cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Comparative Microarray Analysis of Gene Expression During Activation of Human Peripheral Blood T Cells and Leukemic Jurkat T Cells

Activation of T cells involves a complex cascade of signal transduction pathways linking T-cell receptor engagement at the cell membrane to the transcription of multiple genes within the nucleus. The T-cell leukemia-derived cell line Jurkat has generally been used as a model system for the activation of T cells. However, genome-wide comprehensive studies investigating the activation status, and thus the appropriateness, of this cell line for this purpose have not been performed. We sought to compare the transcriptional profiles of phenotypically purified human CD2(+) T cells with those of Jurkat T cells during T-cell activation, using cDNA microarrays containing 6912 genes. About 300 genes were up-regulated by more than 2-fold during activation of both peripheral blood (PB) T cells and Jurkat T cells. The number of down-regulated genes was significantly lower than that of up-regulated genes. Only 79 genes in PB T cells and 37 genes in Jurkat T cells were down-regulated by more than 2-fold during activation. Comparison of gene expression during activation of Jurkat and PB T cells revealed a common set of genes that were up-regulated, such as Rho GTPase-activating protein 1, SKP2, CDC25A, T-cell specific transcription factor 7, cytoskeletal proteins, and signaling molecules. Genes that were commonly down-regulated in both PB T cells and Jurkat T cells included CDK inhibitors (p16, p19, p27), proapoptotic caspases, and the transcription factors c-fos and jun-B. After activation, 71 genes in PB T cells and only 3 genes in Jurkat T cells were up-regulated 4-fold or more. Of these up-regulated genes and expressed sequence tags, 44 were constitutively expressed at high levels in nonactivated Jurkat cells. Quantitative real-time RT-PCR analysis confirmed our microarray data. Our findings indicate that although there is significant overlap in the activation-associated transcriptional profiles in PB T cells compared with Jurkat T cells, there is a subset of genes showing differential expression patterns during the activation of the two cell types.
Heavy Traffic Response Times for a Priority Queue with Linear Priorities

This paper analyzes a queueing system consisting of a single server which dispenses service to jobs of K â�� 1 priority classes. Jobs are assumed to arrive to the queue according to a Poisson point process with a class dependent rate and to have class dependent service demands that are generally distributed. A linear priority function of the time spent in the system is specified for each job class and is used to schedule jobs. Specifically, the server, when available for service, nonpreemptively selects the job having the highest priority value to be the next job scheduled. Previous work in analyzing a system of this type has concentrated on providing bounds on the expected class response time. We extend these results by providing a closed form expression for the mean class response time and an expression for the ratio of expected response times in the limiting case of heavy traffic. We also provide a closed form expression for the mean class response time under certain light load conditions.
On concomitant gradients in low-field MRI.

Abstract Growing interest in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) at ultra-low magnetic fields (ULF, ∼μT fields) has been motivated by several advantages over its counterparts at higher magnetic fields. These include narrow line widths, the possibility of novel imaging schemes, reduced imaging artifacts from susceptibility variations within a sample, and reduced system cost and complexity. In addition, ULF NMR/MRI with superconducting quantum interference devices is compatible with simultaneous measurements of biomagnetic signals, a capability conventional systems cannot offer. Acquisition of MRI at ULF must, however, account for concomitant gradients that would otherwise result in severe image distortions. In this paper, we introduce the general theoretical framework that describes concomitant gradients, explain why such gradients are more problematic at low field, and present possible approaches to correct for these unavoidable gradients in the context of a non-slice-selective MRI protocol.
Characteristics of Generalized Anxiety Disorder in older adults: A descriptive study

Despite the prevalence of Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) in older adults, little is known about psychopathological features of excessive worry in the elderly. This investigation compared 44 GAD patients (x age 67.6), diagnosed using structured interview, with a matched sample free of psychiatric disorders on self-report and clinician measures. Results indicated that GAD in the elderly is associated with elevated anxiety, worry, social fears, and depression. Using self-report measures alone, near-perfect classification of Ss into groups was achieved with four measures (PSWQ, WS-Soc, FQ-Soc, and BDI). Using clinician ratings, near-perfect classification was achieved with Hamilton anxiety ratings. Comparison of GAD patients whose symptoms began in childhood vs middle adulthood revealed few differences on these dimensions. Results are discussed in light of features of GAD in the elderly, highlighting implications for further study.
Changes with age in the morphology of the cochlear nerve in rats: light microscopy.

