cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
β-Catenin-Dependent FGF Signaling Sustains Cell Survival in the Anterior Embryonic Head by Countering Smad4

Growing evidence suggests that FGFs secreted from embryonic signaling centers are key mediators of cell survival. However, the mechanisms regulating FGF-dependent cell survival remain obscure. At the rostral end of the embryo, for example, ablation of FGF signaling leads to the rapid death of the precursor cells that form the anterior head, including the telencephalon. Here, we outline a core genetic circuit that regulates survival in the embryonic mouse head: WNT signaling through β-catenin directly maintains FGF expression and requires FGF function in vivo to oppose proapoptotic TGF-β signaling through SMAD4. Moreover, these antagonistic pathways converge on the transcriptional regulation of apoptosis, and genes such as Cdkn1a, suggesting a mechanism for how signaling centers in the embryonic head regulate cell survival.
Reference reconciliation in complex information spaces

Reference reconciliation is the problem of identifying when different references (i.e., sets of attribute values) in a dataset correspond to the same real-world entity. Most previous literature assumed references to a single class that had a fair number of attributes (e.g., research publications). We consider complex information spaces: our references belong to multiple related classes and each reference may have very few attribute values. A prime example of such a space is Personal Information Management, where the goal is to provide a coherent view of all the information on one's desktop.Our reconciliation algorithm has three principal features. First, we exploit the associations between references to design new methods for reference comparison. Second, we propagate information between reconciliation decisions to accumulate positive and negative evidences. Third, we gradually enrich references by merging attribute values. Our experiments show that (1) we considerably improve precision and recall over standard methods on a diverse set of personal information datasets, and (2) there are advantages to using our algorithm even on a standard citation dataset benchmark.
Improved Control of a Steering Wheel Vibration Simulator

The improved control of a steering wheel vibration simulator capable of reproducing a set of desired vibration/acceleration signals is presented. The simulator is to be used in characterizing human perception of vibration as transmitted to the hand through the steering wheel. Accelerometers are used to record the acceleration at the top of the steering wheel in both the up-down (z) and side-to-side (y) directions. The plant is modeled by frequency response measurements including an uncertainty model generated from measured changes in system frequency response due to variations in subject grip force. The simulator control problem is formulated as a 2-input, 1-output tracking control of the z-axis while minimizing the y-axis response. A two degree-of-freedom controller is synthesized with a stabilizing feedback controller and a zero phase error tracking feedforward controller. The feedback controller is designed using linear matrix inequality techniques and ensures robust stability of the coupled closed-loop system with uncertainty due to subject grip force. Simulation and experimental results to verify the effectiveness of the simulator are presented.Copyright © 2006 by ASME
Impaired cerebrovascular reactivity in multiple sclerosis.

Importance Cerebrovascular reactivity (CVR) is an inherent indicator of the dilatory capacity of cerebral arterioles for a vasomotor stimulus for maintaining a spontaneous and instant increase of cerebral blood flow (CBF) in response to neural activation. The integrity of this mechanism is essential to preserving healthy neurovascular coupling; however, to our knowledge, no studies have investigated whether there are CVR abnormalities in multiple sclerosis (MS). Objective To use hypercapnic perfusion magnetic resonance imaging to assess CVR impairment in patients with MS. Design, Setting, and Participants A total of 19 healthy volunteers and 19 patients with MS underwent perfusion magnetic resonance imaging based on pseudocontinuous arterial spin labeling to measure CBF at normocapnia (ie, breathing room air) and hypercapnia. The hypercapnia condition is achieved by breathing 5% carbon dioxide gas mixture, which is a potent vasodilator causing an increase of CBF. Main Outcomes and Measures Cerebrovascular reactivity was calculated as the percent increase of normocapnic to hypercapnic CBF normalized by the change in end-tidal carbon dioxide, which was recorded during both conditions. Group analysis was performed for regional and global CVR comparison between patients and controls. Regression analysis was also performed between CVR values, lesion load, and brain atrophy measures in patients with MS. Results A significant decrease of mean (SD) global gray matter CVR was found in patients with MS (3.56 [0.81]) compared with healthy controls (5.08 [1.56]; P = .001). Voxel-by-voxel analysis showed diffuse reduction of CVR in multiple regions of patients with MS. There was a significant negative correlation between gray matter CVR and lesion volume ( R = 0.6, P = .004) and a significant positive correlation between global gray matter CVR and gray matter atrophy index ( R = 0.5, P = .03). Conclusions and Relevance Our quantitative imaging findings suggest impairment in functional cerebrovascular pathophysiology, by measuring a diffuse decrease in CVR, which may be the underlying cause of neurodegeneration in MS.
Electrical characteristics of MOVPE grown MWIR N + p(As)HgCdTe heterostructure photodiodes build on GaAs substrates

