cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Video Libraries: From Ingest to Distribution

Production, transmission and storage of video will eventually all be in digital form. Additionally, there is a need to organize video efficiently in databases so that videos are easily ingested, retrieved, viewed and distributed. We address and discuss many of the issues associated with video database management.
Production of nanoporous palladium from a deuterium loaded wire driven by a low energy, fast pulser

A low energy, fast rise time system for pulsing low mass wires is presented. The system was used to pulse a deuterium loaded wire using a fast pulse not sufficiently energetic to drive an unloaded wire into vaporization. An element such as palladium, which was studied in these experiments, has the capacity to store deuterium to extremely high concentrations. The pulsed power system will be described, and results will be presented showing the production of nanoporous palladium using a low energy pulsed power system.
Exploring Alzheimer's disease in zebrafish

The amyloid-beta protein (Abeta)-containing neuritic plaques and hyperphosphorylated tau-containing neurofibrillary tangles are two invariable characteristics of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Three genes encoding amyloid-beta protein precursor (AbetaPP), presenilin (PS) 1 and 2 are linked to early onset familial AD, and the apolipoprotein E (ApoE) epsilon4 allele is a major risk factor for sporadic AD. The zebrafish AbetaPP, PS, and ApoE genes have been identified, and the essential components of the gamma-secretase complex that mediates cleavage of AbetaPP to generate Abeta have been examined in zebrafish. A transgenic zebrafish expressing mutant tau has been created, and the transgenic animals exhibit a neurodegeneration phenotype. The use of zebrafish as a model system for AD research has expanded our knowledge of Abeta and tau.
The Development of a Web‐based Demographic Data Extraction Tool for Population Monitoring

The Internet contains a great wealth of information available online. People search engines, such as WhitePages (http://www.whitepages.com), gather personal-level demographic data, including full name, address, age and household members. Requiring only a surname and locational reference (e.g. city or postal code) as the minimum search criteria, such people search engines can be perceived as a gigantic database of demographic records. The objective of this article is to outline the development of a web-based demographic data extraction tool for population monitoring. In this study, a web prototype was developed to extract web demographics of the Vietnamese-American (VA) population in Texas, an ethnic minority with unique migration history, from WhitePages. After post-processing, the personal-level demographic data represent 40.3% of 202,003 VA in Texas reported by the American Community Survey (ACS) 2009. While all enumeration strategies, the web approach included, have their own strengths and weaknesses, this study suggests an alternative approach that is complementary to existing enumeration strategies. More research and development are needed to validate the accuracy of web demographics and further enhance data navigation and extraction rules. The utilization and release of web demographics must be cautious with regards to privacy and integrity of personal identity.
Rate of quantal excitation to a retinal ganglion cell evoked by sensory input.

To determine the rate and statistics of light-evoked transmitter release from bipolar synapses, intracellular recordings were made from on-alpha ganglion cells in the periphery of the intact, super...
Effect of randomly distributed anisotropic vortices on the critical current of a layered superconductor

Abstract We have studied the magnetic field dependence of the c-axis critical current of a layered superconductor when a pinned, disordered lattice of anisotropic vortices parallel to the superconducting planes is present. The model employed is based on the Josephson coupling picture of layered superconductors. In this case, the Josephson phase between adjacent layers varies randomly along the superconducting planes and its spatial correlations determine the value of an average critical current scale. We show that under these conditions the usual Fraunhofer oscillations are absent and this critical current is proportional to exp (−H ext / H 0 ) , where H 0 is crucially determined by the anisotropy and depends weakly on the size of the superconductor. The relevance of our results to transport properties recently observed in the high-Tc cuprates is discussed.
Scattering of H+ by H☆

Abstract An attempt is made to describe the H + on H collision in the intermediate energy range where neither the high energy nor the low energy theories are expected to work. A wave function that gives good results at both high and low energies is used in a variational expression to obtain intermediate energy results. This problem is considered as a prototype of ion-parent atom collisions where in general molecular wave functions are not available. Hence only atomic wave functions are used throughout. Results are presented for exchange to the ground state, total exchange, total ionization, and total nonexchange excitation. An attempt is also made to describe Everhart's experiment. A “damping” of the resonances is obtained with some improvement over previous results.
2- to 10-year follow-up study of acetabular revisions using allograft bone to repair bone defects.

