document in the corpus. To overcome what is known as the 'the curse of dimensionality' that can occur with the use of this type of information retrieval technique, randomized projections are used to create a low-order embedding of the high-dimensional data. For our experiment, we obtain Microsoft Windows applications, infect a subset of them with several common Trojans and apply our dimensionality and prediction methodology. Preliminary results show promise when applying randomized projections to cosine similarity in both speed of prediction and efficiency of required space when compared with using only cosine similarity.
Beyond N8O6: Length Effects and End-Cap Effects on the Stability of a Hexagonal Nitrogen Tube

A recent study suggested the possibility that a particular isomer of N8O6 is metastable enough to be a high-energy-density material (HEDM). Using that molecule as a starting point, other molecules are considered as HEDM candidates. The molecules in the current study are variations of N8O6, varied in two ways. First, length increases are considered, with the insertion of additional rings of nitrogen in a “tube” structure. Also, changes in the “end-cap” of N8O6 are considered, since the NO3 “end-cap” is apparently the weakest site in the original N8O6 molecule. Stability with respect to bond breaking is determined by theoretical calculations of bond-breaking reactions. Hartree−Fock (HF) theory and perturbation theory (MP2 and MP4) are employed, along with the correlation-consistent basis sets of Dunning. Each molecule is examined to determine the lowest-energy pathway to dissociation. The major results are that a new end-cap can stabilize the molecule, but lengthening the “tube” structure actually weakens t...
Dissolved nickel and benthic flux in South San Francisco Bay: a potential for natural sources to dominate.

Aqueous concentrations of nickel in the southern component of San Francisco Bay (South Bay) have periodically exceeded the water-quality criteria (8.2 ppb Ni) established in accordance with the EPA’s Clean Water Act. Nickel-rich serpentinite formations around the San Francisco Bay-estuary, particularly South Bay, are eroded, transported and accumulated in estuarine sediments, providing a natural source of nickel (Fig. 1). Although the areal coverage of these formations is not pronounced, their potential importance is suggested by the spatial distribution of serpentinite throughout nearly all watersheds surrounding South Bay. This non-anthropogenic source, as well as the intermittent exceedances in South Bay nickel concentrations, has motivated a reexamination of potential nickel-transport processes and regulatory strategies.
Pion Interferometry for Exploding Sources

A formula for the two-pion correlation function is derived for an arbitrary chaotic source when the emission spectrum from each point in space-time is known. The experimental fact that pions with high momentum in the center-of-mass frame are more correlated than low-momentum pions is explained by a collective expansion of the source. A simple model illustrates how the pion correlations can be used to measure the expansion velocity of a nuclear fireball.
Cerebral white matter integrity in children with active versus remitted epilepsy 5 years after diagnosis

Summary Introduction Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) studies have reported white matter abnormalities in childhood-onset epilepsy, but the mechanisms and timing underlying these abnormalities, and their resolution, are not well understood. This study examined white matter integrity in children with active versus remitted epilepsy. Methods Tract-based spatial statistics (TBSS) was used to examine whole-brain DTI indices of fractional anisotropy (FA), mean diffusivity (MD), axial diffusivity (AD) and radial diffusivity (RD) in 20 children with epilepsy 5–6 years after diagnosis, compared to 29 healthy controls. To determine the status of white matter following cessation of seizures, participants with epilepsy were classified as active versus remitted and comparisons included: (1) controls versus all children with epilepsy, (2) controls versus children with remitted seizures, (3) controls versus children with active seizures, and (4) children with active versus remitted epilepsy. Results In the active compared to remitted epilepsy group, significantly higher FA and lower MD, AD and RD values were dispersed in the internal capsule, cingulum, body of the corpus callosum, superior corona radiata and superior fronto-occipital fasciculus. Similar differences were found between the active epilepsy and the control group. There were no significant differences between the remitted epilepsy and control groups. Conclusion Children with active epilepsy differed in white matter integrity compared to children with remitted epilepsy and healthy controls. It remains to be determined whether these findings represent the outcomes of seizure remission versus an initial biomarker for those children who will ultimately have intractable epilepsy.
Reversible posterior leukoencephalopathy following organ transplantation Description of two cases

