cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Liver transglutaminase activity under various experimental conditions.

Bacterial endotoxins and Haemophilus pertussis vaccine were found to increase the activity of liver transglutaminase in mice, rats, and guinea pigs. Enzyme activity increased also in the spleen of the injected mice, whereas no significant changes were found in the thymus, the lung, and the brain. The enzyme activity in adrenalectomized mice increased in the liver. Pretreatment of the animal with cortisone antagonized the rise in liver transglutaminase after endotoxin administration. The enzyme obtained from the liver of endotoxin-treated mice has the characteristics of transglutaminase obtained from the livers of normal mice. Mice and rats have a low enzyme activity in the liver and show a considerable increase upon administration of H. pertussis vaccine and purified endotoxins. Guinea pig liver, which is the richest source of transglutaminase so far found, shows a significant increase only upon the administration of high doses of endotoxins but not of pertussis vaccine.
Turkish-Israeli Relations Through the Lens of the Turkish Identity Debate

This article explores Israeli-Turkish relations within the context of the deepening polarization between Turkey9s secular elite and the religiously oriented segments of society. Examining the causes and political context of the alliance, the author argues that the deepening ties are at least partly a function of the sense of beleaguerment of the Turkish military, guardians of Kemalist orthodoxy, in the face of domestic challenges to its homogenizing vision. After describing the features of the axis itself, the author shows how it intermeshed with the accelerating showdown between the military and the Islamist-led civilian government. Finally, the paper examines the relationship in the light of Turkish national interests, concluding that Turkey9s main problems are internal and not amenable to outside solutions.
Cardiovascular responses elicited by electrical stimulation of the amygdala central nucleus in the rabbit

Recent behavioral and anatomical evidence suggests the involvement of the amygdala central nucleus projection to medullary cardioregulatory nuclei in the expression of conditioned bradycardia during aversive Pavlovian conditioning in the rabbit6,7,11,15. The present study sought to determine the extent to which electrical stimulation of the central nucleus produces bradycardia in the rabbit, and the extent to which any bradycardia elicited varies with stimulation at sites within as opposed to adjacent to the medial component of the central nucleus, the component from which the projection to cardioregulatory nuclei originates. Over 900 sites in 30 rabbits anesthetized with α-chloralose were explored. Monopolar stimulation (30–100 Hz; 0.5 ms pulse duration; 5.0 s train duration; 100–500 μA) at sites within the central nucleus produced bradycardia and depressor responses. Maximum bradycardia was produced from sites within the anterior, medial component of the nucleus. This respose usually began within one second of stimulus onset, reached peak magnitude within two seconds of stimulus onset and in many instances was followed by a slight tachycardia following stimulus termination. The accompanying depressor responses occurred at longer latencies than the bradycardia responses. The responses persisted following artificial ventilation and immobilization by Flaxedil and were attenuated by i.v. injections of atropine methylnitrate. While bradycardia and depressor responses were elicited from sites immediately dorsal, ventral and lateral to the medial central nucleus, these responses were of markedly less magnitude than those elicited from the medial component. The results are consistent with previous evidence which suggests a contribution for the central nucleus in the expression of cardiovascular responding during aversive Pavlovian conditioning in the rabbit.
Mathematics for the Captured Student.

S. K. Stein, Professor of Mathematics at the University of California at Davis, is a Governor of the MAA. His primary research interests are algebra, combinatorics, and convex bodies. At the two-year college level, he has written texts on algebra, geometry, and most recently calculus and analytic geometry. Twice a week he teaches fractions to fourth graders, "to find where and how the confusion originates."
Classic paradigms in a novel environment: inserting food web and productivity lessons from rocky shores and saltmarshes into biogenic reef restoration

Summary Gradients in competition and predation that regulate communities should guide biogenic habitat restoration, while restoration ecology provides opportunities to address fundamental questions regarding food web dynamics via large-scale field manipulations. We restored oyster reefs across an aerial exposure gradient (shallow-subtidal-to-mid-intertidal) to explore how vertical gradients in natural settlement, growth and interspecific interactions affected the trajectory of man-made shellfish reefs. We recorded nearly an order-of-magnitude higher oyster settlement on the deepest (subtidal) reefs, but within a year abundance patterns reversed, and oyster densities were ultimately highest on the shallowest (intertidal) reefs by over an order-of-magnitude. This reversal was due to (i) significantly elevated survivorship on intertidal reefs and (ii) larger surviving oysters on intertidal reefs. These patterns are likely to have developed from greater levels of biofouling and predator abundance (e.g. stone crabs, gastropods) on deeper reefs where aerial exposure was <5% of the monthly tidal cycle. Synthesis and applications. The success of restoration initiatives involving habitat-forming species can be enhanced by accounting for the biotic interactions that regulate population fitness. In littoral systems, vertical gradients in predation, competition and disturbance can be exploited to guide restoration of vegetated (e.g. mangrove, seagrass) or biogenic reef habitats. In particular, our results demonstrate that paradigms of vertical zonation learned from the rocky intertidal and saltmarshes also describe the fate of restored shellfish reefs. As with rocky shores, the lower vertical limit of adult oyster distribution in our study system was most likely driven by predatory and competitive (i.e. smothering) interactions, with a threshold depth at c. 5% daily aerial exposure. Below this depth, experimentally restored reefs failed completely. As with Spartina saltmarsh, accumulation of oyster biomass was greatest at an intermediate vertical position relative to mean sea level (i.e. mid-to-low intertidal). Our developing model proscribes a vertical ‘hot spot’ for restoration efforts to maximize biogenic reef fitness and production.
Investigation of Bacteriophage MS2 Viral Dynamics Using Model Discrimination Analysis and the Implications for Phage Therapy