Cochlear nerve morphology was examined in a series of rats ranging in age from young adulthood to advanced age in order to assess the extent of fiber loss and the nature of degenerative changes with age. The animals were perfused via the aorta with mixed aldehydes. Blocks including the cochlear nerves were removed, embedded in Araldite, and sectioned in a plane transverse to the longitudinal axis of the nerve. Analysis of the material included counts of normal and degenerating fibers and of glial cells, maps of fiber packing densities, and measurements of the cross-sectional area of the nerve. The median number of normal fibers in the young adult animals (2-3 months) was 21,218. This number was reduced by 21% at 26.5 months and by 24% in the oldest group (35-36 months). The number of degenerating myelin sheaths was first seen to be significantly increased at 6 months, reached a peak at 26.5 months, and declined at 35-36 months. There was an age-related increase in the cross-sectional area of the nerve, amounting to about 60% at 26.5 months and to about 50% at 35–36 months. Fiber packing density decreased evenly with age over the area of the nerve. The increased cross-sectional area and decreased fiber packing density appeared to be related to increases in the thickness of myelin sheaths and in the area occupied by interneural elements.
Crude protein and nitrate concentrations of fall forage for stocker cattle: wheat vs. perennial cool-season grasses.

Winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) pastures are a primary source of cool-season forage used by stocker cattle (Bos taurus L.) in the southern Great Plains. Replacing some wheat pasture with perennial cool-season grasses (PCSGs) could reduce uncertainties of sufficient fall forage and annual tillage operations. Wheat forage is capable of producing stocker weight gains >1.4 kg d -1 , but wheat can accumulate nitrate that poses a health risk to stockers. Levels of crude protein (CP) and nitrate in fall forage clipped 4 yr (2002-2005), from replicated pastures of winter wheat and two PCSG pastures established in 2001 ('Jose' tall wheatgrass [Thinopyrum ponticum (Podp.) Z.-W. Liu & R.-C. Wang], 'Manska' intermediate wheatgrass [Thinopyrum intermedium (Host) Barkworth & D.R. Dewey], and one PCSG pasture established in 2002 ['Lincoln' smooth bromegrass (Bromus inermis Leyss)], were compared. Forage levels of CP in PCSGs were >148 g kg -1 dry wt., but were 21 to 37% less than that of wheat (244 ± 3 g kg -1 ). Mean nitrate-N levels of wheat were 400, 1400, 4600, and 840 mg kg -1 in 2002 through 2005, respectively. Among the PCSGs, nitrate-N did not exceed 660 mg kg -1 . The CP levels of PCSGs were often substantially less than that of wheat, but were sufficient for growth of stocker calves. Nitrate risks that sometimes occurred with wheat would make PCSGs a safer choice for pasture.
Interband scattering in a slow light photonic crystal waveguide under electro-optic tuning

The evolution of the transmission spectrum of a photonic crystal waveguide under electro-optic tuning was studied in the band of an odd TE-like mode. The spectral signature of the interband scattering from the TM-like mode to the odd TE-like mode was characterized at various bias levels. The shift of the odd-mode band was determined based on a statistical approach to overcome the spectral noise. Simulations were performed to explain the spectral shift based on electro-optic and thermo-optic effects in the active photonic crystal structures. Potential impact of interband scattering on indirect interband-transition-based optical isolators is discussed and potential remedies are offered.
Enabling code adaptation for non-programmers

To help end-users utilize these resources we propose a software solution to assist in thiscode adaptation process. Our goal is to support this process without requiring end-user programming experience by leveraging the intuitive connection between the timing of graphical program output and executing code.
A Review of Environmental Factors Affecting Elk Winter Diets

Abstract Decades of research have produced substantial data on elk (Cervus elaphus) diets in winter, when foraging conditions are most likely to affect population dynamics. Using data from 72 studies conducted in western North America between 1938 and 2002, we collated data on elk diets and environmental variables. We used these data to quantify diet selection by elk and to test whether variation in elk diets is associated with habitat type, winter severity, period of winter, human hunting, and study method. Graminoids (grasses and grass-like plants such as sedges) dominated elk diets and consistently occurred at a higher proportion in the diet than in elk foraging habitats, indicating preference. Forbs commonly made up ≤5% of the diet, with no evidence for preference; we conclude that forb use is largely incidental to grazing for graminoids. Browse was consumed in proportion to its availability, implying that the amount of browse in the diet was primarily determined by habitat use rather than selection. ...
A comparison of multileaf-collimator and alloy-block field shaping.