Although neurologic changes after organ transplantation are often secondary to opportunistic infections or vascular insults, new pathological entities are emerging. We have recently encountered two patients who, a few days after liver and heart transplant, respectively, developed neurological signs and symptoms. Head computerized tomography (CT) scan showed nonenhancing areas of low attenuation, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) demonstrated multiple areas of increased signal intensity in the subcortical white matter on T2-weighted images. Stereotactic biopsy of the intracranial lesions was performed in one case. Light microscopic examination demonstrated only mildly edematous white matter. No infectious organisms were observed on light or electron microscopy. In one patient, follow-up MRI 3 months later showed almost complete resolution of the signal abnormalities. Both patients' clinical condition progressively improved. The neuroradiological abnormalities described are consistent with the 'reversible posterior leukoencephalopathy' syndrome associated with cyclosporine toxicity. The pathophysiology of these lesions is unclear; however, it has been suggested that cyclosporine causes an acute ischemic insult secondary to vascular spasm with resultant axonal swelling. This hypothesis is supported by the hypoattenuation seen on CT, the prolonged T2 relaxation seen on MRI, and the absence of contrast enhancement. Concomitant factors (such as hypocholesterolemia or associated therapy with high dose steroids) are important in the development of these lesions as in both of our patients cyclosporine levels were in the normal range. Fortunately, these lesions and the associated manifestations are most often reversible and regress with adjustments of cyclosporine dosage and/or correction of concomitant facilitating factors.
Learning through peer assessment

Ecological succession is driven by disturbance, both natural and human-induced, and change occurs at multiple scales, both temporal and spatial. Understanding the mechanisms involved in succession requires the integration of many ideas, some of which may contradict students' belief that succession is only a unidirectional and linear model. The notion of ecosystems as static, or as eventually reaching a final state of equilibrium, needs to be critically challenged by students; ecosystems are stochastic, and this dynamism is the only constant (White and Pickett 1985, Kozlowski 2002). Gurell et al. (pp 377-82) present a novel succession model that provides a context for students to analyze, synthesize, and integrate basic ecological concepts across scales and between groups of organisms. In previous Pathways articles, we described cooperative learning strategies that are based on the growing body of research showing the cognitive, motivational, affective, and social benefits of college students working in small groups (Bruffee 1999). Here we introduce formative peer assessment strategies to determine the effectiveness of cooperative learning experiences. A major concern of faculty and students about cooperative learning is accountability. In theory, teams are formed to accomplish a common goal and necessarily involve both positive interdependence, where all members must cooperate to complete the task, and individual and group accountability for the work (Smith et al. 2005). Peer assessment enables students to measure the effectiveness of group work, to fully understand the purpose of the instruction and assessment criteria, to monitor learning, and to improve their ability to transfer what they have learned to new situations. Formative peer assessment and feedback is more helpful in improving student learning than summative assessment that generally measures specific outcomes (Sheppard 2004).
Interplay between Passive Tension and Strong and Weak Binding Cross-Bridges in Insect Indirect Flight Muscle A Functional Dissection by Gelsolin-mediated Thin Filament Removal

