cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Health expenditure, human capital, and economic growth: an empirical study of developing countries

Social security systems were successively established in most developing countries in the 1980s and 1990s. To ensure the long-term sustainability of these newly established systems it is essential to carefully monitor the economic impact. Based on the panel data of 21 developing countries from 2000 to 2016, this paper is the first to apply the panel threshold model to empirically analyze the relationship between national health expenditures and economic growth under different levels of human capital. The results show that health expenditure and economic growth have significant interval effects because of the different levels of human capital. Specifically, when human capital levels are low, health expenditure is significantly negatively correlated with economic growth. When human capital is at a medium level, health expenditure has a positive but not significant impact on economic growth. When the level of human capital is high, the positive economic impact of the health expenditure is significantly enhanced. In addition, subgroup analyses indicate that population aging and low fertility aggravate the negative impact of health expenditures on economic growth. This study provides reliable analysis and can be used by developing countries to maintain a long-term sustainable social security system.
Oscillatory recurrent gated neural integrator circuits (ORGaNICs), a unifying theoretical framework for neural dynamics

Working memory is an example of a cognitive and neural process that is not static but evolves dynamically with changing sensory inputs; another example is motor preparation and execution. We introduce a theoretical framework for neural dynamics, based on oscillatory recurrent gated neural integrator circuits (ORGaNICs), and apply it to simulate key phenomena of working memory and motor control. The model circuits simulate neural activity with complex dynamics, including sequential activity and traveling waves of activity, that manipulate (as well as maintain) information during working memory. The same circuits convert spatial patterns of premotor activity to temporal profiles of motor control activity and manipulate (e.g., time warp) the dynamics. Derivative-like recurrent connectivity, in particular, serves to manipulate and update internal models, an essential feature of working memory and motor execution. In addition, these circuits incorporate recurrent normalization, to ensure stability over time and robustness with respect to perturbations of synaptic weights.
Assessing the value of removing earthquake-hazard-related epistemic uncertainties, exemplified using average annual loss in California:

To aid in setting scientific research priorities, we assess the potential value of removing each of the epistemic uncertainties currently represented in the US Geological Survey California seismic-...
Biomedical Signal Processing: An ECG Application

The electrocardiogram (ECG) is a low-cost non-invasive sensor that measures conduction through the heart. By interpreting the morphology of a person’s ECG, clinical domain experts are able to infer the functionality of the underlying heartbeat, and diagnose irregularities. Moreover, a variety of signal processing algorithms have been developed to automatically monitor ECG recordings for patients and clinicians, both in and out of the clinical setting. The periodic nature of the ECG makes it particularly suitable for frequency-based analysis. Wavelet analysis, which uses brief oscillators to extract information from different portions of the signals, has proven highly effective. This chapter demonstrates the application of the continuous wavelet transform on multi-channel ECG signals from patients with arrhythmias. The information extracted is used to develop a high-performing heartbeat classifier that can distinguish between various types of regular and irregular beats.
Wedges, cones, cosmic strings and their vacuum energy

One of J Stuart Dowker’s most significant achievements has been to observe that the theory of diffraction by wedges developed a century ago by Sommerfeld and others provided the key to solving two problems of great interest in general-relativistic quantum field theory during the last quarter of the 20th century: the vacuum energy associated with an infinitely thin, straight cosmic string, and (after an interchange of time with a space coordinate) the apparent vacuum energy of empty space as viewed by an accelerating observer. In a sense the string problem is more elementary than the wedge, since Sommerfeld’s technique was to relate the wedge problem to that of a conical manifold by the method of images. Indeed, Minkowski space, as well as all cone and wedge problems, are related by images to an infinitely sheeted master manifold, which we call Dowker space. We review the research in this area and exhibit in detail the vacuum expectation values of the energy density and pressure of a scalar field in Dowker space and the cone and wedge spaces that result from it. We point out that the (vanishing) vacuum energy of Minkowski space results, from the point of view of Dowker space, from the quantization of angular modes, in precisely the way that the Casimir energy of a toroidal closed universe results from the quantization of Fourier modes; we hope that this understanding dispels any lingering doubts about the reality of cosmological vacuum energy.This article is part of a special issue of Journal of Physics A: Mathematical and Theoretical in honour of Stuart Dowker’s 75th birthday devoted to ‘Applications of zeta functions and other spectral functions in mathematics and physics’.
Evaluating the clinical impact of primary tumor location in pancreatic adenocarcinoma.

