cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
IDENTIFYING GAPS IN CONSERVATION NETWORKS: OF INDICATORS AND UNCERTAINTY IN GEOGRAPHIC-BASED ANALYSES

Mapping of biodiversity elements to expose gaps in conservation networks has become a common strategy in nature-reserve design. We review a set of critical assumptions and issues that influence the interpretation and implementation of gap analysis, including: (1) the assumption that a subset of taxa can be used to indicate overall diversity patterns, and (2) the impact of uncertainty and error propagation in reserve design. We focus our review on species diversity patterns and use data from peer-reviewed literature or extant state-level databases to test specific predictions implied by these assumptions. Support for the biodiversity indicator assumption was varied. Patterns of diversity as reflected in species counts, coincidence of hot spots, and representativeness were not generally concordant among different taxa, with the degree of concordance depending on the measure of diversity used, the taxa examined, and the scale of analysis. Simulated errors in predicting the occurrence of individual species indicated that substantial differences in reserve-boundary recommendations could occur when uncertainty is incorporated into the analysis. Furthermore, focusing exclusively on vegetation and species distribution patterns in conservation planning will contribute to reserve-design uncertainty unless the processes behind the patterns are understood. To deal with these issues, reserve planners should base reserve design on the best available, albeit incomplete, data; should attempt to define those ecological circumstances when the indicator assumption is defensible; should incorporate uncertainty explicitly in mapped displays of biodiversity elements; and should simultaneously consider pattern and process in reserve-design problems.
From redox flow to gene regulation: role of the PrrC protein of Rhodobacter sphaeroides 2.4.1.

Activation of photosynthesis (PS) gene expression by the PrrBA two-component activation system in Rhodobacter sphaeroides 2.4.1 results from the interruption of an inhibitory signal originating from the cbb3 cytochrome c oxidase via its interaction with oxygen, in conjunction with the Rdx redox proteins. The CcoQ protein, encoded by the ccoNOQP operon, which encodes the cbb3 cytochrome c oxidase, was shown to act as a “transponder” that conveys the signal derived from reductant flow through cbb3 to oxygen, to the Prr system. To further define the elements comprising this signal transduction pathway we considered the prrC gene product, which to date possessed no definable role in this signal transduction pathway despite its being part of the prrBCA gene cluster. Similar to mutations in cbb3 and rdx, suitably constructed prrC deletion mutations lead to PS gene expression in the presence of high oxygen. Unlike mutations that remove cbb3 terminal oxidase activity or Rdx function, the PrrC deletion mutant show...
Low dose vaccination with attenuated Francisella tularensis strain SchuS4 mutants protects against tularemia independent of the route of vaccination.

Tularemia, caused by the Gram-negative bacterium Francisella tularensis, is a severe, sometimes fatal disease. Interest in tularemia has increased over the last decade due to its history as a biological weapon. In particular, development of novel vaccines directed at protecting against pneumonic tularemia has been an important goal. Previous work has demonstrated that, when delivered at very high inoculums, administration of live, highly attenuated strains of virulent F. tularensis can protect against tularemia. However, lower vaccinating inoculums did not offer similar immunity. One concern of using live vaccines is that the host may develop mild tularemia in response to infection and use of high inoculums may contribute to this issue. Thus, generation of a live vaccine that can efficiently protect against tularemia when delivered in low numbers, e.g. <100 organisms, may address this concern. Herein we describe the ability of three defined, attenuated mutants of F. tularensis SchuS4, deleted for FTT0369c, FTT1676, or FTT0369c and FTT1676, respectively, to engender protective immunity against tularemia when delivered at concentrations of approximately 50 or fewer bacteria. Attenuated strains for use as vaccines were selected by their inability to efficiently replicate in macrophages in vitro and impaired replication and dissemination in vivo. Although all strains were defective for replication in vitro within macrophages, protective efficacy of each attenuated mutant was correlated with their ability to modestly replicate and disseminate in the host. Finally, we demonstrate the parenteral vaccination with these strains offered superior protection against pneumonic tularemia than intranasal vaccination. Together our data provides proof of principle that low dose attenuated vaccines may be a viable goal in development of novel vaccines directed against tularemia.
Network-congestion-aware video streaming: A rest-and-download approach

On-demand video services such as Youtube and Hulu are expected to comprise a large percentage of the increasing data loads in mobile networks. On-demand video is distinctive because it is pre-recorded and therefore can be considered elastic traffic because the video frame buffer can be downloaded well past the current point of playback. Based on this observation, we propose Video Rest-and-Download (VR&D) as a video download application framework that aims to reduce network congestion while maintaining playback quality. The intuition for VR&D is that, in a scenario where radio resources are shared by multiple data users, the video user can “rest” for some amount of time until fewer users are in the network, thereby allowing other data users to complete their downloads faster, without affecting playback quality. We present an algorithmic framework for VR&D based on the Markov Decision Process that uses the history and current state of network activity to determine how aggressive the user should be in downloading video frames. We evaluate its performance using a simulated UMTS network with HSDPA data service based on real network traces from a major U.S. carrier. Our results show that, compared to the existing solution, during the time of video playback this application can reduce download time by as high as 50%, and alleviate network congestion by up to 30% with minimal effect on playback quality.
Thermal observations of Saturn's main rings by Cassini CIRS: Phase, emission and solar elevation dependence

