cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Enrollment, Childbearing Motivations, and Intentions of Couples in the Creighton Model Effectiveness, Intentions, and Behaviors Assessment (CEIBA) Study

Context: The Creighton Model FertilityCare System (CrM) is a standardized approach for educating women about the biomarkers of their fertility. Couples can use this information for timing intercourse during “fertile” or “infertile” days in order to try to conceive or to avoid pregnancy. Objectives: The study of Creighton Model Effectiveness, Intentions, Behaviors Assessment (CEIBA) was conducted to assess fertility motivations, intentions, fertility-related sexual behaviors, and their impact on effectiveness to avoid and to conceive among new users of the CrM. This paper reports enrollment baseline characteristics. Settings and design: We conducted this prospective cohort study at 17 CrM FertilityCare Centers; 16 in the USA and one in Toronto, Canada. Materials and methods: Couples who were new or returning users of the CrM were eligible. Couples who were initially trying to conceive or had a history of subfertility were excluded. Couples were enrolled and followed prospectively by their CrM instructors, and also by CEIBA study staff. They completed baseline questionnaires. Results: 1133 new couples were assessed; 1090 (96%) couples were screened; 429 (39%) couples were eligible; 305 women (71%) and 290 (95%) male partners were enrolled. The majority of women was engaged (39%) or married (51%), college graduates (77%), Caucasian non-Hispanic (80%), and Roman Catholic (80%). The most common reasons for learning CrM (women) were to use a natural method for family planning (91%), for moral/ethical/religious reasons (70%), the lack of side effects (71%), or insight into the menstrual cycle and fertility (62%). Women and men intended to have a mean of 3 and 2 additional children, respectively. Of women, 21% intended to have a child within a year, and 60% between 1 to 3 years. The mean positive childbearing motivation score was 3.3 for both women and men (range 1-4, with 4 being most positive). Conclusion: Couples beginning use of the CrM to avoid pregnancy have high levels of motivation, desire, and intention for future childbearing. The CEIBA study has prospective measures of desires, intentions, and sexual/fertility behaviors for up to one year. We will assess the impact of desires, intentions and behaviors on the pregnancy rates among these couples.
A Multifeed Antenna for High-Efficiency On-Antenna Power Combining

This paper presents a multifeed antenna structure that synthesizes the desired far-field radiation characteristics with on-antenna power combining and increases the total radiated power of a wireless transmitter. The driving signals at the multiple antenna feeds are scaled properly in amplitude and phase, so that they collectively synthesize the desired on-antenna current/voltage distribution and achieve the resulting desired far-field radiation pattern. The proposed multifeed antenna offers flexibility to optimize the antenna driving impedances based on the locations of the feeds. It also simplifies the passive impedance matching and power-combining networks between the antenna feeds and the transmitter outputs, substantially increasing the total transmitter power efficiency. Most importantly, the proposed multifeed antenna achieves on-antenna low-loss power combining, which, compared with antenna array-based spatial power combining, does not suffer from narrowed beamwidth or enlarged antenna panel size. As proof of concept, multifeed slot antennas and a multifeed square loop antenna are designed and characterized at 10.3 GHz. Conventional single-feed slot antennas and a single-feed square loop antenna are also implemented as reference designs. Well matched antenna gains and radiation patterns between the proposed multifeed antennas and the conventional single-feed antennas are achieved in the measurements, demonstrating the on-antenna power combining of the proposed multifeed antennas without distorting the far-field radiation patterns.
MicroRNA-223 Suppresses the Canonical NF-κB Pathway in Basal Keratinocytes to Dampen Neutrophilic Inflammation

Summary MicroRNA-223 is known as a myeloid-enriched anti-inflammatory microRNA that is dysregulated in numerous inflammatory conditions. Here, we report that neutrophilic inflammation (wound response) is augmented in miR-223-deficient zebrafish, due primarily to elevated activation of the canonical nuclear factor κB (NF-κB) pathway. NF-κB over-activation is restricted to the basal layer of the surface epithelium, although miR-223 is detected throughout the epithelium and in phagocytes. Not only phagocytes but also epithelial cells are involved in miR-223-mediated regulation of neutrophils' wound response and NF-κB activation. Cul1a/b , Traf6 , and Tab1 are identified as direct targets of miR-223, and their levels rise in injured epithelium lacking miR-223. In addition, miR-223 is expressed in cultured human bronchial epithelial cells, where it also downregulates NF-κB signaling. Together, this direct connection between miR-223 and the canonical NF-κB pathway provides a mechanistic understanding of the multifaceted role of miR-223 and highlights the relevance of epithelial cells in dampening neutrophil activation.
The 2016 Crum Workshop: Bryophytes of the Red River Gorge Geological Area, Kentucky

