cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Epidermal Growth Factor in the Germinal Disc and Its Potential Role in Follicular Development in the Chicken

The germinal disc region (GDR; germinal disc + overlying granulosa cells) of the hen's ovarian follicle secretes one or more factors that stimulate proliferation of, and decrease progesterone (P4) production by, granulosa cells. Destruction of the GDR results in apoptosis and atresia of the follicle. These data suggested that the GDR produces a growth factor(s) to sustain the development of the follicle. These findings prompted us to investigate two questions: 1) Is epidermal growth factor (EGF) or transforming growth factor alpha (TGFalpha), which binds to the EGF receptor, present in the GDR? 2) Does EGF regulate granulosa cell functions in the hen? Immunocytochemistry revealed that EGF, but not TGFalpha, was present in the germinal disc of the four largest preovulatory follicles of the hen. TGFalpha was found only in the theca interna. To determine whether EGF regulates granulosa cell functions, granulosa layer explants (13 mm in diameter) from the second-largest preovulatory follicle were cultured for 36 h with 0,0.017, or 0.17 microM EGF. Proliferation, apoptosis, and P4 production of granulosa layer explants were then measured by using a colorimetric method for determining viable cell number, gel electrophoresis, and RIA, respectively. EGF regulates several functions of granulosa layer explants by stimulating proliferation, inhibiting apoptosis, and decreasing basal P4 production. These data indicate that EGF is present in the germinal disc and may be one of the factors that regulate follicular development in the hen.
A Passive Differential Termination and Signal Sensing Device for High-Speed (40 Gb/s) Test Applications

Differential input-ouput buffers are frequently utilized in high-speed communication systems. Often, a transmit buffer is connected to a 100-Ω differential receive buffer through a passive interconnect link with no means of verifying the true differential signal quality of the transmitter. Additionally, many electrical protocol specifications are defined assuming differential transmitter termination into 100 Ω with no common-mode reference. Commercially available, active probe test equipment can be cost prohibitive or have limited functionality due to unwanted parasitics inherent in the active devices. This paper describes a passive high-bandwidth 100-Ω differential termination device for characterizing high-speed differential buffers using standard test equipment.
Cadherins in Islet β-Cells: More Than Meets the Eye

In 1975, Orci et al. (1) reported that human islet cells contain specialized membrane domains that are compatible with the ultrastructural features of two types of intercellular junctions: tight junctions and gap junctions. Since then, numerous reports have demonstrated critical functions for these cell–cell junctional complexes in islet cells (2–8). Eventually, a number of proteins were identified that regulated cell aggregation, islet cell–type segregation, architectural organization within islets of Langerhans, and state of differentiation, cell growth, and hormone secretion (9–16). Hints that direct islet cell-to-islet cell interactions are required for proper insulin secretion were uncovered in the 1980s when it was observed that single (isolated) β-cells are unresponsive to glucose unless they are given the opportunity to reaggregate into small clusters (17). Even more interesting, it was observed that islet cell types harbor specific cell-to-cell recognition signatures that drive their reaggregation into organoids that have architectural organization indistinguishable from that of native islets (18). These earlier observations have inspired numerous investigations that have led to a more complete understanding of mechanisms regulating islet cell development, architectural organization, and function. In a time of considerable interest in the development of cell-based replacement therapies for diabetes, lessons learned over the past three decades on the function of cell adhesion molecules in islet cells harbor significant translational implications. Hence, promoting the function of select members of the cadherin and integrin families of adhesion receptors …
A conserved cluster of three PRD-class homeobox genes (homeobrain, rx and orthopedia) in the Cnidaria and Protostomia

Background Homeobox genes are a superclass of transcription factors with diverse developmental regulatory functions, which are found in plants, fungi and animals. In animals, several Antennapedia (ANTP)-class homeobox genes reside in extremely ancient gene clusters (for example, the Hox, ParaHox, and NKL clusters) and the evolution of these clusters has been implicated in the morphological diversification of animal bodyplans. By contrast, similarly ancient gene clusters have not been reported among the other classes of homeobox genes (that is, the LIM, POU, PRD and SIX classes).
Efficiency of protein transduction is cell type-dependent and is enhanced by dextran sulfate.

Protein transduction domains (PTDs), both naturally occurring and synthetic, have been increasingly utilized to deliver biologically active agents to a variety of cell types in vitro and in vivo. We report that in addition to previously characterized arginine-rich PTDs, including TAT, lysine homopolymers were able to mediate transduction of a wide variety of cell types, as measured by flow cytometric and enzymatic assays. The efficiency of PTD-mediated transduction was influenced by the cell type tested, although polylysine homopolymers demonstrate levels of internalization that consistently exceeded those of TAT and arginine homopolymers. Transduction of arginine/lysine-rich PTDs occurred at 4 °C and following depletion of cellular ATP pools, albeit generally at reduced levels. Although transduction was reduced in Chinese hamster ovary mutant lines deficient in either heparan sulfate or glycosaminoglycan synthesis, uptake was restored to wild-type levels by incubating target cells with dextran sulfate. The enhancement of transduction by dextran sulfate suggests that electrostatic interactions play an important first step in the process by which PTDs and their cargoes traverse the plasma membrane.
Edmondo De Amicis na América do Sul:Pátria e Identidade Italiana Fora dos Limites Nacionais

