cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Transient Thrombocytopenia Produced by Administration of Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor: Investigations of the Mechanism

Administration of macrophage colony-stimulating factor (M-CSF) to mice (2 to 8 mg/kg/d x 5d) produced dose-dependent thrombocytopenia, which reached its nadir on days 4 to 5, followed by rapid recovery. Surprisingly, when administration of M-CSF was prolonged, the thrombocytopenia completely resolved, despite continued treatment. Splenectomy did not prevent the thrombocytopenia. Readministration of M-CSF after various intervals continued to produce the thrombocytopenic effect, even after 35 days. Measurements of Meg-CFC and megakaryocyte ploidy during the periods of M-CSF treatment and recovery of normal platelet levels showed no evidence of bone marrow suppression. Platelet survival was markedly decreased after 5 days of M-CSF (at the platelet count nadir) and after 9 days of continued M-CSF treatment, when the platelet count had returned to normal. Platelets from M-CSF-treated donors demonstrated normal survival when transfused into normal recipients. We concluded that thrombocytopenia produced by M-CSF was not due to suppression of thrombopoiesis, but to increased activity of the monocyte/macrophage system, which caused shortened platelet survival, and that subsequently, increased platelet production compensated for ongoing platelet destruction and resulted in normal platelet levels.
Unravelling the regulation of insulin transport across the brain endothelial cell

For circulating insulin to act on the brain it must cross the blood–brain barrier (BBB). Remarkably little is known about how circulating insulin crosses the BBB’s highly restrictive brain endothelial cells (BECs). Therefore, we examined potential mechanisms regulating BEC insulin uptake, signalling and degradation during BEC transcytosis, and how transport is affected by a high-fat diet (HFD) and by astrocyte activity. 125I–TyrA14-insulin uptake and transcytosis, and the effects of insulin receptor (IR) blockade, inhibition of insulin signalling, astrocyte stimulation and an HFD were tested using purified isolated BECs (iBECs) in monoculture and co-cultured with astrocytes. At physiological insulin concentrations, the IR, not the IGF-1 receptor, facilitated BEC insulin uptake, which required lipid raft-mediated endocytosis, but did not require insulin action on phosphoinositide-3-kinase (PI3K) or mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase (MEK). Feeding rats an HFD for 4 weeks decreased iBEC insulin uptake and increased NF-κB binding activity without affecting insulin PI3K signalling, IR expression or content, or insulin degrading enzyme expression. Using an in vitro BBB (co-culture of iBECs and astrocytes), we found insulin was not degraded during transcytosis, and that stimulating astrocytes with l-glutamate increased transcytosis, while inhibiting nitric oxide synthase decreased insulin transcytosis. Insulin crosses the BBB intact via an IR-specific, vesicle-mediated transport process in the BECs. HFD feeding, nitric oxide inhibition and astrocyte stimulation can regulate BEC insulin uptake and transcytosis.
Methodological challenges involved in compiling the Nahua pharmacopeia

Recent work in the history of science has questioned the Eurocentric nature of the field and sought to include a more global approach that would serve to displace center-periphery models in favor of approaches that take seriously local knowledge production. Historians of Iberian colonial science have taken up this approach, which involves reliance on indigenous knowledge traditions of the Americas. These traditions present a number of challenges to modern researchers, including availability and reliability of source material, issues of translation and identification, and lack of systematization. This essay explores the challenges that emerged in the author's attempt to compile a pre-contact Nahua pharmacopeia, the reasons for these challenges, and the ways they may - or may not - be overcome.
Individual- and Area-Level SES in Diabetes Risk Prediction: The Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis.

Introduction The purpose of this study was to evaluate if adding SES to risk prediction models based upon traditional risk factors improves the prediction of diabetes. Methods Risk prediction models without and with individual- and area-level SES predictors were compared using the prospective Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis. Cox proportional hazards models were utilized to estimate hazard ratios for SES predictors and to generate 10-year predicted risks for 5,021 individuals without diabetes at baseline followed from 2000 to 2012. C-statistics were used to compare model discrimination, and the proportion of individuals reclassified into higher or lower risk categories with the addition of SES predictors was calculated. The accuracy of risk prediction by SES was assessed by comparing observed and predicted risks across tertiles of the SES variables. Statistical analyses were performed in 2015–2016. Results Over a median of 9.2 years of follow-up, 615 individuals developed diabetes. Individual- and area-level SES variables did not significantly improve model discrimination or reclassify substantial numbers of individuals across risk categories. Models without SES predictors generally underestimated risk for low-SES individuals or individuals residing in low-SES areas (underestimates ranging from 0.31% to 1.07%) and overestimated risk for high-SES individuals or individuals residing in high-SES areas (overestimates ranging from 0.70% to 1.30%), and the addition of SES variables largely mitigated these differences. Conclusions Standard diabetes risk models may underestimate risk for low-SES individuals and overestimate risk for those of high SES. Adding SES predictors helps correct this systematic misestimation, but may not improve model discrimination.
Collegiality Matters: How Do We Work With Others?

