cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Reversible Parallel Discrete Event Formulation of a TLM-Based Radio Signal Propagation Model

Radio signal strength estimation is essential in many applications, including the design of military radio communications and industrial wireless installations. For scenarios with large or richly featured geographical volumes, parallel processing is required to meet the memory and computation time demands. Here, we present a scalable and efficient parallel execution of the sequential model for radio signal propagation recently developed by Nutaro et al. [2008]. Starting with that model, we (a) provide a vector-based reformulation that has significantly lower computational overhead for event handling, (b) develop a parallel decomposition approach that is amenable to reversibility with minimal computational overheads, (c) present a framework for transparently mapping the conservative time-stepped model into an optimistic parallel discrete event execution, (d) present a new reversible method, along with its analysis and implementation, for inverting the vector-based event model to be executed in an optimistic parallel style of execution, and (e) present performance results from implementation on Cray XT platforms. We demonstrate scalability, with the largest runs tested on up to 127,500 cores of a Cray XT5, enabling simulation of larger scenarios and with faster execution than reported before on the radio propagation model. This also represents the first successful demonstration of the ability to efficiently map a conservative time-stepped model to an optimistic discrete-event execution.
A comparison study on the measurement of nanoparticles

Despite the fact that there exists several techniques capable of characterizing the nanoparticle sizes, their measurement results from the same sample often deviate from each other at an amount that is considered significant in the nanometer scale. The principles of measurements these techniques or instruments based upon might contribute a notable portion to the disagreement of the measurement results. The sample preparation itself could only further add to the complexity of the problem. In the absence of international standards, or world-wide recognized protocols dealing with nanoparticle characterization, a comparison study was carried out to investigate the systematic deviations in measuring nanoparticle diameters. Three types of commonly used nanoparticle sizing instruments, Photon Correlation Spectroscopy (PCS), Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM), and Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) were utilized to take measurements on traceable polystyrene latex samples at 100 nm, 50 nm, and 20 nm in diameter. The final analysis showed a fairly satisfactory agreement of the measured data from the samples' certified values, with the exception of the result from the Field-Emission TEM (FE-TEM). It was later determined that the major source of the deviation was attributed to the instrument rather than to the sample. Instrument calibration was the course of action taken to bring the outlier to the desired accuracy. Additionally, discussions were also made with regards to the need of standardization in nanoparticle measurements.
Luminescence Properties of Eu(III) Complex/Polyvinylpyrrolidone Electrospun Composite Nanofibers

Herein, we report that an innovative type of 1D nanomaterials, electrospun composite nanofibers (diameters ∼175 ± 25 nm) containing a complex of Eu(TTA)3phen in a matrix of polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP), was prepared and characterized, and their luminescent properties were evaluated. The study revealed that, when the content of Eu(TTA)3phen was low (i.e., less than 23 wt %), the Eu(TTA)3phen was predominantly distributed in the composite nanofibers as molecular clusters and/or nanoscaled particles with sizes smaller than 10 nm; this substantially enhanced intermolecular interactions between individual Eu(TTA)3phen molecules and the neighboring chain segments of PVP. The Judd−Ofelt theory was used to study the effect of the dispersion of Eu(TTA)3phen on the local chemical environment of Eu3+ ions. The composite nanofibers demonstrated a significant improvement of luminescent efficiency compared with neat Eu(TTA)3phen.
Influence of Race/Ethnic Differences in Pre-Transplant Panel Reactive Antibody on Outcomes in Heart Transplant Recipients

Purpose Panel reactive antibody (PRA) is used to screen patients being evaluated for heart transplantation (HT). Whether there are significant racial or ethnic differences in PRA among adults awaiting HT is poorly characterized. Our purpose was to investigate wait list characteristics and graft survival as a function of race and PRA. Methods and Materials All White, Black or Hispanic subjects age ≥18 (N=26,090) listed for their first HT between 1986 and 2012 were identified in the OPTN database. A PRA value of >10 was used to define clinically meaningful sensitization. Results Compared to whites and Hispanics, blacks were younger at listing and there was a higher proportion of females. Blacks had a higher peak PRA, and were more likely to be sensitized. Blacks were more likely to have graft failure than Whites or Hispanics (68% vs. 60% vs. 56%, p figure 1 ] Conclusions Race and level of sensitization are important predictors of graft survival. White N=21477 Black N=3021 Hispanic N=1258 p Age, yrs 52±11 46±12 49±12 Male (%) 17,171 (80) 1942 (64) 956 (76) Days on Wait List 210±293 191±300 164±270 Most recent PRA 3.6±12.8 4.3±14.0 3.9±13.1 0.006 Peak PRA 6.2±17.3 7.4±18.7 5.9±16.1 0.001 PRA >10% 2910 (14) 496 (16) 175 (14)
Effects of diltiazem and verapamil on responses to acetylcholine

