cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Weak convergence and the Prokhorov radius

Abstract The Prokhorov radius for a set of probability measures satisfying basic moment conditions is introduced, through the Prokhorov distance of these measures from the Dirac measure at a fixed point of the real line. This is calculated precisely by the use of standard tools from the Kemperman geometric moment theory. The above radius gives the exact rate of weak convergence of these measures to the Dirac measure.
What wealth-happiness paradox? A short note on the American case

Happiness scholars have tried to resolve the seeming paradox that as Americans’ wealth increased substantially over the last few decades, their happiness did not. This article questions whether the paradox is real. Demonstrations of the paradox almost always rely on GDP per capita as the measure of wealth, but that is a poor measure of a people’s well-being. It is heavily and increasingly skewed; it does not account for effort. Using instead measures of household income, male income, and average wages eliminates the paradox; these indicators of affluence have grown only slowly or declined in the same period, paralleling the changes in happiness scores. Moreover, using these indicators reveals a modest but real correlation between material well-being and national happiness.
Comparison Of Uniform And Gaussian Beam Diffraction

Much is said in the literature about Gaussian beams. However, there is little in terms of a quantitative comparison between the propagation of uniform and Gaussian beams. Even when results for both types of beams are given, they appear in a normalized form in such a way that some of the quantitative difference between them is lost. In this paper, we consider an aberration-free annular beam and investigate the effect of Gaussian amplitude across the aperture on the focal-plane irradiance and encircled-power distributions. We also consider the problem of aberration balancing and compare the effects of primary aberrations on the two types of beams.
The occurrence of microbodies and peroxisomal enzymes in achlorophyllous leaves.

Several types of leaves of leaf parts lacking chlorophyll were fixed and embedded according to conventional procedures and examined electron-microscopically for microbodies. Comparisons of relative abundance of microbodies, plastids and mitochondria were made by computing the average numbers of organelle profiles per cell section. Similar leaves were homogenized and assayed for three enzymes characteristic of leaf peroxisomes. The localization of these enzymes in microbodies was indicated for the achlorophyllous tissues by the positive result obtained when 3,3'-diaminobenzidine was used as an electron cytochemical stain for catalase activity.Microbodies were present in all non-photosynthetic leaves or leaf parts examined, including yellowish-white segments of variegated leaves, albino leaves, and etiolated leaves of two species. In several cases, the numbers of microbody profiles per cell section were as great in the achlorophyllous leaves as in the chlorophyllous. The levels of peroxisomal enzyme activity in the yellowish-white leaves were substantial, although often not as high as in the green leaves. It was concluded that enzymatically these microbodies are probably similar to the peroxisomes characterized from chlorophyllous leaves. In the absence of the photosynthetic product, glycolate, however, it seems unlikely that the organelle is performing the same functions as in green leaves. It is also apparent that the initial formation of peroxisomes in leaves can occur when neither light nor a photosynthate such as glycolate is present as an inducer.
Paradoxical visuomotor adaptation to reversed visual input is predicted by BDNF Val66Met polymorphism

Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is the most abundant neurotrophin in the brain, influencing neural development, plasticity, and repair (Chen et al., 2004; Thoenen, 1995). The BDNF gene contains a single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) called Val(66)Met. The Met allele interferes with intracellular BDNF-trafficking, decreases activity-dependent BDNF secretion, and consequently is often associated with a shift from plasticity to stability in neural circuits (Egan et al., 2003). We investigated the behavioral consequences of the presence of the Met allele by comparing how 40 heterozygous subjects with the Val/Met genotype and 35 homozygous subjects with the Val/Val genotype performed on visuomotor tasks (reaching and navigation) under two conditions: normal vision and completely left-right reversed vision. As expected, subjects did not differ in their short-term ability to learn the tasks with normal vision (p = 0.58). Intuitively, it would be expected that homozygous Val/Val subjects with a propensity for greater BDNF-induced activity-dependent plasticity would learn new tasks more quickly than heterozygous Val/Met subjects with decreased BDNF secretion (Gilbert, Li, & Piech, 2009). However, we found the opposite here. When short-term mechanisms of visuomotor adaptation were engaged to compensate for the misalignment of visual and somatomotor information created by the left-right reversal of vision, heterozygous Val/Met subjects learned significantly more quickly than their homozygous Val/Val counterparts (p = 0.027). Our results demonstrate the paradoxical finding that the presence of the Met allele, which is thought to promote cortical stability, here improves immediate visuomotor adaptation to left-right-reversed visual input.
Reliability of Self-Reported Breast Screening Information in a Survey of Lower Income Women

