cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Sodium pump localization in epithelia

In epithelial cells, the sodium pump, in coordination with several other ion transporting proteins and channels, acts to regulate directional water and ion flux across the epithelial barrier. This function is dependant on the polarized localization of the sodium pump to a single plasma membrane domain. In most epithelial cell types the sodium pump is found in an exclusively basolateral position. Despite the clear importance of maintaining a polarized distribution of the sodium pump, surprisingly littleis known about the specific mechanisms responsible for the targeting and trafficking of the sodium pump to the basolateral surface. We briefly discuss our current understanding of factors which may act to regulate the cellular distribution of the sodium pump, including the potential role of the sodium pump β-subunit. Several previous, studies have suggested that the expression of the β2 isoform (instead of β1) may cause the apical localization of the sodium pump. This appeared to be confirmed by Wilson et al. Am J Pathol, 156: 253–268, 2000 who found that MDCK cells stably transfected with the β2 subunit express the sodium pump at the apical surface. However, careful examination by Laughery et al.,Am J Physiol, 292: F1718–F1725, 2007, showed that the apical targeting of the pump was caused by the presence of butyrate in the cell growth media and was not due to the presence of the β2 isoform. These findings are discussed below, along with potential explanations as to how butyrate may influence the polarity of the sodium pump in epithelial cells.
Magnetic ordering in layered oxide structures: Fe3O4 thin films and Fe3O4/NiO superlattices

Abstract We report magnetic ordering studies of iron oxide and nickel oxide layered structures using SQUID magnetometry and neutron and X-ray diffraction techniques. This work focuses on the influence of interlayer coupling on the Neel ordering in the NiO layers and the Verwey ordering in the Fe 3 O 4 layers, and well as field dependence of moments in each layer.
Temporal changes in Nd isotopic composition of sedimentary rocks in the Sevier and Taconic foreland basins: Increasing influence of juvenile sources

Initial 143 Nd/ 144 Nd ratios of clastic sedimentary rocks in the Ordovician Taconic and Sevier foreland basins increase with decreasing stratigraphic age. This shift in isotopic composition reflects an increased influx of juvenile sediment to both basins. For the Taconic basin, geologic and isotopic data are consistent with the juvenile sediment being derivedfromupliftedGrenvillecrust,upthrustaspartoftheTaconicallochthons,sediment derivedfromtheBronsonHillarc,oracombinationofboth.FortheSevierforelandbasin, there are few geologic constraints on source regions, but the similar shift in isotopic ratios with time suggests a similar increase in the influence of juvenile sources such as exotic terranes. Sevier basin sedimentary rocks have higher «Nd values than those within the Taconic basin, thus juvenile source areas were of greater importance to Sevier basin sediments.
Sensory manifestations of diabetic neuropathies: Anatomical and clinical correlations:

Background:Diabetes mellitus is among the most common causes of peripheral neuropathy worldwide. Sensory impairment in diabetics is a major risk factor of plantar ulcers and neurogenic arthropathy ...
A SIMPLE CLASS OF BEAM TRANSPORT SYSTEMS WITH OPTICALLY AXISYMMETRIC TRANSFER PROPERTIES

Abstract It is demonstrated that for quadrupole-beam transport systems that have a specific symmetry, two of the three conditions that have to be satisfied in optically axisymmetric systems are automatically fulfilled. These systems therefore need to have only one free parameter to make them optically axisymmetric, and the resulting design formulas are presented and discussed. As a generalization, it is shown how dipole magnets, solenoids, or electrostatic elements can be included in the optical train. A system with lower symmetry, requiring adjustment of two parameters to achieve optical axisymmetry, is also described.
Methane Conversion to Higher Hydrocarbons by UV Irradiation

The potential for using UV photolysis to convert methane to higher hydrocarbons with high yields was demonstrated with a radio-frequency- (RF-) powered Kr/Ar discharge lamp (λ = 116.5 and 123.6 nm, flux = 3.3 × 1014 photons/s) at pressures of 47 and 93 kPa and at ambient temperature. The highest conversion was 39%. Photon yields for carbon−carbon bond formation were as high as 4.5. The main reaction products were hydrogen, ethane, propane, and n- and i-butane, but smaller amounts of ethylene and higher alkanes were also detected. The hydrocarbon products followed a Flory distribution.
Temporal characteristics of peripheral inhibition of sustained and transient ganglion cells in cat retina.

