cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Attributional bias in depression: The role of cue perception

A study was conducted to clarify the nature of the attributional distortions of depressed individuals. Previous research suggests that depressed subjects accept greater personal responsibility for negative outcomes than their nondepressed peers. The present study assessed the extent to which faulty cue utilization is responsible for this depressive attributional bias. The attributions of depressed, nondepressed nonanxious, and nondepressed anxious subjects were assessed. All subjects received failure feedback after working on a task with a confederate whose performance mirrored their own. Depressed subjects, unlike anxious and nonanxious subjects, ignored available attributional cues. Results are discussed in terms of attribution theory and evidence of a depressive attributional style.
Reply to Peter Kraft and Daniel O. Stram.

To the Editor: The main purpose of our original letter1 was to show that the common practice of using the most probable haplotype in association analysis can be dangerous. We are glad that Kraft and Stram share this view and provide numerical support.2(in this issue) We agree with them that the expectation-substitution method is generally preferable to the use of the most probable haplotype. Because it ignores the phenotype information and the case-control sampling in the imputation, however, this method can still yield biased and inefficient analysis of association. In our original letter,1 we reported the power estimates of 62%, 49%, 42%, and 50% for detecting the effects of haplotypes D, F, G, and H, respectively, in a simulation study mimicking that of French et al.3 The corresponding power estimates for the expectation-substitution method are 56%, 42%, 36%, and 42%. Thus, the expectation-substitution method is considerably less powerful than the maximum-likelihood method. The simulation results shown in table 2 of the letter by Kraft and Stram2 should be viewed with great caution. First, the maximum-likelihood method implemented in their simulation study pertains to the prospective likelihood, which ignores the case-control sampling. Second, the inclusion of haplotypes with very low frequencies can cause numerical instabilities. Third, the setup of 32 haplotypes with equal frequencies is highly unrealistic. Imputation can be a good approximation of maximum likelihood in many situations but can never be superior. Given the availability of HAPSTAT and other user-friendly software, there is no strong reason to not use proper maximum likelihood.
Dimethyl Acetylenedicarboxylate (dmad) Reactivity with the Mixed-Metal Cluster Co2Rh2(CO)12: Facile Cluster Fragmentation and Highly Specific Metal Redistribution to Give the Butterfly Cluster Co3Rh(CO)10(μ-dmad) and the Planar Cluster CoRh3(CO)9(μ-dmad)3

The reaction between the tetrahedral cluster Co2Rh2(CO)12 (1) and a 2-fold excess of dimethyl acetylenedicarboxylate (dmad) proceeds rapidly at room temperature to give alkyne-substituted clusters Co3Rh(CO)10(μ-dmad) (3) and CoRh3(CO)9(μ-dmad)3 (4) as the major products in good yield. Cluster 3 was characterized in solution by IR and 1H NMR spectroscopies and by comparison to an independently prepared sample of 3 from the reaction of dmad with the known tetrahedral cluster Co3Rh(CO)12 (2). Cluster 4 was characterized by IR and NMR (1H and 13C) spectroscopies and FAB mass spectrometry, and the solid-state structure was established by X-ray diffraction analysis. The structure of CoRh3(CO)9(μ-dmad)3 consists of a square planar array of metals where two of the three dmad ligands cap both of the CoRh3 faces and the remaining dmad ligand bridges one of the Rh−Rh edges. The nine ancillary CO groups are all terminally bound, with one Co(CO)3 and three Rh(CO)2 moieties structurally found. The facile cluster fragme...
BRS1, a serine carboxypeptidase, regulates BRI1 signaling in Arabidopsis thaliana

Brassinosteroid-insensitive 1 (BRI1) of Arabidopsis thaliana encodes a cell surface receptor for brassinosteroids. Mutations in BRI1 severely affect plant growth and development. Activation tagging of a weak bri1 allele (bri1-5) resulted in the identification of a new locus, brs1-1D. BRS1 is predicted to encode a secreted carboxypeptidase. Whereas a brs1 loss-of-function allele has no obvious mutant phenotype, overexpression of BRS1 can suppress bri1 extracellular domain mutants. Genetic analyses showed that brassinosteroids and a functional BRI1 protein kinase domain are required for suppression. In addition, overexpressed BRS1 missense mutants, predicted to abolish BRS1 protease activity, failed to suppress bri1-5. Finally, the effects of BRS1 are selective: overexpression in either wild-type or two other receptor kinase mutants resulted in no phenotypic alterations. These results strongly suggest that BRS1 processes a protein involved in an early event in the BRI1 signaling.
Closed Mesoscale Cellular Convection Driven by Cloud-Top Radiative Cooling

