cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Communalism as a fundamental dimension of culture

Ibis essay does not dispute the authenticity of individualism and collectivism as dimensions of culture. However, existing literature has missed a fundamental dimension, communalism, and has mistakenly attributed the characteristics of communalism to collectivism. Here, I affirm the fundamental nature of communalism as a cultural dimension and discuss how its characteristics markedly differ from those of collectivism and individualism. I then examine how communication works in communalistic communities. l throw some light on the concept of cultural dualism and introduce personalism as an emerging social order in both individualistic societies and urban centers of communalistic societies.
The iwasawa invariant μ in the composite of two Zl-extensions

Abstract Let k0 be a finite extension field of the rational numbers, and assume k0 has at least two Zl-extensions. Assume that at least one Zl-extension K k 0 has Iwasawa invariant μ = 0, and let L be the composite of K and some other Zl-extension of k0. In this paper we find an upper bound for the number of Zl-extensions of k0 contained in L with nonzero μ.
Respiratory responses of blue crabs, Callinectes sapidus, to emersion

Abstract 1. 1. Hemolymph oxygen, pH and lactate, ventilatory and circulatory rates, and position of the branchial lamellae were determined in submerged and emersed blue crabs. 2. 2. Postbranchial hemolymph oxygen tension declined to 24.4 (±X) torr during 4 hr emersion, and this hypoxia was accompanied by an acidosis. The acidosis was at least partially metabolic in nature, evidenced by the increase in lactate during emersion. 3. 3. Large crabs exhibited an increase and small crabs a decrease in scaphognathite and cardiac rates over the 4 hr period of emersion. 4. 4. Photographs of the gill chamber taken under both conditions indicate that the gills clump together during emersion and the lamellae do not appear well perfused. 5. 5. The evidence indicates that there are substantial limitations to gas exchange during emersion of blue crabs. This species may survive well in air because of a reduction in metabolic demand or tolerance of the hypoxic conditions.
FKBP5 as a Selection Biomarker for Gemcitabine and Akt Inhibitors in Treatment of Pancreatic Cancer

We have recently shown that the immunophilin FKBP5 (also known as FKBP51) is a scaffolding protein that can enhance PHLPP-AKT interaction and facilitate PHLPP-mediated dephosphorylation of Akt Ser473, negatively regulating Akt activation in vitro. Therefore, FKBP5 might function as a tumor suppressor, and levels of FKBP5 would affect cell response to chemotherapy. In the current study, we have taken a step forward by using a pancreatic cancer xenograft mice model to show that down regulation of FKBP5 in shFKBP5 xenograft mice promotes tumor growth and resistance to gemcitabine, a phenomenon consistent with our previous findings in pancreatic cell lines. In addition, we also found that inhibitors targeting the Akt pathway, including PI3K inhibitor, Akt inhibitor and mTOR inhibitor had a different effect on sensitization to gemcitabine and other chemotherapeutic agents in cell lines, with a specific Akt inhibitor, triciribine, having the greatest sensitization effect. We then tested the hypothesis that addition of triciribine can sensitize gemcitabine treatment, especially in shFKBP5 pancreatic cancer xenograft mice. We found that combination treatment with gemcitabine and triciribine has a better effect on tumor inhibition than either drug alone (p<0.005) and that the inhibition effect is more significant in shFKBP5 xenograft mice than wt mice (p<0.05). These effects were correlated with level of Akt 473 phosphorylation as well as proliferation rate, as indicated by Ki67 staining in xenograft tumor tissues. These results provide evidence in support of future clinical trials designed to tailor therapy based on our observations.
Trading efficiency for effectiveness in similarity-based indexing for image databases

ABSTRACT Image databases typically manage feature data that can be viewed as points in a feature space. Some features,however, can be better expressed as a collection of points or described by a probability distribution function ( PDF) rather than as a single point. In earlier work we introduced a similarity measure and a method for indexing and searching the PDF descriptions of these items that guarantees an answer equivalent to sequentialsearch. Unfortunately, certain properties of the data can restrict the efficiency of that method. In this paper weextend that work and examine trade-offs between efficiency and answer quality or effectiveness. These trade-offsreduce the amount of work required during a search by reducing the number of undesired items fetched withoutexcluding an excessive number of the desired ones.Keywords: image databases, similarity-based retrieval, efficiency and effectiveness trade-offs, similarity mea-sures 1 INTRODUCTION Many image databases7'8'3 manage feature data that can be viewed as points in a feature space. In these
Potassium transport in salt-stressed barley roots.

Salinization of the medium inhibits both K+ uptake by excised barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) roots and K+ release from their stele, as measured by short-term 86Rb uptake and xylem exudation, respectively. Although inhibition was not specific to chloride, mannitol caused a different response from that of inorganic sodium salts, indicating that inhibition was at least partly the result of an ion effect. In roots previously exposed to low levels of NaCl, NaCl stress directly affected stelar K+ release, whereas in low-sodium roots stelar K+ release was much less salt-sensitive than K+ uptake.
Linking Excellence in Teaching to Departments' Budgets.

