cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
T-cells recognize multiple epitopes in the human thyrotropin receptor extracellular domain.

In Graves' disease (GD), the TSH receptor (TSHR) is believed to be the major target of an autoimmune response. T-Lymphocytes regulate the immune system. To assess the interaction of T-cells with TSHR in the pathogenesis of GD, we tested the T-cell response of peripheral blood mononuclear cells and T-cell lines to the recombinant human TSHR extracellular domain (rhTSHR-ECD) and 31 synthetic peptides corresponding to the entire TSHR-ECD in 20 patients with GD, 8 patients with Hashimoto's thyroiditis, 7 with colloid nodular goiter (CNG), and 20 normal controls. Comparing patients from different groups with normal subjects, there was a significant response to rhTSHR-ECD and thyroglobulin in GD patients (P 0.1). All 20 patients with GD responded to at least one peptide. The reactivity in GD patients was heterogeneous and spanned the entire TSHR-ECD. However, the reactivity was significantly different from that in controls for peptide regions 44-...
Diphtheria and tetanus toxoids: results of assays for the presence of bovine antigens.

Abstract Diphtheria toxoid concentrates, final products containing diphtheria toxoid and media used for the production of diphtheria toxin were tested for the presence of bovine sensitizing antigens by active anaphylaxis and passive cutaneous anaphylaxis in guinea pigs. Bovine antigens were detected in toxoids prepared by two manufacturers. The presence of these antigens was related to the type of medium used for toxin production. Bovine sensitizing antigens were not detected in concentrates of tetanus toxoid. These data extend those of Stainer (1967) and indicate that tests to detect the presence of extraneous sensitizing substances should be included in the control of toxoids and vaccines.
Margin-based active learning for structured predictions

Margin-based active learning remains the most widely used active learning paradigm due to its simplicity and empirical successes. However, most works are limited to binary or multiclass prediction problems, thus restricting the applicability of these approaches to many complex prediction problems where active learning would be most useful. For example, machine learning techniques for natural language processing applications often require combining multiple interdependent prediction problems—generally referred to as learning in structured output spaces. In many such application domains, complexity is further managed by decomposing a complex prediction into a sequence of predictions where earlier predictions are used as input to later predictions—commonly referred to as a pipeline model. This work describes methods for extending existing margin-based active learning techniques to these two settings, thus increasing the scope of problems for which active learning can be applied. We empirically validate these proposed active learning techniques by reducing the annotated data requirements on multiple instances of synthetic data, a semantic role labeling task, and a named entity and relation extraction system.
Toward a Commodity Enterprise Middleware: Can AMQP enable a new era in messaging middleware? A look inside standards-based messaging with AMQP

AMQP was born out of my own experience and frustrations in developing front- and back-office processing systems at investment banks. It seemed to me that we were living in integration Groundhog Day - the same problems of connecting systems together would crop up with depressing regularity. Each time the same discussions about which products to use would happen, and each time the architecture of some system would be curtailed to allow for the fact that the chosen middleware was reassuringly expensive. From 1996 through to 2003 I was waiting for the solution to this obvious requirement to materialize as a standard, and thereby become a commodity. But that failed to happen, and I grew tired of waiting.
A fluoroscopic method to confirm proper catheter position to measure pulmonary artery wedge pressure.

The proper position of a catheter to measure pulmonary wedge pressure is usually confirmed by measuring the oxygen saturation of withdrawn blood. However, this method of confirmation is tedious and frequently unsuccessful. A fluoroscopic method to confirm proper catheter position to measure wedge pressure was tested. Between 2 and 5 ml of contrast medium was injected into the artery distal to the catheter tip. Lack of movement for 15 seconds after injection indicated proper catheter position. As judged by the saturation of withdrawn blood and by comparison of wedge and left atrial or ventricular pressure, the fluoroscopic method of confirmation was correct in 71/75 attempts. Thus the flouroscopic method of confirmation of proper catheter position is simple, rapid, and reliable.
Simultaneousp-adic zeros of quadratic forms

The main result is thatr quadratic forms in more than 4r2+4r variables possess a common nontrivialp-adic zero.
Searching for Phylogenetic Trees under the Frequency Parsimony Criterion: An Approximation Using Generalized Parsimony