After being rediscovered in recent years by literary criticism for its vast production of travel literature, Edmondo De Amicis remains an understudied writer, remembered first and foremost as the writer of "the languid", as defined Carducci. However, the De Amicis sentimentality has not only constituted a commercial strategy for book sales, but was also an idealized design of civic pedagogy and needs, aiming to create a "countrywide cultural unity, in a newly unified country that still has a lot to do in terms of Italian identity. In 1884, De Amicis wrote "Sull'Oceano", a novel that chronicles the imaginary journey on the "North America" ship, leading Argentina to a series of conferences. The theme of travel is not new to De Amicis, who had written several travel journals in the 70s, including travels to Spain, the Netherlands, Morocco and Constantinople. The focus on the ocean shows that, as the title suggests, the "emphasis here is not the point of arrival, the host country, but the journey itself, the time of transition, the expected transition, giving voice to the experience of Italian immigrants as well as to all the Italians who lived during the post-unification period. This study presents a new analysis of "Sull'Oceano" in light of the Italian identity issues during the post-unification period and of discussions with other intellectuals of the time, such as Paolo Mantegazza, who also traveled to South America.
Massive replication of polymeric high-aspect-ratio microstructures using PDMS casting

This paper presents a rapid replication technique for polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) high aspect ratio microstructures (HARMs) and a pattern transfer technique for replication of metallic HARMs on other substrates (such as circuit containing substrates) using such replicated PDMS HARMs. A high aspect ratio metallic micromold insert, featuring a variety of test microstructures made of electroplated nickel, has been fabricated by the standard deep X-ray lithography (DXRL) process. Mixed pre-polymer PDMS with a curing agent has been cast onto the metallic micromold insert test patterns to create replicated polymeric HARMs. The replicated PDMS HARMs could be used to massively reproduce high aspect ratio metallic microstructures on other substrates using a pattern transfer technique. In order to demonstrate the concept, an experiment has been carried out to attach the replicated PDMS HARMs onto a silicon substrate which has pre-deposited photoresist and metallic seed layer. Electrodeposition has been carried out through the attached PDMS HARMs mold followed by the subsequent removal of the PDMS, resulting in high aspect ratio metallic microstructures on the silicon substrate. This technique could be used to massively reproduce metallic HARMs on circuit containing substrates to create 3-D integrated MEMS devices.
Active Learning with Gaussian Processes for Object Categorization

Discriminative methods for visual object category recognition are typically non-probabilistic, predicting class labels but not directly providing an estimate of uncertainty. Gaussian Processes (GPs) are powerful regression techniques with explicit uncertainty models; we show here how Gaussian Processes with covariance functions defined based on a Pyramid Match Kernel (PMK) can be used for probabilistic object category recognition. The uncertainty model provided by GPs offers confidence estimates at test points, and naturally allows for an active learning paradigm in which points are optimally selected for interactive labeling. We derive a novel active category learning method based on our probabilistic regression model, and show that a significant boost in classification performance is possible, especially when the amount of training data for a category is ultimately very small.
Lira: Lightweight, Region-aware Load Shedding in Mobile CQ Systems

To provide high-quality results for location-based, continual queries (CQs) in a mobile system, the query processor usually demands receiving frequent position updates from the mobile nodes. However, processing frequent updates often causes the query processor to become overloaded, under which updates must be dropped randomly, bringing down the query-result accuracy and negating the benefits of frequent updates. In this paper, we develop LIRA - a lightweight, region-aware load-shedding technique for preventively reducing the position-update load of a query processor, while maintaining high-quality query results. Instead of receiving too many updates and then randomly dropping some of them, LIRA uses a region-aware partitioning mechanism to identify the most beneficial shedding regions to cut down the position updates sent by the mobile nodes within those regions. Based on the densities of mobile nodes and queries in a region, LIRA judiciously applies different amounts of update reduction for different regions, aiming to minimize the negative impacts of load shedding on query-result accuracy. Experimental results show that LIRA is vastly superior to random update dropping and clearly outperforms other alternatives that do not possess region-aware load-shedding capabilities. Moreover, due to its lightweight nature, LIRA introduces very little overhead.
Oxygen and the upper limits to animal design and performance.