It is time for the research and clinical practice communities, which dominate medical schools, to realize that the enhanced support of teaching is essential not only for students and society but also because these communities' successes hinge on how well their investigators and clinicians were taught. The need to learn more about the evaluation of teaching should not be a barrier to the productive use of current knowledge about it, which is sufficient for schools to improve the standing and effectiveness of teaching. A greater focus on teaching is even more urgent now because the disbursement of medical school funding is changing, and fewer funds are being allowed for the use of education. Also, other pressures, such as greater demands on faculty time for research and patient care activities and the tendency for research and clinical care to evolve into autonomously governed activities, are distracting faculty from teaching. To establish a superior ethos for education, the author proposes a new approach to faculty compensation and advancement, in which half of the available resources would be distributed according to departmental merit, which would link compensation to the performance of the faculty group composing a department. Performance in both research and teaching in all venues of medical work would be weighed equally. The dean's office would be responsible for making departmental merit awards, using advice and information from faculty, students, and administrative staff, and all decisions would be reviewed with each department chair.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Conductance of small semiconductor devices

Abstract We calculate low field conductivity and mobility as a function of a sample length for small semiconductor samples. When the sample length is much smaller than the mean free path the current density is proportional to the applied voltage so that the apparent low field mobility is proportional to the device length. Calculation of the apparent low field mobility for high mobility GaAs devices shows that the size effects may be important for sample lengths smaller than 2 μm.
Prospects for walkable, mixed-income neighborhoods: insights from U.S. developers

In the U.S. today, there is a significant danger that walkable communities are becoming unaffordable to low and even moderate-income residents. This paper reports on the results of a survey of affordable housing developers that was conducted to provide a better understanding of what kinds of strategies could be used to substantially increase the prevalence of walkable, mixed-income neighborhoods from the point of view of developers. Thirty-four developers from around the U.S. were interviewed by telephone in November and December, 2010. Five themes emerged from the survey: the need for financing and access to capital and subsidy; the need for reform of financial regulation; the need for reform of land use regulation; the need for incentives; and the need for better communication and networking. Responses to the survey underscored the frustrations affordable housing developers are having with development more generally, and how those frustrations are amplified when trying to locate affordable housing in walkable, mixed-income neighborhoods. The paper concludes by suggesting strategies that could be employed to help promote walkable, mixed-income neighborhoods, beyond the obvious need for better access to capital: support for research that focuses on the benefits of mixed-income neighborhoods; documentation and illumination of best practices; and the fostering of communication and partnerships among a diverse set of advocates.
Modeling Spatial Diffusion Reaction to Wellhofer

Wellhofer's adaptation of Klingman's suggestion that spatial diffusion be modeled as an autoregressive spatial series is questioned on two counts. First, this approach is inappropriate for most classes of diffusion models, including dendritic diffusion systems. Second, the procedure by which Wellhofer has ordered the observations in his Argentine illustration produces a database that bears almost no resemblance to the underlying pattern of causation he wishes to examine and actually creates an additional source of bias in the analysis.
A 1/f noise model based on fluctuating defect states

Abstract A model for 1 f noise is developed that is based on fluctuations of the number of energy states associated with extended defects and the defect gradient. The tendency for the source of the states such as dislocations to equilibrate by diffusion leads to a 1 f spectral distribution of the effective number of states. When the states are near the Fermi level and active in processes such as carrier recombination or tunneling in semiconductor devices, the fluctuations appear as 1 f noise in voltage or current. The model is quantitative and predicts low noise for a very uniform density of defects or very small defect size. The Hooge dimensionless constant is identified in terms of the defect structure.
The effects of a stratified analysis of censored data

Bias and power are compared for the stratified and unstratified logrank tests in survival type studies with censored data. It is assumed that strata are formed by grouping a covariate. Bias arises when covariate values differ between groups. Survival may then be equal at each covariate value, but appear to differ overall. Large sample findings indicate that 3–4 strata suffice to accomplish most of the potential gain relative to the unstratified situation. Gains are worthwhile for bias, but small for power unless the response and covariate are strongly correlated. In small samples the increase in power with stratifica tion may be even less. Equal frequency and optimal strata usually give similar results.
Remote sensing analysis of vegetation recovery following short-interval fires in Southern California Shrublands

Increased fire frequency has been shown to promote alien plant invasions in the western United States, resulting in persistent vegetation type change. Short interval fires are widely considered to be detrimental to reestablishment of shrub species in southern California chaparral, facilitating the invasion of exotic annuals and producing “type conversion”. However, supporting evidence for type conversion has largely been at local, site scales and over short post-fire time scales. Type conversion has not been shown to be persistent or widespread in chaparral, and past range improvement studies present evidence that chaparral type conversion may be difficult and a relatively rare phenomenon across the landscape. With the aid of remote sensing data covering coastal southern California and a historical wildfire dataset, the effects of short interval fires (<8 years) on chaparral recovery were evaluated by comparing areas that burned twice to adjacent areas burned only once. Twelve pairs of once- and twice-burned areas were compared using normalized burn ratio (NBR) distributions. Correlations between measures of recovery and explanatory factors (fire history, climate and elevation) were analyzed by linear regression. Reduced vegetation cover was found in some lower elevation areas that were burned twice in short interval fires, where non-sprouting species are more common. However, extensive type conversion of chaparral to grassland was not evident in this study. Most variables, with the exception of elevation, were moderately or poorly correlated with differences in vegetation recovery.
Systemically administered mesenchymal stromal cells transduced with insulin-like growth factor-I localize to a fracture site and potentiate healing.