Abstract The failure rates of revision of acetabular components have been high; however, long-term success has been reported with the use of particulate allografts or autografts with large-diameter prosthetic cups to correct bone deficiencies when host-cup contact is at least 30% to 50%. The purpose of this study was to review 2- to 10-year follow-up data on complex acetabular revisions in which contact between allograft bone and the prosthetic cup was at least 50%. In the 47 hips monitored clinically and radiographically for a mean of 5 years, results were classified as excellent in 37%, good in 26%, fair in 17%, and poor in 19%. The mean Harris hip score was 82.5 (range, 39–100). The prosthetic cups migrated in 3 hips, but 2 stabilized within 1 year. Three cups had complete radiolucent lines without migration; the lines did not correlate with location of the allografts. Although bone ingrowth into porous surfaces from allografts is debatable, the results of the study show that massive allograft reconstruction of the acetabulum can provide both immediate and long-term stability of the prosthetic cup and restore bone stock.
Phenomenal Surface: Fog House

Fog House seeks to engage the complex spatial and temporal dynamics of everyday life through the formal and experiential activation of surface and landscape. The project also attempts to blur the distinctions by which both surface and landscape are often conceived, such as that between surface and solid, landscape and building. Surface appears here as a medium to capture, reveal, and heighten latent, sometimes ephemeral, qualities present at the site.
Marginality Triumphant? On the Asymmetry of Conflict in the Art World

The relatively stable cultural structure that privileged the artist's individual autonomy has had to respond to challenges from social and political sources that intrude into developments intrinsic to existing art forms. With the expansion of markets and consumerism, the arts are increasingly called upon to be innovative in order to appeal to emergent middle classes. Historically, academic or similar prestige systems associated with national states came face to face with competitors, found largely on the margins of art worlds. Artistic change may result either from internal developments in aesthetic forms, or stem from the intrusion of sources external to established traditions. I want to argue that increasingly the sources of innovation stem from the margins; they are borne by agents who, rather than being central to the most important institutions of culture, arise in their peripheries. Their marginality may be seen from two perspectives: it may result from choice (as the deviant, or “maverick” of Howard Becker 1982) or from spontaneous or involuntary positioning (as “insane,” “naif,” or “primitive”) of “outsider artists” (Zolberg and Cherbo 1997). Whether acting deliberately or as pawns managed by other agents (Dubin 1999), these artists engage in an asymmetrical conflict in which the political stakes are high. Thus, the weak confront the strong—the establishment. “Marginals” and their allies strive to profit from using the resources of their more powerful adversaries, who occupy established gatekeeping roles. Without asserting that all art worlds are necessarily wholly engaged “in political” strife, examination of a variety of cases casts light on the contentious nature of innovation.
Bureaucratic Agenda Control: Imposition or Bargaining?

Niskanen's economic model of bureaucratic behavior assumes that bureaucratic agenda control allows the bureau to impose upon a passive legislature its most preferred alternative from among the set of alternatives that dominate the status quo. But does a monopoly on the agenda give bureaus this degree of influence over a voting body? This article reports on experiments that demonstrate that a monopoly on the agenda puts the agenda monopolist in a position to bargain with a voting body, without being able to impose his or her most preferred alternative on that body. This evidence supports theories of bureaucratic-legislative bargaining at the expense of theories of bureaucratic imposition.
Characterization of DNA sequences associated with residual nuclei of Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

Abstract We have used two different approaches to determine whether particular DNA sequences are specifically associated with high-salt-treated residual nuclei of Saccharomyces cerevisiae . First, libraries of yeast DNA in phage λ were probed with nick-translated total nuclear or residual nuclear DNA from unsynchronized yeast cells. None of the plaques gave a significantly stronger or weaker signal with the residual nuclear probe than with the total nuclear probe. Second, DNA was purified from whole nuclei or residual nuclei which had been isolated from cells in G1, G1/S, early S, or nuclear division. This DNA was “dot-blotted” and then probed with specific yeast DNA sequences. Ribosomal DNA was 2- to 3-fold enriched in residual nuclei in late G1, G1/S, and early S, and 2 μm plasmid DNA sequences were 3- to 5-fold depleted during nuclear division and early G1. However, ARS1, TRP1, CEN6 , and a telomere sequence were neither enriched nor depleted at any time during the cell cycle.
Effects of medial frontal cortex lesions on DRL performance in rats

Abstract Rats with medial frontal cortical lesions (MFC) and control animals with sham operations were tested on an ascending series of 8 DRL schedules of reinforcement ranging from 5 to 70 seconds. Rats with MFC lesions did not differ from the control group in performance when response rate, responses per reinforcement and efficiency were analyzed. These results indicate that deficits in “response inhibition” often displayed by rats with MFC lesions may be task-specific.
SU‐E‐T‐747: Uncertainty Reduction in Proton Prostate Planning

Purpose: To identify the sources of uncertainty in proton dose calculation for prostate treatment, quantify and minimize their effect. Methods: 125 prostate patients were used to measure the distribution of patient axial area at the mid‐level of the prostate. The CTimages of a patient‐subgroup representative of various patient size and age, were segmented into thirteen different tissues. The tissue volume in the pelvis and within the dose receiving space ( two lateral fields) were respectively recorded. The Hounsfield number (HU) of the tissues was also recorded. Three calibration curves from HU to proton relative stopping power (RSP) were created. The curves corresponding to the average patient size and extremes, were based on the stoichiometric method but they were specific to the prostate since only pelvic tissues were used. Additionally when constructing the curves the position of tissues inside the body was taken into account. For the creation of the final curve, tissue‐wise linear fit was used with the tissues weighted by their volume inside the beam space. The reduction on the uncertainty due to the prostate customized calibration curve was measured. Results: The prostate‐curve presented some differences with our current fit‐all calibration curve, mainly in the high density area. However the most significant effect was on the uncertainty reduction due to: prostate relevant patient size, position of tissues in the body, and appropriate tissue weighting. The uncertainty in the proton range was reduced for the average patient by 1% while for the bigger patients up to 1.5%. Conclusions: A customized prostate calibration curve was created taking into account the size of the patient and considering only pelvic tissues and their volume in the beam path of two lateral beams. This is a simple solution, easily implemented the reduces the proton range uncertainty and consequently the proximal and distal margins.
Progress and Poverty in Current Literature on Valuation

