cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
α‐Thrombin Activates Akt via a Nonreceptor Tyrosine Kinase in IIC9 Cells

Previous data from our laboratory show that PI 3-kinase is required for alpha-thrombin-stimulated G(1) progression in IIC9 cells. In IIC9 cells, PI 3-kinase acts downstream of Ras to activate Akt, in a pathway parallel to ERK1. Here we show that alpha-thrombin does not transactivate either the EGF receptor or the PDGF receptor as measured by tyrosine phosphorylation, suggesting that activation of PI 3-kinase by alpha-thrombin is not the result of an RTK. Interestingly, both genistein and PP1 block alpha-thrombin-stimulated Akt phosphorylation, suggesting the involvement of a member of the Src family of nonreceptor tyrosine kinases.
Crystallization of polycarbonate from the glassy state. part II. Thin films melted and quenched

Abstract The crystallization of glassy amorphous thin polycarbonate films quenched from the melt has been followed. Structures similar to those observed during the crystallization of films containing small amount of adsorbed solvent are formed. However, crystallization, at the same temperatures, is much slower and more irregular. Preannealing of the samples below Tg affects the crystallization process, increasing the nucleation rate. Annealing above Tg does not destroy all order gained by annealing below Tg.
Conformations of Peptidomimetics Formed by SNAr Macrocyclizations: 13‐ to 16‐Membered Ring Systems[≠]

Theβ-turn peptidomimics 1 were designed to have “turn–extended-pseudo-turn” conformations similar to some cyclic hexapeptides, and it was proposed that n=1 would be ideal for this. NMR and CD studies, interfaced with molecular simulations, verified that the molecules indeed prefer β-turn conformations in the dipeptide fragment, and that such conformations were most easily attained when n=1. The turn type adopted by the dipeptide fragment was shown to be close to an ideal type I β-turn.
Effects of fragmentation on juvenile morphology of Acer saccharum Marsh. (sugar maple) in temperate forests of northeastern Ohio, USA

Abstract The influence of forest fragmentation on population and community dynamics of woody plants has been well established worldwide, but rarely at the level of an individual plant. We evaluated the influence of fragmentation on juvenile stem morphology of Acer saccharum Marsh. (sugar maple), while also examining light levels and considering possible confounding effects attributed to elevation gradients in temperate forests of northeastern Ohio, USA. At two sites, plant stem dimensions, canopy openness, and relative ground level elevation were measured using randomly positioned plots in forest edge and interior habitats that were within 25 and 60–100 m from a forest edge, respectively. Ratios of stem length to stem basal diameter were greater in forest interiors than near forest edges. These differences in stem morphology between habitats were likely a result of stem elongation in relation to a shade avoidance response in forest interiors that were consistently darker than forest edge areas across study sites. By contrast, such morphological differences were likely not related to variation in relative ground level elevation since a subtle elevation gradient was detected at only one site. We encourage experimentation to identify mechanisms that affect plant stem morphology of young individuals and its influence, in turn, on plant population dynamics in fragmented forests.
Effects of Fixation on the Morphology of Paneth Cell Granules

Mouse Paneth cell granules fixed with formalin have been reported to be composed of a core consisting of a polysaccharide-protein complex which is surrounded by a shell or “halo” of acid mucopolysaccharide. Electron micrographs of granules fixed with 1% OsO4 in veronal-acetate buffer show that the halo may be merely a result of shrinkage of the granule. Similar results obtained after fixation with either 1% OsO4 in s-collidine buffer containing 1% sucrose (OsO4) or with 3% glutaraldehyde in cacodylate buffer containing 1% sucrose (GAS) strengthen the belief that the halo is a shrinkage space. Fixation in GAS for 1-4 hr followed by fixation for 1 hr in OsO4, however, reduced the halo to negligible proportions. This sequence of GAS and OsO4 improved the preservation of other cytoplasmic structures also. Staining with Alcian blue failed to demonstrate acid mucopolysaccharide in the halo; therefore, the separation of granule components into a core and a halo is probably a fixation artifact.
A simple formula for the maximum stress in a twisted angle or channel

Abstract A very simple formula is obtained for calculating the stress at the reentrant corner of a twisted structural angle or channel. This formula is found to give accurate results for a very large range of fillet radius vs. leg thickness ratios.
Nuclear Factor-κB Protects the Adult Cardiac Myocyte Against Ischemia-Induced Apoptosis in a Murine Model of Acute Myocardial Infarction

Background— Previous studies have shown that tumor necrosis factor (TNF) confers cytoprotective responses in cardiac myocytes. However, the mechanisms for the cytoprotective effects of TNF remain unknown. Given that TNF signals through nuclear factor κB (NF-κB) and given that NF-κB mediates cytoprotective responses, we asked whether NF-κB activation conferred cytoprotective responses in acute myocardial ischemia/infarction. Methods and Results— We examined infarct size and the prevalence of apoptosis in transgenic mice harboring cardiac-restricted expression of a mutated IκBα protein (IκBαΔN) that prevents nuclear translocation of NF-κB in cardiac myocytes. Triphenyltetrazolium chloride staining showed that infarct size was ≈50% greater (P<0.02) in the IκBαΔN mice compared with littermate controls at 24 hours. The prevalence of cardiac myocyte apoptosis was significantly greater (P<0.008) in the IκBαΔN mice compared with the littermate control mice 3 and 6 hours after left anterior descending occlusion. T...
Changes in tumor proliferation of rectal cancer induced by preoperative 5-fluorouracil and irradiation.

