cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Deriving 2011 cultivated land cover data sets using usda National Agricultural Statistics Service historic Cropland Data Layers

This paper describes the method used to derive 30 meter resolution 2011 US cultivated data sets based on multi-year National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) Cropland Data Layer (CDL) data. This paper presents different sets of rules (models) to build the cultivated data sets, and a comparison of the resulting cultivated data set accuracies to the accuracies of the original CDL input data. Nine models to create 2011 cultivated data sets for nine US states are tested. Each model provides a set of rules for merging pixels of multi-year (2007–2011) CDL data. The cultivated data accuracy was assessed against in situ 2011 Farm Service Agency (FSA) Common Land Unit (CLU) data. It was found that accuracies were close among the cultivated data generated using the different models. The strongest models for all states achieved overall (producer and user) accuracies greater than 94% for cultivated and non cultivated categories.
Effects of high-flux hemodialysis on oxidant stress

Effects of high-flux hemodialysis on oxidant stress. Background Neutrophil oxygen radical production is increased in end-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients and it is further enhanced during dialysis with low-flux cellulosic membranes. This increased oxygen radical production may contribute to the protein and lipid oxidation observed in ESRD patients. We tested the hypothesis that high-flux hemodialysis does not increase oxygen radical production and that it is not associated with protein oxidation. Methods Neutrophil oxygen radical production was measured during dialysis with high-flux dialyzers containing polysulfone and cellulose triacetate membranes. Free sulfhydryl and carbonyl groups and advanced oxidation protein products were measured to assess plasma protein oxidation. Results Pre-dialysis, neutrophil oxygen radical production was significantly greater than normal and increased significantly as blood passed through the dialyzer in the first 30 minutes of dialysis. Post-dialysis, however, neutrophil oxygen radical production had decreased and was not different from normal. Pre-dialysis, significant plasma protein oxidation was evident from reduced free sulfhydryl groups, increased carbonyl groups, and increased advanced oxidation protein products. Post-dialysis, plasma protein free sulfhydryl groups had increased to normal levels, while plasma protein carbonyl groups increased slightly, and advanced oxidation protein products remained unchanged. Conclusions The results of this study show that neutrophil oxygen radical production normalizes during high-flux dialysis, despite a transient increase early in dialysis. This decrease in oxygen radical production is associated with an improvement in some, but not all, measures of protein oxidation.
Pretreatment with the gap junction uncoupler heptanol does not limit infarct size in rabbit heart.

Abstract Previous findings indicate that heptanol, an agent well-recognized to disrupt chemical signaling between myocytes by uncoupling of gap junctions, significantly limited infarct size when administered at the time of reperfusion. Our aim was to assess on the potential role of cell–cell communication via gap junctions during ischemia by investigating whether “loading” the soon-to-be ischemic territory with heptanol would limit myocardial necrosis. Five isolated buffer-perfused rabbit hearts were pretreated with heptanol (0.5 mM) for 10 min, while 12 served as controls. In the final 30 s of treatment, a large marginal branch of the left circumflex coronary artery was occluded for 30 min followed by 2 h of reperfusion, and infarct size was delineated by tetrazolium staining. Heptanol had no significant effect on the extent of infarct: area of necrosis (AN, expressed as a percentage of the myocardium at risk) was 75±3% and 72±8% in vehicle- and heptanol-treated groups (P=.76). Thus, our results suggest that cell-to-cell communication via gap junctions during coronary artery occlusion does not contribute importantly to the development of necrosis in rabbit heart.
A broad band of silence.

Aberrant methylation of a CpG island in cancer is thought to silence a single gene but not its neighbors. A new study in colon cancer shows that transcriptional silencing can also be unexpectedly diffuse, encompassing all the genes over the 4 Mb of chromosome band 2q14.2, marked by archipelagos of methylated islands and uniform heterochromatin modification.
English Language Learners and Complexity Theory: Why Current Accountability Systems Do Not Measure Up.