428Background: Pancreatic adenocarcinoma is the fourth most common cause of cancer-related death in the US. The location of the primary lesion has long been thought to influence survival due to dif...
Structuring a License System

This chapter provides an overview of how a license model can be determined in line with the arm’s length principle. For this purpose, the parameters that need to be considered when structuring a license system are presented. The overview in this chapter includes fixed and flexible license schemes. Regarding flexible license schemes, the possible license bases and rates are discussed. To determine license rates, the respective transfer pricing methods are examined, with a focus on the external CUP approach. Finally, empirical observations on license arrangements between third parties are presented, including insights from a database analysis and from license contracts analyzed in recent license rate benchmark studies.
CWcollab: A Context-Aware Web-Based Collaborative Multimedia System

Remote collaboration tools for conferencing and presentation are gaining significant popularity during the COVID-19 pandemic period. Most prior work has issues, such as a) limited support for media types, b) lack of interactivity, for example, an efficient replay mechanism, c) large bandwidth consumption for screen sharing tools. In this paper, we propose a general-purpose multimedia collaboration platform-CWcollab. It supports collaboration on general multimedia by using simple messages to represent media controls with an object-prioritized synchronization approach. Thus, CWcollab can not only support fine-grained accurate collaboration, but also rich functionalities such as replay of these collaboration events. The evaluation shows hundreds of kilobytes can be enough to store the events in a collaboration session for accurate replays, compared with hundreds of megabytes of Google Hangouts.
Evaluation of the effects of water quality on drinking preferences of heifer calves

Abstract Drinking water quality requirements focus mainly on removing hazardous substances from the water supply, making it safe to drink and appropriate for livestock use. However, there is a concern that high mineral content in water may affect the drinking behavior of heifer calves, which may affect health and performance. In South Dakota, the primary water sources for agricultural use are surface or groundwater. Water quality varies between different regions of the state; in the eastern part of the state, the water is classified as “hard water” and calcium is the primary mineral found in the water. Our objective was to determine the water intake and drinking preference of heifer calves offered water treated with a reverse osmosis system (ROW), water treated by a municipal city water treatment plant (TW), and local untreated well water (UWW). Six Holstein heifer calves (100 ± 6.5 d of age; 137 ± 5.9 kg of body weight) were used in a sequential elimination study. The calves were kept in individual pens (1.5 × 3 m) and fed similar pellet and grass hay rations. Three troughs (14 L) of water were provided for each heifer calf and refreshed 3 times per day. Three water types were randomly assigned to the troughs, and an extra trough on each side was left empty to avoid preferential behavior by location. Throughout the 8-d experiment period, the intake of each type of water by each calf was measured. During the study adaptation phase, heifer calves were given TW for 3 d to establish baseline intake. During phase 1, all 3 water types were offered for 3 d. The most-consumed water of each heifer calf was removed after intake data were collected. During phase 2, the remaining 2 water types were offered for 2 d. Water preference ranking by heifer calf was determined based on intake amounts. Kendall's coefficient of concordance (W) was calculated to evaluate the agreement of preference among the heifer calves. The total average water intake was 16.0 ± 2.14, 15.8 ± 1.95, and 14.9 ± 2.21 kg/d for the adaptation phase, phase 1, and phase 2, respectively. During phase 1, average intake was 7.10 ± 3.97, 5.10 ± 3.59, and 3.55 ± 4.89 kg/d for ROW, TW, and UWW, respectively. Three heifer calves preferred ROW first and TW second. Two heifer calves selected TW first and ROW second. One heifer calf chose UWW first and was a potential outlier in the group for taste preference. Average preference rankings were 1.67, 1.83, and 2.50 for ROW, TW, and UWW, with lower numbers indicating greater preference. Overall, most of the heifer calves in the trial showed similar preferences (W = 0.53), meaning that when one heifer calf had a preference for a particular water type, there was a trend for all the calves to prefer that water type. Results showed that the calves slightly preferred ROW over TW, and preferred both ROW and TW over UWW, with greater consumption of ROW when all 3 water types were offered.
It's only a computer: the impact of human-agent interaction in clinical interviews

Research has begun to explore the use of virtual humans (VHs) in medical interviews. When designed as supportive and "safe" interaction partners, VHs may improve such screenings by encouraging patients to disclose more personal information [2-3]. In medical contexts, patients often feel resistance to self-disclosure and engage in impression management to be viewed more positively by healthcare providers. This paper provides the first empirical evidence that VHs can reduce such resistance and impression management. In the context of health-screening interviews, we report a study in which participants interacted with a VH that was either teleo-operated by humans (Wizard-of-Oz) or fully-automated (AI). Independently, we manipulated whether participants believed the VH was controlled by humans or automation. As predicted, participants who believed they were interacting with a computer reported lower resistance to self-disclosure, lower impression management and higher system usability than those who believed they were interacting with a human operator. Whether the virtual human was actually operated by a human or AI only affected ratings of the system's usability. These results suggest that automated VHs can help overcome a significant barrier to obtaining truthful patient information in medical domains.
Clustering Ensembles with Active Constraints

In this work we combine clustering ensembles and semi-supervised clustering to address the ill-posed nature of clustering. We introduce a hybrid approach that extends our previous work on clustering ensembles to situations where some knowledge from the end user is available, by enforcing constraints during the partitioning process. The experimental results show that our constrained ensemble technique is capable of producing a partition that is as good as, or better, than those computed by other semi-supervised clustering approaches.
Stringology: Some Classic and Some Modern Problems

