cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Modulati on Spaces

The main tenet of time-frequency analysis is the interpretation of the short— time Fourier transform, the Wigner distribution, and other representations as a measure of simultaneous time— frequency information. The pointwise values V g f (x, w) or W f (x, w) measure the content of the frequency band at w in a neighborhood of time x, and V g f or W f itself encodes the global time— frequency distribution of f However, so far we have made little use of this global time— frequency information. In fact, the only global information that we can handle so far with the STFT or with Gabor frames is the membership of a function in L 2(R d ). But such a characterization can be accomplished with any orthonormal basis or any frame with less effort and more simplicity.
Thinking Structurally About Implicit Bias: Some Peril, Lots of Promise

In the wake of the U.S. civil rights and women's rights movements, expressing some forms of explicit bias became considerably less acceptable, and many, if not most, Americans openly embraced egali...
ADSA Foundation Scholar Award: A role for serotonin in lactation physiology-Where do we go from here?

ABSTRACT Lactation is a physiological event that is exclusive to mammals. Lactation evolved as a strategy to improve the survival of the young by providing them with the complete nutrition that is required for survival upon birth as well as maternal–offspring bonding. Typically, milk production by the dam matches the demand of the young. The dairy cow is a unique exception in which the discoveries and genetic selection related to lactation physiology have been applied and resulted in a dramatic increase in milk yield of dairy cows. Studies on the role of mammary-derived serotonin and the coordination of various aspects of milk production and maternal metabolism have revealed novel mechanisms by which milk production and maternal metabolism can be improved. Furthermore, the investigation into molecular and cellular mechanisms regulating mammary gland function has revealed the importance of epigenetics on mammary gland function. Understanding mammary gland function at the cellular and physiological levels will be important for improving mammary gland control of maternal metabolism during early lactation. The early lactation period is a critical time for a dairy cow as that is when she is most susceptible to disease and metabolic disorders that can lead to negative effects on her productive capacity and overall health. Our research in the area of serotonin physiology has illustrated the importance of serotonin on the regulation of lactation and maternal homeostasis. Future research in the area of lactation physiology should be targeted at improving maternal health and longevity in the herd through manipulation of the signals the mammary gland sends to coordinate maternal metabolism and synthesize milk. Specifically, we believe that serotonin will play a central role in understanding the communication between the mammary gland and the maternal physiology during lactation.
A New Look at Robotics in Architecture: Embedding Behavior with Smart Materials

Although the field of robot design goes back many years, the use and study of robotics in architecture is still relatively in its early stages. The reliance on hardwired or battery-powered electricity as well as the burden of installation and maintenance costs bring serious criticism to the use of these products. At the same time, similar kinetic systems that do not require electrical energy or Artificial Intelligence for instruction are being developed. These passive-active systems can provide redundancy and alternatives to the range of robotics available in buildings today.
Vacuum-assisted right atrial infected clot extraction due to persistent bacteraemia: a percutaneous approach for the management of right-sided endocarditis.

A 56-year-old woman with non-ischaemic cardiomyopathy with implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) presented to the hospital with progressive dyspnoea of 4 weeks’ duration. She soon spiralled down to develop septic shock with methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus bacteraemia. A transoesophageal echocardiogram revealed a 2.4×2.1 cm large mobile echodensity in the right atrium likely attached to the ICD lead and to the interatrial septum. Although the ICD along with its leads was extracted, bacteraemia persisted despite appropriate antibiotic therapy. Because of her worsening condition, she underwent a right atrial infected clot extraction by the AngioVac system. Her clinical condition noticeably improved soon after evacuation of the infected clot.
A Control Strategy of the Isolated Power Supply System Based on VSC-HVDC

The interregional power supply is one of the important applications of VSC-HVDC (voltage source converter based high voltage direct current) technology. But if some faults occur on the weak AC connection lines near the VSC-HVDC convertor stations, it may cause isolated operation of the nearby power system with the VSC-HVDC system, which will threaten the safe and stable operation of the power system, and even cause DC block. To improve the operation stability of the isolated system, a control strategy combined the preventive control and emergency control for the isolated power supply system based on VSC-HVDC is proposed, after analyzing the ride-through and the recovery characteristics of the VSC-HVDC system. In this method, the control ability of the VSC-HVDC and the generators in the isolated power grid are fully considered. And at last, the effectiveness of the method is verified by an actual power grid simulation.
Practice Enterprise Concept Mimics Professional Project Work

In the new “Practice Enterprise” concept, students from a professional bachelor in Electronics-ICT are confronted with managing a large project by themselves, as a team. They need to tackle both project management, soft skills as well as technical solutions to the proposed challenge.
Development of the St. Benedict Paul Trap at the Nuclear Science Laboratory