Objective: To determine to the ability of systemically administered pluripotential mesenchymal stromal cells to localize to a fracture site and whether transduction with a therapeutic gene, insulin-like growth factor-I (D1-IGF-I), could potentiate healing. Design: Murine model, basic science study. Setting: Laboratory. Specimens: Closed, transverse, mid-shaft femur fractures were produced in 108 Balb/c mice after intramedullary stabilization. Interventions: A cloned, pluripotential, mesenchymal cell line, termed Dl, was stably transfected with either the gene (3-galactosidase (Dl-BAG) as a histologic marker or with the gene IGF-I (D1-IGF-I) growth factor. Mice received systemic injections of either D1-BAG cells for in vivo localization or Dl-IGF-I for therapeutic intervention. A third group received lactated Ringer's solution and served as control. Main Outcome Measurements: Sections obtained from the fracture site and contralateral femurs were examined histologically and by deoxyribonucleic acid-polymerase chain reaction (DNA-PCR) to detect the presence of transplanted cells at 2, 4, and 6 weeks after fracture. Matrix mineralization and callus maturation were evaluated by histology. Results: At all time points, using histologic staining with X-gal and deoxyribonucleic acid-polymerase chain reaction for marker genes, there was a statistically greater number of transplanted cells (p < 0.001) and significantly higher DNA-PCR for marker genes (p < 0.001) in the fractured femurs than in the nonfractured femurs. Mice receiving Dl-IGF-I cells demonstrated a greater percent of mineralized callus than controls at two weeks (p < 0.05). At 4 and 6 weeks, treated mice demonstrated on average greater mineralized matrix and accelerated progression to an osseous callus as compared with the control group. Conclusions: Cell-based gene therapy has the potential to deliver higher therapeutic levels of growth factors specifically at the site of cell localization while minimizing wider systemic side effects. This study demonstrates that systemically injected IGF-I transduced, mesenchymal cells are able to return to and repopulate the bone marrow. More importantly, these cells localize preferentially to a fracture site and accelerated fracture healing.
Paul Goren. On Voter Competence. New York: Oxford University Press. 2012. 288 pp. $59.99 (cloth).

It is appropriate that Paul Goren bookends this exciting new look at voter competence by indicting and then exonerating the American voter�yes, the play on the title of the seminal �Michigan model� book appears to be intentional. Few argue that many Americans fall short of the perfectly informed democrats upon whose shoulders political accountability rests in prominent theories of democratic government. The debate is not so much about whether voters are competent as much as it is about whether variation in competence matters. On one side are scholars who worry that many in American society know so little about the political world they inhabit that they fail to matter�or worse still they fall prey to deception and behave in ways that run counter to their best political interests. If the incompetents cannot bring policy to bear on their political behavior, then The American Voter and the subsequent �sophistication interaction account� (Goren�s label) indict many voters as incompetent to hold elected officials accountable democratically. On the other side are scholars who worry that the worriers have fundamentally misunderstood the way in which some citizens approach their democratic duties. While On Voter Competence probably rests more comfortably in the latter camp�thus exonerating the American voter and indicting The American Voter�Goren�s work is unique for having identified several important reasons that good scholars in each camp have arrived at different answers to similar questions about voter competence. Goren finds important differences when he compares well-informed citizens to poorly informed ones. Consistent with The American Voter �
Poly(ADP-ribose) Polymerase 1 Interacts with Nuclear Respiratory Factor 1 (NRF-1) and Plays a Role in NRF-1 Transcriptional Regulation

Nuclear respiratory factor 1 (NRF-1) is one of the key transcriptional activators for nuclear-coded genes involved in mitochondrial biogenesis and function as well as for many housekeeping genes. A transcriptional co-activator PGC-1 and its related family member PRC have previously been shown to interact with NRF-1 and co-activate NRF-1. We show here that NRF-1 can also directly interact with poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase 1 (PARP-1) and co-purify the PARP-1·DNA-PK·Ku80·Ku70·topoisomerase IIβ-containing protein complex. Our in vitro binding experiments show that DNA-binding/dimerization domain of NRF-1 and the N-terminal half of PARP-1, which contains two Zinc fingers and the auto-modification domain, are responsible for the interaction, and that this interaction occurs with or without PARP-1 poly(ADP-ribosyl)ation (PARylation). DNA-bound NRF-1 can form a complex with PARP-1, suggesting that NRF-1 can recruit the PARP-1·DNA-PK·Ku80·Ku70·topoisomerase IIβ-containing protein complex to the promoter. PARP-1 can also PARylate the DNA-binding domain of NRF-1 and negatively regulate NRF-1·PARP-1 interaction. Transient transfection and chromatin immunoprecipitation experiments suggest that PARP-1 plays a role during transcriptional activation by NRF-1. Our finding identifies a new aspect of transcriptional regulation used by NRF-1.
Evolution of the development of how starch is biosynthesized