We examine some of the classic problems related to suffix trees from 70's and show some recent results on sorting suffixes with small space and suffix selection. Further, we introduce modern versions of suffix sorting and their application to XML processing. The study of combinatorial aspects of strings continues to flourish, and we present several open problems with modern applications.
Information Superhighway or Information Overload? Exploring the Viability of Candidate Web Sites as a Means for Political Learning

Technological advances in communication have always been optimistically welcomed as a means of empowering the average person's ability to hear new ideas and to have their own ideas heard. Eventually, as a new medium becomes widely accepted, control of that medium in terms of information dissemination often becomes narrowed down to a few key players or institutions. In America, authors still rely on publishers for mass distribution; musicians struggle for air-time on radio stations that are owned by a handful of corporations, and television networks charge exorbitant prices for a 30-second commercial. A simple trend has emerged proclaiming that power is the only guarantee for making your voice heard. This trend carried over to the political realm as candidates realized that the key to making their voice heard was how much money was in their campaign war chest. As modern campaign techniques relying heavily on sound-bite information became more and more common, a troubling concern arose from democratic theorists. These theorists began to worry that the American electorate would begin voting solely on images instead of substantive issue positions. Not all of the blame could be placed on voters, though. As V.O. Key explained, "voters are not fools... [T]he electorate behaves about as rationally and responsibly as we should expect, given the clarity of the alternatives presented to it and the character of the information available to it" (Buhr, 2000:204). Laying blame completely aside, a political epidemic was festering as a result of modern campaigns. The candidate who most effectively utilized psychological heuristic devices in campaigning appeared poised to supercede the candidate who had the better ideas, and this was becoming the driving factor in American elections. While this might not have been a problem to campaign consultants who thrived on the new style of electioneering, those who hoped for an ideal democracy cringed at the thought of such campaigns. This article is available in Res Publica Journal of Undergraduate Research: http://digitalcommons.iwu.edu/respublica/vol6/iss1/7 Information Superhighway or Information Overload? Exploring the Viability of Candidate Web Sites as a Means for Political Learning
Hemolytic disease of the neonate secondary to anti-Fya

A case of hemolytic disease secondary to anti-Fya in a neonate requiring exchange transfusion is presented. A review of the literature reveals 18 previous cases, with 32 per cent requiring exchange transfusion and a 16 per Fya-b- or Fya-b+ blood can be obtained for exchange transfusion if indicated.
Equations of Linear Elasticity in Cartesian Coordinates

Sokolnikoff (Reference 1.2) derives in detail the formulation of the governing differential equations of elasticity in his first three chapters. This will not be repeated here, but rather the equations are presented and then utilized to systematically make certain assumptions in the process of deriving the governing equations for rectangular plates and beams.
Definitions of state variables and state space for brain-computer interface : Part 1. Multiple hierarchical levels of brain function.

Neocortical state variables are defined and evaluated at three levels: microscopic using multiple spike activity (MSA), mesoscopic using local field potentials (LFP) and electrocorticograms (ECoG), and macroscopic using electroencephalograms (EEG) and brain imaging. Transactions between levels occur in all areas of cortex, upwardly by integration (abstraction, generalization) and downwardly by differentiation (speciation). The levels are joined by circular causality: microscopic activity upwardly creates mesoscopic order parameters, which downwardly constrain the microscopic activity that creates them. Integration dominates in sensory cortices. Microscopic activity evoked by receptor input in sensation induces emergence of mesoscopic activity in perception, followed by integration of perceptual activity into macroscopic activity in concept formation. The reverse process dominates in motor cortices, where the macroscopic activity embodying the concepts supports predictions of future states as goals. These macroscopic states are conceived to order mesoscopic activity in patterns that constitute plans for actions to achieve the goals. These planning patterns are conceived to provide frames in which the microscopic activity evolves in trajectories that adapted to the immediate environmental conditions detected by new stimuli. This circular sequence forms the action-perception cycle. Its upward limb is understood through correlation of sensory cortical activity with behavior. Now brain-machine interfaces (BMI) offer a means to understand the downward sequence through correlation of behavior with motor cortical activity, beginning with macroscopic goal states and concluding with recording of microscopic MSA trajectories that operate neuroprostheses. Part 1 develops a hypothesis that describes qualitatively the neurodynamics that supports the action-perception cycle and derivative reflex arc. Part 2 describes episodic, “cinematographic–spatial pattern formation and predicts some properties of the macroscopic and mesoscopic frames by which the embedded trajectories of the microscopic activity of cortical sensorimotor neurons might be organized and controlled.
Would you be surprised if this patient died?: Preliminary exploration of first and second year residents' approach to care decisions in critically ill patients

