cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A Reduced Order Memetic Algorithm for Constraint Optimization in Radiation Therapy Treatment Planning

In this paper, a novel hybrid genetic algorithm is presented for optimization in radiation therapy treatment planning. The proposed Reduced Order Memetic Algorithm (ROMA) is a combination of an evolutionary multi-objective optimization algorithm and gradient-based local search in a reduced order space. The gradient-based optimizer is used for a fast local search and is a variant of the sequential quadratic programming method. The execution time of the local search is improved by applying dynamically a principal component analysis to the solutions generated by the genetic optimizer and reducing the high-dimensionality search-space. In particular, for intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) we observed reduction of the search-space dimensionality from several hundreds to less than twenty. Latin hypercube sampling was used to define the weights of the scalarization scheme for the local search fitness function for each individual solution. The proposed hybrid algorithm obtains efficiently a set of diverse non-dominated solutions for a large scale multi-objective problem such as in radiation treatment planning optimization. The applicability of the proposed algorithm is demonstrated for IMRT optimization for a case of prostate cancer.
Regeneration of Syngonium podophyllum ‘Variegatum’ through direct somatic embryogenesis

A simple and effective method of regenerating Syngonium podophyllum ‘Variegatum’ via direct somatic embryogenesis has been established. Leaf and petiole explants were cultured on Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium supplemented with N-(2-chloro-4-pyridyl)-N′-phenylurea (CPPU) or N-phenyl-N′-1,2,3-thiadiazol-5-ylurea (TDZ) with either α-naphthalene acetic acid (NAA) or 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D). Somatic embryos directly formed at one or two sides of petiole explants on MS medium supplemented 2.5 mg l−1 TDZ with 0.5 mg l−1 NAA or 2.0 mg l−1 TDZ with 0.2 mg l−1 NAA or with 0.2 and 0.5 mg l−1 2,4-D, respectively. The frequency of petiole explants with somatic embryos produced was as high as 86% when cultured on medium containing 2.5 mg l−1 TDZ with 0.5 mg l−1 NAA. Up to 85% of somatic embryos were able to germinate after transferring onto medium containing 2.0 mg l−1 6-benzylaminopurine (BA) and 0.2 mg l−1 NAA. Approximately 50–150 plantlets were regenerated from a single petiole explant. However, there was no somatic embryo formation from leaf explants regardless of growth regulator combinations used. Regenerated plantlets from petiole explants were stable and grew vigorously after transplanting to a soilless container substrate in a shaded greenhouse.
Rapid protein kinase D1 signaling promotes migration of intestinal epithelial cells

We have examined the role of protein kinase D1 (PKD1) signaling in intestinal epithelial cell migration. Wounding monolayer cultures of intestinal epithelial cell line IEC-18 or IEC-6 induced rapid...
Collegial support and novice teachers’ perceptions of working conditions

Using survey data gathered from novice teachers at the elementary and middle school level across 11 districts, this study examined variation in perceptions of working conditions related to workload and access to resources and further identified the association between these perceptions and the quality of support the novices received from their formal mentors and other colleagues. The findings from this study indicate that the quality of mentor support is positively associated with novice teachers’ ability to manage their assigned workload, while the quality of support from other colleagues is positively associated with novices’ ability to meet the requirements of their administrative tasks. Novices’ perceptions of the administrative climate varied little over the course of one school year, and there were only slight variations in novices’ perceptions based on years of experience and level taught. Novices did vary significantly from their veteran colleagues in their perceptions of working conditions. The findings from this study have implications for understanding the role that formal and informal teacher support has in mediating the expectations and demands of novice teachers’ work, which can then help guide improvements in novice teacher induction and working conditions.
Calcium-dependent properties of CIB binding to the integrin αIIb cytoplasmic domain and translocation to the platelet cytoskeleton

The alphaIIbbeta3 integrin receives signals in agonist-activated platelets, resulting in its conversion to an active conformation that binds fibrinogen, thereby mediating platelet aggregation. Fibrinogen binding to alphaIIbbeta3 subsequently induces a cascade of intracellular signalling events. The molecular mechanisms of this bi-directional alphaIIbbeta3-mediated signalling are unknown but may involve the binding of proteins to the integrin cytoplasmic domains. We reported previously the sequence of a novel 22-kDa, EF-hand-containing, protein termed CIB (calcium- and integrin-binding protein) that interacts specifically with the alphaIIb cytoplasmic domain in the yeast two-hybrid system. Further analysis of numerous tissues and cell lines indicated that CIB mRNA and protein are widely expressed. In addition, isothermal titration calorimetry indicated that CIB binds to an alphaIIb cytoplasmic-domain peptide in a Ca(2+)-dependent manner, with moderate affinity (K(d), 700 nM) and 1:1 stoichiometry. In aggregated platelets, endogenous CIB and alphaIIbbeta3 translocate to the Triton X-100-insoluble cytoskeleton in a parallel manner, demonstrating that the cellular localization of CIB is regulated, potentially by alphaIIbbeta3. Thus CIB may contribute to integrin-related functions by mechanisms involving Ca(2+)-modulated binding to the alphaIIb cytoplasmic domain and changes in intracellular distribution.
Reliability and validity of servqual scores used to evaluate perceptions of library service quality

The study explores reliability and validity of scores from the SERVQUAL measurement protocol. Scores were highly reliable, but the five SERVQUAL dimensions were not recovered. As a result, the validity of the instrument as originally conceived may be questionable in the research library context. Comparisons to earlier SERVQUAL studies in academic libraries are drawn.
First report of Ixodes (Ixodes) minor Neumann (Acari: Ixodidae) from South Carolina.