We inventoried bryophytes in Kentucky's Red River Gorge region (RRG) during the 4-day 2016 Crum Moss Workshop and compared our findings with those of Studlar and Snider (1989), which were based primarily on collections by Studlar 40 years earlier. We collected 185 bryophyte species (140 mosses and 45 liverworts), mainly around Corbin sandstone cliffs, arches, and rockhouses (overhangs). About 61% of the 260 taxa (176 mosses and 84 hepatics, using updated nomenclature) reported in 1989 were found again. We added to the RRG flora 20 species (15 mosses and 5 liverworts), including the disjunct Heterocladium macounii and 5 state records: 2 mosses (Serpoleskea minutissima and Cryphaea nervosa) and 3 liverworts (Microlejeunea globosa, Frullania virginica, and Cheilolejeunea conchifolia). Four species characteristic of rockhouses in sandstone gorges were recollected: Bryoxiphium norvegicum, Hookeria acutifolia, Diphyscium mucronifolium (formerly D. cumberlandianum), and Syrrhopodon texanus. The globally rare “copper moss”, Scopelophila cataractae was found again and with a sporophyte, a first report for North America. A total (including literature reports) of 289 bryophyte species (200 moss and 89 liverworts) are now known from the RRG.
The possibility of resurrection by reassembly

It is widely held that the classic reassembly model of resurrection faces intractable problems. (1) What happens to someone if God assembles two individuals at the resurrection which are equally good candidates for being the original person? (2) If two or more people, such as a cannibal and the cannibal’s victim, were composed of the same particles at their respective deaths, can they both be resurrected? If they can, who gets the shared particles? (3) And would an attempt to reassemble a long-gone individual result in a genuine resurrection, or merely an intrinsic duplicate of the original person? In this paper, I argue that the first of these problems has, in effect, been solved by defenders of a rival view; I propose a novel solution to the second problem; and I show that the third can be solved by upgrading the naive reassembly model to a novel variety of reassembly model.
Knowledge and Semantic Competence

This discussion is about linguistic competence — the ability of speakers to understand their language. Our focus, in particular, is on semantic competence, an ability to interpret language. To see its theoretical interest, consider an unusual description of a familiar type of phenomenon. John sees Mary searching for something in her living room. He surmises she has misplaced her scarf. Remembering recently having seen it under the table, he believes that if she knew what he remembered it would facilitate her search. He takes a short breath; the air in his lungs releases at a slow steady rate; his vocal folds contract and relax in an elaborate fashion; and as the air passes into his mouth, his jaw, lips and tongue move in complicated ways, all of which serve to create a specific vibratory pattern, which sounds like an utterance of, ‘I saw your scarf under the table’. The sound pattern bounces off sensitive bits of tissue in Mary’s inner ear, and shortly afterwards, her search ceases with the scarf recovered.
Intestinale innere Darmschienung mit der Baker-Sonde

Serosadefekte nach Losung von Verwachsungen, ausgedehnte Dunndarmverwachsungen — insbesondere nach mehreren Voroperationen —, Rezidivileus, Verwachsungsbauch.
Reasons and Outcomes of Patients Who Do Not Receive Mechanical Thrombectomy for Acute Ischemic Stroke (P4.219)

Objective: Understand why patients presenting within the window for endovascular therapy did not receive it and their outcomes. Background: Many examine patient outcomes following endovascular therapy for acute ischemic stroke, but little is known about the reasons and outcomes of patients who didn’t get it. Design/Methods: We retrospectively examined a cohort of 275 patients with a discharge diagnosis of ischemic stroke, NIHSS≥6 and last known normal (LKN) time Results: Reasons patients did not receive therapy were patent major intracranial vessels (32%), no penumbra on CT or MRI (11.7%), large core infarct (16%), low NIHSS or significant improvement (8%), cerebral ischemia not suspected at admission (6.6%), poor baseline (6.2%) and advanced age (4.4%). Mean decision time for patients without penumbra or large core infarcts was not different from other patients in the cohort. Inability to treat patients within 6 hours was associated with a longer decision time (119 minutes longer, CI 54–185, p value =0.0004), but the time increase was due to transfer time, not decision time relative to arrival at the tertiary care center. Patients for whom cerebral ischemia was not considered at admission were most likely to present with seizure (33%) or posterior circulation symptoms (22%). Conclusions: In our cohort the most common reasons patients did not receive intervention were patent major intracranial vessels, no penumbra and large core infarction. These patients would be unlikely to benefit and might be harmed by endovascular intervention, therefore they were appropriately not treated. Disclosure: Dr. Wang has nothing to disclose. Dr. Rizvi has nothing to disclose. Dr. Dickey has nothing to disclose. Dr. Ramos Estebanez has nothing to disclose. Dr. Xiong has nothing to disclose. Dr. De Georgia has nothing to disclose. Dr. Sila has nothing to disclose. Dr. Furlan has nothing to disclose. Dr. Sundararajan has nothing to disclose.
Vanadium-Catalyzed Synthesis of Geometrically Defined Acyclic Tri- and Tetrasubstituted Olefins from Propargyl Alcohols