Well recognized are the potential benefits in camera simplicity, power reduction and increased cooler life associated with the capability of operating infrared focal plane arrays at or near room ambient temperatures. Quality imagery in the 3 to 5 mm spectral band at scene temperature of 300K with focal plane array temperatures up to 175K was demonstrated recently. The array consisted of 640*512, 16 mm pitch N+p(As) detector elements grown by metal organic vapor phase epitaxy on a GaAs substrate. In this paper, a carrier recombination model is presented that explains the dark current density data as a function of inverse temperature. Basically the dominant carrier recombination occurs through ionized donor-like flaws centered in the upper half of the energy gap. For Hg1-xCd x Te, x=0.3 and 0.2867 materials, the flaw energy level, Eflaw(0K) respectively, is centered at 0.189 eV and 0.1181 eV above the valence band edge; The shortest possible lifetime tp0 for hole capture respectively is 3.5 and 550 ms. Band to band recombination is not observed to be dominant even in the temperature region T a 300K, where the radiative and Auger lifetimes are significantly smaller than tp0. The asymmetry parameter g = tn0/tp0 ll1.© (2012) COPYRIGHT Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers (SPIE). Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
An Improved Force Field for the Prediction of the Vapor−Liquid Equilibria for Carboxylic Acids

An improved united-atom force field, based on a Lennard-Jones plus point charge functional form, for carboxylic acids is proposed. Point charges are determined from a Mulliken population analysis of ab initio calculations performed at the MP2 level of theory with the 6-31+g(d,p) basis set. The Lennard-Jones well depth and size parameters for the carboxyl carbon interaction site were determined by fitting to single-component vapor−liquid equilibrium data for acetic acid, while the remaining Lennard-Jones parameters were taken from the TraPPE-UA force field. Histogram-reweighting Monte Carlo simulations in the grand canonical ensemble were used to determine the vapor−liquid coexistence curves, vapor pressures, and critical points predicted by the new force field. The new force field was found to describe accurately the phase equilibria of acetic acid, with mean unsigned errors in the saturated liquid density of less than 1.6%. The critical temperature and density predicted by the new force field were within...
Structural equivalence: Meaning and definition, computation and application

Abstract This paper presents a generalization of the concept of “structural equivalence”, the key concept in algebraic approaches to the study of social networks. Two points in a graph or set of relations will be called “structurally related” if they are connected in the same ways to structurally related points. It is suggested that this new definition suitably weakens Lorrain and White's categorical approach, and is more appropriate than CONCOR. Structural relatedness is compared to these approaches via several simple examples.
Radar-based monitoring system for nocturnal assessment

A radar monitoring system is implemented to evaluate the birds activity and their quantification in the western basin of lake Erie in Ohio. This location is a habitat stopover for migratory birds and also it is a putative area for constructing wind farm. The radar monitoring is performed in three steps consist of data acquisition, blip detections, and target tracking. Blip detection is performed in radR platform and tracking is performed using developed particle filter in MATLAB. The radar monitoring system is used to process data collected in migration period of fall and spring 2011.
Commentary on viewpoint: Perspective on the future use of genomics in exercise prescription.

to the editor: Dr. Roth ([4][1]) puts forward an interesting Viewpoint suggesting that the use of genomics to individualize exercise prescription in the majority of cases would not be relevant or necessary. Dr. Roth focused on genomic information as the primary determinant of the individualization
The GB1 Amyloid Fibril: Recruitment of the Peripheral β-Strands of the Domain Swapped Dimer into the Polymeric Interface

Three-dimensional domain swapping has been evoked as a mechanism for oligomerization of proteins. Here, we show for the immunoglobulin-binding domain B1 of streptococcal protein G (GB1) that fibril formation is observed readily for variants that exist as domain-swapped dimers. No fibril was formed by a revertant that exhibits the stable wild-type GB1 fold or a mutant comprising a highly destabilized, fluctuating ensemble of conformers. Structural features of the GB1 amyloid fibril were characterized by cysteine disulfide cross-linking. Residues in the outer edge β-strands of the domain-swapped dimer readily form intermolecular disulfide bonds prior to and during fibril formation. On the basis of these data, a structural model for the assembly of domain-swapped dimers into a polymeric structure of the GB1 fibril is proposed.
Targeted photodynamic therapy for infected wounds in mice

         !   "#$% &#'( )  *+!, *-' ++ - +**+. +* '""/*0**'#+*$1 &2$342            56  7          8 99  --* -+* !  "1 " 2 **!, *-+'0* !:+*;0-  !-' "1( -  ', $ *'9$8&%1& " % $5 
Contact-induced language change in a trilingual context: the case of Burushaski in Srinagar