Abstract Two and a half years after Saturn orbit insertion (SOI) the Cassini composite infrared spectrometer (CIRS) has acquired an extensive set of thermal measurements (including physical temperature and filling factor) of Saturn's main rings for a number of different viewing geometries, most of which are not available from Earth. Thermal mapping of both the lit and unlit faces of the rings is being performed within a multidimensional observation space that includes solar phase angle, spacecraft elevation and solar elevation. Comprehensive thermal mapping is a key requirement for detailed modeling of ring thermal properties. To first order, the largest temperature changes on the lit face of the rings are driven by variations in phase angle while differences in temperature with changing spacecraft elevation are a secondary effect. Ring temperatures decrease with increasing phase angle suggesting a population of slowly rotating ring particles [Spilker, L.J., Pilorz, S.H., Wallis, B.D., Pearl, J.C., Cuzzi, J.N., Brooks, S.M., Altobelli, N., Edgington, S.G., Showalter, M., Michael Flasar, F., Ferrari, C., Leyrat, C. 2006. Cassini thermal observations of Saturn's main rings: implications for particle rotation and vertical mixing. Planet. Space Sci. 54, 1167–1176, doi: 10.1016/j.pss.2006.05.033]. Both lit A and B rings show that temperature decreases with decreasing rings solar elevation while temperature changes in the C ring and Cassini Division are more muted. Variations in the geometrical filling factor, β , are primarily driven by changes in spacecraft elevation. For the optically thinnest region of the C ring, β variations are found to be nearly exclusively determined by spacecraft elevation. Both a multilayer and a monolayer model provide an excellent fit to the data in this region. In both cases, a ring infrared emissivity > 0.9 is required, together with a random and homogeneous distribution of the particles. The interparticle shadowing function required for the monolayer model is very well constrained by our data and matches experimental measurements performed by Froidevaux [1981a. Saturn's rings: infrared brightness variation with solar elevation. Icarus 46, 4–17].
Determination of specific surface areas of glass filaments by BET and CAEDMON methods

Abstract Specific surface areas of pristine glass filaments have been determined by gas adsorption using (a) monolayer data by means of the CAEDMON method, (b) multilayer data by means of the BET method, and also by mercury porosimetry. The three methods agree with each other and also with the result calculated from the geometrical measurements and density of the glass filaments when a roughness factor of unity is assumed. The agreement between the two gas adsorption methods, despite fundamental differences in their conceptual models, is explained by the latitude for empiricism that is available in applying the BET method.
Common Ground and Creole TMA

L'A. decrit l'etat de la recherche sur les systemes Temps-Mode-Aspect des creoles et pidgins. Il souligne l'heterogeneite des terminologies utilisees par les chercheurs. Cette situation rend difficile la comparaison des creoles ainsi que l'etude de la genese des creoles et des processus de creolisation
Mathematical Modeling of a Two Spool Flow Control Servovalve Using a Pressure Control Pilot

A nonlinear dynamic model for an unconventional, commercially available electrohydraulic flow control servovalve is presented. The two stage valve differs from the conventional servovalve design in that: it uses a pressure control pilot stage; the boost stage uses two spools, instead of a single spool, to meter flow into and out of the valve separately; and it does not require a feedback wire and ball. Consequently, the valve is significantly less expensive. The proposed model captures the nonlinear and dynamic effects. The model has been coded in Matlab/Simulink and experimentally validated.
Static allometry of mammalian teeth and the correlation of tooth size and body size in contemporary mammals

Functional least squares regression was used to fit the allometric equation, y = 6xk, to data on head-body lengths and body weights for 123 species of mammals. These measurements were found to be highly correlated and to scale isometrically. The scaling of M, area with head-body length was investigated for 288 species of terrestrial mammals. A method was described for estimating the body size of extinct mammals from MI area and the tooth size-body size relationships discovered among contemporary forms.
Protest Outcomes in the Soviet Union

Prevailing research on political protest—which use data on events in pluralist societies—stresses the importance of target characteristics and the distribution of social support as explanatory variables affecting protest outcomes. This paper questions the applicability of these findings for explaining protest outcomes in hegemonies. An analysis of 303 protest events in the USSR yields the conclusion that measures of the internal strength of protest groups are the most important determinants of the effectiveness of Soviet dissident groups.
Small bowel obstruction caused by congenital transmesenteric defect