The interplay between passive and active mechanical properties of indirect flight muscle of the waterbug (Lethocerus) was investigated. A functional dissection of the relative contribution of cross-bridges, actin filaments, and C filaments to tension and stiffness of passive, activated, and rigor fibers was carried out by comparing mechanical properties at different ionic strengths of sarcomeres with and without thin filaments. Selective thin filament removal was accomplished by treatment with the actin-severving protein gelsolin. Thin filament, removal had no effect on passive tension, indicating that the C filament and the actin filament are mechanically independent and that passive tension is developed by the C filament in response to sarcomere stretch. Passive tension increased steeply with sarcomere length until an elastic limit was reached at only 6-7% sarcomere extension, which corresponds to an extension of 350% of the C filament. The passive tension-length relation of insect flight muscle was analyzed using a segmental extension model of passive tension development (Wang, K, R. McCarter, J. Wright, B. Jennate, and R Ramirez-Mitchell. 1991. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA. 88:7101-7109). Thin filament removal greatly depressed high frequency passive stiffness (2.2 kHz) and eliminated the ionic strength sensitivity of passive stiffness. It is likely that the passive stiffness component that is removed by gelsolin is derived from weak-binding cross-bridges, while the component that remains is derived from the C filament. Our results indicate that a significant number of weak-binding cross-bridges exist in passive insect muscle at room temperature and at an ionic strength of 195 mM. Analysis of rigor muscle indicated that while rigor tension is entirely actin based, rigor stiffness contains a component that resists gelsolin treatment and is therefore likely to be C filament based. Active tension and active stiffness of unextracted fibers were directly proportional to passive tension before activation. Similarly, passive stiffness due to weak bridges also increased linearly with passive tension, up to a limit. These correlations lead us to propose a stress-activation model for insect flight muscle in which passive tension is a prerequisite for the formation of both weak-binding and strong-binding cross-bridges.
The Unconventional Role of Acid Sphingomyelinase in Regulation of Retinal Microangiopathy in Diabetic Human and Animal Models

OBJECTIVE Acid sphingomyelinase (ASM) is an important early responder in inflammatory cytokine signaling. The role of ASM in retinal vascular inflammation and vessel loss associated with diabetic retinopathy is not known and represents the goal of this study. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS Protein and gene expression profiles were determined by quantitative RT-PCR and Western blot. ASM activity was determined using Amplex Red sphingomyelinase assay. Caveolar lipid composition was analyzed by nano-electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry. Streptozotocin-induced diabetes and retinal ischemia-reperfusion models were used in in vivo studies. RESULTS We identify endothelial caveolae-associated ASM as an essential component in mediating inflammation and vascular pathology in in vivo and in vitro models of diabetic retinopathy. Human retinal endothelial cells (HREC), in contrast with glial and epithelial cells, express the plasma membrane form of ASM that overlaps with caveolin-1. Treatment of HREC with docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) specifically reduces expression of the caveolae-associated ASM, prevents a tumor necrosis factor-α–induced increase in the ceramide-to-sphingomyelin ratio in the caveolae, and inhibits cytokine-induced inflammatory signaling. ASM is expressed in both vascular and neuroretina; however, only vascular ASM is specifically increased in the retinas of animal models at the vasodegenerative phase of diabetic retinopathy. The absence of ASM in ASM −/− mice or inhibition of ASM activity by DHA prevents acellular capillary formation. CONCLUSIONS This is the first study demonstrating activation of ASM in the retinal vasculature of diabetic retinopathy animal models. Inhibition of ASM could be further explored as a potential therapeutic strategy in treating diabetic retinopathy.
Studies of cleavage in the metasedimentary rocks of the northwest Adirondack Mountains, New York

The pre-Cambrian gneisses, schists, and marbles of the Grenville series, in the northwest Adirondack Mountains, have been complexly sheared and in part retaliated during metamorphism. The principal directions of shear that may be inferred from inspection of foliations and associated lineations are (1) northeast-southwest (couple near horizontal) and (2) southeast-northwest (vertical, couple). These directions are roughly subparallel respectively to the directions of gross lithologic trend and average dips. The lithologic trend and average dips are patterns imparted by the metasedimentary formations and rudely accordant orthogneisses. Some large-scale shear at appreciable angles to the lithologic patterns appears in features of thick, mobile units such as marble, and in relatively brittle gneissic units which have ruptured and floated apart, as well as where large, discordant intrusives, or basement nodes seem to have obstructed or complicated the evolving, conventional pattern. If, instead of the gross process or patterns of shear, the details of the shear patterns are studied, the rock motions as reflected by foliations and lineations are more complex and commonly along surfaces at variance with individual beds. Thus, secondary foliations (cleavages) evolve only in part along or subparallel to bedding, and in considerable part across and at the expense of beds. Examples are discussed in which either key layers or folds appear in the rocks and seem to be directly associated with the shearing movements. These examples are used on the assumption that the form of the folds or the key layer contributes valuable data on the stage or degree of shear involved. The many other exposures of subparallel rock surfaces, in which no fold or key layer is apparent, are believed to have a common origin with, and fit within the limits of, types described. All prominent foliations of metamorphic origin (cleavages) are inferred to have evolved during successive, closely related stages of what was clearly a triaxial-type deformation.
Agglomerative clustering on range data with a unified probabilistic merging function and termination criterion