The publications reviewed: Bauer, Lyndon, Maltbie, Nash, Raymond. — I. Retrospective and prospective regulation as affecting the basis of valuation, 297. — II. Valuation as a means of controlling profits and as a means of controlling charges, 302. — III. The market value fallacy in the determination of "fair value," 307. — IV. Consistency in the development of a valuation theory, 314. — V. Conclusions, 325.
Biosynthesis of phytoene from isopentenyl and farnesyl pyrophosphates by a partially purified tomato enzyme system.

Abstract The solubilization, stabilization, and partial purification of an enzyme system that synthesizes phytoene from isopentenyl pyrophosphate is reported. Solubilization and partial purification of the enzyme system was achieved through the preparation of an acetone powder of tomato plastids, extraction of the powder with buffer, fractionation of this extract with ammonium sulfate, and passage of the enzyme through a column of Sephadex G-200. Stabilization was effected by storage in the presence of dithiothreitol. Either isopentenyl pyrophosphate, or farnesyl pyrophosphate plus isopentenyl pyrophosphate, serve as substrate for phytoene synthesis. The presence of isopentenyl pyrophosphate is required for the incorporation of farnesyl pyrophosphate into phytoene. Incorporation of substrate into phytoene is maximum at pH 8.0 and 20 °, and the Km value for isopentenyl pyrophosphate is 1.33 × 10−6 m . Mn++ and Mg++ are required for phytoene synthesis, but pyridine nucleotides are not. Synthesis of phytoene is inhibited by -SH inhibitors and it is stimulated by dithiothreitol. The enzyme system also synthesizes acid-labile terpenyl pyrophosphates from isopentenyl pyrophosphate. Cleavage of these compounds with alkaline phosphatase yields a mixture of C15 and C20 terpenols. The enzyme system also effects the condensation of isopentenyl and farnesyl pyrophosphate. C20 terpenols are liberated on alkaline phosphatase treatment of the products.
Is depressive realism real

Abstract Recent work investigating depressed peoples' judgments, especially judgments about self-relevant information, has led to the proposition that depressed individuals are generally more accurate than nondepressed people. In this review, it is argued that only studies using tasks containing an objective standard against which to compare subjects' responses can inform us about the validity of this proposition. For this reason, studies commonly invoked in discussions of depressive realism are reviewed in two sections. First, studies that do not allow for an assessment of accuracy are addressed. Second, those studies in which it is possible to determine subjects' accuracy are considered. The review of the literature reveals that although many studies have generated evidence consistent with the depressive realism hypothesis, almost as many have provided evidence inconsistent with this view. A more intriguing finding is that the results appear to vary as a function of the type of task used in the studies. Whereas results from contingency judgment and self-other studies suggest that depressed and dysphoric individuals are more accurate than nondepressed individuals, studies examining subjects' recall of self-evaluative information indicate that the nondepressed subjects are more accurate. We propose several explanations for this pattern of findings, along with recommendations for future research.
Comparative study of bubble point method and mercury intrusion porosimetry techniques for characterizing the pore-size distribution of geotextiles

Abstract In this paper, two simple and rapid techniques for evaluating the pore-size distribution of geotextiles are compared: the bubble point method and mercury intrusion porosimetry. Both of these techniques have successfully been used to measure the pore-size distribution of various materials. These techniques, however, measure different and unique porometric characteristics of materials. The bubble point method measures through-flow pores while the mercury intrusion method measures the volume of pores. In this paper, test results of both bubble point and mercury intrusion methods for a wide variety of geotextiles are presented. In general, the mercury intrusion pore-size distributed results showed much larger pores in the geotextiles than did the bubble point method. Overall, the mercury intrusion method was unable to distinguish between geotextiles of different manufacturing processes and various thicknesses. The bubble point method, on the other hand, was able to distinguish between geotextiles of different manufacturing processes and of various thicknesses, as long as the cross-sections of the geotextiles varied.
Comparing cortical activations for silent and overt speech using event-related fMRI

At present, functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) of cortical language functions favors "silent" task paradigms with no overt speaking, due to severe motion artifacts in MR images induced by vocalization. To the extent that the neural substrate of silent speaking might differ from that of overt speaking, this is a problem for understanding spoken language. The present study combined event related fMRI methodology with a set of techniques for motion reduction, detection, and correction to further investigate overt speech and compare it to silent speech. The purpose of the study was two-fold. We aimed to test a multiple-step image processing protocol involving discrimination and separation of motion-induced signals from activation-induced signals and we aimed to use this multi-step image processing protocol to compare the similarity of activation of cortical pathways potentially relevant to language production during silent and overt speech, focusing on Broca area and primary motor cortex as test cases. If the problem of motion artifact can be handled effectively, fMRI can add greatly to the tools available to investigate human language.
Eikonal estimates and cancellations at high energies

