cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Faiths that failed? Professionalism, technology, and science in 20th-century America

I have no particular expertise in the history or present condition of the American health care system. I would like to offer some thoughts, nevertheless, about this strange moment in the life of the medical profession-a moment of unprecedented scientific promise, yet also of tremendous economic, political, and even cultural difficulty. I would like to try, in a small way, to suggest at least a part of a context within which to think about the particular problems that many physicians face every day. Those problems are probably most visible in the form of the tremendous economic and administrative strains that have been confronting the medical profession, and the world of health care generally, for at least the last decade: the rapidly spiraling costs (unmatched by comparable increases in the incomes of most doctors); the increasingly powerful and intrusive role of insurance companies, HMOs, and government agencies; and the steady loss of control by doctors themselves over the economic and institutional conditions in which they work. There have been numerous efforts to bring some order and control to this messy new health-care world, most notably President Clinton's politically disastrous attempt in 1994 to create a national health insurance system. But so far at least, our society has lacked the social and political will-and perhaps also the knowledge-to find any coherent solution to these problems. I do not want to minimize in any way the seriousness of the concrete economic, administrative, and political problems that plague the health care world today. But there is also, I think, another set of issues that have affected the medical profession-and indeed many other professions-in our time that have made those concrete problems even more difficult to solve. Those issues revolve around a large loss of public faith in the capacities of institutions and ideas that …
Poly(A) tail length-dependent stabilization of GAP-43 mRNA by the RNA-binding protein HuD.

The neuronal ELAV-like RNA-binding protein HuD binds to a regulatory element in the 3′-untranslated region of the growth-associated protein-43 (GAP-43) mRNA. Here we report that overexpression of HuD protein in PC12 cells stabilizes the GAP-43 mRNA by delaying the onset of mRNA degradation and that this process depends on the size of the poly(A) tail. Using a polysome-basedin vitro mRNA decay assay, we found that addition of recombinant HuD protein to the system increased the half-life of full-length, capped, and polyadenylated GAP-43 mRNA and that this effect was caused in part by a decrease in the rate of deadenylation of the mRNA. This stabilization was specific for GAP-43 mRNA containing the HuD binding element in the 3′-untranslated region and a poly(A) tail of at least 150 A nucleotides. In correlation with the effect of HuD on GAP-43 mRNA stability, we found that HuD binds GAP-43 mRNAs with long tails (A150) with 10-fold higher affinity than to those with short tails (A30). We conclude that HuD stabilizes the GAP-43 mRNA through a mechanism that is dependent on the length of the poly(A) tail and involves changes in its affinity for the mRNA.
Professionalizing child welfare: An evaluation of a clinical consultation model for supervisors

Abstract This article describes a clinical consultation model that was developed and tested with child welfare supervisors in a large urban municipality over a 3-year period. Carried out within the framework of an existing university–child welfare partnership, the project involved faculty from six schools of social work and a large child welfare system. The evaluation methodology included a pre–post self-assessment measure, a consumer satisfaction questionnaire, and follow-up at 3- and 15-month post-program participation. Findings revealed significant increases in scores on the self-assessment scale from years 1 (the pilot study) to 2. Fidelity of the intervention was consistent across years 2 and 3, with statistically significant changes in self-assessment scores in each year as well. This consultation program offers one tool for professional development that links faculty from schools of social work with MSW-level supervisors in the field, and yields encouraging results for professional decision-making in the provision of direct service. The model is transferable to other large cities and to many state-wide child welfare systems with comparable numbers of staff and clients.
Asymptotics of Oja Median Estimate

Abstract We present here a fairly simple and short proof for the asymptotic distribution of the Oja sample median based on Hoeffding’s decomposition of U-statistics and the convexity lemma.
Crisis in the Presidency The physician's role in assessing official capacity

Making a judgment about how the health of an individual affects his or her ability to perform daily tasks, let alone official duties, is a difficult and delicate procedure. Physicians, especially neurologists, are frequently asked to assist in such a judgment by assessing cognitive and reasoning skills. The neurologist may be asked to assess a person's capacity to not only drive a car or perform skilled tasks, but to evaluate whether a person is able to continue to practice law or medicine, hold political or judicial office, or run a company, to name a few. To complicate matters, the procedures for arriving at this judgment and the plans for implementing the resulting decisions are rarely in place when a crisis arises. The history of the most powerful office in the nation, the United States Presidency, indicates that confusion, disagreement, and often, nonaction or ill-considered action follow a crisis. The nation has lacked firm leadership in many instances of presidential incapacity, including Garfield's lingering death after being shot, Cleveland's covert surgery for cancer of the roof of the mouth, Wilson's major stroke, Roosevelt's hypertension and cardiac failure, Eisenhower's transient aphasic episode, the assassination attempt on Reagan, and others, which are likely unknown. Three recent conferences convened by James F. Toole, MD, and Arthur S. Link, PhD addressed the issue of determining the capacity of a president to continue in his official duties. Participants included neurologists, psychiatrists, internists, historians, lawyers, and reporters. Several physicians who had cared for various presidents attended. President Carter addressed the first conference, President Ford addressed and participated in the second, and the third was …
Origin of beach ridges and swales

