cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Signal Transduction Pathways That Regulate the Fate of B Lymphocytes

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the signaling pathways that are involved in regulating B cell fate. The chapter begins with a brief overview of the rapidly advancing area of the programmed cell death. A major breakthrough occurred when studies using the Caenorhabditis elegans model revealed that key genes that control the onset of programmed death of 131 of the 1090 somatic cells are generated during the development of the worm. Two of these genes, crd-3 and cecl-4 are required for cell death to occur and a third gene— ced-9— is necessary to prevent cells (that normally survive) from undergoing apoptosis. B cells are capable of responding to signals initiated by the B cell receptor (BCR) in amazingly plastic ways. Few studies indicate that CD22 also has two functional cytoplasmic domains. Surface receptors with opposing signaling domains may be a common theme in regulatory molecules. In the case of FcγRIIB and perhaps CD22, the tendency to dampen signals initiated via the BCR may predominate over a signal-enhancing function. Many of the key players that determine the fate of B lymphocytes are now identified, although the rules of the “game” of cell life and cell death are poorly understood. The reason BCR signaling induces cell death in one context and promotes survival in another is perplexing.
Single Molecules, Cells, and Super‐Resolution Optics (Nobel Lecture)

The resolution of a microscope is determined by the diffraction limit in classical microscopy, whereby objects that are separated by half a wavelength can no longer be visually separated. To go below the diffraction limit required several tricks and discoveries. In his Nobel Lecture, E. Betzig describes the developments that have led to modern super high-resolution microscopy.
Regularized classifiers for information retrieval

We study a class of binary regularized least-squares classifiers (RLSC) for information retrieval tasks whose training involve the solution of a unique linear system of equations Any implementation of RLSC algorithms face two major difficulties: the large size and the density of the Gram matrix In this paper, we present a numerical investigation of an implementation based on the preconditioned conjugate gradient and introduce a novel reduced RBF kernel which is shown to improve the sparseness of the system.
Automatic Mutual Exclusion and Atomicity Checks

This paper provides an introduction to the Automatic Mutual Exclusion (AME) programming model and to its formal study, through the AME calculus. AME resembles cooperative multithreading; in the intended implementations, however, software transactional memory supports the concurrent execution of atomic fragments. This paper also studies simple dynamic and static mechanisms for atomicity checks in AME.
Regulation of NFκB in hepatic ischemic preconditioning1

Abstract BACKGROUND: The second messengers tyrosine kinase (TK) and protein kinase C (PKC) have been implicated in mediating the cellular signaling cascade during hepatic ischemic preconditioning (IPC). We evaluated the role of TK and PKC on the modulation of the transcription factor nuclear factor kappa B (NFκB) and its inhibitor IκBα during IPC. STUDY DESIGN: Yorkshire pigs underwent routine harvest. IPC livers underwent 15 minutes of ischemia and 15 minutes of in situ perfusion before harvest, with or without pretreatment with a TK inhibitor (genistein) or a PKC inhibitor (chelerythrine). During cold storage and reperfusion, tissue extracts were analyzed for IκBα phosphorylation and NFκB levels and for TK and PKC activity by Western blot. RESULTS: Control pig livers demonstrated no change in the levels of TK, PKC, IκBα, or NFκB before cold ischemia. IPC grafts demonstrated activation of TK and PKC with increased IκBα phosphorylation and NFκB levels before cold ischemia. IPC grafts pretreated with genistein demonstrated inhibition of TK activation but not of PKC activation. Genistein-pretreated grafts also demonstrated inhibition of IκBα phosphorylation and a lack of NFκB translocation to the nucleus throughout the entire experiment. IPC grafts pretreated with chelerythrine demonstrated inhibition of PKC activation but not TK activation. Chelerythrine-pretreated grafts also demonstrated IκBα phosphorylation before cold ischemia and enhanced nuclear levels of NFκB. CONCLUSIONS: Data suggest that the role of TK in IPC might be mediated in part by NFκB, but PKC does not depend on NFκB for its effect. Two parallel signaling pathways might explain these data.
Of Mutant Copyrights, Mangled Trademarks, And Barbie’s Beneficence: The Influence Of Copyright On Trademark Law

In Dastar Corp. v. Twentieth Century Fox Film Corp. Justice Scalia colorfully warned against resort to trademarks law to achieve protections unattainable by copyright, lest these claims generate "a species of mutant copyright law that limits the public's 'federal right to "copy and to use,"' expired copyrights." The facts of that controversy, in which the claimant appeared to be invoking time-unlimited trademark protection to end-run the exhausted (unrenewed) copyright term in a motion picture, justified the apprehension that unbridled trademark rights might stomp, Godzilla-like, over more docile copyright prerogatives. Unfortunately, in the Court's eagerness to forestall Darwinian disaster in intellectual property regimes, it may have engaged in some unnatural selection of its own, mangling trademark policies in the process of conserving copyright. This essay will first consider how the (mis)application of copyright precepts has distorted trademarks law, then will take up happier examples of beneficent copyright influence. The first inquiry charts the near-demise of moral rights at the hands of copyright-(mis)informed trademark analysis. The second lauds the growing acceptance of copyright-inspired free speech limitations on trademark protection, exemplified by the various "Barbie" cases, and culminating in the "fair use" exemptions of the Trademark Dilution Revision Act of 2006.
Re-envisioning the Nation: Film Neorealism and the Postwar Italian Condition