PURPOSE: This study examines the effect of 5-fluorouracil administration during preoperative irradiation on rectal cancer tumor proliferation. PATIENTS AND METHODS: One hundred and fifty-three patients with locally advanced rectal cancer received 45 to 50 Gy of preoperative irradiation with (103 patients) and without (50 patients) concurrent 5-fluorouracil, followed by surgery. Pretreatment tumor biopsies and postirradiation surgical specimens were scored for proliferative activity by assaying the extent of Ki-67 and proliferating cell nuclear antigen immunostaining and the number of mitoses per ten high-powered fields. Postirradiation specimens were also assessed for downstaging. RESULTS: Although 5-fluorouracil did not improve downstaging rates, marked decreases in the activity of all three markers of proliferation (mitotic counts, Ki-67, and proliferating cell nuclear antigen immunostaining) were seen in rectal cancers of patients receiving the drug. No significant decreases were noted in patients undergoing irradiation only. CONCLUSION: The addition of 5-fluorouracil to preoperative irradiation resulted in a more complete inactivation of the proliferating population. Frequency of downstaging, however, was unaffected. Thus, the quiescent cell population appears to represent a substantial barrier to further downstaging. New treatment strategies should be aimed at controlled recruitment of quiescent tumor cells at the time of irradiation.
Iodine metabolism and the hypothyroid state

Abstract The bizarre types of hypothyroidism apparently are due to the inability of the individual to metabolize iodine rather than to a true iodine deficiency. It would seem to be the organic radical of the thyroxin molecule that is at fault, as clinical experience tends to support this view. For that reason much better results are obtained by the intravenous use of thyroxin, supplemented with thyroid extract by mouth. After the metabolism is elevated to normal, the thyroxin should be discontinued and the normal level maintained by oral administration of thyroid extract.
Self-correction and the monitor: Percent of errors corrected of those attempted vs percent corrected of all errors made

Abstract Green and Hecht have reported that their students of EFL were able to successfully self-correct 81% of the errors they attempted to correct in oral performance, and claim that this result is inconsistent with the Monitor hypothesis. They also reported, however, that their subjects did not attempt a great deal of self-correction and could only self-correct about 13% of the total errors they made, results that are consistent with the Monitor hypothesis. The subjects' high accuracy of attempted corrections could be due to subjects' limiting their self-corrections to items that were easiest for them to correct.
Formation and Characterization of Polypropylene−Urea Inclusion Compounds

Isotactic (i) and syndiotactic (s) polypropylenes (PP) have been successfully incorporated into the channels of their inclusion compounds (IC) with urea (U). The IC's were obtained by cocrystallization following the addition of a warm toluene solution of polymer to a warm solution of urea in methanol. The white crystalline precipitates formed upon cooling were filtered and analyzed using X-ray diffraction, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and 13C NMR spectroscopies. The results were compared with the components (urea and polypropylene) in their pure crystalline forms, the known hexagonal poly(e-caprolactone)−urea IC, and the known trigonal poly(ethylene oxide)−urea IC. X-ray diffraction data indicated that no free polymer was present in either sample, while FTIR showed that the i-PP−U and s-PP−U IC's were not the hexagonal and trigonal structures commonly observed. Instead the structure appears similar to a “large tetragonal” structure observed for the poly(et...
Development of labeled thymidine analogs for imaging tumor proliferation.

Abstract We have sought nucleoside analogs suitable for labeling with F-18 that could be used to image tumor proliferation with positron emission tomography (PET). The following three thymidine analogs were labeled with tritium and screened for their catabolism and biodistribution in vivo in mice: 5-fluoro-1-(2′-deoxy-2′-fluoro-β- d - ribo furanosyl)uracil (FFUdR), 5-fluoro-1-(2′-deoxy-2′-fluoro-β- d - arabino furanosyl)-uracil (FFaraU) and 5-methyl-1-(2′-deoxy-2′-fluoro-β- d - ribo furanosyl)uracil (FTdR). We found that all three compounds were stable to degradation in vivo and when incubated in blood. Of the three analogs tested, only FFUdR showed preferential retention in rapidly proliferating tissues, such as the spleen and implanted tumors, and it attained tissue to blood ratios of 2.1 at 2 h.
Characterization of volume defects in triglycine sulfate by laser light scattering

The number, size and shape of volume defects in pure and amino-acid doped triglycine sulfate were qualitatively evaluated by Tyndall scattering of laser light. The light scattering results correlate with measurements of dielectric loss in the paraelectric region. The size and concentration of volume defects are highly variable between different crystals grown in the same batch and between different volume regions of the same crystals. The more perfect and less lossy crystals appear to contain voids of smaller size rather than voids in smaller number.
Sulfate mobility in an outwash soil in Western Washington

