cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The IL-23/Th17 axis : therapeutic targets for autoimmune inflammation

Autoimmune inflammatory responses and the diseases that develop as a consequence are now thought to be driven through a novel non-Th(1) pathway. IL-23, together with additional factors including TGF-beta1 and IL-6, collectively generate and sustain a distinct CD4(+) 'Th(17) inflammation effector' T-cell subset characterized by its production of inflammatory chemokines and cytokines, including IL-17. With this paradigm shift in understanding of autoimmune inflammation pathogenesis comes exciting opportunities to identify and to target therapeutically molecules within the IL-23/Th(17) axis that are key to disease development.
Carcinoma in situ in urethral diverticulum: pitfalls of mars upialization alone

Abstract Carcinoma in situ was found in a urethral diverticulum in a fifty-one-year-old black woman. The discovery of this lesion lends support to the fact that biopsy of the urethral diverticulum should be performed even if a Spence-Duckett procedure is carried out.
Complex cell response depends on interslit spacing.

PSYCHOPHYSICAL studies have established that the human central visual system contains a large number of independent channels each of which responds maximally to a selectively oriented sine wave grating of a given spatial frequency and hardly at all to gratings of spatial frequencies differing by a factor of two1–4. Electrophysiological studies with moving sinusoidally modulated grating patterns have demonstrated that there exists a class of neurones in the striate cortex of cats5 and monkeys6 each member of which is maximally selective to a given spatial frequency and orientation.
Viability of methods for generating stable reduced order models

Various methods for generating stable reduced order models are shown to have a serious disadvantage, in that the reduced model may approximate the nondominant poles of the system and hence lead to erroneous approximations. An example is given to compare these methods with the standard Pade approximation method for which this disadvantage does not exist.
River-basin simulation in systems with large response times

Abstract This paper deals with two common problems encountered in the static simulation of a river basin: the determination of the simulation length and the balancing of the effect of the initial conditions on the system measures of performance. Because of the impossibility of dealing in a general manner with the problem at hand, a specific case is looked upon, that of a Markovian output. Expressing the effect of the two factors in a cost-structure optimum, initial conditions and simulation length are obtained by minimizing the cost. Although the results obtained are specific for the case under study, the methodology used is quite general and could be used, if modified accordingly, for practically every case.
Adults' Perceptions of Piano Study: Achievements and Experiences:

The purposes of this investigation were to describe adults' perceptions of piano study, to identify their music and nonmusic interests, and to describe perceptions of home influences related to mus...
NMR dynamics in disordered magnets

The excitation dynamics of site diluted magnets can be described at low energies (long length scales) by magnons, and above a crossover frequency, ωc, (short length scales) by fractons. The density of fracton states is given by $$N(\omega )\alpha \omega ^{\bar d - 1} $$ , where $$\bar \bar d$$ is the fracton dimensionality. Dilution gives rise to a characteristic length ξ∝(p−p c)ν, wherep c is the critical concentration for (magnetic) percolation. The crossover frequency ωc is proportional to ξ-1[1+(θ/2)], where θ is the rate at which the diffusion constant decays with distance for diffusion on an equivalent network. A fractal dimensionD describes the density of magnetic sites on the infinite network, and $$\bar \bar d = 2D/(2 + \theta )$$ . For percolating networks, $$\bar \bar d \simeq {4 \mathord{\left/ {\vphantom {4 3}} \right. \kern-\nulldelimiterspace} 3}$$ for all dimensions ≥2. Neutron scattering structure factor measurements by Uemura and Birgeneau compare well with calculations using fracton concepts. Magnons are extended at low energies, while the fracton states are geometrically localized, with a wave function envelope proportional to exp $$\{ - [{r \mathord{\left/ {\vphantom {r {\Lambda (\omega )}}} \right. \kern-\nulldelimiterspace} {\Lambda (\omega )}}]^{d_\phi } \} $$ . Here, $$\Lambda (\omega ) \propto \omega ^{{{ - \bar d} \mathord{\left/ {\vphantom {{ - \bar d} D}} \right. \kern-\nulldelimiterspace} D}} $$ is the fracton length scale at frequency ω. The exponentd ϕ lies between 1 andd min, the chemical length index (of the order of 1.6 in three dimensions). The localization of the magnetic excitations causes a spread in the NMR relaxation rates. A given nuclear moment will experience only a limited set of fracton excitations, resulting in an overall non-exponential decay of the NMR relaxation signal. When strong cross-relaxation is present, the relaxation will be exponential, but the temperature dependence will be strongly altered from the concentrated result.
Intergenerational patterns in beliefs about women's roles among adolescents and their parents in the Czech Republic