Lytic phages infect their bacterial hosts, use the host machinery to replicate, and finally lyse and kill their hosts, releasing progeny phages. Various mathematical models have been developed that describe these phage-host viral dynamics. The aim of this study was to determine which of these models best describes the viral dynamics of lytic RNA phage MS2 and its host Escherichia coli C-3000. Experimental data consisted of uninfected and infected bacterial cell densities, free phage density, and substrate concentration. Parameters of various models were either determined directly through other experimental techniques or estimated using regression analysis of the experimental data. The models were evaluated using a Bayesian-based model discrimination technique. Through model discrimination it was shown that phage-resistant cells inhibited the growth of phage population. It was also shown that the uninfected bacterial population was a quasispecies consisting of phage-sensitive and phage-resistant bacterial cells. When there was a phage attack the phage-sensitive cells died out and the phage-resistant cells were selected for and became the dominant strain of the bacterial population.
Natural Selection at Work: An Accelerated Evolutionary Computing Approach to Predictive Model Selection

We implement genetic algorithm based predictive model building as an alternative to the traditional stepwise regression. We then employ the Information Complexity Measure (ICOMP) as a measure of model fitness instead of the commonly used measure of R-square. Furthermore, we propose some modifications to the genetic algorithm to increase the overall efficiency.
Rat renal capsule: presence of layers of unique squamous cells.

Unique squamous cells forming one or more layers are invariably present at the inner border of the rat kidney capsule. The cells frequently surround a space or lumen of irregular contour. The cells appear to be supported by collagenous bundles which run between adjacent cells within groove-like indentations in a single cell, but the connective tissue components are separated from the squamous cells by a thick basal lamina. The fibrous capsule is bound to the renal parenchyma by loose connective tissue containing fibrocytes, small collagen bundles, and abundant mononuclear cells which are partially surrounded by processes of the fibrocytes.
Complete rescue of photoreceptor dysplasia and degeneration in transgenic retinal degeneration slow (rds) mice

retinal degeneration slow (rds) is a semidominant mutation of mice with the phenotype of abnormal development of rod and cone photoreceptors, followed by their slow degeneration. The rds gene has been putatively cloned and its novel protein product initially characterized biochemically. In the present study we undertook to correct in vivo the retinal phenotype of mice with the rds mutation. We assembled a transgene containing a regulatory segment of the opsin gene positioned upstream of the wild-type rds coding region. Mice from three transgenic lines, homozygous for the rds mutation, were analyzed for expression of the transgene and for their retinal phenotypes. In two high expressing lines, we observed complete reversion to wild-type retinal morphology. In a third, low expressing line, we observed a retinal phenotype intermediate between wild type and rds/rds, suggesting partial rescue of the mutation. These results constitute formal proof that we have cloned the rds gene.
The Golden Rule in Classical Judaism

Rabbinic Judaism calls the Golden Rule the encompassing principle of the Torah. But when the system undertakes to generalize, it entirely ignores the Golden Rule. The faithful, this is to say, are admonished to dedicate themselves to studying the generative data of the Golden Rule. But when the system concretely invokes the Golden Rule, it does not elaborate and extend it, analyzing its implications for fresh problems. This article thus proposes that, in classical Judaism, the Golden Rule is inert, not active; it is inconsequential in an exact sense of the word, not weighty in secondary development. It yields nothing beyond itself and does not invite new questions or stimulate speculation about new problems. The Golden Rule emerges as a commonplace that the system invokes without extension and elaboration.
Steady-state method for studying diffusion of gases in liquids

Abstract A steady-state diaphragm cell method for rapidly measuring the diffusion coefficient of gases in liquids is described. The method has been used to measure the diffusion coefficients of methane, ethane, propane, butane and carbon dioxide in water; the results obtained are compared with values from the literature.
Photoexcitation of polarons and molecular excitons in emeraldine base.