A highly selective formation of geometrically defined acyclic tri- and tetrasubstituted alkenes from inexpensive and readily available propargyl alcohols is described. Through vanadium oxo catalysis, tri- and tetrasubstituted α-chloro-, bromo-, and iodo-enone olefins can be synthesized with the kinetic E-geometry. Complementary tetrasubstituted β-chloro-, bromo-, and iodo-enone olefins with Z-geometry can be accessed through a metal-free 1,2-aryl shift. The utility of these geometrically defined vinyl halides is demonstrated through cross-coupling reactions to form all-carbon tetrasubstituted olefins with near complete retention of starting olefin geometry as well as through the total synthesis of (±)-myodesmone.
FTC and Apple Sue Qualcomm for Cell Phone Standardization Skullduggery, Part 4

This concluding Part 4 of this series considers distribution of the more general economic value that standardization creates, how rival claimants vie to capture that value, and how the various stakeholders regard (and support or resist) the 2015 IEEE Patent Policys efforts to make an appropriate distribution of that value. Part 4 comments on the arguments stake holders make to justify their claims.
Building a Universal Counter-Proliferation Regime: The Institutional Limits of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1540

The risk of Weapons of Mass Destruction materials falling into the hands of criminals continues to be a major security concern following 9/11. Efforts to curb the threat culminated in 2004 with U.N. Security Council Resolution 1540. Resolution 1540 created an international institution — the 1540 regime — that was intended to prevent WMD proliferation by closing legal gaps in every U.N. member state. In addition to prohibiting states from engaging in proliferation activities, the instrument obliges states to address WMD trafficking at home through both criminal law enforcement and regulatory oversight. Since its creation, scholars and policy makers have come to view 1540 as an important foundation of the global nonproliferation and counter-terrorism regime, in part because 179 states have submitted domestic implementation country reports, and on average, countries report more than 145 new or existing domestic measures to comply with Resolution 1540 obligations. Yet, despite the alleged success of the 1540 regime, there are still gaps in the system. Drawing on fifty-two in-depth interviews, fieldwork, and observation data, this article presents a novel assessment of the 1540 regime’s development and performance. It proceeds in four steps. First, it provides an assessment of 1540’s origins and its past performance, based on the 1540 Committee’s own metrics of success. Second, it demonstrates the regime’s weak performance, examining its effectiveness and accomplishments thus far. Third, it explains how the creation of the 1540 regime and its early institutional choices shaped its current structure and performance. In particular, how 1540’s legitimacy-building strategies have constrained the institution’s ability to effectively manage the implementation of the resolution. Finally, the article briefly explores options on how to strengthen 1540 regime to halt non-state actor proliferation.
Using "The Phone at the End of the World" to Analyze Diverse Arguments on Globalization.

Undergraduate or graduate organizational communication courses.The goals for this single-class activity are for students to identify and analyze differing viewpoints on globalization, and to apply ...
RocA Binds CsrS To Modulate CsrRS-Mediated Gene Regulation in Group A Streptococcus.

ABSTRACT The orphan regulator RocA plays a critical role in the colonization and pathogenesis of the obligate human pathogen group A Streptococcus. Despite multiple lines of evidence supporting a role for RocA as an auxiliary regulator of the control of virulence two-component regulatory system CsrRS (or CovRS), the mechanism of action of RocA remains unknown. Using a combination of in vitro and in vivo techniques, we now find that RocA interacts with CsrS in the streptococcal membrane via its N-terminal region, which contains seven transmembrane domains. This interaction is essential for RocA-mediated regulation of CsrRS function. Furthermore, we demonstrate that RocA forms homodimers via its cytoplasmic domain. The serotype-specific RocA truncation in M3 isolates alters this homotypic interaction, resulting in protein aggregation and impairment of RocA-mediated regulation. Taken together, our findings provide insight into the molecular requirements for functional interaction of RocA with CsrS to modulate CsrRS-mediated gene regulation. IMPORTANCE Bacterial two-component regulatory systems, comprising a membrane-bound sensor kinase and cytosolic response regulator, are critical in coordinating the bacterial response to changing environmental conditions. More recently, auxiliary regulators which act to modulate the activity of two-component systems, allowing integration of multiple signals and fine-tuning of bacterial responses, have been identified. RocA is a regulatory protein encoded by all serotypes of the important human pathogen group A Streptococcus. Although RocA is known to exert its regulatory activity via the streptococcal two-component regulatory system CsrRS, the mechanism by which it functions was unknown. Based on new experimental evidence, we propose a model whereby RocA interacts with CsrS in the streptococcal cell membrane to enhance CsrS autokinase activity and subsequent phosphotransfer to the response regulator CsrR, which mediates transcriptional repression of target genes.
“Sorry, I already have a boyfriend”: Masculine honor beliefs and perceptions of women’s use of deceptive rejection behaviors to avert unwanted romantic advances:

We examined the relationships between masculine honor beliefs (MHB) and women’s endorsement of various rejection-related behaviors, as well as both men’s and women’s perceptions of men’s aggressive...
Integrative Liberal Learning: A Case for Internships and Other High Impact Practices as an Essential Component in Students Professional Preparation

High impact practices that promote experiential learning and develop competencies to facilitate job readiness upon graduation have become essential to the student experience. From an integrative learning framework, this article examines four years of results from employer feedback evaluations for business interns enrolled in a Business Internship course. This cross-section of exit data illustrates three important factors: 1) the skills students apply and develop during internships, 2) the intern competencies desired and expected by employers, and 3) the level of success interns achieve when it comes to meeting employer demands and expectations in organizational roles. The article concludes with implications for business curriculum and career planning and preparation practices.
Global sensitivity analysis of skeletal muscle dMRI metrics: Effects of microstructural and pulse parameters.