The effect of acidic precipitation on cation leaching in a second-growth Douglas-fir ecosystem at the Thompson Research Center is reviewed. Sulfate mobility and soil pH buffering power were tested by applications of heavy doses of H2SO4 to the study plot. Sulfate at high concentrations proved to be immobilized, presumably by adsorption to soil sesquioxide surfaces. Soil sulfate adsorption was determined at varying sulfate concentrations, and two mechanisms of adsorption are implied by the shapes of the isotherms.
Symbolic Meanings of House Styles

For Post-Modern architects and others with an interest in architecture that communicates desirable meanings to the public, empirical study of the meaning inferred from styles can be helpful. This research examined the connotative meanings laypersons infer from various home-styles, the variability of those meanings with sociodemographic characteristics and region, and whether architects share or know public meanings. Adiverse sample of 118 adults in Columbus, Ohio, and 102 adults in Los Angeles rated six styles of homes in terms of desirability, and the friendliness and status of assumed residents. In total, 65 architects in Columbus answered the same questions and tried to guess how the Columbus public responded. Laypersons in Columbus and L.A. displayed remarkably similar patterns of response. Significant effects of style revealed that both groups rated Farm and Tudor as most desirable, Mediterranean and Saltbox and least desirable, Farm as most friendly, Colonial as unfriendly, Colonial and Tudor as highest in status, and Saltbox and Mediterranean as lowest in status. Differences in meaning emerged in relation to sociodemographic characteristics, and the architects responded differently from and misgauged the public responses. Language: en
Airline response to changing economics and policy

Industry strategists, government regulators, and the media have focused on addressing concerns over the performance of the air transportation system with respect to delays. One of the strategies proposed has been to limit the scheduled operations at an airport to a-priori feasible capacity limits. This approach has been criticized on the basis that it would reduce the number of markets served and increase airfares.
A curious conformational property of 2-amino-4-thiazolyl-methoxyimino polymers exhibiting activity against HIV-1 reverse transcriptase

The polymer formed from degradation of third-generation cephalosporin antibacterials is an inhibitor of HIV-1 reverse transcriptase. The polymer has a (Z)-2-(methoxyimino)-N-(2-iminoethyl)acetamide backbone linking thiazolyl rings. We used molecular modeling to investigate the three-dimensional structure of the polymer. Oligomers were constructed by a Scheraga-type buildup procedure. Energy minimization calculations were performed by molecular mechanics using the MMFF force field. Helical conformations are formed by the polymer. The implications of this discovery are discussed in relation to biological activity.
Deuterium bonding at internal surfaces in silicon.

The strength of deuterium bonding to the walls of closed cavities within Si was determined in ion-beam experiments. These studies circumvented an inherent indeterminacy in the analysis of external-surface desorption and thereby achieved a quantitative characterization of Si-H surface bonding. The Si-D bond energy for submonolayer coverages is 2.5\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.2 eV. This value has implications for the reaction path of molecular desorption.
Personality factors associated with over- and undercontrolled offenders.

Summary Construct validity studies correlating Megargee et al.'s O-H (Overcontrolled Hostility) scale with other MMPI-based measures of hostility and control might reflect common methods variance rather than trait validity. Could reliable differences between high and low O-H Ss be found on an inventory that did not share a common theoretical basis, common test construction methods or a common item pool with the MMPI? The 16 PF, Form C was administered to 75 youthful offenders with high and low O-H scale scores. As predicted, the high O-H group scored significantly higher on Factors C, G, and Q3 and significantly lower on Factors E, L, M and N, thus adding to the evidence for the construct validity of the O-H scale.
Separation and Detection of Explosives on a Microchip Using Micellar Electrokinetic Chromatography and Indirect Laser-Induced Fluorescence

A new approach for sensitive detection on a microfabricated chip is presented. Indirect laser-induced-fluorescence (IDLIF) was used to detect explosive compounds after separation by micellar electrokinetic chromatography (MEKC). The detection setup was used in an epifluorescence configuration with excitation provided by a near-IR diode laser operating at 750 nm. To achieve indirect detection, a low concentration of a dye (5 μM Cy7) was added to the running buffer as a visualizing agent. Using this methodology, a sample containing 14 explosives (EPA 8330 mixture) was examined. Concentrations of 1 ppm of trinitrobenzene (TNB), trinitrotoluene (TNT), dinitrobenzene (DNB), tetryl, and 2,4-dinitrotoluene (2,4-DNT) could be detected with S/N ratios between 3 and 10. Analyses showing 10 peaks, with plate numbers on the order of 60 000, were completed within 60 s using a 65 mm long separation channel. The three isomers of nitrotoluene (2-, 3-, and 4-nitrotoluene) were not resolved. Additionally, the two nitramine...
Circumferential wall stress as a mechanism for arteriolar rarefaction and proliferation in a network model.