Sixty-nine dyads consisting of an adolescent (age 15 or 16) and his or her parent living in the Polish-speaking region of the Czech Republic completed the adolescent or short version of the Attitudes Toward Women Scale (Galambos, Petersen, Richards, & Gitelson, 1985 ; Spence, Helmreich, & Stapp, 1973). The attitude of parents and their adolescent children were significantly correlated, and the younger generation expressed less traditional attitudes than did their parents. In addition, mothers and adolescents girls held more agalitarian (less traditional) beliefs than did their male counterparts. Thses results suggest that attitudes toward women's roles may be becoming less traditional in the Czech Republic as in other parts of the world and that even in a rapidly changing society, parents and their adolescent children share beliefs about appropriate gender roles
Nanotribological Properties of Composite Molecular Films: C60 Anchored to a Self-Assembled Monolayer

Tribological properties of molecular films composed of a fullerene monolayer chemically attached to the functional surface of self-assembled monolayers (C60−SAM) were studied by friction force microscopy. We observed very high wear stability of composite fullerene films. The friction coefficient (μ) for these films varies in a wide range from 0.04 ± 0.02 at high loads and 0.06 ± 0.02 at the highest velocities tested (<1000 μm/s) to 0.15 ± 0.03 at intermediate velocities and low loads. This non-monotonic velocity behavior is a striking feature of fullerene films as compared to steadily rising friction forces for alkylsilane monolayers (CH3−SAM) and may be related to exceeding dissipation of energy during structural rearrangement of fullerene molecules. The friction coefficient of C60−SAM films of 0.04−0.15 at various velocities and loads is much lower than μ for silicon surfaces (0.1−0.6) and is comparable to the friction coefficient of CH3−SAM (0.02−0.05) and an azide-terminated monolayer, N3−SAM (0.04−0....
Deadline-Driven Bandwidth Allocation with Flexible Transmission Rates in WDM Networks

We investigate dynamic bandwidth allocation with flexible transmission rates for deadline-driven requests (DDRs) in wavelength-division multiplexing (WDM) mesh networks. DDRs provide more scheduling flexibility to the network operator compared with typical requests with no deadline and requiring a fixed bandwidth. By choosing the bandwidth and adapting the transmission rate depending on network state, the network's performance can be improved. We investigate several bandwidth allocation policies and study their benefits on network performance. Our investigation shows that an adaptive policy generally performs the best. Further improvement can be achieved by using dynamic readjustment of the allocated bandwidth.
Blind multiuser detection: a subspace approach

A new multiuser detection scheme based on signal subspace estimation is proposed. It is shown that under this scheme, both the decorrelating detector and the linear minimum-mean-square-error (MMSE) detector can be obtained blindly, i.e., they can be estimated from the received signal with the prior knowledge of only the signature waveform and timing of the user of interest. The consistency and asymptotic variance of the estimates of the two linear detectors are examined. A blind adaptive implementation based on a signal subspace tracking algorithm is also developed. It is seen that compared with the previous minimum-output-energy blind adaptive multiuser detector, the proposed subspace-based blind adaptive detector offers lower computational complexity, better performance, and robustness against signature waveform mismatch. Two extensions are made within the framework of signal subspace estimation. First, a blind adaptive method is developed for estimating the effective user signature waveform in the multipath channel. Secondly, a multiuser detection scheme using spatial diversity in the form of an antenna array is considered. A blind adaptive technique for estimating the array response for diversity combining is proposed. It is seen that under the proposed subspace approach, blind adaptive channel estimation and blind adaptive array response estimation can be integrated with blind adaptive multiuser detection, with little attendant increase in complexity.
A Statistical Approach to Inverting the Born Ratio

We examine the problem of fluorescence molecular tomography using the normalized Born approximation, termed herein the Born ratio, from a statistical perspective. Experimentally verified noise models for received signals at the excitation and emission wavelengths are combined to generate a stochastic model for the Born ratio. This model is then utilized within a maximum likelihood framework to obtain an inverse solution based on a fixed point iteration. Results are presented for three experimental scenarios: phantom data with a homogeneous background, phantoms implanted within a small animal, and in vivo data using an exogenous probe.
Implementation of a boundary layer heat flux parameterization into the Regional Atmospheric Modeling System (RAMS)

Abstract. The response of atmospheric carbon dioxide to a given amount of surface flux is inversely proportional to the depth of the boundary layer. Overshooting thermals that entrain free tropospheric air down into the boundary layer modify the characteristics and depth of the lower layer through the insertion of energy and mass. This alters the surface energy budget by changing the Bowen ratio and thereby altering the vegetative response and the surface boundary conditions. Although overshooting thermals are important in the physical world, their effects are unresolved in most regional models. A parameterization to include the effects of boundary layer entrainment was introduced into a coupled ecosystem-atmosphere model (SiB-RAMS). The parameterization is based on a downward heat flux at the top of the boundary layer that is proportional to the heat flux at the surface. Results with the parameterization show that the boundary layer simulated is deeper, warmer, and drier than when the parameterization is turned off. These results alter the vegetative stress factors thereby changing the carbon flux from the surface. The combination of this and the deeper boundary layer change the concentration of carbon dioxide in the boundary layer.
A Statistical Mechanical Perspective on the Temperature Dependence of the Isosteric Heat of Adsorption and Adsorbed Phase Heat Capacity

