cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Tetranuclear and Octanuclear Manganese Carboxylate Clusters: Preparation and Reactivity of (NBun4)[Mn4O2(O2CPh)9(H2O)] and Synthesis of (NBun4)2[Mn8O4(O2CPh)12(Et2mal)2(H2O)2] with a “Linked-Butterfly” Structure

The reaction of Mn(O2CPh)2·2H2O and PhCO2H in EtOH/MeCN with NBun4MnO4 gives (NBun4)[Mn4O2(O2CPh)9(H2O)] (4) in high yield (85−95%). Complex 4 crystallizes in monoclinic space group P21/c with the following unit cell parameters at −129 °C: a = 17.394(3) A, b = 19.040(3) A, c = 25.660(5) A, β = 103.51(1)°, V = 8262.7 A3, Z = 4; the structure was refined on F to R (Rw) = 9.11% (9.26%) using 4590 unique reflections with F > 2.33σ(F). The anion of 4 consists of a [Mn4(μ3-O)2]8+ core with a “butterfly” disposition of four MnIII atoms. In addition to seven bridging PhCO2- groups, there is a chelating PhCO2- group at one “wingtip” Mn atom and terminal PhCO2- and H2O groups at the other. Complex 4 is an excellent steppingstone to other [Mn4O2]-containing species. Treatment of 4 with 2,2-diethylmalonate (2 equiv) leads to isolation of (NBun4)2[Mn8O4(O2CPh)12(Et2mal)2(H2O)2] (5) in 45% yield after recrystallization. Complex 5 is mixed-valent (2MnII,6MnIII) and contains an [Mn8O4]14+ core that consists of two [Mn4O...
Advanced glycation end-products and bone fractures

Bone does not turn over uniformly, and becomes susceptible to post-translational modification by non-enzymatic glycation (NEG). NEG of bone causes the formation of advanced glycation end-products (AGEs) and this process is accelerated with aging, diabetes and antiresorptive postmenopausal osteoporosis therapy. Due to the elevated incidence of fracture associated with aging and diabetes, several studies have attempted to measure and evaluate AGEs as biomarkers for fracture risk. Here current methods of estimating AGEs in bone by liquid chromatography and fluorometric assay are summarized and the relationships between AGEs and fracture properties at whole bone, apparent tissue and matrix levels are discussed.
Parasites and immunoregulatory T cells

Surviving a parasitic infection requires the generation of a controlled immune response. Failure to establish or to maintain homeostatic conditions usually causes disease. Investigation of the immunoregulatory network as the response to the parasitic process or induced by the parasite promises enormous therapeutic benefits for the control of parasitic diseases. Recent findings implicate various populations of regulatory T cells in this homeostatic regulation.
Frontiers of two-dimensional correlation spectroscopy. Part 2. Perturbation methods, fields of applications, and types of analytical probes

Abstract Noteworthy experimental practices, which are advancing forward the frontiers of the field of two-dimensional (2D) correlation spectroscopy, are reviewed with the focus on various perturbation methods currently practiced to induce spectral changes, pertinent examples of applications in various fields, and types of analytical probes employed. Types of perturbation methods found in the published literature are very diverse, encompassing both dynamic and static effects. Although a sizable portion of publications report the use of dynamic perturbatuions, much greater number of studies employ static effect, especially that of temperature. Fields of applications covered by the literature are also very broad, ranging from fundamental research to practical applications in a number of physical, chemical and biological systems, such as synthetic polymers, composites and biomolecules. Aside from IR spectroscopy, which is the most commonly used tool, many other analytical probes are used in 2D correlation analysis. The ever expanding trend in depth, breadth and versatility of 2D correlation spectroscopy techniques and their broad applications all point to the robust and healthy state of the field.
Legg-Calvé-Perthes disease.

Perthes disease is a condition of unknown etiology in which the vascular supply of the developing femoral head is temporarily interrupted, causing necrosis and collapse of the bony femoral head, followed by spontaneous revascularization and healing of the necrotic bone. It was independently described by four different authors (Legg, Calve, Perthes, and Waldenstrom) in 1909 and 1910. They identified the condition as an affliction of the hip distinct from trauma and infection. The term "coxa plana" was applied to the characteristic flattening of the femoral head seen in Perthes disease. It was not until 10 years later that the actual pathology of avascular necrotic bone was described. EPIDEMIOLOGY The condition has its onset in children ranging in age from 2 to 12 years, with the majority of patients presenting between the ages of 4 and 8 years. Boys are affected four times more frequently than girls, and the condition is bilateral in approximately 15% of affected children. Certain constitutional factors are frequently found in children with Perthes disease. Skeletal age is delayed in nearly 90% of children affected with it. Affected boys have been found to be an average of 1 in shorter and affected girls 3 in shorter in height than their unaffected peers. Birth weight of affected children is frequently lower than average.
Outcomes among patients requiring unplanned intra-aortic balloon pump reinsertion in cardiogenic shock.

