cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A long‐term nitrogen fertilizer gradient has little effect on soil organic matter in a high‐intensity maize production system

Global maize production alters an enormous soil organic C (SOC) stock, ultimately affecting greenhouse gas concentrations and the capacity of agroecosystems to buffer climate variability. Inorganic N fertilizer is perhaps the most important factor affecting SOC within maize-based systems due to its effects on crop residue production and SOC mineralization. Using a continuous maize cropping system with a 13 year N fertilizer gradient (0–269 kg Nh a 1 yr 1 ) that created a large range in crop residue inputs (3.60–9.94 Mg dry matter ha 1 yr 1 ), we provide the first agronomic assessment of long-term N fertilizer effects on SOC with direct reference to N rates that are empirically determined to be insufficient, optimum, and excessive. Across the N fertilizer gradient, SOC in physico-chemically protected pools was not affected by N fertilizer rate or residue inputs. However, unprotected particulate organic matter (POM) fractions increased with residue inputs. Although N fertilizer was negatively linearly correlated with POM C/N ratios, the slope of this relationship decreased from the least decomposed POM pools (coarse POM) to the most decomposed POM pools (fine intra-aggregate POM). Moreover, C/N ratios of protected pools did not vary across N rates, suggesting little effect of N fertilizer on soil organic matter (SOM) after decomposition of POM. Comparing a N rate within 4% of agronomic optimum (208 kg N ha 1 yr 1 ) and an excessive N rate (269 kg Nh a 1 yr 1 ), there were no differences between SOC amount, SOM C/N ratios, or microbial biomass and composition. These data suggest that excessive N fertilizer had little effect on SOM and they complement agronomic assessments of environmental N losses, that demonstrate N2O and NO3 emissions exponentially increase when agronomic optimum N is surpassed.
A chemical quenching apparatus for studying rapid reactions.

Abstract A chemical quench-flow apparatus is described for studying enzymatic reactions with half-lives of 0.005 sec or longer. The syringe pistons are driven by a stepping motor which provides precise control over the volume and rate of flow of reactants. The drive mechanism also ensures a rapid approach to a steady flow velocity and thus minimizes the amount of material used per stroke. Improved mixing efficiency is accomplished by means of ball mixers which utilize the zone of turbulence in the wake of a sphere as the mixing mechanism. The instrument was used to follow the presteady state time course of phosphorylation and dephosphorylation of a microsomal preparation of (Na + + K + )-stimulated ATPase.
Probabilities of choices among very similar objects: an experiment to decide between two models.

The purpose of this paper is to report an experimental investigation of individual choice behavior in certain situations suggested by Debreu (1960) in his review of Luce’s book (1959). Let T denote the set of all possible alternatives from among which a subject might be required to choose. For any finite subset S of T (we call S the ‘offered set’) and any alternative x in S, let x(S) denote the probability that the subject, when choosing among the alternatives in S, will choose x. Thus x({x, y}) is the probability that the subject will choose from the pair {x, y} the alternative x rather than y. When x({x, y}) = 1, or equivalently j({x,y}) = 0,we say that x is absolutely preferred to y. The Luce model1 as presented in his book (1959) states that if no element of T is absolutely preferred to another element of T, then every element x of T is associated with a positive number v(x) (which we have called ‘strict utility of x’) such that, for every offered subset S of T, $$x(S) = {{v(x)} \over {\sum\limits_{y \in S} {v(y)} }};$$ (that is, the elements of any offered set are chosen with probabilities proportional to their strict utilities).
Enhancement of alaryngeal speech utilizing spectral subtraction and minimum statistics

This paper proposes improvements to the electrolarynx device, which allows a patient to speak after the larynx is removed. Speech through existing electrolarynx devices is corrupted by high levels of noise and sounds unnatural. The proposed algorithm is based upon spectral subtraction techniques and modifies the magnitude of the speech signal in the frequency domain. Here, with the introduction of Discrete Cosine Transform (DCT) domain analysis using minimum statistics, the proposed algorithm effectively reduces high levels of noise generated by the electrolarynx. Unlike existing methods, the proposed algorithm does not require the use of a voice activity detector and the Discrete Cosine Transform domain is more proficient at isolating speech signal energy. The new algorithm presented in this paper is readily adaptable to hardware implementation and has the potential to be included in a handheld electrolarynx device in the future.
Skeletal muscle-restricted expression of human SOD1 causes motor neuron degeneration in transgenic mice

