cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Modeling the economic impact of incoming tropical cyclones using machine learning

Hurricanes and tropical storms are natural hazards with the capacity to devastate coastal regions. Understanding this catastrophic potential is critical to support informed decision-making at local, state, and federal levels. The primary objective of this research is to use machine learning to rigorously explore and quantify the relationship of tropical cyclone characteristics to their destructive outcomes on the coast of the USA. Historical data on hurricanes and tropical storms are identified and curated to support supervised learning. A novel storm damage ratio is introduced to address the inherent challenge of comparing damage to regions with distinct assets and population. Multiple mathematical models to predict economic impacts from tropical events are created using machine learning methods, and the results are compared. Finally, the storm features that most influence the accuracy of predictions are identified and ranked.
The Mathematics and Science Teacher Shortage: Fact and Myth

Contemporary educational thought holds that one of the pivotal causes of inadequate school performance is the inability of schools to adequately staff classrooms with qualified teachers, especially in fields such as mathematics and science. Shortages of teachers, it is commonly believed, are at the root of these staffing problems, and these shortfalls are, in turn, primarily due to recent increases in teacher retirements and student enrollments. The objective of this study is to empirically reexamine the issue of mathematics and science teacher shortages and to evaluate the extent to which there is a supply-side deficit—a shortage—of new teachers in these particular fields. The data utilized in this investigation are from three sources—the Schools and Staffing Survey and its supplement, the Teacher Follow-Up Survey; the Integrated Postsecondary Educational Data System; and the Baccalaureate and Beyond Survey, all conducted by the National Center for Education Statistics. The data show that there are indeed widespread school staffing problems—that is, many schools experience difficulties filling their classrooms with qualified candidates, especially in the fields of math and science. But, contrary to conventional wisdom, the data also show that these school staffing problems are not solely, or even primarily, due to shortages in the sense that too few new mathematics and science teachers are produced each year. The data document that the new supply of mathematics and science teachers is more than sufficient to cover the losses of teachers due to retirement. For instance, in 2000 there were over two and half teachers in the new supply of math teachers for every one math teacher who retired that year. However, when preretirement teacher turnover is factored in, there is a much tighter balance between the new supply of mathematics and science teachers and losses. The data also shows that turnover varies greatly between different types of schools and these differences are tied to the characteristics and conditions of those schools. While it is true that teacher retirements are increasing, the overall volume of turnover accounted for by retirement is relatively minor when compared with that resulting from other causes, such as teacher job dissatisfaction and teachers seeking to pursue better jobs or other careers. Disciplines Educational Administration and Supervision | Science and Mathematics Education | Teacher Education and Professional Development Comments View on the CPRE website. This report is available at ScholarlyCommons: http://repository.upenn.edu/cpre_researchreports/51 The Consortium for Policy Research in Education includes: University of Pennsylvania Teachers College Columbia University Harvard University Stanford University University of Michigan University of Wisconsin-Madison Northwestern University The Mathematics and Science Teacher Shortage: Fact and Myth
Expansion property of feedforward convolutional encoders

We study the input/output (i/o) relations of feedforward convolutional encoders. Namely, we investigate expansion factor /spl delta/, which measures the increase in distance from input sequence pairs to their corresponding code sequence pairs. We derive a bound to /spl delta/ based on the code's weight profile. We discuss how extending the memory affects /spl delta/. >
Osage orange pigments—XVII.

Abstract 1,3,6,7-Tetrahydroxyxanthone has been isolated from the heartwood of the osage orange ( Maclura pomifera Raf.). The occurrence in this wood of morin and of 2,3′,4,5′-tetrahydroxystilbene has been confirmed. Certain biogenetic relationships among the eight known pigments of this tree are discussed.
Listening spaces : Espais que escolten

Un paradigmatic canvi de perspectiva caracteritza el nostre horitzo. Davant d'un cos que cada dia s'esten mes en l'espai, a traves del radi d'accio dels seus sensors i telecomandaments, l'arquitectura experimenta la seva propia manera d'esdevenir corporia, sensible, reactiva, interconnexa.L'arquitectura es converteix en la possibilitat de projectar espais que hi veuen, que miren, que escolten, que es nodreixen de l'energia solar o que s'adapten a les condicions climatiques, espais que, com els cossos dels organismes vius, viuen en estat d'equilibri dinamic, intercanviant incessantment informacions i energia tant amb l'home com amb l'ambient.El text argumenta aquesta tesi mitjancant l'analisi de quatre projectes diferents, tots nascuts en un context que traspassa les fronteres de les disciplines, a cavall entre la recerca artistica, cientifica i arquitectonica: Ada (un espai intel·ligent projectat per l'Institut de Neuroinformatica de Zuric), Makrolab (una unitat habitable per a la supervivencia en ambients aillats projectada per l'artista eslove Marco Peljan), Blur (un nuvol artificial / pavello d'exposicio projectat pels artistes arquitectes Elizabeth Diller i Ricardo Scofidio) i E-Sparks (una instal·lacio audiovisual basada en un sistema de vida artificial projectada pels artistes cientifics del Plancton Art Studio). Malgrat les diferencies de pressuposits teorics i llenguatge formal, tots aquests projectes tenen en comu que son al mateix temps una maquina fisica (maquinari) i una de no fisica (programari), que son fets al mateix temps de materia (mes o menys tradicional en si i en el seu muntatge) i d'informacio, codificada segons una modalitat i una finalitat l'especificitat de les quals es part integrant de l'especificitat del projecte.I es precisament en la presencia d'aquest element no fisic, d'elaboracio de la informacio, que tots aquests projectes basen la possibilitat d'una nova capacitat de relacio activa entre l'edifici i el paisatge local, entre l'home i l'ambient global.
Negotiators’ Information Sharing: The Effects of Opponent Behavior and Information about Previous Negotiators’ Performance

