cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Metal-loaded carbonaceous adsorbents templated from porous clay heterostructures

Abstract Carbonaceous adsorbents with small amounts of highly dispersed metals were synthesized within various porous clay heterostructures (PCHs) serving as templates. To increase chemical heterogeneity, PCHs that contained iron, zinc, or copper were used and sucrose served as a carbon precursor. The samples were carbonized at 900 °C. The inorganic templates were removed using HF and HCl treatment. The carbons obtained were highly porous, with surface areas of 500–800 m 2 /g and pore volumes of 0.500–0.800 cm 3 /g. The pore size distributions indicated the heterogeneity of the structure with micropore sizes similar in size to those in the PCH material. Thermal analysis showed that even though the final materials consist mainly of carbon, minor amounts of PCH still remained. The content of metals decreased gradually after HF and HCl washing. Elemental analysis indicated that of all the metal-loaded carbons, only the one with iron contains a significant amount of metal, above 1%. This is due to hydrolysis of iron and formation of insoluble hydr(oxides) which are difficult to remove using HCl or HF treatment. XRD measurements indicated that some short-range order exists in the carbons obtained, suggesting the memory effect of the layered PCHs structure. The high volume of mesopores is due to metals migration and metal reduction during pyrolysis, which resulted in the consumption of carbon and formation of channels/imperfections connecting the stacked-together layers of carbons. Moreover, TEM analysis indicated the presence of tubular entities that could be inherited from the PCH templates. Long-range order in these materials was not detected. The carbons can find applications in catalysis where the presence of mesopores is required along with high dispersion of metals. The results indicate that the content of metals/inorganic phase can be tailored by extent of acid washing.
Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinase-dependent Pathways Oppose Fas-induced Apoptosis and Limit Chloride Secretion in Human Intestinal Epithelial Cells: IMPLICATIONS FOR INFLAMMATORY DIARRHEAL STATES

The epithelial lining of the intestine serves as a barrier to lumenal bacteria and can be compromised by pathologic Fas-mediated epithelial apoptosis. Phosphatidylinositol (PI)3-kinase signaling has been described to limit apoptosis in other systems. We hypothesized that PI3-kinase-dependent pathways regulate Fas-mediated apoptosis and barrier function in intestiynal epithelial cells (IEC). IEC lines (HT-29 and T84) were exposed to agonist anti-Fas antibody in the presence or absence of chemical inhibitors of PI3-kinase (LY294002 and wortmannin). Apoptosis, barrier function, changes in short circuit current (ΔI sc), and expression of adhesion molecules were assessed. Inhibition of PI3-kinase strongly sensitized IEC to Fas-mediated apoptosis. Expression of constitutively active Akt, a principal downstream effector of the PI3-kinase pathway, protected against Fas-mediated apoptosis to an extent that was comparable with expression of a genetic caspase inhibitor, p35. PI3-kinase inhibition sensitized to apoptosis by increasing and accelerating Fas-mediated caspase activation. Inhibition of PI3-kinase combined with cross-linking Fas was associated with increased permeability to molecules that were 3,000 Da. Inhibition of PI3-kinase resulted in chloride secretion that was augmented by cross-linking Fas. Confocal analyses revealed polymerization of actin and maintenance of epithelial cell adhesion molecule-mediated interactions in monolayers exposed to anti-Fas antibody in the context of PI3-kinase inhibition. PI3-kinase-dependent pathways, especially Akt, protect IEC against Fas-mediated apoptosis. Inhibition of PI3-kinase in the context of Fas signaling results in increased chloride secretion and barrier dysfunction. These findings suggest that agonists of PI3-kinase such as growth factors may have a dual effect on intestinal inflammation by protecting epithelial cells against immune-mediated apoptosis and limiting chloride secretory diarrhea.
Robotics in Endometrial Cancer Care

Endometrial cancer is the most common gynecological cancer in women in most of the developed world. The majority of these women with endometrial cancer will be unaffected by their disease. The challenge therefore is for surgical treatment not to be worse than the disease. Robotics has changed the way that we care for women living with endometrial cancer by making low-impact surgical treatment available to more women than was previously possible.
Effect of electro-acupuncture on the threshold for eliciting the jaw depressor reflex in cats.