Abstract Closed mesoscale cellular convection (MCC) consists of mesoscale cloud patches separated by narrow clear regions. Strong radiative cooling occurs at the cloud top. In this study a dry two-dimensional Boussinesq model is used to study the effects of cloud-top cooling on convection. Wide updrafts and narrow downdrafts are used to indicate the asymmetric circulations associated with the mesoscale cloud patches. Linear analysis of the model indicates only that the longest waves are most unstable and gives no indication of asymmetric convection cells in the linear convective regime. A weakly nonlinear analysis suggests the presence of downdrafts that are narrower than the updrafts, but this effect is not very pronounced for reasonable values of parameters. Fully nonlinear numerical simulations show that strong cloud-top cooling can generate highly asymmetric mesoscale cells corresponding to closed MCC. Nonlinear processes play essential roles in generating and maintaining closed MCC. The effects of cl...
Contact angle hysteresis explained

A view of contact angle hysteresis from the perspectives of the three-phase contact line and of the kinetics of contact line motion is given. Arguments are made that advancing and receding are discrete events that have different activation energies. That hysteresis can be quantified as an activation energy by the changes in interfacial area is argued. That this is an appropriate way of viewing hysteresis is demonstrated with examples.
Sticky Traps for Detection and Survey of Three Tephritids

Five types of experimental sticky traps caught more native Mediterranean fruit flies (medflies), Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann), than a standard 0.95-liter plastic trap when placed in cool leeward areas of Hawaii at an elevation of 366 m. A trap made of a rectangular board (hung vertically) covered with Stikem® and baited with 2 small separate squares of cane fiberboard impregnated with trimedlure or with a layer of trimedlure applied under the Stikem was the most effective. When the traps were placed at windward sea-level sites, 3 of the experimental traps were equal or superior to the standard in 5 tests made with released sterile medflies. Generally, the number of medflies caught was proportional to the rate of volatilization of the trimedlure. With melon flies, Dacus cucurbitae Coquillett, 3 of the experimental sticky traps (baited with cue-lure plus naled as the toxicant) caught more flies than the standard, but 2 (the coffee can and the V-shaped trap) were inferior. With a large population of oriental fruit flies, D. dorsalis Hendel, the same 2 traps and also the rectangular trap (baited with methyl cugenol plus naled) caught fewer flies than the standard, but two, the milk carton and the paired boards, caught as many as the standard.
Velo-cardio-facial syndrome: a distinctive behavioral phenotype.

Velo-cardio-facial syndrome (VCFS) is the most common contiguous gene disorder and one of the most common multiple anomaly syndromes in humans. Over 180 anomalies have been delineated in the syndrome; the most common of which are the behavioral manifestations. Learning disabilities, psychiatric illness, attention deficit disorder, and a variety of developmental disorders are nearly ubiquitous findings in VCFS and are not mutually exclusive, often overlapping to create a distinctive yet confusing phenotypic picture. In addition, standard treatments for each of these separate clinical findings may not be effective, and may even be potentially harmful in individuals with VCFS, such as the use of stimulants for hyperactivity. VCFS is caused by a small deletion of DNA from the long arm of chromosome 22. Researchers are currently studying the deletion located at 22q11.2 because of the possibility that a firm genetic link to psychiatric illness and learning disorders may be found. This report describes the behavioral manifestations of VCFS, emphasizing the overlap between the cognitive and psychiatric disorders that are so common in this syndrome. MRDD Research Reviews 2000;6:142-147.
Spatial and temporal variation in recruitment of Aplysia californica Cooper : patterns, mechanisms and consequences

Abstract Recruitment of the sea hare, Aplysia californica Cooper, was examined at 10 rocky reefs off the coast of Santa Catalina Island, CA, for up to 3 yrs or more. A. californica recruit primarily to the red alga Plocamium cartilagineum Dixon. Recruitment intensity (number of recruits/kg Plocamium ) differed dramatically but consistently between reefs, and varied between months. Recruitment during January—February probably consists of larvae spawned locally, in the Channel Islands area, during the summer peak in reproduction. Recruitment during June to September probably consists of larvae spawned in the Baja California, Mexico, region which are carried north by summer currents. Reproduction is cued by high temperatures in the summer, and occurs over a large range of body sizes. Winter thcruits that survive to the summer reproduce at masses of 500 g or more, while summer recruits reproduce the same season at masses of around 0.75 g. Survival of winter recruits is low, but survivors have high fecundity because of their large body size. Consequently, the average winter recruit has a greater expected fecundity than the average summer recruit. Summer recruits represent regular larval immigration from souther A. californica populations, and contribute a measurable amount to the yearly egg production at Santa Catalina Island. The asynchronous seasonal reproductive patterns of Channel Island and Baja California populations may be important to the population dynamics of these populations since they are linked by a common larval pool.
Time-varying behavior of the PARCOR coefficients of lattice filters with nonstationary AR inputs

The authors describe the behavior of the partial correlation coefficients of lattice filters based on the recursive least squares (RLS) algorithm in the presence of a nonstationary input. The input is an autoregressive (AR) process and the coefficients of the generating filter are allowed to change with time, leading to a time-varying autocorrelation function at the input. For such an input the optimal Wiener-Hopf coefficients of a lattice filter are found. These are compared with the expected PARCOR coefficients of the RLS lattice filter, which are a function of the weighting parameter. It is shown that the PARCOR coefficients of the RLS lattice filter have two terms and tend to the Wiener-Hopf optimal weights asymptotically. >
A Phase II trial of intra-cerebrospinal fluid alpha interferon in the treatment of neoplastic meningitis