Previous reports from the literature have indicated the northernmost range of extension of Ixodes minor Neumann to be southern Georgia with the greatest number of collections having been made in the coastal regions of that state. An unpublished record in the U.S. National Tick Collection indicated that I. minor had been collected as far north as South Island, Georgetown County, S.C., as early as 1933. I. minor was collected on three separate occasions in Charleston County, S.C., between October 1990 and February 1991, thus verifying the northern extension of this tick's range and the probable existence of a stable population on the coast of South Carolina. The roof rat ( Rattus rattus ) is reported for the first time serving as a host for I. minor .
Nucleotide sequence changes produced by mutations in the lac promoter of Escherichia coli.

Nucleotide changes occurring in class I mutants of the lac promoter have been determined. Mutants L8, L37, L65 and L592 produce a G·C to T·A transition at nucleotide 19, while L29, L146 and L614 produce a C·G to A·T transition at nucleotide 28. These two mutational sites are symmetrically located in a sequence in which 12 of 14 nucleotides are related by a dyad axis. This region may be the binding site for the catabolite gene activator protein. In a previous publication (Dickson et al., 1975)_we presented the nucleotide changes seen in the class II promoter mutants, L241 and L305, and the class III promoter mutant, pr1a. Here we present the data which determined these nucleotide changes.
Genome Diversity of Spore-Forming Firmicutes

Formation of heat-resistant endospores is a specific property of the members of the phylum Firmicutes (low-G+C Gram-positive bacteria). It is found in representatives of four different classes of Firmicutes, Bacilli, Clostridia, Erysipelotrichia, and Negativicutes, which all encode similar sets of core sporulation proteins. Each of these classes also includes non-spore-forming organisms that sometimes belong to the same genus or even species as their spore-forming relatives. This chapter reviews the diversity of the members of phylum Firmicutes, its current taxonomy, and the status of genome-sequencing projects for various subgroups within the phylum. It also discusses the evolution of the Firmicutes from their apparently spore-forming common ancestor and the independent loss of sporulation genes in several different lineages (staphylococci, streptococci, listeria, lactobacilli, ruminococci) in the course of their adaptation to the saprophytic lifestyle in a nutrient-rich environment. It argues that the systematics of Firmicutes is a rapidly developing area of research that benefits from the evolutionary approaches to the ever-increasing amount of genomic and phenotypic data and allows arranging these data into a common framework.
Helicosporidia: a genomic snapshot of an early transition to parasitism

Helicosporidia are gut parasites of invertebrates. These achlorophyllous, non-photosynthetic green algae are the first reported to infect insects. Helicosporidia are members of the green algal class Trebouxiophyceae and are further related to the photosynthetic and non-photosynthetic genera Auxenochlorella and Prototheca , respectively, the latter of which can also turn to parasitism under opportunistic conditions. Molecular analyses suggest that Helicosporidia diverged from other photosynthetic trebouxiophytes less than 200 million years ago and that its adaptation to parasitism is therefore recent. In this minireview, we summarize the current knowledge of helicosporidian genomics. Unlike many well-known parasitic lineages, the Helicosporidium sp. organelle and nuclear genomes have lost surprisingly little in terms of coding content aside from photosynthesis-related genes. While the small size of its nuclear genome compared to other sequenced trebouxiophycean representatives suggests that Helicosporidium is going through a streamlining process, this scenario cannot be ascertained at this stage. Genome expansions and contractions have occurred independently multiple times in the green algae, and the small size of the Helicosporidium genome may reflect a lack of expansion from a lean ancestor state rather than a tendency towards reduction.
Multibody Dynamics Integrated With Muscle Models and Space-Time Constraints for Optimization of Lifting Movements

A multibody dynamics model integrated with space-time constraints based optimization is presented in this paper for generating optimal trajectories of human lifting movements. “Space-time constraints” is a two-point boundary value dynamic optimization technique developed for animation of computer graphics characters and has a significant potential for biomechanics and other mechanical movement based dynamic optimization problems. Optimization results demonstrate the ability to consider different preferences for minimizing the loading of specific joints such as an ankle, or a knee, or a shoulder during the lifting motion and the resulting lifting trajectories are shown to be different. Lumped muscle models to generate the joint torques are incorporated at five joints to model the actuation effects of the muscular system during the dynamic movement. The dynamic optimization is then based on the muscle activation parameters instead of the traditionally used joint torques. The muscle activation model optimization is shown to correlate better with the actual motion tests conducted by the VICON video capture and test data analysis system.Copyright © 2005 by ASME
Effects of PCPA on the consumption of alcohol, water and other solutions ☆

