cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Confidence-based classification with dynamic conformal prediction and its applications in biomedicine

Computer-aided decision support systems enable physicians to make more accurate clinical decisions and can significantly improve the quality of care provided to patients. However, prediction of classification confidence as the degree of reliability on the resulting predictions is a much needed step in clinical decision making. A recently developed technique called conformal prediction utilizes the similarity between a new sample and the training samples in order to form confidence measures for predictions. However, the conventional conformal prediction method suffers from shortcomings such as high computational complexity that prevent its use in real-time applications. This paper introduces an alternative approach to the conventional confidence prediction that addresses some of this and other disadvantages. Both real clinical and non-clinical datasets are employed to test and validate the capabilities of the proposed approach.
Dominance status predicts response to nonsocial forced movement stress in the green anole lizard (Anolis carolinensis)

We used changes in body color and eyespot formation, two somatic indices of stress controlled mainly by catecholamine activity, to compare the reactions of dominant and subordinate male green anole lizards (Anolis carolinensis) to a nonsocial stressor, forced movement. Individual males were pretested by subjecting them to 10 min of forced movement induced by chasing them around their home cage with a slender wooden stick. Stress responses were assayed via changes in body color (progressive darkening from green to brown indicating increasing stress) and expression of a black postorbital eyespot (which appears with increasing catecholaminergic stress responses). Lizards were paired and allowed to form stable dominant/subordinate relationships for 2 weeks. After that period of stable social status, dominants and subordinates were separated and subjected to the same forced-movement stress. There was no difference between experimental groups in the pretest. After assuming positions in the dominance hierarchy, however, dominant males showed reduced somatic indicators of stress and were quicker to recover from the stress. The data suggest that animals that assumed the dominant position decreased their stress response relative to the pretest, while animals that assumed the subordinate position increased their stress response relative to the pretest. The results indicate that dominant social status may have advantages beyond the realm of social interactions by enhancing an individual's ability to tolerate other, nonsocial stressful events.
Vibrational Exciton Splitting, Fermi Resonance, and Crystal Structure of Methyl Iodide

The splitting of the v5 vibrational band in crystalline methyl iodide has played an important role in the interpretation of vibrational exciton splittings in molecular crystals. According to an earlier interpretation, the site‐group splitting was said to be much larger than the factor‐group (exciton) splitting, and the effect of isotopic substitution on the exciton splittings was said to be substantial. Evidence is given in this paper to show that this interpretation is questionable and that actually certain features in the v5 structure are most likely caused by Fermi resonance between v5 and the combination band v3+v6. The problem of mixed exciton and Fermi interactions is discussed and it is shown that the factor‐group splitting is divided over the Fermi components in a very simple way. The resulting exciton splitting of v5 is 10.5 cm−1 in CH3I and 10 cm−1 in CD3I. The earlier interpretation of the crystal spectrum of methyl iodide had been used as a criterion for the rejection of the otherwise plausibl...
Consumer Demand for Carbohydrates: A Look Across Products and Income Classes

Many researchers have used Nationwide Food Consumption Survey (NFCS) data to estimate price and expenditure elasticities for various food groups. Results reported by these researchers have shown own-price elasticities to be negative, inelastic, and statistically significant; cross-price and expenditure elasticities have been shown to be positive and statistically significant. Further, some researchers have used NFCS data to try and estimate differential price responses of lower and higher income groups, and these authors have found no statistically significant differences in the magnitude of own-price elasticities. This study, using supermarket scanner data for several carbohydrates, finds significant differences in the price sensitivity of lower and higher income groups. These differences, however, are reflected more in purchase selections than in the magnitude of own-price elasticities. Also, regardless of income status, most expenditure and own-price elasticities are found to be elastic and statistically significant, and most cross-price elasticities are found to be positive and statistically insignificant. An important conclusion of this study is that the elasticities reported here provide a more accurate measure of consumer behavior than those reported in studies using NFCS data. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Towards domestic fair trade? Farm labor, food localism, and the 'family scale' farm

Over the past several decades, consumers in the global North have increasingly looked to fair or alternative trading systems as a means to promote ecologically and socially sustainable agricultural production. While fair trade has historically been limited to international commodity networks, US-based agro-food activists have recently turned their attentions towards building a domestic movement, to bring fair trade principles and standards ‘home.’ Through an exploration of this growing movement, we consider the potential for third party certification and labeling to incorporate social justice into US-based agricultural production, with a particular focus on the implications for farm workers. We view current efforts to bring the principles of fair trade to the domestic arena as a reflection of several interrelated developments: a growing need on the part of small and mid-sized farmers to garner price premiums due to the erosion of the organic price premium; a recognition of the failure of organic certification to advance a holistic vision of sustainability; and the strategic embrace of voluntary regulatory mechanisms as an alternative to public regulation and collective bargaining. Initial research suggests that this has led to particular framings of the domestic fair trade concept, which may undermine the movement’s ability to address the social relations of agro-food production. Specifically, prioritization of the ‘family-scale’ farm and an undercurrent of food localism may obscure farm workers’ role in valorizing the US agricultural landscape.
Segregating Sites in Wright's Island Model☆

