cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A comparison of inter-transcriber reliability for two systems of prosodic annotation: RaP (Rhythm and Pitch) and ToBI (Tones and Break Indices)

Agreement was investigated among five labelers for the use of two prosodic annotation systems: the ToBI (Tones and Break Indices) system [1,2] and the RaP (Rhythm and Pitch) system [3]. Each system permits the labeling of pitch accents and two levels of phrasal boundaries; RaP also permits labeling of speech rhythm and distinguishes multiple levels of prominence on syllables. After training with computerized materials and getting expert feedback, coders applied each system to a corpus of read and spontaneous speech (36 minutes for ToBI and 19 for RaP). Inter-coder reliability was computed according to two metrics: transcriber-syllable-pairs and the kappa statistic. High agreement was obtained for both systems for pitch accent presence, pitch accent type, boundary presence, boundary type, and, for RaP, presence and strength of metrical prominences. Agreement levels for ToBI were similar to those of previous studies [4,5], indicating that participants were proficient coders. Moreover, the high level of agreement demonstrated for the RaP system indicates that RaP is a viable alternative to ToBI for prosodic labeling of large speech corpora.
The association between clinically determined periodontal disease and prostate-specific antigen concentration in men without prostate cancer: the 2009–2010 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey

We evaluated the association between clinically assessed periodontal disease and serum prostate-specific antigen (PSA) concentration in men without a prostate cancer diagnosis in a US nationally representative sample of non-institutionalized men. Included were 1263 men aged ≥ 40 years who participated in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey in 2009–2010. Measurements of periodontal health and tooth count were used to define periodontal disease severity (no, mild, moderate, severe) and edentulism. Linear and logistic regressions were used to estimate the association of periodontal disease severity and edentulism with PSA concentration and elevated PSA, respectively. Adjusting for age and other factors including race, body mass index, and education, the natural logarithm of PSA concentration did not change with increasing severity (mild − 0.20, 95% confidence interval [CI] − 0.34 to − 0.05; moderate − 0.12, 95% CI − 0.26 to 0.01; severe − 0.16, 95% CI − 0.43 to 0.12; edentulism − 0.16, 95% CI − 0.35 to 0.04; P-trend 0.13) compared with dentate men without periodontal disease. Although the multivariable-adjusted ORs of elevated PSA were not statistically significant, participants with more severe periodontal disease were less likely to have PSA > 2.0 and > 2.5 ng/mL, but more likely to have PSA > 4.0 ng/mL, compared to dentate men without periodontal disease. Similar non-significant associations with PSA were observed when comparing edentulous men to dentate men without periodontal disease. In this US nationally representative sample, men with periodontal disease did not have higher serum PSA and were not more likely to have clinically elevated PSA after taking into account age and other factors, contrary to the hypothesis. This study suggests that periodontal disease does not notably affect the specificity of PSA for prostate cancer screening.
A Public Ethics of Care for Policy Implementation

Liberal and republican political theorists have not paid much attention to a theory of public administration or policy implementation. To the extent that they have, they have tended to endorse an ideal‐typical Weberian model of bureaucracy and impersonal ethics of rules to limit street‐level discretion. This article argues that the Weberian bureaucratic ethics is inconsistent with core liberal and republican values and, in fact, dominating at the street level. In order for laws and policies to be implemented in a manner consistent with liberal and republican principles, an alternative public ethics is proposed—a public ethics of care. Building on earlier research, this article argues that a public ethics of care represents an important supplement to liberal and republican ideals, as well as a better alternative to Weberian bureaucratic ethics, for implementing laws and policies at the street level in limited and responsive, nondominating ways.
What Every Secondary School Mathematics Teacher Should Read -- Twenty-Four Opinions.

Charles E. Allen, Max S. Bell, Stanley J. Bezuszka, Alan Bishop, Kenneth B. Cummins, James T. Fey, Douglas A. Grouws, John G. Harvey, Jeremy Kil patrick, Stephen Krulik, Donovan R. Lichtenberg, Eugene D. Nichols, Alan R. Osborne, Douglas Quadling, Robert Reys, Gerald R. Rising, Jesse A. Rud nick, Oscar F. Schaaf, Max A. Sobel, Kenneth Travers, Zalman P. Usiskin, Gray son H. Wheatley, Stephen S. Wil loughby, and James W. Wilson.
Vitamin D status is associated with muscular strength in a nationally representative sample of US youth