It is no secret that collegiality matters in academe regardless of the size and type of institution. When it comes to promotion, reappointment and tenure, the invocation of collegiality occurs. Collegiality can mean different things to different people depending on the usage. This paper will examine the issues surrounding collegiality in a library setting, analyze the factors which influence collegiality among academic librarians, and explore the boundaries of collegiality in a higher education setting. The discussion concludes with an overview of research designed to develop a better understanding of how the leadership affects collegiality and, in turn, to identify strategies for the rapidly changing academic library environment which would enhance the ability of academic librarians to remain relevant and vital to the academic community we serve.
Deep-Water Octocorals (Cnidaria, Anthozoa) from the Galápagos and Cocos Islands. Part 1: Suborder Calcaxonia

Thirteen species of deep-water calcaxonian octocorals belonging to the families Primnoidae, Chrysogorgiidae, and Isididae collected from off the Galapagos and Cocos Islands are described and figured. Seven of these species are described as new; nine of the 13 are not known outside the Galapagos region. Of the four species occurring elsewhere, two also occur in the eastern Pacific, one off Hawaii, and one from off Antarctica. A key to the 22 Indo-Pacific species of Callogorgia is provided to help distinguish those species.
Using SNOMED Distance to Measure Semantic Similarity of Clinical Trials

The objective of this research is to propose to develop an innovative distance function, called SNOMED distance, which captures the nature of the semantic distance within the topological structure of SNOMED, to identify semantic similarity between clinical trials.
Primary Structures and Regulation of Cytochrome P-450 Isozymes 2 (IIB) And 5 (IVB) and the Flavin-Containing Monooxygenase in Rabbit Liver and Lung

Cytochrome P-450 (P-450) isozymes 2 and 5, which belong to P-450 gene subfamilies IIB and IVB according to the nomenclature devised by Nebert et al. (1), comprise over 90% of the P-450 in rabbit lung and are the major drug-metabolizing enzymes in that tissue. Results of immunochemical, catalytic, and biochemical studies (2-5) suggest that orthologs of isozymes 2 and 5 also account for the majority of the pulmonary P-450 in other species (rats, mice, guinea pigs, hamsters, and monkeys). A third drug-metabolizing enzyme present in rabbit lung at a relatively high concentration is the flavin-containing monooxygenase (FMO). This enzyme, which catalyzes the oxidation of sulfur, phosphorous, and nitrogen in a wide variety of compounds (6, 7), has also been detected in lungs from a number of species (8).
Men and Women Supervisors' Job Responsibility, Job Satisfaction, and Employee Monitoring

A gender-based job responsibility framework emphasizing job satisfaction and employee monitoring is presented in this study and is tested using a national sample of 2,607 supervisors representing a variety of industries. Overall, the path analysis indicated that male managers reported greater perceived responsibility than did female managers. Findings also indicated that perceived responsibility was positively related to both job satisfaction and employee monitoring. The limitations of the study are highlighted, and the managerial implications of the results and suggestions for future research are presented.
Distributed Optimization Over Networks

The advances in wired and wireless technology necessitated the development of theory, models and tools to cope with new challenges posed by large-scale optimization problems over networks. The classical optimization methodology works under the premise that all problem data is available to some central entity (computing agent/node). This premise does not apply to large networked systems where typically each agent (node) in the network has access only to its private local information and has a local view of the network structure. This chapter will cover the development of such distributed computational models for time-varying networks, both deterministic and stochastic, which arise due to the use of different synchronous and asynchronous communication protocols in ad-hoc wireless networks. For each of these network dynamics, distributed algorithms for convex constrained minimization will be considered. In order to emphasize the role of the network structure in these approaches, our main focus will be on direct primal (sub)-gradient methods. The development of these methods combines optimization techniques with graph theory and the non-negative matrix theory, which model the network aspect. The lectures will provide some basic background theory on graphs, graph Laplacians and their properties, and the convergence results for related stochastic matrix sequences. Using the graph models and optimization techniques, the convergence and convergence rate analysis of the methods will be presented. The convergence rate results will demonstrate the dependence of the methods’ performance on the problem and the network properties, such as the network capability to diffuse the information.
Fatal pulmonary hemorrhage associated with vascular amyloid deposition in a cat.

Case summaryAn adult female spayed Siamese-cross cat of unknown age was presented for bilateral hemorrhagic otorrhea. Nasopharyngeal polyps were diagnosed by CT and biopsy; bilateral ventral bulla ...
Index tumor volume on MRI as a predictor of clinical and pathologic outcomes following radical prostatectomy