This study provides a description and analysis of contact-induced language change in a dialect of Burushaski spoken in Srinagar (India). I present a unique situation in which contact outcomes are reflected via interplay of various sociolinguistic factors involving simultaneous contact with two languages — Kashmiri and Urdu, each affecting the language in a specific way: lexical borrowing from Urdu and structural borrowing from Kashmiri. The effects of contact are examined in a trilingual context where the contact languages are placed in a dominance relationship with Urdu occupying the top of the language hierarchy while Burushaski and Kashmiri are competing at the bottom. Data indicate that lexical borrowing and structural borrowing are two different types of contact phenomena which can occur independently of each other. The two processes are influenced by different sociolinguistic factors which may interact in different ways in different contact situations resulting in different types of contact outcomes.
Dynamic Stress Concentrations at Circular Holes in Struts

Dynamic stress concentrations were determined for a strut with a centrally located hole by employing photoelastic measurements. Single spark photography together with controlled repeated loadings on Columbia resin CR-39 models was utilized to obtain the dynamic fringe pattern. In general, it was found that the dynamic stress concentrations differed significantly from the static stress concentrations. The difference depended upon the geometry of the model and the location at the boundary of the hole.
Adaptive “Bootstrap” CDMA multi-user detector

Decorrelating detectors were proposed as tools to combat the near-far problem in multi-user CDMA communication systems. They were also used as the first stage of many two-stage, multi-user signal separators to facilitate tentative decisions for the canceller stage. These decorrelators completely separate signals, but with relatively high additive noise. Different separators, which may not totally reject other signals, have been shown to result in better error probability with any value of interference energies. These separators can be implemented with an adaptive algorithm, termed “Bootstrap”, which can easily be used in situations where the cross-correlation matrix is unknown or the codes have been altered by the channel.
Results from three years of Ka-band propagation characterization at Svalbard, Norway

Over the next several years, NASA plans to launch several earth science missions which are expected to achieve data throughputs of 5–40 terabits per day transmitted from low earth orbiting spacecraft to ground stations. The current S-band and X-band frequency allocations in use by NASA, however, are incapable of supporting the data rates required to meet this demand. As such, NASA is in the planning stages to upgrade its existing Near Earth Network (NEN) polar ground stations to support Ka-band (25.5–27 GHz) operations. Consequently, it becomes imperative that characterization of propagation effects at these NEN sites is conducted to determine expected system performance, particularly at low elevation angles (< 10deg) where spacecraft signal acquisition typically occurs. Since May 2011, NASA Glenn Research Center has installed and operated a Ka-band radiometer at the NEN site located in Svalbard, Norway. The Ka-band radiometer monitors the water vapor line, as well as 4 frequencies around 26.5 GHz at a fixed 10 deg elevation angle. Three-year data collection results indicate good agreement with models and comparable performance to previously characterized northern latitude sites in the United States, i.e., Fairbanks, Alaska. The Svalbard data is used to derive availability results for an upcoming earth-observation mission, JPSS-1, and indicate a requirement of 4 dB of atmospheric attenuation margin necessary to close the link with 99% overall system availability for the expected LEO orbital cycle, as observed from the Svalbard location.
Rapid Naming by Children with and without Specific Language Impairment.

Purpose Previous studies have reported that children with specific language impairment (SLI) name pictures more slowly than do chronological age–matched (CAM) peers. Rapid naming depends on 2 facto...
A Political-Warrior Model: The Combined Action Program

This article examines the Vietnam-era Marine Corps Combined Action Program from a context in which political activities at the junior Marine level arose from tactical considerations. It points out how at the junior soldier level, war and politics are often indistinct, or traditional relationships between the two are reversed. What emerges is a fusion of political and military considerations. It is significant that this political-military fusion occurs at not only the senior officer levels as is commonly outlined in civil-military relations theory, but also at the junior enlisted (E-1 through E-5) level. In using the Combined Action Program as an analytical framework, this article identifies a growing political function; one relevant to partially understanding the soldier's multidimensional role in contemporary low-intensity conflicts.
IVF outcomes in obese donor oocyte recipients: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

STUDY QUESTION Does obesity influence the chance of pregnancy after IVF in donor oocyte recipients?
Surface aging mechanisms of AC plasma display panels

Excellent life performance is being achieved for ac plasma display panels through understanding of the causes of voltage changes, surface overcoat material research, and adjustment of the manufacturing process to eliminate contaminants. It has been found that surface aging phenomena are dominant in many practical cases. Because of prefereutial operation patterns (i.e., alpha numerics), a differential aging pattern may evolve. The differential pattern is the result of voltage changes which are different for heavily operated and lightly or nonoperated cells. It is shown that the nature and extent of surface changes are dependent on overcoat material selection and the presence (or absence) of contaminants introduced during manufacture. With the use of thin overcoat layers in contact with the gas, it is necessary to be aware of the possibility of surface film removal by sputtering. The effects of significant variables: gas pressure and composition surface material, and operating voltage are discussed.
Place cell firing shows an inertia-like process