Abstract Hypertension results in structural rarefaction of the microvascular arteriolar network while, conversely, decreasing pressure results in arteriolar proliferation. A remodeling mechanism capable of unifying these results remains elusive. A network model of a transverse arteriole tree was used to test whether adaptations to changes in mean circumferential wall stress (σθ) could produce realistic structural remodeling. Vessel diameters and network boundary pressures were assigned using experimental data, and control flows (Qij) and σθij for each vessel were calculated. Mean σθij in A2 (Strahler order) vessels (σm) was 6.62 × 104 dynes/cm2. Input pressure was increased by 35% in simulated one-kidney, one-clip (s1K1C) hypertension or decreased by 30% in simulated main feeder ligation (sMFL). Vessel diameters were adjusted iteratively until each Qij was restored, simulating autoregulation. Wall stresses decreased 15.9% for hypertension (σm = 5.57 × 104 dynes/cm2), but were elevated 60.9% for main feeder ligation (σm = 10.65 × 104 dynes/cm2). A stress-growth principle was applied, so that stresses above an upper threshold cause growth while stresses below a lower threshold cause resorption. Individual vessels with σθij 8.27 × 104 dynes/cm2. The network structure was adjusted until all σθij were within these stress thresholds. The number of A2s decreased 22% in s1K1C and increased 96% in sMFL in quantitative agreement with experimental data, consistent with the hypothesis that wall stress may be an important determinant of network remodeling. Arteriolar proliferation and rarefaction represent adaptations to different hemodynamic conditions, but may be governed by a common stress-growth principle.
Locally Generated Methylseleninic Acid Induces Specific Inactivation of Protein Kinase C Isoenzymes: RELEVANCE TO SELENIUM-INDUCED APOPTOSIS IN PROSTATE CANCER CELLS*

In this study, we show that methylselenol, a selenometabolite implicated in cancer prevention, did not directly inactivate protein kinase C (PKC). Nonetheless, its oxidation product, methylseleninic acid (MSA), inactivated PKC at low micromolar concentrations through a redox modification of vicinal cysteine sulfhydryls in the catalytic domain of PKC. This modification of PKC that occurred in both isolated form and in intact cells was reversed by a reductase system involving thioredoxin reductase, a selenoprotein. PKC isoenzymes exhibited variable sensitivity to MSA with Ca(2+)-dependent PKC isoenzymes (alpha, beta, and gamma) being the most susceptible, followed by isoenzymes delta and epsilon. Other enzymes tested were inactivated only with severalfold higher concentrations of MSA than those required for PKC inactivation. This specificity for PKC was further enhanced when MSA was generated within close proximity to PKC through a reaction of methylselenol with PKC-bound lipid peroxides in the membrane. The MSA-methylselenol redox cycle resulted in the catalytic oxidation of sulfhydryls even with nanomolar concentrations of selenium. MSA inhibited cell growth and induced apoptosis in DU145 prostate cancer cells at a concentration that was higher than that needed to inhibit purified PKC alpha but in a range comparable with that required for the inhibition of PKC epsilon. This MSA-induced growth inhibition and apoptosis decreased with a conditional overexpression of PKC epsilon and increased with its knock-out by small interfering RNA. Conceivably, when MSA is generated within the vicinity of PKC, it specifically inactivates PKC isoenzymes, particularly the promitogenic and prosurvival epsilon isoenzyme, and this inactivation causes growth inhibition and apoptosis.
TRENDS AND CYCLES IN THE COMPOSITION OF THE FEDERAL BUDGET, 1947–48

In this study, systematic movements in the composition of the Federal budget are studied, using a simple statistical structure which distinguishes trend, cyclical, and price-indexing phenomena. Using NIA data on budget expenditures and receipts, it is found that share movements on both sides of the budget are dominated by trends. Among expenditure categories, the shares of transfer programs show strong upward trends while the defense purchases share has beentrending strongly downward. On the revenue side, the shares represented by social insurance contributions and personal income taxes have been trending upward at the expense of corporateincome taxes and indirect taxes. Significant cyclical and price-indexing responsiveness is shown by several expenditure and revenue categories. A noteworthy finding is that the estimates show little evidence of structural change over 1947-1978, suggesting that the trend and otherforces found to be significant are not of recent origin but have been at work over the whole period.
Optofluidic ultrahigh-throughput detection of fluorescent drops

This paper describes an optofluidic droplet interrogation device capable of counting fluorescent drops at a throughput of 254000 drops per second. To our knowledge, this rate is the highest interrogation rate published thus far. Our device consists of 16 parallel microfluidic channels bonded directly to a filter-coated two-dimensional Complementary Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor (CMOS) sensor array. Fluorescence signals emitted from the drops are collected by the sensor that forms the bottom of the channel. The proximity of the drops to the sensor facilitates efficient collection of fluorescence emission from the drops, and overcomes the trade-off between light collection efficiency and field of view in conventional microscopy. The interrogation rate of our device is currently limited by the acquisition speed of CMOS sensor, and is expected to increase further as high-speed sensors become increasingly available.
Understanding “Core Practices” and “Practice-Based” Teacher Education Learning From the Past

In recent years, a small but growing strand of research has investigated ways of focusing teachers’ professional education on “core” or “high leverage” practices of teaching. These efforts are easi...
Uneven Wall Temperature Effect on Local Heat Transfer in a Rotating Two-Pass Square Channel With Smooth Walls