Abstract Purpose : The purpose of this report was to compare distribution at a field edge defined with divergent alloy blocks to the distribution obtained with a multileaf collimator (MLC). The comparison is made for simple block replacement situations. Methods and Materials : A tertiary multileaf collimator mounted on a linear accelerator operating at 6 MV was compared to divergent alloy blocks positioned at the level of the blocking tray. The leaves of the MLC were positioned to give maximum stepping (leaf displacement equals leaf width), and the blocking produced the same field shape. Three different treatment plans were compared: single field, opposed fields, and a four-field “box.” Dose distributions were determined using radiographic film scanned with a lase densitometer with a 0.45-mm spot size. One experiment was repeated using radiochromic film with reduced energy dependence. Dose distributions were examined on the isocenter plane, and on planes displaced by 1.0 and 2.5 cm. The effect of daily setup variations was also studied by comparing a single fraction treatment with a fractioned treatment consisting of 15 fields slightly displaced relative to each other. The magnitude of these displacemnts was determined using available literature on treatment reproducibility. Results : For a single plan, maximum stepping of an MLC-defined edge produces an obvious undulating dose pattern compared to an alloy block edge. At the isocenter plane, this pattern is unchanged when parallel opposed fields are used. However, blurring occurs for both MLC and block edges when planes displaced from the isocenter are examined. The gradient for the block edge is 8%/mm for opposed fields and a plane 2.5 cm from the isocenter, compared to 15%/mm for the isocenter plane. Adding two additional fields does not change the dose pattern in the isocenter plane, but does reduce the gradient across the steepest portion of the penumbra to 8%/mm, and shifts the isodose line with the most pronounced stepping to higher values (from 50 to 80%). Introducing daily setup variations results in a reduction of the sharp dose gradient along the sides of a single field, and around the periphery of the beam at the isocenter plane of opposed fields. Smaller changes are found for edges around the periphery of the beam at the isocenter plane of opposed fields. Smaller changes are found for edges already blurred by other factors. Radiochromic film was generally noiser than radiographic film, but comparisons of the two films did not show a significant difference, indicating that the energy dependence of the radiographic film was not a problem. Conclusions : The obvious dose stepping seen a portal image of a single fields with MLC shaping is shown to be partially erased by the addition of other fields, and for planes away from the isocenter. However, the effects of daily setup variations must be included to more effectively blur dose stepping along the external envelope of a single field or near the isocenter plane of opposed fields. This result conflicts with attemps to improve immobilization. the
Thermodynamics and kinetics of stable and metastable phases in the Ni–Zr system

The thermodynamic parameters of all stable phases in the Ni-Zr system are reported in this paper. The available experimental data are taken into account in deriving the interaction parameters of various phases. The Ni7Zr2, Ni21Zr8, Ni11Zr9, NiZr, and NiZr2 phases are treated as stoichiometric. The solid solubility of the Ni5Zr, Ni3Zr, and Ni10Zr7 phases are described using a two sublattice model. The calculated thermodynamic properties and the phase diagram are in good agreement with the experimental ones. The thermodynamic parameters, along with the classical nucleation and crystal growth theory, have been used to explain the formation of metastable noncrystalline and crystalline phases upon rapid quenching of the liquid alloys. It has been demonstrated that even without any prior knowledge of the physical property, such as glass transition or crystallization temperature and thermodynamic property, such as the enthalpy of amorphous → crystal transformation of the amorphous alloy, it is possible to make a reasonably good “first order prediction” of the glass-forming range in a binary system. The experimentally determined glass-forming range in the Ni-Zr system is found to be in good agreement with the predicted one.
Race and sex as factors in children's sociometric ratings and friendship choices.

This research provides a comprehensive analysis of the association of race and sex to children's peer relationships by assessing: a) the association of both race and sex; b) multiple measures of peer relationships (sociometric ratings and friendships); and c) an entire elementary school (Grades 1 to 6) with nearly an even number of African-American to European-American children in each class. Regardless of age, race, or sex, and for both relationship measures, children showed a greater bias favoring same-sex peers than same-race peers. Although older African-American children had more same-race than cross-race mutual friends, African-American children were more accepting of European-American children than the reverse. Despite some same-race preferences, cross-race evaluations were generally quite positive on both measures. The differential impact of sex and race as considerations for peer evaluations is discussed.
Bulk Segregant Analysis Using Single Nucleotide Polymorphism Microarrays

Bulk segregant analysis (BSA) using microarrays, and extreme array mapping (XAM) have recently been used to rapidly identify genomic regions associated with phenotypes in multiple species. These experiments, however, require the identification of single feature polymorphisms (SFP) between the cross parents for each new combination of genotypes, which raises the cost of experiments. The availability of the genomic polymorphism data in Arabidopsis thaliana, coupled with the efficient designs of Single Nucleotide Polymorphism (SNP) genotyping arrays removes the requirement for SFP detection and lowers the per array cost, thereby lowering the overall cost per experiment. To demonstrate that these approaches would be functional on SNP arrays and determine confidence intervals, we analyzed hybridizations of natural accessions to the Arabidopsis ATSNPTILE array and simulated BSA or XAM given a variety of gene models, populations, and bulk selection parameters. Our results show a striking degree of correlation between the genotyping output of both methods, which suggests that the benefit of SFP genotyping in context of BSA can be had with the cheaper, more efficient SNP arrays. As a final proof of concept, we hybridized the DNA from bulks of an F2 mapping population of a Sulfur and Selenium ionomics mutant to both the Arabidopsis ATTILE1R and ATSNPTILE arrays, which produced almost identical results. We have produced R scripts that prompt the user for the required parameters and perform the BSA analysis using the ATSNPTILE1 array and have provided them as supplemental data files.
Extraction, Purification, and Identification of Yersiniabactin, the Siderophore of Yersinia pestis