Abstract The temporal characteristics of transient and sustained retinal ganglion cells in the cat were assessed by varying the temporal relationship between a spot in the receptive field center and an annulus in the receptive field surround. The luminance of the annulus was also varied for some units. The maximum amount of suppression of the excitatory response from the center spot was produced when the annulus preceded the spot by about 38 msec for transient cells and by about 7 msec for sustained cells. The time course of peripheral inhibition for transient and sustained cells was also found to differ. These differences held at all luminance levels used but were minimized at both extremely low and extremely high contrast levels.
High pressure trapping in Fourier transform mass spectrometry: A radiofrequency-only-mode event

A new event for the Fourier transform mass spectrometry (FTMS) sequence is developed and demonstrated. During this event, called a radiofrequency (RF)-only mode event, the typical passive cubic trap of a Fourier transform mass spectrometer is made to operate as an active quadrupole ion trap. The transition between active and passive modes is developed so that ion loss as a consequence of the transition can be held to 15% or less. The adduct of the ion-molecule reaction of the 1,3-butadiene radical cation and methyl vinyl ether was detected during the Rf-only-mode event at a helium pressure of ∼1×10−3 torr even though this adduct is not detectable under standard FTMS operating conditions.
Characterization and Dynamics of Substituted Ruthenacyclobutanes Relevant to the Olefin Cross-Metathesis Reaction

The reaction of the phosphonium alkylidene [(H2IMes)RuCl2═CHP(Cy)3)]+ BF4− with propene, 1-butene, and 1-hexene at −45 °C affords various substituted, metathesis-active ruthenacycles. These metallacycles were found to equilibrate over extended reaction times in response to decreases in ethylene concentrations, which favored increased populations of α-monosubstituted and α,α′-disubstituted (both cis and trans) ruthenacycles. On an NMR time scale, rapid chemical exchange was found to preferentially occur between the β-hydrogens of the cis and trans stereoisomers prior to olefin exchange. Exchange on an NMR time scale was also observed between the α- and β-methylene groups of the monosubstituted ruthenacycle (H2IMes)Cl2Ru(CHRCH2CH2) (R = CH3, CH2CH3, (CH2)3CH3). EXSY NMR experiments at −87 °C were used to determine the activation energies for both of these exchange processes. In addition, new methods have been developed for the direct preparation of metathesis-active ruthenacyclobutanes via the protonolysis ...
Current Treatment Options for Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus in Youth: Today’s Realities and Lessons from the TODAY Study

The incidence of type 2 diabetes in children and adolescents has increased over the last 2 decades, paralleled by an increase in obesity over the same time period. Although the value of lifestyle modification in obese youth is unquestioned, scant evidence for optimal treatment of type 2 diabetes in this age group exists. Despite recent therapeutic drug trials, metformin and insulin are the only medicines currently approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of type 2 diabetes in youth. Because of recently amended pharmaceutical regulations, however, it is likely that more antidiabetic medications soon will be added to the armamentarium of therapeutic options for youth with type 2 diabetes. Additionally, the recently published TODAY study comparing safety and efficacy of three treatment regimens in maintaining glycemic control in youth with type 2 diabetes has shed new light on the problem.
Primary lymphoma of bone: Diagnosis by fine‐needle aspiration biopsy in a pediatric patient

We present an unusual case of a child with an isolated lytic lesion in the L3 vertebral body. Fine-needle aspiration biopsy showed a small, blue-cell neoplasm raising the differential diagnosis of Ewing's sarcoma and lymphoblastic lymphoma. Through a combination of morphologic and immunofluorescent findings we established a diagnosis of lymphoblastic lymphoma. This case further documents the utility of fine-needle aspiration biopsy in the diagnosis of pediatric tumors. © 1995 Wiley- Liss, Inc.
Rank correlation plots for use with correlated input variables

A method for inducing a desired rank correlation matrix on multivariate input vectors for simulation studies has recently been developed by Iman and Conover (1982). The primary intention of this procedure is to produce correlated input variables for use with computer models. Since this procedure is distribution free and allows the exact marginal distributions to remain intact it can be used with any marginal distributions for which it is reasonable to think in terms of correlation. In this paper we present a series of rank correlation plots based on this procedure when the marginal distributions are normal, lognormal, uniform and loguniform. These plots provide a convenient tool both for aiding the modeler in determining the degree of dependence among input variables (rather than guessing) and for communicating with the modeler the effect of different correlation assumptions. In addition this procedure can be used with sample multivariate data by sampling directly from the respective marginal empirical di...
Crashes and other safety-related incidents in the formation of attitudes toward bicycling

Many cities are encouraging bicycling as mode of transportation as a way to improve air quality and health. Evidence suggests a strong influence of attitudes on bicycling, but few studies have examined the formation of attitudes toward bicycling. This paper explores the potential effect of crashes and other incidents on attitudes towards bicycling. Several themes emerge from 54 in-depth interviews on experiences with bicycling over the life course for a sample of adults living in Davis, California. The greater the severity of injuries associated with a crash, the greater the likelihood of declines in comfort with and desire for bicycling. Crashes in youth had very little effect on desire for or comfort with bicycling, but the opposite was true of crashes in adulthood. Incidents involving motorists particularly exacerbated discomfort with bicycling, while solo crashes were commonly perceived as unlucky or careless mishaps. Crashes experienced by others, as opposed to those experienced personally, were especially damaging to attitude, particularly for those who did not bicycle regularly. These findings have important implications for the design of bicycle facilities and programs.
A rapid mechanism-based screen to detect potential anti-cancer agents.