The influence of uneven wall temperature on the local heat transfer coefficient in a rotating, two-pass, square channel with smooth walls is investigated for rotation numbers from 0.0352 to 0.352 by varying Reynolds numbers from 25,000 to 2500. The two-pass square channel, composed of 12 isolated copper sections, has a length-to-hydraulic diameter ratio of 12. The mean rotating radius to the channel hydraulic diameter ratio is kept at a constant value of 30. Three cases of thermal boundary conditions are studied: (A) four walls at the same temperature, (B) four walls at the same heat flux, and (C) trailing wall hotter than leading with side walls unheated and insulated. The results for case A of four walls at the same temperature show that the first channel (radial outward flow) heat transfer coefficients on the leading surface are much lower than that of the trailing surface due to the combined effect of Coriolis and buoyancy forces. The second channel (radial inward flow) heat transfer coefficients on the leading surface are higher than that of the trailing surface. The difference between the heat transfer coefficients for the leading and trailing surface in the second channel is smaller than that in the first channel due to the opposite effect of Coriolis and buoyancy forces in the second channel. However, the heat transfer coefficients on each wall in each channel for cases B and C are higher than case A because of interactions between rotation-induced secondary flows and uneven wall temperatures in cases B and C. The results suggest that the effect of uneven wall temperatures on local heat transfer coefficients in the second channel is greater than that in the first channel.
Sociocultural Aspects of Tuberculosis Control in Ethiopia

This article examines ethnomedical knowledge and practices related to tuberculosis conceptualization and management in a rural southern Ethiopian community. An adult health-status survey, administered to 217 adults selected through quota sampling procedures, investigated prevailing nosological structures. Additionally, disease-enhancing behaviors were identified through qualitative-research methods. The findings show that while symptomatological concepts coincide with biomedicine, the local etiological model postulates empirically based causational factors unrelated to tubercle bacilli. Therapeutic preference hinges on the utilization of ethnobotanical remedies and their expected emetic effects. The relevance of tuberculosis-related ethnomedical knowledge and management practices is discussed in relation to primary health care and disease-control programs in Ethiopia. It is recommended that health-education interventions, illustrating the nature and transmission avenues of tuberculosis and the effects of biomedical therapies, precede and/or accompany vaccination campaigns or chemotherapy. Teaching materials should valorize existing ethnomedical notions that emphasize contagion as an avenue of disease transmission, and the importance of nutritional adequacy in fighting the disease.
ELECTROCHEMICAL NOIS E SIGNAL PROCESSING USING R/S ANALYSIS AND FRACTIONAL FOURIER TRANSFORM

Abstract The corrosion processes of stainless steel under different solutions were examined using Electrochemical Noise (ECN). Using Rescaled Range analysis, we demonstrated that ECN signals produced by corrosion processes have non-stationary and self-similar properties. The comparison and analysis of ECN signals in both time and frequency domain showed that the conventional methods failed to give out the differences of the ECN signals obtained under different solutions. Therefore, we introduced fractional Fourier transform (FrFT) to process ECN signals, which is a powerful tool for the time-frequency analysis of self similar signals that can better describe the corrosion behaviours of the electrode in different solutions.
Evaluation of the Eshelby solution for the ellipsoidal inclusion and heterogeneity

We present a MATLAB code that evaluates the quasi-static elastic displacement strain and stress fields for the ellipsoidal inclusion and heterogeneity, the Eshelby solution. We first give an introduction to the underlaying inclusion problem. Then we describe the Eshelby solution for the elastic field inside and outside an ellipsoidal inclusion. We introduce the equivalency between the inclusion and inhomogeneity problems and elaborate the code's functionalities. Finally, we make the ellipsoidal inclusion undergo a series of geometrical transformations to emulate a spheroid inclusion, a 2D elliptical void, and a planar crack for which the surrounding elastic field is either known or accurately approximated. By comparing the Eshelby solution against those known solutions, we conclude that the code is valid. By these emulations, we show that the Eshelby solution can encompass many special problems in a unified form.
Endotoxin Content in Renal Calculi

ABSTRACTPurpose: Manipulation of infection calculi (struvite and calcium apatite) can cause the sepsis syndrome due to endotoxemia or bacteremia. We sought to determine whether concentrations of endotoxin sufficient to produce the sepsis syndrome could be embedded in renal infection stones.Materials and Methods: Fragments of infection and noninfection renal calculi were processed and assayed for endotoxin concentration. Endotoxin concentrations, recorded as endotoxin units per gm. calculus, were converted to ng. (10 endotoxin units =1 ng.). Urine culture results were available for some patients with infection stones.Results: A total of 34 renal calculi (16 infection and 18 noninfection) were evaluated. The composition of 62.5% of the infection stones was struvite, whereas 50% of the noninfection stones were calcium oxalate monohydrate. Mean endotoxin concentration in infection calculi was 12,223 ng./gm. stone (range 0.6 to 50,000), compared to 340.3 ng./gm. stone (range 0 to 3,490) in noninfection calculi...
The complexity of ranking hypotheses in optimality theory