Abstract Sandy beach ridges occur in four main categories: (1) Swash-built, (2) Settling lag, (3) Eolian, (4) Storm surge. Ridges in the first two classes are geometrically regular, only a few tens of centimeters above adjacent swales, and commonly in ridge sets and systems (tens to hundreds of ridges each). Individual sets (of 5–25 ridges) tend to stand 0.5 m to 2 m above (or below) adjacent sets. Ridges in the third and fourth classes do not have these characteristics, do not occur in sets, and are generally not suitable for detailed historical studies. No one of these ridges is the same as the storm-built berm, which is almost never preserved. Swash-built sandy beach ridges have diagnostic (1) map spacing, (2) accretion rate, (3) periodicity, (4) crossbedding and (5) granulometry. The last two indicate fair-weather waves on a sandy beach, in contrast with settlinglag ridges (Postma style), which have the same external geometry but which were deposited without important wave work; and in contrast with storm-built berms, generally seen on eroding coasts, but rarely or never in beach ridge plains. The grain-size kurtosis of beach sand is an excellent index to near-shore wave energy density. Changes in kurtosis at ridge set boundaries mark changes in long-term wave energy density, hence in sea level. The latter can be deduced also from set height differences and from spacing differences. Periodicity is typically 30–60 years, map spacing 25–50 m and accretion rate fairly close to 1 m/yr. A few ridge sets, with intervals of 3–7, 10–12, or 18–19 years, have smaller spacings. This is not what can be done, if each ridge is built by one storm. If each ridge had been built by one storm, wide beach ridge plains (like one in Denmark, dating from about 11,700 yr B.P.), would have been formed in the last 30–50 years, at accretion rates of hundreds of meters per year. Instead, each swash-type sandy beach ridge was made by a sea-level rise-and-fall couplet (amplitude, 5–30 cm). The swale marks the lower position. This mechanism reflects the fact that the transverse profile, from beach to sea, is gently concave upward, with maximum curvature close to shore; this is a shape which is out of adjustment with the shoaling wave system shortly after a small sea-level change. Settling-lag ridges were built without waves, hence the ridge-and-swale sequence in this case cannot be attributed to waves, either fair-weather or storm. These ridges show the same historical pattern as do swash-built ridges; this fact suggests that both were controlled by the same mechanism (sea-level change).
Le clézio’s children: intertextuality and writing in mondo et autres histoires

In J.M.G. Le Clezio’s Mondo et histoires (1978), the child is most frequently viewed by critics as a symbol of marginality whose innocence and sincerity expose the hypocrisy and artificiality of urban consumer society. I will argue that Le Clezio goes beyond establishing children as simply one side of a dialectical opposition between the modern world and primitive sincerity. The child additionally stands as a symbol of what modernity is missing, offering an antidote to the sterility of the urban jungle. In Mondo et autres histoires, children are symbols of myth and of writing, symbolic of what the modern, industrialized world lacks.
Hybrid learning schemes for fast training of feed-forward neural networks

Fast training of feed-forward neural networks became increasingly important as the neural network field moves toward maturity. This paper begins with a review of various criteria proposed for training feed-forward neural networks, which include the frequently used quadratic error criterion, the relative entropy criterion, and a generalized training criterion. The minimization of these criteria using the gradient descent method results in a variety of supervised learning algorithms. The performance of these algorithms in complex training tasks is strongly affected by the initial set of internal representations, which are usually formed by a randomly generated set of synaptic weights. The convergence of gradient descent based learning algorithms in complex training tasks can be significantly improved by initializing the internal representations using an unsupervised learning process based on linear or nonlinear generalized Hebbian learning rules. The efficiency of the hybrid learning scheme presented in this paper is illustrated through experimental results.
Anaplasma phagocytophilum Infection in American Robins and Gray Catbirds: An Assessment of Reservoir Competence and Disease in Captive Wildlife

Anaplasma phagocytophilum (Dumler et al.) is the bacterial agent of human granulocytic anaplasmosis, an emerging infectious disease. The main vector of A. phagocytophilum in the United States is the blacklegged tick (Ixodes scapularis (Say)) and various small and medium-sized mammals are reservoirs. Previous studies indicate that birds are exposed to A. phagocytophilum; however, because no studies have directly investigated avian susceptibility, reservoir competence, and morbidity for A. phagocytophilum, uncertainty remains as to what role birds could play in its transmission ecology. In a controlled laboratory study, we tested whether two species, the American robin (Turdus migratorius (L.)) and the gray catbird (Dumetella carolinensis (L.)), can become infected with and then transmit A. phagocytophilum to feeding ticks, and whether exposed birds develop disease. Wild caught, seronegative birds (n = 10 per species) were exposed to A. phagocytophilum-infected I. scapularis nymphs (day 0). Transmission was assessed by xenodiagnosis on days 7, 14, 42, and 77; blood was assayed for bacteremia and serology. A. phagocytophilum was detected using quantitative polymerase chain reaction targeting the 16s rRNA gene. One robin infected 2 of 13 larval ticks (15%) on day 7; no other birds were found to infect feeding ticks at any time. Birds did not develop bacteremia, specific antibodies or significant illness because of exposure. Mouse controls became bacteremic, infected feeding ticks, and seroconverted. Our results suggest that these two avian species are unlikely to play a significant role in the maintenance of the agent of human granulocytic anaplasmosis and that avian serosurveys may not be a reliable indicator of A. phagocytophilum exposure.
Alteration of ecdysteroid metabolism due to baculovirus infection of the fall armyworm Spodoptera frugiperda: Host ecdysteroids are conjugated with galactose

