cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Monitorial Citizen in the “Democratic Recession”

The success of populist candidates and rhetoric, coupled with a perceived degradation in political discourse, have raised concerns over fraying democratic institutions even in stable wealthy democracies. These developments make particularly relevant the modest, grounded liberalism developed in Michael Schudson’s work, with its focus on the possibilities of actually existing democracy. They also offer a moment to ask what are the conditions and limits of the optimism that characterizes much of that work. This essay reviews the analytical and normative framework for understanding contemporary democracy that Schudson develops, centered on the notion of monitorial citizenship elaborated in The Good Citizen and The Rise of the Right to Know. I read this work against the grain to suggest that it represents a fusion of classically liberal and “critical cultural” perspectives. I draw attention to the messy but more or less reasonable public sphere that emerges in the episodes Schudson visits, underwritten by a qu...
Tomatoes protect against development of UV-induced keratinocyte carcinoma via metabolomic alterations

Prolonged tomato consumption can mitigate ultraviolet (UV) light induced sunburn via unknown mechanisms. Dietary carotenoids distributed to skin are hypothesized to protect skin against UV-induced damage, although other phytochemicals may play a role. We hypothesize that tomato consumption would protect against skin cancer. SKH-1 hairless and immunocompetent mice (n = 180) were fed AIN-93G or AIN-93G + 10% tangerine or red tomato powder for 35 weeks. From weeks 11–20, mice (n = 120) were exposed to 2240 J/m2 UV-B light, 3x/week, and tumors were tracked weekly. Control mice were fed the same diets but not exposed to UV. Tumor number was significantly lower in male mice consuming red tomato diets (1.73 ± 0.50, P = 0.015) or pooled tomato diets (2.03 ± 0.45, P = 0.017) compared to controls (4.04 ± 0.65). Carotenoid levels in plasma and skin were quantitated, with total lycopene higher in skin of tangerine fed animals despite a lower dose. Metabolomic analyses elucidated compounds derived from tomato glycoalkaloids (including tomatidine and hydroxylated-tomatidine) as significantly different metabolites in skin after tomato exposure. Here, we describe that tomato consumption can modulate risk for keratinocyte carcinomas; however, the role of the newly identified specific phytochemicals possibly responsible for this action require further investigation.
A general interactive framework for false discovery rate control under structural constraints

We propose a general framework based on selectively traversed accumulation rules (STAR) for interactive multiple testing with generic structural constraints on the rejection set. It combines accumulation tests from ordered multiple testing with data-carving ideas from post-selection inference, allowing for highly flexible adaptation to generic structural information. Our procedure defines an interactive protocol for gradually pruning a candidate rejection set, beginning with the set of all hypotheses and shrinking with each step. By restricting the information at each step via a technique we call masking, our protocol enables interaction while controlling the false discovery rate (FDR) in finite samples for any data-adaptive update rule that the analyst may choose. We suggest update rules for a variety of applications with complex structural constraints, show that STAR performs well for problems ranging from convex region detection to FDR control on directed acyclic graphs, and show how to extend it to regression problems where knockoff statistics are available in lieu of $p$-values.
A longitudinal examination of event-related potentials sensitive to monetary reward and loss feedback from late childhood to middle adolescence

Abstract Brain regions involved in reward processing undergo developmental changes from childhood to adolescence, and alterations in reward-related brain function are thought to contribute to the development of psychopathology. Event-related potentials (ERPs), such as the reward positivity (RewP) component, are valid measures of reward responsiveness that are easily assessed across development and provide insight into temporal dynamics of reward processing. Little work has systematically examined developmental changes in ERPs sensitive to reward. In this longitudinal study of 75 youth assessed 3 times across 6 years, we used principal components analyses (PCA) to differentiate ERPs sensitive to monetary reward and loss feedback in late childhood, early adolescence, and middle adolescence. We then tested reliability of, and developmental changes in, ERPs. A greater number of ERP components differentiated reward and loss feedback in late childhood compared to adolescence, but components in childhood accounted for only a small proportion of variance. A component consistent with RewP was the only one to consistently emerge at each of the 3 assessments. RewP demonstrated acceptable reliability, particularly from early to middle adolescence, though reliability estimates varied depending on scoring approach and developmental period. The magnitude of the RewP component did not significantly change across time. Results provide insight into developmental changes in the structure of ERPs sensitive to reward, and indicate that RewP is a consistently observed and relatively stable measure of reward responsiveness, particularly across adolescence.
Life In The Age Of Drone Warfare

This volume's contributors offer a new critical language through which to explore and assess the historical, juridical, geopolitical, and cultural dimensions of drone technology and warfare. They show how drones generate particular ways of visualizing the spaces and targets of war while acting as tools to exercise state power. Essays include discussions of the legal justifications of extrajudicial killings and how US drone strikes in the Horn of Africa impact life on the ground, as well as a personal narrative of a former drone operator. The contributors also explore drone warfare in relation to sovereignty, governance, and social difference; provide accounts of the relationships between drone technologies and modes of perception and mediation; and theorize drones’ relation to biopolitics, robotics, automation, and art. Interdisciplinary and timely, Life in the Age of Drone Warfare extends the critical study of drones while expanding the public discussion of one of our era's most ubiquitous instruments of war. Contributors. Peter Asaro, Brandon Wayne Bryant, Katherine Chandler, Jordan Crandall, Ricardo Dominguez, Derek Gregory, Inderpal Grewal, Lisa Hajjar, Caren Kaplan, Andrea Miller, Anjali Nath, Jeremy Packer, Lisa Parks, Joshua Reeves, Thomas Stubblefield, Madiha Tahir
A Parametric Constrained Segmentation Methodology for Application in Sport Marketing

