cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
POPULATION STRUCTURE AND KINSHIP IN POLISTES (HYMENOPTERA, VESPIDAE): AN ANALYSIS USING RIBOSOMAL DNA AND PROTEIN ELECTROPHORESIS.

Six variable protein loci and one variable ribosomal DNA restriction site were used for an analysis of population structure in five species of Polistes from Texas. A sample-reuse algorithm was developed that estimated FST, FIS, and 0 (the coefficient of kinship) from probabilities of identity. Of the four species analyzed in detail only one, Polistes exclamans, had statistically significant values of FST. These values may reflect natural constraints on successful nesting for migrants of this species. Three of the four species had significant values of F1s and three of the four species had significant values of 0. In many cases 0 also differed from the expected value under haplodiploidy and random mating. Values of 0 did not differ from expectations under haplodiploidy and local inbreeding. These results emphasize that theories of social behavior and evolution based on coefficients of kinship should include some explicit consideration of population structure.
Simulation of a New Solid State Joining Process Using Single-Shoulder Two-Pin Tool

In friction stir welding (FSW) process, heat is generated by friction between the tool and the workpiece. The conventional tool design employs a cylindrical shoulder with a single profiled pin. A new process has been designed that uses two-pin tool under the same shoulder to increase shear deformation within workpiece that can enhance local heating where joining occurs. The design employs two closely spaced pins rotating in the same direction within the workpiece under a separately controlled shoulder. The process is distinctly different from the Twin-stir™ variant of FSW in which each pin performs an independent function and non-interacting. Prior to gathering considerable experimental data with new equipment, a fully coupled themomechanical three-dimensional finite element model has been developed to compare the existing single-pin technology with new technology of friction driven stitch welding process. The computational results for the two-pin tool show considerable shearing along the joining interface, enhanced local heating, and a reduced reaction force on the pins, which are described in this paper. The results of this study indicate that the two-pin tool design with a separate shoulder, with the same direction of pin rotation, can be a superior design in comparison to the conventional single-pin FSW tool and could minimize damage to tool material. DOI: 10.1115/1.2953071
Significance of "Erosion-like Lesions" in "Healthy Controls".

To the Editor: Olech and colleagues note that erosions are commonly found in metacarpal phalangeal and wrist joints of “healthy subjects”1 and “healthy employees”2. Olech, et al 2 report observation of “erosion-like lesions” on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of 26 of 40 (65%) healthy employees of the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation (Oklahoma City, OK, USA). This contrasts with “at least one erosion in the hands … E-mail: bmr{at}ku.edu
EEG sleep in adolescents with major depression: the role of suicidality and inpatient status

All night sleep EEG recordings were performed for three consecutive nights in 27 adolescents with a diagnosis of major depressive disorder (MDD) and 30 normal adolescent controls. Group comparisons between the entire MDD group and the normal controls revealed no significant diagnostic group differences for any of the major sleep variables. Analyses within subgroups of MDD adolescents, however, revealed heterogeneity of EEG sleep findings in association with suicidality and inpatient status. The findings of this study suggest that the discrepancies among the EEG sleep studies in adolescent MDD may be accounted for by the relative proportions of inpatients, suicidality, or bipolarity within the MDD sample being studied.
The Challenge of Gender Equity Within the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities

A lack of diversity has long troubled institutions within the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities (CCCU). While the focus on this issue has often been on race and ethnicity, less work has been conducted on gender diversity and equity. Using a 2007 survey of over 1,900 professors who teach at institutions belonging to the CCCU, this essay shows that gender inequities exist in Christian higher education. In general, female faculty lag behind their male counterparts in scholarly accomplishments. Most significantly, female professors are considerably less likely than their male colleagues to agree that female faculty and students are treated equally to male faculty and students. The article theorizes that one cause—among many possible causes—for these inequities concerns the presence on Christian campuses of a theological and political homogeneity that militates against the full agency of females. One strategy for enhancing gender equity thus involves the cultivation of less homogenous, more ireni...
Affective Commitment to Congregations

This study identified four multidimensional factors that significantly influence affective commitment of church members to their congregations. The sample (N = 382) consisted of members of three congregations: Unitarian Universalist (UU), United Methodist (UMC), and Evangelical Free Church (EFC). Stepwise multiple regression—with affective commitment to the congregation treated as the dependent variable—revealed that committed members in all three congregations valued their churches as sources of spiritual experiences, but they wanted these experiences delivered to them efficiently. The importance attached to programs and services offered by their congregations appeared as a significant factor in only one congregation (UMC). Suggestions for additional research are offered.
Parental care and reproductive behavior of the clown goby, Microgobius gulosus, with observations on predator interactions

Describe reproductive behavior and mating system of the clown goby from field observations. Clown gobies exhibit a loosely haremic mating system. Pairs construct burrows at the base of cattails, the roots of which provide structural support and a spawning substrate. Larger males monopolize multiple burrows, each with an individual female. After spawning, males camouflage burrow entrances with sand and females brood developing young for 4 days. Males continue to guard the covered nests in 50% of observed brooding periods. Burrows are also used as shelter from predators. Both sexes confront intruders but only males exhibit a distinct color response to juvenile blue crabs, Callinectes sapidus, the most significant predator. The male color response appeared to mimic the color of adult blue crabs, a known predator of juvenile crabs, perhaps acting as a deterrent. The presence of the predatory blue crab may require one parent to perform deterrent displays, promoting female care in this mating system.
Barcoded DNA-tag reporters for multiplex cis-regulatory analysis.

