cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Les trajectoires de conversion et l’identité sociale chez les jeunes dans le contexte postcolonial Ouest-africain : les jeunes musulmans et les jeunes chrétiens en Côte-d’Ivoire

Dans le contexte postcolonial africain, les jeunes contribuent activement a l’emergence de nouvelles identites sociales qui s’articulent autour de la pratique religieuse, surtout en ce qui a trait aux nouvelles pratiques du christianisme et de l’islam. Dans un grand nombre de cas, l’emergence de ces nouveaux mouvements religieux s’affirme a travers des notions de modernite et de tradition. Dans un tel contexte, l’objet de cet article est de decrire le role des jeunes dans la construction de l’experience religieuse. A partir d’etudes de cas realisees aupres de jeunes musulmans et de membres de nouvelles Eglises independantes en Cote-d’Ivoire, nous examinons, dans un premier temps, les modalites selon lesquelles la religion definit les pratiques et les enjeux de la modernite. Par la suite, nous explorons dans quelle mesure la religion permet aux jeunes de se negocier un espace de legitimite sociale face aux diverses relations de pouvoir, dont la gerontocratie. La juxtaposition de ces cas permettra de mettre en relief les dynamiques qui sont propres a chaque experience religieuse, au contexte de leur manifestation, ainsi qu’aux differentes notions de la modernite qui sont renouvelees par ces jeunes.
Seismic Signaling is Crucial for Female Mate Choice in a Multimodal Signaling Wolf Spider

Complex courtship signals can be dissected into distinct components that can either function independently or via interactions with one another. Male Rabidosa rabida wolf spiders use courtship displays that couple a seismic signal with the waving of an ornamented foreleg. While previous studies suggest that female R. rabida exhibit mate choice and that both the seismic and visual modalities are important in mating interactions, it remains unclear how variation in each component influences female mating decisions. To investigate this, we ran two separate experiments in which we manipulated (1) male diets, to induce variation in the seismic courtship signal, and (2) male foreleg color, to artificially induce variation in visual foreleg ornamentation. To determine the influence of variation in each component independently, females were paired with males in environments that allowed the detection of only the manipulated signal component (e.g. seismic signal only and visual signal only). Variability in the seismic signal alone influenced female mate choice, but variability in visual ornamentation alone did not. In a third experiment, we manipulated foreleg color and allowed it to interact with the seismic signal to determine whether inter-signal interactions influence female mating decisions. When females were able to detect both signal components, variation in visual ornamentation did influence mate choice ‐ females preferred ornamented males. Together, these results suggest that the seismic signal of male R. rabida is integral for female mate choice and that the components of the courtship display interact to influence female mating decisions.
Non-linear transport in TTF-TCNQ: Recent results

We describe an ESR study of pure and irradiated TTF-TCNQ in the low temperature range (1. 2 K − 4. 2 K) where nonlinear transport has been observed. We find no evidence of an activated term in the susceptibility; our results yield an upper limit of about 10 ppm for nonmagnetic impurities with a spin-1 excited state. Since in pure samples, the activated susceptibility term is not present whereas the transport nonlinearity is clearly seen, we conclude that the latter cannot be attributed to hot electron effects. The susceptibility and do bias studies are consistent with a nonmagnetic soliton picture.The introduction of controlled defects has allowed a separation of the low temperature conductivity into an intrinsic contribution plus a second contribution of impurity origin. Information on the frequency dependence of the intrinsic conductivity has been obtained from comparison of the dc and microwave data.The results are interpreted in terms of soliton transport inhibited by the Larkin-Lee tunnelin.
Coordination Uncertainty of Belief Measures in Information Fusion

Fuzzy measures are used to describe interactions among given attributes towards a certain target. Given an observation as a function defined on the set of attributes, an integral of the function with respect to a given fuzzy measure is usually taken as an aggregation tool in information fusion. Various types of integrals represent different coordination modes of attributes. Thus, in case the coordination mode is unknown, due to the nonadditivity of the fuzzy measure, the integral value is uncertain and varies according to the type of the integral. A commonly used type of fuzzy measures are believe measures. The coordination uncertainty associated with belief measures in information fusion is discussed. Furthermore, the behavior of coordination uncertainty under the Dempster rule of combination is investigated in this paper.
Grassmann’s Vision

After nearly a century on the brink of obscurity, Hermann Grassmann is widely recognized as the originator of Grassmann algebra, an indispensable tool in modern mathematics. Still, in conception and applications, conventional renditions of his exterior algebra fall far short of Grassmann’s original vision. A fuller realization of his vision is found in other mathematical developments to which his name is not ordinarily attached. This Sesquicentennial Celebration of Grassmann’s great book, Die Lineale Ausdehnungslehre (Grassmann 1995a), provides the opportunity for a renewed articulation and assessment of Grassmann’s vision.
Shape modeling and analysis with entropy-based particle systems