Expressions for the expectation and variance of the number of segregating sites in samples from an island model of population subdivision are derived. For small samples, an arbitrary number of demes can be accommodated. Results for larger samples are derived under the assumption of an infinite number of demes. However, simulations indicate that the latter results will hold quite well for the finite-island model in many cases. A new estimator of the population migration rate is proposed and is shown to outperform the widely used pairwise method.
Reducing delta-time measurement errors on high speed signals

Measuring high-speed signals on high-speed serial data buses such as fibre channel, SONET, gigabit Ethernet and infiniband, or of microprocessor systems incorporating bus architectures, such as DDR II and rapid I/O can be very difficult. Determining the accuracy of this measurement type is no trivial task, especially given how highly interdependent it is on the signal under test. To ensure accurate measurements, a thorough understanding is required of the different types of delta-time measurements and the various sources of errors that affect the ability to make precise measurements. Sources of measurement inaccuracy come from the digital oscilloscope and its connection to the test component.
NATION, GLOBE, HEGEMONY

This article critiques the post-national analytic frame now on the rise in American studies by considering the post-Fordist conditions of its very possibility. Given capitalism's evident shift away from a national regime of accumulation and toward a transnational one, transnational American studies should not presume itself to be automatically performing progressive ideological work. In the context of the postwar university's mediating role between knowledge and politics, the post-national frame in today's American studies appears to be positioned quite similarly to the national frame of the Cold War era that it displaces. Both frames delineate the imaginary field within which the ideological struggles of their respective historical moments occur. To become more politically effective, post-national American studies should aim its critiques less at the past-tense national narrative than at globalization's future-tense narrative of inevitability.
Land use with endogenous environmental degradation and conservation

Abstract This paper endogenizes environmental degradation imposed by agriculture in a land-use model by introducing feedbacks between productivity and the application of inputs. Farmers maximize the value of their output by allocating inputs between production and conservation. We study this division of agricultural production resources between cultivation and maintenance with a model of individual agricultural decisions in a small region, possibly the size of a single state or a few states in the United States. We study the model for insights into how degradationconservation processes modify agricultural production decisions. We give particular attention to how degradation-conservation processes would alter the extensive deforestation occurring in developing countries such as Brazil. The analysis of the model shows a mitigating influence of labor-intensive conservation measures to counteract local environmental degradation. The economic situation of the individual farmer is improved when output prices increase, roads are improved, or there is a decrease in the price of purchased inputs. Under these improved conditions, cultivation intensity increases and there is a resultant degradation in the soil, but the degradation is less than would occur without the conservation feedback. In the case of decreased wages, degradation may actually decrease if conservation effects are sensitive to an increase in labor. In all cases, the conservation feedback reduces the environmental impact of increased cultivation. Improving the economic picture for the individual farmer also makes remote sites more profitable and tends to increase the area of deforestation, but this tendency to expand is modified by the increased profitability of cultivation within the existing region. In a number of cases, very effective conservation can actually decrease areal extent of cultivation, leading to more intense cultivation over a smaller region. The analysis also indicates that cultivation should be discouraged on more fragile soils. On the better sites, soil degradation is increased but the soils can withstand more degradation. The total area under cultivation tends to decrease, resulting in less deforestation.
Ubc9p Is the Conjugating Enzyme for the Ubiquitin-like Protein Smt3p

At least one essential function of Smt3p, aSaccharomyces cerevisiae ubiquitin-like protein similar to the mammalian protein SUMO-1, involves its posttranslational covalent attachment to other proteins. Using Smt3p affinity chromatography, we have isolated the second enzyme of the Smt3p conjugation pathway and have found that it is identical to Ubc9p, a previously identified protein that has extensive sequence similarity to the ubiquitin-conjugating enzymes (E2s) and that is required for yeast to progress through mitosis. A hallmark of E2s is the ability to form a thioester bond-containing covalent intermediate with ubiquitin (Ub). While we were unable to detect formation of a Ub∼Ubc9p thioester, Ubc9p was found to form a thioester with Smt3p, indicating that Ubc9p is the functional analog of E2s in the Smt3p pathway and that this step is distinct from the ubiquitin pathway. Ubc9p is required for attachment of Smt3p to other proteins in vitro, suggesting that it is the only such enzyme in S. cerevisiae. These results suggest that, like ubiquitination, Smt3p conjugation may be a critical modification in cell cycle regulation.
The myelin-associated glycoprotein is phosphorylated in the peripheral nervous system.