Abstract Background. Self-reported behavior is widely used to estimate the prevalence of breast cancer screening and to evaluate programs for promoting screening, but detailed studies of reliability have not previously been performed. Methods. Reliability was assessed by comparing responses to questions about screening behavior from repeat personal interviews of 382 women age 40 and older living in low-income census tracts of two Florida communities. Reliability was assessed using Pearson's correlation ( r ) and kappa (κ) coefficients. Results. Estimated reliabilities were κ = 0.38 for “ever had clinical breast examination,” κ = 0.82 for “ever had mammogram,” κ = 0.65 for “mammogram in past year,” r = 0.54 for “date of last mammogram,” and r = 0.72 for “number of mammograms.” The dates of last mammogram reported at the two interviews agreed within 1 month for 64% of the women, while the dates of last clinical breast examination agreed within 1 month for 50% of the women. Reliability of “ever had mammogram” was significantly related to demographic variables. Conclusions. Women reliably report ever having mammography, but information about timing and frequency has lower reliability. The results have implications for breast screening research because measurement error affects the precision of estimates and the sample sizes needed to detect program effects.
Creeping indigo (Indigofera spicata forsk.) (Fabaceae)—A hazard to herbivores in Florida

Creeping indigo,Indigofera spicata, while only a minor source of dye, has been much planted for cover, green manure, and erosion control in coffee, tea, and rubber plantations in warm parts of the Old World. It is palatable, even enticing, to most grazing animals. Feeding tests at the University of Florida (1933–1934) demonstrated toxicity to rabbits. Pasture trials in Hawaii were promising for 10 yr, but when the plant amounted to 50% of the feed (1949–1950) it proved toxic to cattle, sheep, goats, and fowl. The deep-rooted weed, with yard-long, prostrate runners, has become naturalized from Gainesville southward and has heavily invaded many pastures in southern Florida, especially on limestone. High intake is now associated with a fatal CNS syndrome in local horses, formerly linked by some to agricultural pesticides. The leaves and seeds contain indospicine, a toxic amino acid; the toxin was formerly reported to be β-nitropropionic acid. Some diploid strains in Africa are said to be non-toxic.
Geoscience Laser Altimeter System (GLAS) spaceflight instrument fiber optic system

GLAS is a satellite laser altimeter designed to measure ice- sheet topography and cloud and atmospheric properties. The onboard laser is an Nd:YAG with doubler, emitting 1064 nm and 532 nm light. The reflected light from the Earth and atmosphere is collected by a telescope and analyzed to produce the altimetry results. Fiber optics are used to route timing and calibration signals within the instrument as well as to provide calibrated delays. The fiber optic system includes free space to fiber coupling optics, cables and connectors, diode laser and LED fiber pigtails and a 2 kilometer fiber optic delay line. Since these signals are received and processed as analog values, it is necessary to preserve the magnitude, timing and pulse shape as much as possible in the thermal, mechanical and radiation environment of space. This is in contrast to many onboard fiber optic systems which are used for digital communication and can accept wide variations in these parameters as long as the thresholds for accurate detection of a bit aren't exceeded. The requirements include a stability of up to 1% in signal magnitude and 20 ps timing stability in the timing signals and fiber optic delay line over the whole mission, including all environmental effects. Meeting these requirements with the spacecraft resources available has proven challenging. Fiber optic components have been chosen and tested to accomplish this as best as possible. The system design, components selected and testing performed will be discussed in this paper.
Metrology for nanosystems and nanoelectronics reliability assessments

The traditional models and techniques for studying reliability in integrated circuits may not be appropriate for nanoelectronics and nanosystems. In this paper, we present an overview of a number of materials and metrology techniques currently under development in our group at NIST. Among other topics, we will assess the techniques and models currently used for evaluating integrated circuit reliability, as well as present some new approaches.
A rejoinder to Cook and response to Chao: Moving the Textbook/LSE debate forward

The reply by Cook and comment by Chao demonstrate Kuhn's thesis that different scientists place different values on different components of their common discipline. This fact is demonstrated by first succinctly summarizing Cook's and my original points within the framework of a simple choice model. I then respond to Cook and Chao. I close by offering some suggestions on how the Textbook/LSE debate could be moved forward.
Laser-assisted anesthesia reduces the pain of venous cannulation in children and adults: a randomized controlled trial.

Objectives: Application of topical anesthetics before intravenous (IV) cannulation is effective yet limited by delayed transdermal absorption. The authors evaluated a handheld laser device to enhance topical anesthetic absorption by ablating the stratum corneum, the major barrier to drug absorption through the skin. The hypothesis was that laser-assisted anesthesia would reduce the pain of IV cannulation in emergency department (ED) patients. Methods: This was a blinded, randomized, controlled trial. ED patients aged 1 year and older requiring nonemergent IV cannulation were included. Patients were randomized to pretreatment of the skin with laser or sham laser, and standardized venous cannulation was performed on the dorsum of the patients’ hands or antecubital fossa. In the experimental group, the area over the target vein was pretreated with a lightweight, portable Er:YAG unit, with a fluence of 3.5 J/cm 2 , a pulse width of 600 microseconds, and a spot diameter of 6 mm. Lidocaine 4% cream was applied to the area immediately after laser application. Five minutes later, the cream was wiped off and a trained nurse inserted an IV catheter. In the control group, a sham laser and lidocaine were used. Pain of laser application and IV cannulation was recorded on age-appropriate pain scales; presence of infection or abnormal pigmentation was determined at one week. Pain of cannulation was compared using parametric and nonparametric tests. Results: Sixty-one patients were randomized to laser (30) and sham (31) pretreatment. Mean (SD) age was 27 (21) years, 49% were female, and one half were children younger than 18 years. The mean pain of IV cannulation was significantly less (mean difference, 28.3 mm; 95% confidence interval = 17.9 to 38.7) in patients pretreated with the laser (10.0 mm; 95% confidence interval = 4.4 to 15.6) than with sham laser (38.3 mm; 95% confidence interval = 29.3 to 42.2). The difference in children was also significant. Application of the laser was painless in most patients. No patient developed infection or abnormal pigmentation. Conclusions: Pretreatment of the skin with a laser device followed by a five-minute topical lidocaine 4% application reduces the pain of IV cannulation in ED adult and pediatric patients. ACADEMIC EMERGENCY MEDICINE 2006; 13:623–628 a 2006 by the Society for Academic Emergency
A Rationalization of the Precautionary Demand for Cash