Abstract Introduction The intra-aortic balloon pump (IABP) is the most frequently utilized form of temporary mechanical circulatory support (MCS) in cardiogenic shock (CS). Withdrawal of IABP support may precipitate hemodynamic compromise such that IABP reinsertion is required. Data are scarce regarding the incidence and outcomes of patients undergoing IABP reinsertion in this setting. Methods In this single-center retrospective study, we identified consecutive patients with CS in whom IABP reinsertion was required for hemodynamic decompensation. These patients were compared to matched controls in whom IABP withdrawal was successful. The primary outcome measure was in-hospital mortality, while the secondary outcome measure was a composite of in-hospital death, need for advanced MCS or heart transplantation, or discharge to hospice. Results Among 222 patients requiring IABP for CS, we identified 20 case patients (incidence = 9.0%) and 38 matched controls. Baseline characteristics were similar for the two groups. In-hospital mortality was 70% in the reinsertion group and 31% in the controls (Odds ratio (OR) 5.2, 95% CI 1.4–18.9, P = 0.005). The composite secondary endpoint was also significantly more common in the reinsertion group than the controls (85% vs. 42%; OR 7.3, 95% CI 1.6–33.1, P = 0.002). On multivariate analysis, the need for IABP reinsertion was independently associated with in-hospital mortality (OR 7.7, 95% CI 1.6–36.2, P = 0.01). Conclusion Among patients with CS undergoing IABP removal, hemodynamic deterioration requiring IABP reinsertion is associated with extremely poor outcomes and, in appropriate patients, should prompt consideration of more advanced cardiac support.
Stochastic modeling of pitting corrosion in aluminum alloys

The stochastic theory of pitting corrosion has been successfully used to analyze the statistical nature of pitting. In this paper a Monte Carlo model is used to predict the extent of damage accumulation in aluminum alloys. This model uses experimental parameters obtained by electrochemical noise measurements on electrodes arrays. The algorithm is based on the random occurrence of the metastable pit birth/death or the stable pit growth. Simulated pit depth distributions are compared to experimental data obtained by Optical Profilometry (OP), leading to an improvement of the model and challenging the existence of a metastable/stable transition in free corrosion conditions.
Criteria to evaluate approximate belief network representations in expert systems

The representation of uncertainty, and reasoning in the presence of uncertainty, has become an important area of research in expert systems. Belief networks have been found to provide an effective framework for the representation of uncertainty using probability calculus. Unfortunately, belief propagation techniques for general network structures are computationally intense. In this paper, we present belief network representations that approximate the underlying dependency structure in a problem domain in order to allow efficient propagation of beliefs. An important issue then is one of obtaining the 'best' approximate representation. A criterion is required to measure the closeness of the approximate to the actual. We examine desirable features of measures that compare approximate representations to the actual one. We identify two well-known measures, called the logarithm rule and the quadratic rule, as having special properties for evaluating approximations. We present a new result that shows the equivalence of using the logarithm rule to that of finding the maximum likelihood estimator. Next, we discuss the modeling implications of using the logarithm rule and the quadratic rule in terms of the nature of solutions that are obtained, and the computational effort required to obtain such solutions. Finally, we use a decision theoretic approach to compare such solutions using a common frame of reference. A simple decision problem is modelled as a belief network, and the comparison is performed over a wide range of probability distributions and cost functions. Our results suggest that the logarithm rule is very appropriate for evaluating approximate representations.
The factor structure of source credibility as a function of the speaking situation

This study investigated the factor structure of source credibility within the context of three situations in which communication typically occurs. The study tested the hypothesis that the situation in which the speaker communicates will influence the receiver's perception of the dimensions underlying the credibility of that speaker. The results indicated that the factor structure of source credibility across situations was variant. The scales used to measure the factors of trustworthiness and expertness may reflect more than one perceptual element for the receiver. The study indicated further that different types of communication in the same situation yield different source credibility factor structures.
Of Pax2 laboratory mice and human papillorenal investigations: maintaining the distinctions between cause and effect.

I n the article “Optic nerve axon number in mouse is regulated by Pax2” in this issue of Journal of AAPOS, Alur and coworkers accurately describe the papillorenal syndrome (OMIM 120330) as an autosomal-dominant disorder characterized by congenital optic nerve and kidney abnormalities. Precise language is important in this case, and the authors are careful to avoid using the alternative appellation and misnomer “renal-coloboma syndrome.” Confusion created by the term “coloboma” has led many investigators to consider incomplete closure of the embryonic optic fissure to be the cause of an optic nerve anomaly in cases in which there is no supportive evidence for such an etiology. Alur and coworkers note that a variety of PAX2 mutations have been found in patients with papillorenal syndrome. However, they neglect to specify that many, if not most, patients with the disorder do not have any identifiable mutations in the PAX2 gene. While overlooking the patients without PAX2 mutations, they infer that mutations in the PAX2 gene define the papillorenal syndrome and ignore the possibility that other gene disorders cause the condition. The papillorenal syndrome is defined not by PAX2 genetic analysis but by clinical findings, and these findings must be well characterized. Ocular fundus descriptions of “abnormal retinal blood vessel patterning,” “optic pits,” and “large excavations of the optic nerve head with reduced visual acuity” are imprecise and could lead to faulty assumptions. It is not the patterning of blood vessels per se that is abnormal in humans with this disorder; rather, the abnormality consists of the variable absence of the central retinal vasculature with commensurate enlargement of the cilioretinal vasculature at the level of the optic disk. Such an abnormality implicates a developmental defect of angiogenesis. Normally, angiogenesis serves to preserve and maintain the distal portion of the regressing hyaloid system, which eventually becomes the central retinal vasculature. Premature regression of such a central vascular scaffold may account for the variable central excavation of the disk. It is unrelated to the formation of optic pits,
Gravity wave effects on wind farm efficiency