Abstract Phosphorylation of the myelin-associated glycoprotein (MAG) in the peripheral nervous system is demonstrated by immunoprecipitation from myelin proteins radiolabeled in vivo , in nerve slices and in a cell-free system. Phosphoamino acid analysis of immuno-precipitated MAG revealed the presence of radioactivity in phosphoserine, but not in phosphothreonine or phosphotyrosine. Only the shorter isoform of MAG (S-MAG) was detected by immunostaining of nitrocellulose sheets with anti-MAG anti-serum after enzymatic deglycosylation of immunoprecipitated MAG labeled in nerve slices. Autoradiography of the same Western blots revealed that most of the radioactive phosphate was in S-MAG, demonstrating that the polypeptide backbone of S-MAG is phosphorylated in the PNS.
A protective antigen for turkeys purified from a type 1 strain of Pasteurella multocida

A protective antigen was purified from a saline extract of a Type 1 strain of Pasteurella multocida by chromatographic methods, and its chemical and immunological ccharacteristics were studied. Three protein peaks were obtained from crude extract by gel filtration with Sephadex G-200. A bacteria-specific antigen was detected only in the first peak fraction, which, after passing through an immunoadsorbent column to remove any components originating from the growth medium, was adsorbed onto DEAE-cellulose followed by elution with a gradient of NaCl. From the first peak fraction of the gel filtration, 4 protein peaks were obtained, the second and third peaks being the major ones. Carbohydrate/protein ratios of the peak fractions varied from 0.06 to 1.0. Sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis showed that 2 proteins of molecular weights 44 000 and 25 000 were present in all the fractions. The 4 DEAE-cellulose fractions (DP-1 to DP-4) contained a single antigenically identical material, and induced protective immunity in turkeys against challenge exposure. The second peak fraction from DEAE-cellulose (DP-2) protected turkeys when subcutaneously injected as 2 doses of 10 μg protein with a 14-day interval between doses. The DP-2 fraction induced antibodies in rabbits which formed a single precipitin line against the crude extract. The purified antigen (DP-2) from a Type 1 strain was antigenically distinct from a similar antigen purified from a Type 3 strain; there was no significant cross protection in turkeys between the 2 antigens. These results indicate that protective antigens purified from soluble extracts of a Type 1 or Type 3 strain possess similar physicochemical properties, but that they are immunologically distinct from each other.
Comparing the Standards in Interior Design and Architecture to Assess Similarities and Differences

In the professions of interior design and architecture, standards of education, experience, and examination provide a system for measuring quality, responsibility, and service. These standards establish criteria for professional competence and development and establish a framework for legal registration requirements and professional definitions. Although the standards have recently been updated, they have not been formally compared to assess their similarities and differences. This article addresses this comparison, as well as the relationship between these standards and recognized legal registration requirements and professional definitions. The overall goals are to clarify how the standards shape each profession and to determine whether the standards in interior design support the licensing of interior designers. Responding to allegations, conflicts, and restrictions in the two professions, this article addresses the underlying question of whether interior design standards compare favorably when measured against architectural standards. To facilitate a comparison, published and unpublished documents were obtained from various sources and the primary professional organi-zations-the Foundation for Interior DesignEducationResearch(FIDER), the Entry Level Monitored Internship Program (Jackman, Harwood, and Veitch, 1990), the National Council for Interior Design Qualification (NCIDQ), the National Architectural Accrediting Board (NAAB), the National Council for Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB), and from various state and provincial licensing bills. Reviewing this material shows that different knowledge is acquired in each profession. Interior designers are not educated, trained, or tested to be architects. Conversely, architects are not educated, trained, or tested to be interior designers. The professions are, however, complementary.
Label-free detection of G protein-SNARE interactions and screening for small molecule modulators.

Gi/o-coupled presynaptic GPCRs are major targets in neuropsychiatric diseases. For example, presynaptic auto- or heteroreceptors include the D2 dopamine receptor, H3 histamine receptor, 5HT1 serotonin receptors, M4 acetylcholine receptors, GABAB receptors, Class II and III metabotropic glutamate receptors, opioid receptors, as well as many other receptors. These GPCRs exert their influence by decreasing exocytosis of synaptic vesicles. One mechanism by which they act is through direct interaction of the Gβγ subunit with members of the SNARE complex downstream of voltage-dependent calcium channels, and specifically with the C-terminus of SNAP25 and the H3 domain of syntaxin1A. (Gerachshenko, T., Blackmer, T., Yoon, E. J., Bartleson, C., Hamm, H. E., and Alford, S. (2005) Gβγ acts at the C terminus of SNAP-25 to mediate presynaptic inhibition, Nat. Neurosci.8, 597–605; Yoon, E. J., Gerachshenko, T., Spiegelberg, B. D., Alford, S., and Hamm, H. E. (2007) Gβγ interferes with Ca2+-dependent binding of synaptot...
Observations of microphysics pertaining to the development of drizzle in warm, shallow cumulus clouds