Transmesenteric hernias are extremely rare. A strangulated hernia through a mesenteric opening is a rare operative finding. Preoperative diagnosis still is difficult in spite of the imaging techniques currently available. The authors describe two cases of paediatric patients presenting with bowel obstruction resulting from a congenital mesenteric hernia. The first patient had a 3-cm wide congenital defect in the ileal mesentery through which the sigmoid colon had herniated. The second patient is a newborn infant who presented with symptoms and radiographic evidence of neonatal occlusion. At surgical exploration, a long segment of the small bowel had herniated in a defect in the ileal mesentery. A brief review of epidemiology and anatomy of transmesenteric hernias is included, along with a discussion of the difficulties in diagnosis and treatment of this condition.
An Intelligent Tool for Analysis of Imprecise Software Quality Requirements from Different Perspectives

The "voice of the customers," identified and translated into design targets, is usually vague and conflicting, especially from multi ple perspectives. In our previous research [2-4,6,7], a fuzzy logic based methodology for imprecise requirements specification and analysis has been developed. However, it is time-consuming and error-prone to analyze imprecise requirements manually based on it It is also hard to maintain requirement consistency manually, especially in a large software project. This paper describes the design and implementation of an intelligent tool for the acquisition, specification and analysis of imprecise software quality requirements and their relationships based on our methodology. Users from different perspectives can specify individual requirements and analyze their inter-perspective and intra- perspective relationships, including conflicts using the Quantitative House of Quality. Based on a fuzzy logic inference engine, the tool can help identify implicit and inconsistent relationsh...
Computed tomography of the left gonadal vein

Abstract Two patients in whom a dilated left gonadal vein was demonstrated by computed tomography and confirmed by angiography are presented. A dilated left gonadal vein may be a normal variant or it may be secondary to markedly increased renal blood flow. It may also be due to renal vein obstruction.
Statistics of the morphological pattern-spectrum mean and variance for a normal-sized convex-base random Boolean image

The morphological pattern spectrum (or, granulometric size distribution) results from iteratively opening an image and at each step recording the area of the opened image. Owing to the manner in which the size distribution is normalized, it defines a probability distribution function, and possesses moments. If a binary image is considered as a random process, then the moments of the pattern spectrum are random variables, and it is these random moments that are employed as shape and texture signatures in image classification and segmentation. In the present paper, the moments of these moments are studied for a random Boolean model that has been employed in various applications. Both exact and asymptotic methods are developed to express the mean and variance of the pattern-spectrum mean and variance.
The Role of Candida Infections as an Adverse Effect upon Head and Neck Cancer Patients Undergoing Therapeutic Radiation and the Effect of Antimycotic Treatment

Summary: Oral, pharyngeal and esoph-ageal infections caused by Candida species occur very frequently when it comes to radiation therapy for head and neck cancer. In clinical terms oral candidosis is most often characterized by pseudomembranes or erythema. The erythematous form of oral candidosis has in particular to be distinguished from radiation mucositis. Candidosis of the oral and gastrointestinal tract often causes interruption of therapeutic radiation. Ketoconazole treatment is able to reduce the period of time during which the patient cannot be treated by radiation. Oral ketoconazole given at a daily dose of 200 mg is moreover superior to topical nystatin. To date, however, it is not yet clear if patients who have head and neck cancer in whom radiation therapy has to be started would profit from the prophylactic application of ketoconazole from start on.
Cardiopulmonary resuscitation is not addressed in the admitting medical records for the majority of patients who undergo CPR in the hospital.

Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is routinely performed on patients who develop cardiopulmonary arrest in the hospital. In some situations, it is performed on terminally or critically ill patien...
A Review of Zen Buddhism and Environmental Ethics

Zen Buddhism and Environmental Ethics, by Simon P. James, is a worthwhile contribution to the growing literature on Buddhism and ecology and should be useful to all those concerned with the intellectual histories underpinning the current environmental crisis.
Perceptual processing of adjacent and nonadjacent tactile nontargets.

Previous research has shown that subjects appear unable to restrict processing to a single finger and ignore a stimulus presented to an adjacent finger. Furthermore, the evidence suggests that, at least for moving stimuli, an adjacent nontarget is fully processed to the level of incipient response activation. The present study replicated and expanded upon these original findings. The results of Experiment 1 showed that an equally large response-competition effect occurred when the nontarget was presented to adjacent and nonadjacent fingers4on the same hand). The results of Experiment 2 showed that the effects observed in Experiment 1 (and in previous studies) were also obtained with stationary stimuli. Although small, there was some indication in the results of Experiment 2 that interference may dissipate more rapidly with distance with stationary stimuli. An additional finding was that interference effects were observed in both experiments with temporal separations between the target and nontarget of up to 100 msec. In Experiment 3, target and nontarget stimuli were presented to opposite hands. Although reduced, interference was still evident with target and nontarget stimuli presented to opposite hands. Varying the physical distance between hands did not produce any change in the amount of interference. The results suggest that the focus of attention on the skin extends nearly undiminished across the fingers of one hand and is not dependent upon the physical distance between sites of stimulation.
8-(Naphthalen-1-yl)quinoline.

