cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Binary tree representation of three-dimensional, reconstructed neuronal trees: a simple, efficient algorithm.

Abstract A simple, efficient algorithm is presented for the transformation of dendritic trees representations. The binary tree form significantly reduces traversal time, simplifies software for tree analysis and yields compact storage of the neuronal trees. These algorithms are easy to program and are useful in quantitative neuroanatomical studies.
Heteroepitaxial silicon film growth at 600 °C from an Al–Si eutectic melt

A method for growing heteroepitaxial Si films on sapphire was developed using a 6 nm thin Al layer at substrate temperature of 600 °C. Subsequently, the growth of Si nanowires was demonstrated on these films at 490 °C without breaking vacuum. We characterized the properties of the Si films by Raman scattering, X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy and show that the crystal quality and dopant control are promising for photovoltaic applications.
Preparation of Neuronal Cultures from Midgastrula Stage Drosophila Embryos

This video illustrates the procedure for making primary neuronal cultures from midgastrula stage Drosophila embryos. The methods for collecting embryos and their dechorionation using bleach are demonstrated. Using a glass pipet attached to a mouth suction tube, we illustrate the removal of all cells from single embryos. The method for dispersing cells from each embyro into a small (5 l) drop of medium on an uncoated glass coverslip is demonstrated. A view through the microscope at 1 hour after plating illustrates the preferred cell density. Most of the cells that survive when grown in defined medium are neuroblasts that divide one or more times in culture before extending neuritic processes by 12-24 hours. A view through the microscope illustrates the level of neurite outgrowth and branching expected in a healthy culture at 2 days in vitro. The cultures are grown in a simple bicarbonate based defined medium, in a 5% CO2 incubator at 22-24°C. Neuritic processes continue to elaborate over the first week in culture and when they make contact with neurites from neighboring cells they often form functional synaptic connections. Neurons in these cultures express voltage-gated sodium, calcium, and potassium channels and are electrically excitable. This culture system is useful for studying molecular genetic and environmental factors that regulate neuronal differentiation, excitability, and synapse formation/function.
Use of individualized music by trained staff and family: translating research into practice

This pilot study used a mixed methodology to evaluate the effectiveness of individualized music for the management of agitation when implemented by trained staff and family. Music was administered daily and as needed to eight elderly individuals with dementia who resided in a long-term care facility. A statistically significant reduction in agitation was found during the presentation of music and an overall reduction in agitation was found on day shift during weeks 1 to 8 and on evening shift during weeks 5 to 8. Staff and family interviews provided convergent validity of findings. Music also promoted meaningful interaction between the resident and others.
Predictors and Consequences of Adolescents' Norms Against Teenage Pregnancy

African American and Latino teenagers and communities are frequently assumed to have weaker norms against teenage pregnancy than whites. Despite their importance, adolescents' norms about teenage pregnancy have not been measured or their correlates and consequences documented. This study examines individual-level and contextual variation in adolescents' embarrassment at the prospect of a teenage pregnancy and its relationship with subsequent teenage pregnancy. Descriptive analyses find that norms vary by gender and individual- and neighborhood-level race, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status (SES). In multivariate analyses, neighborhood-level racial/ethnic associations with embarrassment are explained by neighborhood-level SES. Embarrassment is associated with a lower likelihood of subsequent teenage pregnancy but does not mediate racial, ethnic, or socioeconomic influences, underscoring the importance of both norms and structural factors for understanding teenage fertility.
Democracies Fighting Ethnic Insurgencies: Evidence from India

Ethnic insurgencies have received less scholarly attention than colonial or ideological insurgencies—even as they have become the predominant form of insurgency following the decolonization process and then the end of the Cold War. In the face of ethnic insurgencies, what determines the effectiveness of the various counterinsurgency strategies adopted by host states? Are democracies more likely to succeed by pursuing some kinds of counterinsurgency strategies rather than others? Theory indicates that multiple counterinsurgency strategies, if thoroughly implemented, can defeat ethnic insurgencies. Host state regime type—particularly democracy—is important as a constraint on the will to employ and thoroughly implement some counterinsurgency methods. Democracies are most likely to defeat ethnic insurgencies by employing more cooperative or “balanced” strategies. Although such strategies employ economic and political inducements and rely on local ethnic elements to help fight the insurgents, they also depend ...
Morphological analysis of the mormyrid cerebellum using immunohistochemistry, with emphasis on the unusual neuronal organization of the valvula