AIM To evaluate the association between serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25OHD) and muscular strength in a nationally representative sample of US youth. METHODS Participants (n = 3350) were 6- to 18-y-olds from 2011 to 2014 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Relative handgrip strength was quantified using age- and sex-specific z-scores. Poor strength was defined as those <25th percentile. Multivariate general linear and logistic models were used to compare strength and poor strength status by clinically relevant groupings of 25OHD. RESULTS Approximately 20.2% of youth had 25OHD <50 nmol/L. Mean relative strength was highest for those at ≥75 nmol/L of 25OHD. The percentage of boys/girls with poor strength in the <50 nmol/L, 50-74.9 nmol/L and ≥75 nmol/L groups was 34.9%/32.3%, 25.8%/28.2% and 14.0%/15.8%, respectively. The odds of boys and girls with <50 nmol/L 25OHD having poor strength were 2.8 (95% CI: 1.4, 5.5) and 3.4 (1.7, 6.8) times higher compared to those with ≥75 nmol/L, respectively. CONCLUSION Higher levels of circulating vitamin D were associated with higher relative strength, and poor strength was more prevalent when 25OHD was <75 nmol/L. These findings highlight the value of vitamin D for the muscle-bone unit and potential extraskeletal ramifications.
Clinical and economic impact of the use of dexmedetomidine for sedation in the intensive care unit compared to propofol

Background Despite the advantages of dexmedetomidine (DEX) over propofol (PRO) including minimal respiratory depression and the potential for preventing and/or treating intensive care unit (ICU) delirium, PRO has been the preferred agent due to its lower cost. However, the acquisition cost of DEX has considerably decreased as a generic version of DEX has recently become available. Objective To evaluate clinical and economic outcomes of DEX-based sedation compared to PRO in the ICU. Setting A retrospective cohort study of 86 ICU patients who received either DEX or PRO for a period ≥ 12 h. Method Patients were matched by age, sex, and Sequential Organ Failure Assessment scores in a 1:1 ratio. Main outcome measure Clinical outcomes included the duration of mechanical ventilation (MV), ICU and hospital length of stay (LOS), and requirements of concomitant sedatives and opioids. Economic outcomes included the ICU and hospital costs as well as the cost of sedatives or combined sedatives and opioids per patient. Results There were no significant differences in ICU and hospital LOS and time on MV in both groups (median ICU LOS 7 [DEX] vs. 9 [PRO] days, p = 0.07; median hospital LOS 12 [DEX] vs. 14 [PRO] days, p = 0.261; median time of MV 144 [DEX] vs. 158 [PRO] hours, p = 0.176). DEX-based sedation compared to PRO was associated with similar ICU and hospital costs (US$ 67,561 vs. 78,429, p = 0.39; US$ 71,923 vs. 71,084, p = 0.1). Conclusion The clinical outcomes and economic impact associated with DEX- and PRO-based sedation were similar.
Congenital Upper Tract Anomalies: Duplication, Cystic Renal Dysplasia, Multicystic Dysplastic Kidney

Congenital anomalies of the kidneys or lower urinary tract (CAKUT) are the most common causes of renal failure in children and lead to approximately 25% of end-stage renal disease in adults. Amongst the spectrum of anomalies includes renal duplication, cystic renal dysplasia, and Multicystic Dyplastic Kidney (MCDK). Developmental defects leading to these entities can occur in isolation or as part of a syndromic pattern. This chapter provides a practical overview of the diagnosis, pathophysiology, and management options for the common and most clinically significant congenital upper tract anomalies.
When Studying Cannot Help: A Medical Student's COVID-19 Experience.

[ ]I was strictly forbidden from going there [ ]the state had to rely on the unpaid and undertrained labor of medical students and other volunteers From uncovering tenuous supply chains to necessitating reimbursement for telemedicine visits, COVID has exposed fault lines in our health care system and made us reevaluate our day-to-day practices
Standardizing Indigenous erasure: A TribalCrit and QuantCrit analysis of K–12 U.S. civics and government standards

This article details a national study of U.S. K–12 civics and government state-mandated standards, drawing specific attention to how Indigenous nationhood and sovereignty are represented. Utilizing...
Teaching Discourses: Science Teachers' Responses to the Voices of Adolescent Girls

The purpose of this study was to provide an opportunity for science teachers to ‘listen’ to adolescent girls discuss their ideas and feelings about the contemporary structure of middle-level science education. The reflections of these teachers were then analyzed to capture how the teachers interpreted what adolescent girls had to say and the action that they will take in the classroom as a result of those interpretations. This qualitative study investigated 11 teachers and 51 Grade 7 and 8 girls from various states across the continental USA. The girls discussed such things as their favorite science topics, comfort level in science classrooms, and curiosities about the physical world. The study revealed that adolescent girls strive to make a connection to science. They can see how science can help them to understand better themselves and their world, but they seldom find such understandings in contemporary science classrooms. In addition, adolescent girls not only need to have choices in their studies, but they understand that need. The study revealed that the teachers interpreted the girls' request from an assimilative perspective by seeking ways to help the girls ‘fit’ into the existing structure of science education. The implications of the study suggest that science education will need to change in response to the voices of the ‘others’, but that change will only happen if we prepare teachers better to be prepared to listen and change practice in light of what they hear.
Identification and characterization of two novel splice forms of GRIP1 in the rat brain.