Abstract 1. The calcium channel antagonists diltiazem and verapamil were found to alter the average lifetime of ion channels activated by acetylcholine (ACh). 2. Average channel lifetime was determined from the decay phase of miniature endplate currents at the neuromuscular junction of mouse hemidiaphragms and from direct recording of single channel currents activated by ACh from BC3H1 mouse tumour cells in culture. 3. Both diltiazem and verapamil reduced average channel lifetime in a dose-dependent manner. For each drug, concentrations as high as 20 microM-100 microM were required to decrease channel lifetime by 50%. 4. Single channel recording experiments also showed that both diltiazem and verapamil greatly decreased the frequency of opening events at concentrations as low as 2 microM to 5 microM. This finding is consistent with an enhancement of receptor desensitization.
The Overlap Between Offending and Victimization Among Adolescents: Results From the Second International Self-report Delinquency Study

One longstanding research interest of criminology that has seen resurgence of late is the relationship between offending and victimization. This line of research reveals that offending and victimiz...
Hypoxia Regulates the Expression of PHLDA2 in Primary Term Human Trophoblasts

Abstract Hypoxia influences gene expression in placental trophoblasts. We sought to examine the effect of hypoxia on trophoblast expression of human PHLDA2 (also termed IPL, TSSC3 or BWR-1C), a product of an imprinted gene on human chromosome 11p15.5 whose murine ortholog plays a pivotal role in placental development. We initially confirmed that PHLDA2 was expressed in term placental villi, primarily in the trophoblast layer. Using quantitative PCR we found that the expression of PHLDA2 gradually declined during differentiation of primary term human trophoblasts. A similar expression pattern was seen for p57 Kip2 and IGF-II, both products of imprinted genes on chromosome 11p15.5. Exposure of trophoblasts to hypoxia in vitro (O 2 ≤ 2%) markedly reduced the expression of PHLDA2 mRNA and protein. This effect was not consistent among other chromosome 11p15.5 genes products, as the expression of p57 Kip2 decreased, but that of IGF-II increased in hypoxic trophoblasts. PHLDA2 expression in trophoblasts exposed to TGFβ1, -β2 or -β3 was unchanged. We conclude that hypoxia down-regulates the expression of PHLDA2 in human term placental trophoblasts. As murine PHLDA2 limits placental growth, our results suggest that down-regulation of PHLDA2 attenuates the impact of hypoxia on placental growth.
Is there a pelvic organ prolapse threshold that predicts bladder outflow obstruction

To determine if there is a cutpoint of anterior vaginal wall prolapse which predicts bladder outflow obstruction. Subjects with and without bladder outflow obstruction (BOO) were identified. Baseline characteristics, urodynamics, and exam findings were compared. Forty-seven women with BOO were compared to 115 women without BOO. Those with obstruction were significantly older (53.9 vs. 50.0 years, p = 0.015) had higher parity (p = 0.03), significantly smaller maximum bladder capacity (359.0 vs. 426.0 ml, p < 0.0001), and were less likely to leak at smaller volumes (213.0 vs. 109.0 ml, p = 0.006) than those without obstruction. Those with obstruction also had higher measurements on Aa (p = 0.004) and Ba (p = 0.001), though receiver operator curve analysis did not reveal a clear point of anterior prolapse at which bladder outflow obstruction occurs. Bladder outflow obstruction is associated with anterior vaginal wall prolapse, though there is no clear cutpoint of anterior prolapse which predicts obstruction.
Abdominal Chronic Expanding Hematoma Causing Iron-Deficiency Anemia in a Dog

A 2 yr old spayed female mixed-breed Irish wolfhound was referred for assessment of anemia and slowly progressing abdominal distention. At the time of admission, the dog had marked anemia and thrombocytosis, a decreased serum iron concentration, and a normal coagulation profile. An ultrasound examination showed a massive fluid-filled cavitated structure in the abdominal cavity. Paracentesis of that structure yielded a large amount of hemorrhagic fluid with an iron concentration >24 times greater than the serum iron concentration, consistent with chronic sequestration of iron, leading to iron-deficiency anemia. Blood transfusions and incomplete surgical removal of the structure allowed short-term stabilization of the patient, but the dog was euthanized 17 days postsurgery for lethargy and continued abdominal distention. Histopathological evaluation of the structure was consistent with a chronic expanding hematoma. To the authors' knowledge, this is the first reported case of intra-abdominal chronic expanding hematoma in a dog. It is also unique given its features of iron-deficiency anemia caused by internal blood loss.
Cost-effectiveness of the 21-gene recurrence score assay in the context of multifactorial decision making to guide chemotherapy for early-stage breast cancer

Cost-effectiveness of the 21-gene recurrence score assay in the context of multifactorial decision making to guide chemotherapy for early-stage breast cancer
A distant real-time radar NDE technique for the in-depth inspection of glass fiber reinforced polymer-retrofitted concrete columns

A novel real-time radar NDE technique for the in-depth inspection of glass fiber reinforced polymer (GFRP)-retrofitted concrete columns is proposed. In this technique, continuous wave radar signals are transmitted in the far-field region (distant inspection), and reflected signals are collected by the same signal transmitter. Collected radar signals are processed by tomographic reconstruction methods for real-time image reconstruction. In-depth condition in the near-surface region of GFRP-concrete systems is revealed and evaluated by reconstructed images.
Pulse oximetry declines due to intradermal isosulfan blue dye: a controlled prospective study.