This paper presents a new method for constructing compact statistical point-based models of ensembles of similar shapes that does not rely on any specific surface parameterization. The method requires very little preprocessing or parameter tuning, and is applicable to a wider range of problems than existing methods, including nonmanifold surfaces and objects of arbitrary topology. The proposed method is to construct a point-based sampling of the shape ensemble that simultaneously maximizes both the geometric accuracy and the statistical simplicity of the model. Surface point samples, which also define the shape-to-shape correspondences, are modeled as sets of dynamic particles that are constrained to lie on a set of implicit surfaces. Sample positions are optimized by gradient descent on an energy function that balances the negative entropy of the distribution on each shape with the positive entropy of the ensemble of shapes. We also extend the method with a curvature-adaptive sampling strategy in order to better approximate the geometry of the objects. This paper presents the formulation; several synthetic examples in two and three dimensions; and an application to the statistical shape analysis of the caudate and hippocampus brain structures from two clinical studies.
Sidelining the Hardliners: A 2 + 1 Solution for Israel‐Palestine

This article presents a modified two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. A “2 + 1 solution” would see the establishment of a State of Palestine in the West Bank whose constitution proscribes the participation in government of any party whose platform calls for the elimination of Israel; Gaza would accede upon the reform or demise of Hamas. Achieving a state in the West Bank should be the proximate, urgent goal of the Palestinian people. Ideologically motivated Israeli settlement of the West Bank continues apace and threatens the viability of a two-state solution. Meanwhile, religiously motivated policies of colonization hide behind a security narrative conflating Hamas with Fatah and suggesting that the Palestinians pose an existential threat. The 2 + 1 solution, by excluding Hamas from a State of Palestine, directly addresses Israel's legitimate security concerns and thus carries the potential to lay bare the extent to which ideology informs Israeli policy. The approach also gives moderate Palestinians the opportunity to define the civic values and attributes of Palestinian national identity in a way that supports a lasting two-state peace.
How to Dominate a Firm With Valuable Control? Dual Class Firms Around the World: Regulation, Security-Voting Structure, and Ownership Patterns

Dual-class shares have presented a challenge to standard valuation theories, and yet they make up a significant share of the trading volume and market capitalization in a significant number of the world's largest stock exchanges. This descriptive study overviews the incidence of dual-class firms in the 46 largest national stock markets, and described their voting and cash-flow rights in detail. The security-voting structure (deviations from one share one vote) of dual-class firms is examined in a comparative cross-country perspective - the higher-voting class is noted to concentrate majority or super majority control virtually in all cases. The national regulatory environment for multiple share classes is a hotly-debated topic, on which the study sheds systematic light. Predictably, the ownership of dual class firms is significantly more concentrated than that of their single-class counterparts, and in most cases involves majority voting power and the absence of smaller sizable voting blocks. The bulk of the evidence is consistent with the hypothesis that dominant owners do not prefer to share control. Owners are mostly families, who also participate actively in the management and supervision of the firm.
Describing holographic optical elements as lenses

Optical systems including holographic optical elements and Fresnel gratings can be designed with ordinary lens optimization computer codes. Holographic elements are represented as lenses with very large indices of refraction and very small curvatures. As the index approaches infinity, the model becomes exact. General design parameters and image quality of holograms on both planar and spherical surfaces are discussed.
Parallel processing and OR/MS

Abstract Parallel processing has moved in recent years from a largely theoretical issue to the commercial arena. Much of the interest in parallel architecture is related to its potential for complementing or replacing existing hardware in engineering and scientific computations. However, there are a number of OR/MS problems that can greatly benefit from the application of this technology. These include tree-search problems with either optimizing or heuristic rules, virtually all dynamic programming problems, large-scale mathematical programming problems and simulation of managerial and economic systems. This paper describes some of the current parallel processing architectures, and identifies characteristics of OR problems which are amenable to solution using coarse-grained multiple-instruction, multiple-data parallel computers.
Vocal and visual stimuli enabling copulation behavior in female buntings

The loud and elaborate songs of male songbirds are throught to serve in territorial defense and to stimulate reproductive behavior in the female. We report here that in contrast to several other species, song alone is inadequate to induce sexual (lordosis) behavior in female indigo and lazuli buntings (Passerina cyanea and P. amoena); they require a more elaborate stimulus configuration to develop the full expression of sexual receptivity as indicated by a stereotyped copulation solicitation display. A live male must be present near the female, singing must ensue, and in addition a second and unique vocal utterance must be heard by the female; this is a soft buzzy-sounding vocalization, audible for no more than a few meters, not recognized previously as a critical arousal signal of the male songbird repertoire. Females also utter similar soft sounds in an intimate vocal exchange with the male leading to solicitation of copulation.
Cognitive side effects of cancer therapy demonstrate a functional role for adult neurogenesis

Cancer therapies frequently result in a spectrum of neurocognitive deficits that include impaired learning, memory, attention and speed of information processing. Damage to dynamic neural progenitor cell populations in the brain are emerging as important etiologic factors. Radiation and chemotherapy-induced damage to neural progenitor populations responsible for adult hippocampal neurogenesis and for maintenance of subcortical white matter integrity are now believed to play major roles in the neurocognitive impairment many cancer survivors experience.
Electronic energy transfer in mixed organic solids: Anderson localization or delocalization?☆

