cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Abstract P479: Stability of Ambulatory Blood Pressure Patterns Over Time in Children and Adolescents

Little is known about the stability of ambulatory blood pressure (ABP) patterns in children and adolescents undergoing evaluation for high blood pressure (HBP). It is possible that children with initially normal ABP may progress to hypertension (HT) or pre-hypertension (PHT), or that those with initial PHT or HT may be normal on repeat. Our objective was to assess stability of ABP patterns over time in children with HBP. We analyzed changes in ABP classification in patients undergoing a minimum of 2 ABP monitoring (ABPM) studies at least 0.5 years (yrs) apart. Exclusion criteria included known secondary HT, therapy with antihypertensive medication and inadequate recordings. ABPM were interpreted according to the 2014 AHA guidelines using BP thresholds of 95 th % for sex and height for children ≤17 yrs. For those >18 yrs awake and sleep thresholds were 140/85 and 120/70, respectively. Dipping was considered normal if > 10%, blunted if 2 ABPM the difference between the 1 st and last were analyzed. Two hundred ABPM on 100 patients (76 males; median age 14.6 yrs at 1st ABPM) were analyzed. Median interval between ABPM was 1.5 yrs. ABP classification was stable in 53% (53/100). As shown in the table 50% (9/18) of those with normal ABPM showed progression to PHT or HT on follow up. PreHT progressed in 31% (8/26) and improved in 38% (10/26). HT improved in 43% (20/46). Dipping designation was stable in 70% (70/100); but blunted dipping normalized in 48% (10/21). In our population ABP patterns were not stable over time, supporting the need for follow up studies even with normal initial ABPM. If confirmed in larger studies, these findings support greater use of repeat ABPM.
M Dwarf Flares from Time-Resolved SDSS Spectra

We have identified 63 flares on M dwarfs from the individual component spectra in the Sloan Digital Sky Survey using a novel measurement of emission line strength called the Flare Line Index. Each of the ~38,000 M dwarfs in the SDSS low mass star spectroscopic sample of West et al. was observed several times (usually 3-5) in exposures that were typically 9-25 minutes in duration. Our criteria allowed us to identify flares that exhibit very strong H-alpha and H-beta emission line strength and/or significant variability in those lines throughout the course of the exposures. The flares we identified have characteristics consistent with flares observed by classical spectroscopic monitoring. The flare duty cycle for the objects in our sample is found to increase from 0.02% for early M dwarfs to 3% for late M dwarfs. We find that the flare duty cycle is larger in the population near the Galactic plane and that the flare stars are more spatially restricted than the magnetically active but non-flaring stars. This suggests that flare frequency may be related to stellar age (younger stars are more likely to flare) and that the flare stars are younger than the mean active population.
Fractional Quantization in High-Temperature Superconductivity

I would like to thank Prof. Maekawa for providing such an apt introduction to my talk. In my remarks today, I shall make the case that the mechanism of high-temperature superconductivity is pairing by a “gauge” force, first identified by Halperin [1] to occur in the fractional quantum hall problem, and referred to in 2-dimensional systems as fractional statistics.
Drop Dead: Performance in Crisis, 1970s New York by Hillary Miller (review)

In Drop Dead: Performance in Crisis, 1970s New York , Hillary Miller chronicles how 1970s theatre mediated New York City's fiscal crises. Each chapter traces one site of New York City theatre: La Mama E.T.C., TKTS, Urban Arts Corps, Everyman Street Theatre, Lincoln Center's Repertory Theater, and the Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM).
Women as Victims of Political Violence, Terrorism

Shenila Khoja-Moolji, an academic and expert on gender and education, debates the victimization of girls seeking education in Pakistan. She points out that extremists, such as those in the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP; Taliban Movement of Pakistan), stop girls from attending schools by destroying schools as well as attacking individual women, but she also critiques the West for perpetuating a narrative that women in South Asia are uneducated and in need of being rescued by foreign organizations (Khoja-Moolji 2016). She states: “Girls’ education – or, lack thereof – thus, has become a way in which Western institutions have established their own superiority and, simultaneously, the inferiority of Islam and Muslims, deeming interventions necessary and even ethically imperative.” (Khoja-Moolji 2016 [np])
Long-Range Inhibition Within the Zebra Finch Song Nucleus RA Can Coordinate the Firing of Multiple Projection Neurons

Long-range inhibition within the zebra finch song nucleus RA can coordinate the firing of multiple projection neurons. The zebra finch forebrain song control nucleus RA (robust nucleus of the archi...
Karl Popper and the Call for Academic Discipline

