cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Auditory and visual figure-background perception by adult aphasics

Abstract A consistent finding among the brain-injured is defective visual figure-background perception. Other sensory channels, including the auditory, also may present figure-background problems for the brain-injured, and the usual assumption is that they have a generalized figure-background differentiation deficit. This is in concordance with the theory of dynamic interrelationships among CNS sensory and integrative functions, and in contrast to the concept of localized cortical areas having specific and independent functions. Thirty adult aphasics having cortical damage histories were tested for visual figure-background differentiation, and for auditory figure-background (speech intelligibility in noise) to obtain S/N ratios. Experimental findings included a general lowering of visual test scores and generaly poorer S/N ratios than reported for normals, and a bi-modal distribution of visual test scores. Product moment correlations between visual and auditory test scores were not significantly different from zero for the total sample or for subgroups determined by visual test modal scores. The general conclusion is that figure-background perception via the two sense modalities tested may vary independently in adult aphasics. While the functions may vary together in a given individual, differential amounts of dysfunction are not precluded.
Cross-linkable urethane acrylate oligomers as binders for lithium-ion battery

Abstract Cross-linked polymers generated from low molecular weight oligomers were investigated for the first time as electrode binders in lithium-ion batteries. With urethane acrylate-based binder precursors, electrode laminates of LiNi 1/3 Mn 1/3 Co 1/3 O 2 (NMC) with good physical properties were prepared via a thermally initiated free-radical polymerization process. The cured NMC electrode was evaluated in both NMC/Li and NMC/MCMB cells and showed excellent cycling performance and C-rate capability.
The usefulness of ventilatory gas analysis during low intensity exercise to define pulmonary hypertension

The 6-minute walk test is widely utilized to characterize activity tolerance and response to therapy in pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), but provides little information about cardiopulmonary pathophysiology. Previous studies employing maximal exercise testing suggest that ventilatory gas analysis may be a useful tool to help determine the presence and severity of PAH. The aim of the present study was to determine whether measures of pulmonary gas exchange during a simplified low intensity step test can be used to differentiate between PAH patients and healthy individuals, and also stratify disease severity. Forty PAH patients and 25 matched controls completed a novel submaximal exercise test that consisted of 2-min rest, 3-min step exercise and 1-min recovery. Ventilation, pulmonary gas exchange, arterial oxygen saturation (SaO 2 ) and heart rate were measured throughout using a simplified gas analysis system. A number of gas exchange variables separated PAH patients from controls. End-tidal CO 2 (P ET CO 2 ) and SaO 2 were lower in PAH vs. controls (31±7 vs 39±3 mmHg and 89±5 vs 95±2%, respectively, p E /VCO 2 ratio) was higher in PAH vs. controls (42±10 vs 33±5, p ET CO 2 and V E /VCO 2 also discriminated between different severities of PAH. Gas exchange variables obtained during light exercise clearly discriminated PAH patients from healthy controls and also between different severities of PAH. A simplified submaximal step test incorporating non invasive gas exchange may be a useful measure to help quantify and track disease severity in PAH. This study was supported by Gilead and NIH HL71478.
Effect of prenatal androgens on click-evoked otoacoustic emissions in male and female sheep (Ovis aries).

Otoacoustic emissions (OAEs) were measured in male and female Suffolk sheep (Ovis aries). Some sheep had been administered androgens or estrogens during prenatal development, some were gonadectomized after birth, and some were allowed to develop normally. As previously reported for spotted hyenas, gonadectomy did not alter the OAEs for either sex; accordingly, the untreated/intact and the untreated/gonadectomized animals were pooled to form the control groups. The click-evoked otoacoustic emissions (CEOAEs) exhibited by the female control group (N = 12) were slightly stronger (effect size = 0.42) than those in the male control group (N = 15), which is the same direction of effect reported for humans and rhesus monkeys. Females administered testosterone prenatally (N = 16) had substantially weaker (masculinized) CEOAEs than control females (effect size = 1.15). Both of these outcomes are in accord with the idea that prenatal exposure to androgens weakens the cochlear mechanisms that underlie the production of OAEs. The CEOAEs of males administered testosterone prenatally (N = 5) were not different from those of control males, an outcome also seen in similarly treated rhesus monkeys. Males administered dihydrotestosterone (DHT) prenatally (N = 3) had slightly stronger (hypo-masculinized) CEOAEs than control males. No spontaneous otoacoustic emissions (SOAEs) were found in any ears, a common finding in non-human species. To our knowledge, this is the first ruminant species measured for OAEs.
Seismic Architecture and Lithofacies of Turbidites in Lake Mead (Arizona and Nevada, U.S.A.), an Analogue for Topographically Complex Basins