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal neurodegenerative disease of motor neurons (MNs) that causes skeletal muscle paralysis. Familial forms of ALS are linked to mutations in the superoxide dismutase-1 (SOD1) gene. The mechanisms of human SOD1 (hSOD1) toxicity to MNs are unknown. We hypothesized that skeletal muscle is a primary site of pathogenesis in ALS that triggers MN degeneration. We created transgenic (tg) mice expressing wild-type-, G37R- and G93A-hSOD1 gene variants only in skeletal muscle. These tg mice developed age-related neurologic and pathologic phenotypes consistent with ALS. Affected mice showed limb weakness and paresis with motor deficits. Skeletal muscles developed severe pathology involving oxidative damage, protein nitration, myofiber cell death and marked neuromuscular junction (NMJ) abnormalities. Spinal MNs developed distal axonopathy and formed ubiquitinated inclusions and degenerated through an apoptotic-like pathway involving capsase-3. Mice expressing wild-type and mutant forms of hSOD1 developed MN pathology. These results demonstrate that human SOD1 in skeletal muscle has a causal role in ALS and identify a new non-autonomous mechanism for MN degeneration explaining their selective vulnerability. The discovery of instigating molecular toxicities or disease progression determinants within skeletal muscle could be very valuable for the development of new effective therapies for the treatment and cure of ALS.
Mapping bone interstitial fluid movement: Displacement of ferritin tracer during histological processing

Bone interstitial fluid flow is thought to play a fundamental role in the mechanical stimulation of bone cells, either via shear stresses or cytoskeletal deformations. Recent evidence indicates that osteocytes are surrounded by a fiber matrix that may be involved in the mechanotransduction of external stimuli as well as in nutrient exchange. In our previous tracer studies designed to map how different-sized molecules travel through the bone porosities, we found that injected ferritin was confined to blood vessels and did not pass into the mineralized matrix. However, other investigators have shown that ferritin forms halo-shaped labeling that enters the mineralized matrix around blood vessels. This labeling is widely used to explain normal interstitial fluid movement in bone; in particular, it is said to demonstrate bulk centrifugal interstitial fluid movement away from a highly pressurized vascular porosity. In addition, appositional ferritin fronts are said to demonstrate centrifugal interstitial fluid movement from the medullary canal to the periosteal surface. The purpose of this study was to investigate the conflicting ferritin labeling results by evaluating the role of different histological processes in the formation of ferritin “halos.” Ferritin was injected into the rat vasculature and allowed to circulate for 5 min. Samples obtained from tibiae were reacted for different times with Perl's reagent and then were either paraffin-embedded or sectioned with a cryostat. Halo-like labeling surrounding vascular pores was found in all groups, ranging from 1.2–3.9% for the samples treated with the shortest histological processes (unembedded, frozen sections) to 5.6–15% for the samples treated with the longest histological processes (paraffin-embedded sections). These results indicate that different histological processing methods are able to create ferritin “halos,” with some processing methods allowing more redistribution of the ferritin tracer than others. Based on these results and the fact that “halo” labeling has not been found with any other tracer, as we seek to further delineate the movement of interstitial fluid and the role it plays in bone mechanotransduction, we believe that ferritin “halo” labeling should not be used to demonstrate physiological bone interstitial fluid flow.
Automatic genome-wide reconstruction of phylogenetic gene trees

Gene duplication and divergence is a major evolutionary force. Despite the growing number of fully sequenced genomes, methods for investigating these events on a genome-wide scale are still in their infancy. Here, we present SYNERGY, a novel and scalable algorithm that uses sequence similarity and a given species phylogeny to reconstruct the underlying evolutionary history of all genes in a large group of species. In doing so, SYNERGY resolves homology relations and accurately distinguishes orthologs from paralogs. We applied our approach to a set of nine fully sequenced fungal genomes spanning 150 million years, generating a genome-wide catalog of orthologous groups and corresponding gene trees. Our results are highly accurate when compared to a manually curated gold standard, and are robust to the quality of input according to a novel jackknife confidence scoring. The reconstructed gene trees provide a comprehensive view of gene evolution on a genomic scale. Our approach can be applied to any set of sequenced eukaryotic species with a known phylogeny, and opens the way to systematic studies of the evolution of individual genes, molecular systems and whole genomes. Contact: aregev@broad.mit.edu Supplementary information: Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Relative quantification of membrane-associated calcium in red spruce mesophyll cells

We describe a method for localizing and comparing relative amounts of plasma membrane-associated calcium ions (mCa) in complex tissues and verify the procedure for mesophyll cells of red spruce (Picea rubens Sarg.) needles. This technique incorporates epifluorescence microscopy using the fluorescent probe chlorotetracycline (CTC) with computer image processing and analysis. Using an appropriate standardization for image brightness, the procedure allows relative quantitative comparison of CTC-fluorescence in the plasma membrane-cell wall region that corresponds to relative amounts of mCa. The technique effectively discerned mCa differences among red spruce needle sections exposed to treatments designed to alter mCa levels in vitro. Estimates of mCa for nine red spruce seedlings, were highly repeatable over a 6 week period in late summer. This repeatability verifies that the described methods produce reliable and reproducible estimates of foliar mCa in woody plant foliage. By incorporating image analysis, this technique allows for relative quantitative estimates of mCa specific to the physiologically-important and labile pool of Ca associated with the plasma membrane-wall complex. Such measurements have not previously been reported for woody plant tissues and thus may provide new insights into the relative roles and responsiveness of mCa vs total foliar Ca pools.
Design and Fabrication of Integrated Power Inductor Based on Silicon Molding Technology