Using functional methods and the eikonal model, the leading $s$ dependence of elastic scattering in a modified ${\ensuremath{\varphi}}^{3}$ theory is discussed. An approximate evaluation of ladder or tower graphs and certain nonplanar graphs reveals strong cancellations. The net contribution falls as a power of the energy rather than saturating the Froissart bound, as found in less complete treatments of multiperipheral models.
The perception of dyspnea.

The exact nervous mechanism of dyspnea remains uncertain, but the simplest arrangement would be one in which information concerning chest volume and the pressure developed within the chest is correlated. Alteration in the chest volume may be appreciated as a length change, perhaps in terms of the length of the muscle fibers or of the angular rotation of the ribs. Similarly, change in the intrathoracic pressure may be recognized as an alteration in the tension within the muscle fibers. If the length change is inappropriate to the change in tension, dyspnea results. This may be expressed as "length-tension in appropriateness."
EQCM studies of film growth, redox cycling, and charge trapping of n-doped and p-doped poly(thiophene)

Abstract : The electrochemical quartz crystal microbalance (EQCM) is used to monitor mass changes which accompany the growth, redox cycling, and charge trapping of thin films of poly(thiophene) (PT) at Au electrodes under potentiodynamic conditions. Mechanical conductance spectra of the EQCM/PT composite resonators reveal that the PT films behave as rigid layers, allowing use of the Sauerbrey equation for calculation of quantitative mass changes from the frequency changes recorded with the EQCM. Film growth by oxidation of 2,2'- bithiophene appears to proceed by production of soluble, short chain oligomers following oxidation, with precipitation a consequence of both reduction and increasing chain length.
A complex with a bridging thiocarboxamido group: the crystal structure of Fe4(CO)12S(CSNMe2)(CNMe2)

Abstract The structure of the compound Fe 4 (CO) 12 S(CSNMe 2 )(CNMe 2 ) has been determined by X-ray crystallography. The compound crystallizes in space group P 2 1 / c with four molecules in a unit cell of dimensions a 8.840(2), b 20.174(9), c 16.856(5)A, β 114.82(3)°. Full-matrix least-squares refinement of 2881 counter data yielded R = 0.046. The molecule consists of two Fe 2 (CO) 6 units bridged by thiocarboxamido and immoniocarbene ligands and by a common bridging sulfur atom. The structure of this compound is compared with those of related molecules and a detailed comparison is made of the bonding properties of the thiocarboxamido ligand in bridging and chelating configurations.
A nonlinear boundary value problem arising from competition in the chemostat

A boundary value problem with two parameters for two coupled second order nonlinear ordinary differential equations is considered. This problem arises in a study of chemostats without a well-mixing hypothesis. The existence of a solution in the interior of the positive cone is established via two bifurcations. Some open questions are pointed out.
The Sliding Scale of Snitching: A Qualitative Examination of Snitching in Three Philadelphia Communities†

We conducted an in-depth interview study with 77 young men in three moderate to high-crime neighborhoods in Philadelphia to hear their stories about community violence and relations with police. In this article, we have analyzed how Latino, African-American, and white young men experience policing and how they discuss the guidelines around cooperation with the police and what they view as snitching. Contrary to popular perception, talking to the police is not always banned in poor or high-crime neighborhoods. Instead, the respondents present a variety of personal rules that they use to assess when cooperation is called for. We argue that the policing they experience within disadvantaged neighborhoods shapes their frame of legal cynicism, which in turn makes decisions not to cooperate with the police more likely.
Calluses Flex Their Muscles to Align Bone Fragments during Fracture Repair

Neonatal animals spontaneously reduce fractures, yet the mechanical forces influencing this process are poorly understood. In this issue of Developmental Cell, Rot et al. (2014) show that muscle and the fracture callus actively position fractured neonatal bone fragments to restore their alignment, highlighting the multifaceted roles of mechanical cues in skeletal regeneration.
A COMPREHENSIVE SURVEY OF PETRI NET MODELING IN SOFTWARE ENGINEERING

Petri nets, a formal model for concurrent and distributed systems, have been widely applied in system modeling and analysis in almost every branch of computer science and many other scientific and ...
Application of network theory to the analysis of rotating machinery part I ¿ Synchronous and asynchronous machines

