cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Data Mining via Support Vector Machines

Support vector machines (SVMs) have played a key role in broad classes of problems arising in various fields. Much more recently, SVMs have become the tool of choice for problems arising in data classification and mining This paper emphasizes some recent developments that the author and his colleagues have contributed to such as: generalized SVMs (a very general mathematical programming framework for SVMs), smooth SVMs (a smooth nonlinear equation representation of SVMs solvable by a fast Newton method), Lagrangian SVMs (an unconstrained Lagrangian representation of SVMs leading to an extremely simple iterative scheme capable of solving classification problems with millions of points) and reduced SVMs (a rectangular kernel classifier that utilizes as little as 1% of the data).
Human and murine anti-DNA antibodies induce the production of anti-idiotypic antibodies with autoantigen-binding properties (epibodies) through immune-network interactions

To examine the potential role of immune-network interactions in the production of lupus autoantibodies, normal NZW rabbit antibody responses were analyzed after immunization with one of the following Ig preparations: human lupus serum anti-dsDNA antibodies, human lupus serum anti-ssDNA antibodies, a mixture of human lupus serum anti-dsDNA and anti-ssDNA antibodies, the MRL-lpr/lpr anti-dsDNA mAb H241, and the MRL-lpr/lpr anti-ssDNA mAb H130. Four of five rabbits produced Ig typical of lupus autoantibodies: individual rabbit Ig cross-reacted with multiple autoantigens including nucleic acids, cardiolipin, SmRNP, glomerular extract, laminin, and exogenous Ag. Rabbit anti-Id against human anti-dsDNA antibodies were highly specific for dsDNA. Notably, in each serum the autoantibody activity was confined to the anti-Id Ig fraction. A similar spontaneously occurring Id-anti-Id interaction was also found between anti-ssDNA and anti-dsDNA antibodies isolated from an individual lupus patient. These results indicate that lupus autoantibodies which share Ag binding properties with pathogenic Ig, including both cross-reactive and anti-dsDNA antibodies, can induce the production of Ig with similar autoantigen binding properties through immune-network interactions. This phenomenon, if unregulated, could lead to the amplification of pathogenic autoantibody production in individuals with systemic lupus.
The afterlife of embryonic persons: what a strange place heaven must be

Some commentators argue that conception constitutes the onset of human personhood in a metaphysical sense. This threshold is usually invoked as the basis both for protecting zygotes and embryos from exposure to risks of death in clinical research and fertility medicine and for objecting to abortion, but it also has consequences for certain religious perspectives, including Catholicism whose doctrines directly engage questions of personhood and its meanings. Since more human zygotes and embryos are lost than survive to birth, conferral of personhood on them would mean - for those believing in personal immortality - that these persons constitute the majority of people living immortally despite having had only the shortest of earthly lives. For those believing in resurrection, zygotes and embryos would also be restored to physical lives. These outcomes do not mean that conception cannot function as a metaphysical threshold of personhood, but this interpretation carries costs that others do not. For example, treating conception as a moral threshold of respect for human life in general, rather than as a metaphysical threshold of personhood, would obviate the prospect of the afterlife being populated in the main by persons who have never lived more than a few hours or days.
Visual—Auditory matching of trigrams in first-grade and third-grade reading achievement

Abstract Task performances of 35 first graders were analyzed in relation to their third-grade reading and arithmetic test scores. The visual—auditory (V-A) task, requiring the child to select the correct auditory representation of a visually presented CVC (Consonant-Vowel-Consonant), accounted for 48% of the variance in third-grade reading scores. Arithmetic scores were not significantly related to any task performance.
Quantum Illumination for Improved Detection, Imaging, and Communication

Quantum illumination transmits part of an entangled state, retaining the rest for subsequent joint measurement in detection, imaging, or communication. It outperforms classical-state systems of the same average transmitted energy over entanglement-breaking channels.
Moving patients around: a field study of coordination between clinical and non-clinical staff in hospitals

Effective coordination is central to work in organizations. We conducted a field study examining challenges to coordination between clinical and non-clinical staff in the patient transfer process of a major academic hospital. We present one major challenge: lack of information sharing between these staff members and discuss the reasons for and consequences of this challenge to the work in the hospital.
A sustainable development metric based on youth

Nearly two decades ago, the World Bank declared achieving sustained and equitable development to be the greatest challenge facing the human race. In this article, an index of youth investment (IYI) is proposed to highlight children and the intergenerational dimension of sustainable development. The index incorporates quality-adjusted measures for child health and education. Comparisons with two complementary indicators of sustainable development, the human development index (HDI) and the adjusted net saving rate (AS), are made. A cross-section of 34 nations for 2006 is used as an illustration. A discussion of policies for promoting sustainable development through investing in children concludes the article.
Four strategies for body weight control in athletics