Index tumor volume (ITV) measured on radical prostatectomy (RP) specimens has been shown to be associated with adverse pathologic and oncologic outcomes. We evaluate the value of ITV calculated from prostate multiparametric MRI (mpMRI) in predicting adverse clinical and pathologic outcomes. Data from a prospectively maintained, single-institution database were analyzed for patients who underwent mpMRI prior to RP (2007–2016). Index tumor was defined as a T2-visible lesion with the longest diameter. Adverse pathologic outcomes were extraprostatic extension (EPE), lymph node invasion (LNI), seminal vesicle invasion (SVI), and positive margins (PM). Logistic and Cox proportional hazard regression were used to assess associations with adverse pathology and biochemical recurrence (BCR), respectively. Of the 455 patients included, EPE, LNI, SVI and PM were present in 23.5%, 6.2%, 5.5% and 15.7% patients, respectively. Patients with adverse pathologic outcomes had larger median ITV. ITV was found to be an independent predictor of EPE (OR 1.22, p = 0.010), LNI (OR 1.39, p = 0.001), and SVI (OR 1.28, p = 0.009), but not PM (OR 1.03, p = 0.522). Combination of ITV and PSA was found to have predictive ability comparable to that of modified Partin tables (EPE:ITV + PSAAUC = 0.71 vs. PartinAUC = 0.71; LNI:ITV + PSAAUC = 0.92 vs. PartinAUC = 0.90, SVI:ITV + PSAAUC = 0.78 vs. PartinAUC = 0.82). 5 year BCR-free survival (median follow-up 24.9 months) was higher for patients with ITV < 2 cc (84.1% vs. 58.5%, p = 0.001). However, ITV was not found to be an independent predictor of BCR (HR 1.69, p = 0.130). We demonstrate that ITV measured on mpMRI is a predictor of adverse pathologic and clinical outcomes and can aid in preoperative risk assessment.
Commentary: what are the implications of autonomous vehicles for urban design practice?

The widespread deployment of autonomous vehicles over the coming decades will create challenges and opportunities for the urban design profession. The secondary impacts of this disruptive new techn...
Training American Indian and Alaska Native Social Workers for Indian Country.

This study reviews student's perspectives of an American Indian and Alaska Native Indian Studies center in a Master of Social Work degree (MSW) program from the Brown School at Washington Universit...
Abortion providers help their clients and themselves when they talk about the fetus.

For many years, abortion activists have found themselves in a defensive position regarding the place of the fetus in public discourse and abortion politics. In attempting to hold the focus on the w...
Correction to: Hydraulic traits of co-existing conifers do not correlate with local hydroclimate condition: a case study in the northern Rocky Mountains, U.S.A.

In this study, we examined the inter- and intra-specific variation of hydraulic traits of three conifers of the Northern Rockies: Pinus ponderosa, Picea engelmannii, and Pseudotsuga menziesii to understand the mechanisms that allow different plant species to co-exist across a watershed. We quantified differences in plant xylem water potential (ψx), xylem tissue vulnerability to cavitation (P50, or ψ causing 50% loss of hydraulic conductivity), and safety margins for co-occurring trees from low and high elevations. We then investigated xylem vulnerability to cavitation with rooting depth. We found that xylem vulnerability to cavitation did not correspond to where tree species were found in the landscape. For example, P. ponderosa grew in more xeric locations, while P. engelmannii were largely confined to more mesic locations, yet P. engelmannii had more negative P50 values. P. menziesii had the lowest P50 value, but displayed little variation in vulnerability to cavitation across the hydroclimatic gradient. These patterns were also reflected in the safety margins; P. menziesii had the widest safety margin, P. engelmannii was intermediate, and P. ponderosa displayed the narrowest safety margin. All three species were also using water sources deeper than 30 cm in depth, allowing them to persist throughout the mid-summer drought. Overall, species-specific hydraulic traits did not necessarily follow a predictable response to the environment; instead, a combination of physiological and morphological traits likely allow trees to persist across a broader hydroclimatic gradient than would be otherwise expected from hydraulic trait measurements alone.
The impact of unilateral, simultaneous, or sequential cochlear implantation on pediatric language outcomes.

The purpose of this study was to determine the impact of unilateral versus bilateral cochlear implantation on receptive and expressive spoken language outcomes. Secondary aims were to investigate f...
Examining the Coevolution of Drug Use Variety and Different Types of Offending Frequency Among Justice-Involved Adolescents:

Past research demonstrates a strong link between drug use and crime among justice-involved adolescents, yet little is known about the joint development between drug use variety and various types of...
A time-dependent parameter estimation framework for crop modeling

The performance of crop models in simulating various aspects of the cropping system is sensitive to parameter calibration. Parameter estimation is challenging, especially for time-dependent parameters such as cultivar parameters with 2-3 years of lifespan. Manual calibration of the parameters is time-consuming, requires expertise, and is prone to error. This research develops a new automated framework to estimate time-dependent parameters for crop models using a parallel Bayesian optimization algorithm. This approach integrates the power of optimization and machine learning with prior agronomic knowledge. To test the proposed time-dependent parameter estimation method, we simulated historical yield increase (from 1985 to 2018) in 25 environments in the US Corn Belt with APSIM. Then we compared yield simulation results and nine parameter estimates from our proposed parallel Bayesian framework, with Bayesian optimization and manual calibration. Results indicated that parameters calibrated using the proposed framework achieved an 11.6% reduction in the prediction error over Bayesian optimization and a 52.1% reduction over manual calibration. We also trained nine machine learning models for yield prediction and found that none of them was able to outperform the proposed method in terms of root mean square error and R2. The most significant contribution of the new automated framework for time-dependent parameter estimation is its capability to find close-to-optimal parameters for the crop model. The proposed approach also produced explainable insight into cultivar traits' trends over 34 years (1985-2018).
Evaluation of clear-sky and satellite-derived irradiance data for determining the degradation of photovoltaic system performance

