cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Systematics and biogeography of the arcuate horseshoe bat species complex (Chiroptera, Rhinolophidae)

The present study sheds light on species delimitation in what has been previously described as Rhinolophus arcuatus, a morphologically conservative bat species complex nominally distributed throughout archipelagic South-East Asia from New Guinea to Sumatra. Given that rhinolophids tend to be relatively weak fliers, hence have low vagility, we hypothesized that some specimens attributed to R. arcuatus, but originating from geographically disjunct populations, may in fact represent distinct species. To test this hypothesis, we examined specimens attributed to R. arcuatus as well as to other species in the Rhinolophus euryotis species group using both morphological techniques and mitochondrial cytochrome b and control region sequences. Careful morphological analysis reveals heretofore cryptic but nevertheless distinct, species-level morphological differences among specimens derived from geographically isolated locations. Furthermore, molecular data illuminate the existence of several species-level sequence divergences among specimens heretofore attributed to R. arcuatus. These analyses similarly suggest the existence of additional species in other South-East Asian Rhinolophus taxa previously considered monotypic. We suggest at least one description to be undertaken of a previously unrecognized species as well as the elevation of several others from sub-specific to specific status.
Intimate Partner Violence in the United States: An Ecological Approach to Prevention and Treatment

Physical, sexual, verbal and economic abuse, also known as Intimate Partner Violence (IPV), comprise a major public health problem. IPV risk factors include poverty, stress, substance use, depression, and history of child maltreatment. Protective factors include human capital (functional health and work competencies/qualifications), social capital (formal/informal relationships and resources) and financial capital (income and assets). Traditional IPV initiatives focus on increasing social capital by changing the cognition and/or behaviour of victims or perpetrators and increasing legal sanctions and supportive resources. The proposed Asset Model of IPV Resolution extends the current model to include an ecological approach to the prevention and resolution of IPV. In addition to human and social capital development, the authors suggest financial capital development through Individual Development Accounts (IDAs) as one social policy initiative to support women at risk of or women who experience IPV.
Planktonic foraminiferal depth habitat and δ18O calibrations: Plankton tow results from the Atlantic sector of the Southern Ocean

varies by several orders of magnitude across a large gradient in sea surface temperature and other hydrographic features, demonstrating high sensitivity of foraminiferal populations to regional differences in water properties. The depth of maximum abundance for key species such as Globigerina bulloides and Neogloboquadrina pachyderma is not constant from station to station. The pattern suggests that their abundance and shell chemistry are tied to density horizons or other conditions (such as food availability) that become more sharply defined with depth in the northern subantarctic. The consistent observation of Globorotalia inflata and Globoratalia truncatulinoides as relatively deep-dwelling species confirms their utility as indicators of upper thermocline properties. In d 18 O all species are observed to be isotopically lighter than predicted from water properties, but the species-specific offset is fairly uniform at all stations. These observations define the utility of multispecies d 18 O for reconstructing temperature and density stratification from past surface oceans. INDEX TERMS: 4267 Oceanography: General: Paleoceanography; 4572 Oceanography: Physical: Upper ocean processes; 4870 Oceanography: Biological and Chemical: Stable isotopes; 3030 Marine Geology and Geophysics: Micropaleontology; KEYWORDS: stratification, d 18 O
A phase I study of UFT/leucovorin, carboplatin, and paclitaxel in combination with external beam radiation therapy for advanced esophageal carcinoma.

Purpose Concurrent chemotherapy and radiation therapy (RT) are used to treat patients with esophageal cancer. The optimal combination of chemotherapeutic agents with RT is not well established. We evaluated the safety and preliminary efficacy of a combination of UFT/leucovorin, carboplatin, and paclitaxel with RT in a Phase I study of patients with advanced esophageal cancer. Methods and Materials Patients with squamous cell carcinoma or adenocarcinoma of the esophagus initially received UFT/leucovorin, carboplatin, and paclitaxel with RT (1.8 Gy daily to 45 Gy). After completion, the disease was restaged and patients were evaluated for surgery. Primary end points included determination of dose-limiting toxicities (DLTs) and a recommended Phase II dose. Secondary objectives included determination of non-DLTs, as well as preliminary radiographic and pathologic response rates. Results Twelve patients were enrolled (11 men, 1 woman). All were assessable for toxicity and efficacy. One of 6 patients at Dose Level 1 (UFT/leucovorin, 200/30 mg twice daily on RT days; carboplatin, area under the curve [AUC] 5, Weeks 1 and 4; paclitaxel, 175 mg/m2 Weeks 1 and 4) had a DLT (febrile neutropenia). Of these 6 patients, 4 underwent esophagectomy and none achieved a pathologic complete response. Six patients were then enrolled at Dose Level 2 (UFT/leucovorin, 300/30 mg in the morning and 200/30 mg in the evening on RT days; carboplatin, AUC 5, Weeks 1 and 4; paclitaxel, 175 mg/m2 Weeks 1 and 4). Two of 6 patients at Dose Level 2 developed DLTs (febrile neutropenia in both). Esophagectomy was performed in 3 patients, with 2 achieving a pathologic complete response. Conclusions Maximum tolerated doses in this study were UFT/leucovorin, 200/30 mg twice daily on RT days; carboplatin, AUC 5, Weeks 1 and 4; and paclitaxel, 175 mg/m2 Weeks 1 and 4 when delivered with external RT. In this small study, this regimen appears active, but toxic.
The use of virtual hypothesis copies in decoding of large-vocabulary continuous speech