While the sport industry is a multibillion dollar industry, there is a paucity of academic marketing research regarding the various aspects of the industry, especially concerning fan avidity—the level of interest, involvement, passion, enthusiasm, and loyalty a fan exhibits to a sport entity. This is somewhat surprising given that avid fans are the lifeblood of any sport organization, spending significantly more money, time, and effort on sport-related products than other consumers. Thus, given its importance to the sport industry, we examine the relationship between fan avidity and its various behavioral manifestations. Recognizing the existence of consumer heterogeneity among fans, we present a new parametric constrained segmentation methodology and corresponding estimation algorithm that incorporates managerial constraints pertinent to the sport industry (or any other industry) while simultaneously segmenting the market and profiling each segment. We conducted a Monte Carlo simulation, which demonstrates the successful performance of the estimation algorithm across various models, data, and error structures. Then, we applied our proposed methodology to college football data for a major US university and found evidence for two distinct market segments. Finally, we performed a series of model comparisons and showed that our parametric constrained segmentation methodology outperforms existing alternatives.
Diana Downs: A Path of Creativity, Persistence, and Rigorous Testing

Diana Downs is a microbial physiologist who exemplifies the application of creativity and persistence in research by challenging paradigms through elegant incorporation of genetics and biochemistry to dissect metabolic pathways. Focusing on the robustness of one essential pathway, Diana’s research has unraveled metabolism while defining function of numerous enzymes. Her approach to research has shaped her unique mentoring style, which encourages students to challenge ideas and preconceptions, to temper excitement and curiosity with rigorous and creative experimentation, and to develop independence. Her approach has inspired many of her female students, including me, to be confident in our work, find our passion, and build successful careers in both academia and industry.
C-TMLE of an Additive Point Treatment Effect

C-TMLE is an extension of TMLE that pursues an optimal strategy for estimation of the nuisance parameter required in the targeting step. This latter step involves maximizing an empirical criterion over a parametric working model indexed by a nuisance parameter.
Nonlinear Combining Functions with Memory

With the use of memory, the nonlinear combining function becomes a nonlinear finite state machine by itself which greatly increases the number of options available. We shall investigate how memory affects the catalogue of requirements to be imposed on the nonlinear combining subsystem (chapter 2.2).
Grating-patterned Perovskite Light Emitting Diodes for Enhanced Performance

We introduce grating patterns into perovskite films using a simple soft lithography method with common DVD discs as templates. The patterned perovskite films exhibit enhanced photoluminescence and the performance of light emitting diodes is improved.
Eigensurfaces of eigenmirrors

Typically, if an observer gazes at a curved reflector, the objects in it will appear to be distorted. We show here that for some mirrors there exist surfaces that do not appear distorted when viewed from a prescribed location. We call such mirrors eigenmirrors and the surfaces eigensurfaces. We first give an analysis of the rotationally symmetric case and verify our work with simulations. In the general three-dimensional (3D) case, if the mirror is given, then one does not expect an eigensurface to exist. On the other hand, if we are given two viewpoints and a correspondence between the ray bundles emanating from each point, and we treat both the eigenmirror and the eigensurface as unknowns, then the problem reduces to solving a first-order nonlinear partial differential equation. We derive this partial differential equation in the 3D case and examine one example in detail.
Effect of DNA methyltransferase and histone deacetylase inhibitors on tumorigenicity and MHC1 expression in a murine non-small cell lung cancer cell line

