cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Determination of ionic transport processes in AgCl and AgBr

AgCl and AgBr have many unusual defect properties. Therefore a review is given of the experimental techniques and conceptual models that have been applied to these materials. A brief discussion is presented of the interpretation of deviations from the normal Einstein relation between conductivity and diffusion on the basis of correlation and displacement effects. Examples are given of the use of doped conductivity, tracer diffusion, and isotope effect experiments for the elucidation of cation vacancy and collinear and noncollinear interstitialcy jump processes. A detailed fitting of the temperature dependence of the ionic conductivity in an intermediate temperature range, with inclusion of complex association and Debye-Huckel corrections, provides formation and migration enthalpies and entropies. A large conductivity anomaly at higher temperatures requires the introduction of a temperature dependent correction of the formation energy. Comparison to Na diffusion in these materials indicates that most of the anomaly must be due to enhanced defect concentrations rather than lowered migration energies. The Debye-Huckel corrections can account for only a fraction of the total effect, and a rough calculation shows that the unusual rise in the dielectric constant can give at best a qualitative explanation. A better theoretical calculation of the general influence of softening of the lattice on defect energies is called for.
Random graphs with arbitrary degree distributions and their applications.

Recent work on the structure of social networks and the internet has focused attention on graphs with distributions of vertex degree that are significantly different from the Poisson degree distributions that have been widely studied in the past. In this paper we develop in detail the theory of random graphs with arbitrary degree distributions. In addition to simple undirected, unipartite graphs, we examine the properties of directed and bipartite graphs. Among other results, we derive exact expressions for the position of the phase transition at which a giant component first forms, the mean component size, the size of the giant component if there is one, the mean number of vertices a certain distance away from a randomly chosen vertex, and the average vertex-vertex distance within a graph. We apply our theory to some real-world graphs, including the worldwide web and collaboration graphs of scientists and Fortune 1000 company directors. We demonstrate that in some cases random graphs with appropriate distributions of vertex degree predict with surprising accuracy the behavior of the real world, while in others there is a measurable discrepancy between theory and reality, perhaps indicating the presence of additional social structure in the network that is not captured by the random graph.
Circulating molecular markers in predicting radiation-induced lung damage

7144 Background: We hypothesized that circulating molecular markers such as transforming growth factor-beta1 (TGF-β1), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) change early dur...
Does the Family Have a History?: A Review of Theory and Practice in Family History

Whence and whither family history? In his bibliographic and programmatic essay, Hobsbawm (1971) did not mention family history as a subfield of what was then the relatively “new” social history. The closest he came was “demography and kinship.” In 1980, by which time social history was definitely mature, and according to some critics, even in decline, the proceedings of a conference on history in the 1980s included a 37-page essay by Stone (1981b; see also Stone, 1981a, 1978) on family history. Several bellwethers of the change may be noted in passing. One year after the 1968 conference for which Hobsbawm's comments were originally prepared, the Cambridge Group for the History of Population held a meeting whose subject—the comparative history of household and family—went beyond strictly demographic history. In 1972, a family history newsletter was launched by Professor Tamara Hareven, in cooperation with the Newberry Library in Chicago; a special issue of the Journal of Interdisciplinary History on “The History of the Family” appeared in 1971; a special issue of Annales: Economies, Societes et Civilisations devoted to “Famille et Societe” was published in 1972. By the time the Journal of Family History, edited by Hareven, began publication in 1976, two more special issues on family history of the Journal of Interdisciplinary History were required reading for those calling themselves social historians.
Stress Engineering and Applications of Inhomogeneously Polarized Optical Fields

Spatial inhomogeneities in the polarization of a light field can show fascinating effects in focusing,propagation,illumination,and imaging.This talk will provide an overview of such fields and describe how deterministic stress on the periphery of an optical element can produce effects ranging from optical vortices to extended depth of focus in an imaging system.
Crackpots and their convictions

"Dear Prof. Crease," the letter begins, "I write to draw your attention to the attached material...."
Minority Representation in Migraine Treatment Trials.

Background Minorities have historically been underrepresented in clinical research trials despite having comparatively poor health indicators. Recognizing the dual inequalities of increased disease burden and decreased research participation, the National Institute of Health (NIH) Revitalization Act of 1993 mandated the inclusion and reporting of women and minorities in NIH-funded research. While progress has been made in the subsequent decades, this underrepresentation of minorities in research trials persists and has been documented in multiple disciplines. However, the extent of adequate representation and reporting of minority inclusion in clinical trials for migraine remains unknown. Objectives In this systematic review and study, we review the literature examining the representation of women and minorities in migraine clinical research trials Methods First we searched PubMed for pertinent articles examining the inclusion of women and minorities in migraine clinical research trials. Second, we identified controlled-trials for migraine published since 2011 in major neurology, headache, and general medicine journals using the terms “migraine randomized controlled trial.” We then reviewed the results manually and excluded pilot studies and those with fewer than 50 participants. We next determined (a) how frequently representation of minorities and women were reported in these major trials; (b) what factors correlated with reporting; and (c) whether women and minority inclusion comprised their ratios in the general population. Results We identified 128 relevant clinical trials, of which 36 met our inclusion criteria. All 36 trials (100%) reported gender frequency, and 25 of 36 (69.4%) reported ethnicity or race. Among all studies, women and Whites represented 84.2 and 82.9% of participants (mean), respectively. Studies conducted in the United States and funded by a private company were more likely to report race than studies conducted exclusively outside of the U.S. or with a public sponsor. No studies stratified efficacy or safety by ethnicity or gender. Men and non-Whites in the U.S. were statistically underrepresented. Conclusions Most recent headache studies comply with the NIH mandate to include women and minorities in research trials, particularly U.S.-based and industry-funded studies. Whites are overrepresented compared to both the general population and the population of migraineurs. Future studies should strive to increase minority participation and investigate race-based differences in migraine expression, treatment response, and medication toxicity.
Targeting the Type II Secretion System: Development, Optimization, and Validation of a High-Throughput Screen for the Identification of Small Molecule Inhibitors.