Abstract The egt gene of the baculovirus Autographa californica nuclear polyhedrosis virus enables the virus to regulate the development of its infected host insect. This gene encodes an enzyme known as ecdysteroid UDP-glucosyltransferase that catalyzes the sugar conjugation of ecdysteroids. In this study, we have extented our characterization of this transferase and investigated the effects of virus infection on ecdysteroid metabolism in fall armyworm Spodoptera frugiperda (J.E. Smith) larvae. We show that the enzyme has a cleavable signal sequence at its amino-terminus and is rapidly secreted into the hemolymph of infected insects. In vitro studies indicate that ecdysteroid UDP-glucosyltransferase can catalyze both the glucose and galactose conjugation of ecdysteroids. Several lines of evidence indicate that, in vivo, the ecdysteroids are conjugated with galactose. Steady-state levels of ecdysteroids in the hemolymph of infected insects remain at low levels throughout infection.
Matching Management Of Multiple Wafer Steppers Using A Stable Standard And A Matching Simulator

Currently, wafer steppers are capable of routinely meeting a single machine overlay accuracy of 150 nm or less. However, this figure is relatively meaningless in a production environment equipped with multiple machines. The question is how to exploit single machine accuracy in a multiple stepper production environment such that production logistics will be independent of machine allocation. This paper describes the use of a matching management system supported by an overlay simulator and a reference wafer set. Every stepper is measured on a regular basis with respect to a reference wafer to determine possible deviation from the nominal grid. The reference wafers are resistant to multiple use. The simulator can be used to estimate the matching performance between non-measured machine pairs so that the need for particular adjustments can be determined. The theory is completed by an extended overlay budget justified by experimental results and a ten machine overlay experiment.
Composition of the cell walls of different asparagus (Asparagus officinalis) tissues.

Portions of stems from the base of asparagus spears (Asparagus officinalis L. cv. Connovor Collossus) were dissected to give the following tissues: (1) pith, which was free of vascular bundles, (2) two surrounding layers, parenchyma and fibre I and II (PFI and PFII), containing parenchyma and vascular bundles, (3) sclerenchyma sheath, (4) epidermis and sub-epidermal layers and (5) asparagus vascular fibre (AVF). The alcohol-insoluble residues (AIRs) from these tissues were shown to be free of starch. They were analysed for moisture and protein, and the component sugars were released by two hydrolytic procedures, which helped to distinguish the sugars from non-cellulosic polysaccharides and cellulose. The AIRs from pith and epidermal tissues were relatively low in xylose, but were rich in cellulosic glucose, and sugars associated with pectic polysaccharides such as galacturonic acid, galactose and arabinose. Their major component polysaccharides (in decreasing amounts) were inferred to be pectic polysaccharides, cellulose, and hemicelluloses. AIR from sclerenchyma was rich in glucose and xylose, suggesting the presence of much cellulose and (acidic) xylans. The AIRs of PFI, PFII and AVF contained significant amounts of xylose in addition tn other sugars, and the major polysaccharides inferred to be present were pectic polysaccharides, cellulose and hemicelluloses, a significant proportion of which may be acidic xylans. Methylation analysis of the AIRs confirmed the above inferences. The bulk of the glucosyl residues were (1–4)-linked, and there were small but significant amounts of (1–4, 6)-linked glucosyl residues (the linkage characteristic of xyloglucans) in all the preparations. The presence of (1–4)-linked galactosyl, (1–5)-linked arabinosyl, terminal galactosyl, terminal arabinosyl, (1–2)- and (1–2, 4)-linked rhamnosyl residues in all the AIRs except that from sclerenchyma, confirmed the presence of significant levels of pectic polysaccharides in all the parenchyma tissues. All the preparations containing vascular tissues contained significant amounts of (1–4)-linked xylosyl residues, probably derived from acidic xylans. Even in the AIR of pith, a significant amount of (1–4)-linked xylosyl residues were detected. This may be due to the ability of these cells and the parenchyma cells associated with the vascular bundles, to undergo lignification in mature asparagus plants.
Heavy-Element Abundances from a Neutron Burst that Produces Xe-H