In the title mol­ecule, C19H13N, the angle between the mean planes of the naphthalene and quinoline ring systems is 68.59 (2)°. The compound is of inter­est with respect to its potential for spontaneous resolution. In the crystal structure, the R and S isomers are arranged in alternating homochiral layers. The mol­ecules of a given layer are oriented with their major axes (i.e. the axis perpendicular to the interannular bond) in the same direction and their naphthalene and quinoline ring systems are arranged parallel. Like the configurations, this orientation alternates in adjacent layers.
Nuclear bound states of the eta 0 meson and pion double-charge-exchange reactions.

We predict a narrow resonance structure (\ensuremath{\Gamma}\ensuremath{\simeq}10 MeV) in the excitaton function of (${\ensuremath{\pi}}^{+}$,${\ensuremath{\pi}}^{\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}}$) double-charge-exchange reactions at a pion kinetic energy of \ensuremath{\sim}419 MeV. This structure is due to the interference between the usual ${\ensuremath{\pi}}^{+}$\ensuremath{\rightarrow}${\ensuremath{\pi}}^{0}$\ensuremath{\rightarrow}${\ensuremath{\pi}}^{\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}}$ double-charge-exchange amplitudes, which have a smooth energy dependence, and a resonant ${\ensuremath{\pi}}^{+}$\ensuremath{\rightarrow}${\ensuremath{\eta}}^{0}$\ensuremath{\rightarrow}${\ensuremath{\pi}}^{\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}}$ high-energy double-charge-exchange amplitude associated with the formation of a strongly bound \ensuremath{\eta}-nucleus system. The latter process leads to a novel feature of the pion-nucleus interaction, the mesonic compound nucleus resonance.
Acute urinary retention in an adolescent girl and important learning points

We presented a case of a 13-year-old girl who attended the emergency department with acute urinary retention and 1400 mL residual urine after catheterisation. She had no significant medical history, neurological examination was normal and she had not reached menarche. She was found to have a haematocolpos on ultrasound scan which was compressing the urinary bladder. Examination under anaesthesia confirmed an imperforate hymen and therefore an incision was performed and the haematocolpos drained. She managed to pass urine normally the day following her procedure. In this article, we emphasise on the differential diagnosis in this case and the learning points derived from it.
Analysis of recorded image noise in nuclear medicine

The concepts of autocovariance function and Wiener spectrum have been applied to describe the recorded image noise in nuclear medicine. They were derived as functions of the expected detected count density and the detector and exposure point spread functions. It was shown that the detector system affects only the noise magnitude, whereas the recorder system affects both noise magnitude and texture. In experimental studies, the autocovariance function and Wiener spectrum of recorded image noise were measured by one-dimensional time-series analysis. Due to the non-linearity of the recording film, the best agreement between the theoretical predictions and the experimental results is found when the detected count density is sufficiently high and the size of the exposure spot is sufficiently large for the density fluctuations in the recorded noise image to be relatively low.
Post senescent grass canopy remote sensing

Analysis of in situ collected spectral reflectance data from a dormant or senescent grass canopy showed a direct relationship existed between spectral reflectance and biomass for the 0.50-0.80 micron spectral region. The data, collected four weeks after the end of the growing season, indicated that post senescent remote sensing of grass canopy biomass is possible and helps to elucidate the spectral contribution of recently dead vegetation in mixed live/dead canopy situations.
Labor's Struggle for a Higher Standard of Living

TO THE SUPERFICIAL OBSERVER, the economic condition of the United States in the first two years after the close of the military phase of the second world war appears to be a chaotic expression of bungling policy and lack of good will on the part of both business and labor, of both Democratic and Republican parties. He notes the occasional flaring up of strikes, full employment, the steady rise of consumer goods prices in spite of high-powered civilian production, and the hesitancy of stock exchange prices in spite of rises in commodity prices. However, to the historian, trained for both sociological and economic analysis, a definite line of development is visible, and the contours of a gigantic struggle emerge from the chaos. What, in fact, we witness is the desperate attempt of labor to maintain that rise in the living standard which has characterized American life since the great depression. This struggle has, of course, been frequently observed; what has escaped most spectators is the basic change in the strategic position. Everything in the workers' experience-the success of the American Federation of Labor for the skilled worker, that of the Congress of Industrial Organization for the masses of the workers, labor's earnings and employment during wartime, the profits inflation in and after the war-everything seems to prove both the possibility and the justice of a continuing rise in the wage level, of the possibility of a living standard in 1946 as much above that of 1939 as the one of 1939 was above 1932. And yet it cannot be achieved!
Progenitor-derived Oligodendrocyte Culture System from Human Fetal Brain