Background: Isosulfan blue dye is widely used in sentinel node surgery for malignant melanoma. Intravascular dye injection is known to interfere with pulse oximetry (Spo2), but the effects of intradermal dye injection are not well known. Our aim was to determine the effects of intradermal dye injection on Spo2. Methods: This was a controlled, prospective study of 84 consecutive patients undergoing wide local excision of malignant melanoma and sentinel lymph node biopsy. The control group (n = 24) received no dye. The dye group (n = 60) received isosulfan blue dye intradermally at the biopsy site. Spo2 declines of ≥2% were considered significant. Results: Two patients in the control group (8%) and 20 patients in the dye group (33%) had a clinically significant Spo2 decline (P < .02). In those with significant declines in the dye group, the amount ranged from 2% to 4%. The latency of decline from the time of injection was 22.8 ± 12.7 minutes. Conclusions: Patients who receive intradermal dye injection for sentinel lymph node surgery have a 4-fold increased rate of developing declines in Spo2. With the increasing trend toward using intradermal dye administration to map lymphatic drainage in melanoma and breast surgery, declines in Spo2 readings can be expected to occur frequently. To our knowledge, this is the first report of the effects of intradermal dye injection on Spo2 readings in a large series of patients.
Discovering the 65+ consumer

Betsy D. Gelb is an associate professor of market ing at the Universi ty of Houston . She is the author of several articles and two books and served for two years as chair of the Foster Grandparents Advisory Board in Houston . Consumers age 65 and over are becoming m o r e n u m e r o u s , m o r e a f f luent , and younger in mind and body. They are, in other words, a market segment worth cultivating.
Advantages and limitations of silicon-on-insulator technology in radiation environments

Abstract The fact that silicon-on-insulator (SOI) ICs are built on an insulating layer gives them unique advantages in radiation environments. SOI ICs are inherently less prone to single-event effects and high dose rate transient effects. However, floating body bipolar effects can limit the hardness of SOI devices unless steps are taken to reduce them. The buried oxide of a SOI transistor makes total-dose response more complex and hardening more challenging than for bulk-silicon ICs. If proper measures are taken to harden SOI ICs, they can have significant performance and hardness advantages over bulk-silicon ICs in space and nuclear environments.
Use of density-independent partition functions in radiative transfer calculations at high temperatures and low densities☆

Abstract It is verified that the number densities which are required for radiative transfer calculations in a high temperature, low-density gas in local thermodynamic equilibrium may be calculated with reasonable accuracy from approximate, density-independent partition functions, despite the fact that the partition functions themselves can depend strongly on density. The errors involved in this procedure are examined for nitrogen plasmas at temperatures up to 35 000°K and densities up to 10 atm.
Nonuniform Free-Free Absorption in the GPS Radio Galaxy 0108+388

We have observed the canonical gigahertz-peaked spectrum source 0108+388 with the Very Long Baseline Array at a range of frequencies above and below the spectral peak. The activity that dominates the radio emission from 0108+388, which is also classified as a compact symmetric object, is thought to be less than 1000 years old. We present strong evidence that the spectral turnover in 0108+388 results from free-free absorption by nonuniform gas, possibly in the form of a disk in the central tens of parsecs.
Graduate Business Students' Preferences for the Managerial Communication Course Curriculum:

The purpose of this study was to determine graduate business students' pref erences for the business communication course curriculum. Two hundred fifty- five graduate business students who had taken a core course in managerial communication were surveyed, 86% of whom are employed. The most highly rated course topics were making presentations, writing memos and letters, lis tening and interpersonal communication, impromptu speaking, and business report formats. The topics rated least important were international business communication, using technology, and managing diversity. The most fre quently suggested additional topics were job interviews, team building, writing manuals/policies/procedures, and ethics.
Evidence for species differences in the pattern of androgen receptor distribution in relation to species differences in an androgen-dependent behavior.

Chickens (Gallus gallus domesticus) and Japanese quail (Coturnix japonica), two closely related gallinaceous bird species, exhibit a form of vocalization—crowing—which differs between the species in two components: its temporal acoustic pattern and its accompanying postural motor pattern. Previous work utilizing the quail-chick chimera technique demonstrated that the species-specific characteristics of the two crow components are determined by distinct brain structures: the midbrain confers the acoustic pattern, and the caudal hindbrain confers the postural pattern. Crowing is induced by androgens, acting directly on androgen receptors. As a strategy for identifying candidate neurons in the midbrain and caudal hindbrain that could be involved in crow production, we performed immunocytochemistry for androgen receptors in these brain regions in both species. We also investigated midbrain-to-hindbrain vocal-motor projections. In the midbrain, both species showed prominent androgen receptor immunoreactivity in the nucleus intercollicularis, as had been reported in previous studies. In the caudal hindbrain, we discovered characteristic species differences in the pattern of androgen receptor distribution. Chickens, but not quail, showed strong immunoreactivity in the tracheosyringeal division of the hypoglossal nucleus, whereas quail, but not chickens, possessed strong immunoreactivity in a region of the ventrolateral medulla. Some of these differences in hindbrain androgen receptor distribution may be related to the species differences in the postural component of crowing behavior. The results of the present study imply that the spatial distribution of receptor proteins can vary even between closely related species. Such variation in receptor distribution could underlie the evolution of species differences in behavior. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Neurobiol 52: 203–220, 2002
Study abroad as a collaborative endeavor

Gary Rhodes, Albert Biscarra, Lisa Loberg, and Katie Roller suggest that the next steps to improve study-abroad programs are to increase the diversity of student participants and partner with departments across the academic and student affairs spectrum.
Lunar volcanism - Age of the glass in the Apollo 17 orange soil.