A theory of the atmospheric disturbance caused by a large wind farm is developed using a simple boundary layer (BL) representation. The model includes pressure gradients and gravity wave generation associated with a temperature inversion at the top of the BL and the normal tropospheric lapse rate aloft. The pattern of wind disturbance is computed using a Fast Fourier Transform. The slowing of the winds by turbine drag and the resulting loss of wind farm efficiency is controlled by two factors. First is the size of the wind farm in relation to the restoring effect of friction at the top and bottom of the BL. Second is the role of static stability and gravity waves in the atmosphere above the BL. The effect of the pressure perturbation is to decelerate the wind upstream and to prevent further deceleration over the wind farm with a favorable pressure gradient. As a result, the wind speed reduction is approximately uniform over the wind farm. In spite of the uniform wind over the farm, the average wind reduction is still very sensitive to the farm aspect ratio. In the special case of weak stability aloft, weak friction and the Froude Number the wind speed near the farm can suddenly decrease; a phenomenon we call ‘choking’. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Behavior in the brachiopod Terebratulina septentrionalis (Couthouy)

Abstract The muscular contractions of the valves and the flow rate of inhalent currents in the brachiopod Terebratulina septentrionalis (Couthouy) have been directly and continuously monitored using a bead thermistor as the flow meter. Flow rate varied between individuals, with velocities reaching a maximum rate of 7 mm/sec. The flow rate of an individual was not constant: between adductions of the valves it increased gradually from zero to a peak velocity. A high average flow rate of up to 2 h duration alternated with low average velocities of longer duration. The variation in flow rate may be reflecting regulation of oxygen consumption. Intervals between adductions of the valves appeared to exhibit a fluctuating pattern of regularity. The sequence of adductions could not be correlated with elimination of feces, with tides, or with light factors. There was a ‘negative’ deflection of the flow curve resulting from heating of the thermistor bead in the initial flow in brachiopods which had been closed for 4 h or more: this type of deflection was also interspersed with normal inhalent flow in many specimens. Such negative deflections could be due to the erratic behavior of the thermistors or to metabolic activity. Potassium nitrate and potassium chloride were found to stimulate muscles and cilia, causing numerous muscle contractions and increased flow. Increased flow alone was induced by the addition of calcium nitrate.
Torsional stress in eukaryotic chromatin

The bulk of the DNA in eukaryotic chromatin behaves as if it is topologically relaxed; however, a subfraction can be shown to be under suercoil tension. Endonuclease S1 cuts at specific hypersentive sites in chromatin (in the promoter regions of active genes) and this enzyme cuts in the same region in supercoiled plasmids, but not in relaxed or linearized molecules. A subfraction of the minichromosomes formed after SV40 infection or microinjection of plasmid DNA into oocytes contains supercoil tension and this subfraction is thought to play an important role in transcription.
CONTROL OF THE CIRCADIAN RHYTHM IN SEROTONIN CONTENT OF THE RAT PINEAL GLAND.

Abstract The circadian rhythm in pineal serotonin content is abolished by removal of the superior cervical ganglia but not by blinding.
Cannabinoid receptor agonist and antagonist effects on motor function in normal and 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,5,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP)-treated non-human primates.

Rationale: Although cannabinoid effects on motor function have been extensively studied in rodents, the role of cannabinoids in regulating behavior in primates is relatively unknown. Objectives: We compared the effects of cannabinoid agonists and dopamine antagonists on unconditioned behaviors in cynomolgus monkeys (Macaca fascicularis). We further investigated the therapeutic potential of cannabinoid antagonists in a primate model of Parkinson's disease. Methods: Drugs were administered i.m., and sessions were videotaped and rated by a "blind" observer using a rating scale. Results: The dopamine antagonist haloperidol decreased locomotor activity and increased bradykinesia in three subjects. Haloperidol also produced a dose-dependent increase in freezing and catalepsy in two out of the three subjects. The cannabinoid agonist levonantradol dose-dependently decreased general and locomotor activity and increased bradykinesia. In contrast to haloperidol, levonantradol failed to produce freezing or catalepsy. At the dose range studied, tetrahydrocannabinol did not affect general or locomotor activity, but increased bradykinesia. In view of the psychomotor slowing induced by cannabinoid agonists, we investigated the therapeutic potential of the cannabinoid receptor antagonist SR141716A in an early and advanced stage of 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,5,6-tetrahydropyridine-induced parkinsonism. In both models of Parkinson's disease, SR141716A failed to alleviate the motor deficits of parkinsonism. Conclusions: Cannabinoid agonists do not induce catalepsy in primates, a finding that differs from their effects in rodents. The primate may be more suitable than rodents for predicting the effects of cannabinoids and their therapeutic potential on select primate behaviors.
The effects of information order and learning mode on schema abstraction.