AS the technology of engineering progresses a point is sometimes reached where, by the expansion and generalization of certain basic concepts, two or more seemingly unrelated areas of study can be brought together and shown to have a common origin. The common origins are very important to those in the teaching profession, where the rapid expansion of the engineering profession demands that an ever-increasing amount of technical understanding be developed in the student with little or no increase in student contact time. Without these common origins, the necessary increase in teaching efficiency would be difficult to attain. One of the purposes of this, the companion paper,1 and a conference paper, ?General Network Theory in Terms of Matrix Algebra? by M. B. Reed, is to show that by expanding our general network theory and concepts as we now think of them, and by taking a slightly different and more general viewpoint toward the rotating machinery problem, these two areas of technology can be built on a common and rigorous foundation which results in a clearer and broader understanding of both areas, and at the same time will perhaps provide for a more efficient teaching program.
Response of Blood Glucose and Plasma Free Fatty Acids to Fasting and to Injection of Insulin and Testosterone in Chickens

Plasma free fatty acids (FFA) and blood glucose levels were measured in normal cocks at fasting and after eating, and in normal and depancreatized hens and cocks at fasting and after injections of insulin preparations or glucagon-free insulin; testosterone was injected only in normal hens and cocks. Plasma FFA levels increased at fasting and decreased after eating. Insulin administration increased plasma FFA levels of practically all chickens studied. The increases were greater in males than in females when preparations of insulin were used; no such sex difference occurred when glucagonfree insulin was used. Testosterone administration increased plasma FFA levels of cocks but not of hens; it was without effect upon blood glucose levels. Blood glucose levels decreased in response to the injection of insulin; the decreases fluctuated widely and showed little differences between the 2 insulins or between normal and depancreatized chickens. (Endocrinology 81: 1001, 1967)
Light-weight communications on Intel's single-chip cloud computer processor

Many-core chips are changing the way high-performance computing systems are built and programmed. As it is becoming increasingly difficult to maintain cache coherence across many cores, manufacturers are exploring designs that do not feature any cache coherence between cores. Communications on such chips are naturally implemented using message passing, which makes them resemble clusters, but with an important difference. Special hardware can be provided that supports very fast on-chip communications, reducing latency and increasing bandwidth. We present one such chip, the Single-Chip Cloud Computer (SCC). This is an experimental processor, created by Intel Labs. We describe two communication libraries available on SCC: RCCE and Rckmb. RCCE is a light-weight, minimal library for writing message passing parallel applications. Rckmb provides the data link layer for running network services such as TCP/IP. Both utilize SCC's non-cache-coherent shared memory for transferring data between cores without needing to go off-chip. In this paper we describe the design and implementation of RCCE and Rckmb. To compare their performance, we consider simple benchmarks run with RCCE, and MPI over TCP/IP.
Stimulation of afferent vagal endings in the intrapulmonary airways by prostaglandin endoperoxide analogues.

Abstract Two cyclic ether (CE) analogues of the prostaglandin endoperoxide PGH2, CE I and CE II, have been found to exert powerful stimulant effects on lung ‘irritant’ receptors and bronchial C-fiber endings after intravascular or aerosol administration in open-chest dogs under Dial-pentobarbital anesthesia. ‘Irritant’ receptors responded to a dose as small as 0.1 μg/kg CE II, injected into the right atrium. CE II was twice as effective as CE I and 10–20 times more potent than PGF2α. As an aerosol, it exceeded histamine in potency by more than 800 times. ‘Irritant’ receptor stimulation was always associated with decrease in lung compliance and increase in lung resistance. Isoproterenol which reduced the latter effects also diminished the response of ‘irritant’ receptors. Left atrial injection of GES had only weak and delayed effects. CE-induced ‘irritant’ receptor firing declined or ceased during ventilatory arrest in expiration and following hyperinflation of the lungs. In contrast to ‘irritant’ receptors, C-fibers responded more effectively and more rapidly, and in the absence of mechanical changes, when the drugs were injected into the left atrium as compared to right atrial injection. These findings suggest that CE-induced ‘irritant’ receptor stimulation is secondary to changes in lung mechanics, whereas C-fiber stimulation is a direct effect upon the nerve ending.
ON AAG History

The seventy-fifth anniversary of the Association of American Geographers is a time to celebrate. To set the tone for the anniversary meetings in Philadelphia, I asked Geoffrey Martin, Marvin Mikesell, and John Adams to discuss significant events in the AAG's past, the Association's present state. and prospects for the future. Their presentations were made in the initial session of the meetings on Sunday evening, April 22. We are pleased to reproduce for the members of the Association the transcripts of those verbal presentations. We are indebted to each of these colleagues for the excellent start they provided for our largest-ever professional meeting.-Brian J. L. Berry, President
Induction and Activation of Latent Transforming Growth Factor-β1 Are Carried out by Two Distinct Domains of Pregnancy-specific Glycoprotein 1 (PSG1)