We cloned two novel alternatively-spliced mRNA isoforms of glutamate receptor interacting protein 1 (GRIP1) which we named GRIP1d and GRIP1e 4–7. GRIP1d is a 135 kDa, 7-PDZ-domain variant of GRIP1, containing the 12 amino acid C-terminus originally described for the 4-PDZ-domain GRIP1c 4–7. GRIP1e 4–7 is a 75 kDa 4-PDZ-domain variant of GRIP1, containing the 12 amino acid C-terminus originally described for the 7-PDZ-domain GRIP1a/b. Northern blots indicated that GRIP1d mRNA is 5.1 kb long and abundant in brain. An antibody to the C-terminus of the 75 kDa GRIP1c 4–7 also recognized an abundant 135 kDa protein, consistent with the predicted size of GRIP1d. Similarly, an antibody to the C-terminus of the 135 kDa GRIP1a/b also recognized a low abundance 75 kDa protein, consistent with the predicted size of GRIP1e 4–7. Immunocytochemistry of hippocampal cultures and intact brain using these antibodies showed that (i) these isoforms are present in both GABAergic and glutamatergic synapses, and (ii) the isoforms co-localize in individual synapses. While GRIP1a/b isoforms are abundant in interneurons and highly concentrated in GABAergic presynaptic terminals, the isoforms recognized by the antibody to the C-terminus common to GRIP1c 4–7 and GRIP1d are much less abundant in interneurons and preferentially concentrate at the postsynaptic complex.
Regional difference in GABA levels between medial prefrontal and occipital cortices

Purpose: To avoid the confounding effects of variations in tissue composition this study measured regional GABA differences using two voxels with the same tissue composition. Materials and Methods: Eighteen healthy adult volunteers were scanned using a 3 Tesla GE clinical scanner with a J-coupling based editing sequence. Spectroscopy voxels were placed in the medial prefrontal (MPFC) and occipital cortex (OCC) with essentially the same gray and white matter fractions. Results: A 16% (P = 0.0001) significantly higher GABA to creatine ratio was found in the OCC (0.1103 ± 0.0050) compared with the MPFC (0.0953 ± 0.0041). When normalized to tissue water, GABA concentrations in the OCC were 14% higher than in the MPFC. Conclusion: A difference in GABA concentration was found between the OCC and MPFC voxels in healthy subjects which is attributable to differences other than tissue composition. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2013;38:745–750. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Scale detection in real and artificial landscapes using semivariance analysis

Semivariance analysis is potentially useful to landscape ecologists for detecting scales of variability in spatial data. We used semivariance analysis to compare spatial patterns of winter foraging by large ungulates with those of environmental variables that influence forage availability in northern Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming. In addition, we evaluated (1) the ability of semivariograms to detect known scales of variability in artificial maps with one or more distinct scales of pattern, and (2) the influence of the amount and spatial distribution of absent data on semivariogram results and interpretation. Semivariograms of environmental data sets (aspect, elevation, habitat type, and slope) for the entire northern Yellowstone landscape clearly identified the dominant scale of variability in each map layer, while semivariograms of ungulate foraging data from discontinuous study areas were difficult to interpret. Semivariograms of binary maps composed of a single scale of pattern showed clear and interpretable results: the range accurately reflected the size of the blocks of which the maps were constructed. Semivariograms of multiple scale maps and hierarchical maps exhibited pronounced inflections which could be used to distinguish two or three distinct scales of pattern. To assess the sensitivity of semivariance analysis to absent data, often the product of cloud interference or incomplete data collection, we deliberately masked (deleted) portions of continuous northern Yellowstone map layers, using single scale artificial maps as masks. The sensitivity of semivariance analysis to random deletions from the data was related to both the size of the deleted blocks, and the total proportion of the original data set that was removed. Small blocks could be deleted in very high proportions without degrading the semivariogram results. When the size of deleted blocks was large relative to the size of the map, the corresponding variograms became sensitive to the total proportion of data removed: variograms were difficult or impossible to interpret when the proportion of data deleted was high. Despite success with artificial maps, standard semivariance analysis is unlikely to detect multiple scales of pattern in real ecological data. Semivariance analysis is recommended as an effective technique for quantifying some spatial characteristics of ecological data, and may provide insight into the scales of processes that structure landscapes.
Demethylation kinetics of aspartame and L-phenylalanine methyl ester in aqueous solution

The kinetics of demethylation of aspartame and L-phenylalanine methyl ester were studied in aqueous solution at 25°C over the pH range 0.27–11.5. The pseudo-first-order rate constant for aspartame was resolved into individual contributions from methyl ester hydrolysis and diketopiperazine formation. pH – rate profiles were quantitatively described by chemically reasonable kinetic schemes. Aspartame is maximally stable at pH 4 (t 90 = 53 days at 25°C); phe-nylalanine methyl ester, at pH 3. The potentiometrically measured pK a values were pK a1 3.19 and pK a2 7.87 fr aspartame and pKa 7.11 for phenylalanine methyl ester.
Service without servers [operating system architecture]

