cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The :20Brain-state-in-a-box Neural model is a gradient descent algorithm

Abstract The Brain-State-in-a-Box (BSB) neural model ( J. A. Anderson, J. W. Silverstein, S. A. Ritz, & R. S. Jones, 1977 , Psychological Review , 84 , 413–451) is a pattern categorization device inspired by neurophysiological considerations. This model has additionally been applied to a fairly diverse range of psychological phenomena. In this paper, the BSB model is demonstrated to be a deterministic constrained gradient descent algorithm that minimizes a quadratic cost function. A formal proof that all trajectories of the BSB algorithm in state vector space approach the set of system equilibrium points, under certain specific conditions, is presented. Some conditions regarding the existence of global energy minima are also briefly discussed.
What are the key issues women face when ending hormone replacement therapy

hasthrown physicians and patients into aquandary about hormone replacement therapy(HRT).On one hand, this landmark study laid torest the question of whether continuous com-bined estrogen-progestin replacement therapyprevents cardiovascular disease (it doesn’t) anddelineated the potential risks. On the otherhand, it provided no answers to some key issueswomen face if they choose to stop HRT.The following comments mostly apply tocontinuous combined estrogen-progestin ther-apy, since it was this arm of the Women’sHealth Initiative that was terminated earlydue to increased rates of coronary artery dis-ease, breast cancer, stroke, and pulmonaryembolism. The estrogen-only arm, in womenwithout a uterus, is continuing without evi-dence of excess risk at this time.■
Noradrenergic and serotoninergic innervation of cortical, thalamic, and tectal visual structures in old and new world monkeys

Antisera directed against human dopamine-beta-hydroxylase and against serotonin were used to characterize the noradrenergic (NA) and serotoninergic (5-HT) innervation of several cortical and subcortical visual areas in squirrel monkey (Saimiri sciureus) and cynomolgus monkey (Macaca fascicularis). Few species differences were observed for either monoamine. Cortical areas 17 and 18, as well as visual areas in the temporal and parietal lobe were found to exhibit regional specialization of both 5-HT and NA innervation. Precisely at the border between areas 17 and 18, the laminar innervation patterns and density characteristic of NA fibers in area 17 (Morrison et al., '82a; Kosofsky et al., '84) shift so that layer IV of area 18 contains more fibers than layer IV of area 17, and the overall density of fibers in area 18 is higher. For 5-HT, the highly laminated patterns characteristic of area 17 (Morrison et al., '82a; Kosofsky et al., '84) also observe this cytoarchitectonic boundary. Fibers in area 18 are more evenly distributed across laminae, and the overall density of fibers decreases. The visual region of the inferotemporal cortex was found to be very lightly innervated by NA fibers and very densely innervated by 5-HT fibers. Area 7 of the parietal lobule was more densely innervated by NA fibers, and less densely innervated by 5-HT fibers, than any other visual cortical region examined. The visual thalamic nuclei exhibited even greater regional differences in the density of NA innervation. The lateral geniculate nucleus was found to be virtually devoid of NA fibers, while the pulvinar-lateral posterior complex was densely innervated. The density of 5-HT fibers was more uniform across thalamic visual nuclei. The lateral geniculate, pulvinar, and lateral posterior nuclei all exhibit a moderate to high density of immunoreactive fibers. In the mesencephalon, the superficial layers of the superior colliculus were found to be densely innervated by NA fibers, whereas 5-HT fibers were most dense in the intermediate layers. These patterns of innervation indicate that, in these primate species, functionally related visual regions share common and distinguishable densities of NA innervation. Specifically, tecto-pulvinar-juxtastriate structures are more densely innervated than geniculo-striate and inferotemporal structures. These relationships suggest that, within the visual system, NA fibers preferentially innervate the regions involved in spatial analysis and visuomotor response rather than those involved in feature extraction and pattern analysis.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
Adjuvant techniques for the management of large carotid body tumors. A case report and review.

Abstract Although the first successful resection of a carotid body tumor was reported over 100 years ago this operation remains technically challenging with many potential pitfalls. The case of a man with a large (8 cm) carotid body tumor will be presented in order to identify key issues that pertain to effective diagnostic and therapeutic modalities. A multidisciplinary team (vascular surgeon, neurosurgeon, neuroradiologist, interventional radiologist and oromaxillofacial surgeon) provided specific expertise on each aspect of the patient's evaluation and treatment. Adjuvant techniques employed in this case included angiographic tumor embolization, jaw subluxation, strap muscle division, nasotrachial intubation, carotid resection and saphenous vein interposition grafting.
Conservation Interrogation of Deaf and Normal Hearing Children

Piaget (1952) has proposed that comprehension of the conservation principle reflects a level of conceptualization where a child understands that one dimension of an item can be altered without chan...
Identification of asymmetric pulmonary nodule growth using a moment-based algorithm