lelic frequency change as measured by the Manhattan metric. We provided three pri? mary arguments for choosing our method over other parsimony methods proposed for polymorphic data: (1) it accommodates polymorphism without resorting to coding strategies that permit the existence of im? possible conditions (e.g., ancestral loci for which all allele frequencies are zero); (2) it reduces the impact of sampling error (e.g., the failure to detect rare alleles in some populations or taxa; see also Rannala, 1995); and (3) it makes use of potentially useful frequency information that is lost in presence/absence coding strategies. De? spite its theoretical advantages, our meth? od has not been widely used because of its computational intensity and the inadequa? cy of the tree-searching algorithm used in the only existing implementation (FREQPARS; Swofford and Berlocher, 1987). Here, we propose a modification of the original method that overcomes these lim? itations by using an approximation to the original optimality criterion. In our original paper, we suggested that the MANAD (Manhattan distance, additiv? ity requirement) criterion be used to select optimal trees. Tree length is defined as the sum of the branch lengths (edges), where each branch length is measured by a Man? hattan distance. For a single brandi bound? ed by nodes A and B and a single locus ;, this distance D is defined as where p^nd p^are the frequencies of the /th allele at nodes A and B, respectively (nodes may either be terminal nodes rep? resenting terminal taxa or internal nodes representing hypothetical ancestors), and K is the total number of alleles. Obtaining a most-parsimonious reconstruction (MPR; Swofford and Maddison, 1987) under MANAD for a tree T requires finding the set of ancestral allele frequency arrays for all loci that minimize the length L of the tree. Thus,
OFF ganglion cells cannot drive the optokinetic reflex in zebrafish

Whereas the zebrafish retina has long been an important model system for developmental and genetic studies, little is known about the responses of the inner retinal neurons. Here we report single-unit ganglion cell recordings from 5- to 6-day-old zebrafish larvae. In wild-type larvae we identify at least five subtypes of ganglion cell responses to full-field illumination, with ON-OFF and ON-type cells predominating. In the nrc mutant retina, in which the photoreceptor terminals develop abnormally, we observe normal OFF responses but abnormal ON-OFF responses and no ON responses. Previously characterized as blind, these mutants lack an optokinetic reflex (OKR), but in another behavioral assay nrc mutant fish have near-normal responses to the offset of light and slow and sluggish responses to the onset of light. Pharmacological block of the ON pathway mimics most of the nrc visual defects. We conclude that the abnormal photoreceptor terminals in nrc mutants predominantly perturb the ON pathway and that the ON pathway is necessary to drive the OKR in larval zebrafish.
Iron Isotope Fractionation During Magmatic Differentiation in Kilauea Iki Lava Lake

Magmatic differentiation helps produce the chemical and petrographic diversity of terrestrial rocks. The extent to which magmatic differentiation fractionates nonradiogenic isotopes is uncertain for some elements. We report analyses of iron isotopes in basalts from Kilauea Iki lava lake, Hawaii. The iron isotopic compositions (56Fe/54Fe) of late-stagemeltveins are 0.2 permil (per thousand) greater than values for olivine cumulates. Olivine phenocrysts are up to 1.2 per thousand lighter than those of whole rocks. These results demonstrate that iron isotopes fractionate during magmatic differentiation at both whole-rock and crystal scales. This characteristic of iron relative to the characteristics of magnesium and lithium, for which no fractionation has been found, may be related to its complex redox chemistry in magmatic systems and makes iron a potential tool for studying planetary differentiation.
IMPROVED OXYGENATION IN A RANDOMIZED TRIAL OF INHALED NITRIC OXIDE FOR PPHN.• 1498

The effect of inhaled nitric oxide(NO) on clinical outcome in infants with PPHN is uncertain. We randomized 49 newborns, transferred to our center with clinical and echocardiographic evidence of severe PPHN (PaO2<100, FiO2=1), to treatment with or without NO. Patients with gestational age< 34 weeks or with congenital heart disease or diaphragmatic hernia were excluded. High frequency ventilation(HFOV) was used but not allowed concomitantly with NO. Median baseline oxygenation index(OI) was similar in 23 control (OI=26) and 26 NO(OI=31) patients. Mortality (8%), use of ECMO (32%), median days on mechanical ventilation (9d) or supplemental oxygen (13d) were not different between treatment groups. PaO2/FiO2, oxygen saturation and OI improved in the NO group compared to baseline and to control patients at 15 minutes and later times during the first 12hrs. Percent change in OI in the NO group was different(p<.05) from baseline(*) and from the control group(†)(see figure). Prior to ECMO, oxygenation was better in the NO group compared to control (p<.02). A trend toward fewer adverse neurologic events (seizure and intracranial hemorrhage) was seen in the NO group (4/26 vs. 8/23, p=0.10). Whether better oxygenation with NO improves neurologic outcome awaits further study. Additional advantages of NO therapy may be identified in larger trials designed to include NO with HFOV.
Target detection and classification using seismic signal processing in unattended ground sensor systems

The most challenging problem in target detection and classification is the extraction of a robust feature vector which can effectively represent a specific type of target. The use of the seismic signals in unattended ground sensor systems brings new challenges to the problem because of the complexity of the seismic waves and their highly dependency on the underlying geology. This paper proposes a new feature extraction algorithm - spectral statistics and wavelet coefficients characterization (SSWCC). SSWCC extracts a feature vector from both the frequency and the time-frequency domain analysis of the seismic signals, including the spectrum, the power spectral density (PSD) and the wavelet coefficients. The SSWCC algorithm is designed for real-time applications, and has shown its robustness and effectiveness through a series of experiments. Extensive performance evaluation is conducted to derive the optimal configuration of the different parameters. The overall classification accuracy can reach as high as 90.
Cyclic GMP and lymphocyte proliferation: effects on DNA-dependent RNA polymerase I and II activities.