We propose a new style of operating system architecture appropriate for microkernel-based operating systems: services are implemented as a combination of shared libraries and dedicated server processes. Shared libraries implement performance critical portions of each system service, while dedicated servers implement the parts of each service that do not require high performance or that are difficult to implement in an application. Dedicated servers might be used, for example, to manage shared state that must persist across process lifetimes or to implement high-level abstractions that are difficult or impossible to provide in a library. Our initial experiments show that this approach to operating system structure can yield performance that is comparable to monolithic kernel systems while retaining all the modularity advantages that led industry to adopt microkernel technology in the first place. Since services reside in libraries, an application is free to use the library that is most appropriate. This approach can even yield better performance than monolithic kernel systems by allowing the shared libraries to be closely coupled with the applications, thereby exploiting application-specific knowledge in policy decisions. >
Streamlined and accurate gesture recognition with Penny Pincher

Penny Pincher is a recently introduced template matching $-family gesture recognizer that exhibits competitive accuracy with even just one template. However, our recognizer is also able to rapidly compare a candidate gesture against numerous templates in a short amount of time, as compared to other recognizers, in order to achieve higher accuracy within a given time budget. Penny Pincher achieves this goal by reducing the template matching process to merely addition and multiplication; by avoiding translation, scaling, and rotation; and by avoiding calls to expensive geometric functions. In an evaluation compared against four other $-family recognizers, in three of our six datasets, Penny Pincher achieves the highest accuracy of all recognizers reaching 97.5%, 99.8%, and 99.9% user independent recognition accuracy, while remaining competitive with the three remaining datasets. Further, when a time constraint is imposed, our recognizer always exhibits the highest accuracy, realizing a reduction in recognition error of between 83% and 99% in most cases as Penny Pincher is able to process five times as many templates in the same amount of time as its closest competitor. Further, in this extended work, we also evaluate the effectiveness of Penny Pincher in a stressful setting using a video game prototype that makes heavy use of gestures, so that rushed and malformed gesture articulation is more likely. Our evaluation was conducted with a 24 participant between-subject user study of Protractor and Penny Pincher. Training data and in-game data collected during the user study was further used to evaluate several $-family recognizers. Again we find that our recognizer is on par with or better than the others, reducing the recognition error by as much as 5.8% to 10.4% with just a small number of templates per gesture. Graphical abstractDisplay Omitted HighlightsFast and accurate gesture recognition using only dot products.Compared to other methods, ours yields the highest accuracy in a time constraint.Evaluated with six different well-known datasets.Highest accuracy in prototype game user study.
An Exploratory Study of Effective Online Learning: Assessing Satisfaction Levels of Graduate Students of Mathematics Education Associated with Human and Design Factors of an Online Course

This exploratory research project investigated graduate students’ satisfaction levels with online learning associated with human (professor/instructor and instructional associate) and design factors (course structure and technical aspects) using a survey study. A total of 81 graduate students (master’s students who majored in math and science education) enrolled in an online math methods course (Conceptual Geometry) participated in this study. According to the results of this study, student satisfaction level is closely associated with clear guidelines on assignment, rubrics, and constructive feedback. In addition, student satisfaction level is related to professor’s (or course instructor’s) knowledge of materials.
Phase II Trial of the Anti-GD2 Monoclonal Antibody 3F8 and Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor for Neuroblastoma

PURPOSE: To describe oncolytic effects of treatment with anti-GD2 monoclonal antibody 3F8 plus granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) in patients with neuroblastoma (NB). PATIENTS AND METHODS: Patients were eligible for 3F8/GM-CSF if intensive therapy had not eradicated potentially lethal NB. One cycle consisted of GM-CSF (subcutaneous bolus) on days 1 through 5, 11, and 12, and GM-CSF (2-hour intravenous [IV] infusion) followed after a 1-hour interval by 3F8 (1.5-hour IV infusion) on days 6 through 10 and 13 through 17. GM-CSF was dosed at 250 μg/m2/d on days 1 through 7 and at 500 μg/m2/d on days 8 through 17. 3F8 was dosed at 10 mg/m2/d (100 mg/m2/cycle). 3F8 was given with an opiate and an antihistamine. Patients without progressive disease (PD) or elevated human antimouse antibody titers could be treated again beginning 3 weeks after completion of a cycle. RESULTS: Among 19 patients treated for NB resistant to induction therapy, 12 of 15 had complete remission (CR) of bone marrow (...
Free standing aluminum nanostructures as anodes for Li-ion rechargeable batteries

Abstract The free standing aluminum nanorods were grown on electrode and evaluated electrochemically as the anodes in the half-cell of Li-ion battery. The average diameter and length of the nanorods are 80 nm and 200 nm, respectively. The aligned nanorods demonstrated high capacity of 1243 mAh g −1 at rate of 0.5 C. A gradual decrease of the initial capacity was observed. The characterization of the anodes shows that the changes of the crystalline structure and morphology during cycling may be responsible for the capacity decay. The appropriate selection of the substrate can overcome the problems and lead the sustainable high capacity.
Tsetse Fly Control in Kenya's Spatially and Temporally Dynamic Control Reservoirs: A Cost Analysis.