Karl Popper was a philosopher that criticized traditional views of how knowledge was purported to support scientific and philosophical hypotheses. This paper analyzes the influence Popper had on how knowledge is used to support science. With respect to the formation of theories, the traditional view is observations are the basis of hypotheses that form rules that can be extended past the observations and original experimental constraints and assumptions. This approach causes several problems. The problem of demarcation concerns our inability to draw the line between statements of science and those that are pseudo-scientific, or religious in nature. There is no clear point where science ends and conjecture starts, so how do we know how much reverence to give particular theories? The problem of induction asserts that universal laws are based on specific assumptions, but yet are extrapolated out through an induction process to cover circumstances not originally observed. The assumption that the law applies to new, unobserved circumstances is a risky one and must be supported by new assumptions not verified by the original observations. Researchers still view scientific hypotheses as theories that are proven out by observations during controlled experiments. Popper, however, flipped this view around and argued that any theory was simply a hypothesis that had not yet been disproved. Science is said to be a struggle between competing theories. Every imperfect theory is thought of as a representation of reality that became preeminent by surviving the scrutiny of scientists as they experiment and observe the real world. Rigorous testing eliminates weaker theories, leaving the strong theories to survive. The longer theories survive, the more they are scrutinized and refined to accommodate new findings. Thus, researchers submit their hypothesis to severe testing to expose any flaws in the underlying theory. Although ideas certainly flow from observations, Popper makes a convincing argument that the observations can never be a basis for validating theories due to the problems of demarcation and induction. After some analysis, this paper adopts his contention that a theory cannot be verified through testing, but rather, the test results merely indicate that a theory has not been dis-proven and should be provisionally retained as the best available theory until it is eventually falsified.
Learning Alphabets and Numbers from Hand Motion Trajectories for Visually Impaired Children

Children with visual impairments face disproportionate challenges in learning and communicating with other kids. Integrating the learning with computer games will motivate and enhance them to learn alphabets and numbers. In this paper, we develop a computer vision-based system to recognize alphabets and numbers from hand motion trajectories captured by an RGB-D camera. While the user draws a number or a letter in front of the camera, the computer captures the hand motion trajectory and then automatic recognize it. An audio feedback is output to the blind user. Our proposed method is evaluated on a dataset contains 144 videos of 10 numbers (0-9) and 26 letters (A-Z), and achieves 86% accuracy for subject independent test.
Nesiritide modulates inflammatory response during cardiac surgery: A pilot study

Objectives: We investigated the effects of nesiritide (NES) on inflammatory response during cardiac surgery. Materials and Methods: Twenty-nine cardiac surgery patients were randomized to an infusion of NES at 0.01 mcg/kg/min for 48 h versus placebo (Ctrl). A panel of candidate biomarkers and clinical parameters were measured at predetermined time points. Results: There were no significant differences between the groups with regard to urine neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NES 230.3 + 71.5 ng/mL vs. Ctrl 554.4 + 263.3 ng/mL, P = 0.253) and urine interleukin (IL)-18 (NES 29.9 + 4.8 pg/mL vs. 254.5 + 118.3 pg/mL, P = 0.090), or to the incidence of acute kidney injury (NES 7.1% vs. Ctrl 13.3%, P = 0.374). A concerted biomarker kinetic pattern of time-differentiated peak concentrations was observed. IL-10, inflammatory protein (IP)-10, IL-6, IL-10, IP-10, monocyte IP (MIP)-1α, interferon (IFN)-α, IFN-α, IL-1a, IL-3, and IL-7 reached peak concentration at 0 h following the end of cardiopulmonary bypass; tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, endothelial growth factor (EGF), granulocyte macrophage-colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF), IL-12p40, IL-17, MIP-1α, and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 at 1 h; IL-18, vascular EGF (VEGF), IL-13 and IL-1ra at 2 h, TNF-α, G-CSF, IL-1b, IL-2, IL-4, IL-5, and IL-15 at 4 h; and endothelin (ET)-1 and IL-18 at 6 h. At 0 h, the NES group exhibited significant reduction of peak concentrations of IL-6 (P = 0.009), IL-10 (P = 0.009), IL-1α (P = 0.020), IP-10 (P = 0.001), and IFN-α (P = 0.032) compared to the Ctrl group. Significant reduction in peak concentrations of TNF-α (P = 0.007) and MIP1-α (P = 0.027) at 1 h and ET-1 (P = 0.020) at 6 h in the NES group compared to the Ctrl group was noted. Conclusion: NES modulated the concerted inflammatory response in cardiac surgery and also attenuated ET-1 response, thus suggesting that previously observed favorable renal effect may be linked to reduced renal vasoconstriction.
Treasure hunt for peptides with undefined chemical modifications: Proteomics identification of differential albumin adducts of 2-nitroimidazole-indocyanine green in hypoxic tumor

2-Nitroimidazole is a well-known chemical probe targeting hypoxic environments of solid tumors, and its derivatives are widely used as imaging agents to investigate tissue and tumor hypoxia. However, the underlying chemistry for the hypoxia-detection capability of 2-nitroimidazole is still unclear. In this study, we deployed a biotin conjugate of 2-nitroimidazole-indocyanine green (2-nitro-ICG) for the investigation of in vivo hypoxia-probing mechanism of 2-nitro-ICG compounds. By implementing mass spectrometry-based proteomics and exhaustive data mining, we report that 2-nitro-ICG and its fragments modify mouse serum albumin as the primary protein target but at two structurally distinct sites and possibly via two different mechanisms. The identification of probe-modified peptides not only contributes to the understanding of the in vivo metabolism of 2-nitroimidazole compounds but also demonstrates a competent analytical workflow that enables the search for peptides with undefined modifications in complex proteome digests.
Barbara Gittings: Gay Pioneer, by T. Bain: featuring photos by Kay Lahusen, Chicago, Prairie Avenue Productions, 2015, 235 pp., USD $25.00, ISBN-13: 978-1512019742

