cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Morphophysiology of synaptic transmission between type I hair cells and vestibular primary afferents. An intracellular study employing horseradish peroxidase in the lizard, Calotes versicolor.

Abstract Intracellular records with glass microelectrodes filled with horseradish peroxidase (HRP) were taken from primary afferents of the horizontal semicircular canal in the lizard, Calotes versicolor . A coefficient of variation (CV) of the interspike intervals of spontaneous action potentials (APs) was calculated and correlated with the terminal morphologies of afferents within the canal crista. Irregular fibers with CV > 0.4 always correlated with a nerve chalice or calyx afferent terminal expansion surrounding one or more type I hair cells; more regular fibers with CV 0.4 demonstrated miniature excitatory postsynaptic potentials (mEPSPs) that summated to initiate APs. APs were blocked by tetrodotoxin and mEPSP frequency was modulated by caloric stimulation. Cobalt application reversibly blocked mEPSPs. Electron microscopic examination of physiologically studied afferents with CV > 0.4 revealed synaptic profiles consisting of typical synaptic bodies and synaptic vesicles in the type I hair cell presynaptic to the nerve chalice. Examples of the interspike baseline in regular and irregular afferents suggest differential modes of impulse initiation in these two fiber types.
Empire is the Enemy of Love: Edith Noor's Progress and Other Stories

Cases discovered in the British Colonial Office archives of the 1920s and 1930s show how different branches of the imperial state struggled with interracial couples and families to define their rightful place in the empire. As discursive analysis historically contextualised shows, state servants striving to maintain colonial power relations held assumptions about racial and cultural differences that reacted in unpredictable ways with their deeply gendered and classed judgements about interracial marriages and the women in them. This evidence reveals that racial distinction or ‘whiteness’ was neither the sole nor even the primary variable driving these decisions. Discourses of gender, class, culture, sexual danger and spatial location were equally powerful.
Purification of growth hormone-specific transcription factor GHF-1 containing homeobox

Pituitary-specific expression of the growth hormone (GH) gene is governed by a transcription factor, GHF-1, that binds to two sites within its promoter. Recently, GHF-1 was shown to be a member of the homeobox family of DNA-binding proteins. An important question is whether GHF-1 controls the expression of other pituitary specific genes, such as prolactin (Prl), expressed in closely related cell types. To this end, GHF-1 was purified from extracts of GH- and Prl-expressing pituitary tumor cells and identified as a 33-kilodalton polypeptide. Although GHF-1 bound to and activated the GH promoter, it did not recognize the Prl promoter. However, at least one other factor in the same extracts, which was easily separated from GHF-1, bound to several sites within the Prl but not the GH promoter. Antibodies to GHF-1 did not react with the Prl binding activity. These results imply that the pituitary-specific expression of GH and Prl is governed by two distinct trans-acting factors.
An application of a statistical model for the calculation of the logarithmic mean excitation energy of molecules: Molecular hydrogen

A statistical model, the local plasma approximation, is considered for the calculation of the logarithmic mean excitation energy for stopping power of chemically bound particles by taking into consideration chemical bonding. This statistical model is applied to molecular hydrogen and leads to results that suggest a value for the logarithmic mean excitation energy of molecular hydrogen that is larger than the accepted experimental and theoretical values.
The battered fetus

I am a battered fetus After I hear the loud noises I feel the stress hormones rush into my blood-stream and I know there will be sudden movements as my womb-mother tries to lurch away from the blows to her belly or her head. I feel her heaving sobs and later the rush of nicotine and alcohol as she tries to calm herself.
Nanoscale Imaging of Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor Clustering: EFFECTS OF INHIBITORS

The development of some solid tumors is associated with overexpression of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and often correlates with poor prognosis. Near field scanning optical microscopy, a technique with subdiffraction-limited optical resolution, was used to examine the influence of two inhibitors (the chimeric 225 antibody and tyrosine phosphorylation inhibitor AG1478) on the nanoscale clustering of EGFR in HeLa cells. The EGFR is organized in small clusters, average diameter of 150 nm, on the plasma membrane for both control and EGF-treated cells. The numbers of receptors in individual clusters vary from as few as one or two proteins to greater than 100. Both inhibitors yield an increased cluster density and an increase in the fraction of clusters with smaller diameters and fewer receptors. Exposure to AG1478 also decreases the fraction of EGFR that colocalizes with both rafts and caveolae. EGF stimulation results in a significant loss of the full-length EGFR from the plasma membrane with the concomitant appearance of low molecular mass proteolytic products. By contrast, AG1478 reduces the level of EGFR degradation. Changes in receptor clustering provide one mechanism for regulating EGFR signaling and are relevant to the design of strategies for therapeutic interventions based on modulating EGFR signaling.
The non-equilibrium entropy function

Within the framework of a linear Chapman-Enskog theory, it is rigorously established that the non-equilibrium entropy can be identified with the H-function.
Increased activity of CYP3A enzyme in primary cultures of rat hepatocytes treated with docetaxel: comparative evaluation with paclitaxel.

