cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Stat3 and its activators in intestinal defense and mucosal homeostasis

Purpose of review Coordination of innate and adaptive immunity is central to effective mucosal immune defense and homeostasis. The review discusses recent findings on two cytokines, IL-22 and IL-6, and their common signaling pathway, which bridge innate and adaptive immunity in the intestinal tract. Recent findings IL-22, a signature product of Th17 cells, is also secreted at functionally significant levels by innate immune cells, especially NKp44/NKp46-expressing natural killer (NK) cells and lymphoid tissue inducer cells after IL-23 stimulation. IL-22 acts primarily on epithelial cells and is overall protective, as its inhibition or loss exacerbates intestinal inflammation. Similarly, IL-6, secreted by macrophages, dendritic cells, epithelial cells, and T cells protects against mucosal damage, but it is also key in the development of Th17 cells, which mediate inflammatory and defensive responses in the intestine. Both cytokines activate STAT3 signaling, whose intestinal activities depend on the specific cell types involved. STAT3 in epithelial and myeloid cells mediates mucosa-protective and anti-inflammatory functions, whereas STAT3 in T cells promotes inflammation. Summary IL-22 and IL-6 are prime examples of cytokines that coordinate innate and adaptive immune responses in the intestine. They and their common signaling pathway, STAT3 can promote or protect against inflammation indicating that pharmacological manipulation for therapeutic purposes in intestinal inflammatory conditions may present special challenges.
Relative accuracy of the diagnostic components of noninvasive carotid arterial tests: A comparison of pulsed Doppler arteriography and spectrum analysis

Abstract Pulsed Doppler ultrasonography (UA), sound spectrum analysis, and subjective interpretation of the audible signal are valuable methods for assessing carotid arterial disease; however, the relative contribution of each in making a diagnosis is disputed. To investigate this issue, 258 noninvasive carotid studies with measured x-ray comparisons were reviewed. Internal carotid spectra, UA images, and images combined with the technician's comments were each interpreted blindly by three independent readers. Percentage of stenosis was categorized into six groups: 0, 1% to 24%, 25% to 49%, 50% to 74%, 75% to 99%, and 100%. Each reader's assessment of the individual noninvasive components and his overall reading of the complete study were compared with x-ray findings and with those of the other two readers. The readings of the three observers were consistent within each diagnostic component (p
Neo-Lamarckism and technique: Hans Spemann and the development of experimental embryology.

Adherents of neo-Lamarckism in the early twentieth century are often viewed as a curiosity. Holding on to an outmoded philosophy, they seem less than fully scientific given the new experimental impulses in early twentieth-century biology.' However, it is often forgotten how widespread neo-Lamarckism was around 1900, and that neo-Lamarckians were by no means the underdogs in the battle with Weismannism at that time. The purpose of this paper is to examine the neo-Lamarckian context in which experimental work evolved in Germany in the early twentieth century.2 I will argue that the experimental program devised by Hans Spemann combined an increasingly highly prized technical virtuosity with a neo-Lamarckian view of nature. By examining the experimental program that Speman carried out and comparing it with the suggestions for such a program outlined by Spemann's friend and mentor, August Pauly, I shall try to display the assumptions that shaped Spemann's work.
Influence of Nitrogen Fertilization Rates on the Performance of Strawberry Cultivars

Two sets of studies were conducted to examine the response of “Strawberry Festival” and “Winter Dawn” strawberries (Fragaria x ananassa Duch.) to different nitrogen (N) rates. The first set of studies consisted of two trials conducted during the 2005–06 and 2006–07 growing seasons. N rates were 0.5, 0.7, and 0.9 kg/ha per day (75, 105, and 135 kg/ha per season). The second set of studies was conducted during the 2006–07 and 2007–08 growing seasons. Nitrogen rates were 0.9, 1.4, and 2.0 kg/ha per day (75, 210, and 300 kg/ha per season) using the same cultivars. During the first set of studies, canopies of “Strawberry Festival” were 30% and 10% wider than “Winter Dawn” at 6 and 12 weeks, whereas N rates linearly increased canopy diameters of both cultivars. There was a significant cultivar by N rate interaction for total marketable fruit weight. Increasing N rates from 0.5 to 0.9 kg/ha per day linearly improved total marketable fruit weights of “Strawberry Festival,” but not those of “Winter Dawn.” For the ...
Phase behavior of a fragrance compound system: Water/phenethyl alcohol/laureth 4/glycerol

The phase diagram of the system water/phenethyl alcohol (PEA)/Laureth 4 (L4)/glycerol was determined using visual observation, optical microscopy, small-angle X-ray diffractometry, and the vapor pressure of phenethyl alcohol measured by gas chromatographic analysis of headspace vapor at equilibrium. The phase diagram was shown to be dominated by three narrow isotropic liquid solubility regions along the water/glycerol, glycerol/PEA, and PEA/L4 axes. Vapor pressure measurements and tie-line determinations showed the final state of formulations after evaporation of water to be emulsions of glycerol/PEA-in-L4/PEA or L4/PEA-in-glycerol/PEA. PEA was predominantly dissolved in the L4/PEA phase because the chemical potential of PEA in glycerol was high, even at modest concentrations.
Nativelike right-dislocation in near-native French:

Recent research on advanced and near-native second-language (L2) speakers has focused on the acquisition of interface phenomena, for example at the syntax—pragmatics interface. Proponents of the In...
Modulation of pulmonary metastasis (Lewis lung carcinoma) by bromelain, an extract of the pineapple stem (Ananas comosus)

(1988). Modulation of Pulmonary Metastasis (Lewis Lung Carcinoma) by Bromelain, an Extract of the Pineapple Stem (Ananas Comosus) Cancer Investigation: Vol. 6, No. 2, pp. 241-242.
Space Charge Limits in ESQ Transport Systems

This report describes the results obtained in a series of experiments done with a variety of different electrostatic quadrupole configurations using a precision optical bench system. The performance of a quadrupole transport system can be described by a generalized perveance defined by an equation for the maximum current obtainable for fixed quadrupole and beam parameters as the quadrupole strength is varied. The experiments were done for the most part with singly charged Argon ions (A = 40) with energies of 1 or 2 keV. By varying the beam energy and observing the correct behavior the authors were confident that they were saturating the channel and were not limited at the ion source. Verification runs were also made with Xenon. One possible source of error in the experiment was the impurity of the argon beam. The impurity levels were measured with a magnetic analyzer and the beams were typically found to be over 98% pure. The current limits determined in the experiment were produced with an ion source of the Ehlers type using coated nickel mesh filament. The only experimentally determined numbers were the beam current, the quadrupole voltages and the beam size. Using this data as input into the computermore » code SCTRAN, it was possible to get plausible estimates of the tune shift and hence the brightness of the beam. The beam at the end of the 40 quad system used about 80% of the available aperture. The beam was perfectly centered and so the failure of the beam to fill the system could not be explained by steering errors.« less
THE OFFENSE OF DIVINE REVELATION

This paper and the two responses to it were presented as part of “Evangelical Perspectives on Biblical Authority,” a conference held at Harvard Divinity School on 9 and 10 March 2001. The conference was sponsored by the School under the auspices of the Alonzo L. McDonald Family Visiting Professorship of Evangelical Theological Studies.
Development of stereoscopic-haptic virtual environments

Development of visual environments for surgical simulation, using newly available haptic interface and stereoscopic technologies, is a major challenge. Computer haptics simulates human sense of touch. Stereoscopy simulates our natural depth perception, unlike technologies that display 3D information in a flat 2D environment. Integration of these two senses enhances sense of realism. Thus by coupling force-feedback (or haptic) devices with a stereoscopic display, results in the illusion of being "inside" a virtual world, by being able to "see" and "feel" 3D virtual environment. The PC/NT based solution presented in this paper, offers a developer an inexpensive, easy-to-use technique for generating stereoscopic-haptic environment. This solution can transform the virtual environment from a flat, formless 2D experience to a more realistic and solid 3D experience. Our initial application will be to make 3D organ models from a reproductive age woman (Lucy 2.0) stereoscopic haptic.
Intersession reliability of H:M ratio is greater than the H-reflex at a percentage of M-max.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the intersession reliability of the soleus Hoffmann reflex using two methods of normalizing motoneuron excitability over time. Ten subjects reported to the laboratory on two separate occasions. Soleus Hoffmann reflexes and muscle responses were evaluated at maximal amplitude ratios and at stimuli producing ∼20% of the maximal muscle response. An intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC 2, 1) found strong intersession reliability for both measurement techniques. Assessing motoneuron activation using maximal amplitude ratios demonstrated a robust ICC of 0.979 compared to an ICC of 0.882 when the Hoffmann reflex was assessed at ∼20% of the maximal muscle response.
A Critique of the Open Hypermedia Protocol

The Open Hypermedia Protocol is a proposed standard for enabling the interoperability of client applications with open hypermedia systems. This paper presents the protocol at a high-level of detail, performs an analysis of its strengths and weaknesses, and makes specific recommendations for improvements to the protocol. In addition, the paper records how a new version of the protocol is evolving. The arguments and recommendations of this paper are based on the information presented in [1] and [29] as well as the results of the discussions held on the protocol at the following events: the Second International Workshop on Open Hypermedia Systems (OHS 2.0), the December 1996 Open Hypermedia Working Group Meeting (OHS 2.5), the Third International Workshop on Open Hypermedia Systems (OHS 3.0), and the September 1997 Open Hypermedia Working Group Meeting (OHS 3.5).
Identification of surface-exposed components of MOMP of Chlamydia trachomatis serovar F.