The formation age of the glass in the orange soil brought back by the Apollo 17 astronauts from the Taurus-Littrow valley has been measured by the (40)Ar-(39)Ar stepwise heating technique to be 3710 +/- 60 x 10(6) years. The orange glass is thus much older than expected. Four fragments, presumably from the subfloor basalt, were also analyzed and have crystallization ages of 3710 +/- 70, 3720 +/- 50, 3770 +/- 50, and 3790 +/- 70 x 10(6) years. These ages do not provide evidence for recent extensive lunar volcanism. The magmatic activity in the Sea of Serenity and the Sea of Tranquillity occurred very close in time, if not contemporaneously. The volcanic activity in the Sea of Tranquillity and the Sea of Serenity may have been triggered by the impact event forming the Sea of Rains basin.
Aquaporin 1, Nox1, and Ask1 mediate oxidant-induced smooth muscle cell hypertrophy

Aims Reactive oxygen species (ROS)-mediated intracellular signalling is well described in the vasculature, yet the precise roles of ROS in paracrine signalling are not known. Studies implicate interstitial ROS hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) in vascular disease, and plasma H2O2 levels in the micromolar range are detectable in animal models and humans with hypertension. Recently, H2O2 was shown to cross biological membranes of non-vascular cells via aquaporin (Aqp) water channels. Previous findings suggest that H2O2 activates NADPH oxidase (Nox) enzymes in vascular cells and apoptosis signal-regulating kinase 1 (Ask1) in non-vascular cells. We hypothesized that extracellular H2O2 induces smooth muscle cell (SMC) hypertrophy by a mechanism involving Aqp1, Nox1, and Ask1. Methods and results Treatment of rat aortic SMCs (rASMC) with exogenous H2O2 resulted in a concentration-dependent increase in Nox-derived superoxide (O2•–), determined by L-012 chemiluminescence, cytochrome c and electron paramagnetic resonance. Nox1 was verified as the source of O2·– by siRNA. Aqp1 siRNA attenuated H2O2 cellular entry and H2O2-induced O2•– production. H2O2 treatment increased Ask1 activation and induced rASMC hypertrophy in a Nox1-dependent mechanism. Adenoviral-dominant-negative Ask1 attenuated H2O2-induced rASMC hypertrophy and adenoviral overexpression of Ask1 augmented it. Conclusion Our results demonstrate for the first time that extracellular H2O2, at pathophysiological concentrations, stimulates rASMC Nox1-derived O2•–, subsequent Ask1 activation and SMC hypertrophy. The data demonstrate a novel pathway by which H2O2 enters vascular cells via aquaporins and activates Nox, leading to hypertrophy, and provide multiple novel targets for combinatorial therapeutics development targeting hypertrophy and vascular disease.
Spontaneous Bacterial Empyema in a Noncirrhotic Patient: An Unusual Scenario

Spontaneous bacterial empyema (SBEM) is infection of a preexisting pleural effusion without evidence of pneumonia. It has been reported mostly in patients with hepatic hydrothorax. Only 1 case of SBEM in a noncirrhotic patient has been reported. We present an unusual case of bilateral SBEM from Streptococcus pneumoniae bacteremia in a noncirrhotic patient. A 52-year-old man presented with bilateral pleuritic chest pain and dyspnea for 2 days. His medical history included congestive heart failure, hemodialysis-dependent renal failure and known bilateral pleural effusions. No ascites or hepatosplenomegaly was noticed. Bilateral pleural effusions were again present on physical examination and confirmed by a chest computed tomography scan. Cardiac medical treatment and hemodialysis failed to improve his condition. Bilateral thoracentesis revealed purulent pleural fluid that was culture-positive for Streptococcus pneumonia as were blood cultures. There was no clinical or radiographic evidence of pneumonia. The detailed clinical course, treatment and highlighted points are described.
Feature interview with Ranveer Chandra: author of 'white space networking with wi-fi like connectivity', best SIGCOMM paper 2009

Ranveer Chandra is a Senior Researcher in the Mobility & Networking Research Group at Microsoft Research. His research is focused on mobile devices, with particular emphasis on wireless communications and energy efficiency. Ranveer is leading the white space networking project at Microsoft Research. He was invited to the FCC to present his work, and spectrum regulators from India, China, Brazil, Singapore and US (including the FCC chairman) have visited the Microsoft campus to see his deployment of the world's first urban white space network. The following interview captures the essence of his work on white spaces by focusing on his work published in ACM SIGCOMM 2009, which received the Best Paper Award.
Epidemiology and child psychiatry: future prospects.