Abstract Single shock electrical stimuli were applied to 8 cat canine teeth before and during electro-acupuncture. Strength-duration curves were constructed for the thresholds using the jaw depressor reflex as the indication of threshold. Electro-acupuncture raised the rheobase voltages slightly more than 2V in most instances. As pulp nerves are known to mediate painful sensations only, jaw depressor thresholds and pain thresholds are functionally equal. Electro-acupuncture had a small but measurable effect. The neurophysiological mechanisms of the threshold elevations are obscure.
Experimental Infection of the Gray Garden Slug, Deroceras reticulatum (Müller), By the Holotrichous Ciliate Tetrahymena pyriformis (Ehrenberg)

SUMMARY. To determine whether Tetrahymena pyriformis could infect Deroceras reticulatum and become morphologically modified in the same way as the parasitic phase of T. limacis, 50 slugs were exposed for 10 days to an amicronucleate clone of T. Pyriformis and 50 were exposed for the same period of time to a micronucleate clone. The slugs were then transferred to clean containers for another 10 days, to allow ciliates which had entered the slugs either to persist and multiply or, in the case of transitory infections, to disappear. An additional 50 slugs were kept in a control group for 20 days. All of the slugs had been collected at a single locality in which natural infections by T. limacis had not been noted, and were maintained in separate one-half pint milk bottles throughout the experimental period. Of the slugs exposed to the amicronucleate clone, 40 survived to the end of the experimental period, and 15 were infected. Of those exposed to the micronucleate clone, 42 survived, and 5 were infected. Forty-three of the slugs in the control group survived, and none were infected by ciliates. In some of the slugs infected by T. pyriformis, hundreds of ciliates were noted. The infections were apparently limited to the digestive gland, intestinal tract, and fluid around the viscera. Ciliates recovered from slugs were in general smaller than those growing in thriving cultures, but morphologically were typical T. pyriformis. None were observed to have a proportionately smaller cytostome or apiculate anterior end characteristic of the parasitic phase of T. limacis.
Increases in reaction rates achieved by replacing anions in the electrolyte with more inhibiting ones

Experimental results show that replacing a fraction of the anions in solution with more inhibiting ones (larger adsorption strength) can lead to an enhancement of electrochemical reactions. The electrochemical oxidation of methanol at Pt is enhanced by replacing a fraction of the perchloric acid in the original solution with tetrafluoroboric acid. The rate of formic acid oxidation at Pd is increased by replacing a fraction of the perchloric acid in the original solution with sulfuric acid.
Perceptual chunking of symbols in memory span

Memory span for strings nine symbols in length ranging from two through nine different symbols per string was examined with repeated measures. Strings were sequentially exposed on a memory drum for 3 sec each; subjects recorded recall when the exposure interval elapsed. Memory span of symbol strings decreased as the number of different symbols composing the strings increased. Amount remembered was also a function of mode of output. Errors in recall indicated that perceptual overlap of symbol features was responsible for confusion errors. When symbols were rotated, confusions became within-symbol rather than between-symbol errors; between-symbol chunking was disrupted by loading individual symbol channels with within-symbol information. Systematic between-symbol chunking suggested that perceptual chunks are formed prior to output; error data revealed a distinct weakening of between-symbol associations when subjects had within-symbol priming information during output.
“That’s Hip-Hop to Me!”: Race, Space, and Temporal Logics of Authenticity in Independent Cultural Production

Abstract In producer-saturated fields such as popular music scenes, claims to and judgments of authenticity are ever salient in contention for limited resources and prestige. By mobilizing meanings attributed to sounds, objects, individuals, and ideas associated with the past, present, or future of a genre, cultural producer groups are distinguished from each other and unified within themselves. Observing the dynamics of these distinctions allows us to ascertain how artistic professionals think of themselves and others, as well as begin to unpack the role that authenticity work may play in the practice and warrants of cultural production. Drawing on fieldwork and interviews from an independent rap scene in the Midwest, I demonstrate how artists draw on collective memory, modern convention, and projected futures to form competing, temporally rooted logics of authenticity by which to advance their positions.
Impact of transistor reliability on RF oscillator phase noise degradation

The impact of deep sub-micron CMOS transistor reliability on RF oscillator phase noise degradation is demonstrated along with the importance of off-state drain stress for large signal RF applications. Process and device optimization was successful in reducing phase noise degradation to acceptable levels.
Phase locking of 1.32-μm microchip lasers through the use of pump-diode modulation

Two diode-pumped 1.32-μm Nd:YAG microchip lasers have been phase locked through the use of current modulation of the pump diode to control the frequency of the slave device. The frequency response of the microchip laser to pump-diode modulation is discussed, and the feedback circuit is described.
Anthropology through literature

James P. Spradley and George E. McDonough, eds. Anthropology Through Literature. Boston: Little, Brown and Co., 1973. xviii + 412 pp. $5.95 (paper).
Gauging and comparing the performances of dissimilar entities

The problem of comparing the performances of a set of entities that are not entirely similar in their operating characteristics challenges most of the existing performance measurement methods. A performance measurement method called operational competitiveness rating analysis (OCRA) is introduced, which is suitable for gauging and comparing the performances of entities that consume inputs of resources to produce outputs of goods and services that are not exactly the same. Additionally, the entities may assign different degrees of relative importance to the inputs and outputs reflecting different managerial priorities. OCRA's development is summarized and an example is presented to illustrate its application for comparing the performances of faculty members in two academic departments with dissimilar research orientations and investigating whether or not their salaries are consistent with their performances.
Evaluating and managing wildlife impacts of climate change under uncertainty