High computational effort hinders wide-spread deployment of large-vocabulary continuous-speech recognition (LVCSR), for example in home or mobile devices. To this end, we developed a novel approach to LVCSR Viterbi decoding with significantly reduced effort. By a novel search-space organization called virtual hypothesis copies, we eliminate search-space copies that are approximately redundant: 1) Word-lattice generation and (M+1)-gram lattice rescoring are integrated into a single-pass time-synchronous beam search. Hypothesis copying becomes independent from the language-model order. 2) The word-pair approximation is replaced by the novel phone-history approximation (PHA). Tree copies are shared among multiple linguistic histories that end in the same phone(s). 3) Copies of individual tree arcs are shared by recombining within-word hypotheses at phone boundaries according to the PHA. At no loss of accuracy, we achieve a search-space reduction of 60-80% for Mandarin LVCSR, and of 40-50% for English (NAB 64 K). The method is exact under certain model assumptions. A formal specification is derived. In addition, we propose an extremely effective syllable lookahead for Mandarin. Together with the methods above, search space was reduced 12-15 times and state likelihood evaluations 4-9 times without significant error increase.
Density fitting of two-electron integrals in local multireference single and double excitation configuration interaction calculations

Density fitting of the two-electron four-centre integrals accelerates the speed of electronic structure calculations. In this work, we evaluate the performance of using auxiliary fitting functions generated on-the-fly from the underlying atomic orbital basis within the atomic compact Cholesky decomposition (acCD) method in configuration interaction (CI) calculations. The fitting functions, in addition to being free from inherent bias towards any quantum chemical setup, can be systematically tuned via the decomposition threshold within the acCD procedure. Results of using acCD within a local multireference single and double excitation CI (LMRSDCI) method are presented. The acCD-LMRSDCI method is able to retain the accuracy of LMRSDCI for energy differences (but not for absolute energies) at a substantially reduced cost.
Goiter in older adults

Goiter denotes thyroid enlargement, either diffuse or nodular. Goiters are common in older adults and the incidence increases with age. Multinodular goiter is the most common type encountered in older individuals, while Graves’ disease is rare. Iodine deficiency is the most common cause of goiter worldwide but is uncommon in developed countries due to the addition of iodine to salt and bread. The usual presenting complaint is neck swelling or mass. Goiter may be associated with a normal thyroid hormonal status (euthyroid) or excess/deficiency (hyper/hypothyroid) symptoms. A comprehensive clinical examination, thyroid hormone assays, for example, thyroid-stimulating hormone, thyroxine, tri-iodothyronine and ultrasound or computed tomography scans are required for the evaluation of goiters in elderly patients. Most goiters are benign, though fine needle aspiration and biopsy may be considered to rule out malignancy in certain patients. Surgery is the best treatment option for nodular goiter, while antithyro...
Adenosine Stimulates Anion Secretion Across Cultured and Native Adult Human Vas Deferens Epithelia

Experiments were conducted to determine the responsiveness of human vas deferens epithelial cell monolayers to adenosine and related agonists. Human abdominal vas deferens epithelial cells have been isolated from adult tissues and grown to confluence on permeable supports. All cells exhibit intense ZO1 and cytokeratin immunoreactivity. Cultured cell monolayers exhibit high electrical resistance with a lumen-negative potential difference and short circuit current (Isc) indicative of anion secretion and/or cation absorption. A portion of the basal Isc is inhibited by amiloride. Amiloride-sensitive Isc is enhanced by exposure to glucocorticoids and is Na 1 dependent, indicating the presence of epithelial sodium channel-mediated Na 1 absorption. Epithelial anion secretion and intracellular generation of cAMP are acutely stimulated by adenosine and the adenosine receptor agonist 59-(N-ethylcarboxamido)adenosine (NECA), with these effects being fully blocked by 8-phenyltheophylline. Adenosine receptors are localized to the apical membrane of the epithelial cells, as basolateral adenosine is without effect. Freshly excised human vas deferens recapitulate observations made on cultured epithelia when evaluated with the self-referencing vibrating probe: amiloride inhibition of basal ion transport, stimulation by adenosine, and inhibition by 8-phenyltheophyline. These results demonstrate that adult human vas deferens epithelium actively transports ions to generate the luminal environment of the deferent duct. Thus, vas deferens epithelium likely plays an active role in male fertility, and interventions that modulate epithelial function might be exploited to treat male-factor infertility or in contraception. cortisol, male reproductive tract, male sexual function, neuroendocrinology, vas deferens
Abstract 3532: Antitumor activity of SR16388 on multiple myeloma targets factors needed for adaptation to bone marrow microenvironment