In 1940, C.S. Hanes found that potato phosphorylase transferred a few two to three glucose units from α-D-Glc-1-P to the nonreducing-ends of starch. Starting with only α-D-Glc-1-P and phosphorylase, there was no reaction and a starch-primer was required for reaction. In 1960, Leloir and coworkers incubated starch granules with ADP-[14C]Glc and found that 14C-starch was synthesized. Reaction with β-amylase gave 14C-maltose from the nonreducing-ends and it was assumed that the glucose was being added to the nonreducing-ends of a primer. Mukerjea and Robyt pulsed and chased starch-granules with ADP-[14C]Glc and ADPGlc, and found on reduction and hydrolysis of the 14C-starch, 14C-D-glucitol was obtained, indicating that glucose was added to the reducing-ends of growing starch-chains. They obtained highly purified, starch-synthase that was shown to be free of starch-primers and gave de novo synthesis, with the addition of glucose to the reducing-ends. They also found 61 papers from 1964 to 2012 that used 50–100 mM Tris-type buffers with starch-synthase and had to add putative-primers to obtain activity. Mukerjea et al. showed that 25 mM Tris-type buffers, completely inhibited starch-synthase. Addition of 10 mg/mL putative-primers, glycogen or maltotetraose, gave partial (8–57%) reversal of the inhibition. The putative-primers were activators and not primers; however, their use perpetuated the primer myth for 50 years. A hypothesis is developed, as to how starch granules are initiated and grow in vivo.
Efficient broadcasting and gathering in wireless ad-hoc networks

This paper considers the problem of broadcasting and information gathering in wireless ad-hoc networks, i.e. in wireless networks without any infrastructure in addition to the mobile hosts. Broadcasting is the problem of sending a packet from a source node in the network to all other nodes in the network. Information gathering is the problem of sending one packet each from a subset of the nodes to a single sink node in the network. Most of the proposed theoretical wireless network models oversimplify wireless communication properties. We use a model that takes into account that nodes have different transmission and interference ranges, and we propose algorithms in this model that achieve a high time and work-efficiency. We present algorithms for broadcasting a single or multiple message(s), and for information gathering. Our algorithms have the advantage that they are very simple and self-stabilizing, and would therefore even work in a dynamic environment. Also, our algorithms require only a constant amount of storage at any host. Thus, our algorithms can be used in wireless systems with very simple devices, such as sensors.
Three ideal observer models for rule learning in simple languages

Children learning the inflections of their native language show the ability to generalize beyond the perceptual particulars of the examples they are exposed to. The phenomenon of ‘‘rule learning’’—quick learning of abstract regularities from exposure to a limited set of stimuli—has become an important model system for understanding generalization in infancy. Experiments with adults and children have revealed differences in performance across domains and types of rules. To understand the representational and inferential assumptions necessary to capture this broad set of results, we introduce three ideal observer models for rule learning. Each model builds on the next, allowing us to test the consequences of individual assumptions. Model 1 learns a single rule, Model 2 learns a single rule from noisy input, and Model 3 learns multiple rules from noisy input. These models capture a wide range of experimental results—including several that have been used to argue for domain-specificity or limits on the kinds of generalizations learners can make—suggesting that these ideal observers may be a useful baseline for future work on rule learning.
Two Distinct Mechanisms For Induction of Dendritic Cell Apoptosis in Response to Intact Streptococcus pneumoniae

Apoptotic dendritic cells (DCs) are ineffective at inducing immunity. Thus, parameters that regulate DC viability during a primary infection will help to determine the outcome of the subsequent immune response. In this regard, pathogens have developed strategies to promote DC apoptosis to counterbalance the nascent primary immune response. We demonstrate, using cultured bone marrow-derived DCs, that Streptococcus pneumoniae can induce DC apoptosis through two distinct mechanisms: 1) a rapid, caspase-independent mechanism of apoptosis induction, critically dependent on bacterial expression of pneumolysin, and 2) a delayed-onset, caspase-dependent mechanism of apoptosis induction associated with terminal DC maturation. Delayed-onset apoptosis does not require bacterial internalization, but rather is triggered by the interaction of bacterial subcapsular components and bone marrow-derived DC (likely Toll-like) receptors acting in a myeloid differentiation factor 88-dependent manner. In this regard, heavy polysaccharide encapsulation interferes with both DC maturation and apoptosis induction. In contrast, neither CD95/CD95 ligand interactions nor TNF-alpha appear to play a role in the delayed onset of apoptosis. These data are the first to define two mechanistically distinct pathways of DC apoptosis induction in response to an extracellular bacterium that likely have important consequences for the establishment of antibacterial immunity.
Effects of vineyard coverage and extent on benthic macroinvertebrates in streams of Northern California