Several mutant Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cell lines have been adapted to the microtiter tetrazolium assay in order to obtain useful mechanistic information relevant to the cytotoxic activity of marine natural products. The sensitivity of a DNA double-strand break repair deficient CHO line, xrs-6, was compared with that of a DNA repair competent CHO line, BR1, to several known drugs. The deficiency of the xrs-6 cells makes them overly sensitive to compounds [e.g. topoisomerase II (topo II) inhibitors] that produce DNA double-strand breaks. Described here is the validation of this unique cellular screen to detect such compounds. Those drugs thought to produce their effects by the inhibition of topo II, produced the largest differential cytotoxicity against the mutant CHO pair. Other agents that are known to either produce single-strand breaks, cross-links or to inhibit the synthesis of DNA did not possess appreciably enhanced cytotoxicity to the xrs-6 line. The usefulness of the screen was shown by its ability to detect topo II inhibitory activity in several new marine natural products. This activity was confirmed by an in vitro enzyme inhibition assay. In contrast, the screen predicted a lack of topo II inhibitory activity in some other structurally related marine natural products and this lack of activity was confirmed by an in vitro enzyme inhibition assay.
Current state and prospects of macromolecular crystallography

The current situation and possible future development of macromolecular crystallography are reviewed. The rapid progress and maturation of this field in recent years have to a large extent been made possible by the inspiration and generous support of several active structural genomics initiatives. Two tendencies can be currently observed: one which treats protein crystallography as a highly automatic tool for investigating various biological problems without the need to engage in the intricacies of the technique and a second approach where this method is applied to crystals of difficult, large and complex biological systems, requiring a deeper knowledge of various aspects of crystallography. In the near future it is expected that these two trends will coexist, developing in a parallel fashion.
Pre-treatment measures of impulsivity, aggression and Sensation seeking are associated with treatment outcome for African-American cocaine-dependent patients

We investigated whether measures of impulsivity, aggression and sensation seeking differed between cocaine-dependent subjects and controls, and whether these measures were related to treatment-outcome for cocaine patients. Pre-treatment assessments of impulsivity (Barratt Impulsivity Scale [BIS]), aggression (Buss-Durkee Hostility Inventory [BDHI]) and sensation seeking (Zuckerman Sensation Seeking Scale [SSS]) were obtained for 141 African-American cocaine-dependent patients entering a 12-week, intensive outpatient treatment program and 60 controls. The outcome measures were number of negative urine drug screens, days in treatment, dropout rates and number of treatment sessions. Cocaine patients reported significantly higher scores on the SSS, the BIS and the BDHI than controls. Furthermore, the SSS scores showed a significantly negative correlation with days in treatment and negative urines, and a significant positive correlation with the dropout rate. The BIS and the BDHI scores were significantly associated with days in treatment and dropout rates respectively. A combination of the three variables contributed significantly toward predicting retention and abstinence. Higher levels of pretreatment impulsivity and aggression and sensation seeking seem to associated with poor treatment outcome for cocaine dependent patients receiving intensive outpatient treatment. Combining these behavioral measures with other clinical predictors may help in early identification of 'poor responders' who may benefit from additional or alternative treatment approaches.
Social and political interactions among extraterrestrial human communities: Contrasting models

Abstract With the advent of the era of extraterrestrial communities, we have reached the stage of our civilization where many of the constraints which restrict the life on the Earth are removed. Temperature, humidity, seasons, length of day, weather, artificial gravity and atmospheric pressure can be set at will, and new types of cultures, social organization and social philosophies become possible. We will be in a position to first invent new cultural patterns and new social philosophies and then choose material conditions and community design to fit the desired cultural goals and philosophies. The purpose of this article is to discuss various alternative models of the political and social interactions among the extraterrestrial communities in order to make intelligent choices among the alternatives. This article consists of two parts: The first part deals with various types of interactions among extraterrestrial communities and how they correspond to various epistomologies. The second part deals with the fact that homo sapiens has developed an ability, abnormal compared to other animals, to wage wars, and how this ability must be counteracted by another ability for long-range optimization which cannot be obtained by a succession of short-range optimizations.
The Powers That Bind A Case Study of the Collective Bases of Coalition Building in Post–Civil Unrest Los Angeles

Studies on coalition building have neglected the role of historical, cultural, and spatial relationships in shaping the development of interethnic coalitions, particularly between immigrant and native-born minority groups. Based on interviews, participant observation, and archival research on one public space coalition in Koreatown and West Adams, the author argues that (1) the intersection of use and exchange positions among organized segments of both communities provided the interest basis for coalition building, and (2) the competing claims of Koreans around their financial contributions and African-Americans around political and territorial advantages forced each side to negotiate and recognize the benefits of coalescing.
Bacterial sensor kinase/response regulator systems: an introduction