Multiple myeloma (MM) is a B-cell malignancy that is characterized by accumulation of clonal plasma cells in the bone marrow. The bone marrow microenvironment plays a critical role in MM cell pathogenesis and progression. In the bone marrow milieu, MM cells adhere to the bone marrow stromal cells and trigger the secretion of growth factors such as vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). VEGF in turn upregulates the secretion of interleukin-6 (IL-6), the major cytokine that mediates MM cell growth and survival in part through the activation of Janus kinase (Jak)/signal transducers and activators of transcription 3 (STAT3). VEGF also stimulates the proliferation of endothelial and stromal cells and induces angiogenesis via its receptors. Thus, targeting both myeloma cells and bone marrow microenvironment is a valid approach for the development of therapeutic agents for MM. At SRI International, we have developed an antiestrogen, SR16388, that binds to ER-α, ER-β and ERR-α with potent antitumor and antiangiogenic properties. We have previously reported that SR16388 inhibited MM cell proliferation in vitro and MM tumors in vivo. In the current study, we are presenting data to show that the inhibitory effect of SR16388 on MM cell proliferation was achieved by inducing apoptosis, and arresting cells at the G2 phase. Furthermore, at nanomolar concentrations SR16388 inhibited IL-6-induced cell proliferation and blocked the activation of STAT3 induced by IL-6 in RPMI-8226 human MM cells. In human endothelial cells, SR16388 inhibited VEGF-induced cell proliferation and VEGF-induced phosphorylation of STAT3. In a RPIM-8226 tumor xenograft model, the microvessel density in the tumor tissue was markedly reduced by treatment with SR16388. We are currently investigating the effect of SR16388 in combination with known therapeutic agents on the growth of MM tumors in vivo. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 102nd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2011 Apr 2-6; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2011;71(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 3532. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2011-3532
ON THE PRICING OF CONTINGENT CLAIMS AND THE MODIGLIANI-MILLER THEOREM*

Abstract A general formula is derived for the price of a security whose value under specified conditions is a known function of the value of another security. Although the formula can be derived using the arbitrage technique of Black and Scholes, the alternative approach of continuous-time portfolio strategies is used instead. This alternative derivation allows the resolution of some controversies surrounding the Black and Scholes methodology. Specifically, it is demonstrated that the derived pricing formula must be continuous with continuous first derivatives, and that there is not a ‘pre-selection bias’ in the choice of independent variables used in the formula. Finally, the alternative derivation provides a direct proof of the Modigliani-Miller theorem even when there is a positive probability of bankruptcy.
EBNA-2 transactivates a lymphoid-specific enhancer in the BamHI C promoter of Epstein-Barr virus.

Abstract Among the few Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) genes expressed during latency are the Epstein-Barr nuclear antigens (EBNAs), at least one of which contributes to the ability of the virus to transform B lymphocytes. We have analyzed a promoter located in the BamHI-C fragment of EBV which is responsible for the expression of EBNA-1 in some cell lines. Deletion analysis of a 1.4-kb region 5' of the RNA start site has identified a 700-bp fragment that is required for optimal promoter activity in latently infected B lymphocytes, as shown by promoter constructs linked to the chloramphenicol acetyltransferase reporter gene. This fragment is also able to enhance activity, in an orientation-independent manner, of the simian virus 40 early promoter linked to the chloramphenicol acetyltransferase gene. The enhancer element has some constitutive activity in EBV-negative lymphoid cells, which is increased in the presence of the EBNA-2 gene product. Further deletions have shown that the EBNA-2-responsive region requires a 98-bp region that contains a degenerate octamer-binding motif. In epithelial cells there was no enhancer activity regardless of the presence of EBNA-2. These results demonstrate that BamHI-C promoter activity may be dependent not on an enhancer contained in the ori-P, as was previously assumed, but rather on EBNA-2 transactivation of this more proximal enhancer located in the upstream region of the BamHI C promoter itself.
CT of the solitary pulmonary nodule

The management of a patient over the age of 40 years with a solitary pulmonary nodule (SPN) detected by plain chest roentgenography has been a source of concern for more than 3 decades [1–6]. Excision of an SPN, including resection of the involved lobe, became a feasible technique in the early 1950s. As data on such cases accumulated it became apparent that a significant percentage of innocent-appearing peripheral pulmonary nodular lesions actually represented lung cancers [1]. The prevailing philosophy regarding such lesions is that tissue diagnosis (occasionally by needle biopsy but more frequently by thoracotomy) is mandatory in order to exclude the possibility of a malignant lesion. We summarized the results of the five largest reported series of thoracotomies for SPNs and noted that most resected lesions were actually benign [1–6]. In almost every case in which thoracotomy was carried out for a benign lesion, the operation would have been unnecessary if the nature of the lesion could have been determined by noninvasive methods. The need for surgery was indeed a reflection of the inadequacy of diagnosis techniques.
Coupled Cell Model of Border Zone Arrhythmias