Vineyards are a dominant feature of many landscapes in Mediterranean-climate regions. We examined the effects of streamflow declines, associated with vineyard water-withdrawals for frost protection, on benthic-macroinvertebrate communities at three sites along three small streams in the Mediterranean- climate region of Northern California. One site was heavily affected by water withdrawals for frost protection, the other two were not. In addition, we examined relationships between vineyard coverage and benthic- macroinvertebrate community response using data from 59 sampling events at 39 sites along 35 small streams in Napa County, California. We tested three a priori hypotheses in terms of the response of biological traits of benthic macroinvertebrates to high vineyard coverage: (1) proportion of individuals with semi-voltine (i.e., one generation every 2 years) life cycles would be lower compared to those with uni- and multi-voltine cycles, (2) proportion of individuals able to undergo diapause would be higher, and (3) proportion of individuals with the ability to burrow into the substrate would be higher. In the three-site study, we found that vineyard water-withdrawals for frost protection coincided with consistently lower values in both the benthic-macroinvertebrate index of biotic integrity (B-IBI) developed for Northern California streams and the ratio of Ephemeroptera-Plecoptera-Trichoptera to Odonata-Coleoptera-Hemiptera individuals (EPT/OCH), a metric developed for European Mediterranean streams. In the broader-scale study, we observed that vineyard-coverage levels above about 20% coincided with lower values of the B-IBI. The semi-voltine life-cycle trait was lower above this level, whereas the diapause and burrowing traits were not affected.
Distribution and Assignment of Compulsory and Discretionary Traffic

This paper presents the development of a combined equilibrium model for the simultaneous prediction of the destination and route choices that face suburban or rural automobile travelers. Destination choice is given by a dogit model to take into account the travel behavior of compulsory (work) and discretionary (nonwork) trips. A logit-based route-choice model was employed, with a stochastic user equilibrium principle, to develop route flows between each origin-destination pair. The natural logarithm of the denominator of the logit route-choice model (i.e., log-sum) was computed and fed back into the destination-choice step. Under this iterative process, the destination choice for discretionary trips responded to changing travel-cost conditions, whereas the destination choice for compulsory trips remained fixed in the study time period. The proposed combined destination- and route-choice (CDR) model can itself be reformulated as an equivalent convex programming problem with linear constraints, a great adva...
Clostridium botulinum: Characteristics and Occurrence

Clostridium botulinum is not a well-defined species of bacterium. Instead, it is a conglomerate of four culturally distinct groups of organisms that, among them, produce seven serologically distinct toxins, all with similar pharmacological action. The principal habitat of C. botulinum is the soil, although its distribution in the soil is sometimes highly regional. Infant botulism is caused by two types of C. botulinum: type A and the proteolytic strains of type B. Type A strains, to whose toxin humans seem most susceptible, are found most frequently in the soil of the western United States; type B strains are somewhat more universally distributed, with a higher frequency of isolation from the soil of some Appalachian areas. The frequency of occurrence of type A and type B food-borne botulism parallels the distribution of these types in the soil.
Large-Scale Dependency Knowledge Acquisition and its Extrinsic Evaluation Through Word Sense Disambiguation

Knowledge plays a central role in intelligent systems. Manual knowledge acquisition is very inefficient and expensive. In this paper, we present (1) an automatic method to acquire a large amount of lexical-dependency knowledge, and (2) an innovative knowledge representation model to effectively minimize the impact of noise and improve knowledge quality. We also propose a new type of knowledge base evaluation-extrinsic evaluation, which evaluates knowledge by its impact to an external application. In our experiments we adopt Word Sense Disambiguation (WSD) as the extrinsic evaluation measure. Due to the lack of sufficient knowledge, existing WSD methods either are brittle and only capable of processing a limited number of topics or words, or provide only mediocre performance in real-world settings. With the support of acquired knowledge, our unsupervised WSD system significantly outperformed the best unsupervised systems participating in SemEval 2007, and achieved the disambiguation accuracy approaching top-performing supervised systems.
Stress, Coping, and Family Functioning in the Psychological Adjustment of Mothers of Children and Adolescents with Cystic Fibrosis

Assessed the role of illness parameters, demographic parameters, and hypothesized psychosocial/mediational processes in the psychological adjustment of 68 mothers of children and adolescents (7-17 years of age) with cystic fibrosis. Together the illness and demographic parameters accounted for only 13-15% of the variance in maternal adjustment. However, the hypothesized mediational processes accounted for 35-40% increment in the variance in maternal adjustment. More specifically, maternal adjustment was associated with lower levels of perceived daily stress, less use of palliative coping methods, and family functioning characterized by high levels of supportiveness.
Sum frequency mixing in potassium pentaborate as a source of tunable coherent radiation at wavelengths below 217 nm.