Place cells were recorded from "ve animals performing a shuttle task on a linear track in which reward was only available at one end of the journey. Although place "elds during the journey itself were directional, place "elds at the turn-around point were bidirectional. Place "elds that were directional on full-length journeys became locally bidirectional when the animal turned around in the middle of the place "eld. This suggests that place cells show an inertia-like process in which, once they begin "ring, they continue "ring whatever trajectory the animal takes. This process would be useful for storing routes and sequences. ( 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.
Costimulation of Multiple NK Cell Activation Receptors by NKG2D

The activation of NK cells is mediated through specific interactions between activation receptors and their respective ligands. Little is known, however, about whether costimulation, which has been well characterized for T cell activation, occurs in NK cells. To study the function of NKG2D, a potential NK costimulatory receptor, we have generated two novel hamster mAbs that recognize mouse NKG2D. FACS analyses demonstrate that mouse NKG2D is expressed on all C57BL/6 IL-2-activated NK (lymphokine-activated killer (LAK)) cells, all splenic and liver NK cells, and ∼50% of splenic NKT cells. Consistent with limited polymorphism of NKG2D, its sequence is highly conserved, and the anti-NKG2D mAbs react with NK cells from a large number of different mouse strains. In chromium release assays, we show that stimulation of NK cells with anti-NKG2D mAb can redirect lysis. Also, enhanced lysis of transfected tumor targets expressing NKG2D ligand could be inhibited by addition of anti-NKG2D mAb. Interestingly, stimulation of LAK cells via NKG2D alone does not lead to cytokine release. However, stimulation of LAK via both an NK activation receptor (e.g., CD16, NK1.1, or Ly-49D) and NKG2D leads to augmentation of cytokine release compared with stimulation through the activation receptor alone. These results demonstrate that NKG2D has the ability to costimulate multiple NK activation receptors.
Assessment of infant feeding: the validity of measuring milk intake

Accurate assessment of infant feeding is needed for clinical practice and research. We identified 32 studies that evaluated the validity of direct observation, test weighing, or doubly labeled water methods. Correlations with validation standards were highest for doubly labeled water and test weighing, and lowest for observation. Cost and availability of isotope may limit the doubly labeled water method to research studies, whereas observation may be useful for clinical practice. Test weighing could be applied to either setting, but it may be practical to sample less frequently over 24 hours. Validity results and intended use of the measurement should be considered when selecting a method.
DET1 represses a chloroplast blue light‐responsive promoter in a developmental and tissue‐specific manner in Arabidopsis thaliana

Summary The chloroplast psbD-psbC loci, which encode the D2 and CP43 subunits of the photosystem II reaction center, respectively, are regulated by a blue light-responsive promoter (BLRP). It has recently been shown in barley seedlings that activation of psbD-psbC transcription by blue light involves inhibition of a protein kinase that represses the BLRP in the dark. To elucidate further the photosensory pathways regulating the psbD BLRP, the effects of three nuclear mutations on the expression of the BLRP in chloroplasts of Arabidopsis thaliana were examined. The mutants used included the det1–1 and det1–6 alleles for the nuclear protein DET1, involved in repressing photomorphogenesis, and the cry1 gene for the blue light photoreceptor, cryptochrome (CRY1), involved in hypocotyl elongation. The BLRP was not significantly expressed in cotyledons of light-grown wild-type seedlings, unlike the light-responsive expression of the chloroplast, psbA and rbcL, and nuclear, Lhcb and Chs, genes. Analysis of the mutants revealed that DET1 represses transcription from the BLRP in a developmental and tissue-specific manner, which is unique from the effects that DET1 has on other light-regulated promoters. In addition, the cry1 mutation did not reduce the expression of the BLRP in response to blue light. This suggests that the BLRP is regulated by a different photosensory system relative to CRY1. A model is proposed involving blue light, DET1 and phytochrome in regulating transcription from the psbD BLRP.
Large-Scale Weather Regimes and Local Climate over the Western United States

Abstract Weather regimes are used to determine changes in the statistical distribution of winter precipitation and temperature at eight locations within the western United States. Six regimes are identified from daily 700-mb heights during 46 winters (1949–95) over the North Pacific sector applying cluster analysis; these include the Pacific–North American (PNA) pattern, reverse-PNA, a tropical–Northern Hemisphere (TNH) regime, and a Pacific Ω block. Most of the regimes have a statistically significant effect on the local median temperature, as well as daily temperature extremes; differences between locations are secondary to the large-scale effects. Local precipitation frequency is also conditioned significantly by certain weather regimes, but differences between groups of locations are larger. Precipitation extremes are dispersed and hard to classify. The dependence of local temperature statistics on the warm- or cold-air advection associated with particular weather regimes is discussed, as is the depen...
Evolutionizing the Cognitive Sciences: A Reply to Shapiro and Epstein