Cis-regulatory DNA sequences causally mediate patterns of gene expression, but efficient experimental analysis of these control systems has remained challenging. Here we develop a new version of “barcoded" DNA-tag reporters, “Nanotags" that permit simultaneous quantitative analysis of up to 130 distinct cis-regulatory modules (CRMs). The activities of these reporters are measured in single experiments by the NanoString RNA counting method and other quantitative procedures. We demonstrate the efficiency of the Nanotag method by simultaneously measuring hourly temporal activities of 126 CRMs from 46 genes in the developing sea urchin embryo, otherwise a virtually impossible task. Nanotags are also used in gene perturbation experiments to reveal cis-regulatory responses of many CRMs at once. Nanotag methodology can be applied to many research areas, ranging from gene regulatory networks to functional and evolutionary genomics.
Self-modulational formation of pulsar microstructures

A nonlinear plasma theory for self modulation of pulsar radio pulses is discussed. A nonlinear Schroedinger equation is derived for strong electromagnetic waves propagating in an electron positron plasma. The nonlinearities arising from wave intensity induced particle mass variation may excite the modulational instability of circularly and linearly polarized pulsar radiation. The resulting wave envelopes can take the form of periodic wave trains or solitons. These nonlinear stationary waveforms may account for the formation of pulsar microstructures.
Biological applications of fourier transform infrared spectroscopy: a study of phase transitions in biomembranes

Abstract The thermal response of aqueous lipid membranes has been investigated by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Changes in infrared spectral parameters are applied to the analysis of the strutural changes which occur within the lipid bilayer as the temperature is varied. Such studies provide the basis for the interpretation of phase transitions in complex biomembranes.
Contribution of ventral blood island mesoderm to hematopoiesis in postmetamorphic and metamorphosis-inhibited Xenopus laevis

In an effort to label very early erythrocyte and lymphocyte populations and to follow their fate in normally developing postmetamorphic frogs and goitrogen-treated permanent larvae, diploid (2N) and triploid (3N) ventral blood island (VBI) mesoderm was exchanged between neurula stage embryos (about 16-22 hr old). Beginning at 15 days of age, half of the 2N or 3N hosts were treated with sodium perchlorate to prevent thyroxine-induced developmental changes. At larval stages 55-59 (41-48 days) and at 1-2 months postmetamorphosis (110-120 days), the untreated control chimeras and age-matched perchlorate-treated chimeras were killed for analysis of the VBI contribution to blood, spleen, and thymus populations by flow cytometry. The data suggest that grafting of ventral blood island mesoderm is an effective way to label an early larval erythrocyte population that declines after metamorphosis. In perchlorate-blocked permanent larvae this early VBI-derived erythrocyte population persists. In contrast, grafting of VBI mesoderm was less useful as a method to label a larvally distinct lymphocyte population in the thymus and spleen. At the late larval stages that we examined, the proportion of VBI-derived cells in thymus and spleen was not different from that observed after metamorphosis. Inhibition of metamorphosis interfered with the thymocyte expansion that normally occurs after metamorphosis, but the proportion of VBI-derived cells in thymus and spleen was not affected. This suggests that lymphopoiesis occurring in late larval life and after metamorphosis uses a stable persisting population of VBI-derived stem cells as well as dorsally derived stem cells.
Can we cure HIV-1-associated nephropathy in transgenic mice?

HIV-1–associated nephropathy (HIVAN) is a rapidly progressive form of focal segmental glomerulosclerosis. HIV transgenic mice can develop a HIVAN-like renal disease. Zhong et al. show that the oral administration of a cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase 4 inhibitor and a retinoic acid receptor-α agonist can prevent the development of HIVAN in transgenic mice, acting through a cAMP-dependent mechanism that is independent of HIV-1 genes. These findings suggest that endogenous host factors play a critical role in HIVAN.
Formation of the Bencubbin polymict meteoritic breccia

