cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Reflective Life

© 2012 Kristine Marx There are many artists today experimenting with collaboration and socially organized art, but very few who have practiced it for as long and seriously as Suzanne Lacy has. Performance artist, writer, community organizer, and political activist, Lacy now has published a comprehensive collection of her well-written essays entitled Leaving Art: Writings on Performance, Politics, and Public, 1974–2007. The book covers a little more than three decades of her work and is usefully framed by art historian Moira Roth’s introduction and cultural theorist Kerstin Mey’s afterword. The book may be approached in several ways: as a document of the artist’s work, as the artist’s perspective on performance and politics, and as a tracing of West Coast performance art and political engagement from the mid-seventies to 2007. This makes it more than a mere grouping of a single artist’s activities; it offers a broader view considering activist art, collaboration, and the conditions that have shaped this category of art-making in the second half of the twentieth century. The book is chronologically organized into four sections. The first, “Learning to Look: The Seventies,” consists of Lacy’s early writings. It addresses themes connected to understanding societal expectations of women, the body in relation to women’s lives, and women’s experiences within their communities. In the second section, “Political Performance Art: The Eighties,” Lacy broadens the feminist discourse to include basic individual needs and rights. By expanding her content, she concentrated at this time on transforming communities through the strategies of intervention, advocacy, and collaboration. Lacy moves away from traditional art institutions to focus on working directly within local communities in the book’s third part, “Debated Territory: The Nineties.” In this section, she also more closely examines the correlation between practice and textual argument. The last group of essays, “Leaving Art: After 2000,” conveys a more contemplative tone as the author draws from her own practice. Calling these writings “case studies,” Lacy reflects on differences between THE REFLECTIVE LIFE
Host plants and the locations of the baggy and compact cocoons of Hyalophora cecropia (Lepidoptera: Saturniidae)

In the autumn and winter of 1965–66, 482 cocoons of Hyalophora cecropia (L.) were collected in urban environments in and near Champaign and Urbana, Illinois. In this area at least 26 plants of 12 families—all woody, dicotyledonous angiosperms—serve as hosts. Acer saccharinum L., Cornus stolonifera Michx., and C. alba L. are the most frequently utilized. Baggy cocoons are found almost exclusively at or near ground level on the stems of shrubs. Almost 60% of the cocoons found in such locations were baggy, while more than 99% of those found on the twigs and branches of trees were compact Whether or not a baggy cocoon is spun seems to depend upon the spacing of the available supports for the outer envelope of the cocoon.
Genome-Wide Distribution of MacroH2A1 Histone Variants in Mouse Liver Chromatin

Studies of macroH2A histone variants indicate that they have a role in regulating gene expression. To identify direct targets of the macroH2A1 variants, we produced a genome-wide map of the distribution of macroH2A1 nucleosomes in mouse liver chromatin using high-throughput DNA sequencing. Although macroH2A1 nucleosomes are widely distributed across the genome, their local concentration varies over a range of 100-fold or more. The transcribed regions of most active genes are depleted of macroH2A1, often in sharply localized domains that show depletion of 4-fold or more relative to bulk mouse liver chromatin. We used macroH2A1 enrichment to help identify genes that appear to be directly regulated by macroH2A1 in mouse liver. These genes functionally cluster in the area of lipid metabolism. All but one of these genes has increased expression in macroH2A1 knockout mice, indicating that macroH2A1 functions primarily as a repressor in adult liver. This repressor activity is further supported by the substantial and relatively uniform macroH2A1 enrichment along the inactive X chromosome, which averages 4-fold. Genes that escape X inactivation stand out as domains of macroH2A1 depletion. The rarity of such genes indicates that few genes escape X inactivation in mouse liver, in contrast to what has been observed in human cells.
Adenosine inhibits evoked synaptic transmission primarily by reducing presynaptic calcium influx in area CA1 of hippocampus.

Abstract Adenosine is a potent modulator of neuronal activity throughout the nervous system. Previous evidence suggests that adenosine presynaptically inhibits synaptic transmission. The mechanism of presynaptic inhibition is uncertain. Adenosine may inhibit transmitter release by reducing voltage-dependent Ca 2+ currents, activating K + currents, or by mechanisms downstream to Ca 2+ influx. By simultaneously recording the presynaptic Ca 2+ transient ([Ca] t ) and the field excitatory postsynaptic potential (fEPSP) at CA3–CA1 synapses of hippocampal slices, we found that adenosine, through activation of presynaptic A 1 receptors, inhibits the fEPSP primarily by reducing the [Ca] t . Reduced [Ca] t was due to inhibition of ω-conotoxin GVIA-sensitive and some unidentified Ca 2+ channels, probably including Q-type, but not to ω-agatoxin-IVA-sensitive Ca 2+ channels. The adenosine A 1 antagonist 8-cyclopentyl-1,3illipropylxanthine enhanced both the [Ca] t and the fEPSP, suggesting a tonic inhibition of the [Ca] t by endogenous adenosine in the hippocampal slice.
Two ways of formalizing grammars

