cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Generalized Eisenstein series and several modular transformation formulae

B.C. Berndt (J. Reine Angew. Math. 272:182–193, 1975; 304:332–365, 1978) has derived a number of new transformation formulas, in particular, the transformation formulae of the logarithms of the classical theta functions, by using a transformation formula for a more general class of Eisenstein series. In this paper, we continue his study. By using a transformation formula for a class of twisted generalized Eisenstein series, we generalize a transformation formula given by J. Lehner (Duke Math. J. 8:631–655, 1941) and give a new proof for transformation formulas proved by Y. Yang (Bull. Lond. Math. Soc. 36:671–682, 2004).
Phonetic convergence in college roommates

Abstract Previous studies have found that talkers converge or diverge in phonetic form during a single conversational session or as a result of long-term exposure to a particular linguistic environment. In the current study, five pairs of previously unacquainted male roommates were recorded at four time intervals during the academic year. Phonetic convergence over time was assessed using a perceptual similarity test and measures of vowel spectra. There were distinct patterns of phonetic convergence during the academic year across roommate pairs, and perceptual detection of convergence varied for different linguistic items. In addition, phonetic convergence correlated moderately with roommates' self-reported closeness. These findings suggest that phonetic convergence in college roommates is variable and moderately related to the strength of a relationship.
Necrotizing Pneumonia Caused by Mixed Infection with Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans and Actinomyces israelii: Case Report and Review

Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans is an important cause of human pulmonary infections, either alone or with Actinomyces species. It may be critical to isolate Actinobacillus in patients with pulmonary infection for selection of an effective antimicrobial regimen. Clindamycin has superseded penicillin as the sole antimicrobial drug for anaerobic bacterial necrotizing pneumonia and abscess. In the case presented herein, therapy with clindamycin failed to halt worsening necrotizing pneumonia or to prevent hematogenous dissemination. After clindamycin-resistant A. actinomycetemcomitans in addition to Actinomyces israelii were isolated, the patient was treated with penicillin, ciprofloxacin, and cefazolin and was ultimately cured.
Ferroelectric control of the magnetocrystalline anisotropy of the Fe/BaTiO3(001) interface

Density-functional calculations are employed to investigate the effect of ferroelectric polarization of BaTiO3 on the magnetocrystalline anisotropy of the Fe /BaTiO3(001) interface. It is found that the interface magnetocrystalline anisotropy energy changes from 1.33 to 1.02?erg?cm ?2 when the ferroelectric polarization is reversed. This strong magnetoelectric coupling is explained in terms of the changing population of the Fe?3d orbitals at the Fe/BaTiO3 interface driven by polarization reversal. Our results indicate that the electronically assisted magnetoelectric effects at the ferromagnetic/ferroelectric interfaces may be a viable alternative to the strain mediated coupling in related heterostructures and the electric field-induced effects on the interface magnetic anisotropy in ferromagnet/dielectric structures.
Assessment of genetic testing and related counseling services: current research and future directions.

Abstract With the recent completion of the sequencing of the Human Genome, genetic testing will increasingly become available for a greater number of medical conditions, many of which are those that manifest in adulthood (e.g., various cancers, cardiovascular disease, diabetes) or for which little or no treatments are available (e.g., Alzheimer disease). Genetic services, defined here as those relating to genetic testing and counseling, will be with helping more individuals deal with medical information that affects their health directly, as opposed to affecting primarily the health of their offspring. This paper reviews the existing research in the genetic testing and counseling literature and presents an evaluation framework outlining the intended outcomes of genetic services. The purpose of this framework is to provide an overview of the potential outcomes of these services and highlight constructs for future research in this area. In addition, other issues that will affect the assessment of genetic services are raised, using examples from the existing literature. Ultimately, the goal of this paper is to highlight and suggest directions researchers can take to produce the information needed to guide genetic testing and counseling practice. Moreover, as genetic knowledge is increasingly applied towards the prevention and treatment of various common, chronic disease conditions, genetic information will have implications for providers outside of the traditional medical genetics realm, such as primary care providers and public health practitioners. A better understanding of the outcomes of genetic testing and counseling will provide a basis from which to ensure an appropriate application of genetic information by all those who eventually provide care and “genetic” services.
Distributed Parallel Processing for Multidimensional Maximum Entropy Reconstruction

We have developed a two-dimensional maximum entropy spectrum reconstruction program designed to run in parallel on workstation clusters. Test reconstructions of planes extracted from a three-dimensional NMR data set indicate that the parallel speedup is nearly equal to the number of processors provided that the individual processors have comparable performance and that there are at least as many planes as processors. The program also works well in a typical laboratory setting consisting of heterogeneous workstations.
Discounting the difficult : How high math-identified women respond to stereotype threat