This study used immunohistochemistry, Golgi impregnation, and electron microscopy to examine the circuitry of the cerebellum of mormyrid fish. We used antibodies against the following antigens: the neurotransmitters glutamate and γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA); the GABA-synthesizing enzyme glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD); GABA transporter 1; the anchoring protein for GABA and glycine receptors, gephyrin; the calcium binding proteins calbindin and calretinin; the NR1 subunit of the N-methyl-D-aspartate glutamate receptor; the metabotropic glutamate receptors mGluR1α and mGluR2/3; the intracellular signaling molecules calcineurin and calcium calmodulin kinase IIα (CAMKIIα); and the receptor for inositol triphosphate (IP3RIα). Purkinje cells are immunoreactive to anti-IP3R1α, anticalcineurin, and anti-mGluR1α. Cerebellar efferent cells (eurydendroid cells) are anticalretinin and anti-NR1 positive in the valvula but not in the corpus and caudal lobe. In contrast, climbing fibers are anticalretinin and anti-NR1 immunopositive in the corpus and caudal lobe but not in the valvula. Purkinje cells, Golgi cells, and stellate cells are GABA positive, whereas efferent cells are glutamate positive. Unipolar brush cells are immunoreactive to anti-mGluR2/3, anticalretinin, and anticalbindin. We describe a “new” cell type in the mormyrid valvula, the deep stellate cell. These cells are GABA, calretinin, and calbindin positive. They are different from superficial stellate cells in having myelinated axons that terminate massively with GAD- and gephyrin-positive terminals on the cell bodies and proximal dendrites of efferent cells. We discuss how the valvula specializations described here may act in concert with the palisade pattern of Purkinje cell dendrites for analyzing spatiotemporal patterns of parallel fiber activity. J. Comp. Neurol. 510:396–421, 2008. © 2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Review of the activation of TGF-β in immunity

The evolutionarily conserved TGF-β proteins are distributed ubiquitously throughout the body and have a role in almost every biological process. In immunity, TGF-β has an important role in modulating immunity. Much is understood about the process of TGF-β production as a latent molecule and of the consequences and the intercellular signaling of active TGF-β binding to its receptors; however, there is little discussed between the production and activation of TGF-β. This review focuses on what is understood about the biochemical and physiological processes of TGF-β activation and identifies the gaps in understanding immune cell activation of TGF-β. A mechanistic understanding of the process activating TGF-β can lead to regulating multiple biological systems by enhancing or inhibiting TGF-β activation.
Species differences in methaemoglobin production after addition of 4-dimethylaminophenol, a cyanide antidote, to blood in vitro: a comparative study.

Abstract 1. 1. Methaemoglobin production after addition of DMAP to blood of various species, has been studied in vitro. 2. 2. The study was undertaken both with blood, as taken, and after equilibration with atmospheric oxygen. 3. 3. Considerable interspecies variation in methaemoglobin production was found. 4. 4. When the initial rate of methaemoglobin formation was considered only marmoset and human blood showed any marked degree of inhibition by equilibration with atmospheric oxygen.
Do Both Pictures and Words Function as Symbols for 18- and 24-Month-Old Children?

In Experiment 1, 24-month-old toddlers were taught a new word (whisk) through the labeling of a picture of a whisk. After repeated pairings of the word and picture, participants were shown the picture and a real whisk and asked to indicate the whisk. They took the word to refer to the real object rather than to the picture. Experiment 2 established that children were not biased to select any novel real object in the test trial. Rather, the results from Experiment 1 reflected the child’s interpretation of the word as referring to the pictured kind. A third study confirmed that a novelty preference within a perceptually specified category could not account for the results of Experiment 1. A final study (Experiment 4) examined whether 18-month-old infants also understand pictures and words as symbols, and results were comparable to those of Experiments 1 and 2. Taken together, these results confirm that the mapping between words and objects for 18- and 24-month-olds is a referential relation, as opposed to an associative one. Furthermore, these results showthat children as young as 18 months begin to understand the symbolic nature of pictures.
Altered specificity of synthesis of guanosine tetraphosphate (ppGpp) and pentaphosphate (pppGpp) by salt-washed ribosomes

Abstract Salt-washed ribosomes from Escherichia coli , plus stringent protein, form more ppGpp than pppGpp from GTP at all times, but unwashed ribosomes are shown to synthesize primarily pppGpp as the initial product.
Changes in ocean properties associated with Hurricane Isabel

This Letter analyses changes in ocean colour properties caused by hurricane Isabel. Isabel hit the east coast of the USA on 18 September 2003 causing excessive rainfall and unprecedented flooding. This resulted in drastic changes in land and coastal ocean water bodies. The present study involves the use of Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) data for mapping the changes in ocean colour brought by Isabel. Significant increases in the chlorophyll and suspended matter concentrations were found along the entire eastern coastline. Higher rainfall estimated by the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) Microwave Imager (TMI) and wind speed estimated by the Quick Scatterometer (QuikSCAT) were found, associated with hurricane Isabel, and are responsible for the changes in ocean colour properties.
Language Practice at the Intermediate Level and the Concept of Presupposition

HEN ONE APPROACHES the study of a foreign language as a learner, he unconsciously assumes that there are many things contained in the new language which he already knows as abstract concepts. For example, he expects the language to be divisible into segmental units such as words and inflections that convey meanings. The learner expects to find a form for simple sentences and ways of putting simple sentences together. He assumes that there must be ways of asking questions and giving commands, of identifying noun-type words and verb-type words. He assumes that there are ways of replacing words and phrases with pronoun-type words. In short, he knows a great deal about what a language should be like from his experience with his own first language. This kind of knowledge about languages that learners bring with them to the study of new languages is called a universal gram-
Ring Opening of Tetrahydropyran Attached to Undecahydro-closo-dodecaborate(1−) by Nucleophiles

The tetrabutylammonium salt of [B12H11O(CH2)5]-, 1, was reacted with tetrabutylammonium fluoride, chloride, and hydroxide in THF. It was found that the smaller nucleophiles fluoride and hydroxide o...
Cadmium-induced apoptosis in oyster hemocytes involves disturbance of cellular energy balance but no mitochondrial permeability transition.