Mass-specific rates of aerobic metabolism VO2/Mb) scale in inverse proportion to body mass (Mb). Thus, small hummingbirds display the highest VO2/Mb known among vertebrates. Among all animals, higher VO2/Mb values are known only in flying insects. The high body-mass-specific rates of metabolism seen in hummingbirds are made possible by high lung O2 diffusing capacities, cardiac outputs, ratios of capillary surface area to muscle fiber surface area, mitochondrial volume densities, cristae surface densities and concentrations of enzymes involved in energy metabolism. Current evidence from control analyses of O2 transport through the respiratory and cardiovascular systems and of metabolic fluxes through pathways of energy metabolism indicates shared control of maximum flux rates among multiple steps (i.e. the absence of single rate-limiting steps). This supports the suggestion that functional capacities at each step in linear pathways or processes are matched to each other, and provides an explanation for why the up-regulation of functional capacities has occurred at virtually all steps in the evolution of the smallest vertebrate homeotherms. Flying insects make use of a tracheal system for O2 transport and, like hummingbirds, possess a highly up-regulated biochemical machinery for substrate oxidation. Studies of hummingbirds and honeybees reveal closer matches between biochemical flux capacities and maximum physiological flux rates than in animals capable of lower maximum VO2/Mb. It is proposed that the upper limits to functional capacities set the upper limit to VO2/Mb. This upper limit to aerobic metabolic rate may contribute, along with other factors, towards establishing the lower limit to vertebrate homeotherm size.
Patterns of change in symptom clusters with HIV disease progression.

Abstract Context With better antiretroviral treatments (ARTs), persons living with HIV (PLWH) are living longer, healthier lives. Therefore, they also experience more medical comorbidities that come with normal aging, as well as side effects of multiple treatments and long-term sequelae of HIV. It can be hard to know whether symptoms reported by PLWH are related to comorbidities or are signs of HIV disease progression and possible treatment failure. Objectives The current study was designed to disentangle these issues by examining within-person symptom changes in data collected from a cohort of PLWH before the advent of highly efficacious ART. Methods This study was a secondary analysis of symptom reports in longitudinal data collected from 246 PLWH in 1992–1994. Multilevel modeling was used to test for changes over time in HIV-related symptom clusters. Analyses also tested the effects of person-level demographic covariates and co-occurring mental health symptoms on HIV symptoms and examined the magnitude of within-person versus between-person variations in reported symptom severity. Results Two of six HIV-related symptom clusters, malaise/fatigue and nausea/vomiting, increased over time in the context of HIV disease progression, but the other four did not. Changes were independent of baseline disease severity or psychological covariates. There was substantial within-person variability in absolute symptom severity. Conclusion Relatively small but consistent changes in symptoms related to nausea or fatigue may suggest HIV disease progression, but changes in other HIV symptom clusters may instead be related to comorbidities or normal aging. Further research is recommended on symptom progression in PLWH.
Combination Drugs for Treating Obesity

Although obesity is a chronic disease like hypertension and diabetes, obesity is not treated with drug combinations as are other chronic diseases. This is because orlistat and sibutramine, the two drugs approved for long-term treatment of obesity, do not result in additive weight loss when combined. This article discusses the history of combination drug therapy for treating obesity, the lessons learned from that experience, and describes the drug combinations now in development. One combination of two standardized dietary herbal supplements that result in clinically significant weight loss is also described. Obesity is poised to enter the era of combination drug therapy, as is now the routine in the treatment of other chronic diseases like hypertension and diabetes. The advent of combination drug therapy for obesity treatment offers hope for increasing the efficacy of obesity pharmacotherapy.
A narrowband IIR digital filter with low sensitivity and roundoff noise

An efficient infinite-impulse response (IIR) structure is produced via spectral transformation of an appropriate finite-impulse response (FIR) prototype design. The filter specifications are prewarped to a halfband design by an allpass relationship to produce the efficient FIR prototype. The allpass coefficient is chosen to be exactly realizable with a small number of multiplier bits. Hence, the only coefficient quantization required is for the original FIR coefficients, which are relatively insensitive. The roundoff noise for fixed-point implementations is also quite low compared with conventional IIR designs. Scaling for overflow can be avoided completely, or, to save multipliers, a simple scale factor can be employed.
Thermodynamic properties of silicides. III. Specific energy of combustion in fluorine of a hyperstoichiometric molybdenum disilicide. The standard molar enthalpy of formation ΔfHom of MoSi2.067±0.002 at the temperature 298.15 K

Abstract Calorimetric measurements of the specific energy of combustion in fluorine of a thoroughly analyzed sample of MoSi 2.067±0.002 according to the reaction: MoSi 2.067 (cr)+7.134F 2 (g) = MoF 6 (g)+2.067SiF 4 (g), gave the result Δ c u o = -(30824±7) J·g -1 . The derived standard molar enthalpy of formation Δ f H o m (MoSi 2.067 ) at T = 298.15 K and p o = 101.325 kPa is -(140.5±4.2) kJ·mol -1 , and from it Δ f H o m (MoSi 2 , 298.15 K) and the standard molar Gibbs free energy of formation Δ f G o m (MoSi 2 , 298.15 K) are estimated to be -(137.1±4.5) kJ·mol -1 and -(136.2±4.5) kJ·mol -1 , respectively. Those quantities are compared with the values for Δ f H o m and Δ f G o m of MoSi 2 determined in previous investigations.
Computing stress tests for gate-oxide shorts

Reliability screens are used to reduce infant mortality. The quality of the stress test set used during the screening process has a direct bearing on the effectiveness of the screen. We present a formal study of the problem of computing good quality stress tests for gate-oxide shorts which is the cause of much of the reliability problems. A method to compute stress test which is better than the popular method of using I/sub DDQ/ vectors is presented.
A Study of the Control of Micro Air Vehicles Using the Linear Dynamic Inverse Approach