This unit describes in detail the extraction, purification, and identification of Yersiniabactin the siderophore of Yersinia pestis. Iron is essential for bacterial growth. Although relatively abundant, access to iron is limited in nature by low solubility. This problem is exacerbated for pathogenic bacteria, which must also defeat the host organism's innate defenses, including mechanisms to sequester iron. One solution to these problems is production of water soluble, small molecules with high affinities for iron called siderophores. This protocol has been fine tuned for Yersiniabactin purification but may be easily modified for use in isolating other siderophores or similar molecules.
Laryngoscopy, Stroboscopy and Other Tools for the Evaluation of Voice Disorders

This article discusses and analyzes the diagnosis and management of voice disorders. Beginning with an insightful description of dysphonia as a sign and symptom rather than diagnosis, and an analysis of its unifying principles, the discussion continues with a review of evaluation, laryngoscopy, stroboscopy, and their respective advantages and disadvantages.
Investigation of Carbon Metabolism in “Dehalococcoides ethenogenes” Strain 195 by Use of Isotopomer and Transcriptomic Analyses

Members of the genus “Dehalococcoides” are the only known microorganisms that can completely dechlorinate tetrachloroethene and trichloroethene to the innocuous end product, ethene. This study examines the central metabolism in “Dehalococcoides ethenogenes” strain 195 via 13C-labeled tracer experiments. Supported by the genome annotation and the transcript profile, isotopomer analysis of key metabolites clarifies ambiguities in the genome annotation and identifies an unusual biosynthetic pathway in strain 195. First, the 13C-labeling studies revealed that strain 195 contains complete amino acid biosynthesis pathways, even though current genome annotation suggests that several of these pathways are incomplete. Second, the tricarboxylic acid cycle of strain 195 is confirmed to be branched, and the Wood-Ljungdahl carbon fixation pathway is shown to not be functionally active under our experimental conditions; rather, CO2 is assimilated via two reactions, conversion of acetyl-coenzyme A (acetyl coenzyme A [acetyl-CoA]) to pyruvate catalyzed by pyruvate synthase (DET0724-0727) and pyruvate conversion to oxaloacetate via pyruvate carboxylase (DET0119-0120). Third, the 13C-labeling studies also suggested that isoleucine is synthesized from acetyl-CoA and pyruvate via citramalate synthase (CimA, EC 2.3.1.182), rather than from the common pathway via threonine ammonia-lyase (EC 4.3.1.19). Finally, evidence is presented that strain 195 may contain an undocumented citrate synthase (>95% Re-type stereospecific), i.e., a novel Re-citrate synthase that is apparently different from the one recently reported in Clostridium kluyveri.
On-line adaptation in image coding with a 2-D tarp filter

On-line adaptation to nonstationary distributions is essential to good performance in image coding. Fixed-size contexts (with adaptive tables) are also widely used, in conjunction with arithmetic encoders, in state-of-the-art codecs. In contrast, we propose a simple two-dimensional filter that directly outputs the probability distribution function (PDF) estimate necessary to drive an adaptive arithmetic encoder. The filter is isotropic, in the sense that the impact of a previously encoded bit depends only on its value and distance to the bit to be coded. Surprisingly, this simple filter yields results comparable to or better than JPEG2000. It also brings an interesting distinction between on-line and off-line learning, and their relative importance in compression.
Practical design considerations of power electronics in hybrid and fuel cell vehicles

Power electronics is one of the key enable technologies in hybrid electric and fuel cell vehicles. Based on hands on manufacturer design experiences and a survey of academic researches, this paper tries to address practical design considerations of power electronics in hybrid and fuel cell vehicles by investigating the following areas: circuit topologies, device consideration and design, PWM strategy, and future trends.
The role of commitment in producing misinformation effects in eyewitness memory

We conducted three experiments exploring conditions in which misleading postevent information interferes with people’s ability to remember details about an event they witnessed. The key condition included in each experiment was the misled-plus-commit condition. After viewing slides depicting a crime, subjects in this condition read a narrative that contained misinformation. Following the narrative, they completed an interpolated recognition test that induced them to select the misinformation. Assessment of memory for the slides using a final, modified recognition test indicated that performance in the misled-plus-commit condition was most frequently near chance, whereas performance in the control condition was far above chance. This result was obtained on four separate occasions and indicates that prior retrieval of misinformation impairs memory. Another important finding was that the deleterious effect of passively reading about misinformation in a narrative is not as great as the effect of reading about it and then selecting it on an interpolated test. Actively retrieving misinformation seems to cause particularly deleterious effects. Our conclusion is that the findings are compatible with the retrieval blocking hypothesis, which assumes that repeated retrieval of misinformation blocks access to the witnessed information.
Verticillium dahliae, a cause of wilt in Echinacea purpurea.