Abstract A simple Anderson transition model, ignoring guest clusterization, excitation lifetime, sensor concentration, exciton-phonon coupling and thermalization, appears to be incompatible with the critical concentrations observed for triplet exciton transport in several ternary crystal systems. Dynamic percolation, involving hopping or tunneling through long-range clusters, remains our suggested model.
Abstract 4564: Lung cancer serum biomarker discovery using label free LC-MS/MS

Proceedings: AACR 101st Annual Meeting 2010‐‐ Apr 17‐21, 2010; Washington, DC Lung cancer remains the leading cause of cancer-related death with a 5-year survival rate of less than 15%. Poor survival is largely due to the late stage at which lung cancer is typically diagnosed and the absence of proven imaging and molecular screening modalities for effective early detection. Given the clinical burden from lung cancer, and the relatively favorable survival associated with early stage lung cancer, biomarkers for early detection of lung cancer are of important potential clinical benefit. To identify candidate serum biomarkers for lung cancer, we performed a global proteomic discovery study using LC-MS/MS applied to a set of pooled non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) case sera (8 adenocarcinoma and 7 squamous cell carcinoma pools) and matched controls pools. Agilent Human 14 Multiple Affinity Removal spin cartridges were used to deplete the top 14 most abundant serum proteins; the remaining serum proteins were then subjected to trypsin digestion and analyzed in triplicate by nano-LC-ESI-MS/MS. The resulting MS/MS data were searched against the UNIPROT derived human proteome database. A total of 7268 proteins were identified more than 3 times from the combined LC-MS/MS analyses. Both the observed peptide spectral counts and extracted ion chromatograms (EICs) were then used to estimate the relative abundance of proteins across the case/control serum pools. A list of 198 differentially abundant candidate proteins was compiled by applying the Wilcoxon rank sum test to the peptide spectral count data (P<0.02). A MATLABTM based in-house tool was developed to extract ion chromatograms for 5397 peptides attributed to 3221 proteins. A total of 181 peptides from 149 proteins were significantly differentially abundant across the case/control pools (P<0.005 Student's t test). These candidate biomarker proteins include positive acute phase response proteins, key molecules in cell-cell signaling and interaction network, DNA replication/recombination/repair network, and a number of previously identified lung cancer-associated serum proteins such as alpha-1-glycoprotein, ceruloplasmin, leucine-rich-α-glycoproteins, and kinnogen-1. The peptide spectral count and EIC derived abundances of some of these candidate proteins have been confirmed with multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) assays which will serve as targeted quantitative assays to evaluate the classification performance of selected candidate biomarkers in planned sequential independent case/control validation studies. [Supported by Hirtzel Foundation Postdoctoral Fellowship to XZ, P50 CA90440 NCI SPORE in Lung Cancer to JMS, and NCI Early Detection Research Network Biomarker Discovery Laboratory, U01 CA084968 to WLB]. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 101st Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2010 Apr 17-21; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2010;70(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 4564.
Crime and justice in Tudor-Stuart England and the modern United States

This paper surveys the criminal justice system in 16th and 17th, century England, for the purpose of pointing out important similarities between its workings and the operation of the criminal justice system in the modern United States. Topics covered include (1) the nature and incidence of crime; (2) citizen participation in and cooperation with the criminal justice system; and (3) the disposition of persons and cases. The authors conclude that, contrary to popular opinion, early modern England was not a halcyon period of law and order. That the English criminal justice system was beset by problems similar to those faced today seems to indicate that the interaction between law and society is inherently problematic.
Comparison of Full Versus Partial Metabolic Labeling for Quantitative Proteomics Analysis in Arabidopsis thaliana

In recent years a variety of quantitative proteomics techniques have been developed, allowing characterization of changes in protein abundance in a variety of organisms under various biological conditions. Because it allows excellent control for error at all steps in sample preparation and analysis, full metabolic labeling using 15N has emerged as an important strategy for quantitative proteomics, having been applied in a variety of organisms from yeast to Arabidopsis and even rats. However, challenges associated with complete replacement of 14N with 15N can make its application in many complex eukaryotic systems impractical on a routine basis. Extending a concept proposed by Whitelegge et al. (Whitelegge, J. P., Katz, J. E., Pihakari, K. A., Hale, R., Aguilera, R., Gomez, S. M., Faull, K. F., Vavilin, D., and Vermaas, W. (2004) Subtle modification of isotope ratio proteomics; an integrated strategy for expression proteomics. Phytochemistry 65, 1507–1515), we investigate an alternative strategy for quantitative proteomics that relies upon the subtle changes in isotopic envelope shape that result from partial metabolic labeling to compare relative abundances of labeled and unlabeled peptides in complex mixtures. We present a novel algorithm for the automated quantitative analysis of partial incorporation samples via LC-MS. We then compare the performance of partial metabolic labeling with traditional full metabolic labeling for quantification of controlled mixtures of labeled and unlabeled Arabidopsis peptides. Finally we evaluate the performance of each technique for comparison of light- versus dark-grown Arabidopsis with respect to reproducibility and numbers of peptide and protein identifications under more realistic experimental conditions. Overall full metabolic labeling and partial metabolic labeling prove to be comparable with respect to dynamic range, accuracy, and reproducibility, although partial metabolic labeling consistently allows quantification of a higher percentage of peptide observations across the dynamic range. This difference is especially pronounced at extreme ratios. Ultimately both full metabolic labeling and partial metabolic labeling prove to be well suited for quantitative proteomics characterization.
Invasive mold infections: recent advances in management approaches