The evolution of drizzle in small cumulus clouds in a subtropical environment was studied. Observations were made using three instrumented aircraft, a ground-based radar, and a 95 GHz airborne Doppler radar during the Small Cumulus Microphysics Study in east central Florida in summer 1995. Data from six clouds, from two days, are examined in this paper. Both sets of clouds were less than 2 km in depth at observation times; in-cloud temperatures were > 10 °C. Droplet spectra observed in these clouds were generally bi-modal. The sizes of the droplets within the large mode are consistent with growth through condensation. It remains unclear how droplets within the small mode formed, but their existence appears to be tied to entrapment and mixing. Drizzle drops (drops with diameters > 50 μm) were found at all levels in the clouds. The penetration-averaged concentrations of drizzle drops were less than 15 L−1, except in the uppermost regions of clouds on one of the days where drizzle drop concentrations exceeded 100L−1. In general, the presence of drizzle drops in the upper regions of the clouds is consistent with models of droplet growth through condensation and stochastic collection. The existence of drizzle at low and mid-levels may be due to collection initiated by ultra-giant aerosols, or to the redistribution of drizzle drops from neighbouring or earlier cloud elements.
Analysis of amorphous silicon solar cells

Abstract Amorphous silicon (a-Si), although a very promising material for solar energy conversion, has generally yielded solar cells with poor efficiencies (about 4–6%). Traditionally this low efficiency has been attributed to short diffusion lengths (about 0.1 μm). In this paper we analyze the performance of a-Si solar cells and show that the poor efficiency has been primarily due to poor designs which paid inadequate attention to the peculiar properties of a-Si and to poor engineering which resulted in excessive optical and resistive losses. The analysis shows that there is an optimum thickness of a-Si cells and that simple techniques such as a double pass of photons can result in significant increases in current densities for this optimum thickness. Methods of better antireflection coating and improved contacting are also discussed. It is shown that optimized design and engineering can lead to significant increases in efficiency to about 9–11%.
Solar absorption by elemental and brown carbon determined from spectral observations

Black carbon (BC) is functionally defined as the absorbing component of atmospheric total carbonaceous aerosols (TC) and is typically dominated by soot-like elemental carbon (EC). However, organic carbon (OC) has also been shown to absorb strongly at visible to UV wavelengths and the absorbing organics are referred to as brown carbon (BrC), which is typically not represented in climate models. We propose an observationally based analytical method for rigorously partitioning measured absorption aerosol optical depths (AAOD) and single scattering albedo (SSA) among EC and BrC, using multiwavelength measurements of total (EC, OC, and dust) absorption. EC is found to be strongly absorbing (SSA of 0.38) whereas the BrC SSA varies globally between 0.77 and 0.85. The method is applied to the California region. We find TC (EC + BrC) contributes 81% of the total absorption at 675 nm and 84% at 440 nm. The BrC absorption at 440 nm is about 40% of the EC, whereas at 675 nm it is less than 10% of EC. We find an enhanced absorption due to OC in the summer months and in southern California (related to forest fires and secondary OC). The fractions and trends are broadly consistent with aerosol chemical-transport models as well as with regional emission inventories, implying that we have obtained a representative estimate for BrC absorption. The results demonstrate that current climate models that treat OC as nonabsorbing are underestimating the total warming effect of carbonaceous aerosols by neglecting part of the atmospheric heating, particularly over biomass-burning regions that emit BrC.
Interfacing genetics, behavior and husbandry in White Leghorns presented with E. coli challenge

Abstract Adult females from the S 3 and the S 4 generations of lines which had undergone previous selection for persistence and non-persistence of antibody production to sheep red blood cells, were placed in the following situations: (1) one-third remained in the same cages they were placed in at the time of caging, (2) one-third were moved to other but essentially identical single cages, and (3) one-third were paired in neutral but essentially identical cages with females from the other line. Characteristics measured were: “fear”, head shaking, social rank, comb size, body weight, antibody titers, plasma corticosterone levels, and the number and size of heterophils and lymphocytes. Although differences between lines were not significant for most of the characteristics measured, the pullets from the persistent line exhibited significantly less “fear”, had smaller lymphocytes and lost less body weight when moved than those from the non-persistent line. Temporal comparisons among pre-movement, one-day post-movement and seven-day post-movement times revealed significant differences for plasma corticosterone levels, antibody titers, number and size of lymphocytes, and size of heterophils. Significant differences were noted among movement treatments for changes in body weight and for number of air sac lesions to an E. coli challenge. It appeared that the physical and social effects were cumulative for most of the traits in both lines.
Science in Mental Health Training and Practice, With Special Reference to School Psychology