Nosocomial pathogens that develop multidrug resistance present an increasing problem for healthcare facilities. Due to its rapid rise in antibiotic resistance, Acinetobacter baumannii is one of the most concerning gram-negative species. A. baumannii typically infects immune-compromised individuals resulting in a variety of outcomes, including pneumonia and bacteremia. Using a murine model for bacteremia, we have previously shown that the type II secretion system (T2SS) contributes to in vivo fitness of A. baumannii. Here, we provide support for a role of the T2SS in protecting A. baumannii from human complement as deletion of the T2SS gene gspD resulted in a 100-fold reduction in surviving cells when incubated with human serum. This effect was abrogated in the absence of Factor B, a component of the alternative pathway of complement activation, indicating that the T2SS protects A. baumannii against the alternative complement pathway. Because inactivation of the T2SS results in loss of secretion of multiple enzymes, reduced in vivo fitness, and increased sensitivity to human complement, the T2SS may be a suitable target for therapeutic intervention. Accordingly, we developed and optimized a whole-cell high-throughput screening (HTS) assay based on secreted lipase activity to identify small molecule inhibitors of the T2SS. We tested the reproducibility of our assay using a 6,400-compound library. With small variation within controls and a dynamic range between positive and negative controls, the assay had a z-factor of 0.65, establishing its suitability for HTS. Our screen identified every lipase inhibitor in the library demonstrating the specificity of the assay. To eliminate inhibitors of lipase activity and lipase expression, two counter assays were developed and optimized. By implementing these assays, all seven tricyclic antidepressants present in the library were found to be inhibitors of the lipase, highlighting the potential of identifying alternative targets for approved pharmaceuticals. Although no T2SS inhibitor was identified among the compounds that reduced lipase activity by ≥30%, our small proof-of-concept pilot study indicates that the HTS regimen is simple, reproducible, and specific and that it can be used to screen larger libraries for the identification of T2SS inhibitors that may be developed into novel A. baumannii therapeutics.
The population genetic test Tajima's D identifies genes encoding pathogen‐associated molecular patterns and other virulence‐related genes in Ralstonia solanacearum

The detection of pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs) by plant pattern recognition receptors (PRRs) is an essential part of plant immunity. Until recently, elf18, an epitope of elongation factor-Tu (EF-Tu), was the sole confirmed PAMP of Ralstonia solanacearum, the causal agent of bacterial wilt disease, limiting our understanding of R. solanacearum-plant interactions. Therefore, we set out to identify additional R. solanacearum PAMPs based on the hypothesis that genes encoding PAMPs are under selection to avoid recognition by plant PRRs. We calculated Tajima's D, a population genetic test statistic which identifies genes that do not evolve neutrally, for 3003 genes conserved in 37 R. solanacearum genomes. The screen flagged 49 non-neutrally evolving genes, including not only EF-Tu but also the gene for Cold Shock Protein C, which encodes the PAMP csp22. Importantly, an R. solanacearum allele of this PAMP was recently identified in a parallel independent study. Genes coding for efflux pumps, some with known roles in virulence, were also flagged by Tajima's D. We conclude that Tajima's D is a straightforward test to identify genes encoding PAMPs and other virulence-related genes in plant pathogen genomes.
Hybrid Catalytic Biorefining of Hardwood Biomass to Methylated Furans and Depolymerized Technical Lignin

A robust method is needed to achieve high yield all-catalytic conversion of recalcitrant lignocellulosic biomass to transportation fuels while maximizing carbon utilization from raw substrates. To accomplish this, we developed an integrated strategy that combines homogeneous and heterogeneous reactions with a treatment-extraction step to coproduce 2-methylfuran (MF) and 2,5-dimethylfuran (DMF) directly from hardwood poplar while maintaining high catalyst activity. In the first step, poplar wood chips were treated with dilute FeCl3 in THF–water at subpyrolytic temperature to yield 93.5% furfural (FF) from xylan and 66.0% 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) from glucan. Concurrently, a highly pure lignin powder was obtained from the liquor by precipitation upon room temperature vacuum recovery of THF from the water. Afterward, FF and HMF were extracted from water into an organic phase consisting of toluene and 1,4-dioxane treated with Ca(OH)2. A second hydrodeoxygenation reaction using Cu–Ni/TiO2 catalyst yielded...
Structural Equation Models and Directed Networks