Abstract Schools struggle to accurately assess nonnative speakers of English using accountability systems that somehow do not capture the complexity of the issues at hand. This article discusses topics surrounding the assessment of English language learners and how these issues have been oversimplified by such processes as the No Child Left Behind legislation. The case is made that English language learning is a complex system, holistic, nonlinear, and constantly evolving; however, current assessment practices do not address this complexity.
Patriarchy and Social Welfare Work

In this study, I use the case of social welfare work to build upon Hartmann's (1976) analysis of sex-based occupational segregation and Braverman's (1974) analysis of the transformation of the labor process under monopoly capitalism in order to demonstrate how patriarchy operates within the work place. Specifically, I show how deskilling in this female-intensive occupation furthered the subordination of women in the social welfare labor process and how the action of women themselves operates to reproduce patriarchal relations on the job. In the concluding section, I draw implications from my study of patriarchy within social welfare work for building towards a more complete understanding of how work-place inequalities are produced and reproduced, regardless of the specific features of the occupation or its workforce.
Assessment of cross-frequency coupling with confidence using generalized linear models.

Abstract Background Brain voltage activity displays distinct neuronal rhythms spanning a wide frequency range. How rhythms of different frequency interact – and the function of these interactions – remains an active area of research. Many methods have been proposed to assess the interactions between different frequency rhythms, in particular measures that characterize the relationship between the phase of a low frequency rhythm and the amplitude envelope of a high frequency rhythm. However, an optimal analysis method to assess this cross-frequency coupling (CFC) does not yet exist. New method Here we describe a new procedure to assess CFC that utilizes the generalized linear modeling (GLM) framework. Results We illustrate the utility of this procedure in three synthetic examples. The proposed GLM-CFC procedure allows a rapid and principled assessment of CFC with confidence bounds, scales with the intensity of the CFC, and accurately detects biphasic coupling. Comparison with existing methods Compared to existing methods, the proposed GLM-CFC procedure is easily interpretable, possesses confidence intervals that are easy and efficient to compute, and accurately detects biphasic coupling. Conclusions The GLM-CFC statistic provides a method for accurate and statistically rigorous assessment of CFC.
Investigating the Photoelectric Effect Using LEDs and a Modular Spectroscope

Elementary spectroscopic investigations often utilize a commercial spectroscope. To maintain calibration these devices have fixed positions for the slits and dispersive element. Due to the rigidity and non-modular nature of these devices, they may seem like a "black box" to students since students cannot investigate the role of each component or the effect of position and orientation of each component on calibration or resolution of the instrument. With a modular spectroscope, students can monitor the effect of adjusting individually the position and orientation of the light source, grating, and slits. Investigating the position of the individual components dramatically illustrates the advantages of using long monochromators in conjunction with narrow slit widths in maximum-resolution spectroscopy. Once students fully understand the operation of the modular spectroscope, they calibrate it using a light source with a known spectrum. A circuit board containing colored light-emitting diodes (i.e., LEDs) is t...
Stiffness as an Effector of Lung Branching Morphogenesis

Growing evidence suggests that physical microenvironments and mechanical stresses direct cell fate in developing tissues. However, how these physical properties affect morphogenesis remains unknown. We show here that ECM mechanical properties, i.e. stiffness, reproduced by using hydrogel, guide tissue morphogenesis in the developing lung bud. In particular, decreasing substrate stiffness in cultured lung buds resulted in an inhibition of appropriate cleft formation and a resulting enlargement of epithelial buds. These findings suggest that the magnitude of mechanical stiffness across the lung bud alters the branching pattern. Additionally, physically designed hydrogel material is a valuable tool for producing the specific microenvironment to explore how physical cues affect and alter tissue morphogenesis for in vitro study.Copyright © 2012 by ASME
Open quiz solution: Case report 736