The generation of tunable coherent uv radiation by sum frequency mixing, in potassium pentaborate, the outputs of two tunable N2 pumped dye lasers has been investigated. Tunable radiation extending from 217 nm to 208 nm has been generated in this manner. A conversion efficiency of 2.5 × 10−4 is observed at input powers of ~2 kW in each laser beam. Improved refractive index data for potassium pentaborate are also presented.
Reaction‐Rate Studies of Thorium‐Uranium Dicarbides in Moist Air

A number of arc-melted or sintered thorium or uranium carbides were reacted in moist air at 30° and 50° C. The initial reactions appeared to follow a simple linear rate law, the thorium-containing carbides being about ten times more reactive than UC2. Initial rate constants at 50° C based on bulk particle surface area were 0.25 μg per cm2per second for UC2 and 2.78 pg per cm2per second for ThC2. Rate constants for mixed, thorium and uranium carbides fell between these values. The reaction produced both gaseous and solid products. Solid reaction products consisted of thorium or uranium oxides and condensed hydrocarbons; the oxides could be hydrated. The gaseous products were principally aliphatic hydrocarbons and hydrogen.
Treatment of Vitamin D Insufficiency in Postmenopausal Women: A Randomized Clinical Trial

Importance Experts debate optimal 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25[OH]D) levels for musculoskeletal health. Objective To compare the effects of placebo, low-dose cholecalciferol, and high-dose cholecalciferol on 1-year changes in total fractional calcium absorption, bone mineral density, Timed Up and Go and five sit-to-stand tests, and muscle mass in postmenopausal women with vitamin D insufficiency. Design, Setting, and Participants This randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial was conducted at a single center in Madison, Wisconsin, from May 1, 2010, through July 31, 2013, and the final visit was completed on August 8, 2014. A total of 230 postmenopausal women 75 years or younger with baseline 25(OH)D levels of 14 through 27 ng/mL and no osteoporosis were studied. Interventions Three arms included daily white and twice monthly yellow placebo (n=76), daily 800 IU vitamin D 3 and twice monthly yellow placebo (n=75), and daily white placebo and twice monthly 50,000 IU vitamin D 3 (n=79). The high-dose vitamin D regimen achieved and maintained 25(OH)D levels ≥30 ng/mL. Main Outcomes and Measures Outcome measures were 1-year change in total fractional calcium absorption using 2 stable isotopes, bone mineral density and muscle mass using dual energy x-ray absorptiometry, Timed Up and Go and five sit-to-stand tests, functional status (Health Assessment Questionnaire), and physical activity (Physical Activity Scale for the Elderly), with Benjamini-Hochberg correction of P values to control for the false discovery rate. Results After baseline absorption was controlled for, calcium absorption increased 1% (10 mg/d) in the high-dose arm but decreased 2% in the low-dose arm ( P = .005 vs high-dose arm) and 1.3% in the placebo arm ( P = .03 vs high-dose arm). We found no between-arm changes in spine, mean total-hip, mean femoral neck, or total-body bone mineral density, trabecular bone score, muscle mass, and Timed Up and Go or five sit-to-stand test scores. Likewise, we found no between-arm differences for numbers of falls, number of fallers, physical activity, or functional status. Conclusions and Relevance High-dose cholecalciferol therapy increased calcium absorption, but the effect was small and did not translate into beneficial effects on bone mineral density, muscle function, muscle mass, or falls. We found no data to support experts’ recommendations to maintain serum 25(OH)D levels of 30 ng/mL or higher in postmenopausal women. Instead, we found that low- and high-dose cholecalciferol were equivalent to placebo in their effects on bone and muscle outcomes in this cohort of postmenopausal women with 25(OH)D levels less than 30 ng/mL. Trial Registration clinicaltrials.gov Identifier:NCT00933244
Pandemic influenza's 500th anniversary.

It is impossible to know with certainty the first time that an influenza virus infected humans or when the first influenza pandemic occurred. However, many historians agree that the year 1510 a.d.—500 years ago—marks the first recognition of pandemic influenza. On this significant anniversary it is timely to ask: what were the circumstances surrounding the emergence of the 1510 pandemic, and what have we learned about this important disease over the subsequent five centuries?We conclude that in recent decades significant progress has been made in diagnosis, prevention, control, and treatment of influenza. It seems likely that, in the foreseeable future, we may be able to greatly reduce the burden of influenza pandemics with improved vaccines and other scientific and public health approaches.
Editorial Artificial Neural Networks To Systems, Man, And Cybernetics: Characteristics, Structures, And Applications