Wildlife managers face the daunting task of managing wildlife in light of uncertainty about the nature and extent of future climate change and variability and its potential adverse impacts on wildlife. A conceptual framework is developed for managing wildlife under such uncertainty. The framework uses fuzzy logic to test hypotheses about the extent of the wildlife impacts of past climate change and variability, and fuzzy multiple attribute evaluation to determine best compensatory management actions for adaptively managing the potential adverse impacts of future climate change and variability on wildlife. A compensatory management action is one that can offset some of the potential adverse impacts of climate change and variability on wildlife. Implementation of the proposed framework requires wildlife managers to: (1) select climate impact states, hypotheses about climate impact states, possible management actions for alleviating adverse wildlife impacts of climate change and variability, and future climate change scenarios; (2) choose biological attributes or indicators of species integrity; (3) adjust those attributes for changes in non-climatic variables; (4) define linguistic variables and associated triangular fuzzy numbers for rating both the acceptability of biological conditions under alternative management actions and the relative importance of biological attributes; (5) select minimum or maximum acceptable levels of the attributes and reliability levels for chance constraints on the biological attributes; and (6) define fuzzy sets on the extent of species integrity and biological conditions and select a fuzzy relation between species integrity and biological conditions. A constructed example is used to illustrate a hypothetical application of the framework by a wildlife management team. An overall best compensatory management action across all climate change scenarios is determined using the minimax regret criterion, which is appropriate when the management team cannot assign or is unwilling to assign probabilities to the future climate change scenarios. Application of the framework can be simplified and expedited by incorporating it in a web-based, interactive, decision support tool.
Memory effects of SrBi2Ta2O9 capacitor on silicon with a silicon nitride buffer

Abstract The memory effects of SrBi2Ta2O9 (SBT) films deposited on Si substrates with an ultra-thin silicon nitride buffer layer have been investigated. The Capacitance-Voltage (C-V) measurements indicate low densities of interface traps, suggesting a good interface between the silicon nitride buffer layer and the Si substrate. The C-V characteristics show hysteresis that is consistent with the polarization of the SBT film, but opposite to that due to the electron injection/trapping effect. When swept back and forth between -7V and + 7V, a sizable hysteresis window of ± 2V is observed. The results from a single-pulse programming experiment suggest that the switching time is shorter than 8 ns, the shortest pulse available for the experiment. These results are all obtained on samples that exhibit remanent polarizations as low as 0.15 μC/cm2. Fatigue tests show only modest degradation of the memory window after 1011 switching cycles. Results from forming gas annealing experiments indicate no degradation up t...
Trusted ORACLE—multilevel secure data management for military computing

Users that require multilevel secure computing have traditionally been faced with very few trusted components with which to build their systems. There is a need for an application development environment to build applications using these trusted components. Such an environment must include a database management system (DBMS) and supporting tools in order to provide the benefits of reduced costs and timescales achieved on standard flatforms. A key component in this application development environment is the multilevel secure relational DBMS. The paper examines the military requirements for multilevel secure relational DBMS and how Oracle Corporation have designed the Trusted ORACLE RDBMS to meet these security requirements. It addresses how multilevel secure applications can be developed today to create flexible, secure solutions to today's military computing requirements.
A low-temperature technique for measuring enthalpies of formation

A technique to accurately measure the formation enthalpies of transition metal compounds at relatively low temperatures using thick multilayer foils and differential scanning calorimetry is demonstrated. The enthalpy of formation of Cu51Zr14 was measured using 25 μm thick, free-standing Cu–Zr multilayer foils. The multilayers were deposited onto Si substrates using a planetary, magnetron source sputtering system. They were removed from their substrates, cut into 6 mm diameter specimens, and scanned in temperature from 50 °C to 725 °C in a differential scanning calorimeter. Three distinct exothermic reactions were systematically observed. The heats from the first two reactions were summed and then analyzed using a simple model that accounts for interfacial reactions and heat losses during deposition. The enthalpy of formation for Cu51Zr14 was measured to be 14.3 ± 0.3 kJ/mol. This quantity agrees with the single value of ΔHf = 14.07 ± 1.07 kJ/mol reported in the literature for this Cu–Zr compound. The advantages of measuring formation enthalpies using thick multilayer foils and low temperature calorimetry are discussed.
Measuring and modeling minority carrier transport in heavily doped silicon

Abstract From a fundamental transport formulation it is demonstrated that in heavily doped regions, only two independent parameters control the transport and recombination of minority carriers. The extraction of the minority carrier lifetime, diffusion coefficient, or bandgap narrowing is therefore impossible from DC measurements only. At least one additional AC measurement is necessary. The reported experimental data in the literature are critically revisited. When the published data are interpreted in terms of the original measurements a comprehensive picture appears, with surprising agreement among authors. Modeling of heavily doped regions in devices is shown to be possible, and good predictions of the emitter saturation current are demonstrated.
2009 pandemic H1N1 influenza virus causes disease and upregulation of genes related to inflammatory and immune responses, cell death, and lipid metabolism in pigs.