This paper reports a new fabrication process that can be used to integrate high-power-density and low-loss inductors with silicon-based power ICs to realize monolithic integration of power converters for portable electronics applications. In this new process, copper is electroplated into through-wafer silicon trenches, resulting in thick copper windings (200~500 mum) and thus low winding resistance. The magnetic cores are electroplated on both sides of the silicon substrate to cover the copper windings, and through-wafer magnetic vias are used to close the magnetic path. Powder permalloy with relatively high resistivity (400 muOmegaldrcm) and low permeability (40) are used to reduce the loss of large magnetic cores. The powder permalloy can be fabricated by using high-current-density electroplating without mixing or high temperature sintering. A pot-core inductor has been designed and fabricated. The inductance and saturation current of the designed inductor are 179 nH and 5 A, respectively. The measured winding resistance of the 200 mum thick copper winding is 23 mOmega.
Efficient multi-way text categorization via generalized discriminant analysis

Text categorization is an important research area and has been receiving much attention due to the growth of the on-line information and of Internet. Automated text categorization is generally cast as a multi-class classification problem. Much of previous work focused on binary document classification problems. Support vector machines (SVMs) excel in binary classification, but the elegant theory behind large-margin hyperplane cannot be easily extended to multi-class text classification. In addition, the training time and scaling are also important concerns. On the other hand, other techniques naturally extensible to handle multi-class classification are generally not as accurate as SVM. This paper presents a simple and efficient solution to multi-class text categorization. Classification problems are first formulated as optimization via discriminant analysis. Text categorization is then cast as the problem of finding coordinate transformations that reflects the inherent similarity from the data. While most of the previous approaches decompose a multi-class classification problem into multiple independent binary classification tasks, the proposed approach enables direct multi-class classification. By using Generalized Singular Value Decomposition (GSVD), a coordinate transformation that reflects the inherent class structure indicated by the generalized singular values is identified. Extensive experiments demonstrate the efficiency and effectiveness of the proposed approach.
Auditory Segmentation Based on Onset and Offset Analysis

A typical auditory scene in a natural environment contains multiple sources. Auditory scene analysis (ASA) is the process in which the auditory system segregates a scene into streams corresponding to different sources. Segmentation is a major stage of ASA by which an auditory scene is decomposed into segments, each containing signal mainly from one source. We propose a system for auditory segmentation by analyzing onsets and offsets of auditory events. The proposed system first detects onsets and offsets, and then generates segments by matching corresponding onset and offset fronts. This is achieved through a multiscale approach. A quantitative measure is suggested for segmentation evaluation. Systematic evaluation shows that most of target speech, including unvoiced speech, is correctly segmented, and target speech and interference are well separated into different segments
Factors affecting anserine and carnosine levels in skeletal muscles of various animals

Abstract 1. 1. Analytical procedures for anserine, carnosine and related histidine compounds in skeletal muscles are given. 2. 2. The anserine/carnosine ratio in the skeletal muscles of the rat increases with age, cortisone injection and lowered food intake, and in the guinea pig muscle with strenuous exercise. 3. 3. The total anserine plus carnosine in leg muscles of the cat remain constant during long periods of deep anesthesia. 4. 4. Skeletal muscles of man contain carnosine but no anserine. Higher levels of carnosine and low levels of anserine are found in muscles of monkey (Rhesus). 5. 5. Carnosine but no anserine is present in leg muscles of frog.
De-Engineering intergenerational conflict: Suggestions for engineers resolving generational and interpersonal conflict

The intent of this paper is to consider the interaction of engineers of different generations and suggest a set of skills to assist them while dealing with generational, interpersonal relationship conflicts. We will briefly consider typical engineering culture as personally understood by the author, examine characteristics of the current working generations (Baby Boomers, Baby Busters, Generation X, Mosaics, and the forthcoming Postmodernist generation), and propose interpersonal unity seeking and peacemaking skills or a "bag of tricks" that engineers may consider in their workplace.
Calibratable model-based controllers

Model-based, multivariable controllers can be made calibratable by using linear parameter-varying techniques. This opens the venue to use model-based controllers which outperform classical controllers in the automotive industry without changing the traditional way of designing control systems for the industry. An illustrative example is presented.
Dengue virus markers of virulence and pathogenicity.

The increased spread of dengue fever and its more severe form, dengue hemorrhagic fever, have made the study of the mosquito-borne dengue viruses that cause these diseases a public health priority. Little is known about how or why the four different (serotypes 1–4) dengue viruses cause pathology in humans only, and there have been no animal models of disease to date. Therefore, there are no vaccines or antivirals to prevent or treat infection and mortality rates of dengue hemorrhagic fever patients can reach up to 20%. Cases occur mainly in tropical zones within developing countries worldwide, and control measures have been limited to the elimination of the mosquito vectors. Thus, it is imperative that we develop new methods of studying dengue virus pathogenicity. This article presents new approaches that may help us to understand dengue virus virulence and the specific mechanisms that lead to dengue fever and severe disease.
Leaf litter decomposition rates increase with rising mean annual temperature in Hawaiian tropical montane wet forests