Abstract Three evolutionarily and functionally distinct types of protein phosphorylating systems control tactic behaviour, differentiation, gene expression, transmembrane transport, cellular metabolism and virulence in bacteria. This Forum in Microbiology focuses on one of these types of systems, the sensor kinase/response regulator-type system. Fifteen examples of these regulatory systems are described, each of which allows response to specific stimuli, controls different protein or gene targets and produces an appropriate physiological response. The mechanistic similarities and distinctive features of these systems are the focus of discussion.
miR-146a Is Critical for Endotoxin-induced Tolerance IMPLICATION IN INNATE IMMUNITY

The human toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) pathway is activated in response to lipopolysaccharide (LPS), and subsequent signal transductions lead to the production of cytokines such as tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) by innate immune cells. Defects in innate immune response may contribute to the overproduction of TNF-α leading to systemic inflammation and diseases. Thus, the innate immune response needs to be tightly regulated by elaborate mechanisms to control its onset and termination. LPS tolerance is a state of hyporesponsiveness to subsequent LPS challenge and is achieved by monocytic cells after prolonged exposure to LPS. In this report, kinetics of endotoxin-responsive microRNAs expression analysis revealed a unique pattern of gradual increase for miR-146a starting 4 h after LPS stimulation in THP-1 cells and continued up to 35-fold over 24 h. Conversely, TNF-α increased up to 4 h and then decreased gradually implicating a negative correlation with miR-146a progression. The characteristic up-regulation of miR-146a toward subsequent LPS challenge in THP-1 cells was studied. Strikingly, microRNA expression analysis during the tolerized state of THP-1 cells showed only miR-146a overexpression suggesting its important role in LPS tolerance. In addition, LPS tolerance was dependent on a LPS-priming dose and associated miR-146a up-regulation. LPS-tolerized cells were observed to regain responsiveness in TNF-α production 22 h after LPS removal correlating with a decrease in miR-146a level. Transfection of miR-146a into THP-1 cells mimicked LPS priming, whereas transfection of miR-146a inhibitor largely abolished LPS tolerance. Thus our studies demonstrated that miR-146a is critical for the in vitro monocytic cell-based endotoxin tolerance.
Proteasome inhibitors act as bifunctional antagonists of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 latency and replication

Existing highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) effectively controls viral replication in human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) infected individuals but cannot completely eradicate the infection, at least in part due to the persistence of latently infected cells. One strategy that is being actively pursued to eliminate the latent aspect of HIV-1 infection involves therapies combining latency antagonists with HAART. However, discordant pharmacokinetics between these types of drugs can potentially create sites of active viral replication within certain tissues that might be impervious to HAART. A preliminary reverse genetic screen indicated that the proteasome might be involved in the maintenance of the latent state. This prompted testing to determine the effects of proteasome inhibitors (PIs) on latently infected cells. Experiments demonstrated that PIs effectively activated latent HIV-1 in several model systems, including primary T cell models, thereby defining PIs as a new class of HIV-1 latency antagonists. Expanding upon experiments from previous reports, it was also confirmed that PIs inhibit viral replication. Moreover, it was possible to show that PIs act as bifunctional antagonists of HIV-1. The data indicate that PIs activate latent provirus and subsequently decrease viral titers and promote the production of defective virions from activated cells. These results represent a proof-of-concept that bifunctional antagonists of HIV-1 can be developed and have the capacity to ensure precise tissue overlap of anti-latency and anti-replication functions, which is of significant importance in the consideration of future drug therapies aimed at viral clearance.
High-level state machine specification and synthesis

A method and algorithms for exploring the design space between the register-transfer and behavioral levels are presented. The method consists of the specification of a high-level state machine, which combines the advantages of a specific control structure, by means of states and transitions, with the flexibility of behavioral descriptions inside each high-level state. High-level synthesis techniques are used for synthesizing this machine. As a result, the user has control over the final controller implementation and is able to perform high-level tradeoffs between control and data path. >
The clinical phenomenology of childhood depression.

The clinical picture of depression in children six to twelve years of age is described. Recognition of depressed affect in children can be difficult. In addition to dysphoria, these children frequently have lower self-esteem, a reduced capacity for fun, massive guilt, social withdrawal, impaired schoolwork, excessive fatigue, psychomotor retardation, and morbid or suicidal ideation.
Changes in tree sapling composition within powerline corridors appear to be consistent with climatic changes in New York State