Abstract Cyclic GMP (guanosine 3′:5′-cyclic monophosphate) accumulation and Ca2+ influx have been correlated with early nuclear events associated with increases in RNA polymerase I activity and decreases in RNA polymerase II activity in phytohemagglutinin-stimulated lymphocytes. In the present study we demonstrate that cyclic GMP in the presence of Ca2+ stimulates RNA polymerase I activity in lymphocyte nuclei isolated from both non-stimulated and phytohemagglutinin-stimulated lymphocytes. In addition, cyclic GMP in the presence of Ca2+ decreases RNA polymerase II activity in both non-stimulated and phytohemagglutinin-stimulated lymphocyte nuclei. These observations suggest that cyclic GMP and Ca2+ may represent components of a plasma membrane-to-nucleus “mitogen signal sequence”.
HIV-1 Tat Protein-Induced Alterations of ZO-1 Expression are Mediated by Redox-Regulated ERK1/2 Activation:

HIV-1 Tat protein plays an important role in inducing monocyte infiltration into the brain and may alter the structure and functions of the blood-brain barrier (BBB). The BBB serves as a frontline defense system, protecting the central nervous system from infected monocytes entering the brain. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to examine the mechanisms of Tat effect on the integrity of the BBB in the mouse brain. Tat was injected into the right hippocampi of C57BL/6 mice and expression of tight junction protein zonula occludens-1 (ZO-1) was determined in control and treated mice. Tat administration resulted in decreased mRNA levels of ZO-1 and marked disruption of ZO-1 continuity. These changes were associated with accumulation of inflammatory cells in brain tissue of Tat-treated mice. Further experiments indicated that Tat-mediated alterations of redox-related signaling may be responsible for decreased ZO-1 expression. Specifically, injections with Tat resulted in activation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK 1/2) and pretreatment with U 0126, a specific inhibitor of ERK kinase, effectively ameliorated the Tat-induced diminished ZO-1 levels. In addition, administration of N-acetylcysteine (NAC), a precursor of glutathione and a potent antioxidant, attenuated both Tat-induced ERK 1/2 activation and alterations in ZO-1 expression. These results indicate that Tat-induced oxidative stress can play an important role in affecting the integrity of the BBB through the ERK 1/2 pathway.
What to look for in assessing responsiveness to exercise in a health context.

Purpose: When attempting to assess responsiveness to habitual exercise in a health context, there is a wide range of issues that need to be addressed in order to provide science-based recommendations for use in evidence-informed health care delivery. Issues regarding responsiveness include characteristics of the exercise regimen or dose as well as characteristics of the response or effect. Results: The exercise dose typically has been characterized by its type, intensity, session duration, and session frequency with the concepts of activity profile, activity volume, and accumulation over multiple bouts throughout the day recently added to these discussions. When establishing the dose for a designated outcome specificity of the response in relation to exercise type needs to be considered. Understanding the role of intensity as a stimulus for change is critical because of the intensity-related biological responses to exercise, its role in exercise-induce medical complications, and the aversion many adults have to vigorous exercise. Receiving considerable attention is whether a higher intensity or greater volume of endurance-type exercise is more important in producing a variety of health-related benefits. To understand the potential role of accumulation of exercise, more information is needed on benefits derived from very short (≤5 min) bouts of exercise performed frequently as well as very long bouts (≥90 min) performed infrequently. Conclusions: When considering the response, it is important to establish the priority health outcomes, the relationship of the dose response for individual biological variables to the dose response for clinical outcomes, the basis for substantial interindividual variations in the response to a specific exercise dose, and the health benefit to health risk relationship for various doses of exercise. Scientific resolution of these issues will substantially facilitate the development and dissemination of appropriate guidelines for the use of exercise in promoting health.
A comparative study of number-average dissociation-corrected molecular weights of fulvic acids isolated from water and soil

Abstract This paper describes the cryoscopic determination of the dissociation-corrected number-average molecular weights −MN corr of fulvic acid samples isolated from soil and water. The soil and water fulvic acid samples originated, respectively, from the B 2 horizon of a Podzol soil (Conway, New Hampshire, U.S.A.) and the Oyster River (Lee, New Hampshire, U.S.A.). The corrections for dissociation of fulvic acid were determined by a theory which utilizes the equivalents per gram and the acid dissociation constants of the fulvic acid samples. The soil and aquatic fulvic acid −MN corr values are 644 and 626, respectively. The results are additional evidence for the similarity of humic materials isolated from soil and water. The importance of simultaneous experiments on soil and water humic material is emphasized.
The influence of task and angle on torque production and muscle activity at the elbow