Abstract Turbidites, which have accumulated in Lake Mead since completion of the Hoover Dam in 1935, have been mapped using high-resolution seismic and coring techniques. This lake is an exceptional natural laboratory for studying fine-grained turbidite systems in complex topographic settings. The lake comprises four relatively broad basins separated by narrow canyons, and turbidity currents run the full length of the lake. The mean grain size of turbidites is mostly coarse silt, and the sand content decreases from 11–30% in beds in the easternmost basin nearest the source to 3–14% in the central basins to 1–2% in the most distal basin. Regionally, the seismic amplitude mimics the core results and decreases away from the source. The facies and morphology of the sediment surface varies between basins and suggests a regional progression from higher-energy and possibly channelized flows in the easternmost basin to unchannelized flows in the central two basins to unchannelized flows that are ponded by the Hoover Dam in the westernmost basin. At the local scale, turbidites are nearly flat-lying in the central two basins, but here the morphology of the basin walls strongly affects the distribution of facies. One of the two basins is relatively narrow, and in sinuous sections reflection amplitude increases toward the outsides of meanders. Where a narrow canyon debouches into a broad basin, reflection amplitude decreases radially away from the canyon mouth and forms a fan-like deposit. The fine-grained nature of the turbidites in the most distal basin and the fact that reflections drape the underlying pre-impoundment surface suggest ponding here. The progression from ponding in the most distal basin to possibly channelized flows in the most proximal basin shows in plan view a progression similar to the stratigraphic progression documented in several minibasins in the Gulf of Mexico.
A Self-Learning Fuzzy Discrete Event System for HIV/AIDS Treatment Regimen Selection

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)/acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) treatment guidelines are modified several times per year to reflect the rapid evolution of the field (e.g., emergence of new antiretroviral drugs). As such, a treatment- decision support system that is capable of self-learning is highly desirable. Based on the fuzzy discrete event system (FDES) theory that we recently created, we have developed a self-learning HIV/AIDS regimen selection system for the initial round of combination antiretroviral therapy, one of the most complex therapies in medicine. The system consisted of a treatment objectives classifier, fuzzy finite state machine models for treatment regimens, and a genetic-algorithm-based optimizer. Supervised learning was achieved through automatically adjusting the parameters of the models by the optimizer. We focused on the four historically popular regimens with 32 associated treatment objectives involving the four most important clinical variables (potency, adherence, adverse effects, and future drug options). The learning targets for the objectives were produced by two expert AIDS physicians on the project, and their averaged overall agreement rate was 70.6%. The system's learning ability and new regimen suitability prediction capability were tested under various conditions of clinical importance. The prediction accuracy was found between 84.4% and 100%. Finally, we retrospectively evaluated the system using 23 patients treated by 11 experienced nonexpert faculty physicians and 12 patients treated by the two experts at our AIDS Clinical Center in 2001. The overall exact agreement between the 13 physicians' selections and the system's choices was 82.9% with the agreement for the two experts being both 100%. For the seven mismatched cases, the system actually chose more appropriate regimens in four cases and equivalent regimens in another two cases. It made a mistake in one case. These (preliminary) results show that 1) the System outperformed the nonexpert physicians and 2) it performed as well as the expert physicians did. This learning and prediction approach, as well as our original FDESs theory, is general purpose and can be applied to other medical or nonmedical problems.
Quadratic Electro-Optical Characterization of Molecular Nonlinear optical Materials

A convenient method of measuring the nonlinear optical properties of molecular compounds is described. The method involves measuring the quadratic electro-optical coefficient of a polymer composite containing a variable concentration of the candidate NLO material. The X(3) (ω) value obtained by this low-frequency Kerr measurement, after local-field corrections, can be compared to the nonresonant third-order susceptibility measured by degenerate-four-wave-mixing technique on selective samples. We find that the choice of the polymer matrix dictates the contribution of second-order susceptibility to the Kerr coefficient. Therefore, our method can also be extended to the measurement of second-order susceptibility, analogous to the technique of field-induced second-harmonic-generation.
Reducing Migration-induced Cache Misses

In a large multiprocessor server platform, using multicore chips, the scheduler often migrates a scheduling entity, i.e. a thread or process or virtual machine, in order to achieve better load balancing or ensure fairness. The migration impact is likely to be more severe in virtualized environments, where high over-subscription of logical CPUs is very common for server consolidation workloads or virtual desktop infrastructure deployment. We demonstrate the performance benefit of saving and restoring cached data during migration. In particular, we measure the efficiency (benefit per cache block) of saving various subsets of the cached data, in order to balance implementation cost and complexity with improvements in cycle time. We also describe an implementation that moves cached data when a thread migrates, and we show the benefits in terms of reduced misses and reduced processor cycles.
KIR and HLA Genotypes Predictive of Low-Affinity Interactions Are Associated with Lower Relapse in Autologous Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation for Acute Myeloid Leukemia