There exists limited information about whether adaptation is needed for cross-species transmission of the 2009 pandemic H1N1 influenza virus (pH1N1). Here, we compare the pathogenesis of two pH1N1 viruses, one derived from a human patient (A/CA/04/09 [CA09]) and the other from swine (A/swine/Alberta/25/2009 [Alb09]), with that of the 1918-like classical swine influenza virus (A/swine/Iowa/1930 [IA30]) in the pig model. Both pH1N1 isolates induced clinical symptoms such as coughing, sneezing, decreased activity, fever, and labored breathing in challenged pigs, but IA30 virus did not cause any clinical symptoms except fever. Although both the pH1N1 viruses and the IA30 virus caused lung lesions, the pH1N1 viruses were shed from the nasal cavities of challenged pigs whereas the IA30 virus was not. Global gene expression analysis indicated that transcriptional responses of the viruses were distinct. pH1N1-infected pigs had an upregulation of genes related to inflammatory and immune responses at day 3 postinfection that was not seen in the IA30 infection, and expression levels of genes related to cell death and lipid metabolism at day 5 postinfection were markedly different from those of IA30 infection. These results indicate that both pH1N1 isolates are more virulent due in part to differences in the host transcriptional response during acute infection. Our study also indicates that pH1N1 does not need prior adaptation to infect pigs, has a high potential to be maintained in naive swine populations, and might reassort with currently circulating swine influenza viruses. The 2009 pandemic H1N1 virus (pH1N1) spread to more than 200 countries and caused more than 18,000 human deaths worldwide by August 2010, when the World Health Organization announced the official end of the pandemic (60). Two unusual features of pH1N1 are its efficient human-to-human transmission and its ability to cross the species barrier. The virus has likely been transmitted from humans to other species such as turkeys, dogs, cats, ferrets, and pigs; pH1N1 infection in pigs has been reported worldwide (41, 43, 44, 50), including in the United States (53). The pH1N1 virus, a reassortant virus derived from North American triple reassortant and Eurasian swine influenza viruses (SIVs), contains the neuraminidase (NA) and matrix (M) genes from Eurasian SIVs and six other genes (PB1, PB2, PA, hemagglutinin [HA], NP, and NS) from North American triple reassortant SIVs (11, 49). The HA gene of pH1N1 is in the classical swine lineage, which is derived from the 1918 Spanish pandemic virus (2). Recent studies showed that the 2009 pH1N1 vaccine protects against 1918 Spanish influenza virus and vice versa in mice (33, 35), indicating antigenic similarities among these viruses. The A/swine/ IA/15/30 (IA30) H1N1 virus is the first isolate from pigs that is
Enhanced adhesion and compliance of film-terminated fibrillar surfaces

We present studies of a bio-inspired film-terminated fibrillar surface that has significantly enhanced adhesion and contact compliance compared with a flat control. We show that adhesion hysteresis arises from the architecture of the interfacial region. Measured in cyclic indentation experiments, it can be nearly five times the absolute work of adhesion for a flat control. Using a two-dimensional model, we propose that hysteresis develops as a result of crack trapping by fibril edges. The crack propagation mode is consistent with this model, as is the observation that with increasing hysteresis crack opening adhesion energy increases whereas crack closing adhesion energy decreases compared with a flat control. Contact compliance of the fibrillar structure is up to seven times more than that of a flat control. We present a model for the contact compliance of such structures which is in good agreement with measurements.
Separable Neural Components in the Processing of Black and White Faces

In a study of the neural components of automatic and controlled social evaluation, White participants viewed Black and White faces during event-related functional magnetic resonance imaging. When the faces were presented for 30 ms, activation in the amygdala—a brain region associated with emotion—was greater for Black than for White faces. When the faces were presented for 525 ms, this difference was significantly reduced, and regions of frontal cortex associated with control and regulation showed greater activation for Black than White faces. Furthermore, greater race bias on an indirect behavioral measure was correlated with greater difference in amygdala activation between Black and White faces, and frontal activity predicted a reduction in Black-White differences in amygdala activity from the 30-ms to the 525-ms condition. These results provide evidence for neural distinctions between automatic and more controlled processing of social groups, and suggest that controlled processes may modulate automati...
Defective Interfering RNAs of a Satellite Virus