Undirected networks (encoded in symmetric adjacency matrices) cannot be used to describe causal relationships between random variables. Instead, causal information is encoded by directed networks where the arrow A → B indicates that variable A causally influences variable B. We refer to the process of assigning a causal direction to edges in an association network as “edge orienting”. We review structural equation model (SEM)-based approaches for constructing directed networks between random variables. SEMs lead to predictions about the variance–covariance matrices of the observed variables, which is why they are also known as covariance structure models. We review likelihood-based approaches for evaluating the fit of a structural equation model. We provide a short review of SEMs and show how these techniques can be used for defining directed networks. In particular, we describe how local structural equations based on causal anchors can be used to infer causal networks among variables. Causal networks have been used in systems genetics applications for inferring causal relationships based on genetic markers. The network edge orienting (NEO) R software and method can be used to orient the edges of correlation networks (aka. quantitative trait networks) if the edges can be anchored to causal anchors (e.g., genetic polymorphisms). This section reviews and extends work with Jason Aten and Jake Lusis.
Principal Components and Factor Analysis

In Chapter 10 on correlation and regression we used an example of the numbers of runs scored in the 1975 and 1976 seasons by American League baseball clubs. The data were shown in Table 10–1 and the correlation was 0.63. Figure 17-1 shows the data plotted as a scatter diagram in standardized units.
Auditor size and internal control reporting differences in nonprofit healthcare organizations

We investigate whether auditor size is associated with the disclosure of internal control exceptions among Circular A-133 audits of nonprofit healthcare organizations. Our analysis is motivated by recent growth and transparency concerns within the sector. Using a sample of 1,180 audit reports from 2004 to 2008, we find evidence that audits performed by Big 4 firms are less likely to disclose internal control weaknesses than those performed by smaller firms. Additional analyses indicate this relation only remains statistically significant for a subsample of small organizations, possibly due to greater selectivity or lower efforts by the Big 4 auditors. We discuss the implications of these findings from an audit quality, market dominance, and client size perspective. The results are relevant to hospital financial managers seeking high quality audits at low cost.
High Altitude Primates, Extreme Primates, and Anthropological Primatology: Or, There is More to Human Evolution than Tool Use, Culture, or African Apes

Within primatology, human origins research is becoming increasingly dominated by discussions that limit their scope to data from extant apes. It is argued that this trend is counterproductive and has resulted in some misleading assertions about early hominid evolution, as numerous lines of evidence suggest considerable divergence in the human and chimpanzee lineages since we shared a common ancestor. Anthropological primatologists must spread their net more widely, and utilize data from species throughout the order. Primates living at high altitudes and other comparatively marginal habitats provide critical data concerning survival in the types of extreme environments that became increasingly important throughout human evolution. The study of such animals is vital not merely because they live at high altitudes, nor that they can necessarily provide a referential model for human evolution. Rather, they yield information on the upper limits of nonhuman primate adaptation, and the range of strategies that can be utilized to reach such limits. These primates thus represent study systems ideal for elucidating general ecological principles that can be applied to particular hominids given their individual characters. Changes in altitude have predictable, quantifiable effects that influence the anatomical, physiological, and behavioral evolution of organisms. Human adaptation in relation to altitude or concurrent changes in habitat characteristics cannot be understood by considering only living apes, and, as all primates are unique, there is no single “best” living model for early hominids. The reconstruction of human origins, as exemplified by adaptation to marginal habitats, necessitates the utilization of broad evolutionary principles derived from the study of many animals.
Proceedings of the 1st workshop on Automated control for datacenters and clouds

We are pleased to welcome you to the first Workshop on Automated Control for Datacenters and Clouds (ACDC'09) -- co-located with the 6th International Conference on Autonomic Computing. Over the past years, large server farms--from enterprise datacenters and giant-scale Internet services to utility and public cloud computing-have become a critical part of the execution platform for many of today's software programs. Interactive web services, business workflows, large-scale batch data processing, and many scientific computations all run on platforms built atop these large server farms. While these systems differ in many ways, they share many common challenges, such as the desire to maximize efficiency and performance while maintaining predictable behavior, power efficiency and fairness, and at the same time responding appropriately to environmental and system changes such as hardware failures and changes in workload. The goal of this workshop is to broadly explore the similarities and differences in current and future automated techniques for reasoning about and orchestrating the behaviors of these large scale systems. The program committee accepted 9 papers spanning a variety of topics, from the area of virtual machine usage in server farms, to techniques for improving power-efficiency and performance management. In addition, the program includes a keynote speech by John Wilkes entitled "Automating Trade-offs." We hope that the proceedings of this workshop provide a valuable reference for researchers in the area of automated control of datacenters, clouds, and other large server farm environments.
Logger perceptions of salvage harvesting in Minnesota, USA