This study investigated the effect of changing internal mechanical variables and task demands on muscle activity and torque production during high effort isometric contractions of the elbow flexors. The effect of adding a 50% maximal voluntary contraction (MVC) of supination to an MVC of elbow flexion was studied over a range of angles from 30° to 110° of elbow flexion. Surface EMGs were recorded from the biceps brachii (BIC), brachioradialis (BRAD) and triceps brachii (TRI) of 10 healthy subjects. BIC was the only muscle to show a consistent trend of increasing root mean square (rms) EMG with increasing elbow flexion angle. BIC activity also remained constant or increased with the addition of the supination task at all angles. In contrast, BRAD showed decreased activity when supination was added at several angular positions. Maximal flexion torque was reduced when the second task of submaximal supination was added. This torque reduction was statistically significant at all angles except 70° and appeared related to the decreased contribution from BRAD. In a small subset of subjects, however, BRAD activity did not decrease when the second degrees of freedom (df) task was added. These subjects exhibited higher flexion torques averaged over task than the majority, at all angles except 30°. These data support the view that internal mechanical considerations influence the manner in which the central nervous system (CNS) distributes activity to muscular synergists in response to altered task demands. Further, subject-specific patterns exist which must be recognized if these findings are to be incorporated in training or rehabilitation programmes.
Vertical Transmission of HIV in Africa: Diagnostic Testing and New Interventions

In conclusion the use of rapid HIV diagnostic tests followed by effective prophylactic antiretroviral and antimicrobial regimens may help reduce vertical transmission and infant mortality in the developing world. It will require intense efforts and innovative use of existing drugs to achieve infant survival rates comparable with those now observed in developed countries. However improved diagnostic testing will also assist in assessing the impact of various interventions aimed at reducing the risk of vertical transmission further and in monitoring the course and pathophysiology of HIV infection. (excerpt)
Comprehensive 5-Year Study of Cytogenetic Aberrations in 668 Infertile Men

Purpose: The causes of male infertility are heterogeneous but more than 50% of cases have a genetic basis. Specific genetic defects have been identified in less than 20% of infertile males and, thus, most causes remain to be elucidated. The most common cytogenetic defects associated with nonobstructive azoospermia are numerical and structural chromosome abnormalities, including Klinefelter syndrome (47,XXY) and Y chromosome microdeletions. To refine the incidence and nature of chromosomal aberrations in males with infertility we reviewed cytogenetic results in 668 infertile men with oligozoospermia and azoospermia.Materials and Methods: High resolution Giemsa banding chromosome analysis and/or fluorescence in situ hybridization were done in 668 infertile males referred for routine cytogenetic analysis between January 2004 and March 2009.Results: The overall incidence of chromosomal abnormalities was about 8.2%. Of the 55 patients with abnormal cytogenetic findings sex chromosome aneuploidies were observed...
Answer models for question answering passage retrieval

Answer patterns have been shown to improve the perfor-mance of open-domain factoid QA systems. Their use, however, requires either constructing the patterns manually or developing algorithms for learning them automatically. We present here a simpler approach that extends the techniques of language modeling to create answer models. These are language models trained on the correct answers to training questions. We show how they fit naturally into a probabilis-tic model for answer passage retrieval and demonstrate their effectiveness on the TREC 2002 QA Corpus.
On the performance and mechanisms of formaldehyde removal by chemi-sorbents

Abstract Indoor formaldehyde removal requires use of chemi-sorbents or catalysts in order to achieve meaningful removal efficiency. The objectives of this study were to determine the formaldehyde removal capacities of different sorbents, to investigate the effects of concentration and relative humidity on the capacity and to improve the understanding of the removal mechanism as related to the micropore structure, water-solubility, and competition between formaldehyde and water vapor for the adsorption and reaction sites. Five different types of media were tested for their removal capacities. Although two of the media have totally different micropore structure – one with large surface area and small pore size and another with small surface area and large pore size – they both presented large adsorption capacity, which indicated that the performance of chemi-sorbents is much more attributed to the chemical composition than the micropore structure. The effects of concentration and relative humidity were determined for the two media by using single pass breakthrough test method. The relative humidity had clear effect on the formaldehyde removal capacity of activated carbon-based media, but the effect for the activated alumina based media is not significant. The reason was elucidated by analyzing the combined effect of micropore size, water vapor capillary condensation and chemical reaction.
The Professional Development of Early Childhood Center Directors: Key Elements of Effective Training Models.

Training for child care center directors should involve experiences that are coherent and connected in a logical or cumulative fashion. Twelve key elements can serve as a framework for planning professional development training experiences for early childhood center directors. The'se elements relate to the content, structure, and delivery of training. Training should: (1) address both the management and leadership functions of the director's role; (2) be based on participants' perceived needs; (3) be problem-centered and site-specific; (4) focus on the director as change agent; (5) stress a systems perspective; (6) meet the needs of working professionals; (7) promote the professional advancement of participants; (8) promote participation that reflects the ethnic and cultural diversity of the field; (9) include follow-up; (10) promote cross-fertilization in the field; (11) promote active learning; and (12) promote collegiality and networking. National-Louis University has developed two training models for childcare center directors. The Early Childhood Leadership and Advocacy Field-Based Program is a 20-month master's degree program specifically designed to accommodate the needs of center directors who want to expand their repertoire of management and leadership skills without interrupting their careers. The Taking Charge of Change Program involves an 8-day intensive leadership training institute during the summer and two follow-up weekend retreats during the following academic year. (A two-page description of ceurs'.s is attached.) (AC) *********************************************************************** Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document. *********************************************************************** U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Office of Educenonai Research and Improvement EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC) XThis document has been reproduced as received from the person or organization originating it. 0 Minor changes have been made to improve reproduction quality. Points of view or opinions stated in this document do not necessarily represent official OERI position or policy. The Professional Development of Early Childhood Center Directors: Key Elements of Effective Training Models
Formal verification of hybrid systems