Panicum mosaic virus (PMV) is a recently molecularly characterized RNA virus with the unique feature of supporting the replication of two subviral RNAs in a few species of the family Gramineae. The subviral agents include a satellite RNA (satRNA) that is devoid of a coding region and the unrelated satellite panicum mosaic virus (SPMV) that encodes its own capsid protein. Here we report the association of this complex with a new entity in the RNA world, a defective-interfering RNA (DI) of a satellite virus. The specificity of interactions governing this four-component viral system is illustrated by the ability of the SPMV DIs to strongly interfere with the accumulation of the parental SPMV. The SPMV DIs do not interfere with PMV satRNA, but they do slightly enhance the rate of spread and titer of PMV. The SPMV-derived DIs provide an additional avenue by which to investigate fundamental biological questions, including the evolution and interactions of infectious RNAs.
Structure from Stereo by Associative Learning of the Constraints

A computational model of structure from stereo that develops smoothness constraints naturally by associative learning of a large number of example mappings from disparity data to surface depth data is proposed. Banks of disparity-selective graded response units at all spatial locations in the visual field were the input data. These cells responded to matches of luminance change at convergent, divergent, or zero offsets in the left and right ‘retina’ samples. Surfaces were created by means of a pseudo-Markov process. From these surfaces, shaded marked and ummarked surfaces were created, along with random-dot versions of the same surfaces. Learning of these example shaded and shaded marked surfaces allowed the system to solve stereo mappings both for the surfaces it had learned and for surfaces it had not learned but which had been created by the same pseudo-Markov process. Further, the model was able to solve some random-dot versions of the surfaces when the surfaces had been learned as shaded marked surfaces.
Obesity and childhood survivors of acute lymphoblastic leukemia: Do genetics play a role?

Childhood survivors of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) are increased risk of several chronic complications, such as second cancers, pulmonary, metabolic complications and cardiovascular disease. Obesity and metabolic syndrome is one of the most common treatment related complication in children surviving cancer, which concurs with our nations childhood epidemic [1-3] Recent research has identified the role of genetics in the development of obesity and metabolic syndrome in childhood survivors of ALL. Growth hormone deficiency, Leptin regulation, fat mass obesity (FTO) gene and the insulin resistant ENPP1 variants disorders has been associated adverse effects of chemotherapeutic treatment and the cause of clinical manifestations of metabolic syndrome [4-8]. The illumination of the role of genetic variants can shed insights into obesity within high risk population, as well as, a target to prevent disease.
DIFFERENTIAL IMPRINTING AND EXPRESSION OF MATERNAL AND PATERNAL GENOMES

Article de synthese sur le role et l'expression differentielle des genes d'origine maternelle ou paternelle chez les mammiferes; implications lors du developpement normal et pathologique
The Effects of Alignability on Memory

According to structure-mapping theory, the process of comparison is one of alignment and mapping between representational structures. This process induces a focus on commonalities and alignable differences (i.e., those related to the commonalities). Nonalignable differences (i.e., those not related to the commonalities) are held to be neglected. The theory thus predicts increased focus on the corresponding information, whether these are commonalities or differences. In this article, we explore the implications of this claim for memory: Specifically, we test the prediction that alignable differences are more likely to be processed and stored than nonalignable differences.We present a study in which people made similarity comparisons between pairs of pictures and then were probed for recall. The recall probes were figures taken from the pictures and were either alignable or nonalignable differences between the pairs. The alignable differences were better memory probes than the nonalignable differences, sugg...
Does three-dimensional intraoperative specimen imaging reduce the need for re-excision in breast cancer patients? A prospective cohort study

Abstract Background Standard two-dimensional (2D) specimen radiography may guide intraoperative re-excision of margins in patients undergoing breast conserving surgery. We sought to determine the impact of three-dimensional (3D) specimen imaging in further reducing positive margin rates. Methods A prospective study of 100 patients in which both 2D and 3D specimen radiographies were performed. The impact of orthogonal view on intraoperative surgical management and final margins was assessed. Results Ten patients had no residual tumor; therefore, 90 patients formed the cohort of interest. Of them, 21 patients (23.3%) had ductal carcinoma in situ; 18 (20.0%) had invasive cancer; and 51 (56.7%) had both. Median tumor size was 1.7 cm (range, .2 to 8.1 cm). On the basis of 2D imaging, surgeons stated they would take more tissue in 26 patients (28.9%). Three-dimensional imaging changed management in 4 patients (6.3%). One of these patients would have had positive margins if the intraoperative resection done on the basis of the 3D imaging would have been omitted. Conclusions Three-dimensional specimen imaging results in further intraoperative re-excision in 6.3% of patients and may reduce re-excision rates in 2.2%.
John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, and the Barbary Pirates: An Illustration of Relevant Costs for Decision Making

The concepts of incremental cost, opportunity cost, sunk cost, and cost allocation are identified and discussed in the context of early U.S. foreign policy. The case is derived from an authentic exchange of views between Thomas Jefferson and John Adams about how the United States should protect its merchant shipping against the Barbary pirates. Both men compare the cost of waging war against the Barbary States with the cost of paying ransom for captured U.S. seamen and bribes to protect future shipping. Adams quantifies the opportunity cost associated with not taking any action. Jefferson articulates an incremental costing argument, on the assumption that the U.S. should build a navy regardless of U.S. policy toward the Barbary States. The case constitutes a brief introduction to management accounting by illustrating various cost concepts. The case lends itself to a discussion of how cost information can be chosen to support a particular course of action, and it can also prompt a discussion of the histori...
Sleeping Arrangements in Families With Twins