Abstract Body weight control is the primary nutritional concern of athletes overall. Four subjects participated in individual studies of different strategies for weight gain or loss. The men ranged from 20–26 yr AGE, 65–98 kg WT, 173–183 cm HT. Subjects A and B intended to gain weight while C and D wanted to lose weight. Subject A followed a monotonous diet while B ate in binges. Subject C consumed a varied diet, but closely monitored his own energy intake. Subject D followed a monotonous diet, but rewarded himself with extra food on weekends. Based on uniformity of body weight values and predictability of change, the efforts of Subjects A, C, and D were successful. However, the rate of change for Subjects C and D exceeded goals. The binge eating behavior of Subject B resulted in wide variation in both energy intake and body weight. Although weight was gained, it was not achieved in a uniform or predictable manner, and it exceeded his goal. Hence, the strategy of Subject B was unsuccessful.
Comments on ‘Strategic Maneuvering in Question Time in the British House of Commons’

I would like to thank Dima Mohammed for doing exactly what she said she would do: offering a careful and systematic study of a particular context of political argumentation that demonstrates how considerations of strategic maneuvering can be incorporated into a pragma-dialectical analysis. The strategic maneuvering project is valuable because it aligns what traditionally have been concerns of dialectic with what traditionally have been concerns of rhetoric. For the dialectician, the approach explains how arguers try not only to resolve disagreements but to resolve them in their favor. For the rhetorician, the emphasis on dialectical purpose offers a standard of validity more precise than appeals to vague concepts such as the ideal speech situation or the universal audience. In turn, the incorporation of institutional perspectives in the study of strategic maneuvering is valuable. It extends the study of persuasion in argumentation beyond the basic situation of two people engaged in interpersonal dialogue within a shared context. It thereby permits a more complete mapping of actual arguments while normatively evaluating them against the rules for a critical discussion. In the first one-third of her paper, Dima Mohammed makes the case for considering strategic maneuvering and for taking institutional factors into account. I am prepared to stipulate these claims, for the reasons I have just described. But we have to be careful. First, as Mohammed points out, we must understand the argumentative activity type in relation to the aims of the institution. One must characterize argumentation as a means to achieve institutional goals. Second, one must have a good working notion of what an institution is. Mohammed leaves the term largely undefined. In my own paper I suggest that the term refers to patterns of expectations governed by rules and conventions which it often requires training and experience to grasp fully.
Archaeomagnetic dating and the Bonito phase chronology

Abstract A method is presented for the reanalysis of a large archaeomagnetic data set from the Chaco Canyon region in northwest New Mexico, U.S.A., for which virtual geomagnetic pole (VGP) position data have not been reported. Reanalysis based upon the archaeomagnetic curve model SWCV590-CSU resulted in large age ranges. The level of precision reported in the past was not reproducible given available data. The consistent lateness of archaeomagnetic dates reported by Robert DuBois is accounted for by recent research that has altered segments of the archaeomagnetic curve. Archaeomagnetic and tree-ring data from the Late Bonito phase Chacoan community of Bis sa'ani are used to contrast the results of two different methods of interpretation. Factors that have influenced the composition of the archaeomagnetic data base are identified. Recommendations are made for reporting archaeomagnetic dates.
The Beltsville method for soilless production of vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi

A low-cost, low-maintenance system for soilless production of vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizal (VAM) fungus spores and inoculum was developed and adapted for production of acidophilic and basophilic isolates. Corn (Zea mays) plants were grown with Glomus etunicatum, G. mosseae or Gigaspora margarita in sand automatically irrigated with modified Hoagland's solution. Sand particle size, irrigation frequency, P concentration, and buffer constituents were adjusted to maximize spore production. Modified half-strength Hoagland's solution buffered with 4-morpholine ethane-sulfonic acid (MES) automatically applied 5 times/day resulted in production of 235 G. etunicatum spores/g dry wt. of medium (341000 spores/pot) and 44 G. margarita spores/g dry wt. of medium (64800 spores/pot). For six basophilic isolates of G. mosseae, CaCO3 was incorporated into the sand and pots were supplied with the same nutrient solution as for acidophilic isolates. The increased pH from 6.1±0.2 to 7.2±0.2 resulted in spore production ranging from 70 to 145 spores/g dry wt. (102000–210000 spores/pot). Spore production by all isolates grown in the soilless sand system at Beltsville has exceeded that of traditional soil mixtures by 32–362% in 8–12 weeks.
“PTCH”‐ing It Together: A Basal Cell Nevus Syndrome Review

BACKGROUNDBasal cell nevus syndrome (BCNS) has existed at least since Dynastic Egyptian times. In 1960, Gorlin and Goltz first described the classic clinical triad: multiple basal cell carcinomas (BCCs), jaw keratocysts, and bifid ribs. As an autosomal-dominant disorder, it is characterized by tumor
Climatic effects of glacial Lake Agassiz in the midwestern United States during the last deglaciation