Three experiments investigated the effects of information order and representativeness on schema abstraction in a category learning task. A set of category members, in which the variability and frequency of member types were correlated, was divided into four study samples. In the high-variance condition, each sample was representative of the allowable variation in the category and the frequency with which it occurred. In the low-variance condition, the initial study sample focused only on the most frequently occurring category members. Subsequent samples gradually introduced exemplars, and hence additional variance, from remaining member types. After the fourth study sample, all subjects in all conditions had seen the same category members. Experiment 1 revealed that transfer performance was better if subjects began with a low-variance sample and were gradually introduced to the allowable variation on subsequent samples than if they consistently saw representative samples. Experiments 2 and 3 suggested that this information-order effect may interact with learning mode: Subjects induced to be more analytic about the material performed better if their initial and subsequent samples were representative of the category variation.
Early-time multiphase interactions between basaltic magma and underground openings at the proposed Yucca Mountain radioactive waste repository

[1] We investigate the interaction between Yucca Mountain repository drifts (horizontal emplacement tunnels) and a hawaiitic magma in three scenarios: (1) a single feeder dike that extends above an intersected drift; (2) same as 1 but with an additional secondary dike extending upward from the drift; (3) same as 1 with the drift initially filled with pyroclasts and gas under high pressure which is then decompressed as might happen if some blockage is rapidly removed in the volcanic system above the drift. Our results indicate that the drift is likely to experience dynamic pressure waves from expansion of rising magma and subsequent pyroclastic flows, with a maximum possible dynamic pressure of ∼107 Pa. A secondary dike above the drift has negligible effects upon the flow dynamics. In the third scenario, particles settle fairly quickly along the floor of the drift, suggesting that a swift decompression within the drift will not be able to remove all the magmatic materials.
Birth of the modern Chesapeake Bay estuary between 7.4 and 8.2 ka and implications for global sea-level rise

Two major pulses of sea-level rise are thought to have taken place since the last glacial maximum — meltwater pulses (mwp) 1A (12 cal ka) and 1B (9.5 cal ka). Between mwp 1B and about 6 cal ka, many of the complex coastal ecosystems which ring the world’s oceans began to form. Here we report data for rhenium, carbon isotopes, total organic carbon, and fossil oysters from Chesapeake Bay which span the transition from fresh to brackish water conditions in the bay in the mid-Holocene. These data constrain sea-level change and resulting environmental change in the bay. They indicate that the transition was rapid, and that it was produced by (1) a third pulse of rapid eustatic sea-level rise, or (2) a geometry of the prehistoric Chesapeake Bay basin which predisposed it to a nonlinear response to a steadily rising sea level. Similar nonlinear changes in vulnerable coastal environments are likely to take place in the future due to polar warming, regardless of the timing or rate of sea-level rise.
A Cross-National Analysis of the Wages of Part-Time Workers: Evidence from the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada and Australia:

We analyse wage differentials between part-time and full-time workers in four English-speaking countries, using cross-nationally comparable data from the Luxembourg Income Study (LIS). An analysis ...
Solution structures of stem–loop RNAs that bind to the two N-terminal RNA-binding domains of nucleolin

Nucleolin, a multi-domain protein involved in ribosome biogenesis, has been shown to bind the consensus sequence (U/G)CCCG(A/G) in the context of a hairpin loop structure (nucleolin recognition element; NRE). Previous studies have shown that the first two RNA-binding domains in nucleolin (RBD12) are responsible for the interaction with the in vitro selected NRE (sNRE). We have previously reported the structures of nucleolin RBD12, sNRE and nucleolin RBD12–sNRE complex. A comparison of free and bound sNRE shows that the NRE loop becomes structured upon binding. From this observation, we hypothesized that the disordered hairpin loop of sNRE facilitates conformational rearrangements when the protein binds. Here, we show that nucleolin RBD12 is also sufficient for sequence- specific binding of two NRE sequences found in pre-rRNA, b1NRE and b2NRE. Structural investigations of the free NREs using NMR spectroscopy show that the b1NRE loop is conformationally heterogeneous, while the b2NRE loop is structured. The b2NRE forms a hairpin capped by a YNMG-like tetraloop. Comparison of the chemical shifts of sNRE and b2NRE in complex with nucleolin RBD12 suggests that the NRE consensus nucleotides adopt a similar conformation. These results show that a disordered NRE consensus sequence is not a prerequisite for nucleolin RBD12 binding.
Clinical and Molecular Responses in High-Grade Intraepithelial Neoplasia Treated with Topical Imiquimod 5%