This paper describes home sleeping arrangements used by parents of twins and investigates whether room sharing (twins in the same room as parents) or cobedding (crib-sharing between twins) influences parental night time sleep duration or sleep quality. A secondary analysis of data obtained from a longitudinal study of sleep in 104 families with twins was undertaken. Over 65% of twins were cobedded at 4 weeks; this decreased to approximately 42% by 13 weeks of age. Approximately 64% of families practiced room sharing at 4 weeks, this decreased to approximately 40% by 13 weeks of age. Mothers and fathers who both room shared and cobedded their twins at 9 weeks of age were most likely to experience restricted sleep duration when compared to other sleeping arrangements. Results suggest that parents of twins may not be following the most recent AAP recommendations regarding safe infant sleep for multiple birth infants.
Lionel Sharples Penrose, 1898-1972: A Personal Memoir in Celebration of the Centenary of His Birth

IT is Friday, mid-morning. You are about to leave the city for a long weekend in the country when you find yourself opening your front door to four bedraggled political refugees. It is difficult for you even to recognize the weary man, woman, and two girls as people whose casual acquaintance you had
Matrix computations and equation solving using structured networks and training

Three structured networks and their corresponding training algorithms are proposed for matrix QR factorization eigenvalue and eigenvector determination, and Lyapunov equation solving. The basic procedure behind these approaches is as follows: represent a given problem by a structured network, train this structured network to match some desired patterns, and obtain the solution to the problem from the weights of the resulting structured network. A general-purpose programmable network architecture is proposed which can be programmed to solve different problems. Simulation results showed that the proposed approaches worked quite well. >
Family of K-winner networks

Mutually inhibitory networks are the fundamental building blocks of many complex systems. Despite their apparent simplicity they exhibit interesting behavior. We analyze a special class of such networks and provide parameters for reliable K-winner performance. We model the network dynamics using interactive activation and compare our results to the sigmoid model. When the external inputs are all equal we can derive network parameters that reliably select the units with the larger initial activations because the network converges to the nearest stable state. Conversely when the initial activations are all equal we can derive networks that reliably select the units with larger external inputs because the network converges to the lowest energy stable state. But when we mix initial activations with external inputs we get anomalous behavior. We analyze these discrepancies giving several examples. We also derive restrictions on initial states which ensure accurate K-winner performance when unequal external inputs are used. Much of this work was motivated by the K-winner networks described by Majani et at. in [1]. They use the sigmoid model and provide parameters for reliable K-winner performance. Their approach is based primarily on choosing an appropriate external input the same for all units that depends on K. We extend their work to the interactive activation model and analyze external inputs constant but possibly different for each unit more closely. Furthermore we observe a parametric duality in that changing© (1991) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Selective activation of TACI by syndecan-2

B-lymphocyte homeostasis and function are regulated by complementary actions of the TNFR family members TACI, BCMA, and BAFF-R, which are expressed by mature B cells. How these receptors are differentially activated is not entirely understood, because the primary ligand BAFF binds to all three. We searched for alternative ligands for TACI using recombinant TACI-Fc fusion protein as a probe and identified syndecan-2 as a new binding partner. TACI binding appears to require heparan sulfate posttranslational modifications of syndecan-2, because free heparin or pretreatment with heparitinase blocked the interaction. Syndecan-2 bound TACI but bound neither BAFF-R nor BCMA. Transfected cells expressing syndecan-2 activated signaling through TACI, as indicated by an NFAT-specific reporter. Syndecan-1 and syndecan-4 were also able to induce TACI signaling in a similar manner. This is the first identification of ligands that selectively activate TACI without simultaneously triggering BCMA or BAFF-R. This finding may help explain the alternative outcomes of signaling from this family of receptors in B cells.
Detectability of Weak Lensing Modifications under Galileon Theories

Theories of modified gravity attempt to reconcile physics at the largest and the smallest scales by explaining the accelerated expansion of our Universe without introducing the cosmological constant. One class of such theories, known as Galileon theories, predicts lensing potentials of spherically symmetric bodies, such as dark matter halos, to receive a featurelike modification at the 5% level. With the advent of next-generation photometric surveys, such modifications can serve as novel probes of modified gravity. Assuming an Large Synoptic Survey Telescope-like fiducial data set, we produce halo-shear power spectra for cold dark matter and Galileon scenarios and perform a Fisher analysis including cosmological, nuisance, and Galileon parameters to study the detectability of the aforementioned modifications. With the cold dark matter scenario as our null hypothesis, we conclude, with a number of idealized assumptions and approximations, that the detection of Galileon modifications could in principle reach up to $4\text{\ensuremath{-}}\ensuremath{\sigma}$ if present, or strongly excluded in a nondetection, with a tomography of four redshift bins and four mass bins, an Large Synoptic Survey Telescope-like set of survey parameters, and Planck priors on cosmological parameters.
ACCOUNTING FOR DERIVATES: BACK TO BASICS