The goal of this special issue is to present recent high- quality papers that deal with the applications of artificial neural networks (ANN's) to systems, man, and cybernetics (SMC). This special issue explores the state-of-the art in the applications of ANN to the SMC community. ANN's technology has reached a degree of maturity as evidenced by the increasing number of applications including the ones that have been reduced to practice. In this editorial, we present background and theoretical information related to ANN's, general characteristics, models, applications, and structures of ANN's. RTIFICIAL neural networks (ANN's) and neural en- gineering/computing in the wide sense are among to- day's most rapidly developing scientific disciplines. ANN's are parallel computational models that consist mainly of in- terconnected adaptive processing units. These networks are considered fine-grained parallel implementation of nonlinear dynamic and static systems. An ANN is an abstract simulation of real nervous system that contains a collection of processing units or processing elements (PE's) communicating with each other via axon connections. Such a model resembles the axons and dendrites of the nervous system. Because of its self- organizing and adaptive nature, the model provides a new parallel and distributed paradigm that has the potential to be more robust and user-friendly than traditional schemes (1)-(14). The study of artificial neural networks is an attempt to simulate and understand biological processes in an intrigu- ing manner. Today, we are witnessing the dawn of a new revolution in technology that will revamp the infrastructure of many approaches to solve cybernetics, information, and system engineering problems, among others. It is of interest to define alternative computational paradigms that attempt to mimic the brain's operation in several ways. Neural networks are an alternative approach to the traditional von Neumann programming schemes.
ACBD3 Interaction with TBC1 Domain 22 Protein Is Differentially Affected by Enteroviral and Kobuviral 3A Protein Binding

Despite wide sequence divergence, multiple picornaviruses use the Golgi adaptor acyl coenzyme A (acyl-CoA) binding domain protein 3 (ACBD3/GCP60) to recruit phosphatidylinositol 4-kinase class III beta (PI4KIII/PI4KB), a factor required for viral replication. The molecular basis of this convergent interaction and the cellular function of ACBD3 are not fully under- stood. Using affinity purification-mass spectrometry, we identified the putative Rab33 GTPase-activating proteins TBC1D22A and TBC1D22B as ACBD3-interacting factors. Fine-scale mapping of binding determinants within ACBD3 revealed that the in- teraction domains for TBC1D22A/B and PI4KB are identical. Affinity purification confirmed that PI4KB and TBC1D22A/B in- teractions with ACBD3 are mutually exclusive, suggesting a possible regulatory mechanism for recruitment of PI4KB. The C-terminal Golgi dynamics (GOLD) domain of ACBD3 has been previously shown to bind the 3A replication protein from Aichi virus. Wefind that the 3A proteins from several additional picornaviruses, including hepatitis A virus, human parechovirus 1, and human klassevirus, demonstrate an interaction with ACBD3 by mammalian two-hybrid assay; however, we alsofind that the enterovirus and kobuvirus 3A interactions with ACBD3 are functionally distinct with respect to TBC1D22A/B and PI4KB re- cruitment. These data reinforce the notion that ACBD3 organizes numerous cellular functionalities and that RNA virus replica- tion proteins likely modulate these interactions by more than one mechanism. IMPORTANCE Multiple viruses use the same Golgi protein (ACBD3) to recruit the lipid kinase phosphatidylinositol 4-kinase class III beta (PI4KB) in order to replicate. We identify a new binding partner of ACBD3 in the evolutionarily conserved Rab GTPase- activating proteins (RabGAPs) TBC1D22A and -B. Interestingly, TBC1D22A directly competes with PI4KB for binding to the same location of ACBD3 by utilizing a similar binding domain. Different viruses are able to influence this interaction through distinct mechanisms to promote the association of PI4KB with ACBD3. This work informs our knowledge of both the physical interactions of the proteins that help maintain metazoan Golgi structure and how viruses subvert these evolutionarily conserved interactions for their own purposes.
A compact bi-directional power-conversion system scheme with extended soft-switching range

This paper outlines a soft-switching modulation scheme based on zero-current-switching (ZCS) principle with extended range for the front-end isolated dc/dc converter of an isolated three-phase rectifier-type high-frequency-link (RHFL) power converter. General modulation methodology and optimization conditions are presented, and with the help of linear programming, the optimum solution for a particular objective function can be achieved to implement the proposed ZCS scheme. In conjunction with a back-end ac/ac converter operating with a novel patent-filed hybrid modulation scheme [1], [2] which reduces the number of hard-switched commutation per switching cycle, the proposed ZCS scheme can also realize zero-voltage-switching (ZVS) on secondary side rectifier to improve the overall efficiency further. With the nonzero pulsating dc output, the proposed ZCS scheme is effective even without an active clamp circuit, and it is suitable for applications where low-voltage dc to high-voltage three-phase ac power conversion is required.
Automated chromatography for stepwise elution of complex lipids

An automated column-chromatographic system for stepwise elution of lipids is described. The automation is achieved with commercially available snap-on modules and Teflon valves.
Decision Making: Some Experiences, Myths and Observations

Decision making in management is one of the most important, if not the most important, function of management. How decisions are made, and how managers make the best decisions possible are central issues in management. Managers make decisions, all day long, day in, day out, and many never think about the decisions, except to make them and get them out of the way.
Ontogenetic Development of Crassulacean Acid Metabolism as Modified by Water Stress in Peperomia