Decomposing litter in forest ecosystems supplies nutrients to plants, carbon to heterotrophic soil microorganisms and is a large source of CO2 to the atmosphere. Despite its essential role in carbon and nutrient cycling, the temperature sensitivity of leaf litter decay in tropical forest ecosystems remains poorly resolved, especially in tropical montane wet forests where the warming trend may be amplified compared to tropical wet forests at lower elevations. We quantified leaf litter decomposition rates along a highly constrained 5.2 ◦ C mean annual temperature (MAT) gradient in tropical montane wet forests on the Island of Hawaii. Dominant vegetation, substrate type and age, soil moisture, and disturbance history are all nearly constant across this gradient, allowing us to isolate the eff ect of rising MAT on leaf litter decomposition and nutrient release. Leaf litter decomposition rates were a positive linear function of MAT, causing the residence time of leaf litter on the forest floor to decline by ∼31 days for each 1 ◦ C increase in MAT. Our estimate of the Q10 temperature coeffi cient for leaf litter decomposition was 2.17, within the commonly reported range for heterotrophic organic matter decomposition (1.5–2.5) across a broad range of ecosystems. The percentage of leaf litter nitrogen (N) remaining after six months declined linearly with increasing MAT from ∼88% of initial N at the coolest site to ∼74% at the warmest site. The lack of net N immobilization during all three litter collection periods at all MAT plots indicates that N was not limiting to leaf litter decomposition, regardless of temperature. These results suggest that leaf litter decay in tropical montane wet forests may be more sensitive to rising MAT than in tropical lowland wet forests, and that increased rates of N release from decomposing litter could delay or prevent progressive N limitation to net primary productivity with climate warming.
Influences of Habitat and Hybridization on the Genetic Structure of Redband Trout in the Upper Snake River Basin, Idaho

Abstract The genetic structure of redband trout Oncorhynchus mykiss gairdnerii in the upper Snake River basin was investigated at various scales using 13 microsatellite loci. The majority of the genetic variation was partitioned between streams, although differentiation among watersheds was significant. This diversity was probably historically partitioned at the watershed scale when steelhead O. mykiss (anadromous rainbow trout) were present, with the exception of small, isolated, headwater streams where there may have been only resident trout. Genetic structure appears to have been altered by a combination of factors, including habitat fragmentation and hybridization with hatchery trout. Redband trout populations in the desert and montane environments both experienced reduced gene flow, but the desert populations displayed higher degrees of genetic differentiation. There was also a significant inverse relationship between the degree of genetic differentiation and the level of allelic diversity. Interspec...
Aluminum Nitride Chip Carrier for Micro-electro-mechanical Sensor Applications

A commercially fabricated aluminum nitride chip carrier was evaluated for packaging various types of MEMS inertial sensors. They were successfully assembled and vacuum-sealed within AlN chip carriers and their pressures have remained stable for over one year. Aging tests were conducted under electrical bias at 85°C and 85 %RH. The leakage currents were not as stable as those measured in alumina chip carriers and post test inspection of the AlN parts revealed etching of the ceramic between conductors.
RED AND FAR-RED INSENSITIVE 2, a RING-Domain Zinc Finger Protein, Mediates Phytochrome-Controlled Seedling Deetiolation Responses

Light is arguably the most important resource for plants, and an array of photosensory pigments enables plants to develop optimally in a broad range of ambient-light conditions. The red- and far-red-light-absorbing photosensory pigments or phytochromes (phy) regulate seedling deetiolation responses, photoperiodic flowering, and circadian rhythm. We have identified a long hypocotyl mutant under red and far-red light, rfi2-1 (red and far-red insensitive 2 to 1). rfi2-1 was also impaired in phytochrome-mediated end-of-day far-red light response, cotyledon expansion, far-red light block of greening, and light-induced expression of CHLOROPHYLL A/B BINDING PROTEIN 3 and CHALCONE SYNTHASE. Introduction of rfi2-1 mutation into phyB-9 or phyA-211 did not enhance or suppress the long hypocotyl phenotype of phyB-9 or phyA-211 under red or far-red light, respectively, and RFI2 likely functions downstream of phyB or phyA. RFI2 was identified through the segregation of two T-DNA insertions into different recombinant lines, genetic rescue, and phenotypic characterization of a second mutant allele rfi2-2. RFI2 encodes a protein with a C3H2C3-type zinc finger or RING domain known to mediate protein-protein or protein-DNA interactions, and RFI2 is localized to the nucleus. RFI2 therefore reveals a signaling step that mediates phytochrome control of seedling deetiolation.
Model based POD techniques for enhancing reliability of steam generator tube inspection

In recent times, we have seen a dramatic increase in the need for prognostics and health management of steam generator (SG) tubes in nuclear power plants. Faster and cheaper implementations of new inspection technologies, including probe designs and signal analysis systems are required. The reliability of these new designs can be assessed by a quantitative probability of detection (POD) study. It is known that there are a number of uncertainties (variabilities or noise), such as system/probe coil construction, inspection procedure, human factors, etc., that can perturb measurements, and thereby affect the accept/reject decision. In contrast to conventional approaches, this paper describes a model based POD evaluation method, to study the effect of single sources of uncertainty on the POD, which in turn can be used to optimize probe/system design and operation. An uncertainty factor with dramatic effect on POD can be identified as a “sensitive” factor in the probe/system design or measurement.
A Bayesian Approach to Joint Mixed-Effects Models with a Skew-Normal Distribution and Measurement Errors in Covariates