Stable isotope and pollen analyses of a sediment core from Deep Lake, Minnesota, provide new information on the climatic effects of glacial Lake Agassiz in Minnesota and insights into the cause of the prominent Picea recurrence during the Younger Dryas in the southern Great Lakes region. Bulk-carbonate δ18O exhibited large fluctuations between 12.0 and 9.1 ka (dates are in calendar years throughout this paper unless indicated otherwise), probably reflecting the effects of glacial Lake Agassiz superimposed on climatic warming related to large-scale climatic controls. In particular, a 3‰ decrease in δ18O 11.2–10.2 ka interrupted the δ18O enrichment of 1‰ from 12.0 to 11.2 ka and 3.5‰ from 10.2 to 9.1 ka. This δ18O decrease coincided with the expansion of Lake Agassiz. We interpret this decrease as a result of decreased summer temperature and increased precipitation derived from the cold and isotopically light meltwaters of Lake Agassiz. During this δ18O decline, Pinus pollen continued to increase at the expense of Picea pollen at Deep Lake, as at other Minnesota sites, providing evidence that climatic cooling induced by Lake Agassiz did not cause a reversal to a Picea -dominated vegetation. The absence of such a vegetational response implies that the prominent Picea recurrence during the Younger Dryas in the southern Great Lakes region was not caused solely by climatic cooling due to increased flux of meltwater from Lake Agassiz into the Great Lakes. Instead the Picea recurrence might have been driven primarily by the westward penetration of the Younger Dryas cooling.
Logic-on-logic 3D integration and placement

In this paper we describe three 3D standard cell placement algorithms, which are: “3D Placement using Sequential Off-the-Shelf 2D Placement Tools”, “True-3D Analytical Placement with mPL” and “3D Placement using Simultaneous 2D Placements with mPL”. We use these algorithms to place three case studies in a real face-to-face 3D integration process. The three case studies are a 2 point FFT butterfly processing element (PE), an Advanced Encryption Standard encryption block (AES) and a multiple-input and multiple-output wireless decoder (MIMO). The placements are then fully routed and compared to 2D placements in terms of performance and power consumption. Using this methodology we show that using 3D face-to-face integration with microbumps in conjunction with the three placement algorithms we can improve the maximum clock speed of AES module by 15.3% and the PE by 22.6%, while reducing the power of the AES module and the PE by 2.6% and 12.9% respectively.
Solid-State vs. Solution Stereospecificity in the Bromination of Fluorinated Olefins

Abstract Previous work on the ionic addition of halogens to olefins in the solid-state has been published. For example, Paul and Curtin reported trans-stilbene, adds chlorine cis in the solid-state1. Hadjoudis reported the trans-addition of bromine to crystalline olefins.2 Solid fluorinated olefins react with bromine or chlorine vapor under radical conditions, and it has been shown that extensive melt formation does not occur when the olefin contains a carboxylic acid group.3
Integrating entrapped mixed microbial cell (EMMC) technology for treatment of wastewater containing dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) for reuse in semiconductor industries

Solvents containing dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) are widely used in the rinse process of stripping photoresistors in semiconductor manufacturing industries. The disposal/reuse of wastewater containing DMSO is a serious problem because of its high concentration of organic carbon and the need to suppress the odor from its sulfur contents. An entrapped mixed microbial cell (EMMC) process was used to investigate the effectiveness of removing DMSO from a synthetic wastewater in a once-through up-flow fixed-bed bioreactor. Both cellulose triacetate and cellulose acetate were used to prepare the EMMC carriers. Various hydraulic retention times (HRTs) (based on the void volume) of 3, 4, 5, 6, and 12 h were investigated when the concentration of DMSO was 500 mg/l and 1,000 mg/l. It was found that the addition of 50 mg/l of sucrose was needed to serve as the carbon source for possible co-metabolism of DMSO. Based on the result of the impact of various dilution rates (1/HRT) on the TOC (total organic carbon) removal efficiency and TOC remaining, a dilute curve for this relationship was plotted. Thus, an optimal operational criterion was developed, i.e., it must be operated at a dilution rate of less than 0.15 h−1 or at an HRT of higher than 6.66 h, in order to achieve more than 95% of TOC (or more than 99% of DMSO) removal efficiency when using the cellulose triacetate as the EMMC carriers. This process performance was compared to the bio-contact filter (BCF) process conducted in Japan. It was found that the present study is capable of producing much less effluent nitrogen (including NH4-N and NO3-N) content than the BCF process under similar loading conditions. It is possible that integrating the unit process of EMMC as pretreatment with microfiltration (MF) and reversed osmosis (RO) processes is promising for the reuse and recycling of semiconductor wastewater. Thus, higher quality (less organic carbon and inorganic nitrogen content) pretreated water can be further treated by another physical chemical process, such as MF and RO, for the production of superpurity water for reuse in the semiconductor manufacturing industry.
The development of socialization skills in an electively mute child