Differentiation of human neural progenitors into neuronal and glial cell types offers a model to study and compare molecular regulation of neural cell lineage development. In vitro expansion of neural progenitors from fetal CNS tissue has been well characterized. Despite the identification and isolation of glial progenitors from adult human sub-cortical white matter and development of various culture conditions to direct differentiation of fetal neural progenitors into myelin producing oligodendrocytes, acquiring sufficient human oligodendrocytes for in vitro experimentation remains difficult. Differentiation of galactocerebroside(+) (GalC) and O4(+) oligodendrocyte precursor or progenitor cells (OPC) from neural precursor cells has been reported using second trimester fetal brain. However, these cells do not proliferate in the absence of support cells including astrocytes and neurons, and are lost quickly over time in culture. The need remains for a culture system to produce cells of the oligodendrocyte lineage suitable for in vitro experimentation. Culture of primary human oligodendrocytes could, for example, be a useful model to study the pathogenesis of neurotropic infectious agents like the human polyomavirus, JCV, that in vivo infects those cells. These cultured cells could also provide models of other demyelinating diseases of the central nervous system (CNS). Primary, human fetal brain-derived, multipotential neural progenitor cells proliferate in vitro while maintaining the capacity to differentiate into neurons (progenitor-derived neurons, PDN) and astrocytes (progenitor-derived astrocytes, PDA) This study shows that neural progenitors can be induced to differentiate through many of the stages of oligodendrocytic lineage development (progenitor-derived oligodendrocytes, PDO). We culture neural progenitor cells in DMEM-F12 serum-free media supplemented with basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF), platelet derived growth factor (PDGF-AA), Sonic hedgehog (Shh), neurotrophic factor 3 (NT-3), N-2 and triiodothyronine (T3). The cultured cells are passaged at 2.5e6 cells per 75cm flasks approximately every seven days. Using these conditions, the majority of the cells in culture maintain a morphology characterized by few processes and express markers of pre-oligodendrocyte cells, such as A2B5 and O-4. When we remove the four growth factors (GF) (bFGF, PDGF-AA, Shh, NT-3) and add conditioned media from PDN, the cells start to acquire more processes and express markers specific of oligodendrocyte differentiation, such as GalC and myelin basic protein (MBP). We performed phenotypic characterization using multicolor flow cytometry to identify unique markers of oligodendrocyte.
Cetyltrimethylammonium chloride as a surfactant buffer additive for reversed-polarity capillary electrophoresis-electrospray mass spectrometry

The rapid analysis of picomole quantities of various cationic molecules (laser dyes, tripeptides and larger bioactive peptides) has been achieved by on-line capillary electrophoresis-electrospray mass spectrometry (CE-ES-MS). Use of the cationic surfactant, cetyltrimethylammonium chloride (CTAC) in the CE buffer greatly facilitated the analyses. Under reversed-polarity conditions (negative potential at the source vial), CTAC induces electroosmotic flow towards the mass spectrometer, presumably due to the creation of a cationic layer on the inner surface of the fused-silica capillaries. CTAC diminishes analyte-capillary wall interactions, allowing efficient separations and symmetrical peak shapes. It may be used over a wide range of pH values without loss of electroosmotic flow. Added selectivity, provided by the surfactant properties of CTAC, played a critical role in resolving closely related tripeptides as well as larger (five to thirteen amino acid units) peptides. Above the critical micelle concentration of CTAC, interactions with the pseudostationary micellar phase increased selectivity even for ionic analytes.
Personal Influence Networks and Voluntary Association Affiliation

Individuals ordinarily have considerable information about voluntary associations even before they seriously think about joining a group. In becoming affiliated, members usually rely on personal networks and often several persons are consulted. When mass media sources are utilized in the affiliation process, they serve as a stimulus or catalyst (not one respondent in the sample joined an organization solely on the basis of mass media sources of information). Those with an extensive network of friends and relatives often become members through informal leaders. Moreover, they are sought out and encouraged to join. Individuals who have fewer primary-group resources frequently become members through formal leaders and themselves initiate the contact which results in membership. Finally, personal influence networks are more likely to play an important role for those joining expressive rather than instrumental voluntary associations.
Comparison of teaching methods to learn a tilt and balance wheelchair skill.