Introduction, 314. â€” Definition of the precautionary demand for cash, 314. â€” The concepts, 315. â€” Optimal precautionary cash balances, 316. â€” Comparison with transactions demand for cash, 320. â€” Comparison with related studies, 320. â€” Appendix, 322.
The stabilities and thermodynamic functions for the formation of aluminium and mercury (II) chelates of certain polyaminepolyacetic acids

Abstract The formation constants of the chelates of several polyaminepolyacetic acid chelates with mercury (II) and aluminium ions have been evaluated at 20, 30 and 40°C., the latter by the mercury indicator electrode technique. The corresponding thermodynamic functions have been calculated at 25°C. The stabilities of these chelates are determined largely by the entropy changes associated with their formation. Correlations relating to structure of ligand and structure of chelate are discussed.
Orientalism and ‘saving’ US state identity after 9/11

Abstract The attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon on 11 September 2001 (9/11) radically destabilized the US sense of self and thus necessitated a particular reassertion of state identity that pivots violently on gender and race. This identity draws upon hypermasculinity, a religious code of ethics and the constitutive differences between Self/Other necessitating the persistent and forceful coding, interpretation and targeting of particular actors and politics as Islamic fundamentalist. In particular, 9/11's post-traumatic space requires US participation in an orientalist project that institutionalizes gendered and racialized violence through the infantilization, demonization, dehumanization and sexual commodification of the ‘Other’. The US state project to ‘save’ its identity intertwines religion, ideology and conflict so as to permanently etch within the American psyche a fear/loathing/paternalism regarding the ‘Orient’ abroad and within. This article proposes a feminist theoretical framewo...
Fabulous flower flies for famous fly fanatics (Diptera: Syrphidae). A tribute to the dipterists of the Canadian National Collection

Six new flower fly species are described: Blera chillcotti Thompson (Nepal), Sphiximorpha mcalpinei Thompson (Mexico), Psilota shewelli Thompson (Nepal), Rhopalosyrphus teskeyi Thompson (Argentina), Parasyrphus vockerothi Thompson (United States of America and Canada), and Lycopale woodi Thompson (Mexico). Keys are provided to the species of the genera Lycopale Hull and Rhopalosyrphus Giglio-Tos, the Nearctic species of Sphiximorpha Rondani, and the Oriental species of Blera Billberg and Psilota Meigen.
Microvessel endothelial cell transdifferentiation: phenotypic characterization

Human dermal microvessel endothelial cells (MEC) have two basic functions: maintenance of tissue homeostasis and facilitation of inflammatory responses. The former requires that the endothelium expresses traits of an epithelium, while inflammatory reactions are associated with intimal disruption. Acute inflammation transiently alters endothelium, whereas chronic inflammation may result in vessel reorganization and MEC mesenchymalization. Foreskin MEC in vitro undergo a similar epithelial-mesenchymal modulation. In the presence of cAMP, cultivated dermal MEC exhibit the structural and functional characteristics of an epithelium. MEC grown in cAMP-deficient medium initially have a "transitional" configuration and are subsequently transformed into mesenchymal cells. If cAMP is replaced by histamine, MEC maintain a stable intermediate transitional configuration. Transitional MEC refed cAMP-supplemented medium revert to an epithelial phenotype, whereas parallel cultures fed cAMP-deficient medium are transformed into mesenchymal cells. Phenotypic modulation can be induced without cell division and thus provides a unique example of direct transdifferentiation. Our data furthermore suggest that this transdifferentiation results in the acquisition of properties usually attributed to cells of the reticuloendothelial system.
Trends in Physical Dating Violence Victimization Among U.S. High School Students, 1999–2011