An increasing number of patients are undergoing transplantation procedures or receiving aggressive immunosuppression and chemotherapy. The growing population of immunocompromised hosts has led to a rise in the prevalence of invasive fungal infections (IFIs) due to yeasts and molds. Recent trends suggest that patients are acquiring infections with non-Candida albicans species, non-Aspergillus fumigatus species and non-Aspergillus molds such as Fusarium species, Scedosporium species and Zygomycetes. There are also a few reports of resistance to standard azole and echinocandin therapy, and some Aspergillus (A. ustus, A. terreus) and Scedosporium species are inherently resistant to polyenes. Early diagnosis and appropriate treatment of mold infections are important to improve outcomes. The use of high-resolution computed tomography scanning and new diagnostic tools such as the galactomannan and beta-glucan tests help early detection of IFIs. With the changing epidemiology of fungal infections and emergence of rare pathogens, and with the availability of a larger number of antifungal drugs, new management strategies are evolving to effectively treat invasive mold infections.
A Pathway for the Transmission of Allosteric Signals in the Ribosome through a Network of RNA Tertiary Interactions

There are a large number of tertiary contacts between nucleotides in 23 S rRNA, but which are of functional importance is not known. Disruption of one between A2662 in the sarcin/ricin loop (SRL) and A2531 in the peptidyl-transferase center (PTC) has adverse effects on cell growth and on the ability of ribosomes to catalyze some but not other partial reactions of elongation. A lethal A2662C mutation is suppressed by a concomitant lethal A2531 mutation. Ribosomes with non-lethal A2531 mutations, treated with base-specific reagents, have alterations of nucleotides in the PTC (home of A2531) and, more significantly, in nucleotides in the SRL and in the GTPase center. The results suggest that the function of ribosomal centers is coordinated by a set of sequential conformational changes in rRNA that are a response to signals transmitted through a network of tertiary interactions.
Liposome-like fucopeptides as sialyl lewis X mimetics

Abstract Several fucodipeptides and their liposome-like derivatives were prepared and tested as inhibitors of sialyl Lewis X binding to E-selectin. It has been found that trans-hydroxyproline ( d or l ) can be used to mimic the galactose residue of sialyl Lewis X, and the mimetic containing 3,4-dihydroxy- d -proline is the most active with IC50 value (50 μM) 10-fold greater than sialyl Lewis X. Derivatization of a hydroxythreonine-containing fucodipeptides into a covalent liposome-like derivative, however, provides a mimetic with only IC50 ∼ 30 μM.
Factors affecting the quality of plutonium deposits by electrodeposition

Ultra-high resolution alpha spectrometry by microcalorimetry has demonstrated a dramatic improvement in alpha energy resolution over silicon based detectors. To characterize the optimal resolution obtained by the microcalorimeter alpha spectrometers, high quality deposits that are virtually massless are required; electrodeposition is the preferred method for the preparation of high quality deposits. In order to better understand the factors that contribute to lower alpha energy resolution and deposit yield, we have conducted a study to determine the effect of some of the parameters that are used for preparing electrodeposits. We have compared four different electrodeposition methods and four different substrate materials to determine the effect on the deposit yield and alpha energy resolution of plutonium as measured by full width at half maximum using silicon based detectors. Furthermore, we wanted to understand the effect of contaminants from environmental samples on electrodeposits. Therefore, the effect on deposit yield and alpha energy resolution with several common soil constituents (Al3+, Eu3+, Fe3+, K+, Lu3+, Mg2+, Na+, Zn2+) have been studied.
Secretion rates and plasma levels of deoxycorticosterone and removal rates of deoxycorticosterone and aldosterone in the pregnant dog.

ABSTRACT. Plasma levels and adrenal secretion rates of deoxycorticosterone (DOC) were measured in pregnant and nonpregnant dogs by a double-isotope derivative assay.The removal rates of DOC and aldosterone were also determined following the intravenous injection of these tritiated hormones in pregnant and nonpregnant dogs. Plasma DOC concentrations averaged 2.7 (±1.3 SEM) ng⁄ml for 4 conscious pregnant dogs compared to 4.3 (±0.7) ng⁄ml for 6 nonpregnant dogs. The secretion rate of DOC in 3 anesthetized pregnant dogs averaged 377 (±51) ng⁄min compared to 503 ± 78 ng⁄min for 7 nonpregnant dogs. The differences in plasma DOC concentration and DOC secretion rate in the pregnant and nonpregnant groups were not statistically significant (NS = p > 0.05). In 4 pregnant dogs the plasma half-life ° (t½) for DOC was 24.9 min while the t½ for DOC in 5 nonpregnant dogs averaged 20.7 min (NS); the t½ for aldosterone in 5 pregnant dogs averaged 21.1 min while in 6 nonpregnant dogs the aldosterone t½ averaged 20.3 min (N...
Regulation of influenza RNA polymerase activity and the switch between replication and transcription by the concentrations of the vRNA 5' end, the cap source, and the polymerase.