Public accountants have had a hard time deciding how to account for derivatives that are used to hedge risks, which in turn has given derivatives users and others a hard time. For about six years, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) has struggled with several, often diametrically opposed procedures, ranging from showing all derivatives at “fair” values to deferring realized losses or gains on derivatives until related gains or losses on the hedged transactions have been realized (a practice known as “hedge accounting”). What is behind the FASB's inability to come up with a decisive and authoritative ruling? Although the politics of self-interest has fueled much of the debate, there is more to the problem than politics. The author argues that the underlying cause of the FASB's inability to reach a satisfactory and acceptable solution is not politics, but rather a flawed basic concept of how financial accounting should be done. In this article, the author recommends a procedure for derivatives accounting that was endorsed by the Financial Economists Roundtable in its 1995 “Statement on Accounting Disclosure about Financial Derivative Instruments.” The proposal, in brief, is this: Provided a company can satisfy its auditors that it is using derivatives primarily to hedge an offsetting price exposure, the firm should be given the option to use hedge accounting for that part of its derivatives position that is functioning as a hedge. All other investment or speculative uses of derivatives should be treated like other financial instruments and marked to market or fair value. Such a procedure, the author argues, is far more consistent than the FASB's recent proposals with fundamental principles of accounting that have been developed by accounting practitioners and scholars over several centuries.
Requirements for allergen-induced airway inflammation and hyperreactivity in CD4-deficient and CD4-sufficient HLA-DQ transgenic mice

Abstract Background: Airway inflammation is central to the pathogenesis of allergic asthma, and molecules that mediate this process obviously represent targets for therapy. Objective: To study the role of CD4 + T cells and/or HLA-DQ molecules in allergic asthma, we have generated and characterized models of short ragweed allergen (SRW)–induced inflammation using transgenic mice with HLA-DQ (DQ6 or DQ8), human CD4 (hCD4), or both on a genetic background that lacks mouse MHC II and CD4 (Aβ 0 /mCD4 0 ). Methods: Mice were actively sensitized and later challenged intranasally with SRW allergenic extract. Bronchoalveolar lavage fluid composition, airway inflammation and hyperresponsiveness, blood eosinophil levels, and cell proliferation were examined. Results: In response to SRW treatment, both DQ6 and DQ8 transgenic mice expressing hCD4 developed pulmonary eosinophilia and associated lung tissue damage with increase in eosinophil peroxidase and T H 2 cytokines in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid, strong airway hyperreactivity, and persistent blood eosinophilia. The response was independent of mast cells/histamine pathway and was mediated by DQ-restricted hCD4 + T cells. Interestingly, lungs of CD4-deficient DQ6 transgenic mice showed an eosinophilic inflammation without local increase in cytokines and eosinophil peroxidase. The allergic reaction was absent in double-knockout mice and mice expressing either DQ8 or hCD4 alone. Conclusions: DQ6 molecules are critical to SRW-induced allergy and can operate in the presence or absence of CD4. However, both DQ antigens and CD4 molecules are critical for full manifestation of allergen-induced asthma in transgenic mice. (J Allergy Clin Immunol 2001;108:764-71.)
Coping With My Partner’s ICD and Cardiac Disease

The Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator (ICD) is an implantable biomedical device that monitors and treats abnormal heartbeats when they occur. The device is attached to the heart with 1 to 3 leads that carry information from the heart to the ICD, allowing it to record heart function, selectively provide pacing if the heart beats too fast or too slowly, and/or administer high-energy shocks if more serious heart rhythms are detected. The primary purpose of the ICD is to prevent premature sudden cardiac death. However, the device can also provide a sense of security, which allows resumption of normal life activities. Current research has suggested that psychological distress can occur in ICD patients and their partners. Anxiety may be more prevalent in ICD partners than in ICD patients.1 ICD partners are particularly worried about ICD shocks, even more so than the patients themselves.2 This Patient Page describes common challenges associated with the psychological adjustment of ICD partners and offers possible strategies to consider in managing these difficulties. A summary is provided in the Table. View this table: Table. Summary of Suggested Strategies for the Partners of Patients With ICDs Once the ICD has been implanted, lifestyle adjustments can be made that promote health and well-being. However, such adjustments may take time and a bit of work; most people take about 3 months to adjust to such major life changes. A patient’s adjustment often mirrors the partner’s adjustment, so effective coping can improve both of your lives. ### Patient Acceptance Patient acceptance refers to how well an individual adapts to the ICD and accepts its pros and cons. Patients and partners may differ on how well they accept the device. The hope for ICD patients is that they reengage with the confidence of having “an emergency room in the chest”; yet some patients experience difficulty and …
The Role of Geosurveillance and Security in the Politics of Fear