Killer cell Ig–like receptors (KIRs) bind cognate HLA class I ligands with distinct affinities, affecting NK cell licensing and inhibition. We hypothesized that differences in KIR and HLA class I genotypes predictive of varying degrees of receptor–ligand binding affinities influence clinical outcomes in autologous hematopoietic cell transplantation (AHCT) for acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Using genomic DNA from a homogeneous cohort of 125 AML patients treated with AHCT, we performed KIR and HLA class I genotyping and found that patients with a compound KIR3DL1 + and HLA-Bw4-80Thr + , HLA-Bw4-80Ile – genotype, predictive of low-affinity interactions, had a low incidence of relapse, compared with patients with a KIR3DL1 + and HLA-Bw4-80Ile + genotype, predictive of high-affinity interactions (hazard ratio [HR], 0.22; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.06–0.78; p = 0.02). This effect was influenced by HLA-Bw4 copy number, such that relapse progressively increased with one copy of HLA-Bw4-80Ile (HR, 1.6; 95% CI, 0.84–3.1; p = 0.15) to two to three copies (HR, 3.0; 95% CI, 1.4–6.5; p = 0.005) and progressively decreased with one to two copies of HLA-Bw4-80Thr ( p = 0.13). Among KIR3DL1 + and HLA-Bw4-80Ile + patients, a predicted low-affinity KIR2DL2/3 + and HLA-C1/C1 genotype was associated with lower relapse than a predicted high-affinity KIR2DL1 + and HLA-C2/C2 genotype (HR, 0.25; 95% CI, 0.09–0.73; p = 0.01). Similarly, a KIR3DL1 + and HLA-Bw4-80Thr + , HLA-Bw4-80Ile – genotype, or lack of KIR3DL1 + and HLA-Bw4-80Ile + genotype, rescued KIR2DL1 + and HLA-C2/C2 patients from high relapse ( p = 0.007). These findings support a role for NK cell graft-versus-leukemia activity modulated by NK cell receptor–ligand affinities in AHCT for AML.
Milking Responses of Cows Given Premilking Stimulation at Four Lactational Stages

Milk yield, machine-on time, peak milk flow rate, average milk flow rate, and milk composition were measured in 10 Holstein Friesian cows after receiving no premilking stimulation (i.e., teat cups attached to the udder without premilking washing or teat manipulation) and manual premilking stimulation (30 s udder and teat massage and withdrawal of a few squirts of milk followed by a 30 s delay) at approximately 100, 160, 220, and 280 days postpartum. Milk yield was not different for cows milked with premilking stimulation as compared with cows receiving no premilking stimulation at each stage of the trial. Machine-on time was consistently shorter for cows receiving premilking stimulation. Peak milk flow rate and average flow rate were also uniformly greater in cows receiving premilking stimulation. Milk fat yields were always slightly higher for cows given premilking stimulation compared with those receiving no premilking stimulation. Protein yields did not differ between treatments at any lactational state. Differences in machine-on time and certain milk flow variables are congruent between cows given premilking manual massage and no premilking stimulation during short trials at specific stages of lactation.
Temporal and Spatial Regulation of 1-Aminocyclopropane-1-Carboxylate Oxidase in the Pollination-Induced Senescence of Orchid Flowers

Pollination of many flowers initiates a sequence of precisely regulated developmental events that include senescence of the perianth and development of the ovary. The plant hormone ethylene is known to play a key role in regulating the biochemical and anatomical changes that constitute the postpollination syndrome. For this reason, we have studied the pollination syndrome in Phalaenopsis orchids by examining the spatial and temporal location of ethylene biosynthesis within the orchid flower, and how this biosynthesis is regulated by factors that influence expression of genes that encode key enzymes in the ethylene biosynthetic pathway. In particular, we examined the role in the postpollination syndrome of the expression of the gene for 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate (ACC) oxidase, which catalyzes the conversion of ACC to ethylene. In vivo incubation of tissues with the ethylene precursor ACC demonstrated that ACC oxidase activity increases after pollination in the stigma, contrary to the observation that activity is constitutive in petunia and carnation gynoecia. RNA blot hybridization of floral tissues indicates that the increase in ACC oxidase activity is due to de novo synthesis of mRNA and presumably protein, which is induced after pollination. Furthermore, the pattern of induction is consistent with a model of coordinate regulation of gene expression in which the pollination signal travels to other organs of the flower to induce their ethylene production. We have also used in situ hybridization to define further the temporal and spatial expression of ACC oxidase within the floral organs, showing that expression, and, by inference, the capability to oxidize ACC to ethylene, is induced in all living cells of the tissues examined after pollination. These findings contrast with work in petunia that suggests that ACC oxidase is localized to the stigmatic surface.
Predatory Behaviors of Creophilus maxillosus (L.) (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae) Towards the Invasive Blow Fly Chrysomya rufifacies (Macquart) (Diptera: Calliphoridae)