Abstract Child psychiatric epidemiology is on the threshold of an important future in its capacity to investigate the psychologic health of large aggregates of children. Within the last decade this field of study has made notable contributions to the establishment of a scientific child psychiatry by emphasizing empirical and logical formulations, and by applying methods derived from such reasoning to the study of psychiatric disorder in different social and cultural contexts. This base of knowledge is certain to expand over the next few decades, a time when the relationship of child psychiatry to pediatrics and general psychiatry is very likely to evolve in new directions. Recent developments in child psychiatric epidemiology must be viewed in the context of changing pediatric priorities. Public health practices are well established to reduce the major causes of infant mortality and many types of acute infectious diseases which contribute to childhood mortality. The application of these methods is currently more likely to be limited by cultural and political barriers than by scientific knowledge. As infant and childhood mortality decline, higher rates of psychosocial and intellectual morbidity are undoubtedly developing. The purpose of this article, the last of three exploring the relationship between epidemiology and child psychiatry, is to examine research objectives that will be useful in understanding the social and emotional handicaps of populations of children in different parts of the world. 1.2 As is traditional in any epidemiological pursuit, the interest is in studying the distribution of psychiatric disorders and maladaptive behavior within and across societies in an effort to understand and ultimately control their causes. Topics to be discussed in this article relate to diagnosis and incidence of child psychiatric disorders, the definition of risk and protective factors, the importance of comparative and cohort studies, the integration of biologic and social variables in research designs, and the implications and possible consequences of epidemiological research on the practice of child psychiatry.
Between the Dock and a Hard Place: Hazards and Opportunities of Legal Pluralism for Indigenous Women in Ecuador

This article examines the challenges and opportunities of indigenous justice for women in Ecuador. The legal recognition of indigenous justice is a major component of democratization in the region. Yet it also raises the risk of institutionalizing detrimental gender biases within indigenous forms of law. Taking the Remache case as a point of departure, this article identifies some of the fault lines in legal pluralism and women's conflicted relationship with it. Rather than rejecting customary law, however, women advocate for their rights within it—lobbying for gender parity within indigenous justice in the 2008 Constitutional Assembly. As women's support for indigenous justice relocates legal authority, it also challenges conventional practices of state sovereignty. To understand the attractiveness of legal pluralism for women and its impact on the state, this study explores the confines of feminist alliances, the accessibility of indigenous justice, and its implications for state sovereignty.
Multi-Component Synthesis of Tetracavitand Nanocapsules

The syntheses of three hexadecaimino nanocapsules 4b–d via the trifluoroacetic acid-catalysed condensation of four equivalents of a tetraformylcavitand 2 with eight equivalents of 1,4-phenylenediamine 3b, benzidine 3c or 4,4′-ethylenedianiline 3d, respectively, are reported. These nanocapsules are shaped like a tetragonal tetrahedron and have solvodynamic diameters of 2.5–3 nm, which were estimated from their diffusion constants. The smallest of these tetragonal tetrahedra 4b, which has a cavity volume of 1250 A3, forms 1:1 and 2:1 complexes with R4N+Br− salts (R = n-pentyl, n-hexyl, n-heptyl) in organic solvents. Complexation-induced shifts and the slow exchange rates between the free and complexed guests are consistent with the guest being fully encapsulated inside the nanocapsule.
Dreams, ego psychology, and group interaction in analytic group psychotherapy

In this paper, dreams are approached from an ego psychological orientation. As we know, Freud (1900-1901) considered dreams to be the "royal road to the unconscious." The growing importance of ego psychology and the associated structural concepts have made work with dreams and their interpretation during analysis one of the several important elements in the analytic process. This viewpoint subsumes Kris's (1951) contributions concerning the id in psychoanalysis and the formulation that the rapid uncovering of id content is no longer a principal goal. Emphasis on the importance of understanding the defensive process of ego functioning described by Freud (1966) is also assumed by ego psychology. Also included is Hartmann's (1939) contribution, which placed emphasis on the innate development of what he called the conflict-free sphere of the ego. "Ego Psychology" focuses attention on the normal as well as abnormal ego functioning. Altman (1969) and Greenson (1970) consider the dream essential to an exploration of the unconscious. They feel that the present emphasis on ego psychology may have led to a devaluation of interest in the dream along with the decrease of attention to the id. Greenson, arguing for the "exceptional position of the dream, "disagrees with Waldhorn (1967) and the conclusion of the Kris Study Group, who believe that all material presented by the patient is to be regarded as having equal weight. While these writers were dealing with the dream in individual treatment, the same concerns are applicable to group therapy. Foulkes and Anthony (1957) enumerate three basic factors that are crucial to transform a therapy group into group analytic psychotherapy:
Be Mine: Attachment avoidance predicts perceptions of relationship functioning on Valentine's Day