Emerging out of the ashes of Fascism, Italian Neorealist films were inexorably tied to the social, political, and economic reorganization of the nation in the immediate postwar years. Coupled with the advent of new cinematic techniques that characterized the genre (the use of non-actors, natural lighting, on-location shooting, and the absence of melodrama), the reassertion of local and regional realities in Neorealist films marked a sharp break from Fascist-era depictions of a national ideal. By injecting presentations of poverty and class conflict into the urban setting and deconstructing the rural idyll, Neorealism offered a new means of imagining national unity based on class consciousness and consent as opposed to coercion. The attempts to present the “social truths” of the postwar period revolved around the transformation of the iconic images central to Fascist constructions of the nation. Luchino Visconti’s La terra trema (1948) is discussed as emblematic of the shared moral and stylistic unity of the genre.
TEMPERATURE DEPENDENCE OF THE SUPERCONDUCTIVITY ENERGY GAP

It is noted that theTaylor's series expansion at the transition temperature expresses the temperature dependence of the energy gap of a superconductor to an accuracy of better than one-half of a percent for the upper half of the superconducting temperature range, when only the first three terms of the series are retained. Because of the smallness of the third term an equally good expression over the same temperature range is the following two term formula: $$\left[ {\frac{{\Delta \left( t \right)}}{{\Delta \left( 0 \right)}}} \right]^2 \approx 3.016\left( {1 - t} \right) - 2.400\left( {1 - t} \right)^2 ,$$ whereΔ(t) is the energy gap andt the reduced temperautre.
Evaluation of the mutagenicity of sorbic acid-sodium nitrite reaction products produced in bacon-curing brines.

Abstract Typical bacon-curing brines containing potassium sorbate (2600 ppm), sodium nitrite (40–4000 ppm) and sodium ascorbate (550–55,000 ppm) were reacted under conditions simulating gastric fluid or the curing or cooking of bacon. Ames Salmonella assays were conducted on the reaction solutions as well as on their ether extracts. All sorbate-nitrite solutions and most ether extracts were negative in this assay. A positive response was detected in the high-temperature sample, but retesting of this sample indicated that the positive response was due to an active compound in the ether used as the extraction solvent.
Interferon-γ Induces Human Vascular Smooth Muscle Cell Proliferation and Intimal Expansion by Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinase–Dependent Mammalian Target of Rapamycin Raptor Complex 1 Activation

Interferon (IFN)-gamma, a cytokine characteristically expressed in arteriosclerotic diseases, acts directly on vascular smooth muscle cells to induce cellular proliferation and intimal expansion. Signaling by the mammalian target of rapamycin raptor complex, known as mTORC1, is associated with cell growth and is active within arteriosclerotic lesions but is not known to be triggered by proinflammatory factors in vascular smooth muscle cells. We investigated the mechanisms for the proarteriosclerotic effects of IFN-gamma in the absence of leukocytes by exploiting the species specificity of this cytokine in a chimeric model of immunodeficient mouse recipients bearing human coronary artery grafts and intravenously inoculated with adenovirus encoding a human IFN-gamma transgene. We found that IFN-gamma-mediated vascular smooth muscle cell proliferation and intimal expansion were associated with phosphorylation of the mTORC1 effector ribosomal protein S6 kinase 1, that the graft morphological changes and S6 kinase 1 activation were inhibited by the mTORC1 inhibitor rapamycin in vivo, and that IFN-gamma-induced mTORC1 signaling was dependent on phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase activity under serum-free conditions in vitro. Our work establishes an immunologic stimulus for mTORC1 signaling in vascular smooth muscle cells, emphasizes that mTORC1 activation is critical in immune-mediated vascular remodeling, and provides further mechanistic insight into the successful clinical application of rapamycin therapy for atherosclerosis and graft arteriosclerosis.
Effects of calorie restriction on the zebrafish liver proteome.

Abstract A proteomic approach was taken to study how fish respond to changes in calorie availability, with the longer-term goal of understanding the evolution of lipid metabolism in vertebrates. Zebrafish (Danio rerio) were fed either high (3 rations/day) or low (1 ration/7 days) calorie diets for 5 weeks and liver proteins extracted for proteomic analyses. Proteins were separated on two-dimensional electrophoresis gels and homologous spots compared between treatments to determine which proteins were up-regulated with high-calorie diet. Fifty-five spots were excised from the gel and analyzed via LC–ESI MS/MS, which resulted in the identification of 69 unique proteins (via multiple peptides). Twenty-nine of these proteins were differentially expressed between treatments. Differentially expressed proteins were mapped to Gene Ontology (GO) terms, and these terms compared to the entire zebrafish GO annotation set by Fisher's exact test. The most significant GO terms associated with high-calorie diet are related to a decrease in oxygen-binding activity in the high-calorie treatment. This response is consistent with a well-characterized response in obese humans, indicating there may be a link between lipid storage and hypoxia sensitivity in vertebrates.
Phenotype of Transgenic Mice Overexpressed with Inducible Nitric Oxide Synthase in the Retina