Abstract Knowing the degradation in performance of a photovoltaic (PV) system over time is important for estimating the lifetime energy produced and the financial return. A key parameter for normalizing performance and determining degradation is the plane-of-array (POA) irradiance. Because accurate long-term POA measurements are not always readily available, three methods of providing irradiance data for determining the degradation rate of PV systems were evaluated—a method using irradiance data modeled with the Ineichen clear-sky model and monthly Linke turbidity coefficients, a method using the supplemental clear-sky irradiance data from the National Solar Radiation Data Base (NSRDB), and a method using the NSRDB solar irradiance data for both cloudy and clear-sky conditions (all-sky). The irradiance data from the three methods were evaluated using measured irradiance data from 1998 through 2018 for the seven-station SURFRAD network and for 3-, 5-, and 10-year periods that might be used for evaluating PV system performance. Only the two clear-sky methods for the 10-year periods had less uncertainty with respect to determining PV system degradation than the expected median degradation rate for PV systems of −0.5%/year to −0.6%/year. Shorter periods and the all-sky method had larger uncertainties, making their use questionable for determining the degradation rates of PV systems.
Effect of APOE alleles on the glial transcriptome in normal aging and Alzheimer’s disease

The roles of APOEe4 and APOEe2—the strongest genetic risk and protective factors for Alzheimer’s disease—in glial responses remain elusive. We tested the hypothesis that APOE alleles differentially impact glial responses by investigating their effects on the glial transcriptome from elderly control brains with no neuritic amyloid plaques. We identified a cluster of microglial genes that are upregulated in APOEe4 and downregulated in APOEe2 carriers relative to APOEe3 homozygotes. This microglia-APOE cluster is enriched in phagocytosis—including TREM2 and TYROBP—and proinflammatory genes, and is also detectable in brains with frequent neuritic plaques. Next, we tested these findings in APOE knock-in mice exposed to acute (lipopolysaccharide challenge) and chronic (cerebral β-amyloidosis) insults and found that these mice partially recapitulate human APOE-linked expression patterns. Thus, the APOEe4 allele might prime microglia towards a phagocytic and proinflammatory state through an APOE–TREM2–TYROBP axis in normal aging as well as in Alzheimer’s disease. The authors found that the Alzheimer’s disease-linked APOEe4 allele may prime microglia towards a phagocytic and pro-inflammatory state in the normal aging brain, even before Alzheimer’s amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles develop.
Predicting Physiological Effects of Chemical Substances Using Natural Language Processing

In this paper, we apply natural language processing methods to develop models for predicting physiological effects of chemical substances based on their molecular structures. Using string representations of structure as a starting point, we vectorize molecules using two different approaches resulting in sparse and dense vector representations, respectively. We use these representations to train predictive models for a variety of physiological effects such as toxicity, cell cycle arrest and proliferation. Using standard chemical datasets, we empirically demonstrate that such models can achieve high predictive accu-racy.
Optimizing Energy Use in Pig Production: An Examination of Iowa Systems

Energy is used in all aspects of pig production, from the manufacture of materials used in building construction to the cultivation and processing of feedstuffs. Historically the availability of fossil fuels has minimized pressure to consider all uses of energy in pig production. Rising energy prices, uncertain access to petroleum supplies, and recognition of the environmental impacts of fossil fuels are increasing awareness and incentive to reduce consumption of limited resources. This project estimates non-solar energy use for pig production options in Iowa. The baseline system produces 15,600 pigs annually using confinement facilities and a corn-soybean cropping sequence. Diet formulations for the baseline system include supplemented synthetic amino acid L-lysine and exogenous phytase. The baseline system represents the majority of current pork production systems in Iowa and the Upper Midwest where most U.S. swine are produced. This system is designed to minimize land-surface area requirements and encourage maximal pork production per unit of feed net energy and standardized ileal digestible lysine fed to pigs. The baseline system for swine production in Iowa is estimated to require 5.5 MJ non-solar energy/kg of live weight pig produced. In general producing pigs in Iowa in 2009 requires about 85% less non-renewable energy compared to 1975. An alternative system using hoop barns for grow-finish pigs and gestating sows was also evaluated. Using bedded hoop barns for gestating sows and grow finish pigs requires less energy to heat and ventilate buildings, but more energy to grow and process feed than conventional systems. Using hoop barns for swine production requires more feed and thus more non-solar energy to grow and process feed ingredients. However the savings in non-solar energy associated with operating hoop barn-based swine systems relative to conventional confinement systems nearly offsets those inputs. The alternative hoop-based system would require 5.6 MJ non-solar energy/kg live weight. The total energy used for both housing systems is very similar. Energy use for pig production is influenced by crop sequence and diet strategy with nitrogen management being a critical leverage point.
Modified Monte Carlo Methods Using Quasi-Random Sequences