This chapter examines the role of geographic information technologies (GIT) in the production of the politics of fear. While technologies such as mapping and GIS appear to offer a fix or solution to problems of terrorism, crime, or disaster, they can contribute to the use of fear for political exploitation. What sustains this politics of fear? This chapter suggests that if GIT continue to produce knowledge of populations in terms of risk, then a politics of fear can be exploited to justify mass geosurveillance. In this light, two case studies are examined; nineteenth century mapping and contemporary crime mapping.
Transverse depinning of a driven elastic string in a disordered media

We examine the dynamics of an elastic string interacting with quenched disorder driven parallel to the string. For a moving parallel-driven string we show that there is a finite transverse critical depinning force which decreases for increasing parallel drive. The depinning transition is hysteretic and occurs by the formation of running kinks.
The Life and Death of UDAG: An Assessment Based on Eight Projects in Five New Jersey Cities

The federal Urban Development Action Grant program, begun in 1977, provided $5 billion over eleven years revitalizing severely distressed urban places through the encouragement of private sector investment. Designed to assist commercial, industrial, and housing projects that "but for" the federal grant would not be built, the program was characterized by a streamlined grant-making process administered by finance and development experts. Eight UDA G projects in five New Jersey cities, first studied in the proposal stage in 1979 and revisited in 1987, show that the UDAGs succeeded in attracting development to these hard-pressed cities. Although the projects succeeded, the program was unable to arrest the more general distressed conditions of the cities. During the Reagan years, the administration sought to end the program. Congress supported it, but reduced the funding each year. In an effort to gain support for the program, eligibility requirements were broadened to include more localities. These efforts failed, and in 1988 Congress did not fund the program. Despite its demise, UDAG is recognized as having stimulated urban revitalization and having created a new model for private sector and public sector collaboration in economic development.
Theoretical Studies of Oxygen Vacancies in YBa2Cu3O7-y

We have performed semiempirical tight-binding calculations of the electronic structure of YBa2Cu3O7, with dand s orbitals included for all the metal atoms and p and sorbitals for oxygen. Here we report studies of oxygen vacancies on the O(1) chain sites in YBa2Cu3O7-y. The modification of the density of states ρ(E) and the shift of the Fermi energy Ep were calculated for 0 < y ≤ 1.0. The Fermi energy is found to increase monotonically with y, confirming the expectation that oxygen vacancies act as donors. Also, ρ(EF)is found to decrease with y.
Abstract 2233: Phage display selection of cancer-specific peptides on human bladder for molecular imaging of bladder cancer

Introduction and Objectives: Molecular imaging could transform cancer diagnosis by coupling existing imaging modalities with labeled tumor-specific antibodies or peptides. Current diagnosis of bladder cancer is by white light cystoscopy, which has suboptimal specificity for differentiating non-papillary cancer from inflammation. To identify bladder cancer-specific peptides, we applied phage display, an unbiased, combinatorial strategy in which up to 10⁁9 foreign peptides or proteins are individually expressed on bacteriophage to screen against cellular targets (biopanning). We report our effort to identify bladder cancer-specific peptides via biopanning with cystectomy specimens. Methods: An M13 phage library displaying random linear heptapeptides was instilled into fresh cystectomy specimens (n=2). Non-specific phage were washed away and tumor was excised to extract tumor-bound phage, which were validated by bladder cancer cell line-based ELISA, flow cytometry, and immunofluorescence. Results: Both bladders had high-grade urothelial carcinoma on pathology. 148 phage were obtained after 2 rounds of selection. 77 of these showed preferential binding to 2 bladder cancer cell lines (HT-1376, T24) by ELISA compared to negative control (insertless phage). 7 phage with >10-fold signals over the negative control were further validated with flow cytometry and immunofluorescence. By detecting cell-bound phage with fluorescently labeled M13 phage antibody, increased staining of T24 cells by all candidate phage compared to negative control was demonstrated by both flow cytometry (2-3-fold) and immunofluorescence. Peptides were sequenced for additional validation of tumor specificity with primary normal human urothelial and bladder tumor cells. Conclusions: We have developed a technique for efficient biopanning of bladder cancer-specific peptides using whole cystectomy specimens. These peptides could serve as molecular contrast agents for targeted imaging with confocal laser endomicroscopy or fluorescent cystocsopy, and could potentially be utilized for targeted therapy. Compared to prior reports, which utilized cell lines and xenografts as biopanning targets, our approach offers a more clinically-relevant, efficient approach to identify peptides for cancer-specific imaging and therapy. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 102nd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2011 Apr 2-6; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2011;71(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 2233. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2011-2233