The growth rate of pulmonary nodules has been shown to be an indicator of malignancy, and previous work on pulmonary nodule characterization has suggested that the asymmetry of a nodule's shape may be correlated with malignancy. We have also observed that measurements in the axial direction on CT scans are less repeatable than measurements in-plane and this should be considered when making lesion size-change measurements. To address this, we present a method to measure the asymmetry of a pulmonary nodule's growth by the use of second-order central moments that are insensitive to z-direction variation. The difference in the moment ratios on each scan is used as a measure of the asymmetry of growth. To establish what level of difference is significant, the 95% confidence interval of the differences was determined on a zero-change dataset of 22 solid pulmonary nodules with repeat scans in the same session. This method was applied to a set of 47 solid, stable pulmonary nodules and a set of 49 solid, malignant nodules. The confidence interval established from the zero-change dataset was (-0.45, 0.38); nodules with differences outside this confidence interval are considered to have asymmetric growth. Of the 47 stable nodules, 12.8% (6/47) were found to have asymmetric growth compared to 24.5% (12/49) of malignant nodules. These preliminary results suggest that nodules with asymmetric growth can be identified.
Perceived semantic expressiveness of accounting systems and task accuracy effects

Abstract Semantic expressiveness refers to how well a model reflects the underlying reality the model represents. Prior research has claimed the REA (Resources-Events-Agents) accounting model is more semantically expressive than is the traditional DCA (Debit-Credit-Account) accounting model. This research demonstrates experimentally that users perceive REA as more semantically expressive than DCA. This study also demonstrates that, controlling for cognitive fit, accounting knowledge, and field dependence, higher perceived semantic expressiveness is associated with higher task accuracy.
Intermodular communication in modular polyketide synthases: structural and mutational analysis of linker mediated protein-protein recognition.

Modular polyketide synthases (PKSs) present an attractive scaffold for the engineered biosynthesis of novel polyketide products via recombination of naturally occurring enzyme modules with desired catalytic properties. Recent studies have highlighted the pivotal role of short intermodular “linker pairs” in the selective channeling of biosynthetic intermediates between adjacent PKS modules. Using a combination of computer modeling, NMR spectroscopy, cross-linking, and site-directed mutagenesis, we have investigated the mechanism by which a linker pair from the 6-deoxyerythronolide B synthase promotes chain transfer. Our studies support a “coiled-coil” model in which the individual peptides comprising this linker pair adopt helical conformations that associate through a combination of hydrophobic and electrostatic interactions in an antiparallel fashion. Given the important contribution of such linker pair interactions to the kinetics of chain transfer between PKS modules, the ability to rationally modulate...
Microbiological Characterization of Everninomicins B and D

Everninomicins B and D are components of a complex of antibiotic substances produced by Micromonospora. Both were shown to be highly active inhibitors of growth of all gram-positive bacteria, Neisseria, and Bacteroides studied in vitro. Potency of activity appeared to be greater than that of chloramphenicol, but less than that of penicillin G, when assayed against strains susceptible to each of the drugs. The everninomicins were bacteriostatic for all strains tested, except group A streptococci. No facultatively anaerobic gram-negative bacilli were susceptible. Resistant mutants were selected with difficulty from susceptible staphylococci in the laboratory, and these demonstrated no cross-resistance to available antimicrobial agents. Most variations in media, growth conditions, or procedure of assay had little or no effect on antimicrobial activity. Only addition of serum or increase in inoculum size reduced antibacterial activity. Significant differences in activity of the two components were encountered infrequently; the B component was four- to sixfold more active against gonococci and group A streptococci, whereas the D component was fourfold more active against enterococci. Because of the high degree of in vitro activity and lack of resistance among susceptible genera of bacteria, the everninomicins clearly merit further careful study as potential therapeutic agents.
Homogenization and Equivalent In-Plane Properties of Hexagonal and Re-Entrant Honeycombs

The investigation of equivalent in-plane properties for hexagonal and re-entrant (auxetic) lattices can be carried out through the analysis of the partial differential equations associated with their homogenized continuum models. A homogenization technique is adopted based on the approximation of the discrete lattice equations according to the finite differences formalism. The technique can be used in conjunction with a finite element (FE) description of the lattice unit cell and therefore allows handling structures with different levels of complexity and various internal geometries within a general and compact framework that can be easily implemented in a numerical code. The in-plane wave propagation characteristics of honeycombs can be investigated with the proposed approach: approximate phase velocities can be calculated from the equations of motion for the low-frequency modes and compared with the exact values obtained through a Fourier analysis of the unit cell.Copyright © 2007 by ASME
Encoding of nerve signals from retinal rods.