SUMMARY Exposure to environmentally prevalent heavy metals such as cadmium can have detrimental effects on a variety of commercially and ecologically important species such as oysters. Since Cd 2+ is known to induce apoptosis in immune cells of vertebrates, we have investigated the effects of this metal on isolated oyster hemocytes, the main cellular immune defense in mollusks. Enhanced apoptosis of these cells could conceivably create immunosuppressed conditions in these organisms and result in reduced disease resistance and increased opportunistic infection, resulting in decline of their populations. Cd 2+ exposure induced apoptosis in oyster hemocytes in a dose-dependent manner in the range of 10-100 μmol l -1 , as indicated by the translocation of phosphatidylserine to the outer leaflet of the plasma membrane. At higher concentrations (200-1000 μmol l -1 ), there was no further increase in apoptosis but a significant increase in the level of necrosis. In stark contrast to vertebrate immune cells, there was no decrease in the mitochondrial membrane potential or activation of caspases in response to Cd 2+ in the apoptotic range. Surprisingly, Cd 2+ exposure in this range did cause a significant decrease in intracellular ATP levels, indicating a severe disturbance of energy metabolism. Similarly, Cd 2+ exposure of isolated mitochondria resulted in partial uncoupling of mitochondria but no difference in mitochondrial membrane potential. The results demonstrate that the important environmental pollutant Cd 2+ induces apoptosis in oyster immune cells and does so through a mitochondria/caspase-independent pathway, suggesting that a novel, perhaps ancient, apoptotic pathway is active in these cells. Furthermore, it appears that the observed decrease in ATP production during apoptosis is not due to the loss of the mitochondrial proton-motive force but is more likely to be due to inhibition of the F 0 /F 1 -ATPase and/or mitochondrial ADP/ATP or substrate transport.
Prenatal choline deficiency increases choline transporter expression in the septum and hippocampus during postnatal development and in adulthood in rats.

Supplementation of maternal diet with the essential nutrient, choline, during the second half of pregnancy in rats causes long-lasting improvements in spatial memory in the offspring and protects them from the memory decline characteristic of old age. In contrast, prenatal choline deficiency is associated with poor performance in certain cognitive tasks. The mechanism by which choline influences learning and memory remains unclear; however, it may involve changes to the hippocampal cholinergic system. Previously, we showed that the hippocampi of prenatally [embryonic days (E) 11–17] choline-deficient animals have increased synthesis of acetylcholine (ACh) from choline transported by the high-affinity choline transporter (CHT) and reduced ACh content relative to the control and to the E11–17 choline-supplemented rats. In the current study, we found that, during postnatal period [postnatal days (P) 18-P480)], prenatal choline deficiency increased the expression of CHT mRNA in the septum and CHT mRNA and protein levels in the hippocampus and altered the pattern of CHT immunoreactivity in the dentate gyrus. CHT immunoreactivity was more prominent in the inner molecular layer in prenatally choline-deficient rats compared to controls and prenatally choline-supplemented animals. In addition, in all groups, we observed a population of hilar interneurons that were CHT immunoreactive. These neurons are the likely source of the hippocampal CHT mRNA as their number correlated with the levels of this mRNA. The abundance of hippocampal CHT mRNA rose between P1 and P24 and then declined reaching 60% of the P1 value by P90. These data show that prenatal availability of choline alters its own metabolism (i.e. CHT expression). While the upregulated CHT expression during the period of prenatal choline deficiency may be considered as a compensatory mechanism that could enhance ACh synthesis when choline supply is low, the persistent upregulation of CHT expression subsequent to the brief period of prenatal deprivation of choline in utero might be beneficial during choline deficiency in adulthood.
Advisory committee on heritable disorders and genetic diseases in newborns and children.

9:00 a.m. – 9:15 a.m. Opening Remarks and Welcome • R. Rodney Howell, M.D. Committee Chair 9:15 a.m. – 10:30 a.m. American College of Medical Genetics (ACMG) report to HRSA-Update • Peter C. van Dyck, M.D., M.P.H. Associate Administrator Maternal and Child Health Bureau Committee Discussion • R. Rodney Howell, M.D. Committee Chair 10:30 a.m. – 10:45 a.m. Break 10:45 a.m. – 12 p.m. Committee Discussion of ACMG report, Continued • R. Rodney Howell, M.D. Committee Chair
On declaring peace: another critical comment