Barbara Gittings: Gay Pioneer is the story of a lesbian “who came of age in the conformist 1950s, who wore floral blouses and modest skirts when she paraded in homophile demonstrations in the 1960s...
Polynomial Time Categoricity and Linear Orderings

Let ℒ = be a recursive language, i.e. assume that S, T and U are initial segments of the natural numbers N = (0, 1, 2, ,…), ci is a constant symbol for each i ∈ S, and there are partial recursive functions t and u such that for all i ∈ T, Ri is a t(i)-ary relation symbol and for all j ∈ U, f is a u(i)-ary function symbol. A structure A = is said to be a recursive structure if A, the universe of A, is a recursive subset of N, Ri A is a recursive relation for each i ∈ T, and fi A is a partial recursive function from Au(i) into A for each i ∈ U. Two recursive structures A and A′ over ℒ are recursively isomorphic, denoted by A ≈ r A′, if there is a partial recursive function f which maps A onto A’ which is an ℒ-isomorphism from A onto A′. We say that a recursive structure A over ℒ is recursively categorical if any recursive structure A′ over ℒ which is isomorphic to A is recursively isomorphic to A. The notion of a recursively categorical structure was first defined by Mal’cev [M] and, in the Russian literature, such structures are called autostable. Recursively categorical structures have been widely studied in the literature of recursive algebra and recursive model theory. For example, general semantic conditions for when a decidable model is recursively categorical were given by Nurtazin [Nu] and similar results were found by Ash and Nerode [AN] for models in which one can effectively decide all Σ1-formulas. Recursively categorical structures for various theories have been classified: Boolean algebras independently by Goncharov [Go] and La Roche [L], linear orderings independently by Dzgoev [GO] and Remmel [R], Abelian p-groups by Smith [S], and decidable dense two-dimensional partial orderings by Manaster and Remmel.
Coronary arterial compression testing by simultaneous balloon valvuloplasty and coronary angiography in an English bulldog with pulmonary valve stenosis.

Abstract A 4-year-old male neutered English bulldog presented for heart murmur evaluation. Echocardiography identified severe pulmonic stenosis (an echocardiography-derived transpulmonary pressure gradient of 100 mmHg), and computed tomography confirmed the presence of an anomalous coronary artery with a prepulmonic course of the left coronary artery arising from the right coronary ostium. Before artificial pulmonic valve implantation, a coronary compression test was performed. A simultaneous aortic root angiogram and pulmonic balloon valvuloplasty revealed complete occlusion of the circumflex branch. Artificial valve implantation was aborted with concern for fatal coronary compression after implantation. Coronary compression testing is a critical component of the evaluation before catheter-based implantation of conduits across the pulmonic valve.
Biological investigation using scanning probe recognition microscopy

Direct investigation of, and interaction with, biological objects at the macromolecular level will provide insight into multiple physical regulatory processes. Scanning probe microscopy (SPM) techniques have the potential to provide a direct interaction with living specimens at the macromolecular scale. In the present research we will discuss the site-specific recognition techniques that are appropriate for biological objects of different shapes in the SPM images. Moment-based shape features which are scale and translation invariant are successfully used to distinguish tubular objects from globular objects. Among the globular objects, white blood cells can be clearly classified from red blood cells by applying two-dimensional continuous wavelet transform (CWT), which can represent information of objects in multiple scales. The scan plan for site-specific investigation can then be determined by employing multi-scale edge detection techniques on the result.
Strong Trends in the Skill of the ERA-40 and NCEP–NCAR Reanalyses in the High and Midlatitudes of the Southern Hemisphere, 1958–2001*

Abstract The European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) Re-Analysis (ERA-40) and the National Centers for Environmental Prediction–National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCEP–NCAR) reanalysis (NCEP1) data are compared with Antarctic and other mid- to high-latitude station observations for the complete years of overlap, 1958–2001. Overall, it appears that ERA-40 more closely follows the observations; however, a more detailed look at the presatellite era reveals many shortcomings in ERA-40, particularly in the austral winter. By calculating statistics in 5-yr moving windows for June–July–August (JJA), it is shown that ERA-40 correlations with observed MSLP and surface (2 m) temperatures are low and even negative during the mid-1960s. A significant trend in skill in ERA-40 is observed in conjunction with the assimilation of satellite data during winter, eventually reaching a high level of skill after 1978 that is superior to NCEP1. NCEP1 shows consistency in its correlation with observatio...
Force Feedback Control in Insertion Process using Pattern Analysis Techniques

A statistical analysis of peg-hole configuration recognition during the peg insertion process is presented. Equations for generating a force/moment vector corresponding to each possible contact configuration are derived. These equations are used to generate training samples for learning the distribution parameters of the conditional probabilty density function for each peg-hole configuration. A decision rule, based on minimum probability of the error, is then formulated for recognition of the peg-hole contact configurations. Results of a computer simulation of the proposed learning and recognition techniques are presented. Experimental verification of the technique is currently being conducted on a PUMA robot arm.
The “Ratio” Chart for Plotting Statistics

(1917). The “Ratio” Chart for Plotting Statistics. Quarterly Publications of the American Statistical Association: Vol. 15, No. 118, pp. 577-601.
Resolution of subcellular detail in thick tissue sections: immunohistochemical preparation and fluorescence confocal microscopy.