Results are presented from an initia l investigation that considers the control of a 9 -inch ducted fan driven micro air vehicle (MAV) during hover, with application of the linear dynamic inverse (DI) approach for implementation. A linear state space model based upon actual wind tunnel test da ta representing the hover mode is analyzed using the DI technique. The analysis shows that DI performs well with respect to stability, gain/phase margins, damping characteristics, and actuator saturation limits with 20 percent deviations in structured para meters and random model changes. A future investigation will include the performance of the MAV using the nonlinear dynamic inverse (NDI) technique for the full flight envelope, without any special consideration of a linearized operating point as done in t he present analysis.
Certainty of Arrest and Crime Rates: A Further Test of the Deterrence Hypothesis

Data concerning certainty of arrest and crime are analyzed for cities and counties in the state of Florida. The results support a deterrent argument but suggest that certainty of punishment must reach a critical level before an effect on crime rate can be observed. It is argued that contemporary theories of deviance would profit from inclusion of deterrence ideas. Social scientists have compiled much evidence on the question whether sanctions or the threat of sanctions deter rule-breaking. Recent data suggest that sanctions. do have some impact in producing conformity to norms but that this effect varies with the certainty or perceived certainty with which the sanctions are applied, the type of norm in question, characteristics This content downloaded from 207.46.13.159 on Sat, 22 Oct 2016 04:46:46 UTC All use subject to http://about.jstor.org/terms 456 / SOCIAL FORCES / vol. 52, june 1974 of the potential rule breakers, and characteristics of the sanctions, as well as with the strength of other variables such as moral or normative commitments that obtain in a given situation (see Tittle and Logan, 1973, for a comprehensive review of the evidence). Among the variables affecting the degree of deterrence, one of the most important appears to be the certainty with which sanctions are imposed. Several studies have suggested that the probability or perceived probability of punishment for nonconformity is a key determinant of behavior (Chiricos and Waldo, 1970; Clark, 1969; Jensen, 1969; Logan, 1971a, 1972; Ross et al., 1970; Tittle, 1969; Tittle and Rowe, 1973; Waldo and Chiricos, 1972). It has also been suggested that the probability of punishment must reach a critical but unknown level before a deterrent effect is possible and that reaching this tip level is a condition for other sanction characteristics to influence degree of conformity (Tittle, 1969). This article reports a further test of the deterrent hypothesis as it concerns certainty of punishment, and attempts to identify the tip point at which certainty of punishment becomes associated with decreasing crime rates.
Envy Across Adulthood: The What and the Who

Two studies assessed envy across adulthood. Study 1 (n = 987) examined subjects’ experiences of feeling envy. Study 2 (n = 843) examined being the target of another's envy. Envy primarily occurred between same-gender and similarly aged others. Fewer older adults reported envy incidents. Envy was reported in both distant and close relationships. Both studies found that the likelihood of envying certain domains shifted across the life span: scholastic success, social success, looks, and romantic success were less envied with age, whereas money was more envied with age. Envy in some domains (luck, overall better life) was fairly consistent across the life span.
Derivation of Hamiltonian mechanics from determinism and reversibility

We put forth the idea that Hamilton's equations coincide with deterministic and reversible evolution. We explore the idea from five different perspectives (mathematics, measurements, thermodynamics, information theory and state mapping) and we show how they in the end coincide. We concentrate on a single degree of freedom at first, then generalize. We also discuss possible philosophical reasons why the laws of physics can only describe such processes, even if others must exist.
The Expectations Hypothesis of the Term Structure of Bond Yields: Results from the VAR Test

This paper tests the expectations hypothesis (EH) with the data used in Campbell and Shiller's (1991) seminal work on the EH using a Lagrange multiplier test developed recently by Bekaert and Hodrick (2001). This test is applied under the assumption that interest rates are integrated of order one, I(1), as in Campbell and Shiller (1987), and under the assumption that interest rates are stationary. We also extend the literature beyond the bivariate comparisons of long-term and short-term rates which dominates the EH testing literature. Consistent with the findings of Campbell and Shiller (1991), the EH is rejected at the short end of the maturity spectrum but not at the longer end. However, the EH is rejected at the longer end of the term structure when more than two rates are considered. We also find that the frequently used practice of calculating the ratio of the variance of the forecasted long-term rate (or rate spread) under the EH to the observed variance is not useful for assessing the validity of the EH.
The Legacy of the Italian Resistance

This is an ambitious book that investigates the role and status of the Resistance movement in postwar Italy while also engaging the broader intractable question of the public use of history. Chrono...
Causes of ocean currents

In the foregoing analysis of the ocean and the atmosphere as two interacting subsystems, we have identified two major energy inputs into the ocean. These are the wind stress over the sea surface and heat fluxes in the form of latent heat, conductivity and solar radiation. Is it possible to tell in advance which of the two factors — heat or wind — is mostly responsible for inducing the movements that occur in the ocean? Analogously to the atmosphere, one might be tempted to assume that masses of sea water move under the effect of temperature gradients. But then the atmosphere is heated from below, whereas the sea is heated from above — and we know from our everyday experience that the best way of heating a volume of air (or water) is from below.
A Segmented Free-wing Concept for UAS Gust Alleviation in Adverse Environments