The identification of surface-exposed components of the major outer membrane protein (MOMP) of Chlamydia is critical for modeling its three-dimensional structure, as well as for understanding the role of MOMP in the pathogenesis of Chlamydia-related diseases. MOMP contains four variable domains (VDs). In this study, VDII and VDIV of Chlamydia trachomatis serovar F were proven to be surface-located by immuno-dot blot assay using monoclonal antibodies (MAbs). Two proteases, trypsin and endoproteinase Glu-C, were applied to digest the intact elementary body of serovar F under native conditions to reveal the surface-located amino acids. The resulting peptides were separated by SDS-PAGE and probed with MAbs against these VDs. N-terminal amino acid sequencing revealed: (1) The Glu-C cleavage sites were located within VDI (at Glu61) and VDIII (at Glu225); (2) the trypsin cleavage sites were found at Lys79 in VDI and at Lys224 in VDIII. The tryptic peptides were then isolated by HPLC and analyzed with a matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometer and a quadrupole-orthogonal-TOF mass spectrometer coupled with a capillary liquid chromatograph. Masses and fragmentation patterns that correlated to the peptides cleaved from VDI and VDIII regions, and C-terminal peptides Ser333–Arg358 and Ser333–Lys350 were observed. This result demonstrated that these regions are surface-exposed. Data derived from comparison of nonreduced outer membrane complex proteolytic fragments with their reduced fractions revealed that Cys26, 29, 33, 116, 208, and 337 were involved in disulfide bonds, and Cys26 and 337, and 116 and 208 were paired. Based on these data, a new two-dimensional model is proposed.
Three Members of the LC8/DYNLL Family Are Required for Outer Arm Dynein Motor Function

The highly conserved LC8/DYNLL family proteins were originally identified in axonemal dyneins and subsequently found to function in multiple enzyme systems. Genomic analysis uncovered a third member (LC10) of this protein class in Chlamydomonas. The LC10 protein is extracted from flagellar axonemes with 0.6 M NaCl and cofractionates with the outer dynein arm in sucrose density gradients. Furthermore, LC10 is specifically missing only from axonemes of those strains that fail to assemble outer dynein arms. Previously, the oda12-1 insertional allele was shown to lack the Tctex2-related dynein light chain LC2. The LC10 gene is located 2 kb from that of LC2 and is also completely missing from this mutant but not from oda12-2, which lacks only the 3 end of the LC2 gene. Although oda12-1 cells assemble outer arms that lack only LC2 and LC10, this strain exhibits a flagellar beat frequency that is consistently less than that observed for strains that fail to assemble the entire outer arm and docking complex (e.g., oda1). These results support a key regulatory role for the intermediate chain/light chain complex that is an integral and highly conserved feature of all oligomeric dynein motors.
The Role of Neurocognition and Social Context in Predicting Community Functioning Among Formerly Homeless Seriously Mentally Ill Persons

Objective: To test the influence of neurocognitive functioning on community functioning among formerly homeless persons with serious mental illness and to determine whether that influence varies with social context, independent of individual characteristics. Methods: In metropolitan Boston, 112 persons in Department of Mental Health shelters were administered a neuropsychological test battery and other measures and then randomly assigned to empowerment-oriented group homes or independent apartments, as part of a longitudinal study of the effects of housing on multiple outcomes. Subjects’ case managers completed Rosen's 5-dimensional Life Skills Inventory at 3, 6, 12, and 18 months and subjects reported on their social contacts at baseline, 6, 12, and 18 months. Subject characteristics are controlled in the analysis. Results: Three dimensions of neurocognitive functioning—executive function, verbal declarative memory, and vigilance—each predicted community functioning. Better executive function predicted improved self-care and less turbulent behavior among persons living alone, better memory predicted more positive social contacts for those living in a group home, and higher levels of vigilance predicted improved communication in both housing types. Conclusion: Neurocognition predicts community functioning among homeless persons with severe mental illness, but in a way that varies with the social context in which community functioning occurs.
Fetal exposure to bisphenol A as a risk factor for the development of childhood asthma: an animal model study

Background The prevalence of asthma in industrialized countries has been increasing dramatically and asthma is now the most common chronic disease of children in the United States. The rapidity of the increase strongly suggests that changes in environmental exposures are the likely cause of this epidemic. Further, the early onset of allergic manifestations suggests that these exposures may act on the prenatal development of the immune system. We have focused on the potential effects of bisphenol A (BPA), a chemical pollutant with one of the largest productions, on the development of childhood asthma. We have reported that perinatal BPA exposure promotes the development of allergic asthma in a mouse model. The current study was designed to identify a critical period of BPA exposure and to begin elucidating the mechanisms for this susceptibility.
Dynamics of Synthesis of Large Carbon Structures in the Interstellar Medium

We investigate the nucleation of carbon and hydrogen atoms in the gas phase to form large carbon chains, clusters and cages by reactive molecular dynamics simulations. We study how temperature, particle density, presence of hydrogen, and carbon inflow affect the nucleation of molecular moieties with different characteristics.
A reconfigurable aperture antenna based on switched links between electrically small metallic patches