The first words in the inaugural version of the American Psychological Association Ethical Standards of Psychologists (1953) declared, “Psychology is a science” (p. v). Professional ethics for all of the mental health disciplines support science (and objectivity) for knowledge and practice. Using school psychology as an example, consideration is given to the presence of science and research in the scientist-practitioner, professional practitioner, and psychoeducational training and practice models. Although none of the three models truly ignores a commitment to science, the potential Achilles heel comes from the individual practitioner who fails to rely on science in planning, implementing, and evaluating interventions. Similarly, idiosyncratic preferences within training programs could lead to a diminution of science in the curriculum.
Production of a pulseable fission-like neutron flux using a monoenergetic 14 MeV neutron generator and a depleted uranium reflector

Abstract The design and performance of a pulseable neutron source utilizing a D–T neutron generator and a depleted uranium reflector are presented. Approximately half the generator's 14 MeV neutron flux is used to produce a fission-like neutron spectrum similar to 252 Cf. For every 14 MeV neutron entering the reflector, more than one fission-like neutron is reflected back across the surface of the reflector. Because delayed neutron production is more than two orders of magnitude below the prompt neutron production, the source takes full advantage of the generator's pulsed mode capability. Applications include all elemental characterization systems using neutron-induced gamma-ray spectroscopy. The source simultaneously emits 14 MeV neutrons optimal to excite fast neutron-induced gamma-ray signals, such as from carbon and oxygen, and fission-like neutrons optimal to induce neutron capture gamma-ray signals, such as from hydrogen, nitrogen, and chlorine. Experiments were performed, which compare well to Monte Carlo simulations, showing that the uranium reflector enhances capture signals by up to a factor of 15 compared to the absence of a reflector.
The veil of professionalism: An autoethnographic critique of white positional identities in the figured worlds of white research performance

Two white researchers critique the professional veil of silence they created as they reflected on a qualitative study they performed 12 years earlier. Autoethnography and performance ethnography are utilized to examine the ways in which whiteness can remain unexamined throughout the research process due to the construction of white positional identities within the figured world of research. White privilege and white talk, specifically white silence and hyperpoliteness as they relate to white researchers conducting research, are used critique the research purpose and process. The researchers conclude that white researchers should attend to questions of privilege and white racial identity as they plan, conduct, and disseminate their research.
The n-aliphatic acids of carnauba wax the isolation of tetracosanoic acid

1. The ethyl esters of the acids of carnauba wax were fractionally distilled at 0.3 mm. 2. Approximately 32% of the wax acids are n-aliphatic acids. Evidence was found which indicated the presence of all the even carbon acids from C18 to C30. 3. The remaining 68% of the acids are unidentified, but the greater part of them are different in nature from n-aliphatic acids. 4. Tetracosanoic acid, the most abundant of its n-aliphatic acids, has been isolated from the wax for the first time in a degree of purity exceeding 95%.
Confocal laser scanning microscopy and three-dimensional reconstruction of cell clusters in serous fluids

Thick cell clusters are a common finding in reactive and malignant effusions. In order to arrive at a diagnosis, clusters are evaluated for certain cytomorphologic features including size, shape, smooth vs. scalloped borders, and three-dimensional (3-D) configuration. By conventional microscopy, the image of these clusters is often blurred due to limitations in resolution. Consequently, the exact internal structure and cellular arrangement within these clusters cannot be adequately determined. Utilizing confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM), we examined serous fluids from a variety of conditions. Cases included mesothelioma, adenocarcinoma, and papillary adenocarcinoma. Smears were stained with 0.01% ethidium bromide and 1% eosin Y, followed by analysis with an ACAS 570 image analyzer (Meridian Instruments, Inc. Okemos, MI). Serial confocal fluorescence images were acquired, which allowed 3-D reconstruction of the clusters. Mesothelioma clusters (excluding those with obvious central collagen cores by light microscopy) appeared to be formed of the following configurations: 1) randomly coiled cords of cells, 2) small papillae encompassing central cores, and 3) tissue fragments with pseudoacinar formation. In contrast, adenocarcinomas had a more orderly pattern, with tightly cohesive cells and true acinar formation.
The management of esophageal achalasia: from diagnosis to surgical treatment

The goal of this review is to illustrate our approach to patients with achalasia in terms of preoperative evaluation and surgical technique. Indications, patient selection and management are herein discussed. Specifically, we illustrate the pathogenetic theories and diagnostic algorithm with current up-to-date techniques to diagnose achalasia and its manometric variants. Finally, we focus on the therapeutic approaches available today: medical and surgical. A special emphasis is given on the surgical treatment of achalasia and we provide the reader with a detailed description of our pre and postoperative management.
Effects of a nursing intervention on quality of life outcomes in post-surgical women with gynecological cancers