Donald Wiebe and Luther Martin have their hearts in the right place, and there intellects more or less where their hearts are, but with trailing edges. They criticize my suggestion in Ursula King's recent Turning Points in Theology (Edinburgh: T. & T. Clark, 1990) for a World Academy of Religion, "perhaps based on the IAHR" (which they honourably seek to defend). Their criticisms are in part theoretical, and they think that I have conducted a U-turn. I do not think so. Their criticisms are to some extent justified but they are not right. They are justified because I was not sufficiently clear on my proposal for the World Academy of Religion. But let me deal with one or two preliminary points first. In my review of Marburg Revisited (MTSR 2/2 [1990]: 298-304), I critiqued Martin's contribution for its rather cursory treatment of North American religious studies when he stated that, "[a]part from a few quasi successful attempts, the promise to realize a new paradigm for religious study remains largely unrealized because of a theological inertia that continues to characterize the study of religion in the American cultural context" Is the glass of the scientific study of religion in North America half empty or half full? Perhaps five hundred marvellous monographs on themes in African religion, Chinese, Korean, Japanese, Indian, Islamic, Christian, Jewish, secular and other traditions have been published mainly by younger scholars in the last twenty years. Did you try to recruit anyone for a position in Chinese religions thirty years ago? What was once a problem has now become a plethora. Moreover, I do not like the label "quasi-successful"— why sneer at these accomplishments? Martin should come to Santa Barbara or go to ten other successful, large campuses. Of course he is right that there is theological inertia; but he discounts the enormous strides which have been made in North America in the last thirty years—in Canada especially, I
Material Interaction Effects in the Reliability of High Density Interconnect (HDI) Boards

This paper studies several base substrate materials and interlayer dielectric materials for High Density Interconnect (HDI) boards, addressing reliability issues such as warpage, dielectric cracking and microvia cracking. Design of simulation models with an optimization technique is developed to study material interaction effects on the HDI reliability. A plastic strain gradient-based computational algorithm is developed to study the thermo-mechanical deformation of fine-feature microvia structures.Copyright © 2003 by ASME
Development of a sensor-based precision herbicide application system

Abstract The smart sprayer, a local-vision-sensor-based precision chemical application system, was developed and tested. The long-term objectives of this project were to develop new technologies to estimate weed density and size in real-time, realize site-specific weed control, and effectively reduce the amount of herbicide applied to the crop fields. This research integrated a real-time machine vision sensing system and individual nozzle controlling device with a commercial map-driven-ready herbicide sprayer to create an intelligent sensing and spraying system. The machine vision system was specially designed to work under outdoor variable lighting conditions. Multiple vision sensors were used to cover the target area. Weed infestation conditions in each control zones (management zone) were detected rather than trying to identify each individual plant in the field. To increase the delivery accuracy, each individual spray nozzle was controlled separately. The integrated system was tested to evaluate the effectiveness and performance under varying commercial field conditions. Using the on-board differential GPS, geo-referenced chemical input maps (equivalent to weed maps) were also recorded in real-time.
Trend in Outcome and Financial Impact of Subdural Hemorrhage

Little current data exists regarding outcome, cost, and length of stay (LOS) after subdural hemorrhage (SDH). We sought to examine predictors of discharge disposition, ICU and hospital LOS and direct, indirect, ICU, surgical, and diagnostic costs for SDH. A retrospective review was conducted of 216 SDH patients, aged >18 years admitted to our hospital between 1/2001 and 12/2008. Discharge disposition was characterized as dead, poor or good. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was performed to identify predictors of disposition, LOS, and cost. Of 216 SDH patients, the median age was 74 (19–95), and the median admission Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) was 14 (3–15). The SDH was characterized as acute in 14%, subacute in 44%, chronic in 12%, and mixed in 30%. Surgical evacuation was performed in 139 (64%) patients. Death occurred in 29 (13%) patients and poor disposition in 43 (20%). Significant predictors of death included age, admission GCS, and hospital LOS (P < 0.05). Longer hospital LOS was associated with poor disposition, while shorter ICU LOS was associated with good disposition (P < 0.01). Median hospital LOS was 8 (1–99) days. Median total direct costs for hospitalization were $10,670 ($907–238,856). ICU and hospital LOS were significant predictors of all measures of cost (P < 0.05). SDH size, chronicity, and surgical intervention were not predictors of any outcome. There was no significant change in any outcome variable between 2001 and 2008. Despite good admission neurological status, death or poor discharge disposition is common after SDH. LOS and costs remain high and have not improved in the last decade.
Microcellular injection-molding of polylactide with chain-extender

The effects of adding an epoxy-based chain-extender (CE) on the properties of injection-molded solid and microcellular polylactide (PLA) were studied. PLA and PLA with 8 wt.% CE (PLA-CE) were melt-compounded using a twin-screw extruder. Solid and microcellular specimens were produced via a conventional and microcellular injection-molding process, respectively. Various characterization techniques including gel permeation chromatography, tensile testing and dynamic mechanical analysis, scanning electron microscopy and differential scanning calorimetry were applied to study the molecular weight, static and dynamic mechanical properties, cell morphology, and crystallization behavior, respectively. The addition of CE enhanced the molecular weight but decreased the crystallinity of PLA. The addition of CE also reduced the cell size and increased the cell density. Furthermore, the decomposition temperatures and several tensile properties, including specific strength, specific toughness, and strain-at-break of both solid and microcellular PLA specimens, increased with the addition of CE.
Toward a cultural biology of addiction

