cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Evolution of MHC Genes and Functions: The Disease Connection

The class I and II loci of the vertebrate MHC encode cell surface structures involved in immune recognition of foreign antigens. The same structures are the transplantation antigens that elicit allograft rejection, and MHC-linked genes also appear to allow kin recognition by chemosensory mechanisms in mammals. In the protochordate Botryllus, a genetic system with dual cell:cell and whole-animal recognition functions controls both intercolony histocompatibility reactions and the specificity of fertilization. In both colonial and solitary tunicate species, we find that sperm also interact directly with blood cells in patterns that suggest the presence of shared histocompatibility structures on gametes and somatic cells. Using the same approach with human cells, we have also shown that sperm bind and penetrate leukocytes via recognition of a MHC-encoded “receptor.” If it truly reflects involvement of human MHC-encoded molecules in fertilization, the functional similarity between protochordate and vertebrate histocompatibility genes that this implies would add to the evidence for their homology and suggest an evolutionary origin for MHC genes in mating-type systems. Other data from these studies indicate that sperm penetration of target leukocytes may be the mechanism by which the AIDS virus, or HIV, is sexually transmitted. HIV provides an example of MHC “tracking” by disease organisms, and argues that the self-recognition and immune defense functions of vertebrate MHC genes evolved together under selection pressure by microbial pathogens.
Satellite gravity and the mass balance of the antarctic ice sheet

Changes in the Earth’s gravity field with time have important applications to a broad range of disciplines. Any process that involves a large enough horizontal redistribution of mass, either within the Earth or on or above its surface, is potentially detectable. In particular, when ice sheets grow or shrink, gravity changes as mass is redistributed in the solid earth and between the oceans and the ice sheets. The sources of global sea-level rise (about 2 mm a−1 over the last century) and in particular the contribution of the Antarctic ice sheet thereto are not well understood. Gravity measurements can help to diminish this uncertainty. The technology currently exists to measure gravity with high accuracy by a dual-satellite mission in which the distance between the satellites is precisely monitored. We estimate from recent studies that temporal changes in the gravity field as determined by a satellite gravity mission lasting 5 years at an orbital height of 400 km would be sensitive to changes in the overall mass of the Antarctic ice sheet to a precision corresponding to better than 0.01 mm a−1 of sea-level change. However, the effects of three other phenomena that could each produce a temporally varying gravity signal with characteristics comparable to that caused by a change in Antarctic ice—postglacial rebound, inter-annual variability in snowfall, and atmospheric pressure trends — also need to be evaluated. Postglacial rebound could be partly separated from ice-mass changes with the aid of global positioning system campaigns and numerical models of rebound that use improved determinations of mantle viscosity also provided by the gravity mission. Determination of inter-annual ice-mass changes will be aided by measurements of moisture-flux divergence around the perimeters of the ice sheets and direct observations of inter-annual changes by the gravity satellite itself. The removal of pressure effects over Antarctica will become more effective as the number of automatic weather stations in the interior of the continent increases. Even after corrections are made for these factors, the uncertainties they cause limit the accuracy in the determination of the contribution of the Antarctic ice sheet to sea-level change to about 0.5 mm a−1. However, there is a strong complementarity between gravity measurements and the surface-height measurements that will be produced by NASA’s laser altimeter mission early next century. Together, they should be able to determine that contribution to an accuracy of about 0.1 mm a−1.
Nosocomial Infections in Pediatric Solid Organ Transplantation

Nosocomial infections constitute a significant public health problem worldwide and are associated with a high morbidity and mortality. Children are vulnerable to these infections, especially those with underlying conditions that frequently expose them to hospital environments. In this chapter, we sought to review nosocomial infections that may affect the solid organ transplant recipient and discuss risk factors and prevention strategies for this susceptible population.
Against the Grain: A Deep History of the Earliest States

James C. Scott’s latest book, Against the Grain: A Deep History of the Earliest States, speaks to themes of key interest to readers of Journal of Peasant Studies. Drawing on a range of multidiscipl...
Hilbert Spaces and \(L^2(E)\)

We will see in this chapter that \(L^2(E)\) holds a special place among the Lebesgue spaces \(L^p(E),\) because the norm on \(L^2(E)\) is induced from an inner product. An inner product allows us to determine the angle between vectors, not just the distance between them. Once we have angles, we have a notion of orthogonality, and from this we can define orthogonal projections and orthonormal bases. This provides us with an extensive set of tools for analyzing \(L^2(E)\) (and \(\ell ^2\)) that are not available to us when \(p \ne 2.\)
All that Rhythm of Identity Propagation: At the Nexus of Intersubjective Sensemaking Arenas

How do new ventures use labels to attract greater attention and subsequently institutional legitimacy? This study takes a modified evolutionary view of the nascent market’s online conversation, in ...
Promoting the Role of the School Counselor

ABSTRACTProfessional school counselors (PSCs) continue to experience challenges in implementing comprehensive school counseling programs. This article reviews the pertinent literature for recommend...
Metasurfaces for polarization sensing and imaging (Conference Presentation)