In this study, we investigate the effects of three factors upon negotiators’ information sharing: (a) the opponent’s information sharing, (b) the opponent’s call for information sharing, and (c) information about previous negotiators’ performance. To test the effects of the factors, we had 120 subjects participate in a laboratory experiment wherein they negotiated over three issues. The results indicate that negotiators share more information (i.e., disclose information about their BATNA and about their payoffs) when their opponents share information (i.e., disclose information about BATNA and about payoffs) and when their opponents call for the negotiators to share information. Information about the previous negotiators’ performance did not affect the negotiators’ own information sharing. However, the negotiators did have high aspirations when presented with a mix of information—that some previous negotiators had attained high outcomes and others had attained low outcomes.
Mechanism of Erythrocyte Aggregation and Sedimentation

Unstirred suspensions of erythrocytes form stable spherical aggregates of uniform size. The radius of the spheres depends upon the suspending medium and the hematocrit. Erythrocyte suspensions will undergo sedimentation only after these aggregates are formed. Aggregation is a two-step process: first, erythrocytes associate in long chains (rouleau formation). Next, these chains form spheres of uniform size. The requirements for this well-defined process are an electrolyte and a neutral or negatively charged macromolecule in the solution and a metabolically active red cell. If these conditions are not met, red cells either will not aggregate at all or will form amorphous aggregates. Rouleau formation and sedimentation are inhibited by 4,4′- diisothiocyanatostilbene-2,2′-disulfonic acid, an inhibitor of anion transport, but not by ouabain, a cation transport inhibitor. The kinetics of erythrocyte sedimentation reflects the aforementioned mechanism: no sedimentation occurs during rouleau formation. Once the spheres of uniform size are formed, they will settle according to the Einstein-Stokes equation. In this model, parameters of sedimentation kinetics are the delay before sedimentation starts, the rate of sedimentation in the steady state, and the radius of the sedimenting aggregate. The radius can be calculated from the rate of fall of the aggregates and agrees well with the microscopically observed radius. It is inversely proportional to the hematocrit, which explains the elevated sedimentation rates in anemia.
Crystal structure of a small heat-shock protein.

The principal heat-shock proteins that have chaperone activity (that is, they protect newly made proteins from misfolding) belong to five conserved classes: HSP100, HSP90, HSP70, HSP60 and the small heat-shock proteins (sHSPs). The sHSPs can form large multimeric structures and have a wide range of cellular functions, including endowing cells with thermotolerance in vivo1,2 and being able to act as molecular chaperones in vitro3,4,5,6,7,8; sHSPs do this by forming stable complexes with folding intermediates of their protein substrates9,10. However, there is little information available about these structures or the mechanism by which substrates are protected from thermal denaturation by sHSPs. Here we report the crystal structure of a small heat-shock protein from Methanococcus jannaschii, a hyperthermophilic archaeon. The monomeric folding unit is a composite β-sandwich in which one of the β-strands comes from a neighbouring molecule. Twenty-four monomers form a hollow spherical complex of octahedral symmetry, with eight trigonal and six square ‘windows’. The sphere has an outer diameter of 120 A and an inner diameter of 65 A.
Nonlinear 3PB and 4PB Flexural Behavior and Softening Localization for Epoxy Resin E 863 Using Digital Image Correlation Technique

The effect of local strain and stress distribution in the polymeric material under out of plane loading is of interest in many applications. Flexural testing of the polymer resins is necessary to evaluate their mechanical behavior. In this paper, the flexural response of polymer resin Epon 863 mixed with the curing agent EPI-CURE 3290 using a 100/27 weight ratio has been investigated in threepoint bending (3PB) and four-point bending (4PB) at different strain rates. Beams with different lengths and span to depth ratios were tested. Results show a higher flexural strength for 4PB than 3PB. Strain fields within the polymer beam structure were determined using the digital image correlation (DIC) technique to study the evolution of softening localization in 3PB and 4PB setups. Results show that the length of the softening localization is less than half of the thickness throughout the loading. The DIC technique was used to obtain the location of the neutral axis in the nonlinear stage of the material behavior. Results indicate the nonlinear variations of the neutral axis location for epoxy resin Epon E 863. The results show that the DIC technique can accurately characterize the material response of an epoxy resin for flexural loading.
Exploring patterns in time children spend in a variety of child care activities: associations with environmental quality, ethnicity, and gender ☆