In formal verification, a designer first constructs a model, with mathematically precise semantics, of the system under design, and performs extensive analysis with respect to correctness requirements. The appropriate mathematical model for embedded control systems is hybrid systems that combines the traditional state-machine based models for discrete control with classical differential-equations based models for continuously evolving physical activities. In this article, we briefly review selected existing approaches to formal verification of hybrid systems, along with directions for future research.
Maternal treatment with somatotropin alters embryonic development and early postnatal growth of pigs.

A possible management strategy to alter fetal development and enhance sow productivity and progeny performance was examined by maternal administration of porcine somatotropin during early gestation. Eighteen crossbred gilts were bred naturally to boars of similar genetics, and pregnancy was confirmed between Days 21 and 24 of gestation by ultrasound. All animals were allowed ad libitum consumption of a 16% CP gestation diet through Day 21 of gestation and 3.0 kg/d for the remainder of gestation. Gilts were injected twice daily with 0 (n = 10) or 15 micrograms/kg body weight (BW) (n = 10; total, 30 micrograms/kg BW per d) pituitary-derived porcine somatotropin (pST) during Days 28 to 40 of gestation. Data were collected postmortem during embryonic, neonatal, and market-weight phases. At 41 d of gestation, pST treatment increased embryonic survival (87.9 versus 77.0%; P 0.10). Pigs from pST-treated gilts had increased (P 0.10). Neonatal carcasses of progeny (20 kg BW) from the pST-treated gilts had heavier semitendinosus muscles (76.1 versus 66.0 g; P < 0.10), larger longissimus muscle cross-sectional area (10.1 versus 8.2 cm2; P < 0.05), longer sides (51.2 versus 47.9 cm; P < 0.001), and decreased 10th rib backfat (6.67 versus 8.64 mm; P < 0.001) compared with those of controls. Carcasses of market-weight progeny (100 kg BW) from pST-treated gilts had larger longissimus muscle cross-sectional area (P < 0.10), heavier trimmed loins (P < 0.10), and longer carcass sides (P < 0.05). Data are supportive of a hypothesis that mechanisms during early embryonic development are sensitive to manipulation through selected management strategies of the sow and that modifications of this strategy may serve as a model for the examination of molecular and cellular events controlling early embryonic growth.
The gains from short-term commitments

Abstract In a standard New-Keynesian sticky-price model, we study how the gains from commitment depend on how far ahead policymakers commit. While the traditional time-inconsistent solution assumes a once-and-for-all commitment to a plan for all future periods, we show that most of the gains can be achieved with commitment streaks lasting 3–4 periods, or 9–12 months. Moreover, we find that continuously committing just one period ahead is sufficient to capture all the gains from commitment, though this is only feasible with inflation-targeting. The adaptability of short-term commitments to changes in our models and understanding of the economy should arguably make these more credible than once-and-for-all commitments.
Flexible estimates of tumour incidence for intermediately lethal tumours in a typical long‐term animal bioassay

Summary. The estimation of the incidence of tumours in an animal carcinogenicity study is complicated by the occult nature of the tumours involved (i.e. tumours are not observable before an animal's death). Also, the lethality of tumours is generally unknown, making the tumour incidence function non-identifiable without interim sacrifices, cause-of-death data or modelling assumptions. Although Kaplan-Meier curves for overall survival are typically displayed, obtaining analogous plots for tumour incidence generally requires fairly elaborate model fitting. We present a case-study of tetrafluoroethylene to illustrate a simple method for estimating the incidence of tumours as a function of more easily estimable components. One of the components, tumour prevalence, is modelled by using a generalized additive model, which leads to estimates that are more flexible than those derived under the usual parametric models. A multiplicative assumption for tumour lethality allows for the incorporation of concomitant information, such as the size of tumours. Our approach requires only terminal sacrifice data although additional sacrifice data are easily accommodated. Simulations are used to illustrate the estimator proposed and to evaluate its properties. The method also yields a simple summary measure of tumour lethality, which can be helpful in interpreting the results of a study.
MRI measurement of the uptake and retention of motexafin gadolinium in glioblastoma multiforme and uninvolved normal human brain