ABSTRACTHarvesting timber in forests recently affected by a disturbance, i.e. in salvage conditions, is generally thought to take longer and come at a greater cost compared to harvesting non-salvage timber. Despite this, the degree that forest disturbances create stand conditions that impact productivity when harvesting salvage timber has not been quantified. Similarly, the concerns and perceptions loggers have when operating in salvage conditions have not been fully assessed. This analysis examined mailed survey responses from 129 logging business owners from the state of Minnesota, USA, which inquired about their experience in harvesting timber from salvage sales, concerns about operating under salvage conditions, and perceptions of productivity in forests impacted by three common disturbances. In total, 41.9% of logging business owners (n = 54) indicated they harvested wood from at least one salvage sale in 2015 or 2016. The majority of loggers cited concerns with reduced productivity and reduced wood ...
Assessing Predictors of Early and Late Hospital Readmission after Kidney Transplantation

Background.A better understanding of the risk factors of posttransplant hospital readmission is needed to develop accurate predictive models.Methods.We included 40 461 kidney transplant recipients from United States renal data system (USRDS) between 2005 and 2014. We used Prentice, Williams and Pete
Public education expenditures, taxation and growth: a state-level analysis

In a 2007 paper, Blankenau, Simpson, and Tomljanovich (BST) find that public education expenditures have a positive impact on growth only after controlling for the government budget constraint. Thi...
Harmful Algal Bloom Toxins in Aerosol Generated from Inland Lake Water

Harmful algal blooms (HABs) caused by cyanobacteria in freshwater environments produce toxins (e.g., microcystin) that are harmful to human and animal health. HAB frequency and intensity are increasing with greater nutrient runoff and a warming climate. Lake spray aerosol (LSA) released from freshwater lakes has been identified on lakeshores and after transport inland, including from lakes with HABs, but little is known about the potential for HAB toxins to be incorporated into LSA. In this study, freshwater samples were collected from two lakes in Michigan: Mona Lake during a severe HAB with microcystin concentrations (>200 μg/L) well above the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recommended "do not drink" level (1.6 μg/L) and Muskegon Lake without a HAB (<1 μg/L microcystin). Microcystin toxins were identified in freshwater, as well as aerosol particles generated in the laboratory from Mona Lake water by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) at atmospheric concentrations up to 50 ± 20 ng/m3. Enrichment of hydrophobic microcystin congeners (e.g., microcystin-LR) was observed in aerosol particles relative to bulk freshwater, while enrichment of hydrophilic microcystin (e.g., microcystin-RR) was lower. As HABs increase in a warming climate, understanding and quantifying the emissions of toxins into the atmosphere is crucial for evaluating the health consequences of HABs.
Archival Mocking As Feminist Praxis: A Rhetorical Repurposing of A Vindication of the Rights of Brutes

My ironic rereading of Thomas Taylor’s Vindication of the Rights of Brutes accomplishes five tasks: First, I provide readers with an introduction to Thomas Taylor (one of protofeminist Mary Wollsto...
Calibrating Human Attention as Indicator Monitoring #drought in the Twittersphere

CapsuleA pilot study found that #drought tweets reflect changes in attention to drought within states, suggesting that social media can contribute to a drought early warning system.
Practical Liberators: Union Officers in the Western Theater during the Civil War

Review of: "Practical Liberators: Union Officers in the Western Theater during the Civil War," by Kristopher A. Teters.
Irregular Sleep-Wake Rhythm Disorder

Irregular sleep-wake rhythm disorder (ISWRD) is characterized by a dysrhythmic sleep-wake pattern with multiple cycles across the 24-hour day. It is a rare condition that occurs predominantly among children with neurodevelopmental disorders, older adults with neurodegenerative diseases, patients with traumatic brain injury, and some individuals with schizophrenia. The exact pathophysiology of ISWRD is not known, but weak zeitgeber input, abnormal functioning of the endogenous circadian clock, and irregular behavioral patterns are all thought to play a role. Although few evidence-based treatments exist, morning bright light exposure improves behavioral symptoms such as nocturnal wandering and restlessness among elderly patients with dementia and exogenous melatonin improves select sleep parameters among children with neurodevelopmental disorders.
Effect of testosterone and estrogen supplementation on the resistance to systemic Candida albicans infection in mice

Abstract Candida species are the 4th leading cause of nosocomial infections in the US affecting both men and women. Since males of many species can be more susceptible to infections than females, we investigated whether male mice were more susceptible to systemic Candida albicans (C. albicans) infection and if sex hormones were responsible for sex-dependent susceptibility to this infection. Non-gonadectomized or gonadectomized mice were supplemented with sustained release 5α-dihydrotestosterone (5αDHT) or 17-β-estradiol (E2) using subcutaneous pellet implantation. Mice were challenged intravenously with 5 × 105 C. albicans/mouse seven days after pellet implantation and monitored for survival and weight change. We observed that male mice were more susceptible to systemic C. albicans infection than female mice while gonadectomized male mice were as resistant to the C. albicans infection as female mice. 5αDHT supplementation of gonadectomized female or male mice increased their susceptibility to the yeast infection while E2 supplementation of gonadectomized male mice did not increase their resistance to the infection. Overall, our results strongly suggest that testosterone plays an important role in decreasing resistance to systemic C. albicans infection.
The accuracy of field diagnosis and key diagnostic findings in feedlot cattle diagnosed with acute interstitial pneumonia in southwest Kansas at the time of necropsy