In this study, we examined how math identity moderates women's response to gender-related stereotypes in the domain of mathematics. Male and female college students with varying degrees of math identification took a challenging math test with a gender-related stereotype either activated (i.e., stereotype threat) or nullified. Consistent with previous research, women performed worse than men in the stereotype threat condition, but equal to men in the stereotype nullification condition when performance was adjusted for math SAT scores. Moreover, when faced with stereotype threat, high math-identified women discounted the validity of the test more than did less math-identified women or men in general. We discuss potential benefits and drawbacks of a discounting strategy for women who are highly identified with math.
A literature review and evaluation of the. Hedley fractionation: Applications to the biogeochemical cycle of soil phosphorus in natural ecosystems

Abstract The Hedley fractionation recognizes plant-available forms (Resin Pi, Bicarb Pi, and Bicarb Po) and refractory forms (NaOH Pi, NaOH Po, sonic Pi, sonic Po, HCl Pi, Residual P) of soil phosphorus. This updated survey of the recent literature shows that the sequential fractionation proposed by Hedley et al. can also be used to separate forms of organically bound soil phosphorus from the geochemically bound fractions. We consider that biological P includes all the extracted organic fractions (Bicarb Po, NaOH o, sonic Po) and geochemical P includes the remaining fractions (Resin Pi, Bicarb Pi, NaOH Pi, sonic Pi, HCl Pi) and the Po and Pi in the Residual fraction. Data from the Hedley fractionation suggest that the contribution of geochemical versus biological processes to soil phosphorus availability varies with pedogenesis. The pool of primary phosphate declines and the NaOH and sonicated-NaOH phosphorus fractions increase as phosphorus becomes geochemically fixed to the iron and aluminum oxides in more highly weathered soils. The sum of organic-P fractions — biological P — is an increasing proportion of total available P as a function of soil development. Therefore, the Hedley fractionation provides a valuable index of the relative importance of biological processes to soil phosphorus content across a soil weathering gradient.
Notes on Great Horned Owls Nesting in the Rocky Mountains, with a Description of a New Subspecies

ABSTRACT The Great Horned Owls (Bubo virginianus) of the Rocky Mountains were last comprehensively reviewed by Oberholser in 1904, who resurrected the name B. v. occidentalis. With minor modifications, this has been followed to date. With the suppression of occidentalis, which proved to be a synonym of subarcticus (Stone 1897 Am. Nat. 31:236; Dickerman 1991 Auk 108:964–965), the southern Rocky Mountain population, south of the Snake River in Idaho, was left without a name. Canonical discriminant analysis of 14 color and pattern characters provided 100% separation of the southern Rocky Mountain population nesting in higher elevation pinyon/oak/pine associations from those nesting at low elevations in Arizona and New Mexico (B. v. pallescens) and from the northern Rocky Mountain population north of the Snake River (B. v. lagophonus). Pair-wise comparisons showed that the mean vectors from each of the three populations were significantly different from each other (P < 0.001). We propose that the Great Horned...
Colon polyps in an average risk African American population referred for colonoscopy

Purpose: Colon cancer is the second leading cause of cancer related death within the United States. Recent data have shown a slight increase in the number of deaths related to colorectal cancer in African Americans. In addition colon polyps, have been reported to occur more frequently in African Americans in the United States. The aim of this study was to evaluate the presence and location of colonic polyps within an average risk African American Population referred to Gastroenterologists for screening colonoscopy.
The influence of grain size and composition on 1000 to 1400 K slow plastic flow properties of NiAl

The compressive slow plastic flow behavior of several B2 crystal structure NiAl intermetallics has been studied in air between 1000 and 1400 K. Small grain-sized Ni-48.25 at. pct Al (of about 10 microns) was found to be stronger than the previously studied 17 microns diameter material. While grain refinement improved the strength at all test temperatures, the exact mechanism is not clear. Experiments at lower temperature revealed that composition as well as grain size can be an important factor, since Ni-49.2Al was weaker than Ni-48.25Al. Pronounced yield points were found during slow strain-rate testing at 1000 K; however, continued deformation appears to take place by the same mechanism(s) as found at high temperatures. Small changes in thermomechanical processing (TMP) schedules to fabricate Ni-49.2Al indicated that basic deformation characteristics (stress exponent and activation energy) are not affected; however, the preexponential term could be modified if TMP alters the grain structure.
Rate of left ventricular functional recovery by radionuclide angiography after exercise in coronary artery disease.

Abstract To characterize determinants of the rate of recovery of left ventricular (LV) function after exercise-induced ischemia, sequential postexercise radionuclide angiography was performed prospectively in 38 consecutive patients with documented coronary artery disease (CAD). In each patient new or increased regional asynergy developed or absolute ejection fraction decreased at least 4% during exercise. Twenty patients showed immediate recovery of LV function after exercise (group 1) and 18 showed delayed recovery (group 2). Ejection fraction in the first postexercise period was significantly greater in group 1 (65 ± 12%) than in group 2 (55 ± 11%) (p
Adolescent sexual health.