Purpose: Docetaxel, a potent antimicrotubule agent widely used in the treatment of ovarian, breast and lung cancer, is extensively metabolized in various animal species, including humans. The metabolism of docetaxel to its primary metabolite, hydroxydocetaxel, is mediated by cytochrome P450 isozymes CYP3A2 and CYP3A4 in rats and humans, respectively. Several substrates of enzymes belonging to the CYP3A subfamily are known to induce different CYP isozymes, including CYP3A enzymes. Recently, paclitaxel, a compound structurally related to docetaxel, has been shown to significantly elevate the expression of CYP3A in rat and human hepatocytes. In this study we investigated the influence of docetaxel, employed at clinically relevant concentrations, on the level and the activity of cytochrome P450 3A in primary cultures of rat hepatocytes. Methods: Rat hepatocytes were treated with different concentrations of docetaxel, paclitaxel and other CYP3A inducers. Testosterone 6β-hydroxylase activity of intact hepatocytes was used as a marker for CYP3A. The immunoreactive CYP3A levels in the S-9 fractions were determined by Western blot analysis. Results: We observed that by day 3 of drug treatment, docetaxel at concentration in the range of 2.5–10 µM increased the CYP3A enzymatic activity and the immunoreactive CYP3A levels in a concentration-dependent manner. At the 10 µM level, docetaxel caused a twofold increase in the CYP3A activity and a threefold increase in the immunoreactive CYP3A levels. However, the docetaxel-mediated CYP3A activity and enzyme level increase were significantly lower than those mediated by paclitaxel and dexamethasone. A comparison of the testosterone 6β-hydroxylation activity in hepatocytes treated with these agents at a concentration of 5 µM each yielded the following rank order of induction capacity: dexamethasone>paclitaxel>docetaxel (15-fold, 5-fold, 2.2-fold, respectively). Conclusions: Taken together, our findings raise the possibility that docetaxel at clinically relevant concentrations increases CYP3A activity. The potential for docetaxel-mediated changes in the metabolism of other coadministered drugs and its own metabolism, in relation to that due to paclitaxel, are discussed.
Facile Synthesis of Monofunctional Pentamethine Carbocyanine Fluorophores.

Abstract A high-yield route to symmetric, conjugatable pentamethine carbocyanine dyes with far-red/near infrared (NIR) emission between 650 and 700 nm is reported. The dyes are prepared via condensation of indolium or benz[ e ]indolium inner salts with an alkyl carboxylic acid derivatized malonaldehyde dianil or alternatively in a one-pot reaction without isolation of the malonaldehyde intermediate. The fluorophores are water-soluble, have bright fluorescence emission, are easily prepared in good yield, and are promising candidates for use in a variety of biochemical and in vivo imaging applications.
Neutron-antineutron oscillations in an applied magnetic field

The phenomenology of neutron-antineutron ($n\ensuremath{-}\overline{n}$) oscillations in the presence of an applied external magnetic field is developed. Conditions are derived for optimizing the growth of $\overline{n}$ probability in a neutron beam. For the case of a space-varying field (precession around a field axis), no "long-time" or "high-field" solutions exist. For the case of a time-varying field, long-time solutions exist but with a quadratic growth coefficient about $\frac{1}{3}$ that of the degaussed (zero-field) solution. No high-field solutions were found to be better than the zero-field solutions. However, it may be experimentally advantageous to apply a driving field instead of degaussing to the levels required for the zero-field case.
Nicholas Murray Butler, the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, and the Search for Reconciliation in Europe, 1919–1933

The mission of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (CEIP) changed in fundamental ways in the 1920s. In the wake of the Great War, Nicholas Murray Butler, the CEIP's second president, decided that the institution's prewar focus on research and legalism was insufficient to meet the threat posed to “civilization” by continued war and revolution. Under his leadership, the CEIP became an active proponent of Wilsonianism, a more intrusive form of American internationalism. This article examines Butler's understanding of the purpose of conservative peace institutions in revolutionary times. It also aims to contribute to our understanding of the role of nongovernmental organizations in international relations and the development of cultural relations.
Src Kinase Inhibition Improves Acute Outcomes After Experimental Intracerebral Hemorrhage

Background and Purpose— The mechanisms by which intracerebral hemorrhages produce changes of blood flow and metabolism, cell death, and behavioral abnormalities are complex. In this study, we begin to test the hypothesis that intracerebral hemorrhage activates Src kinases that phosphorylate other molecules to produce cell injury and behavioral deficits after intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH). Methods— ICH was produced in adult Sprague Dawley rats by direct injection of autologous blood (50 μL) into striatum. Src kinase activity, glucose hypermetabolic areas around the ICH, TUNEL-stained cells, and apomorphine-induced rotational behaviors were assessed in animals with ICH pretreated with the Src kinase inhibitor, PP1, or with vehicle. Results— PP1 (3 mg/kg) blocked increases of Src kinase activity (5-fold) at 3 hours after ICH. PP1 also blocked the areas of glucose hypermetabolism and decreased the numbers of TUNEL-stained cells surrounding the ICH at 24 hours. Finally, apomorphine-induced (1 mg/kg) rotation ...
Intergroup bias in children: Development and persistence