Acute interstitial pneumonia (AIP) is a non-infectious respiratory disease that affects the beef cattle industry and has been identified as one of the costliest diseases affecting feedlot cattle. Causative agents of AIP have been identified in grazing cattle; however, AIP cases in finishing feedlot cattle needs more research to identify and verify etiology, treatment options, and further define causative agents. The objectives of this study were to determine the accuracy of field diagnosis of AIP, determine the histological and infectious profiles of multiple organs of AIP affected cattle, and to define the production status and physical characteristics of AIP affected cattle.
Validation of an instructional module to help dental students learn to avoid plagiarism.

Objective This study aimed to validate the learning effectiveness of an instructional module in helping first-year dental students and international graduate advanced standing students learn to avoid plagiarism in their scientific writing. Method The module was administered to a total of 226 first year dental students (157 at the University of Pittsburgh, in 2018 and 2019; 69 at the University of Illinois at Chicago, in 2019), and a total of 102 international graduate advanced standing students at the University of Illinois at Chicago, in 2019 and 2020. Psychometric analysis of the module's test items confirmed reliability and validity. Results An independent sample t-test performed on the module pretest scores determined that the first -year dental students entered their programs with more knowledge about plagiarism than the international graduate advanced standing students. Mean differences were calculated between pretest and posttest scores for each group and indicated that the module was equally effective at helping both groups learn to avoid plagiarism. An independent sample t-test compared the posttest mean scores of the 2 groups and determined that the first -year students achieved a greater learning outcome from the module. An independent sample t-test for Equality of Means with Levene's Test for Equality of Variances were performed to compare the mean differences between posttest and pretest scores for the 2 groups. These tests indicated that the 2 groups learned to avoid plagiarism at the same rate. Conclusions The instructional module proved to be valid, reliable, effective, and time-efficient in improving student knowledge about avoiding plagiarism.
Statistical Mechanical Interpretation of the Third Law of Thermodynamics, Calculation of the Helmholtz Free Energy and Chemical Potentials Using the Canonical Partition Function, and Sample Problems

The material presented in this lecture is adapted from Chapter 7 in M&S. First, we will discuss the Third Law of Thermodynamics, including providing a statistical mechanical interpretation to it. Second, we will derive an expression for the Helmholtz free energy of a pure (n = 1) material using the canonical partition function. Third, we will solve Sample Problem 43.1 to calculate the Helmholtz free energy of a one-component (n = 1) idea gas. Fourth, we will solve Sample Problem 43.2 to calculate the chemical potential of a monoatomic ideal gas. Finally, we will solve Sample Problem 43.3 to calculate the standard-state chemical potential of a one-component ideal gas, including relating it to Denbigh’s definition of a one-component (n = 1) ideal gas that we presented in Part II.
Prevalence of cerebral small vessel disease in a Fabry disease cohort

Abstract Objective To characterize the prevalence of brain ischemia and cerebral small vessel disease in a cohort of patients with Fabry disease (FD) seen at an academic medical center. Background FD is an inherited X-linked lysosomal storage disorder with central nervous system involvement. Limited data are available in the literature on the cerebrovascular neuroimaging findings in FD, and the reported prevalence of stroke symptoms and cerebral small vessel disease has varied widely. Design/methods Brain MRI was performed in 21 patients with FD followed at University of California Irvine Medical Center. Stroke symptoms were assessed and quantification of cerebral microvascular disease was performed using small vessel disease (SVD) score. Lacunes and deep white matter hyperintensities were scored on a four-point scale of 0 (absent) and 1–3 to account for increasing severity; microbleeds were scored 0 (absent) or 1 (present). The total SVD score is the sum of the three components and ranges from 0 to 7. Results Nearly 43% (9/21) of our FD cohort (aged 32–81 years, mean = 50) had a SVD score of one or higher, all of whom were aged 50 or more years. The most common MRI-defined SVD was white matter hyperintensities (9/9, 100%), followed by microbleeds (6/9, 66%), and lacunes (3/9, 33%). The three patients with previous strokes had some of the highest SVD scores reported in the cohort (scores 3–5). Conclusions In this cohort, the prevalence of SVD (43%) was three times higher than prevalence of stroke symptoms. SVD score was highest in the those who had experienced a stroke. These findings emphasize the importance of routine MRI screening of patients with FD in order to identify and treat high risk patients.
Life support for transitory exhausted CTLs

Di Pilato et al. demonstrate that CXCR6 positions TCF-1- transitory CD8+ cytotoxic lymphocytes (CTLs) with perivascular CCR7+ dendritic cells (DCs) within the tumor stroma to receive IL-15 survival signals. The requirement for CXCR6 and its strong prediction of overall patient survival highlight the importance of continued CTL-DC interactions in sustaining tumor immunity.
Comparison of Block Bootstrap Methods