We examine quantitatively the suggestion that the heavy anomalous isotopes of Xe-HL found in meteoritic diamonds were produced by a short intense neutron burst and then implanted into the diamonds. Using a large nuclear reaction network we establish one (out of many) neutron irradiation hostories that successfully reproduces the heavy isotopes of Xe-HL, and then evaluate what that same history would produce in every heavy element. This has become more relevant following recent measurement of anomalous Ba and Sr in those same diamond samples. Therefore we offer these calculations as a guide to the anomalies to be expected in all elements if this scenario is correct. We also discuss several other aspects of the problem, especially the established contradictions for Ba, the observed Kr pattern, the near normalcy of Xe-129 and some related astrophysical ideas. In particular we argue from p-process theory that the observed deficit of Kr-78 in correlation with Xe-(124-126) excess implicates Type II supernovae as the diamond sources.
Agent-based power sharing scheme for active hybrid power sources

The active hybridization technique provides an effective approach to combining the best properties of a heterogeneous set of power sources to achieve higher energy density, power density and fuel efficiency. Active hybrid power sources can be used to power hybrid electric vehicles with selected combinations of internal combustion engines, fuel cells, batteries, and/or supercapacitors. They can be deployed in all-electric ships to build a distributed electric power system. They can also be used in a bulk power system to construct an autonomous distributed energy system. An important aspect in designing an active hybrid power source is to find a suitable control strategy that can manage the active power sharing and take advantage of the inherent scalability and robustness benefits of the hybrid system. This paper presents an agent-based power sharing scheme for active hybrid power sources. To demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed agent-based power sharing scheme, simulation studies are performed for a hybrid power source that can be used in a solar car as the main propulsion power module. Simulation results clearly indicate that the agent-based control framework is effective to coordinate the various energy sources and manage the power/voltage profiles.
A computer adaptive language for the development of structural analysis programs

Abstract A group of FORTRAN 77 subroutines is presented which are designed to augment the standard fortran language and to produce a new higher-order, machine-independent language for the development of structural engineering software. The group of subroutines which comprise the Computer Adaptive Language for the development of Structural Analysis Programs, CAL/SAP, is designed to operate effectively on micro, supermini and mainframe computers. The CAL/SAP system has been used as the basis for the development of the SAP-80 series of programs and for CAL-80, a series of interactive programs for Computer Assisted Learning of structural analysis and design. The subroutines which define the CAL/SAP development system are divided into the following three categories: • • First, a series of free-field input routines allows input data to be specified in a consistent manner, in arbitrary order, with optional name identification and in arithmetic statement form. • • Second, a set of incore data management subroutines allows dynamic storage allocation to be accomplished with integer, real and ASCII data with a minimum of programming effort. These subroutines eliminate paging problems on modern super minicomputers with virtual operating systems. • • Third, an out-of-core data management system allows different programs to access the same data. Simple operations allow data transfer between the in and out-of-core systems. The out-of-core data base provides for sequential, direct access and bulk data files. Communication between different data bases allows techniques such as multilevel substructure analysis to be implemented with a minimum of programming. The use of the CAL/SAP development system allows computer programs to be rapidly developed and maintained. Also, it can be used to upgrade existing software in order to obtain modularity and to operate efficiently on the new generation of computer systems. The purpose of this paper is to present the CAL/SAP development system and to illustrate that computer independent programs in structural engineering and computational mechanics can be developed which operate on both large and small computers.
How do pre-kindergarteners spend their time? Gender, ethnicity, and income as predictors of experiences in pre-kindergarten classrooms

Abstract The current paper considers how children spend their time in state-funded pre-kindergarten programs and how time use relates to ethnicity, gender, and family income, based on the assumption that how time is spent in pre-kindergarten is relevant for the programs’ success in narrowing achievement gaps. Classroom observations of 2061 children in 652 pre-k programs in 11 states were analyzed. Findings indicated that the pre-kindergarten day was roughly equally divided among free choice, teacher-assigned activities, and meals/routines. Children spent much of their time in language/literacy, social studies, and art, and less time in math and gross motor activities. Much of the pre-k day was spent in ‘no coded learning activity.’ Children in classes with lower proportions of Latino and African American children and higher average income-to-need ratios were generally engaged in richer and more stimulating experiences. The child-level variables of ethnicity and income were generally unrelated to how children spent their time, above and beyond the effects of classroom-level ethnicity and income. There were generally small, but significant gender differences – always in the gender-stereotyped direction – in how time was spent, especially during free choice time.
The Babu and the Boxwallah: Managerial Incentives and Government Intervention in a Developing Economy

In developing economies a firm’s strategy is directed more often at the government than at other competing firms. As an initial step towards modeling such interactions this paper considers a situation where a government confronts a monopoly. The latter chooses price and maximizes profit and the former chooses a tax rate and maximizes tax revenue. The government and the monopoly can delegate the final decision-making to, respectively, a bureaucrat and a manager. The incentive equilibrium of the model is characterized. It is shown that this kind of industrial setting is likely to exhibit greater inefficiencies than that which arises in standard models.
Effect of HMX on the combustion response function

Over a pressure range of 3.5-7 MPa and a frequency range of 500-2000 Hz and compared to propellants having equivalent energy and burn rate, HMX produces less pressure-coupled acoustic driving than AP and is equivalent to NC/TMETN. Formation of carbonaceous combustion products indicates that binder decomposition does not follow equilibrium thermochemistry, and that this is aggravated by fuel richness or the absence of AP.
Identifying functional networks using endogenous connectivity in gamma band electrocorticography.