THE rod threshold in a special psychophysical situation can be used to measure the size of rod signal. We have measured in this way the signal elicited by flashes of various strengths and found it to be proportional to the quantum catch over a thousand-fold range of flash energies. Our method is based on the observation of M. A.1 that the threshold for detecting a flash presented at A (Fig. 1a) is raised if at about the same time a second flash falls on the annular surround B. If the threshold at A excites rods then it is only the excitation of rods at B which raises that threshold. Cones at B are also excited but are without effect on the rod threshold at A. The effect of B on A is not because of the physical scatter of light but is caused by the rod signals generated in B which inhibit those from A2. For example, when B had been bleached so that it was physiologically insensitive to the flash now falling there, the inhibiting action of this flash on A was abolished, though of course the scattered light was unaffected.
A quantitative method for study of phenolsulfonphthalein (PSP) concentration by surviving renal slices.

SummaryA method has been described for the quantitative extraction and spectro-photometric estimation of phenosulfon-phthalein (PSP) in renal cortex slices of the guinea pig. The effect of alterations of time of incubation, concentration of the PSP in the medium, and weight of tissue on the in vitro uptake of PSP by this preparation have been investigated. Uptake of PSP increases progressively with increases in incubation time. Increasing the concentration of PSP in the medium results in a decrease in the ratio of dye concentration in the slice to that in the medium. Ability of the slice to concentrate PSP from the medium is not markedly influenced by alterations of tissue weight between 200 and 400 mg.
The effects of vertical integration between cable television systems and pay cable networks

Abstract Using data for 1646 cable systems, we find that vertical integration between pay cable programming networks and cable systems has substantial effects on final market outcomes. Cable systems owned by the two multiple system operators (MSOs) having majority ownership ties to four major pay networks tended to carry their affiliated networks more frequently and rival networks less frequently than did the average nonintegrated system. These systems also offered fewer pay networks in total than did the average nonintegrated system. We also find that when carriage differences are accounted for, integrated systems tended to ‘favor’ their affiliated networks with respect to pricing or other marketing behavior. The models we employ are obtained from a model selection technique involving backward elimination and the Schwarz criterion.
A chemiluminescence fiber-optic biosensor system for the determination of glutamine in mammalian cell cultures.

Abstract A chemiluminescence fiber-optic biosensor system has been developed for determining glutamine in hybridoma cell cultures producing monoclonal antibodies against viral surface antigens. Glutaminase and glutamate oxidase (GLO) were immobilized onto aminopropyl glass beads via glutaraldehyde activation separately and packed in a column. Two separate columns containing immobilized GLO and catalase were placed upstream to eliminate endogenous glutamate. In the presence of ferricyanide, luminol reacted with hydrogen peroxide released from the enzymatic reactions to produce a chemiluminescence (CL) light signal which was detected and quantitated with a fiber-optic system. In combination with flow injection analysis it was possible to process samples virtually identically, thus avoiding difficulties in reproducing the CL signal. There was an excellent linear relationship between the CL response and standard glutamine concentration in the range 10−6 to 10−3 m . A complete analysis could be performed in 2 min including sampling and washing. Each immobilized enzyme column was stable for at least 300 repeated analyses without any loss of activity. When the biosensor system was used for the determination of glutamine in spent mammalian cell cultures, the values obtained compared well with those of high-performance liquid chromatography, thus validating the applicability of the CL fiber-optic system.
Doppler analysis of blood flow using a phased array beam steering

This paper presents an analysis of the Doppler shift and spread caused by moving blood flows using only a phased array beam steering. A mathematical system model provides the exact phase information without using approximation, which a conventional beam steering and focusing is based on. The target's movement relates to the beam steering time known, as slow time. We assume that the target is stationary when the beam at a certain steering angle interacts with the target under the beam propagation time known, as fast time. The velocity component in the beam direction relates to Doppler shift. The other velocity component perpendicular to the beam propagation direction corresponds to Doppler spread. The true velocity vector of the region of interest (ROI) can be estimated with a single phased array that is based on measurement of the Doppler shift and spread in the spatial domain. In our analysis, we suppose that the ROI contains multiple velocity vectors where each vector has a different magnitude and direction. In fact, the maximum and mean velocity of the ROI can be acquired under laminar flows. If the ROI is with turbulent flows it hardly estimates ROI's mean velocity. However, it is possible to indicate whether it is a laminar or turbulent flow. The numerical simulation results will be shown.
Comparative analysis of methods for detecting interacting loci

Background Interactions among genetic loci are believed to play an important role in disease risk. While many methods have been proposed for detecting such interactions, their relative performance remains largely unclear, mainly because different data sources, detection performance criteria, and experimental protocols were used in the papers introducing these methods and in subsequent studies. Moreover, there have been very few studies strictly focused on comparison of existing methods. Given the importance of detecting gene-gene and gene-environment interactions, a rigorous, comprehensive comparison of performance and limitations of available interaction detection methods is warranted.
The role of synoptic/planetary-scale interactions during the development of a blocking anticyclone