Background Unlike its constitutive isoforms, including neuronal and endothelial nitric oxide synthase, inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) along with a series of cytokines are generated in inflammatory pathologic conditions in retinal photoreceptors. In this study, we constructed transgenic mice overexpressing iNOS in the retina to evaluate the effect of sustained, intense iNOS generation in the photoreceptor damage. Methods For construction of opsin/iNOS transgene in the CMVSport 6 expression vector, the 4.4 kb Acc65I/Xhol mouse rod opsin promoter was ligated upstream to a 4.1 kb fragment encoding the complete mouse cDNA of iNOS. From the four founders identified, two heterozygote lines and one homozygote line were established. The presence of iNOS in the retina was confirmed and the pathologic role of iNOS was assessed by detecting nitrotyrosine products and apoptosis. Commercial TUNEL kit was used to detect DNA strand breaks, a later step in a sequence of morphologic changes of apoptosis process. Results The insertion and translation of iNOS gene were demonstrated by an intense single 130 kDa band in Western blot and specific immunolocalization at the photoreceptors of the retina. Cellular toxicity in the retinas of transgenic animals was detected by a post-translational modification product, tyrosine-nitrated protein, the most significant one of which was nitrated cytochrome c. Following the accumulation of nitrated mitochondrial proteins and cytochrome c release, marked apoptosis was detected in the photoreceptor cell nuclei of the retina. Conclusions We have generated a pathologic phenotype with sustained iNOS overexpression and, therefore, high output of nitric oxide. Under basal conditions, such overexpression of iNOS causes marked mitochondrial cytochrome c nitration and release and subsequent photoreceptor apoptosis in the retina. Therefore, the modulation of pathways leading to iNOS generation or its effective neutralization can be of significant therapeutic benefit in the oxidative stress-mediated retinal degeneration, a leading cause of blindness.
Radioiodine treatment of thyroid cancer with the aid of recombinant human thyrotropin.

ABSTRACT Objective To update endocrinologists on the use of recombinant human thyrotropin (thyroid-stimulating hormone or TSH) (rhTSH) in thyroid diseases, with an emphasis on thyroid cancer. Methods We reviewed the available literature on potential uses of rhTSH, including published studies and case reports. Results Clinical trials have shown that rhTSH injections stimulate radioiodine uptake into normal and malignant thyroid tissue almost as well as that found in the hypothyroid state. The benefit to the athyreotic patient is the avoidance of the disability of hypothyroidism. When rhTSH is used in the doses currently recommended for scanning, few negative side effects occur. The more rapid clearance of iodine in the euthyroid state, however, may necessitate the use of more radioiodine to achieve the same amount of irradiation to metastatic lesions. We have used rhTSH for both dosimetric studies and therapy. This approach is essential in patients who cannot make sufficient endogenous TSH (because of hypothalamic-pituitary disease or medications that suppress TSH). Other patients with widespread metastatic lesions who have serious complications when allowed to become hypothyroid also benefit from rhTSH. Finally, we have found that rhTSH may provide new insights into the biologic features of thyroid cancer when used in combination with positron emission tomographic scanning. Use in the treatment of nonmalignant thyroid conditions such as toxic multi-nodular goiter is also feasible. Conclusion Overall, rhTSH provides a new and clinically important advance for patients with thyroid disease, especially thyroid cancer. (Endocr Pract. 1998; 4:282-286)
Towards real-time performance of data privacy protection

Hiding data values in privacy-preserving data mining (PPDM) protects information against unauthorised attacks while maintaining analytical data properties. The most popular models are designed for constant data environments. They are usually computationally expensive for large data sizes and have poor real-time performance on frequent data growth. Considering that updates and growth of source data are becoming more and more popular in online environments, a PPDM model that has quick responses on the data updates in real-time is appealing. To increase the speed and response of the singular value decomposition (SVD) based model, we have applied an improved incremental SVD-updating algorithm. The performance and effectiveness of the improved algorithm have been examined on synthetic and real data sets. Experimental results indicate that the introduction of the incremental matrix decomposition produces a significant increase in speed for the SVD-based data value hiding method, better scalability and better real-time performance of the model, thereafter. It also provides potential support for the use of the SVD technique in the online analytical processing for business data analysis.
Electrostriction effect in glass