Clustering methods, which are frequently employed for region-based segmentation, are inherently metric based. A fundamental problem with an estimation-based criterion is that as the amount of information in a region decreases, the parameter estimates become extremely unreliable and incorrect decisions are likely to be made. It is shown that clustering need not be metric based. A rigorous region merging probability function is used. It makes use of all information available in the probability densities of a statistical image model. By using this probability function as a termination criterion it is possible to produce segmentations in which all region merges are performed above some level of confidence. >
Radio location in urban CDMA microcells

A radio location method for code-division multiple-access (CDMA) microcellular networks is investigated. The method discussed focuses on the use of time difference of arrival (TDOA) estimates for deriving the position of a mobile unit in a CDMA system, where the transmitted signal is received by several base stations (BSs). The TDOA estimates are obtained by using a delay-lack loop. A similar method is used in the global position system (GPS), but its performance in an urban microcellular propagation environment has not been previously studied. Simulation results are given for different radio propagation environments.
The necessity of the present and Anselm's eternalist response to the problem of theological fatalism

It is often argued that the eternalist solution to the freedom/foreknowledge dilemma fails. If God's knowledge of your choices is eternally fixed, your choices are necessary and cannot be free. Anselm of Canterbury proposes an eternalist view which entails that all of time is equally real and truly present to God. God's knowledge of your choices entails only a ‘consequent’ necessity which does not conflict with libertarian freedom. I argue this by showing that if consequent necessity does conflict with libertarian freedom then God's knowledge in the present would conflict with the freedom of a present choice. Absurd.
Evaluating interactions between river otters and muskrats at bridge crossings in Kentucky

Muskrats (Ondatra zibethicus) prey on freshwater mussels, many species of which are threatened or endangered. Muskrat populations have been reduced in some streams where North American river otters (Lontra canadensis) were reintroduced, and it has been hypothesized that otter reintroduction could be used as a tool for conservation of mussels. We used occupancy estimation methods to evaluate the ecological relationship between muskrats and otters by collecting presence–absence data based on field sign found at bridge crossings in eastern and central Kentucky. Mean detection probabilities (ps) and occupancy probabilities (ys) for muskrats were 0.692 (SE 5 0.045) and 0.723 (SE 5 0.071) and for otters were 0.623 (SE 5 0.036) and 0.662 (SE 5 0.069), respectively. Otter occupancy was related negatively to distance from release sites, which suggests that the otter population is still expanding its range. A 2-species interaction model indicated that the occupancy by muskrats and river otters was independent, and we conclude that river otter reintroduction would not be an effective strategy for conserving mussels.
Zero dispersion and viscosity limits of invariant manifolds for focusing nonlinear Schrödinger equations

Zero dispersion and viscosity limits of invariant manifolds for focusing nonlinear Schrodinger equations (NLS) are studied. We start with spatially uniform and temporally periodic solutions (the so-called Stokes waves). We find that the spectra of the linear NLS at the Stokes waves often have surprising limits as dispersion or viscosity tends to zero. When dispersion (or viscosity) is set to zero, the size of invariant manifolds and/or Fenichel fibers approaches zero as viscosity (or dispersion) tends to zero. When dispersion (or viscosity) is nonzero, the size of invariant manifolds and/or Fenichel fibers approaches a nonzero limit as viscosity (or dispersion) tends to zero. When dispersion is nonzero, the center-stable manifold, as a function of viscosity, is not smooth at zero viscosity. A subset of the center-stable manifold is smooth at zero viscosity. The unstable Fenichel fiber is smooth at zero viscosity. When viscosity is nonzero, the stable Fenichel fiber is smooth at zero dispersion.
Induction of platelet white blood cell (WBC) aggregate formation by platelets and WBCs in red blood cell units