Addressing the issues examined in the introduction, this article suggests an integrative ‘cultural biology of addiction’, which aims at encouraging a continuing dialogue between neuroscientists and those engaged in social studies of addiction. This cultural biology of addiction provides an alternative framework that brings together seemingly contradictory social-constructionist and biologically reductionist claims about addictions.
Ten Lessons for Facilities Planning, Renovation, and Building

This chapter describes lessons learned about facilities planning through the implementation of several renovation and new building projects on a small private college campus. Student development professionals can add considerable value to the success of such projects in both philosophical and practical areas.
Numerical Analysis: Quasilinearization and the estimation of differential operators from eigenvalues

Given a linear ordinary differential operator containing several unknown constants and a number of its eigenvalues, the values of the unknown constants are estimated. A precise formulation is provided, and an effective numerical procedure for solution is indicated. The results of some computational experiments are given.
Photophysical properties of hexapyrrolidine C60 adducts with Th and D3 symmetry: protonation of multiple basic sites

Abstract The effect of protonation on the absorption and emission properties of two isomeric hexapyrrolidine C 60 adducts with T h and D 3 symmetry has been studied. Results show that protonation does not modify substantially the interesting emissive properties reported in previous work for the neutral forms. The absorption and fluorescence spectra, as well as the fluorescence decay, are insensitive to protonation at any acid concentration for the D 3 isomer, while small changes are seen for the T h isomer. For the latter, as the positive charge of the molecule increases the absorption spectrum shifts to lower wavelengths, the emission spectrum shifts to the red, and the fluorescence lifetime increases. The behavior of this isomer upon acid addition can be explained on the basis of a complex equilibrium between species having different degrees of protonation. Results show that the equilibration rates among the various species in the excited state are slower than the fluorescence decays, and consequently the measured decay is a weighted average decay of the individual species. The surprising difference in the behavior of the D 3 isomer was shown not to originate from significant differences in the basicity of the nitrogen atoms, but probably due to differences in the polarizability of the two π-systems.
Circadian assessment of lipids in the hyperphagic obese rat compared with lean litter-mates.

Time and feeding influences on cholesterol, triglyceride, glucose and insulin levels, and serum cholinesterase activity were assessed in a genetically-hyperlipidemic hyperphagic obese rat model, and compared with its lean litter-mate. Following a 28-day acclimation to a 12-hr light/dark cycle, blood samples were obtained every 2 hr from rats via tail bleed for a 24-hr period. Synchronization with other animal studies was established by endogenous serum Cortisol levels [acrophase 18–20 hr after light onset (HALO) in both groups]. Triglycerides cholesterol, insulin and glucose levels were significantly elevated in obese versus lean rats. Obese rats were observed to feed throughout the 24-hr cycle, whereas lean litter-mates ate only during the dark cycle. No circadian rhythmicity was found in glucose levels with either rat group. Insulin levels were not correlated. Although triglyceride levels peaks at 13 HALO in lean rats, no pattern was observed in obese rats. Cholesterol levels were unchanged with time in...
The accessibility of firearms and risk for suicide and homicide victimization among household members: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Debate surrounds whether access to firearms in the home increases the risk for violent death. This systematic review identified and evaluated studies that compared suicide and homicide victimizatio...
The structure and development of the seminiferous follicle in Scyliorhinus caniculus and Torpedo marmorata (Elasmobranchii).

A light microscopic and phase-contrast study of the developing seminiferous follicles in two elasmobranch species was made. After an initial period of independent mitotic divisions, each spermatogonium becomes entirely surrounded by a cytoplasmic extension of a single follicle cell (Sertoli cell). These bicellular units may be termed spermatocysts. This relationship remains through six succeeding germ cell generations, usually resulting in a group of 64 isogenous spermatids in each spermatocyst. Thus, all substances exchanged between the blood stream and the germ cells must pass through the body of the follicle cell. As the spermatids transform into spermatozoa, they are drawn into a compact bundle and are finally released from the follicle cell. Germ cell development is closely synchronous within each spermatocyst and spermatocyst development is synchronous within each follicle. Germ cell and Sertoli cell lines appear to be entirely separate. Intercellular cytoplasmic connections are retained among large groups of daughter germ cells. It is suggested that these cytoplasmic bridges as well as spermatocyst formation serve in promoting equality of physiological opportunity throughout the large germ-cell mass.
HUMAN BEHAVIOR GENETICS

INTRODUCTION 403 Area of Coverage 403 Current Trends 404 PERCEPTION AND RELATED PROCESSES 406 Visual Perception 406 Reading Disability 407 COGNITION 407 New Designs, New Data 407 Analysis of Multiple Kinships 411 General Intelligence vs Specific Ahilities 414 Group Differences 416 PERSONALITY AND TEMPERAMENT 416 Early Behavior Patterns 416 Family Influences 417 The Nature of Environmental Influences .... _ 421 Diff erential G and E Influences Across Traits 422 LONGITUDINAL STUDIES 423 New Methods of Analysis 423 Current Research Emphasis 424 PSYCHOPATHOLOGY 426 Affective Disorders 426 Schizoaffective Disorders 428 Schizophrenia 429 CONCLUSION 431
Evaluation of a minimum power handoff algorithm

