cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Intercoronary anastomoses in congenital heart disease

Thirty-five cases of congenital heart disease were investigated for the frequency and size of intercoronary anastomoses. Studies of control hearts showed normal intercoronary anastomoses to range to 74 μ in diameter. In those congenital hearts not subjected to surgical procedures, the anastomoses did not differ in size from the control group, even in the presence of anemia, cardiac hypertrophy, and cyanosis. However, the mean age of the cyanotic group was significantly less than the acyanotic group. Even though the size and frequency of the anastomoses were significantly increased in the operated group, surgical trauma alone was an unlikely stimulus, since the size and frequency of anastomoses in those dying within 48 hours of operation and in those surviving for more than 5 weeks were similar. There was also a significant increase in the frequency and size of the intercoronary anastomoses in cases greater than 5 years of age, implying that intercoronary communications in congenital heart disease increase in size with increasing age.
Inferring patterns of internal migration from mobile phone call records: evidence from Rwanda

Understanding the causes and effects of internal migration is critical to the effective design and implementation of policies that promote human development. However, a major impediment to deepening this understanding is the lack of reliable data on the movement of individuals within a country. Government censuses and household surveys, from which most migration statistics are derived, are difficult to coordinate and costly to implement, and typically do not capture the patterns of temporary and circular migration that are prevalent in developing economies. In this paper, we describe how new information and communications technologies (ICTs), and mobile phones in particular, can provide a new source of data on internal migration. As these technologies quickly proliferate throughout the developing world, billions of individuals are now carrying devices from which it is possible to reconstruct detailed trajectories through time and space. Using Rwanda as a case study, we demonstrate how such data can be use...
Innate resistance in malaria

Abstract The ability of the host to overcome a malarial infection is determined not only by immunologic mechanisms but also by certain innate characteristics of the host. Innate resistance characteristics are inherited, often as simple Mendelian factors e.g., the sickle cell trait and the Duffy blood group determinants. They are not elaborated as the direct result of an individual's exposure to infection. In evolutionary terms, however, the selective pressures of malarial infection on human populations profoundly affect the distribution and frequency of traits conferring resistance to the disease. Mechanisms of innate resistance to malaria have only been described against the blood stages. As yet nothing is known of the influence of the host upon gametocytogenisis or the establishment of the sporozoite in the liver of the mammalian host in the initial stages of infection. Innate resistance to the asexual stages in the blood may operate by creating conditions at the erythrocyte membrane, within the erythrocyte, or in the plasma, which limit the ability of the parasite to multiply. The demonstration that a surface receptor on the erythrocyte controls the parasite's ability to invade the erythrocyte suggests that such a mechanism may underlie the host specificity in other Sporozoa .
VARIATIONAL ELECTROSTATICS FOR CHARGE SOLVATION

We show that the equations of continuum electrostatics can be obtained entirely and simply from a variational free energy comprising the Coulomb interactions among all charged species and a spring-like term for the polarization of the dielectric medium. In this formulation, the Poisson equation, the constitutive relationship between polarization and the electric field, as well as the boundary conditions across discontinuous dielectric boundaries, are all natural consequences of the extremization of the free energy functional. This formulation thus treats the electrostatic equations and the energetics within a single unified framework, avoiding some of the pitfalls in the study of electrostatic problems. Application of this formalism to the nonequilbrium solvation free energy in electron transfer is illustrated. Our calculation reaffirms the well-known result of Marcus. We address the recent criticisms by Li and coworkers who claim that the Marcus result is incorrect, and expose some key mistakes in their approach.
Revisiting the idea of a national center for health professions education research.

AbstractThe need for a national center for health professions education research is more compelling today than when originally proposed 15 years ago. There is a general consensus as to the need for better assessment of the educational outcomes of U.S. health professions schools, especially in light
When did your pain start?: reliability of self-reported age of onset of facial pain

Objective This study was designed to examine the reliability of self-reported onset of facial pain over a relatively long period, as well as factors that may influence the ability of patients to provide consistent pain onset dates. The implications of dating unreliability on assessing the temporal order of two potentially related disorders is also considered. Design A total of 125 women with a lifetime history of temporomandibular pain and dysfunction syndrome (TMPDS) were asked to report their pain onset date in the context of a structural health interview. Dates were compared with onset dates recorded an average of 7 years earlier in their clinical chart. Factors potentially affecting reliability of recall were also assessed. Results The absolute value of the discrepancy between the two reports was nearly 4 years. Only 26% reported onset dates within the same year. Forward-telescoping, in which events are recalled as occurring more recently than they actually occurred, was more common than backward-telescoping of onset dates. Intraclass correlations were good to excellent (ICC = .80 for full sample). Elapsed time between reports was the largest predictor of reporting discrepancy. Conclusions These findings indicate that a single patient's report of pain onset, especially when he or she is asked to recall the onset of a long-standing pain problem, will most often lead to an underestimate of chronicity. However, high intraclass correlations indicate that patients' dating of pain onset may have satisfactory reliability for research purposes, when comparing a group of patients to one another to assess relative chronicity of pain.
Endotoxin alters early fetal lung morphogenesis.