A reconfigurable aperture (RECAP) antenna is described in which a planar array of electrically small, metallic patches are interconnected by switches. The antenna can be reconfigured to meet different performance goals by changing the switches that are open and closed. The switch configuration for a particular goal is determined using an optimizer, such as the genetic algorithm. First, the basic concept for the RECAP antenna is verified by comparing theoretical results with measurements for configurations in which the switches are simply wires connecting the patches. Next, details are given for a prototype antenna in which field-effect transistor based electronic switches are used with optical control. Theoretical results for the prototype antenna are then compared with measurements for cases in which electronic reconfiguration is used to change the bandwidth of operation or steer the pattern of the antenna. Finally, an overview of alternate switch/control strategies, some of which were tested, is given along with suggestions for improving the next generation of this antenna.
Hyperphagia and obesity in OLETF rats lacking CCK-1 receptors

The brain–gut peptide cholecystokinin (CCK) inhibits food intake following peripheral or site directed central administration. Peripheral exogenous CCK inhibits food intake by reducing the size and duration of a meal. Antagonist studies have demonstrated that the actions of the exogenous peptide mimic those of endogenous CCK. Antagonist administration results in increased meal size and meal duration. The feeding inhibitory actions of CCK are mediated through interactions with CCK-1 receptors. The recent identification of the Otsuka–Long–Evans–Tokushima Fatty (OLETF) rat as a spontaneous CCK-1 receptor knockout model has allowed a more comprehensive evaluation of the feeding actions of CCK. OLETF rats become obese and develop non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM). Consistent with the absence of CCK-1 receptors, OLETF rats do not respond to exogenous CCK. OLETF rats are hyperphagic and their increased food intake is characterized by a large increase in meal size with a decrease in meal frequency that is not sufficient to compensate for the meal size increase. Deficits in meal size control are evident in OLETF rats as young as 2 days of age. OLETF obesity is secondary to the increased food intake. Pair feeding to amounts consumed by intact control rats normalizes body weight, body fat and elevated insulin and glucose levels. Hypothalamic arcuate nucleus peptide mRNA expression in OLETF rats is appropriate to their obesity and is normalized by pair feeding. In contrast, pair fed and young pre-obese OLETF rats have greatly elevated dorsomedial hypothalamic (DMH) neuropeptide Y (NPY) mRNA expression. Elevated DMH NPY in OLETF rats appears to be a consequence of the absence of CCK-1 receptors. In intact rats NPY and CCK-1 receptors colocalize to neurons within the compact subregion of the DMH and local CCK administration reduces food intake and decreases DMH NPY mRNA expression. We have proposed that the absence of DMH CCK-1 receptors significantly contributes to the OLETF's inability to compensate for their meal size control deficit leading to their overall hyperphagia. Access to a running wheel and the resulting exercise normalizes food intake and body weight in OLETF rats. When given access to running wheels for 6 weeks shortly after weaning, OLETF rats do not gain weight to the same degree as sedentary OLETF rats and do not develop NIDDM. Exercise also prevents elevated levels of DMH NPY mRNA expression, suggesting that exercise exerts an alternative, non-CCK mediated, control on DMH NPY. The OLETF rat is a valuable model for characterizing actions of CCK in energy balance and has provided novel insights into interactions between exercise and food intake.
Abnormal CD40 Ligand (CD154) Expression in Human Immunodeficiency Virus-Infected Children

The CD40 ligand (CD154), expressed primarily on activated CD4-positive T cells, is a costimulatory molecule involved in B-cell proliferation, germinal center formation, and immunoglobulin class switching. Since B-cell abnormalities including hypergammaglobulinemia and abnormal antibody-specific immune responses are prominent and occur early during the course of pediatric human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection, we measured the baseline levels and the induced levels of expression of CD154 on CD3 CD8 (T helper cells) in HIV-infected children and uninfected children born to HIV-positive mothers. The percentage of CD154 T helper cells activated in vitro and the level of CD154 expressed per T helper cell (mean fluorescent channel [MFC]) were significantly lower in the HIV-infected children than in the uninfected control group (77% 3% versus 89% 1%, respectively [P < 0.002], and 261 174 versus 415 130 MFC, respectively [P < 0.03]). The levels of CD154 expressed on resting T helper cells in the HIV-infected group were not significantly different from the levels observed in the control group. In the HIV-infected children, the level of CD154 on activated T helper cells correlated with the level of immunodeficiency, as assessed by the CD4 T-cell levels (correlation coefficient [r] 0.707, P 0.003), but did not correlate with the viral load or with any of the serum immunoglobulin concentrations measured in this group of HIV-infected children. The baseline level of CD154 expressed on T helper cells did, however, correlate with the concentration of immunoglobulin A in serum. We conclude that HIV-infected children have impaired regulation of CD154 expression which may contribute to the immune dysregulation commonly observed.
Disparity and Racial Profiling in Traffic Enforcement