We have argued that the social sciences—anthropology, economics, sociology—will be revolutionized when their practitioners realize that theories about the evolved architecture of the human mind play a necessary and central role in any causal account of human affairs (Tooby and Cosmides, 1989, 1992; Cosmides and Tooby, 1994a). We have further argued that cognitive scientists will make far more rapid progress in mapping this evolved architecture if they begin to seriously incorporate knowledge from evolutionary biology and its related disciplines—behavioural ecology, paleoanthropology, hunter-gatherer studies, and primatology—into their repertoire of theoretical tools, and use theories of adaptive function to guide their empirical investigations (Cosmides and Tooby, 1987, 1989, 1992, 1994b; Tooby and Cosmides, 1992). Shapiro and Epstein (S&E) have responded to our arguments with a series of mild criticisms and modest endorsements. Here, briefly put, are S&E’s main points:
FNA of misclassified primary malignant neoplasms of the thyroid: Impact on clinical management

Background: Fine needle aspiration (FNA) cytology is a popular, reliable and cost effective technique for the diagnosis of thyroid lesions. The aim of our study was to review cases of misclassified primary malignant neoplasms of the thyroid by FNA, and assess the causes of cytologic misdiagnosis and their impact on clinical management. Methods: Clinical data, FNA smears and follow-up surgical specimens of cases diagnosed with primary thyroid carcinoma were reviewed. Results: Of the 365 cases with a malignant diagnosis by FNA over a period of 11 years, nine (2.4 %) were identified with discrepant histologic diagnosis with regard to the type of primary thyroid malignancy. In addition, four cases were added from the consultation files of the Massachusetts General Hospital. Areas of difficulty contributing to misclassification included overlapping cytologic features (n = 6), rarity of tumors (n = 3), and sampling limitations (n = 4). Of the 13 cases, 12 underwent total or near total thyroidectomy and one patient had concurrent surgical biopsy. Measurement of serum calcitonin levels in one case, with an initial cytologic diagnosis of medullary carcinoma, prevented unnecessary lymph node dissection. Misclassification of medullary carcinoma as papillary carcinoma precluded lymph node dissection in one case. Further management decisions were based on the final histologic diagnosis and did not require additional surgery. Two cases of undifferentiated (anaplastic) thyroid carcinoma were misdiagnosed as papillary thyroid carcinoma. Both patients received total thyroidectomies, which may not otherwise have been performed. Conclusions: A small subset of primary malignant neoplasms of the thyroid may be misclassified with regard to the type of malignancy on FNA. The majority of primary malignant neoplasms diagnosed on FNA require thyroidectomy. However, initial cytologic misclassification of medullary carcinoma or undifferentiated carcinoma as other malignant neoplasms or vice versa may have an impact on clinical management.
Many-Particle Systems

This chapter develops general concepts, theorems and techniques for modeling complex, mechanical systems. The three main theorems on system energy, momentum, and angular momentum are proved in Section 6–1. These theorems provide the starting point for rigid body mechanics in Chapter 7, as well as for other kinds of mechanical system discussed in this chapter. The method of Lagrange formulated in Section 6–2 provides a systematic means for expressing the equations of motion for any mechanical system in terms of any convenient set of variables. The method proves to be of great value in the theory of small oscillations as well as applications to molecular vibrations treated in Section 6–4. The general theory of small oscillations in Section 6–4 raises the level of sophistication required of the student, so some examples of small oscillations are treated in Section 6–3 by more elementary means.
Elementary neurocognitive function, facial affect recognition and social-skills in schizophrenia

Social-skill deficits are pervasive in schizophrenia and negatively impact many key aspects of functioning. Prior studies have found that measures of elementary neurocognition and social cognition are related to social-skills. In the present study we selected a range of neurocognitive measures and examined their relationship with identification of happy and sad faces and performance-based social-skills. Fifty-three patients with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder participated. Results revealed that: 1) visual vigilance, problem-solving and affect recognition were related to social-skill; 2) links between problem-solving and social-skill, but not visual vigilance and social-skill, remained significant when estimates of verbal intelligence were controlled; 3) affect recognition deficits explained unique variance in social-skill after neurocognitive variables were controlled; and 4) affect recognition deficits partially mediated the relationship of visual vigilance and social-skill. These results support the conclusion that facial affect recognition deficits are a crucial domain of impairment in schizophrenia that both contribute unique variance to social-skill deficits and may also mediate the relationship between some aspects of neurocognition and social-skill. These findings may help guide the development and refinement of cognitive and social-cognitive remediation methods for social-skill impairment.
A projection based real-time system for edge detection

A projection based approach for real-time detection of boundaries in an image having linear segments is described. The main processes involved in this approach are: image acquisition, edge detection, peak detection, and connectivity analysis. This technique uses parameterized representation of the straight line and is efficiently implemented in a systolic architecture. >
In Vivo Biological Validation and Biophysical Modeling of the Sensitivity and Positive Accuracy of Endocrine Peak Detection. I. The LH Pulse Signal