Starting from the perspective of normative adolescent sexual development and expression this review article presents current data on US adolescent sexual behaviors influences on sexual decision-making and reproductive health outcomes in adolescents. Issues in the provision of quality adolescent sexual health care including confidential services and promoting family communication and involvement are addressed. Practical approaches to the clinician/ adolescent interaction are suggested and guidelines for the care of sexually active youth including a review of principles of screening and treatment of sexually transmitted infections and information about contraceptive options for the adolescent client are incorporated. (excerpt)
Outside options and CEO turnover: The network effect

Abstract Most studies consider chief executive officer (CEO) turnover from the firm's perspective. In this paper, I suggest that the labor market conditions for CEOs affect turnover outcomes. I use CEOs' positions on corporate executive and director networks to assess their employment options. Controlling for performance, firm characteristics, and personal traits, I find that CEO connectedness significantly increases turnover probability, especially for poor performers. I also show that connectedness increases the likelihood of CEOs leaving for other full-time positions, or their retiring and taking part-time positions elsewhere, but does not have a significant effect on the likelihood that they will step down and remain with the firm in other capacities. The evidence supports the idea that a CEO's connectedness expands outside options and thus increases turnover probability.
Optical observations of molecular dissociation in thin foils

The authors present measurements of the intensity and polarisation of light emitted from two excited states of neutral helium, after break-up of the HeH+ molecule in thin foils. The authors vary the foil thickness to study their dependence on the internuclear separation of the He and proton at the final foil surface and postulate that the variations observed are sensitive to the molecular orbitals of the dissociating HeH+ molecule. These vicinage effects provide the distance scale of the final state interaction at the foil surface.
Reconstitution of the repeating unit of the mitochondrial inner membrane.

Abstract The tripartite repeating units of the inner mitochondrial membrane have been reconstituted by interaction either of basepieces with headpieces-stalks, or of basepieces-stalks with headpieces. Reconstitution can be carried out without separating the resolved sectors or, alternatively, by combining the previously isolated sectors. Reconstitution can be recognized by four criteria: (1) a change in the density and sedimentation properties of the product of recombination; (2) the conversion of a soluble ATPase, requiring added phospholipid for activity, into a particulate ATPase which is active in the absence of added lipid; (3) the conversion of a rutamycininsensitive ATPase into a rutamycin-sensitive form; and (4) the visualization by electron microscopy of membranes with projecting headpiece-stalk sectors. Either a mixture of different species of basepieces or isolated single species of basepieces can be used in the reconstitution experiments.
Data-driven methodologies for change detection in large-scale nonlinear dampers with noisy measurements

Large-scale viscous dampers are frequently used in civil structures to mitigate seismic and wind-induced vibration. For an effective condition assessment of nonlinear dampers, a probabilistic change detection methodology is proposed. The results of experimental studies with different large-scale nonlinear viscous dampers are shown. Considering damper experimental data with measurement uncertainty, the proposed data-driven methodology can be used to (1) detect small changes of a nonlinear system, (2) interpret the physical meanings of system changes, and (3) quantify the uncertainty of the detected changes without a priori knowledge of the system's characteristics.
Three patients who asked that life support be withheld or withdrawn in the surgical intensive care unit.

Objective: To illustrate some of the difficulties encountered in the transition from restorative to palliative care and in the pursuit of patient autonomy in the intensive care unit. Design: A review of the cases of three patients who asked that life support be withheld or withdrawn, and a discussion of the legal and ethical implications of these cases. Setting: A surgical intensive care unit in an academically affiliated public hospital serving as a Level I trauma center. Patients: Three adults with severe injuries who lacked legal surrogates and lost the ability to make medical decisions. Interventions: Care from the attending surgery and consultative critical care services, in addition to consultations from the psychiatry service and the hospital ethics committee. Main Results: All three patients died after life support was withheld or withdrawn, but not without conflicts among the various services. In two cases, decisions that the patients may or may not have agreed with were made for them by their physicians. In the third case, the patient was not consulted after his clinical situation changed. Conclusions: Patients' wishes change and are difficult to know, and even when they are known, physicians may have difficulty honoring them. Nevertheless, patient autonomy should be respected whenever possible in the intensive care unit.
Motility and fertility of bull sperm frozen-thawed differently in egg yolk and milk extenders containing detergent.

Abstract The purpose of this study was to examine survival and fertility of frozen bull sperm processed in several extenders containing a detergent mixture, sodium, and triethanolamine lauryl sulfate. Addition of .5% (vol/vol) detergent to whole milk was completely spermicidal. When 10% egg yolk (vol/vol) was included in the glycerol or nonglycerol fractions or both fractions of milk, sperm were equally well preserved in the presence of .5% detergent, and sperm survival following thawing at 4°C was dramatically improved by the detergent. This improved result with the 4°C thaw temperature also was obtained by adding .5% detergent to an egg yolk-Tris extender. Thawing temperatures of 30 and 50°C (latter for 15s) were generally superior to 4°C. A fertility trial with whole milk, whole milk-10% yolk, whole milk-10% yolk-.5% detergent, egg yolk-Tris, and egg yolk-Tris-.5% detergent was conducted. The 59-d percent nonreturns, respectively, were 73.4, 65.8, 65.6, 69.5, and 73.4. Whole milk or egg yolk-Tris plus detergent were equally superior to the other extenders for bull semen.
Sodium-Potassium Pump Activity Contributes to the Age-Related Decline in Resting Metabolic Rate*