In July 1997, mature (flowering) purple coneflower plants exhibiting severe stunting, interveinal leaf bronzing, leaf twisting, and vascular discoloration of the stem were abundant in a 2-ha commercial field in central Oregon. Isolations from vascular tissues onto water agar yielded Verticillium dahliae. A single conidium isolate was obtained and used to inoculate 2-month-old, greenhouse-grown E. purpurea plants raised from seed to complete Koch's postulates. Conidia were washed from 25-day-old cultures grown on potato dextrose agar and filtered through cheesecloth. The resulting conidial suspension was adjusted to 8 × 106 spores per ml. Plants (n = 15) were washed free of soil and the roots immersed into either the conidial suspension (n = 10) or sterile, deionized water (n = 5) for 5 min, then potted into a pasteurized soil mix (1:1:1, clay loam:sand:perlite). Plants were maintained under natural light on a glasshouse bench from February to August (21–30/12–20°C day/night over the course of 6 months). F...
A multistage combustion model and soot formation model for direct-injection diesel engines:

AbstractA multistage combustion model for diesel engines is presented in this paper. Three combustion stages, ignition of diesel, premixed combustion and diffusion combustion, are considered in the...
Incorporating the current sixth great mass extinction theme into evolution education, science education, and environmental education research and standards

Humanity is currently in the midst of a self-induced great mass extinction of plant and animal life that is having and will have profound effects on the future biological evolution of Earth’s species if environmental sustainability is not reached. A thorough review of existing evolution education, science education, and environmental education research and existing evolution education, science education, and environmental education standards reveal that this newly emerging and crucially important theme has yet to be incorporated into these two areas which strongly influence future curriculum development and implementation. This manuscript presents: a brief overview of the five past great mass extinctions; a brief overview of past and present human activities associated with the current sixth great mass extinction; a brief overview of present and future rates of species extinctions and their influence on biological evolution; and a brief appeal to begin to incorporate the current sixth great mass extinction theme into evolution education, science education, and environmental education research and standards.
Design principles for global commons: Natural resources and emerging technologies

Ostrom’s design principles for managing common pool resources were developed largely by examining local commons involving natural resources. This paper enumerates several key characteristics that distinguish such commons from more complex commons involving global resources and the risks of emerging technologies. It considers the degree to which the design principles transfer to those commons and concludes that although they have considerable external validity, the list needs some modification and elaboration to apply to global resources and risk commons. A list of design principles is offered for global resource commons and the risks of emerging technologies. Applying Ostrom’s approach to global resources and emerging technologies can improve understanding and expand the solution set for these problems from international treaties, top-down national regulation, and interventions in market pricing systems to include non-governmental institutions that embody principles of self-governance.
ROC speak: semi-automated personalized feedback on nonverbal behavior from recorded videos

We present a framework that couples computer algorithms with human intelligence in order to automatically sense and interpret nonverbal behavior. The framework is cloud-enabled and ubiquitously available via a web browser, and has been validated in the context of public speaking. The system automatically captures audio and video data in-browser through the user's webcam, and then analyzes the data for smiles, movement, and volume modulation. Our framework allows users to opt in and receive subjective feedback from Mechanical Turk workers ("Turkers"). Our system synthesizes the Turkers' interpretations, ratings, and comment rankings with the machine-sensed data and enables users to interact with, explore, and visualize personalized and presentational feedback. Our results provide quantitative and qualitative evidence in support of our proposed synthesized feedback, relative to video-only playback with impersonal tips. Our interface can be seen here: http://tinyurl.com/feedback-ui (Supported in Google Chrome.)
Thermal and Diagenetic History of Pleasant Bayou-Chocolate Bayou Area, Brazoria County, Texas: ABSTRACT

Studies of the Pleasant Bayou 1 and 2 test wells and of data from the Chocolate Bayou oil and gas field have yielded the most complete picture of a geopressured geothermal aquifer system yet obtained from the Texas Gulf Coast. The principal geothermal reservoir, the "C" (Andrau) sandstone, has outstanding porosity and permeability owing to (1) initially high porosity resulting from deposition in a winnowed distributary-mouth bar complex, (2) enhancement of porosity by secondary leaching by acid waters, and (3) isolation from late carbonate cementation. The maturity profile obtained for the test well is anomalous, but can be modeled using various time-paleotemperature and burial-history configurations. These models fall into two groups. The first assumes the present geothe mal gradient, modified by cooling of the lower Frio section by water flow. In the second, anomalously cool paleogeothermal gradients must be enhanced by the passage of warm waters through the middle Frio section. Both models indicate a fairly late origin of secondary porosity. End_of_Article - Last_Page 1211------------
Mining aviation data to understand impacts of severe weather on airspace system performance

This paper describes our latest experiment with application of data mining to analyzing severe weather impacts on National Airspace System (NAS) performance. We show the importance of data preparation and feature extraction in our work. Two types of data - weather and air traffic data - were used in this experiment. Weather data are represented as binary images. A severe-weather day for air traffic is represented as a set of severe-weather regions, each with a set of weather- and traffic-related features. The set of severe-weather regions for each day was first converted into a vector of attribute values, and then classification, regression and clustering were applied to the data. Initial results were encouraging, while later results were improved and impressive. Meaningful classification rules were generated and the clusters generated for weather-traffic days were clearly correlated with NAS performance.
Profit Differentials Between Canadian and U.S. Commercial Banks: the Role of Regulation