Metasurfaces, nanophotonic arrays of subwavelength phase shifting elements, hold promise for the miniaturization of a variety of bulk optical elements. Owing to the flexibility with which their constituent elements may be engineered, metasurfaces allow for point-to-point polarization control on a subwavelength scale. Metasurfaces, then, represent an exciting new platform for polarization optics. A single metasurface may combine many different polarization-dependent functionalities that would ordinarily be spread out over many optical elements. We describe how, through relatively simple optimization methods, a metasurface producing arbitrarily specified polarization states can be designed. This functionality is equivalent to a traditional diffraction grating with individual waveplate optics on each order; here, all the necessary polarization optics can be integrated into a flat, efficient, and ultrathin metasurface optical element. Moreover, such a metasurface can be used in a reverse configuration as a parallel snapshot polarimeter with no need for additional polarization optics. We present a detailed experimental characterization of this device in the visible spectral region and a comparison of the performance of the metasurface to a commercially available rotating waveplate polarimeter. Metasurfaces can enable compact, miniaturized sensors for polarimetry and polarization imaging. We will conclude with a perspective on these possibilities and their implications for remote sensing. Metasurface polarization optics can overcome limitations of previous diffractive/grating based polarimetry schemes are potentially of significant interest to the imaging polarimetry community.
Brain free water alterations in first-episode psychosis: a longitudinal analysis of diagnosis, course of illness, and medication effects.

Background Multiple lines of evidence suggest the presence of altered neuroimmune processes in patients with schizophrenia (Sz) and severe mood disorders. Recent studies using a novel free water diffusion tensor imaging (FW DTI) approach, proposed as a putative biomarker of neuroinflammation, atrophy, or edema, have shown significantly increased FW in patients with Sz. However no studies to date have investigated the longitudinal stability of FW alterations during the early course of psychosis, nor have studies focused separately on FE psychosis patients with Sz or bipolar disorder (BD) with psychotic features. Methods The current study included 188 participants who underwent diffusion magnetic resonance imaging scanning at baseline. Sixty-four participants underwent follow-up rescanning after 12 months. DTI-based alterations in patients were calculated using voxelwise tract-based spatial statistics and region of interest analyses. Results Patients with FE psychosis, both Sz and BD, exhibited increased FW at illness onset which remained unchanged over the 12-month follow-up period. Preliminary analyses suggested that antipsychotic medication exposure was associated with higher FW in gray matter that reached significance in the BD group. Higher FW in white matter correlated with negative symptom severity. Conclusions Our results support the presence of elevated FW at the onset of psychosis in both Sz and BD, which remains stable during the early course of the illness, with no evidence of either progression or remission.
What Are Manifestations

There is widespread agreement among friends of irreducible powers that powers are properties, and intrinsic ones at that. But when it comes to what is produced by the exercise of powers, little has been said about what sort of ontological category these ‘manifestations’ belong to, and even less agreement is to be found. The default response seems to be that manifestations are events, but a few recent proposals treat manifestations as properties or processes. Though these proposals boast a number of virtues, I argue that any view that understands manifestations these ways has unsavoury consequences that outweigh any virtues on offer. Those unsavoury consequences come to light when we consider manifestations that go awry. In particular, I consider an attempted poisoning foiled by antidote, wherein the circumstances required for the power’s triggering have been satisfied, but the anticipated causal chain is frustrated. One the one hand, it seems mistaken to say that the power has been manifested, as the characteristic manifestation—death—has been avoided. But on the other hand, it seems equally wrong to claim that the power was not manifested, given that the conditions required for the display of the power were met and the expected causal process began, despite not running to completion. I thus propose that we think of manifestations as being extremely short-lived, ideally as states of affairs. En route to that conclusion some important discoveries about powers-based causation are made apparent.
A Case of Catatonia in a Man With COVID-19.

ABSTRACT Introduction Catatonia has been associated with many medical conditions, including systemic infections. Several neuropsychiatric sequelae of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) have been identified to date. Case We describe a case of catatonia in a patient with COVID-19. He had no prior medical, substance use, or psychiatric history. His condition improved with administration of lorazepam. Discussion Potential etiologies of this patient’s catatonia are explored, including COVID-19 itself, medications, and an acute presentation of a psychiatric disorder. The limitations posed by infection risk on psychiatric evaluations are discussed. Conclusion We highlight the importance of considering catatonia in the diagnosis of altered mental status. We also identify catatonia as a potential neuropsychiatric consequence of COVID-19
Modified Winterbottom Construction Including Boundaries

There has been extensive work on the equilibrium shape of isolated nanoparticles with internal boundaries and also single crystals on substrates. Surprisingly, almost shockingly, there has been ver...
Validation of HVLT-R, BVMT-R, and RBANS Learning Slope Scores along the Alzheimer's Continuum.