A grammar is a formal device which both identifies a certain set of utter ances as well-formed, and which also defines a transduction relation be tween these utterances and their linguistic representations. This paper focuses on two widely-used "formal" or "logical" representations of gram mars in computational linguistics, Definite Clause Grammars and Feature Structure Grammars, and describes the way in which they express the recognition problem (the problem of determining if an utterance is in the language generated by a grammar) and the parsing problem (the problem of finding the analyses assigned by a grammar to an utterance). Although both approaches are 'constraint-based', one of them is based on logical consequence relation, and the other is based on satisfiability. The main goal of this paper is to point out the different conceptual basis of these two ways of formalizing grammars, and discuss some of their properties.
Sperm Binding Characteristics of the Murine Zona Pellucida

Experimental conditions were established for an investigation of the sperm binding characteristics of the mouse zona pellucida. Fresh epididymal sperm binding to zonae of unfertilized eggs was a time-dependent process, reflecting the occurrence of sperm capacitation under in vitro incubation conditions. In contrast, capacitated sperm binding in large numbers to zonae of unfertilized ova occurred independently of temporal considerations. A dramatic difference was apparent in the binding of capacitated sperm to zonae of unfertilized eggs (>100 per zona) and to in vivo produced 2-cell embryos (0-5 per zona), providing a basis for assessing the occurrence of a zona reaction. Under comparable conditions, capacitated sperm bound in large numbers to zonae of in vitro produced 2-cell embryos. Possible reasons for a subnormal or inadequate zona reaction in eggs inseminated in vitro have been discussed.
A bisexual multitype branching process with applications in population genetics

A bisexual multiple branching process is studied. Consider a population with respect to three genotypes in both the female and male populations and let $$X(n) = \left\langle {X_1 (n), X_2 (n), X_3 (n)} \right\rangle and Y(n) = \left\langle {Y_1 (n), Y_2 (n), Y_3 (n)} \right\rangle$$ be random vectors giving the number of females and males (respectively) of each genotype in generationn. The mating of females and males is accommodated in the model withZ ij (n) representing the number of females of theith genotype mated with a male of thejth genotype in generationn. The mating system is such that a female may be mated to only one male but a male may be mated with more than one female. By arranging the nine random variablesZ ij (n),i, j=1, 2, 3, in a 1×9, vectorZ(n) it is shown that under certain conditions there is a positive constant ϱ such that when ϱ>1 the vectorsZ n /ρn,X n /ρn andY n /ρn converge almost surely asn→∞ to random vectors with fixed directions. The paper is divided into four sections. In section 1 the model is described in detail and its potential applications to population genetics are discussed. In section 2, the generating function of the transition probabilities of theZ-process are derived. Section3 is devoted to the study of the limiting behavior of the first and second moments of theZ-process, and in section4 the results of section3 are utilized to study the behavior of the random vectorsZ(n),X(n) andY(n) asn→∞.
Research on Welding Repair for Tee Joint Crack of Final Superheater Header of 300MW Station Boiler

Through methods, such as microscope analysis, metallographic examination, the crack located nearby the fusion line between tee joint and outlet steam pipe of subcritical power station boiler final superheater header is reheat crack (the main crack occurred in the heat affected zone and extended along the fusion line and grain boundary in HAZ. There are many small cracks paralleling with main crack). The base metal material (12Cr1MoV) and excessive welding residual stress are the primary inducement of crack. In repair crack, the measures of reducing residual stress, such as lower welding heat input, reducing thickness of welding layer, hammer blowing, assigning reasonably heat treatment power ,lengthening holding time and so on, were taken. The welding repair succeeded greatly.
Effects of caffeine on bone cells and bone development in fast-growing rats

Background and methods: Caffeine exerts harmful effects on fetal and suckling rats. To elucidate the effects of caffeine on bone in growing rats further, dams were fed normal laboratory chow until delivery. At birth, the litters were combined and eight pups were randomly assigned to each dam. Dams with the combined litters were divided into two groups. Dams of group 1 received a 20% protein diet as a control, and dams of group 2 received the 20% protein diet supplemented with caffeine (4 mg/100 g b.w.). Pups from both groups were killed on days 11, 15, 22, and 50. Parameters studied were ultrastructure of femoral osteoblasts, osteocytes, and osteoclasts; the number of osteocytes per area of bone in femoral histological cross sections; structural remodeling and shape of the lateral tibial metaphysis as revealed by scanning electron microscopy; and plasma Cu and Zn concentrations. Results Rats in the caffeine groups had significantly fewer osteocytes per area of femoral cross section, retarded structural remodeling of the lateral tibial metaphysis, osteoblasts and osteocytes with disrupted swollen mitochondria, and decreased plasma Cu and Zn levels when compared with controls. Conclusions These results indicate that if young, rapidly growing rats are exposed to caffeine, disruption of osteoblasts and retarded bone development occur, which could be related to the decreased plasma Cu level in the young animals. © 1996 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Electronic energy transfer in He/sup /(2 /sup 1/S)+Ne collisions: Propensity for odd-J levels of Ne/sup /(5s,5s',4d)