BACKGROUND Neoplastic meningitis (NM), a metastatic complication of both primary central nervous system and systemic cancer, occurs in 1-5% of patients with known cancer. Currently available treatment options are limited and provide only modest benefit. The current study was performed to determine the toxicity and response rate of intra-cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) alpha interferon (α-IFN) in the treatment of patients with NM. METHODS Twenty two patients (median age, 56 years) with clinical and cytologically documented NM received intra-CSF α-IFN. Tumor histologies included: lung (five patients); brain (five patients); non-Hodgkin lymphoma (three patients); breast (three patients); melanoma (two patients); chronic myelogenous leukemia (two patients); colon (one patient); and prostate (one patient). Concurrent involved-field radiotherapy (12 out of 22 patients) or systemic chemotherapy (11 out of 22) was administered based on clinical indications. -α-IFN was administered at a fixed dose (1 × 106 IU every other day given three times per week for four weeks by induction). Patients were evaluated by CSF cytology and neurologic examination at the conclusion of induction therapy. Responding patients continued to receive α-IFN with monthly evaluations. RESULTS Ten out of 22 patients (45%) treated with α-IFN had a cytologic response and either stable or improved neurologic status at the conclusion of induction. Duration of response ranged from 8 to 40 weeks (median, 16 weeks). Toxicity was manifested as transient chemical arachnoiditis (16 out of 22 patients; 60% of all treatment cycles) and chronic fatigue (20 out of 22 patients). No treatment-related hospitalizations or deaths were seen. CONCLUSIONS α-IFN has modest activity against NM. However, it is associated with considerable toxicity at the dose and schedule used in the current study and, as a result, may prove difficult to administer. Cancer 2002;94:2675–80. © 2002 American Cancer Society. DOI 10.1002/cncr.10547
Probability of Nd:YAG laser capsulotomy after cataract surgery in Olmsted County, Minnesota.

PURPOSE: To estimate the cumulative probability of Nd:YAG laser posterior capsulotomy after cataract extraction in a geographically defined population. METHODS: Rochester Epidemiology Project databases were used to identify retrospectively all Nd:YAG laser posterior capsulotomies performed on Olmsted County, Minnesota, residents who had previously undergone cataract extraction between 1988 and 1996, inclusive. Demographic data and potential risk factors for laser, including age, sex, surgical technique, year of surgery, and intraocular lens material, were obtained by chart review or by retrieval from computer databases. The cumulative probability of Nd:YAG laser posterior capsulotomy was calculated by Kaplan-Meier estimates, and risk factors were analyzed using the Cox proportional hazards model. RESULTS: A total of 925 Nd:YAG laser posterior capsulotomies were identified after 3541 cataract extractions in 2718 patients. The cumulative probability of Nd:YAG laser posterior capsulotomy after cataract surgery was 6% (95% confidence interval = 5% to 7%) at 1 year, increasing to 38% (35% to 40%) at 9 years. Young age at the time of surgery (P = .02), polymethylmethacrylate intraocular lens material (P < .001), earlier year of surgery (P < .001), and extracapsular extraction (in comparison with phacoemulsification, P < .001) were found to increase significantly the risk of subsequent Nd:YAG laser posterior capsulotomy. Woman tended to have a greater probability of Nd:YAG laser posterior capsulotomy (P = .17), but this difference was not statistically significant. CONCLUSIONS: Nd:YAG laser posterior capsulotomy was common after cataract surgery but infrequent during the first postoperative year. Prolonged follow-up is necessary in investigations of the effects of new cataract surgery technologies on the probability of capsulotomy.
Modeling TCP Reno with RED-based routers

The purpose of this paper is to introduce an accurate performance model for the TCP Reno version in the presence of a bottlenecked router which uses the Random Early Detection (RED) active queue The paper makes two contributions:• It introduces an accurate model of a target source operating according to the TCP Reno mechanism in the presence of background traffic. The background traffic is represented by a general discrete batch Markov arrival process (D-BMAP), which is modified in order to make the phase transitions dependent on packet losses. It can therefore be used to model a collection of UDP and/or TCP sources. Under this model, packets are dropped only when the router is congested, or when the RED protocol is invoked, i.e., the buffer occupancy is taken into account.• The paper also introduces an accurate model of the RED mechanism, which tracks the evolution of the difference between the instantaneous and average queue sizes. This representation is chosen since the average queue size tends to follow the instantaneous queue size, and therefore the difference between them is usually limited.This model is different from the models presented in the literature for TCP in a number of ways. Unlike [1, 2] where packet losses are random, and independent of the actual buffer occupancy, our model captures the buffer occupancy, and the actual packet losses due to buffer overflow. This paper also models the cross traffic using a general process. Reference [3] considered the effect of cross traffic only by modeling the service times using a random process.
Axial and para-axial fluorophotometry in diabetic macular edema.