Background The learning ratio (LR) is a novel learning slope score that has been developed to reduce the inherent competition between the first trial and subsequent trials in traditional learning slopes. In essence, the LR is the number of items learned after the first trial divided by the number of items yet to be learned. Criterion and convergent validation of this LR score is warranted to understand its sensitivity along the Alzheimer's disease (AD) continuum. Method The LR metric was calculated for 123 participants from standard measures of memory, including the Hopkins Verbal Learning Test-Revised, Brief Visuospatial Memory Test-Revised, Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neuropsychological Status (RBANS) list learning, and RBANS story memory. All participants were categorized as normal cognition, mild cognitive impairment (MCI), or AD. LR performances were compared between groups, among other standard memory measures, and with regards to how well they discriminated cognitively impaired from unimpaired samples-and within diagnostic subgroups. Results Lower LR scores were observed for the MCI and AD groups than the normal cognition group, with the AD group performing worse than the MCI group for several slope calculations. Lower LR scores were also consistently associated with poorer performances on traditional memory measures. LR scores further displayed excellent receiver operator characteristics when differentiating those with and without cognitive impairment-and MCI from normal cognition. Overall, LR scores consistently outperformed traditional learning slope calculations across all analyses. Conclusions This LR score is sensitive to memory dysfunction along the AD continuum, and results offer criterion and convergent validity for use of the LR metric to understand learning capacity.
Choose Your Own Adventure: Paired Suggestions in Collaborative Writing for Evaluating Story Generation Models.

Story generation is an open-ended and subjective task, which poses a challenge for evaluating story generation models. We present Choose Your Own Adventure, a collaborative writing setup for pairwise model evaluation. Two models generate suggestions to people as they write a short story; we ask writers to choose one of the two suggestions, and we observe which model’s suggestions they prefer. The setup also allows further analysis based on the revisions people make to the suggestions. We show that these measures, combined with automatic metrics, provide an informative picture of the models’ performance, both in cases where the differences in generation methods are small (nucleus vs. top-k sampling) and large (GPT2 vs. Fusion models).
Combined medical strategies for the management of type 2 diabetes mellitus and obesity in adults.

Given the relationship between the pathogenesis of obesity and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) as well as their significant health consequences, treatment strategies that can induce weight loss whi...
Negative Partial Density of States

We first give an introduction to Burgers circuit (BC). We then show that phase of the wavefunction in different model systems can be understood in general using BC. This includes the new discontinuous phase discussed in Chap. 2. Then the three prong potential is introduced and it is shown that the discontinuous phase has continuous counterparts that lead to the dramatic effect that PDOS can become negative. Such continuous counterparts were not known in case of classical waves. FSR-like rules can also be understood in terms of BC. General proofs are provided that make our results independent of the models used for demonstration.
Traditional Peoples and the Struggle for Land in the Amazon Basin

Current processes of deforestation and development in the Amazon Basin continue historical trends that have devastated indigenous populations and drastically reduced their land rights. While protection of the Amazon ecosystem has become a worldwide concern, many indigenous and folk groups employ forest management strategies that utilize natural resources without causing permanent degradation. This paper considers historical, political and socioeconomic circumstances that threaten the survival of indigenous groups and their sustainable forms of forest use. The paper argues that discrepant cultural models and attitudes contribute to the differences in land use between traditional Amazon residents and newcomers. The problems and possibilities entailed by efforts to protect traditional land rights are also discussed.
Tracing informal and illicit flows after socialism: A micro‐commodity supply chain analysis in the Slovak Republic

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore the linkages between formal/informal and licit/illicit flows of goods in the post‐socialist economy in order to better understand and provide an analysis of both sides of these economic practices.Design/methodology/approach – Research over 20 months in Slovakia, between 2000 and 2007, included surveys of retailers of goods, households and firms who buy and sell contraband, and ethnographic research with truckers, consumers, and sellers of contraband. This study also included a novel research method – a microeconomic commodity supply chain analysis, providing a new means to understand the circulation of illicit goods.Findings – This paper has important findings for the movement of illicit goods in Slovakia and more broadly. Tracing the movement of two goods: cigarettes and clothing, demonstrates that the current theories of informal and illicit flows are inadequate theoretically or to develop proper policies. Both the formal and informal, as well as licit a...
Heide Slettedahl Macpherson. The Cambridge Introduction to Margaret Atwood (Cambridge Introductions to Literature)

Heidi Slettedahl Macpherson's clear and gracefully written Cambridge Introduction to Margaret Atwood will serve the student and the general reader as a useful and intelligent introduction to the wo...
Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency in Cerebral Aneurysms (P3.109)