Electronic energy transfer in the He((2 /sup 1/S)+Ne system was studied in a nozzle-beam--scattering-cell experiment in which the visible emission of product Ne( was measured. Relative populations and cross sections of individual Ne( levels in the 5s, 5s', and 4d manifolds were obtained at collision energies of 0.06 and 0.16 eV. The 3s/sub 2/ Paschen level is the major product at both energies. In general, the formation of odd-J levels is favored and a qualitative explanation of this effect is proposed.
HIPPI-6400-Designing for Speed

The emerging High-Performance Parallel Interface — 6400 Mbit/s Physical Layer (HIPPI-6400-PH) is targeted as a local area network (LAN) or system area network (SAN), supporting data rates of 6400 Mbit/s (800 Mbytes/s). This is eight times the speed of Gigabit Ethernet. The features used and the design choices made for the data link and physical layers of HIPPI-6400 to achieve this unprecedented speed are the subject of this paper. HIPPI-6400 borrowed freely from other successful technologies such as ATM, Ethernet and the original HIPPI, taking the best features of each and melding them with some new features. HIPPI-6400 is a cost-effective reliable interconnect for distances up to 1 kilometer; it intermixes large and small messages efficiently.
Mandatory toxicology testing and chemical dependence consultation follow-up in a level-one trauma center.

Objective: There is a growing body of evidence indicating an association between intoxication and major trauma. This study assessed the prevalence of alcohol or drug intoxication in major trauma admissions to an urban trauma center. Design: Sequential case series. Methods: Toxicology testing and structural clinical interview assessment. Main Results: Seventy-eight percent of patients tested had positive toxicology results. Chemical dependence assessments performed on patients who tested positive revealed that 94% met the criteria for a substance dependence or abuse disorder. Conclusions: The implications of this data for admission toxicology testing policies and chemical dependence consultation support services to trauma units are discussed
Molecular tools and aspen management: A primer and prospectus

Abstract Aspen ( Populus tremuloides ) is an iconic species in North American landscapes, highly valued for recreation, fiber, wildlife and livestock forage, carbon sequestration, biodiversity, and as a fuelbreak. However, there are rising concerns about the ability of aspen to persist in portions of its range, based on bioclimatic modeling, physiological thresholds and mortality surveys. Our ability to predict and mitigate aspen decline will depend on our understanding of the factors influencing aspen establishment and persistence. Genetic techniques are providing important insights about reproductive strategies, evolutionary and demographic histories, and adaptive capacity in western aspen, often with important and novel management implications. A suite of new genetic tools is also becoming available as a result of innovations in genomic sequencing technology, along with the availability of an annotated reference genome for Populus species. Here we present a synthesis of how these genetic tools have been, and could be, used to answer questions directly relevant to aspen ecology and management. We also present a brief description of the molecular tools themselves. Our goal is to provide an informational resource to forest managers about the utility of traditional and emerging genetic technologies, with specific relevance to aspen ecology and management.
Do electronic health records affect the patient-psychiatrist relationship? A before & after study of psychiatric outpatients

A growing body of literature shows that patients accept the use of computers in clinical care. Nonetheless, studies have shown that computers unequivocally change both verbal and non-verbal communication style and increase patients' concerns about the privacy of their records. We found no studies which evaluated the use of Electronic Health Records (EHRs) specifically on psychiatric patient satisfaction, nor any that took place exclusively in a psychiatric treatment setting. Due to the special reliance on communication for psychiatric diagnosis and evaluation, and the emphasis on confidentiality of psychiatric records, the results of previous studies may not apply equally to psychiatric patients. We examined the association between EHR use and changes to the patient-psychiatrist relationship. A patient satisfaction survey was administered to psychiatric patient volunteers prior to and following implementation of an EHR. All subjects were adult outpatients with chronic mental illness. Survey responses were grouped into categories of "Overall," "Technical," "Interpersonal," "Communication & Education,," "Time," "Confidentiality," "Anxiety," and "Computer Use." Multiple, unpaired, two-tailed t-tests comparing pre- and post-implementation groups showed no significant differences (at the 0.05 level) to any questionnaire category for all subjects combined or when subjects were stratified by primary diagnosis category. While many barriers to the adoption of electronic health records do exist, concerns about disruption to the patient-psychiatrist relationship need not be a prominent focus. Attention to communication style, interpersonal manner, and computer proficiency may help maintain the quality of the patient-psychiatrist relationship following EHR implementation.
Dispersion Model for Varying Vertical Shear in Vegetated Channels

A dispersion model for a wide range of depthwise vertical shear is derived by using perturbation analysis and power (m) law velocity profile. For m=1, the velocity profile provides linear shear, whereas m>1 provides nonlinear shear, and for m>20, the velocity profile resembles the flow through emergent vegetation. The power law represented parametrically simulates well the complex shear profiles involved in emergent and submerged vegetated flows. The proposed model shows reasonable agreement with past data on vegetated flows for a wide range of nonlinear shear velocities.
Marxist and Functionalist Theories in the Study of Stratification: Common Elements that Lead to a Test