Using annual data on nationally chartered U.S. and Canadian banks from 1929 to 1989, this article empirically evaluates the impact of various regulations on bank profitability. An intercountry comparison reveals that the less restrictive regulatory environment in Canada has historically resulted in higher bank profits. Specifically, higher leverage, greater securities investnent and lending opportunities, and the freedom to establish branch units all significantly contribute to higher bank profitability in Canada. Evidence presented also shows that U.S. banks would have been more profitable over the sample period in a regulatory environment similar to Canada's. From their inceptions both state and nationally chartered banks in the United States operated under a set of restrictions established by their respective regulatory agencies. The earliest restrictions included minimum reserve requirements, limitations on lending activity, and a prohibition on interstate branching. Growth and frequent instability in the banking industry, the creation of a central bank, and the Great Depression all served as catalysts for regulatory change or expansion. Indeed, for most of the postwar period the U.S. banking industry operated under a set of regulatory conditions constructed during the Great Depression. More recently, however, a trend of deregulation and increased concentration through mergers is taking hold. Deregulation began with federal regulatory agencies authorizing commercial banks and thrifts to issue money market certificates in 1978, and continues today as Congress contemplates removing regulatory restrictions that separate commercial from investment banking. With this changing face of the U.S. banking industry, it begins to resemble more closely the Canadian banking sector that historically has operated with fewer, larger banks in a less restrictive regulatory environment. The purpose of this article is twofold. The first goal is to empirically test and explain why Canadian banks have historically been more profitable than U.S. banks.' In particular, to determine what role, if any, a less restrictive
Sulfite Reduction in Mycobacteria

Mycobacterium tuberculosis places an enormous burden on the welfare of humanity. Its ability to grow and its pathogenicity are linked to sulfur metabolism, which is considered a fertile area for the development of antibiotics, particularly because many of the sulfur acquisition steps in the bacterium are not found in the host. Sulfite reduction is one such mycobacterium-specific step and is the central focus of this paper. Sulfite reduction in Mycobacterium smegmatis was investigated using a combination of deletion mutagenesis, metabolite screening, complementation, and enzymology. The initial rate parameters for the purified sulfite reductase from M. tuberculosis were determined under strict anaerobic conditions [kcat = 1.0 (±0.1) electron consumed per second, and Km(SO3−2) = 27 (±1) μM], and the enzyme exhibits no detectible turnover of nitrite, which need not be the case in the sulfite/nitrite reductase family. Deletion of sulfite reductase (sirA, originally misannotated nirA) reveals that it is essential for growth on sulfate or sulfite as the sole sulfur source and, further, that the nitrite-reducing activities of the cell are incapable of reducing sulfite at a rate sufficient to allow growth. Like their nitrite reductase counterparts, sulfite reductases require a siroheme cofactor for catalysis. Rv2393 (renamed che1) resides in the sulfur reduction operon and is shown for the first time to encode a ferrochelatase, a catalyst that inserts Fe2+ into siroheme. Deletion of che1 causes cells to grow slowly on metabolites that require sulfite reductase activity. This slow-growth phenotype was ameliorated by optimizing growth conditions for nitrite assimilation, suggesting that nitrogen and sulfur assimilation overlap at the point of ferrochelatase synthesis and delivery.
Compositional zoning in zincian spinel

Tincian spilel (7-n,Fe, Mg)Al2Oa has been oramined for compositional 26ning. The samples come from fifty-two widely scattered localities, in metamorphosed massivesulfide deposits, pegmatites, aluminous metasediments, metamorphosed oxide-silicate deposits, a marble, and a syenite. Most zoned crystals of zincian spinel exhibit an enrichment in Zn, witl depletion in Fe and Mg, from ttre core to tie rim. This pattern is more common in samples from metamorphosed massive-sulfide deposits than any other gsological settings; it results primarily from partitioning Zn and Fe between their sulfides and zincian spinel, by sulfurization and oxidation reactions, during retrograde metamorphism. In some of these deposits and some aluminous metasediments, zoning in zincian spinel is due to partirioning of Zn, Fe and Mg between zincian spinel and adjacent ferromagnesian silicates. Zincian spinel from the Broken Hill metamorphosed massive-sulfide deposit laftqaA) varies up to 30 mole tlo Zn!J^2Oa,20 moie go FeAl2Oa and 7 mole 7o MCAI2O4. Spinel fiom otler localities, however, shows a less pronounced compositional variation. The uncommou opposite trend noted in zincian spinel, i.e., incrase in Fe and Mg with decrease in Zn from core to rirn, may be due to growth during prograde metamorphism.
Thermoelectric Cool-Film Shear Stress Sensor