The period 19–21 January 1979 marked the development of a blocking anticyclone over the North Atlantic Ocean preceded by explosive cyclogenesis about 500 km south of Nova Scotia. Using fields derived from GLA analyzes (4° lat × 5° long) of the FGGE SOP-I data set, the general behavior of this block is diagnosed using the extended height tendency equation. This equation preserves much of the simplicity of the quasi-geostrophic form, but replaces the geostrophic wind and relative vorticity by the observed value. Three-dimensionally varying static stability and strong diabatic heating are also allowed in the extended form. To further analyze the relative importance of planetary-scale, synoptic-scale, and scale-interaction forcing of this block, height tendencies were solved from a scale-partitioned form of height tendency equation. The scale partitioning is accomplished using the Barnes objective analysis scheme. Results indicate that vorticity advection was the primary forcing mechanism during the block development. Growth in this mechanism occurred during and extended beyond the period of explosive cyclogenesis and was located downstream from the cyclone event. In fact, much of the vorticity advection was attributed to the northward advection of negative relative vorticity east of a jet streak that formed between the cyclone and anticyclone. The scale interactions implied by this relationship between the cyclone and anticyclone were confirmed in the partitioned height tendencies. The scale interaction component was consistently larger than the other two and was particularly significant during the block development. This component was followed in importance by the synoptic-scale component, although the latter was significant only in the vorticity advection term. Interestingly, despite pronounced northward warm air advection, the direct forcing of the block by thermal advection was relatively small. Rather, the thermal forcing was strongest in the upstream cyclone, which in view of the subsequent role of scale interactions in the block development suggests an indirect role for thermal advection. DOI: 10.1034/j.1600-0870.1990.00015.x
Effects of film history on gas transport in a fluorinated aromatic polyimide

The effects of film formation procedures on transport properties are reported for a rigid-chained, fluorinated, aromatic polyimide. Residual dimethylacetamide (DMAC) solvent present in films formed under certain casting protocols produces complexities in the permeation behavior of helium and carbon dioxide. Specifically, helium permeabilities are lower, while those of carbon dioxide are higher, in a film containing 8 wt% residual DMAC than in an annealed film containing < 1 wt% DMAC. Significant differences in transport properties are also observed between films prepared using two different casting techniques. These differences appear to be due to differences in organization of chain segments within films. The results of this study emphasize the considerable care needed in formation and postformation processing of these materials to ensure optimum flux/selectivity properties in such applications.
Statistical Analysis of Bed-Thickness Patterns in a Turbidite Section from the Great Valley Sequence, Cache Creek, Northern California

ABSTRACT This paper explores the use of a Monte Carlo adaptation of runs analysis to analyze turbidite sequences for the presence of asymmetric bed-thickness cycles. Waldron's test can be used to identify sequences that are dominated by either upward-thickening or upward-thinning cycles, but not both. Our adaptation of runs analysis provides a robust technique that can indicate the presence of local thickness trends that are different from those expected in random sequences, and can be used to evaluate the relative importance of upward-thickening and upward-thinning cycles. As a case study, 236 m of the Upper Cretaceous Sites Formation in the Great Valley Group were measured and described in detail along Cache Creek in northern California. This section had been previously interpreted as a s ccession of prograding submarine-fan-lobe deposits marked by asymmetric upward-thickening cycles. Application of Waldron's test indicates that the section is not dominated by upward-thickening cycles, as previously suggested. Monte Carlo runs analysis demonstrates that small-scale upward-thinning cycles are as common as upward-thickening cycles. The simple progradation of submarine fan lobes does not adequately explain the thickness patterns seen in the section. Application of Monte Carlo runs analysis to other turbidite sections would be useful for quantitative identification and comparison of turbidite bed-thickness cycles, which should lead to development of better turbidite facies models.
Mutational analysis of HIV-1 Tat minimal domain peptides: Identification of trans-dominant mutants that suppress HIV-LTR-driven gene expression

The HIV-1 Tat protein is a potent trans-activator essential for virus replication. We reported previously that HIV-1 Tat peptides containing residues 37-48 (mainly region II), a possible activating region, and residues 49-57 (region III), a nuclear targeting and putative nucleic acid binding region, possess minimal but distinct trans-activator activity. The presence of residues 58-72 (region IV) greatly enhances trans-activation. We postulate that Tat mutant peptides with an inactive region II and a functional region III can behave as dominant negative mutants. We synthesized minimal domain peptides containing single amino substitutions for amino acid residues within region II that are conserved among different HIV isolates. We identify four amino acid residues whose substitution within Tat minimal domain peptides leads to defects in transactivation. Some of these mutants are trans-dominant in several peptide backbones, since they strongly inhibit trans-activation by wild-type Tat protein added to cells or expressed from microinjected plasmid. Significantly, trans-activation of integrated HIV-LTRCAT is blocked by some trans-dominant mutant peptides. These results suggest an attractive approach for the development of an AIDS therapy.
Differential Effects of Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors on Tumor Necrosis Factor and Nitric Oxide Production by Murine Macrophages