The influenza RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) both replicates the flu's RNA genome and transcribes its mRNA. Replication occurs de novo; however, initiation of transcription requires a 7-methylguanosine 5’ capped primer that is “snatched” from host mRNA via endonuclease and cap binding functions of the influenza polymerase. A key question is how the virus regulates the relative amounts of transcription and replication. We found that the concentration of a capped cellular mRNA, the concentration of the 5’-end of the viral RNA, and the concentration of RdRp all regulate the relative amounts of replication versus transcription. The host mRNA, from which the RdRp snatches its capped primer, acts to upregulate transcription and repress replication. Elevated concentrations of the RdRp itself switch the influenza polymerase towards replication, likely through an oligomerization of the polymerase. The 5’-end of the vRNA template both activates replication and inhibits transcription of the vRNA template, thereby indicating that RdRp contains an allosteric binding site for the 5’ end of the vRNA template. These data provides insights into the regulation of RdRp throughout the viral life cycle and how it synthesizes the appropriate amounts of viral mRNA and replication products (vRNA and cRNA).
Conformation of the high pH form of chymotrypsin.

Abstract Optical rotatory dispersion and circular dichroism spectra of chymotrypsin, its precursor, and an inhibition product have been measured. The results, together with previous information on chemical and physical properties of these proteins in solution, and on the conformation of crystalline α-chymotrypsin at neutral pH, permit some deductions about conformational features of catalytically inactive species—chymotrypsinogen and the form of chymotrypsin that predominates at high pH. The data are in agreement with the suggestion (Sigler, Blow, Matthews & Henderson, 1968) that in these forms of the protein, the carboxyl group of aspartate residue 194—which according to Blow & co-workers (Matthews, Sigler, Henderson & Blow, 1967) forms an internal ion pair with the α-amino group of isoleucine residue 16 in chymotrypsin at neutral pH—protrudes into the active site of the enzyme and thereby interferes with substrate binding. It has also been concluded that this position of the carboxyl group disrupts the bondbreaking site; this is in accord with previous studies which have indicated that in chymotrypsinogen and chymotrypsin at high pH, the bond-breaking site is unreactive.
Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome: Clinical, immunologic, and pathologic observations

Clinical, immunologic, and pathologic observations in the Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome are reported. One of the eight subjects of this report, now 14 years of age, is the oldest known survivor. A number of striking abnormalities are described, including including deficiencies of isoagglutinins, immunoglobulin and lymphocytes in peripheral blood and tissues. The presence of thymic hypoplasia found at postmortem suggests that this defect may play a major role in the pathogenesis of the immunologic deficiencies in this syndrome. The detection of immunoglobulin deficiency may be valuable in identification of carriers and latent cases.
Gas chromatographic determination of vapor-phase biomarkers formed from rats dosed with CCl4.

Sprague-Dawley rats dosed with CCl4 (3 ml kg−1) were placed in a glass chamber through which air was passed continuously at a rate of 60 ml min−1. Volatile aldehydes and ketones in expired air from rats were derivatized to thiazolidines by passing the effluent gas stream through an aqueous cysteamine solution. The thiazolidine derivatives were then extracted and analyzed by gas chromatography with a nitrogen-phosphorus detector and gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. The compounds identified were formaldehyde, acetaidehyde, acetone and formyl chloride. There were no appreciable differences in levels of formaldehyde and acetaldehyde between CCl4-dosed rats and control rats, whereas the levels of acetone in CCl4-dosed rats showed an increase compared to those in control rats. Results suggest that acetone is the major volatile carbonyl compound produced following acute doses of CCl4. Results of thiobarbituric acid assay on the livers from a control rat and a CCl4-dosed rat did not show any appreciable differences.
LOGISTICS STRATEGY — REVISITED

A study of logistics managers examined the roles of three logistics strategies (process, market, and information) in achieving logistics effectiveness. The results examined the dynamics of these three logistics strategies in managing trade-offs among efficiency, internal and external organizational interactions, and meeting channel member needs. Insights for logistics practitioners, instructors, and researchers are discussed.
Taurine uptake activity in the rat retina: protein kinase C-independent inhibition by chelerythrine.

