cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Polyenylphosphatidylcholine inhibits PDGF-induced proliferation in rat hepatic stellate cells.

Polyenylphosphatidylcholine (PPC), a polyunsaturated phospholipid extract from soy beans, prevents the development of liver cirrhosis in animal models. Its mechanism of action is unknown. Based on the hypothesis that PPC might act by decreasing hepatic stellate cell proliferation, we studied the effect of PPC and its main components, dilinoleoylphosphatidylcholine (DLPC) and palmitoyl-linoleoylphosphatidylcholine (PLPC), on PDGF-induced stellate cell proliferation and intracellular signal transduction. Normal rat hepatic stellate cells in tissue culture were serum-starved, and incubated with 10ng/ml PDGF in the absence or presence of phospholipids. Cell proliferation was measured by3H-thymidine incorporation. P44MAPKactivation was determined by kinase assay, and AP-1 binding by electrophoretic mobility shift assay. PPC (200ng/ml) significantly inhibited PDGF-induced proliferation (p < 0.05; ANOVA, n = 3) and antagonized PDGF-induced P44MAPKactivation and AP-1 binding. This effect was mimicked by DLPC but not by PLPC. Neither DLPC nor PLPC prevented PDGF receptor activation. We conclude that PPC exerts a previously unrecognized effect on mitogen-induced stellate cell proliferation which may be mediated by DLPC. Inhibition of this cascade represents a potential mechanism for the inhibitory effect of PPC on hepatic fibrogenesis.
Li2MTi6O14 (M=Sr, Ba): new anodes for lithium-ion batteries

Isostructural Li2MTi6O14 (M=Sr, Ba) materials, prepared by a solid state reaction method, have been investigated as insertion electrodes for lithium battery applications. These titanate compounds have a structure that consists of a three-dimensional network of corner- and edge-shared [TiO6] octahedra, 11-coordinate polyhedra for the alkali-earth ions, and [LiO4] tetrahedra in tunnels that also contain vacant tetrahedral and octahedral sites. Electrochemical data show that these compounds are capable of reversibly intercalating four lithium atoms in a three-stage process between 1.4 and 0.5 V vs. metallic lithium. The electrodes provide a practical capacity of approximately 140 mAh/g; they are, therefore, possible alternative anode materials to the lithium titanate spinel, Li4Ti5O12. The lithium intercalation mechanism and crystal structure of Li2MTi6O14 (M=Sr, Ba) electrodes are discussed and compared with the electrochemical and structural properties of Li4Ti5O12. The area-specific impedance (ASI) of Li/Li2SrTi6O14 cells was found to be significantly lower than that of Li/Li4Ti5O12 cells.
Popularity-based assignment of movies to storage devices in a video-on-demand system

A video-on-demand server must satisfy a large customer base and a diverse archive of movies under changing movie popularity and daily load peaks. These requirements must be satisfied under the constraints imposed by storage device costs, capacities, I/O bandwidths, and geographic locations. In this paper we describe a partitioning of video data (movies) onto a video-on-demand storage hierarchy to achieve efficient storage and I/O bandwidth use. Our approach uses a probabilistic model of movie popularity in data distribution and replication to balance user requests with available disk I/O bandwidth. The results can be applied in the design of a general, distributed video-on-demand system.
Improved Deployment Characteristics of a Tether-Connected Munition System

This study investigates theeffectofa tetherreel resistancemechanism intended to improve theunreeling process of a tether line connected to two projectiles comprising a munition system. The munition system considered is released from an aircraft at altitude and falls toward a target on the ground. Reel resistance models, based on feasiblemechanisms,aregeneratedasfunctionsofdropspeed,projectilemass,dragcoefe cientratio,andtetherline stiffness. Reel cone gurations are determined to decrease tether line loads, maximum acceleration on the follower projectile, time to reach a steady-state condition, and terminal miss distance. Reel resistance based on either the tetherlinepay outorthetetherpay outrateprovidesa powerful meansto improvesystem performance.Resistance as a function of tether line pay out yields theoverall best performance; however, resistancebased on tetherline pay out rate provides suitable performance over a wider band of drop speeds, mass ratios, and drag coefe cient ratios. Nomenclature An = projected area of the follower object Awi = wetted area of the ith element CDn = coefe cient of drag for the follower object Cfp = coefe cient of the e at-plate drag Csf = coefe cient of the skin-friction drag ci = damping coefe cient for the ith element Fr = resistance force of the reel FTj = magnitude of the elastic line force for the jth element Ir = mass moment of inertia for the reel i = bead index j = line element index ki = stiffness coefe cient for the ith element li = unstretched length of the ith element m j = mass of the jth bead ml = tether line mass per unit length mr = mass of the reel n = number of the follower object r = effective radius of the tether reel ri = directional vector of the ith element s = total length of tether line unspooled from the tether reel
Fatigue-free SrBi2(TaxNb1−x)2O9 ferroelectric thin films