Border zones between normal and ischemic tissue have been implicated as a cause of arrhythmic cardiac activity. A variety of experiments with coupled cells and strips of tissue has been designed to understand the arrhythmogenic effects of border zone currents. In this paper, we use systems of differential equations to model an ischemic (depolarized) cell (or region) coupled to a normal cell under a variety of conditions. For two ionic models (reduced Hodgkin-Huxley and Luo-Rudy I), we find the boundary in parameter space between oscillatory and nonoscillatory solutions. We find that there are regions in parameter space for which the ischemic cell (region) is stable and inexcitable when uncoupled, but when coupled to a normal, excitable cell the cells oscillate. We state a general principle that relates the oscillation of a forced single cell to oscillations of the coupled system. Furthermore, in modeling drug-modified experimental dynamics we are able to reproduce early after depolarization (EAD)-like phenomena, which has implications in locating oscillations in the drug-free experiment. Finally, we describe a mechanism by which oscillations in the transmembrane potential may be encountered during reperfusion.
Aesthetic routing for transistor schematics

A new heuristic routing approach is presented for generating transistor schematic diagrams. The method consists of two steps: global routing and channel routing. The global routing step partitions and routes the interconnections into three levels of abstraction with domain knowledge. It forms desirable intra-block routing styles and local connection patterns, and achieves a reduction of net bends and lengths. Channel routing minimizes net crossovers by applying decycling and ordering techniques achieving non-overpapping routing with a small number of net crossovers.
AN INVESTIGATION OF MARKET CONCENTRATION AND FINANCIAL STABILITY IN PROPERTY–LIABILITY INSURANCE INDUSTRY

The article investigates whether the market concentration is associated with an insurer's financial stability in the U.S. property–liability insurance industry over the period 1992–2010. We employ two-stage least squares techniques with instrumental variables to address likely endogeneity problems. The results show that higher market concentration is associated with lower financial stability of insurance firms, consistent with the “concentration-fragility” view. Our results indicate that firm-specific characteristics including firm size, underwriting leverage, organizational form, product and geographical diversification, along with the exposure to natural catastrophes and macroeconomic conditions are important determinants in ensuring a safe and sound insurance system. Robustness tests using various estimation methods and alternative measures of financial stability present consistent results.
Beacons of Hope? The Impact of Imposed Democracy on Regional Peace, Democracy, and Prosperity

In 2003, American policymakers linked the democratization of Iraq with greater peace, democracy, and prosperity in the Middle East. We elaborate this regional-level policy argument theoretically and test it empirically on a global sample of states for the twentieth century. We differentiate the impact of fully and weakly democratic externally imposed polities (“bright” versus “dim” beacons, respectively) on regional interstate war, democratization, and economic growth. We conclude that (1) bright beacons reduce, while dim beacons increase war; (2) bright beacons do not stimulate democratization, while dim beacons undermine democratization; and (3) bright beacons stimulate prosperity, while dim beacons undermine prosperity.
The Effects of Various Policy Regimes in the Integration of North American Grain Markets

This paper examines the integration between U.S. and Canadian grain prices using cointegration and error correction approach. Price relationships are examined in four different subperiods: pre-NAFTA (January 1986 to December 1993), post-NAFTA (January 1994 to July 1999), pre-WGTA (January 1986 to July 1995) and post-WGTA (August 1995 to July 1999). A free trade agreement implemented in 1989 that later folded into NAFTA affected price integration in the North American grain market, but Canada's elimination of freight subsidies in 1995 strengthened it. Empirical results indicate that longterm relationships exist among the price series. Prices are found to be first-difference stationary and cointegrated during the four subperiods. However, cointegration analysis shows significant post-WGTA improvement in market integration, particularly in the speed at which the market adjusts to departures from its long-run equilibrium. Les auteurs examinent l'integration des prix du grain americain et canadien par la co-integration et la correction des erreurs. Ils se penchent sur les liens qui existent entre les prix des deux pays a quatre moments distincts: avant l'ALENA (de janvier 1986 a decembre 1993), apres l'ALENA (de janvier 1994 a juillet 1999), avant la LTGO (de janvier 1986 a juillet 1995) et apres la LTGO (d'aout 1995 a juillet 1999). L'accord sur le libre-echange introduit en 1989, qui a par la suite donne naissance a l'ALENA, a ebranle l'integration des prix sur le marche nord-americain du grain, mais l'abolition des subventions au transport par le Canada en 1995 l'a raffermie. Les resultats empiriques indiquent qu'il existe des relations a long terme entre les prix. Ces derniers sont stationnaires pour une difference d'ordre un et il y a co-integration au cours des quatre periodes a l'etude. Neanmoins, l'analyse de la cointegration revele aussi une meilleure integration du marche apres la LTGO, surtout dans la rapidite avec laquelle le marche reagit aux ecarts par rapport a son point d'equilibre a long terme.
QUEEN SIZE MEDIATES QUEEN SURVIVAL AND COLONY FITNESS IN HARVESTER ANTS