ABSTRACT Previous carrion studies have described the disruptive behaviors of the invasive hairy maggot blow fly, Chrysomya rufifacies (Macquart), towards predatory necrophilous beetles such as the hairy rove beetle, Creophilus maxillosus (L.). Such studies stated that C. rufifacies larvae repelled native blow fly larvae, predaceous beetles, and ants away from vertebrate carcasses. Our main research objective was to test the predatory behaviors and feeding patterns of C. maxillosus adults towards two blow fly species, C. rufifacies (invasive species) and the secondary screwworm, Cochliomyia macellaria (F.) (native species), in a laboratory setting. Starved C. maxillosus were placed into individual 0.47-L clear plastic cups, provided one third instar blow fly, and observed continuously for two hours. Predatory and feeding responses were recorded as: 1) alive, not eaten; 2) killed, not eaten; 3) killed, consumed partially; or 4) killed, consumed entirely. In total, 342 observations were performed, including ...
Change agents and systems thinking: The non-revolution in management rhetoric

This paper provides a history of popular literature on business management, focusing on the way in which authors have addressed and recommended corporate change. Early texts focused on procedural changes to improve efficiency and productivity, while portraying themselves as “revolutionary.” Many business bestsellers of the last 20 years, on the other hand, have advised fundamental revisions to corporate missions, but have presented their project as one of incremental reform. The most recent texts, within the discourse of change management, reveal a strong tension between an emphasis on a culture of continual change and a recognition that such change is necessarily circumscribed by defining aspects of the organization in which it's proposed.
Swine Dysentery Induction and Characterization in Isolated Colonic Loops

Abs/rac/. The development of the lesions of swine dysentery in surgically isolated colonic loops of growing pigs was studied. Operated, uninoculated pigs served as controls, and test pigs received one of the following preparations: Vibrio coli in saline, V. coli in gastric mucin, crude minced colon from pigs with active dysentery, and filtered minced colon from pigs with active dysentery. A comparison was made of lesions of dysentery in isolated colonic loops with those that developed after oral inoculation of normal pigs. When inoculated into the surgical loops, filterzd and unfiltered crude minced colon produced lesions of dysentery within 72 h after inoculation. Intact animals orally inoculated with the same material were unaffected up to 196 h. Use of the isolated loop may be a more sensitive system for the development of lesions of swine dysentery. Direct instillation of loops with V. coli preparations did not produce lesions. Swine dysentery has been described as a highly infectious disease of swine characterized by hemorrhagic diarrhea containing gross red blood, mucus, and croupous exudate [22]. The cause of the dysentery was a necrotic enteritis limited to the cecum and colon. A ‘vibrio’ observed in great numbers in the content of the large bowels [l] was later isolated from the colonic mucosa of hogs with dysentery [lo]. When these organisms were fed to susceptible hogs a diarrhea similar to that of dysentery was induced. Further studies resulted in the establishment of dysentery in 50 of 60 pigs fed a vibrio culture mixed with gastric mucin [14]. Pigs fed the same culture without gastric mucin were not affected. Subsequently, the organism was described in detail and named Vibrio coli [12]. The cause of swine dysentery, although not completely established, generally has been accepted to be Vibrio coli [4, 7, 8, 1 I, 12, 14-17], and the organism has been isolated regularly from affected pigs. It also has been found commonly in normal pigs [2, 9, 131, however, and in several investigations pure cultures of the organism did not reproduce the disease [2, 3, 6, 9, 201.
Colonization of Germ-free Transgenic Mice with Genotyped Helicobacter pylori Strains from a Case-Control Study of Gastric Cancer Reveals a Correlation between Host Responses and HsdS Components of Type I Restriction-Modification Systems

Helicobacter pylori infects the stomachs of half of all humans. It has a relatively benign relationship with most hosts but produces severe pathology, including gastric cancer, in others. Identifying the relative contributions of host, microbial, and environmental factors to the outcome of infection has been challenging. Here we describe one approach for identifying microbial genes that affect the magnitude of host responses to infection. Single colony purified H. pylori isolates were obtained from 25 cases and 71 controls in a Swedish case-control study of gastric cancer. Strains were first phenotyped based on their ability to produce adhesins that recognize two classes of human gastric epithelial receptors. Thirteen binding strains and two non-binding controls were then subjected to whole genome genotyping using H. pylori DNA microarrays. A cohort of "variable" genes was identified based on a microarray-determined call of "absent" in at least one member of the strain panel. Each strain was subsequently introduced into two types of germ-free transgenic mice, each programmed to express a different host factor postulated to pose increased risk for development of severe pathology. Expression of biomarkers of host defense was quantitated 4 weeks after inoculation, and the magnitude of the response correlated with bacterial genotype. The proportion of genes encoding HsdS homologs (specificity subunit of hetero-oligomeric type I restriction-modification systems) was significantly higher in the pool of 18 variable genes whose presence directly correlated with a robust host response than their proportion in the remaining 352 members of the variable gene pool. This suggests that the functions of these HsdS homologs may include control of expression of microbial determinants that affect the extent of gastric responses to this potentially virulent pathogen.
A Meta-Analysis on the Effects and Contributions of Public, Public Charter, and Religious Schools on Student Outcomes

An extensive meta-analysis, including 90 studies, was undertaken on the effects of religious private schools, charter schools, and public schools. The study explores the relationship between each of these school types and student outcomes. Additional analyses were done to determine the strengths and weaknesses of these institutions in a broad sense. The results indicate that attending private religious schools is associated with the highest level of academic achievement among the three school types, even when sophisticated controls are used to adjust for socioeconomic status. Students from public charter schools, however, performed no better than their counterparts in other public schools. Supplementary analyses indicate several ways that educators from religious and public schools can learn from one another.
Mega-projects in New York, London and Amsterdam.