High altitude, long endurance (HALE) aircraft typically feature large wing spans and have very low wing loadings resulting in sensitivit y to turbulence. While turbulence is typically quite low in the stratosphere where HALE aircraft typically operate, even high altitude aircraft must transition through the lower atmosphere during takeoff and landing operations. Sensitivity to turbulence may restrict the weather conditions under which HALE aircraft can be launched or retrieved. A co mpounding consideration for HALE aircraft is that because of their large wing spans, their wings may be longer than the length scale of the turbulence. This means that different portions of the aircraft’s wings will see different aerodynamic conditions and will result in significant additional structural loads on the wing structure. Alleviating the aircraft’s res ponse to time varying gust fields as well as spatially varying gust fields is thus important for HALE aircraft. One promising technology for gust alleviation is the free-wing. A free-wing design allows the wing to adjust itself in pitch about a spanwise axis in response to aerodyna mic loads rather than being rigidly attached to the aircraft fuselage. Free-wings hist orically have shown the ability to reduce an airplane’s response to turbulence. An extension o f the concept proposed here is called a segmented free-wing. A segmented free-wing differs from the conventional free-wing by sectioning the wings into separate, independent seg ments. This method provides a greater reduction in turbulence response than both the stan dard free-wing and the fixed wing. This paper presents a conceptual design of such a planfo rm along with a study of its stability characteristic. Experimental tests of the concept s howed a divergent oscillatory mode that appears with increasing velocity. The experimental results were duplicated using a theoretical computer model. This model was then used to investigate the issue more thoroughly and explain its origin.
SPICE Circuit Modeling of PMA Spin Wave Bus Excited Using Magnetoelectric Effect

We propose a formalism of a compact model for circuit simulations of spin wave interconnects. The developed SPICE Spin Wave model is based on the theory of numerical micromagnetics, and serves as a building block for a hierarchical circuit simulation tool for spintronic circuits and systems. We demonstrate excellent agreement between the SPICE model simulations and full micromagnetic solver results. We also present a scheme of exciting spin waves in spin wave bus having perpendicular magnetic anisotropy. Spin waves are excited with an oscillating change of magnetocrystalline anisotropy in a magnetoelectric cell. We use our proposed SPICE model to analyze this structure: determine the length of spin wave attenuation, delay in the bus, and the dependence of amplitude on the change of anisotropy.
Study on An New Non-thermal Pasteurization Technique for Liquid Foods

A new non-thermal pasteurization technique using non-thermal plasma (NTP) was investigated. This study showed that NTP was capable of killing foodborne pathogens, such as Escherichia coli, in liquids such as water, apple cider, and orange juice. Five logs reduction in the bacteria counts was achieved under the experimental conditions. At or above plasma ignition voltages, the NTP bactericidal effect varied with different treatment time and volumes. The characteristics of sample materials also affected the treatment. Vitamin C loss was substantially reduced with the treatment compared with other methods.
Marketing the virtual library

During the last decade, there have been significant changes in higher education, particularly in the emergence of distance education and the 24/7- access mantra (24 hours a day, seven days a week). This, in turn, has had a continuing impact upon efforts to reconceptualize what an academic library is and what it does. Not surprisingly, academic libraries face a number of critical issues, including increased costs of resources, expansion of traditional services, increased competition from other information vendors, and the impact of new technologies. Although these issues appear as threats, they are opportunities for libraries to design their own future (Denham, 1995).In the near future, academic libraries will remain a vital resource for faculty, students, and staff. While it is easy for academic libraries to become complacent about their status within a university since there is no competition on campus, successful marketing programs can enhance visibility, create understanding about the value of the library, and shape public perception of the scope of its resources and services (Gomez, 2001). This chapter will briefly look at marketing issues in academic libraries, how those issues were dealt with in marketing the Virtual Library, and where marketing for academic libraries may be going in the future as the physical and virtual worlds shift, meld, and merge.
Body stalk anomaly : congenital absence of the umbilical cord

On ultrasound examination, a 20-year-old pregnant woman was found to have a fetus with a large ventral abdominal wall defect diagnosed as a fetal omphalocele. The neonate was delivered by cesarean; the abdominal viscera including liver, stomach, spleen, pancreas, intestine, and uterus were contained in an extraembryonic sac directly attached to the placenta without an umbilical cord. Body stalk anomaly (also known as absence of the umbilical cord syndrome) is a fatal condition resulting from maldevelopment of embryonic body folding and is associated with multiple congenital defects. Prenatal ultrasonographic recognition of the absence of an umbilical cord and direct apposition of the membranous sac to the amniochorionic membrane would permit early termination of pregnancy or avoidance of operative intervention.
Order–disorder transition in thin films of horizontally-oriented cylinder-forming block copolymers: thermal fluctuations vs. preferential wetting