Objective: To assess the clinical and molecular response of patients with recurrent high-grade vulvar, vaginal, or cervical intraepithelial neoplasia treated with topical 1–2(2-methylpropyl)-1 H -imidazo [4,5- c ] quinolin-4-amine (imiquimod) cream 5%, an immune response modifier with known efficacy in the treatment of external genital warts. Methods: This is the first case series in the peer-reviewed literature reporting the use of imiquimod in high-grade intraepithelial neoplasia of the lower genital tract. Eight patients with high-grade intraepithelial neoplasia were treated with imiquimod in the gynecological oncology clinic and the HIV gynecology clinic at The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston. Frozen biopsies were available for RNA extraction on four patients before and after therapy. Using semiquantitative reverse transcription-PCR, we measured RNA levels of IFNs α and γ, 2′,5′-oligoadenylate synthetase, as well as CD4 and CD8 lymphocyte markers. Results: Of the patients treated, four had complete responses, two had partial responses, one progressed, and one did not tolerate the therapy. Of the four complete responders, two remained disease-free (mean follow-up, 33 months). 2′,5′-Oligoadenylate synthetase RNA expression showed an increased trend after therapy. Conclusions: These results obtained in this small and heterogeneous group merit further study in the use of topical 5% imiquimod use in the treatment of intraepithelial neoplasia. An important mechanism of action of imiquimod may involve 2′,5′-oligoadenylate synthetase antiviral activity.
Motivational Narratives and Assessments of the Body After Cosmetic Surgery

Cosmetic surgery can be conceptualized as part of a spectrum of contemporary body projects whereby the individual uses body work to achieve some social and personal goal. In this article I examine individual motivations for undergoing cosmetic surgery as well as assessments of the outcomes of those surgeries. Drawing on in-depth interviews, I explore how cosmetic surgery patients understand and ascribe meaning to their own experiences and discover how the respondents evaluate their surgeries in both personal and social contexts. I found that motivations for undergoing surgery are often articulated in both physical and psychosocial terms, with the expectation that physical alterations will facilitate social or emotional changes. Additionally, outcomes are assessed in a similar fashion, with interviewees expressing not only their evaluations of the aesthetic changes to their bodies, but also how these changes made them feel about themselves and their relationships with others.
Demographic methods to assess food insecurity: a North Korean case study.

UNLABELLED In complex emergencies, especially those involving famine and/or widespread food insecurity, assessments of malnutrition are critical to understanding the population's health status and to assessing the effectiveness of relief interventions. Although the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) has benefited from some of the largest, most sustained appeals in the history of the World Food Program (WFP), the government in Pyongyang has placed restrictions on international efforts to gather data on the health and nutritional status of the affected population. QUESTION Lacking direct means to assess the nutritional status of the North Korean populace, what other methodologies could be employed to measure the public health impacts of chronic food shortage? The paper begins with a review of methods for assessing nutritional status, particularly in emergencies; a brief history of the North Korean food crisis (1995-2001), and a review of the available nutritional and health data on the DPRK. The main focus of the paper is on the results of a survey of 2,692 North Korean adult migrants in China. Recognizing certain biases and limitations, the study suggests that sample households have experienced an overall decline in food security, as evidenced by both the decline in government rations from an average of 120 grams per person per day to less than 60 grams per day, and by the increase in the percentage of households relying on foraging or bartering of assets as their principal source of food. It also is apparent that the period 1995-1998 has been marked by elevated household mortality, declining fertility, and steadily rising out-migration. Taken together, the signs point toward famine, whether that is defined as a discrete event--that is, as a regional failure in food production or distribution leading to elevated mortality from starvation and associated disease--or as a more complex social process whose sub-states include not only elevated mortality, but declining fertility, eating of alternative 'famine foods', transfer of assets, and the uprooting and separation of families.
Seeing the unseen: What can we learn from polarization-sensitive eyes in nature and how can we design better imaging systems?

We give an overview of our work on biologically-inspired polarization imaging. We first review the biophysical mechanisms of polarization vision, and then we present sample results of our bio-inspired imaging techniques.
The Bayesian hierarchical classifier (BHC) and its application to short vegetation using multifrequency polarimetric SAR

Given an image of a scene comprised of a number of distinct terrain classes, the optimum Bayesian classifier (OBC) provides the highest possible classification accuracy of the imaged scene, provided we have a priori knowledge of the probability density function (pdf) of the sensor's output for each terrain class. If the imaging sensor consists of multiple channels, application of OBC requires knowledge of the joint pdf of the observations made by all the channels. In practice, the volume of data needed in order to generate an accurate multidimensional pdf far exceeds the size of available datasets. The data-size requirement may be relaxed by assuming the pdfs to be Gaussian in form, but such an assumption leads to suboptimum classification performance. This paper addresses the data size issue by (1) taking advantage of the maximum-entropy density estimation (MEDE) technique introduced in a companion paper and (2) using marginal pdfs in a hierarchical approach. Using multidate synthetic aperture radar observations, it was shown that the Bayesian hierarchical classifier introduced in this paper can classify short vegetation classes with an accuracy of 93%, without retraining, compared with an accuracy of 84% for the maximum-likelihood estimator (with Gaussian assumption) and only 74% with ISODATA.
Incremental learning with rule-based neural networks