The vitreous fluorophotometric examinations were used in nonproliferative diabetic retinopathy to recognize early diabetic macular edema. Thanks to additional fixation light, axial and para-axial fluorophotometry in patients with nonproliferative diabetic retinopathy was achieved (Fluorotron Master, Coherent). The angle of deviation from the foveal scan (f) was 10 degrees in temporal (t) and nasal (n) directions. In case of non clinically significant macular edema, the posterior vitreous penetration ratio (PVPR) in the foveal scan (f) was significantly higher (p PVPRn).
Small-signal circuit modeling for a grating external-cavity semiconductor laser

A sinusoidal small-signal circuit model is presented for an external-cavity semiconductor diode laser with either weak or strong external optical feedback provided by a grating. It is shown that the effects of optical feedback can be modeled by two voltage sources correlated to the modulated injection current of the diode laser. The magnitudes of these two voltage sources are proportional to the product of the optical feedback level and the modulation amplitude. This result supports the idea of modulating a diode laser by optical injection. The small-signal intensity modulation and FM response characteristics of this circuit model are also presented. The response curves exhibit oscillations with the periods determined by the modulation feedback phase delay. These results agree with the results obtained elsewhere. For a short external-cavity limit, the response curves are reduced to the curves obtained elsewhere for a diode laser without an external cavity.
Does acute pulmonary vein stenosis secondary to edema on immediate post ablation procedure CMR increase risk for development of chronic pulmonary vein stenosis

Our hypothesis is that patients who demonstrate acute pulmonary vein narrowing or stenosis secondary to edema following radiofrequency ablation (RFA) procedure for atrial fibrillation as demonstrated on immediate post procedural cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) examination are at an increased risk for developing chronic pulmonary vein stenosis at 3 month followup CMR.
Commodity prices, exchange rates and their relative volatility

Abstract Exchange rates are move volatile than rates implied by PPP using conventional price indexes. This fact has led many to believe that exchange rates fluctuate more than is warranted by the variability in commodity prices and supports those who believe that fluctuations in exchange rates are excessive. We show that exchange rates are less volatile than commodity prices in auction markets and less volatile than rates implied by the law of one price using such prices. We also show that the behavior of exchange rates and the rates implied by these commodity prices is not consistent with the Dornbusch overshooting model.
Social Safety Nets in Central Europe: Preparation for Accession to the European Union?

A critical unresolved task of the ongoing economic transformation in Central European countries is the reformulation of social safety nets and income transfers to prepare for accession to the European Union. Existing programs inhibit productivity of labor, delay structural adjustment and prolong high unemployment. If Central European states adjust their social safety nets to those prevailing among the EU members, the results will involve employment-fostering programs, as well as future income transfers, unemployment benefits and other elements not currently provided. This paper examines policy solutions aimed at reducing unemployment and at improving the pension and other social security systems.
The adiabatic approximation as a diagnostic tool for torsion–vibration dynamics

Abstract The adiabatic separation of large-amplitude torsional motion from small-amplitude vibrations is applied as an aid in interpreting the results of fully coupled quantum calculations on a model methanol Hamiltonian. Comparison is made with prior work on nitromethane [D. Cavagnat, L. Lespade, J. Chem. Phys. 106 (1997) 7946]. Even though the torsional potentials are very different, both molecules show a transition from adiabatic to diabatic behavior when the CH stretch is excited to ν CH = 4 or higher. In the adiabatic approximation, the effective torsional potentials for the various CH stretch vibrational states do not cross, but the CH vibrational amplitude moves from one bond to the next as a function of torsional angle. In the diabatic approximation, the effective torsional potentials do cross, but the distribution of the CH vibrational amplitude remains approximately constant in the vicinity of the crossing. The transition to diabatic behavior is promoted by the normal mode to local mode transition, and the relevant adiabatic and diabatic effective torsional potentials are determined by the torsion–vibration coupling. The torsion–vibration couplings in the four overtone manifolds considered (methanol OH, CH, nitromethane CH, and hydrogen peroxide OH) are large, reaching 265–500 cm −1 by ν XH = 6, and are of generally similar magnitude. The largest torsion–vibration couplings involve the first Fourier term in the torsional angle (cos γ for the CH stretch in methanol and the OH stretch in HOOH), whereas higher Fourier terms (cos2 γ in nitromethane and cos3 γ for the OH stretch of methanol) result in somewhat weaker coupling. Nonadiabatic matrix elements in methanol couple the torsional and vibrational energies and they exhibit a slow fall-off with coupling order.
Freedom, reflexivity, and the sheer everydayness of ethics

Comment on Laidlaw, James. 2014. The subject of virtue: An anthropology of ethics and freedom . Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Did fertility go up after the Oklahoma City bombing? An analysis of births in metropolitan counties in Oklahoma, 1990-1999