We report the first observation of the photoinduced absorption spectrum of the emeraldine base form of polyaniline. The spectrum contains both subgap photoinduced bleaching at 1.8 eV and photoinduced absorptions at 0.9, 1.4, and 3.0 eV, as well as band-edge bleaching above 3.5 eV. The existence of the subgap bleaching peak is consistent with a model of optically excited localized molecular excitons. The energies of the three photoinduced absorption peaks and the dependence of the peak amplitudes on pump power give evidence for the photoexcitation of polaron pairs that recombine bimolecularly.
Salmeterol-induced desensitization, internalization and phosphorylation of the human β2-adrenoceptor

1. Partial agonists of the beta2-adrenoceptor which activate adenylyl cyclase are widely used as bronchodilators for the relief of bronchoconstriction accompanying many disease conditions, including bronchial asthma. The bronchodilator salmeterol has both a prolonged duration of action in bronchial tissue and the ability to reassert this activity following the temporary blockade of human beta2-adrenoceptors with antagonist. 2. We have compared the activation and desensitization of human beta2-adrenoceptor stimulation of adenylyl cyclase induced by salmeterol, adrenaline and salbutamol in a human lung epithelial line, BEAS-2B, expressing beta2-adrenoceptor levels of 40-70 fmol mg(-1), and in human embryonic kidney (HEK) 293 cell lines expressing 2-10 pmol mg(-1). The efficacy observed for the stimulation of adenylyl cyclase by salmeterol was only approximately 10% of that observed for adrenaline in BEAS-2B cells expressing low levels of beta2-adrenoceptor, but similar to adrenaline in HEK 293 cells expressing very high levels of receptors. Salmeterol pretreatment of these cells induced a rapid and stable activation of adenylyl cyclase activity which resisted extensive washing and beta2-adrenoceptor antagonist blockade, consistent with binding to a receptor exosite and/or to partitioning into membrane lipid. 3. The desensitization and internalization of beta2-adrenoceptors induced by the partial agonists salmeterol and salbutamol were considerably reduced relative to the action of adrenaline. Consistent with these observations, the initial rate of phosphorylation of the receptor induced by salmeterol and salbutamol was much reduced in comparison to adrenaline. 4. Our data suggest that the reduction in the rapid phase of desensitization of beta2-adrenoceptors after treatment with salmeterol or salbutamol is caused by a decrease in the rate of beta2-adrenoceptor kinase (betaARK) phosphorylation and internalization. In contrast, the rate of cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase (PKA)-mediated phosphorylation by these partial agonists appears to be similar to adrenaline.
Annual cycles of activity and body composition in Spermophilus townsendii mollis

Data on activity scheduling and body composition in Spermophilus townsendii mollis Kennicott were collected over a 4-year period in northwestern Utah. Yearly variation in emergence scheduling was a...
Effects of compositional variations in an electrolyte containing water, ethanol, and ammonium tartrate on barrier anodic Al2O3 film formation

Abstract Barrier anodic film formation has been studied as a function of electrolyte composition for five mixtures of ammonium tartrate dissolved in water and diluted with varying amounts of ethanol. The ethanol:water ratios by volume ranged from 98% ethanol:2% water to 0% ethanol:100% water . The results of this study indicate that the highest quality dielectric coatings and the fastest coating growth rates occur for the 100% water-ammonium tartrate electrolyte. Poorer quality dielectric coatings and slower growth rates occur in conjunction with the use of 98% ethanol:2% water plus ammonium tartrate electrolyte. In general, visibly flawed coatings as well as scintillation events at cell voltages in excess of 700–850 V and extremely slow growth rates occur in conjunction with the use of electrolyte mixtures containing 20%, 60%, and 90% water. All the anodic coatings consisted predominantly of amorphous aluminum oxide. The coatings which were formed in the 100% water based electrolyte also exhibited features which resembled α-Al 2 O 3 crystallites. All the coatings exhibited similar compositions except with regard to the amount of CO 2 that was physisorbed in the coatings. The dielectrically inferior coatings produced by the electrolytes containing ethanol have substantially more CO 2 than the coatings grown in the 100% water electrolyte. From our results, we deduce that the chemical species present in the electrolyte have a strong effect on the quality of the dielectric coatings formed in this family of electrolytes. There is indirect evidence that the average concentration of polar species in the electrolyte may also affect coating formation. Variations in the thermal conductivity and thermal capacity of the electrolyte have little or no effect on the quality of the barrier anodic coating.
Hardware acceleration of image recognition through a visual cortex model

Recent findings in neuroscience have led to the development of several new models describing the processes in the neocortex. These models excel at cognitive applications such as image analysis and movement control. This paper presents a hardware architecture to speed up image content recognition through a recently proposed model of the visual cortex. The system is based on a set of parallel computation nodes implemented in an FPGA. The design was optimized for hardware by reducing the data storage requirements, and removing the need for multiplies and divides. The reconfigurable logic hardware implementation running at 121 MHz provided a speedup of 148 times over a 2 GHz AMD Opteron processor. The results indicate the feasibility of specialized hardware to accelerate larger biological scale implementations of the model.
Transcription network construction for large-scale microarray datasets using a high-performance computing approach