Despite emerging evidence that on-going climate change is affecting species physiology, distribution, and phenology, there are few studies that examine changes in tree sapling establishment as a response. Changes in tree species composition can be expected due to increasing temperatures, with subsequent effects on future forest compositions. This study's objective was to examine changes in relative density of tree species assemblages within powerline corridors from 1975 to 2003 in New York State. Powerline corridors in New York are commonly surrounded by forests, which creates constant tree invasion pressure within a perpetual old-field environment. This unique combination of factors allowed us to examine tree sapling establishment in a nearly constant environment over a 28-year period, utilizing manova and PCA as primary statistical analyses. Tree species dynamics varied across the four ecological provinces within New York over time. Northern pioneer species (Betula populifolia, Fraxinus americana, Prunus serotina, and Tilia americana) declined across the state over the past 28 years, while the southern pioneer species (Betula lenta, Liriodendron tulipifera, and Sassafras albidum) increased in the hot continental division. In the warm continental division, the pine-hemlock assemblage increased in the Northeastern Mixed Forest Province, while aspen-birch increased in the Adirondack Highlands Forest Province, likely due to increases in precipitation. It appears that climate change may have had some influence on tree sapling composition that could affect future vegetation management decisions and expectations in powerline rights-of-way and forests.
Use of harsh physical discipline and developmental outcomes in adolescence

A history of exposure to harsh physical discipline has been linked to negative outcomes for children, ranging from conduct disorder to depression and low self-esteem. The present study extends this work into adolescence, and examines the relationship of lifetime histories of harsh discipline to adolescents' internalizing and externalizing symptoms and to their developing capacities for establishing autonomy and relatedness in family interactions. Adolescent and parent reports of harsh discipline, independently coded observations of conflictual interactions, and adolescent reports of symptoms were obtained for 141 adolescents at age 16. Both parents' use of harsh discipline was related to greater adolescent depression and externalizing behavior, even when these effects were examined over and above the effects of other parenting measures known to account for these symptoms. Adolescents exposed to harsh discipline from mothers were also less likely to appear warm and engaged during an interaction task with their mothers. It is suggested that a history of harsh discipline is associated not only with social and emotional functioning, but also with the developmental task of autonomy and relatedness.
Critical Values For The Wilcoxon Rank-Sum Statistic

This table contains critical values and probabilities for the Wilcoxon Rank-Sum Statistic W = the sum of the ranks of the m observations in the smaller sample; m and n are the sample sizes, c1 and c2 are defined by P(W ≤ c1) = and P(W ≤ c2) = α.
What Constitutes a Romantic Act? An Empirical Study:

Responses to the question, “What constitutes a romantic act?,” were obtained from 149 women and 48 men. Results suggest a large area of agreement and a small area of disagreement between the sexes as to the nature of romantic acts.
A Peer to Peer Based Information Sharing Scheme in Vehicular Ad Hoc Networks

Information sharing among vehicles is an emergent issue in Vehicular Ad Hoc Networks (VANETs). Considering the mobility and limited connectivity of the nodes in a typical VANET, designing scalable schemes for information sharing is challenging. In this paper, we propose a distributed peer-to-peer (P2P) based architecture for information sharing in VANETs. We split the entire vehicular network into geographically unique zones and use consistent hashing techniques to map the nodes and the information to unique identifiers in Distributed Hash Table (DHT), hence providing scalable look-up services. Ongoing work aims to develop scalable routing schemes, replication and handover management under node mobility.
An integrated approach for surface finding in medical images

The wide availability of three-dimensional medical images has made their direct analysis a necessity. Accurately segmenting and quantifying structures is a key issue for such images. Conventional gradient-based surface finding however often suffers from a variety of limitations. This paper proposes a surface finding approach that uses in addition to gradient information, region information. This makes the resulting procedure more robust to noise and improper initialization. It uses Gauss's Divergence theorem to find the surface of of a homogeneous region-classified area in the image and integrates this with a gray level gradient-based surface finder. Experimental results show that indeed, as expected, a significant improvement is achieved as a consequence of the use of this extra information. Further these improvements are achieved with little increase in computational overhead, an advantage derived from the application of Gauss's Divergence theorem.
Analysis of transport measurements over a local area network

Measurements of the end-of-end delay and maximum throughput are reported for a typical implementation of the bottom four layers of the Open Systems Interconnection (OSI) protocols. These comprise the transport, network, data link, and physical protocols. An overview of the four protocols is given, and the experimental environment is described. The measurement results are discussed, and some of the implementation factors that affect the performance of OSI protocols are identified. >
Task Performance Under Deceptive Conditions: Using Military Scenarios in Deception Detection Research

The goal of this research was to investigate how changes in modality (communication type) and external conditioning (warnings of player deception) relate to perceptions of deception and task difficulty and, in turn, how these perceptions relate to the final group game scores in a cooperative effort with conflicting goals. One hundred and eight participants were grouped into teams of three, given similar instructions but different goals, and asked to play a cooperative game called StrikeCOM that simulates the intelligence gathering needed to develop an air tasking order and subsequent air strike on three military targets. The analysis of the post-game surveys showed support for participants in games using a face-to-face communication method to have lower perceptions of deception and task difficulty when compared to games using real-time plain text chat.
Societal Aspects of Phishing