Political and sociocultural events (e.g., Brown v. Board of Education in 1954 and the German reunification in 1989) and natural disasters (e.g., Hurricane Hugo in 1989) can affect fertility. In our research, we addressed the question of whether the Oklahoma City bombing in April 1995, a man-made disaster, influenced fertility patterns in Oklahoma. We defined three theoretical orientations—replacement theory, community influence theory, and terror management theory—that motivate a general expectation of birth increases, with different predictions emerging from time and geographic considerations. We used two different empirical methodologies. First, we fitted dummy-variable regression models to monthly birth data from 1990 to 1999 in metropolitan counties. We used birth counts to frame the problem and general fertility rates to address the problem formally. These analyses were organized within two design structures: a control-group interrupted time-series design and a difference-in-differences design. In these analyses, Oklahoma County showed an interpretable, consistent, and significant increase in births. Second, we used graphical smoothing models to display these effects visually. In combination, these methods provide compelling support for a fertility response to the Oklahoma City bombing. Certain parts of each theory helped us organize and understand the pattern of results.
Generalized volatility-stabilized processes

We consider systems of interacting diffusion processes which generalize the volatility-stabilized market models introduced in Fernholz and Karatzas (Ann Finance 1(2):149–177, 2005). We show how to construct a weak solution of the underlying system of stochastic differential equations. In particular, we express the solution in terms of time changed squared-Bessel processes, and discuss sufficient conditions under which one can show that this solution is unique in distribution (respectively, does not explode). Sufficient conditions for the existence of a strong solution are also provided. Moreover, we discuss the significance of these processes in the context of arbitrage relative to the market portfolio within the framework of Stochastic Portfolio Theory.
Book availability as a performance measure of a library: an analysis of the effectiveness of a health sciences library.

User satisfaction as a measure of library effectiveness has been studied by using Kantor's branching technique. Cleveland Health Sciences Library, Cleveland, Ohio, was used as the center of this study. The study measured independently the user bibliographic information performance, collection development policy performance, acquisition policy performance, user catalog performance, circulation performance, library operation/functioning performance, and the user search performance. Each of these categories represented one or more of the factors of library performance that could account for the possibility of users' failure. The sample size consisted of 1000 requests for book titles. The book availability rates were 59.60% without the help of the librarian and 63.50% with the help of the librarian. The results indicate that a dynamic study of library policies at regular intervals by using the Kantor's method, which is easily reproducible, can maximize library resources for the most effective fulfillment of user demand. © 1990 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Amended and composted log yard fines as a growth medium for crimson clover and red top grass

Abstract Log yard residues (LYR) a bark and soil waste material produced during log handling, could find use as a growth medium for plants. In this study, log yard fines (LYF), a screened fraction of the LYR (<1.3 cm), were either not amended or amended with a N‐S fertilizer mixture (LYF + F) or with cow manure (LYF + M) and then composted outdoors in insulated, aerated tanks for 18–22 weeks. The resulting substrates were then evaluated as growth media for ‘Chief crimson clover (Trifolium incarnatum L.) and ‘Streaker’ red top (Agrostis alba L.). Plants were fertilized (0 or 78 kg N/ha) and grown in a growth chamber. Temperatures in the LYF and LYF + F piles were similar to ambient conditions over the 5–6 month treatment period, whereas the manure‐amended pile reached a maximum of 34°C after two weeks and then cooled to ambient after two additional weeks. The final C/N ratio of the nonamended LYF was 85 as compared to 36 for LYF + M and 44 for LYF + F. Clover and red top grew best (height and biomass) in L...
On approximate solutions for rigid-plastic structures subjected to dynamic loading

Abstract It has been demonstrated in the past that the solution of dynamic plasticity problems is strongly dependent on the time-pressure history. This is not only a computational inconvenience but also a considerable problem in experimental simulation of actual loadings. It was shown that the introduction of certain correlation parameters significantly reduces the dependence of the solution on the pressure pulse shape. In this paper these correlation parameters were derived directly from an existing approximate (energy) method. The correlation is proven as being identical for stationary discontinuities and only approximate for nonstationary ones.
Nietzsche's assault on the ideal of democratic justice

The moment beckons serious scholars to critically examine Nietzsche's political thought. This study examines Nietzsche's polemics on the democratic ideal. According to Nietzsche, democratic principles have taken over the role of traditional moral and religious ideals. From a very exhausted state, the bourgeoisie revengefully have created a set of ideals which posit absolute and normative standards of behavior applicable to all. These democratic ideals reflect character traits which the bourgeoisie already have habituated. Nietzsche's greatest objection to the cultural supremacy of the democratic ideal is that its target is the aristocratic instinet and psychology. Since the democratic ideal has attained its sovereign and universal status. Nietzsche believes the truly exceptional human beings are becoming “vanquished by the leveling magic of the great number”.
A Novel Kinase, AATYK Induces and Promotes Neuronal Differentiation in a Human Neuroblastoma (SH-SY5Y) Cell Line