Statistical mechanical concepts were applied to analyze the temperature dependence of the isosteric heat of adsorption and, consequently, the difference between the adsorbed and gas phase heat capacities for monatomic, diatomic, and linear and nonlinear polyatomic molecules. Expressions were developed at the two extremes of localized and mobile adsorption. Also, the effects of the molecular size and shape on the isosteric heats of adsorption and the dependence on temperature were analyzed. The temperature dependence of the isosteric heat of adsorption was always important, especially for localized adsorption, heavily adsorbed molecules, or relatively low temperatures. At relatively high temperatures, the temperature dependence of the isosteric heat of adsorption became linear with a fixed slope, regardless of the molecular size (for both localized and mobile adsorption) and molecular shape (for mobile adsorption). Depending on the type of molecule and/or temperature, the difference between the adsorbed an...
Explaining Variation in Contemporaneous Responses to Hurt in Premarital Romantic Relationships: A Relational Turbulence Model Perspective

The authors use the relational turbulence model to derive hypotheses linking characteristics of relationships and reactions to hypothetical hurtful messages from a romantic relationship partner. It was hypothesized that relational uncertainty and perceptions of goal interference and facilitation from a partner predict perceptions of relational turbulence, which in turn predicts the intensity of hurt feelings, negative emotions, and the perceived intentionality of hurt evoked by hypothetical scenarios involving that partner. Participants in a web-based survey ( N = 381) completed measures of relationship qualities and recorded responses to five hypothetical scenarios that described their romantic partner delivering a potentially hurtful message. As anticipated, relationship uncertainty and interference from a partner predicted increased relational turbulence, whereas facilitation from a partner was associated with less turbulence; relational turbulence significantly predicted all three reactions to hurtful...
Using Videovoice Methods to Enhance Community Outreach and Engagement for the National Children’s Study:

The National Children’s Study (NCS) is a prospective observational study examining the effects of environmental influences on child health and development in the United States. Videovoice is a heal...
Reporting Standards for Research Publications

Reporting standards for research Publications and ethical issues relevant to publishing research findings are presented to provide best practices for counselors, counselor educators, researchers, educators, and other mental health practitioners and for contributors to the Counseling Outcome Research and Evaluation (CORE) journal. Topics include ethical issues in publishing research, reporting standards for research, validity and reliability evidence, and standards used to report reliability and validity evidence.
Age and MMPI indices of schizophrenia

Assessed the generalizability of empirically derived MMPI criteria for the diagnosis of schizophrenia with an older sample of hospitalized patients (N = 65). The criterion diagnosis was established through the use of a standarized structured interview and a diagnostic system for schizophrenia based on the use of discriminant function analysis. Results were quite disappointing because only 22% of the sample obtained an MMPI profile that fit the above criteria.
Forgiveness Results From Integrating Information About Relationship Value and Exploitation Risk

Exploitation is a fact of life for social organisms, and natural selection gives rise to revenge mechanisms that are designed to deter such exploitations. However, humans may also possess cognitive forgiveness mechanisms designed to promote the restoration of valuable social relationships following exploitation. In the current article, the authors test the hypothesis that decisions about forgiveness result from a computational system that combines information about relationship value and exploitation risk to produce decisions about whom to forgive following interpersonal offenses. The authors examined the independent and interactive effects of relationship value and exploitation risk across two studies. In Study 1, controlling for other constructs related to forgiveness, the authors assessed relationship value and exploitation risk. In Study 2, participants experienced experimental manipulations of relationship value and exploitation risk. Across studies, using hypothetical and actual offenses and varied ...
Ultradrawing of thermoplastics by solid state coextrusion illustrated with high density polyethylene

Ultra-thin films of high density polyethylene of high orientation have been produced by the recently developed technique of solid state coextrusion. The films were prepared under moderate conditions, without lubricant in continuous lengths by extruding through conical dies of extrusion draw ratio up to 36. This is a draw ratio higher than achievable by conventional solid state extrusion at comparable processing conditions through slit dies. The ultra-thin films of high orientation were transparent and exhibited dead bend. The physical and mechanical properties were evaluated and compared with the properties of the same high density polyethylene extruded through a slit die. The increase in the melt point, crystallinity, tensile modulus, and birefringence indicates that the method is very efficient for the production of ultra-thin and highly oriented films. An experimental technique is also presented for preparing billets of controlled and uniform initial morphology and free of voids.
Synthesis of a laterally displaced cluster feed for a reflector antenna with application to multiple beams and contoured patterns