Publisher Summary This chapter focuses on fluorescence confocal microscopy techniques for resolution of subcellular detail. Gentle procedures for specimen preparation and techniques for removing the out-of-focus fluorescence signal are equally important for maximizing resolution. The chapter illustrates the substitution of optical sectioning with the laser scanning confocal microscope (LSCM) for mechanical sectioning to generate the thin sections necessary for high contrast and resolution. LCSM allows the shallow depth of field of the light microscope to be used effectively. There are two other benefits of confocal microscopy: (1) resin or paraffin embedding is no longer necessary and consequently structural alteration and autofluorescence caused by these procedures is eliminated, and (2) three-dimensional information can be gathered with ease. The combination of immunofluorescence and LSCM makes the goal of viewing cytoskeletal arrays and other subcellular detail in three dimensions in intact tissues not only theoretically possible for the cell biologist, but also feasible.
Learning Autonomous Driving Styles and Maneuvers from Expert Demonstration

One of the many challenges in building robust and reliable autonomous systems is the large number of parameters and settings such systems often entail. The traditional approach to this task is simply to have system experts hand tune various parameter settings, and then validate them through simulation, offline playback, and field testing. However, this approach is tedious and time consuming for the expert, and typically produces subpar performance that does not generalize. Machine learning offers a solution to this problem in the form of learning from demonstration. Rather than ask an expert to explicitly encode his own preferences, he must simply demonstrate them, allowing the system to autonomously configure itself accordingly. This work extends this approach to the task of learning driving styles and maneuver preferences for an autonomous vehicle. Head to head experiments in simulation and with a live autonomous system demonstrate that this approach produces better autonomous performance, and with less expert interaction, than traditional hand tuning.
MICLOG RFID tag program enables total asset visibility

RFID tagging and tracking efforts sponsored by DLA under the MICLOG program will support total asset visibility for the military. This system can be used to provide programs such as FCS with persistent knowledge of the location and status of every asset. This will provide commanders the assurance they need to verify logistics and plan missions.
The Superjump and the First Recursively Mahlo Ordinal

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the superjump and the first recursively Mahlo ordinal. The chapter considers F as a fixed type 2 functional. It also considers G as a higher type functional of unspecified type. If f is a type n reindexing for G then f gives rise to a natural enumeration of type n+ 1 partial functionals which are recursive in G : the e th partial functional is just λa [{ fe } G ( a )]. All total type n +1 functionals recursive in G appear in this enumeration, but some partial functionals recursive in G may be omitted. Any partial functional omitted in this way may be viewed as recursive in G . A partial functional strongly recursive in G is required if no reindexing for G excludes it. This may a stringent requirement but for the least pathological higher type functionals, the functionals of type n in which n E is recursive, this is no restriction because the identity type n reindexing is minimal. It is possible to have minimal reindexings different than the identity.
Aneurysmal bone cyst of the first cervical vertebrae in a child treated with percutaneous intralesional injection of calcitonin and methylprednisolone. A case report.

Study Design.First published report of a child with an aneurysmal bone cyst (ABC) of the first cervical vertebrae treated successfully with intralesional injection of calcitonin and methylprednisolone.Objectives.To describe a safe and effective nonsurgical treatment method for an ABC of the first ce
A silence that wants to be heard: suburban Korean American students in dialogue with invisibility

Korean American students experience invisibility and silence as their culture and presence remain outwardly invisible in the mainstream culture of US high schools. This is further exacerbated by the silent response of the dominant population of the school towards these issues. Yet, to an extent, Korean American students find a sense of comfort within that invisibility; less visibility allows more silence and thus more privacy. This qualitative in-depth interview study focuses on developing understandings of Korean American students’ perceptions and negotiations of education in suburban American schools, specifically through the perceptions of two Korean American female students. When viewed through Bakhtinian perspectives of silence, this invisibility becomes prominent, lending insight into the ways invisibility and silence are both seen as problematic and openly cultivated by these students.
Effects of paired-pulse and repetitive stimulation on neurons in the rat medial geniculate body.