Recently we have witnessed the mounting of very large development projects (mega-projects) in European and American cities. There is a striking physical similarity among the schemes and also a convergence embodied in private-sector involvement and market orientation. They differ, however, as to whether they provide affordable units and tie together physical and social goals. This article investigates new mega-projects in New York, London, and Amsterdam. The dissimilarities among them indicate the extent of variability in contemporary property capitalism. The comparison shows that public-private partnerships can provide public benefits, but also shows that these large projects are risky for both public and private participants, must primarily be oriented toward profitability, and produce a landscape that does not encourage urbanity. Whether the gains from increased competitiveness are spread throughout the society depends on the size of the direct governmental commitment to public benefits. This is greatest in the Netherlands, where the welfare state, albeit shrunken, lives on; it is least in the United States, where the small size of national expenditures on housing and social welfare means that low-income people must depend almost wholly on trickle-down effects to gain from new development. During the most recent decade we have witnessed the mounting of very large development projects (mega-projects) in European and American cities. After a hiatus during the 1990s brought on by the real-estate bust early in the decade, major cities have responded to the pressures of the global economy by using very big, mixed-use developments as attractors of multinational business and sites for new housing. 1 There is a striking physical similarity among the schemes, irrespective of the city in which they are located. At the same time they differ in social outcomes and planning processes, reflecting the level of commitment that the host city has toward social equity. Examination of three mega-projects, all in their beginning stages, reveals the underlying forces producing them as well as their similarities and differences in relation to social inclusiveness. The three to be discussed in this article are Atlantic Yards in Brooklyn, NewYork City; Stratford City and the larger Thames Gateway of which it forms a part, in London; and Amsterdam South, consisting of the South Axis and Amsterdam Southeast developments.
Differential Phosphorylation of Smad1 Integrates BMP and Neurotrophin Pathways through Erk/Dusp in Axon Development

Summary Sensory axon development requires concerted actions of growth factors for the precise control of axonal outgrowth and target innervation. How developing sensory neurons integrate different cues is poorly understood. We demonstrate here that Smad1 activation is required for neurotrophin-mediated sensory axon growth in vitro and in vivo. Through differential phosphorylation, Smad1 exerts transcriptional selectivity to regulate the expression and activity of Erk1 and Erk2—two key neurotrophin effectors. Specifically, bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs) signal through carboxy-terminal phosphorylation of Smad1 (pSmad1 C ) to induce Erk1/2 transcription for enhanced neurotrophin responsiveness. Meanwhile, neurotrophin signaling results in linker phosphorylation of Smad1 (pSmad1 L ), which in turn upregulates an Erk-specific dual-specificity phosphatase, Dusp6, leading to reduced pErk1/2 and constituting a negative-feedback loop for the prevention of axon overgrowth. Together, the BMP and neurotrophin pathways form a tightly regulated signaling network with a balanced ratio of Erk1/2 and pErk1/2 to direct the precise connections between sensory neurons and peripheral targets.
Analogs and Antagonists of Male Sex Hormones

The steroid testosterone is the major circulating sex hormone in males and is the prototype for the androgens, the anabolic agents, and androgen antagonists. Endogenous androgens are biosynthesized from cholesterol; the majority of the circulating androgens are produced in the testes under the stimulation of luteinizing hormone (LH). The reduction of testosterone to dihydrotestosterone is necessary for androgenic actions of testosterone in many androgen target tissues such as the prostate; the oxidation of testosterone by the enzyme aromatase produces estradiol. The androgenic actions of testosterone and dihydrotestosterone are due to their binding to the androgen receptor, followed by nuclear localization, dimerization of the receptor complex, and binding to specific DNA sequences. This binding of the homodimer to the androgen response element leads to gene expression, stimulation, or repression of new mRNA synthesis, and subsequent protein biosynthesis. The synthetic androgens and anabolics were prepared to impart oral activity to the androgen molecule, to separate the androgenic effects of testosterone from its anabolic effects, and to improve on its biological activities. Novel nonsteroidal androgens, termed selective androgen receptor modulators, were developed to impart agonist activity in selective tissues. Drug preparations are used for the treatment of various androgen-deficient diseases and for the therapy of diseases characterized by muscle wasting and protein catabolism. Androgen antagonists include antiandrogens, which block interactions of androgens with the androgen receptor, and inhibitors of androgen biosynthesis and metabolism. Such compounds have therapeutic potential in the treatment of acne, virilization in women, hyperplasia and neoplasia of the prostate, and baldness. Keywords: androgens; testosterone; dihydrotestosterone; anabolics; antiandrogens; selective androgen receptor modulators; 5α-reductase inhibitors
The Haemophilus influenzae Hia autotransporter harbours two adhesive pockets that reside in the passenger domain and recognize the same host cell receptor