Given a constraint set with k constraints in the framework of Optimality Theory (OT), what is its capacity as a classification scheme for linguistic data? One useful measure of this capacity is the size of the largest data set of which each subset is consistent with a different grammar hypothesis. This measure is known as the Vapnik-Chervonenkis dimension (VCD) and is a standard complexity measure for concept classes in computational learnability theory. In this work, I use the three-valued logic of Elementary Ranking Conditions to show that the VCD of Optimality Theory with k constraints is k-1. Analysis of OT in terms of the VCD establishes that the complexity of OT is a well-behaved function of k and that the 'hardness' of learning in OT is linear in k for a variety of frameworks that employ probabilistic definitions of learnability.
Wideband imaging and parameter estimation of distributed objects using the continuous wavelet transform

Abstract In this paper, wavelet transforms and wideband processing techniques are used to actively image a continuously distributed object. This paper shows that a useful estimate of the wideband spreading function (WBSF) can be obtained by operating on a noisy received signal with the wavelet transform. Wavelet estimates of the WBSF of a rough, rotating sphere are formed by processing simulated echoes. A new and unique algorithm is developed to estimate the physical parameters of a distributed object by combining information from several noisy wavelet transform estimates of its WBSF. A computer simulation is performed and results are presented to demonstrate the effectiveness of this technique.
Unifying Temporal and Structural Credit Assignment Problems

Single-agent reinforcement learners in time-extended domains and multi-agent systems share a common difficulty known as the credit assignment problem. Multiagent systems have the structural credit assignment problem of determining the contributions of a particular agent to a common task. Instead, time-extended single-agent systems have the temporal credit assignment problem of determining the contribution of a particular action to the quality of the full sequence of actions. Traditionally these two problems are considered different and are handled in separate ways. In this article we show how these two forms of the credit assignment problem are equivalent. In this unified framework, a single-agent Markov decision process can be broken down into a single-time-step multiagent process. Furthermore we show that Monte Carlo estimation or Q-learning (depending on whether the values of resulting actions in the episode are known at the time of learning) are equivalent to different agent utility functions in a multi-agent system. This equivalence shows how an often neglected issue inmulti-agent systems is equivalent to a well-known deficiency in multi-time-step learning and lays the basis for solving time-extended multi-agent problems, where both credit assignment problems are present.
An experimental test of preferences for nest contents in an obligate brood parasite, Molothrus ater

We conducted a series of experiments designed to examine the stimuli to which female brown-headed cowbirds (Molothrus ater) attend when selecting a nest for parasitism. We gave hand-reared juvenile and wild-caught adult females opportunities to assess nests containing different numbers and types of mock eggs. We measured female interest in nests by recording the number of times they approached nests (experiments 1 and 2), and also, we maintained 5 groups of adult and 2 groups of juvenile females in outdoor aviaries where we could measure patterns of laying in nests (experiment 3). Results from both types of experiments were similar. Females of both age classes preferred nests with eggs over nests without eggs, nests containing 3 eggs to nests containing 1 egg, small eggs to medium sized eggs, and medium eggs to large eggs. In addition, there was an age-related effect in how females responded to a nest that already contained a cowbird egg. Adult females avoided nests containing cowbird eggs, whereas juveniles preferred these parasitized nests. Taken together, the results provide evidence of the adaptive nature of decision processes involved in host nest selection. Key words: brown-headed cowbird, cognition, decision processes, host selection. [Behav Ecol]
Injection Drug Use and Outcomes After Surgical Intervention for Infective Endocarditis

Background Infective endocarditis (IE) requiring surgical intervention in patients who actively inject drugs poses treatment challenges. Decisions regarding the need for operation are affected by concern for relapse of IE from ongoing injection drug use (IDU). The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of active IDU on outcomes after operation for IE. Methods All patients with IE surgically treated at Cleveland Clinic from July 1, 2007 to July 1, 2012 were identified from the Cleveland Clinic Infective Endocarditis Registry and the Cardiovascular Information Registry. Of 536 patients operated on for IE during the study period, 41 (8%) actively injected drugs. The primary outcome of the study was death or reoperation for IE. Results Patients who injected drugs had poorer survival free of reoperation, and the risk of events varied with time. In a multivariable Cox proportional hazards model, using time-dependent covariates, IDU was associated with a higher hazard of death or reoperation between 90 and 180 days (hazard ratio [HR], 9.8; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.7–35.3) but not before 90 days (HR, 0.38; 95% CI, 0.05–3.1) or after 180 days (HR, 1.8; 95% CI, 0.8–3.8). Among patients who injected drugs, reoperation and death contributed equally to the outcome, whereas among patients who did not inject drugs, reoperation for IE was far less common. Conclusions Between 3 and 6 months after operation for IE, patients who inject drugs have a hazard of death or reoperation that is about 10 times that of patients who do not inject drugs. Before and after, the HRs are much smaller and not statistically significant.
Ring-opening polymerization of epoxy end-terminated poly(ethylene oxide) as a route to highly crosslinked materials with exceptional swelling behavior (II)

Highly swellable poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) gels were prepared by anionic ring-opening polymerization of diepoxy end-capped PEO (3400gmol −1 ) and PEO (8000gmol −1 ) using dianionic glycerol and glycolic acid initiators at scales of up to 50g diepoxide. The glycerol-derived materials swell to almost 20 times their mass in water. The driving force for rapid swelling appears to arise during 'crystallization', as segments between crosslinks are forced to pack under conditions that create high-energy domains within the material. Solvation and therefore swelling are driven by the release of the resulting packing energy. These observations may offer insight into methods for designing other highly swellable materials. When the polyfunctional initiators have groups with different reactivities (e.g. alkoxide versus carboxylate), as might be expected, the more nucleophilic functional group appears to dominate the ring-opening polymerization process.  2007 Society of Chemical Industry
Stiff nodes in numerical micromagnetic problems