This 50-year-old woman presented with progressive pain in the left thigh. Radiographs showed a 9 x 6 cm soft-tissue mass located at the lateral border of the left femur. Magnetic resonance (MR) examination showed an eccentric, nonhomogeneous, soft-tissue mass abutting the femur. The preoperative differential diagnosis was schwannoma, low-grade neurogenic tumor, large periosteal ganglion, or fibroma. At operation, the cut surface of the specimen had features of an organizing hematoma with recent remote hemorrhage and areas of fibrosis. Histopathological examination confirmed the presence of polarizable foreign body material in a background of foreign body reaction. The specimen represented a retained surgical sponge which had been present since the patient's surgery for a comminuted fracture 35 years earlier. Gossypiboma, or cotton balloma, is a term used to describe a mass within the body composed of cotton matrix. Radiopaque markers are now present on surgical sponges, and their appearances have been well documented. The gossypiboma, however, may still present a diagnostic problem if the marker is distorted by folding, twisting, or disintegration over a period of time. Without the radiopaque markers, retained sponges are difficult, if not impossible, to diagnose, as was the situation in this case.
Thalidomide Inhibits the Growth and Progression of Hepatic Epithelioid Hemangioendothelioma

Hepatic epithelioid hemangioendothelioma (HEH) is a rare vascular tumor of the liver with an unpredictable malignant potential. Its growth can lead to hepatic failure, extrahepatic metastasis and death. Surgical resection or liver transplantation is the treatment of choice if metastasis is not identified. Several antineoplastic agents have been proposed for cases of nonresectable HEH. We report the case of a 52-year-old patient with HEH metastatic to the lungs who was successfully treated with oral thalidomide therapy.
LYMPHOCYTIC CHORIOMENINGITIS INFECTION IN NEONATALLY THYMECTOMIZED MICE BEARING DIFFUSION CHAMBERS CONTAINING THYMUS.

Normal, nonoperated Swiss mice which had been inoculated intracerebrally with lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus showed a 100-percent mortality within 8 days after virus challenge. Neonatally thymectomized mice, with or without empty intraperitoneal diffusion chambers, were protected from the lethal effects of the virus, with no animals dying within 14 days after inoculation. Cell-tight Millipore diffusion chambers containing newborn thymic tissue, implanted intraperitoneally into neonatally thymectomized mice, restored the susceptibility of 52 percent of these mice to the lethality of the virus infection. The percentage restoration with subcutaneous thymic grafting was similar. A humoral mechanism of action of the tissue in the chamber is proposed.
The Sound of Social Cognition: Toddlers' Understanding of How Sound Influences Others.

Understanding others' perceptions is a fundamental aspect of social cognition. Children's construal of visual perception is well investigated, but there is little work on children's understanding of others' auditory perception. The current study assesses toddlers' recognition that producing different sounds can affect others differentially—auditory perspective taking. Two- and 3-year-olds were familiarized with two objects, one loud and one quiet. The adult then introduced a doll, and children were randomly assigned to one of two goals: either to wake the doll or to let her sleep. Children's object choice and the sound intensity they produced significantly varied in the predicted direction as a function of the goal task. These findings reveal young children's understanding of the effects of sound on other people's behavior and psychological states.
Theoretical study of the electronic structure and conformation of polysilole and its derivatives

The electronic structures and conformations in the optimized geometries of polysilole and its derivatives are studied theoretically, using the one-dimensional tight-binding self-consistent field crystal orbital (SCF-CO) method. It has been found that the copolymer formed by alternating aromatic silole and quinoid thiophene has a relatively small bandgap value. We observe that polysilole may show an interesting thermochromic behavior, because the conformation of polysilole is considerably easier to change at lower temperature than that of polythiophene.
Dinosaur With a Heart of Stone

Comparative anatomists since the time of Richard Owen ([1][1]) have observed that birds and crocodilians have a four-chambered heart and have speculated that such a heart was present in extinct archosaurs as well. Until recently, no direct evidence of the cardiovascular system had been reported in
Releasing the A3 pulley and leaving flexor superficialis intact increases pinch force following the Zancolli lasso procedures to prevent claw deformity in the intrinsic palsied finger