Abstract The influence of para-chlorophenylalanine (PCPA) on the preference for alcohol, saccharin, glucose, and sodium chloride solutions and on water intake was studied in rats. Ten daily intragastric doses of 100 mg/kg PCPA were found to reduce alcohol preference both during and after PCPA treatment. Administration of daily 20 mg/kg IP doses of 5-hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP), plus a peripheral decarboxylase inhibitor, failed to reverse the PCPA-induced suppression in the post-PCPA test. Alcohol preference was not reduced below baseline following PCPA if this drug was administered between preference tests rather than coincident with alcohol drinking. Preferences for saccharin, glucose, and sodium chloride solutions were all affected by PCPA. Large increases in water intake were produced by 50, 100, or 200 mg/kg PCPA given orally for 10 days. These experiments suggest that alcohol preference, in studies where PCPA treatment and alcohol drinking occur concurrently, may be considerably influenced by learned aversions to alcohol. Also, PCPA may, under some circumstances, produce an increased consumption of water by rats.
TCQ-based quantizer design for data hiding in images

ABSTRACT Most of quantization based data hiding schemes are based on uniform scalar quantizer, which is optimal onlyif the host signal is uniformly distributed. In our recent work, we proposed two pdf -matched quantizer baseddata hiding schemes, both of which have better embedding eciency than conventional uniform quantizer basedschemes. But these schemes require a lot of location information for qualied pixels, which increases the sideinformation needed by the decoder. Moreover, these schemes are inconvenient when high embedding rates aredesired. In this paper, we propose a trellis coded quantizer (TCQ) based data hiding scheme, which is provedto be more embedding ecient than traditional quantizer based schemes. Experimental results show that theproposed scheme can be up to 1.2 dB closer to the capacity upper bound than the QIM scheme over the wholewatermark noise rate (WNR) range. Comparing with our previous work, the proposed TCQ based scheme hasless side information and can easily realize a high embedding rate.Keywords: Watermarking, Data Hiding, Costa Scheme, TCQ, Quantization Based data hiding
A case for digit serial VLSI signal processors

Digit serial architectures, which have digit serial data transmission combined with digit serial computation, are uniquely suited for the design of VLSI signal processors. The speed disadvantages of digit serial input are overcome if the input is overlapped with the computation--what we refer to as digit pipelining. Digit pipelining allows us to break up long strings of combinatorial logic and, thus, to increase the clock rate of the system while still preserving much of the circuit structure. In general, for a modest increase in hardware (which in VLSI translates to a modest increase in area) digit serial architectures offer the potential of higher throughput than equivalent word parallel architectures. Several designs for various digit serial adders are presented. Then two filter examples are discussed that use the digit serial adders to achieve digit pipelining.
Moth Diversity and Abundance between Habitats on a Shade Coffee Plantation in Western Jamaica

Abstract. Habitat loss is the leading cause of wildlife decline worldwide. More prevalent than out-right destruction, however, is habitat fragmentation, exhibited especially in tropical regions. Less well studied is the effect of these patchworks of habitats, and the subsequent effect on local invertebrate populations. A small-scale study assessing moth diversity and abundance between forest edges and crop interiors on a shade coffee plantation was conducted in western Jamaica in January 2009. Ornithologists use shade coffee as an example of sustainable agriculture that protects neotropical migratory birds, and shade coffee plantations have been shown to act as a buffer area (“halo”) between fragmented habitats for insects. The patches of vegetation allow moths to disperse between areas without suitable vegetation for host plants. UV black light traps were used at the edge and interior of each site to sample local moth fauna. While there was no significant difference in morphospecies richness or abundance...
A reassessment of catatonia.

Abstract We consider catatonia as a disease entity having a cyclic, alternating course with periods of depression and mania. The prodromal symptoms observed often have a strong affective component. Diagnosis of catatonic schizophrenia should not be made on the basis of catatonic features or symptoms alone. It should only be made after schizophrenia has first been diagnosed by recognized diagnostic criteria. Research is needed to validate these observations. Epidemiologic studies, family genetic studies, and laboratory methods (such as the dexamethesone suppression test and other procedures) may offer avenues for pursuing catatonia as described by Kahlbaum as mainly an affective disorder. The presence of catatonic features demands a careful differential diagnosis. To merely label a patient with catatonic features as schizophrenic without further examination and investigation may deprive such a patient of proper treatment, which in cases such as malignant neuroleptic syndrome may mean the difference between life and death.
A basis for analyzing test-retest reliability.