Because they mainly address different questions, functionalist and Marxist theories are often assumed to be incommensurable explanations of the distribution of rewards in society and, therefore, the theories cannot be competitively tested. But close examination of the two viewpoints suggests that despite many differences, the theories share two analytical elements in common. These are social power and evaluation of contribution as determinants of the concrete distribution of rewards. While the theories diverge widely in the emphasis they give these two elements in their explanations, the presence of common analytical elements makes possible a competitive test of the ability of each theory to explain variance in concrete systems of differentiated reward. Four questions encompassing such a test are posed. A classic issue of social concern as well as sociological analysis is the distribution of rewards in society: the problem of social stratification. ' One of the central questions here is whether the system of unequal rewards is a necessary feature of social organization as Davis and Moore and Parsons (a, b) claim; or results from particular social arrangements that enable some groups in society to exploit others, as Marx (c) said. Ideological and methodological pitfalls abound in this controversy and it is hard to take a forward step without running afoul of contrary evidence or strong convictions. While, ordinarily, competing theories are judged by their ability to comprehend the data, one of the additional problems of the debate on inequality is that partisans of each viewpoint claim that the other side is addressing a different-perhaps even the wrong-question. Thus, Davis in part rejected Tumin's (a) famous critique of the functional theory of stratification by pointing out that Davis and Moore were explaining why different positions were differentially rewarded, not why different individuals were-a question Tumin addressed. So, also, Stolzman and Gamberg proposed that it is erroneous to apply Marx to stratification analysis, since Marx wrote about social classes and the nature and basis of class conflict, rather than differential reward and its intergenerational transmission. To a large extent these claims are true; Marx and the functionalists do address different questions. But this does not mean that there is no overlap in their theories and their concerns. Were this not true, the theories would be totally incommensurable and mutually exclusive. Indeed, in such a case they could, logically, both be valid.
Establishment of conditional vectors for hairpin siRNA knockdowns

Small interference RNA (siRNA) is an emerging methodology in reverse genetics. Here we report the development of a new tetracycline-inducible vector-based siRNA system, which uses a tetracycline-responsive derivative of the U6 promoter and the tetracycline repressor for conditional in vivo transcription of short hairpin RNA. This method prevents potential lethality immediately after transfection of a vector when the targeted gene is indispensable, or the phenotype of the knockdown is lethal or results in a growth abnormality. We show that the controlled knockdown of DNA methyltransferase 1 (DNMT1) in human cancer resulted in growth arrest. Removal of the inducer, doxycycline, from treated cells led to re-expression of the targeted gene. Thus the method allows for a highly controlled approach to gene knockdown.
Relationships Among Distinct Models and Notions of Equivalence for Stochastic Finite-State Systems

In an effort to relate various existent schools of thought, this paper describes four models of probabilistic finite-state systems, giving necessary and sufficient conditions for reciprocal describability. An algorithm for the realization (synthesis) of a stochastic sequential machine by a deterministic machine and additive noise is presented. Different definitions of equivalence are listed and related by theorems, the most important of which states that "behavioral equivalence" with the same cutpoints for sequence recognizers is identical to "stochastic equivalence" (indistinguishability) for sequence transducers. Corollaries show the import of these results to the state minimization problem. The paper composes a strong case in favor of the adoption of J. W. Carlyle's model as a unifying one.
Large sample confidence interval for the quantiles in the proportional hazards model of random censorship

In the presence of randomly right censored data, based on the limiting distribution of a class of statistics similar to t-statistics, a new class of large sample confidence intervals for the quanti...
Water, ammonia, and H2S mixing ratios in Jupiter's five-micron hot spots: A dynamical model

Abstract The Galileo probe entered the jovian atmosphere at the southern edge of a 5-micron hot spot, one of typically 8–10 quasi-evenly-spaced longitudinal areas of anomalously high 5-micron IR emission that reside in a narrow latitude band centered on +7.5 degrees. These hot spots are characterized primarily by a low abundance of the cloud particles that dominate the 5-micron opacity at other locations on the planet, and by significant desiccation of ammonia, water and hydrogen sulfide in the upper layers of the troposphere. Ortiz et al. [1998. Evolution and persistence of 5-micron hot spots at the Galileo probe entry latitude. J. Geophys. Res. 103, 23,051–23,069] found that the latitude and drift rate of the hot spots could be explained if they are formed by an equatorially trapped Rossby wave of meridional degree 1 moving with a phase speed between 99 and 103 m s −1 relative to System III. Here we model additional properties of the hot spots in terms of the amplitude saturation of such a wave propagating in the weakly stratified deep troposphere. We identify the hot spots with locations where the wave plus mean thermal stratification becomes marginally stable. In these locations, potential temperature isotherms stretch downward to very deep levels in the troposphere. Since fluid parcels follow these isotherms under adiabatic flow conditions, the parcels dive downward when they enter the portion of the wave associated with the hot spot and soar upward upon leaving the spot. We show that this model can account for the anomalous vertical profiles of NH 3 , H 2 O, and H 2 S mixing ratio measured by the Galileo probe. Pressures vary by as much as 20 bar over potential temperature isotherms in solutions that produce sufficient desiccation of water and H 2 S in hot spots. Approximately 6 × 10 −2 of Jupiter's internal heat flux must be tapped to maintain the wave over the mean hot spot lifetime of 10 7 s. The results suggest that the phenomenon that causes hot spots may occur widely, although in less dramatic form, across Jupiter's surface, and consequently NH 3 , H 2 S, and H 2 O mixing ratio profiles may vary significantly from location to location in Jupiter's troposphere.
Synthesis and Dielectric Properties of Solution Sol‐Gel‐Derived 0.9Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O3–0.1PbTiO3 Ceramics