Summary In recent years, nonlinear mixed-effects (NLME) models have been proposed for modeling complex longitudinal data. Covariates are usually introduced in the models to partially explain intersubject variations. However, one often assumes that both model random error and random effects are normally distributed, which may not always give reliable results if the data exhibit skewness. Moreover, some covariates such as CD4 cell count may be often measured with substantial errors. In this article, we address these issues simultaneously by jointly modeling the response and covariate processes using a Bayesian approach to NLME models with covariate measurement errors and a skew-normal distribution. A real data example is offered to illustrate the methodologies by comparing various potential models with different distribution specifications. It is showed that the models with skew-normality assumption may provide more reasonable results if the data exhibit skewness and the results may be important for HIV/AIDS studies in providing quantitative guidance to better understand the virologic responses to antiretroviral treatment.
Global analysis of gene expression: methods, interpretation, and pitfalls.

Over the past 15 years, global analysis of mRNA expression has emerged as a powerful strategy for biological discovery. Using the power of parallel processing, robotics, and computer-based informatics, a number of high-throughput methods have been devised. These include DNA microarrays, serial analysis of gene expression, quantitative RT-PCR, differential-display RT-PCR, and massively parallel signature sequencing. Each of these methods has inherent advantages and disadvantages, often related to expense, technical difficulty, specificity, and reliability. Further, the ability to generate large data sets of gene expression has led to new challenges in bioinformatics. Nonetheless, this technological revolution is transforming disease classification, gene discovery, and our understanding of regulatory gene networks.
Reciprocal Silencing, Transcriptional Bias and Functional Divergence of Homeologs in Polyploid Cotton (Gossypium)

Polyploidy is an important force in the evolution of flowering plants. Genomic merger and doubling induce an extensive array of genomic effects, including immediate and long-term alterations in the expression of duplicate genes (“homeologs”). Here we employed a novel high-resolution, genome-specific, mass-spectrometry technology and a well-established phylogenetic framework to investigate relative expression levels of each homeolog for 63 gene pairs in 24 tissues in naturally occurring allopolyploid cotton (Gossypium L.), a synthetic allopolyploid of the same genomic composition, and models of the diploid progenitor species. Results from a total of 2177 successful expression assays permitted us to determine the extent of expression evolution accompanying genomic merger of divergent diploid parents, genome doubling, and genomic coevolution in a common nucleus subsequent to polyploid formation. We demonstrate that 40% of homeologs are transcriptionally biased in at least one stage of cotton development, that genome merger per se has a large effect on relative expression of homeologs, and that the majority of these alterations are caused by cis-regulatory divergence between the diploid progenitors. We describe the scope of transcriptional subfunctionalization and 15 cases of probable neofunctionalization among 8 tissues. To our knowledge, this study represents the first characterization of transcriptional neofunctionalization in an allopolyploid. These results provide a novel temporal perspective on expression evolution of duplicate genomes and add to our understanding of the importance of polyploidy in plants.
Esophageal Strictures Refractory to Endoscopic Dilatation

Esophageal strictures are encountered frequently in clinical practice, especially for surgeons and gastroenterologists who treat patients with foregut disorders. There are a variety of benign (e.g., postsurgical, peptic, caustic, and radiation-induced) and malignant causes of esophageal strictures. First-line therapy is endoscopic dilatation. Refractory strictures are strictures that fail to achieve an adequate luminal diameter to allow intake of solid food without dysphagia after repeated dilatations and those strictures that require surgical intervention. The choice of approach for refractory strictures depends upon the etiology and complexity of the stricture and the response to prior treatment.
The effect of back contact and rapid thermal processing conditions on flexible CdTe device performance

Flexible CdTe solar cells on ultra-thin glass substrates can enable new applications that require high specific power, unique form-factors, and low manufacturing costs. To be successful, these cells must be cost competitive, have high efficiency, and have high reliability. Here we present back contact processing conditions that enabled us to achieve over 16% efficiency on flexible Corning® Willow® Glass substrates. We used co-evaporated ZnTe:Cu and Au as our back contact and used rapid thermal processing (RTP) to activate the back contact. Both the ZnTe to Cu ratio and the RTP activation temperature provide independent control over the device performance. We have investigated the influence of various RTP conditions to Cu activation and distribution. Current density-voltage, capacitance-voltage measurements along with device simulations were used to examine the device performance in terms of ZnTe to Cu ratio and rapid thermal activation temperature.
Inherited Bone Marrow Failure

Definition. Inherited bone marrow failure (IBMF) syndromes comprise a group of disorders characterized by their genetic susceptibility to the development of bone marrow failure (BMF).
Erstellung und Training eines neuronalen Netzes