The convergence of the stiff modes that occur in micromagnetic problems when solved numerically by sequential methods can be accelerated by using mode pushing. This method modifies the magnetization cooperatively rather than individually, as in conventional methods. >
“Feminine” Heterosexual Men: Subverting Heteropatriarchal Sexual Scripts?:

Little is known about the sexual lives of “feminine” heterosexual men (i.e., men who eschew traditional rigid “masculine” gender roles in favor of more stereotypically “feminine” gender roles and characteristics). Based on an analysis of gender and sexuality discourse, mostly from social psychology, this paper proposes a model of the sexual subjectivity of the feminine heterosexual man. This model suggests that these men may find it difficult to attract a partner and maintain satisfying sexual relationships, but once established they appear to build strong relationships. This conceptualization proposes that feminine heterosexual men subvert overly restrictive heteropatriarchal sexual scripts, freeing both traditional and nontraditional men to explore ways of being sexual with women outside a dominant-submissive dialectic.
An improved flux observer based on PLL frequency estimator for sensorless vector control of induction motors

This paper presents an improved method of flux estimation for sensorless vector control of induction motors based on a phase locked loop (PLL) programmable low-pass filter (LPF) and a vector rotator. A PLL synchronized with the voltage vector is used for stator frequency estimation. The pure integration of the stator voltage equations is difficult to implement and LPFs with a fixed cutoff provide good estimates only in the relatively high frequency range-at low frequencies, the estimates fail in both magnitude and phase. The method proposed corrects the above problem for a wide range of speeds. Simulations and experimental results on a 0.25-hp three-phase induction machine verify the validity of the approach.
Transmission Electron Microscope Investigations Of Defects Produced By Individual Displacement Cascades In Si And Ge

SUMMARY Monocrystalline {111} Si and Ge specimens have been irradiated with atomic and molecular heavy ions in order to study the influence of the cascade energy density and the interaction between displacement cascades on the defect production. Transmission electron microscope (TEM) studies were performed to investigate the defect parameters. After atomic irradiation of Si and Ge the defects analysed (typical size 3–5 nm) are of interstitial type. Both defects with three-dimensional strain centres and defects with a strongly asymmetric strain field were observed. An analysis of the yield and the defect size in Si as a function of ion dose suggests that the defects are formed within individual cascades rather than by a process involving overlapping cascades. Changes of the energy density locally deposited in the lattice do not affect yield and size significantly. Under otherwise similar experimental conditions, the average defect depth is significantly larger for Bi2+ irradiations than for Bi+ irradiations.
CORPORATE ACQUISITIONS: METHOD OF PAYMENT EFFECTS, CAPITAL STRUCTURE EFFECTS AND BIDDING FIRMS' STOCK RETURNS

This study examines the effects of both the method of payment and the capital structure rearrangements on the common stock returns of bidding firms at the initial announcement of takeover bids. The evidence suggests that cash offers generate consistently higher abnormal returns than do stock exchanges. In both cash offers and stock exchanges, abnormal returns are not affected by the market's perception of changes in the firm's capital structure.
Early host CD8 T-cell recovery and sensitized anti-donor interleukin-2-producing and cytotoxic T-cell responses associated with marrow graft rejection following nonmyeloablative allogeneic bone marrow transplantation.

Abstract Objective. We developed a nonmyeloablative conditioning regimen for allogeneic bone marrow transplantation (BMT) followed by donor lymphocyte infusions (DLI) for treatment of chemotherapy refractory malignancies. Although the majority of patients who receive this regimen achieve lasting mixed or full allogeneic chimerism, approximately 30% show initial mixed chimerism followed by loss of the donor graft. These patients recover host hematopoiesis without significant cytopenias. To assess the role of immunologic rejection in graft loss, we compared T-cell recovery and in vitro alloresponses in six patients who lost their marrow graft to that in 16 concurrent patients with sustained donor chimerism. Patients and Methods. Conditioning included pretransplant cyclophosphamide (150–200 mg/kg), thymic irradiation (700 cGy), and pre- and post-transplant equine antithymocyte globulin (ATG; ATGAM). HLA-identical related donor BMT was followed by DLI at approximately day 35 in patients without graft-vs-host disease. Results. The group with transient chimerism showed significantly increased circulating host T-cell (median 416 cells/mm 3 vs 10 cells/mm 3 , p 3 vs 71 cells/mm 3 , p p H ) cell frequencies. High anti-donor T H or cytotoxic T-lymphocyte precursors were not detected in sustained chimeras. Conclusion. These data indicate that loss of chimerism in patients receiving this nonmyeloablative regimen is due to immune-mediated rejection. This rejection appears to bemediated by recovering recipient cytolytic CD8 + cells as well as IL-2–producing recipient T H cells. These data are the first to demonstrate sensitization of recipient anti-donor IL-2–producing cells in association with human marrow allograft rejection.
Superconducting tunnel junction detectors for extreme ultraviolet applications