A solution sol-gel method has been developed to prepare 0.9Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O3-0.1PbTiO3 (0.9PMN-0.1PT) ceramics. During the processing the gel first converted to cubic pyrochlore phase at a calcination temperature of 600°C followed by the formation of pure perovskite phase at 775°C. The ceramics sintered at 1250°C for 4 h showed ≈98% of the theoretical density. The room-temperature dielectric constant of the pellets sintered at 1250°C showed a maximum value of 25035 at 1 kHz. Sintering studies at different temperatures revealed that the dielectric constant increased with increasing grain size in these ceramics.
Pulse propagation in random media

A new approach is developed to investigate pulse propagation in random media, taking into account the effects of multiple scattering. The technique is based on the idea of temporal moments of the signal. It is shown that these temporal moments are related to the coefficients of expansion for the two-frequency mutual coherence function \Gamma in terms of the frequency separation. These coefficients, and therefore the moments, can be solved analytically in sequence without making assumptions about the strength of the turbulence. Using these moments, a least square orthogonal polynomial expansion procedure is developed to obtain the average intensity of the pulse as it propagates through the turbulence. It is also shown that the technique can be used for propagation through random media with discrete scatterers. An example is given to demonstrate the procedure.
INSTITUTIONAL PRECONDITIONS TO COLLABORATION Indian Forest and Irrigation Policy in Historical Perspective

This article examines the institutional preconditions or rules that shape collaborative natural resource management between public agencies and citizen groups. In particular, it asks: How do the preconditions surrounding a given natural resource, such as property rights, legislative frameworks, and agency performance incentives, circumscribe the possibilities for collaboration? Drawing upon irrigation and forest management policies and practices in India from the mid-1800s onward, it is argued that the context of irrigation provides some opportunities for supporting agency-citizen collaboration, whereas such efforts in forestry are unlikely to succeed without fundamental structural change.
Religiosity and Desistance From Drug Use

Recent research acknowledges an inverse relationship between religiosity and crime (though some claim it is a modest one), but no desistance theories to date include religiosity in their model to help explain desistance from drug use. A better understanding of how religiosity is related to the initiation of and desistance from drug use can lead to more effective preventive and rehabilitative interventions. Data derived from Wave 5 to Wave 7 of the National Youth Survey are employed to test whether religiosity exerts an effect on initiation of and desistance from drug use. The findings suggest religious behavior has a direct effect on individuals' desistance from marijuana and hard-drug use. On the other hand, religious salience has a significant deterrent effect only on the onset of drug use; it does not have a significant effect on individuals' desistance from drugs. Policy implications are discussed, and future research suggestions are offered.
Retirement Intentions Among Black Professionals: Implications for Practice with Older Black Adults

This study examined the preretirement intentions of black professionals. The sample consisted of 234 blacks and was stratified by gender, age, and professional status. Based on a model developed for predicting the retirement intentions and attitudes of a sample of white professionals, six categories of independent variables (sociocultural, work history, alienation, leisure and social activities, financial planning, and plans for retirement life) were included in the analysis. Professionals who were highly committed to their work, had few financial investments, and socialized primarily with co-workers tended to avoid planning for retirement. These results have important implications for practitioners concerned with more effectively meeting the preretirement and retirement needs of older black adults.
Panic disorder and social phobia: effects of comorbidity on familial transmission.

The aim of this study was to examine effects of comorbidity of panic disorder and social phobia on familial transmission of each of these disorders. Rates of panic disorder and social phobia were compared in directly interviewed relatives of four proband groups: (1) panic disorder, (2) social phobia, (3) panic disorder and social phobia, and (4) never ill controls. Anxiety disorder probands had no additional lifetime anxiety disorder comorbidity. The familial pattern of the comorbid (panic disorder and social phobia) probands resembled that of the panic disorder group: an increased rate of panic disorder but not social phobia as compared to relatives of controls. Relatives of social phobia probands had an increased rate of social phobia but not panic disorder. These data indicate that social phobia in individuals who subsequently develop panic disorder: (1) differs with respect to familial transmission from social phobia which occurs without lifetime anxiety comorbidity; and (2) may be nonfamilial and/or causally related to panic disorder. Additional studies in larger epidemiologic samples are required to assess generalizability of these findings. Anxiety 2:173–178 (1996). © 1996 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Winner takes all in a race for cell fate.