BACKGROUND: Transfusion of red blood cell (RBC) preparations is independently associated with adverse clinical outcomes in patients with acute cardiovascular disease. This study was designed to define mechanisms potentially contributing. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: The presence of platelets (PLTs), activated PLTs (PLTs expressing P-selectin), PLT-monocyte aggregates (PMAs), and PLT-neutrophil aggregates (PNAs) was determined in vitro with the use of flow cytometry in whole blood from healthy volunteers, in RBCs, and in whole blood after adding aliquots of RBCs. Both prestorage leukoreduced and nonleukoreduced RBCs were analyzed. Nonleukoreduced RBCs were subfractionated with the use of centrifugation and filtration to obtain a RBC-free and a cell-free fraction. Formation of PMAs and PNAs was determined in whole blood after the addition of aliquots of these subfractions. RESULTS: Nonleukoreduced RBCs contained 50 ± 18 percent of the PLTs found in whole blood from healthy volunteers, and 43 ± 16 percent of the PLTs were activated. Leukoreduced RBCs contained few PLTs (0.2 ± 0.1% of volunteer blood). The majority (>60%) of white blood cells (WBCs) in nonleukoreduced RBCs were associated with PLTs. The formation of PMAs and PNAs in whole blood was increased approximately fivefold after addition of nonleukoreduced-RBCs (p < 0.0001) and by less than twofold with leukoreduced RBCs (p = 0.01). Addition of the essentially cell-free fraction of nonleukoreduced RBCs did not increase the formation of PNA or PMA in whole blood significantly. CONCLUSION: RBC preparations, particularly nonleukoreduced RBCs, contain activated PLTs and PLT-WBC aggregates and induce formation of PLT-WBC aggregates. This may be one mechanism contributing to adverse outcomes linked to transfusions in patients with cardiovascular disease.
Temporary Agency Work and Trade Unions in Comparative Perspective: A Mixed Blessing?

The article examines local union approaches toward temporary agency work in Belgium and Germany. Heterogeneous plant-level use of temporary work is explained by differences in collective bargaining...
Does Immigration Impact Economic Freedom

The economics literature generally finds a positive, but small, gain in income to native‐born populations from immigrants and potentially large gains in world incomes. But immigrants can also impact a recipient nation’s institutions. A growing empirical literature supports the importance of strong private property rights, a rule of law, and an environment of economic freedom for promoting long run prosperity. Comparatively little work has tried to explain economic freedom as a dependent variable. This paper empirically examines how immigration impacts a region’s policies and institutions. We find small but positive increases in institutional quality as a result of immigration.
Analytical Metamodel-Based Global Sensitivity Analysis and Uncertainty Propagation for Robust Design

Metamodeling approach has been widely used due to the high computational cost of using high-fidelity simulations in engineering design. Interpretation of metamodels for the purpose of design, especially design under uncertainty, becomes important. The computational expenses associated with metamodels and the random errors introduced by sample-based methods require the development of analytical methods, such as those for global sensitivity analysis and uncertainty propagation to facilitate a robust design process. In this work, we develop generalized analytical formulations that can provide efficient as well as accurate global sensitivity analysis and uncertainty propagation for a variety of metamodels. The benefits of our proposed techniques are demonstrated through vehicle related robust design applications.
Organizational Structure for Casework Supervision

lating, examining, and critically evaluating the process of supervision has few parallels in other professional fields. In reviewing the literature one finds that much energy has gone into developing the supervisory process, and—more recently—into how much supervision is required for practi tioner and student, as well as how it is used in various settings such as family agencies, schools, and clinics. However, the super visory structure within which the super visory process takes place, and the way in which structure and process relate to each other, have received relatively little atten tion.1
Transportation: An Electronic Survey of Persons Who Are Blind or Have Low Vision

IntroductionIndividuals who are blind or have low vision (hereafter, visually impaired) encounter transportation barriers that impede their full participation in life activities, including transpor...
Metacridamides A and B, macrocycles from conidia of the entomopathogenic fungus Metarhizium acridum.