Abstract Correlations in spontaneous, infra-slow (<0.1 Hz) fluctuations in gamma band (70–100 Hz) signal recorded using electrocorticography (ECoG) reflect the functional organization of the brain, appearing in auditory and visual sensory cortex, motor cortex, and the default mode network (DMN). We have developed a data-driven method using co-modulation in spontaneous, infra-slow, and gamma band power fluctuations in ECoG to characterize the connectivity between cortical areas. A graph spectral clustering algorithm was used to identify networks that appear consistently. These networks were compared with clinical mapping results obtained using electrocortical stimulation (ECS). We identify networks corresponding to motor and visual cortex with good specificity. Anatomic and functional evidence indicates that other networks, such as the DMN, are also identified by this algorithm. These results indicate that it may be possible to map functional cortex using only spontaneous ECoG recordings. In addition, they...
Role of heme-hemopexin in human T-lymphocyte proliferation.

Abstract Heme–hemopexin supports and stimulates proliferation of human acute T-lymphoblastic (MOLT-3) cells, suggesting the participation of heme in cell growth and division. MOLT-3 cells express approximately 58,000 hemopexin receptors per cell (apparent K d 20 n M ), of which about 20% are on the cell surface. Binding is dose- and temperature-dependent, and growth in serum-free IMDM medium is stimulated by 100–1000 n M heme–hemopexin, consistent with the high affinity of the receptor for hemopexin, and maximal growth is seen in response to 500 n M complex. Growth was similar in defined minimal medium supplemented with either low concentrations of heme–hemopexin or iron-transferrin, and either of these complexes were about 80% as effective as a serum supplement. Heme–hemopexin, but not apo–hemopexin, reversed the growth inhibition caused by desferrioxamine showing that heme–iron derived from heme catabolism is used for cell growth. Cobalt-protoporphyrin (CoPP)–hemopexin, which binds to the receptor but is not transported intracellularly [Smith et al., (1993) J. Biol. Chem. 268, 7365], also stimulated cell proliferation in serum-free IMDM but did not “rescue” the cells from desferrioxamine. Furthermore, CoPP–hemopexin effectively competed for the hemopexin receptor with heme–hemopexin and diminished its growth stimulatory effects. In addition, protein kinase C (PKC) is translocated to the plasma membrane within 5 min after heme–hemopexin is added to the medium, reaches maximum activity within 5–10 min, and declines to unstimulated levels by 30 min. Heme–hemopexin and CoPP-hemopexin both augmented MOLT-3 cell growth stimulated by serum. Thus, heme–hemopexin not only functions as an iron source for T-cells but occupancy of the hemopexin receptor itself triggers signaling pathway(s) involved in the regulation of cell growth. The stimulation of growth of human T-lymphocytes by heme–hemopexin is likely to be a physiologically relevant mechanism at sites of injury, infection, and inflammation.
The Molecular Mechanisms of Regulatory T Cell Immunosuppression

CD4+CD25+Foxp3+ T lymphocytes, known as regulatory T cells or Tregs, have been proposed to be a lineage of professional immune suppressive cells that exclusively counteract the effects of the immunoprotective "helper" and "cytotoxic" lineages of T lymphocytes. Here we discuss new concepts on the mechanisms and functions of Tregs. There are several key points we emphasize: 1. Tregs exert suppressive effects both directly on effector T cells and indirectly through antigen-presenting cells (APCs); 2. Regulation can occur through a novel mechanism of cytokine consumption to regulate as opposed to the usual mechanism of cytokine/chemokine production; 3. In cases where CD4+ effector T cells are directly inhibited by Tregs, it is chiefly through a mechanism of lymphokine withdrawal apoptosis leading to polyclonal deletion (PCD); and 4. Contrary to the current view, we discuss new evidence that Tregs, similar to other T cells lineages, can promote protective immune responses in certain infectious contexts (Pandiyan et al. 2011; Chen et al 2011). Although these points are at variance to varying degrees with the standard model of Treg behavior, we will recount developing findings that support these new concepts.
Presynaptic inhibition of spinal sensory feedback ensures smooth movement

The precision of skilled movement depends on sensory feedback and its refinement by local inhibitory microcircuits. One specialized set of spinal GABAergic interneurons forms axo-axonic contacts with the central terminals of sensory afferents, exerting presynaptic inhibitory control over sensory-motor transmission. The inability to achieve selective access to the GABAergic neurons responsible for this unorthodox inhibitory mechanism has left unresolved the contribution of presynaptic inhibition to motor behaviour. We used Gad2 as a genetic entry point to manipulate the interneurons that contact sensory terminals, and show that activation of these interneurons in mice elicits the defining physiological characteristics of presynaptic inhibition. Selective genetic ablation of Gad2-expressing interneurons severely perturbs goal-directed reaching movements, uncovering a pronounced and stereotypic forelimb motor oscillation, the core features of which are captured by modelling the consequences of sensory feedback at high gain. Our findings define the neural substrate of a genetically hardwired gain control system crucial for the smooth execution of movement.
Relay assisted uplink communication over frequency-selective channels