Computational experiments have shown that Monte Carlo methods using quasi-random sequences lose some of their effectiveness for integration problems in which the dimension is large or the integrand is not smooth. In this paper, two modified Monte Carlo methods are developed, which regain an enhanced convergence rate. The standard rejection method involves discontinuities, corresponding to the decision to accept or reject. In place of this, a smoothed rejection method is formulated and found to be very effective when used with quasi-random sequences. Monte Carlo evaluation of Feynman-Kac path integrals involves high dimension, one dimension for each discrete time interval. Through an alternative discretization, the effective dimension of the integration domain is drastically reduced, so that quasi-random sequences are effective.
Interest Rates, Taxes, Bankruptcy and Financing Decisions

While most efforts in corporate finance focus on how firm characteristics influence financing decisions, recent studies indicate that interest rates can influence tax shields and bankruptcy costs, affecting the optimal capital structure. Using a yield curve factor model, I examine how interest rates affect the debt-equity choice. While the T-bill yield affects the likelihood of debt financing positively, the T-bond yield and the yield curve volatility affect the likelihood of debt financing negatively. These effects are partially due to the changes of tax shields and bankruptcy costs caused by the interest rate movements.
Genetic Algorithms and Punctuated Equilibria in VLSI

The distributed genetic algorithm presented has a population structure that allows the introduction of “ecological opportunity” [Wrig 82] in the evolutionary process in a manner motivated by the macro-evolutionary theory of Eldredge and Gould [Eldr 72]. The K-partition problem is selected from the domain of VLSI design and empirical results are presented to show the advantage derived from the population structure.
Methylphenidate decreases fat and carbohydrate intake in obese teenagers

Objective Dopamine is a neurotransmitter that mediates the reward value of food. Methylphenidate (MPH) selectively binds and inhibits the dopamine transporter, thus increasing brain dopamine levels shortly after oral administration. This investigation studied whether a single dose of MPH decreases energy intake (EI) in obese teenagers compared to placebo (P). Methods This study used a single-blind, placebo-controlled, within subject design. Teenagers with body mass index (BMI) ≥95th percentile underwent two identical meal tests (P or MPH) after a 10 h fast in random order. Food was weighed before and after the meals, and EI was calculated as energy content/gram of consumed foods. Total and macronutrient EI (mean ± SD) were analyzed by Mann–Whitney U and Wilcoxon tests. Results Twenty-two subjects (15 females, 7 males) completed the study. Participants were 13.4 ± 2.2 years old and had BMI 34.9 ± 10.7 kg/m². EI from fat (167 vs. 203 kcal, P = 0.03) and carbohydrates (311 vs. 389 kcal, P = 0.04) was decreased for MPH compared to P meals, with a trend in decreased total EI (545 vs. 663 kcal, P = 0.06). Conclusion A single dose of MPH decreases EI from fat and carbohydrates in obese adolescents. This effect underscores the importance of central dopamine signaling on eating behavior.
Visceral adiposity in persons with chronic spinal cord injury determined by dual energy X‐Ray absorptiometry

Objective: To determine visceral adipose tissue (VAT) volume (VATvol) by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) in spinal cord injured (SCI) and able-bodied (AB) participants and to explore the relationships between VATvol and routine anthropometric measures. Methods: Sixty-three subjects with SCI and 126 healthy male AB controls were stratified as low risk [LR: waist circumference (WC) <102 cm] and moderate to high risk (MHR: WC102 cm) for identification of risk for cardiometabolic disease: AB-LR, SCI-LR, AB-MHR, and SCI-MHR. Anthropometrics and standard body composition measurements by DXA with analysis to derive VATvol were performed. Results: Comparison of the four subgroups demonstrated the highest subcutaneous adipose tissue volume (SATvol) in the AB-MHR group (P <0.01), and the highest VATvol in the SCI-MHR group (P <0.01). Furthermore, when compared to the AB group, participants with SCI had a 27% increase in VATvol for every centimeter increase in WC and a 20% increase in VATvol for every unit increase in BMI. Conclusions: Because cutoff values for the routine surrogate measures of adiposity underestimate visceral adiposity in persons with SCI, the risk of adverse metabolic consequences would also be underestimated, which necessitates adjustment of the these cutoff values or, preferably, to perform its direct measurement.
Session initiation protocol and Web services for next generation multimedia applications