Fatigue free ferroelectric thin films of layer-structured SrBi2(TaxNb1 −x)2O9 (0 < x < 1) (SBTN) have been processed, for the first time, using the metallorganic decomposition (MOD) technique. The precursors for the MOD process were synthesized by using Sr(C7H15COO)2, Bi(C7H15COO)3, Ta(OC2H5)5, Nb(OC2H5)5, and (C7H15COOH) as starting materials. Films of various compositions were spin coated onto Si-SiO2-Ti-Pt and sapphire substrates. The films were pyrolyzed at different temperatures and characterized for their phase, composition, microstructure and ferroelectric properties. The deposited films were of high quality and found to exhibit excellent ferroelectric properties; typically, at an applied voltage of 5 V, SBT films showed 2Pr values greater than 20 μC cm−2, dielectric constant around 300 and a coercive field Ec less than 60 kV cm−1. The films showed a very low fatigue rate up to 109 cycles and a leakage current density of less than 2 x 10−8 A cm−2 at 167 kV cm−1. These results compare well with earlier reports (S.B. Desu and D.P. Vijay, Mater. Sci. Eng. B, 32 (1995) 75) on the ferroelectric properties of laser ablated SBTN thin films. In addition, the Pr and Ec values obtained on laser ablated and MOD derived SBTN thin films are similar. However, a significant difference can be noticed in the value of the measured leakage current densities; MOD derived films exhibit current densities at least an order of magnitude lower than the laser ablated films. Since the MOD technique is amenable to large scale production, the results of this study bear significant technological implication for the commercial development of fatigue free nonvolatile random access memories.
A Tet-on system for DRD1-expressing cells.

Cells expressing the dopamine D1 receptor (DRD1) have significant functional roles in diverse physiological processes including locomotion and drug addiction. The present work presents a novel in vivo DRD1-Bacterial Artificial Chromosome (BAC) Tet-on system allowing for the inducible activation of tet-operated transgenes specifically within DRD1-expressing cells of transgenic mice. It is shown that the DRD1-rtTA BAC-driven expression of a tet-operated reporter is under tight regulation by doxycycline and is restricted to DRD1-expressing brain regions. The model will be a useful research tool in studies of movement and reward and associated pathologies such as Parkinson’s disease and addiction.
Total ozone decrease at South Pole, Antarctica, 1964‐1985

Mean monthly total ozone data obtained at South Pole, Antarctica, during 1964-1985 are presented. Preliminary analysis of the data suggests that total ozone has decreased at South Pole by roughly 20% since the mid-1960's. Largest decreases have occurred during October and November months, but autumn and winter months also exhibit a decrease. During February months, ozone has increased slightly. Superimposed on the long-term downward ozone trend are episodic decreases in ozone dating back to 1965 that have occurred at intervals of 4-6 years. These decreases are shown to be related to delays in stratospheric warmings in Antarctica and the transport of ozone into Antarctica each spring.
Dissociation between gene and protein expression of metabolic enzymes in a rodent model of heart failure

Studies in advanced heart failure show down-regulation of fatty acid oxidation genes, possibly due to decreased expression of the nuclear transcription factors peroxisome proliferator activated receptor alpha (PPARalpha) and retinoid X receptor alpha (RXRalpha). We assessed mRNA and protein expression of PPARalpha and RXRalpha, and for several PPAR/RXR regulated metabolic proteins at 8 and 20 weeks following myocardial infarction induced by coronary artery ligation. Infarction resulted in heart failure, as indicated by reduced LV fractional shortening and increased end diastolic area compared to sham. There was a progressive increase in LV end systolic area, myocardial ceramide content and atrial natriuretic peptide mRNA, and a deterioration in LV fractional area of shortening from 8 to 20 weeks. Protein and mRNA expression of PPARalpha and RXRalpha were not different among groups. The mRNA for PPAR/RXR regulated genes (e.g. medium chain acyl-CoA dehydrogenase (MCAD)) was down-regulated at 8 and 20 weeks post-infarction; however, neither the protein expression nor activity of MCAD was reduced compared to sham. In conclusion, reduced mRNA expression of PPAR/RXR regulated genes is not dependent on reduced PPAR/RXR protein expression.
Chromatophore Organs, Reflector Cells, Iridocytes and Leucophores in Cephalopods

The chromatophore organs of Lohgo are each composed of five types of cells: a central pigment cell: radially arranged, obliquely striated muscle fibers: neuronal processes; glial cells: and an investment of sheath cells. Sheath cells are absent in Octopus chromatophore organs. The cycle of expansion and retraction of a chromatophore organ may occur within the order of a second. It is clear that the muscle fibers expand the pigment cell and spread out the pigment granules. The pigment is contained within an unusual, filamentous, cytoplasmic compartment called the cytoelastic sacculus. This compartment has elastic properties. Reflector cells and iridocytes produce structural colors even though their components are colorless. Reflector cells in Octopus bear peripheral sets of leaf-like reflecting lamellae called reflectosomes: these contain proteinaceous platelets with a high refractive index (1.42). In each reflectosome the reflecting lamellae are separated by gaps that are about equal to the thickness of the lamellae, but have a lower refractive index (1.33). Reflectosomes are believed to reflect light and to function as thin-film interference devices. Iridocytes in squid and cuttlefish contain iridosomes that are also composed of sets of ribbon-like platelets but these are located centrally within the cell body. The platelets are usually oriented on edge with respect to the surface of the skin. The possibility that dermal iridocytes may act as diffraction gratings is discussed. Leucophores have thousands of processes that contain globules of protein with a high refractive index. These cells scatter light of all wave lengths and appear white in white light.
Physical properties of fatty acids