How physicians approach decision-making when caring for critically ill patients is poorly understood. This study aims to explore how residents think about prognosis and approach care decisions when caring for seriously ill, hospitalized patients. Qualitative study where we conducted structured discussions with first and second year internal medicine residents (n = 8) caring for critically ill patients during Medical Intensive Care Unit Ethics and Discharge Planning Rounds. Residents were asked to respond to questions beginning with "Would you be surprised if this patient died?" An equal number of residents responded that they would (n = 4) or would not (n = 4) be surprised if their patient died. Reasons for being surprised included the rapid onset of an acute illness, reversible disease, improving clinical course and the patient's prior survival under similar circumstances. Residents reported no surprise with worsening clinical course. Based on the realization that their patient might die, residents cited potential changes in management that included clarifying treatment goals, improving communication with families, spending more time with patients and ordering fewer laboratory tests. Perceived or implied barriers to changes in management included limited time, competing clinical priorities, "not knowing" a patient, limited knowledge and experience, presence of diagnostic or prognostic uncertainty and unclear treatment goals. These junior-level residents appear to rely on clinical course, among other factors, when assessing prognosis and the possibility for death in severely ill patients. Further investigation is needed to understand how these factors impact decision-making and whether perceived barriers to changes in patient management influence approaches to care.
Phorbol Ester-induced Mononuclear Cell Differentiation Is Blocked by the Mitogen-activated Protein Kinase Kinase (MEK) Inhibitor PD98059

The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathway contributes to 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA)-induced mononuclear differentiation in the human myeloblastic leukemia ML-1 cells. Upon TPA treatment, the activity of ERK1 and ERK2 rapidly increased, with maximal induction between 1 and 3 h, while ERK2 protein levels remained constant. The activity of JNK1 was also significantly induced, with JNK1 protein levels increasing moderately during exposure to TPA. Treatment of cells with PD98059, a specific inhibitor of mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase (MEK), inhibited TPA-induced ERK2 activity. Furthermore, PD98059 completely blocked the TPA-induced differentiation of ML-1 cells, as assessed by a number of features associated with mononuclear differentiation including changes in morphology, nonspecific esterase activity, phagocytic ability, NADPH oxidase activity, mitochondrial respiration, and c-jun mRNA inducibility. We conclude that activation of the MEK/ERK signaling pathway is necessary for TPA-induced mononuclear cell differentiation.
T1 estimation for aqueous iron oxide nanoparticle suspensions using a variable flip angle SWIFT sequence

Purpose T1 quantification of contrast agents, such as super-paramagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles, is a challenging but important task inherent to many in vivo applications in magnetic resonance imaging. In this work, a sweep imaging with Fourier transformation using variable flip angles (VFAs-SWIFT) method was proposed to measure T1 of aqueous super-paramagnetic iron oxide nanoparticle suspensions. Methods T1 values of various iron concentrations (from 1 to 7 mM) were measured using VFA-SWIFT and three-dimensional spoiled gradient-recalled echo with VFAs (VFA-SPGR) sequences on a 7 T MR scanner. For validation, T1 values were also measured using a spectroscopic inversion-recovery sequence on a 7 T spectrometer. Results VFA-SWIFT demonstrated its advantage for quantifying T1 of highly concentrated aqueous super-paramagnetic iron oxide nanoparticle suspensions, but VFA-SPGR failed at the higher end of iron concentrations. Both VFA-SWIFT and VFA-SPGR yielded linear relationships between the relaxation rate and iron concentrations, with relaxivities of 1.006 and 1.051 s−1 mM−1 at 7 T, respectively, in excellent agreement with the spectroscopic measurement of 1.019 s−1 mM−1. Conclusion VFA-SWIFT is able to achieve accurate T1 quantification of aqueous super-paramagnetic iron oxide nanoparticle suspensions up to 7 mM. Magn Reson Med 70:341–347, 2013. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
On the aspect ratios of two-layer mantle convection

Abstract Some dynamic implications of separate convection systems in the upper and the lower mantle of the Earth are investigated. It is shown that the horizontal scale of convection cells in the lower mantle is likely to determine the scale of flow in the upper mantle. This does not preclude the nearly independent realization of convection cells with horizontal dimensions comparable to the depth of the upper mantle.
Allosteric free energy changes at the α1β2 interface of human hemoglobin probed by proton exchange of Trpβ37

The energetic changes that occur on ligand binding in human hemoglobin have been investigated by measurements of the exchange rates of the indole proton of Trpbeta37(C3). The Trpbeta37 residues are located in helices C of the beta-subunits and are involved in contacts with the segments FG of the alpha-subunits at the interdimeric alpha1beta2 and alpha2beta1 interfaces of the hemoglobin tetramer. In the quaternary structure change that accompanies ligand binding to hemoglobin, these contacts undergo minimal changes in relative orientation and in packing, thereby acting as hinges, or flexible joints. The exchange rates of the indole proton of Trpbeta37(C3) were measured by nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, in both deoxygenated and ligated hemoglobin. The results indicate that, at 15 degrees C, the exchange rate is increased from 9.0. 10(-6) to 3.3. 10(-4) s(-1) upon ligand binding to hemoglobin. This change suggests that the structural units at the hinge regions of the alpha1beta2/alpha2beta1 interfaces containing Trpbeta37(C3) are specifically stabilized in unligated hemoglobin, and experience a change in structural free energy of approximately 4 kcal/(mol tetramer) upon ligand binding. Therefore, the hinge regions of the alpha1beta2/alpha2beta1 interfaces could play a role in the transmission of free energy through the hemoglobin molecule during its allosteric transition.
Using time moments to determine system response