Hot-wire anemometers, being a robust and highly sensitive method for measuring flow properties, can be limited in sensitivity where locally increasing the temperature may induce measurement inaccuracy such as when used in near-boiling fluids. In this environment, locally decreasing the temperature allows for a larger temperature difference between the sensor and the ambient environment, thereby increasing device sensitivity while maintaining single-phase convection heat transfer physics. In this letter, we present the new capability of using thermoelectrically cooled sensors to measure wall shear stress. The power required to maintain a constant sensor temperature was increased as the wall shear stress in the channel was increased, providing proof of concept.
Measuring Water Velocity by Ultrasonic Flowmeter

A limited study of a sing-around ultrasonic flowmeter was made in a 2.5-ft (0.76-m) square laboratory channel. Traversing the flow vertically with the meter transducers produced a satisfactory velocity profile. Integration of the profile by manual methods showed an average deviation of -3.4% compared to the bulk flow velocity Q/A measured by a venturi meter in a symmetrical profile for flows ranging from 3 cfs-11.4 cfs (0.08 m³/s 0.32 m³/s). Deviations of +l4% to -6% were found in an unsymmetrical flow caused by a thin vertical plate having a width l0% of the channel width. General operation of the meter was satisfactory, and the sing-around principle appears satisfactory for discharge measurement.
Age-related changes in the transcriptome of antibody-secreting cells

We analyzed age-related defects in B cell populations from young and aged mice. Microarray analysis of bone marrow resident antibody secreting cells (ASCs) showed significant changes upon aging, affecting multiple genes, pathways and functions including those that play a role in immune regulation, humoral immune responses, chromatin structure and assembly, cell metabolism and the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress response. Further analysis showed upon aging defects in energy production through glucose catabolism with reduced oxidative phosphorylation. In addition aged B cells had increased levels of reactive oxygen-species (ROS), which was linked to enhanced expression of the co-inhibitor programmed cell death (PD)-1.
The genus Lentinula in the Americas

Recent studies have reported only Lentinula boryana and L. guarapiensis from the American continent, the latter known only from its type specimen. We report at least three extant species. Two widel...
False Consensus Bias and Gender: Presidential Preferences and the Right to Choose:

Both Clinton supporters and pro-choice advocates (31 male and 79 female students of psychology) underestimated the prevalence of their own opinions; yet their estimates were higher than those made ...
Play Community Superiority to Safeguard the Legitimate Rights for Elders

With the increasing proportion of elderly population,the elderly are infringed upon legitimate rights and interests have become particularly prominent and complex phenomenon.Elder remarriage restricted by their children,legal property occupied,elder supported by children with conditions,these phenomenon has become the main aspects involved in the old disputes.At the same time of old legislation improved,it is urgent to propagate the elderly law rely on community,foster awareness of their rights,strengthen the protection role of community-based organizations,set up specialized agencies to provide legal assistance for the elderly and introduce judicial services into the community,provide effective protection of rights for the elderly.
A Confidence-Based Approach to Multi-Robot Learning from Demonstration.

This paper presents an overview of a series of projects exploring multi-robot learning from demonstration. We present flexMLfD, a robot independent and task independent demonstration learning system that supports a variable number of robot learners. This learning system has been fully implemented and tested, and we present three example domains, utilizing different robotic platforms, to which it has been applied. Additionally, we present scalability analysis, using up to seven real robots, examining how the number of robots being taught by the teacher at the same time affects the number of demonstrations required to learn the task, the time and attention demands on the teacher, and the delay each robot experiences in obtaining a demonstration.
Constant pressure perfusion: a method to determine obstruction in the upper urinary tract.

Abstract In an effort to define a more physiological method to determine obstruction in the upper urinary tract, the technique of constant pressure perfusion was studied in the canine and porcine models. In contrast to the constant flow technique of Whitaker, constant pressure perfusion is independent of upper tract compliance, uses low fixed pressures (7 to 12 cm. water) in the renal pelvis and measures flow rates from the upper tracts. In the canine and porcine models constant pressure perfusion demonstrated increased sensitivity and better discrimination between normal and partially obstructed systems relative to constant flow. Pressures in nonobstructed canine and porcine renal pelves are normally low (less than 8 cm. water) for flow rates into the bladder of 1 to 5 cc per minute. When using constant pressure perfusion in systems with partial distal ureteral obstruction, low or no flow is appreciated across the obstruction at renal pelvic pressures of 7 to 12 cm. water. By constant flow obstruction is defined in the same systems but only after renal pelvic pressures exceed 15 to 20 cm. water. We believe that there is clear clinical applicability.
Hormones and Reproductive Behavior in Amphibians

Publisher Summary For successful reproduction, animals must coordinate internal physiological events with external, climatic, and social environments. There are several types of environmental cue that influence the expression of reproductive behaviors, such as predictable cues, supplementary cues, synchronizing cues, and modifying cues. Understanding the role of hormones in reproductive behavior involves identifying the hormones involved in a particular behavior, determining mechanistically where and how hormones modulate behavioral expression, and determining how environmental cues regulate hormone release and action. This chapter describes that as modern representatives of basal tetrapods, amphibians can provide much insight into conserved endocrine mechanisms of vertebrate behaviors. As a vertebrate class encompassing a diversity of mating systems, amphibians can provide insight into the evolution and ecology of behavioral mechanisms.
Proposals of Valuations