1612 Background: Epigenetic alterations, such as DNA hypermethylation, are commonly seen in many malignancies including non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). DNA methyltransferase (DNMT) inhibitors, in conjunction with histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitors, have been shown to reverse these epigenetic events and result in antitumor activity through numerous mechanisms, including tumor suppressor gene reactivation. These pharmacologic inhibitors may also confer increased immunogenicity via upregulated expression of key immune recognition proteins, such as MHC1. Objectives: The purpose of this study was to determine whether treatment with pharmacologic inhibitors of DNMT and HDAC results in increased MHC1 expression and decreased tumorigenicity of a poorly immunogenic murine NSCLC cell line. Methods: The activated k-ras murine adenocarcinoma cell line, LKR13 was used in this study. Cells were treated in vitro with varying doses of 5-Aza-2’-deoxycytidine (AZA), a DNMT inhibitor, and trichostatin A (TSA), an HDAC inhibitor. MTS assays were performed in order to determine the dosage necessary to maintain a metabolically active population of cells. FACS analysis was performed to quantify the expression of MHC1 before and after in vitro treatment. In vivo tumorigenicity studies were carried out in three groups of immunocompetent B6SF129/1 mice (5 mice per group). Group 1 and group 2 were injected with 1x105 LKR13 cells subcutaneously (s.c.) in the right flank. Group 1 was subsequently treated with intraperitoneal (i.p.) injections of phosphate buffered saline (PBS) and group 2 was treated with i.p. injections of 5mg/kg AZA and 500μg/kg TSA. Treatments began 1 week after tumor challenge and continued weekly for a total of 3 treatments. Group 3 mice were injected s.c. in the right flank with 1x105 LKR13 cells that had been pre-treated in vitro with AZA and TSA. Results: MTS assays revealed that the majority of LKR13 cells remained metabolically active following in vitro treatment with AZA (2.5μΜ) for 3 days followed by 1 day of treatment with TSA (0.5μΜ). Flow cytometry demonstrated an increase in MHC1 expression from 18% to 50% after in vitro treatment. Tumorigenicity studies revealed that by day 30, mean tumor volume of group 1 mice (PBS) was 540mm3, group 2 mice (in vivo AZA/TSA) was 125mm3, and group 3 mice (in vitro AZA/TSA) was 175mm3. By day 45, 5/5 group 1 mice, 0/5 group 2 mice, and 1/5 group 3 mice had tumor volumes >500mm3. Conclusions: These initial studies demonstrate that pharmacologic inhibition of DNMT and HDAC decreases tumorigenicity in an immunocompetent murine NSCLC model. This could be partly due to an immunostimulatory effect, which may work in conjunction with other epigenetic phenomena to decrease tumorigenicity. Further studies are warranted to determine the specific tumor suppressor genes and immune mechanisms involved.
Django Unbleached: The Languages of Power and Authenticity in Mainstream Film

Though racial representation among top-billed actors in mainstream film is improving, serious Black heroes who speak African American vernacular English (AAVE) are still nearly nonexistent in these...
An Auti-Sim Intervention: The Role of Perspective Taking in Combating Public Stigma with Virtual Simulations

Public stigma associated with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) commonly stems from judgments surrounding sensory overload symptoms. As individuals try and make sense of observed disordered behaviors of those with ASD, they are quick to develop dispositional attributions instead of acknowledging situational instigators. Interventions aimed at educating the lay public that disordered actions are a result of a biological causes have been successful in lessening perceptions of responsibility, yet foster an out-group perspective allowing prejudice attitudes and discriminatory behaviors to persist. The present study examines the short-term effectiveness of engagement with a virtual simulation, Auti-Sim, to combat stigma by giving lay people a first-person experience of sensory overload. To assess Auti-Sim, a between-subject, in-laboratory experimental design was employed. A total of 123 undergraduate students were randomly assigned to 1 of 3 interventions (virtual simulation engagement, observation of simulation engagement, or reading text vignettes). Participants completed a brief pretest questionnaire, encountered the intervention, and then completed a post-test questionnaire. Engagement with the virtual simulation resulted in heightened perspective taking, which subsequently increased emotional concern, helping intentions, and willingness to volunteer compared with the observation only or text vignette intervention. Positive attitudes toward those with ASD did not differ across interventions. Fostering a different understanding of disordered action through a virtual simulation has the potential to elicit perspective taking and subsequent empathetic outcomes. Perspective taking seems to encourage perceptions of in-group belonging rather than out-group categorization and thus might be a desired outcome for stigma-reducing efforts.
Prospective evaluation of preoperative cognitive impairment and postoperative morbidity in geriatric patients undergoing emergency general surgery.

Abstract Background Cognitive impairment (CI) is common in geriatric patients. We aimed to evaluate the prevalence and impact of CI on outcomes in geriatric patients undergoing emergency general surgery (EGS). Methods We performed a (2017–2018) prospective analysis of patients (age ≥65y) who underwent EGS. Cognition was assessed using the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA). Patients were stratified into: CI (MoCA score Results A total of 142 patients were enrolled. Overall prevalence of CI was 20%. Patients with CI had higher rates of complications (OR 1.6 [1.4–1.9]; p = 0.01), and discharge to rehab/SNF (OR 2.2 [2.0–2.5]; p = 0.03). There was no difference in mortality (OR 1.1 [0.6–1.8]; p = 0.24) between the 2 groups. Conclusion One in five geriatric EGS patients has CI. It is associated with higher complications and adverse discharge. Cognitive assessment should be included in preoperative risk stratification.
How does transit-oriented developments (TODs) deviate noise pollution of buildings? A comparative study of TODs and non-TODs

Scholarly debates on the unique features of transit-oriented developments (TODs) have surged over the last decade. Studies have examined their amenities and disamenities; however, lacking is exploring the relationship between TOD sound levels and buildings. Understanding this relationship has implications for communities and the urban form from environmental pollution aspects. This study explores the implications of sound on TOD buildings in the Dallas-Fort Worth metropolitan area by comparing them with non-TODs, specifically the relationship between buildings and street characteristics, and sound, as well as the potential effects of this relationship on TOD residents. Data include sound pressure levels through TOD buildings and streets compared with non-TOD buildings and streets. Using a two-level hierarchical linear model (HLM) help examine such characteristics at both micro and macro levels. The findings show that buildings located within TODs are exposed to higher sound levels with 1.4 dB(A) difference. The study provides insights into the relationship between sound, environmental pollution, building science, and transportation-featured elements of the built environment.
Incidence and Bedside Predictors of the First Episode of Overt Hepatic Encephalopathy in Patients With Cirrhosis.