Background The effects of immaturity and hypoplasia of the premature lung can be affected by proinflammatory stimuli in late gestation or the postnatal period from acute lung injury secondary to intensive ventilatory management or the metabolic consequences of surgery. These stimuli alter alveolarization and contribute to bronchopulmonary dysplasia. While prior research has focused primarily on late gestational effects of inflammation on alveolar development, we sought to study whether early gestational exposure to endotoxin affects branching morphogenesis, during the critical pseudoglandular stage of lung development. Method Gestational day 15 (E15) fetal rat lung explants (term = 22 d) were treated with either 200 ng/mL or 2 μg/mL lipopolysaccharides (LPS) with controls and examined daily by phase microscopy. After 5 d, explants were fixed in 4% formaldehyde, paraffin embedded, and sectioned at 5 μm in the coronal plane. Immunohistochemical analysis was performed with platelet endothelial cell adhesion molecule (PECAM) to define endothelial cells, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) to examine endothelial mitogenesis, and COX-2 antibodies as a marker for prostaglandin synthesis. Real-time PCR examined inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), FGF9, FGF10, and FGFr2 gene expression. Air space fraction and airway epithelium were analyzed with Image J software. Results Phase contrast microscopy and hematoxylin-eosin histology revealed progressive, dose-related changes in air sac contraction and interstitial thickening. Compared with control E15 explants, day 5 explants incubated with high dose LPS demonstrated thickened and shrunken airway sacs with stunted branching and increased matrix deposition in interstitial areas. By immunohistochemical staining, COX-2 was quantitatively increased after high dose LPS exposure, while PECAM was reduced. VEGF expression was unaltered. LPS increased iNOS, but decreased FGF9, FGF10, and FGFr2 gene expression. Conclusions These data support evidence for an inflammatory effect of LPS on the early phase of lung development in the fetal rat, affecting branching morphogenesis during the pseudoglandular phase. Fetal endothelial cells are clearly affected, while COX-2 elevation suggests activation of an as yet undefined fetal pulmonary inflammatory cascade. We speculate that proinflammatory stimuli may ultimately lead to abnormal pulmonary development via fibroblastic growth factor (FGF)-directed mechanisms that affect epithelial-mesenchymal interaction and differentiation at a much earlier gestational age than was previously recognized.
Slavery and Class Analysis in the Ancient World. A Review Article

Ste. Croix's monumental study of class oppression in the ancient Greek world is a great book and deserves a place on the shelf of everyone interested in the social history of antiquity. Not just on the shelf: it is a book to be read slowly, a book to spend a month or more with, and to return to often. For the patient reader, who will mull over the innumerable details and citations of the evidence that Ste. Croix's vast learning places at his disposal, The Class Struggle can provide an entire education in the social relations of ancient Greek (and Roman) civilization. Ste. Croix's book has a leisurely pace, and a loose structure, that leaves room for digressions on topics dear to the author, or for arguments on matters controversial among scholars that may seem to earn disproportionate attention. But the digressions are always interesting (at least to this reader), and the arguments, even those relegated to footnotes, have the fascination peculiar to meticulous reasoning. What is more, a moral fervor or, rather, a moral outrage informs the argument and elevates the book to a document of human sympathy, in which facts speak the misery of ruthlessly oppressed and exploited populations and give courage to those who would defamiliarize cruelty and inequality in any age, not least our own, so that the violence of human history may again seem strange and horrible. This is strong praise, and deserved. It is not meant to forestall criticism of Ste. Croix's book, only to situate that criticism properly. The Class Struggle in the Ancient Greek World-or, to use Ste. Croix's own, very practical system of reference, CSAGW-tells a story we may wish to forget or ignore, whose events are scattered in fragments, concealed in mutilated stones and pages that have been gathered and interpreted by Ste. Croix in a lifetime of dedicated and erudite labor. The result is a book on the scale of Rostovzeff's, or of Ste. Croix's own mentor, A. H. M. Jones, and if it lacks the clear narrative order of those works, this is not from every point of view a blemish. The constant cross-references, the juxtaposition of sociological analysis and narrative history, convey both the process of discovery and the disjointed nature of the story itself, which would be falsified, I suspect, by too dramatic a rendering.
Differential automorphisms for modular forms on Γ0(4)

If $k\in\frac{1}{2}\mathbb{N}$ , then let M k (Γ0(4)) be the usual space of half integral weight modular forms. Ono constructed differential endomorphisms of M k (Γ0(4)) by using the usual differential operator. Here we construct a similar set of differential endomorphisms using a linear combination of the differential operator and the quasi-modular forms E 2, E 2|V 2, and E 2|V 4. We compute a full set of eigenforms with eigenvalues, and we prove that these endomorphisms are in fact automorphisms.
Performance analysis of frequency hopped/coherent MPSK in the presence of multitone jamming