Apoptosis Associated Tyrosine Kinase (AATYK), a novel protein recently isolated from differentiating 32D mouse myeloid cells, contains a putative tyrosine kinase domain and several binding motifs for src homology 2 (SH-2) and src homology 3 (SH-3) domain containing proteins. We observed that AATYK is expressed in different regions of the brain. Although it might play a role in normal nervous system development by modulating apoptosis, little is known regarding its function in the brain or its intracellular localization and kinase activity. Recognizing its homology with Insulin like growth factor-I (IGF-I) receptor (IGF-IR) and the critical role of IGF-I in neuronal survival, we hypothesized that AATYK plays an important role in neuronal differentiation/apoptosis. To test this hypothesis, we transfected the human adrenergic neuroblastoma (NB):SH-SY5Y cells with AATYK cDNA under a tetracycline-repressible promoter and established stable cell lines that readily express AATYK on removal of tetracycline. AATYK immunoprecipitated from these cell lysates is an active kinase. Indirect immunofluorescent staining of the clones revealed AATYK to be localized in the cytoplasm. By itself, AATYK overexpression for short duration (2–3 days) did not induce differentiation in the stable SH-SY5Y clones. On the other hand, overexpression for longer periods (7–8 days) per se, significantly (P<0.05–0.001) increased the percent of differentiated cells as well as the neurite length. AATYK-induced differentiation was in the same range as the differentiation induced by agents like all-trans retinoic acid (RA), 12-O-Tetradecanoyl phorbol 13-acetate (TPA) and IGF-I. In addition, AATYK significantly promoted the neuronal differentiation induced by these agents. Our results demonstrate for the first time that AATYK is an active, non-receptor, cytosolic kinase which induces neuronal differentiation and also promotes differentiation induced by other agents in the SH-SY5Y cells.
Wannier–Frenkel hybrid exciton in organic–semiconductor quantum dot heterostructures

Abstract The formation of a hybridization state of Wannier Mott exciton and Frenkel exciton in different hetero-structure configurations involving quantum dots is investigated. The hybrid excitons exist at the interfaces of the semiconductors quantum dots and the organic medium, having unique properties and a large optical non-linearity. The coupling at resonance is very strong and tunable by changing the parameters of the systems (dot radius, dot–dot distance, generation of the organic dendrites and the materials of the system etc…). Different semiconductor quantum dot–organic material combination systems have been considered such as a semiconductor quantum dot lattice embedded in an organic host, a semiconductor quantum dot at the center of an organic dendrite, a semiconductor quantum dot coated by an organic shell.
Staged simulation: A general technique for improving simulation scale and performance

This article describes staged simulation, a technique for improving the run time performance and scale of discrete event simulators. Typical network simulations are limited in speed and scale due to redundant computations encountered both within a single simulation run and between successive runs. Staged simulation proposes to restructure discrete event simulators to operate in stages that precompute, cache, and reuse partial results to drastically reduce redundant computation within and across simulations. We present a general and flexible framework for staging, and identify the advantages and trade-offs of its application to wireless network simulations, a particularly challenging simulation domain. Experience with applying staged simulation to the ns2 simulator shows that staging can improve execution time by an order of magnitude or more and enable the simulation of wireless networks with tens of thousands of nodes.
Combined Congenital Absence of the Vagina and Cervix

The combination of congenital absence of the cervix and vagina is an extremely infrequent anatomic abnormality. We report a patient in whom this combination was diagnosed preoperatively by magnetic resonance imaging and managed surgically in a two-stage procedure using a modified McIndoe vaginoplasty followed by the creation of a uterovaginal fistula.
Nature of Aeromonas salmonicida Carriage on Asymptomatic Rainbow Trout Maintained in a Culture System with Recirculating Water and Fluidized Sand Biofilters

Abstract An asymptomatic carrier population of rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss was examined for Aeromonas salmonicida by primary dilution counts on Coomassie Brilliant Blue agar and also by streaking on bacteriological media after a 24–48-h pre-enrichment in tryptic soy broth. The pathogen was detected by primary dilution plate counts in 1 spleen, 15 gill, and 19 mucus samples of the 100 trout examined. Aerornonas samonicida was detected only after 48-h preenrichment in the one spleen that had already tested positive via primary dilution counts. The pathogen was not detected in kidney, liver, and intestinal samples. The occurrence of the pathogen in mucus and gills suggests a predominantly external nature of asymptomatic carriage of A. salmonicida within this population of fish. Repeated examination of fluidized biofilters and tank water showed that A. salmonicida did not become established in the recirculation system.
Physical dependence on and tolerance to alcohol in the rat.

Abstract Twenty-four rats of the Holtzman strain were maintained on ad lib food and either a forced-intake regimen of 7 per cent alcohol (v/v) or tap water only from weaning (21 days) until 154 days of age. Upon withdrawal of alcohol most of the alcohol rats were extremely hyperactive and appeared to be engaged in frantic, highly disorganized, exploratory behavior in an open field. The behavior of the water rats was in marked contrast to these data. Alcohol rats were also much less responsive to an injected dose of alcohol than water animals, even though there was no difference in the rate of disappearance of alcohol from the blood. These data suggest the development of a cellular tolerance to alcohol after a chronic exposure period. The intake of alcohol, which appeared to exceed the rats' ability to metabolize it, increased progressively throughout the initial exposure and remained unchanged when water or even a third choice (saccharin) was simultaneously offered. These data would thus seem to suggest that a model for alcohol addiction is possible in the rat which satisfies, for the first time, the classical pharmacologic criteria of addition, i.e. physical dependence, tolerance, etc.
Radiolytic modification of sulfur-containing amino acid residues in model peptides: fundamental studies for protein footprinting.