There are various tests of the Standard Model aimed at probing new physics. One such test is to check the unitarity of the Cabbibo-Kobayashi-Masakawa matrix, with the most precise result given by the normalization of the top row. The precision of this result is limited by the uncertainty of the Vud and Vus elements. The most precise result for Vud is currently derived from the ensemble of superallowed 0+ → 0+ nuclear β decays, but the determination from other transitions is desirable to check theoretical calculations and the potential presence of unknown systematic contributions. Other candidates include neutron decay, pion decay, and the ensemble of nuclear mirror decays. While the neutron and pion decay present their own unique experimental challenges, the group of mirror decays require the precise determination of the Fermi to Gamow-Teller mixing ratio. This value can be extracted from a measurement of the β-ν angular correlation parameter, αβν, which is currently only known for five mirror decays. A new ion trapping system, St. Benedict (Superallowed Transition Beta-Neutrino Decay-Ion-Coincidence Trap), to be located in the Nuclear Science Laboratory at the University of Notre Dame is currently under construction and will ultimately aim to extract αβν for more mirror decays. The focus of this work is on simulations that will guide the design of the Paul trap which will be used for the measurement.
Detecting conversation topics in primary care office visits from transcripts of patient-provider interactions.

Author(s): Park, Jihyun; Kotzias, Dimitrios; Kuo, Patty; Logan Iv, Robert L; Merced, Kritzia; Singh, Sameer; Tanana, Michael; Karra Taniskidou, Efi; Lafata, Jennifer Elston; Atkins, David C; Tai-Seale, Ming; Imel, Zac E; Smyth, Padhraic | Abstract: ObjectiveAmid electronic health records, laboratory tests, and other technology, office-based patient and provider communication is still the heart of primary medical care. Patients typically present multiple complaints, requiring physicians to decide how to balance competing demands. How this time is allocated has implications for patient satisfaction, payments, and quality of care. We investigate the effectiveness of machine learning methods for automated annotation of medical topics in patient-provider dialog transcripts.Materials and methodsWe used dialog transcripts from 279 primary care visits to predict talk-turn topic labels. Different machine learning models were trained to operate on single or multiple local talk-turns (logistic classifiers, support vector machines, gated recurrent units) as well as sequential models that integrate information across talk-turn sequences (conditional random fields, hidden Markov models, and hierarchical gated recurrent units).ResultsEvaluation was performed using cross-validation to measure 1) classification accuracy for talk-turns and 2) precision, recall, and F1 scores at the visit level. Experimental results showed that sequential models had higher classification accuracy at the talk-turn level and higher precision at the visit level. Independent models had higher recall scores at the visit level compared with sequential models.ConclusionsIncorporating sequential information across talk-turns improves the accuracy of topic prediction in patient-provider dialog by smoothing out noisy information from talk-turns. Although the results are promising, more advanced prediction techniques and larger labeled datasets will likely be required to achieve prediction performance appropriate for real-world clinical applications.
Effect of Sample Storage on the Quantitative Determination of 29 PFAS: Observation of Analyte Interconversions during Storage

In this study, we measured the effects of sample type and storage temperature on the stability of 29 per- and polyfluorinated alkyl substances (PFAS) in water. Spiked bottled water, surface water, and two types of effluent samples were stored in HDPE containers at +20, 4, and -20 °C over a period of up to 180 days. The analytes studied included C4 through C14 perfluorinated carboxylates (PFCAs); C4 through C10 and C12 perfluorinated sulfonates (PFSAs); 4:2, 6:2, and 8:2 fluorotelomer sulfonates (FTS); three perfluorooctane sulfonamides (PFOSA, N-MeFOSA, and N-EtFOSA); two perfluorooctane sulfonamide ethanols (N-MeFOSE and N-EtFOSE); and two perfluorooctane sulfonamide acetic acids (N-MeFOSAA and EtFOSAA). Overall, 10 analytes, PFOA, PFNA, 8:2 FTS, PFOSA, N-MeFOSA, NEtFOSA, N-MeFOSAA, N-EtFOSAA, N-MeFOSE, and N-EtFOSE, showed increasing or decreasing concentration trends under at least one of the experimental conditions investigated. Increases in concentrations of N-MeFOSAA and N-EtFOSAA in surface water and effluent samples at +20 and 4 °C correlated with the decreases in the concentrations of N-MeFOSE and N-EtFOSE, respectively, suggesting analyte interconversion during sample storage. This is the first time such analyte conversion is reported in samples under storage, and this work demonstrates the importance of assessing stability of PFAS in environmentally relevant matrices. The significance of this study extends beyond sample storage for analysis, as toxicological and exposure studies conducted at room temperature also need to consider the significance of analyte degradation through the exposure process.
Reproductive Performance and Profitability of Heifers Fed to Weigh 272 or 318 kg at the Start of The First Breeding Season

Reproductive performance and weaning weight of the first calf was determined in 221 Brahman crossbred heifers fed to weigh either 272 (TW1) or 318 kg (TW2) at the start of their first breeding season (target weight). Heifers were divided into light- (below average) and heavyweight (above average) groups on the basis of initial weight. Within each target weight, heifers were fed in three lots. One lot contained lightweight heifers, the second contained heavy heifers and the third was composed of one-half heavy- and one-half lightweight heifers. Heifers were fed for 200 d before the start of the first breeding season. More heifers in TW2 showed estrus and became pregnant in the first 20 d of the breeding season and more were pregnant at the end of the first breeding season. These same differences in reproductive performance were also noted the second year. Each heifer exposed in TW2 weaned 43.4 kg more calf than those in TW1. An average heifer in TW2 was fed 220 kg more corn and 100 kg less hay than a corresponding heifer in TW1. Estrus and pregnancy rate for lightweight heifers in TW1 and TW2 were not improved by sorting and feeding them separately.
Current status of drug development against SARS CoV-2 infections