Human African trypanosomiasis (HAT) and animal African trypanosomiasis (AAT) are significant health concerns throughout much of sub-Saharan Africa. Funding for tsetse fly control operations has decreased since the 1970s, which has in turn limited the success of campaigns to control the disease vector. To maximize the effectiveness of the limited financial resources available for tsetse control, this study develops and analyzes spatially and temporally dynamic tsetse distribution maps of Glossina subgenus Morsitans populations in Kenya from January 2002 to December 2010, produced using the Tsetse Ecological Distribution Model. These species distribution maps reveal seasonal variations in fly distributions. Such variations allow for the identification of “control reservoirs” where fly distributions are spatially constrained by fluctuations in suitable habitat and tsetse population characteristics. Following identification of the control reservoirs, a tsetse management operation is simulated in the control reservoirs using capital and labor control inputs from previous studies. Finally, a cost analysis, following specific economic guidelines from existing tsetse control analyses, is conducted to calculate the total cost of a nationwide control campaign of the reservoirs compared to the cost of a nationwide campaign conducted at the maximum spatial extent of the fly distributions from January 2002 to December 2010. The total cost of tsetse management within the reservoirs sums to $14,212,647, while the nationwide campaign at the maximum spatial extent amounts to $33,721,516. This savings of $19,508,869 represents the importance of identifying seasonally dynamic control reservoirs when conducting a tsetse management campaign, and, in the process, offers an economical means of fly control and disease management for future program planning.
Differentially Coherent Detection of QASK for Frequency-Hopping Systems--Part II: Performance in the Presence of Jamming

The performance of differentially coherent detection of frequency-hopped QASK in the presence of partial-band noise and partial-band multitone jamming is presented. In each case, the worst case jamming strategy is determined which consists of specifying the worst case partial-band fraction and the corresponding maximum average error probability. The results obtained are compared with those of M -ary FH-DPSK operating in the same jamming environment.
Introduction: Comparative Perspectives on the Indigenous Rights Movement in Africa and the Americas

Using ethnographic case studies, these "In Focus" articles explore the indigenous rights movements in two regions, Africa and the Americas, where the histories, agendas, and dynamics of the movements are at once similar and different. They consider a range of relevant questions about the politics of representation, recognition, resources, and rights as these movements engage shifting political and economic landscapes; transnational discourses, alliances, and organizations; and the complicated cultural politics of inclusion and exclusion invoked by the term indigenous. As such, they offer a critical, comparative perspective on the issues of culture, power, representation, and difference inherent in the complicated alliances, articulations, and tensions that have produced and transformed the transnational indigenous rights movement. This introduction provides a brief history of the movement, highlights some major themes in previous anthropological work, reviews the insights of the section articles, and explores some of the ways in which anthropologists have engaged with the movement. [Keywords: indigenous peoples, social movements, cultural politics, ethnography]
Two Epistemic Accounts of Democratic Legitimacy

Offered are two epistemic accounts of deliberative democracy that suggest the reasonable minority has epistemically sound reasons to willingly follow a reasonable majority position. One of these accounts suggests that the truth will be on the side of an overwhelming rational majority. This is because it is less likely that there is a widespread cognitive failure that “contaminates” the moral intuitions of a rational majority than a rational minority. The second account suggests that where there is a rational disagreement, instead of assuming: (a) one side is right and the other wrong, (b) that they are both failing to discover what justice dictates, or (c) that there is no moral fact of the matter, it is sometimes plausible to conclude that both views are compatible with justice. While the competing views can't both be simultaneously realized, it is not contradictory to assert they are both compatible with justice.
The Islamic ethics of abortion in the traditional Islamic sources

On ne peut repondre a la question de l'ethique de l'avortement dans l'islam qu'en examinant de pres le Coran, source de toute verite, et la Sunna, exemple vivant du Prophete. Dans cet article, l'A. expose la discussion coranique des themes lies a l'avortement ainsi que l'ethique coranique (meme si Allah n'a pas statue de maniere definitive en la matiere). Par exemple, un avortement pratique pendant les 120 premiers jours de la gestation, s'il est un mal moral, n'est pas considere comme un crime car le foetus n'est pas encore un etre humain selon le Coran. Puis elle propose quelques exemples prophetiques concernant ces questions, avec des interpretations de legistes.
Lymphocytes: Circulation Altered by Trypsin

Rat thoracic duct lymphocytes altered by trypsin in vitro do not circulate normally. At early intervals after transfusion of lymphocytes labeled with chromium-51 selective accumulation of radioactivity in the lymph nodes is abolished, while uptake in the spleen is not reduced. Later, the cells appear to "home" to lymph nodes and recirculate to the lymph.
Key technology research of CHINA Advanced Metering Infrastructure

This paper defines content of Advanced Metering Infrastructure (referred to as AMI), make comparative analysis of the similarities and differences between domestic and foreign AMI. This paper describes the status of China AMI related technology system and China power using information collection system architecture; proposes typical structure of China AMI; analyzes AMI related communication technologies and their applications which includes power composite optical fiber communication, power line broadband communication technology and wireless communication technology. This paper also analyzes the metering sensor networks, interoperability, digital metering, distributed generation bi-directional metering, local and remote smart control technology, demand response and other key technologies; proposes the technical requirements of smart energy meter and smart interactive terminals, data management system.
Trends in seedling growth and carbon‐use efficiency vary among broadleaf tree species along a latitudinal transect in eastern North America