Background: Aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage has high morbidity and mortality. The incidence of unruptured cerebral aneurysms has been estimated to be much higher and up to 4[percnt] in general population. The pathogenesis of cerebral aneurysm formation has been discussed in the past but the exact molecular mechanisms are still to be elucidated. Alpha-1 antitrypsin is a potent protease inhibitor and its deficiency has been implicated in pathogenesis of emphysema and liver cirrhosis, however; its role in aneurysm formation is debatable. Design/Methods: We measured serum levels of alpha-1 antitrypsin, alpha-1 antichemotrypsin and alpha-2 macroglobulin in 82 patients with cerebral aneurysms who were admitted to a single institution from 2006 to 2013. Genomic sequencing from those patients was also performed. Clinical characteristics and demographic data were obtained from our electronic medical record data base. Results: The serum alpha-1 antitrypsin level was less than 1mg/ml in 8 patients (9.7[percnt]) and less than 1.5 mg/ml in 32 patients (39[percnt]). The normal values were considered 1.5 to 3.5 mg/ml. The serum level of 1 to 1.5mg/ml was defined as low normal or borderline. A serum level of less than 1.5 mg/ml has been estimated to be seen in about 7[percnt] in normal population which is significantly lower than our aneurysm cases (39[percnt]). Conclusion: A low serum level of alpha-1 antitrypsin is a potential risk factor for cerebral aneurysm formation. This supports the theory of protease-antiprotease imbalance in pathogenesis of cerebral aneurysm formation. Disclosure: Dr. Mahta has nothing to disclose. Dr. Weaver has nothing to disclose. Dr. Kueppers has nothing to disclose.
Comparative Cognition and Neuroscience

1 Methods and Cautions 2 Social Learning 3 Spatial Memory 4 Cooperation, Reciprocity, and Donation 5 Pair Bonds 6 Summary Keywords: allometry; arginine vasopressin; brain plasticity; brain size; comparative approach; cooperation; donation; early experience; egalitarian social systems; divergent evolution; convergent evolution ; food hoarding; grooming; hierarchical social systems; mirror neurons; monogamy; oxytocin; pair bonds; phylogeny; polygamy; prisoner's dilemma; reciprocity; social learning; spatial memory
Interconversion of Type C and D Strains of Clostridium botulinum by Specific Bacteriophages

Abstract These studies show that Clostridium botulinum types C and D cultures can be cured of their prophages and converted to either type C or D depending on the specific phage used. Strains of types C and D were cured of their prophages and simultaneously ceased to produce their dominant toxins designated as C1 and D, respectively. Cured nontoxigenic cultures derived from type C strain 162 were sensitive to the phages from the toxigenic type C strain 162 and type D strain South African. When cured nontoxigenic cultures derived from strain 162 were infected with the tox+ phages from the 162 strain of type C and the South African strain of type D, they then produced toxin neutralized by types C and D antisera, respectively. Cured nontoxigenic cultures isolated from the type D South African strain were only sensitive to the parent phage, and, when reinfected with the tox+ phage, they produced toxin neutralized by type D antiserum. Type C strain 153 and type D strain 1873, when cured of their respective prophages, also ceased to produce toxins C1 and D, but, unlike strain 162 and the South African strain, they continued to produce a toxin designated as C2. When the cured cultures from strains 153 and 1873 were infected with the tox+ phage from type D strain 1873, the cultures simultaneously produced toxin that was neutralized by type D antiserum. When these cured cultures were infected with the tox+ phage from type C strain 153, the cultures produced toxin that was neutralized by type C antiserum. These studies with the four strains of C. botulinum confirm that the toxigenicity of types C and D strains requires the continued participation of tox+ phages. Evidence is presented that types C and D cultures may arise from a common nontoxigenic strain.
Design of Experiment to Evaluate Thermal Resistance of a PTAC Unit

As a part of the “Design of Experiment” component of Thermal/Fluids Laboratory (MECH405) at Manhattan College, a setup for measuring the R-value of an Evergreen Products Model KHS-09 PTAC unit was designed by a student group. The setup consisted of the PTAC unit installed in a well insulated wall. A thermally controlled hot chamber (which simulated a hot outdoor environment) was built around the exterior side of the wall and PTAC assembly. The interior side was exposed to the lab air temperature (typically at 70°F). Thermocouples were installed on various surfaces of the setup and temperature history data were collected in order to calculate the R-value of the PTAC under different imposed temperature gradients and convection heat transfer environments. ANOVA analysis of the data showed that the R-value of the PTAC was influenced by the convective environment (free versus forced convection), and while outdoor temperature did not directly influence the R-value, an interaction existed between temperature and convection.Copyright © 2011 by ASME
Weak and Straddling Secondary Nicotinic Synapses Can Drive Firing in Rat Sympathetic Neurons and Thereby Contribute to Ganglionic Amplification

Interactions between nicotinic EPSPs critically determine whether paravertebral sympathetic ganglia behave as simple synaptic relays or as integrative centers that amplify preganglionic activity. Synaptic connectivity in this system is characterized by an n + 1 pattern of convergence, where each ganglion cell receives one very strong primary input and a variable number (n) of weak secondary inputs that are subthreshold in strength. To test whether pairs of secondary nicotinic EPSPs can summate to fire action potentials and thus mediate ganglionic gain in the rat superior cervical ganglion, we recorded intracellularly at 34° C and used graded presynaptic stimulation to isolate individual secondary synapses. Weak EPSPs in 40 of 53 neurons had amplitudes of 0.5 – 7 mV (mean 3.5 ± 0.3 mV). EPSPs evoked by paired pulse stimulation were either depressing (n = 10), facilitating (n = 9) or borderline (n = 10). In 15 of 29 cells, pairs of weak secondary EPSPs initiated spikes when elicited within a temporal window <20 ms, irrespective of EPSP amplitude or paired pulse response type. In 6 other neurons, we observed novel secondary EPSPs that were strong enough to straddle spike threshold without summation. At stimulus rates <1 Hz straddling EPSPs appeared suprathreshold in strength. However, their limited ability to drive firing could be blocked by the afterhypolarization following an action potential. When viewed in a computational context, these findings support the concept that weak and straddling secondary nicotinic synapses enable mammalian sympathetic ganglia to behave as use-dependent amplifiers of preganglionic activity.
Screening the dopamine D1 receptor gene in 131 schizophrenics and eight alcoholics: Identification of polymorphisms but lack of functionally significant sequence changes