Previous work has shown that a handoff algorithm based on SIR alone (SIR based handoff) prohibits handoffs near nominal cell boundaries, causing cell dragging and unnecessarily high transmitter powers. We propose the minimum power handoff (MPH) algorithm in which mobiles constantly search for a combination of base and channel assignment that minimizes the uplink transmitted power. This algorithm is shown to reduce the average power level by 4dB compared to SIR based handoff. Results show that using received power as a handoff criterion reduces call dropping but increases the number of unnecessary handoffs significantly. To avoid a "ping pong" effect, a timer is introduced to delay the intercell handoff.
Changes in Alan Greenspan’s Language Use Across the Economic Cycle: A Text Analysis of His Testimonies and Speeches

This study examined changes in Alan Greenspan’s language use across the economic cycle by analyzing his testimonies and speeches using the Linguistic Inquiry and Word Count Program (LIWC), which is a widely used text analysis program. Consistent with expectations, Greenspan showed an increase in the composite measure of psychological distancing as well as a decline in the measure of cognitive complexity between the economic expansion and downturn periods. Interestingly, these patterns of changes became more pronounced during the purported economic recovery period. In contrast to the measures of psychological distancing and cognitive complexity, the measure of emotionality remained relatively stable across the economic cycle.
Pediatric obstructive sleep apnea and the critical role of oral-facial growth: evidences.

Aims:Reviewofevidenceinsupportofanoral-facialgrowthimpairmentinthedevelopment of pediatric sleep apnea in non-obese children. Method:Review of experimental data from infant monkeys with experimentally induced nasal resistance. Review of early historical data in the orthodontic literature indicating the abnormal oral-facial development associated with mouth breathing and nasal resistance. Review of the progressive demonstration of sleep-disordered-breathing (SDB) in children who underwent incomplete treatment of OSA with adenotonsillectomy, and demonstration of abnormal oral-facial anatomy that must often be treated in order for the resolution of OSA. Review of data of long-term recurrence of OSA and indication of oral-facial myofunctional dysfunction in association with the recurrence of OSA. Results: Presentation of prospective data on premature infants and SDB-treated children, supporting the concept of oral-facial hypotonia. Presentation of evidence supporting hypotonia as a primary element in the development of oral-facial anatomic abnormalities leading to abnormal breathing during sleep. Continuous interaction between oral-facial muscle tone, maxillary-mandibular growth and development of SDB. Role of myofunctional reeducation with orthodontics and elimination of upper airway soft
Influence of Sediment Bioreduction and Reoxidation on Uranium Sorption

The influence of sediment bioreduction and reoxidation on U(VI) sorption was studied using Fe(III) oxide-containing saprolite from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Oak Ridge site. Bioreduced sediments were generated by anoxic incubation with a metal-reducing bacterium, Shewanella putrefaciens strain CN32, supplied with lactate as an electron donor. The reduced sediments were subsequently reoxidized by air contact. U(VI) sorption was studied in Na−NO3−HCO3 electrolytes that were both closed and open to atmosphere and where pH, U(VI), and carbonate concentration were varied. Mossbauer spectroscopy and chemical analyses showed that 50% of the Fe(III)-oxides were reduced to Fe(II) that was sorbed to the sediment during incubation with CN32. However, this reduction and subsequent reoxidation of the sorbed Fe(II) had negligible influence on the rate and extent of U sorption or the extractability of sorbed U by 0.2 mol/L NaHCO3. Various results indicated that U(VI) surface complexation was the primary process...
Teaching an Old Jaw New Tricks: Diet-Induced Plasticity in a Model Organism, from Weaning to Adulthood

Many organisms exhibit a decrease in the ability to modify their phenotypes in response to shifts in environmental conditions as they mature. Such age-dependent plasticity has important implications in a variety of evolutionary and ecological contexts, particularly with respect to understanding adaptive responses to heterogeneous environments. In this study, we used experimental diet manipulation to examine the life-history trajectory of plasticity in the feeding complex of a model organism, the white rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus). We demonstrate that, contrary to expectations derived from previous cross-sectional studies of skeletal plasticity, the jaws of weanlings and young adults exhibit similar increases in relative bone cross-sectional areas in response to the introduction of mechanically challenging foods into their diets. Furthermore, we present evidence that sensitivity to loading patterns persists well into adulthood in some regions of the masticatory apparatus in rabbits, indicating that there is an extended window of opportunity to respond to changes in dietary properties during an animal’s life span. We conclude that certain aspects of the facial skeleton of rabbits, and perhaps mammals in general, are sensitive to environmental stimuli long after skeletal maturity is achieved, highlighting the importance of plasticity as a source of adaptive variation at later life-history stages.
Mechanisms of Hair Graying: Incomplete Melanocyte Stem Cell Maintenance in the Niche