Abstract The Bencubbin meteorite is a polymict breccia consisting of a host fraction of ~60% metal and ~40% ferromagnesian silicates and a selection of carbonaceous, ordinary and ‘enstatite’ chondritic clasts. Concentrations of 27 elements were determined by neutron activation in replicate samples of the host silicates and the ordinary and carbonaceous chondritic clasts; 12 elements were determined in the host metal. Compositional data for the ordinary chondrite clast indicate a classification of LL4 ± 1. Refractory element data for the carbonaceous chondrite clast indicate that it belongs to the CI-CM-CO clan; its volatile element abundances are intermediate between those of CM and CO chondrites. Abundances of nonvolatile elements in the silicate host are similar to those in the carbonaceous chondrite clast and in CM chondrites; the rare earths are unfractionated. We conclude that it is not achondritic as previously designated, but chondritic and that it is probably related to the CI-CM-CO clan; its volatile abundances are lower than those in CO chondrites. Oxygen isotope data are consistent with these classifications. Host metal in Bencubbin and in the closely related Weatherford meteorite has low abundances of moderately volatile siderophiles; among iron meteorite groups its nearest relative is group IIIF. We suggest that Bencubbin and Weatherford formed as a result of an impact event on a carbonaceous chondrite regolith. The impact generated an ‘instant magma’ that trapped and surrounded regolithic clasts to form the polymict breccia. The parent of this ‘magma’ was probably the regolith itself, perhaps mainly consisting of the so-called ‘enstatite’ chondrite materials. Accretion of such a variety of materials to a small parent body was probably only possible in the asteroid belt.
Inferior mean of Cantor boundary measures

Abstract We establish various bounds for the inferior mean of positive functions, as defined by M. Heins, with respect to the porosity of Cantor sets that support Cantor boundary measures of harmonic functions on the upper half-space.
New laser-based magneto-optical studies of Hg1−xCdxTe alloys☆

Abstract Several magneto-optical effects are observed for the first time in a number of Hg 1− x Cd x Te alloys. These include two-photon magneto-absorption and optical transitions from both shallow acceptor levels and midgap levels to the conduction band. These effects yield accurate information about the energy band structure, the temperature dependence of the energy gap, and the activation energies of impurity and defect states present in the Hg 1- x Cd x Te alloys.
Percent body fat more associated with perioperative risks after total joint arthroplasty than body mass index

article i nfo Understanding the impact of obesity on elective total joint arthroplasty (TJA) remains critical. Perioperative outcomes were reviewed in 316 patients undergoing primary TJA. Higher percent body fat (PBF) was associated with postoperative blood transfusion, increased hospital length of stay (LOS) >3 days, and discharge to an extended care facility while no significant differences existed for BMI. Additionally, PBF of 43.5 was associated with a 2.4× greater likelihood of blood transfusion, PBF of 36.5 with a 1.9× greater likelihood for LOS >3 days, and PBF of 36.0 with a 1.4× greater likelihood for discharge to an extended care facility. PBF may be a more effective measure than BMI to use in screening for perioperative risks and acute outcomes associated with obese total joint patients.
Providing Peer Coaching in Inclusive Classrooms: A Tool for Consulting Teachers:

Increasing numbers oi students with special needs are being included in general education classrooms, causing the role of special educators to change. Strategies that reflect current "best practice" in inclusive settings have been identified in professional literature, including planning carefully for inclusion prior to implementation, ensuring sufficient administrative support, providing additional focused training for classroom teachers, and developing a wider range of curricular options within classrooms ("Including Students," 1993; King-Sears, 1996; Roach, 1995). It is also suggested that general and special educators must work together to effectively plan and implement heterogeneous instruction in inclusion classrooms (King-Sears, 1996). Some special education teachers are working as collaborative partners with their classroom teacher colleagues by serving as consulting teachers, providing support, advice, and guidance to general educators (Baker 8k Zigmond, 1995; Idol, 1993). One way for consulting teachers to
Chromophore design for large two-photon absorption

Abstract Conjugated oligothiophene chromophores are compared and studied for designing large linear and nonlinear absorption cross-sections. Optical properties of chromophores synthesized by the Naval Research Laboratory are modeled to construct a design factor of merit to predict and understand two-photon absorption (TPA) designs. Computer modeling to optimize parameters to produce photo active chromophores is conducted. Geometry, π -center (electron relay) and the electron donor or acceptor groups attached to the π -centers are considered for importance in TPA. This work could serve equally well as guide for quick back of the envelop research or industrial design verifications as well as an outline for introducing computation methods to students.
Face recognition using Gabor wavelets and human saccadic behavior

We introduce an object recognition system using Gabor filters to model the biological visual field and a saccadic behavioral model to emulate biological active vision. A high resolution image containing an object of interest is first processed by an ensemble of multi-resolution, multi- orientation Gabor filters. The object can then be described by an alternating sequence of fixation coordinates and the Gabor responses at pixel locations surrounding that fixation point. Once this sequence is memorized, a complex image can be searched for the same location/feature sequence, indicating the presence of the memorized object. The model is suitable for memorization of arbitrary objects, and a simple example is presented using a human face as the object of interest.
Primate evolution--a method of investigation.