Purpose Motexafin gadolinium (MGd) is an investigational pharmaceutical with radiation enhancing properties. Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) was used to measure brain and tumor MGd levels to evaluate (1) the degree to which MGd passes through the intact blood brain barrier, and (2) the retention of MGd in tumor in patients with glioblastoma multiforme (GBM).
Electoral Strength and the Emergence of Group Influence in the Late 1800s The Grand Army of the Republic

In this article, the author uses probit models to test the hypothesis that the strength at the state level of a Union veterans group was correlated to legislators'votes on proposals to extend pension benefits. Results indicate that the Grand Army of the Republic (GAR), the veterans group in question, affected legislators' votes on both the Arrears Act of 1879 and the Disability Pension Act of 1890. The GAR was one of the first broadly based groups able to provide voters with an alternative, group-based linkage to their legislators. Within Congress, parties were surprisingly unorganized, allowing the GAR to strengthen its independence from strictly partisan coalitions. The author draws parallels between results here and results from other scholars' analyses of more recent group activity.
Gendering Fashion, Fashioning Fur: On the (re)production of a Gendered Labor Market within a Craft Industry in Transition

What are the implications of the new economy for gender equality in labor markets? Does an economy that privileges �immaterial� labor (the production of ideas) over �material� labor (the manual production of goods) signal the possibility for greater labor market inclusion? Building on critical accounts of the new economy, I examine the bases for continued gender hierarchies through an analysis of the contemporary restructuring of the fur industry in Canada. As a traditional craft industry, fur has sought to adapt to new-economy imperatives by incorporating �immaterial� labor in the form of fashion design. However, these efforts have been limited, as the (predominantly male) fur manufacturers have sought to retain authority in a changing economy by integrating design as a subordinate activity�a subordination made possible through a coding of design as feminine and through the deployment of the fashion designer as a flexible source of labor. Drawing on interviews with manufacturers, designers, and other industry actors, I analyze how new-economy imperatives intersect with local institutional practices and ideologies to reproduce a gendered labor market.
Assessing the potential demand for electric cars

Abstract An ordered logit specification for use on ranked individual data is used to analyze survey data on potential consumer demand for electric cars. In many situations in economics and marketing we would like to be able to forecast consumer demands for goods which have not yet appeared in actual markets. By defining goods as a bundle of underlying attributes, we can use discrete choice models to estimate consumer evaluations. Then new good demand is forecast by use of the estimated coefficients to compare consumer evaluation of the new good to existing choices. When ranked individual data are available, we can estimate separate coefficients for each individual rather than assuming identical coefficients as is usual with logit models. Our results indicate considerable dispersion in individual coefficients. This finding can have important implications for new product analysis.
All-optical tunable multilevel amplitude regeneration based on coherent wave mixing using a polarizer

We describe and demonstrate an all-optical tunable phase- preserving scheme for multilevel amplitude regeneration based on coherent optical wave mixing using a polarizer for optical star 8-quadrature-amplitude modulation (star-8QAM) and star-16QAM signals with a power ratio of 1:5. Amplitude noise can be efficiently suppressed on both amplitude levels. A regeneration factor of nearly 5 for the higher-amplitude level of star-8QAM and 3 for lower-amplitude level are achieved. The system robustness against nonlinear phase noise originating from the Gordon-Mollenauer effect in a 150 km transmission line is investigated using the proposed amplitude regenerator.
AMP deaminase: Stage-specific isozymes in differentiating chick muscle☆

The molecular basis of the developmental increase in AMP deaminase activity in chick muscle was investigated with a view toward determining whether isozymes of AMP deaminase exist in embryonic avian muscle and, if so, whether a stage-specific isozyme transition occurs during myogenesis in vivo and in vitro. Under specified conditions, AMP deaminase isozymes in adult chicken brain and muscle may be distinguished on the basis of differences in relative substrate specificities for 5′-dAMP and 5′-AMP (expressed as a ratio of the rates observed with these compounds; i.e., dAMPAMP ratios), as well as by differential immunoinactivation by antibody directed against breast muscle AMP deaminase. It was found that the AMP deaminase(s) that is (are) present in 6-day embryos is (are) catalytically and immunologically similar to the enzyme in adult brain. With mixtures of known amounts of adult muscle and brain enzymes, values for the dAMPAMP ratio (as well as the fraction of uninactivated AMP deaminase at antibody excess) were proportional to the fraction of muscle isozyme present. Standard curves constructed from these data were used to determine that the fraction of adult muscle-like AMP deaminase in developing muscle, as assessed by dAMPAMP ratios (and differential immunoinactivation), on days 6, 8, 10, and 15 were 23 (28), 55 (65), 83 (85), and 93% (96), respectively, Thus, parallel results were obtained for the two techniques, and the isozyme transition is virtually complete by the 15th day of incubation. Primary muscle cultures were used to investigate the isozyme transition of AMP deaminase during myogenesis in vitro. Comparison of the data obtained from primary muscle cultures treated with bromodeoxyuridine, cytosine arabinoside, and fluorodeoxyuridine with data from control cultures showed that biochemical differentiation of AMP deaminase in vitro could be attributed to the muscle cell. Also, the isozyme composition changed from a small percentage of adult muscle-like isozyme at the time of plating, to approximately 100% by the 6th day of culture.
Attenuation and velocity of sound near the open-orbit resonances in copper