Based on block-orthogonal frequency division multiple access (block-OFDMA) and distributed space-time coding, we provide a novel design for a multi-user uplink communication system with fixed wireless relay stations. The relays can decode the information symbols received from the mobile users in the system and forward this information to the base station. We do not favor a system that enforces cooperation between users and relays at all times. We propose an adaptive scheme for a Rayleigh fading environment in which users and relays cooperate depending on the average power of the channels in the network. The proposed adaptive cooperative scheme increases the performance and the flexibility of the OFDMA uplink cellular system.
Taxa–area relationship and neutral dynamics influence the diversity of fungal communities on senesced tree leaves

Summary This study utilized individual senesced sugar maple and beech leaves as natural sampling units within which to quantify saprotrophic fungal diversity. Quantifying communities in individual leaves allowed us to determine if fungi display a classic taxa–area relationship (species richness increasing with area). We found a significant taxa–area relationship for sugar maple leaves, but not beech leaves, consistent with Wright’s species-energy theory. This suggests that energy availability as affected plant biochemistry is a key factor regulating the scaling relationships of fungal diversity. We also compared taxa rank abundance distributions to models associated with niche or neutral theories of community assembly, and tested the influence of leaf type as an environmental niche factor controlling fungal community composition. Among rank abundance distribution models, the zero-sum model derived from neutral theory showed the best fit to our data. Leaf type explained only 5% of the variability in community composition. Habitat (vernal pool, upland or riparian forest floor) and site of collection explained > 40%, but could be attributed to either niche or neutral processes. Hence, although niche dynamics may regulate fungal communities at the habitat scale, our evidence points towards neutral assembly of saprotrophic fungi on individual leaves, with energy availability constraining the taxa–area relationship.
Pineal and retinal lysosomal enzyme rhythms

Abstract Pineal glands and the neurosensory portion of the retinae of adult male rats adapted to a 24-h cycle with lights on from 06.00 to 20.00 h were collected at 9 timepoints during the cycle. Significant rhythms in both pineal and retinal hexosaminidase, β-glucuronidae, acid phosphatase and β-glucosidase were observed. For each enzyme, pineals had greater overall activity per unit amount of protein than did retinae. All 4 significantly rhythmic pineal enzymes peaked within 30 min of each other (18.30–19.00 h) whereas the retinal enzymes peaked some 6h earlier, between 11.30 and 13.45 h. To our knowledge, this is the first report demonstrating 24-h rhythms in lysosomal enzymes in the pineal gland and retina. Since the acrophases (peak time) of these enzymes within each tissue are tightly synchronized yet different between tissues, lysosomes may play unique roles in the physiology of different structures in the photoneuroendocrine system with respect to time in the light-dark cycle.
ENDOTOXIN FEVER IN GRANULOCYTOPENIC ANIMALS

The febrile response to bacterial endotoxin was measured in rabbits made leukopenic with nitrogen mustard. A striking increase in susceptibility to the lethal effects of endotoxin occurred in severely leukopenic animals. Animals without circulating granulocytes, or with only basophils, developed no significant fever after endotoxin injection. Animals with circulating granulocytes other than basophils exhibited a biphasic febrile response to endotoxin; this response was significantly less in magnitude than that of control animals. Control animals, severely granulocytopenic animals, and animals with no circulating granulocytes other than basophils showed comparable febrile responses to serum pyrogen. These results suggest that granulocytes inactivate endotoxin in vivo and support the hypothesis that leukocyte pyrogen is a necessary intermediate in endotoxin fever. Basophils do not appear to participate in this process. These observations also contradict previous studies that were taken to indicate a normal febrile response to endotoxin in leukopenic animals and suggest that those results are related to the persistence of granulocytes.
Conformational control of stereochemistry in the non-concerted, degenerate rearrangement of a vinylcyclopropane

Abstract The stereochemistry of the degenerate, thermal vinylcyclopropane rearrangement of (−)-2,2,3-trideuterio-Δ 3 -thujene has been elucidated. Determination of partitioning among the three products of enantiomerization and rearrangement to (+) and (−) 5,5,6-trideuterio-Δ 3 -thujene reveals that the major path is forbidden by orbital symmetry and is therefore non-concerted, while the minor paths are equally divided between a forbidden and an allowed path. The high degree of stereoselectivity of this non-concerted rearrangement is explained by a small barrier to conformational equilibration. The rate of the racemization is given by the expression log k (sec −1 ) = 14·33–43·4/2·303 RT.
Molecular analysis of hypoxanthine phosphoribosyl transferase mutants induced by glycidyl 1-naphthyl ether in mouse spleen cells in vivo.