Taurine, a regulatory amino acid of various biochemical processes in the retina, requires an efficient uptake system to maintain the high physiological concentration of taurine in the retina. Taurine uptake was characterized in both whole retinal preparations and in isolated rod outer segments (ROS) in terms of uptake kinetics and possible protein kinase C (PKC)-dependent regulation. Two uptake systems, a high- and a low-affinity system, were found in whole retinal preparations while only the high-affinity system was found in the isolated ROS. All the uptake systems characterized were inhibited by guanidinoethane sulfonate (GES), a well-known competitive inhibitor of taurine uptake. Stimulation and inhibition of PKC activity with phorbol myristate acetate and with staurosporine, respectively, produced no significant effect on taurine uptake. On the other hand, chelerythrine (CHT), a documented potent PKC inhibitor, was found to cause significant inhibition of the two taurine uptake systems, presumably through a PKC-independent mechanism. The data demonstrate that CHT may be a useful tool in studying taurine uptake in the retina and specifically in the ROS.
Time-varying system identification via explicit filtering of the parameter estimates

The on-line identification of continuously adaptive rational models is considered for data records which are realizations of nonstationary processes. Emphasis is placed on the treatment of arbitrary time variations for the model coefficients. This motivates a novel approach to time-varying modeling, based only on limited a priori knowledge about the nature of the non- stationarity, namely the expected bandwidth of the time evolution for the parameter vector. The cost criterion considered is a constrained least squares cost functional which incorporates with equal weight all instantaneous errors up to the current time of observation. The constraint is specified from the expected time evolution bandwidth through explicit filtering of the parameters to be estimated. Computational considerations and associated trade-offs are discussed for the modeling of various nonstationary data.© (1991) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Challenges in the pathological reporting of urothelial carcinoma involving prostatic transurethral resection specimens within a single institution.

Summary Aim Primary bladder urothelial carcinoma (UC) may involve the prostate with differing management depending on whether tumour is in situ or invades the prostatic subepithelium or fibromuscular stroma. We aim to understand challenges in reporting UC within prostate transurethral resection (TUR). Methods A retrospective review from 2007 to 2010 identified prostate TUR performed for primary bladder UC. Results 25.1% of cystoprostatectomy patients (60/239) had a prior prostate TUR; 129 patients had a prostate TUR for UC and 50.4% (65/129) were given a neoplastic diagnosis. Prostatic fibromuscular stroma was present in 84.6% of cases, with a comparable rate among surgeons. Diagnostic concordance of UC versus a non-neoplastic diagnosis was 96.7%, with rare cases initially diagnosed as non-neoplastic having in situ UC on review. Of reports with invasive tumour, 19.4% did not specify extent of invasion (e.g., bladder muscularis propria, prostate fibromuscular stroma) and 13.9% had discordant extent of invasion on review. Terminology typically used for bladder (lamina propria/ muscularis propria) was found in 23.1% of reports without explicit reference to the bladder or prostate. Conclusion This study reveals difficulties in reporting UC within prostatic TUR specimens. We recommend documenting tumour extent and referencing the organ of origin if ambiguous anatomical terms are used.
Quantitative microplate-based respirometry with correction for oxygen diffusion.

Respirometry using modified cell culture microplates offers an increase in throughput and a decrease in biological material required for each assay. Plate based respirometers are susceptible to a range of diffusion phenomena; as O2 is consumed by the specimen, atmospheric O2 leaks into the measurement volume. Oxygen also dissolves in and diffuses passively through the polystyrene commonly used as a microplate material. Consequently the walls of such respirometer chambers are not just permeable to O2 but also store substantial amounts of gas. O2 flux between the walls and the measurement volume biases the measured oxygen consumption rate depending on the actual [O2] gradient. We describe a compartment model-based correction algorithm to deconvolute the biological oxygen consumption rate from the measured [O2]. We optimize the algorithm to work with the Seahorse XF24 extracellular flux analyzer. The correction algorithm is biologically validated using mouse cortical synaptosomes and liver mitochondria attac...
The Moral Cognition/Consciousness Connection

People experience joy and pain. We appreciate brilliant colors. We have awareness of our own mental states, and we attribute mental states to others—not only beliefs and desires, but also phenomenal experiences (such as joy and pain). We knowingly construct conceptions of ourselves and deploy these self-concepts to navigate the world around us. These are fundamental aspects of the human experience, encompassing phenomenal consciousness, on the one hand, and self-consciousness on the other. Let us refer to these collectively as consciousness. Just as we cannot but enjoy conscious experiences, we also naturally conceive of the world in ethical terms with an understanding of right and wrong. Moral violations are continually readily apprehensible; but when it is not obvious that some person should or should not have acted in some particular way, just how they should have acted is often a matter of intense debate. Most of us concede that it would have been wrong for George to shoot Trayvon without provocation, but not if George was violently assaulted after having just stepped out of his car to ask a few questions. But why was George trailing Trayvon for so long? Why was he so intent in knowing what this person was doing in his neighborhood? Doesn’t that display a morally suspect character? Such sensationalized news stories are the fodder of conversations over dinner or on the social network, but in ordinary contexts, often when alone, we cannot but assess the actions of others according to a moral framework. We conclude that it was wrong for that patron to have been so curt with the waiter. We assess that it was good for the young woman to have given up her seat for the octogenarian. These assessments apply not only to our fellows’ actions, but bleed over onto the actors themselves. That the driver cut off the cyclist on a rainy day reveals an inconsiderate villain who cannot easily occupy the mindset of his compatriots. The cyclist is the clear victim here. We feel her pain.
Highly efficient photorefractive polymers for dynamic holography