The discoveries of fossil primate postcranial remains has led in recent years to somewhat greater weight being placed upon background studies of the postcranial skeleton of extant forms. Such researches are subject more than most to problems of determination of variation, of meagre materials, and of behavioral implications. Strictness in the formulation of hypotheses, originality in the approach to primary data, and the use of computational and mensurational methods in analysis and interpretation, suggest some of the ways of overcoming such difficulties.
Normalized difference chlorophyll index: A novel model for remote estimation of chlorophyll-a concentration in turbid productive waters

Abstract We propose a normalized difference chlorophyll index (NDCI) to predict chlorophyll-a (chl- a ) concentration from remote sensing data in estuarine and coastal turbid productive (case 2) waters. NDCI calibration and validation results derived from simulated and MEdium Resolution Imaging Spectrometer (MERIS) datasets show its potential application to widely varying water types and geographic regions. A quadratic function ( R 2 = 0.95, p a range of 1–60 mg m − 3 . Similarly a twofold calibration and validation of chl- a models using MERIS dataset, (chl- a range: 0.9–28.1 mg m − 3 ) yielded R 2 of 0.9, and RMSE of ~ 2 mg m − 3 respectively. NDCI was applied on images over the Chesapeake Bay and Delaware Bay, the Mobile Bay, and the Mississippi River delta region in the northern Gulf of Mexico. The newly developed algorithm was successful in predicting chl- a concentration with approximately 12% overall bias for all above study regions. Findings from this research imply that NDCI can be successfully used on MERIS images to quantitatively monitor chl- a in inland coastal and estuarine waters. In case of remote coastal waters with no ground truth data, NDCI can be used to detect algal bloom and qualitatively infer chl- a concentration ranges very similar to NDVI's application in terrestrial vegetation studies.
Effect of p-chloromercuribenzoate on myosin A-adenosinetriphosphatase activity.

Abstract The treatment of myosin A with low levels of PCMB was found to result in an increase in ATPase activity when measured between pH 6.5 and 8.5, while only inhibition was noted near the alkaline pH optimum. The concentration ratio with a maximum activating effect in the neutral range was 0.033 μmole PCMB/mg. myosin. The effect of PCMB on myosin-ATPase activity was also found to be dependent on the pH, temperature, and duration of the PCMB-myosin incubation mixture. At 0.033 μmole/mg. protein and 0 °C., the incubation mixture at pH 7.7 had an initial activity approximately twice that at pH 9.1. However upon prolonged incubation under these conditions, the activity of the former decreased gradually while that of the latter increased until finally both activities reached the same value. Incubation of PCMB and myosin under similar conditions except at 25 °C. caused only a decrease in the initial activity. Guanidination of myosin A caused a decrease in ATPase activity without abolishing the stimulating effect of PCMB. These data were interpreted to support the existence of two types of sulfhydryl groups in myosin differing in their reactivity and function.
Bangladeshi immigrants in New York City: A community based health needs assessment of a hard to reach population

South Asians, particularly Bangladeshis, are one of the fastest growing immigrant groups in the U.S. Limited data exist regarding the health needs of Bangladeshis in the U.S. More data are needed to guide health intervention efforts for this community. To help address this gap, we conducted a community-based health needs assessment survey among women in a Bangladeshi population living in Bronx, NY. Community health promoters conducted a door-to-door household survey and collected data from 167 women, an approach that yielded a participation rate over 90%. Over half reported fair or poor health and 36.5% screened positive for risk of depression. Only 35% had engaged in physical activity over the past month. 60% reported never having received a pap smear. Using WHO guidelines for BMI, 74% were either overweight or obese. Age-standardized prevalence of type 2 diabetes and hypertension were 15.4 and 36.5% respectively. In a multivariable logistic regression model, age and percent lifetime in the U.S. were independently associated with having diabetes. Poor health behaviors and high prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors observed in this group suggest the need for early health promotion and prevention interventions.
Patterns of Care and Survival Outcomes for Malignant Sex Cord Stromal Testicular Cancer: Results from the National Cancer Data Base

Purpose: Sex cord stromal tumors of the testis comprise less than 5% of testicular neoplasms. Consequently, data regarding patterns of care and survival are sparse. Using a large national database, we sought to provide a more definitive analysis of outcomes and management of these malignancies.Materials and Methods: Data were obtained from the National Cancer Data Base. Patients diagnosed from 1998 to 2011 with 2 of the most frequent sex cord stromal tumors of the testis, including Leydig and Sertoli cell tumors, were selected for study. Overall survival estimates were assessed by the Kaplan-Meier method.Results: Of the 79,120 cases of testicular cancer between 1998 and 2011, 315 (0.39%) were primary malignant Leydig or Sertoli cell tumors. Median patient age was 43 years for both tumors. Of the 315 patients 250 (79%) had malignant Leydig cell tumors and 65 (21%) had malignant Sertoli cell tumors, of which 94% and 78%, respectively, were stage I. Overall survival at 1 and 5 years for stage I Leydig cell t...
Mini–Deltoid Splitting Rotator Cuff Repair: Do Results Deteriorate With Time?***