Often service professionals working with individuals who use wheelchairs find themselves inadequately prepared to give hands-on or verbal assistance in wheelchair maneuverability skills. The purpose of this study was to examine the effectiveness of two methods of teaching a tilt and balance wheelchair skill, evaluated by using an obstacle course. Subjects were 30 volunteers, having no past wheelchair experience. The Instruction group viewed an instructional video followed by structured wheelchair practice. The Instruction plus Biomechanics group experienced these same interventions and received a biomechanical explanation of the wheelchair skill. The Control group received no instruction but did receive additional practice time in a wheelchair. It was hypothesized that the first two groups would improve their maneuverability in the wheelchair over the Control group. A 2-way analysis of variance, with main effects for groups followed by a Tukey post hoc test, indicated that the two instruction groups had s...
Large volume high pressure research using the wiggler port at NSLS

Abstract A DIA-type cubic-anvil high pressure apparatus (SAM-85) has been interfaced with white x-ray radiation from the superconducting wiggler port of the National Synchrotron Light Source at Brookhaven National Laboratory. Energy-dispersive x-ray diffraction measurements can be obtained for samples with dimensions of the order of 1 mm as a function of pressure and temperature utilizing x-ray energies of up to100 keV. The sample environment is examined. Pressure is uniform in the sample chamber to within 0.1 GPa, and temperature is constant in the scattering volume to within 5°C.A method is defined for determining deviatoric stress. We find that for a sample containing NaCl and Au, the deviatoric stress increases to about 0.3 GPa as pressure increases to 1.5 GPa and then remains constant, probably reflecting the strength of the sample. Upon heating, the deviatoric stress quickly approaches zero. Presented at the IUCr Workshop on ‘Synchrotron Radiation Instrumentation for High Pressure Crystallography’, ...
The relationship between ontological knowledge structure and intelligence in children

Abstract Children's performance on a task requiring the ability to deduce the meaning of unknown words from verbal context and their ontological knowledge structure as indicated by their judgments about both anomalous and sensible statements containing the unknown words was examined. A comparison was made between (a) performance on the decontextual ization task and verbal and nonverbal ability, and (b) subjects' ontological knowledge structures and verbal and nonverbal ability. It was hypothesized that performance on the decontextualization task would be positively correlated with both ability measures, but that ontological knowledge structure would remain constant across ability levels. First-, third- and fifth-grade subjects were participants. Results indicated significant positive correlations between the decontextualization task and verbal ability for all three grade levels and nonverbal ability for Grade 1. Presence of the M-constraint (Keil, 1979) was evident across ability levels as well as grade levels. Greater differentiation in ontological knowledge was demonstrated across grade levels but not across ability levels within a grade level. Results support and extend the previous research.
Conversion of proepithelin to epithelins: roles of SLPI and elastase in host defense and wound repair.

Abstract Increased leukocyte elastase activity in mice lacking secretory leukocyte protease inhibitor (SLPI) leads to impaired wound healing due to enhanced activity of TGFβ and perhaps additional mechanisms. Proepithelin (PEPI), an epithelial growth factor, can be converted to epithelins (EPIs) in vivo by unknown mechanisms with unknown consequences. We found that PEPI and EPIs exert opposing activities. EPIs inhibit the growth of epithelial cells but induce them to secrete the neutrophil attractant IL-8, while PEPI blocks neutrophil activation by tumor necrosis factor, preventing release of oxidants and proteases. SLPI and PEPI form complexes, preventing elastase from converting PEPI to EPIs. Supplying PEPI corrects the wound-healing defect in SLPI null mice. Thus, SLPI/elastase act via PEPI/EPIs to operate a switch at the interface between innate immunity and wound healing.
Extracting known and inferred shape information from a single view

In order for a mobile robot to acquire a shape model of an unknown object, it must be able to view the entire exterior of the object. However, in an unstructured environment, it is impossible to know the extent to which the robot can circumnavigate the object. If the entire object cannot be seen, then it is impractical to discuss creating object models which contain only viewable object surfaces. In fact, it is easy to conceive if an object which possesses exterior surfaces that are hidden from any reasonable viewpoint. However, it is generally possible to establish limits to the volume of space that the object can occupy. Such a volume represents the combination of space occluded from view with space actually taken up by the object. A model of this volume is valuable, in that it has the advantage of being a complete, enclosed boundary description. Object recognition routines, for example, may require complete boundary descriptions to work with. Even if complete boundary descriptions are not required, knowing the maximum possible extent of the object could prove valuable, perhaps in differentiating between several partial object model matches. Processing a single view, we build an ''OPUS'' (object plus unseen space) by combining ''object surfaces''--defining the fraction of the exterior of the object that can actually be seen--with ''occlusion surfaces''-- indicating the limits to the volume of space which is occluded from view.© (1992) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Policy informatics for co-evolving socio-technical networks

We summarize our ongoing integrated program to represent and reason about very large co-evolving social, technological, information and organization (STIO) networks. The program comprises of four basic elements: (i) a mathematical and computational theory of co-evolving STIO networks, (ii) methods for integrating diverse data sources to generate synthetic representations of STIO networks, (iii) high performance computing oriented models for simulating the dynamical phenomenon of interest on these networks, and (iv) an integrated high performance oriented pervasive cyber-environment that provides analysts and decision makers a web-based environment that provides seamless access to the models and synthetic networks for policy planning and response. We will illustrate some of these ideas by discussing the development of information-support environments for supporting the study of epidemics in social as well as wireless networks.
Trends in automatic three-dimensional mesh generation