In this chapter, we compare the performance of the MBB, the NBB, the CBB, and the SB methods considered in Chapters 3 and 4. In Section 5.2, we present a simulated data example and illustrate the behavior of the block bootstrap methods under some simple time series models. Although the example treats the simple case of the sample mean, it provides a representative picture of the properties of the four methods in more general problems. In the subsequent sections, the empirical findings of Section 5.2 are substantiated through theoretical results that provide a comparison of the methods in terms of the (asymptotic) MSEs of the bootstrap estimators. In Section 5.3, we describe the framework for the theoretical comparison. In Section 5.4, we obtain expansions for the MSEs of the relevant bootstrap estimators as a function of the block size (expected block size, for the SB). These expansions provide the basis for the theoretical comparison of the sampling properties of the bootstrap methods. In Section 5.5, the main theoretical findings are presented. Here, we compare the bootstrap methods using the leading terms in the expansions of the MSEs derived in the previous section. In Section 5.5, we also derive theoretical optimal (expected) block lengths for each of the block bootstrap estimators and compare the methods at the corresponding optimal block lengths. Some conclusions and implications of the theoretical and finite sample simulation results are discussed in Section 5.6. Proofs of two key results from Section 5.4 are separated out into Section 5.7.
Al·legories digitals (sobre The Sims)

Has tingut mai la sensacio que jugues a un joc vast i inutil del qual no en saps l'objectiu, i ni tan sols en recordes les normes? Has sentit mai el fort desig de deixar-ho correr, de renunciar, d'abandonar-lo i acabar descobrint que no hi ha col·legiat, no hi ha arbitre, no hi ha cap regulador a qui puguis comunicar la teva capitulacio? Has sentit mai aquell vague terror que, encara que no tinguis cap altra opcio que jugar al joc, no pots guanyar, ni tan sols en pots saber el resultat o qui el controla? Has sospitat mai que ni tan sols saps qui es el teu veritable adversari? T'has desesperat mai davant del fet evident que els daus son trucats, les cartes marcades, el joc esta manegat i que hi ha trampa? Benvingut a l'espai de joc. Tu ets el jugador, tant si t'agrada com si no, ara que tots vivim en un espai de joc que es pertot arreu i no es enlloc. Pots anar on vulguis de l'espai de joc, pero no en pots sortir mai. No es estrany que els jocs digitals siguin la forma cultural incipient d'aquest temps. El temps mateix s'ha convertit en una serie de jocs cada cop menys perfectes. Una nova persona historica sotja la terra: el jugador. I som nosaltres, tant si ens agrada com si no.
Expression of meprin subunit precursors. Membrane anchoring through the beta subunit and mechanism of zymogen activation

The biosynthesis of the membrane-bound metalloendopeptidase meprin was studied after the introduction of cDNAs encoding the rat meprin alpha and beta subunits into human 293 cells. When expressed individually the meprin alpha subunit was found to be primarily secreted into the culture medium, while the beta subunit was determined to be an integral membrane protein. Coexpression of the alpha and beta subunits results in the localization of both subunits to the plasma membrane. In this case the alpha subunit is specifically released from the cell surface by dithiothreitol, indicating the alpha subunit is associated with the membrane via disulfide bond(s) to the beta subunit. Meprin expressed in 293 cells is similar to the rat kidney enzyme in that it forms disulfide-linked dimers and has a similar pattern of glycosylation. However, the expressed protein displayed no detectable peptidase activity against four meprin substrates. Processing of the alpha subunit was followed after the introduction of sequences coding for the human c-myc peptide epitope EQKLISEEDL into its cDNA in the region of its prosequence and at the COOH terminus. Detection of the resulting proteins using a monoclonal antibody specific for the c-myc epitope indicates the alpha subunit is processed at its COOH terminus but retains the prosequence which is absent from the enzyme purified from rat kidney. Limited trypsin digestion of meprin precursors expressed in 293 cells results in both the activation of the enzyme and the removal of the prosequence. This result supports the hypothesis of Bode et al. (Bode W., Gomis-Ruth, F. X., Huber, R., Zwilling, R., and Stocker, W. (1992) Nature 358, 164-167) that meprin and other astacin family proteases require removal of NH2-terminal prosequences at the junction of the astacin protease domain for zymogen activation. Trypsin-activated meprin was assayed with the protein substrate azocasein and three synthetic peptide substrates. The membrane-bound beta subunit was found to be more active than the secreted alpha subunit against azocasein but much less active toward the synthetic peptide substrates.
Justice and Utility