Dating violence is a serious form of violence that places students at risk for injury, death, and negative mental health sequelae. The current analysis presents data on the prevalence of dating violence over a 12-year period among a nationally representative sample of high school-attending youth in the United States, stratified by race and gender. Data from the national Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System (YRBSS) 1999–2011 revealed that physical dating violence victimization rates are similar for males and females; the 12-year prevalence rate of physical dating violence victimization was 9.4% for males and 9.2% for females. Black and multiracial students were at increased risk for dating violence victimization in comparison to their White, Asian, and Hispanic counterparts. There were no changes in the reported rate of dating violence victimization over the 12-year period.
Nonextensivity in turbulence in rotating two-dimensional and three-dimensional flows

Abstract Our experiments on turbulent flow in a rotating annulus yield probability distribution functions (PDFs) for velocity increments δv (l), where l is the separation between points. We fit these PDFs to a form derived for turbulent flows by Beck, who used the Tsallis nonextensive statistical mechanics formalism. For slow rotation rates, we find that the fit parameter q is 1.25 for small l. At large l, q decreases to unity, the value corresponding to the usual Boltzmann–Gibbs statistics. These results agree with those previously measured in experiments on Couette–Taylor turbulence. However, with rapid rotation of the annulus, the turbulent flow becomes strongly two-dimensional (2D) rather than three-dimensional (3D), and we find q =1.32±0.04, independent of l. This suggests that the coherent structures (vortices), which are a source of intermittency, are important at all length scales in the 2D case.
Asynchronous data-driven classification of weapon systems

This communication addresses real-time weapon classification by analysis of asynchronous acoustic data, collected from microphones on a sensor network. The weapon classification algorithm consists of two parts: (i) feature extraction from time-series data using symbolic dynamic filtering (SDF), and (ii) pattern classification based on the extracted features using the language measure (LM) and support vector machine (SVM). The proposed algorithm has been tested on field data, generated by firing of two types of rifles. The results of analysis demonstrate high accuracy and fast execution of the pattern classification algorithm with low memory requirements. Potential applications include simultaneous shooter localization and weapon classification with soldier-wearable networked sensors.
Polymorphism in Systematics and Comparative Biology

▪ Abstract Polymorphism, or variation within species, is common in all kinds of data and is the major focus of research on microevolution. However, polymorphism is often ignored by those who study macroevolution: systematists and comparative evolutionary biologists. Polymorphism may have a profound impact on phylogeny reconstruction, species-delimitation, and studies of character evolution. A variety of methods are used to deal with polymorphism in phylogeny reconstruction, and many of these methods have been extremely controversial for more than 20 years. Recent research has attempted to address the accuracy of these methods (their ability to estimate the true phylogeny) and to resolve these issues, using computer simulation, congruence, and statistical analyses. These studies suggest three things: that (a) the exclusion of polymorphic characters (as is commonly done in morphological phylogenetics) is unjustified and may greatly decrease accuracy relative to analyses that include these characters; (b) me...
Towards Reliable Reputations for Dynamic Networked Systems

A new generation of distributed systems and applications rely on the cooperation of diverse user populations motivated by self-interest. While they can utilize "reputation systems" to reduce selfish behaviors that disrupt or manipulate the network for personal gain, current reputations face a key challenge in large dynamic networks: vulnerability to peer collusion. In this paper, we propose to dramatically improve the accuracy of reputation systems with the use of a statistical metric that measures the "reliability" of a peer's reputation taking into account collusion-like behavior. Trace-driven simulations on P2P network traffic show that our reliability metric drastically improves system performance. We also apply our metric to 18,000 randomly selected eBay user reputation profiles, and surprisingly discover numerous users with collusion-like behaviors worthy of additional investigation.
Maternal Immunologic Diseases and Neonatal Disorders

After completing this article, readers should be able to: 1. Explain why only certain maternal autoimmune diseases result in perinatal and neonatal disorders. 2. Delineate the criteria for diagnosis, the perinatal consequences, and the approaches to treatment of maternal antiphospholipid syndrome. 3. Differentiate between benign gestational thrombocytopenia and maternal immune thrombocytopenia. 4. Outline management considerations for the mother and baby in maternal immune thrombocytopenia. 5. Describe the clinical manifestations, pathophysiology, and guidelines for treatment of the neonatal lupus syndrome. Autoimmune diseases are characterized by an immune attack on tissues of the body in the apparent absence of active infection. Symptoms arise from the resulting impairment of cell or organ function. Women are disproportionately affected by many autoimmune diseases, especially those conditions whose typical age of onset is in the early childbearing years. (1) For women who have autoimmune diseases, the physiologic changes of pregnancy often have consequences for the course of the autoimmune disease. (2) In turn, autoimmune disease or its treatment may affect the developing fetus or the newborn. Autoimmune diseases can be classified into two broad categories, based on the primary immunologic effector mechanism that causes disease. In one class of autoimmune disease, CD4+ T cells are believed to be the major effector cells, although they enlist other arms of the immune response, such as CD8+ T cells or macrophages, during the disease course. Examples of this class of autoimmune disease include insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus, rheumatoid arthritis, and multiple sclerosis. The other class of autoimmune diseases is caused by antibodies that are directed against self-antigens. (It should be noted that production of these antibodies is generally T-cell-dependent). Diseases in this class include myasthenia gravis, Goodpasture syndrome, Graves’ disease, antiphospholipid antibody syndrome (APS), immune thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP), and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). The autoantibody-mediated diseases can have direct consequences on the fetus …
Acute Experimental Canine Ehrlichiosis. II. Sequential Reaction of the Hemic and Lymphoreticular System of Selectively Immunosuppressed Dogs