Abstract Many behaviorally relevant sounds, including language, are composed of brief, rapid, repetitive acoustic features. Recent studies suggest that abnormalities in producing and understanding spoken language are correlated with abnormal neural responsiveness to such auditory stimuli at higher auditory levels [Tallal et al., Science 271 (1996) 81–84; Wright et al., Nature 387 (1997) 176–178; Nagarajan et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 96 (1999) 6483–6488] and with abnormal anatomical features in the auditory thalamus [Galaburda et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 91 (1994) 8010–8013]. To begin to understand potential mechanisms for normal and abnormal transfer of sensory information to the cortex, we recorded the intracellular responses of medial geniculate body thalamocortical neurons in a rat brain slice preparation. Inferior colliculus or corticothalamic axons were excited by pairs or trains of electrical stimuli. Neurons receiving only excitatory collicular input had tufted dendritic morphology and displayed strong paired-pulse depression of their large, short-latency excitatory postsynaptic potentials. In contrast, geniculate neurons receiving excitatory and inhibitory collicular inputs could have stellate or tufted morphology and displayed much weaker depression or even paired-pulse facilitation of their smaller, longer-latency excitatory postsynaptic potentials. Depression was not blocked by ionotropic glutamate, GABA A or GABA B receptor antagonists. Facilitation was unaffected by GABA A receptor antagonists but was diminished by N -methyl- D -aspartate (NMDA) receptor blockade. Similar stimulation of the corticothalamic input always elicited paired-pulse facilitation. The NMDA-independent facilitation of the second cortical excitatory postsynaptic potential lasted longer and was more pronounced than that seen for the excitatory collicular inputs. Paired-pulse stimulation of isolated collicular inhibitory postsynaptic potentials generated little change in the second GABA A potential amplitude measured from the resting potential, but the GABA B amplitude was sensitive to the interstimulus interval. Train stimuli applied to collicular or cortical inputs generated intra-train responses that were often predicted by their paired-pulse behavior. Long-lasting responses following train stimulation of the collicular inputs were uncommon. In contrast, corticothalamic inputs often generated long-lasting depolarizing responses that were dependent on activation of a metabotropic glutamate receptor. Our results demonstrate that during repetitive afferent firing there are input-specific mechanisms controlling synaptic strength and membrane potential over short and long time scales. Furthermore, they suggest that there may be two classes of excitatory collicular input to medial geniculate neurons and a single class of small-terminal corticothalamic inputs, each of which has distinct features.
Tolerance and precision study for solder self-assembled MEMS

Surface tension self-assembly of MEMS has been shown to be an excellent approach for assembling three-dimensional MEMS structures by allowing more precise alignments and vastly increased complexity. This paper investigates and addresses some of the factors that limit the precision of surface tension self-assembly. Each factor can be analyzed and addressed for a simple structure, but for more complex structures, these effects need to be addressed additively and in unison. This paper also discusses, the additive tolerance effects of these structures and present several methods of tolerance analysis. The toleranceing, in conjunction with the precision analysis, will in the future allow for the creation of extremely precise surface tension self-assembled structures, allowing for the creation of MEMS applications that were previously unobtainable using any existing fabrication or packaging process.
Fluorescence photobleaching does not alter the lateral mobility of erythrocyte membrane glycoproteins.

Fluorescence photobleaching does not alter the lateral mobility of erythrocyte membrane glycoproteins
A triple reflection polarizer for use in the vacuum ultraviolet.

The construction and evaluation of an efficient and convenient reflection type polarizer, using three gold mirrors, which is useful in the 500–5000-A wavelength region is described. The polarizer is evaluated both by direct measurement of its polarization and by calculation from the measured optical constants of gold. The variation in optical properties and hence polarization is investigated for gold mirrors prepared by different workers. With this instrument it is possible, over a wide wavelength region, to obtain 95% polarization with approximately 15% transmission of the polarized beam.
Regulatory mechanisms in vascular calcification

In the past decade, the prevalence, significance, and regulatory mechanisms of vascular calcification have gained increasing recognition. Over a century ago, pathologists recognized atherosclerotic calcification as a form of extraskeletal ossification. Studies are now identifying the mechanism of this remarkable process as a recapitulation of embryonic endochondral and membranous ossification through phenotypic plasticity of vascular cells that function as adult mesenchymal stem cells. These embryonic developmental programs, involving bone morphogenetic proteins and potent osteochondrogenic transcription factors, are triggered and modulated by a variety of inflammatory, metabolic, and genetic disorders, particularly hyperlipidemia, chronic kidney disease, diabetes, hyperparathyroidism, and osteoporosis. They are also triggered by loss of powerful inhibitors, such as fetuin A, matrix Gla protein, and pyrophosphate, which ordinarily restrict biomineralization to skeletal bone. Teleologically, soft-tissue calcification might serve to create a wall of bone to sequester noxious foci such as chronic infections, parasites, and foreign bodies. This Review focuses on atherosclerotic and medial calcification. The capacity of the vasculature to produce mineral in culture and to produce de novo, vascularized, trabecular bone and cartilage tissue, even in patients with osteoporosis, should intrigue investigators in tissue engineering and regenerative biology.
Branching habit and the allocation of reproductive resources in conifers