Using a longitudinal approach, we examined intergroup bias based on randomly assigned novel groups in fourth- and fifth-grade children (roughly 9–11 years old) involved in an afterschool program. We investigated not only the development of intergroup bias but also its persistence over multiple weeks. Our intergroup bias measure assessed children's evaluations of group members uninvolved in the program to determine if intergroup bias could be applied beyond the immediate context. We found that children's intergroup bias toward group members outside their program developed when they were first segregated into classrooms based on their novel groupings and persisted over multiple weeks, adding to our understanding of the impact of categorization on the development and persistence of children's intergroup biases. We consider our findings both in terms of how categorization influences the development of intergroup bias and ways to use re- and cross-categorization to defeat children's intergroup biases. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Limited proteolysis of bovine adrenodoxin reductase: evidence for a domain structure.

Summary Treatment of bovine adrenodoxin reductase with trypsin under conditions of limited proteolysis yields two major fragments of apparent molecular weights 30,500 and 20,200. The fragments, which have been partially purified by affinity chromatography to remove most of the intact adrenodoxin reductase, retain adrenodoxin-dependent NADPH cytochrome c reductase activity. Kinetic analyses yield Vmax and Km (adrenodoxin) values of 485 min−1 and 0.96 μM, respectively, at an ionic strength of 0.13 M in comparison to 1059 min−1 and 0.40 μM, respectively, for intact adrenodoxin reductase under the same conditions.
Juvenile Polyps: Recurrence in Patients With Multiple and Solitary Polyps

Background & Aims Juvenile polyps are benign hamartomas with neoplastic potential that are the most frequent gastrointestinal polyp of childhood. Most information about juvenile polyps in childhood comes from small published series that lack detailed outcome data. We sought to identify a large cohort of children with one or more polyps and analyze clinical characteristics, including polyp recurrence, which might contribute to the development of management guidelines. Methods A retrospective chart review study of patients with juvenile polyps of the colon was performed. Cases were identified by searching a single hospital pathology database from 1990 to 2009 for the diagnosis of juvenile polyps. Recorded information included basic demographics, family history, genetic testing, and colonoscopy and pathology reports. Results A total of 257 children (median age, 5.6 y; 61.5% male) with juvenile polyps were identified. Among 192 patients who underwent complete colonoscopy at initial diagnosis, 117 (60.9%) had a single polyp, 75 (39.1%) had multiple polyps, 8 (4.2%) had polyps restricted to the right colon, and a total of 1653 polyps were found during 350 colonoscopy examinations. Polyps recurred in 21 of 47 (44.7%) patients after initial eradication, including 3 (16.7%) of 18 presenting with a single polyp. Neoplasia was found in 10 of 257 (3.9%) patients (right colon in 7 patients). Germline DNA abnormalities in mothers against decapentaplegic Drosophila (SMAD4), bone morphogenetic protein receptor 1A (BMPR1A), and phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN) were detected in 10 of 23 (43.5%) patients with multiple polyps. Conclusions Recurrent polyp formation is common in children with juvenile polyps and occurs in patients with multiple and solitary polyps. Standardized protocols for detecting polyp recurrence, associated gene mutations, and neoplasia should be developed for children with juvenile polyps.
Exploring the risk factors for vaccine-associated and non-vaccine associated febrile seizures in a large pediatric cohort.

Abstract Introduction It is not known whether there are underlying physiologic or immunologic differences between febrile seizures (FS) triggered by vaccines versus other causes. Furthermore, while secular and individual-level factors have been associated with FS risk, they are rarely evaluated simultaneously. Methods Subjects included members of Kaiser Permanente Southern California aged 6 months to 3 years from July 1, 2003–December 31, 2011. Primary outcome was first diagnosis of FS. Vaccine-associated (VA) FS were defined as those occurring from day 0 to day 15 following any vaccine; non-vaccine associated (NVA) FS were those outside this period. We compared incidence rates of VA-FS versus NVA-FS. Poisson regression was used to assess the association between FS and secular and individual-level factors. We also evaluated interactions between vaccine exposure and each model covariate on the risk of FS. Results Among 265,275 children, 3348 FS were identified; 383(11%) were VA-FS, and 2965(89%) were NVA-FS. Incidence rates were 2.73 and 2.05 per 100,000 person-days for VA-FS and NVA-FS, respectively. Multivariable analyses confirmed previously reported increased risk of FS by age, low gestational age, and winter months. Increased risk was also associated with VA exposure (RR = 1.63[95% CI: 1.27–2.11]), non-White race/ethnicity vs. White (African-American RR = 1.41[1.22–1.63]; Asian RR = 1.58[1.40–1.79]; Hispanic RR = 1.60[1.47–1.75]), and maternal age 29 years or less vs. 40+ years (≤19 years RR = 1.28[1.00–1.65]; 20–29 years RR = 1.21[1.02–1.42]). Females were at lower risk of NVA-FS (RR = 0.77[0.72–0.83]), but were similar to males for VA-FS (RR = 0.97[0.79–1.19]). Children with low 1 min Apgar scores (≤3) had increased risk of VA-FS (RR = 3.40[1.86–6.22]), but no increased risk for NVA-FS (RR = 1.05[0.69–1.60]) compared to children with normal Apgar scores (≥7). Discussion This study suggests that there may be immunogenetic differences underlying VA-FSs compared with other FSs. However, further studies are needed. An understanding of the mechanisms behind these findings may help improve vaccine design or policies.
Inhibition of l-asparagine synthetase by mineral cations