We examined the hypothesis that a decline in Na-K pump activity contributes to the lower resting metabolic rate (RMR) in older males, independent of the loss of fat-free mass. Plasma and erythrocyte Na and K concentrations were measured using flame photometry. Changes in these concentrations after incubation with and without ouabain were used to calculate erythrocyte Na-K pump rate and rate constant in 27 younger (28 +/- 7 yr) and 25 older (67 +/- 6 yr) men. Older men showed an 18% lower erythrocyte Na-K pump rate constant (0.32 +/- 0.09 vs. 0.39 +/- 0.10 h-1; P < 0.01), a 12% lower RMR (1.10 +/- 0.14 vs. 1.25 +/- 0.14 kcal/min; P < 0.01) and an 8% lower level of fat-free mass (61.7 +/- 5.8 vs. 67.4 +/- 8.1 kg; P < 0.01) relative to younger men. A lower RMR persisted in older men (1.14 +/- 0.12 kcal/min) compared to younger men (1.21 +/- 0.12 kcal/min; P < 0.05) after control for the effect of fat-free mass. No differences in RMR were found, however, between older (1.17 +/- 0.13 kcal/min) and younger men ...
Rapid generation of peptide sequence tags with a graph search algorithm

Tandem mass spectrometry is a popular tool for the identification of peptide sequences. In this paper, we present a method for rapid generation of short peptide sequences via tandem mass spectrometry based on a graph search. The approach takes advantage of several pairs of peaks that have high intensities. We proposed a pair peak value set (PPS) and used the pair peak values of highest intensities as the root of a tree. The other nodes are viewed as the reference nodes to find the most promising path. We aimed to determine the peptide sequences for MS/MS spectra that have low signal-to-noise ratios. Our experiment on 2420 experimental MS/MS spectra with two PTMs shows that our algorithm achieves better accuracy than PepNovo approaches with higher efficiency.
Oligarchies in America: Reflections on Tocqueville's fears

Many modern readers of Tocqueville have rightly stressed his concerns that democracy may bring tyranny of the majority, unduly centralized government, and excessive, leveling egalitarianism. Yet Tocqueville also saw in American democracy, in particular, dangers of racial hierarchies and industrial aristocracies protected by decentralization, and his analysis also can prompt more concern about gender equality in the United States than expressed. The challenges to American democracy in Tocqueville’s day and ours can be illuminated if we attend to his fears about forms of both equality and inequality in the United States.
Community-Sourcing a New Marketing Course: Collaboration in Social Media

This paper shows the value of an online personal learning network or community in educational innovation. It shows how theories and best practices from service and product innovation, as well the theories of learning communities, were applied using social media to facilitate the grant proposal and course development processes for a new course in social media marketing. The innovation theory and practices discussed, and the example of their application in a higher-education environment, will help guide educators to (1) create learning networks and communities and to (2) use those communities to innovate in their curriculum and classrooms.
Maximum Angular Accuracy of a Pulsed Search Radar

An investigation is made of the limits imposed by receiver noise on the accuracy with which the angular position of a target can be determined by a pulsed search radar. Using a result in the theory of statistical estimation, a lower bound is derived for the standard deviation of regular unbiased estimates of target angular position, for a large class of methods of angular position determination; the lower bound depends on scan rate, pulse repetition rate, beamwidth, beam shape, and signal-to-noise ratio. A similar analysis is made of the limits on angular accuracy imposed by a combination of receiver noise and one particular type of target cross section fluctuation. Operations which can be performed on the received signal to form an estimate of target angular position, the standard deviation of which approximately attains the theoretical lower bound, are discussed. The relation between the estimation of angular position and the problem of target detection is discussed. A graphical presentation of the main results is given.
PERCEPTION AND REALITY IN DEVELOPING AN OUTCOME PERFORMANCE MEASUREMENT SYSTEM

ABSTRACT This study examines public officials' preferences for different performance measures. Understanding these preferences is important for public officials to reach consensus on performance measurement. It finds that public officials overwhelmingly favor outcome measures, although output measures are more likely to be used in government. Public officials favor the capacities of outcome measures in addressing organizational goals and achievements. Measurement validity is not a major concern to public officials in their selections of performance measures. Finally, public officials favor the use of outcome measures in performance monitoring rather than in resource allocation.
The burden of HIV: insights from the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) Study 2010