Objective estimates of fingertip force magnitude following surgery to prevent digital metacarpophalangeal (MCP) hyperextension (clawing) in cases of paralysis of the hand's intrinsic muscles will assist clinicians in setting realistic expectations for post-operative pinch strength. We used a cadaveric/optimization approach to predict and confirm the maximal biomechanically possible fingertip force in the intrinsic palsied hand before and after two popular tendon transfer methods to the volar plate of the MCP joint. Both surgeries were also evaluated after release of the A3 pulley-a modification predicted by our published computer model of the forefinger to increase fingertip force magnitude. We predicted maximal static fingertip force by mounting eight fresh cadaveric hands on a frame, placing their forefinger in a functional posture (neutral abduction, 45 degrees of flexion at the MCP and proximal interphalangeal joints, and 10 degrees at the distal interphalangeal joint) and pinning the distal phalanx to a 3D dynamometer. We pulled on individual tendons with tensions up to 25% of maximal isometric force of their associated muscle and measured fingertip force and torque output. Using these measurements, we predicted the optimal combination of tendon tensions that maximized palmar force (analogous to pinch force, directed perpendicularly from the midpoint of the distal phalanx, and in the plane of finger flexion-extension) for four cases: (i) the non-paretic case (all muscles available), (ii) intrinsic palsied hand (no intrinsic muscles functioning), (iii) transfer of flexor superficialis tendon to the volar plate of the MCP (Zancolli lasso) in the intrinsic palsied hand, and (iv) leaving flexor superficialis intact and transferring a tendon of comparable strength to the volar plate of the MCP in the intrinsic palsied hand. Lastly, we applied these optimal combinations of tension to the cadaveric tendons and measured fingertip output. With the A3 pulley intact, the maximal palmar force in cases (ii)-(iv) averaged 48 +/- 23% SD (non-paretic = 100%; case (iv) (61 +/- 25%) > cases (ii) and (iii) (43 +/- 23% and 39 +/- 19%, respectively), p < 0.05). Releasing the A3 pulley significantly increased the average palmar force in cases (ii)-(iv) (73 +/- 42%, p < 0.05), with no significant differences among them. Thus, releasing the A3 pulley may improve palmar force magnitude when it is necessary to transfer the digit's own flexor superficialis tendon to the volar plate of the MCP to prevent clawing in the intrinsic palsied hand.
A review of literature and hypotheses on new technology-based firms

Abstract This paper examines the existing literature on new technology-based firms in an attempt to understand how such companies contribute to the vitality of an economy and to see which variables are critical in enabling them to do so. From recent research efforts, we have drawn together a set of hypotheses and organized them around four central questions: (1) What do new firms contribute to the economy? (2) What factors contribute to the success of such enterprises? (3) In what cultural contexts do new businesses succeed? and (4) Which government policies are effective in stimulating and supporting new companies? We found that existing studies suggest (1) that new technology-based firms contribute significantly to an economy in terms of exports, employment, taxes paid, research and development, and innovations; (2) that the founders of these new businesses tend to have a strong entrepreneurial heritage, a development- rather research-oriented background, and a high need to achieve and are young and highly educated; (3) that sector differences may be a more important influence on company location than are regional policies; and (4) that no one government program has proven itself to be more than marginally successful in stimulating industrial innovation.
Measurement of size and settling velocity of suspended aggregates on the northern California continental shelf