Purpose Estimating microstructural parameters of skeletal muscle from diffusion MRI (dMRI) signal requires understanding the relative importance of both microstructural and dMRI sequence parameters on the signal. This study seeks to determine the sensitivity of dMRI signal to variations in microstructural and dMRI sequence parameters, as well as assess the effect of noise on sensitivity. Methods Using a cylindrical myocyte model of skeletal muscle, numerical solutions of the Bloch-Torrey equation were used to calculate global sensitivity indices of dMRI metrics (FA, RD, MD, λ 1 , λ 2 , λ 3 ) for wide ranges of microstructural and dMRI sequence parameters. The microstructural parameters were: myocyte diameter, volume fraction, membrane permeability, intra- and extracellular diffusion coefficients, and intra- and extracellular T 2 times. Two separate pulse sequences were examined, a PGSE and a generalized diffusion-weighted sequence that accommodates a larger range of diffusion times. The effect of noise and signal averaging on the sensitivity of the dMRI metrics was examined by adding synthetic noise to the simulated signal. Results Among the examined parameters, the intracellular diffusion coefficient has the strongest effect, and myocyte diameter is more influential than permeability for FA and RD. The sensitivity indices do not vary significantly between the two pulse sequences. Also, noise strongly affects the sensitivity of the dMRI signal to microstructural variations. Conclusions With the identification of key microstructural features that affect dMRI measurements, the reported sensitivity results can help interpret dMRI measurements of skeletal muscle in terms of the underlying microstructure and further develop parsimonious dMRI models of skeletal muscle.
Proton Versus Intensity-Modulated Radiation Therapy: First Dosimetric Comparison for Total Scalp Irradiation.

Abstract Purpose: Total scalp irradiation (TSI) is used to treat malignancies of the scalp and face, including angiosarcomas, nonmelanoma skin cancers, and cutaneous lymphomas. Owing to the irregul...
Bayesian inference and uncertainty propagation using efficient fractional-order viscoelastic models for dielectric elastomers:

Dielectric elastomers are employed for a wide variety of adaptive structures. Many of these soft elastomers exhibit significant rate-dependencies in their response. Accurately quantifying this visc...
Emotional Voting, Racial Animus and Economic Anxiety in the 2016 Presidential Election

In the wake of Donald Trump’s presidential election victory, several competing theories were offered purporting to explain Trump’s appeal to American voters. These included arguments that Trump voters were more prone to hold authoritarian tendencies (Choma 2017); that Trump’s mostly “white working class” voters felt left behind in an increasingly globalized economy; or that Trump voters were attracted to the candidate’s racialized and sexist language (Schaffner et. al 2017). This paper utilizes data from AdSAM, an emotional response survey system, to measure the emotive responses of likely voters toward candidates in the 2016 election. The survey also measured emotional responses towards issues including abortion, immigration, the economy, and the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement. The results suggest that the strongest predictors for voting for Trump were negative feelings towards the economy and negative responses to the BLM movement, and emphasizes emotional, rather than cognitive responses as explaining support for Trump.
Secure Discrete-Time Linear-Quadratic Mean-Field Games

In this paper, we propose a framework for strategic interaction among a large population of agents. The agents are linear stochastic control systems having a communication channel between the sensor and the controller for each agent. The strategic interaction is modeled as a Secure Linear-Quadratic Mean-Field Game (SLQ-MFG), within a consensus framework, where the communication channel is noiseless, but, is susceptible to eavesdropping by adversaries. For the purposes of security, the sensor shares only a sketch of the states using a private key. The controller for each agent has the knowledge of the private key, and has fast access to the sketches of states from the sensor. We propose a secure communication mechanism between the sensor and controller, and a state reconstruction procedure using multi-rate sensor output sampling at the controller. We establish that the state reconstruction is noisy, and hence the Mean-Field Equilibrium (MFE) of the SLQ-MFG does not exist in the class of linear controllers. We introduce the notion of an approximate MFE (\(\epsilon \)-MFE) and prove that the MFE of the standard (non-secure) LQ-MFG is an \(\epsilon \)-MFE of the SLQ-MFG. Also, we show that \(\epsilon \rightarrow 0\) as the estimation error in state reconstruction approaches 0. Furthermore, we show that the MFE of LQ-MFG is also an \((\epsilon +\varepsilon )\)-Nash equilibrium for the finite population version of the SLQ-MFG; and \((\epsilon +\varepsilon ) \rightarrow 0\) as the estimation error approaches 0 and the number of agents \(n \rightarrow \infty \). We empirically investigate the performance sensitivity of the \((\epsilon +\varepsilon )\)-Nash equilibrium to perturbations in sampling rate, model parameters, and private keys.
Enhanced Interface for Autonomously driven Golf Cart in a Networked Controlled Environment