The false positive (type I) and false negative (type II) errors inherent in computerized peak detection algorithms can have a major impact on the valid interpretation of physiological experiments. To objectively define the nature and extent of statistical errors associated with the identification of episodic gonadotropin (LH) peaks, we have employed two complementary approaches. First, using a general biophysical model for simulating episodic LH secretion, we have estimated optimal pulse analysis parameters that yield maximal sensitivity (probability of finding any given peak) and positive accuracy (probability that any identified peak is a true pulse) in synthetic LH series approximating those observed spontaneously in vivo. Secondly, we have estimated optimal peak detection parameters in an in vivo primate animal model, in which electrophysiological correlates of spontaneous LH pulses were documented independently by continuous electrophysiological monitoring of medial basal hypothalamus multiunit activity. These combined approaches indicate that LH time series can be analyzed for episodic LH pulsatility by an appropriately constrained, objective computerized algorithm with minimal false negative and false positive errors, i.e. with resultant high sensitivity and positive accuracy. Moreover, optimal pulse analysis parameters exhibited similar sensitivity and positive accuracy rates in both the biophysical simulations and the animal model. Thus, we suggest that the combined use of an algebraically explicit biophysical simulation model and an in vivo animal paradigm may serve to clarify the nature and extent of false negative and false positive errors in the detection of other hormone peaks as well as the gonadotropin LH.
Cognitive conditioning therapy: A behavioral technique

Classical punishment theory is viewed as lacking the theoretical structure for adequately dealing with complex human behaviors. The cognitive state of the person at the moment aversive or reinforcing stimulation occurs is seen as crucial in determining the effects on target behaviors. The punishing or reinforcing value of a stimulus is viewed as a function of many factors not generally considered in animal studies. A method of therapy is outlined in which (1) awareness (broadly defined) is activated by imagining the target behavior or an appropriate segment of it, (2) a contingent, self-administered shock is experienced as painful, (3) this shock is experienced as closely in time as possible to the most vivid imaginings, and (4) the period of shock cessation is utilized for reinforcing new behaviors. A number of behavior problems such as smoking, alcoholism, obesity, sexual disorders, stuttering, tics, and drug abuse are considered from this perspective. It is suggested that the theory of cognitive conditioning offers a more fluid and innovative approach to the problems of human conditioning than is presently available from the animal literature.
Scalability Studies of the BLASTn Scan and Ungapped Extension Functions

BLASTn is a ubiquitous and important tool used for large scale DNA analysis. As such, it is a good candidate for acceleration with FPGAs. The aim of this paper is two-fold. First, building upon our prior BLAST work we describe a design composed of multiple cores that can be scaled in two dimensions. The ungapped extension and a second dimension are new in this work. Second, we use this non-trivial example to explore spatially scalable designs. To provide the ability to move the design to a future generation chip, a mathematical model of performance that incorporates all of the system design parameters and the user’s preference (high throughput vs low latency) is developed. We demonstrate here that the model correctly predicts the optimal ratio between the two dimensions on a Xilinx Virtex-4 and measures four to five times faster performance figures as compared to a state of the art general purpose processor.
Residential mobility and exposure to neighborhood crime: risks for young children's aggression

This three-year longitudinal study investigated associations between residential mobility, neighborhood crime, and aggression during middle childhood. Participants were 460 children (M age = 6.9 years, SD = 1.1) residing in a disadvantaged city in the Northeastern United States. Residential mobility was determined from school records, teachers provided ratings of aggression, and city police reports of call complaints provided information on neighborhood crime. Neighborhoods were classified as average or high crime. Results showed that mobility and neighborhood crime were significantly (p<.05) related to boys' (but not girls') aggression. Boys' aggression was relatively high if they: (1) moved; (2) had stable residence in a high-crime neighborhood; and (3) both moved and lived in high crime. Net of demographic characteristics and baseline adjustment, boys who moved from an average to high-crime neighborhood showed particularly high aggression. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Sequential Monte Carlo sampling for systems with fractional Gaussian processes

In the past decades, Sequential Monte Carlo (SMC) sampling has proven to be a method of choice in many applications where the dynamics of the studied system are described by nonlinear equations and/or non-Gaussian noises. In this paper, we study the application of SMC sampling to nonlinear state-space models where the state is a fractional Gaussian process. These processes are characterized by long-memory properties (i.e., long-range dependence) and are observed in many fields including physics, hydrology and econometrics. We propose an SMC method for tracking the dynamic longmemory latent states, accompanied by a model selection procedure when the Hurst parameter is unknown. We demonstrate the performance of the proposed approach on simulated time-series with nonlinear observations.
Introduction to Acoustics

All living creatures rely on their senses – sight, sound, touch, taste and smell-to interpret and interact with the world around them. A major function of our sensory organs is to provide situational awareness.
'Just War' in Seven Cultures

Catholic, Jewish, Muslim, Hindu, Greek Orthodox, Buddhist, and Chinese traditions regarding just war are compared, a matter of some importance in a time of numerous intercultural clashes and the claims by some that civilians are legitimate targets of terror attacks. There are variations within each tradition, but in general each has parallels to legitimate authority, just cause, right intention, right conduct, treatment of civilians, and the manner in which wars should be resolved. The Cold War period, the more-or-less simultaneous anti-colonial period, and terrorism provide the context in which the Just War tradition continues to evolve. Documents such as the UN Charter, the Helsinki Accords, and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights provide a secular approach that define limits but leave their justification open, so are adaptable to many cultures.
RNA sequence analysis of the E2 genes of wildtype and neuroattenuated mutants of MHV-4 reveals a hypervariable domain.