We examined the effect of queen size on the probability of new colony establishment in the ant Pogonomyrmex occidentalis. Large queens are significantly more likely to survive than small queens through the initial stages of colony founding. These differences in individual fitness correlates have corresponding effects on colony fitness. In species in which individual queens vary in fitness, sexual allocation ratios should incorporate the individual fitness functions.
The importance of a Ni correction with ion counter in the double spike analysis of Fe isotope compositions using a 57Fe/58Fe double spike

We present a new method capable of measuring iron isotope ratios of igneous materials to high precision by multicollector inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (MC-ICP-MS) using a 57Fe-58Fe double spike. After sample purification, near-baseline signal levels of nickel are still present in the sample solution, acting as an isobaric interference on 58 amu. To correct for the interference, the minor 60Ni isotope is monitored and used to subtract a proportional 58Ni signal from the total 58 amu beam. The 60Ni signal is difficult to precisely measure on the Faraday detector due to Johnson noise occurring at similar magnitude. This noise-dominated signal is subtracted from the total 58 amu beam, and its error amplified during the double spike correction. Placing the 60Ni beam on an ion counter produces a more precise measurement, resulting in a near-threefold improvement in δ56Fe reproducibility, from ±0.145‰ when measured on Faraday to 0.052‰. Faraday detectors quantify the 60Ni signal poorly, and fail to discern the transient 20Ne40Ar interference visible on the ion counter, which is likely responsible for poor reproducibility. Another consideration is instrumental stability (defined herein as drift in peak center mass), which affects high resolution analyses. Analyses experiencing large drift relative to bracketing standards often yield non-replicating data. Based on this, we present a quantitative outlier detection method capable of detecting drift-affected data. After outlier rejection, long-term precision on individual runs of our secondary standard improves to ±0.046‰. Averaging 3-4 analyses further improves precision to 0.019‰, allowing distinction between ultramafic minerals. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
The Moral Philosophy of Sales Managers and its Influence on Ethical Decision Making

Sales managers' moral philosophies may be particularly important due to the influence these managers can have on the ethical climate of their sales organizations. Our study analyzed the moral philosophies of a national sample of sales managers in terms of differences between sales managers and other marketers, characteristics associated with differences in moral philosophies, and the effect of personal moral philosophy on ethical decision making.Findings indicated that sales managers' moral philosophies did not differ significantly from other marketers. The age and gender of sales managers were associated with differences in personal moral philosophies. Sales managers' moral philosophies were associated with their ethical judgments regarding potentially unethical sales practices.
Vector Field Approach for Curved Path Following for Miniature Aerial Vehicles

A robust path following method that allows miniature aerial vehicles to track straight lines, arcs, and arbitrary curved paths using a vector field of course commands is presented. In addition, a proof showing that lateral-following error decays asymptotically even in the presence of constant wind disturbances is put forth. These claims are experimentally verified with flight test results that demonstrate accurate path following over a variety of curved paths with varying spatial frequency and amplitude. The average lateral-following error in preliminary results is 3.4 m for amplitudes ranging between 10 and 100 m and spatial periods between 125 and 500 m.
Public Religion, Democracy, and Islam: Examining the Moderation Thesis in Algeria

Much of the scholarly debate over Islam and democracy has centered on what has been referred to as the “inclusion-moderation hypothesis” (Schwedler 2006) and whether democratic institutions are capable of incorporating hostile religious actors. This paper proposes to build on this debate by broadening both our concept of inclusion and our expectations about its political effects. The paper presents a theoretical model for understanding the interaction between religion-state relationships and democratization processes in predominantly Muslim societies and argues that inviting ambivalently democratic religious actors into the public democratic space produces dynamics of both political moderation and religious change. The second half of this paper evaluates the mechanisms of the theory by tracing the evolution of two Islamist political parties in Algeria, the MSP-Hamas and Ennahda-Islah. Acknowledgements: I would like to heave hearty thanks to Fran Hagopian, the three anonymous reviewers of Comparative Politics, Bob Parks and the Centre des Etudes Maghrebines en Algerie for making this article possible. Author Details: Michael D. Driessen is currently finishing his PhD dissertation at the University of Notre Dame, Indiana. His research explores the dynamics of religiously friendly democratization processes in predominantly Muslim and Catholic nations. He has recently published an article on religion-state arrangements in democracies in general and has conducted substantive fieldwork in Algeria and Italy.
Premature increases in amylase of postnatal rat parotid with chronic isoproterenol.