Abstract The longitudinal electrostriction tensor component Q 11 in polarization notation and M 11 in electric field notation for sodium trisilicate glass and sodium aluminosilicate glass has been measured by the converse method, i.e. by measuring the slope of the uniaxial stress dependence of the dielectric constant at various frequencies. For sodium trisilicate glass, the Q 11 coefficient strongly depends on the frequency at which the capacitance was measured and shows a maximum near the frequency of 150 Hz, which is the ionic relaxation frequency of the glass. For sodium aluminosilicate glass, the relative change in the dielectric constant in response to a uniaxial stress was, however, found to be much smaller. We construct a sodium ion hopping model to explain qualitatively the results.
All-Optical Sensing of the Components of the Internal Local Electric Field in Proteins

Here, we present a new all-optical method of interrogation of the internal electric field vector inside proteins. The method is based on experimental evaluation of the permanent dipole moment change upon excitation and the pure electronic transition frequency of a fluorophore embedded in a protein matrix. The permanent dipole moment change can be obtained from two-photon absorption measurements. In addition, permanent dipole moment change, tensor of polarizability change, and transition frequency for the free chromophore should be calculated quantum-mechanically. This allows obtaining the components of the electric field by considering the second-order Stark shift. We use the fluorescent protein mCherry as an example to demonstrate the applicability of the method.
Application of digital computers in spectrochemical analysis—computational methods in photographic microphotometry

Abstract A new method of computation is described for calibration of photographic emulsions and conversion of microphotometer readings to relative intensities on a digital computer with special application to spectrochemical analysis. The method for emulsion calibration replaces graphical procedures by a numerical method which is well suited for digital computations. The method of computation and its underlying assumptions are described, and results are given of tests of the procedure. It is recognized that the entire experimental arrangement is being calibrated, not merely the photographic emulsion, and it is shown how malfunctions of the microphotometer which affect the calibration can be recognized from the output of the computer. The program for conversion of microphotometer readings to relative intensities provides for several alternate calculations, including selection of the proper calibration parameters according to the wavelength of the line when these data are supplied for more than one wavelength region, as well as correction for step and background where required. The program is written to provide for automatic selection of the required alternative calculation, based on a preliminary analysis of the input data.
The Relationship Between Religious Orientation, Right-Wing Authoritarianism, and Implicit Sexual Prejudice

The relationship between intrinsic, extrinsic, and quest religious orientations, right-wing authoritarianism (RWA), and implicit and explicit attitudes toward homosexual individuals were examined within a sample of predominantly Protestant college students in the United States. Implicit attitudes were measured with the Implicit Association Test, a computer program that recorded reaction times as participants categorized symbols (of heterosexual and homosexual individuals) and adjectives (good or bad words). Participants displayed fairly negative implicit and explicit attitudes toward homosexual individuals (i.e., sexual prejudice). Intrinsic religious orientation uniquely predicted increased explicit sexual prejudice (when extrinsic, quest, and impression management were statistically controlled), and RWA appeared to mediate this effect. In contrast, the positive relationship between intrinsic religion and implicit sexual prejudice did not disappear when controlling for RWA. Although RWA seemed to be rela...
Effects of Multiple Estrogen Responsive Elements, Their Spacing, and Location on Estrogen Response of Reporter Genes

Most highly estrogen-responsive genes possess multiple estrogen-responsive elements (EREs) that act synergistically to activate expression. Synergism between EREs appears to depend on structural features of the EREs and the promoter. To examine the activation process, we cloned single or multiple tandem copies of the consensus ERE into reporter plasmids. These plasmids contained either a chloramphenicol acetyl transferase reporter gene driven by a minimal promoter or a luciferase reporter gene driven by the Simian virus 40 (SV40) promoter. Using MCF-7 human breast cancer cells, we demonstrate that synergism among EREs depends on the number of EREs, their spacing, and the distance of the EREs from the promoter. The induction capacity of EREs falls off slowly with distance from the promoter. Remarkably, multiple EREs can induce effectively and synergize even when they are located more than 2000 nucleotides from the promoter. For EREs located immediately upstream of the promoter, both the distance separating the EREs and the distance to the promoter have to be optimal for synergy. Altering either distance changes the response from synergistic to additive. For distant EREs, presumed to interact by a looping mechanism at the promoter, the length of DNA between the EREs and the promoter is not critical. Synergy among closely spaced EREs that are far from the promoter only requires an optimal distance separating the ERE centers of symmetry. Interestingly, very widely separated EREs can also synergize, presumably also because of their ability to interact by looping. The estrogen response from single or multiple tandem copies of ERE half-palindromes near the SV40 promoter was also tested. The negligible induction capacity of a single half-site was not significantly increased in multiple sites. The biological role of half-EREs is not apparent in the system employed here.
Solid-state 31P MAS NMR study of the distribution and reaction of organophosphorus esters adsorbed on synthetic resin catalysts