The advance in high-throughput genomic technologies including microarrays has demonstrated the potential of generating a tremendous amount of gene expression data for the entire genome. Deciphering transcriptional networks that convey information on intracluster correlations and intercluster connections of genes is a crucial analysis task in the post-sequence era. Most of the existing analysis methods for genome-wide gene expression profiles consist of several steps that often require human involvement based on experiential knowledge that is generally difficult to acquire and formalize. Moreover, large-scale datasets typically incur prohibitively expensive computation overhead and thus result in a long experiment-analysis research cycle. We propose a parallel computation-based random matrix theory approach to analyze the cross correlations of gene expression data in an entirely automatic and objective manner to eliminate the ambiguities and subjectivity inherent to human decisions. We apply the proposed approach to the publicly available human liver cancer data and yeast cycle data, and generate transcriptional networks that illustrate interacting functional modules. The experimental results conform accurately to those published in previous literatures. The correlations calculated from experimental measurements typically contain both “genuine” and “random” components. In the proposed approach, we remove the “random” component by testing the statistics of the eigenvalues of the correlation matrix against a “null hypothesis” — a truly random correlation matrix obtained from mutually uncorrelated expression data series. Our investigation into the components of deviating eigenvectors after varimax orthogonal rotation reveals distinct functional modules. The utilization of high performance computing resources including ScaLAPACK package, supercomputer and Linux PC cluster in our implementations and experiments significantly reduces the amount of computation time that is otherwise needed on a single workstation. More importantly, the large distributed shared memory and parallel computing power allow us to process genomic datasets of enormous sizes.
MYCORRHIZAS AND ROOT ARCHITECTURE

Roots function dually as a support system and as the nutrient uptake organ of plants. Root morphology changes in response to the soil environment to minimize the metabolic cost of maintaining the root system, while maximizing nutrient acquisition. In response to nutrient-limiting conditions, plants may increase root fineness or specific root length (root length per gram root weight), root/shoot ratio, or root hair length and number. Each of these adaptations involves a different metabolic cost to the plant, with root hair formation as the least costly change, buffering against more costly changes in root/shoot ratio. Mycorrhizal symbiosis is another alternative to such changes. Plants with high degrees of dependence on the symbiosis have coarser root systems, less plasticity in root/shoot ratio, and develop fewer root hairs in low-fertility soils. In nutrient-limited soils, plants highly dependent on mycorrhiza reduce metabolic cost by developing an even more coarse or magnolioid root system, which is less able to obtain nutrients and thus creates a greater dependence of the plant on the symbiosis. These subtle changes in root architecture may be induced by mycorrhizal fungi and can be quantified using topological analysis of rooting patterns. The ability of mycorrhizal fungi to elicit change in root architecture appears to be limited to plant species which are highly dependent upon mycorrhizal symbiosis.
The Quality of Life Scale (QOLS): Reliability, Validity, and Utilization

The Quality of Life Scale (QOLS), created originally by American psychologist John Flanagan in the 1970's, has been adapted for use in chronic illness groups. This paper reviews the development and psychometric testing of the QOLS. A descriptive review of the published literature was undertaken and findings summarized in the frequently asked questions format. Reliability, content and construct validity testing has been performed on the QOLS and a number of translations have been made. The QOLS has low to moderate correlations with physical health status and disease measures. However, content validity analysis indicates that the instrument measures domains that diverse patient groups with chronic illness define as quality of life. The QOLS is a valid instrument for measuring quality of life across patient groups and cultures and is conceptually distinct from health status or other causal indicators of quality of life.
Office-based sclerotherapy for recurrent epistaxis due to hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia: a pilot study.

Background: The aim of this pilot study is to evaluate officebased sclerotherapy using sodium tetradecyl sulfate (STS) for epistaxis due to hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasias (HHT). Patients with HHT suffer from unpredictable, recurrent, severe nasal bleeding necessitating emergency care, nasal packing, blood transfusions, and invasive procedures. Methods: In this retrospective study 7 patients with a history of treatment for recurrent epistaxis due to HHT were
Finite-Element Solution of Integral Equations Arising in Radiative Heat Transfer and Laminar Boundary-Layer Theory

Abstract Finite-element solutions of a number of one-dimensional linear and nonlinear (nonsingular) integral equations arising in radiative heat transfer and boundarylayer theory are presented.
Fine Structure of the Envelope and Micropyles in the Eggs of the White Sturgeon, Acipenser transmontanus Richardson. (micropyle/chorion/egg envelopes/sturgeon/egg jelly)

The structure of the egg envelope and micropyles of the white sturgeon was examined with light and electron microscopy. The mature ovum is 3.5–4.0 mm in diameter and is covered by a thick envelope (50 μm) that consists of four distinct layers. The outermost layer, L4, is electron dense and amorphous. Interior to this is layer three (L3), containing numerous pores, or ductules. Layer two (L2) contains screwlike projections that anchor L3 and L4 to the egg. The innermost layer, L1, is closely apposed to the oolemma. Numerous micropyles (average 7) are restricted to a 100–200 μm region at the animal pole and penetrate the egg envelope. The outer opening of these rnicropyles measures 15 μm in diameter. The micropylar canal tapers twice, eventually terminating at the oolemma with an inner opening diameter of 1.2 μm. The micropyles of the white sturgeon egg appear more complex than micropyles in other fish eggs.
Interrelations of diet-induced changes in hexosemonophosphate shunt dehydrogenases with RNA metabolism in rat liver slices.