Summary Haemophilus influenzae is a human-specific pathogen and a major source of morbidity worldwide. Infection with this organism begins with colonization of the nasopharynx, a process that probably depends on adherence to respiratory epithelium. The Hia autotransporter protein is the major adhesin ex-pressed by a subset of non-typeable H. influenzae strains and promotes high-level adherence to a variety of human epithelial cell lines. In the current study, we discovered that the Hia passenger domain contains two distinct binding pockets, including one at the C-terminal end and a second at the N-terminal end. Competition assays revealed that the two binding pockets interact with the same host cell receptor structure, although with differing affinities. Additional experiments demonstrated that both binding domains are required for full-level bacterial adherence. These observations are reminiscent of eukaryotic cell adhesion molecules and highlight the first example of a bacterial adhesin with two domains that participate in a bivalent interaction with identical host cell receptors. Such an interaction increases avidity, thus stabilizing bacterial adherence to the epithelial surface, despite physical forces such as coughing, sneezing and mucociliary clearance.
Electrical and optical on-chip interconnects in scaled microprocessors

The interconnect has become a primary bottleneck in integrated circuit design. As CMOS technology is scaled, it will become increasingly difficult for conventional copper interconnect to satisfy the design requirements of delay, power, bandwidth, and noise. On-chip optical interconnect is therefore being considered as a potential substitute for electrical interconnect. Based on predictions of optical device development, electrical and optical interconnects are compared for various design criteria. The critical dimensions beyond which optical interconnect becomes advantageous over electrical interconnect at the 22 nm technology node are approximately one tenth of the chip edge length.
When Professionals Become Mothers, Warmth Doesn't Cut the Ice

Working moms risk being reduced to one of two subtypes: homemakers—viewed as warm but incompetent, or female professionals—characterized as competent but cold. The current study ( N= 122 college students) presents four important findings. First, when working women become mothers, they trade perceived competence for perceived warmth. Second, working men don't make this trade; when they become fathers, they gain perceived warmth and maintain perceived competence. Third, people report less interest in hiring, promoting, and educating working moms relative to working dads and childless employees. Finally, competence ratings predict interest in hiring, promoting, and educating workers. Thus, working moms' gain in perceived warmth does not help them, but their loss in perceived competence does hurt them.
Reduction of Human Errors in Field Test Programs

Data on errors and error-likely situations in field tests were gathered from three sources: test documents, interviews with test personnel, and observations of a human factors specialist who participated in several field tests. This report summarizes the data and makes recommendations on how the likelihood of such errors can be reduced by using human factors observers with duties as described in this report.
The Hopf Bifurcation Theorem in ℝ 2 and in ℝ n

The center manifold theorem is used to reduce bifurcation problems to finite dimensional ones as follows.
Competition Among Sessile Organisms on Coral Reefs

Competition among sessile organisms is a major process on coral reefs, and is becoming more important as anthropogenic disturbances cause shifts in dominance to non-reef builders such as macroalgae, soft corals, ascidians, and corallimorpharians. Long-term monitoring and field experiments have demonstrated that competition for limited space can exert major impacts on reef biodiversity and community composition across habitats and regions. Recent experiments also reveal increasingly important roles of allelopathic chemicals and the alteration of associated microbes in shaping competitive outcomes among benthic space occupiers. Competition impacts the recruitment, growth, and mortality of sessile reef organisms and alters their population dynamics. Co-settlement and aggregation of conspecific coral colonies may lead to intense intraspecific competition, including chimera formation and potential somatic and germ cell parasitism. The complexity of competitive outcomes and their alteration by a wide variety of factors, including irradiance, water motion, and nutrient levels, results in mostly circular networks of interaction, often enhancing species diversity on coral reefs. Competition is a model process for revealing impacts of human activities on coral reefs, and will become increasingly important as alternate dominants gain space at the expense of reef-building corals.
PIC/MCC simulations and measurements of microdischarges in metallic MEMS structures

Micro-Electro-Mechanical-Systems (MEMS) have emerged as a promising technology for the development of miniaturized low-cost and low-power switches, actuators, and sensors. However, there are a number of physical mechanisms that need more understanding and this remains as one of the biggest hurdles to widespread commercial adaptation of MEMS-based radio frequency (RF) electronics. In this work we study the phenomenon of gas charging in micro-gaps using PIC/MCC simulations and experiments with the aim of relating it to being one of the possible failure modes of electrostatic MEMS.
Application of adaptive absorbing boundary condition to finite element solution of three-dimensional scattering