Although prior research on racial profiling has consistently reported that minorities are overrepresented among traffic stops compared with the population, published research has been exclusively conducted in either large police departments or state highway patrols. Using research from a suburban police department, this study finds that although the police stop a disproportionate number of minorities, the relationship between race and the decision to stop is very weak. Multivariate models indicate minorities stopped by the police are more likely to be stopped at night and to reside outside the city. Minorities are significantly less likely to receive formal sanction than majorities, suggesting officers are using traffic violations for pretextual stops.
Why I Hit Him: Women's Reasons for Intimate Partner Violence

This study examines motives for intimate partner violence (IPV) among a community sample of 412 women who used IPV against male partners. A "Motives and Reasons for IPV scale" is proposed, and exploratory factor analyses identified five factors: expression of negative emotions, self-defense, control, jealousy, and tough guise. To our knowledge, the study is the first to investigate the relationship between women's motives for IPV and their perpetration of physical, psychological, and sexual aggression, as well as coercive control, toward partners. Hierarchical regression analyses revealed participants' aggression was driven by complex, multiple motives. All five motives were related to a greater frequency of perpetrating IPV. Treatment programs focusing on women's IPV perpetration should address both defensive and proactive motives.
The Role of Endotoxins in Burns: Anomalies in Cytokine Regulation of Immunity*

Traumatic injury elicits a complex series of metabolic changes affecting almost all of the body’s systems. Ultimately, survival depends upon marshaling a concerted response to injury such that homeostasis is restored, tissue injury is repaired, and the host’s defense network responds to invasive pathogens. Often the immediate response to injury can set in motion a cascade of reactions that may eventually compromise later events such as responses to infection. The immunologic sequelae to acute traumatic injury have been studied extensively. These studies have shown that burn and trauma victims suffer from an impairment of almost all immunologic functions. Paramount among those functions compromised by injury is cell-mediated immunity. Thus, traumatic injury inhibits delayed-type hypersensitivity responses [1], and increases the rejection time of skin allografts [2]. Lymphoproliferative responses to mitogens [3] and recall antigens [4] are suppressed as are lymphocytotoxic responses [5]. A major defect following thermal injury is the decrease in T helper functions [6] and this decrease is reflected in a reduced representation of CD4+ lymphocytes [7]. Regulatory cytokines and growth factors are also affected by trauma such that interleukin-2 (IL-2) production and the expression of IL-2 receptors (IL-2R) are impaired [8, 9]. In contrast, there are early increases in both interleukin-1 (IL-1) and tumor necrosis factor (TNF), and consequent to these increases interleukin-6 (IL-6) levels are elevated.
Between Spaces: Understanding Movement to and from Prison as an HIV Risk Factor

In the United States, the prevalence of HIV among people who are incarcerated, or have a history of incarceration, is higher than among the general public. Similarly, HIV rates are highest in United States neighborhoods that are disproportionately impacted by incarceration, parole and probation. The association between incarceration and HIV has been partially attributed to high-risk sex and drug use behavior inside correctional facilities. The lack of access to condoms or clean syringes in United States prisons and most jails makes sexual intercourse and injection drug use in these places risky. Research has also found that the disruption of primary sexual relationships resulting from incarceration is associated with an increase in sexual risk in the community, including multiple partners and concurrency. Here, we explore numerous disruptions created by incarceration, including sexual partnerships, to better understand the community-based HIV risk that is produced by the movement to and from prison. Building on Clear et al.’s (Justice Quarterly 20:33–64, 2003) research about the impact of coercive mobility on neighborhood crime rates, we use theories of social disorganization to suggest how criminal justice-induced movement creates HIV risk for both individuals who are incarcerated and members of their social networks by undermining relationship, housing, and economic stability. Preliminary findings from a mixed methods study of parolees and probationers illustrate these arguments and suggest further avenues for HIV prevention research.
Inverse alterations of BCKA dehydrogenase activity in cardiac and skeletal muscles of diabetic rats.

Rat cardiac and skeletal muscles, which have been used as model tissues for studies of regulation of branched-chain α-keto acid (BCKA) oxidation, vary greatly in the activity state of their BCKA de...
What Do Scalia and Thomas Really Think About Sex? Title VII and Gender Nonconformity Discrimination: Protection for Transsexuals, Intersexuals, Gays and Lesbians

Title VII bans discrimination because of sex. Sex discrimination clearly includes discrimination against men because they are men and women because they are women. Whether it also bans discrimination against transsexuals, intersexuals, gays and lesbians who suffer discrimination based upon their gender nonconformity, sex nonconformity or sexual orientation nonconformity is less clear. Until recently, the answer would have been an unambiguous no; Title VII did not protect any of these persons from discriminatory employment practices. During the last few years, however, courts have begun to protect these traditionally marginalized individuals based upon the gender nonconformity theory established by the U.S. Supreme Court in Price Waterhouse v. Hopkins. This article analyzes the evolution of Title VII's discrimination "because of sex" jurisprudence in the federal district and circuit courts and the likelihood that the U.S. Supreme Court will allow transsexuals, intersexuals, gays and lesbians to state a Title VII cause of action if they suffer discrimination because of their failure to conform to sex and gender norms.
Eye State Prediction from EEG Data Using Boosted Rotational Forests