Abstract In a booth designed especially for work with both autistic and electively mute children, a 4-yr-old girl named Dolly, who had no communicative speech or imitative skills, was given a preliminary session in which her verbal output was assessed. To elicit sounds from Dolly, an instrument called a “color organ” was used as a positive reinforcer. After this baseline assessment, in 40 half-hour sessions, Dolly was taught to make eye contact with E, and to obey instructions—although it was first necessary to extinguish her disruptive behavior, particularly her operant crying. In addition, she learned non-verbal imitative behavior, such as hand clapping; and verbal imitative behavior, such as saying “Hi!” Social (play) sessions were begun after session 21, and continued for the remaining time. These were helpful in generalizing Dolly's learned skills to an environment other than the booth; and to other tasks, such as singing “Ee-eye-ee-eye-oh” in the refrain of the song, “Old McDonald”; and pointing to E's eyes, saying “ice”.
Problems of quantization in the infinite momentum frame

Abstract Various problems of quantization in the infinite momentum frame are discussed. Naive application of the Dirac procedure is shown to yield inconsistent results. A rigorous method of proceeding from an action to a Hamiltonian with consistent equal-time commutators is proposed. The method is applied to a free, massive scalar field theory, the non-linear sigma model in (1 + 1) dimensions and quantum electrodynamics in (3 + 1) dimensions.
Objective measurement of patient's dental anxiety by galvanic skin reaction.

The purpose of this study was to determine if anxiety can be measured objectively by skin conductance of a weak electric current. Three measurements were taken. First, a standardized dental-anxiety questionnaire was given to determine anxiety. Second, galvanic skin conductance was measured. Third, polygraph responses were recorded to three key questions from the questionnaire. Questionnaire scores of these key questions were used to create two groups: anxious and not-anxious. The three key questions were subjected to polygraph verification. In the first analysis patients were excluded if the polygraph test disclosed lying on any of the three key questions. The second analysis excluded liars on a question-by-question basis. The third analysis disregarded the polygraph. A statistically significant correlation was found between skin conductance and dental anxiety in all cases. Data seem to indicate that fear of injection is the most anxiety-producing aspect of modern dentistry.
Coping Responses to Daily Life Stressors of Children who have a Sibling with a Disability

Disability or chronic illness in a child creates stressors and new demands for all family members. Most research has focused on the parental perspective. There are little data from children themselves regarding daily coping responses related to living with a brother or sister with disabilities. In this study, 46 siblings of children with disabilities responded verbally to a sentence-completion activity regarding coping responses to stressful situations of everyday life. Content analysis of these reports revealed coping responses according to four categories of modes of reaction: proactive, interactive, internally reactive, and nonactive. Such recognition of siblings' daily coping responses is a first step in the promotion of positive adaptation and health.
An application of exact linear algebra to capacity planning models

This note illustrates a novel application of exact linear algebra to performance evaluation and stochastic modeling. We focus on queueing network models, which are high-level abstractions of Markov chains used in capacity planning of computer and communication systems [6, 7]. Until recently, it was prohibitively expensive to compute exact solutions for these models when they describe hundreds or thousands of users interacting with a network of servers, a case of large practical application when sizing web architectures. Here, we overview a new approach, which we have recently proposed [3, 4], that overcomes this limitation by means of a linear matrix difference equation that strictly requires exact linear algebra to be evaluated. Exact linear algebra is required in our method because of uncontrollable numerical instabilities that arise if round-off errors are introduced in the recursive evaluation of the matrix difference equation. This difficulty is also exasperated by the “astronomical” growth of the number of digits of the operands, which can be as large as 101000−1010000. The application presented in this paper shows a case where accepting the computational costs of exact algebra to stabilize the numerical evaluation leads to massive computational savings compared to established approaches based on standard (inexact) linear algebra. The remainder of this work is as follows. In Section 2, we give minimal background about queueing network models and explain how they can be solved recursively. We point to textbooks such as [7] for extensive background on queueing networks. In Section 3, we discuss the new solution approach based on a matrix difference equation. The numerical properties of the method are discussed in Section 3.1, where we argue that exact algebra is the only viable approach to prevent numerical instability. For the reader interested in experimenting with the problem, we report an example in Section 3.2. Finally, we draw conclusions in Section 4. Additional material, including a MAPLE implementation of the matrix difference equation approach to queueing networks, can be obtained by contacting the author or from his homepage.
Media and the imagination of religion in contemporary global culture

This article argues for an invigorated scholarship of religion within cultural studies. It suggests that this is justified both on its own terms and because there is evidence that the interaction o...
A moving belt device to couple high-performance liquid chromatography and chemical reaction interface mass spectrometry

A device is described to enable selective detection of 13C- and 15N-labeled compounds following separation by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). A thermospray vaporizer deposits the materials eluting from the HPLC column onto a continuously moving endless belt. The belt carries these compounds into the chemical reaction interface, where a microwave-induced helium plasma converts complex organic molecules in the presence of a reactant gas into small stable molecules that are detected by the mass spectrometer. Chromatograms showing only compounds enriched with 13C and 15N can be obtained by subtracting the abundance of naturally occurring isotopes from the observed M + 1 signal. This work demonstrates the feasibility of this approach and encourages its further development.
Methotrexate compared with mercaptopurine for early induced abortion.