An adaptive absorbing boundary condition (ABC) is applied to the finite element solution of three-dimensional scattering problems. Shown by numerical results, the adaptive ABC is more accurate and reliable than traditional ABCs. The advantages and disadvantages of the adaptive ABC are discussed along with some possible improvements.
Fermi GBM signal contemporaneous with GW150914 - an unlikely association

We argue that the physical constraints required by the association of the Fermi GBM signal contemporaneous with GW150914 - radiative power of $10^{49} $ erg s$^{-1}$, and corresponding magnetic fields on the black hole of the order of $10^{12}$ Gauss - are astrophysical highly implausible. Combined with the relatively high random probability of coincidence of 0.22 percents, we conclude that the electromagnetic signal is likely unrelated to the BH merger.
Seasonal Variations in the Hematology and Physiology of Black Bears

During 1956 and 1957, four black bears ( Ursus americanus ) were held captive in northern Michigan. They were dormant in winter quarters from approximately 25 December to 17 April, during which time all lost weight. Four times over a 9-month period the bears were anesthetized and various physiological and hematological values were obtained.
Inhibition of DHHC20-Mediated EGFR Palmitoylation Creates a Dependence on EGFR Signaling

Summary Inappropriate activation of the receptor tyrosine kinase EGFR contributes to a variety of human malignancies. Here we show a mechanism to induce vulnerability to an existing first line treatment for EGFR-driven cancers. We find that inhibiting the palmitoyltransferase DHHC20 creates a dependence on EGFR signaling for cancer cell survival. The loss of palmitoylation increases sustained EGFR signal activation and sensitizes cells to EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibition. Our work shows that the reversible modification of EGFR with palmitate "pins" the unstructured C-terminal tail to the plasma membrane, impeding EGFR activation. We identify by mass spectrometry palmitoylated cysteine residues within the C-terminal tail where mutation of the cysteine residues to alanine is sufficient to activate EGFR signaling promoting cell migration and transformation. Our results reveal that the targeting of a peripheral modulator of EGFR signaling, DHHC20, causes a loss of signal regulation and susceptibility to EGFR inhibitor-induced cell death.
Advances of human leukocyte antigen in juvenile idiopathic arthritis

Juvenile idiopathic arthritis(JIA) is the most common chronic arthropathy in childhood.Immune and genetic factors take part in the development of JIA and influence its consequence.Studies have identified association between JIA and genes encoding the human leukocyte antigens(HLA).In this article we discuss the principles behind genetic studies of complex traits like JIA,and comprehensively catalog HLA candidate gene associated with JIA to date,and review several validated associations.Studies indicate that the HLA-Ⅰ,Ⅱgene and their products play an important role in JIA pathogenesis,clinical course,hormonal effect and prognostic judgment.Studies in different ethnic groups indicate the main relationship between JIA and HLA is concentrated upon A,DR and DQ loci,especially the HLA-Ⅱgene and some haplotypes.The different type of JIA is always with different HLA susceptible locus and protective locus.Different race,different region and different social environment also affect the JIA's susceptible gene polymorphism.Finally we discuss the problems existed in the study of JIA susceptibility and HLA polymorphism.
Interaction between vascularized lymph node transfer and recipient lymphatics after lymph node dissection-a pilot study in a canine model.

Abstract Background Vascularized lymph node transfer (VLNT) has become more widespread for surgical treatment of lymphedema. However, interaction between a transferred lymph node and the recipient lymphatic system in relieving lymphedema has not been identified. The aims of this study were to investigate anatomic changes in the lymphatic system in the forelimb of a canine after lymph node dissection and irradiation and to clarify the interaction between the transferred lymph node and recipient lymphatics. Materials and methods Two adult female mongrel canines were used for this exploratory study. The unilateral axillary and lower neck node dissections were performed, and 15-Gy irradiation was applied on postoperative day 3. After 1 y, a VLNT flap was harvested from the lower abdominal region and inset in the axilla with vascular anastomoses. The girth of each forelimb was determined with a tape measure at different time points. Indocyanine green fluorescence lymphography and lymphangiography were performed before and after each surgery to evaluate morphologic changes in the lymphatics. Results Both canines revealed identical changes in the lymphatic system, but only one canine developed lymphedema. After lymph node dissection, a collateral lymphatic pathway formed a connection to the contralateral cervical node. After VLNT, an additional collateral pathway formed a connection to the internal mammary node via the transferred node in the axilla. Conclusions The findings suggest that the lymphatic system has a homing mechanism, which allows the severed lymphatic vessels to detect and connect to adjacent lymph nodes. VLNT may create new collateral pathways to relieve lymphedema.
Two Asian psychologies and their implications for Western psychotherapists.

In the past, mainstream Western mental health professionals tended to ignore or dismiss Asian psychologies. However, in recent years they have attracted increasing attention and growing evidence su...
Basic Shoulder Arthroscopy: Beach Chair Patient Positioning

Abstract Shoulder arthroscopy is an orthopaedic procedure that has grown significantly in popularity over the last 40 years. The 2 principle patient positions during shoulder arthroscopy include the beach chair position and lateral decubitus position. This Technical Note details the operating room setup for shoulder arthroscopy in the beach chair position. Proper positioning for this procedure will minimize potential complications and facilitate ease of surgical intervention.
Use of transgenic mice to study autocrine-paracrine signaling in lung morphogenesis and differentiation.