The relationship of changes in hexosemonophosphate shunt dehydro- genase activity to RNAmetabolism in response to fasting and fasting-refeeding a high carbohydrate protein-free diet or a high protein carbohydrate-free diet was investigated in rat liver slices. Starvation for 48 hours did not change hexosemonophosphate shunt dehydrogenase activity but resulted in a significant decrease in liver RNA content. When a high carbohydrate protein-free diet was refed for 48 hours, the dehydrogenase activity did not change and the pattern of incorporation of glucose-1, glucose-2, and glucose-6-14C into acid-soluble nucleotides indicated relatively little use of the oxidative part of the hexosemonophosphate shunt pathway for ribose synthesis. While the RNA content of the liver under this regimen remained unchanged from fasting levels, the rate of incorporation of radioactive precursors into RNA was restored to control un treated values. When a high protein carbohydrate-free diet was refed, increased levels of the hexose monophosphate shunt dehydrogenase activity were observed. The pattern of incorpora tion of glucose carbon into acid-soluble nucleotides under these conditions suggested an increase in ribose formation by way of the oxidative portion of the hexosemonophos phate shunt dehydrogenase pathway. The nucleic acid content of the liver of this group was not different from that of control untreated rats. The results are discussed in rela tion to the dietary control of alternative pathways of pentose production for nucleic acid synthesis.
Women's status and depressive symptoms: A multilevel analysis.

The effects of state-level women's status and autonomy on individual-level women's depressive symptoms were examined. We conducted a multi-level analysis of the 1991 longitudinal follow up of the 1988 National Maternal Infant Health Survey (NMIHS), with 7789 women nested within the fifty American states. State-level women's status was assessed by four composite indices measuring women's political participation, economic autonomy, employment & earnings, and reproductive rights. The main outcome measure was symptoms of depression (Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale, CES-D). The participants were a nationally representative stratified random sample of women in the USA aged between 17 and 40 years old who gave birth to live babies in 1988, were successfully contacted again in 1991 and provided complete information on depressive symptoms. Women who were younger, non-white, not currently married, less educated or had lower household income tended to report higher levels of depressive symptoms. Compared with states ranking low on the employment & earnings index, women residing in states that were high on the same index scored 0.85 points lower on the CES-D (p<0.01). Women who lived in states that were high on the economic autonomy index scored 0.83 points lower in depressive symptoms (p<0.01), compared with women who lived in states low on the same index. Finally, women who resided in states with high reproductive rights scored 0.62 points lower on the CES-D (p<0.05) compared with women who lived in states with lower reproductive rights. Gender inequality appears to contribute to depressive symptoms in women.
Social network analysis: A methodological introduction

Social network analysis is a large and growing body of research on the measurement and analysis of relational structure. Here, we review the fundamental concepts of network analysis, as well as a range of methods currently used in the field. Issues pertaining to data collection, analysis of single networks, network comparison, and analysis of individual-level covariates are discussed, and a number of suggestions are made for avoiding common pitfalls in the application of network methods to substantive questions. those seeking to add a structural component to their own work. Although many classical methods are discussed, more emphasis is placed on recent, statistical approaches to network analysis, as these are somewhat less well covered by existing reviews. Finally, an effort has been made throughout to highlight common pitfalls which can await the unwary researcher, and to suggest how these may be avoided. The result, it is hoped, is a basic reference that offers a rigorous treatment of essential concepts and methods, without assuming prior background in this area. The overall structure of this paper is as follows. After a brief comment on some things which are not discussed here (the field being too large to admit treatment in a single paper), an overview of core concepts and notation is pre- sented. Following this is a discussion of network data, including basic issues involving representation, boundary definition, sampling schemes, instruments, and visualiza- tion. I then proceed to an overview of common approaches to the measurement and modelling of structural properties within single networks, followed by sections on methods for network comparison and modelling of individual attributes. Finally, I conclude with a discussion of some additional issues which affect the use of network analysis in practical settings. Topics not discussed
Risk and protective factors for fires, burns, and carbon monoxide poisoning in U.S. households.