Objective: Women with gynecological cancers have reported poor health-related quality of life (QOL), with complex physical and psychological needs post-surgery and during chemotherapy treatment. There are no studies reporting interventions addressing these needs post-hospital discharge in this population. Methods: Patients were randomized into two groups. The intervention group received 6 months of specialized care by an Advanced Practice Nurse (APN); in addition, women with high distress were evaluated and monitored by a psychiatric consultation–liaison nurse (PCLN). The attention control group was assisted with symptom management by a research assistant. The effects of the 6-month intervention were evaluated using self-report questionnaires at baseline (24–48 h after surgery), 1, 3, and 6 months post- surgery. QOL assessments included the Center for Epidemiological Studies–Depression Scale , the ambiguity subscale of the Mishel Uncertainty in Illness Scale , the Symptom Distress Scale, and the Short-Form Health Survey (SF-12). The sample for the longitudinal analysis included 123 who completed QOL outcome measures across three occasions post-surgery. Results: The APN intervention resulted in significantly less uncertainty than the attention control intervention 6 months after surgery. When the sub-group who received the APN plus PCLN intervention was compared with the total attention control group, the sub-group had significantly less uncertainty, less symptom distress, and better SF-12 mental and physical QOL over time. Conclusion: Nurse tailored interventions that target both physical and psychological aspects of QOL in women recovering from cancer surgery and undergoing chemotherapy produce stronger outcomes than interventions that target solely one QOL aspect. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
TLR3 modulates immunopathology during a Schistosoma mansoni egg-driven Th2 response in the lung

We examined the role of TLR3 in Th2-driven pulmonary granulomatous disease, using wildtype (TLR3(+/+)) and TLR3 gene-deficient (TLR3(-/-)) mice in a well-established model of Schistosoma mansoni egg-induced pulmonary granuloma. The intravenous bolus injection of S. mansoni eggs into S. mansoni-sensitized TLR3(+/+) mice was associated with an increase in TLR3 transcript expression in alveolar macrophages and ex vivo spleen and lung cultures at day 8 after egg injection. Lungs from TLR3(-/-) mice showed an increase in granuloma size, greater collagen deposition around the granuloma, and increased Th2 cytokine and chemokine levels compared with similarly sensitized and challenged TLR3(+/+) mice. Macrophages from TLR3(-/-) mice exhibited an M2 phenotype characterized by increased arginase and CCL2 expression. Significantly greater numbers of CD4(+)CD25(+) T cells were present in the lungs of TLR3(-/-) mice compared with TLR3(+/+) mice at day 8 after egg embolization. Cells derived from granulomatous lung and lung draining lymph nodes of TLR3(-/-) mice released significantly higher levels of IL-17 levels relative to TLR3(+/+) cells. Thus, our data suggest that TLR3 has a major regulatory role during a Th2-driven granulomatous response as its absence enhanced immunopathology.
Reducing barriers to completing psychiatric advance directives

Objective Psychiatric advance directives (PADs) allow individuals to plan for future mental health treatment. However, little is known about barriers to PAD completion. This paper examines an intervention’s effect in reducing barriers to PAD completion. Method Patients were randomly assigned to a facilitated PAD session or control group. Barriers associated with (1) the PAD documents and (2) external support for PADs were assessed at baseline (n = 462), 6 months (n = 380) and 1 year (n = 362). Results There were no significant baseline between-group differences on the two barriers. However, at follow-up both barriers were significantly lower in the experimental group. Further, barriers were predictive of PAD completion. Conclusions Structured facilitation can significantly reduce barriers to PAD completion. However, the intervention did not eliminate barriers. Findings are discussed in the context of possible system-level changes to further reduce barriers to PAD completion.
Cultural Variability and Drift in the Himalayan Hills