This paper studies the performance of frequency hopped/coherent M-ary PSK signals in the presence of partial-band multitone jamming. The probability density function for the jammed received signal phase is found and utilized in obtaining a probability of error expression. The analytical expressions to assess the performance under worst case multitone jamming are provided.
Analysis and design of an unusual unity-power-factor rectifier

A unity-power-factor rectifier that has a parallel-resonant tank tuned to the second harmonic of the line frequency is analyzed for two filter configurations. A unidirectional-power-flow version of the current-sourced rectifier can operate stably open loop or can be current limited down to zero output voltage. The large inductor normally required is an outstanding disadvantage which can be partially overcome using a resonant filter. The design-oriented analysis includes variable-frequency operation and key component ratings. A design procedure is suggested, and complete experimental verification is obtained using a 120 V, 500 W. 60 Hz rectifier switching at 50 kHz. >
Error performance of FH-MFSK multiple-access communication system for the factory environments

A frequency-hopped M-ary frequency-shift-keyed (FH-MFSK) spread-spectrum communication system was previously introduced. The error performance of the system operating over Rayleigh, Rician, and lognormal multipath fading for factory environments is investigated. The statistics of these channels, obtained from a recent channel model, are used evaluate the performance of the FH-MFSK system. The average bit error rate (BER) is formulated and evaluated numerically using IMSL routines. The number of simultaneous users in terms of number of hopped frequencies, number of MFSK chips, receiver threshold, signal-to-noise ratio and channel statistics at a fixed BER for the channels is determined. >
Abelson virus transformation prevents TRAIL expression by inhibiting FoxO3a and NF-κB

The Abelson Murine Leukemia Virus (A-MuLV) encodes v-Abl, an oncogenic form of the ubiquitous cellular non-receptor tyrosine kinase, c-Abl. A-MuLV specifically transforms murine B cell precursors both in vivo and in vitro. Inhibition of v-Abl by addition of the small molecule inhibitor STI-571 causes these cells to arrest in the G1 phase of the cell cycle prior to undergoing apoptosis. We found that inhibition of v-Abl activity results in upregulation of transcription of the pro-apoptotic TNF-family ligand tumor-necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL). Similarly to BCR-Abl-transformed human cells, activation of the transcription factor Foxo3a led to increased TRAIL transcription and induction of a G1 arrest in the absence of v-Abl inhibition, and this effect could be inhibited by the expression of a constitutively active AKT mutant. Multiple pathways act to inhibit FoxO3a activity within Abelson cells. In addition to diminishing transcription factor activity via inhibitory phosphorylation by AKT family members, we found that inhibition of IKKβ activity results in an increase in the total protein level of FoxO3a. Furthermore overexpression of the p65 subunit of NF-κB results in an increase in TRAIL transcription and in apoptosis and deletion of IKKα and β diminishes TRAIL expression and induction. We conclude that in Abelson cells, the inhibition of both NF-κB and FoxO3a activity is required for suppression of TRAIL transcription and maintenance of the transformed state.
Parental Depression, Relationship Quality, and Nonresident Father Involvement With Their Infants

The role of depression in nonresident fathers’ involvement with their infant children is poorly understood. A three-factor model of father involvement was evaluated, and its association with parental relationship quality and depressive symptoms in both parents were tested. Data on 569 families from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study were used. Confirmatory factor analysis supported a three-factor model of nonresident father involvement, which was then examined in a model consistent with Belsky’s determinants of parenting framework. Noncohabitating mothers and fathers evidenced a significant correlation between their quantitative levels of depression. Relationship quality predicted all factors of father involvement and was negatively associated with depression in either parent. Disruptions in relationship quality mediated the link between depression in both parents and reduced father involvement. Perhaps because of depression’s association with relationship quality, depressive severity was significantl...
Equol Is a Novel Anti-Androgen that Inhibits Prostate Growth and Hormone Feedback

Equol (7-hydroxy-3[49hydroxyphenyl]-chroman) is the major metabolite of the phytoestrogen daidzein, one of the main isoflavones found abundantly in soybeans and soy foods. Equol may be an important biologically active molecule based on recent studies demonstrating that equol can modulate reproductive function. In this study, we examined the effects of equol on prostate growth and LH secretion and determined some of the mechanisms by which it might act. Administration of equol to intact male rats for 4‐7 days reduced ventral prostate and epididymal weight and increased circulating LH levels. Using binding assays, we determined that equol specifically binds 5a-dihydrotestosterone (DHT), but not testosterone, dehydroepiandrosterone, or estrogen with high affinity. Equol does not bind the prostatic androgen receptor, and has a modest affinity for recombinant estrogen receptor (ER) b, and no affinity for ERa. In castrated male rats treated with DHT, concomitant treatment with equol blocked DHT’s trophic effects on the ventral prostate gland growth and inhibitory feedback effects on plasma LH levels without changes in circulating DHT. Therefore, equol can bind circulating DHT and sequester it from the androgen receptor, thus altering growth and physiological hormone responses that are regulated by androgens. These data suggest a novel model to explain equol’s biological properties. The significance of equol’s ability to specifically bind and sequester DHT from the androgen receptor have important ramifications in health and disease and may indicate a broad and important usage for equol in the treatment of androgen-mediated pathologies. androgen receptor, epididymis, prostate, steroid hormones, testosterone
Simian Varicella Virus Expresses a Latency-Associated Transcript That Is Antisense to Open Reading Frame 61 (ICP0) mRNA in Neural Ganglia of Latently Infected Monkeys