Results: Although most respondents reported having a smoke alarm (97%), and 80% reported having one on each level of their home, 20% reported checking the alarm at least every 3 months. Seventy-one percent reported having a fire extinguisher, 29% had a carbon monoxide detector, and 51% of those living with at least one other person had a fire escape plan. Few could report the temperature of their hot water at the tap (9%), or the setting on the hot water heater (25%). Only 6% had an antiscald device. Conclusions: Results suggest that there is much room for improvement regarding adoption of measures to prevent fires, burns, and carbon monoxide poisoning. Further investigations of the efficacy of carbon monoxide detectors, fire extinguishers, and escape plans, as well as effectiveness studies of fire and burn-prevention efforts are needed. (Am J Prev Med 2005;28(1):102‐108) © 2005 American Journal of Preventive Medicine
Particle-Filter-Based Multisensor Fusion for Solving Low-Frequency Electromagnetic NDE Inverse Problems

Flaw profile characterization from nondestructive evaluation (NDE) measurements is a typical inverse problem. A novel transformation of this inverse problem into a tracking problem and subsequent application of a sequential Monte Carlo method called particle filtering has been proposed by the authors in an earlier publication. In this paper, the problem of flaw characterization from multisensor data is considered. The NDE inverse problem is posed as a statistical inverse problem, and particle filtering is modified to handle data from multiple measurement modes. The measurement modes are assumed to be independent of each other with principal component analysis used to legitimize the assumption of independence. The proposed particle-filter-based data fusion algorithm is applied to experimental low-frequency NDE data to investigate its feasibility.
Third-person effect comparison between US and Chinese social networking website users: Implications for online marketing and word-of-mouth communication

This study employs a framework of third-person effect to understand how users perceive the effect of SNWs, with an attempt to uncover the important indirect influence of SNWs. The findings may contribute to consumer psychology, and be relevant to practitioners who are interested in targeting young consumers via SNWs. Furthermore, this study compared the framework in two contrasting cultural contexts – the USA and China. The results provided empirical evidence to previous studies' theoretical assumption that the third-person effect is less pronounced in a typical collectivistic culture.
Protein secondary structure prediction with Bayesian learning method

This paper describes a Bayesian learning based approach to protein secondary structure prediction. Four secondary structure types are considered, including /spl alpha/-helix, /spl beta/-strand, /spl beta/-turn and coil. A six-letter exchange group is utilized to represent a protein sequence. Training cases are expressed as sequence quaternion. A tool called Predictor is developed in Java that implements the proposed approach. To evaluate the tool, we select, from the protein data bank and based on the principle of one-protein-per-family according to the structure family of SCOP, six hundred and twenty-three known proteins without pair wise sequence homology. Several training/test data splits have been tried. The results show that our proposed approach can produce prediction accuracy comparable to those of the traditional prediction methods. Predictor has user-friendly and easy-to-use GUIs, and is of practical value to the molecular biology researchers.
Social Capital as Process: The Meanings and Problems of a Theoretical Metaphor

In this study, we suggest that the difficulty in defining, locating, and measuring social capital is at core a philosophical confusion of language, and not just a consequence of excessively wide application. The term ‘‘capital’’ refers to resources for investment. Financial capital consists of specific quantities of assets. Human capital, a metaphorical extension of financial capital, also consists of specific quantities of assets, in the form of skills or credentials. However, social capital, a third metaphorical construction, does not consist of resources that are held by individuals or by groups but of processes of social interaction leading to constructive outcomes. Therefore, we argue, social capital is not located at any one level of analysis: it emerges across levels of analysis. The confusion over the meaning of this term, then, is a consequence of a metaphorical confusion of a substantive quantity (capital) and a process that takes place through stages (embedded, goal-directed social relations). Locating and defining social capital is further complicated by the variability, contextuality, and conditionality of the process. Stages of social relations that lead to constructive outcomes for one group of people or in one situation may not lead to constructive outcomes for another group or in another situation. To illustrate empirically how social capital may be thought of as a process consisting of stages and to demonstrate why the concept is inherently problematic, we employ data from the 1995 interviews of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (Add Health). These data enable us to examine connections among the stages of the social capital process found in the literature and to look at predictors of academic achievement, a central topic in research on this topic.
Polymer‐Coated Radioluminescent Nanoparticles for Quantitative Imaging of Drug Delivery

Some theranostic nanoparticle (NP) drug delivery systems are capable of measuring drug release rates in situ. This can provide quantitative information regarding drug biodistribution, and drug dose that is delivered to cells or tissues. Here, X-ray excited optical luminescent (XEOL) NPs coated with poly(glycolide)-poly(ethylene glycol) (XGP) are used measure the amount of drug released into cells. The photoactive drug protoporphyrin IX (PpIX) is loaded into XGP and is able to attenuate the XEOL NP emission. Measuring an increase in XEOL intensity as PpIX is released enables the measurement of drug release into glioblastoma cells (GBM). Biodistribution studies in a BALB/c mouse GBM intracranial xenograft model show significant XGP accumulation at the site of the GBM xenograft within the brain, and not in adjacent healthy brain tissues. There is no uptake of XGP in the heart or kidneys, the primary organs associated with drug and gadolinium ion toxicity. NP toxicity is tested with U-138MG GBM in vitro, and NPs show low cytotoxicity at concentrations of 100 μg/mL. In vivo dose escalation studies in BALB/c mice show no adverse effects at doses up to 75 mg/kg. These theranostic NPs offer an approach to quantitatively measure drug release into cells.
Numerical Analysis of a Direct Connect Supersonic Combustor