A classifier for discrete-valued variable classification problems is presented. The system utilizes an information-theoretic algorithm for constructing informative rules from example data. These rules are then used to construct a neural network to perform parallel inference and posterior probability estimation. The network can be grown incrementally, so that new data can be incorporated without repeating the training on previous data. It is shown that this technique performs as well as other techniques such as backpropagation while having unique advantages in incremental learning capability, training efficiency, knowledge representation, and hardware implementation suitability. >
History and Frequency of Reported Synesthesia

If Jean-Paul Sarte’s (1961) philosophy that “perception is consciousness” is taken literally, differences of perception take on special meaning for the psychologist. Different perceptions of the world tell us of different conceptual realities, and the understanding of these perceptions can yield information about human functioning. Individual differences in perception have always fascinated psychologists; these differences underly many “curiosities” of the mind, not the least of which is synesthesia, the translation of one sense modality into a secondary sense. In fact, Galton (1883) states that synesthesia helps us recognize individual differences, and shows us “how impossible it is for one man to lay his mind strictly along that of another.” Common linguistic phrases such as “I see what you’re saying,” “It is a blue Monday,” “That is a loud color,” or the famous “The dawn comes up like thunder,” suggest that synesthetic perceptions may influence our language.
A high fill factor 1 /spl times/ N spatial light modulator based on an epitaxial polysilicon process

This study introduces novel spatial light modulator (SLM) designs with flat micromirrors which require no etch release holes. A combination of surface micromachining and epitaxial polysilicon process is used in device fabrication. This process minimizes insertion loss since it is based on the requirements of MEMS based optical systems.
Simultaneous Transfer of Mitochondrial DNA and Single Chromosomes in Somatic Cells: A Novel Approach for the Study of Defects in Nuclear-Mitochondrial Communication

The assembly and function of respiratory-competent mitochondria in eukaryotic cells depends on collaboration between the nuclear and mitochondrial genomes, but the molecular mechanisms underlying such cross-talk are poorly understood. Microcell-mediated chromosome transfer has been used to transfer intact chromosomes from one mammalian cell to another, helping to map loci implicated in different diseases and in the senescence process. In the present work, we show that microcells have a significant number of mitochondria which can be transferred to another cell simultaneously with a limited number of chromosomes. By fusing microcells from a colon carcinoma cell line with a mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA)-less osteosarcoma cell line, we were able to isolate transmitochondrial hybrids containing only one of three selectable chromosomes and mtDNA from the donor cell. The proportion of transmitochondrial hybrids containing one chromosomal marker with respect to the total transmitochondrial hybrids and cybrids was approximately 1% and no hybrids were isolated containing more than one nuclear marker. The genetic data correlated well with the composition and structure of the microcell preparations, which showed the presence of cytoplast-like structures and microcells containing mitochondria surrounding the micronuclei. Microcell-mediated mtDNA and chromosome transfer can be used to identify nuclear factors implicated in mtDNA maintenance and gene expression, as well as to investigate nuclear factors which modulate clinical phenotypes in mitochondrial disorders.
Gene therapy for the treatment of musculoskeletal diseases.

Research into the orthopaedic applications of gene therapy has resulted in progress toward managing chronic and acute genetic and nongenetic disorders. Gene therapy for arthritis, the original focus of research, has progressed to the initiation of several phase I clinical trials. Preliminary findings support the application of gene therapy in the treatment of additional chronic conditions, including osteoporosis and aseptic loosening, as well as musculoskeletal tumors. The most rapid progress is likely to be in tissue repair because it requires neither long-term transgene expression nor closely regulated levels of transgene expression. Moreover, healing probably can be achieved with existing technology. In preclinical studies, genetically modulated stimulation of bone healing has shown impressive results in repairing segmental defects in the long bones and cranium and in improving the success of spinal fusions. An increasing amount of evidence indicates that gene transfer can aid the repair of articular cartilage, menisci, intervertebral disks, ligaments, and tendons. These developments have the potential to transform many areas of musculoskeletal care, leading to treatments that are less invasive, more effective, and less expensive than existing modalities. J Am Acad Orthop Surg 2005;13:230-242
Jamaica Genesis: Religion and the Politics of Moral Orders

Jamaica Genesis: Religion and the Politics of Moral Orders. Diane J. Austin-Broos. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1997. xxiii. 304 pp., figures, notes, bibliography, index.
Tubular structures in endothelium in palindromic rheumatism

Electron microscopy of synovial tissue in a patient with palindromic rheumatism showed tubular structures in the endothelial cells similar to those reported by others in the tissues of patients with other rheumatic diseases, neoplasms, infections and a variety of other idiopathic conditions.
A Hybrid Intelligence/Multi-agent System Approach for Mining Information Assurance Data