Introduction Hepatic encephalopathy (HE) is associated with marked increases in morbidity and mortality for patients with cirrhosis. We aimed to determine the risk of and predictors for HE in contemporary patients. Methods We prospectively enrolled 294 subjects with Child A-B (70% Child A) cirrhosis and portal hypertension without previous HE from July 2016 to August 2018. The primary outcome was the development of overt HE (grade >2). We assessed the predictive power of model for end-stage liver disease-sodium (MELD-Na) score, the Inhibitory Control Test, the Sickness Impact Profile score, and the Bilirubin-Albumin-Beta-Blocker-Statin score. We also derived a novel predictive model incorporating MELD-Na score, impact of cirrhosis on daily activity (Likert 1-9), frailty (chair-stands per 30 seconds), and health-related quality of life (Short-Form 8, 0-100). Results The cohort's median age was 60 years, 56% were men, and the median MELD-Na score was 9. During a follow-up of 548 ± 281 days, 62 (21%) had incident overt HE with 1-year probability of 14% ± 2%, 10% ± 2%, and 25% ± 5% for Child A and B. The best model for predicting the risk of overt HE included MELD-Na, Short-Form 8, impact on activity rating, and chair-stands within 30 seconds. This model-MELDNa-Actvity-Chairstands-Quality of Life Hepatic Encephalopathy Score-offered an area under the receiver operating curve (AUROC) for HE development at 12 months of 0.82 compared with 0.55, 0.61, 0.70, and 0.72 for the Inhibitory Control Test, Sickness Impact Profile, Bilirubin-Albumin-Beta-Blocker-Statin, and MELD-Na, respectively. The AUROC for HE-related hospitalization was 0.92. Discussion This study provides the incidence of HE in a well-characterized cohort of contemporary patients. Bedside measures such as activity, quality of life, and physical function accurately stratified the patient's risk for overt HE.
In-route inductive versus stationary conductive charging for shared automated electric vehicles: A university shuttle service

Abstract In-route inductive charging technology, as applied to automated electric vehicles, can help realize a fully automated system of both vehicles and chargers. This study presents a planning optimization analysis for fixed-route automated shuttles supported by in-route inductive charging technology. A techno-economic feasibility of inductive charging was assessed in comparison with stationary charging, including Level 2 AC chargers, and DC fast chargers (DCFCs). This analysis considered both present-day and future vehicle operations and overall system costs. A real project with two circulator Navya Arma shared automated electric vehicles (SAEVs) at the University of Michigan was investigated using real-world collected energy and travel data. The outcomes show that the proper design of quasi-dynamic inductive chargers at designated stops allows SAEVs to realize unlimited driving range and be cost-competitive to DCFC technology. Considering present-day costs and vehicles, low-speed SAEVs can realize charge-sustaining operation at a minimum cost either by implementing a 50-kW inductive charger at two stops with one segment per position and a 29-kWh onboard battery, or by installing a 100-kW inductive charger at one stop with one segment per position and a 28-kWh onboard battery. Considering future costs and vehicles, either a 40-kW charger at one stop with a 29-kWh battery or a 50-kW charger at the north stop with a 14-kWh battery would enable charge-sustaining operation. In addition, quasi-dynamic inductive solution can reduce the onboard battery by about 15% while providing unlimited driving range, but stationary scenarios require about 112% additional battery capacity to support a 12-h driving range.
ProDerAl: Reference Position Dependent Alignment.

Motivation Current read-mapping software uses a singular specification of alignment parameters with respect to the reference. In the presence of varying reference structures (such as the repetitive regions of the human genome), alignments can be improved if those parameters are allowed vary. Results To that end, the C ++ program ProDerAl was written to refine previously generated alignments using varying parameters for these problematic regions. Synthetic benchmarks show that this realignment can result in an order of magnitude fewer misaligned bases. Availability *Nix users can retrieve the source from GitHub (https://github.com/Benjamin-Crysup/proderal.git). Windows binary available at https://github.com/Benjamin-Crysup/proderal/releases/download/v1.1/proderal.zip. Supplementary information Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Loss of Quaking RNA binding protein disrupts the expression of genes associated with astrocyte maturation in mouse brain.