Abstract A powder containing sorptive and reactive resins that was developed for the removal and subsequent catalytic degradation of toxic organophosphorus esters is characterized using dimethyl methylphosphonate (DMMP), p-nitrophenyl diphenylphosphate (PNDP), and 31P MAS NMR. The results for DMMP confirm, spectroscopically, that the adsorbed ester is distributed between the sorptive and reactive resin components. Spectra of the DMMP surface probe adsorbed on the resin are indicative of two different adsorption sites, one possessing a much larger capacity compared with the other. The large-capacity site is identified as the sorptive macroreticular ‘porous’ region of the resin. The smaller-capacity site seems to be associated with the reactive quaternary ammonium hydroxide functional groups of the ion-exchange resin. At each type of site, adsorbed DMMP exhibits ‘liquid-like’ isotropic motion; however, the molecules do not appear to be able to rapidly migrate between the sorptive and reactive regions. Variable-temperature 31P MAS NMR results for DMMP demonstrate that any molecular exchange between these sites must be occurring at a rate of less than 300 s−1, even at 50 °C. PNDP hydrolyzes on the resin powder to yield diphenyl phosphate (DPP) and p-nitrophenoxide. A second 31P MAS NMR resonance is not observed for PNDP adsorbed at the reactive sites; however, the anionic DPP product appears to be tightly bound by the quaternary amine ion-exchange group, which may block further PNDP hydrolysis at the reactive site.
Inflammatory bowel disease: one or two diseases?

This chapter addresses the longstanding question of whether inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is really one or two diseases. The straightforward answer is that ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohn’s disease (CD) embody separate diseases more than a single syndrome. In reality, however, the question is more complex. This chapter makes the case that there are actually many more than just two diseases under the rubric of IBD.
Effective medium approximation for the conductivity of sensible heat in dry snow

Abstract We developed an inductive model for thermal conductivity of sensible heat of deposited snow using random resistance network theory and parametric statistics. The model identifies the geometric quantities that determine this physical property. It allows us to quantitatively link conductivity to natural transformations that are known to change conductivity and increases our ability to test such theories experimentally. We are now able to show how microstructural quantities such as grain size distribution and average coordination number interact with each other to govern conductivity. These results may easily be extended to other porous geological and industrial materials.
Application of robotics in blood banking.

The word “robot” became part of the English language with the translation of Karel Capek’s play R.U.R. (Rossum’s Universal Robots) in 1932. In the play the robots were humanoid creations, which were developed to perform obediently in the service of mankind. The early conception was that of a mechanical man, capable of human actions and speech but having subhuman intelligence and superhuman strength. Science fiction of those years portrayed robots with sinister intentions. In the 1940’s Isaac Asimov envisioned robots as benevolent servants, with fail safe circuitry to ensure that they always “keep their place”. He was the first to use the word “robotics” to describe the development of mobile, intelligent machines.
The funding crisis in biomedical research, Part I--Addressing the issue.

Abstract The National Academy of Sciences, Institute of Medicine, concerned about the funding crisis affecting the new researcher, conducted a national forum recently to address the issue and develop some options ∗ ∗"Part II-Options for Action" will be published in the March–April 1991 issue. toward its resolution.
Incorporation of Biomarker Assessment in Novel Clinical Trial Designs: Personalizing Brain Tumor Treatments

Advances in molecular genetics have aided the identification of potential biomarkers with significant clinical promise in neurooncology. These advances and the evolution of targeted therapeutics necessitate the development and incorporation of innovative clinical trial designs that can effectively validate and assess the clinical utility of biomarkers. In this article, we review the use and potential of several such designs in neurooncology trials in order to support the development of personalized treatment approaches for brain tumor patients.
Medvedev Degrees of Generalized R.E. separating Classes

Important examples of @P"1^0 classes of functions f@?@w@w are the classes of sets (elements of 2@w) which separate a given pair of disjoint r.e. sets: S"2(A"0,A"1):={f@?2@w:(@?i i}. A wider class consists of the classes of functions f@?k@w which in a generalized sense separate a k-tuple of r.e. sets (not necessarily pairwise disjoint) for each k@?@w: S"k(A"0,...,A"k"-"1):={f@?k@w:(@?ii}. We study the structure of the Medvedev degrees of such classes and show that the set of degrees realized depends strongly on both k and the extent to which the r.e. sets intersect. Let S"k^m denote the Medvedev degrees of those S"k(A"0,...,A"k"-"1) such that no m+1 sets among A"0,...,A"k"-"1 have a nonempty intersection. It is shown that each S"k^m is an upper semi-lattice but not a lattice. The degree of the set of k-ary diagonally nonrecursive functions DNR"k is the greatest element of S"k^1. If 2@?l
Durable antibacterial Ag/polyacrylonitrile (Ag/PAN) hybrid nanofibers prepared by atmospheric plasma treatment and electrospinning

Abstract Durable antibacterial Ag/polyacrylonitrile (Ag/PAN) hybrid nanofibers were prepared by atmospheric plasma treatment and electrospinning. Atmospheric helium plasma treatment was first used to reduce the AgNO 3 precursor in pre-electrospinning solutions into metallic silver nanoparticles, followed by electrospinning into continuous and smooth nanofibers with Ag nanoparticles embedded in the matrix. SEM, TEM, and EDX spectra were used to study the structure and surface elemental composition of the nanofibers. Silver nanoparticles, with diameters ranging between 3 and 6 nm, were found to be uniformly dispersed in the nanofiber matrix. The Ag/PAN nanofibers exhibited slow and long-lasting silver ion release, which provided robust antibacterial activity against both Gram-positive Bacillus cereus and Gram-negative Escherichia coli microorganisms.
Does formal system dynamics training improve people's understanding of accumulation?