This paper describes a framework for providing multimedia, multimodal, distributed services using the session initiation protocol (SIP) and Web services technologies. Within the framework, there is a service platform consisting of the SIP application server, which is used to build call routing/telephony and IMPP (instant message and presence) services using SIP servlets, and a Web application server. There are also distributed service building blocks providing basic building blocks such as an IVR system, media server, TTS server and conference server. All these building blocks from different vendors can be registered in the UDDI registry for dynamic binding at run time. SOAP is used to transfer control information among different components. Meanwhile, the building blocks can be packaged as deployable units with an SIP interface for establishing IMPP and media sessions and with a SOAP interface for providing dynamic control information. The proposed framework will be beneficial to service developers so that they can use familiar Web development tools instead of proprietary APIs to develop new media applications. It will be also useful for service providers or integrators to easily and quickly deploy new services, which are allowed to be distributed remotely and configured using standard protocols. In addition, the proposed framework will be helpful for end users to access innovative multimedia services, which offer interactions with different features at relatively low cost. It is shown that a number of innovative services could be built using this framework.
A new chip-level differential detection system for DS-CDMA

In this paper we mathematically prove that if the original spreading Pseudo-Noise (PN) code is an m-sequence or a Gold-sequence, then the chip-by-chip differential decoding (CBCDD) sequence of the original PN code is a cyclic shift version of the original PN sequence. By utilizing this property, we design a new chip-level differential detection system for DS-CDMA, which does not require any chip-level differential encoding in the transmitter. We demonstrate simplicity of implementation and robust operation in the presence of carrier frequency shift.
The relative influence of smoking on drinking and drinking on smoking among high school students in a rural tobacco-growing county

Abstract Purpose: To construct and estimate a model that contains a reciprocal relationship between smoking and drinking and to test whether the gateway drug thesis or the cumulative risk behaviors thesis best fits the data. Methods: Data ( n = 630) are from a survey of all students (50% female; aged 16.2 years on average; 2.4 grade point average; and 57% residing in homes with both mother and father present) in a rural, tobacco-growing county's two high schools, one public (85%) and one private, in 1993. The survey was conducted by the schools as part of their alcohol and other drugs (AOD) prevention programs and was coordinated by the county AOD Council. Students completed the questionnaires in their homerooms. Endogenous predictors of drinking and smoking include student's perception of adult drug behavior, peer pressure to drink, degree to which their friends' drink, and attitudes toward drinking and smoking. Path coefficients were estimated by using LISREL. Results: The strong correlation between smoking and drinking resulted from shared causes, rather than from the effects of one type of drug use on the other. Approval of drinking had the strongest association with being a drinker (β = .57) and with being a smoker (β = .37). Those who found smoking offensive were less likely to be a smoker (β = −.25). However, attitude toward smoking was not associated with being a drinker. Having drinking friends increased both the likelihood of being a drinker (β = .29) and of being a smoker (β = .23). Peer pressure to drink increased the likelihood of being a smoker (β = .14) and of being a drinker (β = .12). Students with lower grade point averages, males, older students, students in public school, and students with family structures other than both parents living in the same household were more likely to be a drinker and were more likely to be a smoker. Conclusions: Our results support the cumulative risk behaviors thesis. The link between both high-risk behaviors, smoking and drinking, results from common causes rather than from drinking leading to smoking.
Measurement of Glycosylated Vitamin B6 in Foods

To examine the levels of glycosylated vitamin B6 in 22 foods, each food was stirred for 2 hr at pH 6.8 and then incubated for 2 hr at pH 5.0 and 37°C with β-glucosidase (60 units per g food). Vitamin B6 content of foods was measured microbiologically before and after enzyme treatment as well as with acid hydrolysis. Animal products contained no measurable amount of glycosylated B6. Grains and legumes generally had a high level of this bound form (6–57% of the total vitamin B6). Of the fruits analyzed, orange juice had the highest level of glycosylated vitamin B6 (47%). Among fresh vegetables studied, raw carrots had the highest level (51%). For broccoli and cauliflower, the glycosylated value was higher for the processed food as compared to the raw food.
Blind over Cuba: The Photo Gap and the Missile Crisis. By David M. Barrett and Max Holland. (College Station, TX: Texas A&M University Press, 2012. Pp. x, 210. $29.95.)

In this study, authors David M. Barrett and Max Holland focus on one element of the Cuban Missile Crisis they consider both understudied and crucial: the failure to conduct U‐2 surveillance flights...
Status of robotic mission studies for the Space Exploration Initiative—1991

Results of studies of robotic missions to the moon and Mars planned under the U.S. Space Exploration Initiative are summarized. First, an overall strategy for small robotic missions to accomplish the information gathering required by human missions is reviewed, and the principal robotic mission requirements are discussed. The discussion covers the following studies: the Lunar Observer, the Mars Environmental Survey mission, Mars Sample Return missions using microtechnology, and payloads.
E6-AP facilitates efficient transcription at estrogen responsive promoters through recruitment of chromatin modifiers