Simultaneous velocity and attenuation measurements are reported for the [111] and [010] open orbits in copper using 52-MHz compressional waves propagating in the [\ifmmode\bar\else\textasciimacron\fi{}101] direction. The two-phase continuous-wave resonance technique applied to a sharp open-orbit resonance is shown to be useful for measuring one of the physical constants $\frac{e}{\mathrm{ch}}$, the lattice constant, or the velocity of sound if the other two are well known. The behavior of the dispersion near the [111] open-orbit resonance seems to imply that the effective force on the lattice is different for electrons drifting parallel and antiparallel to $\stackrel{\ensuremath{\rightarrow}}{\mathrm{q}}$.
Role of spontaneous breathing trial in predicting successful extubation in premature infants

Background The ability of clinicians to predict successful extubation in mechanically ventilated premature neonates is limited. Identifying objective criteria for predicting successful extubation may reduce the incidence of failed extubation and the duration of mechanical ventilation. Objective To evaluate the validity of objective measures of lung function and spontaneous breathing trial (SBT) in predicting successful extubation among premature neonates with attempted extubations within the first 3 weeks of life. Methods Respiratory compliance (Crs) along with SBT was performed prior to elective extubations within 3 weeks of age in premature infants ≤32 weeks. Extubation was considered successful if patients remained extubated for >72 hr. Ventilator settings including mean airway pressure (MAP), set rate, and fraction of inspired oxygen (FiO2) 24 hr after re-intubation were compared with pre-extubation settings, in patients requiring re-intubation. Results Thirty-nine of 49 infants (80%) were successfully extubated. Of 41 babies who passed SBT, only 5 infants failed extubation. SBT had 92% sensitivity, 50% specificity, 88% positive predictive, and 63% negative predictive value for successful extubation. Crs was comparable between infants who were successfully extubated and those who were not. Conclusions A SBT prior to extubation may be a practical objective adjunct in predicting successful extubation in ventilated premature infants. Pediatr Pulmonol. 2013; 48:443–448. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Biological control of arthropod pests using banker plant systems: Past progress and future directions

Abstract The goal of banker plant systems is to sustain a reproducing population of natural enemies within a crop that will provide long-term pest suppression. The most common banker plant system consists of cereal plants infested with Rhopalosiphum padi L. as a host for the parasitoid Aphidius colemani L. Aphidius colemani continually reproduce and emerge from the banker plants to suppress aphid pests such as Aphis gossypii Glover and Myzus persicae Sulzer. Banker plant systems have been investigated to support 19 natural enemy species targeting 11 pest species. Research has been conducted in the greenhouse and field on ornamental and food crops. Despite this there is little consensus of an optimal banker plant system for even the most frequently targeted pests. Optimizing banker plant systems requires future research on how banker plants, crop species, and alternative hosts interact to affect natural enemy preference, dispersal, and abundance. In addition, research on the logistics of creating, maintaining, and implementing banker plant systems is essential. An advantage of banker plant systems over augmentative biological control is preventative control without repeated, expensive releases of natural enemies. Further, banker plants conserve a particular natural enemy or potentially the ‘right diversity’ of natural enemies with specific alternative resources. This may be an advantage compared to conserving natural enemy diversity per se with other conservation biological control tactics. Demonstrated grower interest in banker plant systems provides an opportunity for researchers to improve biological control efficacy, economics, and implementation to reduce pesticide use and its associated risks.
‘Neither silent nor invisible’: anti-poverty communication in the San Francisco Bay Area

The communication practices of three US anti-poverty groups in the San Francisco Bay Area – Coalition on Homelessness, Poor News Network, and Media Alliance – are discussed whose communication strategies work for the recognition and rights of low-income and homeless people, and for policies to better redistribute economic and communications resources. In the wake of media closures in the local public sphere, and major restructuring of social welfare programmes, these groups’ creative and engaged communication strategies empower poor people and support the building of counter-public spheres working in interaction with, and as alternatives to, dominant media spheres.
Using MOOCs to reinvigorate software engineering education (keynote)

The spectacular failure of the Affordable Care Act website ("Obamacare") has focused public attention on software engineering. Yet experienced practitioners mostly sighed and shrugged, because the historical record shows that only 10 % of large (> 10 M) software projects using conventional methodologies such as Waterfall are successful. In contrast, Amazon and others successfully build comparably large and complex sites with hundreds of integrated subsystems by using modern agile methods and service-oriented architecture. This contrast is one reason Industry has complained that academia ignores vital software topics, leaving students unprepared upon graduation. In too many courses, well-meaning instructors teach traditional approaches to software development that are neither supported by tools that students can readily use, nor appropriate for projects whose scope matches a college course. Students respond by continuing to build software more or less the way they always have, which is boring for students, frustrating for instructors, and disappointing for industry. This talk explains how the confluence of cloud computing, software as a service (SaaS), and Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) have not only revolutionized the future of software, but changed it in a way that makes it easier and more rewarding to teach. UC Berkeley's revised Software Engineering course allows students to both enhance a legacy application and to develop a new app that matches requirements of non-technical customers, using the same tools and techniques that professionals use. By experiencing the whole software lifecycle repeatedly within a single college course, students learn to use and appreciate the skills that industry has long encouraged. The course is now popular with students, rewarding for faculty, and praised by industry.
SOFT-TISSUE BALANCING IN TOTAL SHOULDER ARTHROPLASTY