Three sources of variation in experimental results for a test are distinguished: trials, persons, and items. Unreliability is defined only in terms of variation over trials. This definition leads to a more complete analysis than does the conventional one; Spearman's contention is verified that the conventional approach—which was formulated by Yule—introduces unnecessary hypotheses. It is emphasized that at least two trials are necessary to estimate the reliability coefficient. This paper is devoted largely to developinglower bounds to the reliability coefficient that can be computed from but asingle trial; these avoid the experimental difficulties of making two independent trials. Six different lower bounds are established, appropriate for different situations. Some of the bounds are easier to compute than are conventional formulas, and all the bounds assume less than do conventional formulas. The terminology used is that of psychological and sociological testing, but the discussion actually provides a general analysis of the reliability of the sum ofn variables.
Scheduling identical jobs with unequal ready times on uniform parallel machines to minimize the maximum lateness

Abstract We consider the problem of scheduling n identical jobs with unequal ready times on m parallel uniform machines to minimize the maximum lateness. This paper develops a branch-and-bound procedure that optimally solves the problem and introduces six simple single-pass heuristic procedures that approximate the optimal solution. The branch-and-bound procedure uses the heuristics to establish an initial upper bound. On sample problems, the branch-and-bound procedure in most instances was able to find an optimal solution within 100,000 iterations with n ≤80 and m ≤3. For larger values of m , the heuristics provided approximate solutions close to the optimal values.
Carboxyl-Catalyzed Prototropic Rearrangements in Histidine Peptide Radicals upon Electron Transfer: Effects of Peptide Sequence and Conformation

We report an unusual prototropic rearrangement in gas-phase radicals formed by collisional electron transfer from cesium atoms to protonated peptides HAL, AHL, and ALH at 50 keV. The rearrangement depends on the peptide amino acid sequence and presence or steric accessibility of a free carboxyl group. Upon electron transfer, protonated HAL and ALH rearrange to tautomers that are detected as nondissociated anions in charge-reversal mass spectra. The isomerization is minor in protonated ALH and virtually absent in HAL amide. Electron structure calculations indicate that the gas-phase ions are preferentially protonated in the His imidazole ring and consist of multiple conformers that differ in their hydrogen bonding patterns. Electron transfer to protonated HAL and AHL triggers an exothermic and dynamically barrierless transfer of the carboxyl proton onto the C-2′ position of the His ring that occurs on a 120−240 ns time scale. The kinetics of this isomerization are controlled by internal rotations in the ra...
Spacing of faults at the scale of the lithosphere and localization instability: 1. Theory

[1] Large-scale tectonic structures such as orogens and rifts commonly display regularly spaced faults and/or localized shear zones. To understand how fault sets organize with a characteristic spacing, we present a semianalytical instability analysis of an idealized lithosphere composed of a brittle layer over a ductile half-space undergoing horizontal shortening or extension. The rheology of the layer is characterized by an effective stress exponent, ne. The layer is pseudoplastic if 1/ne = 0 and forms localized structures if 1/ne < 0. Two instabilities grow simultaneously in this model: the “buckling/necking instability” that produces broad undulations of the brittle layer as a whole, and the “localization instability” that produces a spatially periodic pattern of faulting. The latter appears only if the material in the brittle layer weakens in response to a local perturbation of strain rate, as indicated by 1/ne < 0. Fault spacing scales with the thickness of the brittle layer and depends on the efficiency of localization. Localization is more efficient for more negative 1/ne, leading to more widely spaced faults. The fault spacing is related to the wavelength at which different deformation modes within the layer enter a resonance that exists only if 1/ne < 0. Depth-dependent viscosity and the model density offset the instability wavelengths by an amount aL that we determine empirically. The wave number of the localization instability, is kjL = π(j + aL)(−1/ne)−1/2/H, with H the thickness of the brittle layer, j an integer, and 1/4 < aL < 1/2 if the strength of the layer increases with depth and the strength of the substrate decreases with depth.
Can do or will do? The importance of self-efficacy and instrumentality for training transfer

Training participants' cognitions (training self-efficacy and training instrumentality) can be powerful motivational forces (and impact their motivation to learn and motivation to transfer) and influence important distal outcomes (such as training transfer). Our paper provides a set of ideas linking training cognitions with training outcomes. In addition, we support our propositions with a preliminary empirical test, based on a sample of 254 employees, who provide information on their training perceptions of training and development efforts at their organization. The results indicate that although the ‘can do’ (training self-efficacy) is a primary predictor or motivation to learn, the ‘will do’ aspect (training instrumentality) is the primary predictor for motivation to transfer. In addition, training transfer is predicted primarily by motivation to transfer, and has a strong relationship with training instrumentality. Given the paucity of research on the instrumentality aspect, we discuss theoretical and...
Response of human primary foreskin cells to a cell-extract obtained from skin.