Protein footprinting based on hydroxyl radical-mediated modification and quantitative mass spectroscopic analysis is a proven technique for examining protein structure, protein−ligand interactions, and structural allostery upon protein complex formation. The reactive and solvent-accessible amino acid side chains function as structural probes; however, correct structural analysis depends on the identification and quantification of all the relevant oxidative modifications within the protein sequence. Sulfur-containing amino acids are oxidized readily and the mechanisms of oxidation are particularly complex, although they have been extensively investigated by EPR and other spectroscopic methods. Here we have undertaken a detailed mass spectrometry study (using electrospray ionization mass spectrometry and tandem mass spectrometry) of model peptides containing cysteine (Cys-SH), cystine (disulfide bonded Cys), and methionine after oxidation using γ-rays or synchrotron X-rays and have compared these results to...
U.S. Homeland Security R&D budgets

The FY09 budgets for homeland security research and development programs in the U.S. are summarized. Homeland security policy developments that can influence future efforts are discussed. Initial indications of the new administration direction on homeland security R&D are summarized. An overview of the Optics and Photonics in Global Homeland Security V conference is presented.
A selective relaxation iterative solution technique for nonlinear structural analysis problems

A series of algorithms, to solve the nonlinear algebraic equations resulting from nonlinear finite element models, are proposed. These algorithms involve a selective relaxation of the corrections defined by the modified Newton method. The resulting techniques accelerate the convergence of the modified Newton method. The improved convergence rate is obtained at the expense of a small increase in storage requirements. The results of numerical experiments, on certain nonlinear elasticity problems, are presented to verify the developed techniques.
Do young women trade jobs for marriage? A skeptical view

This paper takes a skeptical view of the theory that the slight decline in young women's labor-force participation from 1985 to 1990 can be explained by the fact that there are fewer women now in their early twenties than there are men in their late twenties so that women currently have more bargaining power in the marriage market than men do.The paper argues that the assumption behind this theory, that for women marriage and employment are substitutes, is outmoded. It also contends that the theory leaves out the importance of full-time schooling as an activity alternative to employment and that in fact the increase in full-time schooling among young women has been much greater than the slight decrease in their labor-force participation.Several questions are raised about the statistical test of the theory and also about the reasons why the Wall Street Journal ran a front-page article on the slight decline in young women's labor-force participation and featured the marriage market theory as an explanation ...
Banking on Social Capital in the Era of Globalization: Chinese Ethnobanks in Los Angeles

Global migration is transforming not just urban populations, but the nature and economic roles of ethnic banks—that is, banking institutions owned and operated by minorities. Academic research on ethnic banks has until now focused on the circumstances of African-American-owned banks. This paper explores the rise of a new set of ethnic banks—the Chinese American banks of Los Angeles County. These older and newer ethnic banking communities occupy very different roles in the banking market. African-American-owned banks arose largely because mainstream banks' inadequate services in minority communities left unoccupied market ‘niches’. Despite similar origins, the newer generation of Chinese American banks, by contrast, has prospered for two additional reasons. The first is economic globalization. These ethnobanks' resources have grown tremendously both because of migration and cross-border money flows, and also because they have maintained networks extending across national borders. The second is these banks'...
An in vitro model of Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilms on viable airway epithelial cell monolayers.

Background Chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) that is refractory to medical or surgical intervention may involve a particularly resistant form of infection known as a bacterial biofilm. Bacterial biofilms are three-dimensional aggregates of bacteria that often are recalcitrant to antibiotics secondary to physical barrier characteristics. To date, all studies investigating biofilms in CRS have been descriptive in either human or animal tissue. To better understand the interactions of bacterial biofilms with respiratory epithelium, we describe an in vitro model of biofilm sinusitis by establishing mature biofilms on airway epithelial air-liquid interface cultures. Methods Airway epithelial cell cultures were grown on collagen-coated semipermeable support membranes as an air-liquid interface on tissue culture inserts. Confluent air-liquid interface cultures were inoculated with the biofilm-forming PAO-1 strain of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and compared with cultures inoculated with two mutant strains (sad-31 and sad-36) unable to form biofilms. Inoculated tissue transwells were incubated for 20 hours, allowing for biofilm growth. The semipermeable membranes were then harvested and imaged with confocal laser scanning microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. Results Microscopic analysis revealed the formation of biofilm-forming towers in the PAO-1 inoculated wells. The bacterial biofilms were supported by a viable airway epithelial cell surface monolayer. Conclusion This study shows a reliable method for analysis of in vitro interactions of bacterial biofilms and airway epithelium. The experimental manipulation of this air-liquid interface model will help explore novel treatment approaches for bacterial biofilm-associated CRS.
Ethylene and carbon dioxide concentrations in attached fruits of pepper cultivars during ripening