Mol Syst Biol. 7: 558 The choice between alternative cell fates is fundamental to biology. The Gram‐positive soil bacterium Bacillus subtilis can become competent for genetic transformation by external DNA or can form resistant spores. Although decades of work has elucidated much about the complex regulatory pathways that lead to these mutually exclusive fates (Dubnau and Losick, 2006), the decision mechanism that determines whether a cell becomes competent or forms spores has remained elusive. The paper by Kuchina et al (2011a), recently published at Molecular Systems Biology , asks the following question of this ‘simple’ prokaryotic system. Is there cross talk between the pathways that gradually diminishes the probability of one fate while enhancing that of the other? Or is decision making the result of a ‘molecular race’ in which the pathways proceed independently until one or another fate wins out by chance? Spore formation is dependent on a phosphorylated transcription factor, Spo0A‐P (hereafter OA‐P), which is known to gradually increase in average concentration as cells approach the decision to sporulate (Fujita and Losick, 2005). Indeed, this gradual increase is essential for …
Comparative study on density gradients and swim‐up preparation techniques utilizing neat and cryopreserved spermatozoa

Aim: To 1) compare post-wash and post-thaw parameters of sperm processed with PureSperm density gradient technique and swim-up method; and 2) test the efficacy of two commonly available density gradient media PureSperm and ISolate. Methods: This prospective study used semen specimens from 22 patients. Specimens from nine patients were processed by both PureSperm density gradient and swim-up method. These specimens were then cryopreserved. Thirteen specimens were processed by both PureSperm (40 % and 80 %) and Isolate (50 % and 90 %) double density gradient techniques. The two fractions processed by both PureSperm and swim-up were analyzed for post-wash sperm characteristics. Post-thaw analysis was done after 24 hours. Sperm fractions obtained after processing with PureSperm and ISolate were compared for post-wash sperm characteristics and ROS levels. Results: Specimens prepared with PureSperm had significantly higher median total motile sperm counts (TMSC) (32.2 × 10 6 vs. 17.6 × 10 6 ), recovery rates (69.2 % vs. 50.0 %), and longevity at 4 hours (83.0 % vs. 55.0 %) compared to specimen prepared by swim-up. Post-thaw specimens also had a higher recovery and longevity at 4 hours with PureSperm as compared to the swim-up. Semen specimens processed by PureSperm had significantly higher total sperm count, TMSC, and percentage recovery rates (30.0 % vs. 19.7 %) than ISolate. Conclusion: Semen quality is better preserved in fresh and cryopreserved semen prepared with PureSperm density gradient compared to swim-up. A significant enrichment of sperm is observed with PureSperm compared to ISolate. Higher recovery rates of mature motile sperm obtained after PureSperm sperm preparation may be beneficial for successful ART. (Asian J Androl 2005 Mar; 7: 86–92)
Lectures on the model theory of valued fields

The subject originates in the 1950s with Abraham Robinson when he established the model completeness of the theory of algebraically closed valued fields. In the 1960s Ax & Kochen and, independently, Ershov, proved a remarkable theorem on henselian valued fields, with applications to p-adic number theory. These results and their refinements and extensions remain important in more recent developments like motivic integration.
A Simple Model for the Expected Premium for Hedge Fund Lockups

What excess return should a fund of funds expect to earn for investing in a hedge fund with an extended lockup? In this paper, we present a simple model for estimating the premium for long-term lockups. Because there is a demonstrated statistical persistence to the quality of hedge fund returns within a particular hedge fund strategy  above average funds tend to continue to do well, and below average funds continue to falter  a lockup deprives an investor of the opportunity to redeem an investment in poorly performing funds and reinvest the proceeds in successful ones. The value of that lost future opportunity is the expected premium for committing to the lockup. We estimate the value of the premium for multi-year lockups in a variety of strategies using a discrete-time Markov chain model for the evolution of hedge funds, in which a hedge fund at any time can be in one of three states: Good, Sick or Dead. For convertible bond funds, for example, the return premium for a two-year lockup over a one-year lockup is approximately 48 basis points (b.p.) per year. The premium rises to 76 b.p. per year for a three-year lockup, and approaches a limit of 156 b.p. as the duration of the lockup becomes infinite. The premium is proportional to the standard deviation of the returns themselves, so that strategies with greater standard deviations of returns require greater compensating lockup premiums.
Radical SAM Activation of the B12-Independent Glycerol Dehydratase Results in Formation of 5′-Deoxy-5′-(methylthio)adenosine and Not 5′-Deoxyadenosine

Activation of glycyl radical enzymes (GREs) by S-adenosylmethonine (AdoMet or SAM)-dependent enzymes has long been shown to proceed via the reductive cleavage of SAM. The AdoMet-dependent (or radical SAM) enzymes catalyze this reaction by using a [4Fe-4S] cluster to reductively cleave AdoMet to form a transient 5'-deoxyadenosyl radical and methionine. This radical is then transferred to the GRE, and methionine and 5'-deoxyadenosine are also formed. In contrast to this paradigm, we demonstrate that generation of a glycyl radical on the B(12)-independent glycerol dehydratase by the glycerol dehydratase activating enzyme results in formation of 5'-deoxy-5'-(methylthio)adenosine and not 5'-deoxyadenosine. This demonstrates for the first time that radical SAM activases are also capable of an alternative cleavage pathway for SAM.
Marangoni Flow Induced Collective Motion of Catalytic Micromotors

A new collective motion of non-bubble-propelled spherical Janus catalytic micromotors has been observed. When the local concentration of micromotors is high, bubbles start to form between the motors. As the bubble grows, micromotors move collectively toward the center of the bubble regardless of the orientations of their catalyst surface, eventually become aggregated, and captured around the perimeter of the bubble. It is suggested that this collective motion of the micromotors, too fast for the diffusiophoresis, can be caused by the entrainment of micromotors by the evaporation-induced Marangoni flow near the bubble. Numerical simulations confirmed that the direction and strength of such Marangoni flow are consistent with the fast, collective motion of micromotors observed experimentally.
CH3 + O2 --> H2CO + OH revisited.