Metarhizium acridum, an entomopathogenic fungus, has been commercialized and used successfully for biocontrol of grasshopper pests in Africa and Australia. Its conidia produce two novel 17-membered macrocycles, metacridamides A (1) and B (2), which consist of a Phe unit condensed with a nonaketide. Planar structures were elucidated by a combination of mass spectrometric and NMR techniques. Following hydrolysis of 1, chiral amino acid analysis assigned the l-configuration to the Phe unit. A crystal structure established the absolute configuration of the eight remaining stereogenic centers in 1. Metacridamide A (1) showed cytotoxicity to three cancer lines with IC50's of 6.2, 11.0, and 10.8 μM against Caco-2 (epithelial colorectal adenocarcinoma), MCF-7 (breast cancer), and HepG2/C3A (hepatoma) cell lines, respectively. In addition, metacridamide B (2) had an IC50 of 18.2 μM against HepG2/C3A, although it was inactive at 100 μM against Caco-2 and MCF-7. Neither analogue showed antimicrobial, phytotoxic, or ...
As to the Canonization of Matthew

New Testament critics have waited more than half a century for an explanation of the following strange ending of a Syriac writing of the fifth century after Christ, first published by William Wright in The Journal of Sacred Literature for April 1866. We quote from his translation in that journal for October of the same year: But Joseph and Mary, when they saw the treachery of king Herod and the envy of the Scribes and Pharisees, arose and took the Child, and went to a foreign country and of a barbarous tongue; and there they dwelt for the space of four years, during which Herod continued to reign after (their flight). And at the commencement of the reign of Herod's son, they arose and went up from that land to the country of Galilee, Joseph and Mary, and our Lord along with them, and the five sons of Hannah (Anna), the first wife of Joseph. But Mary and our Lord were dwelling together in the house in which Mary received the Annunciation from the holy Angel.
Thermal Changes in Denervated and Sympathectomized Limbs With and Without Arterial Ligation

SummarySkin temperatures taken between the toes of dogs varied with the temperature of the room. The thermal vasodilation level of the normal limb of a short haired dog in a warm room was 36-39°C. The thermal vasoconstriction level was apparently 22-26°C. Section of the sciatic nerve or lumbar sympathectomy caused a relative hyperthermia in the limb of the operated side in dogs kept in a cold room. Following division of the femoral artery thermal responses paralleled those of the normal limb but were consistently slightly lower. Division of the femoral artery and ipsolateral lumbar sympathectomy or section of the sciatic nerve led to thermal responses to heat and cold similar to those obtained after division of the femoral artery alone. After division of the femoral arteries and unilateral lumbar sympathectomy the thermal responses were similar to, but more moderate than those after sympathectomy alone.
Gas Source Molecular Beam Epitaxy of ZnSe on (In,Ga)P