Organizations of all sizes wrestle with the problem of "coping with information overload." They ingest more and more data, in new and varied formats every day, and struggle more and more vigorously to find the nuggets of knowledge hidden away within the vast amounts of information. Furthermore, due to the various and pervasive types of noise in the haystack of data, it is increasingly and exceedingly difficult to discern between the shining false shards and the true needles of knowledge. In the grander scheme of our work we intend to demonstrate that a hybrid intelligence/multi-agent systems-based overarching layer, which collates, compares and contrasts input from several traditional data mining applications below it, will yield far more accurate results than any one application acting on its own.
The varnished truth: The recipes and reality of tintype coatings

a b s t r a c t The most popular photographic technique in the USA between 1856 and 1900 was the tintype, with millions of these objects created by photographers in established studios, by itinerant artists in portable workshops, and by amateurs working from ‘how-to’ manuals and journal articles. Whereas the fundamentals for this photographic process (collodion binder on a japanned metal support) were largely invariant, historical documents recommended a wide variety of protective varnish materials. A collection of 221 tintypes was analyzed using pyrolysis gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (py-GC-MS) to compare the components of actual tintype varnishes with recipes from the historical literature. Several resins in published tintype varnish recipes, including mastic, copal, and amber, are entirely absent from this collection and only five constituents – shellac, Pinaceae resin (Canada balsam or colophony), dammar, sandarac, and camphor – are detected alone or in combination. Each detected resin appears in historical recipes, but just 24% of the samples have varnish layer constituents consistent with published tintype varnish recipes. Forty-four percent of the tintypes have varnish constituents consistent with formulations recommended for other collodion images, but the varnishes of the remaining samples have no direct literature equivalents. The preponderance of shellac- and Pinaceae-based varnishes suggests that these correspond to inexpensive commercial varnishes, but tintypists may have developed their own preferred mixtures or simply used what was at hand. This first in-depth technical analysis of tintype materials suggests that the cheapest and most readily available materials were employed in the varnishing process and that the artists were not bound by literature recommendations.
Ecology and Reproductive Patterns of the Grass Lizard, Takydromus sauteri, in a Tropical Rain Forest of an East Asian Island

Abstract I describe habitat use, diet, and male and female reproductive cycles of Takydromus sauteri, an oviparous grass lizard inhabiting Orchid Island, a tropical island off the southeastern coast of Taiwan. All T. sauteri were observed on leaves of Japanese silver-grass (Miscanthus floridulus) at the forest edge. The diet of T. sauteri consisted mostly of spiders (35.7%) and Hemipterans (14.3%). Two prey categories, spiders and gymnoceratans, numerically dominated the diet. Two lizards' stomach contained plant seeds, and two had eaten roaches. Mean snout–vent length (SVL) of adult males (N = 59) was 64.2 (range: 60.3–73.7) mm and that of females (N = 63) was 67.1 (range: 50.6–76.5) mm. Females exhibited spring and summer vitellogenesis with parturition occurring from February to August. Onset of vitellogenesis showed a negative correlation with mass of female fat bodies. Females produced one to four eggs per clutch, and clutch size was not correlated with SVL. Two clutches were recorded during a single...
Direct and interactive effects of narcissism and power on overconfidence

Abstract Prior research has separately examined the influence that narcissism and power have on the general concept of overconfidence. In this article we examine the influence of narcissism on overconfidence utilizing three different methods to operationalize the overconfidence construct (Studies 1–4). In addition, we examine the role that power plays in the relationship between narcissism and overconfidence (Studies 2–4). Results indicate that both narcissism and power both individually and collectively exert an influence on overconfidence. Furthermore, when individuals who score relatively high on the Narcissistic Personality Inventory are in an elevated state of power, overconfidence is significantly higher than for individuals in a low state of power. This interaction effect, however, was only evident when high levels of narcissism were overweighted in the analyses, by, for example, oversampling (Study 4). We conclude by discussing implications and avenues for future research.
Seasonal Variability of the Gulf Stream Kinetic Energy

AbstractThe seasonal variability of the mean kinetic energy (MKE) and eddy kinetic energy (EKE) of the Gulf Stream (GS) is examined using high-resolution regional ocean model simulations. A set of three numerical experiments with different surface wind and buoyancy forcing is analyzed to investigate the mechanisms governing the seasonal cycle of upper ocean energetics. In the GS along-coast region, MKE has a significant seasonal cycle that peaks in summer, while EKE has two comparable peaks in May and September near the surface; the May peak decays rapidly with depth. In the off-coast region, MKE has a weak seasonal cycle that peaks in summer, while EKE has a dominant peak in May and a secondary peak in September near the surface. The May peak also decays with depth leaving the September peak as the only seasonal signal below 100 m. An analysis of the three numerical experiments suggests that the seasonal variability in the local wind forcing significantly impacts the September peak of the along-coast EKE...
Case 2: Respiratory Failure, Myocardial Dysfunction, and Pulmonary Hemorrhage in a Full-Term Newborn.