SARS CoV-2 and its associated disease Covid-19 first occurred in China at the end of 2019 and conquered the world in a storm. As of June 24, 2020, the World Health Organization listed 9,129,146 confirmed cases, accompanied by 473,797 deaths. An initial response by many countries was to lock down their economies, which helped flattening the curve at a high economic cost. The long-term solution will be vaccines to prevent infection and treatment drugs. This minireview focuses on drugs against the virus itself. Among the drugs that interfere with the virus’ ability to attach to and invade the human cell, camostat mesylate looks promising in vitro, but clinical trials have not been completed yet. A phase II trial has been completed for recombinant human angiotension converting enzyme 2 that blocks the spike protein from binding to cellular ACE-2. Hydroxychloroquine is probably the most controversial of all drugs; after initial excitement, the Federal Drug Administration revoked the emergency use of this drug against SARS CoV-2. Among the inhibitors of the RNA dependent RNA polymerase of the virus, remdesivir, faripiravir which is already in a phase IV trial, and tenofovir will be discussed. Additional drugs included in this study are lopinavir/ritonavir that have previously been used against HIV and the antiparasitic drug ivermectin. Many of the presented drugs have previously been used for a different disease and are currently being trialed against SARS CoV-2.
Stochastic model predictive control for remanufacturing system management

Abstract Uncertainties in the quality, quantity, and operational time of used products pose a challenge to the management of remanufacturing systems. In addition, it becomes a necessity to optimize the operation of the remanufacturing system to balance the quality of products, remanufacturing efficiency, and service level. In this study, a stochastic discrete-time dynamical model is proposed to represent a remanufacturing system, where the relationship between the market satisfaction, inventory status, and operational actions is explicitly modeled. This includes production and inventory planning, resource allocation and acquisition. To handle uncertainties, a stochastic model predictive control approach is proposed to plan the actions that optimize the remanufacturing efficiency. Our results in the simulation examples show that: (a) without supplies, the remanufacturing system has better stability and robustness than a conventional manufacturing system with the same initial stocks; and (b) with insufficient initial stocks, the remanufacturing system demands fewer and more gradual supplies, thereby keeping the system stable. Finally, a sensitivity analysis is conducted for testing the performance of the remanufacturing system. By changing the operational action capacity, different state equilibria are discovered, which correspond to distinct system response characteristics. The study reveals notable managerial insights and effects of product commonality, demand patterns, and operational actions scheduling on the efficiency of the remanufacturing system.
Perceived barriers to early goal-directed mobility in the intensive care unit: Results of a quality improvement evaluation.

Abstract Background A multicentre randomised trial demonstrated improved outcomes for intensive care unit (ICU) patients using early, goal-directed mobility implemented by nurses. Objectives The aim of the study was to evaluate barriers to nursing mobility, using a validated survey, during an ongoing quality improvement (QI) project (2019) in a medical ICU and determine changes from the pre-QI (2017) baseline. Methods Nurses, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, and clinical technicians completed the 26-item Patient Mobilization Attitudes and Beliefs Survey for the ICU (PMABS-ICU). An overall score and three subscale scores (knowledge, attitudes, behaviour), each ranging from 0 to 100, were calculated; higher scores indicated greater barriers. Results Seventy-five (93% response rate) nurses, eight (100%) nurse practitioners and physician assistants, and 11 (100%) clinical technicians completed the PMABS-ICU. For all respondents (N = 94), the mean (standard deviation) overall PMABS-ICU score was 32 (8) and the knowledge, attitudes and behaviour subscale scores were 22 (11), 33 (11), and 34 (8), respectively. Among all respondents completing the survey in both 2017 and 2019 (N = 46), there was improvement in the mean (95% confidence interval) overall score [−3.1 (−5.8, −0.5); p = .022] and in the knowledge [−5.1 (−8.9, −1.3); p = .010] and attitudes [−3.9 (−7.3, −0.6); p = .023] subscale scores. Among all respondents (N = 48) taking the PMABS-ICU for the first time in 2019 compared with those taking the survey before the QI project in 2017 (N = 99), there was improvement in the mean (95% confidence interval) overall score [−3.8 (−6.5, −1.1); p = .007] and in the knowledge [−6.9 (−11.0, –2.7); p = .001] and attitude [−4.3 (−8.1, –0.5); p = .027] subscale scores. Conclusions Using a validated survey administered to ICU nurses and other staff, before and during a structured QI project, there was a decrease in perceived barriers to mobility. Reduced barriers among those taking the survey for the first time during the QI project compared with those taking the survey before the QI project suggests a positive culture change supporting early, goal-directed mobility implemented by nurses.
Treatment and outcomes of hepatocellular carcinoma in patients with Sickle cell disease: a population-based study in the U.S.