Im vorangegangenen Kapitel wurde gezeigt, wie ein neuronales Netz in ein theoretisches okonomisches Modell integriert werden kann. Dabei wurde, um die Rechenbarkeit und die Programmierbarkeit der Modelle zu gewahrleisten, auf relativ einfach strukturierte neuronale Netze zuruckgegriffen. Bei den Lernverfahren wurde die Grundversion des Back-Propagation- Algorithmus eingesetzt. Auf eine Optimierung der Topologie des neuronalen Netzes wurde ganz verzichtet.
A semi-parametric statistical model for integrating gene expression profiles across different platforms

Determining differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between biological samples is the key to understand how genotype gives rise to phenotype. RNA-seq and microarray are two main technologies for profiling gene expression levels. However, considerable discrepancy has been found between DEGs detected using the two technologies. Integration data across these two platforms has the potential to improve the power and reliability of DEG detection. We propose a rank-based semi-parametric model to determine DEGs using information across different sources and apply it to the integration of RNA-seq and microarray data. By incorporating both the significance of differential expression and the consistency across platforms, our method effectively detects DEGs with moderate but consistent signals. We demonstrate the effectiveness of our method using simulation studies, MAQC/SEQC data and a synthetic microRNA dataset. Our integration method is not only robust to noise and heterogeneity in the data, but also adaptive to the structure of data. In our simulations and real data studies, our approach shows a higher discriminate power and identifies more biologically relevant DEGs than eBayes, DEseq and some commonly used meta-analysis methods.
Cyclic stretch activates p38 SAPK2-, ErbB2-, and AT1-dependent signaling in bladder smooth muscle cells

Cyclic mechanical stretch of bladder smooth muscle cells (SMC) increases rates of DNA synthesis and stimulates transcription of the gene for heparin-binding epidermal growth factor-like growth fact...
Determination of Urinary Estrogens (in collaboration with Sati C. Chattoraj)

The estrogens constitute a group of hormones, which with other hormones, take part in the development and maintenance of the female sex organs and the maintenance of the menstrual cycle and pregnancy. In the female the organs of origin are the ovary, placenta, and the adrenal cortex, and in the male the testes and adrenal cortex. Chemically, they are steroids having 18 or 19 carbon atoms, an aromatic A-ring and an hydroxyl group at C-3, imparting to them phenolic properties. Until 1955, only three classical estrogens—estrone, estradiol, and estriol—had been identified from human sources. Since then a dozen or more estrogens have been isolated and identified [1] (Figure 18–1). The clinical importance of the estimation of these hormones lies in the fact that these steroid hormones are known to be related to abnormal pregnancies, gynecological disorders, and some neoplasias. While an understanding of the relationship of the estrogens to such abnormal conditions requires the assessment of secretory and excretory rates of the hormones, methodological deficiencies (among others) for their evaluation has kept the exact nature of their function a mystery.
Detecting malicious manipulation of synchrophasor data

The electrical grid is one of the critical infrastructures of any country whose importance makes them an attractive target for malicious cyber attacks. This paper considers the particular case of data modification attacks in smart grids, where the data generated by Phasor Measurement Units (PMUs) is modified by the adversary in order to introduce errors in the monitoring and control applications that rely on PMU data. The proposed methodology is based on evaluating the equivalent impedance of a transmission line from buses at its either end. The deviations in the magnitude and angle of the equivalent impedances in the presence of a data modification attack are used to detect the attack. Extensive simulations using real PMU data are used to verify the accuracy of the proposed detection mechanism.
THE EVOLUTION OF TETRAPOD FEEDING BEHAVIOR: KINEMATIC HOMOLOGIES IN PREY TRANSPORT.

One of the major features of the aquatic-to-terrestrial transition in vertebrate evolution was the change in the mechanism used to transport prey from the jaws to the throat. Primarily, vertebrates use hydraulic transport, but the transition to terrestrial life was accompanied by modifications of the hyobranchial apparatus that permit tongue-based transport. Despite an extensive data base on amniote feeding systems and mechanisms of intraoral prey transport, few data are available on the mechanism of prey transport in anamniote tetrapods. Transport cycles of four Ambystoma tigrinum (Amphibia) feeding on worms and crickets were filmed at 150 flames per second to produce quantitative profiles of the intraoral transport cycles for the two prey types. During the transport cycle the head and body remain stationary relative to the background: transport in Ambystoma tigrinum thus does not involve inertial movements of the head or body. Prey type had little effect on the kinematics of prey transport. The process of prey transport may be divided into four phases: preparatory, fast opening, closing, and recovery. The preparatory phase itself is divided into two parts: an extended segment that may include slight slow opening and a static phase prior to mouth opening where no change in gape occurs. The kinematic profile of transport in terrestrial salamanders is extremely similar to that used by fishes during hydraulic (aquatic) prey transport. We hypothesize that the distinct recovery and preparatory phases in the transport cycle of anamniote tetrapods are together homologous to the slow opening phases of the amniote cycle, and that during the evolution of terrestrial prey processing systems the primitive extended preparatory phase has become greatly compressed and incorporated into the amniote gape cycle.
Sub-microjoule kHz/MHz femtosecond laser oscillators for use in surface micromachining

Until recently, most femtosecond laser systems have required chirped pulse amplification (CPA) schemes to generate sufficient energy for micromachining. Here we present experimental results in precise surface structuring of materials using modified femtosecond laser oscillators which are generally less expensive and less complicated than traditional CPA systems.
Survival, respiration and morphology of sarcoma-37 cells exposed to liquid nitrogen.