Cultural Variability and Drift in the Himalayan Hills GERALD D. BERREMAN University of California, Berkeley T HE lower Himalaya mountains between western Kashmir and eastern Nepal are populated by peoples sharing common and distinct cultural, linguistic, and historical traditions. Therefore, this is clearly a culture area within the usual meaning of that term. The populations of this area, collec­ tively termed Pahari ( of the mountains ), comprise a variety of subgroups which share basic cultural patterns but show local differences in such features as dialect, ceremonial forms, deities worshipped, house styles, dress and orna­ mentation, range of castes, and rules of marriage. These variations are often extremely limited in distribution so that it is possible for one acquainted with a region to identify readily the particular valley or ridge from which a person comes by his speech or dress. It is not difficult to pass through two or more such areas in a day's trek. This highly localized cultural variability is especially striking to one acquainted with the people of the plains to the south. A second impressive feature, at least in the subarea to be reported here, is the comparative cultural homogeneity across caste lines within a particular locality in the hills. A person's caste affiliation is generally impossible to deter­ mine, even by someone of his own area, except by direct inquiry or by observ­ ing him in his traditional occupation. In this account, the facts supporting these generalizations will be briefly described. Then an attempt will be made to analyze and explain them in terms of common conditions and processes. Some further light may thereby be thrown upon the concepts of cultural drift and culture area, their usefulness and relationship to one another. The research reported here was carried out in and about the village of Sirkanda, situated in the lower JIimalaya mountains of North India, about 150 miles north and slightly east of Delhi and within a day's hike of the well­ known hill station, Mussoorie. 1 Sirkanda is large for a hill village, containing some 384 residents, half of whom live all or most of the time in outlying cattle sheds or field houses and half of whom live in the village proper. The people of Sirkanda are speakers of a subdialect of the Central Pahari language or dialect group. They live on the western border of the area in which that language is spoken, next to Jaunsar Bawar where begins the Western Pahari language. 2 They are also on the western border of the former princely state (now district) of Tehri Garhwal. They spend most of their lives within the 4 air-mile radius of Sirkanda which comprises the 3 parallel spurs of hills known as Bhatbair ( sheep's den ), containing less than 5,000 people in 60 villages and settle­
The potential contribution of pixel-based canopy change information to stand-based forest management in the Northern U.S.

Abstract Forest canopy change information over two-, four-, and six-year periods was extracted digitally from multitemporal Landsat Thematic Mapper (TM) imagery over a 415 km 2 area in north central Minnesota. This paper discusses the complementary character of the pixel-based change information with respect to stand-based data that traditionally have provided the foundation for management prescriptions. Change maps generated from TM data, and change overlays created from traditional stand maps updated with aerial photography, were site-specifically cross-verified using contingency matrices and geographical information system (GIS) modeling, supported by intensive field verification. It was demonstrated clearly that a majority of the so-called digital change classification inconsistencies were not errors, but embodied a powerful source of sub-stand information with the potential to significantly impact the sustainability of the resource management. While the pixel approach does not directly encompass the stand concept (stand representing the actual management unit), qualitative and quantitative data on change at the stand level could be readily extracted from the TM imagery, provided pre-change stand information was available. For example, for the six-year monitoring cycle, 714 out of 759 stands identified as “changed” (canopy depletion or increment) in the traditional stand maps were also digitally classified as such, whereby change was detected in at least 75% of the pixels which made up the stands. New information being made available to the resource manager ranged from location and areal extent of sub-stand changes, e.g. trespasses, flooding, insect infestations, and species-specific dieback, to the detection of local failures in tree establishment and/or population development.
Staurosporine and its evolving role in inhibition of growth in malignant tumors.

. It also increases the translocation of cytochrome c to the cytoplasm and has an enhancing effect on intra- tumoral apoptosis. As a result it markedly decreases tumor growth in prostate malignancies. Besides this, staurosporine also up-regulates the expression of TIMP-1 as a result of increased transcription. This further attenuates tumor invasiveness. Staurosporine also causes increased expression of tau in the cancerous cells
LONG-RANGE FORECASTING WITH A REGIONAL INPUT-OUTPUT MODEL

For some planning purposes national forecasts are adequate. But one of the outstanding characteristics of the American economy is its geographic diversity. Certain types of economic activities — generally those serving local or regional markets — are almost ubiquitous. But other sectors serve national markets, and within these sectors there is considerable regional specialisation. This specialisation provides the rationale for regional input-output studies.
Both learning and heritability affect foraging behaviour of red-backed salamanders, Plethodon cinereus

Current theory suggests that most animal behaviours are the product of complex interactions between learning and inheritance. Optimal foraging theory predicts that animals should alter their foraging tactics depending on abundance and quality of available prey, and that at least some components of foraging behaviour must be heritable. Successful foraging behaviour, therefore, may require an individual to become an efficient predator on several novel prey types throughout its lifetime, and such aptitude may have a genetic basis. We examined foraging behaviour of the red-backed salamander to test two main hypotheses: (1) that salamanders at each of three age classes (neonates, yearlings and adults) would increase their foraging efficiency with increasing exposure to novel prey and (2) that various foraging parameters would have a genetic component. All age classes showed a significant increase in foraging efficiency after their first exposure to a novel prey type. Significant clutch differences and heritability estimates suggest that some aspects of foraging (e.g. prey recognition and latency to prey capture) may be influenced by genetics. Individuals that captured fewer prey items as neonates were less likely to survive to become yearlings under standardized laboratory conditions. This suggests that genetic variation in foraging efficiency may be directly related to future fitness (i.e. may influence mortality rates). This study indicates that learning, at all ages, plays an important role in successful foraging and that differences in foraging efficiency between individuals may have a genetic component.
Germanium far-infrared blocked impurity band detectors