Reynolds-Averaged Navier-Stokes simulations using a k − ω model are employed to explore a Mach 6 scramjet flow path in a notional direct connect facility. The inflow to the configuration is at Mach 2.2 uniform condition at approximately 26km altitude. The cross-section is rectangular in shape. Fuel is injected through two ports located upstream of a cavity at an injection angle of 30 degrees. Different values of equivalence ratio Φ are considered, ranging from 0.4 to 1.2. Both frozen and chemically reacting flow with gaseous Ethene fuel (13 species, 20 reactions) are simulated. As Φ is increased from 0.4 to 1.2, the flow successively becomes more reacting, flashback appears and ultimately thermal choking results at higher Φ. The frozen simulation exhibits clear recirculation in the cavity, which becomes less visible as reactions are triggered, and Φ and temperature increase. As the amount of fuel injected increases, so does its concentration inside the cavity and reactions increase throughout the entire system. At higher equivalence ratios, the finite-rate simulation shows that the shear layer across the cavity flameholder is smeared. As the temperature increases due to reactions in the cavity, the sidewall effects become less apparent and the vorticity magnitude and the circulation zone within the cavity are reduced.
Coordinated Changes in DNA Methylation and Histone Modifications Regulate Silencing/Derepression of Luteinizing Hormone Receptor Gene Transcription

We have previously demonstrated that transcription of the luteinizing hormone receptor (LHR) gene is subject to repression by histone deacetylation at its promoter region, where a histone deacetylase (HDAC)/mSin3A complex is anchored at a proximal Sp1 site. The present studies have shown that epigenetic silencing and activation of the LHR gene is achieved through coordinated regulation at both the histone and DNA levels. The HDAC inhibitor trichostatin A (TSA) evoked robust but significantly lower activation of the LHR gene in JAR than in MCF-7 cells. This effect was localized to the 176-bp promoter region, which is highly methylated in JAR and lightly methylated in MCF-7 cells. Consequently, TSA and the DNA demethylating reagent 5-azacytidine (5-AzaC) caused marked synergistic activation of the LHR gene in JAR but not in MCF-7 cells. Multiple site-specific lysine acetylation of H3/H4 is associated with such LHR gene activation. Methylation or acetylation of H3 at K9 is present at the silenced and derepressed LHR promoter, respectively. While DNA methylation levels did not affect the histone code of the LHR gene promoter, demethylation of the promoter CpG sites was necessary for maximal stimulation of this gene. Mechanistically, the combined actions of TSA and 5-AzaC, but not either 5-AzaC or TSA alone, resulted in complete demethylation of the LHR gene promoter in JAR cells. Release of the repressive HDAC/mSin3A complex from the LHR gene promoter in both cell types required both TSA-induced changes of histone modifications and, concurrently, a demethylated promoter. Also, Dnmt1 was largely dissociated from the LHR gene promoter in the presence of TSA or TSA plus 5-AzaC, and binding of MBD2 in JAR cells was diminished upon conversion of the promoter to a demethylated state. Such changes induced a more permissive chromatin where recruitment of polymerase II and TFIIB to the promoter was significantly increased. The activated state of the LHR gene induced by TSA and 5-AzaC in JAR and MCF-7 cells was observed basally in LHR-expressing PLC cells, in which the promoter is unmethylated and associated with hyperacetylated histones. Consequently, PLC cells are unresponsive to drug treatment. These findings have elucidated a regulatory mechanism whereby concurrent dissociation of repressors and association of activators and basal transcriptional components, resulting from coordinated histone hyperacetylation and DNA demethylation, lead to derepression of the LHR gene expression.
Person‐factors in the California Adult Q‐Set: closing the door on personality trait types?:

To investigate recent hypotheses of replicable personality types, we examined data from 1540 self‐sorts on the California Adult Q‐Set (CAQ). Conventional factor analysis of the items showed the exp...
A fourier transform spectrometer based on birefringent interferometer

A simple Fourier transform spectrometer design without moving parts is presented. The compact and rugged design utilizes a birefringent prism, a pair of polarizers and a linear CCD array to achieve this spectrometer design. The advantages of this design over existing FTIR systems are: 1) No moving parts. Therefore these designs are not sensitive to vibration. 2) Much more compact and portable. 3) No scanning is invovled. Instead of timely varying the optical path difference, the optical path difference is spread out spatially, which dramatically reduce the measuring time. In this paper, theoretical models and experimental results are presented. The optical performance of the model is tested using several LEDs of known wavelengths. Fringe counting technique is employed in the interferogram acquisition process to ensure accurate sampling of the interferogram at constant optical path difference intervals. The reconstructed spectra yielded detected wavelengths which deviated by less than 1 nm from the actual wavelengths.
Gitelman syndrome and pregnancy

Gitelman syndrome (GS) is an autosomal-recessive condition characterized by hypokalemia, hypomagnesemia and hypocalciuria. Very little information is available in the literature to guide the management of pregnant patients with GS. We report a case of a 27-year-old woman with GS who became pregnant and despite persistent hypokalemia and hypomagnesemia during pregnancy and labor, had a successful maternal and fetal outcome.
Attitudes toward Noise, Perceived Hearing Symptoms, and Reported Use of Hearing Protection among College Students: Influence of Youth Culture