E6-AP is a known coactivator of the estrogen receptor alpha (ERα), however the coactivation mechanism of E6-AP is not clear. This work was undertaken to elucidate the coactivation mechanism of E6-AP. In order to examine the role of E6-AP in ERα signaling, we knocked-down the expression of E6-AP and examined the transactivation functions of ERα. Knockdown of E6-AP showed reduced mRNA production of the ERα target genes pS2 and GREB1 suggesting that E6-AP is required for their proper transcription facilitated by ERα. In order to study the mechanism(s) by which E6-AP regulates the transcriptional functions of ERα, we performed chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) assays under E6-AP knockdown conditions. Our ChIP data suggest that knockdown of E6-AP leads to decreased recruitment of the histone acetylase p300 to the ERα target gene pS2 promoter as well as reduced histone modifications at the promoter. Although there was reduced p300 recruitment to the pS2 promoter, loss of p300 did not account fully for the loss of histone acetylation. Taken together our data suggest that E6-AP regulates the transactivation functions of ERα in part by complexing with p300 and other chromatin modifying enzymes at target gene promoters to create a transcriptionally active promoter environment.
A comparison of phytoplankton assemblages in the Chesapeake and Delaware estuaries (USA), with emphasis on diatoms

The Delaware Bay is characterized as having greater nutrient and turbidity levels than the Chesapeake Bay. In reference to these differences, a one year study was conducted to identify any similarities and differences in the phytoplankton populations in these estuaries. The results indicated patterns of similarity in the diatom composition, with the total phytoplankton assemblage forming two site groups along a salinity gradient in each bay. These site groups were associated with stations located in the tidal fresh-oligohaline and meso-polyhaline regions of both estuaries. The seasonal concentrations of diatoms and total phytoplankton in both of these regions were higher in the Chesapeake Bay.
On security of a home energy management system

Smart grid, constituting of numerous components and sub-systems, can be a target for security threats. Failure of any sub-system to properly defend itself against attacks poses a serious risk to the protection of smart grid as a whole. Therefore, securing residential demand response (DR) applications as part of the smart grid requires careful attention. This paper discusses security concerns of a specific DR implementation: the Home Energy Management (HEM) system developed at Virginia Tech (VT). The paper identifies possible security attacks against its various key components, and presents best practices for the counter-measure against those attacks. Privacy issues have also been addressed using access control methods. The paper serves as a use case example of assessing and mitigating security risks in residential DR programs.
The Seebeck coefficient of the solid and liquid germanium

The knowledge of the Seebeck coefficient of materials is essential in determining the actual solid/liquid interface temperature during the melt growth of crystals. In this study, the Seebeck coefficient of the solid and liquid germanium was measured employing the small Δ T technique. The Seebeck coefficient increased from −107 μ V/∘C at 857∘C to −54 μ V/∘C at 931∘C in the solid. However, an average constant value of −0.6 μ V/∘C was obtained in the liquid from 938 to 960∘C, above which a value of −18 μ V/∘C was recorded. Also, when the liquid samples were cooled below the melting point, a melt supercooling was observed, which seemed to be larger with higher melt temperatures.
On the relative slice problem and four dimensional topological surgery.

A central open problem in the classification theory of topological fourmanifolds is to determine the validity of four-dimensional surgery and fivedimensional s-cobordism theorems without fundamental group restrictions. By work of M. Freedman [2], [3] the class of groups for which these theorems hold (“good groups”) includes the groups of polynomial growth. Recently Freedman and Teichner [6] showed that, more generally, the groups of subexponential growth are good. It is expected [3] that the theorems fail for free (non-abelian) groups; this conjecture is known as the A-B-slice problem. A more precise conjecture states that the Whitehead double of the Borromean Rings Wh(Bor) is not (freely) slice. In this paper we study the “relative-slice” reformulation of this problem, introduced in [4]. Our main theorem may be viewed as a result in link theory, while providing some evidence towards the conjecture. Recall the following definition from [4].
Amplification of genes for chorion proteins during oogenesis in Drosophila melanogaster

The endochorion and exochorion of Drosophila eggs are synthesized by the ovarian follicle cells during a brief period of about 5 hr. In this terminal phase of egg chamber development, the structural genes for several abundant chorion proteins are expressed at high levels according to a temporally regulated program. The female-sterile mutation ocelliless maps at the site of the genes for two of these proteins, the 36,000- and 38,000-dalton chorion proteins (c36 and c38), which are closely linked. The mutation results in a cis-acting reduction in the amounts of c36 and c38 that accumulate in late-stage egg chambers. We have investigated the mechanism that underlies this decreased production by using cDNA clones complementary to these gene sequences. Unexpectedly, it was found that, in normal females, the genes for c36, c38, and at least one other chorion protein are specifically amplified more than 10-fold in the DNA of late-stage egg chambers. The extra replication involves at least some adjacent chromosomal sequences and begins prior to the onset of mRNA and protein synthesis. The additional DNA remains stable after gene expression has ceased. The behavior of these genes is thus reminiscent of the properties of the DNA puffs that have been described in several groups of Diptera. The extent of amplification of c36 and c38, but not of the 18,000-dalton chorion protein c18 (which is unlinked), was decreased in the egg chambers of flies homozygous for ocelliless, suggesting that altered gene dosage may be responsible for the decreased synthesis of chorion proteins in the mutant.
The production of tremor by cholinergic drugs: Central sites of action