We present experimental and theoretical investigations of the order-disorder transition (ODT) in thin films of cylinder-forming diblock copolymers with asymmetric wetting conditions. Grazing incidence small-angle X-ray scattering (GISAXS) was implemented to determine the ODT temperatures (TODT) for poly(styrene-b-2-vinyl pyridine) (PS-P2VP) block copolymer thin films on a P2VP-preferential silicon substrate. Specifically, films consisting of multilayers of horizontally-oriented cylindrical structures (from 1- to 9-layers) were tested. We find that films with more than 2 cylindrical layers have a TODT comparable to the bulk case. However, TODT decreases as the film becomes thinner and the monolayer system has an ODT 30 °C below the bulk. Using self-consistent field theory (SCFT), we studied the ordering in corresponding thin films with asymmetric (top and bottom surface) wetting conditions. Surprisingly, SCFT is found to predict an opposite trend in TODT with film thickness than observed experimentally. Field-theoretic simulations with complex Langevin sampling were employed to resolve this discrepancy and demonstrate that thermal fluctuations in the PS-P2VP thin-film system dominate its ordering behavior in monolayer and bilayer films.
Astronomy During the Roman Imperial Period and Late Antiquity

The period between Hipparchus and Ptolemy probably saw a great deal of astronomical activity, directed at the computation of lunar and planetary positions. The period of ingenious mathematical models of the Eudoxan type and of “pythagorean” speculations definitely came to a close while the enormous spread of astrological practices created an ever increasing need for numerical tables. Even today the scattered fragments of papyri clearly reflect this process (cf. for horoscopes Fig. 1 and for tables the chronological list below). On the other hand Ptolemy does not quote a single observation from the two centuries between Hipparchus and Menelaus (cf. V B 1 Fig. 16, p. 1375). It seems as if no serious theoretical progress was made during this period, except, of course, the creation of spherical trigonometry by Menelaus and, to a lesser degree, the mathematical geography of Marinus.1 Two other names on our list, Vitruvius and Heron, can be associated with competent theoretical discussions on spherical astronomy 2 but this hardly reflects progressive work of their own.
School Psychology--More Than the Sum of Its Parts: Legends on Journeys through Time.

(2000). School Psychology—More than the Sum of Its Parts: Legends on Journeys Through Time. School Psychology Review: Vol. 29, No. 1, pp. 120-137.
Investigating Human Mate Choice Using the Want Ads

Publisher Summary The purpose of this chapter is to investigate human mating choices. Research on human mating choice suggests that some human mating behaviors are not culturally bound; in fact, they transcend geographical, racial, and economic boundaries. There are some worldwide trends in human mating behavior that seem to correspond to survival problems that we have faced in our evolutionary past. The following is an incomplete list: Men prefer to mate with younger women but women prefer to mate with older men; men are more interested in short-term mating than are women; men value physical attractiveness in a mate more than women do. Men may prefer younger women because they have a higher reproductive potential than older women, and women may prefer older men because they have more resources for offspring. Women generally prefer men with either good financial resources or high social standing (because a man's ability to provide resources for her offspring is positively related to his social status).
Data Representation and Situation Recognition Operators

The translation of the S2S (situation-to-source) models onto applications requires computational support. As discussed in Chap. 1, this requires development of newer tools and techniques which can unify data, maintain spatial semantics, and support real-time analysis. Here we discuss the data representation proposed to combine different data streams and operators designed to support analysis of these streams into situation descriptors.
Utility-Guided Palpation for Locating Tissue Abnormalities

Palpation is a key diagnostic aid for physicians when looking for tissue abnormalities. This letter focuses on autonomous robotic palpation for locating regions of interest representing possible tumor locations or underlying anatomy (e.g., a hidden artery). Many approaches direct the robot to exhaustively palpate the entire organ. To reduce exploration time, we define a utility function to guide the search to palpate likely regions of interest and update this function as the new palpation data are collected. The search approach, presented in this letter, incorporates prior information from preoperative images, which can provide an estimate for the location of suspicious sites, thereby reducing unnecessary manipulation and exploration of the organ. To generate search trajectories that encode a coverage goal and locate all regions of interest, two planners are adapted. The first planner is based on ergodic coverage and the second planner is based on Bayesian optimization algorithm (BOA). Both planners are evaluated via simulation and experimentally to elucidate their strengths and weaknesses. The results demonstrate a higher efficacy of the BOA planner in detecting all regions of interest while avoiding exhaustive palpation scan of the organ.
The Qinghua “Jinteng” Manuscript: What it Does Not Tell Us about the Duke of Zhou