Abstract A high-resolution video camera attached to a miniature sediment trap was used to make time-lapse images of suspended aggregates settling through the water column. The video-trap system was placed 2 m above the seabed in the STRATAFORM study area off Eureka, California, and was programmed to take a 7-second time sequence of settling particles every 6 h over a 4-month period. The camera field of view within the trap is 15 mm and the minimum particle resolution is approximately 130 μm. Data analysis was carried out with a video frame grabber and digital imaging software to determine the particle size, shape, and settling velocity. Results of the first deployment of this system (September 1995) show that particle sizes (elliptical nominal diameter) determined from the video images ranged from 130 to 740 μm with a modal size of 300 μm. The average form factor (ratio of short to long semi-axis) of the aggregates was 0.71. Measured settling velocities varied from 0.09 to 8.13 mm/s. In terms of weight-percent, or mass, the median size of the aggregate distribution is 600 μm. Analysis of settled particles collected from the sediment trap shows disaggregated or component grains ranging from 1.0 to 63 μm with a modal size of 26 μm and a median size of 11 μm. Additionally, an analysis was carried out to separate the relative importance of particle shape and excess density on settling velocity, and these results were compared to observations. Using the equations for settling velocity of spheres and prolate spheroids, and substituting published relationships for size versus excess density into these equations, the settling velocity for combinations of shape and excess density has been calculated. Results show that differences between sphere and prolate spheroid (with major axis both parallel and perpendicular to flow) approximations caused less than a 13% difference in computed settling velocity. In contrast, the various size/excess density relationships used to compute settling velocity caused order of magnitude deviations from measured values. In all cases, however, the approximations of settling velocity for aggregates provide a significantly better fit to data than approximations based on disaggregated sediment size distribution.
The Divine Essence, that Inaccessible Kabod Enthroned in Heaven: Nazianzen’s Oratio 28,3 and the Tradition of Apophatic Theology from Symbols to Philosophical Concepts

In his second theological oration ( Oratio 28,3), Gregory Nazianzen equates the divine glory ( kabod ) of the Holy of Holies with the divine essence and asserts their inaccessible character. An investigation into the meaning of these two terms unveils their origins in two distinct traditions, the former tracing its roots back to the ancient Semitic symbolisms of the forbidden divine glory and throne, the latter to the Hellenistic philosophical conception of an immaterial and incomprehensible divinity. The thesis advanced in this study is that these two different languages represent two semiotic forms of apophaticism, one expressed through the mysterium tremendum inspiring symbols and images of fire, dazzling glory and enigmatic heavenly creatures, guardians of the enthroned Kabod , the other through negative philosophical terminologies. The identity of the two semiotic forms is established at the end of an investigation that concludes with the observation that Hellenistic theologians developed their apophatic discourses mostly in the context of interpreting biblical reports on the theophanies of the divine and unapproachable enthroned Kabod . It was in this hermeneutical context that they “translated” the symbols of interdiction into philosophical negative concepts.
Electrophysiology of nitrous oxide on cerebellar granule cells: a single-cell study

We recorded 18 single cells in the granule cell layer of the cat. Each single cell was screened and identified as a granule cell based on a set of criteria derived from known electrophysiological properties of granule cells. We then monitored the effects of nitrous oxide on the spontaneous activities and the auditory responses of these cells. Nitrous oxide consistently caused a severe inhibition of spontaneous activities as well as responses to sound in these cells. Furthermore, the amplitudes of their action potentials decreased during the inhibition. Three of the 18 cells were subsequently injected intracellularly with HRP. All three were verified to be granule cells. In those granule cells we recorded intracellularly, nitrous oxide did not change the resting membrane potentials. The gradual decrease in the amplitudes of action potentials suggested that some of the mechanisms leading to the genesis of action potentials were being altered by nitrous oxide. It is also possible that nitrous oxide may act on synaptic transmission at a site located postsynaptically on the granule cells.
Look-ahead human-machine interface for assistance of manual vehicle steering