Abstract The tremorogenic effect of systemically administered oxotremorine has been examined in rats following brain transections and after placement of electrolytic lesions. Transections passing through the caudal midbrain or anterior pons prevent oxotremorine-induced tremor. Lesions placed in an area extending between the rostal midbrain and caudal pons, in all cases involving portions of the dorsal tegmentum, abolish or reduce this tremor. Lesions of diencephalic structures are without effect. Microinjections of oxotremorine or carbachol into four areas of the cat brain produce tremor: the basal forebrain, near the diagonal band of Broca; the medial preoptic area; the anteromedial hypothalamus; and the mesencephalo-pontine junction. Atropine sulfate administered into the same sites or systematically reverses this effect.
Relationship of Soil Respiration to Crop and Landscape in the Walnut Creek Watershed

Abstract Soil respiration is an important component of the carbon dynamics of terrestrial ecosystems. Many factors exert controls on soil respiration, including temperature, soil water content, organic matter, soil texture, and plant root activity. This study was conducted to quantify soil respiration in the Walnut Creek watershed in central Iowa, and to investigate the factors controlling this process. Six agricultural fields were identified for this investigation: three of the fields were cropped with soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] and three were cropped with corn (Zea mays L.). Within each field, soil respiration was measured at nine locations, with each location corresponding to one of three general landscape positions (summit, side slope, and depression). Soil respiration was measured using a portable vented chamber connected to an infrared gas analyzer. Soil samples were collected at each location for the measurement of soil water content, pH, texture, microbial biomass, and respiration potential....
Hacia una representación fonética de las señas: secuencialidad y contraste

In this paper we examine the theory of the structure of signs that grew from Stokoe’s (1965) proposals. We begin by examining argument for the structural simultaneity of signs by examining claims about how signs contrast and how cheremes function. Historically, such discussions have involved three claims: (1) that signs are composed of a single handshape, a single location, and a sequence of movements, and (2) that these structural aspects account for contrast between signs in the same way that phonemes account for contrast in spoken languages, and (3) that this is evidence of dual patterning. Using a number of different examples, we evaluate these claims from the perspective of the standard definitions of contrast and duality of pattern, showing that discussions drawn from this reasoning are not consistent with standard notions of the phoneme or of double articulation and duality of pattern. We suggest that, if signed languages in fact are structured in the way Stokoe proposed—an approach maintained even in recent work (Meir et al. 2007, 537–39)—then the phoneme and notions of duality of pattern must be redefined for signed languages. We demonstrate, however, that the putative simultaneity proposed by this model does not adequately represent actual observations about the structure of signing and conclude that a model with inherent sequentiality of segments provides a more precise description of signs. We evaluate several such models, finding each to be inadequate, and end with the claim that an adequate descriptive system for signed languages will employ sequential segments. Such a system would be consistent with notions of contrast and duality of pattern developed for other languages.
Retrieving the Green's function of the diffusion equation from the response to a random forcing

It is known that the Green's function for nondissipative acoustic or elastic wave propagation can be extracted by correlating noise recorded at different receivers. This property is often related to the invariance for time reversal of the acoustic or elastic wave equations. The diffusion equation is not invariant for time reversal. It is shown in this work that the Green's function of the diffusion equation can also be retrieved by correlating solutions of the diffusion equation that are excited randomly and are recorded at different locations. This property can be used to retrieve the Green's function for diffusive systems from ambient fluctuations. Potential applications include the fluid pressure in porous media, electromagnetic fields in conducting media, the diffusive transport of contaminants, and the intensity of multiply scattered waves.
Ultraviolet divergences in radiative corrections to weak decays

The problem of second-order radiative corrections to general semileptonic weak decays is considered. Previous results on ultraviolet divergences in the calculations for zero-momentum-transfer $\ensuremath{\beta}$ decays can be proven for the general process, provided that the models of the strong interactions are restricted to renormalizable theories of elementary fermion fields coupled to neutral massive vector bosons through a conserved vector current. A possible method for calculating finite radiative corrections to actual processes is also discussed.
Design and Performance Evaluation of a 10:1 Pressure Ratio Centrifugal Compressor Impeller

Small gas turbine engines for advanced helicopter application and for auxiliary power have strong interest in centrifugal compressors, where high pressure ratios are required in a single stage. But there are few single stage centrifugal compressors capable of pressure-ratios around 10:1, due to stress considerations which severely limit the compressor’s safety, durability and life expectancy. In this work, design considerations are carried out for single stage centrifugal impeller with a pressure ratio of 10:1 and mass flow of 3 kg/s. One-D design procedure is used to compute the skeletal geometry of the impeller and to set a rough description of the flow at inlet and outlet. The theoretical head will be evaluated from Euler’s equation using slip factor. Determining the pressure ratio and efficiency of the impeller are achieved through evaluation of the slip factor and the internal and external losses. The losses evaluated in the impeller are those due to incidence, transonic inlet, skin friction, blade loading, shroud clearance, and recirculation. The design procedure adopted will be verified and compared with the well-documented Eckardt impellers and data. After one-D design, three-D geometry of the impeller is developed, and CFD flow simulation of the impeller flow is carried out to determine the performance of the impeller.Copyright © 2010 by ASME