The chemical composition, molecular configuration, and crystal structure of fatty acid molecules contribute to the more than twenty distinct physical properties associated with this class of organic compounds. This discussion will be limited to only a few of these fatty acid properties and will include melting and solidification phenomena, vapor pressure-boiling point relationships and solubility behavior of fatty acids.
Clinical significance of large cerebral ventricles in manic males

Consecutively admitted manic males (n = 24) who consented to participate in a computed tomographic (CT) study of the brain were studied. Those with a ventricle-to-brain ratio (VBR) 2 standard deviations above the mean VBR of a matched control group comprised the large VBR group; the remainder comprised the small VBR group. A controlled comparison of a series of clinical variables was conducted between the larger and smaller VBR groups. There were no differences in age of onset, duration of illness, substance abuse, electroconvulsive therapy, abnormal electroencephalogram, delusions, hallucinations, suicidal attempts, irritable or grandiose affect, family history, cognitive test scores, or response to drug treatment. However, manic males with larger VBRs were found to have a significantly lower frequency of hospitalization than those in the smaller VBR group.
Variation of dynamic mechanical properties of polycarbonate as a result of deformation

A combination of different experimental apprati has allowed dynamic mechanical spectroscopic measurements to be made as function of variable, constant offset stress, as well as during creep of bisphenol-A-polycarbonate. The deformation system was calibrated with aluminum and by comparison of low-stress dynamic mechanical spectra with literature data of polycarbonate. Dynamic mechanical spectra acquired at high offset stress result in an apparent shift in sub-Tg relaxation processes to higher temperatures at differing rates, resulting in separation of the various relaxation processes. This observed phenomenon is analogous to similar effects that are observed viathe application of pressure. The creep process can be clearly monitored by changes in dynamic mechanical properties, with these changes being dependent upon the stress and temperature utilized.
Inotropic Effects of Trains of Impulses Applied during the Contraction of Cardiac Muscle

The application of a train of supramaximal stimuli during the absolute refractory period of a cardiac muscle preparation has two effects: a depression of the contraction during which it is applied, and a large potentiation of subsequent contractions. The former is ascribed to a direct effect upon the cell membrane, and is an indication of the continued control of the contractile event by this membrane. The latter is explained as a sudden liberation of norepinephrine by a stimulation of embedded nerve elements, which norepinephrine then distributes itself through the tissue and finally diffuses away.
Electrosorption of 2-butanol at constant chemical potential of base electrolyte and in the moderate bulk concentration region☆

Abstract The adsorption of 2-butanol on a polarized mercury electrode was investigated at constant activity of the base electrolyte using low and moderate bulk concentrations of the adsorbate. Capillary electrometer and impedance bridge measurements were used as experimental techniques. Both interfacial tension and capacity data were employed for fitting to the Frumkin equations. Results paralleled closely those obtained in earlier adsorption studies of aliphatic compounds employing a base electrolyte solution of fixed concentration.
Malignant rhabdoid tumor presenting as a hemangioma

Malignant rhabdoid tumor is a rare and highly aggressive malignancy of unknown etiology. We report a primary cutaneous rhabdoid tumor on the upper back of a newborn. It was initially diagnosed as a hemangioma clinically, and that diagnosis was supported by radiologic studies, including magnetic resonance imaging. However, detailed investigation with light microscopy, immunohistochemistry, and electron microscopy enabled us to make a diagnosis of rhabdoid tumor. This is the seventh reported case of rhabdoid tumor with primary cutaneous involvement.
Myopathy and neuropathy associated with nucleos(t)ide analog therapy for hepatitis B

The development of clevudine as a treatment for hepatitis B was terminated recently because of case reports of myopathy. In each case, the onset of symptoms occurred between 8 and 13 months after the initiation of treatment. Electromyography and muscle biopsy confirmed the presence of myonecrosis. One report also found evidence of mitochondrial toxicity. The delayed onset and the finding of mitochondrial damage are reminiscent of fialuridine toxicity. Telbivudine has also been reported to be associated with myopathy and neuropathy, particularly when used in combination with pegylated interferon. These findings serve as a sober reminder of the lack of data on long-term safety of nucleos(t)ide analogs for hepatitis B, the importance of balancing benefits versus risks before initiating treatment, and the need for more stringent post-marketing surveillance for drug toxicities.
DESORPTION BY ELECTRON IMPACT: OXYGEN ADSORBED ON TUNGSTEN.