Der Einfluss eines biochemischen, zellfreien Hautextraktes auf menschliche Vorhautzellen wurde in Kultur gepruft. Allgemeine Hemmung von Zellwachstum, Zellvermehrung, Zellvolumen und Mitoserate sprechen fur aktiven Bestandteil des Extraktes.
Evaluation and use of the lead electrode for sulfate determinations in lake samples

Dosage du sulfate dans l'eau de surface et dans l'eau des pores extraite de parties centrales de sediment
Genetic Modeling of Glioma Formation in Mice

In humans, gliomas are the most common form of primary brain tumors. These tumors are traditionally categorized, based on their histological features, into several groups with the majority displaying either astrocytic or oligodendroglial differentiation. Both groups can appear as high-grade (malignant) or low-grade forms of tumor. In addition, tumors present that carry mixed features of oligodendroglial and astrocytic components (159). To date, a wide variety of genetic and environmental factors have been found to represent a causal link in gliomagenesis. One of the best established environmental causes of human gliomas is ionizing radiation, which was demonstrated in follow-up studies of patients who received treatment for acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL), craniopharyngioma, or pituitary adenoma during childhood (21,293). Furthermore, patients with certain enzyme deficiencies are particularly susceptible to develop gliomas upon exposure to particular chemicals (87,237). Patients with neurofibromatosis I and II (137,143,159,163), Li-Fraumeni (176), and Turcot’s syndrome (115) are predisposed to develop high-grade astrocytoma. An increased tumor incidence, particularly lymphomas, but also gliomas and medulloblastomas were described in ataxia-teleangiectasia (200). Some familial gliomas are related to mutations in TP53 (161,169,185), CHK2 (18, 288) or the p16 INK4A /p14 ARF locus (8,270); others exist in the absence of a known genetic syndrome (108,182). Familial gliomas represent only a small fraction of all gliomas; the majority of gliomas are sporadic.
Monte Carlo Simulation of Lyα Scattering and Application to Damped Lyα Systems

A Monte Carlo code to solve the transfer of Lyα photons is developed that can predict the Lyα image and two-dimensional Lyα spectra of a hydrogen cloud with any given geometry, Lyα emissivity, neutral hydrogen density distribution, and bulk velocity field. We apply the code to several simple cases of a uniform cloud to show how the Lyα image and emitted line spectrum are affected by the column density, internal velocity gradients, and emissivity distribution. We then apply the code to two models for damped Lyα absorption systems: a spherical, static, isothermal cloud and a flattened, axially symmetric, rotating cloud. If the emission is due to fluorescence of the external background radiation, the Lyα image should have a core corresponding to the region where hydrogen is self-shielded. The emission-line profile has the characteristic double peak with a deep central trough. We show how rotation of the cloud causes the two peaks to shift in wavelength as the slit is perpendicular to the rotation axis and how the relative amplitude of the two peaks is changed. In reality, damped Lyα systems are likely to have a clumpy gas distribution with turbulent velocity fields, which should smooth the line emission profile but should still leave the rotation signature of the wavelength shift across the system.
Studies on the uptake of human chorionic gonadotropin and its subunits by rat testicular homogenates and interstitial tissue.

The binding of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) and its α– and β–subunits, by rat testicular homogenates (RTH) and rat testicular interstitial tissue (RTIT) preparations was investigated by direct uptake studies, using fractions labeled with m I by the chloramine—T procedure, as well as by uptake inhibition studies. We found that the ratio (w/w) of chloramine—T to protein as well as length of exposure to chloramine— T before termination of the reaction with sodium metabisulfite, were critically important in determining the binding properties of the labeled hormone or subunit. The direct uptake of suitably labeled hCG could be inhibited by preincubation of RTH or RTIT with cold hCG, human LH or bovine LH. Inhibition was also noted following preincubation of RTH with the α– or β–subunits of hCG, human TSH or human FSH. This could be explained, however, on the basis of contamination of these preparations with intact hCG or LH. The uptake of labeled hCG by RTH or RTIT was considerably greater than that foun...
CALCULATION OF THE UNIFORM CASH FLOW WHICH IS EQUIVALENT TO A CUBICALLY VARYING CASH FLOW

Abstract Finding the uniform annual cash flow which is equivalent to a given irregular cash flow is an elementary but frequently arduous calculation. A closed form result is developed from which the uniform annual cash flow may be calculated provided that the actual cash flow varies with time according to a polynomial whose degree does not exceed three. An example which concerns finding the equivalent annual energy dissipation cost in electric system distribution transformers is included.
Stellar mixing V. Overshooting

Helio-seismological data suggest an overshooting (OV) extent of 0.07 H p (H p is the pressure scale height), while theoretical predictions from both models and numerical simulations yield values that are an order of magnitude higher. The reason identified by the authors of numerical simulations is the limited range of physical parameters allowed by the numerical simulations compared to the true solar values; specifically, the simulations are still too viscous. In the case of theoretical models, we discuss limitations that at present cannot be solved. For these reasons, we propose and work out a different methodology, which has in principle the following advantages. First, there is no longer a need to model the flux of turbulent kinetic energy, which has been a stumbling block for many years and whose modeling has introduced uncertainties that are difficult to control. Second, we account for processes not included before: shear (differential rotation), meridional currents, gravitational energy, stable-unstable stratification, and double diffusion.
Early generalized overgrowth in autism spectrum disorder: prevalence rates, gender effects, and clinical outcomes