A male appropriate-for-gestational age infant is born at 39 6/7 weeks to a 25-year-old gravida 1, para 0, group B Streptococcus− negative woman at a community hospital via unremarkable spontaneous vaginal delivery. The prenatal history is significant only for a transient rash on the mother’s palms 1 to 2 weeks before delivery, which was associated with nausea and vomiting. All prenatal laboratory values are normal, and membranes rupture 5 hours before delivery, with clear fluid. The infant is born floppy and cyanotic, with no respiratory effort. He is dried and stimulated, and shows some improvement. His Apgar scores are 7 and 8 at 1 and 5 minutes, respectively. The pediatrics team is called shortly after delivery for persistent cyanosis, tachypnea, and grunting. The infant’s condition quickly progresses to apnea and bradycardia, which requires a prolonged resuscitation including intubation, chest compressions, and 2 doses of epinephrine. At 30 minutes, bright red blood is noted to be coming from the endotracheal tube. After stabilization, the infant is urgently transported to a tertiary care center for further management. On admission to the tertiary care center, physical examination reveals a pale, hypotonic, hypotensive infant with coarse breath sounds and minimal spontaneous movements. No organomegaly, skin lesions, or dysmorphic features are noted. Initial laboratory studies indicate that the …
Simultaneous determination of 15 organophosphorous pesticide residues in vegetables and fruits by gas chromatography(GC)

Objective:To establish a method for the simultaneous determination of 15 organophosphorous pesticide residues in vegetables and fruits by gas chromatography(GC).Methods:The residues was determined by TSD neutral detector with CP-SIL 24CB capillary column after acetonitrile extraction,salting-out,concentration,CARB/NH2 column purification,and dissolved to constant volume with acetone.Results:The recoveries varied between 80.0%～111.2% respectively when 0.080 mg/kg standard solution were added in,85.0%～108.5% respectively when 0.20 mg/kg standard solution were added in and 97.2%～103.5% respectively when 4.00 mg/kg standard solution were added in.RSD was between 2.21%～6.39% when 4.00 mg/kg standard solution were added in.Conclusion:This method has reliable producitivity and can give a wide linear range with good recovery and RSD.So it is suitable for the analysis of organophosphorous pesticide residues in vegetables and fruits.
Introduction of Self-healing Control Technology in Smart Distribution Systems and Its Application

For a smart distribution system,self-healing is one of its characteristics,which is important to enable the distribution system self-perception,self-diagnosis,self-decision making and self-recovery,and thus operate in a safe,reliable and economic way at various status.This paper introduces key characteristics of self-healing control technology,especially its control target and strategy,and analyzes its several typical implementation approaches in dealing with the faults of distribution systems with different technology levels.Finally,an ongoing government sponsored project,"Research and Demonstration of Self-healing Control Technology for Smart Distribution Systems’,is discussed in detail.
'Diabetic' emergencies. They happen with or without diabetes.

Ketoacidosis, severe hyperosmolality due to hyperglycemia, and severe hypoglycemia are all life-threatening emergencies that often occur in the absence of any history of diabetes mellitus. The key to management of diabetic ketoacidosis is understanding that treatment is aimed more at the breakdown and metabolism of triglycerides in adipose tissue than at hyperglycemia per se. The diabetic hyperosmolar state is most easily treated with aggressive fluid management, with the caveat that too-rapid administration of hypotonic fluids may increase the already significant mortality from this condition. Life-threatening hypoglycemia most commonly occurs with administration of oral hypoglycemic drugs or insulin, although other drugs and any malnourished state may also be precipitating factors. Acute administration of glucagon or dextrose alleviates life-threatening hypoglycemia. Success in managing these diabetic emergencies depends on rapidity of recognition and institution of direct treatment measures.
Neighborhood Opportunity Structures and Immigrants' Socioeconomic Advancement

This article explores immigrants' socioeconomic success consequential to their choice of neighborhood. We describe and analyze seven aspects of socioeconomic success during the 1980s for 14 immigra...
Interleukin-12 inhibits graft-versus-host disease through an Fas-mediated mechanism associated with alterations in donor T-cell activation and expansion

We have recently made the paradoxical observation that a single injection of recombinant murine interleukin-12 (IL-12) on the day of bone marrow transplantation (BMT) inhibits graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) in lethally irradiated mice receiving fully major histocompatability complex (MHC)-mismatched bone marrow and spleen cells. We have now examined the mechanism of this effect of IL-12 on acute GVHD. By day 4 post-BMT, IL-12-treated mice showed marked reductions in splenic donor CD4(+) and CD8(+) T cells compared with GVHD controls. Expression of the early activation markers IL-2R alpha chain (CD25) and CD69 on splenic donor CD4(+) cells was considerably higher at early time points (36 and 72 hours post-BMT) in IL-12-treated mice compared with GVHD controls. However, the later, GVHD-associated increase in CD25 and very late antigen-4 (VLA-4) expression on donor T cells was greatly depressed in IL-12-protected mice compared with GVHD controls. The marked GVHD-associated expansion of host-reactive T helper cells by day 4 was also completely inhibited in the IL-12-treated group. Expression of Fas was increased on donor CD4 cells of IL-12-treated mice compared with those of controls on days 3 through 7 post-BMT. Furthermore, the ability of IL-12 to protect against GVHD was at least partially dependent on the ability of donor cells to express functional Fas molecules. We conclude that IL-12 treatment at the time of BMT markedly perturbs the activation of alloreactive donor CD4(+) T cells that play a critical role in the pathogenesis of acute GVHD. We hypothesize that these perturbations culminate in Fas-dependent apoptosis of donor T cells, thus impeding their expansion and their GVHD-promoting activity.