The inhibition of l-asparagine synthetase from Leukemia 5178YAR and mouse pancreas by mineral cations was examined. Of the 24 agents tested in vitro, 5 (cadmium chloride, cupric chloride, mercuric chloride, mercurous chloride, and zinc chloride) inhibited the utilization of l-glutamine and NH4Cl by the enzymes by nearly 90% at a concentration of 1 mm; 4 other compounds (calcium chloride, cobaltous chloride, cuprous chloride, and manganous chloride) inhibited the utilization of l-glutamine and NH4Cl by the synthetases by more than 50%. The in vitro inhibition of l-asparagine synthetase by zinc chloride, a prototypical example of this class of compounds, was partially reversed (approximately 55%) by dialysis. Moreover, the compound inhibited the l-glutaminase activity of partially purified l-asparagine synthetase from mouse pancreas by 70% at a concentration of 3 mm. In vivo, zinc chloride inhibited preferentially the pancreatic enzyme with no significant inhibition of the enzyme in tumor when administered ip as a single injection (100 mg/kg) or when given daily for 5 days (20 mg/kg) to BDF1 mice bearing subcutaneous implants of Leukemia 5178YAR; the concentration of l-asparagine in tumor or pancreas was not unduly affected by either treatment regimen. That the preferential effect on enzyme activity may be more apparent than real is suggested by the observed pancreatitis produced by this agent. It can be concluded that while zinc chloride may not be a suitable agent for overcoming the state of resistance to l-asparaginase therapy in acute lymphocytic leukemia, its toxic effects on the exocrine pancreas are of importance and warrant further investigation.
Stabilization of flames in refractory tubes

Abstract The stabilization of propane-air flames in adiabatic, refractory tubes without a flameholder was investigated experimentally. The tubes were 3/16-in and 3/8-in diameter and 10-in long, and the flow rates extended into the laminar and turbulent regions. Radial heat losses were minimized by combustion in surrounding tubes. The transient temperature at six points along the tube wall was measured for a series of lean fuel-air ratios as the flow ratio was varied in steps from the flashback limit to the blow-off limit. The stable flame velocities and the range of stable flame velocities increased with tube diameter and to a lesser extent with fuel-air ratio. The blow-off limits are much higher than those for laminar and turbulent bunsen flames but are less than those for heated flat plates or bluff-body flameholders. Combustion was essentially flameless. Oscillations and acoustic generation were noticeable only near the stability limits. The peak in the wall temperature profile moved downstream with increasing flow rate and decreasing fuel-air ratio. The stability limits were reproducible but the temperature profiles were somewhat variable indicating possible multiple stable states. The consistency of the results with thermal and kinetic considerations suggests that a mathematical model can be developed to explain the observed effects ad to predict behavior for other conditions and fuels.
Hypertension in a patient with aldosterone deficiency.

Objective: To describe a patient with aldosterone syn-thase deficiency, who presented with failure to thrive, hypovolemic hyponatremia, and the unexpected finding of hypertension. Methods: We prese...
Silicon nanophotonic devices for sensing and switching applications

Using silicon photonic wire waveguides we demonstrate highly sensitive and ultra-compact optical circuits for molecular sensing. The high-index-contrast of these structures is exploited to fabricate new folded waveguide geometries beneficial for sensing, as well as optical switching applications.
Death by hand grenade: altruistic suicide in combat

Durkheim's theory of suicide is examined as it bears on the concept of altruistic suicide. A subtype called heroic altruistic suicide or self-sacrifice is identified. Relationships are hypothesized between cohesion and self-sacrifice and rank and self-sacrifice, and they are tested in combat situations, utilizing official published information on the Congressional Medal of Honor. Altruistic suicide is found to be higher in more cohesive than in less cohesive groups and more likely among enlisted men than among career officers and noncommissioned officers. In addition to testing hypotheses empirically, this study elaborates Durkheim by extending his analysis of altruistic suicide and clarifies his work by delineating sources of error in his hypotheses.
Visual impairment and morbidity in community-residing adults: the national health interview survey 1986-1996.