Abstract The interaction of oxygen with a polycrystalline tungsten ribbon has been examined using electron stimulated desorption. At least three binding states of adsorbed oxygen have been identified: a physically adsorbed state which forms at 20° K, and two chemisorbed states designated β 1 and β 2 . Both the physisorbed state and the β 1 -state liberate positive ions when bombarded by 100 eV electrons; no positive ions were observed on electron bombardment of the β 2 -state. The results indicate that the physisorbed state and the β 1 state are molecular. There is an enhanced adsorption of oxygen above 500° K which is primarily due to the creation of binding sites by thermal rearrangement of the oxygen covered surface. The maximum in the ion energy distribution is at 6.5 V for β 1 -oxygen and at 0.5 V for physisorbed oxygen. The total cross section Q β 1 for electronic desorption from the β 1 -state is 7 × 10 −19 cm 2 the ionic cross section Q β 1 + is = 3.4 × 10 −20 cm 2 . The maximum ion yields g + (ions/electron) are g + = 1.5 × 10 −6 for 300° K adsorption, g + 3 = 3.3 × 10 −6 for adsorption at 730° K, and g + = 5 × 10 −5 for adsorption at 20° K.
Performance of Angora goat kids fed acidified milk replacer at two levels of intake

Daily milk intake, weekly BW and blood metabolites were monitored using Angora kids offered ad libitum (AL) or restricted (RES) intakes of acidified milk replacer (AMR) twice daily during an 11-week period. Solid feed was provided ad libitum starting in week 3. All kids were shorn at the end of the experiment and midside samples taken for fiber characteristics. Average daily gain during the experiment was 30% higher for kids fed AL compared with those fed RES (138 vs. 108 g/day; P 0.05) between groups at the end of the experiment. In weeks 7 and 11 plasma urea nitrogen (PUN) concentrations were higher (10.1 vs. 8.5 mg/dl; P<0.01) for the kids in the RES treatment. No detrimental effects of feeding a restricted amount of AMR to Angora kids were noted on mohair production or blood metabolites although ADG was 28% lower and solid feed intake was three times higher (32.4 vs. 9.1 g/d; P<0.0001). Feed conversion efficiency for BW gain and mohair growth was greater in the RES group resulting in higher production per feed cost unit. Restricting milk intake decreases costs of kid rearing by decreasing milk costs and encourages faster adaptation to solid feed.
Writing the Mughal World: Studies on Culture and Politics. By Muzaffar Alam and Sanjay Subrahmanyam. (New York, NY: Columbia University Press, 2011. Pp. xviii, 516. $29.50.)

Larger in size, population, and wealth than Europe at the time, the Mughal Empire [1526–1858] formed an arena within and around which a wide diversity of cultures interacted. In the volume reviewed...
Pulmonary Protection in Heat Stressed Rats is Associated with Macrophage Inflammatory Protein-2 (MIP-2) Production by Alveolar Macrophages |[bull]| 201

We investigated whether heat stress protects the lung and cardiovascular system from injury by modifying cytokine production. Methods: 16 rats were randomly assigned to the normothermia group(NG) (n=8) or heat stress group (HSG)(n=8). The HSG maintained a temperature of 42°C for 10 min by external heat. 20 hrs later, the rats were ventilated and given 0.5 mg/kg E. Coli LPS. Blood was collected for blood gases, TNF, IL-10 and MIP-2 at 0, 2, 4, 5 hrs. At 5 hrs, alveolar macrophages (AM) were obtained and incubated for 24 hrs and production of heat shock protein (HSP)was determined. Results: Only the AM of HSG rats produced HSP. By 5 hrs, HSG had a lower A-a O2 gradient compared to the NG rats (209±13 vs 294±22 mm Hg, p<0.01). AM from the HSG produced more MIP-2 (1723±288 vs 751±264 pg/ml, p<0.01). The A-a O2 gradient inversely correlated with MIP-2 in the AM supernatant (r=-0.65, p<0.01, Fig). Hypotension was less in the HSG between 0.5 and 2 hrs but not subsequently. Serum MIP-2 was elevated in the HSG compared to NGat 2 hrs (89.8±32.8 vs 26.5±4.0ng/ml, p<0.02). Detection of TNF, IL-10, and NO in the blood and AM supernatant was similar in both groups. Conclusions: Heat stress-induced lung protection in acute endotoxemia is associated with MIP-2 production by alveolar macrophages. Mechanism of protection from endotoxemia via MIP-2 in heat stressed rats needs to be explored.
The Development Encapsulated Filtering Blebs

The development of an encapsulated filtering bleb (Tenon's cyst) complicated 56 of 409 consecutive filtering operations (13.7%) performed during a 40-month period after January 1983. Fifteen eyes (27.8% of encapsulated blebs) required surgical revision. The recognition of bleb encapsulation occurred 20.4 +/- 12.7 days (mean +/- standard deviation) postoperatively. Prolonged duration of beta-adrenergic antagonist therapy was associated with an increased frequency of bleb encapsulation (180.6 +/- 128.5 weeks without encapsulation, 229.0 +/- 129.3 weeks with encapsulation, P less than 0.009). Bleb encapsulation occurred in 42 of 272 eyes with previous argon laser trabeculoplasty, but in only 4 of 85 eyes without any previous anterior segment laser (P less than 0.01). Encapsulated filtering blebs developed in 4 of 12 (33.3%) eyes with congenital glaucoma and 4 of 9 (44.4%) eyes with juvenile glaucoma (P less than 0.0002). The intraocular pressures (IOPs) in the eyes with encapsulated filtering blebs were significantly elevated at 1, 2, and 3 postoperative weeks, and at final follow-up compared with eyes without bleb encapsulation.
Are Child Cognitive Characteristics Strong Predictors of Responses to Intervention? A Meta-Analysis

We conducted a meta-analysis of 28 studies comprising 39 samples to ask the question, "What is the magnitude of the association between various baseline child cognitive characteristics and response to reading intervention?" Studies were located via literature searches, contact with researchers in the field, and review of references from the National Reading Panel Report. Eligible participant populations included at-risk elementary school children enrolled in the third grade or below. Effects were analyzed using a shifting unit of analysis approach within three statistical models: cognitive characteristics predicting growth curve slope (Model 1, mean r = .31), gain (Model 2, mean r = .21), or postintervention reading controlling for preintervention reading (Model 3, mean r = .15). Effects were homogeneous within each model when effects were aggregated within study. The small size of the effects calls into question the practical significance and utility of using cognitive characteristics for prediction of response when baseline reading is available.
“Thin Client” Technology: Should You Bet Your Company's Future on It?