The lymphoreticular response of dogs to Ehrlichia canis infection was studied after immunosuppressive therapy with cyclophosphamide or antilymphocyte serum. Immunosuppression did not increase mortality, nor did it prevent or significantly modify the clinical manifestations of acute ehrlichiosis. The clinical, hematologic and serum biochemical characteristics of acute ehrlichiosis appeared seven or more days later in immunosuppressed than in immunologically intact infected dogs. Immunosuppressive therapy generally attenuated the lesions of acute ehrlichiosis. Lymphoreticular tissues were partially depleted of lymphocytes, as would be expected following cyclophosphamide therapy, but the hemopoietic tissue of cyclophosphamide-treated principals was much more cellular than that of the controls, perhaps demonstrating a direct stimulatory effect E. canis infection on bone marrow. Antilymphocyte serum therapy reduced cellularity of the thymic-dependent areas in both the spleen and lymph nodes, but B-cell areas were not affected. The B-cell areas did not increase in activity during infection in the antilymphocyte serum-treated dogs, suggesting the need for an intact T-cell compartment for the lymphocytic proliferation that occurs in nonsuppressed infected dogs. Renal vasculitis and lympho-plasmacytosis were absent and the pulmonary and hepatic lesions were not as pronounced in the dogs given antilymphocyte serum as in immunologically competent infected dogs.
Improved generative semisupervised learning based on finely grained component-conditional class labeling

We introduce new inductive, generative semisupervised mixtures with more finely grained class label generation mechanisms than in previous work. Our models combine advantages of semisupervised mixtures, which achieve label extrapolation over a component, and nearest-neighbor (NN)/nearest-prototype (NP) classification, which achieve accurate classification in the vicinity of labeled samples or prototypes. For our NN-based method, we propose a novel two-stage stochastic data generation, with all samples first generated using a standard finite mixture and then all class labels generated, conditioned on the samples and their components of origin. This mechanism entails an underlying Markov random field, specific to each mixture component or cluster. We invoke the pseudo-likelihood formulation, which forms the basis for an approximate generalized expectation-maximization model learning algorithm. Our NP-based model overcomes a problem with the NN-based model that manifests at very low labeled fractions. Both models are advantageous when within-component class proportions are not constant over the feature space region "owned by" a component. The practicality of this scenario is borne out by experiments on UC Irvine data sets, which demonstrate significant gains in classification accuracy over previous semisupervised mixtures and also overall gains, over KNN classification. Moreover, for very small labeled fractions, our methods overall outperform supervised linear and nonlinear kernel support vector machines.
Atomistic Modeling of Native Point Defects in Yttrium Aluminum Garnet Crystals

Native point defects in yttrium aluminum garnet (YAG) are studied in the framework of the pair-potential approximation, coupled with the shell-model description of the lattice ions. For the perfect lattice, a new set of potential parameters is obtained; these parameters reproduce the structure, elastic, and dielectric constants of YAG very well. The calculated formulation energies for native defects suggest that antisite disorder is preferred over Frenkel and Schottky-like disorder in YAG. The calculated values of the distortion that is caused by the antisite Y atom that substitutes in the Al site in the lattice are in excellent agreement with the extended X-ray absorption fine-structure (EXAFS) measurements. In nonstoichiometric YAG, the calculated reaction energies indicate that excess Y2O3 or Al2O3 most likely is accommodated by the formation of antisites, rather than vacancies, in the lattice.
The value of control in emerging markets

When a developed-country multinational firm acquires majority control of a firm in an emerging market, there is an economically large and statistically significant increase in the acquiring firm's stock price. In 1986--2006, developed-market acquirers experienced positive and significant abnormal returns of 1.16%, on average, over a three-day event window. Positive acquirer returns and dollar value gains appear unique to emerging-market mergers and acquisitions and are not replicated when the same developed-market acquirers take over firms in developed markets. The size of the stock price increase is more pronounced (a) the weaker the contracting environment in the emerging market and (b) for industries with high asset intangibility. The Author 2009. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Society for Financial Studies. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oxfordjournals.org., Oxford University Press.
Divisive Primaries and Incumbent General Election Performance: Prospects and Costs in U.S. House Races

Do divisive primaries hurt incumbents? If so, does the electoral calendar condition their effects? Potential challengers are predatory and estimate their electoral chances before running against an incumbent, meaning electoral prospects influence both primary divisiveness and general election performance. However, divisive primaries may waste precious campaign resources and damage the primary winner’s reputation. The evidence suggests that although divisive primaries generally hurt incumbents and help challengers as electoral prospects theory predicts, these effects wane and eventually disappear the closer the primary is to the general election.
Tyrosine phosphorylation coupled to IgE receptor-mediated signal transduction and histamine release.