Purpose: To examine the association between visual impairment (VI) and morbidity. Methods: Using pooled, annual population-based household interview survey data (n = 140,366) from the 1986–1996 National Health Interview Survey, covariate-adjusted, gender and age group specific logistic regression analyses were used to examine associations between VI and five morbidity indicators: restricted activity days, bed rest days, doctor visits, hospitalizations, and self-rated health. Results: After controlling for educational status, race and the number of reported non-ocular health conditions, fair or poor health status (compared to excellent, very good, or good health status) was generally more strongly associated with severe, bilateral VI (range of odds ratios [OR's]: 2.14–7.24) than with some VI (OR's: 1.45–2.21). Severe, bilateral VI was also associated with more frequent doctor and hospital visits among adults 18–64 years of age (range of OR's: 1.69–3.34), and restricted activity and bed rest days among male...
Phase precession and phase‐locking of hippocampal pyramidal cells

We propose that the activity patterns of CA3 hippocampal pyramidal cells in freely running rats can be described as a temporal phenomenon, where the timing of bursts is modulated by the animal's running speed. With this hypothesis, we explain why pyramidal cells fire in specific spatial locations, and how place cells phase-precess with respect to the EEG theta rhythm for rats running on linear tracks. We are also able to explain why wheel cells phase-lock with respect to the theta rhythm for rats running in a wheel. Using biophysically minimal models of neurons, we show how the same network of neurons displays these activity patterns. The different rhythms are the result of inhibition being used in different ways by the system. The inhibition is produced by anatomically and physiologically diverse types of interneurons, whose role in controlling the firing patterns of hippocampal cells we analyze. Each firing pattern is characterized by a different set of functional rela- tionships between network elements. Our analysis suggests a way to understand these functional relationships and transitions between them.
Intersubtype Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 Superinfection following Seroconversion to Primary Infection in Two Injection Drug Users

In this study, we describe two cases of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) intersubtype superinfection with CRF01_AE and subtype B strains, which occurred in two injection drug users participating in a prospective cohort study in Bangkok, Thailand. In both cases, the superinfecting strain was detected by molecular and serologic analyses several weeks after complete seroconversion to the primary infection with a strain belonging to a different subtype. Superinfection occurred despite specific T-cell and humoral antibody responses to the primary virus. In both cases, cross-subtype immune responses were limited or absent prior to the second infection. These data show that, in some individuals, the quality and quantity of the immune response elicited by primary HIV-1 infection may not protect against superinfection. This finding has important implications for vaccine design. HIV-1 vaccines, at a minimum, will need to include potent, broadly protective, conserved immunogens derived from several group M subtypes.
Binocular integration in line rivalry

Three experiments investigated the frequency of a monocular, partial binocular, or nearly total binocular report of dichoptically presented stimuli in a line rivalry paradigm. The consistently important variable was the duration of the presentation time of the stimuli, which ranged from 50 to 1,100 msec, with each experiment covering only a portion of these times. Variations in equipment, instructions, response mode, light intensity, and position in the visual field were introduced. The main result was a report of fusion of the binocular inputs, with little or no suppression for about 40% to about 80% of the foveal presentations of 100 msec or less, the percentage varying over the three experiments. Partial fusion (some, but not all, lines crossed) was indicated in another 40% or more of the reports. Lateral positioning of the stimuli 6 deg from the fixation point, but not at 3 deg or less, resulted mainly in reports of monocular inputs. The possibility, and serious implication for studies of rivalry phenomena, of range effects (Poulton) from the within-subjects variation of duration of stimuli was noted.
Quantitative Determination of Scopoletin and Lacinilene C 7-Methyl Ether in Aqueous Extracts of Frost-Killed Cotton Leaf and Bract by HPLC

A high-performance liquid chromatography procedure for the separation and quan tification of scopoletin and lacinilene C 7-methyl ether in aqueous extracts of cotton bract and leaf was developed. A procedure involving an aqueous extraction followed by an ethanol extraction is described. The amounts of scopoletin present in frost- killed bract and leaf which could be extracted with water were 22.6 ppm and 21.6 ppm, respectively. The amounts of lacinilene C 7-methyl ether present in, and water extractable from, frost-killed cotton bract and leaf were 17.8 ppm and 17.6 ppm, respectively. Samples of cotton bract and leaf picked before a frost were also examined. The amounts of lacinilene C 7-methyl ether present in cotton bract and leaf appear to be dependent on the physiological state of the plant. The amount of scopoletin present in the samples picked before a frost could not be determined due to insufficient resolution in the vicinity of the scopoletin peak in the HPLC chromatograms.
Structural basis for the recruitment of profilin–actin complexes during filament elongation by Ena/VASP

Cells sustain high rates of actin filament elongation by maintaining a large pool of actin monomers above the critical concentration for polymerization. Profilin–actin complexes constitute the largest fraction of polymerization-competent actin monomers. Filament elongation factors such as Ena/VASP and formin catalyze the transition of profilin–actin from the cellular pool onto the barbed end of growing filaments. The molecular bases of this process are poorly understood. Here we present structural and energetic evidence for two consecutive steps of the elongation mechanism: the recruitment of profilin–actin by the last poly-Pro segment of vasodilator-stimulated phosphoprotein (VASP) and the binding of profilin–actin simultaneously to this poly-Pro and to the G-actin-binding (GAB) domain of VASP. The actin monomer bound at the GAB domain is proposed to be in position to join the barbed end of the growing filament concurrently with the release of profilin.
Deterministic multiuser carrier-frequency offset estimation for interleaved OFDMA uplink