To determine whether mutations in the D1 dopamine receptor (D1 DR) gene are associated with schizophrenia, the coding sequence was examined in 106 Caucasian, 11 African-American, 8 Asian, and 6 Native American patients. Approximately 350 kb of genomic sequence was screened by dideoxy fingerprinting, a method related to single strand conformational polymorphism (SSCP) analysis that detects virtually 100% of sequence changes [Sarkar et al., 1992: Genomics 13:441–443; Liu and Sommer, 1994: PCR Methods and Applications 4:97–108]. One polymorphism was identified in Asians and one in Caucasians, but neither altered the amino acid sequence (Leu66, and Ser421, respectively). In addition, a previously reported polymorphism in the 5′ untranslated region of exon 2 at bp −48 was found to be common, with an allele frequency of approximately 40% in Caucasians of Western European descent. Based on the fact that no sequence changes of likely functional significance were identified, these data suggest that mutations affecting the structure of the D1 dopamine receptor protein are uncommon and are unlikely to contribute significantly to the genetic predisposition to schizophrenia. The D1DR gene also was examined in eight alcoholics, including 3 African-Americans and 1 Native American, but no sequence changes were identified. © 1995 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Sufficient and epsilon -sufficient statistics in pattern recognition and their relation to fuzzy techniques

An approach to the selection of essential features of objects to be recognized, which is based on sufficient and epsilon -sufficient statistics, is presented. It is shown how sufficient and epsilon -sufficient statistics can be used to construct partitions of the space of outcomes of an experiment in order to simplify the pattern recognition process. Whereas the sufficient partitions involve inexactness represented by exact statistical information, the use of epsilon -sufficient partitions simplifies the decision-making process but at the same time introduces additional inexactness or fuzziness. The relation of epsilon -sufficient data reduction to fuzzy techniques is shown by defining the grade of membership and the degree of fuzziness in terms of the model introduced. >
Guest Editorial Closing the Loop via Advanced Neurotechnologies

The ten articles in this special section focus on technological advancements in the area of neurotechnologies.
VORTEX RINGS AND THE CRITICAL VELOCITY IN HELIUM II

Classical calculations on the effect of quantized vortex rings that were added to help lower the critical velocity calculated for He II predicted a critical velocity of zero. A two-dimensional model of the vortex ring is used to calculate the critical velocity as 0.08 cm/sec in contrast to an experimental value of 1 cm/sec. The model does, however, show the right dependence on tube radius. The difference between the classical and quantum treatments is also demonstrated. (D.C.W.)
Assessing the influence of augmentative and alternative communication devices on families of young children with disabilities.

The provision of augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) devices to young children with disabilities is discussed in the context of potential effects on family functioning, followed by a call for research.
Metachromatic leukodystrophy: a model for the study of psychosis.

Figure 1. Serial CT in a young adult female patient with adult-onset metachromatic leukodystrophy (MLD). Axial CT images (left) of a female with auditory hallucinations, agitation, grandiose and paranoid delusions. Cognitive testing showed IQ 78, attentional errors, psychomotor slowing, impaired verbal and nonverbal memory, and concreteness. Behavioral changes began at age 17 with deterioration of school performance, promiscuity, and polysubstance abuse. Note the enlarged ventricles andwhite matter attenuation. Follow-up CT (right) 9 years later showed progression of white matter attenuation and increased ventricular size, consistent with cerebral atrophy. Concurrently she exhibited urinary and fecal incontinence, global deficiencies in self-care, marked apathy, and was unable to name the month or recite the alphabet. Pseudobulbar affect, imitation behavior, primitive and brisk tendon reflexes without other neurological abnormalities were present. Arylsulfatase A was absent in leukocytes. An older brother was similarly but more severely affected.
A Painful, Blistering Rash

Author(s): Canders, Caleb Patrick; McCullough, Lynne B | Abstract: [West J Emerg Med. 2013;14(6):645.]
On the Stokes-Einstein Model of Surface Diffusion along Solid Surfaces: Slip Boundary Conditions

Slip boundary conditions—even if only infinitesimal in magnitude—are shown to remove the hydrodynamic no-slip contact singularity existing in the Stokes-Einstein model of the surface diffusion of a spherical Brownian solute molecule along a planar solid surface bounding a semi-infinite viscous solvent. In particular, it is shown that the existence of any degree of slip on both the sphere and the plane surfaces, however small, suffices to remove the contact singularity, thereby rendering the surface diffusivity nonzero.
Human activity recognition in video using two methods for matching shape contexts of silhouettes