Abstract Background Sickle cell disease (SCD) is a rare hemoglobinopathy which can result in chronic liver disease and cirrhosis. Patients with SCD have an increased risk of hematologic malignancy, but the prevalence of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in this population is unknown. Herein, the association of SCD with HCC was examined using registry data. Methods The SEER-Medicare database was queried to identify patients diagnosed with HCC between 2000 and 2015, and further stratified by SCD status. Propensity matching was performed to examine cancer-related survival and treatment outcomes. Results Overall 56,934 patients with HCC were identified, including 81 patients with SCD. Patients with SCD more frequently had cirrhosis [48.1% (39/81) vs 23.5% (13,377/56,853), p Conclusion This study confirms that a subset of patients with SCD will develop HCC. Importantly, therapeutic options for HCC should not be limited by pre-existing SCD, and similar survival should be expected when compared to non-SCD patients.
Well, At Least I Tried: Partial Willful Ignorance, Information Acquisition, and Social Preferences

I investigate whether remaining partially ignorant of the consequences of one’s decision leads to a decrease in prosocial behavior using a laboratory experiment in the style of Dana et al. (2007)’s dictator game experiment, where the dictator can choose whether or not to know the recipient’s payoffs. By introducing a noisy signal about the recipient’s payoffs in one state of the world, I investigate how much information dictators will acquire. I find support for my model’s predictions that information acquisition will be decreasing in costs of information acquisition (the number of signals acquired is significantly greater when information is free than when it is costly), in- creasing in beliefs that the agent’s actions are prosocial (subjects are 56.8% more likely to choose the prosocial distribution when it is revealed), and increasing in the expected prosociality of the available choices (subjects who believe the noisy state is prosocial acquire an additional signal, on average, relative to those who do not). There is evidence that subjects use search to excuse selfish behavior - subjects who choose the hidden distribution when the revealed distribution is prosocial are 20.1% more likely to have searched than those who do not. These findings, taken together, provide sup- port for the intuition that agents often look for opportunities to maintain a veil of ignorance, such that they experience utility from the outcome of their decision, even if their actions are selfish.
The Interaction of Aminoacyl Soluble Ribonucleic Acid and Aminoacyl Transferase I

Abstract Incubation of one of the aminoacyl-transferring factors, transferase I, at 37° leads to its rapid and irreversible loss of activity. This enzyme is protected against loss of activity by aminoacyl soluble ribonucleic acid (sRNA) but not by stripped sRNA, synthetic polynucleotides, ribosomes, transferase II, guanosine triphosphate, or sulfhydryl compounds. Protection is highly dependent on the presence of sRNA-bound amino acids but is not specific for a particular amino acid. The rate of hydrolysis of aminoacyl-sRNA is significantly slower in the presence of transferase I; ribosomes, transferase II, and other components of the aminoacyl transfer reaction do not affect the rate of deacylation. These results suggest that the interaction of aminoacyl-sRNA and transferase I yields a product in which both components are more stable than either one in the free form. The high degree of specificity for aminoacyl-sRNA and transferase I in this interaction may reflect an intermediary stage in polypeptide biosynthesis, between aminoacyl-sRNA and ribosome-bound aminoacyl-sRNA or peptidyl-sRNA.
Adsorption isotherms on high-performance liquid chromatographic sorbents. I. Peptides and nucleic acid constituents on octadecyl-silica.

Abstract A miniaturized chromatographic system with short, narrow-bore columns was used for the measurement of adsorption isotherms of peptides and of nucleic acid constituents on octadecyl-silica by frontal chromatography. The range of mobile phase composition was similar to that used in elution chromatography of the substances investigated. Adsorption isotherms were measured under different experimental conditions as far as the mobile phase pH and composition as well as the column temperature are concerned. Most isotherms were concave down, and the data were fitted to both the Langmuir and Jovanovic models, the former yielding a somewhat better fit. Under certain conditions, sigmoidal isotherms were also observed and this behavior was attributed to solvent-mediated conformational changes and molecular stacking. The results shed light on the adsorption behavior of the substances under investigation on octadecyl-silica, the most commonly employed sorbent in reversed-phase Chromatography, over a wide range of concentrations. The interest in preparative and process-scale chromatography.
Quinones and quinone-methides—I : Cyclization and dimerisation of crystalline ortho-quinone methides from phenol oxidation reactions

Abstract Silver oxide or 2,3-dichloro-5,6-dicyanobenzoquinone oxidation of 2-cinnamyl-4,5-methylenedioxyphenol yields a crystalline ortho-quinone methide, which undergoes thermal or acid-catalysed cyclization to 6,7-methylene-dioxyflav-3-ene. Oxidation of 2-(4-methoxybenzyl)-4,5-methylenedioxyphenol yields a crystalline ortho-quinone methide which rapidly dimerises in polar solvents. The structure of the colorless dimer, which is of a type not previously reported, suggests that an ionic reaction is involved in its formation.
Martian Methyl Chloride. A lesson in uncertainty

The MSL Lander Curiosity has recently detected methyl halides coming from heated samples of Martian soil. This is reminiscent of similar findings in the Viking Lander spacecraft. In the 1970s a consensus developed quickly explaining the methyl halides as contamination originating from the spacecraft, and ignoring lines of evidence that the two compounds originated from Mars, and that they could not have originated from the proposed spacecraft chemistry. I discuss why this consensus developed from the understanding of biochemistry and geochemistry of 1976, despite its implausibility. Subsequent explanations for the Viking methyl halides are more plausible but still not proven. The Curiosity rover results are also being explained as a result of on-spacecraft chemistry. I urge caution in this interpretation, in light of the historical Viking example: it is better to leave unexplained data unexplained than to lock in an explanation that precludes future developments.
A pharmacokinetic and endoscopic comparison of an oral and an experimental buccal piroxicam formulation.