In orthogonal frequency-division multiple access (OFDMA), closely spaced multiple subcarriers are assigned to different users for parallel signal transmission. An interleaved subcarrier-assignment scheme is preferred because it provides maximum frequency diversity and increases the capacity in frequency-selective fading channels. The subcarriers are overlapping, but orthogonal to each other such that there is no intercarrier interference (ICI). Carrier-frequency offsets (CFOs) between the transmitter and the receiver destroy the orthogonality and introduces ICI, resulting in multiple-access interference. This paper exploits the inner structure of the signals for CFO estimation in the uplink of interleaved OFDMA systems. A new uplink signal model is presented, and an estimation algorithm based on the signal structure is proposed for estimating the CFOs of all users using only one OFDMA block. Diversity schemes are also presented to improve the estimation performance. Simulation results illustrate the high accuracy and efficiency of the proposed algorithm.
Acetone production during the germination of fatty seeds

Acetone production at various stages of seed germination of a number of different species was analyzed by gas chromatography. In four agronomic species, the level of acetone production by the embryo axes had a strong positive correlation with the lipid content of the seeds, while in the embryos of three pine species the acetone level was much higher and did not show such a close correlation with lipid content. Acetone was produced only during germination and did not occur simply in response to imbibition of the seeds. Acetone production occurred predominantly in the embryos/embryo axes for the pines/angiosperms, respectively, and appeared at an early period during germination in which weight loss of the nutritive tissue was occurring at a rate greater than the growth of the embryos.
Magnetopause modeling: Flux transfer events and magnetosheath quasi‐trapped distributions

Three-dimensional distribution functions for energetic ions are studied numerically in the magnetosphere, through the magnetopause, and in the magnetosheath using a simple one-dimensional quasi-static model and ISEE 1 magnetopause crossing data for November 10, 1977. Quasi-trapped populations in the magnetosheath observed near flux transfer events (FTEs) are investigated, and it is shown that the population in the sheath appears to sandwich the FTE distributions. These quasi-trapped distributions are due to slow, large pitch angle, outward moving particles left behind by the outward rush of the ions more field-aligned at the time the flux was opened. It is found that sheath convective flows can map along the connected flux tube without drastically changing the distribution function, and results suggest that localized tangential fields above the upper limit may exist.
Utility of school psychologists' recommendations: Perception of elementary teachers

This study was designed to investigate perceptions by elementary school teachers of the usefulness and ease of implementation of traditional recommendations that attribute the cause of referral problems to the individual student's characteristics or environmental conditions, as compared to recommendations that address a student's problem with varying degrees of specificity. Teachers rated recommendations that contained specifics for implementation as being more useful than those that attributed the cause of the problem to individual characteristics or environmental conditions. In spite of their high ratings on usefulness, the most specific recommendations, written in contract form, were rated as being difficult to implement, as were the recommendations that mentioned individual characteristics or nonspecific environmental condition as causes of the problem.
Seasonal Variation of American Indian Children's School-Day Physical Activity.

Summary Study aim: To examine the pedometer steps taken during the school-day by American Indian children during all four seasons. Material and methods: Participants included third-sixth grade children (n = 157) aged 9.6±1.07 (boys) and 9.7±1.2 (girls) attending school from one Southwestern US American Indian community. Children had a mean BMI of 23.9±7.7 with 70% being classified as overweight or obese. Children wore a pedometer (Yamax Digiwalker SW-200) for 20 days (5 days per season). Results: Children accumulated 4762±1544 (boys) and 4408±1194 (girls) steps/day across the four seasons with the highest totals occurring during the Fall (4899, males; 4796, females) and the lowest totals during the Winter (4463, males; 4043, females). Repeated measures ANOVA showed no significant differences in daily school-day steps across seasons. Children classified as normal weight averaged 5146±1688 steps/day, overweight children averaged 5020±1333 steps/day, and obese children accumulated 4275±1123 steps/day. Conclusions: PA stayed relatively consistent across seasons in this sample of children. However, children were the least active during Winter months. With 70% of the current sample being classified as overweight and with American Indian children at greater risk for numerous hypokinetic diseases there is a clear need for additional school-day PA opportunities.
Genetics of population isolates

Genetic isolates, as shown empirically by the Finnish, Old Order Amish, Hutterites, Sardinian and Jewish communities among others, represent a most important and powerful tool in genetically mapping inherited disorders. The main features associated with that genetic power are the existence of multigenerational pedigrees which are mostly descended from a small number of founders a short number of generations ago, environmental and phenotypic homogeneity, restricted geographical distribution, the presence of exhaustive and detailed records correlating individuals in very well ascertained pedigrees, and inbreeding as a norm. On the other hand, the presence of a multifounder effect or admixture among divergent populations in the founder time (e.g. the Finnish and the Paisa community from Colombia) will theoretically result in increased linkage disequilibrium among adjacent loci. The present review evaluates the historical context and features of some genetic isolates with emphasis on the basic population genetic concepts of inbreeding and genetic drift, and also the state-of-the-art in mapping traits, both Mendelian and complex, on genetic isolates.
Assessment of severity measures for acute asthma outcomes: a first step in developing an asthma clinical prediction rule

Objective As a first step in the development of an asthma prediction rule, our primary objective was to assess the association of 8 candidate predictor variables with 2 clinically relevant asthma outcomes.
Performance and average sampling period of sub-optimal triggering event in event triggered state estimation