New reflected shock tube kinetics experiments have been performed on the reaction CH{sub 3} + O{sub 2} -> H{sub 2}CO + OH over the temperature range 1244-1502 K. This study was carried out using a White cell multipass (path length = 7 m) optical system observing OH-radical absorption at 308 nm. Within experimental error, the new results are in excellent agreement with an earlier study from this laboratory and have therefore been combined with the earlier data, yielding an updated Arrhenius description for the rate constant, k = (1.06 {+-} 0.32) x 10{sup -12} exp(-6801 {+-} 439K/T) cm{sup 3} molecule{sup -1} s{sup -1}. This result is compared to earlier determinations, evaluations, and theory.
Research on simulation of control strategy for parallel hybrid electric vehicle based on ADVISOR

Based on the study of different control methods of hybrid electric vehicles, this paper proposes hybrid electric vehicle energy control strategy aiming at engine optimal oil consuming, motor and batteries optimal working state. The model building and simulation research are conducted based on ADVISOR software. Then the optimal energy control strategy is proposed. Simulation result shows that this energy control strategy can improve the working efficiency of the engine and motor, and the working state of battery is better.
Renal sympathetic nerve and hemodynamic responses to captopril in conscious dogs: Role of prostaglandins

The angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor captopril has been shown to cause resetting of the arterial baroreflex to a lower pressure without a change in gain. The present study was conducted to determine whether captopril altered the relationship between arterial pressure, heart rate, and renal sympathetic nerve activity in conscious quietly resting dogs. Fourteen instrumented dogs were given 2 mg/kg iv of captopril; 10 min later postcaptopril measurements were made. Six of the fourteen dogs were pretreated with cyclooxygenase inhibitor (indomethacin or meclofenamate) before administration of captopril. Renal nerve activity and hemodynamics were measured in a final group of eight dogs in which arterial pressure was lowered with a graded infusion of sodium nitroprusside. Captopril caused a small but significant decrease in arterial pressure. This decrease in arterial pressure was accompanied by a significant increase in heart rate; however, renal sympathetic nerve activity was significantly reduced. In contrast, dogs receiving nitroprusside exhibited an increase in both heart rate and renal sympathetic nerve activity in response to similar decreases in arterial pressure. Dogs that received cyclooxygenase inhibitor showed reduced arterial pressure in response to captopril, increased heart rate, and increased renal sympathetic nerve activity. This study is the first to report a decrease in sympathetic nerve activity in response to captopril in an awake chronically instrumented animals. These data suggest that captopril9s ability to augment prostaglandin synthesis is responsible for the observed sympathoinhibition.
Papillary Carcinoma: Cytology and Pathology

Papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) is the most common thyroid cancer and endocrine malignancy, constituting 75–85 % of the malignant thyroid lesions in regions where iodine-deficient goiter is no longer present (Rosai et al., Tumors of the thyroid gland. Washington, DC: Forces Institute of Pathology, 1992; Carcangiu et al., Pathol Annu 20(Pt 1):1–44, 1985). It represents most of the thyroid cancers that occur in children and young adults, whether idiopathic or related to radiation. A small proportion is familial (Moses et al., Thyroid ;21:367–371, 2011). Generally, PTCs grow slowly and therefore behave in an indolent fashion and spread mostly by lymphatic vessels to regional lymph nodes. Vascular invasion is rare in papillary thyroid carcinoma and metastases outside the confines of neck are rare (Mazzaferri, Semin Oncol 14:315–332, 1987). Both gross and microscopic features are varied, depending on cellularity, amount and type of stroma, architectural features and the presence or absence of cystic degeneration. Cytologic and pathologic features of the more common variants of PTC are described in this chapter and in Chap. 66 with clinical descriptions in Chap. 66.
Using a Patient-Centered Outcome Measure to Test Methylphenidate Versus Placebo in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder.