Abstract Antigen-induced cross-linking of IgE bound to its receptors at the surface of basophils or mast cells initiates a number of biochemical events culminating in the release of histamine-containing granules. In the present study, we investigated the possible involvement of tyrosine phosphorylation in signaling by the high-affinity IgE receptor (Fc epsilon RI). Cross-linking of Fc epsilon RI in rat basophilic leukemia cells (RBL-2H3) led to the phosphorylation of several proteins on tyrosine, the most prominent having a mass of 72 kDa. Tyrosine phosphorylation was rapid, detectable 1 min after stimulation, and correlated with both the time course and antigen dose for histamine release. Reversal of Fc epsilon RI cross-linking prevented continuation of the degranulation process and resulted in rapid loss of tyrosine phosphorylation. The receptor-mediated tyrosine phosphorylation was still induced in the absence of calcium in the medium. Depletion of protein kinase C with phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate did not dramatically affect the tyrosine phosphorylation signal or the release of histamine. In contrast, the calcium ionophore A23187 induced histamine release in the absence of a perceptible increase in protein tyrosine phosphorylation. Thus, tyrosine phosphorylation is an early signal following Fc epsilon RI aggregation, independent of the exocytotic process itself. Taken together, our findings functionally link protein phosphorylation on tyrosine residues to Fc epsilon RI-mediated signal transduction leading to histamine release.
Prenatal alcohol exposure is associated with conduct disorder in adolescence: findings from a birth cohort.

Objective To evaluate the association between prenatal alcohol exposure and the rate of conduct disorder in exposed compared with unexposed adolescents. Method Data for these analyses are from a longitudinal study of prenatal substance exposures. Women were interviewed at their fourth and seventh prenatal months, and with their children, at birth, 8 and 18 months, 3, 6, 10, 14, and 16 years postpartum. Offspring were interviewed with the Diagnostic Interview Schedule–IV; maternal and adolescent diagnoses were made using DSM-IV criteria at age 16 years. The sample was 592 adolescents and their mothers or caretakers. Results Prenatal alcohol exposure is significantly associated with an increased rate of conduct disorder in the adolescents. This effect was detected above an average exposure of one or more drinks per day in the first trimester. The effect remained significant after controlling for other significant variables including measures of the environment, maternal psychopathology, and other prenatal exposures. Conclusion Prenatal alcohol use in the first trimester is a risk factor for conduct disorder in the exposed offspring.
Deducing Paleoearthquake Timing and Recurrence from Paleoseismic Data, Part II: Analysis of Paleoseismic Excavation Data and Earthquake Behavior along the Central and Southern San Andreas Fault

We present an analysis of paleoseismic data along the central and southern San Andreas fault that seeks to establish the timing, recurrence, and along-fault correlation of paleoearthquakes. We use Bayesian methods to compute a series of probability density functions (PDFs) that cast paleoearthquake timing in the context of yearly probabilities. To quantify the uncertainties present in the paleoseismic dataset based on stratigraphic interpretations, we use a scenario-based approach in which different, viable, stratigraphic interpretations are used to infer paleoearthquake timing. Using these PDFs, we attempt to correlate earthquakes along the fault through time to image a time series of past fault ruptures. We find that site-to-site correlation is often difficult due to significant uncertainties. Nonetheless, some ruptures could be correlated from site to site. Assuming the paleoseismic record is complete, these inferences may indicate that ruptures begin and terminate more or less randomly in space. The results of our analysis may prove beneficial to future probabalistic seismic hazard assessments of this area and may serve as inputs to studies that seek to quantitatively test rupture models against data in the paleoseismic record.
The Effect of Heat Treatment on the Resistivity of Polycrystalline Silicon Films

The resistivity of doped polycrystalline silicon films has been studied as a function of post deposition heat treatments in an oxidizing atmosphere. It was found that a short oxidation cycle may produce a resistivity increase as large as three orders of magnitude in the polycrystalline films. The extent of change was dependent on the initial resistivity and the films' doping level and was independent of the total oxidation time.
Psychopathic Personality Traits and Somatization: Sex Differences and the Mediating Role of Negative Emotionality

Although a number of investigations have provided evidence for an association between antisocial personality disorder and somatization disorder, the variables underlying this association remain unknown. We examined the relations among measures of primary and secondary psychopathy, somatization, and negative emotionality (NE) in 150 undergraduates. Somatization was positively and significantly correlated with measures of secondary, but not primary, psychopathy, and the relations between secondary psychopathy indices and somatization tended to be significantly stronger in females than in males. Some support was found for the hypothesis that the association between secondary psychopathy and somatization is mediated by NE, but not for the hypothesis that low levels of behavioral inhibition lead to somatization. Although the present findings are consistent with the possibility that somatization is a sex-differentiated manifestation of secondary psychopathic traits, replication of these findings in clinical samples will be necessary.
In Search of True Causes: Examination of the Effect of Group Potential and Group Interaction on Decision Performance