Abstract In order to build from previous research examining children’s activities and interaction in child care programs, the current study explored whether children’s experiences in child care programs were associated with individual (ethnicity, gender, age) and classroom (environmental quality) characteristics. Using cluster analysis with a randomly selected sample of the participants ( n =1,052), groups were developed to represent differences in how children divided their time among a set of activities and interactions. These initial groupings were then validated using the second half of the sample ( n =1,142). The resulting clusters identified six patterns in how children spent their time: creative, language arts, didactic, gross motor, high-level adult involvement, and individualized adult interactions. Multinomial logit analysis indicated that individual (ethnicity, gender) and classroom (environmental quality) characteristics were related to how children spent their time but that patterns of associations among the variables for children aged 10–36 months were different from patterns of associations seen among children 37 months and older. The results suggest that researchers need to further explore the ways that ethnicity and gender shape children’s experiences in child care programs.
The relationship between microstructure and magnetoelastic response in the magneto strictive amorphous alloy Co47.4Fe31.6Si2B19 after magnetic field annealing

Abstract Activation of the magnetostrictive sensors is achieved by magnetization of the ferromagnetic biasing element. This bias field causes the magneto strictive element to operate near the so-called “knee” of its M-H curve. However, magnetic biasing element complicates the mechanical design and adds cost to the marker structure. It is, therefore, of primary concern to provide a magnetomechanical marker which avoids the need to use a separate biasing element. In order to make a “self-biased” sensor, two-step magnetic annealing of the magnetostrictive amorphous alloy with Co 47.4 Fe 31.6 Si 2 B 19 composition was devised. After annealing, the surface was fully crystallized and formation of α-iron crystallites was observed in the bulk of the amorphous ribbon. With this surface layer and the low density of α-iron particles in the bulk of the ribbon, a reasonably long ring-down time was achieved. The low acoustic and eddy current loss appear to be attributable to the low density of α-iron particles in the bulk of the ribbon. It appears that this crystallized surface layer can replace a bias magnet since the semi-hard surface layer fixes the magnetic domain configuration which is necessary for the operation of the sensor material. It was also found that microstructural changes during magnetic field annealing appear to be critical to the tag performance.
A Survey of Demographics and Performance in the Hedge Fund Industry

We investigate hedge fund demographics using data from the Alternative Asset Center (AAC) and then hedge fund performance over the twelve years since inception of the Credit Suisse/Tremont Hedge Fund Indices (HFI, 1994–2005). We find that hedge funds are largely domiciled “offshore” while hedge-fund managers are located primarily in the United States, particularly New York, California, Illinois, Connecticut and Florida. We find that the annualized performance of hedge funds as an “asset class” is about the same as that of U.S. equities (S&P 500). That being said, the real benefit of hedge funds lies in risk management as the volatility of HFI is considerably lower than the stock market. We also find that most hedge-fund “styles” provide solid absolute and risk-adjusted returns and conclude that hedge funds have been a worthwhile investment vehicle for fund indexers and active investors.
Characterization of human liver (4-methylumbelliferyl-α-d-N-acetylneuraminic acid) neuraminidase activity

1. 1. The conditions of a linear assay for 4-methylumbelliferyl-α-d-n-acetylneuraminic acid (4-MU-NANA) neuraminidase activity in human liver have been determined and an acidic liver neuraminidase has been characterized with a pH optimum between 4.4 and 4.8 and an apparent Michaelis constant of O.11 ± O.02 mM for 4-MU-NANA. This acidic neuraminidase is labile to freezing, heating and various storage conditions. 2. 2. The great majority of human liver neuraminidase activity is found in resuspended pellets after homogenization and centrifugation. A small amount of this resuspended pellet activity can be solubilized with the nonionic detergent Triton X-100. 3. 3. The properties of human liver neuraminidase are compared to those of other mammalian neuraminidases.
Comparison of the coagulant activities of platelets and phospholipids.

Summary. The coagulant activities of various phospholipid preparations were compared with those of platelets. Folch phospholipid with maximal platelet factor 3 (PF3) activity produced long recalcified clotting times of relatively undiluted plasma in plastic tubes whereas untreated or ADP-treated platelets with minimal PF3 activity produced short clotting times in the same test system which is sensitive to activators of the contact system of intrinsic coagulation. Bell and Alton phospholipids with maximal PF3 activity produced recalcified clotting times similar to those in the presence of platelets. Bell and Alton phospholipids had tissue factor activity, but Folch phospholipid and platelets did not. Bell and Alton phospholipids and gum acacia (used as a vehicle in one of the preparations) activated factor XII as did platelets, but Folch phospholipid did not. The multiple coagulant activies of Bell and Alton phospholipids (i.e. PF3, tissue factor and contact activating) may account for the absence of coagulant superiority of platelets in the undiluted system in plastic tubes. The coagulant activities of platelets are also complex but different from Bell and Alton phospholipids whereas Folch phospholipid would appear to possess only PF3 activity.
Neocortical influence on the amygdala.