Objective: To compare the antimetabolites methotrexate and 6-mercaptopurine as single-agent medical abortifacients using clinical and immunohistochemical analyses. Methods: Twenty-seven women with gestations less than 7 weeks from the last menstrual period (LMP) were randomized to receive intramuscular methotrexate, 50 mg/m2, or oral 6-mercaptopurine, 200 mg. Forty-six additional women received methotrexate after randomization was discontinued. Women returned at 2-week intervals. Those without fetal cardiac activity were followed until complete abortion. Those with fetal cardiac activity were considered failures and underwent suction abortions. Tissue collected at the time of suction abortion was analyzed with the cell-proliferation immunohistochemical assay Ki-67. Results: All 12 women in the 6-mercaptopurine group had fetal cardiac activity at follow-up and underwent suction abortion; therefore, this arm of the study was discontinued. Six of the 61 women who received methotrexate had fetal cardiac activity at follow-up and also underwent suction abortion. Fetal cardiac activity was present after methotrexate in three of 55 women at less than 6 weeks from the LMP and in three of six between 6 and 7 weeks from the LMP (P < .01). Women who aborted after methotrexate started bleeding on day 19 (standard deviation [SD] 7.8), bled for 9 days (SD 4.0), and used minimal pain medications. Tissues exposed to methotrexate showed decreased Ki-67 activity compared with tissues exposed to 6-mercaptopurine (P = .003). Conclusion: In oral doses of 200 mg, 6-mercaptopurine did not induce early abortion. A single intramuscular dose of methotrexate used without prostaglandins induced abortion in most women at gestational ages of less than 6 weeks. Ki-67 activity was lower in a small sample of fetal tissues exposed to methotrexate than in tissues exposed to 6-mercaptopurine.
Endogenous myocardial angiogenesis and revascularization using a gastric submucosal patch.

Abstract Background The gastrointestinal submucosa physiologically produces angiogenic proteins. We examined whether these properties could lead to endogenous myocardial angiogenesis in a swine model of chronic ischemia. Methods Fifteen Yorkshire swine underwent ameroid constrictor placement around the circumflex artery and either lateral epicardial abrasion, creation of a gastroepiploic artery (GEA) based gastric patch, mucosal avulsion, transdiaphragmatic transfer, and apposition of the patch against the circumflex myocardial territory (number = 8; test animals), or lateral epicardial abrasion alone (number = 7; controls). Seven weeks later, lateral myocardial perfusion, endothelial cell density, and expression of VEGFR-1 and VE-cadherin were determined using isotope-labeled microsphere assays, immunohistochemistry, and immunoblotting, respectively. Results Microsphere assays showed equivalent lateral/anterior myocardial perfusion indices at rest (1.10 ± 0.49 vs 0.95 ± 0.23, test vs control animals; p = 0.54), but higher perfusion in test animals versus controls during pacing (1.05 ± 0.29 vs 0.69 ± 0.09, test vs controls; p = 0.02). Increased myocardial endothelial cell density (42.6 ± 8.5 vs 26.1 ± 11.6 cells per 3850 μm 2 , test vs controls; p = 0.02) and expression of VE-cadherin (3.10 ± 0.60-fold change, test vs controls; p = 0.001) were also observed in the lateral territory of test animals versus controls. Reconstitution of the proximally occluded circumflex artery from patch collaterals was demonstrated on gastroepiploic arteriography in a subset of test animals. Conclusions This model results in an angiogenic process of significantly greater magnitude than that resulting from chronic myocardial ischemia alone, without the need for exogenous angiogenic agents.
Natality and Family Planning in Three Bombay Communities

Analysis of demographic data from three economically successful Bombay communities with high levels of educational attainment shows that the assumptions underlying the demographic transition theory, related economic theories of demographic change, and family planning programs need to be reassessed. The Parsis, Chitrapur Saraswat Brahmins, and the Jains have all successfully adapted to life in urban India in the last two centuries. Their strategies of adaptation have been defined by the cultural perceptions and definitions that they brought with them to the city, and each has developed a different ethos concerning their occupational pursuits, family and marriage structures and their demographic patterns. While the results support those who argue that "modernization" is associated with reduced birth rates, as some theories hold, they also illustrate a number of ways in which that proposition is an oversimplification. Cultural and religious differences, along with contextspecific adaptive strategies, make gl...
Synthesis and structural characterization of a volatile, intramolecularly coordinated monomeric homoleptic magnesium alkylamide

The design, synthesis and X-ray crystal structure of the first intramolecularly coordinated homoleptic, monomeric and highly volatile magnesium alkylamide example, Mg{N[Si(CH3)3](CH2) 3N(CH3)2}2, are described.
On the Value of a Collection of Species

Abstract One justification for species conservation is the possibility that species will be found to be beneficial. Existing models of the value of a collection of potentially beneficial species typically assume that the probability that each species is beneficial does not depend on the outcome for other species. It is also typically assumed that beneficial species are perfect substitutes. This paper describes a model under which both these assumptions are relaxed.
A basis representation of constrained MLLR transforms for robust adaptation