Autonomous driven vehicles are coming sooner than expected. We are positive that the start deployment of the autonomous vehicle is in a controlled environment (e.g., elder community campus). We believe that a successful user interface (also known as Human-Computer Interaction HCI) in this domain requires a high level of passenger awareness. External and in-vehicle sensors monitor the position, activities, and mental state of passengers. The user interface uses that information to guide passenger interactions. For example, we raise the volume of spoken instructions if a passenger has difficulty hearing or calling for assistance if a passenger is having difficulty entering or exiting the vehicle. The central research questions that we consider are 1) How the communication between different components at the golf cart and the cloud occur? 2) How should an Autonomous Vehicle user interface incorporate passenger monitoring data to provide safe and reliable mobility service for the elderly? The proposed work builds on that foundation to address the research questions outlined above. We propose to 1) Equip our autonomously golf driven cart with sensors suite that enables the collection of passenger data suitable for monitoring the passengers. 2) Prototype a passenger-aware user interface. In this paper, we explain our enhanced interface for autonomously driven golf-cart in a networked controlled environment.
The Use of Generalizability Theory to Inform Sampling of Educator Language Used With Preschoolers With Autism Spectrum Disorder

Purpose A myriad features can impact the nature, frequency, and length of adult–child interactions important for language learning. Empirical investigations of language learning opportunities for y...
Modification and adaptation of wire lag model based on surface feed for improving accuracy in wire EDM of Ti-6Al-4V alloy

Dimensional accuracy in parts manufactured by wire EDM (WEDM) can be lost due to wire lag (where the wire electrode bends into an arc away from the machining direction). Wire lag effects are at issue when extremely narrow tolerances on curved or sharply angled geometries are desired. The feasibility of a program to modify machining G-code to compensate for wire lag at sharp corners is investigated here. Program development was informed by machining experiments. First, the effect of surface feed rate on profile accuracy was investigated. It was found that feed influences wire lag and profile accuracy. A wire lag model is demonstrated, and methods for developing modifications to incorporate both surface feed and eliminate the need for an ex situ measurement to minimize wire lag are presented. A method for relating pulse duration and voltage to each plasma discharge’s area is demonstrated. Lastly, an outline for a program that compensates for wire lag at threshold angles is shown. It is found that the developed application can predict wire lag or corner error within ±10% of the experimental value. It is also found that profile accuracy can be significantly improved using a cutback method by calculating the amount of wire lag from the modified model and modifying CNC G-codes using the developed application to apply cutbacks at designated corners.
Dual Frequency Feed Horn Design for a Compact Cloud and Precipitation Radar Operating at Ka- and W-band

We present the design of a compact dual frequency feed horn optimized to operate at Ka-band (35.75 GHz) and W-band (94.05 GHz). The feed horn consists of a single spline profile horn along with a diplexer having orthogonal Ka- and W-band ports and a band pass filter at the Ka-band port. The filter is used to achieve high isolation between the Ka- and W-band ports. A directivity of 21 dB and - 12 dB beam width of 31 degrees was achieved at Ka-band and a directivity of 26 dB and -12 dB beam width of 21 degrees was achieved at W-band. The overall feed horn assembly is compact and easy to machine. The dual frequency horn will be tested as part of a Ka/W-band breadboard radar.
Development of Highly Potent and Selective Pyrazolopyridine Inhibitor of CDK8/19

CDK8 and its paralog CDK19 are cyclin-dependent kinases that are core components of the so-called Mediator complex that has essential roles as a positive and negative regulator of gene expression. Several efforts to develop inhibitors have yielded natural and synthetic ATP-competitive compounds including cortistatin A, Sel120, BCD-115, CCT251921 (1), and MSC2530818 (2). Here, we used a hybridization approach starting from CCT251921 and MSC2530818 to derive new inhibitors with the aim of developing highly potent and selective inhibitors of CDK8/19. Initial compounds suffered from rapid aldehyde oxidase-mediated metabolism. This liability was overcome by utilizing a pyrazolopyridine hinge binder with a chlorine at the C-3 position. These efforts resulted in JH-XVI-178 (compound 15), a highly potent and selective inhibitor of CDK8/19 that displays low clearance and moderate oral pharmacokinetic properties.
The Politics of Property Rights Institutions in Africa

Why do some political leaders create and strengthen institutions like title registries and land tribunals that secure property rights to land while others neglect these institutions or destroy those that already exist? How do these institutions evolve once they have been established? This book answers these questions through spatial and temporal comparison of national and subnational cases from Botswana, Ghana, and Kenya and, to a lesser extent, Zimbabwe. Onoma argues that the level of property rights security that leaders prefer depends on how they use land. However, the extent to which leaders' institutional preferences are translated into actual institutions depends on the level of leaders' capacity. Further, once established, these institutions through their very working can contribute to their own decline over time. This book is unique in revealing the political and economic reasons why some leaders unlike others prefer an environment of insecure rights even as land prices increase.
Supertagging: Using Complex Lexical Descriptions in Natural Language Processing