As e-business is forcing radical change on business data centers, proponents of “thin client” computing are touting its benefits. They claim it can solve a wide range of technical and logistical problems. But, the authors say that it also helps top management with strategic decisions,value-added customer service, data security, and more. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Application of the message-address concept to the docking of naltrexone and selective naltrexone-derived opioid antagonists into opioid receptor models

A binding site model for the opioid family of G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs) is proposed based on the message-address concept of ligand recognition. Using ligand docking studies of the universal opioid antagonist, naltrexone, the structural basis for ‘message’ recognition is explored across all three receptor types, μ, δ, and κ. The binding mode proposed and basis for selectivity are also rationalized using the naltrexone-derived ligands, naltrindole (NTI) and norbinaltorphimine (nor BNI). These ligands are docked to the receptor according to the common naltrexone core or message. The resulting orientation places key ‘address’ elements in close proximity to amino acid residues critical to selectivity among receptor types. Selectivity is explained by sequence differences in the μ, δ, and κ receptors at these recognition points. Support for the model is derived from site directed mutagenesis studies and ligand binding data for the opioid receptors and other related GPCRs.
Multiple Fuzzy Reference Model Adaptive Controller Design for Pitch-Rate Tracking

A multiple fuzzy reference model adaptive controller (MFRMAC) is proposed for nonlinear aircraft pitch-rate tracking. The controller is developed using a direct model reference adaptive control (MRAC) scheme with variable fuzzy logic reference model. The proposed controller provides a soft reference model switching for the multiple modes of operation of the aircraft without any prohibitive computation or explicit system identification. The effectiveness of the technique is assessed by simulation studies based on a 6-DOF high-performance fighter aircraft model undergoing pitch-rate control at a wide range of operating contingencies. It is demonstrated that the scheme performs extremely well when controlling multimodal dynamic systems, as opposed to conventional MRAC designs.
The Use of Video Self-Modeling with English Language Learners: Implications for Success.

The efficacy of video self-modeling (VSM) to improve reading fluency for English language learners (ELLs) is explored. A review of the literature demonstrates the success of VSM in improving non-ELL students' fluency. Preliminary research with culturally and linguistically diverse students implies that the intervention can be equally effective with these populations. A brief review of second-language acquisition reveals the ways in which VSM complements the needs of ELLs at various stages of acquisition. Special considerations for educators of ELLs are also included. Continued research is necessary to establish VSM as an effective research-based method for ELLs, but the existing evidence base demonstrates the potential success of the intervention. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Preventing metal-mediated oxidative DNA damage with selenium compounds

Copper and iron are two widely studied transition metals associated with hydroxyl radical (˙OH) generation, oxidative damage, and disease development. Because antioxidants ameliorate metal-mediated DNA damage, DNA gel electrophoresis assays were used to quantify the ability of ten selenium-containing compounds to inhibit metal-mediated DNA damage by hydroxyl radical. In the CuI/H2O2 system, selenocystine, selenomethionine, and methyl-selenocysteine inhibit DNA damage with IC50 values ranging from 3.34 to 25.1 μM. Four selenium compounds also prevent DNA damage from FeII and H2O2. Additional gel electrophoresis experiments indicate that CuI or FeII coordination is responsible for the selenium antioxidant activity. Mass spectrometry studies show that a 1 : 1 stoichiometry is the most common for iron and copper complexes of the tested compounds, even if no antioxidant activity is observed, suggesting that metal coordination is necessary but not sufficient for selenium antioxidant activity. A majority of the selenium compounds are electroactive, regardless of antioxidant activity, and the glutathione peroxidase activities of the selenium compounds show no correlation to DNA damage inhibition. Thus, metal binding is a primary mechanism of selenium antioxidant activity, and both the chemical functionality of the selenium compound and the metal ion generating damaging hydroxyl radical significantly affect selenium antioxidant behavior.
The role of the family in authority systems: A cross‐cultural application of stimulus‐generalization theory

Psychoanalytically oriented social scientists have proposed a “projective” view of the political system in which early family relationships serve as models for adult political behavior. Anthropological field reports indicate that the extension of the family idiom to political relationships is widespread in non-Western cultures, particularly those with stateless political systems. Here the author proposes to show the relevance of social-psychological theories to political anthropology, indicating that cross-cultural testing of the derived hypotheses is feasible using available ethnographic evidence.
WebContext: remote access to shared context

In this paper, we describe a system and architecture for building and remotely accessing shared context between a user and a computer. The system is designed to allow a user to browse web pages on a personal computer and then remotely make queries about information seen on the web pages using a telephone-based voice user interface.
Evolution of Hemoglobin and Its Genes