Abstract: Constrained Maximum Likelihood Linear Regression (CMLLR) is a speaker adaptation method for speech recognition that can be realized as a feature-space transformation. In its original form it does not work well when the amount of speech available for adaptation is less than about 5s, because of the difficulty of robustly estimating the parameters of the transformation matrix. In this paper we describe a basis representation of the CMLLR transformation matrix, in which the variation between speakers is concentrated in the leading coefficients. When adapting to a speaker, we can select a variable number of coefficients to estimate depending on the amount of adaptation data available, and assign a zero value to the remaining coefficients. We obtain improved performance when the amount of adaptation data is limited, while retaining the same asymptotic performance as conventional CMLLR. We demonstrate that our method performs better than the popular existing approaches, and is more efficient than conventional CMLLR estimation.
A trail of artificial vestibular stimulation: electricity, heat, and magnet

The interaction between the magnetic field of a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) machine and ion currents within the inner-ear endolymph results in a Lorentz force. This force produces a pressure that pushes on the cupula within the semicircular canals causing nystagmus and vertigo. Here I discuss several implications of this unique and noninvasive way to stimulate the vestibular system in experimental neurophysiology and clinical neurology.
Crack growth and residual strength characteristics of two grades of glass-reinforced aluminium ‘Glare’

Abstract Crack growth and residual strength tests have been conducted on both Glare 3 and Glare 4 material. Results have been compared with those for 2024-T3 monolithic aluminium alloy showing improvements in fatigue life of up to 100 times and improvements in residual strengths of up to 40%. The potential weight savings and general structural performance improvements of the Glare material make it most attractive for future aerospace vehicle design, despite its current higher manufacturing costs.
Identification of proteose-peptone component 5 as a plasmin-derived fragment of bovine β-casein

Abstract 1. 1. Two fragments of the N-terminal end of bovine β-casein, which were released during in vitro proteolysis by plasmin, appeared as a doublet in polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis at pH 9.6 in 4 M urea. 2. 2. The electrophoretic mobility of this doublet was similar to proteose peptone component 8-slow. which also appeared as a doublet under similar electrophoretic conditions. 3. 3. Autoradiograms of trypsin-derived peptide maps prepared with polypeptides extracted from each doublet indicated that the faster- and slower-migrating component from β-casein were identical to the faster and slower components of proteose component 8-slow, respectively. 4. 4. Furthermore, sodium dodecyl sulfate gel electrophoresis indicated that all polypeptides prepared from the two doublets possessed identical molecular weights of 8800 daltons. 5. 5. These results are consistent with the hypothesis that bovine proteose peptone component 8-slow consists of fragments of β-casein (residues 29–105 and 29–107) which are formed during proteolysis by plasmin.
Finite lattice-size effects on QCD thermodynamics

Abstract The relationship between continuum perturbation theory and finite-size lattices is studied for QCD at high temperature. This is accomplished by computing the static limit of the gluon self-energy on the lattice to one-loop order. Doing the sum over discrete frequencies analytically permits one to write the result in a very simple form as a threefold sum over the momenta. This expression closely resembles the continuum expression. The plasmon contribution to the pressure of an interacting gluon plasma is estimated on the lattice, and is shown to be greatly suppressed by the finite-size cutoff of lattices presently used in Monte Carlo simulations. The same techniques are used to compare the energy density and the quark number susceptibility for an ideal gas of quarks and gluons, in the continuum and on the lattice. All of the quantities mentioned above are renormalized differently when going from the continuum to a finite-size lattice.
Functional Roles of the Extracellular Segments of the Sodium Channel α Subunit in Voltage-dependent Gating and Modulation by β1 Subunits

Voltage-gated sodium channels consist of a pore-forming α subunit associated with β1 subunits and, for brain sodium channels, β2 subunits. Although much is known about the structure and function of the α subunit, there is little information on the functional role of the 16 extracellular loops. To search for potential functional activities of these extracellular segments, chimeras were studied in which an individual extracellular loop of the rat heart (rH1) α subunit was substituted for the corresponding segment of the rat brain type IIA (rIIA) α subunit. In comparison with rH1, wild-type rIIA α subunits are characterized by more positive voltage-dependent activation and inactivation, a more prominent slow gating mode, and a more substantial shift to the fast gating mode upon coexpression of β1 subunits inXenopus oocytes. When α subunits were expressed alone, chimeras with substitutions from rH1 in five extracellular loops (IIS5-SS1, IISS2-S6, IIIS1-S2, IIISS2-S6, and IVS3-S4) had negatively shifted activation, and chimeras with substitutions in three of these (IISS2-S6, IIIS1-S2, and IVS3-S4) also had negatively shifted steady-state inactivation. rIIA α subunit chimeras with substitutions from rH1 in five extracellular loops (IS5-SS1, ISS2-S6, IISS2-S6, IIIS1-S2, and IVS3-S4) favored the fast gating mode. Like wild-type rIIA α subunits, all of the chimeric rIIA α subunits except chimera IVSS2-S6 were shifted almost entirely to the fast gating mode when coexpressed with β1 subunits. In contrast, substitution of extracellular loop IVSS2-S6 substantially reduced the effectiveness of β1 subunits in shifting rIIA α subunits to the fast gating mode. Our results show that multiple extracellular loops influence voltage-dependent activation and inactivation and gating mode of sodium channels, whereas segment IVSS2-S6 plays a dominant role in modulation of gating by β1 subunits. Evidently, several extracellular loops are important determinants of sodium channel gating and modulation.
An hypothesis to account for the renewal of outer segments in rod and cone photoreceptor cells: renewal as a surrogate antioxidant.