When a feed is displaced from the focus of a reflector, phase distortion results in the effective aperture distribution, which in turn gives rise to secondary beam distortion. In multiple beam or contour beam antennas, the feed normally consists of an array of identical elements located on a triangular lattice. Taking advantage of this arrangement, a "cluster" of feed elements instead of a single element may be used to control each beam. By adjusting the relative excitations of the elements in a cluster, the aperture phase distortion due to the feed displacement may be partially compensated. Two general methods for synthesizing the excitations for a laterally displaced feed cluster are presented. In the first method the excitations are chosen to minimize the weighted phase error in the effective aperture by analytical means. The second method determines the excitations by a gradient optimization algorithm which minimizes the weighted error between an objective and the actual power patterns in the secondary pattern space. The first method is roughly two orders of magnitude more efficient computationally than the gradient optimization algorithm, but not as flexible in application or as precise. Numerical results are presented for cluster feed designs and their application to the synthesis of contour patterns.
Attitudes and behavior of peripheral arterial disease patients toward influencing their physician's prescription of cholesterol-lowering medication

Among 355 peripheral arterial disease (PAD) patients with low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels > or = 70 mg/dl, we assessed knowledge regarding optimal LDL levels and the importance of LDL-C-lowering therapy. We also assessed PAD participants' behaviors and attitudes regarding their engagement with their physician in treatment decisions for LDL-C lowering. The average baseline LDL-C level of participants was 103.4 mg/dl +/- 30.7 mg/dl. Seventy-six percent of participants were taking at least one cholesterol-lowering medication. Sixty-six percent were unable to define their optimal LDL-C. Only 47% strongly agreed that their own actions and decisions could reduce their LDL-C. Just 29.8% were aware that patients who request specific medications from their physician were more likely to receive them, and 16% had asked their physician whether they should be taking more cholesterol-lowering medication. These findings suggest that further study is needed to identify effective interventions to educate PAD patients and their physicians about the importance of cholesterol-lowering therapy and to encourage PAD patients to participate with their physician in decisions regarding cholesterol-lowering treatment. Clinical Trial Registration - URL: http://www.clinicaltrials.gov. Unique identifier: NCT00217919.
Airborne Detection of Acidic Sulfate Aerosol Using an ATR Impactor

As a first step in determining how aerosol acidity varies with altitude, studies were conducted using a new instrument called an ATR impactor installed aboard the Battelle Pacific Northwest Laboratory's DC-3 aircraft. This instrument combines collection of the aerosol by inertial impaction with infrared spectroscopic analysis by the highly sensitive ATR technique. Results from several series of flights have revealed the occurrence of acidic sulfate aloft, while simultaneously collected ground-level samples contained only neutral ammonium sulfate. Acidic sulfate was detected in aerosol samples collected on four of the five flights conducted in the Chicago area during the spring of 1981.
From basecamp to summit: scaling field research across 9 locations

In this case study we discuss the mechanics of running a complex field research project within one week: 32 field visits, 4 countries, 9 locations, 10+ researchers, 30+ observers. We outline the goals that lead to this project plan, and the tools and processes we developed to succeed under the constraints given. We discuss in particular (1) the role of ongoing in-field analysis and data sharing, (2) the role of basecamp as a centralized mission control center and real-time analysis hub, and (3) the added value of running the study and initial analysis in such a compressed time frame. We close with a reflection on the strengths and weaknesses of this approach, as well as ideas for future improvements.
Comment on Technology-Based Intervention Research for Individuals on the Autism Spectrum

The purpose of this letter to the editor is to comment on several review papers recently published in the current Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, Special Issue on Technology: Software, Robotics, and Translational Science. These reviews address a variety of aspects relating to technology-aided intervention and instruction for individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASDs). Here, I comment on and evaluate the overall status of research and development in this area, including reflection on current challenges in this area in the context of previous challenges and resolutions in behavioral intervention research. From these reviews and the current evaluation, I further discuss important next steps for the field which may be critical for guiding progress toward meaningful impacts upon individuals with ASD.
MARCKS Protein Is a Key Molecule Regulating Mucin Secretion by Human Airway Epithelial Cells in Vitro

Hypersecretion of airway mucin characterizes numerous respiratory diseases. Although diverse pathological stimuli can provoke exocytotic release of mucin from secretory cells of the airway epithelium, mechanisms involved remain obscure. This report describes a new paradigm for the intracellular signaling mechanism regulating airway mucin secretion. Direct evidence is provided that the myristoylated alanine-rich C kinase substrate (MARCKS) is a central regulatory molecule linking secretagogue stimulation at the cell surface to mucin granule release by differentiated normal human bronchial epithelial cells in vitro. Down-regulation of MARCKS expression or disruption of MARCKS function in these cells inhibits the secretory response to subsequent stimulation. The intracellular mechanism controlling this secretory process involves cooperative action of two separate protein kinases, protein kinase C and cGMP-dependent protein kinase. Upon stimulation, activated protein kinase C phosphorylates MARCKS, causing translocation of MARCKS from the plasma membrane to the cytoplasm, where it is then dephosphorylated by a protein phosphatase 2A that is activated by cGMP-dependent protein kinase, and associates with both actin and myosin. Dephosphorylated cytoplasmic MARCKS would also be free to interact with mucin granule membranes and thus could link granules to the contractile cytoskeleton, mediating their movement to the cell periphery and subsequent exocytosis. These findings suggest several novel intracellular targets for pharmacological intervention in disorders involving aberrant secretion of respiratory mucin and may relate to other lesions involving exocytosis of membrane-bound granules in various cells and tissues.
Subacute ruminal acidosis and total mixed ration preference in lactating dairy cows1