†Background and Aims Correlated relationships between branch thickness, branch density, and twig and leaf size have been used extensively to study the evolution of plant canopy architecture, but fewer studies have explored the impact of these relationships on the allocation of reproductive resources. This study quantifies pollen cone production in conifers, which have similar basic reproductive biology but vary dramatically in branching habit, in order to test how differences in branch diameter influence pollen cone size and the density with which they are deployed in the canopy. †Methods Measurements of canopy branch density, the number of cones per branch and cone size were used to estimate the amount of pollen cone tissues produced by 16 species in three major conifer clades. The number of pollen grains produced was also estimated using direct counts from individual pollen cones. †Key Results The total amount of pollen cone tissues in the conifer canopy varied little among species and clades, although vegetative traits such as branch thickness, branch density and pollen cone size varied over several orders of magnitude. However, branching habit controls the way these tissues are deployed: taxa with small branches produce small pollen cones at a high density, while taxa with large branches produce large cones relatively sparsely. †Conclusions Conifers appear to invest similar amounts of energy in pollen production independent of branching habit. However, similar associations between branch thickness, branch density and pollen cone size are seen across conifers, including members of living and extinct groups not directly studied here. This suggests that reproductive features relating to pollen cone size are in large part a function of the evolution of vegetative morphology and branching habit.
What Is Your Research Program? Some Feminist Answers to International Relations Methodological Questions

Methodological issues have constituted some of the deepest sources of misunderstanding between International Relations (IR) feminists and IR theorists working in social scientific frameworks. IR theorists have called upon feminists to frame their research questions in terms of testable hypotheses. Feminists have responded that their research questions cannot be answered using social science explanatory frameworks. Deep epistemological divisions about the construction and purpose of knowledge make bridging these methodological divides difficult. These epistemological standards lead feminists to very different methodological perspectives. Asking different questions from those typically asked in IR, many IR feminists have drawn on ethnographic, narrative, cross-cultural, and other methods that are rarely taught to students of IR, to answer them. Drawing on a range of interdisciplinary scholarship on feminist methodologies and some recent IR feminist case studies, this article analyzes and assesses how these methodological orientations are useful for understanding the gendering of international politics, the state and its security-seeking practices and its effects on the lives of women and men.
Biocatalytic Polymerization of p-Cresol: An in-Situ NMR Approach To Understand the Coupling Mechanism

The nature of the initial coupling mechanism in the enzymatic polymerization of p-cresol was investigated by in-situ 1H NMR spectroscopy in an aqueous−organic media. Two types of in-situ experiments were performed, in which the course of polymerization was monitored with (i) incremental additions of H2O2 to the reaction mixture in the NMR tube at a regular interval and (ii) a function of reaction time after a known amount of addition of H2O2. These experiments were used to understand the coupling mechanism at the very early stage of reaction and during the course of polymerization reaction. In the early stage of the polymerization, the reaction mixture contains monomer as a dominant fraction and a small concentration of low molecular weight oligomers such as dimer, trimers, etc. The analysis of the reaction mixture by 1D and 2D in-situ NMR methods suggests the ortho−ortho C−C coupling as the dominant coupling mechanism during the initial stage of the polymerization. The quantitative NMR analysis indicates...
Low and high frequency dielectric properties of ferroelectric tungsten bronze Sr2KNb5O15 crystals

Single crystals of Sr2KNb5O15 (SKN), approximately 5-8 mm in diameter and 10-20 mm long, have successfully been grown by the Czochralski technique. The crystal has a ferroelectric tetragonal tungsten bronze structure with a Curie temperature of about 150°C. The dielectric and electromechanical coupling constants for this crystal have been established: the polar axis dielectric constant, K33, exceeds 20,000 at the Curie temperature while the coupling constants are K33 = 0.52 and K31 = 0.19, respectively. High frequency dielectric properties of SKN samples were also determined between 90-100 GHz. These measurements indicate that the bulk of the polar axis permittivity has relaxed below 90 GHz, implying that the low frequency dielectric response is not soft-mode controlled.
Poster abstract: whirlpool ad-hoc routing protocol

Whirlpool Ad-hoc Routing Protocol (WARP) is a dynamic data collection protocol for wireless sensor networks. Compared to existing protocols, WARP offers order of magnitude improvements in reliability, efficiency, and routing stretch for a moving data sink. When the sink moves, nearby WARP nodes stop forwarding data directly towards the sink. Instead, they speculatively disseminate data packets along loops centered at the last location of the sink. The loop radius progressively increases searching more widely until the sink is found. Finally, WARP embeds a few bits of control information in data packets and aggressively suppresses control packets to further improve its efficiency.We have implementedWARP in TinyOS and evaluated it against the Collection Tree Protocol (CTP) [2], the state-of-art collection protocol for WSNs. For a mobile sink, WARP had significantly better reliability and efficiency, achieving over 90% reliability for a wide range of speeds and data rates, compared to below 10% reliability of CTP.
Novel lysosomal targeting two-photon fluorescence probe based on fluorene difluoroboron β-diketonate