We present measurements of superconducting tunnel junction (STJ) spectrometers optimized for extreme ultraviolet (EUV) energies, between 20-200 eV. The high count rates demands of astronomical applications, such as solar flare studies, uniquely suit STJs as compared to other cryogenic spectrometers. We have simulated EUV measurements with the technique of multiphoton absorption using a pulsed UV laser as a light source. We have demonstrated an energy resolution of 2.15 eV, close to the requirements of the applications. This resolution is limited by amplifier noise. We present predictions of improved resolution based on new amplifier designs.
Semi-quantitative Methods for Crayfish Sampling: Sex, Size, and Habitat Bias

Abstract We evaluated the effectiveness of four sampling methods for freshwater crayfish in five aquatic habitat types in Congaree National Park, South Carolina, USA. Electrofishing was the most successful technique in terms of the diversity of species collected, the number of individuals collected, and the widest range of sizes collected. Seine netting was the next most successful method. Baited minnow traps were biased towards form I males and larger individuals, while dip netting was biased towards smaller individuals. The relative success of techniques depended somewhat upon species. For two stream dwelling species, Procambarus acutus and P. chacei, electrofishing collected significantly more individuals than any other technique. For P. troglodytes, the most abundant species and a habitat generalist, electrofishing was superior to dip netting in some habitats, but did not significantly differ from traps or seine netting. For Fallicambarus fodiens, no significant differences among the effectiveness of ...
Engineering translocations with delayed replication: evidence for cis control of chromosome replication timing

Certain chromosome rearrangements, found in cancer cells or in cells exposed to ionizing radiation, exhibit a chromosome-wide delay in replication timing (DRT) that is associated with a delay in mitotic chromosome condensation (DMC). We have developed a chromosome engineering strategy that allows the generation of chromosomes with this DRT/DMC phenotype. We found that approximately 10% of inter-chromosomal translocations induced by two distinct mechanisms, site-specific recombination mediated by Cre or non-homologous end joining of DNA double-strand breaks induced by I-Sce1, result in DRT/DMC. Furthermore, on certain balanced translocations only one of the derivative chromosomes displays the phenotype. Finally, we show that the engineered DRT/DMC chromosomes acquire gross chromosomal rearrangements at an increased rate when compared with non-DRT/DMC chromosomes. These results indicate that the DRT/DMC phenotype is not the result of a stochastic process that could occur at any translocation breakpoint or as an epigenetic response to chromosome damage. Instead, our data indicate that the replication timing of certain derivative chromosomes is regulated by a cis-acting mechanism that delays both initiation and completion of DNA synthesis along the entire length of the chromosome. Because chromosomes with DRT/DMC are common in tumor cells and in cells exposed to ionizing radiation, we propose that DRT/DMC represents a common mechanism responsible for the genomic instability found in cancer cells and for the persistent chromosomal instability associated with cells exposed to ionizing radiation.
Nucleation of microtubules from mitotic centrosomes is modulated by a phosphorylated epitope

At the onset of mitosis a class of proteins appears that possess a phosphorylated epitope recognized by the monoclonal antibody MPM-2. Immunofluorescence staining shows that a subset of these proteins is associated with the centrosomes of the mitotic apparatus. The appearance of these proteins coincides with the increased microtubule nucleating capacity of the centrosomes. We have tested whether growth of microtubules from mitotic centrosomes in a lysed cell model is dependent on the availability of the phosphorylated epitope by blocking the epitope with a specific antibody or by modifying it by removal of the phosphate. Centrosomes incubated with purified tubulin nucleate microtubule asters. However, preincubating the centrosomes with MPM-2 blocks all microtubule nucleation. Pretreating mitotic centrosomes with alkaline phosphatase also inhibits nucleation. These data suggest that the phosphorylated epitope recognized by MPM-2 is important for microtubule nucleation.
Estimating Finite Source Properties of Small Earthquake Ruptures

Many of the most fundamental questions in earthquake science are currently limited by a lack of knowledge about small earthquake ruptures. Small earthquakes are difficult to study owing to the poor constraints placed on many of the interesting physical parameters by bandlimited, far-field, seismic data. Traditionally, dynamic models, such as an expanding circular crack, have been utilized to bridge the gap between the easily measurable quantities for small earthquakes and more interesting physical parameters such as stress drop and rupture velocity. Here I present a method for estimating the basic finite source properties of a rupture that is independent of any a priori model and utilizes the description of a finite source, the second moments, that far-field waves are inherently sensitive to. Application to two magnitude 5 events in southern California demonstrates the ability of an empirical Green9s function approach to estimating the second moments to resolve the fault-plane ambiguity, rupture length, and overall directivity. Additional results are presented for two example M 2.7 events from the creeping section of the San Andreas fault to examine the likely lower bound on event size that can be studied with surface seismometers. The creeping section earthquakes have very similar rupture areas but would be improperly interpreted as significantly different using the traditional methodology. One of these events presents a relatively clear interpretation of the velocity of rupture front propagation, which is about 0.8 of the Rayleigh speed, suggesting little difference in rupture velocity between it and typical large earthquakes.