Abstract 1. 1. Under critical levels of anesthesia, potentials can be evoked from the basal and lateral nuclei of the amygdala by electrical stimulation of: (a) sensorimotor, (b) lateral, (c) suprasylvian, (d) coronal, (e) ectosylvian, (f) posterior inferior suprasylvian, (g) posterior inferior ectosylvian, and (h) anterior sylvian gyri. 2. 2. When anesthetic, stimulus levels, and amygdalar recording site are kept the same, the neocortically evoked amygdalar potentials can be graded according to the degree of amygdalar response amplitude and length of delay period between conditioning and test cortical stimuli into several cortical groups, viz .: 3. u 4. Group 1: cortices which evoke amygdalar responses of small amplitude and in conditioning experiments can affect a test evoked amygdalar potential only at relatively short inter-stimulus intervals. These cortices are: sigmoid, lateral, and suprasylvian gyri . 5. Group 2: cortices which evoke amygdalar potentials of medium amplitude and exert a conditioning effect at delay periods of medium length. These are: the coronal, and anterior and posterior ectosylvian gyri . 6. Group 3: cortices which evoke amygdalar potentials of large amplitude and are characterized by conditioning effects even at relatively long inter-stimuli delays. These are: the posterior inferior portions of the ectosylvian and suprasylvian gyri . 7. Group 4: the cortex which evokes amygdalar potentials of largest amplitude and when conditionally stimulated obliterates test cortically evoked amygdalar potentials at longest delay intervals. This is the anterior sylvian gyrus . 8. 3. Based on purely neurophysiological methods, it appears most likely that a diffuse neocortico-amygdalar projection exists in which, nevertheless, the temporo-insulo-occipital cortex is dominant over sensory and associational cortico-amygdalar projections. 9. 4. Suggestions are made concerning the manner in which the neocortex might influence the modulatory functions of the amygdala on lower integrating mechanisms.
Gene expression changes in the medial prefrontal cortex and nucleus accumbens following abstinence from cocaine self-administration

Many studies of cocaine-responsive gene expression have focused on changes occurring during cocaine exposure, but few studies have examined the persistence of these changes with cocaine abstinence. Persistent changes in gene expression, as well as alterations induced during abstinence may underlie long-lasting drug craving and relapse liability. Whole-genome expression analysis was conducted on a rat cocaine binge-abstinence model that has previously been demonstrated to engender increased drug seeking and taking with abstinence. Gene expression changes in two mesolimbic terminal fields (mPFC and NAc) were identified in a comparison of cocaine-naive rats with rats after 10 days of cocaine self-administration followed by 1, 10, or 100 days of enforced abstinence (n = 6-11 per group). A total of 1,461 genes in the mPFC and 414 genes in the NAc were altered between at least two time points (ANOVA, p < 0.05; ± 1.4 fold-change). These genes can be subdivided into: 1) changes with cocaine self-administration that do not persist into periods of abstinence, 2) changes with cocaine self-administration that persist with abstinence, 3) and those not changed with cocaine self-administration, but changed during enforced abstinence. qPCR analysis was conducted to confirm gene expression changes observed in the microarray analysis. Together, these changes help to illuminate processes and networks involved in abstinence-induced behaviors, including synaptic plasticity, MAPK signaling, and TNF signaling.
Boolean Algebra from the Lattice Point of View

Using lattices, presents Boolean Algebra, which is usually introduced using its postulate‐oriented approach. Relationships among sets, relations, lattices and Boolean algebra are shown to form a distributive but not complemented lattice. Provides examples together with corresponding Hasse diagrams. References useful application areas.
Physician Office Visits for Low Back Pain: Frequency, Clinical Evaluation, and Treatment Patterns From a U.S. National Survey

Study Design.This study is an analysis of national survey data from 5 sample years.Objectives.The authors characterized the frequency of office visits for low back pain, the content of ambulatory care, and how these vary by physician specialty.Summary of Background Data.Few recent data are available
Phosphorylation-induced structural changes in the amyloid precursor protein cytoplasmic tail detected by NMR.

The cytoplasmic tail of the amyloid precursor protein (APPc) interacts with several cellular factors implicated in intracellular signaling or proteolytic production of amyloid beta peptide found in senile plaques of Alzheimer's disease patients. APPc contains two threonine residues (654 and 668 relative to APP695, or 6 and 20 relative to APPc) and a serine residue (655 or 7, respectively) that are known to be phosphorylated in vivo and may play regulatory roles in these events. We show by solution NMR spectroscopy of a 49 residue cytoplasmic tail peptide (APP-C) that in all three cases, phosphorylation induces changes in backbone dihedral angles that can be attributed to formation of local hydrogen bonds between the phosphate group and nearby amide protons. Phosphorylation of S7 also induces chemical shift changes in the hydrophobic cluster (residues I8-V13), indicating additional medium-range effects. The most pronounced changes occur upon phosphorylation of T20, a neuron-specific phosphorylation site, where the N-terminal helix capping box previously characterized for this region is altered. Characterization of torsion angles and transient hydrogen bonds indicates that prolyl isomerization of the pThr-Pro peptide bond results from both destabilization of the N-terminal helix capping box and stabilization of the cis isomer by transient hydrogen bonds. The significant population of the cis isomer (9 %) present after phosphorylation of T20 suggests a potential role of selective recognition of cis versus trans isomers in response to phosphorylation of APP. Together, these structural changes indicate that phosphorylation may act as a conformational switch in the cytoplasmic tail of APP to alter specificity and affinity of binding to cytosolic partners, particularly in response to the abnormal phosphorylation events associated with Alzheimer's disease.
Do Citizens Care About Federalism? An Experimental Test