Research shows widespread misunderstanding of stocks and fl ows, even among highly educated adults. People fail to grasp that any stock rises (falls) when the infl ow exceeds (is less than) the outfl ow. Rather, people often use the correlation heuristic, concluding that a system’s output is positively correlated with its inputs. Although many argue that system dynamics training will help, evidence is scant. This paper reports an experiment with MIT graduate students to assess the impact of an introductory system dynamics course on intuitive understanding of accumulation. Results show large, statistically signifi cant improvements in overall performance and a reduction in the prevalence of the correlation heuristic. Modest exposure to stocks and fl ows improves understanding of accumulation, at least among these highly educated adults. However, a minority still show evidence of correlational reasoning. The discussion considers additional experiments to deepen our knowledge of the training required to develop people’s intuitive understanding of accumulation. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Syst. Dyn. Rev. 26, 316‐334 (2010) Supporting information may be found in the online version of this article.
Sex Differences in College Students’ Free Drawings and Their Relationship to 2D:4D Ratio and Recalled Childhood Play Behavior

In a prior study, we observed that female-typical characteristics in elementary school girls’ drawings were correlated with a feminized digit ratio (2D:4D), a marker for prenatal androgen exposure. However, this observation was limited to older girls, suggesting that social factors mediate the relationship between 2D:4D and drawing. To examine the hypothesis that the influence of prenatal androgen on girls’ drawing is mediated by an effect of early androgens on sex-typical behavior, we examined 2D:4D, free drawings, and scores on the Recalled Childhood Gender Identity (RCGI) Questionnaire in a population of college students. Characteristics of participants’ free drawings were assessed and those that showed sex differences were compared with 2D:4D and RCGI scores. Men had smaller 2D:4D ratios than women, used fewer total colors, used fewer pinks, purples, and blues, and had higher gender-typical scores on the RCGI. Women’s drawings were more likely to contain flowers and animals and men’s drawings were more likely to represent sports. Within-sex RCGI and 2D:4D scores were not significantly correlated. Significant within-sex relationships between 2D:4D and RCGI and drawing behavior were observed but the effects appeared to be independent; the hypothesis that gender-typical childhood behavior mediates the effect of prenatal androgen on drawing characteristics was not supported.
Remote sensing science applications in arid environments

Abstract Remote sensing in aridland/rangeland regions has developed to meet the need for low cost management information over large expanses of land. Applications include rangeland management, watershed analysis, antidesertification, wildlife habitat management, mine waste reclamation, management of the arid land-irrigated agriculture interface, and outdoor recreation. Unique remote sensing problems in arid regions are related to sparse vegetation, multiple species, and considerable bare ground. Thus spectral interpretations must consider: multiple intermingled green and senescent species; considerable bare ground which includes cryptogamic soil crusts and powdery, endurated, or salinized surfaces; standing dead vegetation; litter; and shadows. Pixel modeling will be required in these heterogeneous environments. In particular, the lack of greenness tends to preclude the application of vegetation indices based on infrared/red ratios. New interpretation approaches to scene understanding, such as those included in this issue, should lead to useful procedures for aridlands.
Multiracial versus Collective Black Categories: Examining Census Classification Debates in Brazil

Current census debates in Brazil surrounding Brazilian race categories center on two contrasting proposals: the adoption of the multiracial moreno term vs. the use of the collective black classification negro. Those proposing the former base their argument on the right to self-classify according to one’s own sense of identity. Proponents of the negro category contend that it would be most efficient for redressing racial discrimination. We examine the meaning and saliency of these categories and explore the possible consequences of their adoption. Using national survey data, we demonstrate how education, age, color, sex and local racial composition structure the choices of moreno and negro over official census terms. Findings include a negative correlation between education and the choice of moreno, while the opposite is true for negro. In addition, an age effect on both categories suggests a popular shift in racial labeling away from official census terms. We note that similar issues structure current cen...
Effects of pneumatic screwdrivers and workstations on inexperienced and experienced operator performance

Abstract This study investigated the effects of pneumatic screwdriver characteristics and workpiece orientation on operator productivity. Operators used four pneumatic screwdrivers (two pistol and two straight grip) representing two different clutch types (positive and automatic air shut-off). The two grip types represented both fast (1700 RPM) and slow (1000 RPM) motor speeds. The pneumatic screwdrivers were used at each of three different workstations representing different workpiece orientations (horizontal workpiece at a fixed height, horizontal workpiece with an adjustable height, and angled workpiece with adjustable height). In the first phase of the study, 18 university students (inexperienced operators) participated in a simulated furniture assembly operation. In the second phase, 16 experienced employees of a furniture manufacturing facility participated in an actual furniture assembly operation. The results of the study indicate that operators took longer to complete the required tasks and made more errors when the straight grip screwdrivers were used than when the pistol grip screwdrivers were used. These differences were more pronounced at the end of the task than at the beginning of the task. No strong performance differences were found among the three different workstations used.
Innovative methods in assessing political risk for business internationalization