Factors constraining the geographic ranges of broadleaf tree species in eastern North America were examined in common gardens along a ~1500 km latitudinal transect travers in grange boundaries of four target species: trembling aspen (Populus tremuloides) and paper birch (Betula papyrifera) to the north vs. eastern cottonwood (Populus deltoides) and sweet gum (Liquidambar styraciflua) to the south. In 2006 and 2007, carbon-use efficiency (CUE), the proportion of assimilated carbon retained in biomass, was estimated for seedlings of the four species as the quotient of relative growth rate (RGR) and photosynthesis per unit tree mass (Atree ). In aspen and birch, CUE and RGR declined significantly with increasing growth temperature, which spanned 9 °C across gardens and years. The 37% (relative) CUE decrease from coolest to warmest garden correlated with increases in leaf nighttime respiration (Rleaf ) and the ratio of Rleaf to leaf photosynthesis (R%A ). For cottonwood and sweet gum, however, similar increases in Rleaf and R%A accompanied modest CUE declines, implying that processes other than Rleaf were responsible for species differences in CUE's temperature response. Our findings illustrate marked taxonomic variation, at least among young trees, in the thermal sensitivity of CUE, and point to potentially negative consequences of climate warming for the carbon balance, competitive ability, and persistence of two foundation species in northern temperate and boreal forests.
A computational study of factors in the evolution of myelin

Myelin is a multilayered, lipid-rich coating of axons that increases the conduction velocity of nerve impulses, contributes to compact nervous systems, and reduces metabolic costs of neural activity. Although usually thought of as a vertebrate adaptation, functionally identical myelin sheaths have evolved in several invertebrate lines. To gain insight into the possible factors in its evolution in the different lines, we undertook a modeling study of different configurations of myelin ensheathment and its physiological parameters. Based on the hypothesis that increased impulse conduction velocity provides a selective advantage that drives the evolution of myelin, we focused on parameters that speed nerve conduction. The myelin sheath was modeled with several levels of complexity using the NEURON simulator, ranging from approximating the effect of myelination by changing the specific capacitance (Cm) of a uniform cylindrical axon to a double cable model that represented the axon and myelin sheath separately using NEURON's extracellular mechanism. Simulations were performed on a sequence of plausible intermediate stages of myelin evolution from the apposition of membrane from adjacent glial cells to a single layer of myelin surrounding the axon to multiple myelin wraps with well-organized nodes. At each stage the effects of the model parameters on conduction velocity were assessed. We found that a relatively small amount of myelination, even partial coverage by a single layer of glial membrane, produced a substantial increase in conduction velocity. For example, the addition of one myelin wrap (2 membranes) to a small (2 micron) diameter axon resulted in a 70% increase in conduction velocity, suggesting that a substantial advantage of myelin could be available to the earliest stages in myelin evolution. For the double cable model, conduction velocity increased more rapidly with increasing myelin wraps for larger diameter axons. This suggests that in the transition to a myelinated nervous system, it is large diameter axons that become myelinated first.
Some rare meson-decay modes in a relativistic quark model

A version of the relativistic quark model with phenomenological form factors and prescriptions developed largely by Mitra and coworkers is here applied to the calculation of some rare meson-decay rates. First, vector-meson dominance is incorporated into the model and electromagnetic decay rates are computed for pseudoscalar and vector mesons. Then some three-body decays of the ${\ensuremath{\eta}}^{\ensuremath{'}}(958)$, ${A}_{1}(1070)$, and $E(1422)$ are considered. In general, reasonably good agreement with the available experimental evidence is obtained, without the introduction of any new parameters. It is found that the best over-all consistency is obtained if the ${\ensuremath{\eta}}^{\ensuremath{'}}(958)$ is assumed to be a pure SU(3) singlet, and the $E(1422)$ is taken to be an octet state with ${J}^{P}={1}^{+}$.
Coregulation of Ion Channels by Neurosteroids and Phosphorylation

This Perspective by Tasker is one of two discussing the regulation of ion channels by neurosteroids. Neurosteroids are steroids synthesized in the brain that act as allosteric modulators of ion-channel activity. The dual regulation of γ-aminobutyric acid type A (GABAA) receptors and voltage-gated calcium channels by phosphorylation and neurosteroids is the focus of this Perspective.
Demonstration: Interactive social-emotional toolkit (iSET)

Social communication in autism is significantly hindered by difficulties processing affective cues in realtime face-to-face interaction. The interactive Social-Emotional Toolkit (iSET) allows its users to record and annotate video with emotion labels in real time, then review and edit the labels later to bolster understanding of affective information present in interpersonal interactions. The iSET demo will let the ACII audience experience the augmentation of interpersonal interactions by using the iSET system.
Random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) variation among native little bluestem [Schizachyrium scoparium (Michx.) Nash] populations from sites of high and low fertility in forest and grassland biomes