Pregnancy-specific glycoproteins (PSGs) are a family of Ig-like proteins secreted by specialized placental cells. The PSG1 structure is composed of a single Ig variable region-like N-terminal domain and three Ig constant region-like domains termed A1, A2, and B2. Members of the human and murine PSG family have been shown to induce anti-inflammatory cytokines from monocytes and macrophages and to stimulate angiogenesis. We recently showed that recombinant forms of PSG1 (PSG1-Fc and PSG1-His) and PSG1 purified from the serum of pregnant women are associated with the immunoregulatory cytokine TGF-β1 and activated latent TGF-β1. Here, we sought to examine the requirement of specific PSG1 domains in the activation of latent TGF-β1. Plasmon surface resonance studies showed that PSG1 directly bound to the small latent complex and to the latency-associated peptide of TGF-β1 and that this binding was mediated through the B2 domain. Furthermore, the B2 domain alone was sufficient for activating the small latent complex. In separate experiments, we found that the PSG1-mediated induction of TGF-β1 secretion in macrophages was dependent on the N-terminal domain. Mutagenesis analysis revealed that four amino acids (LYHY) of the CC′ loop of the N-terminal domain were required for induction of latent TGF-β1 secretion. Together, our results show that two distinct domains of PSG1 are involved in the regulation of TGF-β1 and provide a mechanistic framework for how PSGs modulate the immunoregulatory environment at the maternal-fetal interface for successful pregnancy outcome.
Invariance principles for rank discounted partial sums and averages

For rank-discounted partial sums and averages, forward and backward invariance principles are established through the use of the Bahadur-Kiefer representation of sample quantiles and the Kiefer process approximation of the sample distributions.
Environmental pollution: corporate crime and cancer mortality

Corporate crime remains more costly and arguably more harmful than street crime and such harms include environmental, air, and water pollution resulting in increasing cancer mortality rates around the globe. More importantly, these corporate crimes are global in nature and facilitated by transnational corporations’ capture of the USA Environmental Protection Agency.
Improvements in the non-flame atomic fluorescence determination of mercury.

Abstract A new non-flame atomic fluorescence system with a detection limit of 5 parts per trillion (p.p.t.) or 5 pg of mercury(II) has been developed. The relative precision is 5% or better above 50 p.p.t. Hg(II), and the dynamic range in terms of linearity is from 0–100 p.p.b. Hg(II). The system is useful for analysis of residual mercury levels in water at a rate of about thirty samples per h.
Iodobenzene on Pd(111) studied by thermal desorption spectroscopy and laser-induced thermal desorption-fourier transform mass spectrometry

Iodobenzene decomposes on Pd(111) and forms benzene, iodine, adsorbed carbon, and hydrogen. At low initial iodobenzene exposures no iodobenzene desorbs, benzene desorbs at 500 K, and hydrogen desorbs between 500 and 700 K, indicative of decomposition of some of the benzene. At high initial exposures iodobenzene desorbs at about 200 K and benzene desorbs at about 160 K; however, no hydrogen desorbs. Iodine desorbs from Pd(111) around 1000 K. Adsorbed iodine atoms passivate the Pd(111) surface toward the decomposition of iodobenzene and the dehydrogenation of benzene. Experiments with perdeuterated iodobenzene show that the benzene forms from reaction of phenyl with sub-surface hydrogen by 143 K. © 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.
The Need for Continuing Education for the Deaf: Are Adult Educators Listening?

This article addresses the need for improved educational programs for deaf adults. An historical perspective of the philosophy and methodology for educating the deaf provides a background for understanding the current problems for hearing impaired and deaf adults. The article includes information and recommendations for adult educators who want to improve educational instruction, methodology, and programming for deaf adult learners.
Effects of extended cocaine access and cocaine withdrawal on choice between cocaine and food in rhesus monkeys.

Chronic drug use may lead to sufficient drug intake to produce dependence and the emergence of abstinence signs during withdrawal. Although withdrawal can increase the reinforcing effects of some drugs (eg opioids), the impact of withdrawal on the reinforcing effects of stimulants like cocaine is less clear. This study used a novel cocaine vs food choice procedure to examine the relative reinforcing strength of cocaine before, during, and after exposure to graded levels of extended cocaine access. Responding in four rhesus monkeys was maintained by cocaine (0–0.1 mg/kg/injection) and food delivery under a concurrent-choice schedule during daily 2-h sessions. Under baseline conditions, cocaine maintained a dose-dependent increase in cocaine choice. Subsequently, subjects were exposed to and withdrawn from periods of extended cocaine access, which was accomplished by implementing daily 21-h supplemental sessions of cocaine self-administration in addition to daily choice sessions. During supplemental sessions, cocaine (0.1 mg/kg/injection) was available under a fixed-ratio 10/time-out X schedule, and the duration of the time-out was varied from 30 to 7.5 min. Cocaine intake increased 10-fold to >11 mg/kg/day during exposure to supplemental sessions with the shortest post-injection time-out. However, parameters of cocaine choice were not significantly affected either during or after extended cocaine access. These results do not support the hypothesis that cocaine withdrawal increases the reinforcing strength of cocaine. This differs from results with the opioid agonist heroin and suggests that withdrawal may have different functions in the maintenance of opioid and stimulant abuse.
Neutron scattering investigation of magnetic phase transitions in CoCl2-graphite intercalation compounds

The stage 2 CoCl2-graphite intercalation compound exhibits two magnetic phase transitions at TCl (=8.0 K) and TCu (=9.1 K). We have performed neutron scattering experiments on this compound which revealed at T
Dual wavelength approach for the estimation of the relative concentration of two absorbers: Monte Carlo simulations