The damage caused by phishing does not only apply to monetary property alone. The fragile bonds of trust that organizations build with their constituents are shattered in the process. As people lose faith in the reliability of electronic communication methods, companies lose their customer base. In the case disasters, people can spend billions in preparation, to analyze weaknesses and improve recovery time, only to have thrust shattered by phishing attacks. This in turn causes a significant loss in money, resources and time. In this study we review the main characteristics of phishing attacks and their impact to society. Based on current trends, we predict an increase in frequency and precision of these attacks and suggest best practices for both user and business education such that the impact is minimized.
Lethal and Sublethal Effects of Lufenuron on the Formosan Subterranean Termite (Isoptera: Rhinotermitidae)

A laboratory study was conducted to understand the effect of low concentrations of lufenuron on termite physiology and behavior. Survivorship, running speed, body water content, food consumption, tunneling, microbial infection, and two behavioral patterns (carcass-burying behavior and particle transport behavior) were compared among Formosan subterranean termites, Coptotermes formosanus Shiraki, fed lufenuron-treated (250, 500, or 1,000 ppm) or untreated (control) filter paper. In 30-32 d, all lufenuron treatments significantly reduced survivorship, running speed, consumption, and tunneling, but had no substantial effect on body water content. In addition, termites fed the three concentrations of lufenuron became infected by opportunistic pathogens. Carcass-burying and particle transport behaviors also were inhibited by lufenuron. Potential application of lufenuron at low concentrations for the control of C. formosanus is discussed.
Surviving Evil: Jewish, African, and Native Americans

Comparant les experiences juives et africaines de l'Holocauste et de l'esclavage, l'A. mesure le role du recit et de l'autonomie dans la lutte contre le mal, d'une part, et rejette l'idee selon laquelle les Afro-americains se sont alanguis depuis l'esclavage, d'autre part.
A concave regularization technique for sparse mixture models

Latent variable mixture models are a powerful tool for exploring the structure in large datasets. A common challenge for interpreting such models is a desire to impose sparsity, the natural assumption that each data point only contains few latent features. Since mixture distributions are constrained in their L1 norm, typical sparsity techniques based on L1 regularization become toothless, and concave regularization becomes necessary. Unfortunately concave regularization typically results in EM algorithms that must perform problematic non-concave M-step maximizations. In this work, we introduce a technique for circumventing this difficulty, using the so-called Mountain Pass Theorem to provide easily verifiable conditions under which the M-step is well-behaved despite the lacking concavity. We also develop a correspondence between logarithmic regularization and what we term the pseudo-Dirichlet distribution, a generalization of the ordinary Dirichlet distribution well-suited for inducing sparsity. We demonstrate our approach on a text corpus, inferring a sparse topic mixture model for 2,406 weblogs.
Betaine-Homocysteine S-Methyltransferase is an Abundant Zinc Metalloenzyme in Liver

BHMT (EC 2.1.1.5) is a cytosolic enzyme found in the pathway of choline oxidation. This enzyme is a hexamer of identical 45 kDa subunits and catalyzes a methyl transfer from betaine to homocysteine to form dimethylglycine and methionine, respectively. It is expressed at very high levels in the liver and kidney cortex. A cDNA encoding human liver BHMT was cloned several years ago (Garrow, 1996). Shortly thereafter, the recombinant enzyme was shown to contain Zn (Millian and Garrow, 1998). Zn could be removed from the protein using the thiol-specific reagent methylmethane thiosulfonate suggesting that Zn was ligated to BHMT by one or more Cys residues. After cloning the human BHMT cDNA, Garrow (1996) reported that the deduced amino acid sequence of the enzyme shared limited homology to E. coli’s vitamin dependent methionine synthase another enzyme that methylates homocysteine. One of the strongest regions of homology included a GGCCG sequence. The Cys residues in this sequence correspond to 299 and 300 in human BHMT, and 310 and 311 in Subsequently, Goulding et al. (1997) identified Cys310 and Cys 311 as ligands for Zn in and later it was determined that Cys247 was a third ligand (Peariso et al., 1998). Cys247 of did not align with any Cys residue in BHMT when analyzed by a number of computer-based alignment programs; however, when BHMT was aligned by hand with the sequence ALGP, the following BHMT sequence HFDP appeared to be similar. The goal of our current study
ViewCast: view dissemination and management for multi-party 3d tele-immersive environments

Real-time distributed multi-party/multi-stream systems are becoming more popular in many areas such as 3D tele-immersion, multi-camera conferencing and security surveillance. However, the construction of such systems in large scale is impeded by the huge demand of computing and networking resources and the lack of a simple yet powerful networking model to handle interconnection, scalability and quality of service (QoS) guarantees. We make two main contributions in the paper: (1) we propose a novel generalized ViewCast model for multi-party/multi-stream video-mediated systems that fills the gap between high-level user interest and low level per-stream management, and (2) we demonstrate the ViewCast model by applying it to the multi-party 3D Tele-Immersive (3DTI) collaboration among geographically dispersed users. More specifically, we show how the ViewCast model is used in supporting stream data dissemination, coordination and QoS management among multiple 3D tele-immersive environments. We present our experimental results in both real implementation and simulation to show that our ViewCast-based solution achieves high efficiency, scalability, and quality in supporting multi-party 3DTI collaboration.
Second-breakdown phenomena in avalanching silicon-on-sapphire diodes