Simian varicella virus (SVV) and varicella-zoster virus (VZV) are closely related alphaherpesviruses that cause varicella (chickenpox) in nonhuman primates and humans, respectively. After resolution of the primary disease, SVV and VZV establish latent infection of neural ganglia and may later reactivate to cause a secondary disease (herpes zoster). This study investigated SVV gene expression in neural ganglia derived from latently infected vervet monkeys. SVV transcripts were detected in neural ganglia, but not in liver or lung tissues, of latently infected animals. A transcript mapping to open reading frame (ORF) 61 (herpes simplex virus type 1 [HSV-1] ICP0 homolog) was consistently detected in latently infected trigeminal, cervical, and lumbar ganglia by reverse transcriptase PCR. Further analysis confirmed that this SVV latency-associated transcript (LAT) was oriented antisense to the gene 61 mRNA. SVV ORF 21 transcripts were also detected in 42% of neural ganglia during latency. In contrast, SVV ORF 28, 29, 31, 62, and 63 transcripts were not detected in ganglia, liver, or lung tissues of latently infected animals. The results demonstrate that viral gene expression is limited during SVV latency and that a LAT antisense to an ICP0 homolog is expressed. In this regard, SVV gene expression during latency is similar to that of HSV-1 and other neurotropic animal alphaherpesviruses but differs from that reported for VZV.
Puerto Ricans in the USA: A comparative approach

Abstract This article discusses Puerto Rican migration within the broader context of Caribbean migration to the USA. The first part discusses the theoretical framework. The labour market incorporation of migrants is conceptualised as a result of the sociopolitical modes of incorporation which among other dimensions include the US foreign policy/geo‐politics in the region; public opinion/perception of the migrants within the host society; the presence or absence of a migrant community as well as the class/racial composition of the migrants and the the sending country's core‐periphery relationships. The historical origins of Caribbean migration to the USA are examined next, whereupon the article moves on to discuss the class origin of the post‐1960s Caribbean migrants. Modes of incorporation to the host society are then explored, as is the foundational myth that forms part of US narratives about the nation and the way this affected the mode of incorporation for Puerto Ricans. Finally, the article discusses ...
Protein utilization in growth: effect of calorie deficiency on serum growth hormone, somatomedins, total thyroxine (T4) and triiodothyronine, free T4 index, and total corticosterone.

We have studied the effect of a lysine–deficient diet on the growth of young rats and on serum levels of GH, somatomedins [insulin–like growth factors (IGFs) I and II], insulin, total T4 and T3, free T4 index, and total corticosterone. Rats eating a wheat gluten diet consumed about one third as much lysine as controls eating an isocaloric and isonitrogenous casein diet and grew at approximately 56% of the control rate. The mean (±SEM) GH level in the experimental group (68 ± 9 ng/ml) was significantly lower (P ≪ 0.01) than that in the controls (106 ± 17 ng/ml), but was not correlated with age or body weight and was only weakly correlated with total IGF. In contrast, total IGF and IGF-I were significantly correlated with age and body weight (r = 0.86 and r = 0.84, respectively; P ≪ 0.01). The levels of these somatomedins in the wheat gluten–fed animals were consistently and significantly lower than those in their age-matched controls, but not significantly different from those in their weight–matched contr...
Maximum-likelihood array processing in non-Gaussian noise with Gaussian mixtures

Many approaches have been studied for the array processing problem when the additive noise is modeled with a Gaussian distribution, but these schemes typically perform poorly when the noise is non-Gaussian and/or impulsive. This paper is concerned with maximum likelihood array processing in non-Gaussian noise. We present the Cramer-Rao bound on the variance of angle-of-arrival estimates for arbitrary additive, independent, identically distributed (iid), symmetric, non-Gaussian noise. Then, we focus on non-Gaussian noise modeling with a finite Gaussian mixture distribution, which is capable of representing a broad class of non-Gaussian distributions that include heavy tailed, impulsive cases arising in wireless communications and other applications. Based on the Gaussian mixture model, we develop an expectation-maximization (EM) algorithm for estimating the source locations, the signal waveforms, and the noise distribution parameters. The important problems of detecting the number of sources and obtaining initial parameter estimates for the iterative EM algorithm are discussed in detail. The initialization procedure by itself is an effective algorithm for array processing in impulsive noise. Novel features of the EM algorithm and the associated maximum likelihood formulation include a nonlinear beamformer that separates multiple source signals in non-Gaussian noise and a robust covariance matrix estimate that suppresses impulsive noise while also performing a model-based interpolation to restore the low-rank signal subspace. The EM approach yields improvement over initial robust estimates and is valid for a wide SNR range. The results are also robust to PDF model mismatch and work well with infinite variance cases such as the symmetric stable distributions. Simulations confirm the optimality of the EM estimation procedure in a variety of cases, including a multiuser communications scenario. We also compare with existing array processing algorithms for non-Gaussian noise.
Playmate Preferences of Children Who Are Typically Developing for Their Classmates With Special Needs