Insights into the evolution of hemoglobins and their genes are an abundant source of ideas regarding hemoglobin function and regulation of globin gene expression. This article presents the multiple genes and gene families encoding human globins, summarizes major events in the evolution of the hemoglobin gene clusters, and discusses how these studies provide insights into regulation of globin genes. Although the genes in and around the α-like globin gene complex are relatively stable, the β-like globin gene clusters are more dynamic, showing evidence of transposition to a new locus and frequent lineage-specific expansions and deletions. The cis-regulatory modules controlling levels and timing of gene expression are a mix of conserved and lineage-specific DNA, perhaps reflecting evolutionary constraint on core regulatory functions shared broadly in mammals and adaptive fine-tuning in different orders of mammals.
Analysis of part motion on a longitudinally vibrating plate

We analyze the dynamics of part motion for a novel type of planar parts feeder consisting of a longitudinally vibrating flat plate and a part placed on its surface. For each vibration cycle, the plate's velocity is held positive (forward motion) for a longer time than it is held negative (backward motion). This type of asymmetric vibration combined with the nonlinear nature of Coulomb friction causes the part to accelerate along a straight line to a terminal velocity called the "feed rate". The average force exerted by the plate on the part is shown to be proportional to the latter's deviation from the feed rate. In other words, the part behaves as if it were immersed in a forward moving viscous fluid. Expressions for the feed rate and viscosity constants are derived with respect to various physical and control parameters. Rigid-body dynamic simulation results are shown to be in good agreement with the analysis.
Upper-bound cost analysis of a market-based algorithm applied to the initial formation problem

In this paper, an analysis of a market-based approach applied to the initial formation problem is presented. This problem tries to determine which mobile sensor should go to each position of a desired formation in order to minimize an objective. In our case, this objective is the global distance traveled by all the mobile sensors. In this analysis, a bound on the efficiency for the market-based algorithm is calculated and it is shown that the relative difference as compared with the optimal solution increases with the logarithm of the total number of mobile sensors. The theoretical results are validated with numerous simulations.
Effects of RRR-α-tocopheryl succinate on IL-1 and PGE2 production by macrophages

Vitamin E is an immunoregulatory agent that enhances both cellular and humoral immunity. Vitamin E has been postulated to function as a potent immune enhancer by increasing stimulatory cytokine production and by down-regulating suppressive prostaglandin synthesis. In an effort to better understand the mechanism whereby vitamin E ameliorates retrovirus-induced immune suppression, studies of vitamin E’s effects on macrophages and their soluble products were conducted. PGE2 levels produced by avian peritoneal exudate cells (PEC) cultured with avian erythroblastosis virus (AEV) in the presence or absence of vitamin E succinate were quantitated by a radioimmunometric assay. Interleukin-1 (IL-1) levels were quantified by a thymocyte co-mitogenesis assay using the avian macrophage cell line, HD11, cultured with and without vitamin E succinate supplementation. Supernatant from PEC obtained from normal chickens, exposed to AEV for 45 minutes, exhibited a 256% increase in the levels of PGE2 when compared to replica PEC cultures not exposed to AEV. Pretreatment of PEC with different amounts of vitamin E succinate prior to exposure to AEV decreased PGE2 levels in a dose dependent manner. PEC cultured with AEV and with 0.1 and 0.01 μg/ml of vitamin E succinate exhibited 55% and 77% reductions in PGE2 levels, respectively. Vitamin E succinate treated HD11 cells exhibited IL-1 activity 196% greater than that observed with untreated and vehicle controls. Vitamin E succinate and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) acted synergistically to increase IL-1 activity. LPS treatment alone gave a stimulation index 135% higher than controls, while a combination of LPS and vitamin E succinate gave a stimulation index 220% higher than controls. Down regulation of negative immune function regulator, PGE2, and upregulation of positive immune function regulator, IL-1, by vitamin E succinate could account for the ability of vitamin E succinate to ameliorate AEV-induced immune suppression.
The envelope of vaccinia virus reveals an unusual phospholipid in Golgi complex membranes

We isolated forms of enveloped vaccinia virus from infected HeLa cells to obtain membranes for the analysis of lipids of the cis-Golgi network and trans-Golgi network. The intracellular mature virus obtains its envelope by wrapping itself in the membranes of the cis-Golgi network. A fraction of these virions then acquires a second envelope by enwrapping trans-Golgi network membranes to form the intracellular enveloped virus. Lipids were analyzed by high performance thin layer chromatography and digital densitometry to establish a steady-state lipid profile of viral membranes, which should reflect the compositions of the cis-Golgi network and trans-Golgi network. Phosphatidyl-inositol was slightly enriched in the cis-Golgi network of HeLa cells, whereas the trans-Golgi network showed a minor increase in phosphatidylserine and sphingomyelin. Similarly, cholesterol was only slightly more abundant in the trans-Golgi compared to the cis-Golgi. An unusual lipid, semilysobisphosphatidic acid, was present in significant amounts in vaccinia envelopes. Semilysobisphosphatidic acid was present in similar levels in infected and uninfected cells, and was therefore not induced by vaccinia infection. Subcellular fractionation of HeLa cells indicated that the recovery of semilysobisphosphatidic acid paralleled the recovery of a Golgi marker. Furthermore, a lipid species that comigrated with semilysobisphosphatidic acid was also present in lipids extracted from highly purified, intact Golgi complexes from rat liver. Together, these results suggest that semilysobisphosphatidic acid is a normal component of Golgi membranes.
Variation and Language: Overview