The present investigation sought to obtain empirical data that either directly supports or refutes the popular assumption that communication is an essential element of effective decision making. Specifically, it reports three phases of study that attempt to determine whether the variance in group decision making is best accounted for by noninteraction or interaction sources. Phase 1 examines the relationship among group member ability, communication opportunity, and decision performance. Phase 2 examines the relationship among group member ability, qualities of group communication, and decision performance. Phase 3 examines the relationship among fulfillment of communication functions requisite to decision-making efficacy, group member ability, and decision performance. In Phase 1, a strong independent main effect for communication opportunity was found; whereas in Phase 2 we discovered classification and explanatory effects for three facets of interaction quality—“evaluation of task-relevant issues,”“goal-directed communication,” and “idea development”—and in Phase 3 no classification or explanatory effects for either of the communication functions examined was found. Open channels of communication and high quality task-oriented discussion that focused on issue evaluation and task accomplishment facilitated group performance in light of the effects of group potential.
An 8GHz multi-beam spatio-spectral beamforming receiver using an all-passive discrete time analog baseband in 65nm CMOS

A novel multi-frequency beamforming front-end is proposed. The proposed front-end allows for simultaneous and independent steering of multiple frequency beams. As proof of concept, an 8GHz 2-channel, 4-frequency phased array beam-former is designed and implemented in 65nm CMOS. The IF signal on each channel is frequency split using an all passive 4-point analog FFT. The orthogonal frequency outputs are then beam steered using an all passive I-Q vector combiner. The RF circuit draws 22.8mA from a 1.2V supply while the analog baseband consumes 9pJ/conv. (135μW at 120MSps).
Spatial and temporal regulation of biosynthesis of the plant immune signal salicylic acid

The plant hormone salicylic acid (SA) is essential for local defense and systemic acquired resistance (SAR). When plants, such as Arabidopsis, are challenged by different pathogens, an increase in SA biosynthesis generally occurs through transcriptional induction of the key synthetic enzyme isochorismate synthase 1 (ICS1). However, the regulatory mechanism for this induction is poorly understood. Using a yeast one-hybrid screen, we identified two transcription factors (TFs), NTM1-LIKE 9 (NTL9) and CCA1 HIKING EXPEDITION (CHE), as activators of ICS1 during specific immune responses. NTL9 is essential for inducing ICS1 and two other SA synthesis-related genes, PHYTOALEXIN-DEFICIENT 4 (PAD4) and ENHANCED DISEASE SUSCEPTIBILITY 1 (EDS1), in guard cells that form stomata. Stomata can quickly close upon challenge to block pathogen entry. This stomatal immunity requires ICS1 and the SA signaling pathway. In the ntl9 mutant, this response is defective and can be rescued by exogenous application of SA, indicating that NTL9-mediated SA synthesis is essential for stomatal immunity. CHE, the second identified TF, is a central circadian clock oscillator and is required not only for the daily oscillation in SA levels but also for the pathogen-induced SA synthesis in systemic tissues during SAR. CHE may also regulate ICS1 through the known transcription activators CALMODULIN BINDING PROTEIN 60g (CBP60g) and SYSTEMIC ACQUIRED RESISTANCE DEFICIENT 1 (SARD1) because induction of these TF genes is compromised in the che-2 mutant. Our study shows that SA biosynthesis is regulated by multiple TFs in a spatial and temporal manner and therefore fills a gap in the signal transduction pathway between pathogen recognition and SA production.
Blood Management Strategies for Total Knee Arthroplasty

Perioperative blood loss during total knee arthroplasty can be significant, with magnitudes typically ranging from 300 mL to 1 L, with occasional reports of up to 2 L. The resultant anemia can lead to severe complications, such as higher rates of postoperative infection, slower physical recovery, in
Architectonics for evolving pastoralists: nomadic architecture and modern global culture

This paper seeks to establish a theoretical ground for the investigation of nomadic architectonics as an instructive instance of the taxonomic breadth of architectural space production. This research ties together theoretical threads from the work of Gottfried Semper on the textile wall to that of Gilles Deleuze and Felix Guattari on the ontology of the nomos, the smooth space inhabited by non-state actors. When nomads become sedentary, the evolution of their political economy creates a corresponding ontological shift in their understanding of space. Climate change and contact with modern global culture has accelerated this transformation, a cultural crisis articulated through an architectural vocabulary. It is precisely the nomos I seek to explore, challenging the romantic image of the nomad in Deleuze and Guattari’s A Thousand Plateaus while benefitting from the philosophical notion of the nomos as a unique experience of space. This is a primary example of how philosophical critique can serve to engage a broader spectrum of built work than that for which architectural discourse normally allows.
Resistance against Cryptococcus Conferred by Intracellular Bacteria and Protozoa

The increasing morbidity and mortality due to infection with Cryptococcus neoformans among immunologically compromised patients are well documented [1-4]. Equally well recognized is the not infrequent failure of amphotericin B (and more recently, 5-fluorocytosine [5]) to effect a cure? despite the presence of sensitive organisms and relatively high levels of the drug in blood and cerebrospinal fluid. Dissemination of the organism and death of immunologically deficient patients, despite administration of therapeutic measures which prove adequate in other patients with what appears to be a similar extent of infection and severity of disease, suggest that drug therapy by itself is insufficient to effect a cure. This lack of
Dynamics of spermiogenesis in Drosophila melanogaster. I. Individualization process.