The performance of recently developed highly efficient photoref_ ract1ve polyme_rs .base~ on the photoconducting polymer host poly( N-vinylcarbazole) 1s 1nvest1gated, and the use of these materials as recording media in dynamic holography and other applications is evaluated.- A diffraction efficiency 'rJ = 86% (limited only by absorption and reflection losses), a two-beam coupling net gain coefficient r = 200 cm - 1 and light-induced refractive index modulations as high as lin=7X 10-3 are demonstrated. Hologram growth rates of the order of 500 ms are observed with. recording light intensities <10 mW /cm2 , using either lowpower laser diodes (675 nm) or a HeNe laser (633 nm). The materials show good sensitivity in this part of the spectrum. Applications such as dynamic time-average interferometry are demonstrated.
Renovating Bhairav: Fierce Gods, Divine Agency, and Local Power in Kathmandu

1The ultimate goal of this renovation was not simply the replacement of worn-out building materials and the updating of the temple’s infrastructure, however, but the returning of the temple to a more traditional appearance. Thus, in addition to replacing rotten and termite-eaten wooden beams and windows, decrepit bricks, and dried-out mortar, and installing electricity and a new water tank for bathing, the temple’s aesthetic renovation was most clearly facilitated through the removal of the variously colored glossy ceramic tiles that were added to its facade—and to the facades of many other local temples and shrines nearly a century ago—and their replacement with more traditional red bricks. 2
Differential grazing by Acartia tonsa on a dinoflagellate and a tintinnid

The calanoid copepod, Acartia tonsa Dana, ingests both the dinoflagellate, Heterocapsa triquetra (Ehrenberg) Stein, and the tintinnid ciliate, Favella sp. In laboratory experiments its inges- tion rate increases with increasing dinoflagellate density to a maximum at ~650 cells ml"1, then declines. With Favella as the sole food item, ingestion rate increases up to and possibly above prey densities of 3.4 Favella ml"'. In mixtures of the two prey, the clearance rate of Acartia for Favella decreases with increasing concentration of Heterocapsa. At a Favella concentration of — 1 ml"' and a Heterocapsa concentration of 280 cells ml"», Acartia ingests the same biomass of each prey type. The copepods preferentially feed on Favella even when the dinoflagellate is more abundant in terms of carbon and nitrogen than the tintinnid. If the effect of food density on the growth of Favella is con- sidered as well as copepod predation, it is evident that both of these factors, and their interaction, can be important in regulating populations of this ciliate.
Crack width measurements in continuously reinforced concrete pavements

Crack width is a key pavement performance parameter in continuously reinforced concrete pavements (CRCP) because it controls the shear transfer between adjacent slabs. Several full-scale experimental sections were instrumented and tested to determine the crack width (CW) by means of observing variation in crack closing caused by combined load and temperature changes. The mechanical loads were applied to the CRCP section with an accelerated pavement testing machine while horizontal crack movement was acquired at various depths along the vertical edge of the slab. The load and temperature spectra tests found that the CW varied along the depth of the slab and was significantly affected by changes in the average pavement temperature and the temperature differential through the depth of the slab. Since the CW is dependent on the slab’s temperature profile and vertical depth from the surface, the measured CW was reported at the level of the steel and at a standard temperature condition.
Analysis of two-locus traits under heterogeneity for recessive versus dominant inheritance.

Complex traits have been modeled under various modes of two-locus inheritance. One example of a two-locus threshold model is the situation where an individual is susceptible to a disease trait if he or she carries three or more disease alleles. Under this model, if each locus is examined individually the inheritance appears recessive for some mating types and dominant for others. We developed a heterogeneity test, the Model-heterogeneity test, where an admixture of dominant and recessive sibships can be present. The properties of the Model-heterogeneity test were examined and compared to the Admixture test. The power of the Model-heterogeneity test to detect linkage is comparable to that of the Admixture test. © 1997 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Modulation of antioxidant enzymes and programmed cell death by n-3 fatty acids