Abstract Many cultures designate specific holidays to celebrate love and affection, such as Valentine’s Day in Western culture. Intuition would suggest that holidays like Valentine’s Day would enhance perceptions of romantic relationships for most people. However, few empirical studies have examined how relationship evaluations vary when assessed on such holidays. We found that reminders of relationships on Valentine’s Day enhanced perceptions of relationship functioning. However, we found that individuals’ attachment orientation moderated these responses: when relationships were made accessible on Valentine’s Day (versus a control day), higher levels of satisfaction and investment were reported only by individuals lower in attachment avoidance. Together, the current findings suggest Valentine’s Day enhances relationships; however, this enhancement is especially likely when individuals are thinking of their partner and have a disposition towards depending on romantic partners.
Visual activity in the telencephalon of the painted turtle,Chrysemys picta

Multiple unit activity in response to visual stimulation was recorded in the following telencephalic areas of the painted turtle: lateral and medial divisions of the dorsal cortex, lateral and medial divisions of the dorsal ventricular ridge, and the striatum. The data confirm anatomical evidence for ascending visual input to the dorsal cortex, the lateral dorsal ventricular ridge and the striatum. The identification of a new visual zone in a medial division of the dorsal ventricular ridge suggests that turtles, and perhaps other reptiles, possess at least 3 visual pallial areas.
Repression of Id2 expression by Gfi-1 is required for B-cell and myeloid development.

The development of mature blood cells from hematopoietic stem cells requires coordinated activities of transcriptional networks. Transcriptional repressor growth factor independence 1 (Gfi-1) is required for the development of B cells, T cells, neutrophils, and for the maintenance of hematopoietic stem cell function. However, the mechanisms by which Gfi-1 regulates hematopoiesis and how Gfi-1 integrates into transcriptional networks remain unclear. Here, we provide evidence that Id2 is a transcriptional target of Gfi-1, and repression of Id2 by Gfi-1 is required for B-cell and myeloid development. Gfi-1 binds to 3 conserved regions in the Id2 promoter and represses Id2 promoter activity in transient reporter assays. Increased Id2 expression was observed in multipotent progenitors, myeloid progenitors, T-cell progenitors, and B-cell progenitors in Gfi-1−/− mice. Knockdown of Id2 expression or heterozygosity at the Id2 locus partially rescues the B-cell and myeloid development but not the T-cell development in Gfi-1−/− mice. These studies demonstrate a role of Id2 in mediating Gfi-1 functions in B-cell and myeloid development and provide a direct link between Gfi-1 and the B-cell transcriptional network by its ability to repress Id2 expression.
Determination of232Th in human tissues by pre-concentration neutron activation analysis with yield determination using227Th

The accurate and precise determination of232Th in biological samples is very important for the development of biokinetic models for thorium and for improving our knowledge on its distribution in human tissues. Radiochemical neutron activation analysis has long been one of the most sensitive methods for the determination of232Th. However, these determinations suffer in reliability because recovery information following the separation is not typically available. This information is particularly important for difficult matrices such as human bone where recoveries may be significantly less than unity. Also, the separation of difficult matrices following neutron activation may involve relatively high personal dose from the co-activated matrix. A novel approach for the determination of radiochemical yield has been developed which employs the use of a readily available, gamma-emitting isotope of thorium,227Th.227Th, obtained by radiochemical separation from227Ac, is added to each, dissolved sample prior to separation and the chemical yield determined by gamma-ray spectrometry following the separation. This pre-concentration step is then followed by neutron activation and the232Th determined via233Pa using gamma-ray spectrometry. Detection limits were approximately an order of magnitude lower than obtained by alpha-spectrometry.
Loop-Swapped Chimeras of the Agouti-Related Protein and the Agouti Signaling Protein Identify Contacts Required for Melanocortin 1 Receptor Selectivity and Antagonism

Agouti-related protein (AgRP) and agouti signaling protein (ASIP) are homologs that play critical roles in energy balance and pigmentation, respectively, by functioning as antagonistic ligands at their cognate melanocortin receptors. Signaling specificity is mediated in part through receptor binding selectivity brought about by alterations in the cysteine-rich carboxy-terminal domains of the ligands. AgRP binds with high affinity to the melanocortin 3 receptor and the melanocortin 4 receptor, but not to the melanocortin 1 receptor (MC1R), whereas ASIP binds with high affinity to all three receptors. This work explores the structural basis for receptor selectivity by studying chimeric proteins developed by interchanging loops between the cysteine-rich domain of ASIP and the cysteine-rich domain of AgRP. Binding data demonstrate that melanocortin 4 receptor responds to all chimeras and is therefore highly tolerant of gross loop changes. By contrast, MC1R responds primarily to those chimeras with a sequence close to that of wild-type ASIP. Further analysis of binding and functional data suggests that the ASIP C-terminal loop (a six-amino-acid segment closed by the final disulfide bond) is essential for high-affinity MC1R binding and inverse agonism. Comparison with previously published molecular models suggests that this loop makes contact with the first extracellular loop of MC1R through a series of key hydrophobic interactions.
Traveling Beyond Dangerous Private and Universal Discourses Radioactivity of Radical Hermeneutics and Objectivism in Educational Research