Abstract Background To evaluate the global and country-level burden of HIV/AIDS relative to 291 other causes of disease burden from 1980 to 2010 using the Global Burden of Disease Study (GBD) 2010 as the vehicle for exploration. Methods HIV/AIDS burden estimates were derived as part of GBD 2010, a comprehensive assessment of the magnitude of 291 diseases and injuries from 1990 to 2010 for 187 countries. In GBD 2010, disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs) are used as the measurement of disease burden. DALY estimates for HIV/AIDS are derived from UNAIDS 2012 prevalence estimates, GBD 2010 disability weights, and custom mortality estimates. Findings Despite recent declines in global HIV/AIDS mortality, HIV/AIDS was still the fifth leading cause of global DALYs in 2010. The distribution of HIV/AIDS burden is not equal across demographics and regions. In 2010, HIV/AIDS ranked as the leading cause of DALYs for those aged 30–44 years in both males and females. In 2010, HIV/AIDS was also the leading cause of DALYs for 21 countries that fall into four distinctive blocks: eastern and southern Africa, central Africa, the Caribbean, and Thailand. While a majority of the HIV/AIDS DALYs are in high-burden countries, in 2010, 20·0% of the global HIV/AIDS burden was in countries where HIV/AIDS did not make the top ten leading causes of burden. Interpretation In the midst of a global economic recession, tracking the magnitude of the HIV/AIDS epidemic and its importance relative to other diseases and injuries is critical to effectively allocating limited resources and maintaining funding for effective HIV/AIDS interventions and treatments. Funding Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
Effects of Acth, Dexamethasone and Deoxycorticosterone on Aversive Threshold of Rats

Summary.-The present srudy explored the effects of ACTH (4, 12, 24 units), dexamethasone (.lo, .50, 1.0 mg/kg) and deoxycorticosterone (.5, 1.0, 2.0 mg/kg) upon the aversive threshold of the rat using the spatial preference technique. Both ACTH and dexamethasone reduced the mean aversive threshold during the initial presentation of the compound, but only dexamethasone produced decrements that were statistically reliable. Subsequent administration of these two substances, however, produced no reliable effects upon the aversive threshold. The various doses of deoxycotticosterone produced no consistent changes in the threshold to electric shock. None of the substances were able to reliably alter motor activity on chis test. These results were interpreted to suggest that the above acute changes in adrenocortical activity have little prolonged effects upon the aversive ehreshold to grid shock in the rat. Recent studies have suggested that hormones released from either the adrenal or pituitary glands may influence behavior thac is controlled by aversive schedules of reinforcement that utilize electric shock. For example, administration of ACTH has been reported to enhance the acquisition of a discriminated avoidance task (Bohus & Endroczi, 1964) and retard the extinction of this same response (De Wied, 1966). Furthermore, the administration of either ACTH or dexarnethasone has been shown to enhance the performance of rats subjected to a nondiscriminaced Sidman avoidance task (Wertheim, Conner, & Levine, 1967). Endogenous adrenocortical levels have also been implicated in determining the degree of behavioral proficiency exhibited by rats during avoidance conditioning (Wertheim, Conner, & Levine, 1969). There is a positive correlation between plasma corticosteroid level and the rapidity with which animals acquire a discriminated avoidance response (Bohus, Endroczi, & Lissak, 1964). The fact chat manipulations involving the adrenal-pituitary axis have altered behavior under aversive control has led some investigators to suggest thac alcera[ions in adrenal activity may influence the motivational properties of grid shock (Park, 1969; Park & Cullen, 1971). Thus, increased adrenal activity via the administration of ACTH could make animals more sensitive to electric shock which, in turn, would lead to enhanced rates of avoidance acquisition. Although the above speculation is interesting, the data with regard to the effects of adrenocortical scimularion upon the aversive threshold to grid shock have been rather 'The author wishes to express his gratirude to Mr. Luther R. Gilliam, Chief of the Medical Illustration Setvice, VA Hospital, Perry Point, Md., for performing all the photographic work presented in this paper. Thanks are also due to Mr. Richard L. Seiser and Mr. Randall J. Cash for their excellent technical assistance and to Mrs. Dale A. Van Hart for her help in the preparation of this manuscript.
Higher Molecular Weight Leads to Improved Photoresponsivity, Charge Transport and Interfacial Ordering in a Narrow Bandgap Semiconducting Polymer

Increasing the molecular weight of the low-bandgap semiconducting copolymer, poly[(4,4-didoecyldithieno[3,2-b:2',3'-d]silole)-2,6-diyl-alt-(2,1,3-benzothiadiazole)-4,7-diyl], Si-PDTBT, from 9 kDa to 38 kDa improves both photoresponsivity and charge transport properties dramatically. The photocurrent measured under steady state conditions is 20 times larger in the higher molecular weight polymer (HM{sub n} Si-PDTBT). Different decays of polarization memory in transient photoinduced spectroscopy measurements are consistent with more mobile photoexcitations in HM{sub n} Si-PDTBT relative to the lower molecular weight counterpart (LM{sub n} Si-PDTBT). Analysis of the current-voltage characteristics of field effect transistors reveals an increase in the mobility by a factor of 700 for HM{sub n} Si-PDTBT. Near edge X-ray absorption fine structure (NEXAFS) spectroscopy and grazing incidence small angle X-ray scattering (GISAXS) measurements demonstrate that LM{sub n} Si-PDTBT forms a disordered morphology throughout the depth of the film, whereas HM{sub n} Si-PDTBT exhibits pronounced {pi}-{pi} stacking in an edge-on configuration near the substrate interface. Increased interchain overlap between polymers in the edge-on configuration in HM{sub n} Si-PDTBT results in the higher carrier mobility. The improved optical response, transport mobility, and interfacial ordering highlight the subtle role that the degree of polymerization plays on the optoelectronic properties of conjugated polymer based organic semiconductors.
Two Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases, MPK3 and MPK6, Are Required for Funicular Guidance of Pollen Tubes in Arabidopsis