The wide bandgap semiconductor ZnSe has been nucleated on epitaxial (In,Ga)P buffer layers (on GaAs substrates) having various In compositions, and hence various lattice constants. The III-V ternary alloy offers a wide range of lattice constants for the heteroepitaxy of a multitude of potential II-VI light emitting devices, such as blue pn injection lasers composed of the (Zn,Mg)(S,Se) material system. Since the II-VI and III-V layers are grown using gas source molecular beam epitaxy in separate dedicated reactors, the technique of amorphous As deposition is employed to passivate the (In,Ga)P surface prior to the ex situ transfer. High resolution double crystal x-ray diffraction measurements on the ZnSe/(In,Ga)P/GaAs heterostructures indicate that for In compositions of 50-52%, the buffer layers with a thickness of 4 μm were only partially relaxed on the GaAs substrates, with the residual mismatch remaining at the ZnSe/III-V heterointerface. The critical thickness of (In,Ga)P, with In concentrations near 52-56%, on GaAs greatly exceeds the predicted critical thickness from either the energy balancing or force balancing model. For an In composition of 56% (and a film thickness of 4 μm), the buffer layers contain an in-plane lattice constant equal to that of ZnSe, and therefore represent the lattice-matched condition, even though the film is not fully relaxed. For (In,Ga)P buffer layers lattice-matched to ZnSe, but mismatched to GaAs, the surface exhibits the expected cross-hatched surface morphology. The occurrence of the cross-hatched surface is significantly alleviated by the addition of a pseudomorphic layer of GaAs positioned between the ZnSe and (In,Ga)P layer.
Hybrids and phylogenetic systematics. I. Patterns of character expression in hybrids and their implications for cladistic analysis

Interspecific hybridization is considered common among plants, but the methods of cladistic systematics produce only divergently branching phylogenetic hypotheses and thus cannot give the correct phylogeny if an analysis includes hybrids. Empirical studies of the impact of known hybrids on phylogenetic analysis are lacking, and are necessary to begin to understand the problems that we face if hybrids are often included in cladistic analysis. Examination of the implications of hybrids for cladistics must begin with patterns of character expression in hybrids. This study includes 17 hybrids and their nine parental taxa that are Central American species of Aphelandra (Acanthaceae), analyzed using a set of 50 morphological characters. The hybrids are overwhelmingly intermediate as quantitatively scored for phylogenetic analysis. They express maternal and paternal, and primitive and derived characters in equal frequencies, showing no evidence of predominant inheritance of derived character states as has been assumed by most cladists who have considered hybrids theoretically. Because of their known genetic constitution, hybrids were useful in homology assessment and ordering character states. The parental character set was generally robust, but some changes were made to reflect the special evidence offered by the hybrids. These hybrids suggest that the inclusion of hybrids in phylogenetic analysis will not lead to unresolved cladograms with rampant homoplasy, as has been predicted by other authors. Instead, the patterns of character inheritance in these hybrids lead to the prediction that a hybrid will be placed by phylogenetic analysis as a basal lineage to the clade that includes its most derived parent, with relatively little effect on homoplasy. These predictions will be evaluated by incorporation of the hybrids in phylogenetic analyses, to be reported in a subsequent paper.
Parameters influencing local control of meningiomas treated with radiosurgery

To identify parameters that influence local control after stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) for meningiomas we retrospectively analyzed all meningiomas treated with Gamma Knife SRS at our institution from 1991 to 2007. Endpoints were measured from the date of SRS and estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method; subgroups were compared with log-rank tests. Sex, performance status, age, SRS setting, radiation dose, grade, volume and location were evaluated with univariate and multivariate Cox proportional hazards analyses. Of 280 patients with 438 tumors, 264 patients with clinical follow-up and 406 tumors with imaging follow-up were analyzed (median follow-up: 75.9 months). Thirty-seven percent of the tumors had no tissue diagnosis, 32 % were benign (grade I), 12 % atypical (grade II), and 19 % malignant (grade III). Five-year freedom from progression (FFP) was 97 % for presumed meningiomas, 87 % for grade I tumors, 56 % for grade II tumors, and 47 % for grade III tumors (p < 0.0001). Five-year FFP probabilities for upfront SRS versus SRS at recurrence after surgery versus SRS at recurrence after RT were 97, 86, and 38 %, respectively (p < 0.0001). Univariate analysis revealed that higher grade, larger target volume (median diameter: 2.4 cm) and SRS setting were associated with poorer FFP. Only target volume and SRS setting remained significant on multivariate analysis. Local control of presumed and grade I meningiomas is excellent with Gamma Knife SRS, but is suboptimal with high-grade tumors as well as for those treated at recurrence after RT or of large volume.
Determining the Relationship Between Census Data and Spatial Features Derived From High-Resolution Imagery in Accra, Ghana