This study suggests that the so-called “Jinteng” manuscript held by Qinghua University should be read independently of its received counterpart. When read on its own terms, the manuscript provides a straightforward account of rituals surrounding the Duke of Zhou’s ascension to the throne after the demise of King Wu. As such it represents a continuation of King Wu’s abdication in favor of his meritorious brother, as recorded in the Yi Zhou shu . Read in this light, the fourth century BCE manuscript provides further evidence for the prominence of abdication doctrines during the Warring States period, an intellectual tradition that was deemed subversive in the early empire and became gradually obliterated over the course of the Qin-Han dynasties. Cet article propose de lire le manuscrit dit “Jinteng” conserve a l’universite Qinghua independamment des textes recus qui lui correspondent. Considere par lui-meme, le manuscrit offre une relation claire des rituels ayant entoure l’accession au trone du duc de Zhou apres la mort du roi Wu. De ce fait, il represente le prolongement de l’abdication du roi Wu en faveur de son vertueux frere telle qu’elle est relatee dans le Yi Zhou shu . Considere sous cet angle, ce manuscrit du IVe siecle avant notre ere offre de nouveaux arguments en faveur de l’importance des doctrines sur l’abdication a l’epoque des Royaumes Combattants, alors que cette tradition intellectuelle etait consideree comme subversive au debut de l’empire et qu’elle est progressivement tombee dans l’oubli sous les Qin et les Han.
Identifying Mechanisms of Glucocorticoid Resistance in Relapsed Pediatric T-ALL

While great strides have been made in the improvement of outcome for newly diagnosed pediatric acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) patients, prognosis for relapsed leukemia patients remains poor. The synthetic glucocorticoid (GC) dexamethasone is part of the standard treatment for pediatric ALL and patient response to glucocorticoid treatment has proved to be a reliable prognostic indicator. Identifying the biological pathways responsible for glucocorticoid resistance may reveal novel therapeutic targets to prevent and treat relapsed ALL. Although genomic analyses of relapsed patients and matched diagnosis-relapse patient pairs have begun to define the genomic landscape of relapsed disease, discerning "driver from passenger" genetic lesions remains challenging. To identify glucocorticoid resistance genes in an unbiased, high-throughput manner, we conducted a genome wide, survival based, shRNA screen in dexamethasone sensitive murine T-ALL cells. Our preliminary data identify several hundred genes capable of mediating GC resistance, including several known GC resistance genes Nr3c1, Rcan1, Btg1 and Mllt10, thereby validating our experimental approach. Candidate genes identified in the screen including EP300 (p300), GATA3 and IKZF1 are known leukemia suppressors in pediatric ALL and the EP300 paralog CREBBP and IKAROS have been linked to GC resistance, indicating that suppressor genes involved in human leukemia and GC resistance are identified in our mouse screen. Consistently, we found the expression of several screen hits significantly decreased and/or mutated in relapse patient samples. Novel dexamethasone resistance genes identified in the screen interfere with GC-induced transcription (Stat3, Ikzf1), promote pluripotency (Esrrb, Sox2) or stimulate cAMP signaling (Adcy3, Gnas, Creb1). Silencing of these genes in multiple mouse T-ALL cell lines has no detectable effects on leukemic growth/survival in vitro, but confers resistance to dexamethasone treatment in vitro and in vivo. Moreover, we show that silencing of some candidate dexamethasone resistance genes accelerates leukemogenesis in vivo, demonstrating that leukemia suppressor genes were identified. Effect(s) of silencing or inhibiting these novel dexamethasone resistance genes/pathways in human T-ALL cell lines, primary patient samples and xenografts will be discussed. We predict that targeting these dexamethasone resistance pathways may re-sensitize relapse pediatric T-ALL cells to dexamethasone and/or contribute to more effective patient stratification to prevent relapse and induction failure. Disclosures No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
Evaluating the role of coherent delocalized phonon-like modes in DNA cyclization.

The innate flexibility of a DNA sequence is quantified by the Jacobson-Stockmayer’s J-factor, which measures the propensity for DNA loop formation. Recent studies of ultra-short DNA sequences revealed a discrepancy of up to six orders of magnitude between experimentally measured and theoretically predicted J-factors. These large differences suggest that, in addition to the elastic moduli of the double helix, other factors contribute to loop formation. Here, we develop a new theoretical model that explores how coherent delocalized phonon-like modes in DNA provide single-stranded ”flexible hinges” to assist in loop formation. We combine the Czapla-Swigon-Olson structural model of DNA with our extended Peyrard-Bishop-Dauxois model and, without changing any of the parameters of the two models, apply this new computational framework to 86 experimentally characterized DNA sequences. Our results demonstrate that the new computational framework can predict J-factors within an order of magnitude of experimental measurements for most ultra-short DNA sequences, while continuing to accurately describe the J-factors of longer sequences. Further, we demonstrate that our computational framework can be used to describe the cyclization of DNA sequences that contain a base pair mismatch. Overall, our results support the conclusion that coherent delocalized phonon-like modes play an important role in DNA cyclization.
Measurement of dark adaptometry during ISCEV standard flash electroretinography.