Double fertilization in flowering plants requires the delivery of two immotile sperm cells to the female gametes by a pollen tube, which perceives guidance cues, modifies its tip growth direction, and eventually enters the micropyle of the ovule. In spite of the recent progress, so far, little is known about the signaling events in pollen tubes in response to the guidance cues. Here, we show that MPK3 and MPK6, two Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) mitogen-activated protein kinases, mediate the guidance response in pollen tubes. Genetic analysis revealed that mpk3 mpk6 double mutant pollen has reduced transmission. However, direct observation of mpk3 mpk6 mutant pollen phenotype was hampered by the embryo lethality of double homozygous mpk3-/- mpk6-/- plants. Utilizing a fluorescent reporter-tagged complementation method, we showed that the mpk3 mpk6 mutant pollen had normal pollen tube growth but impaired pollen tube guidance. In vivo pollination assays revealed that the mpk3 mpk6 mutant pollen tubes were defective in the funicular guidance phase. By contrast, semi-in vitro guidance assay showed that the micropylar guidance of the double mutant pollen tube was normal. Our results provide direct evidence to support that the funicular guidance phase of the pollen tube requires an in vivo signaling mechanism distinct from the micropyle guidance. Moreover, our finding opened up the possibility that the MPK3/MPK6 signaling pathway may link common signaling networks in plant stress response and pollen-pistil interaction.
Pragmatic Rationality and Planning Theory

Can rationality and pragmatism be integrated? By responding to some of the most compelling arguments against the rational paradigm, this paper uses the pragmatism of William James to construct a ne...
The Medial Geniculate Complex

The medial geniculate body is a complex of three major nuclei (Figs. 8.1–8.3): ventral or principal, medial or magnocellular, and dorsal or posterior. The ventral nucleus lies lateral to the brachium of the inferior colliculus as this traverses the complex. It consists usually of medium-sized, tightly packed, and darkly staining cells that have a tendency to form dorsoventral rows. The medial or magnocellular nucleus lies medial to the brachium, in the angle between the brachium and the medial lemniscus. Usually, it contains relatively few cells, the most obvious of which are deeply staining, angular, and large, thus accounting for the name, but populations of smaller cells of the adjacent posterior complex tend to invade it and some workers recognize intrinsic small cells as well. The dorsal nucleus caps the ventral nucleus and expands posteriorly so as to fill the whole cross-sectional area of the medial geniculate body at its posterior pole (Figs. 8.2B and 8.3A). It usually consists of small- to medium-sized cells that are paler staining and less densely packed than those in the ventral medial geniculate nucleus.
Exploring Disparities in Access to Physician Services Among Older Adults: 2000–2007

Using 2000 and 2007 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey data, we examine 2 measures of access for adults aged 65 and older: whether the individual reports of having a usual source of care (USC) and whether he/she made any physician visits during the past year. We model the determinants of access using logistic regressions and then calculate disparities in access between older African Americans and older Whites and between older Hispanics and older Whites applying a disparity definition suggested by the Institute of Medicine.
Minority carrier lifetime degradation in Si concentrator

A simple variation of the open-circuit voltage decay method of lifetime measurement was used to measure the dependence of minority carrier lifetimes in silicon concentrator cells upon the intensity of incident light. Effective lifetimes at intensity levels of up to 500 suns obtained by concentrating natural sunlight were measured. These measurements were performed on cells of different resistivities and base widths. It is found that the effective lifetime drops monotonically with increasing background illumination, particularly in high-resistivity cells. The degradation in effective lifetime is attributed to increased emitter recombination at high injection levels. A simple theoretical model that adequately accounts for this lifetime degradation was developed. >
Market Place and Marketing System: Toward a Theory of Peasant Economic Integration*

Students of peasant society recognize the importance of the market economy for understanding decision-making processes within the house- hold and the nature of articulation between the peasant sector and the national society. We intend to describe market behavior in Northeast Brazil and to relate such behavior to changes in the agricultural economy in general. The ultimate goal is to understand how peasants are integrated into the national economy as commodity producers and consumers of manufactured goods. By concentrating on the internal marketing system for food staples in Northeast Brazil we hope to refine earlier views of peasants and to suggest a definition of peasantry based on economic integration rather than on partial participation in the national culture.
miR-141 as a regulator of the mitochondrial phosphate carrier (Slc25a3) in the type 1 diabetic heart.