Abstract The social preferences of children who are typically developing toward peers with special needs in inclusive preschool classrooms were examined. Children with special needs received few positive playmate preference nominations, but not a significant number of negative nominations. Children were disliked if they were aggressive, irrespective of disability status. Interventions need to be focused on improving the social skills of children with special needs and teaching preschool age children who are typically developing to understand the behaviors of classmates with special needs.
Architecture strategies for energy-efficient packet forwarding in wireless sensor networks

The energy-efficient communication among wireless sensor nodes determines the lifetime of a sensor network and exhibits patterns highly dependable on the sensor application and networking software. This software is responsible for processing the sensor data and disseminating the data to other nodes or a central repository. In this paper we propose a node architecture that takes advantage of both the intelligence of the radio hardware and the needs of applications to efficiently handle the packet forwarding. It exploits principles widely used in modem firewall network architectures and as our analysis shows achieves considerable energy savings.
Supersonic flow calculations using a Reynolds-stress and a thermal eddy diffusivity turbulence model

A second-order model for the velocity field and a two-equation model for the temperature field are used to calculate supersonic boundary layers assuming negligible real gas effects. The modeled equations are formulated on the basis of an incompressible assumption and then extended to supersonic flows by invoking Morkovin's hypothesis, which proposes that compressibility effects are completely accounted for by mean density variations alone. In order to calculate the near-wall flow accurately, correcting functions are proposed to render the modeled equations asymptotically consistent with the behavior of the exact equations near the wall and, at the same time, display the proper dependence on the molecular Prandtl number
Motion artifact cancellation in NIR spectroscopy using discrete Kalman filtering

Background: As a continuation of our earlier work, we present in this study a Kalman filtering based algorithm for the elimination of motion artifacts present in Near Infrared spectroscopy (NIR) measurements. Functional NIR measurements suffer from head motion especially in real world applications where movement cannot be restricted such as studies involving pilots, children, etc. Since head movement can cause fluctuations unrelated to metabolic changes in the blood due to the cognitive activity, removal of these artifacts from NIR signal is necessary for reliable assessment of cognitive activity in the brain for real life applications. Methods: Previously, we had worked on adaptive and Wiener filtering for the cancellation of motion artifacts in NIR studies. Using the same NIR data set we have collected in our previous work where different speed motion artifacts were induced on the NIR measurements we compared the results of the newly proposed Kalman filtering approach with the results of previously studied adaptive and Wiener filtering methods in terms of gains in signal to noise ratio. Here, comparisons are based on paired t-tests where data from eleven subjects are used. Results: The preliminary results in this current study revealed that the proposed Kalman filtering method provides better estimates in terms of the gain in signal to noise ratio than the classical adaptive filtering approach without the need for additional sensor measurements and results comparable to Wiener filtering but better suitable for real-time applications. Conclusions: This paper presented a novel approach based on Kalman filtering for motion artifact removal in NIR recordings. The proposed approach provides a suitable solution to the motion artifact removal problem in NIR studies by combining the advantages of the existing adaptive and Wiener filtering methods in one algorithm which allows efficient real time application with no requirement on additional sensor measurements.
Postcolonial Studies and the Hebrew Bible

As the field of biblical studies continues to become more diverse, scholars incorporate theories and methods from other areas of research. One of these fields is postcolonial theory, which makes the role of empires and their effects on society and literature the primary focus of the interpretive effort. This essay explores how postcolonial theory is currently being integrated with the study of the Hebrew Bible. Biblical scholars incorporating postcolonial theory focus on three major areas: how colonial empires interpreted the Hebrew Bible and how indigenous populations reacted to the colonial interpretations, interpretations from previously colonized populations, and the role of empires and reactions to them in the composition of the texts of the Hebrew Bible.
Role of persistent sodium current in mouse preBötzinger Complex neurons and respiratory rhythm generation