Subacute ruminal acidosis (SARA) is a condition where the pH of the rumen becomes abnormally acidic because of increased and altered production of volatile fatty acids. The objective of this experiment was to determine how a SARA challenge affects total mixed ration selection in dairy cows. In this study, 8 multiparous, lactating, ruminally cannulated Holstein cows were given a choice between a long-forage-particle-size diet with slow-fermenting starch (LC) and a short-forage-particle-size diet with fast-fermenting starch in a crossover design. Cows were allowed to adapt to this feeding scheme and were then subjected to a rumen challenge to induce a bout of SARA. The rumen challenge successfully decreased rumen pH and altered rumen volatile fatty acid profiles. Daily average rumen pH decreased from 6.02 to 5.77, and average minimum rumen pH decreased from 5.59 to 5.28. In addition, following the rumen challenge, concentrations of acetate, butyrate, and valerate, and acetate-to-propionate ratio increased. In response to the rumen challenge, intake of LC increased from the baseline level of 18.1% of total daily dry matter intake to 38.3% for that day. During the first recovery day after the rumen challenge, LC intake moderated to 28.0% of total daily dry matter intake. On the second recovery day, LC intake returned to baseline levels at 18.6%. These results indicate that cows are able to alter their diet preference for higher physically effective fiber and slower starch fermentability during a bout of SARA and that they can effectively fully recover from this type of SARA within 72 h when appropriate diets are available.
Interval Protection of Confidential Information in a Database

We deal with the question of how to maintain security of confidential information in a database while answering as many queries as possible. The database is assumed to operate in a query restriction (as opposed to perturbation) mode in which exact answers are given to those queries which, together with those already answered, will not compromise any confidential datum. Those which fail this criterion are not answered. We introduce the concept of interval disclosure where a datum is compromised if the answered queries provide enough information to establish that it is contained in a given interval even if the datum cannot be determined exactly. Models are presented for the problem of deciding whether to answer a query and three techniques, one based on linear programming, are developed and tested.
Analysis of a recessive plasmid copy number mutant: evidence for negative control of col E1 replication

Abstract The Col E1-derivative copy number mutant plasmid pOP1Δ6 has been used to investigate the control of plasmid replication. pOP1Δ6 normally exists at about 200 copies per chromosome, while the wild-type plasmid from which it was derived (pBGP120) exists at about 15 copies per chromosome. We have observed that in E. coli containing both pOP1Δ6 and pBGP120, the copy number of pOP1Δ6 is lowered to 4–6 copies per chromosome. Thus the mutation in pOP1Δ6 is recessive. The association between the two plasmids is stable in E. coli, indicating that incompatibility properties as well as replication control characteristics have been altered in pOP1Δ6. Co-residence of the unrelated plasmid pSC101 with pOP1Δ6 has no detectable effect on pOP1Δ6 copy number. These results suggest that a plasmid-specific, diffusible repressor may act negatively to control plasmid copy number, and that pOP1Δ6 produces a defective repressor or is altered in repressor synthesis. We have constructed in vitro a plasmid which is identical in size to pQP1Δ6 but contains a replication origin region derived from pBGP120. Since this plasmid, pNOP1, exists stably (like pBGP120) at 10–15 copies per chromosome, the high copy number of pOP1Δ6 is not related to its reduced size relative to pBGP120. To localize the mutation in pOP1Δ6 responsible for DNA overproduction, we have cloned fragments of pBGP120 into pOP1Δ6 and selected for plasmids with wild-type copy number. We find that a 2.0 kb region of pBGP120 DNA surrounding the origin of plasmid DNA replication is capable of suppressing the DNA overproducer phenotype of pOP1Δ6. The 2.0 kb fragment is capable of independent self-replication or can integrate into pOP1Δ6 in vivo to form a composite plasmid with two origins of replication. The overproducer phenotype of pOP1Δ6 is suppressed in either configuration.
Affective disorder among the relatives of hyperactive children.