Objective Although early head and body overgrowth have been well documented in autism spectrum disorder (ASD), their prevalence and significance remain unclear. It is also unclear whether overgrowth affects males and females differentially, and whether it is associated with clinical outcomes later in life. Method To evaluate prevalence of somatic overgrowth, gender effects, and associations with clinical outcomes, head circumference, height, and weight measurements were collected retrospectively between birth and 2 years of age in toddlers with ASD (n = 200) and typically developing (TD; n = 147) community controls. Symptom severity, verbal, and nonverbal functioning were assessed at 4 years. Results Abnormalities in somatic growth in infants with ASD were consistent with early generalized overgrowth (EGO). Boys but not girls with ASD were larger and exhibited an increased rate of extreme EGO compared to community controls (18.0% versus 3.4%). Presence of a larger body at birth and postnatal overgrowth were associated independently with poorer social, verbal, and nonverbal skills at 4 years. Conclusion Although early growth abnormalities in ASD are less common than previously thought, their presence is predictive of lower social, verbal, and nonverbal skills at 4 years, suggesting that they may constitute a biomarker for identifying toddlers with ASD at risk for less-optimal outcomes. The results highlight that the search for mechanisms underlying atypical brain development in ASD should consider factors responsible for both neural and nonneural tissue development during prenatal and early postnatal periods, and can be informed by the finding that early overgrowth may be more readily observed in males than in females with ASD.
Activation of the growth hormone/insulin-like growth factor axis by treatment with 17α-methyltestosterone and seawater rearing in the tilapia, Oreochromis mossambicus

Effects of 17 alpha-methyltestosterone (MT) treatment and environmental salinity on the growth hormone (GH)/insulin-like growth factor (IGF) axis were examined in the euryhaline tilapia, Oreochromis mossambicus. Yolk-sac fry were collected from brood stock in fresh water (FW). After yolk-sac absorption, they were assigned randomly to 1 of 4 groups: FW, MT treatment in FW, SW, and MT treatment in seawater (SW). After 147 days, FW controls had the lowest levels of GH mRNA followed by FW fish treated with MT and SW control fish. Seawater fish fed with a diet containing MT, which grew the fastest, had significantly higher levels of GH mRNA than all the other groups. A significant correlation was observed between GH mRNA and the size of the individual fish. By contrast, plasma GH levels did not vary significantly among the groups. Pituitary GH mRNA levels, plasma IGF-I levels, and fish size varied in a correlated pattern, i.e., SW+MT>FW+MT=SW control>FW control. The tilapia pituitary produces two prolactins (PRLs), PRL(177) and PRL(188). Prolactin(177), but not PRL(188), exhibits growth-promoting actions in FW tilapia. Pituitary mRNA levels of both PRLs were significantly higher in fish reared in FW than those reared in SW. Treatment with MT significantly increased mRNA levels of both PRLs in FW, but had no effect on SW fish. No correlation was seen between plasma PRL levels and growth or between PRL mRNA levels and growth. These results indicate that SW rearing and MT treatment stimulate the GH/IGF-I axis, and suggest that pituitary GH mRNA at this stage of development is a better indicator of growth than plasma levels of GH and IGF-I.
Immunophenotyping of leukaemia: an immunoperoxidase method using air‐dried smears

Summary An immunoperoxidase (IP) method utilizing monoclonal antibodies to demonstrate the presence of the common acute lymphocytic leukaemia antigen (CALLA) on leukaemic cells using air-dried blood and bone marrow smears is described. Two readily available CALLA-specific monoclonal antibodies, BA-3 and J5, and an avidin-biotin immunoperoxidase methodology were utilized. Nineteen cases of acute leukaemia or blast crisis of chronic myelogenous leukaemia were studied. Immunofluorescent studies correlated closely with the results of the immunoperoxidase technique.
The origins of war

Abstract In War Before Civilization, Lawrence H. Keeley argues that prehistoric as well as primitive mankind was more warlike than has been recognized by most scholars. Such scholars subscribe, according to Keeley, to “the myth of the peaceful savage,” the subtitle of his book. But Keeley, who leads a long list of Hawks, has replaced this myth with another, the “myth of the warlike savage.” Anthropologists who argue that serious warfare arose only after the rise of the state and civilization understate the extent of serious warfare in prehistory. The evidence for warfare among primates, prehistoric mankind, early agriculturalists, and primitive peoples suggests that the truth lies somewhere between the myth of the peaceful savage and the myth of the warlike savage.
Absolute Interferometry with a 670-nm External Cavity Diode Laser

In the past few years there has been much interest in use of tunable diode lasers for absolute interferometry. Here we report on use of an external cavity diode laser operating in the visible (λ ∼ 670 nm) for absolute distance measurements. Under laboratory conditions we achieve better than 1-µm standard uncertainty in distance measurements over a range of 5 m, but significantly larger uncertainties will probably be more typical of shop-floor measurements where conditions are far from ideal. We analyze the primary sources of uncertainty limiting the performance of wavelength-sweeping methods for absolute interferometry, and we discuss how errors can be minimized. Many errors are greatly magnified when the wavelength sweeping technique is used; sources of error that are normally relevant only at the nanometer level when standard interferometric techniques are used may be significant here for measurements at the micrometer level.
Scaling of limb joint surface areas in anthropoid primates and other mammals