Random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) markers were used to provide estimates of the comparative genetic variation within and among four native populations of Schizachyrium scoparium. Genotypes were collected from high- and low-fertility sites in both New Jersey (forest biome) and in Oklahoma (grassland biome), USA, and propagated in the greenhouse. Four oligonucleotide primers, 10 bp in length, produced a total of 60 RAPD markers, with the minimum marker difference between any two individuals being 14 markers. Euclidean metric distances were calculated among all individuals, and the analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA) technique was used to apportion the total genetic variation among individuals within populations, populations within fertility levels, populations within biomes, fertility levels, and biomes. Even though most genetic variation resided within populations, statistically significant differences were detected between populations within each biome. Furthermore, genetic distances between high and low fertility levels within biomes were equal to or greater than biome distances. Therefore, in this wide-ranging and highly variable species, RAPD analysis suggests that local site differences in fertility and ecological history can promote genetic differentiation equal to or greater than geographical differentiation.
A Real Time Metridia Luciferase Based Non-Invasive Reporter Assay of Mammalian Cell Viability and Cytotoxicity via the β-actin Promoter and Enhancer

Secreted reporter molecules offer a means to evaluate biological processes in real time without the need to sacrifice samples at pre-determined endpoints. Here we have adapted the secreted bioluminescent reporter gene, Metridia luciferase, for use in a real-time viability assay for mammalian cells. The coding region of the marine copepod gene has been codon optimized for expression in human cells (hMLuc) and placed under the control of the human β-actin promoter and enhancer. Metridia luciferase activity of stably transfected cell models corresponded linearly with cell number over a 4-log dynamic range, detecting as few as 40 cells. When compared to standard endpoint viability assays, which measure the mitochondrial dehydrogenase reduction of tetrazolium salts, the hMLuc viability assay had a broader linear range of detection, was applicable to large tissue culture vessels, and allowed the same sample to be repeatedly measured over several days. Additional studies confirmed that MLuc activity was inhibited by serum, but demonstrated that assay activity remained linear and was measurable in the serum of mice bearing subcutaneous hMLuc-expressing tumors. In summary, these comparative studies demonstrate the value of humanized Metridia luciferase as an inexpensive and non-invasive method for analyzing viable cell number, growth, tumor volume, and therapeutic response in real time.
Atmospheric Distortion of Signals Originating from Space Sources

The phasefront distortion imposed on space signals by fine-grained refractivity variations of the atmosphere is an important consideration in the design of large-aperture antennas, antenna arrays, antenna systems for measuring spacecraft position and position-rate, and radioastronomy systems. The distortion caused by ionospheric and tropospheric refractivity variations imposes fundamental limitations on the capabilities of these antennas and antenna systems, particularly on systems which must operate at low elevation angles. The purpose of this paper is to present numerical estimates of distortion imposed on signals passing through the atmosphere. Atmospheric models based on available literature are selected for this purpose.
On limit cycles of second-order sigma-delta modulators with constant input

Exact analysis of second-order sigma-delta modulators with constant input is presented. Some properties of general limit cycles are established. Sufficient conditions for the existence of a general class of limit cycles of the state vectors of the modulator are determined. The conditions interrelate the input, an initial vector, and the period of the limit cycle. Also, sufficient conditions are determined for a class of initial condition vectors to converge to a limit cycle.
Evaluation of the portable infrared pupillometer.

The NeurOptics ForSite quantitative dynamic pupillometer is manufactured by NeurOptics, Inc., 2600 Michelson Drive, Suite 980, Irvine, CA 92612, telephone 949/250-9792, www.neuroptics.com.
Ionization rate coefficients for the elements hydrogen through zinc

Aims. The interpretation of astrophysical spectra depends directly on a knowledge of the ionization state of the emitting plasma. This is determined, in part, from collisional ionization rate coefficients. The most recent assessments of these were performed by Arnaud & Rothenflug (1985, A&AS, 60, 425) and Arnaud & Raymond (1992, ApJ, 398, 394). Since their work, new laboratory measurements of ionization cross sections have become available as well as the Flexible Atomic Code (FAC) which enables theoretical calculations of these rates. Our goal is to provide a complete set of ionization rate coefficients for the elements hydrogen through zinc. Methods. A scaling law, which assists the analysis of ionization cross sections and rate coefficients, has been developed following the approach of Burgess & Tully (1992, A&A, 254, 436). Essentially all available measured cross sections along each isoelectronic sequence have been examined and compared to cross sections calculated with the Flexible Atomic Code (FAC) and with other calculations. Two approaches has been taken to provide a complete set of ionization cross sections. In the first, fits to scaled measured ionization cross sections, particularly for neutral and singly ionized species, are performed. In the second, fits to scaled calculated direct ionization and excitation-autoionization cross sections are performed to provide the remainder of the set. The fits to the cross sections are then integrated over a Maxwellian velocity distribution to derive ionization rate coefficients. Results. A complete set of ground level ionization cross sections and rate coefficients has been developed through the combination of these two approaches. A tabulation of parameter fits to ground level ionization rate coefficients for all atoms and ions of the elements of H through Zn is provided.
Documenting Precision and Accuracy in the Open Data Policy Era

How often do research papers discuss measurement uncertainty or present error bars in observational or statistical analysis figures? In an attempt to address this issue using space physics as an example, we conducted a survey of 102 observational Journal of Geophysical Research-Space Physics articles that were published over a time span of 7 months. Unfortunately, the majority (56) did not discuss measurement uncertainty or present error bars in observational or statistical analysis figures.
Chemical stability and metabolic utilization of asparagine peptides.