In this paper, activity recognition is performed based on silhouettes of the human figure obtained by background subtraction and characterized by the shape context, a log-polar histogram derived from boundary points. In the first approach each video frame is tagged by the activity corresponding to the closest matches between the query and known shapes. In the second method, the shape context dimensionality is reduced by principal components analysis, and a neural network is used for activity classification of individual frames. The overall decision for an entire video sequence is based on majority vote. Classification of individual frames ranged between 70-90% and overall classification of video sequences was very accurate.
Deletion of the N-terminal dirigent domain in maize β-glucosidase aggregating factor and its homolog sorghum lectin dramatically alters the sugar-specificities of their lectin domains

Maize beta-glucosidase aggregating factor (BGAF) and its homolog Sorghum Lectin (SL) are modular proteins consisting of an N-terminal dirigent domain and a C-terminal jacalin-related lectin (JRL) domain. BGAF is a polyspecific lectin with a monosaccharide preference for galactose, whereas SL displays preference for GalNAc. Here, we report that deletion of the N-terminal dirigent domain in the above lectins dramatically changes their sugar-specificities. Deletions in the N-terminal region of the dirigent domain of BGAF abolished binding to galactose/lactose, but binding to mannose was unaffected. Glucose, which was a poor inhibitor of hemagglutinating activity of BGAF, displayed higher inhibitory effect on the hemagglutinating activity of deletion mutants. Deletion of the dirigent domain in SL abolished binding to GalNAc, but binding to mannose was not affected. Surprisingly, fructose, an extremely poor inhibitor (minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) = 125 mM) of SL hemagglutinating activity, was found to be a very potent inhibitor (MIC = 1 mM) of hemagglutinating activity of its JRL domain. These results indicate that the dirigent domain in this class of modular lectins, at least in the case of maize BGAF and SL, influences sugar specificity.
a Dynamical Systems Approach to Membrane Phenomena Underlying Cardiac Arrhythmias

A model is constructed for cardiac rhythmic response to stimulation via a family of continuous time dynamical systems. Starting with experimentally observed properties common to the kinetics of both repolarizing membrane currents and cardiac action potential responses to sudden changes in cycle length, extremely elementary dynamical assumptions are made concerning current activation and decay, and repolarization threshold. A two-parameter family of one-dimensional dynamical systems emerges. The resulting systems are analytically tractable in considerable detail generating restitution curves, bifurcation schemes, rhythmic responses and chaotic behavior for a representative cardiac cell. The excellent qualitative and quantitative agreement with experimental data reported for several cardiac preparations is discussed. The two-dimensional analog produces unexpected basin behavior which could be of clinical significance in explaining how a single extra beat or a pause could alter subsequent action potential behavior and cause dispersion of refractoriness across the ventricle increasing the risks for arrhythmias. By having a manageable number of parameters, analytically defined patterns of behavior, and computational ease, this dynamical system has the potential to be used in computer simulations to study the effects of antiarrhythmic drugs on complex two- and three-dimensional reentrant substrates, or used on line by an interactive pacemaker.
China’s Political Stability: Global Comparisons

Throughout most of the 20th Century, China had suffered tremendous economic and human losses due to political instability. It is in the most recent decades that the Chinese people have managed to live with political stability. The economic benefits of political stability can hardly be overstated. Yet, China’s political stability is by no means assured. Is China stable or unstable? Is the Chinese regime strong or fragile? To answer these questions, this study has selected a total of 12 sets of publically available indices to measure political instability and placed China on a global scale of comparisons with all the others, both advanced and developing, in the world. It also makes specific comparisons between China and the other four countries of the so-called BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa). The findings of our global comparisons give China no reasons for celebration. However, China has no reasons for paranoia either. China has indeed faced many threats or challenges to political stability, but, as our study demonstrates, China is no more politically unstable or fragile than many others. Ignoring or underestimating the ripple effect of any destabilizing world event will do China no good, but overreactions also serve China’s interests poorly as fear or paranoia can be highly contagious.
Some Economic Issues Relating to Railroad Subsidies and the Evaluation of Land Grants

The federal policy of granting land in aid of railroad construction in the mid-nineteenth century has been the focus of many heated discussions. Both praised and attacked by contemporaries, it has remained a lively issue in the pages of history books and in journal articles. Several “land-grant legends” have developed, referring to different problems in the evaluation of these measures. At issue have been the question of the justification for land grants, the value of the benefits provided the railroads, and the determination of whether the government aid did provide net benefits to society as a whole. While the “land-grant legend” has been frequently buried, it has invariably been resurrected in one guise or another. In large measure this state of affairs has been due to the failure to specify fully the problems under discussion, and to approach systematically their resolution.
Domestic Abuse in the Emergency Department: Can a Risk Profile Be Defined?