Recently it was reported that limb joint surface areas scale positively allometrically with body weight in anthropoid primates. This was attributed to the biomechanics of weight bearing: larger animals must require relatively larger joint surfaces to withstand relatively greater weight-related stresses on the joints. Our data on humeral and femoral geometry and joint surface areas in 73 species belonging to six mammalian orders (including primates) demonstrate that positive allometry of joint surface areas is not a general phenomenon for mammals and cannot have its basis among Anthropoidea in the biomechanics of weight bearing. We argue that, to the extent that positive allometric scaling of joint surface areas occurs in anthropoid primates, it is an artifact of differences in positional behaviour among distinct taxonomic groups that also happen to differ widely in body weight. Furthermore, we argue that, among mammals ranging in body size from sportive lemurs to giant pandas, functionally similar groups tend to exhibit: (1) linear dimensions (especially diameters and shaft circumferences) that scale in direct proportion to each other; and (2) joint surface areas that scale in direct proportion to the squares of linear dimensions and to the 2/3 power of body mass. In other words, limb bones of functionally similar animals fit the theoretical model of geometric similarity (or skeletal isometry). Differences in relative sizes of joint surface areas are related to differences in force transmission and movement potential among functionally distinct groups of animals.
CubeSat Torrent: Torrent like distributed communications for CubeSat satellite clusters

CubeSat is a pico satellite weighing one kilogram, measuring one liter in volume and is used primarily for space research. Low data rate communication limits the use of CubeSats for missions like imaging and remote sensing. In this paper we study how power, volume and geometry constraints of a CubeSat satellite cripple CubeSat communications and introduce CubeSat Torrent, a Torrent like distributed communication system, for CubeSat clusters. CubeSat Torrent aims to increase the downlink and uplink speeds of large files by distributing pieces of the files to CubeSats in the cluster and downloading different pieces of the files simultaneously from different CubeSats. The proposed system proved, through simulation experiments, to substantially improve the download and upload times of large files by a factor of about the size of cluster. Future work will include Distributed File System and Distributed Processing Framework for CubeSat clusters to store large amounts of data and do large scale data processing.
Thiol Diffusion and the Role of Humidity in "Dip Pen Nanolithography"

Abstract : The radii of octadecanethiol spots deposited by an atomic force microscope tip onto a gold surface were studied as a function of contact time and humidity. The deposition is well described by twodimensional diffusion from an annular source of constant concentration, with a surface diffusion coeffi- cient of 8400 nm2 s21, independent of humidity. Facile transfer is observed even after near continuous deposition for more than 24 h in a dry N2 environment, indicating that a water meniscus is not required.
A note on the value of public information in monopoly

The paper shows that in the standard model of monopoly with asymmetric information and second-degree price discrimination, the monopolist prefers to reveal public information under a form of stochastic dependence that is weaker than the affiliation of private values, private signals, and public signals.
Modeling Dilated Cardiomyopathies in Drosophila

During the past 100 years, the fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster, has provided tremendous insights into genetics and human biology. Drosophila-based research utilizes powerful, genetically tractable approaches to identify new genes and pathways that potentially contribute to human diseases. New resources available in the fly research community have advanced the ability to examine genome-wide effects on cardiac function and facilitate the identification of structural, contractile, and signaling molecules that contribute to cardiomyopathies. This powerful model system continues to provide discoveries of novel genes and signaling pathways that are conserved among species and translatable to human pathophysiology.
Hardware matrix multiplier/ accumulator for lattice gauge theory calculations

Abstract The design and operating characteristics of a special-purpose matrix multiplier/accumulator are described. The device is connected through a standard interface to a host PDP11 computer. It provides a set of high-speed, matrix-oriented instructions which can be called from a program running on the host. The resulting operations accelerate the complex matrix arithmetic required for a class of Monte Carlo calculations currently of interest in high energy particle physics. A working version of the device is presently being used to carry out a pure SU(3) lattice gauge theory calculation using a PDP11/23 with a performance twice that obtainable in a VAX11/780.
Cross-species gene transfer: a major factor in evolution?