Through the evaluation of the convolution of the impulse response of a system with a given forcing function, the response of the system to that forcing function can be determined. Two novel methods of obtaining the system response are presented using the time-moments of the individual elements acting on the system to determine the response of the system. Both methods presented use a Taylor series expansion of one of the two functions being convolved under the integral to obtain the response for a first-order system. In each case an algorithm is developed which shows the system response as the summation of a series of moment/derivative products. The response of higher-order systems can be obtained using these methods by decomposing them into coupled first-order systems. These two methods are easily programmed on a digital computer. A practical example is presented, and the results are compared with those obtained using the classical Laplace transform technique. >
NESTEDNESS IN PLAYA ODONATES AS A FUNCTION OF AREA AND SURROUNDING LAND-USE

ABSTRACT As degradation of wetlands continues to occur as a result of human activities, it is important to identify aquatic and amphibious species' extinction risks and the relative hospitalities of sites to support intact biotic communities; one such technique involves comparing the nestedness of assemblages as an assay of predictability and stability. We measured the degree of nestedness of odonate communities (Odonata: dragonflies and damselflies) in the playa wetland complex of the Texas panhandle (data from 23 species in 73 playas in the summers of 2003–05) under current conditions as well as four simulations of future socioeconomic and climate change. Compared to randomized (null model) assemblages, significant nestedness was found for the system as a whole as well as for each year separately and for playas within each of the two dominant regional forms of land cover (cropland and grassland). Cropland and grassland playas were further split into three size categories, based on natural size breaks. A...
Passing recognition Obasan and the borders of Asian American and Canadian literary criticism

This article situates the reception of Joy Kogawa's Obasan within a comparative North American context, tracing the divergence and convergence of US and Canadian racial discourses in the canonization of Obasan in Asian American and Canadian literary studies. Through a consideration of how the novel both affirms the oppositional politics of Asian American literary studies and the fragmented nationalism of Canadian literary studies, this article argues that the politics of reception, appropriation and recognition that underwrite the text's cross-border canonization are prefigured by the text's own engagement with passing and recognition. While Obasan's blurring of Japanese Canadian and First Nations experiences can be read as a critique of Canadian racialization and the presumed universalization of US racial formations, such representational strategies are not immune to the colonizing gestures that inform the text's inclusion in Asian American and Canadian literary studies.
The reactions 11B(3He, n)13N and 7Li(3He, n)9B from 1.5 to 5.5 MeV bombarding energy

Abstract Excitation functions for the 11B(3He, n)13N reaction leaving 13N in the ground state were measured at lab angles of 0°, 90° and 145° in the energy range of 1.5 to 5.6 MeV 3He bombarding energy. A very broad peak in the 0° yield curve at 4.15 MeV 3He bombarding energy, together with other evidence, indicates the existence of a 1 MeV wide state in 14N at an excitation energy of about 23.9 MeV. Seven angular distributions were measured at 2.03, 2.70, 3.47, 3.83, 4.10, 4.76 and 5.27 MeV 3He bombarding energies. The shapes of these angular distributions do not change rapidly as a function of energy. Each angular distribution shows a broad peak at 0°, and a secondary maximum at about 130° is seen in those measured above 4 MeV. Excitation functions were studied for the reaction 7Li(3He, n)9B at θlab = 0°, 90° and 160° in the energy range of 1.5 to 5.5 MeV 3He bombarding energy. Resonances are seen in the 0° and 160° curves near 2.2 MeV with widths of about 270 keV. There is also a resonance in the 0° yield at 3.25 MeV with a width of 500 keV. The 90° yield curve stays roughly constant in the range of bombarding energy studied. Eleven angular distributions were measured at 1.56, 1.95, 2.20, 2.56, 2.94, 3.27, 3.62, 3.97, 4.35, 4.86 and 5.27 MeV bombarding energies. All angular distributions have a single broad minimum around 90° and broad peaks at 0° and/or 180°. Despite the general similarity of the angular distributions, analysis in terms of sums of Legendre polynomials indicates the presence of a state near 2.2 MeV bombarding energy. No information on a possible neutron group leaving 9B in a state of excitation of about 1.7 MeV could be obtained because of a continuum background of neutrons from many-body breakup of 10B.
Density determination in a multidimensional space

A method is presented for determining the density of points in a multidimensional space based on a search for the nearest points to preselected test values. The primary interest in such a procedure lies in comparing sets of event files (such as those which typically arise in modern nuclear and particle physics experiments) with theoretically generated sets or with each other. {copyright} {ital 1999} {ital The American Physical Society}
Cell Surface Engineering by a Modified Staudinger Reaction