Abstract Some recent efforts on the development of methods to ensure the robustness of automatic three-dimensional mesh generation techniques are discussed. The topic areas considered are mesh entity classification, finite octree cell triangulation, and coarse mesh generation by element removal.
Mechanisms of resistance to cisplatin and carboplatin

While cisplatin and carboplatin are active versus most common cancers, epithelial malignancies are incurable when metastatic. Even if an initial response occurs, acquired resistance due to mutations and epigenetic events limits efficacy. Resistance may be due to excess of a resistance factor, to saturation of factors required for tumor cell killing, or to mutation or alteration of a factor required for tumor cell killing. Platinum resistance could arise from decreased tumor blood flow, extracellular conditions, reduced platinum uptake, increased efflux, intracellular detoxification by glutathione, etc., decreased binding (e.g., due to high intracellular pH), DNA repair, decreased mismatch repair, defective apoptosis, antiapoptotic factors, effects of several signaling pathways, or presence of quiescent non-cycling cells. In lung cancer, flattening of dose-response curves at higher doses suggests that efficacy is limited by exhaustion of something required for cell killing, and several clinical observations suggest epigenetic events may play a major role in resistance.
On the radiation impedance of a rectangular piston

Single integral representations for the resistive and reactive components of the radiation impedance appropriate to a rectangular piston are established, thereby enabling a systematic refinement of estimates at both short and long wave lengths. Comparisons with previous analyses are made explicit as well as extensions and corrections thereto.
New dawn for a nocturnal disease

Comment on Hill et al, page [2559][1] Previous optimism about the complement inhibitor eculizumab as a treatment for hemolytic paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH) is sustained with a report in this issue of Blood by Hill and colleagues. In 1938, Jordan,[1][2] Dacie et al,[2][3] and Ham[3][4
Frostbite in a pre-Columbian mummy.

Radiographs of a prehistoric inhabitant of the Atacama desert show pathological bone changes which are consistent with frostbite, gangrene and autoamputation. The burial position of the body suggests a reversal of sex roles during life, possibly resulting from the frostbite injuries.
Quantitative chemical analysis of demyelination in cultured mouse spinal cord

Abstract These studies were designed to determine whether chemical parameters can be used to quantify the demyelinative potency of antiCNS sera or other demyelinating factors as revealed by cultured nerve tissue. The activity of 2′,3′-cyclic nucleotide 3′-phosphohydrolase (CNPase) and the amount of some major myelin lipids were measured in cultured embryonic mouse spinal cord during different stages of demyelination. Cultures exposed to anti-white matter serum for various times (6–60 h) or various concentrations (2.5–25%) showed a decrease (up to -70%) in CNPase activity. This change paralleled the degree of demyelination as evaluated by light microscopic examination. Cultures exposed to normal rabbit serum under the same conditions did not show changes in the amount of myelin or in the activity of CNPase. Conversely, changes in the lipid content did not correlate with the morphologic evaluation of demyelination. Glycolipids were found to decrease in cultures exposed to anti-white matter as well as in those exposed to normal rabbit sera. The decrease in cerebrosides was higher with anti-white matter serum than with normal serum, but sulfatides were altered in similar amounts in both groups. In contrast, under the same conditions, the amount of total protein or other lipid such as total cholesterol is not altered. Therefore, biochemical analysis of some myelin components could constitute a more sensitive and reliable quantitative method for early evaluation of the time course of demyelination in cultured nerve tissues.
Manufacturing at Nanoscale: Top-Down, Bottom-up and System Engineering

The current nano-technology revolution is facing several major challenges: to manufacture nanodevices below 20 nm, to fabricate three-dimensional complex nano-structures, and to heterogeneously integrate multiple functionalities. To tackle these grand challenges, the Center for Scalable and Integrated NAno-Manufacturing (SINAM), a NSF Nanoscale Science and Engineering Center, set its goal to establish a new manufacturing paradigm that integrates an array of new nano-manufacturing technologies, including the plasmonic imaging lithography and ultramolding imprint lithography aiming toward critical resolution of 1–10 nm and the hybrid top-down and bottom-up technologies to achieve massively parallel integration of heterogeneous nanoscale components into higher-order structures and devices. Furthermore, SINAM will develop system engineering strategies to scale-up the nano-manufacturing technologies. SINAMs integrated research and education platform will shed light to a broad range of potential applications in computing, telecommunication, photonics, biotechnology, health care, and national security.
Digital image reception using multifrequency/multiphase signals and coherent detection