In this article, the author explores several definitions of reading and evaluating educational research texts without finding deep private meanings or developing objective, scientific, and instrumental norms for evaluating quality of educational research studies. Among these descriptions, the author emphasizes Gadamer's weak poststructural model and Habermas's critique of and contribution to it, aiming to replace the neoconservative objectivist and neoliberal subjectivist traditions with something of greater social and intellectual utility: a “dialectical and critical” theory of reading and evaluation of educational research. This alternative approach, based on philosophical hermeneutics, critical theory, and practical philosophy, identifies understanding, interpreting, and evaluating a research text as a political, ideological, ethical, critical, gendered, sexual, racial, transformative, social, discursive, deliberative, and performed experience. The author argues that knowledge developed from this alter...
CEST-FISP: a novel technique for rapid chemical exchange saturation transfer MRI at 7 T.

Chemical Exchange Saturation Transfer (CEST) and Magnetization Transfer (MT) techniques provide unique and potentially quantitative contrast mechanisms in multiple MRI applications. However, the in vivo implementation of these techniques has been limited by the relatively slow MRI acquisition techniques, especially on high field MRI scanners. A new, rapid CEST-FISP (CEST - Fast Imaging with Steady-state free Precession) technique was developed to provide sensitive CEST contrast in approximately 20 seconds. In this study at 7T with in vitro bovine glycogen samples and initial in vivo results in a rat liver, the CEST-FISP technique was shown to provide equivalent CEST sensitivity in comparison to a conventional CEST spin echo acquisition with a 50-fold reduction in acquisition time. The sensitivity of the CEST-FISP technique was also shown to be dependent on k-space encoding with centric k-space encoding providing a 30–40% increase in CEST sensitivity relative to linear encoding for 256 or more k-space lines. Overall, the CEST-FISP acquisition technique provides a rapid and sensitive imaging platform with the potential to provide quantitative CEST and MT imaging data.
Geographic Variation in the Molluscan Recovery from the End-Cretaceous Extinction

Biotic recovery patterns after the end-Cretaceous mass extinction differ among the molluscan faunas of the North American Gulf Coast, northern Europe, northern Africa, and Pakistan and northern India. In contrast to the Gulf Coast, the other three regions lack a rapid expansion and decline of "bloom taxa" and have lower proportions of invaders early in the recovery phase. The anomalous Gulf Coast patterns, distinct from extratropical Europe and the tropical regions, provide evidence for the biogeographic and macroevolutionary complexity of biotic recoveries and may have implications for present-day biotas.
Neural regulation of innate immunity: a coordinated nonspecific host response to pathogens

The central nervous system (CNS) regulates innate immune responses through hormonal and neuronal routes. The neuroendocrine stress response and the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems generally inhibit innate immune responses at systemic and regional levels, whereas the peripheral nervous system tends to amplify local innate immune responses. These systems work together to first activate and amplify local inflammatory responses that contain or eliminate invading pathogens, and subsequently to terminate inflammation and restore host homeostasis. Here, I review these regulatory mechanisms and discuss the evidence indicating that the CNS can be considered as integral to acute-phase inflammatory responses to pathogens as the innate immune system.
Embarrassment : actual vs. typical cases, classical vs. prototypical representations

Abstract Theories of embarrassment were investigated by having subjects either recall an occasion when they were embarrassed or describe their idea of a typical instance of embarrassment. Subjects then rated their account on a questionnaire designed to measure five theoretical approaches to embarrassment: dramaturgic theory, social anxiety theory, and three decreased self-esteem theories. Patterns of means and of covariation for actual embarrassment best supported the dramaturgic theory. In contrast, subjects' accounts of typical embarrassment contained elements of all five theories. The written accounts were analysed to produce a prototype of embarrassment, which consisted mostly of elements of the dramaturgic and social anxiety theories. We propose that the concept of embarrassment is necessarily linked to dramaturgic difficulties, whereas it is contingently linked to social anxiety and decreased self-esteem.
Analysis of multisource gravity and magnetic anomaly data sets by moving-window application of Poisson's Theorem

Use of Poisson’s theorem to calculate single‐source magnetization‐to‐density ratios may be extended to multisource data by repeatedly applying the theorem within a small, moving data window. In this approach, the moving window traverses the data set in increments of the data interval, and a linear regression is conducted between the first vertical derivative of gravity and the magnetic values reduced to the pole within each window position. Three parameters—correlation coefficient, slope, and intercept—are thereby generated at each data interval that describe the internal correlation existing between gravity and magnetic anomalies and may yield information regarding anomaly source properties. The slope parameter provides an estimate of source magnetization‐to‐density ratio for the anomaly segments within each window position.
Resection of an inferior pontine cavernous malformation using a far-lateral transcondylar approach.