Quaking RNA binding protein (QKI) is essential for oligodendrocyte development as myelination requires myelin basic protein mRNA regulation and localization by the cytoplasmic isoforms (e.g., QKI-6). QKI-6 is also highly expressed in astrocytes, which were recently demonstrated to have regulated mRNA localization. Here, we define the targets of QKI in the mouse brain via CLIPseq and we show that QKI-6 binds 3′UTRs of a subset of astrocytic mRNAs. Binding is also enriched near stop codons, mediated partially by QKI-binding motifs (QBMs), yet spreads to adjacent sequences. Using a viral approach for mosaic, astrocyte-specific gene mutation with simultaneous translating RNA sequencing (CRISPR-TRAPseq), we profile ribosome associated mRNA from QKI-null astrocytes in the mouse brain. This demonstrates a role for QKI in stabilizing CLIP-defined direct targets in astrocytes in vivo and further shows that QKI mutation disrupts the transcriptional changes for a discrete subset of genes associated with astrocyte maturation. Quaking RNA binding protein (QKI) is known for its role in oligodendrocyte maturation. Here, the authors define the QKI targets in the mouse brain and show that loss of QKI disrupts the expression of cell maturation-associated genes in astrocytes in vivo.
How To Transform Students With Zoom Fatigue Into Engaged Participants

This essay seeks to offer some methods that teachers can use online to enable students to move from what Jean Piaget calls passively receiving knowledge to constructing new knowledge. Especially in our remote classes, we must discover new methods to perform higher-order thinking, not just for the purpose of learning in our own classes but also for the types of learning students will be required to perform when they leave the university. This essay delineates three core methods for online teaching: Flipping the Classroom, Creating a Safe Environment, and Storytelling. The article then moves to five fundamental strategies to improve engagement: Giving Up Control of the Class, Guided Discussions, Asking Questions, Just-In-Time Learning, and Write First, Then Share. The essay concludes with two techniques to use in online classes: About Me, and Paired Writing and Editing. Together, these methods, strategies, and techniques offer teachers new ways to drive the kinds of thinking, learning, and connection that will set students up for success at college and beyond.
Private Saving, Public Saving, and the Inflation Tax: Another Look At An Old Issue

The present paper provides an analytical discussion on a popular issue: the measurement problems associated with the inflation tax. It is well known that conventional national accounts definitions usually misplace the proceeds from the inflation tax: they are typically not subtracted from disposable income, and they are not included as part of the Government’s revenues “above the line.” Using a simple, perfect foresight monetary model developed by Calvo (1986, 1987), this paper analyzes the difference between macroeconomically relevant concepts of public and private saving, and their national accounts counterparts. The paper goes on to show that the national account aggregates create the impression that heavier reliance on the inflation tax on the part of the Government is associated with higher private saving, even in situations where the composition of government revenues does not have any effect on private saving.
An Investment Decision Model for Small Business

In the majority of cases, small businesses have not utilized the more sophisticated methods when making investments in assets; on the other hand, many large firms have employed such techniques as internal rate of return, net present value, and the Capital Asset Pricing Model when selecting among alternative investments. It is the contention of this writer that none of these methods is applicable to the manager of the small business, since they require the knowledge of a single investment criterion which, in most, if not all, cases, cannot be ascertained with any degree of confidence.
Pharmacoeconomic Analysis of Micafungin (Mycamine) 100 mg and 150 mg Daily In the Treatment of Candidemia

We conducted a retrospective study to assess pharmacoeconomic outcomes of patients who received a daily dose of micafungin 100 mg or 150 mg to treat candidemia. The once-daily 100-mg dose resulted in clinical and mycological outcomes similar to those achieved with 150 mg daily and succeeded in reducing drug-acquisition costs for treating hospitalized patients with candidemia.
Carbon dioxide laser circumcisions for children.

The carbon dioxide laser for circumcision was introduced by our department in 1989. This study aims to review our experience with laser circumcision for children and to evaluate its cost effectiveness as compared to conventional methods. A retrospective study of 30 patients who underwent conventional circumcision in 1985 and another 30 patients who underwent laser circumcision in 1995 was undertaken. The operating times in both groups were compared. The total cost of use of the laser machine was calculated, taking into account maintenance costs, estimated life span of laser machines (10 years) and costs of disposables used during each circumcision. This was weighed against the cost savings from shorter operating times and reduced operating theatre facility charges. Also, morbidity data from 2781 laser circumcisions done between May 1997 and April 2000 was collected. There was a significant decrease of 5 minutes in operating time for the group of patients who underwent laser circumcision. Calculated cost savings per laser circumcision from the reduced operating theatre time was S$31/-. Of the 2781 cases of laser circumcision performed, there was an overall complication rate of 1.15%. Twenty-nine cases (1.04%) had post circumcision bleeding, of which 10 cases (0.36%) required unplanned return to operating theatre for hemostasis. Three cases (0.11%) had wound infection, requiring admission to hospital. Laser circumcision is a simple method with reduced operative time translating into cost effectiveness. Morbidity rates of laser circumcision compare favourably to those of conventional circumcision based on reports from other institutions.
Inhibitory pathways triggered by ITIM-containing receptors.