The ongoing debate over the political safeguards of federalism has essentially ignored the role that citizens might play in restraining federal power. Scholars have assumed that citizens care only about policy outcomes and will invariably support congressional legislation that satisfies their substantive policy preferences, no matter the cost to state powers. Scholars thus typically turn to institutions - the courts or institutional features of the political process - to cabin congressional authority. We argue that ignoring citizens is a mistake. We propose a new theory of the political safeguards of federalism in which citizens help to safeguard state authority. We also test our theory using evidence from a nationally representative survey experiment that focuses on the timely issue of physician-assisted suicide. We find that citizens are not single-mindedly interested in policy outcomes; trust in state governments and federalism beliefs, on the urging of political elites, reduce their willingness to support a federal ban on physician-assisted suicide.
Ectopic ureterocele in nonduplicated collecting systems

Ectopic ureteroceles in nonduplicated collecting systems are rare; only 34 well-documented cases have been reported in the English-language literature. We report two cases of a single-system ectopic ureterocele associated with a nonfunctional ipsilateral kidney in two boys. Nephroureterectomy and excision of the ureterocele were performed. One of the patients had a ventricular septal defect and the other had Sotos' syndrome. An ectopic ureterocele in a nonduplicated collecting system differs from a simple ureterocele or an ectopic ureterocele of a duplicated collecting system because of its prevalence in males, the frequent presence of a nonfunctional ipsilateral kidney, and the high incidence of associated anomalies such as congenital heart disease, crossed renal ectopia, and vas deferens abnormalities.
Coincident liposarcoma, carcinoid and gastrointestinal stromal tumor complicating type 1 neurofibromatosis: Case report and literature review

Neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) is associated with increased risk of multiple neoplasms. We present a case of a female patient with NF1 who presented with a rectal low-grade neuroendocrine (carcinoid) tumor. Computed tomography imaging found a well-differentiated liposarcoma and a well-circumscribed gastro-intestinal stromal tumor (GIST). Although GIST and carcinoid tumors are frequently found in NF1 patients, liposarcoma complicating NF1 is quite rare and this is the first reported case of well-differentiated liposarcoma in NF1. In summary, we report a case of coincident abdominal carcinoid tumor, GIST and well-differentiated liposarcoma, which illustrates the variability of neoplasms in NF1 patients.
Response of acetylcholine receptors to rapid photochemically produced increases in agonist concentration

SYNAPTIC transmission to muscle fibres and electroplaques takes place on a millisecond timescale. To study the molecular events leading to activation of the cholinergic receptor channel, we have developed a method to produce similarly rapid, spatially uniform steps of agonist concentration near intact postsynaptic membranes. Electrophorus electroplaques in a voltage-clamp apparatus were exposed to a solution containing a photochromic compound. Initially the compound was in a predominantly cis form, which had little effect on the membrane. During a brief light flash, some of the compound was isomerised to the trans isomer, which is a cholinergic agonist. As a result the membrane conductance increased along a timecourse which reflects the rate processes underlying activation of the cholinergic receptor channel.
Expanding the Gerontological Nursing Role in Guided Care

Guided Care is a new interdisciplinary health care model designed to improve the quality of life and efficiency of resource use for medically complex older adults. The Guided Care Nurse (GCN) performs an assessment, develops an evidence-based plan of care, monitors and coaches the patient in self-management, coordinates the patient's transitions, educates and supports family caregivers, and facilitates access to community resources. Nurses completed an education program based on these clinical processes. Monthly meetings following the education program provided a mechanism for ongoing learning, support, and role clarification. The delivery of GCN educational programs that facilitate role transition will be necessary for dissemination of Guided Care into the health care system. This article describes the Guided Care model, the role of the Guided Care Nurse, and the educational program developed to facilitate role transition for gerontologic nurses who provide Guided Care.
Growth- and tumor-promoting effects of deregulated BCL2 in human B-lymphoblastoid cells.

Abstract Human follicular B-cell lymphomas possess a t(14;18) that translocates a putative protooncogene, BCL2, into the immunoglobulin heavy chain locus. The normal BCL2 gene is quiescent in resting B cells, expressed in proliferating, but down-regulated in differentiated B cells. Inappropriately high levels of BCL2-immunoglobulin chimeric RNA are present in t(14;18) lymphomas for their mature B-cell stage. We examined the biologic effects of BCL2 deregulation in human B cells by introducing BCL2 into human B-lymphoblastoid cell lines (LCLs) with retroviral gene transfer. Although deregulated BCL2 expression as a single agent was not sufficient to confer tumorigenicity to LCLs, it consistently produced a 3- to 4-fold increment in LCL clonogenicity in soft agar. In addition, BCL2 deregulation complements the transforming effects of the MYC oncogene in LCLs. BCL2 augmented the clonogenicity of LCLs bearing exogenous MYC and increased the frequency and shortened the latency of tumor induction in immunodeficient mice. These results demonstrate a role for BCL2 as a protooncogene that affects B-cell growth and enhances B-cell neoplasia.
SINGULARITIES OF SCATTERING AMPLITUDES ON UNPHYSICAL SHEETS AND THEIR INTERPRETATION