Objectives: The main purpose of this study was to determine whether any clinical or demographic characteristics could identify adult female patients presenting to the emergency department (ED) with a history of domestic abuse. A second objective was to describe the frequency, types, and severity of this abuse. Methods: This study was a crosssectional survey of 611 women conducted in an academically-affiliated, urban ED. Domestic abuse was described as “recent” (within the preceding 12 months) or “lifetime” (recent or past). This included emotional, physical, and sexual abuse. Results: Recent (7.9%, n= 48) and lifetime (38%, n= 232) domestic abuse was reported. For recently abused women, violence had been severe (87.5%, n= 42) and was associated with 1) trauma (OR 5.4, 95% CI = 2.6 to 11.6), 2) obstetrical and gynecological syndromes (OR 5.6, 95% CI = 2.4 to 13.2), and 3) psychiatric symptoms and substance use (OR 7.3, 95% CI = 2.4 to 22.0). The sensitivities and positive predictive values of these risk factors individually (<27.1% and <25.0%, respectively) and in aggregate (56.3% and 20.9%, respectively) were low. These indicators predicted only 27 (56.3%) of recently abused women. Lifetime domestic violence was more likely in homeless women (OR 5.8, 95% CI = 2.2 to 15.0), although less likely in immigrants (OR 0.4, 95% CI = 0.3 to 0.7). Conclusions: Clinical presentations and demographic characteristics of women presenting to the ED may not be sensitive or predictive indicators of domestic abuse. In the absence of typical clinical or demographic findings, asking all women in the ED about domestic abuse remains a necessary priority.
Protective effects of glutathione on diethyldithiocarbamate (DDC) cytotoxicity: a possible mechanism.

Abstract Rat cerebral astrocytes grown in culture were exposed to 35 μg diethyldithiocarbamate (DDC)/ml of medium for 1 hr and treated with 0 or 10 m m reduced glutathione (GSH) 1 hr post-DDC. DDC treatment resulted in a 90% reduction in cell adherence within 24 hr and complete inhibition of growth. The most pronounced ultrastructural lesion in DDC-treated cells was on mitochondria. Numerous lipofuscin-like deposits were seen in these cells. In addition, DDC treatment resulted in a greater than 400% increase in cellular copper. The activity of the selenoenzyme glutathione peroxidase was reduced by about 40% with no concomitant effect on cytosolic superoxide dismutase activity. The data suggest that DDC cytoxicity is peroxidative in nature, presumably due to the massive influx of copper into the astrocyte. GSH treatment 1 hr after exposure of the cells to DDC completely prevented the DDC-induced reduction in cell adherence and growth inhibition. Ultrastructurally, cells post-treated with GSH prevented much of the damage caused by DDC. This protection was associated with marked reduction in cellular copper and a return to control glutathione peroxidase activity.
The biological activity of rat intestinal retinoic acid metabolites in the vaginal smear assay.

Abstract Vitamin A-deficient rats were given a single intrajugular injection of 1 mg all-trans-[11-3H]retinoic acid and 3 h later the rats were killed. The small intestines were extracted and chromatographed by high-performance liquid chromatography to yield distinct metabolites. These were quantitated using the assumption that the specific activity of the metabolite is equal to that of the parent [3H]retinoic acid. The biological activity of all discernible metabolities was determined in the vitamin A-deficient female rat by vaginal smear assay. Retinoic acid and retinoyl-β-glucuronide from the preparation had equal activity while no activity was found for any of the other metabolite fractions. Thus, no evidence for an unknown metabolite having potent epithelial differentiating activity could be found in this target tissue of vitamin A action.
Lipid composition of myelin in multiple sclerosis

Myelin was isolated from histologically normal white matter and plaques from MS patients and from white matter of neurologically normal controls. No difference was found in the total lipid content. There were no detectable deficits in MS myelin of phosphoglycerides, plasmalogens or sphingolipids. Gangliosides and lysolecithin were not detected. Analysis of the fatty aldehyde composition of the phosphoglycerides and the fatty acid composition of the cholesteryl esters, phosphoglycerides and sphingolipids did not show any differences between the normal and MS myelin.
Simple scheme for surface-band calculations. II. The Green's function

We present a very simple scheme for calculating the Green's function of a semi-infinite surface system described within a localized orbital basis. By generating a series of matching conditions for the Green's function we can calculate its matrix elements much faster than any method currently available. We present the formalism for a specific class of systems and include a simple example to illustrate the use of the technique.
5′-Deoxyadenosine metabolism in various mammalian cell lines