The last decade has seen computational implementations of large hand-crafted natural language grammars in formal frameworks such as Tree-Adjoining Grammar (TAG), Combinatory Categorical Grammar (CCG), Head-driven Phrase Structure Grammar (HPSG), and Lexical Functional Grammar (LFG). Grammars in these frameworks typically associate linguistically motivated rich descriptions (Supertags) with words. With the availability of parse-annotated corpora, grammars in the TAG and CCG frameworks have also been automatically extracted while maintaining the linguistic relevance of the extracted Supertags. In these frameworks, Supertags are designed so that complex linguistic constraints are localized to operate within the domain of those descriptions. While this localization increases local ambiguity, the process of disambiguation (Supertagging) provides a unique way of combining linguistic and statistical information. This volume investigates the theme of employing statistical approaches with linguistically motivated representations and its impact on Natural Language Processing tasks. In particular, the contributors describe research in which words are associated with Supertags that are the primitives of different grammar formalisms including Lexicalized Tree-Adjoining Grammar (LTAG). Contributors: Jens Bcker, Srinivas Bangalore, Akshar Bharati, Pierre Boullier, Tomas By, John Chen, Stephen Clark, Berthold Crysmann, James R. Curran, Kilian Foth, Robert Frank, Karin Harbusch, Mary Harper, Saa Hasan, Aravind Joshi,Vincenzo Lombardo, Takuya Matsuzaki, Alessandro Mazzei, Wolfgang Menzel, Yusuke Miyao, Richard Moot, Alexis Nasr, Gnter Neumann, Martha Palmer, Owen Rambow, Rajeev Sangal, Anoop Sarkar, Giorgio Satta, Libin Shen, Patrick Sturt, Junichi Tsujii, K. Vijay-Shanker, Wen Wang, Fei Xia
Elicitors of Plant Defensive Systems Reduce Insect Densities and Disease Incidence

Some elicitors of plant defensive systems can induce biochemical changes that enable the plant to reduce disease incidence; however, little is known about the effect of these induced responses on insect herbivores. We approached this problem using exogenous field applications of several abiotic elicitors of defensive systems in tomatoes (Lycopersicon esculentum), and evaluated the ability of the elicitors [benzo(1,2,3)thiadiazole-7-carbothioic acid (S)-methyl ester (BTH, Actigard); Probenazole; chitosan; salicylic acid; KeyPlex 350; KeyPlex DP2; and KeyPlex DP3] to reduce pest densities and to provide cross-resistance against various insect herbivores and pathogens. Only BTH provided cross-resistance and significantly reduced the incidence of bacterial spot (Xanthomonas campestris pv. vesicatoria), early blight (Alternaria solani), leaf mold (Fulvia fulva), and leafminer larval densities (Liriomyza spp.). The effects on leafminer larval densities were more pronounced during the early stages of plant development. A trend of reduced densities of whiteflies (Bemisia argentifolii) and powdery mildew (Oidium sp.), although not significant, was also found on the BTH-treated plants. Other elicitors had no significant effect on insect populations, but Probenazole and KeyPlex 350 significantly reduced bacterial spot and early blight incidence. The antiherbivore effects of BTH on leafminers was confirmed in a laboratory two-choice experiment. Adult leafminers preferred untreated plants to the BTH-treated tomatoes as ovipositioning host plants, generally corresponding with larval performance. BTH induced high levels of pathogenesis-related proteins in tomato plants including peroxidase, lysozymes, chitinase, and β-1,3-glucanases. The possible cross-resistance role of these proteins is discussed. The demonstration that exogenous induction of plant defensive systems in the field can result in lower damage caused by various pathogens and insects, supports the hypothesis that plant defensive systems may be general.
Chirped pulse amplification of shaped laser pulses-minimization of distortion caused by self-phase modulation in amplifiers

Summary form only given. Many laser plasma interaction experiments with ultrashort laser pulses either require or can significantly benefit from the use of a laser pulse with a temporal profile, which has been optimized for the experiment. We will first demonstrate experimentally that self-phase modulation is a serious issue for amplification of shaped pulses in chirped pulse amplification (CPA) systems by showing greatly increased distortion during amplification of a pulse shaped for the fast ignitor experiment compared to the distortion during amplification of a transform-limited pulse. This distortion will be measured as a function of B-integral in the stretched pulse via spectral interferometry and FROG techniques. We then demonstrate a phase-only pulse shaping technique, which produces a stretched pulse free of rapid temporal variations and thus minimizes these distortions.
Technology for reducing aircraft engine pollution

Programs have been initiated by NASA to develop and demonstrate advanced technology for reducing aircraft gas turbine and piston engine pollutant emissions. These programs encompass engines currently in use for a wide variety of aircraft from widebody-jets to general aviation. Emission goals for these programs are consistent with the established EPA standards. Full-scale engine demonstrations of the most promising pollutant reduction techniques are planned within the next three years. Preliminary tests of advanced technology gas turbine engine combustors indicate that significant reductions in all major pollutant emissions should be attainable in present generation aircraft engines without adverse effects on fuel consumption. Fundamental-type programs are yielding results which indicate that future generation gas turbine aircraft engines may be able to utilize extremely low pollutant emission combustion systems.
A programmable low-voltage micropower CMOS input stage architecture

A very simple CMOS rail-to-rail, constant-g/sub m/ opamp input stage architecture is presented. The constant-g/sub m/ is achieved by processing signal currents rather than DC bias currents. As a result, the architecture is universal in that it operates in both weak and strong inversion regions with small variations in g/sub m/.
Cancer: More than skin deep.