Remotely sensed-based estimates of dwelling and population characteristics can provide timely and spatially explicit information for urban planning and development in emerging cities. This exploratory analysis quantifies spatial features of built-up areas derived from high-resolution satellite imagery and directly relates them to census-derived variables in Accra, Ghana. Spatial features are image metrics that analyze pixel groups in order to describe the geometry, orientation, and patterns of objects in an image. By using spatial features in an urban setting, city infrastructure variations, such as roads and buildings, can be quantified and related to census variables, such as living standards and housing conditions. To test the associations between spatial patterns and demographic variables, five spatial features (line support regions, PanTex, histograms of oriented gradients, local binary patterns, and Fourier transform) were quantified and extracted from the imagery, and then correlated to the census variables. Findings indicate both spatial features and spectral information (such as NDVI) correlate strongly with standards of living such as population and housing density. Results from this study suggest that spatial features derived from satellite imagery can be used to help map socioeconomic characteristics within the city of Accra, Ghana, and that this methodology may be transferable to other developing cities.
Diets of Syntopic Black-knobbed Sawbacks (Graptemys nigrinoda) and Alabama Map Turtles (Graptemys pulchra) in the Alabama River

Abstract The emydid turtle genus Graptemys is characterized by intra- and interspecific dietary diversity. Sympatric species pairs typically differ in trophic morphology and dependence on bivalve mollusks in female diets, yet there is a lack of comprehensive comparisons of the diets of sympatric species. I collected feces from 92 black-knobbed sawbacks (G. nigrinoda) and 54 Alabama map turtles (G. pulchra) from the Alabama River at a site in Autauga and Lowndes counties, Alabama. Samples were analyzed separately for unsexed juveniles, adult males, juvenile females larger than the smallest mature males, and adult females of each species. Sponges, aquatic insects (particularly caddisfly larvae), and filamentous algae were the primary foods of G. nigrinoda. Native mussels, invasive Asian clams, and aquatic insects (but few caddisfly larvae) were the primary foods of G. pulchra. Each of the four sex and size classes exhibited substantially greater similarity with conspecific classes than with classes of the o...
Antiheparin proteins secreted by human platelets. purification, characterization, and radioimmunoassay

Platelet factor 4 (PF4) and low-affinity PF4 (LA-PF4) were purified to homogeneity from washed human platelets by ZnSO4 precipitation and affinity chromatography on heparin-agarose columns. As shown by double immunodiffusion and specific radioimmunoassays, LA-PF4 and PF4 were immunologically distinct. The levels of PF4 and LA-PF4 antigens in intact platelets were 12.4 and 24.2 µg/109 platelets, respectively. Heparin-neutralizing activity was assayed by measuring the degree of hydrolysis of the chromogenic substrate Bz-***Ile-Glu-Gly-Arg-pNA in the presence of antithrombin III and heparin; 1 mg each of PF4 and LA-PF4 neutralized 17.0 and 2.6 units of beef lung heparin, respectively. Both proteins accounted for 28% of the total heparin neutralizing activity of the platelets. The molecular weight of LA-PF4 as calculated by amino acid analysis and SDS Polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis was 9070 and 7800 daltons, respectively. LA-PF4 shared common antigenic determinants with β-thromboglobulin (βTG) and connective tissue-activating peptide III. The difference between LA-PF4 and βTG was shown by electrophoresis on cellulose acetate at pH 8.6. LA-PF4 migrated in the γ globulin region, in contrast to βTG, which migrated in the β globulin region. The NH2 terminal amino acids of LA-PF4 and βTG were asparagine and glycine, respectively. Partial amino acid sequencing of LA-PF4 showed differences between this protein and βTG. At the NH2-terminal end LA-PF4 had four additional amino acids (Asn-Leu-Ala-Lys); however, residues 5-12 of LA-PF4 and 1-8 of βTG were identical.