Treatment of C57BL/6J mice with an epoxide, glycidyl 1-naphthyl ether (GNE), resulted in an average of a 3.4-fold increase in frequency of 6-thioguanine-resistant mutants of mouse spleen T-lymphocytes. In similar experiments with the epoxide trichloropropylene oxide, no increase in mutant frequency was found. To determine the kind and location of mutations in the coding region of the hypoxanthine phosphoribosyl transferase (HPRT) gene, 26 GNE-induced mutants and 17 spontaneous mutants were analyzed by direct sequencing of polymerase chain reaction amplified cDNA. Among the GNE-induced mutants, HPRT cDNA was present in 22, while that from 4 could not be detected. Among the spontaneous mutants, HPRT cDNA was present in 15 and absent in 2. Among GNE-induced mutants, base substitution in HPRT occurred in 15 of 22 mutants analyzed. Nine of 15 base substitutions involved TA base pairs, primarily TACG transitions. Base substitutions were found throughout exons 3–7 but 46% of substitutions were located in exon 3 and one frameshift mutation involving a GC base pair in exon 3 was also observed. Among the spontaneous mutants, base substitutions of HPRT occurred in 7 of 15 mutants analyzed with 6 of 7 base substitutions involving a TA base pair and another 2 of the 15 mutants showed a 4 base pair deletion. The base substitution spectrum in GNE-induced mutants was different from that of the spontaneous mutants. © 1993 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
The laterodorsal tegmentum is essential for burst firing of ventral tegmental area dopamine neurons

In response to behaviorally salient stimuli, dopamine (DA) neurons fire in bursts. Burst firing induces a large transient increase in synaptic DA and is regarded as the functionally relevant mode of transmission that signals reward and modulates goal-directed behavior. DA neuron burst firing is dynamically regulated by afferent inputs, and it is not present in vitro because of severing of afferent processes. However, what afferents are requisite for burst firing in vivo is not known. Here, we show that tonic input from the laterodorsal tegmental nucleus (LDTg) is required for glutamate-elicited burst firing in ventral tegmental area DA neurons of anesthetized rats. Also, after LDTg inactivation, DA neurons fire as they do in vitro (i.e., as pacemakers); even direct glutamate application fails to cause them to burst fire under these conditions. These data show that the LDTg is critical to normal DA function, and thus, pathology within this region may lead to aberrant DA signaling.
What's in a Name? Young Adolescents' Implicit Conceptions of Invention.

The past few years have seen an increase in the amount of attention focused on invention and design education at the college and K-12 levels. Given these efforts, the dearth of research on students' preexisting conceptions of invention is surprising. Knowledge of invention beliefs and attitudes will inform educational efforts by allowing educators to target the curriculum and accompanying activities more effectively than is possible without this knowledge. In this study, 55 sixth-grade students completed open-ended survey questions related to their conceptions of “invention.” Results suggest that students have few or simplistic conceptions of the invention and patent processes. Prior exposure to invention instruction or previous experience with inventing did not appear to have an impact on students' conceptions of invention. In order to dispel these superficial implicit theories, educators involved with invention programs should consider the use of active, situated teaching techniques such as project- and problem-based learning. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Sci Ed86:149–160, 2002; DOI 10.1002/sce.10011
Arecibo focal phased array feasibility study and instrument concept design

We are developing the next generation instrumentation for the Arecibo radiotelescope, consisting of an L-band focal phased array feed (PAF) with an effective field of view (FOV) of approx 20 arcmin in diameter. In 2010 and in part of 2011, as part of this development, we made a feasibility study to address two issues, in particular, necessary to implement this technology: first, to determine the available FOV of a PAF system with the Arecibo shaped optics, and second, the development of a suitable cryogenic concept with the potential of reaching a receiver temperature of 35K. We are presenting the results of this feasibility study and the system concept design of the Arecibo cryogenic phased array feed (AO-PAF).
Negotiating a Multicultural Canon: Finding the "Indian" in American Indian Law

The Encyclopedia of Native American Legal Tradition. Bruce Elliot Johansen. ed. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 1998. 410 pp. Linking Arms Together: American Indian Treaty Visions of Law and Peace, 1600-1800. Robert A. Williams Jr. New York: Oxford University Press, 1997. 192 pp.
Importance of fixation, pupil center, and reference axis in ocular wavefront sensing, videokeratography, and retinal image quality.

Purpose To examine the impact of the location of the fixation target, pupil center, and reference axis of ophthalmic aberrometers and videokeratographers on the measurement of corneal aberrations relevant to vision. Setting Clinical Research, Visual Optics Institute, College of Optometry, University of Houston, Houston, Texas, USA. Methods The design features of a generic aberrometer and videokeratographer and their interaction with the eye were examined. The results provided a theoretical framework for experimental assessment of pupil translation errors on corneal aberrations relevant to vision and their correction in 129 eyes. Results Two key principles emerged. First, the aberrometer's measurement axis must coincide with the eye's line-of-sight (LoS). Second, the videokeratographer's measurement axis (the vertex normal) must be parallel with the eye's LoS. When these principles are satisfied, the eye will be in the same state of angular rotation and direct comparison of measurements is justified, provided any translation of the pupil from the vertex normal is taken into account. The error incurred by ignoring pupil displacement in videokeratography varies between eyes and depends on the type of aberration and amount of displacement, with the largest residual correction root-mean-square wavefront error being 1.26 μm over a 6.0 mm pupil, which markedly decreases retinal image quality. Conclusion Translation of the pupil center with respect to the vertex normal in videokeratography should not be ignored in the calculation of the corneal first-surface, internal aberrations of the eye relevant to vision, or the design of refractive corrections based on videokeratography.
Immunological contributions to adipose tissue homeostasis