SUMMARY We determined the incidence of bipolar and unipolar affective, disorder among the natural relatives of 59 hyperactive children, the “legal” relatives of 35 adopted hyperactive children, and the relatives of 41 control children. There were no significant differences in incidence of the two conditions between the groups of relatives, except for a greater incidence of unipolar affective disorder in the combined second degree blood relatives of hyperactive children than in the relatives of controls. Moreover, the incidence of bipolar affective disorder in the natural parents of hyperactive children was much lower than figures reported for the parents of patients with this type of affective disorder. Our data do not support the idea that hyperactivity is a childhood form of manic-depressive psychosis.
Robust active learning using crowdsourced annotations for activity recognition

Recognizing human activities from wearable sensor data is an important problem, particularly for health and eldercare applications. However, collecting sufficient labeled training data is challenging, especially since interpreting IMU traces is difficult for human annotators. Recently, crowdsourcing through services such as Amazon's Mechanical Turk has emerged as a promising alternative for annotating such data, with active learning (Cohn, Ghahramani, and Jordan 1996) serving as a natural method for affordably selecting an appropriate subset of instances to label. Unfortunately, since most active learning strategies are greedy methods that select the most uncertain sample, they are very sensitive to annotation errors (which corrupt a significant fraction of crowdsourced labels). This paper proposes methods for robust active learning under these conditions. Specifically, we make three contributions: 1) we obtain better initial labels by asking labelers to solve a related task; 2) we propose a new principled method for selecting instances in active learning that is more robust to annotation noise; 3) we estimate confidence scores for labels acquired from MTurk and ask workers to relabel samples that receive low scores under this metric. The proposed method is shown to significantly outperform existing techniques both under controlled noise conditions and in real active learning scenarios. The resulting method trains classifiers that are close in accuracy to those trained using ground-truth data.
Reimaginando a competência profissional em educação física

Educadores fisicos tem um papel fundamental a desempenhar na ajuda as comunidades e escolas para aumentar o engajamento em atividade fisica por todos os cidadaos. Eles podem auxiliar professores de sala de aula inserindo atividade fisica no seu conteudo academico escolar e direcionar as escolas ao bem-estar e aumentar a oferta diaria de atividade fisica a estudantes e funcionarios da escola. Alem disso, educadores fisicos podem desenvolver abordagens inovadoras nos curriculos de educacao fisica de modo a aumentar as oportunidades dos alunos se tornarem ativos e aprenderem conceitos sobre ser fisicamente ativos agora e para toda a vida. Ao desenvolver abordagens baseadas em evidencias sobre a educacao fisica, os professores precisam implantar o curriculo de forma coerente e com fidelidade. Novos programas, como o Science, PE, & Me! E o Science of Healthful Living oferecem oportunidades para estudantes examinar os efeitos do exercicio sobre seus corpos sob uma educacao fisica ativa, e abordagem da aprendizagem orientada.
Myocardial strain: can we finally measure contractility?

There existed a divine essence which was the life force of the heart, given the name “contractility,” the essence of the essence of life … In the discovery of “contractility” lay the key … but how to discover it? Adapted from “Contractility Revisited” in the Journal of Molecular and
Privacy preserving and incentive compatible protocols for cooperation in distributed computations

In today’s society, advanced cyber-infrastructure are connecting a huge number of mutually unfamiliar people, and forming a computing environment with untrusted parties. The human factors of untrusted parties, especially the considerations of privacy, security and incentives, bring new challenges in designing our systems, services and software with distributed computations. This thesis addresses the incentive and privacy issues in distributed computing with untrusted parties. Wireless networks with recent technical advances have become one of the most popular platforms for computing with untrusted parties. However, in civilian wireless networks, nodes often belong to different users and those users may be selfish. Existing protocols that were designed without considering user incentives often require nodes to spend their own resources for others. Hence selfish users may deviate from these protocols, in order to maximize their benefits. It causes serious problems to performance and even functioning of wireless networks. So, it is of great importance to provide incentives to those selfish users in wireless networks. First part of this thesis focuses on designing incentive-compatible packet forwarding protocols for three different types of wireless networks, i.e., ad hoc wireless networks, wireless networks using network coding and vehicular ad hoc networks. First, for traditional ad hoc wireless networks, the first reputation system that has rigorous analysis and guaranteed incentive compatibility in a practical model is proposed, to enhance the cooperation among nodes in forwarding packets for others. Second, for newly emerging wireless networks using network coding, the first-ever enforceable incentive scheme to stimulate packet forwarding is proposed that uses a combination of game theoretic and cryptographic techniques. Third, the problem on how to stimulate message forwarding in vehicular ad hoc networks that have no end-to-end connections is solved, and an incentive scheme with rigorous analysis based on coalitional game theory is proposed. In the distributed computing environments with untrusted parties, besides incentive issues, privacy concerns from the participants also impede the process of obtaining better computation results. To address the privacy concerns, the second part of this thesis focuses on designing privacy preserving distributed data mining protocols, when the input data comes from different parties. In particular, the first privacy preserving back-propagation learning algorithms for multi-layer neural networks with vertically partitioned data, using cryptographic tools, with provable security is proposed. Furthermore, a privacy preserving algorithm for growing neural gas with input data from two parties is also presented. This algorithm allows two parties to jointly conduct grow neural gas algorithm without revealing any party’s data.
Race-ing Patents/Patenting Race: An Emerging Political Geography of Intellectual Property in Biotechnology