Dysfunctional mitochondria are central in the pathogenesis of diabetic cardiomyopathy. Mitochondrial proteomic alterations resulting from diabetes mellitus have been reported although the mechanism...
LIMK1 regulates human trophoblast invasion/differentiation and is down-regulated in preeclampsia.

Successful human pregnancy requires extensive invasion of maternal uterine tissues by the placenta. Invasive extravillous trophoblasts derived from cytotrophoblast progenitors remodel maternal arterioles to promote blood flow to the placenta. In the pregnancy complication preeclampsia, extravillous trophoblasts invasion and vessel remodeling are frequently impaired, likely contributing to fetal underperfusion and maternal hypertension. We recently demonstrated in mouse trophoblast stem cells that hypoxia-inducible factor-2 (HIF-2)-dependent Lim domain kinase 1 (LIMK1) expression regulates invasive trophoblast differentiation by modulating the trophoblast cytoskeleton. Interestingly, in humans, LIMK1 activity promotes tumor cell invasion by modulating actin and microtubule integrity, as well as by modulating matrix metalloprotease processing. Here, we tested whether HIF-2α and LIMK1 expression patterns suggested similar roles in the human placenta. We found that LIMK1 immunoreactivity mirrored HIF-2α in the human placenta in utero and that LIMK1 activity regulated human cytotrophoblast cytoskeletal integrity, matrix metallopeptidase-9 secretion, invasion, and differentiation in vitro . Importantly, we also found that LIMK1 levels are frequently diminished in the preeclampsia setting in vivo . Our results therefore validate the use of mouse trophoblast stem cells as a discovery platform for human placentation disorders and suggest that LIMK1 activity helps promote human placental development in utero .
Simulation Model of Lung Cancer Incidence Related to Smoking and Radon Daughter Exposure

In recent years, the residential exposure to radon daughters has become a cause for concern as a contributing factor for lung cancer. In order to evaluate the population's risk consequences of different interpretations of the results of epidemiological studies in cohorts of uranium miners, a simulation model has been formulated. In the model, a defined population is generated as a set of individuals with a distribution of characteristics and exposures as they are known to exist in the defined population. The risk for each individual of being diagnosed with lung cancer in the next year can be determined, based on whatever interpretation is being evaluated. The risk can then be translated into an annual number of cases, and suitable controls can be identified as well. Both cases and controls have their individual risk factors of radon daughter exposure and history of cigarette smoking, and it is possible to subject these cases and controls to statistical analyses appropriate to case-control studies. This analysis can be used to see to what extent the original risk equation can be retrieved, and to what extent other risk formulations can be rejected. The simulation model can be used to evaluate conclusions drawn from prior epidemiological studies, as well as for evaluations of the effectiveness of designs for proposed studies.
Broadband optical cosite interference cancellation

Here, we provide an overview of broadband cosite interference reduction using an optical system to perform incoherent counter-phase modulation and subtraction. The equation governing interference cancellation depth is derived and discussed with respect to two key parameters, attenuation and delay accuracy. Cancellation depth is then examined with respect to signal bandwidth and device parameters to provide a context for predicted cancellation performance. Experimentally recorded interference cancellation data is presented along with predicted performance to show the agreement of theory and data.
Solution for Space-Charge-Limited Currents in Initially Monoenergetic Electron Vacuum Diodes in the Relativisitic Regime

Summary form only given. The space-charge-limited (SCL) currents play crucial role in classical discharge and bounded plasma devices. Child and Langmuir first derived the classic SCL in pure electron vacuum diode in their pioneering papers to predict the maximum possible operating currents, providing the initial electron velocities are neglected. The solution was obtained by zero steady state surface electric field. But, the finite initial electron velocities have a strong influence on the SCL flow, which has been well studied in classic regime. [3] Now we extend the solution for the SCL with uniform initial velocities to the relativistic regime. There are two types of solution found, where type I requires the steady state surface electric field to be zero but type II requires a finite surface electric field at the steady state. Our solution agrees to the classic results quite well in the classic regime but when either the applied voltage or the initial energy for electrons become to relativistic, the classic SCL is shown to be not useful anymore. For high applied voltage, the classic SCL expects a higher current than our solution, and for high initial energy, the classic SCL expects a lower current than our solution.
Clinical Reasoning: A woman with recurrent aphasia and visual field defects

A 73-year-old woman with a history of hypertension and a recent stroke presented with recurrent nonsensical speech and visual problems. One month prior, she had been diagnosed with a stroke, after sudden-onset speech and visual difficulties that resolved after a few hours. Thirteen days before, she had had a second episode of similar symptoms. She was seen in our institution after a few hours of sudden-onset unintelligible speech. Her vital signs were within normal limits. She was not in distress, but appeared frustrated. Her general physical examination was unremarkable. She had no carotid, ophthalmic, or cranial bruits. Her neurologic examination was notable for fluent aphasia, with paraphasic errors and inability to name, read, or write. She also had right homonymous hemianopia, right-sided sensory loss, and generalized brisk deep tendon reflexes. The rest of her neurologic examination showed no abnormalities.
A psicologia social como história