Breathing movements in mammals depend on respiratory neurons in the preBotzinger Complex (preBotC), which comprise a rhythmic network and generate robust bursts that form the basis for inspiration. Persistent Na+ current (INaP) is widespread in the preBotC and is hypothesized to play a critical role in rhythm generation because of its subthreshold activation and slow inactivation properties that putatively promote long-lasting burst depolarizations. In neonatal mouse slice preparations that retain the preBotC and generate a respiratory-related rhythm, we tested the role of INaP with multiple Na+ channel antagonists: tetrodotoxin (TTX; 20 nm), riluzole (RIL; 10 μm), and the intracellular Na+ channel antagonist QX-314 (2 mm). Here we show that INaP promotes intraburst spiking in preBotC neurons but surprisingly does not contribute to the depolarization that underlies inspiratory bursts, i.e. the inspiratory drive potential. Local microinjection in the preBotC of 10 μm RIL or 20 nm TTX does not perturb respiratory frequency, even in the presence of bath-applied 100 μm flufenamic acid (FFA), which attenuates a Ca2+-activated non-specific cation current (ICAN) that may also have burst-generating functionality. These data contradict the hypothesis that INaP in preBotC neurons is obligatory for rhythmogenesis. However, in the presence of FFA, local microinjection of 10 μm RIL in the raphe obscurus causes rhythm cessation, which suggests that INaP regulates the excitability of neurons outside the preBotC, including serotonergic raphe neurons that project to, and help maintain, rhythmic preBotC function.
Recognizing morphospecies in the heliolitid coral Plasmoporella

Abstract Multivariate analysis, which has often been used effectively in paleontological work, was performed on 17 specimens of Plasmoporella collected from a bed of the Xiazhen Formation in the Zhuzhai section of Yushan area, China. Frequency histograms, simple correlation analysis, and principal component analysis (PCA) showed that five morphological characters, i.e., diameter of tabularium (DC), distance between neighboring septa (DNS), distance between opposite septa (DOS), distance between corallites (DBC), and number of corallites per cm 2 (N) were suitable for cluster analysis. Moreover, PCA suggested that the coralla could be divided into two groups. Cluster analysis with squared Euclidean distances calculated based on the selected five morphological characters was conducted on the raw matrix to discriminate “morphospecies”. As a result, two groups were extracted in the dendrogram. The validity or distinctiveness of the groups was tested by discriminant analysis (DA). The analysis confirmed that the assemblage of coralla can be divided successfully into two groups, which are interpreted as two morphospecies. A qualitative comparison between two reported species and the studied morphospecies showed that morphospecies A is Plasmoporella shiyanshanensis Lin and Chow, 1977 and B is Plasmoporella kasachstanica Bondarenko, 1958 . In addition, DA indicated that DOS and DNS were effective to distinguish the two morphospecies. Bivariate plots based on the two morphospecies were used to illustrate the range of variation, which showed that intraspecific variation in these characters was obvious but interspecific variation was not.
The clamped plate in Gauss space

In this paper, we study the analogue in Gauss space of Lord Rayleigh’s conjecture for the clamped plate. We show that the first eigenvalue of the bi-Hermite operator in a bounded domain is bounded below by a constant $$C_V$$ times the corresponding eigenvalue of a half-space with the same Gaussian measure V. Similar results are established on unbounded domains. We use rearrangement methods similar to Talenti’s for the Euclidean clamped plate. We obtain our constant $$C_V$$ following the Euclidean approach of Ashbaugh and Benguria, and we find a numerical bound $$C_V\ge 0.91$$ by solving an associated minimization problem in terms of parabolic cylinder functions.
Modification of otitis media in chinchillas rechallenged with nontypable Haemophilus influenzae and serological response to outer membrane antigens.

Otitis media was produced in chinchillas by right-sided intrabullar inoculation with nontypable Haemophilus influenzae, and susceptibility to reinfection was investigated. After resolution of initial right-sided infection, animals underwent ipsilateral or contralateral intrabullar rechallenge with the same strain. After ipsilateral rechallenge right ears were completely protected against reinfection; previously uninfected left ears were similarly protected on contralateral rechallenge. Previously infected ears remained fully susceptible to infection with a heterologous strain of nontypable H. influenzae. Using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, we measured the serological response to outer membrane protein and lipopolysaccharide antigens during initial infection. A >10-fold rise in titer of antibody to homologous outer membrane proteins was observed in all 11 animals tested. Most animals exhibited a minimal serological response to lipopolysaccharide. Thus experimental otitis media due to nontypable H. influenzae induces strainspecific protective immunity and a concomitant serological response to outer membrane proteins.
Allocating Deceased Donor Kidneys to Sensitized Candidates

In this edition of the Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology , Gebel et al. ([1][1]) present simulation data showing that the new kidney allocation system (KAS) increases the offer rate for highly sensitized kidney transplant candidates. This is counter to the previously held belief
Inhibition of growth of human malignant glioblastoma in nude mice by antagonists of bombesin/gastrin-releasing peptide.