A new experimental technique, based on local temperature-induced changes in optical absorption, is used to study second breakdown in avalanching reverse-biased silicon-on-sapphire diodes. The technique allows spatial resolution down to 1 µm and temperature resolution of a few degrees Celsius. Further, used stroboscopically, the technique allows time resolution on the order of nanoseconds. The technique, in conjunction with special constant-current bias circuits and light-emission studies, has been used to elucidate the physical mechanisms underlying second breakdown in avalanching diodes. It is found that second breakdown occurs when the thermally generated leakage current becomes large enough at some localized region of the junction to quench the avalanche there. Under pulse biases, the product of the average pulse power times the square root of the delay time τD was essentially constant for τD as short as 1½ ns. However, the junction temperature at τD increased as τD decreased, and for very short τD the heating was highly nonuniform.
Analogical Medievalism and Transatlantic Races: A Response to Andrew Galloway

Aside from the reproof I feel at someone who, though trained outside my field, is so good at reading American poetry, Andrew Galloway's excursus on Bryant's The Prairies puts me in mind of an experience I had months ago while leading a study abroad trip in England. Taking us through a high saddle in the hills just north of Grasmere, our coach driver, David, pointed out to me an example of British architecture distinct from the survey of Georgian facades, Norman chapels, and Tudor manors to which he had been alerting us for weeks. "That," he said, pointing to a tiny concrete cube placed in the distant bracken, "is a pillbox built early in the war." Taking in the implications of the pillbox rather stunned me. Its placement this far north was owing to what had once seemed the real possibility that everything south of the Lake District—London, Manchester, Liverpool, Leeds—would even- tually fall to the Nazis, and that English civilization, then having relocated to Scotland and facing a final German push northward, would make its last stand here, at this geographically-strategic pass. This place, not far from where Emerson had once called to pay his respects to both Wordsworth and Coleridge, was to have been the site of England's last moment. The moment got to me, I will admit, in the perhaps lurid manner of a program on The History Channel; recollections of the Second World War as a defense of civilization itself now enjoy widespread currency in both the US and the UK, after all. Such historiographies share something with the historicist mode Galloway finds behind The Prairies, devising dramas of racial *Christopher Hanlon is an Associate Professor of English at Eastern Illinois University, where he teaches courses in antebellum US and transatlantic literature. His writing has appeared in journals such as American Literary History, American Literature, College Literature, and New Literary History.
Young children's adaptations to repeated separations from their mothers.

80 infants, toddlers, and preschoolers were observed before, during, and after separations from their mothers, who were attending conferences (M duration = 4 days). Half the sample was separated only once and the other half experienced 3 separations across a 6-month period. The study was designed: (a) to determine how separations affect children's behavior when there are no changes in the family constellation as there typically are during other separations, such as the birth of a new child, and (b) to determine the effects of repeated separations. Fewer changes in sleep and play behaviors suggested that this type of separation was less stressful than separations for the birth of another child. Nonetheless, the separations were still stressful, but principally for the single-separation group. In that group, changes were noted in both play and sleep behaviors. Following reunion, their sleep behaviors and more sophisticated play behaviors returned to baseline. However, activity level and the more insecure behaviors, such as wandering aimlessly, watching other children play, and interacting with their teachers, remained elevated following the mother's return. The multiple-separation group, in contrast, showed only 1 behavior change during their third separation, i.e., reduced interactions with their peers during the separation period, which returned to baseline following reunion. Repeated-measures analyses of the first and third separations of the multiple-separations group suggested that only the first separation was stressful. Thus, the infants and children in this study seemed to adapt to repeated separations.
Hc-QS-IS Correlations in Octahedral Iron Compounds

While Mossbauer studies of particular iron compounds have been very useful in illucidating theoretical questions, by determining the symmetry or the character of the electronic ground state, its contribution to the overall understanding of chemical bonding in iron compounds has been rather limited. Present theories of bonding in the first transition metal group have been developed mainly with the results of optical spectroscopy in mind, thus predicting energies of the electronic configurations. Mossbauer data, on the other hand, reflect the charge density distribution (isomer shift, IS, and quadrupole splitting, QS) or the details of the unpaired spin density (magnetic hyperfine interaction). Energy calculations are quite insensitive to significant modifications of the electronic charge density distribution in solids and it is not surprising that the results of such calculations do not contribute much to the interpretation of the Mossbauer data. Furthermore, bonding theories have been developed for the cases of extremely ionic and extremely co- valent compounds and no single theoretical model is available to cover the entire range of covalency and to be used for the interpretation of the experimental results. The situation appears to be such that theories which have been developed to account for the energetics of electronic levels have more or less exhausted the information available from optical spectroscopy and are awaiting for a different type of experimental information for further confirmation and refinement or possible rejection. Apart from energy calculations, good theoretical predictions are available for the free-ion unpaired spin density distribution, as reflected by the magnetic hyperfine interaction at the nucleous [l]. Some attempts have been published to allow for covalency effects, as reflected in the neutron magnetic form factor data [2]. A phenomenological analysis of the available experimental results for octahedral divalent iron compounds yields an empirical model which provides some guidance for futher theoretical investigation [3]. This work will be summarized here and extended to include low-spin iron compounds
Alternative Control Methodologies for Patrolling Assets With Unmanned Air Vehicles