Murine hepatitis virus 4 (MHV-4) is a neurotropic Coronavirus (1–4). Infection of the CNS in susceptible mice strains results in a fatal encephalitis with destruction of neurons accompanied by demyelination. The few mice that survive the acute infection develop a chronic demyelinating disease characterized by episodes of demyelination followed by remyelination (2,5). The extensive white matter disease is believed to arise as the consequence of viral infection and destruction of oligodendrocytes (2,3,6).
Visual explanations

Human perceptual processes organize visual input to make the structure of the world explicit. Successful techniques for automatic depiction, meanwhile, create images whose structure clearly matches the visual information to be conveyed. We discuss how analyzing these structures and realizing them in formal representations can allow computer graphics to engage with perceptual science, to mutual benefit. We call these representations visual explanations: their job is to account for patterns in two dimensions as evidence of a visual world.
Differences In The Obstetric Malpractice Claims Filed By Medicaid And Non-Medicaid Patients

Background: Many physicians believe Medicaid patients are more likely than non-Medicaid patients to file malpractice claims. This study examines the accuracy of this belief in regard to obstetric malpractice claims. Methods: Claims filed between January 1982 and June 1988 from the major malpractice insurer in Washington State were used to compare obstetric malpractice claims filed on behalf of Medicaid and non-Medicaid patients. Results: Eleven percent (7/62) of all closed obstetric claims were filed by Medicaid patients, whereas 19 percent of all births in Washington State were to Medicaid patients between 1982 and 1988. Failure to diagnose or treat a fetal condition was the most commonly alleged negligence in both Medicaid and non-Medicaid groups. Most claims in both groups were settled before the cases went to court; a substantial minority of claims were dropped. The mean cost of Medicaid claims ($406,984) was three times that of non-Medicaid claims ($133,743), suggesting that paid Medicaid claims were more severe than paid non-Medicaid claims. Conclusions: Medicaid patients appear no more likely to file obstetric malpractice claims than non-Madicaid patients. The low likelihood of filing claims, coupled with large settlements, suggests that Medicaid patients may have less access to legal services than non-Medicaid patients.
Interactions of Bovine Herpesvirus Type 1 and Neurons in Vitro

Legend. Autoradiograph of attachment of radiolabeled bovine herpesvirus type 1 to neurons and fibroblasts in culture. After incubation for 75 min, virus is concentrated in the nucleus of fibroblasts but no adsorption to neurons has occurred. Cultures of neurons were prepared by digestion of trigeminal ganglia of bovine fetuses (gestational age, five to eight months) with collagenase (type IV; Sigma Chemical Co., St. Louis). Most of the fibroblasts were removed by centrifugation at 350 g for 20 min at 20 C through Ficoll-Hypaque density gradients (Pharmacia Fine Chemicals, Piscataway, N.J.), and the enriched neuron suspension was plated on cover slips coated with collagen (calf skin acid-soluble type III; Sigma) and maintained in Eagle's minimal essential medium containing 10% fetal calf serum and 10%
Shedding of Hepatitis C Virus in Semen of Human Immunodeficiency Virus-Infected Men.

Background. The epidemic of sexually transmitted hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection among human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected men who have sex with men (MSM) has been documented for over a decade. Despite this, there is no consensus as to the risk factors for sexual acquisition of HCV in these men. Methods. We obtained paired semen and blood samples at 2-week intervals from HIV-infected MSM with recent and chronic HCV infection and quantified HCV in semen. Results. Hepatitis C virus was quantified in 59 semen specimens from 33 men. Hepatitis C virus was shed in 16 (27%) of semen specimens from 11 (33%) of the men. Median HCV viral load (VL) in semen was 1.49 log10 IU/mL. Hepatitis C virus VL in blood was significantly higher at the time of HCV shedding in semen than when HCV shedding in semen was not detected (P = .002). Furthermore, there was a significant correlation between the HCV VL in blood and semen overall (rs = 0.41; P = .001), and in the subgroup with recent HCV infection (rs = 0.37; P = .02), but not in the subgroup with chronic HCV infection (rs = 0.34; P = .1). Conclusions. One third of HIV-infected MSM coinfected with HCV shed HCV into their semen. Based on the HCV VL in semen in this study, an average ejaculate would deliver up to 6630 IU of virus into the rectum of the receptive partner. Therefore, our data strongly support that condoms should be used during anal intercourse among MSM to prevent transmission of HCV.
On the modeling of reactive shock synthesis of materials

High pressure shock wave processing is said to hold promise for synthesis of new materials or materials with unique microstructures. In this paper several key issues are reviewed that are critical in the numerical modeling of shock-induced chemical reactions in inorganic powder mixtures. A simple model that is thought to represent a variety of powder mixtures is illustrated using plane shock propagation in a mixture of diamond, Si, and graphite.
Shape selection in Landsat time series: a tool for monitoring forest dynamics.