Summary: To determine whether the results of arthroscopically assisted rotator cuff repair deteriorate with time, 60 shoulders were evaluated on 2 separate occasions. There were 7 small, 16 medium, 20 large, and 17 massive tears. Patients were evaluated with a detailed questionnaire that included the UCLA shoulder scale and physical examination. Average initial follow-up was at 21 months (range, 12 to 68 months), and the second follow-up was at an average of 62 months (range, 24 to 103 months); only 4 patients had a change of more than 3 points on the UCLA scoring scale. No statistically significant difference was found in pain, function, range of motion, strength score, satisfactory results (80% on both occasions), and UCLA score (30.8 v 31.4) at second follow-up. The results of our study indicate that there is no significant deterioration over time of results of rotator cuff repair using the mini‐deltoid splitting technique. Key Words: Arthroscopic-assisted rotator cuff repair—Results—Short-term follow-up—Long-term follow-up.
Thought Self-Leadership as a Framework for Enhancing the Performance of Performance Appraisers

A seminal review by Ilgen, Barnes-Farrell, and McKellin (1993) of empirical performance appraisal research during the 1980s suggested that the research during this decade made a number of contributions to the performance appraisal field, but to a limited degree. This article attempts to overcome one of these limits in the 1980s appraisal research suggested by Ilgen et al.-that is, the investigation of the content of cognitive variables. Specifically, this examination is completed through the application of a cognitive process recently introduced in the management literature, thought self-leadership, to the performance appraisal process.
Magnetic Luminescent Porous Silicon Microparticles for Localized Delivery of Molecular Drug Payloads

Magnetic manipulation, fluorescent tracking, and localized delivery of a drug payload to cancer cells in vitro is demonstrated, using nanostructured porous silicon microparticles as a carrier. The multifunctional microparticles are prepared by electrochemical porosification of a silicon wafer in a hydrofluoric acid-containing electrolyte, followed by removal and fracture of the porous layer into particles using ultrasound. The intrinsically luminescent particles are loaded with superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles and the anti-cancer drug doxorubicin. The drug-containing particles are delivered to human cervical cancer (HeLa) cells in vitro, under the guidance of a magnetic field. The high concentration of particles in the proximity of the magnetic field results in a high concentration of drug being released in that region of the Petri dish, and localized cell death is confirmed by cellular viability assay (Calcein AM).
Methodological Choices in the Content Analysis of Textbooks for Measuring Alignment With Standards

With the recent adoption of the Common Core standards in many states, there is a need for quality information about textbook alignment to standards. While there are many existing content analysis procedures, these generally have little, if any, validity or reliability evidence. One exception is the Surveys of Enacted Curriculum (SEC), which has been widely used to analyze the alignment among standards, assessments, and teachers’ instruction. However, the SEC can be time-consuming and expensive when used for this purpose. This study extends the SEC to the analysis of entire mathematics textbooks and investigates whether the results of SEC alignment analyses are affected if the content analysis procedure is simplified. The results indicate that analyzing only every fifth item produces nearly identical alignment results with no effect on the reliability of content analyses.
Illumination sensing using sparse modeling

Light emitting diodes (LEDs) are becoming a common ingredient in many modern day lighting systems as they are capable of producing high intensity light across a wide spread of frequencies. To efficiently obtain desired lighting effects, it is important to sense the light received across different target locations and estimate its unknown properties (amplitudes, frequency offsets and phases) to design the driving waveforms for the LEDs. This procedure is known as illumination sensing and it enables efficient and effective usage of light energy to achieve the intended lighting effects. We propose a novel two-step approach to perform this estimation using sparse modeling which exploits the fact that the measurements at the sensors are sparse in the frequency offset space and the phase space. We show that exploiting this knowledge of sparsity will provide accurate estimates of the desired parameters.
Cinefile: A Category-Based Analytic Browser

A category-based browser identifies related items and groups them into custom-defined categories that it uses as first-class query constructs, making it possible to view aggregate information and receive approximate answers that might be difficult to state explicitly.
CONSERVATISM AND ITS COUSINS IN TWENTIETH-CENTURY AMERICA

The conservative tradition in America . By Charles W. Dunn and J. David Woodard. Lanham, MD: Rowan & Littlefield Publishers, Inc., 1996. Pp. ix+199. ISBN 0-8476-8167-X. $14.95. Hoods and shirts: the extreme right in Pennsylvania, 1925–1950 . By Philip Jenkins. Chapel Hill, NC: University of North Carolina Press, 1997. Pp. 343. ISBN 0-8078-2316-3. $29.95. From demagogue to Dixiecrat: Horace Wilkinson and the politics of race . By Glenn Feldman. Lanham, MD: University Press of America, Inc., 1995. Pp. xviii+311. ISBN 0-8191-9783-1. $32.50. From George Wallace to Newt Gingrich: race in the conservative counterrevolution, 1963–1994 . By Dan T. Carter. Baton Rouge, LA: Louisiana State University Press, 1997. Pp. xv+134. ISBN 0-8071-2118-5. £21.95. According to political scientists Charles W. Dunn and David Woodward in The conservative tradition in America , the dramatic Republican gains in the 1994 elections exemplified the eclilse of New Deal liberalism by a resurgent conservatism, a politcal shift that began in the late 1960s and which Ronald Reagan's victory in the 1980 fortified. In their short survey the authors investigate the intellectual roots of modern conservatism and attempt to define and explain the recent manifestation of this heritage. The three other recent works reviewed here provide a larger historical context, which Dunn and Woodward ignore, for understanding conservatism and right extremism in America.
Consider the Source: Organizational Bias in Estimates of Foreign Military Spending