Un analisis de la teoria y la investigacion de la psicologia social revela que mientras los metodos de investigacion son cientificos en su caracter, las teorias del comportamiento social primariamente son reflexiones de la historia contemporanea. La diseminacion del conocimiento psicologico modifica los patrones de comportamiento sobre los cuales se basa el conocimiento. Varias modificaciones en el alcance y los metodos de la psicologia social derivan del presente analisis. | REQUERIMIENTOS TECNICOS: | COSTO INVOLUCRADO: | COMPATIBILIDAD MOVILES: N/A | DISPONIBILIDAD DE INFORMACION DE ACCESIBILIDAD:
Safe nondeterminism in a deterministic-by-default parallel language

A number of deterministic parallel programming models with strong safety guarantees are emerging, but similar support for nondeterministic algorithms, such as branch and bound search, remains an open question. We present a language together with a type and effect system that supports nondeterministic computations with a deterministic-by-default guarantee: nondeterminism must be explicitly requested via special parallel constructs (marked nd), and any deterministic construct that does not execute any nd construct has deterministic input-output behavior. Moreover, deterministic parallel constructs are always equivalent to a sequential composition of their constituent tasks, even if they enclose, or are enclosed by, nd constructs. Finally, in the execution of nd constructs, interference may occur only between pairs of accesses guarded by atomic statements, so there are no data races, either between atomic statements and unguarded accesses (strong isolation) or between pairs of unguarded accesses (stronger than strong isolation alone). We enforce the guarantees at compile time with modular checking using novel extensions to a previously described effect system. Our effect system extensions also enable the compiler to remove unnecessary transactional synchronization. We provide a static semantics, dynamic semantics, and a complete proof of soundness for the language, both with and without the barrier removal feature. An experimental evaluation shows that our language can achieve good scalability for realistic parallel algorithms, and that the barrier removal techniques provide significant performance gains.
Performance analysis of asynchronous hierarchical-bus multiprocessor systems using closed queuing network models

The performance of asynchronous packet-switched hierarchical and multibus multiprocessor systems is analyzed. The performance is measured using both analytical and simulation models. The performance measured from the analytical model is found to be very close to the performance measured from the simulation model. The performance of a hierarchical bus system is found to be far better than that of an equivalent multiple-bus system for nonuniform memory reference systems. The results show that when multiple parallel buses or high-speed buses are used at the higher levels, a hierarchical bus system becomes as good as a multiple bus system (with the same number of buses) for general-purpose computations, although the cost of the hierarchical bus system is significantly lower than the cost of a multiple bus system. >
Collapse, Crushing and Energy Absorption of Circular-Celled Honeycombs

The crushing response of polycarbonate circular cell honeycomb to inplane uniaxial loading under displacement control is analyzed through a combination of experiment and numerical simula- tion. The experiments corresonding to two differ- ent uniaxial loading conditions are performed using honeycomb material which has a nearly periodic mi- crostructure. In the initial part of the response, the material deforms in a uniform fashion. Next, a non- linear phase characterized by progressive localiza- tion of deformation is observed. The progressive lo- calization causes the walls of each cell to contact. These experimental results are simulated through numerical analysis using the finite element method.
Thr ee essays on imperfect competition and exchange rate pass-through in the presence of multiple exchange rates

This dissertation consists of three essays on exchange rates and prices. The first two essays are devoted to theoretical study, and the other is an empirical study. This research analyzes the strategic interactions between international firms. The first essay (chapter II) explores the relationship between price leadership and exchange rate uncertainty. The research investigates the incentives to lead and follow in a model in which exporting firms have the different degrees of exchange rate uncertainty. As exchange rate uncertainty increases, firms will take a flexible strategy as a dominant strategy. Over certain ranges of exchange rate variability, only one firm has a flexible strategy as its dominant strategy, and the other firm is induced to be a price leader, resulting in a dominant strategy Nash-equilibrium. Which firm will be the price leader depends on the mark-up and substitutability of products. The particular attention of this research is also given to the implication of exchange rate variability for exchange rate pass-through;The second essay (chapter III) focuses more on brand loyalty. In many markets, consumers who have previously purchased from one firm have (or perceive) costs of switching to a competitor's product, even when the two firm's products are functionally identical. I explicitly analyze the effect of rival exchange rate for diverse cases (perfect foresight for exchange rates, imperfect foresight for exchange rates, perfect capital mobility, and imperfect capital mobility). In the case of the imperfect foresight, the exchange rate pass-through is affected by the exchange rate uncertainty. Due to the brand loyalty, current price decisions will affect future profits through market shares. The expected future profit is affected by expected competition situations that depend on the interactive movement of future exchange rates;In the last essay (chapter IV), I test the strategic behaviors between exporting firms with simultaneous estimation techniques (three stage least squares). Exchange rate pass-through is estimated, and the effect of the rival exchange rate is emphasized. Also, I demonstrate the problem associated with tests which use trade-weighted exchange rate. Most importantly, this research highlights the importance of market structure in exchange rate pass-through studies.