It is 1 undisputed that glutathione (GSH) is an important cellular antioxidant. Although it is commonly believed that GSH is present in all retinal cells, several publications show that GSH is not immunologically detectable in outer segments of rod and cone photoreceptor cells, but is present in inner retinal cells and the pigment epithelium. Using these intriguing and surprising findings as a starting point, an hypothesis is proposed that the renewal of outer segments serves as a surrogate antioxidant for GSH and that the exceptional vulnerability of photoreceptor cells to certain toxic chemicals is linked to the deficiency in GSH in outer segments as a reductant, a detoxicant, and as an enzymatic cofactor. It is suggested that this deficiency of GSH is not damaging to outer segments under normal conditions, because renewal serves to replace any damaged molecules before they increase to detrimental levels. However, when photoreceptors are stressed, the renewal of outer segments alone is not capable of overcoming the higher rates of oxidizing and detrimental chemical reactions, and the health of the entire photoreceptor cell is at risk. The hypothesis is supported by a consideration of the essential role of the NADPH-dependent retinol reductase, by the different localization within photoreceptor cells of two key metabolic enzymes that are sensitive to oxidation, glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase and the sodium-potassium ATPase, and by a consideration of the effects of toxic chemicals that selectively damage photoreceptor cells. (Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 2008; 49:3259‐3261) DOI:10.1167/iovs.08-1785
Widespread adoption of non-conventional agriculture: Profitability and impacts

Conventional agriculture is increasingly criticized as being too concentrated in ownership; too reliant on technology, petroleum-based inputs, and credit; too specialized and ecologically unsound; and too dependent on government subsidies. Alternative agriculture is offered by many as an alternative, and we discuss the possible impacts of its widespread adoption on farm income, yields, regions, labor, trade, environmental quality, and farm structure. The profitability of alternative agriculture is also examined - in so doing, a distinction is made between the adoption of low-input practices and a more holistic alternative agricultural system.
Histologic confirmation of microvascular hyperpermeability to macromolecular MR contrast medium in reperfused myocardial infarction

A macromolecular MR contrast medium (MMCM) designed to permit histochemical staining and specific tissue localization, albumin-(biotin)10-(Gd-DTPA)25 (Bio-Alb-Gd), was used in a rat model of reperfused myocardial infarction to confirm the presence and distribution of microvascular hyperpermeability. T1-weighted spin-echo images were acquired before and after administration of Bio-Alb-Gd. An avidin-biotin-complex (ABC) stain, specific for the biotinylated MR contrast medium, was used to define the MMCM distribution and to detect any regional change in microvascular permeability related to infarction. Immediately after Bio-Alb-Gd administration, the infarcted region was enhanced, with greatest signal intensity noted at the rim and less at the center. There was a gradual increase in signal intensity of the initially hypointense central region. The steady increase in signal intensity of the central region suggested convection transport of MMCM through the interstitial space and its influx into cellular compartment after leakage from the vascular compartment. Histologic findings confirmed regional microvascular hyperpermeability corresponding to the site of infarction and a predominant rim distribution of the MMCM. Bio-Alb-Gd was identified at high microscopic power in the intravascular, interstitial, and intracellular spaces at the periphery of reperfused infarcted myocardium. Bio-Alb-Gd can be used as an MR contrast medium in reperfused infarcted myocardium to confirm the existence and to localize altered microvascular permeability to macromolecules. Bio-Alb-Gd contrast technique removes all the ambiguity between the distribution of the MR or other imaging contrast agent and the distribution of the substrate for histochemical staining.
Artistic composing as representational process

Sigel's distancing theory and notion of representational competence provides the framework for examining students' interpretations of literature through artistic depictions. Through their productions the students represented not only the relationships they saw in the literature but also their own experiences as reflected in the action in the story. Their texts then served as representations that enabled them to reflect on their own experiences. The research procedure, which required students to respond to a videotape of their composing process, further prompted them to develop the material text they had created into a mental representation of their vision of themselves as instantiated in the characters of the story. The students engaged in three processes during their productions: generating representational images by empathizing with the literary characters; using spatial relationships and material objects to represent their construction of meaning in response to the signs of the literary text; and using their composing process both to represent their understanding of the story and to develop that understanding. The article supports Sigel's distancing theory by postulating that representation is a reciprocal, dynamic process in which experiences are both represented and are developed through the process of representation.
Inhibition of Glutathione S-Transferase Activity by the Quinoid Metabolites of Equine Estrogens