Selective chemical reactions enacted within a cellular environment can be powerful tools for elucidating biological processes or engineering novel interactions. A chemical transformation that permits the selective formation of covalent adducts among richly functionalized biopolymers within a cellular context is presented. A ligation modeled after the Staudinger reaction forms an amide bond by coupling of an azide and a specifically engineered triarylphosphine. Both reactive partners are abiotic and chemically orthogonal to native cellular components. Azides installed within cell surface glycoconjugates by metabolism of a synthetic azidosugar were reacted with a biotinylated triarylphosphine to produce stable cell-surface adducts. The tremendous selectivity of the transformation should permit its execution within a cell's interior, offering new possibilities for probing intracellular interactions.
Reproductive Performance of Pheasant Breeder Hens

Abstract INCREASED demand for pheasants for release and for the dressed bird trade has prompted investigations for more efficient methods of production. One area where more efficient methods could reduce costs is with the breeder hen. Pheasant breeder hens are generally held in large outdoor wire pens in an attempt to simulate natural habitat. Thus large tracts of land are required as well as ample labor. Confinement of breeder hens would reduce the need for large land areas and reduce travel in egg pickup and breeder hen maintenance. However, certain problems arise when pheasants are closely confined. The first one encountered is picking or cannablism and generally some form of beak treatment is a requirement. Another problem is the reduced fertility and hatchability associated with confinement. A recent study by Adams et al. (1967), however, indicated that satisfactory reproductive performance could be obtained from pheasant breeders confined in wire cages. This . . .
Open tubular capillary electrochromatography in etched, chemically modified 20 μm I.D. capillaries

Fused silica capillaries with an I.D. of 20 microns are etched and then chemically modified by the silanization/hydrosilation method to attach an octadecyl moiety for use in electrokinetic chromatography. The etched capillaries after chemical modification are shown to have an anodic electroosmotic flow below pH 4.5. In comparison to bare 20 microns capillaries and unetched but chemically modified 20 microns capillaries, the etched C18 fused silica tubes show better separation of mixtures of lysozymes and cytochrome c's under identical conditions of buffer, pH and applied voltage. It was also demonstrated that this open tubular approach to capillary electrochromatography was amenable to a number of different types of basic compounds ranging in size from typical small amines to biomolecules. As expected, pH is an important variable that must be controlled in order to obtain an optimized separation. Reproducibility studies verify the stability of the silicon-carbon linkage produced in this modification method so that column lifetimes of at least 300 injections can be expected.
An English Reconquista: The Impact of the Enhanced Language Proficiency Requirements on Canada’s Multicultural Immigration Model

The multicultural model of immigration advocates for a blended society, where individuals are respected and cultural, religious and linguistic diversity is celebrated. However; in Canada which has long been an advocate for the multicultural immigration model, a feeling of resentment has recently surfaced toward some immigrant groups who are perceived as a threat to Canadian culture and values. This preliminary study explores the potential outcomes of the newly enhanced English language proficiency requirements on Canada’s multicultural immigration model. Historically, the majority of immigrants in Canada have entered through the Federal Skilled Worker Program which uses a point system to determine entrance eligibility. In 2012, however, the language proficiency requirement for this program was made significantly more rigorous, necessitating all applicants to demonstrate a a enhanced level of proficiency in either English or French. Applicants under the newly enhanced Federal Skilled Worker program must now meet a minimum score in language as well as score the minimum number of required points in education, work experience and adaptability as set forth by the Minister. This essay explores the potential outcomes of the new more stringent language requirement and its potential influence on Canada’s multicultural immigration model. DOI: 10.5901/mjss.2013.v4n10p87
First and second-order changes in a community's response to a child abuse fatality

For more than a decade, I have explored how communication scholars can participate in interdisciplinary efforts to understand and address child abuse and neglect (Wilson & Whipple, 1995). Encourage...
CURRENT ISSUES IN PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES: A PERSONAL VIEW

This is a personal review of conditions which can influence the well‐being of educational administration in developing countries. After over thirty years working with local colleagues in a variety of overseas countries in professional and administrative jobs ranging from divisional education officer, teachers college principal and personnel officer to director of a university institute of education and ministry of education adviser in a system divided by two European languages, the author looks at those influences often forgotten: the myths; the external pressures; the selection of appropriate policies and strategies; personnel and training programmes; and the problems of providing adequate professional support.
The NGO Paradox: Democratic Goals and Non-democratic Outcomes in Kazakhstan