This article applies insights from critical race theory to examine an emerging phenomenon in biotechnology research and product development. The strategic use of race as a genetic category to obtain patent protection and drug approval. A dramatic rise in the use of race in biotechnology patents indicates that researchers and affiliated commercial enterprises are coming to see social categories of race as presenting opportunities for gaining, extending, or protecting monopoly market protection for an array of biotechnological products and services. Racialized patents are also providing the basis for similarly race-based clinical trial designs, drug development, capital raising and marketing strategies that carry the implication of constructing of race as genetic out to ever widening and consequential segments of society. The introduction of race in the field of patent law as an adjunct to biotechnological inventions producing a new political geography of intellectual property in which the very metes and bounds of the territory covered by patents are becoming racially marked. As patents are racialized, racial identity itself is becoming a patentable commodity whose value is being appropriated to expand market control and extend the market life of their products. Generally speaking, however, the people capitalizing on race are not necessarily those who belong to the racially identified groups, but rather those corporations that are literally investing their patents and products with race to gain commercial advantage in the research, development, and marketing of new biotechnology products. Patenting race may thus have profound implications both for the equitable distribution of benefits derived from biotechnology and for broader social understandings and mobilizations of race.
Pirates, Plagiarisers, Publishers

In this essay I attempt to rescue Indian academic research, not by denying the charges of plagiarism, but by charting an alternative trajectory of plagiarism so that each successive instance does not amplify our sense of embarrassment and crisis in the academy.
Proteome of Methanosarcina acetivorans Part I: an expanded view of the biology of the cell.

Methanosarcina acetivorans is representative of the genus that is distinguished from all other methane-producing genera by extensive metabolic diversity predicted from the large genome. In Part I of this study, two-dimensional gel electrophoresis and MALDI-TOF-TOF mass spectrometry was used to investigate the proteome of methanol- or acetate-grown M. acetivorans, with the goal of an initial characterization of the diversity of the proteins synthesized. A total of 412 proteins were identified, representing nearly 10% of the ORFs, with nearly 30% conserved hypothetical or hypothetical. Of the 412 proteins, 188 were found in both acetate- and methanol-grown cells, 122 were detected only in acetate-grown cells, and 102 only in methanol-grown cells. The results revealed the expression of a remarkable number of redundant genes which encode enzymes involved in the pathways for methanogenesis from methanol or acetate, suggesting an important role for the unusually high percentage of redundant genes in Methanosarc...
Abstract 4202: Genetic re-programming of the AML cell line HL-60 during differentiation: Roles of the EGR/NAB and NR4A transcription factors

Proceedings: AACR 103rd Annual Meeting 2012‐‐ Mar 31‐Apr 4, 2012; Chicago, IL HL-60 cells represent an established line of human acute myeloid leukemia cells that can be induced to differentiate along several distinct myeloid lineages. Phorbol esters activate a signaling network, which includes the protein kinase C (PKC) pathway, causing the leukemia cells to differentiate into macrophage-like cells. As the leukemia genetic program is converted to the macrophage program, the cells exit the cell cycle, undergo morphological changes, become adherent, display other macrophage properties, and ultimately initiate apoptosis. This study provides a detailed DNA microarray analysis with qRT-PCR validation of the genetic network of the leukemia cell during first 24 hours post-induction of differentiation. We present data describing the global changes in gene expression at the RNA-level at 0.5, 1, 3, 6, 12, and 24 hours post-PMA treatment and information about specific genes with regard to their RNA and protein expression levels. Approximately 2,000 genes were identified that exhibit significant changes in mRNA levels from the leukemia expression program. A cluster analysis was performed to group these genes by their pattern of expression resulting in a collection of distinct expression profiles and associated functional profiles. These genes encode transcription factors, intracellular signal transducers, receptors, cytokines and a variety of other proteins. Of particular interest in understanding the genetic re-programming of the leukemic cells is the transcription factor expression profile. In addition to the established roles of the NF-kappa-B and AP-1 transcription factors in HL-60 cell differentiation, we present possible roles for the EGR/NAB and NR4A transcription factor families in both differentiation and initiation of apoptosis. A variety of biological analysis strategies using the expression data to define regulatory groupings that characterize the changing genetic network in these cells, including interaction networks and pathway activations have been carried out. Taken together, we seek to better understand the genetic program defining leukemia cells and the mechanisms by which oncogenic mutations can be overridden to achieve cell cycle arrest, differentiation and apoptosis. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 103rd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2012 Mar 31-Apr 4; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2012;72(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 4202. doi:1538-7445.AM2012-4202
Metabolism of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons by the wood-feeding termite Coptotermes formosanus (Shiraki).