We consider the problem of controlling a system of many Unmanned Air Vehicles (UAVs) whose mission is to patrol and protect a set of important assets on the ground. We present two widely differing methods, employing emergent intelligent swarms and closed-form optimization. The optimization approach assumes complete communication of all newly sensed information among all of the UAVs as it becomes available. The optimization problem is a network flow model that is readily solvable to obtain optimum task allocations to configure patrols for the UAVs in the swarm. Reapplication of the optimization algorithm upon demand yields the benefit of cooperative feedback control. The swarm procedure establishes patrol patterns by utilizing decentralized, reactive, behaviors. Global communication is unnecessary, and control is established only through passive sensors and minimal short-range radio communication. Both models have been implemented and successfully demonstrated in an agent-based, simulated environment. The strengths, weaknesses, and relative performance the two approaches are compared and discussed.
Liquidity Holding of Highly-Distressed Firms: Recent Financial Crisis and Changes in Default-Risk Factors

After the financial crisis in 2008, the negative abnormal stock price returns on the downgrade announcements with respect to the firms that eventually filed for Chapter 11 are no longer significant. Because the negative CARs for the firms that were within the same rating categories but did not file for bankruptcy during the same period remained significant, the result cannot simply be attributed to the change in the general perception of investors. Instead, the disappearing negative CARs for these “defaulting” firms may be explained by the shifts in relevant risk factors for those firms. Such shift is supported by the empirical test in this study showing that, after the crisis, the financial ratios used in Altman’s (1968) Z-model may no longer represent the characteristics unique to the firms filing bankruptcy. In particular, highly distressed firms in the post-recession era seem to have stronger propensity to maintain working capital.
Evolution and Mechanics of and Head Protection

The major focus of this chapter is two-fold: 1) to deliver a clear message that athletic injuries, including traumatic brain injury, are not simply accidents, but instead, they have definite patterns and distinct non-random and more or less predictable characteristics; and 2) to elaborate on current understanding of head protection by means of a scientific database approach to the mechanics of helmetry. It is the responsibility of athletes’ health care providers and sport clinicians to continually make adjustments to rules and protective devices in order to reach an optimal level of safe participation without changing the integrity of the game. These steps may ensure that protective devices are indeed performing as expected and not causing harm to athletes and to other participants.
Rectal swab testing before prostate biopsy: experience in a VA Medical Center urology practice.

Infectious complications following transrectal ultrasound prostate biopsy (TRUSBx) have been increasing. Pre-biopsy prophylaxis with fluoroquinolone (FQL) antibiotics is a recommended and accepted practice. Increasing emergence of FQL-resistant bacteria is believed to be related to the increase in infectious complications. We sought to determine the effect of targeted antibiotic prophylaxis (TAP) before TRUSBx on infectious complications in our practice. TAP was introduced in our practice in 2012. A retrospective analysis was performed analyzing infectious complications from TRUSBx before and after TAP was introduced. Two hundred forty-four patients underwent TRUSBx with TAP directed by bacterial antibiotic sensitivity identified on rectal swab. A group of two hundred sixty-four consecutive patients who underwent TRUSBx in our practice before introduction of TAP were chosen for comparison. Infectious complications were recorded and compared between groups. Prostate volume, PSA, number of biopsy cores, finding of prostate cancer, presence of diabetes, race and age were also compared. The infectious complication rate after TRUSBx in the pre-TAP group was 7/264 (2.65%), the rate in the TAP group was 1/244 (0.41%), a statistically significant difference (P=<0.05). There were no differences between groups in regards to prostate volume, number of prostate biopsy cores, race and presence of diabetes. The rectal swab group was younger (65.4±6.0) than the non-swab group (67.9±6.2), had higher PSA values, and a higher chance of prostate cancer on biopsy. The use of TAP based on rectal swab testing significantly lowered our infectious complication rate for TRUSBx. TAP is now adopted as standard practice before TRUSBx in our center. The younger age and higher chance of prostate cancer on biopsy in the rectal swab group, we believe, is due to implementation of recent guidelines directing urologists be more selective in recommending prostate biopsy to older men.