Publisher Summary Cell activation triggered by immune receptors—such as the B cell, T cell, or Fc receptor (BCR, TCR, or FcR)—displays the capacity to undergo fine modulation to adjust different developmental and environmental conditions. The response to a particular stimulus represents the balance between stimulatory and inhibitory signals and its magnitude determines the fate of the cell. Thus, the strength of BCR stimulation determines whether a particular cell could proliferate or enter an apoptotic pathway. The three molecules recruited by inhibitory receptors—SHP-1, SHP-2, and SHIP—are part of the general regulation of immune receptor activation in association with antigen, Fc, growth factor, and cytokine receptors, and their absence results in augmented cell activation and proliferation. To date, well-defined ligands and clear physiological functions are elucidated for the Fc receptor system and the NK inhibitory system. With these two molecules as prototypes of the family, significant differences have been observed in their mechanism of conferring inhibitory signals.
The impact of noise on the scaling of collectives: a theoretical approach

The performance of parallel applications running on large clusters is known to degrade due to the interference of kernel and daemon activities on individual nodes, often referred to as noise. In this paper, we focus on an important class of parallel applications, which repeatedly perform computation, followed by a collective operation such as a barrier. We model this theoretically and demonstrate, in a rigorous way, the effect of noise on the scalability of such applications. We study three natural and important classes of noise distributions: The exponential distribution, the heavy-tailed distribution, and the Bernoulli distribution. We show that the systems scale well in the presence of exponential noise, but the performance goes down drastically in the presence of heavy-tailed or Bernoulli noise.
New realizations of hadronic supersymmetry

It is shown that Miyazawa’sSU(6/21) superalgebra for hadrons can be applied to a bilocal quark-antiquark (q\(\bar q\)) or quark-diquark (q-D) system resulting in multiplets that include thel=1 mesons in the (35+1) representation ofSU(6) and thel=1 baryons (70−), in addition to thel=0 mesons (35−+1−) andl=0 baryons (56+). Alternatively, a nonsimple algebra that brings together the (35−+1−) mesons and 56+ baryons is also proposed. This minimal scheme does not involve the D-\(\bar D\) exotic mesons in the lowest hadronic supermultiplet. In both schemes color is incorporated through the algebra of split octonions.
A Computer Algorithm to Estimate Stability Regions Iind to Place Bounds on Settling Times for Nonlinear Systems

This paper describes a computer algorithm which accepts nonlinear system differential equations and from them estimates the region of aymptotic stability as well as a set of upper and lower bounds for the amount of time a state may exist in each of a set of subregions. These results are produced by way of a Lyapunov function approximated as a numerical solution of Zubov's equation for the given system.
Entrepôt Trade and Smuggling in West Africa: Benin, Togo and Nigeria

Official trade statistics indicate very little intra-African trade, but this is often because of the prevalence of unrecorded trade, particularly smuggling. This paper explores smuggling from Benin and Togo into Nigeria. Nigeria has very high import tariffs and bans on certain products. Togo and Benin have deliberately maintained low import barriers to facilitate an Entrepot role vis-a-vis Nigeria and land-locked Sahelian countries. Togo competes at a geographic disadvantage relative to Benin for access to the Nigerian market and compensates with lower transit taxes. The volume and composition of cross-border trade is analysed using data obtained from Benin and Togo customs authorities, as well as interviews with traders and customs officials in both countries. Benin and to a lesser extent Togo are the origin of a very large volume of transshipment of precisely those products which are heavily protected in Nigeria, such as used cars, cloth and rice. It is common knowledge in Benin and Togo that these imports, although declared for domestic consumption or transit to other countries, are in fact overwhelmingly intended for Nigeria. Smuggling is a major source of income and employment in Benin and Togo, but provides a fragile and unreliable foundation for economic development.
Let the Games Begin! Engaging Students With Field-Tested Interactive Information Literacy Instruction

A review of Theresa R. McDevitt's Let the Games Begin! Engaging Students With Field-Tested Interactive Information Literacy Instruction.
A Comparison of Two Model-Discrimination Criteria

Within the last few years there has been increased research involving a generalization of sequential analysis problems in which the experimenter is allowed to design his experiment sequentially. Two different approaches to this Sequential Design of Experiments or Model Discrimination problem have been made by Chernoff [4] and Box and Hill [3]. This paper compares the two approaches through examples. Some minor modifications of Chernoff's procedures are shown to lead to improved results.
Multitrait-Multimethod Analysis of FCAT Reading and Writing: Or Is It Writing and Reading?

This study investigated the convergent and discriminant validity of the high-stakes Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test (FCAT) in both reading and writing at grade levels 4, 8, and 10. The data f...
Hydrogen and Hydrogen-Related Defects in CVD Diamond

Hydrogen is a detrimental impurity in many chemical vapor deposited (CVD) materials, particularly those involved in electronic or optical applications. For example, active hydrogen defects have been observed in materials such as silicon, Si, gallium arsenide, GaAs, and diamond, C, thin films. Hydrogen and its related defects can be identified, quantified, and observed using magnetic resonance techniques. These techniques allow a unique quantitative, non-destructive view of hydrogen in the solid-state. Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) is used to study hydrogenated defects directly, while electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) is used to observe hydrogen associated with paramagnetic defects. These observations can enhance our understanding of the effects of hydrogen incorporation on the properties of such materials.
ACASA: a framework for adaptable COTS-aware software architecting