The temporal requirements for tyrosine phosphorylation in the induction of tumor necrosis factor (TNF) and inducible nitric oxide synthase (NOS) were compared in the routine macrophage cell line RAW 264.7. Preincubation of RAW 264.7 cells with herbimycin A or genistein (but not with either of three tyrphostins tested) significantly blocked TNF and NOS production on exposure of these cells to combinations of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma). The addition of either genistein or herbimycin A to RAW 264.7 cell cultures 1-6 It after stimulation with LPS and IFN-gamma had little or no effect on TNF production but markedly inhibited NOS protein accumulation. Together these data indicate that tyrosine kinase inhibitors block NOS production at a point well downstream of the initial wave of LPS- and IFN-gamma-mediated protein tyrosine phosphorylation.
Asphalt modified by SBS triblock copolymer: Structures and properties

Microstructural transformation of a poly(styrene-b-butadiene-b-styrene), SBS, triblock copolymer blended with asphalt was studied as the asphalt composition was varied from 0 wt% to 96 wt%. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM), dynamic mechanical spectrometry (DMS), and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) were used. The blends were made in batch mixers at 200°C, or by solution casting from a nonselective solvent (trichloroethane) at ∼28°C. Asphalt partially solubilizes the polybutadene (PB) midblock of the SBS producing saturated PB microdomains along with macrodomains of asphalt. When the asphalt concentration was varied from 10 to 90 wt%, the asphalt phase separated into a variable number of large domains, while the SBS-rich regions formed a continuous matrix. Networks of SBS-rich regions were observed at low magnification ; these are referred to as macro-networks. At higher magnification, networks that are stabilized by polystyrene (PS) microdomains (denoted micro-networks) are also formed. The presence of a macro-network is also confirmed by stress relaxation tests. The macro-network broke down into microgel-like structures when the asphalt composition exceeded 90 wt%. Examination of the interior of the SBS-rich regions showed that the shape of the PS microdomains transformed from short cylinders to lamellae, hexagonally perforated lamellae (HPL), back to lamellae, short cylinders, and finally to spheres. DMS and DSC indicate a systematic increase in the PB glass transition temperature (T g ) and negligible change in the T g of PS as the asphalt content increases. Triblock copolymers that can form a macro-network at low concentration will be more desirable for highway pavement modification.
The novel PIAS-like protein hZimp10 is a transcriptional co-activator of the p53 tumor suppressor

The tumor suppressor, p53, plays critical roles in the cell cycle progression, DNA repair and apoptosis. The PIAS proteins (protein inhibitor of activated STAT) were originally identified as inhibitors of the JAK-STAT pathway. Subsequently, crosstalk between the PIAS proteins and other signaling pathways has been shown to be involved in various cellular processes. Particularly, previous studies have demonstrated that PIAS proteins regulate p53-mediated transcription through sumoylation. hZimp10, also named zmiz1, is a novel PIAS-like protein and functions as a transcriptional co-activator. We recently identified p53 to be an hZimp10 interacting protein in the yeast two-hybrid screen. The interaction between p53 and hZimp10 was confirmed by GST pull-down and co-immunoprecipitation assays. Co-localization of p53 and hZimp10 proteins was also observed within cell nuclei by immunostaining. Moreover, we show that expression of exogenous hZimp10 enhances the transcriptional activity of p53 and knockdown of endogenous hZimp10 reduces the transcriptional activity of p53. Furthermore, using chromatin immunoprecipitation assays, we demonstrate that hZimp10 binds to p53 on the p21 promoter. Finally, p53-mediated transcription is significantly impaired in Zimp10 null embryonic fibroblasts. Taken together, these results provide the first line of evidence to demonstrate a role for Zimp10 in regulating p53 function.
Is there a role for routine preoperative endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography for suspected choledocholithiasis in children

Hypothesis Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) is frequently used preoperatively in adult patients with suspected choledocholithiasis. Cholelithiasis occurs much less often in children, and the indications for ERCP are not established. We hypothesized that the natural history of choledocholithiasis in children is spontaneous passage of stones through the papilla and that these children can be managed without routine preoperative ERCP. Design Retrospective analysis of patients treated over a 10-year period. Setting Tertiary care children’s hospital. Patients All patients with cholecystectomy for biliary disease. Interventions Cholecystectomy; intraoperative cholangiography for suspected choledocholithiasis: hyperbilirubinemia, gallstone pancreatitis, and ultrasonographic evidence of common bile duct dilation or common bile duct stones; and postoperative ERCP for symptomatic choledocholithiasis: pain and jaundice. Main Outcome Measures Incidence and complications of choledocholithiasis and frequency of ERCP. Results One hundred patients (63 females) were studied. Indications included acute cholecystitis (10%), chronic cholecystitis (59%), gallstone pancreatitis (26%), and choledocholithiasis (5%). An intraoperative cholangiography was performed in 45 patients, and common bile duct stones were identified in 13. Expectant management of asymptomatic common bile duct stones was associated with sonographic resolution within 1 week. One patient with intraoperative cholangiography–proven choledocholithiasis required ERCP for symptoms 24 hours after operation. One additional patient, who did not undergo intraoperative cholangiography, developed symptomatic choledocholithiasis and required ERCP. There were no choledocholithiasis- or ERCP-related complications. Conclusions This study suggests that choledocholithiasis occurs frequently in children and that spontaneous passage of common bile duct stones is common. This could explain the relatively high incidence of gallstone pancreatitis. Conservative management of choledocholithiasis is successful in the majority of patients. Routine preoperative or postoperative ERCP is usually not indicated.
New Capacity-Achieving Encoding Schemes for Degraded Binary Broadcast Channels