That utility is not a sufficient test for a set of social rules to be morally binding upon a group of persons has been argued in a number of recent books and articles.1 Yet it is generally conceded in these arguments that a group's observance of rules makes possible greater benefits than would accrue if each did not associate himself with others under the rules. It is not denied that the practice of morality is socially advantageous. What is denied is that social advantage is either the sole criterion or a sufficient criterion for the justifiability of any set of rules that could constitute the de facto system of moral requirements in a given society. What, then, is sufficient? The answer I am interested in defending in this paper is that both utility as an aggregative principle and justice as a distributive principle are each a necessary condition and together provide a sufficient condition for the justification of a moral code. In the first two parts of this paper, I shall explain how the concepts of justice and utility, respectively, are to be construed in the argument of the third part. The aim of that argument will be to show why a system of social rules which satisfies the conditions of both justice and utility as understood here is justified in the only way such a system can or need be justified.
Avirulant Salmonella typhimurium strains prevent food allergy in mice

Oral tolerance to foods can be regulated by microorganisms in the gut lumen. We hypothesized that pretreatment with avirulent Salmonella typhimurium strains could prevent food allergy in mice. Mice were administered S. typhimurium PhoPc (STPhoPc) or S. typhimurium AroA prior to oral sensitization to beta-lactoglobulin in the presence of cholera toxin. An oral antigen challenge after sensitization assessed antigen-induced anaphylaxis. Antigen-specific antibody titres were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in the serum and enzyme-linked immunospot (ELISPOT) in the spleen, and cytokine-secreting cells were measured by ELISPOT in the Peyer's patches, lamina propria and epithelium cells. We showed first that S. typhimurium could up-regulate interleukin (IL)-12 and IL-10 secretion by gut T cells. Mice pretreated with STPhoPc had decreased anaphylaxis upon challenge, along with decreased immumoglobulin G1 (IgG1) and IgE antibody titres. Mice having received S. typhimurium AroA had partly decreased anaphylaxis as well as decreased serum IgG1 antibody titres in the serum, and increased serum IgA antibody titres. Antibody titres could be correlated with increased numbers of spleen and Peyer's patches antibody-producing cells. STPhoPc-treated mice showed significantly decreased anaphylaxis when compared with the control mice, while S. typhimurium AroA-pretreated mice had a similar immune response together with increased secretory IgA titres. Our experiments have proved a potential immunomodulatory protective effect by two avirulent S. typhimurium strains.
Control of Synaptic Strength by Glial TNFα

Activity-dependent modulation of synaptic efficacy in the brain contributes to neural circuit development and experience-dependent plasticity. Although glia are affected by activity and ensheathe synapses, their influence on synaptic strength has largely been ignored. Here, we show that a protein produced by glia, tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFalpha), enhances synaptic efficacy by increasing surface expression of AMPA receptors. Preventing the actions of endogenous TNFalpha has the opposite effects. Thus, the continual presence of TNFalpha is required for preservation of synaptic strength at excitatory synapses. Through its effects on AMPA receptor trafficking, TNFalpha may play roles in synaptic plasticity and modulating responses to neural injury.
Non-syndromic patients with infantile spasms and malformations of cortical development: absence of seizures in siblings

Background : Parents of children with infantile spasms undergoing epilepsy surgery typically inquire about the risk of other children for a similar affliction. Here, we determined whether non-syndromic patients with infantile spasms and malformation of cortical development (MCD) have a family history of seizures, particularly in siblings. Patients and methods : We selected 29 children with intractable infantile/epileptic spasms who underwent surgery (mean age at surgery: 4.4±3.8 years; 12 males, 17 females; age range 0.8-14.9 years). A pathological diagnosis of MCD was confirmed in all the patients. Family (including parents, and siblings) history of seizures was acquired in all patients through neurology chart review/telephonic interview. Results : Pathological diagnosis of migration disorder (16) and cortical dysplasia (9) was made in these patients. Diagnosis of hemimegalencephaly, dysembryoplastic neuroepithelial tumor (DNET), lissencephaly type1 and porencephaly was also confirmed in 4 different patients. None of the siblings in any family (total number of siblings in the group = 30) were affected by infantile spasms or other types of seizures. The maternal aunt of one patient and mother of another patient had a history of childhood seizures for short durations. Conclusions : Our retrospective study showed that patients with infantile spasms with MCD who underwent resective surgery have low sibling recurrence risk for seizures. Our study suggests that de novo mutations and non-genetic or epigenetic factors are major causes of infantile spasms due to MCD.
CONTENT-BASED AUDIO SEGMENTATION CONTENT-BASED AUDIO SEGMENTATION

Audio exists at everywhere, but is often out-of-order. It is necessary to arrange them into regularized classes in order to use them more easily. It is also useful, especially in video content analysis, to segment an audio stream according to audio types. In this paper, we present our work in applying support vector machines (SVMs) in audio segmentation and classification. Five audio classes are considered: silence, music, background sound, pure speech, and non-pure speech which includes speech over music and speech over noise. A SVM learns optimal class boundaries from training data to best separate between two classes. A sound clip is segmented by classifying each sub-clip of one second into one of these five classes. Experiments on a database composed of clips of 14870 seconds in total length show that the average accuracy rate for the SVM method is much better than that of the traditional Euclidean distance based (nearest neighbor) method.
P0084 Eribulin in patients with advanced urothelial cancer and previously treated with platinum and anti-microtubule chemotherapy: A phase 2 California Cancer Consortium trial