Abstract Objectives: Parent rating scales are commonly used to evaluate change in clinical trials. Despite advantages, these measures may not capture parental impression of the child's most salient problems. We examine the use of parent target problems (PTPs) in a randomized trial of methylphenidate (MPH) in children with autism spectrum disorder and symptoms of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Methods: This multisite, 4-week, randomized crossover trial compared three dose levels (low, medium, and high) of MPH with placebo. At baseline, the independent evaluator (IE) asked parents to nominate the child's two biggest problems. For each problem, the IE and parent coconstructed a brief narrative of the behavior and the impact on family life. The IE and parents reviewed and revised the narratives at subsequent visits. A panel of four judges, blind to treatment condition, independently reviewed the narratives to rate change from baseline on a 9-point scale: 1, normal; 2, markedly improved; 3, definite...
Single Dose Versus 3 Doses of Intramuscular Benzathine Penicillin for Early Syphilis in HIV: A Randomized Clinical Trial

Background Patients coinfected with syphilis and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) may have a slower decrease in rapid plasma reagin (RPR) titers. Currently a single dose of 2.4 million units of intramuscular benzathine penicillin G (BPG) is recommended for the treatment of early syphilis. Some observational studies have suggested that this regimen may lead to high failure rates in coinfected patients. Methods We conducted an open-label randomized clinical trial to compare the efficacy of single-dose and 3-dose regimens of BPG for the treatment of early syphilis in HIV-infected individuals. RPR titers were monitored every 3 months. Treatment success was defined as a decrease in RPR titers of ≥2 dilutions (4-fold) during a 12-month follow-up period. Results Sixty-four patients were included. In the intention-to-treat analysis, treatment success rates were 80% (28 of 35 subjects) and 93% (27 of 29 subjects) in the single-dose and 3-dose regimens, respectively (absolute difference, 13% [95% confidence interval {CI}, -5% to 30%; P = .17). In the per-protocol analysis, success rates were 93% (27 of 29) and 100% in the single-dose and 3-dose regimens, respectively (absolute difference, 7% [95% CI, -7% to 22%]; P = .49). CD4 T-cell count, RPR titer and syphilis stage did not affect treatment results. Conclusions When compared with a single dose of BPG, a 3-dose regimen did not improve syphilis serological outcomes. Our results support the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommendation of a single dose of BPG in HIV-infected patients with early syphilis. Clinical trials registration NCT02611765.
An ensemble framework for community detection

Abstract The advances in graphs play an important role to understand interrelated data. Inside graphs, there are usually community structures where different portion of nodes are more tightly connected to form a group, and community detection has wide applications in marketing, management, health care, and education. Nowadays, many different methods are proposed to detect community structures from different perspective, but none of them can be a constant winner. Therefore, ensemble different methods can potentially improve the final result. In this paper, we present a framework for different methods to be combined for community detection, and experimental results show our framework can potentially generate a better result by different methods collectively than any single method.
Jewelry: A Medium of Symbolic Communication

Jewelry is the lovely manifestation of man’s imagination and creativity which symbolizes the ethnic culture and heritage of mankind and represents as one of the most invaluable constituents of Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH). It is one of the effective means of symbolic communications of the socio-cultural life of human beings and is known as the living cultural heritage of mankind. The present paper gives understanding of various dimensions of studying ethnic jewelry and highlights the significance of jewelry in cross-cultural perspective exploring its origin, history, development, designs, patterns and functional relevance.
Scope of the Reactions of Indolyl- and Pyrrolyl-Tethered N-Sulfonyl-1,2,3-triazoles: Rhodium(II)-Catalyzed Synthesis of Indole- and Pyrrole-Fused Polycyclic Compounds.

An efficient synthesis of tetrahydrocarboline-type products and polycyclic spiroindolines has been achieved. The transformation proceeds via rhodium(II)-catalyzed intramolecular annulations of indolyl- and pyrrolyl-tethered N-sulfonyl-1,2,3-triazoles. The reaction could be tuned toward either the formal [3 + 2] cycloaddition or the C–H functionalization reaction depending on the electronic and structural features of the substrates, leading to the production of a variety of structurally related heterocyclic compounds.
Godless in essence? Psychological essentialism, theistic meta-beliefs, and anti-atheist prejudice

Abstract Atheists are widely distrusted, but research has only recently begun to explore why. As atheists and theists differ primarily regarding belief, we investigated U.S. theists' basic beliefs about (a)theism (i.e., theistic meta-beliefs) and how such beliefs are associated with anti-atheist prejudice. We operationalized theistic meta-beliefs with measures of psychological essentialism. In Study 1, items tapping essentialist beliefs about (a)theists loaded onto five distinct factors: Beliefs about the (i) categorical discreteness/uniformity of atheists, (ii) naturalness/universality of atheism, (iii) changeability of (a)theist belief, (iv) degree to which (a)theism becomes fixed during childhood, and (v) heritability of (a)theism. Beliefs about atheist naturalness and (especially) discreteness/uniformity predicted (negatively and positively, respectively) numerous measures of anti-atheist prejudice independent of several prejudice-relevant factors. Within the discreteness/uniformity factor, item-specific analyses revealed that beliefs about atheist category discreteness predicted anti-atheist prejudice more strongly than beliefs about atheist category uniformity, thus implicating perceived atheist-theist boundaries as central to anti-atheist prejudice. In Study 2, similar results emerged regardless of how non-theists were labeled (“atheist” or “non-believer”); moreover, belief that atheism poses a threat to religious cultural authority mediated the naturalness-prejudice and discreteness-prejudice associations. This research demonstrates the central role of essentialist beliefs in understanding theists' attitudes toward atheists.