When a total shoulder arthroplasty is performed, restoration of the anatomy to near normal is important in order to achieve a stable implant. So as not to sacrifice stability, it is not uncommon for soft tissues to be either over tightened or insufficiently released. This article analyzes the various factors to consider in order to obtain appropriate soft-tissue balancing for a successful total shoulder arthroplasty.
Oral clopidogrel improves cutaneous microvascular function through EDHF-dependent mechanisms in middle-aged humans

Platelet P2Y12-ADP and COX-1 receptor inhibition with oral clopidogrel (CLO) and low-dose aspirin (ASA), respectively, attenuates reflex-mediated cutaneous vasodilation, but little is known about how these medications affect local vasodilatory signaling. Reactive hyperemia (RH) results in vasodilation that is mediated by sensory nerves and endothelium-derived hyperpolarization factors (EDHF) through large-conductance calcium-activated potassium channels, whereas slow local heating (LH) elicits vasodilation largely through the production of nitric oxide (NO). We hypothesized that CLO and ASA would attenuate locally mediated cutaneous vasodilation assessed by RH and LH (0.5°C/min). In a randomized, cross-over, double-blind placebo-controlled study, nine healthy men and women (56 ± 1 yr) took CLO (75 mg), ASA (81 mg), and placebo for 7 days. Skin blood flow was measured (laser-Doppler flowmetry, LDF) and cutaneous vascular conductance (CVC) was calculated (LDF/mean arterial pressure) and normalized to maximal CVC (%CVCmax: 43°C and 28 mM sodium nitroprusside). RH response parameters, including area under the curve (AUC), total hyperemic response (THR), and the decay constant tau (λ) were calculated. NO-dependent vasodilation during LH was assessed by calculating the difference in %CVCmax between a control site and an NO synthase-inhibited site (10 mM l-NAME: intradermal microdialysis). CLO augmented the AUC and THR (AUCclo = 3,783 ± 342; THRclo = 2,306 ± 266% CVCmax/s) of the RH response compared with ASA (AUCASA = 3,101 ± 325; THRASA = 1,695 ± 197% CVCmax/s) and placebo (AUCPlacebo = 3,000 ± 283; THRPlacebo = 1,675 ± 170% CVCmax/s; all P 0.05). Oral CLO treatment augments vasodilation during RH but not LH, suggesting that CLO may improve cutaneous microvascular function.
Evidence that the reduced surface antigenicity of developing Schistosoma mansoni schistosomula is due to antigen shedding rather than host molecule acquisition.

Summary Antibody and lectin binding characteristics of Schistosoma mansoni schistosomula maturing in vivo and in vitro were quantitatively assessed and compared in order to investigate the basis of the reduced surface antigenicity of host derived larval schistosomes. Quantitative indirect immunofluorescence assays showed that schistosomula recovered from mice at 24 h and 5–10 days post infection bound low or insignificant amounts of a variety of anti-schistosome antibodies including those from chronically infected and radiation attenuated cercariae-vaccinated mice, a vaccinated rabbit and rabbits hyper-immunized with non-living larval and adult schistosome antigen preparations. In contrast, parasites maturing in vitro continued to bind highly significant levels of each of these antibody preparations until at least 10 days post transformation. To investigate the basis of the decreased surface antigenicity of parasites maturing in vivo, 6-day-cultured parasites were injected intravenously into mice and recovered from the lungs at various times thereafter and examined for their ability to bind both anti-parasite and anti-host antibodies. After 30 min in vivo, cultured schistosomula exhibited a significantly decreased capacity to bind anti-parasite antibodies and concanavalin A (Con A), and by 16 h had lost their binding sites for fucose binding protein (FBP) as well. That this reduction in antigenicity was due to shedding of surface antigens was suggested by the observation that the reduced ability of these parasites to bind anti-parasite antibodies coincided closely with the loss of 125I-labelled surface proteins. Furthermore unlike 6 day schistosomula which had developed wholly in vivo, 6-day-cultured parasites recovered after 30 min in vivo failed to bind anti-host antibodies suggesting that in these organisms parasite antigens were not masked by host molecules. These data argue that surface antigen shedding may explain the reduced surface antigenicity of schistosomula developing in vivo. While this surface modulation apparently independently of host antigen uptake, it is dependent upon an as yet unindentified host factor.