With the advent of brain-computer interfacing (BCI) technology, the need for fast and accurate classification and prediction of brain activity from electrode recording data is becoming more critical. The classifier systems developed in the current study improve upon the previous state-of-the-art developed by Rosler & Suendermann's (2013) for detecting whether an individual's eyes are open or closed based on EEG recordings. It was hypothesized that a system could be constructed with comparatively accurate classifications to Rosler & Suendermann's K*-based system, but with enough speed to be utilized within a BCI by constructing ensembles from eager learners (e.g. decision trees). To meet these requirements, three ensemble learners were developed: a rotational forest that implements random forests as its base classifiers (RRF), a rotational forest that implements J48 trees as its base classifiers and is boosted by adaptive boosting (ada(RJ48F)), and an ensemble of the RRF model with Rosler & Suendermann's K* model (RRF+K*). The RRF and ada(RJ48F) models were shown to have a classification speed faster than the K* model by a factor of seventeen and thirteen respectively, though the RRF model was significantly less accurate and the ada(RJ48F) model had an accuracy comparable to K*. The results of this study indicate that instance-based learners like the K* algorithm are likely to be too slow to be used within a BCI device, while the ada(RJ48F) model performed accurate classifications well within the time constraints of real-time classification and control.
Enhancement of the Activity of Extracts Containing the Gypsy Moth Sex Attractant

The finding that gyplure and gyptol, ( cis -7-hexadecene-1,10-diol 10-acetate), were ineffective as attractants of male Porthetria dispar (L.) in field evaluations has led the U. S. Department of Agriculture to resume use of the natural attractant in survey traps and has reopened the investigation to determine the structure of the gypsy moth sex attractant. When chemical and other tests on the purified natural attractant indicated that it might be an epoxide, the crude extract was treated with m -chloroper-benzoic acid on the supposition that additional attractant might be generated from an olefinic precursor. The treatment greatly increased the activity of the extract, and this increase in activity was traced to the hydrocarbon fraction. Conditions were then determined for maximum enhancement of activity on a large scale. The activity of a 385,000-tip lot of extract from insects field collected in Spain in 1969 was raised 11-fold, while the activity of a small lot of a much more potent extract from laboratory-reared insects was raised 2-fold. The chemical treatment should greatly decrease the high cost of preparing attractant for survey traps.
Search for the ρ0ρ0 enhancement near 1700 MeV/c2 in the reaction p̄p→3π+3π−π0 at 8.3 GeV/c2

Abstract Results are presented from a search for a ρ 0 ρ 0 enhancement in antiproton annihilations. A ρ 0 ρ 0 resonance was recently observed in radiative ψ decays, and its existence has been supported by the results of an antiproton experiment at 5.7 GeV/c. No indication of this ρ 0 ρ 0 enhancement is seen is our data, in direct contradiction with the earlier, lower statistics experiment.
Adsorption of Water on Two-Dimensional Crystals: Water/Graphene and Water/Silicatene

The adsorption of water on solid surfaces is a scientific evergreen which again recently prompted considerable attention in the materials, nano-, and surface science communities, respectively, due to conflicting evidence presented in the most highly regarded scientific journals. This mini review is a brief and personal perspective of the current literature (and our own data) about water adsorption for two examples, namely graphene and silicatene, which are both two-dimensional (2D) crystals. Silicatene, an inorganic companion of graphene, is intriguing as it presents us with the possibility to synthesize a 2D analog to zeolites by doping this crystalline silicon film. The wettability by water and whether or not support effects of epitaxial 2D crystals are present is of concern. Regarding applications: some 2D crystals appear promising for the hydrogen evolution reaction, i.e., hydrogen generation from water; a functionalization of graphene (by oxygen/water) to graphene oxide may be interesting for metal-free catalysis; the latest highlight in this field appears to be “icephobicity”, an application related to the hydrophobicity of surfaces.
Does parental mediation of media influence child outcomes? A meta-analysis on media time, aggression, substance use, and sexual behavior.

The current study examined how parental mediation of media (restrictive mediation, active mediation, and coviewing) influenced child outcomes. Three meta-analyses, 1 for each type of mediation, were conducted on a total of 57 studies. Each analysis assessed the effectiveness of parental mediation on 4 pertinent child outcomes: media use, aggression, substance use, and sexual behavior. The overall results indicated small, but significant relationships between child outcomes and restrictive mediation (r+ = -.06), and coviewing (r+ =.09). Overall active mediation was nonsignificant, though active mediation was individually related to lower levels of aggression (r+ = -.08), sexual behavior (r+ = -.06), and substance use (r+ = -.11). This analysis revealed that parents may have the ability to mitigate some of the adverse effects of the media by using certain mediation strategies. Overall, a cooperative effort from the communication and parenting fields is necessary for a comprehensive analysis of parental mediation as well as a disentanglement of the various parental mediation measures. (PsycINFO Database Record Language: en
Homogeneous Fatigue Processes in Viscoelastic Polymers