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are among the most prevalent and persistent pollutants in the environment. In this study, the wood-feeding termite (WFT) Coptotermes formosanus (Shiraki) was...
OXYGEN SUPPLY INDEX: UNIFYING PHYSIOLOGICAL AND ECOLOGICAL APPROACHES

![Figure][1] Compared with air, water contains about 33 times less oxygen and it diffuses ∼300,000 times slower. Also well established is that oxygen availability in aquatic ecosystems varies with temperature and atmospheric pressure. As a consequence, it is an important ecological factor
Review of the Research Progress of the Competency Characteristics of the Chinese PE Teachers

Teacher's competence has been one of the hot research topics of the teachers' professional development in the recent years.The domestic scholars have made a lot of studies.Yet the studies on the competence characteristics of PE teachers are still weak and need more theoretical discussion and empirical exploration.Adopting the method of literature study,the article summarizes the recent domestic quantitative studies on the competence characteristics of PE teachers and finds that the subjects of study are mostly middle school PE teachers(42.9%) and college PE teachers(35.7%).Most subjects(90.9%) are from the developed provinces in the East.All the studies use the research method of questionnaire(100%) and some use expert interview(28.6%).And only a few(14.2%) use behavior event interview,which is a classical method for constructing a competency model.As to the conclusion of the studies,most of the researchers cannot correctly define competence characteristics and competence characteristics model.Suggestions are put forward in the article for the future studies on competency characteristics of PE teachers.
The Roles of Radiotherapy and Chemotherapy in the Era of Multimodal Treatment for Early-Stage Nasal-Type Extranodal Natural Killer/T-Cell Lymphoma

Purpose To evaluate radiotherapy (RT) and chemotherapy (CT) treatments of early-stage extranodal natural killer/T-cell lymphoma (ENKTL). Materials and methods Fifty-five patients with stage I or II ENKTL [n=39 (71%) and 16 (29%) patients, respectively] who were treated with RT between 1999 and 2013 were analyzed retrospectively. The median age was 54 years (range, 24-81). Patients were grouped by treatment modality as RT alone [n=19 (35%)], upfront CT plus RT [CT+RT, n=16 (29%)], and concurrent chemoradiotherapy [CCRT, n=20 (36%)]. The median RT dose was 48 Gy. Patient characteristics between each treatment group were well balanced. Patterns of failure and survival were analyzed. Results The overall response rate after RT was 94.6%. Ten patients experienced distant failure, and seven experienced local failure comprising five in-field and two out-field failures. The local and distant failure rates in the RT-alone group were the same (16%). In the CT+RT group, the most common failure sites were local (19%). In the CCRT group, the most common failures were distant (25%). At a median follow-up of 56 months (range, 1-178 months), the 5-year overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival rates were 66% and 54%, respectively. The 5-year OS rate for the RT-alone and CT+RT groups were 76% and 69%, respectively, and the 2-year OS rate for the CCRT group was 62% (p=0.388). Conclusion In the era of multimodal treatment for ENKTL, RT alone using advanced techniques should be considered for local disease control, whereas maintenance CT regimens should be considered for distant disease control.
Affine Algebraic Geometry: Fibers of Morphisms

We shall in this section use the term, “variety”, to mean either an affine or quasi-affine variety.
A Universal System Protection device with object-oriented graphical protection architecture

The development of an object-oriented, graphical protection architecture provides a universal hardware and software platform for the protection of any power element. The graphical programming language protection engineers with no programming skills to develop any protection and/or control scheme. The Virtual Test Set, which is part of the software development package, is an excellent tool to test the different functional objects or to analyze the performance of existing protection schemes using event records recorded by the relay during power system disturbances and faults.
Ignition and formaldehyde formation in dimethyl ether (DME) reacting spray under various EGR levels

Abstract As an alternative fuel to diesel in compression-ignition (CI) engines, dimethyl ether (DME) has gained interest in combustion research due to its high cetane number for fast ignition and ultra-low emission of particulate matter. In this study, ignition and important intermediate species including formaldehyde (CH2O) are experimentally investigated in a constant-volume combustion vessel facility that includes a fuel injection system for spray-like behavior of liquid DME. Experiments of different oxygen concentrations simulating various levels of exhaust-gas recirculation (EGR) were performed to study its corresponding effect on the flame structure and emissions from DME combustion. Results from the experiment were then used to validate a 3-D CFD simulation using a detailed chemistry solver. Different stages of ignition characterized by temperature profile, and certain species (e.g., CH2O for cool flame) after start of injection, are provided to conceptualize the DME combustion process under the effect of low-to-high oxygen ambient gas concentrations. Both simulations and experiments showed that there is a supporting link between CH2O formation and low-temperature combustion prior to diffusion-controlled flame uniquely for DME. By studying the temperature and equivalence ratio dependence of the reacting spray at different O2 levels, different stages of ignition along with the formation of CH2O suggested that the start of the depletion of CH2O can be used as an ignition indicator.