Abstract l -Leucyl- l -asparagine and l -asparaginyl- l -leucine are utilized as well as l -asparaginylglycine and glycyl- l -asparagine by Leuc. mesenteroides . The growth response to these peptides approximates that to l -aspartic acid and is far superior to that to l -asparagine. l -Aspartylglycine and glycyl- l -aspartic acid at high concentrations are superior to l -aspartic acid as a source of the dicarboxylic acid. The glycine peptides serve as better sources of glycine than glycine itself. The growth response to the leucine peptides is equal to that to leucine. Cell-free extracts of Leuc. mesenteroides show strong asparaginase activity. Observations on the enzymatic splitting of the asparagine peptides suggest that the peptides are cleaved into the amide and glycine or leucine and that the free amide is deamidated. It appears that the superior utilization of asparagine peptides when compared with that of asparagine is the result of the inability of the latter to reach the sites of its metabolism by the bacterial cell. Procedures for the syntheses of leucylasparagine, asparaginylleucine, α-aspartylglycine and glycylaspartic acid are described. The instability of glycylasparagine in acid and of asparaginylglycine in alkali is demonstrated and discussed.
Budgeting for Social Security Or: When Are Savings Really Savings?

Policy and budgetary debate about Social Security is greatly affected by understandings of how the program is financed and, therefore, what steps would make it more affordable in the future. Unfortunately, both the standard justifications for and criticisms of buildups in the Social Security trust funds do not reflect the extent to which such buildups in fact would help finance future program costs. This article argues for a different standard, based explicitly on the fiscal capacity of the federal government and the effect of the government's obligations to pay interest on that capacity. I explain how both this definition of the role of the trust funds, and a broader understanding of fiscal capacity, would affect analysis of Social Security's condition and of possible reforms.
Anxiety, Impulsivity, and the Anxious-Fearful and Erratic-Dramatic Personality Disorders

Abstract This research tested some of the basic structural assumptions of Jeffrey Gray′s personality theory and the potential applicability of this model to the anxious-fearful and erratic-dramatic Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders - Third Edition, Revised (DSM-III-R) personality disorders. Two independent samples, a normative sample (477 college undergraduates) and a research sample (77 persons, two-thirds with at least one personality disorder), were employed. Findings from both samples provided converging support for the hypothesized location of Gray′s primary personality dimensions. More importantly, additional analyses based on the research sample indicated that the dimension of anxiety underlies personaliy disorders included in the anxious-fearful cluster and that the dimension of impulsivity underlies the disorders of the erratic-dramatic cluster, suggesting that Gray′s primary dimensions of personality constitute one viable model for conceptualizing two clusters of DSM-III-R personality disorders.
3D Ear Segmentation and Classification Through Indexing

Current growth trends in different biometrics applications present challenges to researchers. To address these challenges, we need new data storage and retrieval techniques to make the recognition process time efficient. This paper presents a system for time efficient 3D ear biometrics from a large biometrics database. The proposed system has two components that are primarily responsible for: 1) automatic 3D ear segmentation and 2) hierarchical categorization of the 3D ear database using the shape information and surface depth information, respectively. We use an active contour algorithm along with a tree-structured graph to segment the ear region from the 3D profile images. The segmented 3D ear database is then categorized based on the geometrical feature values, computed from the ear shape, into oval, round, rectangular, and triangular categories. For the categorization based on the depth information, the feature space is partitioned using tree-based indexing techniques. We used indexing techniques with balanced split (k-dimensional (KD) tree) and unbalanced split (pyramid tree) data structures to categorize the database separately and then compared their retrieval efficiency. Experiments are conducted to compare the average computation time per query when performing recognition through hierarchical categorization with the average computation time when recognition is based on sequential search. Experimental results without indexing conducted on the University of Notre Dame Collection J2 data set yielded a rank-one recognition rate of 98.5%. We applied the indexing technique to compute the rank-one recognition accuracy with a 10%–50% search space reduction using a 10% step size. With 10%, 20%, 30%, 40%, and 50% search space reduction the rank-one recognition accuracy gracefully degrades to 96.87%, 96.14%, 95.18%, 94.21%, and 93.49%, respectively, while performing nearly 3, 3.3, 4, 4.2, and 5 times faster than the state-of-the-art technique that uses sequential search.