Dark adaptometry (DA) is a sensitive test for diagnosis of retinal disease. Patients requiring flash electroretinograms (ERGs) benefit from DA for proper diagnosis. Our purpose was to develop a DA test to be administered during the 20-min dark adaptation period of the flash ERG ( www.iscev.org ) using alternating red and blue stimuli to bias responses in favor of cones (red) and rods (blue). An ERG Ganzfeld was used to measure DA in 21 normal subjects and 21 patients with retinal disease. Subjects underwent 75 s of preadaptation followed by 20 min of DA using an adaptive staircase to detect alternating flashes of red and blue light. Normative red and blue DA was compared to patients at the 10-min midpoint and 20-min final threshold. At 15 min, normals and patients showed asymptotic plateaus; hence, final thresholds were achieved within 15 min for parameters of this study. In RP and allied conditions (n = 11), 100% showed significantly elevated blue DA thresholds (> 2SD above normal) at 10 and 20 min. In cone diseases, 80% showed abnormal red DA at 10 min and 30% at 20 min, indicating that delayed adaptation is more typical of cone disease. Two-color DA is expediently measured during the DA phase of ERGs providing clinical data which separate rod and cone dysfunction critical for accurate diagnosis of various retinal diseases. It provides an additional benchmark for monitoring function over time and invaluable guidance for patients functioning in dimly lit settings.
New bioactive glass scaffolds with exceptional qualities for bone tissue regeneration: response of osteoblasts and osteoclasts

Tissue regeneration is a significantly improved alternative to tissue replacement by implants. It requires porous bioscaffolds for the restoration of natural tissue rather than relying on bio-inactive, often metallic implants. Recently, we developed technology for fabricating novel, nano-macroporous bioactive 'tailored amorphous multi-porous (TAMP)' hard tissue scaffolds using a 70 mol% SiO2-30 mol% CaO model composition. The TAMP silicate scaffolds, fabricated by a modified sol-gel process, have shown excellent biocompatibility via the rapid formation of hydroxyapatite in biological fluids as well as in early tests with bone forming cells. Here we report an in depth investigation of the response of MC3T3-E1 pre-osteoblast cells and bone marrow derived (BMD) osteoclasts to these TAMP scaffolds. Light and electron microscopic imaging, gene and protein expression, and enzyme activity analyses demonstrate that MC3T3-E1 pre-osteoblasts adhere, proliferate, colonize, and differentiate on and inside the bioactive TAMP scaffolds. Additionally, BMD precursor cells mature into active osteoclasts and remodel the scaffold, highlighting the exceptional qualities of this novel scaffold material for bone tissue regeneration.
Simultaneous measurement of glutamate, glutamine, GABA, and glutathione by spectral editing without subtraction.

Purpose To simultaneously measure glutamate, glutamine, γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA), and glutathione using spectral editing without subtraction at 7T. Methods A novel spectral editing approach was proposed to simultaneously measure glutamate, glutamine, GABA, and glutathione using a TE of 56 ms at 7T. By numerical optimization of sequence timing in the presence of an editing pulse, the 4 metabolites all form relatively intense pseudo singlets with maximized peak amplitudes and minimized peak linewidths in 1 of the 3 interleaved spectra. For measuring glutamate, glutamine, and glutathione, the editing pulse targets the H3 protons of these metabolites near 2.12 parts per million. Both GABA H2 and H4 resonances are fully utilized in spectral fitting. Results Concentration levels (/[total creatine]) of glutamate, glutamine, GABA, and glutathione from an 8 mL voxel in the pregenual anterior cingulate cortex of 5 healthy volunteers were found to be 1.26 ± 0.13, 0.33 ± 0.06, 0.13 ± 0.03, and 0.27 ± 0.03, respectively, with within-subject coefficient of variation at 3.2%, 8.2%, 7.1%, and 10.2%, respectively. The total scan time was less than 4.5 min. Conclusions The proposed new technique does not require data subtraction. The 3 major metabolites of the glutamatergic and GABAergic systems and the oxidative stress marker glutathione were all measured in 1 short scan with high precision.
A Functional Optimization Based Approach for Continuous 3D Retargeted Touch of Arbitrary, Complex Boundaries in Haptic Virtual Reality

Passive or actuated physical props can provide haptic feedback, leading to a satisfying sense of presence and realism in virtual reality. However, the mismatch between the physical and virtual surfaces (boundaries) can diminish user experience. Haptic retargeting can overcome this limitation by utilizing visio-haptic effects. Previous investigations in haptic retargeting have focused on methods for point based position retargeting and techniques for remapping 2D shapes or simple 3D shape changes. Our approach extends haptic retargeting to complex, arbitrary shapes that provide a continuous mapping across all points on a boundary. This new approach also allows for multi-finger interaction. We describe a functional optimization to find the ideal spatial warping function with different goals: a maximum mapping smoothness, a minimum mismatch between the real and virtual world, or the combination of the two. We report on a preliminary user study of different optimization goals and elaborate potential applications through a set of demonstrations.
Classical Liberalism and Sociology

Democracy's Discontent: America in Search of a Public Philosophy. Michael Sandel. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1996. 417 pp., $25.00, cloth. Habits of the Heart: Individualism and Commitment in American Life. Robert Bellah, Richard Madsen, William Sullivan, Ann Swidler, Steven Tipton. Updated Edition. Berkeley: University of California Press, 1996. 335 pp., $13.95, paper. Between Facts and Norms: Contributions to a Discourse Theory of Law and Democracy. Jiirgen Habermas. Translated by William Rehg. Cambridge, MA: The MIT Press, 1996. 631 pp., $40.00, cloth.