Studies from our laboratory indicate that n-3 (fish oil, FO) lipids at 10% (w/w) in a nutritionally adequate, semipurified diet, and supplemented with equal levels of antioxidants, extended the life span of lupus-prone (NZB/NZW)F1 (B/W) female mice as compared to n-6 (corn oil, CO) lipids. The early rise of autoimmune disease in CO-fed mice was closely linked to the loss of T-cell function. Both IL-2 production and IL-2 receptor expression were reduced due to the loss of naive T-cells and a rise in memory T-cells. Proliferative response to both mitogens and superantigens (staphylococcal enterotoxins A and B) was higher in FO-fed 6.5-mon-old mice. These changes paralleled decreased PGE2 production by splenic cells from FO-fed mice. Analysis of mRNA expression in different organs revealed differential effects of dietary lipids. In FO-fed mice, transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGF beta 1) expression was decreased in kidneys, but splenic tissues had higher expression of TGF beta mRNA. As TGF beta promotes programmed cell death (PCD), we studied the effects of CO and FO on PCD rates in lymphocytes. Both propidium iodide staining and DNA fragmentation were elevated in lymphocytes of FO-fed mice when compared to CO-fed mice of similar age. Also, increased PCD correlated closely with increased Fas gene expression. Thus, in addition to various other antiinflammatory effects, dietary FO appears to increase PCD and prevent accumulation of self-reactive immune cells in lymphoid organs. Further studies are required to dissect the pro- and antiinflammatory mechanisms associated with dietary n-3 and n-6 lipids in modulating autoimmune disorders or malignancy during aging.
MANAGING CUSTOMER SERVICES: HUMAN RESOURCE PRACTICES, QUIT RATES, AND SALES GROWTH

This study examined the relationship between human resource practices, employee quit rates, and organizational performance in the service sector. Drawing on a unique, nationally representative sample of call centers, multivariate analyses showed that quit rates were lower and sales growth was higher in establishments that emphasized high skills, employee participation in decision making and in teams, and human resource incentives such as high relative pay and employment security. Quit rates partially mediated the relationship between human resource practices and sales growth. These relationships were also moderated by the customer segment served.
Splenogonadal fusion: a case report and review of literature

Splenogonadal fusion is a rare entity and has been observed in all age groups. It should be kept in mind during inguinal surgery. We report a case of splenogonadal fusion associated with bilateral cryptorchidism and hypospadias.
Infectious hepatitis in childhood

Summary Two institutional outbreaks of infectious hepatitis among children werestudies. In all of the ninety-six junvenile patients the disease was mild and of relatively short duration as compared with statistics on the adult disease. The mildness of infectious hepatitis in children has tended to belittle thedisease. There is no evidence that such mild cases are less dangerous to the community from the infectious standpoint than are the more severe adult cases.
Clock genes, intestinal transport and plasma lipid homeostasis

Light and food are two major environmental factors that impact daily life. Light entrainment is centrally controlled by suprachiasmatic nuclei of the hypothalamus. Food entrainment might require cooperation between the intestine and dorsomedial hypothalamus. Clock genes that are essential for light entrainment also play a part in food entrainment. Understanding the role of clock genes in the entrainment of intestinal functions, as well as in gut–brain communication during food entrainment, will enhance our understanding of gastrointestinal and metabolic disorders. This review highlights recent studies examining light- and food-entrained regulation of plasma lipids and of various intestinal activities and offers insight into the role of the intestine in food entrainment.
Design of signal-subspace cost functionals for parameter estimation

A probabilistic approach to the quantification of the resolving ability of a general class of MUSIC type estimators (m-estimators) is presented. Based on a resolution-maximizing criterion of optimality, a cost functional is designed for a specific parametric subclass of m-estimators. An effective data-adaptive value for the parametric class is also presented and the results are generalized to a broader nonparametric subclass. >
Absorption and diuretic effects of nebulized ethanol in dogs.

Summary(1) Dogs anesthetized with nitrous oxide were given positive pressure respiration and nebulized ethanol for 30 min in a manner similar to that used in treating human subjects for acute pulmonary edema. A control group was given the same treatment without the ethanol. Blood and urine samples were collected during this 30-min period and for 2 hr afterward while the animals were maintained under anesthesia and artificial respiration.(2) Blood alcohol levels reached an average of 59 mg/100 ml in 30 min and diminished to 17 mg/100 ml at the end of the 1 hr postnebulization period. It is considered that these concentrations are high enough to have important systemic effects on sedation but probably have little hemodynamic effect.(3) The urine of the dogs breathing ethanol vapor showed a significant decrease in osmolal-ity in contrast to the increased osmolality of the urine of the control dogs. The fact that they did not develop a positive clearance of free water is attributed to the antidiuretic effects...
Broad requirement for the mediator subunit RGR-1 for transcription in the Caenorhabditis elegans embryo.

The Mediator-related transcription co-factors integrate positive and negative inputs and recruit and activate the RNA polymerase II complex. To understand the role of Mediator during transcription, it is important to identify Mediator subunits that are essential for its functions. In the yeast Mediator, the conserved component Rgr1 is associated with multiple subunits that are required for specific activation or repression events. Yeast rgr1 is essential for viability, for certain repression mechanisms, and for activation of heat shock genes, but it is not known whetherrgr1 is generally important for transcription. Here we have performed the first analysis of rgr-1 function in a metazoan. We found that in the developing Caenorhabditis elegans embryo rgr-1 is broadly required for transcription and for phosphorylation of both Ser-2 and Ser-5 of the RNA polymerase II C-terminal domain repeat. We conclude that RGR-1 fulfills a critical Mediator function that is broadly essential for metazoan mRNA transcription and that RGR-1 may be required at an early recruitment or initiation step.