SummaryChronic administration of large doses of isoproterenol during postnatal development caused an increase in amy-lase levels of parotid gland of the immature rat. The magnitude of the increase and the cellular basis for amylase changes depended on the postnatal period during which isoproterenol was given. If given during a pre-weanling period (9-17 days of age), total amylase as well as gland and cell size and total RNA were twice the levels of control litter-mates; the amount of amylase per unit of cytoplasm or per microgram of RNA was unchanged from levels of controls but the amount per microgram of DNA was nearly three times that of controls. If given during a postweanling period (23-31 days of age), the increase in total amylase corresponded to the increase in total DNA (about 50% increase in each when compared with controls), but the amount per unit of DNA was unchanged from controls, and the amount per milligram tissue wet weight or microgram of RNA was in fact only one-third the control levels....
Collaborative learning agents with structural Classifier Systems

We propose a new learning agent architecture for collaborative learning. To learn any complicated task in multi-agent environment, simple reinforcement architectures have limitations on learning. Therefore, we propose splitting learning mechanism into three separate layers to learn required behavior, which are respectively organized by the Classifier Systems [Holland 86]. It can learn to communicate with other agents, to make plans, and to select actions based on the plans and other agents' behavior. We show that these agents can select cooperative actions as a collaborative group.
Evaluation of intervention measures on hypertension in communities in kaifeng

Objective To explore the effect of community comprehensive prevention and control measures on hypertension control rates,blood pressure levels and behaviors. Methods Comprehensive intervention measures were implemented in 650 patients with hypertension in some community of Shunhe Hui District in Kaifeng.The changes in the control rate of blood pressure,blood pressure rate and behavior were compared prior to and after intervention. Results After implementing the comprehensive intervention measures,the control rate of blood pressure increased from 18.77% to 41.07%(P 0.05), the blood pressure levels decreased(P 0.05) and the proportion of patients with unhealthy lifestyle such as overeating,smoking, lack of physical activity,unbalanced diet decreased(P 0.05). Conclusion Standardization management of hypertension in community health service centers is very effective in improving the blood pressure control rate of patients.
Sunshine’s Chill: Overboard American Open Meetings Laws and the Limits of Disclosure

In this Article, Prof. Mulroy examines “sunshine laws,” laws which require that meetings of legislative bodies be open to the public. All 50 U.S. States require that physical meetings, or even informal communications, among a quorum of a legislative body must be done pursuant to a publicly noticed meeting. Drawing a line at communication among a quorum is appropriate, because such private communications can effectively decide a question, rendering any subsequent public meetings a sham. But in 8 States, sunshine laws apply even to communications among only 2 or 3 legislators, far short of a quorum. These stricter laws impermissibly chill the free speech of legislators, hamper compromise, transfer power from elected officials to unelected staff and lobbyists, and cause other problems. In contrast, the open meetings laws of many Western countries are too lenient, applying only to formal meetings of legislators and not reaching communications among a quorum. Evaluating the constitutional, free speech implications of the overstrict U.S. sunshine laws raises a doctrinal question of whether such laws are content-based speech regulations triggering “strict scrutiny” constitutional review, or content-neutral regulations triggering only the more relaxed “intermediate scrutiny.” Thanks to a line of cases classifying otherwise content-based regulations as content-neutral if motivated by the “secondary effects” of speech, there is currently confusion in the U.S. legal system about whether one looks to the plain language of a speech restriction, or its underlying justifications, to make the content-based/content-neutral determination. Synthesizing recent U.S. Supreme Court case law, Prof. Mulroy proposes a restatement of the current law on making this content-based/content-neutral distinction, one which relies on the plain language of the speech restriction in all but a very narrow class of cases allowing a very limited “secondary effects” approach. More broadly, Prof. Mulroy proposes that the Supreme Court eliminate the “secondary effects” doctrine entirely, and adopt going forward a “purely facial” approach. A case currently pending before the Supreme Court raises this very question, and provides the Court such an opportunity for adopting such an approach.
In Vivo 19 F-Magnetic Resonance Imaging of Adoptively Transferred NK Cells

In order to assess the biodistribution, homing, and persistence of adoptively transferred natural killer (NK) cell immunotherapies, there is a need for imaging methodology suitable for use in preclinical studies with relevance to clinical translation. Amongst the available approaches, (19)F-MRI is very appealing for in vivo imaging due to the absence of background signal, enabling clear detection of (19)F labeled cells in vivo. Here we describe a methodology for in vivo imaging of adoptively transferred NK cells labeled with (19)F nano-emulsion, using clinically translatable technology of (19)F/(1)H magnetic resonance imaging.
A Comparison of White and African-American Attitudes Towards their HMO