The purpose of this study was to assess the attitude toward noise, perceived hearing symptoms, noisy activities that were participated in, and factors associated with hearing protection use among college students. A 44-item online survey was completed by 2,151 college students (aged 17 years and above) to assess the attitudes toward noise, perceived hearing symptoms related to noise exposure, and use of hearing protection around noisy activities. Among the participants, 39.6% experienced at least one hearing symptom, with ear pain as the most frequently reported (22.5%). About 80% of the participants were involved in at least one noise activity, out of which 41% reported the use of hearing protection. A large majority of those with ear pain, hearing loss, permanent tinnitus, and noise sensitivity was involved in attending a sporting event, which was the most reported noisy activity. The highest reported hearing protection use was in the use of firearms, and the lowest in discos/ dances. The reported use of hearing protection is associated with having at least one hearing symptom but the relationship is stronger with tinnitus, hearing loss, and ear pain (χ² = 30.5-43.5, P< 0.01) as compared to noise sensitivity (χ² = 3.8, P= 0.03); it is also associated with anti-noise attitudes, particularly in youth social events. Universities and colleges have important roles in protecting young adults' hearing by integrating hearing conservation topic in the college curriculum, promoting hearing health by student health services, involving student groups in noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) awareness and prevention, and establishing noise level limitations for all on-campus events.
Body Torque Generation for a Flapping Wing Micro Air Vehicle by Angle of Attack Change

A control methodology is presented which allows multiple degree-offreedom control of a biomimetic micro air vehicle equipped with independently actuated wings. This method utilizes fundamental wingbeat frequency and wing angle of attack as control variables. The angle of attack of each wing is modified such that a change on one stroke is accompanied by an equal and opposite change on the other stroke. Hence, the actual control variable is a change in angle of attack, which is added to either the upstroke or downstroke angle of attack and is subtracted from the other. This control technique provides control over four degrees-of-freedom to allow this vehicle to have sufficient maneuverability. Cycle-averaged forces and moments are computed and the sensitivities of these cycle-averaged forces and moments, to changes in the control variables, are computed. A controller, based on the control derivatives, is developed and simulation results are provided.
Single-Nanocrystal Photoluminescence Spectroscopy Studies of Plasmon–Multiexciton Interactions at Low Temperature

Using thick-shell or "giant" CdSe/CdS nanocrystal quantum dots (g-NQDs), characterized by strongly suppressed Auger recombination, we studied the influence of plasmonic interactions on multiexciton emission. Specifically, we assessed the separate effects of plasmonic absorption and plasmonic emission enhancement by a systematic analysis of the pump fluence dependence of low-temperature photoluminescence (low-T PL) derived from individual CdSe/CdS g-NQDs deposited on nanoroughened silver films. Our study reveals that (1) the multiexciton (MX) emissions in g-NQD coupled to silver films were enhanced not only through the creation of more excitons via enhancement of absorption but also through the direct modification of the competition between the radiative and nonradiative recombination processes of MXs; (2) strong enhancement in absorption is not necessary for strong multiexciton emission; and (3) the emission of MXs can become stronger with the increase of multiexciton order. We also exploited the strong enhancement of MX emission to perform second-order photon correlation and cross-correlation experiments using very low pump fluences and observed a strong photon bunching that decays with increasing pump fluence.
Clonally-produced plasmodia in heterothallic isolates of Didymium iridis.

In recent years heterothallism in certain species of Myxomycetes has been well documented (Collins, 1961, 1963; Dee, 1962, 1966; Henney, 1967), but the ability of some single-spore-derived clones from heterothallic isolates (or strains) to yield plasmodia without benefit of crossing poses an increasingly interesting problem. The phenomenon has been reported by several authors (Collins, 1961, 1962; Dee, 1962, 1966; Henney, 1967; von Stosch, 1935) for at least five different species. The purpose of this report is to present data on self-fertility in Didymium iridis. These data are unique for the Myxomycetes, since they were derived from clones whose mating types were known and had been repeatedly verified. D. iridis is now the object of extensive genetic studies, which sometimes involve the use of certain clones in hundreds of different crosses. For this reason, the problem of selffertility is encountered relatively frequently, and an understanding of it is of immediate importance. It should be recalled that the mating system in this organism is a 1-locus, multiple allelic one (Collins, 1963; Collins and Ling, 1964). Nine different mating alleles are now known. Crosses which bring together two haploid clones of different mating types yield the diploid plasmodial stage, whereas commonmating type crosses ordinarily do not. By way of further introduction, it should be pointed out that, in addition to the mating type genes, two other kinds of markers were employed in the present work. One of these involves plasmodial color and the other plasmodial compatibility. Plasmodia of D. iridis are either brown or cream colored, depending upon their genotype at