We study two-receiver degraded binary broadcast channels (DBBCs), focusing on the capacity region and the encoding schemes that achieve its boundary. First, we derive the conditions for a general binary broadcast channel to be degraded, and show that only a very limited subset of the possible degraded configurations have been investigated in the previous literature. Then, we show how to design a capacity-achieving encoding scheme for a general DBBC, and give a detailed specific example. The designed scheme turns out to be very general and to include, as special cases, the encoding schemes that achieve the capacity boundary of the DBBCs previously studied in the literature.
The analysis and identification of homologizer/moderator variables when the moderator is continuous: An illustration with anthropometric data

Human biological data often contain homologizers, that is, variables which moderate the strength rather than the form of the relationship between two other variables. Current methods for the identification and analysis of continuous homologizer variables [Z] (variables which moderate the strength rather than the form of a relationship between other variables [X,Y]) recommend dividing the sample into subgroups on the basis of the homologizer variable (Z) and testing whether correlations (X,Y) are significantly different among subgroups. We propose an alternative strategy which avoids the use of subgroups and which offers greater power to detect homologizer effects. In addition, it allows the identification of homologizer effects in data sets where multiplicative as well as additive terms are included in the model. The proposed strategy is validated through Monte Carlo simulations and an example of its application to a set of anthropometric data is given. © 1992 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Are Family Forest Owners Facing a Future In Which Forest Management Is Not Enough

quire a forest management plan, as well as the application of periodic silvicultural treatments based on the plan (Borie 1987). Only a small segment of eligible owners have adopted this approach; 3% of private landowners nationwide have a forest management plan (Butler 2008). This participation rate is especially low considering the decades of programs aimed at promoting management planning (e.g., Tree Farm, Forest Stewardship and Forest Land Enhancement Program) and the many dollars of cost share offered to landowners to develop management plans (Damery 2006). The sale or donation of development rights and placement of conservation easements on a property is becoming an increasingly common method of protecting land from development (Fairfax et al. 2005, Rissman et al. 2007). Conservation easements allow families to retain fee ownership and many of the rights (e.g., residence, forest management, and exclude public access) associated with the property, but relinquish the right to develop. Easement terms can be applied to all or part of an ownership (Byers and Ponte 2005). The financial value of an easement is equal to the reduction in development value of the land, determined through an appraisal process. Conservation easements can represent income if the development rights have been purchased or an opportunity to declare a charitable deduction for income tax purposes if the development rights have been donated to a public or private conservation organization. By eliminating the development potential of land, the assessed value is lowered, thus reducing the annual real estate tax burden and reducing estate tax obligations. Massachusetts is the eighth most forested state (62% by land use), as well as the third most densely populated, resulting in a land base dominated by human influence. In particular, more than 75% of Massachusetts’ forests are owned by over 212,000 private families and individuals with an average statewide ownership size of 17.9 ac (Kittredge et al. 2008). It is estimated that over 40 ac of Massachusetts open space are converted each day to developed use (Breunig 2003). There are few places in the country with such extensive forest cover combined with such intensive pressure from forest conversion and parcelization making the identification of approaches to maintaining forest cover and working forests in Massachusetts critical. In fact, it can be said that Massachusetts is on the leading edge of trends other regions have just begun or will soon face. Materials and Methods
Recognizing Gender-Based Violence Against Civilian Men and Boys in Conflict Situations

While gender-based violence has recently emerged as a salient topic in the human security community, it has been framed principally with respect to violence against women and girls, particularly sexual violence. In this article, I argue that gender-based violence against men (including sexual violence, forced conscription, and sex-selective massacre) must be recognized as such, condemned, and addressed by civilian protection agencies and proponents of a ‘human security’ agenda in international relations. Men deserve protection against these abuses in their own right; moreover, addressing gender-based violence against women and girls in conflict situations is inseparable from addressing the forms of violence to which civilian men are specifically vulnerable.
Changes in Self-Perceptions in Children With ADHD: A Longitudinal Study of Depressive Symptoms and Attributional Style ☆