Hair graying is the most obvious sign of aging in humans, yet its mechanism is largely unknown. Here, we used melanocyte-tagged transgenic mice and aging human hair follicles to demonstrate that hair graying is caused by defective self-maintenance of melanocyte stem cells. This process is accelerated dramatically with Bcl2 deficiency, which causes selective apoptosis of melanocyte stem cells, but not of differentiated melanocytes, within the niche at their entry into the dormant state. Furthermore, physiologic aging of melanocyte stem cells was associated with ectopic pigmentation or differentiation within the niche, a process accelerated by mutation of the melanocyte master transcriptional regulator Mitf.
Noise rejection for ultrasonic sensors in mobile robot applications

The authors categorize different types of noise and discuss methods for rejecting each type of noise. They introduce a method called error eliminating rapid ultrasonic firing (EERUF). EERUF combines different noise rejection techniques and optimizes them for rapid firing. EERUF almost completely rejects crosstalk. Its unique noise rejection capability allows multiple mobile robots to collaborate in the same environment, even if their ultrasonic sensors operate at the same frequencies. For each noise category methods are described to identify and reject the resulting errors. These individual rejection measures were combined into one error rejection method which was then combined with a fast firing algorithm. The resulting combination was EERUF. The EERUF method was implemented on a mobile robot and experimental results are presented. With EERUF, a mobile robot was able to traverse an obstacle course of densely spaced, pencil-thin poles at up to 1 m/s. >
Distinct immediate and prolonged effects of separation on plasma cortisol in adult female squirrel monkeys

Adult female squirrel monkeys exhibited reduced plasma cortisol levels 1 h following separation from their female cagemate. By 6–8 days following separation, however, cortisol levels in these females had increased significantly. When each female was subsequently paired with an unfamiliar female, cortisol levels showed an additional rise 1 h later and then declined over the following 8 days. The decline could not be accounted for by an increase in affiliation between pairmates or by a decrease in locomotor activity. Furthermore, the decline was comparable for pairs that were and were not observed to fight. These results indicate that separation of adult primates can produce slowly emerging physiological changes that differ from the immediate response to separation, and that social factors other than affiliation appear to regulate endocrine activity in adult female squirrel monkeys.
Improved formula for continuous‐wave measurements of ultrasonic phase velocity

An improved formula for continuous‐wave ultrasonic phase velocity measurements using contact transducers is derived from the transmission line theory. The effect of transducer‐sample coupling bonds is considered for measurements of solid samples even though it is often neglected because of the difficulty of accurately determining the bond thickness. Computer models show that the present formula is more accurate than previous expressions. Laboratory measurements using contacting transducers with the present formula are compared to measurements using noncontacting (hence effectively correction‐free) capacitive transducers. The results of the experiments verify the validity and accuracy of the new formula.
iSpy: automatic reconstruction of typed input from compromising reflections

We investigate the implications of the ubiquity of personal mobile devices and reveal new techniques for compromising the privacy of users typing on virtual keyboards. Specifi- cally, we show that so-called compromising reflections (in, for example, a victim's sunglasses) of a device's screen are sufficient to enable automated reconstruction, from video, of text typed on a virtual keyboard. Despite our deliberate use of low cost commodity video cameras, we are able to compensate for variables such as arbitrary camera and device positioning and motion through the application of advanced computer vision and machine learning techniques. Using footage captured in realistic environments (e.g., on a bus), we show that we are able to reconstruct fluent translations of recorded data in almost all of the test cases, correcting users' typing mistakes at the same time. We believe these results highlight the importance of adjusting privacy expectations in response to emerging technologies.
THEORY AND MEASUREMENT OF VISUAL MECHANISMS : XII. ON VISUAL DUPLEXITY.

Flicker contours from vertebrates (fishes to man) show that the slope parameter sigma'(log I) in the efficiently descriptive probability summation 100 F/F(max.) = integral(-inf;) (log I)e(-(log I/I(i))(-(log I/I(i))2)/2(sigma')(/2(sigma')2) ) .d log I is distributed bimodally (simple fields, "white" light), from 0.60 to 2.3, with well defined peaks at 0.80 and 1.75. This parameter is independent of F(max.), log I(i), temperature, light-time fraction, and in general not greatly influenced by lambda. "Rod" components of known visually duplex contours, without exception, and some "cone" contours, are in the first group; an equal number of "cone" curves are in the second group, together with one simplex "rod" contour; purely cone contours are in each group, as well as cone segments of duplex curves. No firm zoological grouping of the "cone" curves can be made, on present evidence,-although the 5 fishes used give high-slope curves, 2 amphibians low slopes, reptiles (5) either high or low, birds (2) and anthropoids (2) low-slope "cone" curves. By subdivision of the visual image and by change of wave-length, under certain conditions, in man, and by use of the "pecten effect" in birds (and man), cone contours of the low-slope class can be transformed into curves of the high-slope group. These procedures do not fundamentally change the "rod" slopes. Consequently, although under simple conditions they are specifically determined, the forms of the F - log I contour cannot be used as diagnostic for rod or cone functioning. It is reinforced, by new data on Anolis (lizard) and Trionyx (turtle), that an obviously duplex retina is specifically correlated with a duplex performance contour, a simplex retina with a simplex one. But no support is given to the view that the shapes of these curves are diagnostic of differences in rod or cone fundamental excitabilities, or that they describe properties of these units. In visual duplexity we have to do simply with the fact that two groups of neural effects are available; it is with their properties that we deal in measurements of duplex visual excitability.
Paracrine Cytokine Adjuvants in Cancer Immunotherapy