Summary1. The survival of mouse sar-coma-37 cells frozen in liquid air has been quantitatively estimated by determinations of the rate of cellular respiration. The results were checked by morphological examination of the frozen incubated tissue and by in vivo growth. 2. Measurements of the rate of respiration were reliable as an index of survival if the cells were incubated for more than 2 hours at 37°C following freezing, and if they were suspended in a physiological medium compatible with normal survival and recovery of injured cells. 3. Krebs-Ringer-Phosphate medium was unsuitable, but equal parts of partially neutralized horse serum and Krebs-Ringer-Phosphate provided an adequate medium. 4. The respiration and survival of sarcoma-37 cells, pretreated for 2 1/4 to 3 minutes in the ethylene glycol in Krebs-Ringer solution then frozen in liquid air was 50 to 60% of the unfrozen controls. 5. The respiration of untreated frozen sarcoma-37 was not usually significant. Morphological analyses of these tissues...
Landfill Methane Oxidation Across Climate Types in the U.S.

Methane oxidation in landfill covers was determined by stable isotope analyses over 37 seasonal sampling events at 20 landfills with intermediate covers over four years. Values were calculated two ways: by assuming no isotopic fractionation during gas transport, which produces a conservative or minimum estimate, and by assuming limited isotopic fractionation with gas transport producing a higher estimate. Thus bracketed, the best assessment of mean oxidation within the soil covers from chamber captured emitted CH(4) was 37.5 ± 3.5%. The fraction of CH(4) oxidized refers to the fraction of CH(4) delivered to the base of the cover that was oxidized to CO(2) and partitioned to microbial biomass instead of being emitted to the atmosphere as CH(4) expressed as a percentage. Air samples were also collected at the surface of the landfill, and represent CH(4) from soil, from leaking infrastructure, and from cover defects. A similar assessment of this data set yields 36.1 ± 7.2% oxidation. Landfills in five climate types were investigated. The fraction oxidized in arid sites was significantly greater than oxidation in mediterranean sites, or cool and warm continental sites. Sub tropical sites had significantly lower CH(4) oxidation than the other types of sites. This relationship may be explained by the observed inverse relationship between cover loading and fractional CH(4) oxidation.
CORRELATIONS OF IQs ON VERBAL AND NONVERBAL TESTS OF INTELLIGENCE

The Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale, Otis Mental Ability Test, Advanced Progressive Matrices, Revised Beta Examination, the D 48 Test, and the Minnesota Paper Form Board were administered to 131 college students to determine the intercorrelations among nonverbal and verbal tests of intelligence. The obtained coefficients were corrected for restriction of range on the WAIS IQs. Between Progressive Matrices and the WAIS Full Scale IQ r = .74 and for the Matrices and the Otis IQ r = .75. The other nonverbal tests showed a low to moderate relationship with the IQ scores.
Defective acidification of the biosynthetic pathway in cystic fibrosis

SUMMARY Cystic fibrosis is associated with defective epithelial sodium chloride and fluid secretion in epithelia. In addition, there is widespread reductions in sialylation of secreted proteins and increases in the sulfation and fucosylation of mucus glycoproteins. The major morbidity in the disease is due to the colonization of respiratory epithelia by Pseudomonas. The cystic fibrosis gene (CFTR) is a cyclic AMP activated Cl channel, which when mutated is retained in the endoplasmic reticulum. We postulate that this Cl channel is responsible for effective acidification of the Golgi. In CF cells, we demonstrate the Golgi pH is higher than in normal cells and suggest that the abnormalities in glycoprotein biosynthesis is due to changes in the kinetics of sialyl transferase, a pH sensitive enzyme. Defects in sialylation also result in decreased sialylation of glycolipids and asialogangliosides are potential Pseudomonas receptors.
Surgical treatment of spinal dural arteriovenous fistulae: a consecutive series of 154 patients.