The risk factors for women developing breast and endometrium cancers are all associated with a lifetime of estrogen exposure. Estrogen replacement therapy (ERT) in particular has been correlated with a slight increased cancer risk, although the numerous benefits of ERT may negate this harmful side effect. Equilenin and equilin are equine estrogens which make up between 30% and 45% of the most widely prescribed estrogen replacement formulation, Premarin (Wyeth-Ayerst). In this study we have synthesized the catechol metabolites of equilenin [4-hydroxyequilenin (4-OHEN)] and equilin [4-hydroxyequilin (4-OHEQ)] and examined how changing unsaturation in the B ring affects the formation of o-quinone GSH conjugates and the ability of the o-quinones and/or GSH conjugates to inhibit glutathione S-transferase (GST). Interestingly, both 4-OHEN and 4-OHEQ autoxidized to o-quinones without the need of oxidative enzyme catalysis. 4-OHEN-o-quinone reacts with GSH to give two mono-GSH conjugates and one diadduct. The behavior of 4-OHEQ was found to be more complex than 4-OHEN as conjugates resulting from 4-OHEN were detected in addition to the 4-OHEQ GSH adducts. Both 4-OHEN and 4-OHEQ were found to be potent inhibitors of GST-catalyzed conjugation of GSH with 1-chloro-2,4-dinitrobenzene. In contrast, the endogenous catechol estrogens, 4-hydroxyestrone (4-OHE) and 2-hydroxyestrone (2-OHE), were without effect unless tyrosinase was present to convert the catechols to o-quinones. Scavengers of reactive oxygen species and metal chelators had no effect on GST inhibition by catechol estrogens with the exception of the catalase which protected GST activity. Kinetic studies showed that 4-OHEN was a potent irreversible inactivator of GST. Preincubation of the enzyme with 4-OHEN showed a time-dependent increase in inhibitory effect, and gel filtration did not restore GST activity confirming the irreversible nature of the enzyme inactivation. Analysis of the Kitz-Wilson plot gave a dissociation constant of the reversible enzyme-inhibitor complex (Ki = 620 microM) and a rate constant of conversion of the reversible enzyme-inhibitor complex to the irreversibly inhibited enzyme (k2 = 7.3 x 10(-)3 s-1). These data suggest that 4-OHEN is an irreversible inactivator with relatively low affinity for GST; however, once formed the 4-OHEN enzyme complex is rapidly converted to the irreversibly inhibited enzyme. The inhibition mechanism likely involves oxidation of the catechol estrogens to o-quinones and covalent modification and/or oxidation of critical amino acid residues on GST. In addition, hydrogen peroxide generated through redox cycling of the o-quinone and/or semiquinone radical and GSH could cause oxidative damage to GST.
Mitochondria and chloroplasts as the original sites of melatonin synthesis: a hypothesis related to melatonin's primary function and evolution in eukaryotes

Mitochondria and chloroplasts are major sources of free radical generation in living organisms. Because of this, these organelles require strong protection from free radicals and associated oxidative stress. Melatonin is a potent free radical scavenger and antioxidant. It meets the criteria as a mitochondrial and chloroplast antioxidant. Evidence has emerged to show that both mitochondria and chloroplasts may have the capacity to synthesize and metabolize melatonin. The activity of arylalkylamine N-acetyltransferase (AANAT), the reported rate-limiting enzyme in melatonin synthesis, has been identified in mitochondria, and high levels of melatonin have also been found in this organelle. From an evolutionary point of view, the precursor of mitochondria probably is the purple nonsulfur bacterium, particularly, Rhodospirillum rubrum, and chloroplasts are probably the descendents of cyanobacteria. These bacterial species were endosymbionts of host proto-eukaryotes and gradually transformed into cellular organelles, that is, mitochondria and chloroplasts, respectively, thereby giving rise to eukaryotic cells. Of special importance, both purple nonsulfur bacteria (R. rubrum) and cyanobacteria synthesize melatonin. The enzyme activities required for melatonin synthesis have also been detected in these primitive species. It is our hypothesis that mitochondria and chloroplasts are the original sites of melatonin synthesis in the early stage of endosymbiotic organisms; this synthetic capacity was carried into host eukaryotes by the above-mentioned bacteria. Moreover, their melatonin biosynthetic capacities have been preserved during evolution. In most, if not in all cells, mitochondria and chloroplasts may continue to be the primary sites of melatonin generation. Melatonin production in other cellular compartments may have derived from mitochondria and chloroplasts. On the basis of this hypothesis, it is also possible to explain why plants typically have higher melatonin levels than do animals. In plants, both chloroplasts and mitochondria likely synthesize melatonin, while animal cells contain only mitochondria. The high levels of melatonin produced by mitochondria and chloroplasts are used to protect these important cellular organelles against oxidative stress and preserve their physiological functions. The superior beneficial effects of melatonin in both mitochondria and chloroplasts have been frequently reported.