Background When considering an approach to remove a symptomatic brainstem cavernous malformation, exposure and adequate visualization of the lesion with minimal morbidity should be the primary goals.
A head-eye coordination model for animating gaze shifts of virtual characters

We present a parametric, computational model of head-eye coordination that can be used in the animation of directed gaze shifts for virtual characters. The model is based on research in human neurophysiology. It incorporates control parameters that allow for adapting gaze shifts to the characteristics of the environment, the gaze targets, and the idiosyncratic behavioral attributes of the virtual character. A user study confirms that the model communicates gaze targets as effectively as real humans do, while being preferred subjectively to state-of-the-art models.
Speciation of strontium in particulates and sediments from the Mississippi River mixing zone

Abstract Sequential extractions were performed on small amounts of particulate and sediment samples (6 to10 mg) from the Mississippi River mixing zone. The leachates were analyzed for Sr concentration and 87Sr/86Sr isotope ratio. Mn and Fe contents were also measured as their oxyhydroxides are potential carrier phases for Sr. The largest fraction of Sr in the solid phase (particulates and sediments) was found to be present in the residual, refractory fraction (>70% of total). By comparison with the corresponding sediment, particulates appear to have higher concentrations of nonresidual, labile Sr (30% vs. 15%). Carbonate components seem to play an important role as carriers for labile Sr in particulates and sediments. Changes in the composition and content of the solid phase may significantly modify both the 87Sr/86Sr isotope ratio of the total labile fractions and that of the bulk components. However, such modifications, under normal conditions, exert little measurable influence on the Sr isotope composition of the dissolved phase.
Welfare reform: A game theoretic perspective

Traditionally, the debate over welfare reform has been infused with passion and driven by ideology, but reform itself has proceeded in careful steps. In recent years, however, the status quo has been dramatically altered as the need for fundamental change has become apparent as the starting point for reform. Using the state of Wisconsin’s aggressive approach to welfare reform as a model of what is administratively possible, we portray reform as an n-person iterated coordination game in order to examine potential outcomes under the larger rubric of ratinal decision-making and utility maximization. In so doing, we demonstrate that game theory offers an alternative framework for dissecting and discussing complex social issues such as welfare reform.
An update on the circuit approach to calculate shielding effectiveness

The shielding effectiveness of an enclosure at low frequencies can be computed using a circuit approach. Not only does this technique include the effects of the properties of the shield material, but it also includes the details of the geometry of the enclosure. This approach allows a nonempirical consideration of mesh enclosures and the effects of resistive seams in enclosure walls. By working with the circuit analogue, penetration by transient fields can be computed. Essentially the enclosure is viewed as an antenna. In the case of magnetic shielding effectiveness, the enclosure is viewed as a short-circuited loop antenna. In the case of electric-field penetration, the enclosure is viewed as a fat electric dipole. Using this characterization and exact solutions where available, the current distribution on the outside of the enclosure is determined. Based on the current distribution, the penetrating fields are computed. The equations are developed in such a way as to preserve a lumped circuit analogue for the low-frequency region. The basic circuit equations for magnetic field penetration are rederived from a rigorous solution. Rules to estimate the rise time, fall time, and peak magnitudes of transient penetrating fields are developed. The electric shielding effectiveness is developed in a similar manner. >
Seismic reflection profiling and continental tectonics

The application of seismic reflection profiling to problems of continental evolution and tectonics represents a major advance in our ability to address questions about fundamental geologic processes with detailed subsurface information. Among geophysical techniques, reflection profiling has unparalleled potential for spatial resolution of subsurface structures, both in basement rocks and their sedimentary cover. Despite the rapid development and refinement of the seismic reflection method for hydrocarbon exploration and the widespread use of reflection profiling in marine investigations, the geologic community has been slow to take advantage of the method for studies of the continental crust in the United States. In the past 4 years, however, reflection profiling by the Consortium for Continental Reflection Profiling (Cocorp) project administered by Cornell University and by the U.S. Geological Survey has yielded remarkable results in several regions (see figure). It is, perhaps, easiest to illustrate the potential contribution of reflection profiling by briefly outlining the results of several recent studies.
Spatial control of developmental regulatory genes inAspergillus nidulans

Abstract The brlA and abaA genes of Aspergillus nidulans regulate stages of conidiophore development and are themselves regulated during development. brlA − mutants produce conidiophore stalks devoid of vesicles, sterigmata, and spores. abaA − mutants produce most of the conidiophore structures but fail to form conidia. To assess the spatial expression of these two genes, we fused the 5′ flanking region of brlA or abaA to the Escherichia coli lacZ gene. A. nidulans transformants with a single copy of either fusion gene integrated at a defined heterologus locus ( argB ) expressedβ-galactosidase during conidiophore development, paralleling brlA and abaA mRNA accumulation. Controls lacking the fusion genes produced little or noβ-galactosidase activity. A method for in situ detection ofβ-galactosidase was devised. Hyphae or conidiophores were permeabilized by treatment with chloroform vapors and stained with 5-bromo-4-chloroindolyl-β- d -galactoside.β-Galactosidase activity was detected in specific conidiophore cell types. brlA - and abaA -directedβ-galactosidase accumulated in vesicles, sterigmata, and immature conidia. This procedure should be applicable for determining cellular specificities of gene expression in fungi for which transformation systems exist.