Abstract 5′-Deoxyadenosine (5′-dAdo) was rapidly cleaved to adenine by cell-free, dialyzed extracts of Chinese hamster ovary (CHO), Novikoff rat hepatoma and HeLa cells in a phosphate-dependent reaction, but not by extracts from L929, L1210 and P388 cells. Radioactivity from [5′- 3 H]5′-dAdo was incorporated into the acid-soluble pool (uptake) by whole CHO, Novikoff and HeLa cells almost as rapidly as from labeled adenosine or adenine (all at 5 μM extracellular concentration). Radioactivity in the acid-soluble pool was mainly associated with a component identified as 5-deoxyribose-l-phosphate. Compared to ribose-1-phosphate, 5-deoxyribose-l-phosphate was metabolically highly stable. A second labeled component, however, was formed slowly and accumulated mainly in the medium. Its formation was greatly stimulated by hypoxanthine and, under conditions where their deamination was not blocked, by adenosine and 2′- and 3′-deoxyadenosine. The second product was 5′-deoxyinosine synthesized from hypoxanthine and 5-deoxyribose-l-phosphate by purine nucleoside phosphorylase. Cleavage of 5′-dAdo by whole cells was dependent on the continuous removal of the product adenine, since uptake was greatly reduced in cells deficient in adenine phosphoribosyl transferase and 50 μM adenine strongly inhibited 5′-dAdo cleavage. The results are consistent with the view that 5′-dAdo is a substrate for 5′-methylthioadenosine phosphorylase and that its use as a non-metabolizable substrate for the nucleoside transport measurements is limited to cells lacking this enzyme.
Positive reinforcement for viruses

Virus-cell membrane fusion requires a critical transition from positive to negative membrane curvature. St. Vincent et al. (2010), in PNAS, designed a class of antivirals that targets this transition. These rigid amphipathic fusion inhibitors are active against an array of enveloped viruses.
Price customization and within-chain data do not mix!

Purpose – Grocery retailers have access to detailed data on consumer purchases within their own chains. Previous research has used across-chain scanner panel data to develop optimal price cuts targeted to individual households but whether such a targeting strategy will work with only within-chain data is unknown. The purpose of this research is to address this specific question. Design/methodology/approach – The authors use scanner panel data from multiple categories to create across-chain and within-chain purchase histories for the same consumers. They then estimate models of purchase decisions on the two datasets and compare their performance. Findings – Within-chain data fares significantly worse on both fit and prediction criteria. Retailers' upside to customizing is minimal compared to those reported for manufacturers. Finally, customized prices based on the within-chain model significantly underperform the promise of across-chain data. Research limitations/implications – Store choice is not modelled...
Analysis of rainbow trout Ah receptor protein isoforms in cell culture reveals conservation of function in Ah receptor-mediated signal transduction

Two distinct aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR) cDNAs have been isolated from rainbow trout. The encoded receptor protein products termed rtAHR2alpha and rtAHR2ss are 97% identical at the amino acid level but are reported to have distinct functions with regard to AHR-mediated gene regulation. To test this hypothesis, the two proteins were evaluated functionally both in vitro and in a Chinese hamster lung cell line, E36. To facilitate analysis, both rtAHR2 isoforms were tagged with the FLAG peptide and could be expressed and quantified in a rabbit reticulocyte lysate. However, both proteins failed to form functional complexes with mammalian or rainbow trout AHR nuclear translocator protein (ARNT) that could associate with xenobiotic response elements (XREs) in a ligand-dependent manner in vitro. In contrast, both proteins exhibited positive function on AHR-mediated signaling when expressed in the E36 cell line. Both rtAHR2 isoforms showed a cytoplasmic distribution in the unliganded state and could drive the expression of a reporter gene under control of the trout CYP1A3 promoter. Although both proteins induced reporter gene activity to the same magnitude, the EC(50) values of the two isoforms for 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) differed by an order of magnitude, with the rtAHR2ss isoform less responsive to TCDD. When the functions of the rtAHR2 isoforms were tested in the context of the dominant negative rtARNT(a) protein, TCDD-mediated induction of reporter gene activity was reduced as the level of rtARNT(a) protein increased. In summary, both rtAHR2 isoforms appear to exhibit positive function in AHR-mediated signaling, suggesting conservation of function.
An Outcomes Oriented Approach to Calculus Instruction

The specific outcomes of a course are important to the curricula in which it is required. A course in the freshman calculus sequence was developed and taught in an “outcomes” based manner. Fifteen specific goals were identified as comprising successful completion of the course. A grading scheme was developed to reflect the progress with weekly opportunities to pass goals. Reactions to the learning of both students and the instructor were collected. The relation of this approach to ABET Engineering Criteria 2000 are considered.
Simple control laws for continuous-thrust escape or capture and their use in optimisation

Interplanetary missions which use low-thrust, high specific impulse propulsion can further capitalise on the capabilities of the propulsion system by using it to effect escape from the launch body or capture at a target body.
A kinetic study on the effect of coupling distance between insoluble trypsin and its carrier matrix.

Abstract Trypsin (EC 3.4.4.4) was covalently attached by its carboxyl groups through peptide chains of various length to an insoluble polystyrene matrix. The peptide chains ranged from one to ten amino acid residues in length composed entirely of glycine residues, except for a terminal alanine bound to the polystyrene matrix in chains of two to ten residues. Using tosyl- l -arginine methyl ester as substrate, the observed catalytic rate, k cat , is independent of the chain length or column flow rate. However, the apparent Michaelis constant is dependent upon both parameters. These results suggest that the contributions from “unreactive” molecules and electrostatic interactions are negligible for this case. The data are discussed in terms of effects of the unstirred layer and the microenvironment of the surface.