We compared the endoscopic effects and pharmacokinetic profiles of an experimental buccal formulation of piroxicam to oral capsules in an attempt to determine whether nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drug-induced gastropathy is due to a local or systemic effect. Ten healthy subjects received 20 mg piroxicam daily in a double-blind, randomized, crossover, placebo-controlled study. Upper endoscopies were performed at the baseline and at the end of each 2-week dosing arm of the study. Pharmacokinetic data obtained included serum and gastric piroxicam concentrations and serum 5′-hydroxypiroxicam metabolite concentrations after the first dose and 2 weeks of dosing. No differences in endoscopy scores or patient symptom scores were noted between the two dosage forms after 2 weeks of dosing. Pharmacokinetic data of piroxicam and the metabolite revealed that the buccal formulation may not have been absorbed exclusively from the buccal mucosa.
Relationships among Calcium-Dependent Protease, Cathepsins B and H, Meat Tenderness and the Response of Muscle to Aging

This study was conducted to compare the relative importance of Ca-dependent protease (CDP) and cathepsins B and H to meat tenderness and changes in tenderness in response to postmortem cooler aging. Charolais bulls (n = 8) and steers (n = 7) were slaughtered at 15 mo of age, and total activities of CDP-I (a protease with neutral pH optimum that requires micromolar amounts of Ca for activity) and cathepsins B and H (lysosomal proteases with acidic pH optima) were determined within 1 h. Shear-force values were obtained after 1 , 3, 6, 9 and 14 d of aging. Data were pooled when analysis of variance revealed no differences between bulls and steers. Initial shear force was correlated (r = -.71, P < . lo , n = 7) to CDP-I activity (only seven animals sampled for CDP-I), and the overall change in shear force (d 1 to d 14) was correlated to cathepsin B (r = .59, P < .05, n = 15). Most of the aging response occurred between d 3 and d 6 (41.6%), and changes in shear force during this period were related to total activities of cathepsins B and H (r = .44, .64, respectively, P < .05). Collectively, cathepsins B and H accounted for 35 and 58% of the variation in shear force change between d 1 to d 14 and d 3 to d 6, respectively. These data suggest that CDP-I helps to establish initial (d 1) meat tenderness but that cathepsins B and H are responsible for the tenderization that occurs during aging. By manipulating live animal growth and postmortem handling, it might be possible to control meat tenderness through the actions of these enzyme systems. (
An objective regional cloud mask algorithm for GOES infrared imager radiance assimilation

A local, regime-dependent cloud mask (CM) algorithm is developed for isolating cloud-free pixels from cloudy pixels for Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES) imager radiance assimilation using mesoscale forecast models. In this CM algorithm, thresholds for six different CM tests are determined by a one-dimensional optimization approach based on probability distribution functions of the nearby cloudy and clear-sky pixels within a 10° × 10° box centered at a target pixel. It is shown that the optimizal thresholds over land are, in general, larger and display more spatial variations than over ocean. The performance of the proposed CM algorithm is compared with Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) CM for a 1 week period from 19 to 23 May 2008. Based on MODIS CM results, the average Probability of Correct Typing reaches 92.94% and 91.50% over land and ocean, respectively.
Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone Receptors: Structure and Signal Transduction Pathways

SEVERAL aspects of the GnRH receptor and its signaling properties and secretory actions have been previously described (1–5). The characterization of GnRH receptors, their physiological regulation, and their relationship to reproductive function were discussed in 1981 (1). The role of Ca2+ as the second messenger, and of diacylglycerol (DAG) as a potential amplifier of the Ca2+ signaling in GnRHstimulated cells, was reviewed in 1986 (2). The molecular mechanism of GnRH action was further discussed in 1988, including the dependence of GnRH-induced secretion on phosphoinositide action (3, 4). Also, signal transduction in GnRH-stimulated cells was reviewed in 1990 as an example of a phospholipid-dependent pathway; the review addressed the interactions between cytoplasmic calcium and protein kinase C (PKC) in the control of gonadotropin synthesis and release, as well as the participation of phospholipase D (PLD), arachidonic acid (AA) and its metabolites in GnRHinduced signaling (5). Since 1990, there has bee...
PRISONER'S DILEMMA AND THE PIGEON: CONTROL BY IMMEDIATE CONSEQUENCES