The pronounced facility for crack-blunting, cavitation, adiabatic heating, and strain-hardening in soft, noncrystalline plastics and rubbers tends to make them flaw-insensitive in long-term, homogeneous tension. Despite this, they can fail in delayed-brittle ruptures whether tensed isotonically, isometrically, or in oscillation. The mechanism for these progressive weakenings does not appear to be directly relatable to microcrack propagation or cavity coalescence, but to a sensibly homogeneous weakening in the form of stabilized submicroscopic cavities which may number in the trillions per cubic centimeter, and are readily detectable by light scattering in otherwise transparent specimens. Thus, much like the failure of liquids in hydrostatic tension, the soft plastics or rubbers may fail by homogeneous submicrocavita-tion. This slow “homogeneous fatiguing” of solids which leads to delayed-brittle ruptures seems to be an extremely interesting situation which appears to be unamenable to present-day flaw concepts of brittle rupture since the failures are homogeneously dispersed. It resembles a homogeneous ductile cavitation which is locally impeded by submicroscopic strain-hardening generated by rearrangement of the long-chained molecules. The delayed-brittle ruptures appear to occur by statistical redistributions of stress favoring these strain-hardened zones.
On Synchronization and Its Complexity of Multiple Dynamical Systems

In this paper, the synchronization and its complexity of multiple dynamical systems under certain constraints are presented. The basic concepts of the synchronizations of two or more dynamical systems are introduced. The slave and master systems with the constraints is described through discontinuous dynamical systems, and the sufficient and necessary conditions for the synchronicity of the two systems can be developed from the theory of discontinuous dynamical systems. Finally, the synchronization for multiple slave system with multiple master systems is discussed under any constraints.
What Determines Public Support for Graduated Development Impact Fees

The development impact fee is one growth management tool that is often adopted to reduce externalities associated with development on the urban fringe. But it is also used as a revenue generator that offsets property taxes. While graduated impact fees are a potential means to reduce sprawling development, it is unclear which public constituencies favor their adoption. Using an adjacent category logit model, there is limited evidence for exclusion based on race or class and, surprisingly, homeownership is not a major determinant of support. The model results indicate differences in policy preferences among longtime Phoenix residents, newcomers, city dwellers, and sub/exurbanites, which may suggest a desire to maintain the status quo and shift the burden of new development to developers and homebuyers. This article contributes to local government literature through an empirical examination of how sociodemographic factors drive public support for graduated development impact fees.
Successful Use of Cyclosporin A for Stevens–Johnson Syndrome and Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis in Three Children

Background/Objectives Stevens–Johnson syndrome (SJS) and toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN) are medical emergencies. Mainstays of treatment include removal of the offending agent, supportive care, and wound care. The use of immunosuppressive agents such as corticosteroids and intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIg) is controversial. Some case reports and small studies report the successful use of cyclosporin A (CsA) for SJS/TEN in halting disease progression, fostering reepithelialization, and reducing mortality. Objective To report on the efficacy of cyclosporine A in the treatment of SJS/TEN in three pediatric patients. Methods We describe three pediatric patients seen at a tertiary care hospital in Boston, Massachusetts, diagnosed with SJS/TEN confirmed by skin biopsy who were successfully treated with CsA with improvements seen in time to cessation of disease progression or new lesion formation, reepithelialization, and duration of hospital stay. Results The average time cessation of disease progression or new lesion formation after CsA administration was 2.2 days (range 1.5–3 days) and average time to remission or reepithelialization was 13 days (range 10–15 days). The average length of hospital stay was 11.7 days (range 4–19 days). Conclusions We describe three pediatric patients treated successfully with CsA and provide evidence for the use of cyclosporine in children with SJS/TEN. These results further support previous observations that CsA use for SJS/TEN produces consistently favorable outcomes. The results in this case series are limited by their observational nature. Additional trials are needed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of CsA use in children.
A Paradigm for Development and Promulgation of a Global Code of Marketing Ethics

This paper provides a paradigm for evaluating the factors that affect the development of a global code of ethics in marketing. Based on a review of the literature pertaining to global codes of ethics, we examined the potential for the development and acceptance of a universal code of ethics in the international marketing arena. Towards that end, we suggest that any global code of ethics in marketing should consider two levels – normative guidelines and specific behaviors. A discussion detailing the factors that can impede the development of such a two-tiered code is included as well. Those factors being moral reasoning, organizational ethical climate, level of economic development and cultural dimensions. Finally, the feasibility and the possible outcomes of a global code of ethics in marketing is examined.
Interspecific comparison of mushroom body synaptic complexes of dimorphic workers in the ant genus Pheidole