The use of Commercial-Off-The-Shelf (COTS) components presents a great promise, as well as challenges and risks. In this paper, we describe our ongoing research on developing adaptable software architectures using COTS components. In particular, we describe an Adaptable COTS-Aware Software Architecting (ACASA) framework that addresses the concerns of the various stakeholders of the proposed system in the presence of COTS components, with a special emphasis on adaptability as a nonfunctional requirement. The ACASA framework is illustrated by way of a telepresence system example.
Further studies on the selectivity of DuP 753, a nonpeptide angiotensin II receptor antagonist

Abstract This study demonstrates the high selectivity of DuP 753 for angiotensin II (All) receptors as it did not inhibit the contractions or radioligand bindings od endothelin, neurotensin, substance P, opioids, dopamine-2, serotonin-2, phencyclidine, acetylcholine agonists and glycine (strychnine-insensitive) and basic fibroblast growth factor but blocked the contraction of AII.
DISPLACEMENT CHARTS FOR SLOPES SUBJECTED TO SEISMIC LOADS

Abstract Earthquake events in recent years have brought about renewed interest in analyses of slopes subjected to seismic loads. These loads have been accounted for traditionally by using quasi-static loads. Such analyses do not provide any information about permanent displacements, and they neglect the history of seismic shaking. The analysis presented in this note is based on the rigid block displacement technique. A rotational mechanism of slope failure, caused by horizontal shaking, is considered. Yield accelerations are calculated for uniform slopes, and irreversible displacements are calculated for different earthquake records. The displacements can be represented as the product of a coefficient characteristic of a given collapse mechanism and a double time integral of an earthquake acceleration record. Charts are produced to make the application of the results effortless.
Molecular topography and secondary structure comparisons of botulinum neurotoxin types A, B and E.

Botulinum neurotoxin (NT) serotypes A, B and E differ in microstructure and biological activities. The three NTs were examined for secondary structure parameters (α-helix, β-sheet, β-turn and random coil content) on the basis of circular dichroism; degree of exposed Tyr residues (second derivative spectroscopy) and state of the Trp residues (fluorescence and fluorescence quantuin yield). The proteins are high in β-pleated sheet content (41–44%) and low in α-helical content (21–28%). About 30–36% of the amino acids are in random coils. The β-sheet contents in the NTs are similar irrespective of their structural forms (i.e. single or dichain forms) or level of toxicity. About 84%, 58% and 61% of Tyr residues of types A, B, and ENT, respectively, were exposed to the solvent (pH 7.2 phosphate buffer). Although the fluorescence emission maximum of Trp residues of type B NT was most blue shifted (331 nm compared to 334 for types A and E NT, and 346 nm for free tryptophan) the fluorescence quantum yields of types A and B were similar and higher than type E. In general the NTs have similar secondary (low α-helix and high β-sheets) and tertiary (exposed tyrosine residues and tryptophan fluorescence quantum yield) structures. Within this generalized picture there are significant differences which might be related to the differences in their biological activities.
Transport Properties of Dilute Binary Magnesium Alloys

Unusual lattice parameter behavior in dilute binary magnesium alloys has been observed by Raynor and others, and has been attributed to a Brillouin zone overlap phenomenon suggested by Jones. The primary purpose of this paper is to show that if the overlap model is even only qualitatively correct, measurements of electron transport properties should be sensitive to electron overlap. Such measurements have been made on the resistivity, temperature variation of resistivity, Hall coefficient, and thermoelectric power. Monovalent and divalent additions to magnesium are found to cause the Hall coefficient and thermoelectric power to vary monotonically with composition, but trivalent and quadrivalent additions cause these measurements to go through extrema associated with the zone overlap. It is proposed that both the Hall coefficient and the thermoelectric power may be expressed as the sum of two contributions. One contribution is directly related and therefore is linear to electron concentration. The other contribution arises essentially from everything else, particularly the perturbations upon the ion core potential when a foreign atom is introduced into the lattice. This latter contribution may be obtained directly from measurements on the magnesium-cadmium system. A simple subtraction then provides the electronic contribution for the alloy under question. A band picture is invoked to qualitatively justify this approach. Finally, this paper also demonstrates that Matthiessen's rule and Linde's rule are not valid for dilute magnesium alloys.
High-resolution X-ray and radio maps of the millisecond pulsar

The 1.5 millisecond pulsar (PSR1937+214) discovered in the radio source 4C21.53 is more closely located and characterized. High-resolution radio maps of the region were obtained with the Very Large Array, and no evidence was found in the morphology of 4C21.53 to connect it with the pulsar, which was determined to be at a different distance. A high-resolution imager X-ray map of the region was made using the Einstein Observatory, and no detectable X-ray emission could be associated with either 4C21.53 or the pulsar. From the stringent upper limit on X-ray emissions, substantial differences in the magnetospheric structure of the pulsar compared to that of other radio pulsars are inferred.
IMPACT OF HOSPITAL AND SURGEON VOLUME ON IN-HOSPITAL MORTALITY FROM RADICAL CYSTECTOMY: DATA FROM THE HEALTH CARE UTILIZATION PROJECT