Background There is an unmet need for new agents in advanced urothelial cancer (UC). Antimicrotubule therapy (AMT; e.g. vincas and taxanes) has activity in UC. We previously reported that eribulin, a microtubule modulator derived from the black Pacific sea sponge, is highly active against metastatic UC in the clinical frontline setting and in patients who are treated with platinum but are naive to_AMT. Here, we report the results of a phase 2 study of patients with UC and previously treated with platinum and AMT. Methods Eligible patients had UC of any histological type, calculated creatinine clearance of 20 mL/m2 or more, and previously treated with platinum and AMT. Eribulin at 1.4 mg/m2 was intravenously given on days 1 and 8, every 3 weeks. Overall response rate (RR) of more than 20% was considered promising for further study; 41 patients were required in a Simon two-stage design. Progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were secondary endpoints. Findings Of 44 patients entered in this study, 37 were evaluated (seven too early). Patients included had a median age 68 years (range 25–86 years); 61% were men; Karnofsky performance score of 90% of more in 58% of patients; transitional cell histology 36 (86%); and Bajorin risk groups: 0: 23%, 1: 61%, 2: 16% (relative risk 25%, 95% confidence interval (CI) 12–38), including two complete responses and nine partial responses. Stable disease for more than 12 weeks was seen in 12 (27%) patients. At median 5.5 months of follow-up, median PFS was 3.9 months (2.8–5.1). Median OS was 8.4 months (5.3–14.0). PFS was associated with Bajorin risk group (p = 0.02 for trend). Toxicities included grade 3 or 4 neutropenia in 25 (57%) patients, febrile neutropenia (none reported), grade 3 anaemia in seven (16%) patients, and grade 1 or 2 sensory neuropathy in 17 (39%) patients. Interpretation Eribulin has highly encouraging single agent activity in patients with advanced UC and previously treated with platinum and AMT. Phase 3 evaluation of eribulin in advanced UC is warranted. (NCT00365157; UM1 CA186717; U01 CA062505; P30 CA01408; P30 CA033572).
Presence and Heuristic Cues: Cognitive Approaches to Persuasion in Games

Just as rhetorical arguments can be embedded within the structure of a game's logic, so too can heuristic cues. In this paper, I argue for persuasive game design based upon using the technological affordances of videogames as a medium to trigger specific heuristic cues, thereby allowing game designers to create games that are able to evoke the necessary amount of systematic cognitive processing to promote long-term attitude change among players of the game. This approach is based upon the HeuristicSystematic Model (HSM) of cognition, as well as the MAIN (Modality, Agency, Interactivity, and Navigability) model of technological effects.
THE REGIONAL EFFECTS OF ADRENALECTOMY AND ETHANOL ON CEREBRAL AMINO ACIDS IN THE RAT.

Abstract Adrenal hormones influence the recovery from but not the onset of central depression by 4 g/kg of ethanol in sham-operated and adrenalectomized rats. The amount of some of the amino acids as well as the metabolic effects of ethanol vary with the cerebral area and with adrenalectomy.
No-Till and Conventional-Till Cotton Response to Broiler Litter Fertilization in an Upland Soil: Lint Yield

The effectiveness of poultry litter as cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) fertilizer is not well documented for upland soils in the southern and southeastern United States. The objective of this research was to measure cotton yield response to broiler litter fertilization in contrast to inorganic N fertilization and to quantify yield reduction due to lack of incorporation under no-till and conventional-till systems in an upland soil. Six treatments were tested in two unreplicated adjacent fields, one under no-till (NT) and the other under conventional-till (CT) management, from 2003 to 2006 near Pontotoc, MS. The treatments consisted of an unfertilized control (UTC), a standard fertilization (STD) with urea-ammonium nitrate solution (UAN), fertilization with ∼5.2 Mg ha -1 incorporated or unincorporated broiler litter to supply 67% of the N need plus 34 kg ha -1 UAN-N to supply 33% of the N need, and fertilization with ∼7.8 Mg ha -1 incorporated or unincorporated broiler litter. Lint yield results showed broiler litter was a more effective cotton fertilizer than inorganic fertilizers under both NT and CT systems. The UTC produced an average across years of 870 kg ha -1 lint under NT and 1105 kg ha -1 under CT. The STD treatment increased yield over the UTC by only 121 kg ha -1 (14%) under the NT and did not affect yield under the CT. Fertilization with litter-only when incorporated, relative to the UTC, increased lint yield by 260 kg ha -1 (30%) under NT and by 137 kg ha -1 (12%) under CT. The yield of this incorporated litter-only treatment exceeded the yield of the STD treatment by 139 kg ha -1 (14%) under NT and by 115 kg ha -1 (10%) under CT. Fertilization with litter also resulted in greater leaf area index but less chlorophyll index than the STD treatment. Lack of litter incorporation reduced yield by up to 84 kg ha -1 under NT but did not affect yield under CT. Overall, broiler litter appears to be a more effective cotton fertilizer than conventional inorganic N fertilizers for this upland soil, but the inherent inability to incorporate under no-till may reduce this benefit.