In this chapter we study utterances of religious doctrines in S which have the force of proposing valuations. A valuation is a judgement that something or other, for example some occasion of experience or some existent object, is good or bad in a certain way. Some of the distinctions between different types of valuations made by C. I. Lewis will be useful, especially later on. (a) An utterance ascribing intrinsic value to something says it is good for its own sake, as an end in itself. Lewis thinks judgements of this type apply only to ‘the content of some actual or possible experience’. (b) An utterance ascribing inherent value to something says it is ‘good without reference to any further object’, since an intrinsic value is findable in its presence. Judgements of this type apply to actual or possible existents including states of affairs. (c) An utterance ascribing contributory value to something says that it contributes in some way to some intrinsic value (1).
Developing Support and Self-Care Strategies for Volunteers in a Prison Writing Program

While there is often great enthusiasm for volunteering in prison and jail education and literacy programs, those interested rarely give thought to the kinds of primary and secondary trauma that result from such work. Yet compassion fatigue is all too real for volunteer writing teachers who encounter difficult disclosures of violence, rape, and loss week after week. Interviews with volunteers revealed anxiety about performance, frustration with the justice system, awareness of privilege, and longing for communities of support. This chapter explores volunteers’ understanding of the impact of their work in one literacy program and offers narrative and writing therapy techniques as appropriate and needed methods for volunteers coping with the burden of cumulative stories of trauma disclosed by incarcerated writers.
Directed Forgetting: Short-Term Memory or Conditioned Response?

Previous researchers have interpreted the phenomenon of directed forgetting in terms of animal short-term memory and rehearsal. An alternative explanation-that directed forgetting is attributable to the response or nonresponse to a sequence of stimuli-is proposed and tested with rats. Rats were tested for directed forgetting using a variation of the standard directed forgetting task, in which the sample was followed by either a remember cue or a forget cue, and in which there was a second cue immediately before the presentation of the comparison stimuli. Results appear to support the memory and rehearsal explanation of directed forgetting.
Rigid Body Correction Using 3D Digital Photogrammetry for Rotating Structures

In recent years, stereophotogrammetry techniques have been used to measure the response of high-speed dynamic systems. More recently, this technique has been used to measure the motion of rotating systems, such as wind turbines. In evaluating the vibration of rotating helicopter rotors or wind turbines, the rotor rigid body motion induced from the hub or the flexure in the tower is not of interest to understand the structural dynamic motion of the blades and needs to be removed from the overall motion. Dynamic measurements have previously been taken on a rotating turbine and the rigid body correction (RBC) algorithms have produced unexpected dynamic behavior. To characterize and understand this behavior, a series of experiments were developed using a rotating wedge along with a known flexing element to study the rigid body correction process and induce behavior similar to the unexpected dynamic behavior observed in the turbine. A sensitivity study was also conducted using the rotating wedge system to show how displacement measurements are affected when different combinations of flexure measurement points on the cantilever beam are used in the rigid body correction process. The information gleaned from this experiment was then utilized to mathematically develop a RBC algorithm to understand how the data is and should be processed. A systematic approach to process the dynamic information from rotating systems using RBC algorithms is also presented within this work.
Solvation Reaction Field at the Interface Measured by Vibrational Sum Frequency Generation Spectroscopy

Interfacial electric fields are important in several areas of chemistry, materials sciences, and device physics. However, they are poorly understood, partly because they are difficult to measure directly and model accurately. We present both a spectroscopic experimental investigation and a theoretical model for the interfacial field at the junction of a conductor and a dielectric. First, we present vibrational sum frequency generation (VSFG) results of the nitrile (CN) stretch of 4-mercaptobenzonitrile (4-MBN) covalently attached to a gold surface and in contact with a variety of liquid dielectrics. It is found that the CN stretch frequency red-shifts with increasing dielectric constant. Second, we build a model in direct analogy to the well-known Onsager reaction field theory, which has been successful in predicting vibrational frequency shifts in bulk dielectric media. Clearly, due to the asymmetric environment, with metal on one side and a dielectric on the other, the bulk Onsager model is not applicab...
Evaluation of the diagnostic accuracy of cervical biopsy and determination of associated risk factors for positive margin status in recurrent cervical dysplasia after leep or conization.

5609 Background: Severe dysplasia on a cervical biopsy is often followed by an excisional procedure such as a loop electrosurgical excisional procedure (LEEP) or cone biopsy. The objective of this ...
Review: Weak evidence of benefits of cannabis for chronic neuropathic pain; moderate to weak evidence of adverse effects

Source Citation Nugent SM, Morasco BJ, O’Neil ME, et al. The effects of cannabis among adults with chronic pain and an overview of general harms: a systematic review. Ann Intern Med. 2017;167:319-3...