BACKGROUND: Embolization of spinal dural arteriovenous fistulae (SDVAFs) has emerged as an alternative to surgery. However, surgical disconnection is a simple and effective procedure. OBJECTIVE: To review results and complications of surgical treatment of 154 consecutive SDAVFs. METHODS: The records of 154 consecutive patients with SDAVFs were retrospectively reviewed. RESULTS: There were 120 males and 34 females (male/female ratio 3.5:1, mean age 63.6 years). The SDAVFs were located at the thoracic level in 92 patients and at the lumbar and sacral spine levels in 45 and 15 patients, respectively. The most common presenting symptoms were motor dysfunction (65 patients), sensory loss (31 patients), and paresthesias without sensory loss (13 patients). The mean interval from symptom onset to definitive diagnosis was 24.7 months (median 12 months). Surgery resulted in complete exclusion of the fistula at first attempt in 146 patients (95%). There were no deaths or major neurological complications related to the surgery. Six percent of patients experienced subjective or objective worsening of preoperative symptoms and signs by the time of discharge that persisted at follow-up. Other surgical complications consisted of wound infection in 2 patients and deep venous thrombosis in 3. Eight patients were lost to follow-up; 141 patients (96.6%) experienced improvement (120 patients, 82.2%) or stability (21 patients, 14.4%) of motor function at last follow-up compared with their preoperative status. Other symptoms such as numbness, sphincter dysfunction, and dysesthesias/neuropathic pain improved in 51.5%, 45%, and 32.6%, respectively. CONCLUSION: Surgical obliteration of SDAVFs is safe and very effective. Prognosis of motor function is favorable after surgical treatment.
Survey and Analysis of An Outbreak of Influenza in a School

Objective To investigate the causes and characteristics of this outbreak of influenza and to find effective precautionary measures to prevent the occurrence of epidemic situation like this. Methods All the programs are executed according to the guidelines and epidemic situation reports of influenza outbreak in Guangdong province(for trial implementation) of Guangdong provincial health department of Guangdong province in 2005. Results 74 out of 902 students in this school had influenza, with an incident rate of 8.20%. This epidemic situation lasted 17 days. The majority of the patients were 7～9 years old, and there was no significant difference in the incident rate between boys and girls. The students who had noon break in dormitory or in Class one or in Class two had higher incident rate. The incident rate had obvious correlation with classes and dormitories. The isolated virus was influenza virus type B. Conclusion The epidemic situation was caused by the outbreak of influenza B virus. The causes of the outbreak included patients were not isolate and treated promptly, delay reporting of the outbreak, inadequate indoor ventilation, and no influenza vaccination of the school children.
Serological analysis of antibodies to influenza A(H1N1) viruses in an outbreak area in Guangzhou

Objective To explore the epidemic trend of influenza A(H1N1) viruses outbreak through the investigation of antibodies of the influenza A(H1N1) viruses in the flu outbreak areas in Guangzhou.Methods Serum samples from 1 570 students living in the outbreak areas and 1 326 subjects living in the surveillance area were collected.The titers of antibodies to the influenza A(H1N1) viruses were detected by hemagglutination-inhition test.Results The infection rates and the incidence of influenza A(H1N1) infection were 32.17% and 22.23%,respectively,for the students living in the outbreak areas,compared to 22.62% and 15.38% in the surveillance populations.There were significant difference in the infection rates(P=0.000) and the incidence of influenza A(H1N1) infection(P=0.000) between the two groups.The rate of subclinical infection were respectively 9.94%(students in outbreak area) and 7.24%(surveillance populations)(P=0.012).There was no significant difference in the rate of subclinical infection between the two groups.The level of antibody of overt infections to influenza A(H1N1) was significantly higher than the recessive infections in the outbreak area students(t=4.701,P=0.000).There was no significant different in the level of antibody between clinical infections and subclinical infections in the surveillance populations(t=0.248,P=0.804).Conclusion The rate of subclinical infection to influenza A(H1N1) in the outbreak area students was higher than the surveillance populations.These results suggest that individuals with subclinical infection to influenza A(H1N1) may be the reservoir for this virus.It is important for the disease control to strengthen the viral surveillance and provide the preventive education in middle school during the period of H1N1 influenza pandemic.
Colonic strictures induced by nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs

Long-term use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs has been reported to cause small bowel and colonic ulcerations and strictures. Abdominal pain, change in bowel habits, and anemia are frequently present, mimicking other inflammatory and neoplastic diseases of the gut. We report two cases of drug-induced colonic stricture that illustrate two different spectrums of this disease. The first is a case of ascending colon ulcerated strictures and severe anemia managed conservatively, and the second is a chronic variant with obstructive-type symptoms and a tight nonulcerated colonic stricture that necessitated right hemicolectomy.
Social Network Patterns of Five Ethnic Groups in Hawaii

(1983). Social Network Patterns of Five Ethnic Groups in Hawaii. Annals of the International Communication Association: Vol. 7, Communication Yearbook 7, pp. 574-591.
Temporary Transvenous Pacemakers

Temporary pacing in the emergency and critical care area can be a lifesaving intervention if used appropriately. The majority of patients will require short-term pacing support for heart block or significant bradycardia that results in hemodynamic compromise. Stable rhythms in patients without hemodynamic compromise, e.g., a normotensive patient with high-degree heart block, can usually be safely observed as underlying conditions are treated before pacing is instituted. In the emergency situation, pacing capture can be accomplished externally (transcutaneous), with internal (endocardial) leads, epicardial leads placed intraoperatively, or even transesophageal (left atrial pacing only) while anesthetized. This chapter will review the common approach of bedside temporary pacemaker use as well as potential complications. Transvenous pacing lead insertion can be associated with significant morbidity. Providers need to be familiar with equipment available in their respective institution, as well as the basic concepts pacemaker function.