Abstract Recent experimental evidence is discussed in terms of the speculative theory that the transfer of genes from one species to another may be a major factor in macroevolutionary change.
The Effects of Rapid Weight Loss and Attempted Rehydration on Strength and Endurance of the Handgripping Muscles in College Wrestlers

Abstract Eleven university wrestlers were tested on three occasions in a 6-min fatigue bout during which the subject squeezed a hand dynamometer maximally and then relaxed every other second until a total of 180 contractions had been completed. Testing was administered (1) following a 5% body weight loss within a 3-day period just prior to testing, (2) after a 5% body weight loss followed by an attempt to rehydrate to the original weight, and (3) under a control condition with no weight loss. All subjects were tested under all conditions with the order of testing assigned at random. One-way ANOVA failed to reveal any effects of the rapid weight loss or attempted rehydration on initial strength, final strength, or the force-time integrals. In addition, a 3 × 13 ANOVA for hydration level across the 13 observation times failed to reveal any interaction between the two factors. A mathematical analysis of the force-time values revealed that fatigue progressed in an exponential pattern described by a curve with...
SPONTANEOUS SOCIAL ORDERS

Abstract As the results of man-engineered experiments with social design, social “revolution”, socialist “architectures”, and other feats of “social engineering”, are crumbling down, they are causing large-scale human suffering through their failures. There is a renewed awareness that self-organizing and spontaneous properties of complex social systems are much too powerful (and much too vulnerable at the same lime) to respond or be exposed to the endless, reductionistic “tinkering” of policy “makers”, “scientists” of the artificial, and “engineers of human souls”.‡ The mankind is again ready to learn how to “trigger”, “catalyze”, “sustain” and “lead-manage” a spontaneous process of social self-organization; it is becoming less inclined to design another “central super-controller”, “information-processing command system”, or “World Brain”. The purpose of this paper is to show: (1) that theories dealing with “spontaneous social orders” have deep historical roots and (2) that systems sciences are in a good ...
Assay for early cytoplasmic effects of the src gene product of Rous sarcoma virus

Abstract When microinjected into normal fibroblasts, cytoplasmic extracts of cells transformed by Rous sarcoma virus caused dissolution of microfilament bundles. This activity was not found in extracts of normal cells. The maximum effect was seen within 30 min of injection, and the activity could still be measured after a 10-fold dilution of the cytoplasmic extracts (14 mg/ml original protein concentration). The activity was trypsin sensitive and was destroyed by boiling, but was not RNase sensitive. Protein synthesis was not required for the disruption of actin-containing stress fibers by the injected activity. Microinjected cytoplasts prepared from normal 3T3 cells also showed dissolution of microfilament bundles, indicating that the cell nucleus was not required for expression of activity. Extracts made from fibroblasts transformed by Rous sarcoma virus having a temperature-sensitive mutation in the src gene were also temperature sensitive in the microinjection assay. Thus, the activity of extracts from cells infected with src mutant virus, but not from cells infected with wild-type virus, was destroyed either by in vitro incubation of the extract at the nonpermissive temperature before injection or by incubation of recipient cells at the nonpermissive temperature after injection. We conclude that the microinjection assay can detect a cytoplasmic activity coded for by the src gene of Rous sarcoma virus and that an early direct or indirect target of the src gene product is the cytoskeleton and cell motility system. This result is discussed in relation to the hypothesis that submembranous arrays of microfilaments, microtubules, and their associated proteins interact with cell surface receptors to form a surface modulating assembly that functions as a key regulator of cell growth.
Whose "I/Eye" Counts?: The Reproduction of Mythical Master Narratives

The literature on diversity in higher education spans a broad range of issues. However, while broad in range, contemporary scholarship on diversity in higher education often suffers from a view of diversity that is ahistorical and acontextual. Through a critique of a study by Wolf-Wendel, Toma and Morphew (2001), this article aims to demonstrate how ahistorical and acontexual approaches to diversity perpetuate powerful mythical master narratives that uphold the status quo.
Comparative Proteomic Analysis of Botrytis cinerea Secretome

Botrytis cinerea (B. cinerea) is a filamentous fungus infecting more than 200 plant species, causing significant economic losses worldwide. Secreted proteins are released as an initial response of the fungus to its plant host. We report the use of a high-throughput LC-MS/MS approach to analyze B. cinerea BO5.10 secreted proteins. Secretions were collected from fungus grown on a solid substrate of cellophane membrane while mock infecting media supplemented with the extract of full red tomato, ripened strawberry or Arabidopsis leaf extract. Overall, 89 B. cinerea proteins were identified from all growth conditions. Sixty proteins were predicted to contain a SignalP motif indicating the extracellular location of the proteins. Seven proteins were observed in all the growth conditions implying a constitutive nature of their secretion. Identified in the secretions were transport proteins, proteins well-characterized for carbohydrate metabolism, peptidases, oxidation/reduction, and pathogenicity factors that pro...
A variational approach to multi-sensor fusion of images

Past research into multi-modality sensor data fusion has given rise to approaches that are generally heuristic and ad hoc. In this paper we utilize the calculus of variations as the underlying framework for fusing registered images of different modalities when models relating these modalities are available. The result is a mathematically rigorous method for improving the accuracy with which parameters can be estimated. Using both dense and sparse simulated range and intensity data, the proposed approach is demonstrated on the problem of estimating the surface representing the three dimensional structure of a scene. The results indicate that a four to five-fold increase in surface estimation accuracy with respect to the original input data can be realized. Furthermore, an 8%–250% increase in accuracy over surface estimation from each sensing modality alone (i.e., via shape from shading or surface reconstruction) can be realized.