Event-triggered approaches to control and estimation have the sensor transmit processed information when a measure of information ‘novelty’ exceeds a threshold. Prior work has empirically demonstrated that event-triggered systems may have significantly longer average sampling intervals than comparably performing periodically triggered systems. There are, however, few results that analytically characterize the tradeoff that event-triggering introduces between average sampling period and system performance. This paper examines that tradeoff for a sub-optimal solution to the constrained state-estimation problem considered by Xu and Hespanha. The sub-optimal solution is comparable to that used by Cogill, and extends the earlier work to unstable systems. In particular, the paper derives a sub-optimal solution that guarantees the specified least average sampling period. The paper also derives upper and lower bounds on the event-triggered estimator performance. Simulation results are used to demonstrate the utility of these bounds.
Christian Social Justice Advocate: Contradiction or Legacy?.

In this article, the relationship between Christian religiosity and the principles of social justice is explored, including the sociopolitical aspects of faith and advocacy. A particular emphasis is placed on the historical legacy and theological relationships between Christianity and social justice. The author concludes with a call for increasingly overt and intentional social justice work among counselors who self-identify as Christian.
Statistical Models for Topic Segmentation

Most documents are about more than one subject, but many NLP and IR techniques implicitly assume documents have just one topic. We describe new clues that mark shifts to new topics, novel algorithms for identifying topic boundaries and the uses of such boundaries once identified. We report topic segmentation performance on several corpora as well as improvement on an IR task that benefits from good segmentation.
Integrated nanoelectronics for the future

Integrated electronics has come a long way since the invention of the transistor in 1947 and the fabrication of the first integrated circuit in 1958. Given feature sizes as small as a few nanometres, what will the future hold for integrated electronics?
Growth and Survival in a Northern Population of Hispid Cotton Rats

Using data from a 28-month capture-mark-recapture study that included 3 winters, we compared rates of body growth and survival for a population of hispid cotton rats (Sigmodon hispidus) in eastern Virginia with another marginal population in eastern Kansas, and where possible, with southern populations in coastal Texas and central Florida. Patterns of seasonal growth were similar in Virginia and Kansas, being low, often near 0, in winter but moderate in other seasons, unlike the uniform seasonal growth rates in Texas. Survival rates were similar between the sexes in both Virginia and Kansas but the overall monthly survival rate in Kansas (0.75) was much higher than the means for Virginia (0.69 for females and 0.62 for males). In sum, despite mild and mostly snow-free winters in eastern Virginia, the patterns of body mass and rates of growth and survival were more similar to those of Kansas populations than to those of cotton rat populations from Texas or Florida.
Iron-sulfur-based single molecular wires for enhancing charge transport in enzyme-based bioelectronic systems.

Abstract When redox enzymes are wired to electrodes outside a living cell (ex vivo), their ability to produce a sufficiently powerful electrical current diminishes significantly due to the thermodynamic and kinetic limitations associated with the wiring systems. Therefore, we are yet to harness the full potential of redox enzymes for the development of self-powering bioelectronics devices (such as sensors and fuel cells). Interestingly, nature uses iron–sulfur complexes ([Fe–S]), to circumvent these issues in vivo. Yet, we have not been able to utilize [Fe–S]-based chains ex vivo, primarily due to their instability in aqueous media. Here, a simple technique to attach iron (II) sulfide (FeS) to a gold surface in ethanol media and then complete the attachment of the enzyme in aqueous media is reported. Cyclic voltammetry and spectroscopy techniques confirmed the concatenation of FeS and glycerol-dehydrogenase/nicotinamide-adenine-dinucleotide (GlDH–NAD+) apoenzyme–coenzyme molecular wiring system on the base gold electrode. The resultant FeS-based enzyme electrode reached an open circuit voltage closer to its standard potential under a wide range of glycerol concentrations (0.001–1 M). When probed under constant potential conditions, the FeS-based electrode was able to amplify current by over 10 fold as compared to electrodes fabricated with the conventional pyrroloquinoline quinone-based composite molecular wiring system. These improvements in current/voltage responses open up a wide range of possibilities for fabricating self-powering, bio-electronic devices.
Covered Interest Parity Deviations Between India And The US

Prior studies have tested Covered Interest Parity (CIP) between India and the United States and found substantial deviations. The main objective of the current study is to econometrically model and explain deviations from CIP. Further, the study contributes to the literature by proposing an approach to testing CIP after allowing for country risk. A preliminary analysis suggests that there are two types of shocks that impact the CIP deviation, also referred to as the Covered Interest Differential (CID): permanent shocks and temporary shocks. The permanent shocks may be interpreted as reflecting a change in the country risk premium and the temporary shocks as reflecting transient effects and disequilibrium. The paper uses a bivariate Vector Autoregression (VAR) approach to model the joint dynamics of the CID and the forward premium, and applies the methodology of Blanchard and Quah (1989) to separate the impact of the two types of shocks. Impulse-Response analysis shows that a one standard deviation permanent shock has an immediate, substantial impact on the CID. However, forecast error variance decomposition reveals that less than 30% of the variability in the CID is caused by such permanent shocks. Further, permanent shocks account for less than 5% of the forecast error variance of the forward premium, which suggests that covered interest arbitrage activity has limited influence on the forward premium. Temporary shocks appear to be related to transient volatility in the forward premium, and such shocks initially affect both the forward premium and the CID to approximately the same extent. The manner in which the CID responds to a temporary shock suggests considerable impediments to arbitrage. However, the fact that the CID recovers at a slightly faster rate than the forward premium, especially in the initial periods, suggests that capital restrictions are not completely binding.
How to Hold the Social Fact Thesis- A Reply to Greenberg and Toh