Abstract Political risk assessment, together with portfolio analysis, has become an important part of international business investment decision making. In this paper, by using different knowledge discovery techniques, we attempt to assess the relevance and actionability of ‘good governance’ indicators in political risk assessment. For that purpose, we have integrated good governance indicators data with political instability classification from the Political Instability Task Force (PITF) research. From this study, two models that capture the intuitive reasoning of investors have been developed. The usefulness of the models has been evaluated by comparison with factual investment data. Our findings suggest that quantitative indicators of good governance may provide the basis for accurate and meaningful models for the assessment and prediction of political risk.
Overexpression of hMTH in peripheral lymphocytes and risk of prostate cancer: a case-control analysis.

Oxidative damage is an important factor in prostate carcinogenesis, and overexpression of human MutT homolog (hMTH), a repair gene that removes oxidative damage, is a molecular marker of cellular oxidative stress. Therefore, we tested the hypothesis that overexpression of hMTH in unaffected (normal) surrogate tissue is associated with risk of prostate cancer in a pilot study of 51 patients with diagnosed prostate cancer and 50 age- and ethnicity-matched controls. Total RNA was extracted from phytohemagglutinin-stimulated peripheral blood lymphocytes of these subjects. We performed the real-time reverse transcription–polymerase chain reaction assay to evaluate the relative mRNA expression of three oxidative-damage-repair genes, human MutM homolog (hMMH), hMTH, and human MutY homolog (hMYH), with β-actin and human O6-methylguanine DNA methyltransferase (hMGMT) as the internal controls. The relative gene expression levels of hMMH and hMTH were borderline higher in the cases than in controls (15.3% and 28.8% higher, respectively; P = 0.046 and P = 0.035, respectively), whereas no increase was observed for hMYH and hMGMT. With the median of the controls' values as the cutoff point, we observed that a high expression level of hMTH, but not of other genes, was associated with a significantly increased risk of prostate cancer (odds ratio = 2.62; 95% confidence interval = 1.13–6.75) after adjustment for age and ethnicity. These results suggested that increased expression of hMTH in peripheral lymphocytes may be a risk factor for prostate cancer and support our priori hypothesis. Although our findings were biologically plausible and consistent with the literature, they were preliminary and need to be confirmed in larger studies. In addition, a correlation between the expression level of hMTH and the level of oxidative DNA damage in the target tissues needs to be established as well. © 2003 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Effect of chlorine injury on some virulence‐related properties of campylobacter jejuni

Sublethal injury and virulence‐related phenotypes were examined in three strains of Campylobacter jejuni following exposure to different levels of chlorine. All three bacteria displayed similar susceptibilities to chlorine as Escherichia coli and other coliform bacteria. Decreased attachment to HeLa cells was observed in all three strains after chlorine injury. In addition, with injury there was six‐fold less HeLa cell invasion in the one strain capable of relatively high levels of penetration. These findings are consistent with previous results obtained using other enteropathogenic bacteria, suggesting that virulence‐related properties of these bacteria may be reduced following sublethal chlorine disinfection in water.
Remote sensing of breaking wave phase speeds with application to non-linear depth inversions

Abstract A number of existing models for surface wave phase speeds (linear and non-linear, breaking and non-breaking waves) are reviewed and tested against phase speed data from a large-scale laboratory experiment. The results of these tests are utilized in the context of assessing the potential improvement gained by incorporating wave non-linearity in phase speed based depth inversions. The analysis is focused on the surf zone, where depth inversion accuracies are known to degrade significantly. The collected data includes very high-resolution remote sensing video and surface elevation records from fixed, in-situ wave gages. Wave phase speeds are extracted from the remote sensing data using a feature tracking technique, and local wave amplitudes are determined from the wave gage records and used for comparisons to non-linear phase speed models and for non-linear depth inversions. A series of five different regular wave conditions with a range of non-linearity and dispersion characteristics are analyzed and results show that a composite dispersion relation, which includes both non-linearity and dispersion effects, best matches the observed phase speeds across the domain and hence, improves surf zone depth estimation via depth inversions. Incorporating non-linearity into the phase speed model reduces errors to O (10%), which is a level previously found for depth inversions with small amplitude waves in intermediate water depths using linear dispersion. Considering the controlled conditions and extensive ground truth, this appears to be a practical limit for phase speed-based depth inversions. Finally, a phase speed sensitivity analysis is performed that indicates that typical nearshore sand bars should be resolvable using phase speed depth inversions. However, increasing wave steepness degrades the sensitivity of this inversion method.
Access NOx and NOy measurements on‐line