The analytic structure of two-particle scattering amplitudes on the unphysical sheet of the Riemann surface reached by crossing the two-particle cut is discussed. The singularities of the amplitudes there are shown to be poles and their physical interpretation is studied. The way in which bound states appear on the physical sheet in the Mandelstam representation, both as isolated poles and as cuts, is traced in detail. The properties of partial wave amplitudes and of the full amplitude as a function of energy and angle and of energy and momentum transfer are discussed. Finally, a few remarks are made in connection with unstable states.
Towards Identifying Unresolved Discussions in Student Online Forums

Automatic tools for analyzing student online discussions are highly desirable for providing better assistance and promoting discussion participation. This paper presents an approach for identifying student discussions with unresolved issues or unanswered questions. In order to handle highly incoherent data, we perform several data processing steps. We then apply a two-phase classification algorithm. First, we classify "speech acts" of individual messages to identify the roles that the messages play, such as question, issue raising, and answers. We then use the resulting speech acts as features for classifying discussion threads with unanswered questions or unresolved issues. We performed a preliminary analysis of the classifiers and the system shows an average F score of 0.76 in discussion thread classification.
Predator effects on faunal community composition in shallow seagrass beds of The Bahamas

Abstract Much emphasis has been placed on predator effects that cascade through food webs. Such top-down effects seem to be most common in systems with relatively simple food chains, and rarer in species-rich systems where numerous weak interactions among species can buffer strong top-down effects. Seagrass ecosystems are typically species-rich and characterized by complex food webs, but evidence of top-down effects in these systems has been mixed. We examined effects of predatory fishes on the species richness, biomass, density, and composition of the epifaunal community in a shallow seagrass ecosystem of The Bahamas. We used exclusion experiments at two different spatial scales, and applied mesh sizes that excluded different-sized predator individuals. We found some evidence of species-level top-down effects ( i.e. , strong interactions within a subset of the community), driving higher biomass in at least one decapod mesopredator. In contrast, community-level predator effects were rather weak, with predator size and spatial scale of experiments displaying no detectable impact on the overall epifaunal community. Multiple factors may have contributed to these patterns, including high species richness, relatively shallow water depth, small-scale spatial variation in habitat features, and the size and abundance of predators. Because of the rapid global decline of seagrasses and their associated fauna, increased knowledge of predator effects on faunal communities of seagrass beds is critical for long-term conservation efforts.
Seismic Behavior of PC Column and Steel Beam Composite Moment Frame with Posttensioned Connection

This paper presents test results of two large-scale precast concrete (PC) column/footing and steel beam subassemblies. In the model subassemblies, the steel beams were posttensioned by high-strength steel rods to the PC columns using an end-plate shop welded to a beam. The PC columns were connected to their footings using splice-sleeve method and dowel anchorage method, respectively. The objective of the test program was to investigate the seismic behavior of special moment resisting frames consisting of PC columns and steel beams in high-seismic regions. The detailed design approach of the proposed PC and steel special moment frames based on current seismic provisions was suggested and applied to the design of model subassemblies. Test results indicated that the PC and steel composite moment frame could be designed for resisting seismic load in terms of strength, drift ductility, and postyield deformation capacity. The test subassemblies also exhibited excellent strength and stiffness retention capacity even when the first-story drift ductility reached 5.0. In addition, the effectiveness of the two different column-footing connection types is evaluated in this paper.
Prevalence and reliability of self-reported authorship disclosures in Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery.

Abstract Objective Determine reliability of self-reported authorship disclosures of potential conflicts of interest in American Academy of Otolaryngology—Head and Neck Surgery Foundation (AAO-HNSF)–sponsored presentations and publications. Study Design/Setting Retrospective cohort study at academic center. Methods Presenters' self-reported disclosures made at the AAO-HNSF annual meeting for calendar years 2006 and 2007 were tabulated. Subsequent publications related to these presentations in the journal Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery were analyzed with respect to disclosures revealed at the time of publication. Discrepancies between annual meeting disclosures and publication print disclosures were identified according to author and presentation/paper. Reliability statistics were computed to determine consistency of disclosure reporting and an analysis of potential conflicts of interest according to discrepancies was performed. Results Five hundred seventy-eight presenters' disclosures were identified at the annual meeting level, which ultimately led to 153 journal publications. A total of 51 authors (8.8%) with disclosure reporting discrepancies were identified (32 authors: one discrepancy; 11 authors: two discrepancies; eight authors: three or more discrepancies). Overall, a mean of 0.14 discrepancies per author (95% confidence interval: 0.10-0.19 discrepancies) was noted. Analyzed by publication, 39 papers (25.5%) contained one or more disclosure discrepancies among authors, ranging from one discrepancy (11.8% of papers) to nine discrepancies (0.7%), with an average of 2.1 authorship disclosure discrepancies per paper. Conclusions A significant percentage of authors' disclosures differ between time of presentation and subsequent publication within otolaryngology. Although valid reasons for these discrepancies may exist, analysis of these discrepancies is important for conflict-of-interest determination.
A Simplified Approach for Estimating Skin Permeation Parameters from In Vitro Finite Dose Absorption Studies