The past half century has witnessed remarkable growth in the study of language variation, and it has now become a highly productive subfield of research in sociolinguistics. This article considers the locus of variability within language and discusses the linguistic variable as a heuristic construct in the analysis and the description of language variation. It further discusses the nature of systematic language variation, as well the role of structured heterogeneity in language change. Finally, it considers possible claims about representing language capability with respect to language variation and implications for a grammar of language.
Characterization of tissue response to impact loads delivered using a hand-held instrument for studying articular cartilage injury

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to fully characterize the mechanics of an in vivo impactor and correlate the mechanics with superficial cracking of articular surfaces. DESIGN: A spring-loaded impactor was used to apply energy-controlled impacts to the articular surfaces of neonatal bovine cartilage. The simultaneous use of a load cell and displacement sensor provided measurements of stress, stress rate, strain, strain rate, and strain energy density. Application of India ink after impact was used to correlate the mechanical inputs during impact with the resulting severity of tissue damage. Additionally, a signal processing method to deconvolve inertial stresses from impact stresses was developed and validated. RESULTS: Impact models fit the data well (root mean square error average ~0.09) and provided a fully characterized impact. Correlation analysis between mechanical inputs and degree of superficial cracking made visible through India ink application provided significant positive correlations for stress and stress rate with degree of surface cracking (R (2) = 0.7398 and R (2) = 0.5262, respectively). Ranges of impact parameters were 7 to 21 MPa, 6 to 40 GPa/s, 0.16 to 0.38, 87 to 236 s(-1), and 0.3 to 1.1 MJ/m(3) for stress, stress rate, strain, strain rate, and strain energy density, respectively. Thresholds for damage for all inputs were determined at 13 MPa, 15 GPa/s, 0.23, 160 s(-1), and 0.59 MJ/m(3) for this system. CONCLUSIONS: This study provided the mechanical basis for use of a portable, sterilizable, and maneuverable impacting device. Use of this device enables controlled impact loads in vitro or in vivo to connect mechanistic studies with long-term monitoring of disease progression. Language: en
Academic tenure in radiologic technology--revisited.

CONTEXT Academic tenure is important to most educators, including those in the radiologic sciences; however, many factors can influence an educator's ability to attain tenure. OBJECTIVE This article empirically examines the concept of tenure among radiologic science educators using data from a national survey of registered radiologic technology educators. RESULTS Greater proportions of tenured and tenure-eligible faculty held higher academic rank, had higher levels of education and were employed by 2- and 4-year colleges or universities compared with nontenure-track faculty. Also, tenured R.T. educators tended to be older than tenure-eligible and nontenure-track faculty. SUMMARY R.T. educators are a diverse group, and attention should focus on the individual needs of educators in a variety of professional settings.
Knight's Tours on a Torus

The knight is the only piece in chess that does not move in a straight line. Instead, it moves in an "L"-two squares in either a vertical or horizontal direction and then one square in a perpendicular direction. It is the strangeness of this move that has made the Knight's Tour Problemn one of the most intriguing in all of recreational mathematics: Can a knight visit each square of a chessboard by a sequence of knight's moves, andfinish on the same square as it began? Since a chessboard can be represented as a graph in which each vertex corresponds to a square, and edges correspond to those pairs of squares connected by a knight's move (FIGURE 1 illustrates this for a 4 x 4 board), finding a knight's tour amounts to finding a Hamiltonian cycle in the corresponding graph, a notoriously difficult general problem in graph theory (see [5]). However, we can easily see that there is no knight's tour for a 4 x 4 board since any Hamiltonian cycle would have to include the four edges incident to the two corner vertices indicated in FIGURE 1; this is impossible since these four edges already form a cycle that includes only four vertices.
The Dan Rather Maxim: Collective identity and news coverage of human rights and international law:

This article examines the influence of national identity on coverage of human rights and international law. Based on a content analysis of New York Times, Washington Post, and USA Today’s coverage of torture at Abu Ghraib and the Obama administration’s expansion of drone warfare, it is argued that the news media largely protects the American identity by ignoring or marginalizing considerations of human rights and international law, despite these issues being central to the events. This research posits that the news media adheres to the Dan Rather Maxim named after long-time CBS news anchor, Dan Rather, who noted that in times of conflict the press tends to ‘follow the flag’. In other words, national identity informs and ultimately skews coverage of conflicts. This article adds to the existing scholarship on social and national identity biases in the news by giving primacy to international law and human rights frames during controversial periods. The content analysis finds that the actions of US political ...
Sum Rule Constraints and the Quality of Approximate Kubo-Transformed Correlation Functions