We describe a Monte Carlo test of a new method for the calculation of the relative concentrations of two localized absorbers in a highly scattering medium. The method, previously proposed by us, is based on a property of the intensity changes caused by the localized absorbers, which is strictly verified by diffusion theory within first order perturbation, and remains approximately verified beyond the limits of first order perturbation. The applicability of the method was theoretically and experimentally validated in an infinite medium geometry for "small size" perturbations, as well as for larger perturbations. The purpose of the Monte Carlo test reported here is to show that the method is applicable also to a slab geometry for a relatively large (both in size and optical contrast) perturbation. This test indicates that the dual wavelength approach to the estimation of the relative concentration of two absorbers can be insensitive to the medium geometry as well as the size and geometry of the localized inclusion.
Evaluation of Vehicular Communication Networks in a Car Sharing System

Yet even with an increase in car sharing programs worldwide, there has been little research on the application of Vehicular Ad hoc Network (VANET) in car sharing systems. This study employed three parameters of communication networks to evaluate VANET performance in car sharing systems. The integration of vehicle mobility generation and vehicular communication networks simulation is crucial to this research. A variety of scenarios on a partial Manhattan grid network were simulated to assess the influence of different parameters in the communication network. Through the performance analysis, it evaluates the feasibility of VANET in car sharing systems and gives some suggestions for future field deployment.
CBP/p300 induction is required for retinoic acid sensitivity in human mammary cells

The coactivators CBP and p300 are recruited by retinoic acid receptors (RARs) during retinoid mediated transcriptional regulation. To assess the role of CBP/p300 in all-trans-retinoic acid (ATRA)-mediated growth arrest in mammary epithelial cells, two systems were tested: (1) ATRA resistant MCF-7 cells were transduced with a functional RAR-beta 2; (2) normal human mammary epithelial cells (HMECs) were transduced with a pan-RAR dominant negative, RAR-alpha 403. Expression of RAR-beta 2 in MCF-7 cells resulted in increased sensitivity to ATRA-induced growth arrest and correlated with induction of CBP/p300 mRNA and protein. Inhibition of RAR function in HMECs resulted in resistance to ATRA-induced growth arrest and loss of CBP/p300 induction. Antisense suppression of CBP/p300 in HMECs resulted in decreased retinoic acid response element reporter trans-activation and decreased ATRA-mediated growth arrest. Thus, in human mammary epithelial cells, CBP/p300 were both modulated by an ATRA signaling pathway and were required for a normal response to ATRA.
Progestins inhibit fsh-stimulated steroidogenesis in cultured rat granulosa cells

It has been hypothesized that progesterone (P) exerts a direct inhibitory effect on ovarian follicular development, an effect which could be mediated by P receptors located in granulosa cells. We tested this hypothesis by examining the effect of several progestins on FSH-stimulated estrogen (E), P, and 20 alpha-dihydroprogesterone (DHP) production by cultured rat granulosa cells, and correlated the results with the ability of the progestins to bind to the granulosa cell P receptor. Granulosa cells from immature hypophysectomized DES-treated rat produced 9 ng/ml E, 21 ng/ml P and 29 ng/ml DHP during a 2-day incubation in McCoy's 5a medium containing 10(-7) M androstenedione and 10 ng/ml of FSH. The FSH-induced increase in E production was inhibited by 50 and 95% following concomitant treatment with 3 x 10(-6) and 10(-5) M resp. of R5020, a potent synthetic progestin. Added R5020 at these concentrations also significantly inhibited P and DHP production. R5020 had no effect on granulosa cell viability or plating efficiency, and the inhibitory action of R50920 on E production was reversible. In studies of the specificity of the progestin inhibitory action, the relative abilities of various progestins to inhibit E production were R5020 > P > DHP > 17 alpha-hydroxyprogesterone (17OHP). The relative abilities of these progestins to bind to the ovary P receptor were also: R5020 > P > DHP > 17OHP. These results indicate that exogenous progestins directly inhibit the FSH-stimulation of granulosa cell steroidogenesis in vitro and suggest that the progestin effect may be mediated by the P receptor. Such results offer a possible mechanism whereby progesterone could exert a direct but reversible inhibitory action on ovarian follicular development.
The relationship among life events, dysfunctional attitudes, and depression

The purpose of the present study was to evaluate dysfunctional attitudes as a moderator variable in the relationship between negative life events and depression. On the basis of the cognitive model of depression it was predicted that, within a normal college student population, individuals who endorse highly dysfunctional attitudes would be more adversely affected by negative life stress than would their more functional counterparts. Normal and clinical college student groups were administered measures of life events, dysfunctional attitudes, and depression. As expected, in the normal sample, there was a significant interaction between dysfunctional attitudes and negative life stress, which was consistent with the cognitive model of depression. In the clinical sample, the interaction was nonsignificant, and both dysfunctional attitudes and negative life events were found to exert a more direct influence on mood. The implications of these findings for future research were reviewed, along with a suggestion that longitudinal designs might permit a more complete test of the cognitive model.
Task graph partitioning and mapping in a reconfigurable parallel architecture