Advances in our understanding of the molecular events of antigen recogni­ tion by T cells and T cell activation are opening up new approaches to cancer immunotherapy. The identification and cloning of cytokines provide one impor­ tant set of tools for manipulating immunologic responses. For cancer therapy, cytokines such as interleukin-2 have been administered systemically. However, systemic administration of cytokines ignores the paracrine nature of their ac­ tion. Recently, an alternative approach has been explored that produces high concentrations of cytokines local to the tumor cells. This is achieved either by transduction of the tumor cells the cytokine gene or by mixture of the tumor cells with cytokine containing biodegradable polymer microspheres. Under these circ umstances, the locally released cytokine produces a strong local inflammatory response specific to the particular cytokine. In some cases, a potent tumor-specific T cell response results, capable of mediating regression of systemi c tumor de­ posits. This paracrine delivery of cytokines can therefore be considered as a new type of adjuvant in the design of vaccines for cancer as well as microbial infections.
Effect of phase errors on field patterns generated by an ultrasound phased-array hyperthermia applicator

The effect of phase quantization errors and Gaussian distributed random phase errors on field patterns synthesized by a rectangular ultrasound phased array hyperthermia applicator is studied. The parameters defined show that, over the range of four-bit to one-bit quantization, the simulated, patterns degrade with increasing phase errors. However, the overall shape and position of the foci remain unchanged. Simulation results show that, even with one-bit phase quantization, or with a Gaussian distributed random phase error of standard deviation of about 52 degrees , the applicator can still produce useful, if not particularly clean, power deposition patterns. Thus, the power deposition patterns are remarkably stable tolerating quite large phase error levels. This suggests that the power deposition patterns inside the body may be relatively insensitive to phase errors due to tissue inhomogeneities. >
Chronic Conductive Hearing Loss Leads to Cochlear Degeneration

Synapses between cochlear nerve terminals and hair cells are the most vulnerable elements in the inner ear in both noise-induced and age-related hearing loss, and this neuropathy is exacerbated in the absence of efferent feedback from the olivocochlear bundle. If age-related loss is dominated by a lifetime of exposure to environmental sounds, reduction of acoustic drive to the inner ear might improve cochlear preservation throughout life. To test this, we removed the tympanic membrane unilaterally in one group of young adult mice, removed the olivocochlear bundle in another group and compared their cochlear function and innervation to age-matched controls one year later. Results showed that tympanic membrane removal, and the associated threshold elevation, was counterproductive: cochlear efferent innervation was dramatically reduced, especially the lateral olivocochlear terminals to the inner hair cell area, and there was a corresponding reduction in the number of cochlear nerve synapses. This loss led to a decrease in the amplitude of the suprathreshold cochlear neural responses. Similar results were seen in two cases with conductive hearing loss due to chronic otitis media. Outer hair cell death was increased only in ears lacking medial olivocochlear innervation following olivocochlear bundle cuts. Results suggest the novel ideas that 1) the olivocochlear efferent pathway has a dramatic use-dependent plasticity even in the adult ear and 2) a component of the lingering auditory processing disorder seen in humans after persistent middle-ear infections is cochlear in origin.
Looking Out for the Watchdogs: A Legislative Proposal Limiting the Newsgathering Privilege to Journalists in the Greatest Need of Protection for Sources and Information

In 1999, North Carolina became the thirtyfirst state to enact a statute granting journalists a privilege to withhold information from compelled disclosure.1 The North Carolina law, like other journalist's privilege statutes across the United States, applies to persons, companies, or other entities engaged in the business of gathering or disseminating news. Further, by defining the privileged group in terms of newsgathering and disseminating functions, the General Assembly continued the time-honored practice of state legislatures in limiting the testimonial privilege to those who work for traditional news media.2
Contrast enhancement and background suppression of chemosensor array patterns with the KIII model: Research Articles

Inspired by the ability of the olfactory bulb to enhance the contrast between odor representations, we propose a new hebbian learning rule that is able to increase the separability of odor patterns from gas sensor arrays. The proposed learning rule employs a hebbian term to build associations within odors and an anti-hebbian term to reduce correlated activity across odors. In addition to increasing the separability of patterns, the new learning rule can also achieve odor background suppression when combined with a habituation term. These two functions are demonstrated on Freeman's KIII, a neurodynamics model of the olfactory system. The system is first characterized on synthetic data, and also validated on experimental data from an array of chemical sensors exposed to organic solvents. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Int Syst 21: 937–953, 2006.