This study examined positive self-perceptions in relation to depressive symptoms and attributional style in a sample of 88 boys with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) assessed at baseline and at a 2- to 3-year follow-up. Change in boys' self-perceptions of competency in the scholastic, social, and behavioral domains was examined as a predictor of changes in depressive symptoms and depressive attributional style. Additionally, teacher-rated perceptions of competency at baseline and follow-up were considered as unique predictors. Results indicated that across all three domains, a reduction in children's self-perceptions of competency over time predicted greater depressive symptoms at follow-up, even when controlling for teacher-rated competency. Analyses also suggested that a reduction in self-perceptions in the social domain was the strongest relative predictor of later depressive symptoms and also predicted greater depressive attributional style at follow-up. In contrast, teacher-rated competency was not a significant predictor of depressive symptoms or attributional style at follow-up. Results support a protective function of positive self-perceptions in regards to depressive cognitions over a 2- to 3-year period for children with ADHD. However, literature suggesting risks for other negative outcomes also is discussed.
Optimal location and sizing of energy storage modules for a smart electric ship power system

The Navy's next generation electric ship's power system will support high energy loads and critical equipment. Energy storage modules will be needed to meet the demands of these loads as well as increase the overall high quality of service. This paper describes an approach to evaluate the impact of energy storage module location and sizing for ship survivability and quality of service. Specifically, a multi-objective optimization algorithm, the multi-objective particle swarm optimization — is used to obtain Pareto optimal solutions considering survivability, quality of service, and cost. Results based multi-objective particle swarm optimization study show that optimal ESM location and sizing improves ship power system's survivability and quality of service with a possible minimum cost.
The October 17, 1989, Loma Prieta, California, Earthquake and its aftershocks: Geometry of the sequence from high-resolution locations

Hypocenters of the Loma Prieta sequence form a dipping zone that rises from the mainshock hypocenter and is parallel to the mainshock nodal plane. Most aftershocks cluster around the perimeter of the zone, surrounding a relatively aseismic center which approximates the region of mainshock rupture. At its southeastern end, the dipping aftershock zone warps into a vertical surface that corresponds to the San Andreas fault. In the central and northwestern parts of the zone at depths above ∼10 km, the aftershocks define numerous disjoint fault structures. The large component of reverse-slip observed in this event agrees with a simple model for slip on a dipping plane within a compressional fault bend. We do not believe that the Loma Prieta earthquake occurred on the Sargent fault. However, we are unable to conclude whether it ruptured the principal plate boundary fault or a less frequently active fault.
Evidence that changes in tonic luteinizing hormone secretion determine the growth of preovulatory follicles in the rat.

Physiological concentrations of progesterone (20–100 ng/ml), maintained by the insertion of implants into 30-day-old rats, delayed first ovulation, and withdrawal of progesterone on day 47 of age synchronized first ovulation in rats. Inhibition of ovulation involved negative feedback regulation of tonic LH and FSH secretion, blockage of gonadotropin surges, and suppression of preovulatory, but not antral, follicular growth. Removal of implants resulted in a rapid decline in serum progesterone from 100 to 5 ng/ml within 0ndash;12 h. Between 0ndash;36 h there were progressive increases in serum concentrations of LH and FSH, enhanced accumulation of estradiol by individual follicles incubated in vitro with or without exogenous substrate, and marked progressive increases in the content of LH (but not FSH) receptors in both thecal and granulosa cells. These events were followed by gonadotropin surges at 48 h (1800 h on day 49), ovulation, and morphological and biochemical signs of luteinization, including decr...
A review of in situ surface functionalization of gallium nitride via beaker wet chemistry

This review focuses on in situ functionalization of gallium nitride (GaN) with different adsorbates in the presence of an etchant. The low-temperature aqueous nature of this process provides a safe, environmentally friendly technique for tailoring the semiconductor’s properties for various applications. Surface binding to GaN relies on a native oxide layer or direct attachment to the metal center present on the etched surface. The specifics of the binding mechanism are based on the functional groups present on the adsorbate. The effects of the GaN surface polarity and quality on the modification approach are analyzed. The review summarizes the alteration of GaN properties after the in situ treatment. Quantitative data until now have shown changes in morphological, surface chemical, optical, electronic, and aqueous stability properties. The review concludes with a short outlook on future studies associated with this surface modification approach.
Provincial Governance and Foreign Direct Investment in Vietnam