Peperomia species (Piperaceae) may show C3 photosynthesis, CAM photosynthesis, or CAM-cycling in which stomata and gas exchange occur primarily during the day with a diurnal fluctuation of acidity typical of CAM (Holthe et al. 1992). In CAM-cycling, enzymes of CAM are present (Sipes and Ting 1985; Ting 1985; Ting and Sipes 1985). In Peperomia species, there is a division of photosynthetic labor among the various tissues of the leaf (Nishio and Ting 1987, 1993). The upper multiple epidermis functions as a window leaf filtering out much of the incident radiant energy and has about 5% of the leaf chlorophyll (Nishio and Ting 1987). The middle palisade mesophyll has most of the C3 photosynthetic activity including ribulose 1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase(RUBISCO) and the light-dependent CO2 fixation. The lower spongy mesophyll has the appearance of CAM tissue, and along with the multiple epidermis contains most of the phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase (PEPC) and dark CO2 fixation (Nishio and Ting 1987). The lower spongy mesophyll is enriched in PSI relative to PSII, evidently related to the extra ATP requirement of this tissue (Nishio and Ting 1993). Stomata are restricted to the abaxial epidermis. Malic acid accumulates during the night. During the subsequent day period, decarboxylation keeps CO2 high in the vicinity of the photosynthetic palisade cells, thereby minimizing photorespiration (Nishio and Ting 1987).
Benign Diseases of the Breast

Historically, physical examinations of the breast, conducted both by the individual (breast self-examination, BSE) and the healthcare provider (clinical breast examination, CBE), have been the primary tools for the diagnosis of breast cancer. With the advent of breast imaging (mammography, ultrasound, breast MRI), which is more sensitive than BSE and CBE in breast cancer detection, many of the observations historically described on physical examination are not common in the smaller cancers seen in current practice. Physical examination has become an adjunct to imaging for the early detection of breast cancer. Indeed, BSE does not increase the detection of cancer, and CBE is no longer used to diagnose breast cancer. Rather, it is used as a screening test that can identify areas with breast cancer. While CBE is less sensitive than mammography, it is nonetheless the primary mode of detecting the 15 % of breast cancers that are missed by mammography.
Web Worlds: How Wikis, Nings, and Social Bookmarking Support 21st Century Classroom Pedagogy

This paper argues that socially networked environments increase student engagement and writing practice and move instructors closer to 21st century educational goals. I will first explain Rhetorical Ecology theory (RE) and argue in support of taking this pedagogical approach to support learning in the technologically infused classroom. Through links, I will provide a virtual tour of electronic classroom environments and explain some of the practical aspects of these tools. In closing I will discuss how cultivating an "Ecology of Technology" supports student engagement and learning by examining some of the latest research in the field of Cognitive Science.
The Lightning-Rod Man: Franklin of Philadelphia

On the first page of Esmond Wright's generally engaging biography of Benjamin Franklin, the author summons Hector St. John de Crevecoeur that the Frenchman might utter yet again his hoary question: "What then is the American, this new man?"' To Wright, the answer is clear: this new man is Benjamin Franklin, who is representative, if not typical, of his American brethren. In so arguing Wright is, of course, not breaking new ground, for Franklin has long been held up as the avatar of America or of American values. To the general public, the self-made Philadelphian has come to embody American simplicity, practicality, ingenuity, folk wisdom, and geniality. To many writers influenced by Romanticism, on the other hand, the bespectacled printer captures perfectly the shallowness, the moral hypocrisy, and the crass materialism of American life.2 Wright, to his credit, follows-or, more precisely, given the omissions in his notes and bibliography, parallels-recent scholarly trends by viewing Franklin and, by implication, Franklin's America, in a more complex and intelligible way. Though Wright's Franklin is still representative of something American, it is neither the vulgarity emphasized by D. H. Lawrence nor the banality that comes across, however unintentionally, in Americana such as the musical 1776. It is rather substance that reemerges in Wright's account, substance that men so diverse as David Hume, Karl Marx, Charles Evans Hughes, and Robert A. Millikan recognized all along.3 Nonetheless,
Plumage and body size differentiation in Blue-winged teal and Cinnamon teal

Blue-winged Teal (Anas discors) and Cinnamon Teal (A. cyanoptera septentrionalium) are two closely related North American dabbling duck species that are ecological equivalents. Cinnamon Teal are pr...
Photoreactivation and dark repair of environmental E. coli strains following 24 kHz continuous ultrasound and UV-C irradiation.

ABSTRACTIn this study, effects of 24 kHz continuous ultrasound and UV-C on inactivation and potential repair of environmental E. coli strains were studied through a culture based method and a metabolic activity assay. Three environmental E. coli strains isolated from fecal samples of feral hog and deer and treated wastewater effluent were studied and compared with a laboratory E. coli strain (ATCC® 10798). Metabolic activity of E. coli cells during the inactivation and repair period was assessed using the AlamarBlue® assay. Transmission electron microscopy assays were also performed to evaluate morphological damage of bacterial cell wall. After 24 h of photoreactivation period, laboratory E. coli strain (ATCC® 10798) reactivated by 30% and 42% in contrast to E. coli isolate from treated wastewater effluent, which reactivated by 53% and 82% after ultrasound and UV-C treatment, respectively. Possible shearing and reduction in cell size of E. coli strains exposed to ultrasound was revealed by transmission el...