I seek to determine the degree and nature of bias in the military spending estimates of the two main sources of such data—the U.S. Arms Control and Disarmament Agency (ACDA) and the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI). I examine how ACDA and SIPRI revise their estimates of foreign military spending. I do so by evaluating ACDA and SIPRI growth rate estimates from successive statistical volumes for a full sample of countries and years as well as for seven identified regions (Africa, East Asia, Latin America, the Middle East, South Asia, NATO Europe, and the Warsaw Pact), to determine whether, and by how much, early and late estimates of each organization depart from its own or the other's final estimates. The findings reveal that systematic (or patterned) error for some regions is high and that unpatterned error for some regions is extremely high. The latter finding is important because unpatterned error can become systematic with changes in sample size.
Maternal High-Fat Diet Effects on Third-Generation Female Body Size via the Paternal Lineage

The health consequences of in utero exposure to maternal obesity on future generations are concerning because they contribute to increased rates of diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and metabolic syndrome. We previously reported that maternal high-fat diet exposure in mice resulted in an increase in body size and reduced insulin sensitivity that persisted across two generations via both maternal and paternal lineages. However, because the first generation's primordial germ cells may be affected by gestational exposure, analysis of phenotype transmission into a third generation (F3) is necessary to determine whether stable epigenetic programming has occurred. Therefore, we have examined the body size and insulin sensitivity of male and female F3 offspring. We found that only females displayed the increased body size phenotype, and this effect was only passed on via the paternal lineage. The finding of a paternally transmitted phenotype to F3 female offspring supports a stable germline-based transgenerational mode of inheritance; thus we hypothesized that imprinted genes may be involved in this epigenetic programming. Using a quantitative TaqMan Array for imprinted genes to examine paternally or maternally expressed loci in F3 female livers, we detected a potential dynamic pattern of paternally expressed genes from the paternal lineage that was not noted in the maternal lineage. These findings suggest that the environmental influence on developmental regulation of growth and body size may be the result of broad programming events at imprinted loci, thereby providing sex specificity to both the transmission and inheritance of traits related to disease predisposition.
Folate receptor specific anti-tumor activity of folate-mitomycin conjugates.

Purpose: Folate receptor (FR) targeted drug conjugates were prepared by covalently attaching the vitamin folate, to the potent anticancer drug, mitomycin C (MMC). One such conjugate, called EC72, was synthesized with an intramolecular disulfide bond, and it was found to exhibit efficacious anti-tumor activity against FR-expressing M109 tumors in a manner that yielded no gross or microscopic toxicity, even to FR-positive kidneys. Methods: EC72’s specificity was demonstrated by two methods: (1) blocking EC72’s activity with an excess of co-administered folic acid (FA) in M109 tumor bearing mice and (2) the absence of therapeutic activity in mice bearing FR-negative tumors. The importance of having a cleavable bond in the conjugate was also exemplified, since EC110 (a folate–MMC conjugate constructed with a more resilient amide bond) failed to produce anti-M109 tumor activity. EC72’s therapeutic potential was found to decrease with respect to the increasing size of subcutaneous tumor. However, a combination therapy with paclitaxel reproducibly improved the anti-tumor efficacy relative to either agent alone at well tolerated dose levels and with no apparent increase in toxicity. A more advanced folate–MMC conjugate was also synthesized in an effort to improve activity. Thus, EC118, a molecule constructed with both a reducible disulfide bond and an acid-labile hydrazone bond in the linker region, was tested and found to produce a significantly greater number of tumor regressions of more established M109 tumors than that achieved with EC72. Conclusion: Overall, these data indicate that folate-targeted drug therapy alone, or in combination with paclitaxel, may be a novel and effective clinical approach towards treating FR-positive cancers.
Standing litter as a driver of interannual CO2 exchange variability in a freshwater marsh

] The San Joaquin Freshwater Marsh (SJFM) is a seasonally flooded Typha wetland in Southern California that is characterized by high rates of Aboveground Net Primary Production (ANPP) and a large accumulation of standing leaf litter. The ANPP, Gross and Net Ecosystem CO2 Exchange (GEE and NEE), and Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI) at the SJFM fluctuate by ∼40% from year to year, in ways that are not directly attributable to variation in weather or the maximum green Leaf Area Index (LAImax). We tested the hypothesis that this variation is caused by a negative feedback between ANPP, the buildup of leaf litter, shading of green leaves by litter, a reduction in GEE and NEE, and a subsequent reduction in ANPP. Litter manipulations on replicated plots demonstrated that the presence of standing litter decreased plot-level NEE by 17 to 47% and surface EVI by 25 to 48%, even as green Leaf Area Index (LAIgreen) was held constant. Plot level NEE and surface EVI remained tightly correlated, and largely decoupled from LAIgreen, as standing litter was varied. This pattern paralleled that observed for the entire marsh, where NEE and EVI remained tightly correlated, and largely decoupled from LAImax, from year to year. Correcting LAIgreen and LAImax for the amount of shading caused by standing litter improved the correlations between LAI and EVI and NEE, indicating that EVI and NEE are most sensitive to the amount of unshaded LAI. The accumulation of standing litter at the SJFM decouples the relationships between LAI and EVI and NEE, and appears to be important for controlling the interannual variability observed at the site.
Focusing light within turbid media with weakly discriminating filters