Activation of the nuclear factor NF-κB has been linked with many human cancers. But in tumours of some tissues this molecule is inactive. New work examines how turning off NF-κB promotes cancer in one tissue, the skin.
The secretory granules of the acinar cells of the mouse submaxillary gland

Absence of membranes from the secretion granules of the acinar cells of the submaxillary gland of the mouse had led to speculation concerning mechanisms of secretion of these cells. By means of rapid perfusion fixation, smooth membranes have been identified around the secretion granules, and the mode of secretion proves to be similar to that of the other exocrine glands. The evidence suggests that potent membranolytic agents of unknown nature, capable of rapidly destroying the membranes are present in these secretory granules.
Genetic Models in Evolutionary Game Theory: The Evolution of Altruism

While prior models of the evolution of altruism have assumed that organisms reproduce asexually, this paper presents a model of the evolution of altruism for sexually reproducing organisms using Hardy–Weinberg dynamics. In this model, the presence of reciprocal altruists allows the population to evolve to a stable polymorphic population where the majority of organisms are altruistic. Further, adding stochasticity leads to even larger numbers of altruists, while adding stochasticity to an analogous asexual model leads to more selfish organisms. The contrast between these outcomes demonstrates why it may be important to pay attention to the underlying genetics of a population.
Detecting friendly, flirtatious, awkward, and assertive speech in speed-dates

Automatically detecting human social intentions and attitudes from spoken conversation is an important task for speech processing and social computing. We describe a system for detecting interpersonal stance: whether a speaker is flirtatious, friendly, awkward, or assertive. We make use of a new spoken corpus of over 1000 4-min speed-dates. Participants rated themselves and their interlocutors for these interpersonal stances, allowing us to build detectors for style both as interpreted by the speaker and as perceived by the hearer. We use lexical, prosodic, and dialog features in an SVM classifier to detect very clear styles (the strongest 10% in each stance) with up to 75% accuracy on previously seen speakers (50% baseline) and up to 59% accuracy on new speakers (48% baseline). A feature analysis suggests that flirtation is marked by joint focus on the woman as a target of the conversation, awkwardness by decreased speaker involvement, and friendliness by a conversational style including other-directed laughter and appreciations. Our work has implications for our understanding of interpersonal stance, their linguistic expression, and their automatic extraction.
Control of nitrogen fixation by oxygen depletion in surface-associated microzones

Chronic deficiencies in biologically utilizable nitrogen control primary production in vast segments of the world's oceans1–3. A priori, it would appear that these conditions offer selective advantages to N2-fixing microorganisms (eubacteria and cyanobacteria). Most studies, however, concur that ecologically insignificant rates of N2 fixation are found in such waters4–6. We have addressed this paradox by identifying some environmental factors that may control the development and growth of marine N2 fixers and experimentally manipulating them in nitrogen-depleted North Carolina coastal Atlantic Ocean water. The availability of phosphorus, iron and molybdenum, required for both synthesis and function of the N2-fixing enzyme complex nitrogenase7, was sufficient to support the growth of N2-fixers. However, colonizable inorganic and organic surfaces were important for the development and proliferation of N2-fixing microbial consortia (mixtures of eubacteria, and cyanobacteria plus eubacteria). Surface-associated N2 fixation potentials were much more dependent on organic than on inorganic nutrient enrichment, and were affected by the incidence and magnitude of localized O2 depletion in the surface-associated micro-zones. As molecular O2 is a potent inhibitor of N2 fixation in many marine microorganisms, the extent to which biological nitrogen demands can be met by N2 fixation depends on the presence and maintenance of O2 depleted microzones.
A computer-based system for the measurement of membrane capacitance to monitor exocytosis in secretory cells

A software-based system for real-time measurement of membrane capacitance was developed for monitoring exocytosis in a single cell. The IBM PC compatible software, linked to an interface box, provides capacitance measurement capabilities to a patch-clamp setup utilizing a Labmaster data acquisition board. In order to measure the time-dependent changes in membrane capacitance, the system uses a software-based phase detector which isolates capacitive membrane current from a cell subject to sinusoidal voltage stimulation. The sampling program can monitor changes in membrane capacitance in response to depolarizing voltage steps, intracellular calcium stimulation, or drug application. A separate analysis program was constructed to implement the quantitative analysis, plotting and exporting of the capacitance, conductance and current data acquired by the sampling program.
The levels of creatine kinase and adenylate kinase in the plasma of dystrophic chickens reflect the rates of loss of these enzymes from the circulation