Adipose tissue is composed of many functionally and developmentally distinct cell types, the metabolic core of which is the adipocyte. The classification of "adipocyte" encompasses three primary types - white, brown, and beige - with distinct origins, anatomic distributions, and homeostatic functions. The ability of adipocytes to store and release lipids, respond to insulin, and perform their endocrine functions (via secretion of adipokines) is heavily influenced by the immune system. Various cell populations of the innate and adaptive arms of the immune system can resist or exacerbate the development of the chronic, low-grade inflammation associated with obesity and metabolic dysfunction. Here, we discuss these interactions, with a focus on their consequences for adipocyte and adipose tissue function in the setting of chronic overnutrition. In addition, we will review the effects of diet composition on adipose tissue inflammation and recent evidence suggesting that diet-driven disruption of the gut microbiota can trigger pathologic inflammation of adipose tissue.
MALIGNANT PRIMARY PARAGANGLIOMA OF THE THYROID GLAND: THE FIRST REPORTED CASE

ABSTRACT Objective: Primary paragangliomas of the thyroid gland are rare tumors with just 45 previously reported cases in the literature. While locally aggressive tumor behavior has been documented, there are no reported cases of a malignant thyroid paraganglioma. Methods: This report presents the case of a 73-year-old female who presented with a rapidly enlarging right thyroid mass. Results: At the time of initial resection, the mass had grossly invaded the trachea and esophagus and encased the recurrent laryngeal nerve. Central neck lymph node metastases were present. A right thyroid lobectomy with central neck dissection was performed, with a final histologic diagnosis of primary paraganglioma of the thyroid gland. Within 1 year, the patient showed local tumor recurrence that required a laryngeopharyngectomy with reconstruction. New cervical lymph node metastases had also developed, and within 1 year a solitary liver metastasis was identified and excised, confirming the malignant nature of the tumor. Conclusion: Thyroid paragangliomas are an extremely rare subset of thyroid tumors that have gained increasing recognition as a clinical entity in recent years. Recent case reports and a review of the literature emphasize that despite a tendency to display aggressive local behavior; distant metastatic spread was not reported for any of the 45 previously reported cases. This is the first case to show clearly malignant behavior in a thyroid primary paraganglioma with local recurrence as well as regional lymph node and distant tumor metastases. This case has important implications pertaining to patient postoperative management and emphasizes the importance of perioperative and postoperative surveillance for possible local recurrence or metastasis.
Books from England on Movement Education

(1967). Books from England on Movement Education. Journal of Health, Physical Education, Recreation: Vol. 38, No. 1, pp. 33-33.
Optimization of TPA-Induced Fluorescence from Ultrasmall (≤ 2 nm) Semiconductor Quantum Dots Used for Deep Tissue Imaging

We report optimizing the excitation wavelength for two-photon absorption-induced fluorescence in CdSe/ZnS ultrasmall semiconductor quantum dots, with a goal of maximizing their applicability to studying cell apoptosis in deep tissue imaging applications.
Edge map analysis in chest X-rays for automatic pulmonary abnormality screening

Our particular motivator is the need for screening HIV+ populations in resource-constrained regions for the evidence of tuberculosis, using posteroanterior chest radiographs (CXRs). The proposed method is motivated by the observation that abnormal CXRs tend to exhibit corrupted and/or deformed thoracic edge maps. We study histograms of thoracic edges for all possible orientations of gradients in the range $$[0, 2\pi )$$ at different numbers of bins and different pyramid levels, using five different regions-of-interest selection. We have used two CXR benchmark collections made available by the U.S. National Library of Medicine and have achieved a maximum abnormality detection accuracy (ACC) of 86.36 % and area under the ROC curve (AUC) of 0.93 at 1 s per image, on average. We have presented an automatic method for screening pulmonary abnormalities using thoracic edge map in CXR images. The proposed method outperforms previously reported state-of-the-art results.
Beach Foreshore Response to Long-Period Waves

A field experiment has been carried out to test the hypothesis that infragravity and lower frequency waves influence patterns of erosion and deposition on the beach foreshore. The data show coherent fluctuations in the foreshore sediment level which can be related to low frequency wave motions. The fluctuations have heights of up to 6 cm with typical time scales of 8 to 10 minute periods. They can be characterized in two ways: by the progression of the fluctuation up the foreshore slope (landward), and by the decrease in the root-mean-square (RMS) height of the fluctuations as they progress landward. Analysis of runup time series obtained by time-lapse photography concurrent with the sediment level measurements reveals long-period waves of undetermined origin which are positively correlated with the sediment level fluctuations. This strongly suggests that the waves are responsible for forcing the sediment level fluctuations.