Many materials, including biological tissue, attenuate light mostly by scattering. Because the scattered field is exquisitely sensitive to perturbations, control over the distribution of light after strong scattering is challenging. Though wavefront-shaping techniques enable arbitrary generation of light distributions within strongly scattering or turbid media in principle, the input wavefront necessary for the chosen light distribution is generally unknown. Using two different computational models, we demonstrate a technique called virtual aperture culling of the eigenmodes of a resonator (VACER), which uses weak spatial filtering mechanisms for noninvasive light focusing at arbitrary positions within turbid media. Compatibility with weak spatial filtering mechanisms is critical to innocuously focusing light within turbid media. One model represents an ideal system and could be physically implemented in some scenarios with digital optical phase conjugation, while the other model simulates phase conjugation via gain saturation, and its physical realization would operate fast enough to avoid the effects of speckle decorrelation in biological tissue. Modeling results establish that sound physical principles underlie VACER.
Profiling a Parallel Language Based on Fine-Grained Communication

Fine tuning the performance of large parallel programs is a very difficult task. A profiling tool can provide detailed insight into the utilization and communication of the different processors, which helps identify performance bottlenecks. In this paper we present a profiler for the fine-grained parallel programming language Split-C, which provides a simple global address space memory model. As our experience shows, it is much more challenging to profile programs that make use of efficient, low-overhead communication. We incorporated techniques which minimize profiling effects on the running program. We quantify the profiling overhead and present several Split-C applications which show that the profiler is useful in determining performance bottlenecks.
Body Surface Area Predicts Plasma Oxaliplatin and Pharmacokinetic Advantage in Hyperthermic Intraoperative Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy

Background Hyperthermic intraoperative intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) is used to treat peritoneal surface-spreading malignancies to maximize local drug concentrations while minimizing systemic effects. The pharmacokinetic advantage of HIPEC is defined as the intraperitoneal to intravascular ratio of drug concentrations. We hypothesized that body surface area (BSA) would correlate with the pharmacokinetic advantage of HIPEC. Because oxaliplatin is administered in 5 % dextrose, we hypothesized that BSA would correlate with glycemia.
Feedback Both Helps and Hinders Learning: The Causal Role of Prior Knowledge

Feedback can be a powerful learning tool, but its effects vary widely. Research has suggested that learners’ prior knowledge may moderate the effects of feedback; however, no causal link has been established. In Experiment 1, we randomly assigned elementary schoolchildren (N 108) to a condition based on a crossing of 2 factors: induced strategy knowledge (yes vs. no) and immediate, verification feedback (present vs. absent). Feedback had positive effects for children who were not taught a correct strategy, but negative effects for children with induced knowledge of a correct strategy. In Experiment 2, we induced strategy knowledge in all children (N 101) and randomly assigned them to 1 of 3 conditions: no feedback, immediate correct-answer feedback, or summative correct-answer feedback. Again, feedback had negative effects relative to no feedback. Results provide evidence for a causal role of prior knowledge and indicate that minimal feedback can both help and hinder learning.
Book Review: Lilley, Sasha, Ed. Capital and Its Discontents: Conversations with Radical Thinkers in a Time of Tumult

Sasha Lilley’s book, Capital and Its Discontents, is a welcome addition to texts discussing the impact of capital on our everyday lives. She expands many of her earlier discussions from Against the Grain, a San Francisco–based radio program she founded. The interviews are engaging, the questions are largely eloquent, and the interactions between Lilley and her merry band of thinkers are illuminating.
Ideology, Vote Choice, and Bureaucracy Across Time: A Longitudinal Test of the Bureau Voting Model in the United States:

How applicable is the bureau voting model to the United States? Although the literature suggests that government employees are more liberal and vote more Democratic, these findings have recently become inconsistent stateside. In addition, there are strong counterarguments to the premises of the bureau voting model. It is hypothesized that bureaucrats are neither more likely to support Democrats nor more liberal. Using data from the American National Election Studies covering a 30-year period, probit and generalized ordered logit models support these new hypotheses. These results suggest that the bureau voting model may need to be refined for the United States.
The Classic Using about HIPPS in Offshore Oil Engineering

HIPPS is a kind of high integrated pressure protection system.This paper introduces the characteristic and functions of HIPPS,depicts its difference with PCV ESD system according to its using in offshore crude oil engineering.Meanwhile,it makes a description for its influence to production and operation of offshore oil field.HIPPS will have extensive application in other industry area.
[K+]o accumulation and electrophysiological alterations during early myocardial ischemia