In three experiments pigeons played (i.e., chose between two colored keys) iterated prisoner's dilemma and other 2 x 2 games (2 participants and 2 options) against response strategies programmed on a computer. Under the prisoner's dilemma pay-off matrix, the birds generally defected (i.e., pecked the color associated with not cooperating) against both a random response (.5 probability of either alternative) and a tit-for-tat strategy (on trial n the computer "chooses" the alternative that is the same as the one chosen by the subject on trial n - 1) played by the computer. They consistently defected in the tit-for-tat condition despite the fact that as a consequence they earned about one third of the food that they could have if they had cooperated (i.e., pecked the "cooperate" color) on all the trials. Manipulation of the values of the food pay-offs demonstrated that the defection and consequent loss of food under the tit-for-tat condition were not due to a lack of sensitivity to differences in pay-off values, nor to strict avoidance of a null pay-off (no food on a trial), nor to insensitivity to the local (current trial) reward contingencies. Rather, the birds markedly discounted future outcomes and thus made their response choices based on immediate outcomes available on the present trial rather than on long-term delayed outcomes over many trials. That is, the birds were impulsive, choosing smaller but more immediate rewards, and did not demonstrate self-control. Implications for the study of cooperation and competition in both humans and nonhumans are discussed.
Entre redécouverte et création contemporaine : le double jeu des Éditions Tintamarre, (petite) presse universitaire louisianaise

Depuis leur fondation en 2003, l’activite toujours croissante des Editions Tintamarre, petites presses universitaires basees au Centenary College of Louisiana, a Shreveport, a donne un nouveau souffle a l’edition francophone en Louisiane. Se decrivant comme une « maison d’edition en langues patrimoniales » — heritage language press —, Tintamarre reedite des oeuvres du xixe siecle tout en tendant la main a la creation actuelle en francais. C’est ce « double jeu » qu’examine cet article. D’une part, il interroge l’inscription de cette entreprise de recuperation litteraire dans divers contextes, ou champs d’insertion, au moyen de l’enjeu strategique que serait la qualite patrimoniale des textes (re)publies; ceux-la comprennent entre autres : le multilinguisme etatsunien, la francophonie nord-americaine ou encore les etudes francaises aux Etats-Unis. D’autre part, il met en lumiere la « coherence de la contradiction » qui sous-tend cette initiative hardie, a savoir la promotion du livre-monument, presente comme un heritage culturel appartenant meme aux non-francophones, afin de favoriser le livre-texte, instrument de developpement du francais comme langue vivante en Louisiane.
An in vitro screening technique for DNA polymerases that can incorporate modified nucleotides. Pseudo-thymidine as a substrate for thermostable polymerases

DNA polymerases are desired that incorporate modified nucleotides into DNA with diminished pausing, premature termination and infidelity. Reported here is a simple in vitro assay to screen for DNA polymerases that accept modified nucleotides based on a set of primer extension reactions. In combination with the scintillation proximity assay (SPA[trade]), this allows rapid and simple screening of enzymes for their ability to elongate oligonucleotides in the presence of unnatural nucleotides. A proof of the concept is obtained using pseudo-thymidine (psiT), the C-nucleoside analog of thymidine, as the unnatural substrate. The conformational properties of psiT arising from the carbon-carbon bond between the sugar and the base make it an interesting probe for the importance of conformational restraints in the active site of polymerases during primer elongation. From a pool of commercially available thermostable polymerases, the assay identified Taq DNA polymerase as the most suitable enzyme for the PCR amplification of oligonucleotides containing psiT. Subsequent experiments analyzing PCR performance and fidelity of Taq DNA polymerase acting on psiT are presented. This is the first time that PCR has been performed with a C-nucleoside.
896. Long Term Transgene Expression in the Brain Delivered by SV40-Derived Vectors

Top of pageAbstract Gene transfer to the central nervous system (CNS) has been studied using various vectors. Recombinant, Tag-deleted SV40 vectors provide long-term transgene expression in vitro and in vivo in multiple non-CNS cell types, and can be used in vitro to transduce both NT2-derived and primary human neurons, and primary human brain microglia. We previously reported administering a rSV40 vector into the caudate-putamen (CP) of the rat brain using stereotaxic conditions. This vector carries HIV-1 Nef protein with a carboxyl-terminal FLAG epitope tag driven with a CMV-IEP promoter, SV(Nef-FLAG). Transgene expression was assessed 4, 7 or 14 days later by immunostaining of serial coronal cryostat sections. Numerous transgene-positive cells were seen at those times, at least several mm longitudinally away from the injection site. The present study aimed to determine whether these vectors could also deliver long term expression of a transgene, up to 3 months after unilateral injection into the CP, hippocampus, and cerebellum (lobe 6). The uninjected side, or saline injection, were used as controls. No cells on the uninjected side were immunopositive for FLAG.Sections incubated with non-immune primary antibody (immunostain negative controls) were also negative. The number of transgene-positive cells counted 1, 2 and 3 months after injection of the vector in the CP was higher than the one at d14, and showed a wider anatomic distribution. Transgene-positive cells were seen not only in the CP, but also in different brain structures along the needle track. The longitudinal extent of the transduced area was similar along the whole CP for time points greater than 4 days. In the CP, many transgene-expressing cells stained positively for NeuN, or MAP2, indicating a substantial neuronal transduction, with more than 95% of the transduced cells co-immunostaining with these neuronal markers. Astrocytes generally did not express the transgene. Long term transgene expression was also seen in the hippocampus (dentate gyrus) and in the cerebellum. More transgene-positive cells were observed when 10 microl of vector were given than with an injection of 1 microl. In the cerebellum, transgene-positive cells colocalized with calbindin, a marker for Purkinje cells. Previous studies of rSV40 gene delivery did not identify inflammatory or immunologic responses to the vector. In these studies, we also looked for evidence of inflammatory or immune reaction to the transduction process, using sections stained with neutral red (NR): no inflammation was seen at any time point in brains injected in any of the different structures. Likewise, no CD8-positive T cells were identified in sections of brains injected with SV(Nef-FLAG). These results show that SV40-derived vectors can be used to achieve long term and efficient CNS gene transfer without evidence of inflammatory or immune reaction, preferentially to neurons and to a lesser extent, microglial cells, when injected in different parenchymal structures of the rat brain.
A Computer-Aided Diagnostic Tool for Melanoma