The purpose of the study is determine whether there is a difference between African-Americans and Caucasians in the overall satisfaction and the satisfaction with certain aspects of the service with their health maintenance organization (HMO). Race is not a factor in satisfaction with an HMO.
The English and American Constitutions

hThe Pennsylvania Republican’s interest in Rome’s Polybian constitution was not unusual. The Roman example had been available and admired for many years prior to the American revolution,1 with considerable political influence, both in England and America.2 As early as 1642, King Charles Is ‘Answer to the XIX Propositions of both Houses of Parliament’ adopted Polybius’s position that there are ‘three kindes of Government amongst men, Absolute Monarchy, Aristocracy, and Democracy’ and that the best government was a mixture of the three, which would thrive so long as ‘the Balance hangs even’.3 The King’s Answer argued that the English King, Peers and Commons represented monarchy, aristocracy, and democracy respectively, in an ideal mixture which avoided the tyranny of monarchy, the factions of aristocracy, and the licentiousness of democratic government.4
Anticodon-like binding of the HIV-1 tRNA-like element to human lysyl-tRNA synthetase

A critical step in the HIV-1 lifecycle involves reverse transcription of the viral genomic RNA (gRNA). Human tRNALys3 serves as a primer for transcription initiation and is selectively enriched in virus particles. Human lysyl-tRNA synthetase (hLysRS) is also packaged into virions. Recently, a tRNA-like element (TLE) within the HIV-1 gRNA was shown to mimic the global tRNA fold and bind competitively to hLysRS, suggesting a mechanism of tRNA targeting to the primer binding site (PBS) and release from the synthetase. Here, we use NMR to investigate hLysRS anticodon-binding domain (ACB) binding to six RNA oligonucleotides, including a hairpin derived from the HIV-1 gRNA TLE. We show that ACB interacts with submicromolar affinity to U-rich RNA oligonucleotides-the tRNALys3 anticodon stem-loop (ACSL), the WT TLE, and a nonanucleotide, U9. In contrast, the ACB bound only weakly to two TLE loop mutants and a C9 nonanucleotide. NMR chemical shift perturbations induced by each RNA indicate that the ACSL and the WT TLE both interact with the ACB in a strikingly similar manner. Taken together, these findings support the conclusion that tRNA mimicry by the HIV-1 genome leads to a highly specific protein-RNA interaction that facilitates efficient primer release from hLysRS prior to reverse transcription.
11 C-Methionine positron emission tomography delineates non-contrast enhancing tumor regions at high risk for recurrence in pediatric high-grade glioma

We assessed the prognostic utility of 11C-Methionine positron emission tomography (MET-PET) in pediatric high-grade glioma (HGG). Thirty-one children had 62 MET-PET studies. Segmented tumor volumes from co-registered magnetic resonance studies were assessed for concordance with MET-PET uptake using Boolean operations. The tumor volume at diagnosis and treatment failure was assessed relative to MET-PET avid volume. The prognostic impact of MET-PET—delineated non-contrast enhancing tumor (NCET) was assessed. NCET was defined as the region of tumor defined by defined by FLAIR which did not enhance but showed MET-PET avidity. MET-PET concordance varied according to magnetic resonance sequence. MET-PET rarely added to the tumor volume in most cases. The volume of MET-PET with standardized uptake value >3.0 was differentially distributed at diagnosis, post treatment, and at recurrence. The initial MET-PET region overlapped with recurrent tumor in 90% of the cases. When the proportion of tumor which was NCET was >10%, an earlier time to progression (5.8 months; 95% CI, 1–8.2 vs. 10.5 months; 95% CI, 0.9–NR; p = 0.035) was noted. MET-PET delineates regions at increased risk for recurrence and may improve the definition of failure, prognostic assessment, and target definition for radiotherapy.
Development of an anatomically conformal parylene neural probe array for multi-region hippocampal recordings

We report the first Parylene C neural probe array that is anatomically matched to multiple regions of the hippocampus and successfully demonstrate recordings from targeted regions. No prior polymer probe array has achieved recordings at the depth of the hippocampus (5.5 mm probe length) and at such a high electrode density (64 electrodes). In addition, bare probes were implanted without the use of any insertion shuttles thereby enabling, for the first time, acquisition of dense neural information from deep brain targets of interest while restricting acute tissue disruption to the as-fabricated probe cross-section. Here, we present design and fabrication of the Parylene neural array, its electrical packaging scheme, and acute, in vivo recordings from pyramidal cells of both the cornu ammonis (CA) 1 and CA3 regions, essential players in the one-way hippocampal circuit that encodes memory.
Current-matching versus non-current-matching in long wavelength interband cascade infrared photodetectors

We report on a comparative study of two sets of different long-wavelength (LW) interband cascade infrared photodetectors (ICIPs) based on a type-II InAs/GaSb superlattice. The devices in one set have a current-matched configuration while those in the other set are non-current-matched. It is shown that carrier transport in these LW ICIPs at high temperatures is diffusion limited and the diffusion length is estimated to be longer than or comparable to 0.5 μm at various temperatures. By comparing the two sets of devices, we demonstrate the necessity of current-matching to maximize utilization of absorbed photons for an optimal responsivity and the correlation of reduced responsivity with light attenuation in the optically deeper stages for non-current-matched ICIPs. However, the device performances for both sets are comparable in terms of detectivity. Electrical gain exceeding unity is observed, which is more significant in the last stage of non-current-matched ICIPs than in any other stages in order to obta...
Trap Strip and Field Border Modification for Management of the Wheat Stem Sawfly (Hymenoptera: Cephidae)