Social insects may have morphologically and behaviorally specialized workers that vary in requirements for sensory information processing, making them excellent systems to examine the relationship between brain structure and behavior. The density and size of synaptic complexes (microglomeruli, MG) in the mushroom bodies (MB) have served as proxies for processing ability and synaptic plasticity, and have been shown to vary among insect species that differ in behavioral complexity. To understand the relationship between behavioral specialization and synaptic structure, we examined age-related changes in MG density and size between minor worker and soldier subcastes in two species of Pheidole ants, P. dentata and P. morrisi, that differ in behavior. We hypothesized that task-diverse minor workers would have more densely packed MG than soldiers, and that species-specific differences in soldier repertories would be reflected in MG structure. We also examined MG variation in young and mature minor workers and soldiers, predicting that as workers age and develop behaviorally, MG would decrease in density in both subcastes due to synaptic pruning. Results support the hypothesis that MG density in the lip (olfactory) and collar (visual) regions of the MBs decrease with age in association with increases in bouton size in the lip. However, minors had significantly lower densities of MG in the lip than soldiers, suggesting MG may not show structural variation according to subcaste-related differences in cognitive demands in either species.
Temporal gradient during famous face naming is associated with lower cerebral blood flow and gray matter volume in aging.

Abstract Objective Evidence suggests that famous face naming may be a cognitive ability especially sensitive to the early pathological processes of Alzheimer's disease (AD) and that those at risk for AD may demonstrate a Ribot temporal gradient (RTG), characterized by better performance for naming remote famous faces than for naming recent famous faces. Reductions in cerebral blood flow (CBF) and gray matter volume (GMV) have been implicated in the neuropathological cascade of AD and show utility as biomarkers of AD risk. We examined whether a RTG during famous face naming was associated with lower CBF and/or GMV among a group of cognitively normal older adults. Methods Voxel-wise independent samples t-tests were employed to contrast resting CBF values between those who exhibited a RTG (RTG+) during a famous face naming task and those who did not (RTG-) among a sample of 52 cognitively normal older adults (25 RTG-, 27 RTG+; mean age = 73). Groups were also compared on GMV using a voxel-wise general linear model. Results Significant group differences in CBF and GMV were found, whereby the RTG+ group demonstrated reduced CBF and GMV within medial temporal lobe regions (hippocampus, parahippocampal gyrus), relative to the RTG- group. Conclusions This represents the first study to show that cognitively intact older adults who demonstrate a RTG during famous face naming exhibit vascular dysregulation and structural changes similar to that seen in AD risk. Findings suggest that famous face naming ability may be particularly sensitive to the very early brain changes associated with AD.
Impact of Temperature on Injection-Related Pain Caused by Subcutaneous Administration of Ustekinumab: A Three-arm Crossover Open-label Randomized Controlled Trial

Background: Adherence to subcutaneous biologic agents for the treatment of psoriasis can be negatively influenced by injection pain.Objective: To explore the differences in injection site pain when patients are pre-treated with heat or cold, versus no pre-treatment prior to administration of a subcutaneous biologic agent.Methods: In an observational cohort study, patients receiving subcutaneous injections of ustekinumab were randomly assigned to receive pretreatment with ice, heat, or no intervention over three visits. Post-dose, patients rated pain on a 100 mm visual analogue scale (VAS).Results: There was an increase in the VAS score for both heat (2.51, P=0.30) and ice (3.33, P=0.16), compared to no intervention. No differences were found between the two intervention groups (-0.83, P=0.73). On average, females had the same VAS scores with ice compared to that of no intervention (-0.12, P=0.97) and a non–significant decrease of 3.29 points (P=0.38) with heat. Males had increased pain scores by 5.65 points (P=0.07) with ice and by 6.39 points (P=0.04) with heat.Limitations: Pain is a subjective measurement and objective quantification is difficult.Conclusions: On average, neither heat nor cold application reliably reduced pain. Our results do not support the application of heat or cold prior to ustekinumab injection.
Formal Analysis of Networked Microgrids Dynamics

A formal analysis via reachable set computation (FAR) is presented to efficiently assess the stability of networked microgrids in the presence of heterogeneous uncertainties induced by high penetration of distributed energy resources. FAR with mathematical rigor directly computes the bounds of all possible dynamic trajectories and provides stability information unattainable by traditional time-domain simulations or direct methods. An advanced Gersgorin theory with a quasi-diagonalization technique is then combined with FAR to estimate eigenvalues of those scenarios pertaining to the reachable set boundary to identify systems’ stability margins. Extensive tests show that FAR enables efficient analysis on impacts of disturbances on networked microgrid dynamics and offers a potent tool to evaluate how far the networked microgrid system is from its stability margins. These salient features make FAR a powerful tool for planning, designing, monitoring, and operating future networked microgrids.
Arthroplasty of the metacarpophalangeal joint using pyrocarbonate implants

As early as the 1970s, pyrocarbon became a point of focus in the search for materials for alternative finger replacement. This type of material had already proven its biocompatibility and excellent wear behaviour in its use for artificial heart valves. The first trials with pyrocarbon surface replacement implants for the small finger joints in baboons showed good biocompatibility as well as good functional results. The first patient series confirmed theses results in long-term follow-up. Meanwhile, the surface replacement implants made of pyrocarbon are an interesting alternative to silicon spacers. Further developments for other joints in the hand are under evaluation.