Double-barreled valinomycin K+-sensitive electrodes and floating microelectrodes were used to monitor extracellular K+ concentration ([K+]o) and intracellular potential, respectively, in the isolated arterially perfused rabbit interventricular septum, under conditions of global ischemia without collateral flow and hypoxia with maintained flow. During ischemia [K+]o reproducibly increased at rates of 0.5-1 mM/min, usually in a triphasic pattern, and was accompanied by shortening of the action potential duration (APD) and an increase in conduction time (CT). Hyperkalemia, equivalent to that occurring during ischemia, in combination with respiratory acidosis (pH 6.2-6.5) and catecholamines reproduced quantitatively the ischemia-induced changes in APD and CT. None of these factors alone produced quantitatively comparable electrophysiological changes. Faster heart rates increased [K+]o accumulation during ischemia and accentuated the changes in APD and CT during ischemia. These findings suggest that local hyperkalemia, intracellular acidosis, and catecholamines release during early ischemia may account for electrophysiological changes predisposing to the development of reentrant arrhythmias.
Continent urinary reservoirs.

Public awareness of the alternatives to wet stomas and the patient’s concern for body image have significantly increased the demand for continent urinary reservoirs. In the final analysis, preservation of renal function is the standard for judging the success of a diversion, and longterm observations must be made with this point in mind. It seems likely that the continent reservoirs now available will preserve renal function.
Excited State Relaxation of Neutral and Basic 8-Oxoguanine

8-Oxo-7,8-dihydro-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-oxo-dGuo) is one of the most common forms of DNA oxidative damage. Recent studies have shown that 8-oxo-dGuo can repair cyclobutane pyrimidine dimers in double-stranded DNA when photoexcited, making its excited state dynamics of particular interest. The excited state lifetimes of 8-oxo-dGuo and its anion have been previously probed using transient absorption spectroscopy; however, more information is required to understand the decay mechanisms. In this work, excited state potential energy surfaces for the neutral and deprotonated forms of the free base, 8-oxoguanine (8-oxo-G), are explored theoretically using multireference methods while the nucleoside is experimentally studied using steady-state fluorescence spectroscopy. It is determined that the neutral species exhibits ultrafast radiationless decay via easy access to conical intersections. The relatively long lifetime for the anion can be explained by the existence of sizable barriers between the Franck-Condon region and two S1/S0 minimum energy conical intersections. A Strickler-Berg analysis of the experimentally measured fluorescence quantum yields and lifetimes is consistent with emission from ππ* excited states in line with theoretical predictions.
Desargues’s Theorem

The basic notions, and some of the fundamental theorems, of what would later be called projective geometry were first established in the seventeenth century, in response to questions that arose with regard to map projections and problems of perspective encountered by artists in representing three-dimensional scenes on planar canvases. Viewed then as theorems of Euclidean geometry, many of the results obtained could not be expressed in full generality by a single statement, but required consideration of various special cases.
Distinct Roles of α-Actinin in Regulating Talin-Induced Activation of αIIbβ3 versus α5β1 Integrins

Cell adhesion and signaling is crucial for various cellular functions including differentiation, proliferation and growth. Integrins are key membrane receptors that are central to the formation of adhesion sites and their function is regulated through binding with talin. However, interactions of integrin and talin with other molecules can modify and in some cases inhibit the course of integrin activation. α-Actinin is a unique protein that both crosslinks actin filaments and plays an important role in adhesion formation and maturation. A previous study showed that α-actinin has distinct roles in regulating talin-induced activation of αIIbβ3 and α5β1 integrins, i.e. it prevents activation for αIIbβ3 and promotes adhesion for α5β1. We generated all-atomic models of α-actinin, talin and both types of integrin dimers, αIIbβ3 and α5β1, in order to study the underlying mechanisms of their interplay. Our results revealed an interesting competition between talin and α-actinin for the same residues on the αIIbβ3 integrin tail, which was in agreement with the previously reported binding site. Also, our models showed simultaneous interactions of α-actinin and talin with integrin α5β1 and an exciting cooperative interaction between them. Consequently, our results shed light on fundamental mechanisms of force transmission that are critical for integrin-mediated inside-out signaling.
Experimentally-validated mesoscale modeling of the coupled mechanical–thermal response of AP–HTPB energetic material under dynamic loading

This manuscript presents a combined computational–experimental study of the mesoscale thermo-mechanical behavior of the Hydroxyl-terminated polybutadiene (HTPB) bonded ammonium perchlorate (AP) composite energetic material subjected to dynamic loading conditions. The computational model considers the AP–HTPB interface debonding, post-debonding interface friction and temperature rise due to viscoelastic dissipation as well as dissipative interfacial processes. The interface is modeled using a cohesive zone model combined with a contact algorithm to account for the interface separation, particle/binder contact and heat generation. The HTPB binder is modeled as viscoelastic with adiabatic temperature rise. Three experiments are conducted to calibrate and validate the model. Raman spectroscopy and indentation experiment are employed to determine the interface properties, whereas Kolsky bar tension test along with in-situ synchrotron X-ray diffraction measurements are used to validate the model and understand the interface separation characteristics under dynamic loading.