Early detection of melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer, has the potential to reduce morbidity and mortality. However, clinical diagnosis of melanoma is not trivial even for experienced dermatologists, as it is complex and subjective. Thus, it is necessary to develop an automated computer-aided diagnosis (CAD) system for melanoma, which makes objective judgments based on quantitative measures. In this paper, we present a CAD tool with functionalities of image acquisition, image processing, feature extraction, and diagnosis. The tool provides the capability of detecting melanoma with 92% accuracy, 100% sensitivity, and 92% specificity.
Strategies for Japan’s protected market: rice as a case in point

Outlines the Japanese system of protectionism as a global barrier and focuses on the rice markets as one of the first markets to be opened up. Analyses the reasons for this and offers strategies for overseas companies to take advantage of this opportunity. Suggest that these examples can then be applied to other markets.
Role of numerical simulations in the semiconductor heterostructure technology using molecular beam epitaxy

Abstract The present and potential role of computer simulations in understanding the growth and fabrication of heterostructure interfaces grown by molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) is discussed. The important atomistic processes involved in MBE growth are identified and the ingredients of a computer simulation model are described. Key results on the effect of growth conditions on the quality of heterostructure interfaces are presented. Cation surface kinetics are shown to be critical in controlling the quality of the growth front and of the interfaces. Need for non-conventional growth approaches is identified and several different possibilities are explored.
A New High-Accuracy Counter-Type Tachometer

THE EFFICIENCY of some present-day power equipment such as steam turbines, gas turbines, electric motors, and others has reached the point where further efficiency increases may be of the order of one per cent or less due to a particular design change. Since the output of a prime mover is obtained from torque and speed, these two quantities must be measured with high accuracy for accurate efficiency results. Present standard tachometers are simple in principle but reach a maximum useful accuracy of about one per cent. Often, however, the over-all probable inaccuracy is greater than the small change in efficiency expected due to a design change.
Report of the 2006 ACS Japan Traveling Fellow

The report of the 2006 American College of Surgeons Traveling Fellow to Japan is here in summarized. In a 2-week period, Dr. Dardik attended the annual meeting of the Japan Surgical Society, and visited seven institutions in four cities. Dr. Dardik was sponsored by Prof. M. Ando, Prof. K. Komori, Prof. T. Ohta, Prof. T. Iwai, Prof. T. Miyata, Prof. T. Sasajima, and Prof. T. Nishibe. The traveling fellow thanks the Japan Surgical Society and the American College of Surgeons for this great honor and the opportunity to stimulate enthusiasm in surgery, academics, and research.
Approaches to Speaker Detection and Tracking in Conversational Speech

Dunn, Robert B., Reynolds, Douglas A., and Quatieri, Thomas F., Approaches to Speaker Detection and Tracking in Conversational Speech, Digital Signal Processing10(2000), 93?112.Two approaches to detecting and tracking speakers in multispeaker audio are described. Both approaches use an adapted Gaussian mixture model, universal background model (GMM-UBM) speaker detection system as the core speaker recognition engine. In one approach, the individual log-likelihood ratio scores, which are produced on a frame-by-frame basis by the GMM-UBM system, are used to first partition the speech file into speaker homogenous regions and then to create scores for these regions. We refer to this approach as internal segmentation. Another approach uses an external segmentationalgorithm, based on blind clustering, to partition the speech file into speaker homogenous regions. The adapted GMM-UBM system then scores each of these regions as in the single-speaker recognition case. We show that the external segmentation system outperforms the internal segmentation system for both detection and tracking. In addition, we show how different components of the detection and tracking algorithms contribute to the overall system performance.
Constructional apraxia as a function of lesion locus and size in patients with focal brain damage.