Abstract Ethylene and CO 2 concentrations in peppers ( Capsicum annuum L.) were studied throughout maturity in three pepper cultivars (‘Camelot’, ‘King Arthur’ and ‘Tabasco’) under both greenhouse and field conditions. Air samples were withdrawn from the locular cavity of attached fruits under ambient conditions to determine ethylene and CO 2 concentrations by gas chromatography. Both variables differed with the stage of maturity for all cultivars. Ethylene concentration ranged from 0 to 0.244 μl l −1 , and CO 2 concentration ranged from 6.05 to 206.5 mg l −1 . Concentration of both gases increased in ripening fruits of ‘Camelot’ and ‘King Arthur’. In ‘Tabasco’ fruits grown under greenhouse conditions, CO 2 concentration increased once fruits started developing red coloration. However, this peak was absent in ‘Tabasco’ fruits grown in the field. In general, all cultivars exhibited characteristics intermediate between climacteric and non-climacteric fruits.
Medicolegal sidebar: the law and social values: res ipsa loquitur.

In his book, The Case Against the Supreme Court [5], Erwin Chemerinsky JD, Dean of the University of California, Irvine School of Law, examines the legal decisions issued by the Supreme Court, and concludes that these decisions principally reflect the ideologies or values of the judges. Chemerinsky begins his analysis with the 1927 legal case of Buck v Bell [3]. In his controversial majority opinion, Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr. upheld a state statute that allowed involuntary sterilization of the “mentally unfit.” The Buck decision held that the societal value of protecting citizens from the offspring of the intellectually disabled took precedence over the reproductive rights of a group of men and women [3]. This holding is offensive by contemporary standards, but it reflects a balancing of social interests that prevailed at the time. In our previous Medicolegal Sidebar column [2], we described how the evolution of legal principles relevant to medical negligence, such as the doctrine called “loss of chance,” can reflect evolving societal priorities. Loss of chance addresses the tension between unfair verdicts arising from jury confusion and the need to compensate plaintiffs who merely lost some probability of survival, or the chance of obtaining a better outcome, because of medical negligence. In this article, we will examine another legal doctrine of interest to physicians, res ipsa loquitur, which in Latin means “the thing speaks for itself.” Since this doctrine was applied to medical malpractice litigation, it has evolved in ways that will be relevant to clinical practice, and help mitigate medical malpractice risk.
Phrase-level speech simulation with an airway modulation model of speech production

Artificial talkers and speech synthesis systems have long been used as a means of understanding both speech production and speech perception. The development of an airway modulation model is described that simulates the time-varying changes of the glottis and vocal tract, as well as acoustic wave propagation, during speech production. The result is a type of artificial talker that can be used to study various aspects of how sound is generated by humans and how that sound is perceived by a listener. The primary components of the model are introduced and simulation of words and phrases are demonstrated.
Brain serotonin synthesis rates in rhesus monkeys determined by [11C]alpha-methyl-L-tryptophan and positron emission tomography compared to CSF 5-hydroxyindole-3-acetic acid concentrations.

Twelve male, fasted, anesthetized rhesus monkeys were studied with positron emission tomography (PET) and [11C]α-methyl-L-tryptophan (αMTP) to determine serotonin synthesis rates as described by Diksic et al. (1991). It was expected that the serotonin synthesis rates determined for the whole brain would be correlated with CSF 5-hydroxyindole-3-acetic acid concentrations, a measure of central serotonin turnover, because both measures were obtained at steady state. However, no significant correlation was found. During data analysis, it was noticed that the calculated serotonin synthesis rates were significantly correlated to free plasma tryptophan (TP) concentrations ( r = 0.88, p < .001 ). From repeat scans conducted in six monkeys, it was determined that day-to-day variability in free plasma TP and the percentage of protein binding (average percent difference was 48 and 37%, respectively) produced most of the variability in the calculated serotonin synthesis rates (50%); repeat K images, obtained from the PET data alone, differed by only 11%. Calculated serotonin synthesis rates reported for [11C]αMTP PET studies of humans (Nishizawa et al. 1997) and dogs (Diksic et al. 1991) were also highly correlated to reported differences in plasma free TP concentrations. It seems that the [11C]αMTP model for the computation of serotonin synthesis rates is very dependent on plasma free TP concentration and that it may not accurately determine actual serotonin synthesis rates.
Alternative algorithms for the macRae OLCV strategy

Abstract Using dynamic programming MacRae obtained a linear feedback law for her open loop constrained variance (OLCV) strategy. To compute the control law requires solving a two point boundary value problem. The dynamic programming formulation does not admit gradient related algorithms. This paper presents an alternative augmented Lagrangian formulation which can be solved as a deterministic constrained optimization problem. The new approach is superior because it admits gradient related algorithms plus all the algorithms which could be employed using the original approach. Three examples demonstrate the superiority of the new approach.