The alternate-year summer fallow wheat production system predominates in the semi-arid prairie regions of Montana. These farms consist of the current crop and idle fields in which the previous year's crop was located. Larvae of the wheat stem sawfly, Cephus cinctus Norton (Hymenoptera: Cephidae), overwinter in post-harvest wheat stubble. Adults appear and disperse to new crops during the following growing season. Adults begin oviposition as soon as suitable hosts are encountered; therefore, larval infestations usually are concentrated along field borders. We tested several types of trap strips as intercepts to reduce dispersion of adult sawflies into fields. The most successful system was a fall-planted winter wheat trap that protected spring-planted wheat. These trap strips utilized the “border effect” as well as the higher attractiveness of the earlier maturing winter wheat. In another trial, losses were reduced by planting a semi-resistant solid-stemmed wheat cultivar within the border of a comparative...
LIFE-THREATENING CONDITIONS ASSOCIATED WITH MALE INFERTILITY

Most urologists' clinical experience is that infertility is a rare presenting sign of life-threatening medical disorders in men. Considering the current practice of infertile couples presenting to the gynecologist for initial evaluation and the popularity of assisted reproductive technology, many men are evaluated with a semen analysis alone and treatment instituted without urologic consultation. This may cause a delay in the diagnosis of a significant medical illness or misdiagnosis of a potentially treatable cause of male factor infertility. We reviewed the records of 1236 new male infertility patients presenting to Bowman Gray School of Medicine and Baylor Medical College in an attempt to determine the frequency of significant medical disease in men presenting with infertility and whether any pattern of semen analysis findings was predictive of these disorders. Thirteen men, or 1.1% of the total population, were found to have a significant medical illness upon full urologic evaluation (Table 5). Testicular tumors were found in six, spinal cord tumor in one, brain tumors in three, genitourinary malformation in two, and a chromosomal abnormality in one. Interestingly, one of these patients was a physician with bilateral testicular cancer who had an abnormal semen analysis and had undergone multiple cycles of intrauterine insemination before referral. We could not identify a pathognomonic pattern on semen analysis that would allow us to predict the presence of medical illnesses in these 13 patients. Sperm counts ranged from azoospermic to almost normal semen parameters.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Distinct inflammatory response patterns are evident among men and women with higher depressive symptoms

Abstract Extensive research links depression and inflammation, with emerging evidence suggesting some differences between males and females in these associations. However, relatively few studies have examined stimulated inflammatory responses (ex vivo) in depression. The present research investigated the associations between depressive symptoms, basal inflammation, and LPS-stimulated production of pro- (IL-1β, IL-6, IL-8, TNF-α) and an anti-inflammatory cytokine (IL-10), with a focus on the extent to which gender moderates these relationships. As part of a larger study, 162 socio-economically and racially diverse subjects (ages 25–65, 67% women) completed extensive self-report measures, including depressive symptoms. Whole blood was quantified for basal inflammation, or incubated with 1 μg/mL lipopolysaccharide (LPS) for 2 h (at 37 °C, 5% CO2) to quantify inflammatory responses to bacterial challenge. We examined the associations between depression and inflammatory markers in regression analyses, controlling for age, BMI, race/ethnicity, income, education, and use of medications. No main effects were observed between depressive symptoms and basal or stimulated levels of inflammation. Moderation analyses revealed a significant interaction between depressive symptoms and gender for stimulated TNF-α, stimulated IL-6 (p
Contiguous verrucous proliferations in syringocystadenoma papilliferum: A retrospective analysis with additional evaluation via mutation-specific BRAFV600E immunohistochemistry.

Background Syringocystadenoma papilliferum (SCAP) is an uncommon cutaneous adnexal proliferation. There have been several reports describing collision lesions of SCAP and verruca, although little is known about the frequency of this association. Molecular testing has revealed the BRAFV600E mutation in a large proportion of SCAP cases, although its expression pattern has not been previously evaluated. Methods In this retrospective analysis, we explored the potential histopathological association between verruca and SCAP. We also evaluated mutation-specific BRAFV600E expression in these lesions by immunohistochemistry. Cases of SCAP diagnosed over a 7-year period were closely reviewed for the presence of contiguous verrucous proliferations. Additional sections were cut and stained using the BRAFV600E-specific clone VE1 antibody. Results Contiguous verrucous proliferations were identified in 9 out of 12 identified cases. Furthermore, expression of the BRAFV600E mutation was identified in 7 out of 12 cases. Interestingly, in SCAP associated with endophytic verrucous proliferations (n = 4), expression of BRAFV600E was found in both the glandular and the contiguous hyperplastic squamous epithelium. Conclusion Overall, these findings suggest that contiguous verrucous proliferations in SCAP are common. Both components of the neoplasm may express the BRAFV600E mutation, which is suggestive of a common origin.