Patients with penetrating missile wounds confined to one of the four brain quadrants were evaluated to determine the incidence and severity of constructional apraxia. The visual constructive tasks used were the WAIS Block Designs subtest and the Bender Gestalt (reproduction) Test. Estimates of lesion size were used to investigate the effect of this factor on constructional ability. Patients with right posterior lesion tended to perform least adequately in general, although significant differences were obtained only for the Bender Gestalt Test. The effect for lesion laterality was greater than that for caudality , although neither analysis reached statistical significance. Lesion size made a relatively minor contribution to the visual constructional deficits in this sample. Only in the left posterior sample did lesion size correlate significantly with measures of constructional impairment. The lack of consistent findings may have been due to the restricted lesion size in these patients and to the absence of significant cognitive deficits in most subjects. The results support either a regional interpretation of the mass action theory or the possible role of deficient verbal mediation in the constructional performance of patients with left hemisphere lesions. This study emphasizes the importance in neurobehavioral research of controlling potentially confounding variables (e.g., lesion size and type of associated cognitive deficits) when studying any specific aspect of neuropsychological functioning.
Chitosan Treatment Affects Yield, Ascorbic Acid Content, and Hardness of Soybean Sprouts

: The effects of molecular weights, concentrations and solvents of chitosan, soaking times, and soybeans/chitosan solution ratios on growth and quality of soybean sprouts were investigated. Among 5 chitosans, treatment with 493 kDa chitosan was the most effective in increasing total weight, vitamin C content, and hardness. Use of acetic acid rather than lactic acid as a chitosan solvent increased hypocotyl weight and vitamin C content. Soaking of soybeans in chitosan solution for 8 h increased total weight by 13% and vitamin C content by about 10%. Optimal cultivation conditions involve soaking in 0.05% chitosan with 493 kDa in 0.05% acetic acid for 8 h and a soybean/chitosan solution ratio of 1:4.
Maximal oxygen uptake and blood lipids.

One thousand and sixty males and 119 females age 10-69, were tested on the treadmill as they walked at 3 mph (2 mph in subjects 60 yr and older). Every 3 min, the grade was increased 3%. Oxygen uptake and related measurements were recorded during the 3rd min .at each grade. Subjects, age 10-39, exercised to. exhaustion and maximal oxygen uptake (VOz max) was measured. In subjects age m9, VOz max was estimated from sub-max VO1 and heart rate. Serum cholesterol and serum triglyceride were determined in most of these subjects. After remov- ing the effects of age, wt and sum of four skinfolds, nonfasting values of cholesterol and triglycer- ide concentrations were unrelated to 90, max.
Phenotypic abnormalities of splenic and bone marrow B cells in lpr and gld mice

Abstract Mice homozygous for the mutant Fas gene lpr develop generalized lymphoproliferation and produce autoantibodies resembling those found in human SLE. We have previously shown that these autoantibodies are produced by B2 cells rather than B1 cells and that the autoantibody-producing B cells are intrinsically abnormal. We investigated further the lpr B cell with a large panel of antibodies to B-cell surface markers to identify phenotypic abnormalities. B cells from spleen and bone marrow of age-matched congenic mice differing only at the lpr locus were examined by flow cytometry. Two consistent phenotypic differences were identified. First, spleen cells from older lpr mice had an increase in the number and percentage of IgM + B cells expressing low levels of CD23. Second, lpr bone marrow had decreased numbers of B220 h1 IgM + -syndecan-1 + CD23 + B cells. All other markers tested, except the previously identified modest increase of Ia on lpr spleen cells, showed no consistent differences. B cells from gld mice showed the same phenotypic abnormalities as those from lpr. Compared to T cells, the relative paucity of cell surface marker differences between lpr and +/+ B cells suggests that B cells may have fewer regulatory mechanisms to silence autoreactive specificities. The phenotypic differences identified may provide clues to the mechanism of autoantibody production in lpr mice, while the overwhelming phenotypic similarity between lpr and +/+ B cells suggests that the major abnormality of lpr B cells may lie in their specificity, that is, in their inability to delete autoreactive subsets.
A system of diabetic diet prescription for the general practitioner.

The existing need for simplification in the methods for the calculation and the instruction of diet prescriptions for diabetic patients may be fulfilled by the use of a system of diet prescriptions arranged by the author, in which all calculations have already been made beforehand.
Major histocompatibility complex-regulated odortypes: peptide-free urinary volatile signals.

Abstract Major histocompatibility complex (MHC) genes influence urinary odors (odortypes) of mice. That volatile odorants are involved is supported by the observation that odortype identity can be detected from a distance. Furthermore, chemical analyses of urines have revealed numerous volatile odorants that differ in relative abundance between mice that differ only in MHC genotypes. In addition, urines from MHC-different mice evoke distinct odor-induced activity maps in the main olfactory bulbs. However, recent studies report that non-volatile MHC class I peptides may directly act as MHC-associated signals and may thereby be seen to call into question the evidence for a volatile MHC signal. To evaluate this question, we designed a procedure to collect peptide-free urinary volatiles and tested these volatiles for their ability to mediate chemosensory discrimination of MHC-congenic mice differing in their MHC genotype. The headspace volatiles from urines of C57BL/6 congenic mice (haplotypes H2b and H2k) were collected by solid phase microextraction (SPME). These volatiles were then desorbed into a gas chromatograph (GC) and the entire chromatographic eluate was collected into a buffer solution. Our results conclusively demonstrate that mice trained to discriminate between unadulterated urinary signals of the congenic mice generalize the discrimination, without reward or training, to the buffer solution containing the peptide-free urinary volatiles (p