During manual steering of a vehicle, the information to the driver is restricted by his perception and recognition. The driver may lose such information under severe weather conditions. Look-ahead information has been shown to have great importance for vehicle steering problems. A supplementary visual display has been developed to provide both the future road information and the future position, of the vehicle based on current vehicle state and steering input for safer driving. A state observer is proposed to estimate the current vehicle state. Both the current steering input and the estimated vehicle state are utilized to predict the future position of the vehicle at a prescribed look-ahead distance. Integration of the vehicle trajectory into the future is avoided by an approximation method, which can be applied in real-time implementation.
Automated lung segmentation in digital chest tomosynthesis.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to develop an automated lung segmentation method for computerized detection of lung nodules in digital chest tomosynthesis. Methods: The authors collected 45 digital tomosynthesis scans and manually segmented reference lung regions in each scan to assess the performance of the method. The authors automated the technique by calculating the edge gradient in an original image for enhancing lung outline and transforming the edge gradient image to polar coordinate space. The authors then employed a dynamic programming technique to delineate outlines of the unobscured lungs in the transformed edge gradient image. The lung outlines were converted back to the original image to provide the final segmentation result. The above lung segmentation algorithm was first applied to the central reconstructed tomosynthesis slice because of the absence of ribs overlapping lung structures. The segmented lung in the central slice was then used to guide lung segmentation in noncentral slices. The authors evaluated the segmentation method by using (1) an overlap rate of lung regions, (2) a mean absolute distance (MAD) of lung borders, (3) a Hausdorff distance of lung borders between the automatically segmented lungs and manually segmented reference lungs, and (4) the fraction of nodules included in the automatically segmented lungs. Results: The segmentation method achieved mean overlap rates of 85.7%, 88.3%, and 87.0% for left lungs, right lungs, and entire lungs, respectively; mean MAD of 4.8, 3.9, and 4.4 mm for left lungs, right lungs, and entire lungs, respectively; and mean Hausdorrf distance of 25.0 mm, 25.5 mm, and 30.1 mm for left lungs, right lungs, and entire lungs, respectively. All of the nodules inside the reference lungs were correctly included in the segmented lungs obtained with the lung segmentation method. Conclusions: The method achieved relatively high accuracy for lung segmentation and will be useful for computer-aided detection of lung nodules in digital tomosynthesis.
On the invertibility of the discrete radon transform

The Radon transform is a useful device for analyzing multidimensional data. It is closely connected to what has become known as “projection pursuit.” For the case of discrete data, theorems that address its invertibility are proven. Connections to the projective group over $GF(2)$ and block designs naturally arise. An extension of the Radon transform to joint densities is then investigated.
Gender Equality in the Post-2015 Development Agenda: Lessons from the MDGs

This article addresses some central issues for the Post-2015 Development Agenda from a Southern perspective on gender equality and women’s human rights. To answer this question, it first examines what lessons can be learned from the decade or so of implementation of the MDGs. The article focuses on two ‘meso’ challenges: breaking down issue silos, and integration/participation. It argues that progress towards gender equality will depend on whether the larger development framework addresses central issues such as the growing inequality, informalisation and precariousness of work and incomes that have gone hand in hand with the globalisation of the past three decades. Within a framework that tackles head on the causes and consequences of rising global and national inequality, progress on women’s rights requires recognition that gender inequality is pervasive across multiple and intersecting issues. Effectively addressing women’s needs and rights requires the building of bridges across policy silos through the integration of issues and participation by women.
The Behavioral Phenotype in MECP2 Duplication Syndrome: A Comparison With Idiopathic Autism

Alterations in the X-linked gene MECP2 encoding the methyl-CpG-binding protein 2 have been linked to autism spectrum disorders (ASDs). Most recently, data suggest that overexpression of MECP2 may be related to ASD. To better characterize the relevance of MECP2 overexpression to ASD-related behaviors, we compared the core symptoms of ASD in MECP2 duplication syndrome to nonverbal mental age-matched boys with idiopathic ASD. Within the MECP2 duplication group, we further delineated aspects of the behavioral phenotype and also examined how duplication size and gene content corresponded to clinical severity. We compared ten males with MECP2 duplication syndrome (ages 3-10) with a chronological and mental age-matched sample of nine nonverbal males with idiopathic ASD. Our results indicate that boys with MECP2 duplication syndrome share the core behavioral features of ASD (e.g. social affect, restricted/repetitive behaviors). Direct comparisons of ASD profiles revealed that a majority of boys with MECP2 duplication syndrome are similar to idiopathic ASD; they have impairments in social affect (albeit to a lesser degree than idiopathic ASD) and similar severity in restricted/repetitive behaviors. Nonverbal mental age did not correlate with severity of social impairment or repetitive behaviors. Within the MECP2 duplication group, breakpoint size does not predict differences in clinical severity. In addition to social withdrawal and stereotyped behaviors, we also found that hyposensitivity to pain/temperature are part of the behavioral phenotype of MECP2 duplication syndrome. Our results illustrate that overexpression/increased dosage of MECP2 is related to core features of ASD.
Parallel heap: A practical priority queue for fine-to-medium-grained applications on small multiprocessors