The effects of antagonists of bombesin/gastrin-releasing peptide (GRP) on the growth of human malignant glioblastoma cell line U-87MG xenografted into nude mice were evaluated. Nude mice bearing s.c. implanted U-87MG tumors were treated with bombesin/GRP antagonists RC-3095 and RC-3940-II. RC-3095 and RC-3940-II administered s.c. at a dose of 20 micrograms/day for 4 weeks decreased the volume of U-87MG xenografts by 60 and 74%, respectively, compared with controls. RT-PCR analysis showed that U-87MG xenografts expressed mRNA for bombesin receptor subtype (BRS)-1 (GRP receptor) and BRS-2 (neuromedin-B receptor), but the mRNA for GRP ligand was not detected in U-87MG cells suggesting that GRP may stimulate the growth of U-87MG glioblastomas by a paracrine mechanism. The levels of mRNA for c-fos oncogene were decreased by 30-40% in U-87MG tumors treated with RC-3095 or RC-3940-II. In U-373MG glioblastoma cells, which also express BRS-1, and U-87MG cells, cultured in vitro, GRP(14-27) induced the expression of c-fos mRNA, and some c-jun mRNA, in a time-dependent manner with the maximal effect occurring 2 h after the stimulation and a return to basal levels after 8 h. Antagonist RC-3940-II inhibited the stimulation of c-fos by GRP(14-27). Our results indicate that antagonists of bombesin/GRP inhibit the growth of U-87MG glioblastomas by a mechanism that may involve the downregulation of c-fos oncogene.
Infrared image edge detection based on histogram envelop

A new method for image edge detection based on envelope curve of histogram is proposed,aimed at the characteristics of high voltage transmission line.In order to inhibit noise influence on infrared image,envelope curve of histogram,get from Savitzky-Golay(S-G) filter,is used to smooth the image,and the edge of infrared image can be detected based on the extreme points of the envelope curve.Experimental results show that this new algorithm is simple and effective to detect whole contour and detail information,and is better than other traditional operators.
Off-line controller design for reliable walking of ranger

We present a method for designing a walking controller for the walking robot Cornell Ranger. Our goal is a controller that can be designed using model-based optimization, and then transferred directly to the robot without the need for after-the-fact hand-tuning. The structure of the controller is hierarchical, with a high-level balance controller that plans step-to-step motions, and a lower-level joint controller that coordinates the individual joint motors to achieve the desired limb motions. The balance controller is designed through optimization, with the explicit goals of a) achieving a desired walking speed while b) minimizing energy use and c) avoiding falls due to disturbances. We demonstrate this walking controller on the Cornell Ranger, and find that the resulting gait is comparable to that of a previous (hand-tuned) controller, with regard to energy use, speed regulation, and fall prevention.
Computational Thinking and Media & Information Literacy: An Integrated Approach to Teaching Twenty-First Century Skills

Developing students’ 21st century skills, including creativity, critical thinking, and problem solving, has been a prevailing concern in our globalized and hyper-connected society. One of the key components for students to accomplish this is to take part in today’s participatory culture, which involves becoming creators of knowledge rather than being passive consumers of information. The advancement and accessibility of computing technologies has the potential to engage students in this process. Drawing from the recent publication of two educational frameworks in the fields of computational thinking and media & information literacy and from their practical applications, this article proposes an integrated approach to develop students’ 21st century skills that supports educators’ integration of 21st century skills in the classroom.
Analysis of Service and Legislative Frameworks in Turkey across the Lifespan

This chapter examines the state of services for people with intellectual developmental disabilities/disorders (IDD) in the Republic of Turkey. Children and adolescents need to be certified as having an IDD by a medical board under the auspices of the Ministry of Health (MoH). In terms of special educational needs, children and adolescents with IDD are further offered variable levels of assessment services through a national network of Guidance and Research Centers under the Ministry of National Education (MoNE) across the country’s 81 provinces. Rehabilitative, residential, social care and protection services are administered under the Prime Ministry Social Services and Child Protection (SCHEK) coordinated under a Prime Ministry Department. This chapter also describes the relevant legislative developments shaping the current status of care. Although investigations by international, non-governmental organizations into neglect have described some abuses in residential care facilities, the proportion of children, adolescents as well as adults with IDD in residential care facilities in Turkey is in fact relatively uncommon, and the emphasis should focus on social inclusion and participatory rehabilitative services.
A Plausibility Probe

The preceding chapters have found a commitment to legality in both the transition to – and from – apartheid. I have demonstrated that this commitment not only facilitated South Africa's transition to democracy, but also provided an important foundation for the legal system in that democracy. It is important to appreciate, as Arthur Chaskalson reminds us, that “[s]ome unjust societies lack any semblance of such a commitment. There was, strangely, a commitment to legality in apartheid South Africa, and that is what makes it such an unusual case.” Or does it? Do we possess comparative evidence that would further support my argument about path dependence and the law? Tentative evidence in support of the argument can be gleaned from the case of Chile, 1830–1990. What follows is an individualizing comparison of Pinochet's endgame, with particular reference to the legacies of law. The analysis, however, is tentative and should not be construed as an attempt at universal generalization. The individualizing comparison offered here is different from an all-encompassing comparison. This chapter does not compare the experiences of the countries under scrutiny – South Africa and Chile – in any systemic fashion. Nor does it offer a real “test” of the model advanced in the preceding chapters. Rather, the overall analysis concentrates on the singularities of each case in an effort to bring the revived concept of the dual state into sharper focus.
Best Practices for Scalable Power Measurement and Control