Historically, percutaneous absorption permeation parameters have been derived from in vitro infinite dose studies, yet there is uncertainty in their accuracy if the applied vehicle saturates or damages the stratum corneum, or when the permeation parameters are inappropriately derived from cumulative absorption data. An approach is provided for determining penetration parameters from in vitro finite dose data. Key variables, and equations for their derivation, are identified from the literature and provide permeation parameters that use only Tmax , AUC, and AUMC from finite dose data. The equations are tested with computer-generated model data and to actual study data. Derived permeation parameters obtained from the computer model data match those used in generating the simulated finite dose data. Parameters obtained from actual study data reasonably and acceptably model the penetration profile kinetics of the study data. From in vitro finite dose absorption data, three parameters can be obtained: the diffusion transit time (td ), which characterizes the diffusion coefficient, the partition volume (Vm P), which characterizes the partition coefficient, and the permeation coefficient (Kp ). These parameters can be obtained from finite dose data without having to know the length of the diffusion pathway through the membrane.
Internet use and the 2000 presidential election

Abstract A study of Internet use for news and information during the 2000 elections finds that, although there has been an increase in campaign uses of the Internet, online news consumption continues to be far from a dominant factor in campaign communication. Using a “uses and gratifications” framework, this study demonstrates that both the frequency of online use and the salience of the election information obtained can be explained through the particular uses of online information engaged in by audience members. Novel and interactive forms of online information were particularly important for predicting the frequency with which users accessed the Internet for news and information about elections. Audience members who actively sought information about candidates and issues tended to use the knowledge they gained online to decide how to cast their ballot.
CD154 deficiency uncouples allograft CD8+ T-cell effector function from proliferation and inhibits murine airway obliteration.

Obliterative bronchiolitis (OB) limits the long-term success of lung transplantation, while T-cell effector mechanisms in this process remain incompletely understood. Using the murine heterotopic tracheal transplant model of obliterative airway disease (OAD) to characterize airway allograft rejection, we previously reported an important role for CD8+ T cells in OAD. Herein, we studied the role of CD154/CD40 costimulation in the regulation of allospecific CD8+ T cells, as airway rejection has been reported to be CD154-dependent. Airway allografts from CD154−/− recipients had significantly lower day 28 OAD scores compared to wild-type (WT) recipients, and adoptive transfer of CD8+ T cells from WT recipients, but not CD154−/− recipients, were capable of airway rejection in fresh CD154−/− allograft recipients. Intragraft CD8+ T cells from CD154−/− mice showed similar expression of the surface markers CD69, CD62Llow CD44high and PD-1, but markedly impaired IFN-γ and TNF-α secretion and granzyme B expression versus WT controls. Unexpectedly, intragraft and systemic CD8+ T cells from CD154−/− recipients demonstrated robust in vivo expansion similar to WT recipients, consistent with an uncoupling of proliferation from effector function. Together, these data suggest that a lack of CD154/CD40 costimulation results in ineffective allospecific priming of CD8+ T cells required for murine OAD.
Stability of BaCeO3‐Based Proton Conductors in Water‐Containing Atmospheres

The stability of Gd‐doped and La‐doped in water‐containing atmospheres was examined. Samples containing up to 20 mol % Gd and 30 mol % La were synthesized by calcining the requisite mixtures of precursors. Three types of tests were performed: (i) thermal treatment in an atmosphere containing water vapor between 150 and 400°C, (ii) boiling in water, and (iii) simultaneous exposure to boiling water and water vapor at essentially the same temperature. Samples were characterized by X‐ray diffraction. All powders boiled in water decomposed within a few hours, whereas none of the powders decomposed when exposed to ~1 atm water vapor pressure at the same temperature. This difference was rationalized on the premise that the mechanisms of decomposition depend upon the form of water, liquid or vapor. In liquid water, the decomposition kinetics appear to be interface‐controlled. By contrast, in water vapor, the kinetics appear to be dictated by bulk diffusion of water into the lattice. © 1999 The Electrochemical Society. All rights reserved.
Conformational analysis of γ′ peptide (410-427) interactions with thrombin anion binding exosite II

Thrombin utilizes two anion binding exosites to supplement binding of fibrinogen to this serine protease. Approximately 7−15% of the fibrinogen γ chain exists as the highly anionic γ‘ variant (408VRPEHPAETEYSDSLYSPEDDL427). This segment has been demonstrated to target thrombin ABE-II and can accommodate sites of phosphorylation in place of sulfonation without sacrificing binding affinity. The present work employed 1D and 2D solution NMR to characterize the structural features of the bound γ‘ peptide (410−427) and to evaluate the requirement of sulfonation for effective thrombin interaction. The results indicate the γ‘ residues 414−427 make significant contact with the enzyme, a β-turn exists between residues 422−425 in the presence of thrombin, and there is a large cluster of through-space interactions involving residues 418−422. Effective contact with ABE-II requires the presence of at least one phosphotyrosine residue with YP422 being the more important player. Hydrogen−deuterium exchange (HDX) coupled ...
1,3-Dipolar reactions involving corannulene: how does its rim and spoke addition vary?