Transmission and reception of pictorial information in digital form generally requires high data rates that impact on minimum channel bandwidths, on signal power levels, or both. The advent of optical fibers for signal transmission has reduced channel bandwidth constraints, however signal power requirements have oftentimes limited system performance in practical applications. Coherent signal detection techniques, (similar to those implemented in microwave radio systems), have positively impacted on the performance of optical front-ends used in certain digital receivers. In this paper, the use of multifrequency/multiphase signals for digital image transmission is proposed, in order to achieve high data throughput with moderate bandwidth and power requirements, while implementing coherent demodulation and a "direct bit detection" receiver. The proposed system utilizes 16 tone-quadriphase signals, to produce 64 signals, each representing 6 data bits. For image transmission at 6 bits per pixel, this scheme is attractive because bits represented by each signal, are recovered simultaneously using a novel "direct bit detection" scheme. It involves receiver coherent demodulation, dual correlations, and binary comparison operations made against zero thresholds. This results in a receiver signal processing algorithm that is independent of input signal-to-noise ratio. The receiver's bit error rate is derived and evaluated, and performance plots are presented showing system efficiency.
Characterizing, simulating, and analyzing variability and uncertainty: An illustration of methods using an air toxics emissions example

Abstract Variability is the heterogeneity of values with respect to time, space, or a population. Variability may be quantified using frequency distributions. Uncertainty arises due to lack of knowledge regarding the true value of a quantity. Uncertainty may be quantified using probability distributions. These two concepts are distinct and, therefore, should be treated separately in an analysis. In this paper, methods for quantifying variability and uncertainty in model inputs, simulating variability and uncertainty in a model, and analyzing the results are presented. The method is demonstrated via an illustrative case study involving emissions characterization. The analysis of input data illustrates methods for characterizing variability and uncertainty when uncertainties arise due to sampling error (i.e., small sample sizes) or measurement error, as well as for dealing with differences in averaging times among multiple datasets. Correlation structures between sampling distributions representing uncertai...
Descriptions of some fungi associated with forest tree decay in Colorado.

Descriptions of basidiocarps and cultures are provided forHelicobasidium corticioides, Corticium radiosum, Peniophora luna, P. polygonia, andP. rufa, which are associated with decay of forest trees in Colorado. The first three species attack conifers;P. polygonia andP. rufa occur on aspen. Noteworthy taxonomic characteristics are discussed and are illustrated by photographs and drawings.
Effect of Green Density on Densification and Creep During Sintering

The effect of green density on both the densification rate and the creep rate was measured simultaneously during sintering by loading dilatometry. The experiments were performed on zinc oxide powder compacts with five different green densities covering a range of 0.39 to 0.73 of theoretical. The samples were heated at a constant rate of 4°C/min up to 1100°C in air. The densification rate at any temperature increases significantly with decreasing green density. The data for the densification rate and creep rate as a function of density show two quite distinct regimes of behavior; the rates were strongly dependent on density below 0.80, while above this value they were weakly dependent on density. The ratio of the densification rate to the creep rate was almost independent of temperature but increased almost linearly with increasing green density. The representation of the data in terms of models for sintering and creep is discussed.
Developing a Bayesian vector autoregression forecasting model

Abstract In recent years, Bayesian vector autoregression (BVAR) forecasting models have demonstrated considerable success in forecasting macroeconomic and regional economic variables. In spite of this success, these promising forecasting models have yet to be widely used in business forecasting. This is due, in part, to the rather formidable practical problem of specifying an appropriate BVAR forecasting model. The purpose of this paper is to simplify the model selection process by offering a systematic BVAR forecasting model selection procedure that is readily implemented using a popular software package. A practical five-step procedure is presented and then illustrated using a business forecasting application.
The laminar organization of efferent neuronal cell bodies in the retrosplenial granular cortex

The fluorescent dye technique for retrograde axonal tracing was used to characterize the laminar organization of neurons in the rat retrosplenial granular cortex (Rg) that project to cortical or thalamic targets. The data from 40 experiments demonstrate that each of the projections studied arises from a slightly different layer of cells. The commissural projection from Rg to Rg can be divided into two categories. A point to point projection originates in the superficial layer II neurons and a somewhat more widespread projection originates from neurons in layers III, Vb and Vc. The intrinsic projection from Rg to Rg arises from cell bodies that are in the same laminar position as the cells of origin of the commissural projection, but there is an additional input from neurons in layer VIb. In contrast to the homotopic projections, the commissural projection from Rgb to retrosplenial agranular cortex (Rag) originates in layer Va, while the ipsilateral projection from Rgb to Rag originates in layer Va, Vc and VIb. All of the input to the anterior thalamic nuclei originates in layer VIa, but while the ipsilateral projection originates in both superficial and deep layer VIa neurons, contralateral projections do not arise from cells in the deepest part of layer VIa.
The coordinated regulation of heparan sulfate, syndecans and cell behavior

Recent advances in our understanding of heparan sulfate proteoglycans at the cell periphery implicate them as important participants in cell surface signaling. Regulation of the expression of discrete core proteins and of the specificity inherent in their heparan sulfate chains is thus emerging as a critical means of controlling cell behavior.