The goal of a task graph partitioning and mapping strategy is to reduce the communication overhead in a parallel application. Much of the past work in this area has been in the context of a static network topology. Here we show that the flexibility provided by a reconfigurable network can help lower the overhead and provide additional performance gains. However, since a reconfigurable network can be set to many different topologies, a new approach for the mapping problem must be formulated. Our research is based on the Interconnection Cached Network (ICN) a prototype of which is currently under development. The ICN is a reconfigurable network suited for exploiting switching locality in applications. "Switching locality" refers to the phenomenon in parallel applications of having each task mostly communicating (switching) between a small set of other tasks. As evidenced by the sparse nature of most task graphs, this phenomenon is common to many parallel applications. We describe the ICN architecture, the problem of mapping task graphs in the ICN, and the performance advantages of complementing clever partitioning strategies with topology reconfiguration.
Phase behavior of blends containing amorphous poly(resorcinol phthalate‐block‐carbonate) and semicrystalline polyesters

The phase behavior of poly(resorcinol phthalate-block-carbonate) (RPC) with engineering polyesters was investigated by using differential scanning calorimeter (DSC) and dynamic mechanical analysis. RPC was found to form miscible blends with poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET), poly(butylene terephthalate) (PBT), and poly(cyclohexylmethylene terephthalate) (PCT), but was partially miscible with poly(1,4-cyclohexanedimethylene-1,4-cyclohexanedicarboxylate) (PCCD) in the melt state and below the melting temperature (Tm). The degree of melting-point depression indicates that the RPC is most miscible with PCT followed by PET and then PBT. Furthermore, with the help of empirical DSC data and the Nishi–Wang equation, the interaction parameters between RPC and PET, PBT, and PCT were quantified to be −0.36, −0.33, and −0.54, respectively. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2008
Relaxation time of confined liquids under shear.

Ultrathin films of simple nonpolar molecular fluids (3--8 segmental dimensions thick) show a strikingly long relaxation time in response to oscillatory shear when confined between mica plates at 27 \ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}C. When the shear rate exceeds this inverse time, the effective viscosity decays as an apparent power law in the shear rate, implying considerable distortion of the dynamic structure. The relaxation time is orders of magnitude longer than the Brownian relaxation time in the bulk state and may reflect collective motions induced by confinement.
Fluorescence lifetimes of diphenylhexatriene-containing probes reflect local probe concentrations: Application to the measurement of membrane fusion.

An important process in the life of a cell is fusion between cellular membranes. This is the process by which two cellular compartments surrounded by different membranes join to become a single compartment surrounded by a single membrane, without significant loss of compartment contents. To demonstrate fusion, the cell biophysicist must demonstrate all three critical aspects of the process: (1) mixing of membrane components, (2) mixing of compartment contents; and (3) retention of compartment contents. Most commonly, accomplishing this involves the use of fluorescence probes. The general theme to the methods described involves some form of concentration-dependent quenching. An unique method developed in our laboratory utilizes the concentration dependence of the fluorescence lifetime of a phosphatidylcholine containing carboxyethyl diphenylhexatriene at position 2 and palmitic acid at position 1 of glycerol (DPHpPC). The fluorescence lifetime of this molecule and that of its parent fluorophore diphenylhexatriene (DPH) shorten dramatically as their two-dimensional concentrations in a membrane increase. This “lifetime quenching” can be described by dimer formation that reduces the symmetry of the DPH excited state. This phenomenon allows one to use the fluorescence lifetime to gain insight into the local concentration of probe in microscopic regions of a membrane. One application of this is in distinguishing lipid transfer between the outer leaflets of two contacting membrane bilayers from fusion between these membranes that leads to mixing of lipids in both the inner and outer leaflets of the membrane bilayers. This allows a single measurement to demonstrate fusion between membrane pairs.
An Epoch Past

Essays of a Soviet Scientist. VITALII I. GOL9DANSKII. AIP Press, Woodbury, NY, 1997. xvi, 303 pp., illus. $32.95. ISBN 1-56396-454-6. Masters of Modern Physics.
Algorithms for Monte Carlo calculations with fermions

We describe a fermion Monte Carlo algorithm due to Petcher and the present author and another due to Fucito, Marinari, Parisi and Rebbi. For the first algorithm we estimate the number of arithmetic operations required to evaluate a vacuum expectation value grows as N11/mq on an N4 lattice with fixed periodicity in physical units and renormalized quark mass mq. For the second algorithm the rate of growth is estimated to be N8/m2q. Numerical experiments are presented comparing the two algorithms on a lattice of size 24. With a hopping constant K of 0.15 and β of 4.0 we find the number of operations for the second algorithm is about 2.7 times larger than for the first and about 13 000 times larger than for corresponding Monte Carlo calculations with a pure gauge theory. An estimate is given for the number of operations required for more realistic calculations by each algorithm on a larger lattice.