We are developing Germanium Blocked Impurity Band (BIB) detectors using Liquid Phase Epitaxy (LPE) to grow the high purity blocking layer and the heavily doped infrared absorbing layer. The properties of both epilayers require very low structural and electrical defect concentrations. To achieve these stringent demands, we have developed a high purity LPE process which can be used for the growth of high purity as well as purely doped Ge epilayers. We chose a low melting point, high purity metal with negligible solubility in Ge as a solvent. A good candidate is Pb, a group IV element with a solubility <1017 cm3 at 650°C which does not form electronic levels in the band gap of Ge. The Ge single crystal substrates are optically polished and orientated -4-2° away from (111). The first tests with BIB structures with just the purely doped absorbing layer grown on high purity substrates with LPE look very promising. The detectors exhibit extended wavelength cutoffwhen compared to standard Ge:Ga photoconductors (165 m vs. 120 rim) and show the expected asymmetric currentvoltage dependencies. Future work on these devices will include optimizing doping, dark current, layer thickness, absolute responsivity, Noise Equivalent Power (NEP), and even longer wavelength cutoff as well as an indepth understanding of how the parameters are interrelated. Keywords: Germanium, Far Infrared Detectors, Epitaxy
Higgs mechanism for gravity

In this paper we elaborate on the idea of an emergent spacetime which arises due to the dynamical breaking of diffeomorphism invariance in the early universe. In preparation for an explicit symmetry breaking scenario, we consider nonlinear realizations of the group of analytical diffeomorphisms which provide a unified description of spacetime structures. We find that gravitational fields, such as the affine connection, metric, and coordinates, can all be interpreted as Goldstone fields of the diffeomorphism group. We then construct a Higgs mechanism for gravity in which an affine spacetime evolves into a Riemannian one by the condensation of a metric. The symmetry breaking potential is identical to that of hybrid inflation but with the noninflaton scalar extended to a symmetric second-rank tensor. This tensor is required for the realization of the metric as a Higgs field. We finally comment on the role of Goldstone coordinates as a dynamical fluid of reference.
Queering Couple and Family Therapy Education

In this article, the application and impact of queer theory to the authors’ work in a couple and family therapy graduate program in the United States is discussed. Narrating sex, gender, and sexual orientation; raising awareness; liberating identities; holding tensions; and the de-centering as essential considerations in queering couple and family therapy education are discussed. The authors share their own gender, sex, and sexual orientation narratives to exemplify main points and to personalize the politics of these identity frameworks.
A critical assessment of factors affecting the flammability of R-1234yf in a frontal collision

An evaluation methodology has been developed for assessing the suitability of R-1234yf in vehicles. This relates primarily to evaluating the flammability of R-1234yf in the engine compartment during a frontal collision. This paper will discuss the process followed in the methodology, the technical rationale for this process, and the results of the analysis. The specific types of analysis included in the methodology are: exhaust-system thermal characterization, computer simulated crash tests, actual crash tests, teardown and examination of crashed parts, and releases of refrigerant onto hot exhaust manifolds. Each type of analysis was logically ordered and combined to produce a comprehensive evaluation methodology. This methodology has been applied and demonstrates that R-1234yf is difficult to ignite when factors that occur in frontal crashes are simultaneously considered. Factors considered in this analysis include: crush and deformation of the vehicle structure, airflow in the engine compartment, exhaust system temperatures during different driving scenarios, and coolant release due to damage of the engine coolant system. Such findings support the conclusion of the Society of Automotive Engineers Cooperative Research Team (SAE CRP1234-4) regarding R-1234yf usage: "risks are still very small compared to the risks of a vehicle fire from all causes and well below risks that are commonly viewed as acceptable by the general public." This methodology can provide a representative and more realistic assessment of the suitability of R-1234yf in automotive air-conditioning systems. The evaluation methodology can be applied to any vehicle. Language: en
Endogenous testosterone levels are associated with assessments of unfavourable health information

The purpose of this study was to investigate whether participants' assessments of unfavourable health information are associated with individual differences in basal testosterone. Testosterone has previously been related to assessments of threat in social and other domains. 52 undergraduate males were tested for a minor, fictitious medical condition thioamine acetylase deficiency ('TAA deficiency') in a paradigm that was developed to examine the thoughts and behaviours of individuals who have just received unfavourable medical news. In a variation on the classic paradigm, all participants were told that they had 'TAA deficiency,' after which they rated the seriousness and prevalence of that condition as well as 19 other actual conditions. Higher testosterone levels were significantly correlated with lower estimates of both the seriousness and prevalence of TAA deficiency as well as lower median seriousness and prevalence estimates of the 19 actual conditions. Findings are discussed in light of current research in the field of behavioural endocrinology. This study provides preliminary evidence that individual differences in assessments of threatening health information may be associated with neurobiological characteristics.