We report the synthesis and photophysical characteristics of a two photon fluorescent (2PF) fluorene-based pyridyl difluoroboron-β-diketonate, which when incubated in HCT 116 cells shows superior accumulation in lysosomes in both isolate and encapsulated pluronics.
Kinetics of cyclohexane dehydrogenation and hydrogenolysis over Ru(0001) and CuRu(0001)

The kinetics of cyclohexane dehydrogenation and hydrogenolysis have been measured on initially clean Ru(0001) and Ru(0001) precovered with submonolayer quantities of Cu. The agreement between the results obtained on the model systems with those previously measured on supported catalysts attests to the appropriateness of the model. Postreaction surface analysis of Ru(0001) revealed the presence of a carbonaceous deposit, the amount of which correlated with the reaction rates. Further, this carbon deposit was observed to increase in amount during the initial stages of reaction (induction period), ceasing to grow at a time coinciding with the onset of steady-state reaction. Hydrogenolysis and dehydrogenation rates were greater and smaller during the induction period, respectively, than at steady state. These results suggest that steady-state reaction is occurring on carbon-modified Ru. Addition of Cu results in an enhanced activity for the dehydrogenation of cyclohexane to benzene, occurring with little or no induction time. The mechanism by which Cu alters the catalytic activity of Ru may involve an electronic modification of either or both of the catalyst metals, and/or a synergism between the activities of the two metal components.
Experimental vehicle location system using decca navigator and dead-reckoning sensors

An integrated vehicle location system is described which employs an automatic receiver of simple design for the Decca Navigator system, supplemented by an odometer and gymballed flux-gate compass. Data recorded on board the vehicle have been processed offline using a Kalman filter technique. Vehicle tracks are presented which show less than 70 m standard deviation of error over long routes in urban and rural areas.
Gaining insight into PTPN22 and autoimmunity

The protein tyrosine phosphatase PTPN22 (also called LYP) is the leading example of a genetic variant that confers risk of developing diverse human autoimmune diseases, including type 1 diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, autoimmune thyroid disease and systemic lupus. A new study now shows that the PTPN22 risk-associated variant, Trp620, results in a gain of PTPN22 phosphatase activity in T cells, opening up new avenues for exploring disease mechanisms.
Benefits of Cardiac Rehabilitation in Patients With Implantable Cardioverter-Defibrillators: A Patient Survey

Abstract Davids JS, McPherson CA, Earley C, Batsford WP, Lampert R. Benefits of cardiac rehabilitation in patients with implantable cardioverter-defibrillators: a patient survey. Objectives To determine whether participation in an outpatient cardiac rehabilitation (OCR) program increases exercise levels and decreases shocks in patients with implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (ICDs). Design Retrospective comparative survey. Setting University tertiary-care ICD clinic. Participants Patients with ICDs and coronary artery disease. Intervention Participation in OCR (nonrandomized). Main Outcome Measures Exercise levels and OCR participation were determined through a telephone survey of patients with ICDs. The incidence of shock-treated arrhythmia was determined by review of charts and ICD data storage disks. Results Of 82 patients (85% men; mean age, 61±8y), 28 (34%) participated in OCR after receiving an ICD. There was no difference in age, sex, ejection fraction, or length of follow-up between OCR and non-OCR groups. Median intensity of regular exercise was 5.3 metabolic equivalents (METS) for OCR patients versus 3.5 METS for non-OCR patients ( P P P Conclusions OCR patients exercised more and had fewer shocks. Physicians and health plans should encourage ICD patients to participate in OCR.
8 semifield planes of order 8 2

Abstract In this article, the translation planes of order 64 and kernel containing GF(8) that admit a collineation group of order 2 · 64 in the linear translation complement are completely determined. There are eight mutually nonisomorphic planes all of which are semifield planes.
Alpha-fetoprotein levels correlate with the pathologic grade and surgical outcomes of pediatric retroperitoneal teratomas

Introduction Retroperitoneal teratomas (RTs) are rare neoplasms that comprise 2–5% of all pediatric teratomas and 10% of all pediatric retroperitoneal tumors. Although alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) is a recognized tumor marker for immature teratomas, its prognostic value in neonates and children with RTs is unknown due to physiologic elevation of this marker. The aim of this study was to determine whether AFP level correlates with pathologic grade of pediatric RT and patient outcome.
Gender and doctoral studies: the perceptions of Ph.D. students in an American university

Twenty students enrolled in Ph.D. programmes were interviewed to examine the role of gender in their academic experiences. Gender was examined in three ways: gender of the student, gender of the student’s faculty supervisor and gender make‐up of the faculty within the student’s department or academic unit. All students reported the importance of supportive faculty mentors and that financial worries, time pressure and the uncertainty of future employment were sources of stress. Family formation and striving toward personal as well as professional goals were particularly of concern for women, as were perceptions of differential treatment. Women students valued women faculty mentors, although female faculty were perceived as less supportive than male faculty of family concerns when these women had themselves sacrificed family formation for the sake of their careers. Both men and women experienced less stress and reported greater career commitment when faculty in their departments exhibited less traditional v...
Decreased platelet 3H-imipramine binding in primary major depression compared with depression secondary to medical illness in elderly outpatients.