The rates of loss of adenylate kinase and creatine kinase from the circulation after intravenous injection of homogenous chicken skeletal muscle enzymes were examined to determine the role of plasma clearance rates in determining the plasma levels of these enzymes in normal and dystrophic chickens. The rapid clearance of adenylate kinase activity (average half-life of 5 min) and the slower biphasic clearance of creatine kinase activity (average half-lives of 0.95 and 11 hr) are consistent with the elevation of creatine kinase but not adenylate kinase in the blood plasma of dystrophic chickens compared to normal chickens. The rates of clearance of these enzymes were similar in normal chickens compared to dystrophic chickens. Radioiodinated enzymes were cleared at similar, but slightly more rapid rates than the loss of enzyme activity. The loss of adenylate kinase activity from the circulation may be due in part to inactivation since adenylate kinase activity is rapidly inactivated in serum in vitro, and because no increase in adenylate kinase activity is observed in the most specific sites of clearance of the radioiodinated enzyme, the liver and spleen. The comparison of enzyme activities in press juices to the activities in high-ionic-strength homogenates of muscle tissue from normal and dystrophic muscle, indicates that adenylate kinase activity is not associated with intracellular structures to the extent that would prohibit release from dystrophic muscle tissue. These results, and those presented previously with regard to plasma levels and clearance rates of AMP aminohydrolase and pyruvate kinase in normal and dystrophic chickens (11) support our hypothesis that the rates of loss of muscle enzyme activities from the circulation are important in determining the circulating levels of muscle enzymes in dystrophic chickens. Furthermore, from the measurement of plasma levels and clearance rates of creatine kinase, it was estimated that the efflux rate of creatine kinase from dystrophic muscle tissue is 2.0% of the total breast muscle creatine kinase per day.
Prenatal diagnosis of congenital adrenal hyperplasia due to 21-hydroxylase deficiency by allele-specific hybridization and Southern blot

The feasibility and accuracy of gene-specific molecular genetic diagnosis for congenital adrenal hyperplasia due to 21-hydroxylase deficiency was studied in a group of 24 pregnancies at 25% risk of carrying an affected fetus. Chorionic villus sampling was performed at 9–10 weeks' gestation. Southern analysis and polymerase chain reaction, followed by allele-specific hybridization for a panel of nine known mutations, were performed for each family. Mutations were identified in 95% of chromosomes examined; the molecular diagnosis was accurate in 96% of infants as confirmed by postnatal examination. The most common mutation identified was an A-to-G transition at base 656 in the second intron, the result of an apparent gene conversion. In one family, there had been a de novo mutation in intron 2, which was detected in the proband, but not in the mother or in the fetus. We conclude that first trimester prenatal diagnosis of congenital adrenal hyperplasia due to 21-hydroxylase deficiency is feasible and accurate employing CYP21-specific probes.
Direct parameterization of postural stability during quiet upright stance: Effects of age and altered sensory conditions

The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between measures of local dynamic stability (LDS) during upright stance and both descriptive measures of postural sway and a scaling index (α) derived from detrended fluctuation analysis. Center of pressure (COP) time series were obtained from healthy participants (16 young and 16 older) during upright quiet stance. Vision and somatosensation were altered by eye closure and standing on a compliant surface, respectively. A non-linear time-series analysis method was used to compute three LDS parameters from the COP data: A which was defined as the COP excursion range in state space, and τS and τL which were defined as the divergence rates over short- and long-term timescales, respectively. LDS parameters, descriptive COP measures, and α had generally consistent sensitivities to age and/or altered sensory conditions. Age x sensory condition interactions, however, had distinct effects on LDS parameters compared to the other COP-based measures. Older individuals exhibited faster divergence rates while having similar magnitudes of A, compared to young individuals. These results suggest that older individuals stiffen the musculoskeletal system via increased muscle activity, perhaps as an age-related postural adaptation. In addition, correlations between LDS parameters and other COP measures were relatively small (r2⩽0.29). Hence, LDS parameters (A, τS and τL) provide distinct information on postural control and stability, supplementing other COP-based measures.
Plant Parenthood in Milkweeds: A Direct Test of the Pollen Donation Hypothesis

For hermaphroditic plant species whose fruit production is limited by maternal resources, the “pollen donation hypothesis” views large floral displays as an adaptation to enhance the probability of fathering seeds on other plants. This hypothesis has frequently been used to describe the evolution of large floral displays in milkweeds (Asclepias). Most tests of the pollen donation hypothesis, however, have used indirect measures, such as flower production or pollen removal, to estimate male reproductive success. To test the pollen donation hypothesis directly, we performed a paternity analysis and determined the number of seeds sired by individual genotypes in a natural population of poke milkweed, A. exaltata, in southwestern Virginia. Seeds sired (male success) and seeds produced (female success) were significantly correlated with flower number per plant (for male success: r= 0.32, P 0.05), indicating that plants with large floral displays did not reproduce primarily as males. Percent fruit-set and seed number per fruit were higher in 1986, when levels of pollinarium removal also were higher. Furthermore, several umbels that experienced high pollinator activity selectively matured fruits that contained many seeds. We argue that the evolution of large floral displays in milkweeds is the result of selection to increase overall reproductive success rather than male reproductive success alone.