Corannulene undergoes 1,3-dipolar reactions with the dipoles, diazomethane, nitrile oxide, and nitrone through its rim and spoke π bonds; the rim addition yields “one possible” adduct whereas two “...
Toward a Scalable Distributed WWW Server on Workstation Clusters

In this paper, we investigate the issues involved in developing a scalable World Wide Web (WWW) server called SWEB on a cluster of workstations. The objective is to strengthen the processing capabilities of such a server in order to match huge demands in simultaneous access requests from the Internet, especially when these requests involve delivery of large digitized documents. The scheduling component of the system actively monitors the usages of CPU, disk I/O channels and the interconnection network to effectively distribute HTTP requests across processing units to exploit task and I/O parallelism. We analyze the maximum number of requests that can be handled by the system and present several experiments to examine the performance of this system.
Role of Cardiac Nerves in the Cardiovascular Response to Cocaine in Conscious Dogs

Background—Although the cardiovascular toxicity of cocaine is well recognized, considerable controversy remains as to the relative contribution of local norepinephrine reuptake inhibition versus central stimulatory effects of cocaine in eliciting its cardiovascular actions. The purpose of the present study was to determine the role of cardiac nerves in mediating the left ventricular (LV) and coronary hemodynamic responses to cocaine. Methods and Results—We studied the cardiovascular response to acute cocaine administration (1 mg/kg) in 10 intact, conscious dogs and 6 dogs with ventricular denervation (VD). There were no significant differences in baseline hemodynamic parameters or plasma catecholamines between the 2 groups. In response to acute cocaine, LV and coronary hemodynamic responses were enhanced in the VD dogs. The enhanced systemic pressor and heart rate responses in VD dogs suggest that cardiac nerves mitigate the response to cocaine through ventricular mechanoreceptors rather than mediating th...
Identification of Prostaglandin E2 Receptor Subtype 2 As a Receptor Activated by OxPAPC

Oxidized 1-palmitoyl-2-arachidonoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphorylcholine (OxPAPC), which has been shown to accumulate in atherosclerotic lesions and other sites of chronic inflammation, activates endothelial cells (EC) to bind monocytes by activation of endothelial beta1 integrin and subsequent deposition of fibronectin on the apical surface. Our previous studies suggest this function of OxPAPC is mediated via a Gs protein-coupled receptor (GPCR). PEIPC (1-palmitoyl-2-epoxyisoprostane E2-sn-glycero-3-phosphorylcholine) is the most active lipid in OxPAPC that activates this pathway. We screened a number of candidate GPCRs for their interaction with OxPAPC and PEIPC, using a reporter gene assay; we identified prostaglandin E2 receptor EP2 and prostaglandin D2 receptor DP as responsive to OxPAPC. We focused on EP2, which is expressed in ECs, monocytes, and macrophages. OxPAPC component PEIPC, but not POVPC, activated EP2 with an EC50 of 108.6 nmol/L. OxPAPC and PEIPC were also able to compete with PGE2 for binding to EP2 in a ligand-binding assay. The EP2 specific agonist butaprost was shown to mimic the effect of OxPAPC on the activation of beta1 integrin and the stimulation of monocyte binding to endothelial cells. Butaprost also mimicked the effect of OxPAPC on the regulation of tumor necrosis factor-alpha and interleukin-10 in monocyte-derived cells. EP2 antagonist AH6809 blocked the activation of EP2 by OxPAPC in HEK293 cells and blocked the interleukin-10 response to PEIPC in monocytic THP-1 cells. These results suggest that EP2 functions as a receptor for OxPAPC and PEIPC, either as the phospholipid ester or the released fatty acid, in both endothelial cells and macrophages.
Cross-Layer Link Adaptation for Wireless Video

Current link adaptation algorithms for IEEE 802.11 WLANs exhibit behavior which makes them unsuitable for transmission of multiple simultaneous real-time uplink video streams. First, these algorithms do not consider the properties of the video codec, and hence, are unaware of the impact of PHY rate selection on the perceptual quality of the received video. Second, they do not differentiate between channel errors and collisions, and hence severely malfunction when the collision probability is non-negligible. In this paper, we propose a link adaptation strategy that not only optimizes the perceptual quality of the received video, but also maintains network stability by preventing catastrophic failure due to collisions. We show that switching to a lower PHY rate improves the SNR/BER performance, but increases channel contention (and hence the collision probability). Then, we use this information plus knowledge of the video codec and network transport protocol to estimate the received perceptual video quality at the current and adjacent PHY rates. The PHY rate that yields the best perceptual quality is chosen for each Group of Pictures (GOP). We support the proposed algorithm through experiments with real wireless cameras on which we have implemented our algorithm.