In this analysis, I have endeavored to show that recent FDI attraction is correlated with economic governance, even if the governance measure itself is derived from domestic private sector perceptions. Because of fundamental problems with the way FDI is measured and because most analyses of FDI are mere snapshots of a long term and dynamic process, it makes more sense to focus on other outcome variables related to FDI. Here, the impact of governance is even more striking. Better governance is strongly associated with FDI implementation rates and the decisions of FIEs to add capital to existing projects.Different dimensions of economic governance have varying effects on these three outcome variables. Transparency of regulatory information and private sector development services, such as trade fairs and technology training, are strongly associated with investment attraction. Implementation rates, however, are most strongly influenced by the access to and security of property rights as well as the ability to defend those rights in provincial courts. It appears that FIEs are willing to sign large investment projects for a range of different factors, but this initial decision is merely an opportunity to test the waters. Whether they decide to fulfill their investment commitments is strongly influenced by whether they believe their business premises, materials, and contracts will be securely defended into the future. This is a critical finding for Vietnamese policy makers. Systematic legal reform is of utmost importance isensuring sustained commitments of FIEs in Vietnam. When it comes to the decision to expand existing projects, property rights remain influential, but investors are also appear to pay careful attention to the demonstrated pro-activity of the
Characterization of pps, a Modulator of Sxl Autoregulation in Drosophila melanogaster

by MATTHEW LOGAN JOHNSON The proper regulation of transcription and splicing is paramount for accurate expression of the genetic blueprint. Although transcription and splicing are coupled events, they have traditionally been examined separately. Without an integrated approach to scrutinizing these events, the mechanisms through which transcription may impact alternative splicing decisions remains unclear. Here, I report my analysis of a relatively unknown protein in Drosophila melanogaster, PPS (PROTEIN PARTNER OF SNF), which appears to link both transcription and splicing events. PPS was initially identified to interact directly with the U1/U2 snRNP protein, SNF (SANS-FILLE), yet contains a number of conserved motifs which suggest a role in transcription. In this work I demonstrate that pps is important for regulating alternative splicing of the master sex determining gene Sex-lethal (Sxl). Furthermore, my studies demonstrate that PPS is in a complex with other spliceosomal proteins that are known to block male exon inclusion
Rubber Chemicals from Cyclic Amines. VII. Cycloalkylthioamines as Accelerators and Prevulcanization Inhibitors

Abstract Cycloalkylthioamines per se are moderately active accelerators. When used in conjunction with the benzothiazole accelerators, these thioamines act as prevulcanization inhibitors with cure activating properties, and generally, increase the crosslink density of the vulcanizates. The inhibition action of the cycloalkylthioamine may be due to its activity as a BtSH scavenger and also to its ability to reduce the number of the labile sulfur atoms, thereby the reactivity, of the more active polythiobenzothiazole intermediates. In addition to these capabilities the inhibition action of PVI in a benzothiazole sulfenamide-accelerated stock may be due to its ability to react with the free amine liberated during vulcanization. The relation of the curing properties of the cyclohexylthioamines to the structure of the amine moiety is analogous to the cases of dithiodiamines and 2-(imino)dithiobenzothiazoles as vulcanizing agents, or N-substituted-2-benzothiazole sulfenamides as accelerators. The relative curin...
RECAP: FORECASTING THE 2012 ELECTION

The October 2012 issue of PS published a symposium of presidential and congressional forecasts made in the months leading up to the election. In the following articles, the forecasters assess the accuracy of their models.
Impact of Hurricane Sandy on the Staten Island University Hospital Emergency Department

UNLABELLED: Introduction On October 29, 2012, Hurricane Sandy touched down in New York City (NYC; New York USA) causing massive destruction, paralyzing the city, and destroying lives. Research has shown that considerable damage and loss of life can be averted in at-risk areas from advanced preparation in communication procedures, evacuation planning, and resource allocation. However, research is limited in describing how natural disasters of this magnitude affect emergency departments (EDs). Hypothesis/Problem The aim of this study was to identify and describe trends in patient volume and demographics, and types of conditions treated, as a result of Hurricane Sandy at Staten Island University Hospital North (SIUH-N; Staten Island, New York USA) site ED. METHODS: A retrospective chart review of patients presenting to SIUH-N in the days surrounding the storm, October 26, 2012 through November 2, 2012, was completed. Data were compared to the same week of the year prior, October 28, 2011 through November 4, 2011. Daily census, patient age, gender, admission rates, mode of arrival, and diagnoses in the days surrounding the storm were observed. RESULTS: A significant decline in patient volume was found in all age ranges on the day of landfall (Day 0) with a census of 114; -55% compared to 2011. The daily volume exhibited a precipitous drop on the days preceding the storm followed by a return to usual volumes shortly after. A notably larger percentage of patients were seen for medication refills in 2012; 5.8% versus 0.4% (PCONCLUSION: The daily ED census saw a significant decline in the days preceding the storm. In addition, the type of conditions treated varied from baseline, and a considerable drop in hospital admissions was seen. Data such as these presented here can help make predictions for future scenarios. Greenstein J , Chacko J , Ardolic B , Berwald N. Impact of Hurricane Sandy on the Staten Island University Hospital emergency department. Prehosp Disaster Med. 2016;31(3):335-339. Language: en