THE PROMOTION OF LOCAL NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANISATIONS (hereafter LNGOs) in the successor states of the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe has increasingly become the focus of international democracy-building efforts, orchestrated through the active involvement of Western non-governmental organisations (hereafter WNGOs). As part of the democratisation process, Western liberal democracies perceive that support for LNGOs serves as the initial building blocks of a civil society. These efforts at democracy building raise two sets of broad questions. First, what is the nature of these efforts? More specifically, what strategies do WNGOs employ to achieve their goals concerning the development of LNGOs in particular and the promotion of democratisation in general? Second, and more importantly, what have been the net results of these efforts thus far? To what extent can we say that, several years into the transition from state-sponsored socialism and communist party rule, LNGOs are evidence of an emerging 'democratic culture'? Are they indeed contributing to the wider process of democratisation in the former Soviet Union?
High-performance liquid chromatographic assay detects pentamidine metabolism by Fisher rat liver microsomes

Abstract Fisher rat liver microsomes metabolized the antimicrobial drug pentamidine to four new compounds detected by gradient elution reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography with variable wavelength detection. Coelution experiments with pentamidine metabolite standards determined the new peaks to be previously identified hydroxylated metabolites of pentamidine, with 1,5-bis(4′-amidinophenoxy)-3-pentanol and 1,5-di-(4′-amidinophenoxy)-2-pentanol formed in the greatest amount. The data contradict a previous report that Fisher rat liver homogenates do not metabolize pentamidine. Pentamidine and its known primary metabolites have almost identical absorption spectra; thus, pentamidine metabolism must be evaluated using gradient elution HPLC to resolve pentamidine from its metabolites. The current assay has now been used to demonstrate that Fisher and Sprague-Dawley rat, mouse, rabbit and human liver microsomes all metabolize pentamidine in vitro.
Impact of a System of Care on a Community's Children's Social Services System.

Researchers and practitioners have questioned how the implementation of a system of care influences the broader context of children's social services within a community. We examined the impact that the Dawn Project system of care had on children's services in Marion County, Indiana. A series of semi-structured interviews were conducted in order to gain a broad understanding of stakeholder perspectives related to how system-level and other community leaders viewed system of care influences. Qualitative analyses uncovered several common themes including positive impact at the community level, challenges to implementation, and feelings of ambivalence related to program impact. Results were generally positive and suggested that most respondents saw core system of care principles beginning to emerge within the community related to the establishment of the care system. In addition, challenges to implementing the system of care also were uncovered, including some underlying resistance to system-level changes. Implications from our study highlight the importance of continuously working to enhance strengths and collaboration among systems, integrate and coordinate across systems and services, and authentically involve families at all levels.
Anatomical factors in resistance to Dutch Elm disease.

The localizing of pathogen (Ceratocystis ulmi) establishment in Dutch elm disease-resistant hosts is hypothesized as the major mechanism of resistance to this disease. Four factors are proposed that, singly or in all possible combinations, could regulate this general mechanism. We tested one of these factors, vessel size and number of contiguous vessels in the functional xylem at the point of natural inoculation. Using 23 selections from the Ulmaceae, we examined a constant area of second-year xylem of 2-year-old twigs. These anatomical data indicate that a correlation exists between increasing disease susceptibility and increasing vessel group size (the product of average vessel diameter and average number of contiguous vessels). Other evidence suggests that lateral pathogen movement is at first confined to the vessel group or groups of initial inoculation. Therefore, in a given limited time period, tylosis production could more effectively block vertical pathogen movement in vessel groups of small size. Relationships between vessel group size and the extent of sapwood discoloration are discussed. Vessel size and arrangement also is discussed in relationship to the resistance reported for young, greenhouse-grown trees. The use of vessel group size is suggested in screening programs for disease resistance. Recent research on oak suggests chemical modification of xylem tissue to lessen elm susceptibility.
Interleukin‐1β and Tumor Necrosis Factor‐α Suppress Dexamethasone Induction of Glutamine Synthetase in Primary Mouse Astrocytes

Astrocytes play a key role in the protection of neurons from excitotoxicity by taking up excess glutamate and converting it to glutamine via the enzyme glutamine synthetase. In a number of cell types, glucocorticoid hormones induce glutamine synthetase. Glucocorticoids also down-regulate many genes induced by proinflammatory cytokines. As the glucocorticoid receptor has been shown to interact with transcription factors that may also be activated by the proinflammatory cytokines interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), we hypothesized that IL-1beta or TNF-alpha might oppose the induction of glutamine synthetase by dexamethasone. Primary mouse cortical astrocytes were treated with 10(-7) M dexamethasone and doses of IL-1beta or TNF-alpha ranging from 0.02 to 5 ng/ml or 0.05 to 20 ng/ml, respectively. We found that both cytokines attenuated the dexamethasone induction of glutamine synthetase protein at 24 h and that the effect was dose-dependent. We also found that IL-1beta and TNF-alpha inhibited the induction of glutamine synthetase mRNA by dexamethasone, and that the induction of enzymatic activity was similarly prevented by IL-1beta. As glutamine synthetase can be induced by physiological levels of glucocorticoids, the release of proinflammatory cytokines following acute injury or in neurodegenerative disorders may hinder the ability of astrocytes to protect neurons from excitotoxicity.
110 Hyaluronan and Acute Dermal Wounds