A morphogenetic process that transforms spermatids from a syncytial state to a state in which each spermatid is invested in its own membrane, is initiated at the head region of the spermatid bundle and traverses through the entire length of the bundle in the testis of Drosophila melanogaster. This process not only eliminates the syncytial bridges between spermatids but also removes unneeded organelles and the excess parts of the nuclear membrane, nucleoplasm and cytoplasm. It also brings about structural modifications to flagellar elements. The propagation of this process is seen as the caudal movement of a fusiform swelling of the spermatid bundle, 100 μ or more in length. Spermatids are individualized in the basal half of the swelling, whereas they remain syncytial in the apical half. The swelling increases its volume as it accumulates cytoplasmic debris while traversing the sperm bundle, from about 15 μ in maximum diameter in the basal testicular region to as large as 30 μ at the apical end where it becomes a bag of wastes. A variation of the process in a mutant stock which is known to inactivate up to half of the products of meiosis is briefly described. The morphological change of interspermatid bridges prior to the individualization is also reported.
Claudin-18 deficiency is associated with airway epithelial barrier dysfunction and asthma

Background Epithelial barrier dysfunction and increased permeability may contribute to antigen sensitization and disease progression in asthma. Claudin-18.1 is the only known lung-specific tight junction protein, but its contribution to airway barrier function or asthma is unclear. Objectives We sought to test the hypotheses that claudin-18 is a determinant of airway epithelial barrier function that is downregulated by IL-13 and that claudin-18 deficiency results in increased aeroantigen sensitization and airway hyperresponsiveness. Methods Claudin-18.1 mRNA levels were measured in airway epithelial brushings from healthy controls and patients with asthma. In patients with asthma, claudin-18 levels were compared with a three-gene-mean marker of T H 2 inflammation. Airway epithelial permeability changes due to claudin-18 deficiency were measured in 16HBE cells and claudin-18 null mice. The effect of IL-13 on claudin expression was determined in primary human airway epithelial cells and in mice. Airway hyperresponsiveness and serum IgE levels were compared in claudin-18 null and wild-type mice following aspergillus sensitization. Results Epithelial brushings from patients with asthma (n = 67) had significantly lower claudin-18 mRNA levels than did those from healthy controls (n = 42). Claudin-18 levels were lowest among T H 2-high patients with asthma. Loss of claudin-18 was sufficient to impair epithelial barrier function in 16HBE cells and in mouse airways. IL-13 decreased claudin-18 expression in primary human cells and in mice. Claudin-18 null mice had significantly higher serum IgE levels and increased airway responsiveness following intranasal aspergillus sensitization. Conclusions These data support the hypothesis that claudin-18 is an essential contributor to the airway epithelial barrier to aeroantigens. Furthermore, T H 2 inflammation suppresses claudin-18 expression, potentially promoting sensitization and airway hyperresponsiveness.
Efficient and configurable data transport protocol for grid computing

The demands of grid computing were difficulty satisfied by mainstream data transfer protocols at present.Considering the situation,an efficient and configurable data transfer protocol ECUDP for grid computing was proposed.ECUDP was based on standard UDP(user datagram protocol),but with a collection of optimizations that met the chal-lenge of providing configurability and reliability while maintaining performance that met the communication require-ments of demanding applications.Experiment results show that ECUDP performs extremely efficiently in various grid computing scenarios and performance analytical model is able to provide good estimates of its performance.
Work Hard on A Minor Topic——Some ideas about selecting topic of dissertation

To select dissertation selection should follow the tenor:Select a minor subject to write a comprehensive dissertation.This is because of the limited dissertational aim,functions,allotted tine,and the authors competence.Moreover it is because of the need to "concentrate superior troops to fight a battle of annihilation",to fully expound and prove to convince people project the highlights to enhance the influence.This asks the graduate students to have stronger consciousness of problems,more concern for practice,and self-knowledge.
Clinical Significance of Procacitonin for Early Diagnosis in the Neonate with Septicemia and Purulent Miningitis

Objective To evaluate PCT clinical significance for the early diagnosis in the neonate with septicemia and purulent miningitis.Methods The blood samples of 36 cases with septicemia were drawn out for determining PCT-Q and blood culture.If results PCT is positive patients were engaged in lumbar puncture. Results The 5 cases were positive in with 36 cases septicemia (13.9%),among 27 cases were diagnosised in determining CSF(75.0%). There are significant difference between PCT-Q and CSF contract (χ2=11.5,P0.01). Conclusion The method of PCT-Q was more sensitive and specific than blood culture. The method of PCT-Q is important guiding significance for the diagnosis of pathogens in the neonate with septicemia and purulent miningitis.