Transgenic mice have been useful in assessing critical autocrine- paracrine interaction between the pulmonary mesenchyme and epithelium. In this article, we have reviewed the application of transgenic mouse models to discern the role of growth factors and their receptors in lung development, focusing on the studies of three growth factor and receptor systems: (1) fibroblast growth factor, (2) transforming growth factor-β, and (3) transforming growth factor-α and epidermal growth factor. These studies demonstrated profound influences of pulmonary mesenchyme-epi- thelium interactions mediated by these growth factor and receptor systems on lung morphogenesis, cell proliferation and differentiation, pulmonary fluid secretion, and fibrosis. It is likely that the same systems are involved in the proliferation and differentiation that accompany repair following injury. It is hoped that these transgenic models will also serve to clarify the role of growth factors that may influence repair following lung injury, as seen in bronchopulmonary dysplasia and pulmonary fibrosis that follow severe lung injury in clinical settings.
‘Our Best Friends’: ShortRun Changes in Issues and Party Alliances

The Duke of Norfolk has been put into the Ministry; Mr Matthews has been made a Peer of the Realm; and the Roman Catholic Bishops in ail parts of the country have issued instructions to their flocks that they are to vote for the clerical candidates. The alliance between Romanism and Conservatism is complete.
Creation, deployment, diffusion and export of Sub-Saharan Africa-originated information technology-related innovations

A number of high profile innovations have been created in Sub-Saharan African (SSA) economies.Local and foreign companies have unique roles and contributions in the creation and implementation of innovations in SSA economies.Local infrastructural facilities, systems and services affect the diffusion of SSA-originated innovations.Key mechanisms associated with creation and deployment of SSA-originated innovations vary across large and small scale innovations. A number of high profile innovations have been created in Sub-Saharan Africa. In this paper, we examine the mechanisms associated with the development, deployment, diffusion, and export of SSA-originated innovations. The paper gives special consideration to the relative roles and contributions of local and outside resources in the creation and deployment of innovations in SSA economies. A key focus of the article is on the roles of local infrastructural facilities, systems and services in affecting the diffusion of SSA-originated innovations. Also discussed are the features of SSA-originated innovations that explain the diffusion rates. It provides a detailed analysis and description of the key characteristics of SSA-originated innovations that can increase the possibility of being internationalized or exported to other countries. Finally, we analyze how such mechanisms vary across large and small scale innovations.
Fracture analysis of fiber reinforced concrete structures in the micropolar peridynamic analysis framework

Abstract In this study, an effective meshless model is proposed for fracture analysis of cracks in fiber reinforced concrete structures. The cementitious material is modeled using the micropolar peridynamic approach which is a generalized form of the bond-based peridynamics. A semi-discrete approach is incorporated in the micropolar peridynamic framework to study the effect of fiber reinforcement on the fracture analysis of cracks in cementitious materials. Therefore in the proposed fiber reinforced concrete modeling approach, the macro-scale fibers are randomly distributed in the cementitious material, and the forces developed in the fibers are indirectly applied to the cementitious material particles. This fracture analysis method used for fiber-cementitious material composites improves the computational efficiency. Furthermore in contrast to the finite element method, there is no need for mesh refinement and monitoring crack initiations/propagations in the proposed peridynamic framework. The crack development is an inherent feature of the proposed analysis framework. The accuracy of the proposed fracture analysis model is demonstrated through a comparison of available experimental results and simulation outcomes of fiber reinforced concrete beams with a notch at varying locations along the span.
Evaluation of Optical Depths and Self-Absorption of Strontium and Aluminum Emission Lines in Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS).

Laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) is a widely used laser spectroscopic technique in various fields, such as material science, forensic science, biological science, and the chemical and ph...
Optimal Experiment Design for On-Orbit Identification of Flexible Body Parameters in Large Space Structures

Abstract This paper is concerned with optimal experiment design for on-orbit identification of modal frequency and damping parameters in large flexible space structures. The main result is a separation principle for D-optimal design which states that under certain conditions the sensor placement problem is decoupled from the input design problem. This decoupling effect significantly simplifies the overall optimal experiment design determination for large multi-input multi-output structural systems with many unknown modal parameters. The error from using the uncoupled design is shown to be O(δ2) where δ is a measure of the inherent damping of the structure. A numerical example is given demonstrating the usefulness of the simplified criteria in determining optimal designs for on-orbit Space Station identification experiments
An appraisal of «flat plate» closure for the approximate solution of boundary layer problems

On obtient des expressions pour le frottement superficiel, le transfert de chaleur superficiel et le facteur d'analogie de Reynolds dans les conditions d'ecoulement compressible