We present a new methodology for fitting nonparametric shape‐restricted regression splines to time series of Landsat imagery for the purpose of modeling, mapping, and monitoring annual forest disturbance dynamics over nearly three decades. For each pixel and spectral band or index of choice in temporal Landsat data, our method delivers a smoothed rendition of the trajectory constrained to behave in an ecologically sensible manner, reflecting one of seven possible ‘shapes’. It also provides parameters summarizing the patterns of each change including year of onset, duration, magnitude, and pre‐ and postchange rates of growth or recovery. Through a case study featuring fire, harvest, and bark beetle outbreak, we illustrate how resultant fitted values and parameters can be fed into empirical models to map disturbance causal agent and tree canopy cover changes coincident with disturbance events through time. We provide our code in the r package ShapeSelectForest on the Comprehensive R Archival Network and describe our computational approaches for running the method over large geographic areas. We also discuss how this methodology is currently being used for forest disturbance and attribute mapping across the conterminous United States.
Ten Follow-up Evaluations and the Science of Brief Psychotherapy

The poetry of science may be very fine in its creation of hypotheses, but it is still necessary to subject them to rigorous tests (Gustafson, 1986, Chapter 17; Maturana and Varela, 1980; Popper, 1934). After all, Einstein’s theory of relativity is a marvelous construction, but it could have been wrong. The Michaelson—Morley experiments were thus of great importance.
To Trust in Strange Habits and Last Calls: The Good Wife’s Smartphone Storytelling

This article examines the impact of mobile smartphone culture on TV narrative through an examination of the network series The Good Wife (TGW; CBS, 2009–2016). Ubiquitous smartphone use proffers a managerial relationship between subject and device, such that smartphone culture becomes necessary for navigating between different spheres of life. Furthermore, as smartphones occupy a greater role in public life, they have also begun to shape the creation of story in media narratives. I argue that smartphones have become a tool of narrative management for network drama not unlike the ways in which they govern everyday life. TGW’s narrative form and genre—a unique negotiation between episodic procedural and serial melodrama—successfully mirror the management of routine informational and emotional flows, structuring narrative and spectatorial habits while also accommodating for technology’s glitches.
Eating Disorders and Disordered Eating

Cultural gender roles have been recognized as significant in the cause and expression of disordered eating. Social pressures and media impact women's perceptions of thinness as the feminine ideal. Keywords: body politics; femininities; gender; gender socialization
Network coding for computing

The following network computation problem is considered. A set of source nodes in an acyclic network generates independent messages and a single receiver node computes a function f of the messages. The objective is to characterize the maximum number of times f can be computed per network usage. The network coding problem for a single receiver network is a special case of the network computation problem (taking f to be the identity map) in which all of the source messages must be reproduced at the receiver. For network coding with a single receiver, routing is known to be rate-optimal and achieves the network min-cut upper bound. We give a generalized min-cut upper bound for the network computation problem. We show that the bound reduces to the usual network min-cut when f is the identity and the bound is tight for the computation of ldquodivisible functionsrdquo over ldquotree networksrdquo. We also show that the bound is not tight in general.
Summary of Outside Micrometer Calibration Proficiency Testing (PT2014-KA02) in Taiwan

Abstract:Proficiency testing is an established way to demonstrate a laboratory's measurement capabilities. Accredited laboratories are usually requested to participate in proficiency testing conducted by the laboratory accreditation organizations in their countries. The Center for Measurement Standards / Industrial Technology Research Institute (CMS/ITRI) has long been committed to measurement technologies and statistical engineering in Taiwan and is one of the Proficiency Testing Providers (PTPs), with an accreditation number of P002, accredited by Taiwan Accreditation Foundation (TAF). This paper summarizes the results of a 2014 outside micrometer calibration proficiency testing scheme, number PT2014-KA02, held in Taiwan. Twenty-five TAF accredited calibration laboratories participated in the proficiency testing, and the |En| values of each participating laboratory are smaller than one. This implies that all the participants' results are satisfactory with respect to each other and that the measurement c...
Partisanship, Individual Differences, and News Media Exposure as Predictors of Conspiracy Beliefs:

Conspiracy theories are woven into America’s social and political fabric. While such beliefs help some individuals organize their political world, their popularity also raise concerns about the health of a democracy when those governed also suspect powerful forces work against their interests. The research here examines national survey data to demonstrate such beliefs have both partisan and individual difference explanations. Generic news media exposure offers little explanatory power, but exposure to Fox News programming predicts greater belief in theories critical of Democrats.