An archive of previously published, but not publicly archived, in situ measurements of NO1, NO2 and NOy (total reactive nitrogen) in the atmosphere is now accessible by anonymous ftp at the University of Michigan. Measurements from the nonurban surface, boundary layer, free troposphere and lower stratosphere, for all seasons over the past 10 years have been included in the archive. Any coincident measurements of other species or parameters, such as temperature or winds, have also been included. These data sets and the climatologies compiled from them will be used in conjunction with model results to assess our level of understanding of tropospheric photochemistry.
Optimization of a coded aperture coherent scatter spectral imaging system for medical imaging

Coherent scatter X-ray imaging is a technique that provides spatially-resolved information about the molecular structure of the material under investigation, yielding material-specific contrast that can aid medical diagnosis and inform treatment. In this study, we demonstrate a coherent-scatter imaging approach based on the use of coded apertures (known as coded aperture coherent scatter spectral imaging1, 2) that enables fast, dose-efficient, high-resolution scatter imaging of biologically-relevant materials. Specifically, we discuss how to optimize a coded aperture coherent scatter imaging system for a particular set of objects and materials, describe and characterize our experimental system, and use the system to demonstrate automated material detection in biological tissue.
Metarhodopsin intermediates of the Gecko cone pigment P521

Cone visual pigments are responsible for color vision. Using low-temperature spectroscopy and linear/logarithmic time scale flash photolysis, we studied the photochemistry of the cone visual pigment P521 from the lizard Gekko gekko. We found both meta I and meta II intermediates in this cone pigment; meta I absorbs at 480 nm, and meta II absorbs at ca. 380 nm. The formation of meta I is a fast process with a lifetime of 2.8 microseconds for the slow component (pH 6.70, 8.0 degrees C, 2% digitonin) compared to 2.1 microseconds for bovine rhodopsin under these conditions. The formation of meta II does not have single-exponential kinetics but can be better characterized by fast and slow components. High pH favors faster kinetics of meta II formation, but less is formed. The amount of meta II formed has a pKa of 8.7. The fast component of the meta II formation seems to have a somewhat lower pKa (e.g., 6.4). Temperature also affects meta II formation, with high temperature favoring a faster rate and larger amounts. The higher pKa of the meta I to meta II transition in gecko P521 compared to a rod pigment like bovine rhodopsin (pKa = 6.4) probably is due to a cysteine residue at position 211 in gecko rather than a histidine residue in bovine rhodopsin.
SYMMETRY ENERGY AND THE ISOTOPIC SPIN DEPENDENCE OF THE SINGLE-PARTICLE POTENTIAL IN NUCLEAR MATTER

Nuclear matter with a given neutron excess is treated within the frame of the K-matrix theory. General expressions for the symmetry energy epsilon / sub eym/ and the single-particle potential are obtained with the help of the reaction matrix that depends on two different Fermi momenta for neutrons and protons. In particular, an expression for the isotopic spin-dependent part U/sub 1/ of the single -particle potential is obtained, and then specialized for single particles at the Fermi surface. With suitable approximations, numerical values of epsilon /sub sym/ and U/sub 1/ at the Fermi surface are obtained with the help of the Bruckner-Gammel solution for nuclear matter. The results are: epsilon /sym/ = 64 Mev, U/sub 1/(k/sub F/) = 126 Mev. (auth)
Light emitting electrochemical devices from sequentially adsorbed multilayers of a polymeric ruthenium (II) complex and various polyanions

Abstract We have fabricated light emitting devices based on sequentially adsorbed multilayers of an electrochemiluminescent active ruthenium (II) complex, Ru(bpy)32+ polyester, and various polyanions including a small molecule Ru(II) dye, sulfonated poly(p-phenylene), sulfonated polystyrene, poly(methacrylic acid) and poly(acrylic acid). Thicknesses per bilayer (polycation plus polyanion) ranging from 7 to 59 A were obtained by changing the nature of the polyanion. Our results revealed that the nature of the polyanion does not influence the optical transitions of the Ru(II) complex. Device performance, however, was dramatically dependent on the type of polyanion used. Symmetric behavior was exhibited from devices fabricated with polyanions containing weakly acidic carboxylic acid groups whereas more diode-like behavior was observed from the devices fabricated with polyanions containing the strongly acidic sulfonic acid group. Our best devices to date utilize poly(acrylic acid) as the polyanion and exhibit an external quantum efficiency of 3.2% (photons/electron) and a maximum light output of about 1350 nW (40 cd/m2).
Excimer laser projection patterning with and without resists

Projection imaging with the deep-UV (193 nm) and VUV (157 nm) output of an excimer laser has been applied to submicrometer patterning of thin films by injected-defect, surface-chemical, and solid-transformation processing. The methods have been designed to take advantage of the short-wavelength, high-peak-intensity pulsed radiation from these sources. Examples are described of pattern definition by exposure of multilayer organic resists, by maskless etching and doping of solids in reactive vapors, and by solid-state chemical transformations in inorganic Al/0 films. Well-resolved 0.4-μm lines and spaces have been achieved. Required doses, between 0.04 and 1 J/cm2, are compatible with single- or multi-pulse step-and-repeat projection patterning with a small excimer laser.