There are thousands of specialized registers onmodern processors which provide useful features such as powerbudgeting, thermal monitoring, and performance counting. These registers fall into two categories, model specific registers(MSRs) and configuration space registers (CSRs). Many ofthese registers, such as those supported by PAPI, help thehigh-performance computing (HPC) community analyze theirprogram in order to maximize performance and use resourcesmore efficiently. However, there are many MSRs and CSRswhich are not supported by existing performance tools. TheMSR kernel module provides access to all MSRs, but requiresthe user to be root. Users will typically want to access a handfulof MSRs sequentially, but we found that the existing MSRmodule has far too much overhead. Just like MSRs, usersneed elevated privileges to access CSRs with utilities suchas lspci. Simply allowing users to access all of the registersis out of the question because of the security risks involved. Furthermore, using these registers requires detailed knowledgeof the architectural changes in addition to the manufacturer'sproprietary ways of encoding the data. In this paper, we will describe a group of utilities developedat Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory to address theseproblems. Our Libmsr API solves the usability issues byproviding a simplified interface to common tasks. The companionkernel module, MSR-SAFE, allows whitelisting MSRsfor userspace access, plus provides an optimized way to accessMSRs in batches. Our CSR-SAFE kernel module is a first of itskind utility to whitelist sections of the PCI configuration space, where CSRs reside, for userspace access. We demonstrate theabilities of Libmsr and MSR-SAFE by using the utilities toset various power limits on the NAS parallel benchmark MG. Experiments analyzing our optimizations show a maximumspeedup of 26X, and approximately 2-8X on average for typicalbatches versus the stock MSR kernel module. Our utilitiescurrently support most modern Intel processors.
Large-Scale Grasshopper Infestations on North American Rangeland and Crops

Grasshopper pest species have been, and continue to be a hazard to agriculturalists in western North America. Grasshoppers are the major, above ground, insect consumer of vegetation on grasslands. They have an important role in the ecosystem as prey for other animals and in nutrient cycling. When grasshoppers damage crops or threaten to consume too much forage, insecticides are now used to control their populations. The goal of early control efforts with the first synthetic insecticides was 100% mortality of all grasshoppers. This management goal, on rangelands, has largely been replaced with Reduced Area and Agent Treatments. This IPM strategy preferentially uses a more selective insecticide applied in a manner that returns pest grasshopper populations to subeconomic densities and conserves more of their natural enemies and nonpest insect species. In the western US, the USDA-APHIS-PPQ conducts yearly surveys of pest grasshopper populations to determine the hazard of outbreak for the next year.
3-5 Hz membrane potential oscillations decrease the gain of neurons in visual cortex

Gain modulation is a computational mechanism critical for sensory processing. Yet, the cellular mechanisms that decrease the gain of cortical neurons are unclear. To test if low frequency subthreshold oscillations could reduce neuronal gain during wakefulness, we measured the membrane potential of primary visual cortex (V1) layer 2/3 excitatory, parvalbumin-positive (PV+), and somatostatin-positive (SOM+) neurons in awake mice during passive visual stimulation and sensory discrimination tasks. We found prominent 3-5 Hz membrane potential oscillations that reduced the gain of excitatory neurons but not the gain of PV+ and SOM+ interneurons, which oscillated synchronously with excitatory neurons and fired strongly at the peak of depolarizations. 3-5 Hz oscillation prevalence and timing were strongly modulated by visual input and the animal's behavioral response, suggesting that these oscillations are triggered to adjust sensory responses for specific behavioral contexts. Therefore, these findings reveal a novel gain reduction mechanism that adapts sensory processing to behavior.
Exploring linguistic diversity of MOOCs: implications for international development

Recent practical initiatives and academic research have signaled optimism for the use of Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) as an alternative model for education in the developing world. At the same time, anecdotal evidence and observation have pointed to a lack of courses offered in languages other than English as one potential challenge for global use of MOOCs. We present a first empirical attempt to characterize the linguistic diversity of MOOCs and understand the resulting implications for the use of MOOCs in international development. We find significant differences in quantities and types of MOOCs available in English and non-English languages. This finding indicates that MOOCs do not yet provide a broad array of educational opportunities for people without adequate English-language proficiency and therefore, MOOCs may have limited potential for use in international development outside English-speaking populations at present. In recognition of efforts to increase linguistic diversity of MOOC offerings, we review and describe two types of initiatives, those to translate existing MOOCs and those to create new MOOCs in non-English languages, initiatives we identify as scaling-up or scaling-down MOOCs respectively. To situate our findings in development discourse, we turn to Sen's capability approach (1999) to consider implications for the use of MOOCs in socioeconomic development.