ABSTRACTPurpose:: We determined the influence of hospital and surgeon volume on various outcome parameters after radical cystectomy for bladder cancer.Materials and Methods:: All inpatient discharges after radical cystectomy for bladder cancer (1988 to 1999) from the Health Care Utilization Project–Nationwide Inpatient Sample were included in the analysis. Hospital and individual surgeon volume of discharges per year were separated into terciles. Outcome measures were in-hospital mortality, length of stay (LOS), and inflation adjusted charge per admission. Mortality was compared among hospital volume levels using the Mantel-Haenszel chi-square test while the LOS and charges were compared using ANOVA. Multivariate linear and logistic regression analyses were used to adjust for confounding factors. All the analyses were also performed in 3 different age strata (younger than 50 years, 50 to 69 years and 70 years or more).Results:: There were 13,964 patients who underwent radical cystectomy. Overall in-hospit...
The idea of a lexical meta-syllabus

Abstract There are competing orientations in language teaching syllabus design resulting in lack of clarity about the goals of the selection process of curriculum planning. Empirical studies of the statistical distribution of lexical items in spoken and written language indicate regularities which could be exploited for curriculum design. Although data are not sufficient to construct a lexical syllabus, the potential of unifying syllabus design is clear. Recommendations for further research are made.
Hydrothermal particle plumes over the southern Juan de Fuca Ridge

Hydrothermal particles originate in buoyant plumes emanating from seafloor thermal vents1–4 and accumulate as metalliferous sediments found along oceanic spreading centres5–7. Observational evidence of the transport pathway of hydrothermal particles is scarce, however, and the structure, extent and particle concentrations of hydrothermal plumes remain largely conjectural. To evaluate the potential of hydrothermal plumes as particle transport agents, we mapped their distribution along and across the 80–100-m-deep axial valley of the southern Juan de Fuca Ridge in the north-east Pacific Ocean (∼44°30′ N, 130° W), an area of known hydrothermal activity8–11. Continuous light-scattering measurements, reported here, defined numerous particle plumes centred 30–120 m above bottom (m.a.b.); elemental analysis of the plume particles and the theta (potential temperature)–S (salinity) signatures of the plume water verified their hydrothermal origin. Concentrations of hydrothermal particles remained elevated at ridge-crest depths at least 100 km from the ridge, indicating distant off-axis dispersal of hydrothermal emissions.
Detection of aneuploidy and possible deletion in paraffin-embedded rhabdomyosarcoma cells with FISH

Conventional cytogenetic studies of solid tumors are limited by the difficulty of culturing tumor cells, while in situ hybridization using paraffin sections of interphase cells results in too many truncated cells. To solve these problems, fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) technique was used on free nuclei isolated from formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS) tissue using our modification of Hedley's method for isolation of nuclei. Biotinylated DNA probes for the centromeric regions of chromosomes 6, 8, 11, 12, 17, and 18, painting probes for chromosomes 8 and 11, and a cosmid probe for the HER-2/neu oncogene, were used. The centromeric probes worked well, demonstrating two copies of chromosomes 6, 17, and 18, but three copies of chromosome 11 in 52.9% of nuclei. Four copies of chromosome 8 were observed in 57.1% of nuclei and five or more in 17.1%. Chromosome 12 demonstrated 21.8% trisomy and 62.2% tetrasomy. Painting probes for chromosome 11 also worked well and matched the results of the centromeric probes, with no suggestion of structural aberration. However, the results of the painting probe for chromosome 8 yielded fluorescent areas of different sizes, suggesting that some of the extra chromosomes 8 could be deleted. The cosmid probe for the HER-2/neu oncogene also worked well, and revealed two signals in each nucleus without evidence of amplification. This study illustrates the successful use of a new technique for studying chromosomal aberration in paraffin-embedded solid tumors. The importance of this technique is that it has not been previously possible to use painting probes or cosmid probes on paraffin tissue sections. Use of this procedure will broaden the type of retrospective studies that can be performed to include detection of deletions or translocations.
Hydrophobic Anchoring of Monolayer-Protected Gold Nanoclusters to Carbon Nanotubes

Creating hybrid nanostructures consisting of disparate nanoscale blocks is of interest for exploring new types of quantum device architectures. Here, we demonstrate the novel anchoring of monolayer-protected gold nanoclusters of 1-3 nm diameter to sidewalls of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) via hydrophobic interactions between octanethiols capping the nanoclusters and acetone-activated CNT surfaces. Such molecularly interlinked hybrid nanoblocks are attractive for building biocompatible nanodevices.
Spatial and temporal variations in the trace elemental data over the northeastern United States.

Time series of trace elemental concentrations (14 species) of atmospheric fine particles measured in the northeastern United States between 1988 and 1998 are analyzed for spatial and temporal variations. The influence of synoptic-scale systems to the transport and accumulation of pollutants can be investigated successfully if the short-term fluctuations (i.e. weather-induced variations) embedded in the time series of pollutant concentrations are separated from the original time series. The spatial short-term correlation coefficients for Al, Br, Fe, Se, and Zn permit good predictions of pollutant concentrations up to distances of about 350 km from a given monitor. The species correlation matrices for individual sites reveal that As, Br, Se, and Zn are highly correlated in New York State, while Fe, Mn, and V show also strong correlations, suggesting the commonality of source regions for these industrial and urban pollutants impacting New York.