Introduction: Hyaluronan (HA), a glycosaminoglycan found in many tissues, is most highly concentrated in the dermis and epidermis of the skin. HA is believed to have an important role in wound healing. HA is thought to be actively produced during wound healing and tissue repair to provide a framework for ingrowth of blood vessels and fibroblasts. The present study was performed to investigate the histology, levels, and molecular weight of hyaluronan in human open dermal wounds. Methods: Dermal wounds were created using a 4 mm punch biopsy on the buttocks of 10 healthy adult subjects. Wounds were harvested using a 6 mm punch biopsy at postwound days 1, 3, 7, 14, and 28. Tissue was then extracted for determining hyaluronan levels using a biotin hyaluronic acid link protein assay. The molecular weight distribution of hyaluronan was examined using agarose gel electrophoresis. Histology was performed using HA biotinylated binding protein with hyaluronidase controls. Results: The levels of hyaluronan were found to have a bimodal distribution within the 28-day time course. Levels of HA increased from baseline values 12.4 ± 6.3 to 47.3 ± 7.5 (p < 0.05) on postwound day 1. The lowest HA levels were found on postwound day 3 (26.4 ± 8.5), with levels again increasing on postwound day 7 to the highest levels 73.4 ± 13.6 (p < 0.05). Postwound days 14 and 28 showed levels gradually declining toward baseline (49.4 ± 5.7, 43.9 ± 6.8). Molecular weight analysis showed smaller size HA on postwound day 1. Histological analysis demonstrated the presence of hyaluronan in the granulation tissue of healing wounds. Conclusion: This is the first detailed examination of HA expression in human wounds. The bimodal display of HA levels in these wounds suggest that HA may be subject to fragmentation at times when the inflammatory index of these wounds is greatest. This work received support from NIH GM 58530 and NIH GM 20298.
A Parallel Architecture for Interactively Rendering Scattering and Refraction Effects

A new method for interactive rendering of complex lighting effects combines two algorithms. The first performs accurate ray tracing in heterogeneous refractive media to compute high-frequency phenomena. The second applies lattice-Boltzmann lighting to account for low-frequency multiple-scattering effects. The two algorithms execute in parallel on modern graphics hardware. This article includes a video animation of the authors' real-time algorithm rendering a variety of scenes.
Simulation of three-dimensional wind flow over complex terrain in the atmospheric boundary layer

A three-dimensional model for wind prediction over rough terrain has been developed for practical use. It is a compromise between hydrodynamic and objective wind models. The proposed model includes: (1) a statistical model to predict the wind velocity and potential temperature at anemometer height at observing stations, (2) the drainage wind model expressed by Prandtl's analytic solution for the slope wind, (3) the Businger-Dyer surface-layer formulation which considers the surface energy budget and (4) the model for three-dimensional boundary-layer solutions to the stationary flow. In this model, mass consistency is guaranteed by using flow fields that satisfy the continuity equation. Model predictions show good agreement with the observations.
Evidence for a Pioneer Round of mRNA Translation: mRNAs Subject to Nonsense-Mediated Decay in Mammalian Cells Are Bound by CBP80 and CBP20

Nonsense-mediated decay (NMD) eliminates mRNAs that prematurely terminate translation. We used antibody to the nuclear cap binding protein CBP80 or its cytoplasmic counterpart eIF4E to immunopurify RNP containing nonsense-free or nonsense-containing transcripts. Data indicate that NMD takes place in association with CBP80. We defined other components of NMD-susceptible mRNP as CBP20, PABP2, eIF4G, and the NMD factors Upf2 and Upf3. Consistent with the dependence of NMD on translation, the NMD of CBP80-bound mRNA is blocked by cycloheximide or suppressor tRNA. These findings provide evidence that translation can take place in association with CBP80. They also indicate that CBP80-bound mRNA undergoes a "pioneer" round of translation, before CBP80-CBP20 are replaced by eIF4E, and Upf2 and Upf3 proteins dissociate from upstream of exon-exon junctions.
Racemization studies in peptide synthesis using high-pressure liquid chromatography

Abstract We have synthesized the dipeptides benzoyl- l -phenylalanyl- l -alanyl benzyl ester and benzoyl- l -phenylalanyl- l -alanyl methyl ester by both the solid-phase and solution coupling methods. A variety of coupling reagents and solvents was employed. Each coupling reaction was analyzed by high-pressure liquid chromatography for extent of racemization. Baseline separations were achieved which allowed the direct, rapid, and reproducible determination of dipeptide diastereomers. Our successes in the separation of dipeptide diastereomers indicate the future value of applying high-pressure liquid chromatography to the separation of larger peptide diastereomers.
Love triangle between Unc93B1, TLR7, and TLR9 prevents fatal attraction.

Unc93B1, a multitransmembrane ER-resident protein, controls intracellular trafficking of endosomal Toll-like receptors. In this issue of Immunity, Fukui et al. (2011) revealed that Unc93B1 regulates differential transport of TLR7 and TLR9 into signaling endosomes to prevent autoimmunity.