In this work, a general protocol for evaluating the quality of approximate Kubo correlation functions of nontrivial systems in many dimensions is discussed. We first note that the generalized deconvolution of the Kubo transformed correlation function onto a time correlation function at a given value τ in imaginary time, such that 0 < τ < βℏ, leads to a series of sum rules applicable to the nth derivative of the Kubo function and whose iterative extension allows us to link derivatives of different order in the corresponding correlation functions. We focus on the case when τ = βℏ/2, for which all deconvolution kernels become real valued functions and their asymptotic behavior at long times exhibits a polynomial divergence. It is then shown that thermally symmetrized static averages, and the averages of the corresponding time derivatives, are ideally suited to investigate the quality of approximate Kubo correlation functions at successively larger (and up to arbitrarily long) times. This overall strategy is ...
DEMOCRACY AND THE POSTLIBERAL CHALLENGE IN LATIN AMERICA

Latin American democracies are facing unprecedented challenges and opportunities. Indigenous people are stepping forward to demand new rights, seek equal protection, and articulate bold proposals for change. These are remarkable developments in a region where ethnic cleavages were once universally described as weak and indigenous people were described as politically irrelevant, at best, and anachronistic, at worst. By the end of the twentieth century, indigenous movements had grown in numbers and strength throughout much of Latin America. Indigenous activists, elected officials, and spokespersons are increasingly commonplace in protests, discussions, and deliberations over policy. In turn, politicians of all types have been forced to contend with multiculturalism, pluriethnicity, and multilingualism – in some cases reformulating constitutions, legislation, and ministerial charges to incorporate more inclusive language about diverse ethnic and racial populations. These unprecedented developments call out for an explanation. This book has focused on explaining the contemporary and uneven emergence of Latin American indigenous movements – addressing both why indigenous identities have become politically salient in the contemporary period and why they have translated into significant political organizations in some places and not others. After briefly revisiting the argument developed in Parts I and II of this book, this chapter introduces a new question: what is the broader relevance of these movements for Latin American democracies? In particular, this chapter poses the question: what political relevance do these contemporary indigenous movements have for the study of democracy and for the third-wave democracies that are now in place?
Retention–-Forgetting as a Nomological Network for Developmental Research

Developmental trends in long-term retention were examined within the rubric of contemporary verbal learning theory. The model employed was a revision of the conventional rote-conditioning model of classical verbal learning. The revised model emphasized generalized habits mediating such processes as a selector mechanism, stimulus selection, and mnemonic devices for associative learning. Special attention was given to hypotheses, and the related empirical evidence, regarding developmental trends across the age continuum in retroactive and proactive inhibition. The source for these hypotheses was interference theory as approached from the viewpoint of the revised model. In addition, a brief summary of the relevance of recognition learning models to retention-development relationships was given
Equity-Oriented Pedagogical Strategies and Student Learning in After School Making

The maker movement holds great promise to improve the educational experiences of all learners, regardless of age, race/ethnicity, gender, home language, ability, or socioeconomic class. This paper describes how we sought to fulfill this promise by creating a new after school making program serving working class and low-income youth of color in East Oakland. Building on our prior efforts investigating equity-oriented tinkering in after school settings [1, 2], the work described here is part of a larger study led by the Research + Practice Collaboratory (see www.researchandpractice.org). The Collaboratory formed a partnership with the Lighthouse Community Charter School of East Oakland to examine how afterschool tinkering programs support the development of student learning outcomes that are valued during the school day, specifically the development of learning dispositions, creative problem solving, and deeper understanding of STEM concepts and practices. After describing pedagogical strategies (in program/curriculum design and teaching moves) our program used to build a creative making culture, we share a detailed case describing what learning outcomes looked like for a Latina 5th grader (Katrina) who had never been in a making program, never worked with circuitry or soldering, and did not initially identify as a "maker."
Hippocampal Volume as an Amplifier of the Effect of Social Context on Adolescent Depression

Recent models have focused on how brain-based individual differences in social sensitivity shape affective development in adolescence, when rates of depression escalate. Given the importance of the hippocampus in binding contextual and affective elements of experience, as well as its putative role in depression, we examined hippocampal volume as a moderator of the effects of social context on depressive symptoms in a sample of 209 Mexican-origin adolescents. Adolescents with larger versus smaller hippocampal volumes showed heightened sensitivity in their depressive symptoms to a protective factor inside the home (sense of family connectedness) and a risk factor outside the home (community crime exposure). These interactive effects uniquely predicted depressive symptoms and were greater for the left side, suggesting two independent social-contextual contributions to depression that were moderated by left hippocampal volume. Results elucidate complex brain-environment interplay in adolescent depression, off...
Readings in computer architecture

Chapter 1 - Classic Machines: Technology, Implementation, and Economics Chapter 2 - Methods Chapter 3 - Instruction Sets Chapter 4 - Instruction Level Parallelism (ILP) Chapter 5 - Dataflow and Multithreading Chapter 6 - Memory Systems Chapter 7 - I/O: Storage Systems, Networks, and Graphics Chapter 8 - Single-Instruction Multiple Data (SIMD) Parallelism Chapter 9 - Multiprocessors and Multicomputers Chapter 10 - Recent Implementations and Future Prospects
An Assessment of ENDF/B-III Data for Uranium-238 Based on Integral Spectrum Measurements

Neutron spectra in uranium depleted in the 235U isotope are analyzed with ENDF/B-III data, accounting for high-order anisotropic scattering. Two principal conclusions are made. First, changes made ...