It is widely believed that legal positivists adhere to something called the “social fact thesis.” A first approximation of this thesis is that law is ultimately or fundamentally entirely a matter of social fact. The claim that law is ultimately entirely a matter of social fact is opaque for many reasons, not the least of which is the locution “a matter of.” Unfortunately, legal positivists do not always clarify this locution and, equally unfortunately, their critics rarely do. There are several different ideas being discussed under the heading “the social fact thesis,” with the result that those who proclaim their allegiance to it and those who seek to criticize it risk talking past each other.In this paper, I will clarify this thesis and focus on two recent assaults on it (broadly understood), one by Greenberg and one by Toh. Greenberg’s is a global rejection of the social fact thesis; Toh’s is a rejection of a form of the social fact thesis to which he takes contemporary legal positivists to have committed themselves in an effort to offer an alternative to natural law theories. These attacks are unsuccessful, in Greenberg’s case in part because of failure to recognize a prominent version of the social fact thesis, and in both cases because of failure to appreciate the resources available to the legal positivist.
Industrial and Organizational Psychology: Cross-cultural

Cross-cultural industrial and organizational psychology is a field of study that examines work-relevant phenomena occurring in different kinds of organizations in different cultures. This article examines the history and content (topics such as work satisfaction, productivity, motivation, conflict resolution, decision making, turnover, organizational commitment, organizational change) of this field, and reviews important milestones in the development of the field.
Reply: CDC analysis of ICSI/autism: association is not causation

Sir, We appreciate the interest of Dr Barad et al. in our analysis of the association of assisted reproductive technology (ART) treatment and parental infertility diagnosis with autism in ART-conceived children (Kissin et al., 2015). Dr Barad et al. express concern that the analysis was not adjusted ‘for race/ethnicity and/or socioeconomic status.’ We did consider both maternal race/ethnicity and education (the latter as a proxy for socioeconomic status) among other characteristics for inclusion in models that explored the association of autism with ART treatment factors and parental infertility diagnosis. Neither factor was significant in the univariable analysis and, therefore, was not included in in the models. However, in response to Dr Barad et al.’s suggestion, we refit the models with addition of these two factors. As expected, the risk estimates for the association of ICSI with autism diagnosis remained statistically significant for both singletons [adjusted hazard risk ratio, aHRR 1.73 (1.11–2.69)] and multiples [aHRR 1.51 (1.06–2.15)]. Contrary to Dr Barad et al.’s surmise that socioeconomically advantaged patients would utilize ICSI to a higher degree, there was no evidence that utilization of ICSI was significantly associated with either race/ethnicity (70% of ART users with ICSI were non-Hispanic white, compared with 70% of ART users without ICSI) or socioeconomic status (89% of ICSI users were college graduates, compared with 87% of women who used ART without ICSI). The dramatic increase in use of ICSI during the study period without similar increase in autism diagnosis in ART-conceived children can likely be explained by the relatively low prevalence of autism. Using a mathematical assessment model for estimating the effects of changes in the prevalence of individual risk factors on autism prevalence (Schieve et al., 2011), we estimate that the 82% increase of ICSI use would be expected to result in a 14.4% increase in autism among singletons, and thus a prevalence increase from0.9 to 1.03%. Likewise, the ICSI use increase we observed would be expected to result in a 15.5% autism increase among multiples, which translates to a prevalence increase from 1.2 to 1.39% among multiples. Such small increases in autism prevalence are difficult to detect with any precision. Moreover, while increasing ICSI utilization may have led to a slight increase in autism prevalence, other factors, such as the decline in multiple births among ART deliveries, might have affected the trend in the opposite direction. As we clearly noted in our article, an underlying biological mechanism through which ICSI could be associated with autism is not known and may be related to the procedure itself, characteristics of the patients selected for the procedure, or other factors. However the possibility of risk and the lack of convincing evidence of benefit do not appear to favor use of ICSI without male-factor infertility diagnosis (ASRM, 2012).
Strategy as Activity System: A Review and Conceptualization

Scholars have used the notion of activity systems to study and illustrate several phenomena in strategic management, such as competitive advantage, adaptation, and evolution over time. However, pri...
Evidence of input from lagged cells in the lateral geniculate nucleus to simple cells in cortical area 17 of the cat.

1. The visual cortex receives several types of afferents from the lateral geniculate nucleus (LGN) of the thalamus. In the cat, previous work studied the ON/OFF and X/Y distinctions, investigating ...