Abstract Platelet 3 H-imipramine binding and monoamine oxidase (MAO) activity were investigated in elderly outpatients with primary major depression, and in a group with depression secondary to medical illness (organic mood disorder, depressed by DSM-III-R criteria) in a multidisciplinary geriatric clinic. The density of the binding of 3 H-imipramine ( B max ) was decreased significantly in subjects with major depression compared to subjects with secondary depression, and to controls. There was no difference in B max values between subjects with secondary depression and controls. MAO activity was increased in the group with secondary depression, but not in the group with primary major depression. These results provide preliminary evidence for the relative specificity of platelet 3 H-imipramine binding as a market for primary major depressive disorder compared to secondary depression in medically ill elderly people, supports the concept of biological heterogeneity in secondary depression, and extends the findings of decreased B max values in two previous studies in non-medically ill depressed elderly patients.
Nephrolithiasis, hypocitraturia, and a distal renal tubular acidification defect in type 1 glycogen storage disease.

Renal stones containing calcium can occur in patients with type 1 glycogen storage disease. We studied 11 patients with glycogen storage disease. Five patients had renal calculi, nephrocalcinosis, or both, and five had hypercalciuria. Serum levels of calcium, phosphorus, parathyroid hormone, and urate were normal. Serum levels of 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D were elevated in each patient. None of the patients had a metabolic acidosis, but all nine who were tested had evidence of impaired acid excretion. In response to an acid load, eight of the nine patients had subnormal titratable acid excretion, and nine had subnormal ammonia excretion; six of nine patients were unable to secrete hydrogen ions in response to bicarbonate administration. These data indicate that patients with type 1 glycogen storage disease have an incomplete form of distal renal tubular acidosis. This may be the cause of hypercalcluria and nephrocalcinosis in these patients.
Ion beam applications research - A 1981 summary of Lewis Research Center programs

A summary of the ion beam applications research (IBAR) program organized to enable the development of materials, products, and processes through the nonpropulsive application of ion thruster technology is given. Specific application efforts utilizing ion beam sputter etching, deposition, and texturing are discussed as well as ion source and component technology applications.
Using an artificial neural system to determine the knowledge based of an expert system

This paper gives a mapping of rule based expert systems into artificial neural expert systems. While the mapping is not one-to-one, it does show that the two systems are essentially equivalent. There are, of course, many examples of artificial neural systems that are not expert systems. We can use the reverse mapping of an artificial neural expert system to a rule based expert system to determine the knowledge base of the rule based expert system, i.e., to determine the exact nature of the rules. This yields an automated procedure for determining the knowledge base of an expert system that shows much promise. We have implemented this expert system tool on several larger microcomputers, including an Intel Sugarcube. The Sugarcube implementation is a very natural one.
Calibrating On-Wafer Probes to the Probe Tips

This paper investigates the accuracy of on-wafer scattering-parameter calibrations at the probe tips. Data show the extent to which certain probe-tip calibrations are consistent with one another and applicable to the characterization of devices or circuits fabricated on different wafers or embedded in different transmission-line media. Calibrations to the probe tips are especially well suited to lower-frequency microwave measurements. Further results demonstrate conditions under which probe-tip calibrations fail.
Polyoxometalates in the Design of Effective and Tunable Water Oxidation Catalysts

Water oxidation catalysts (WOCs) are of core importance in several green energy production technologies, including water splitting and water reduction of CO2 driven by electrochemical potential and/or photons (radiant energy). General challenges in solar fuel generating structures, WOC design concepts, and some success-limiting considerations in WOC development are described. The first class of WOCs are presented that combine the stability benefits of heterogeneous WOCs with the reactivity and other benefits of homogeneous WOCs.
Rapid Analysis of Scramjet and Linear Plug Nozzles

interaction between operating condition and plume shape complicates the analysis of such nozzles compared to traditional bell nozzles. A method that is based on Riemann interactions is proposed for the analysis of two such nozzle geometries. The method assumes two-dimensional geometries and supersonic flow. Unlike the method of characteristics, this method accounts explicitly for the presence of oblique shocks and curved shear layers. Comparisons to both experiment and computational fluid dynamics are shown. The solution method requires no grid generation and typically runs in less than a minute on a single desktop computer, which is ideal for conceptual design, control design, or control evaluation studies. It includes high-temperature gas modeling and finite-rate chemistry. Nomenclature A = area c = specific heat Ex = momentum conservation error H = height or length scale M = Mach number nexp = number of discrete waves in expansion nsp = number of species p = pressure r = length of characteristic R = normalized gas constant T = temperature u = magnitude of flow velocity W = molecular weight x, y = spatial coordinates Y = mass fraction = angle between wave and upstream flow = ratio of specific heats = deflection angle across a wave = angle of deflection caused by boundary layer = flowpath angle = momentum thickness " = ratio of static pressures = Mach angle = Prandtl-Meyer angle = streamwise coordinate = density = angle between wave and x-axis ˙ ! = molar rate of production