We present an efficient implementation of the parallel heap data structure on a bus-based Silicon Graphics multiprocessor GTX/4D. Parallel heap is theoretically the first heap-based data structure to have implemented an optimally scalable parallel priority queue on an exclusive-read exclusive-write parallel random access machine. We compared it with Rao-and-Kumar's concurrent heap and with the conventional serial heap accessed via a lock. The parallel heap outperformed others for fine-to-medium grains achieving speedups of two to four using six processors relative to the best sequential execution times. The concurrent heap, however, exhibited performance comparable only to the serial heap. As expected for coarser grain, the serial heap performed at par with or better than others.
Trends in the Prevalence of Autism on the Basis of Special Education Data

OBJECTIVE: The goal was to determine whether the increasing prevalence of autism, on the basis of educational data, in Wisconsin between 2002 and 2008 was uniform in all school districts or was greatest in districts with lower baseline (2002) prevalence. METHODS: Special education counts were obtained for all Wisconsin elementary school districts from 2002 through 2008. The annual prevalence of children being served under the autism category was calculated for each district, districts were grouped into 8 categories (octiles) according to their baseline prevalence, and prevalence trends were plotted according to octile. RESULTS: The overall prevalence of use of the autism category in Wisconsin elementary schools increased from 4.9 to 9.0 cases per 1000 children between 2002 and 2008. The magnitude of this increase was not uniform across districts and was inversely associated with baseline prevalence. Prevalence in the lowest octile increased from 0.5 cases per 1000 students in 2002 to 7.0 cases per 1000 students in 2008 (P CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of use of the autism special education category in Wisconsin seems to be leveling off in the school districts with the highest prevalence rates, at ∼12 cases per 1000 students, whereas the gap in prevalence between districts overall has narrowed.
Highly pathogenic avian influenza impacts on Japan's import demand for shell eggs and processed egg-products

A Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS) model was used to evaluate impact of the 2004 highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) outbreaks on Japan's import demand for shell eggs and processed egg products. Egg imports were divided into three classes; shell eggs, dried egg products, and non-dried egg products. The demand for these three products were estimated (conditional on total egg imports) and tested for structural changes caused by changes in Japan's policies toward egg imports. Analysis shows structural change in two of the three classes of egg imports; shell eggs and dried egg products, measured by changes in their estimated coefficients of own and cross-price elasticities. In the post-HPAI period, shell and dried egg products became better substitutes for each other and their demand became more own-price elastic. Results showed a rising import demand for the safer dried egg products, with a simultaneous weakening demand for non-dried egg product and shell eggs. The findings of the CBS model are in concurrence with Japan's post-HPAI statistical data, reporting a rising import-share of dried eggs from 48% in the pre-infection 4th quarter 2003 to 62% in 4th quarter 2009, and declining shares of non-dried and shell eggs from 46% to 34% and from 6% to 3%, respectively.
IBM's Early Adaptation to Cold War Markets: Cuthbert Hurd and His Applied Science Field Men

The International Business Machines Corporation adapted early on to the opportunities created by the cold war economy in the United States. This account of IBM's adjustment to the circumstances of that time unveils the detailed process by which a firm situated outside the traditional defense industries forged new institutional allegiances between business and government and between science and industry. Beginning in 1949, IBM's Applied Science Department, under the leadership of Cuthbert Hurd, enabled the company to enter new technical markets that had been created by federal research and defense expenditures. But there were also broader consequences to IBM's decision to embrace scientific culture, among them the transformation of its traditional sales and product development strategies in ways that were not indisputably functional.
An advanced gas/vapor permeation system for barrier materials: Design and applications to poly(ethylene terephthalate)

A new gas/vapor mixture permeation system is described to investigate the effect of organic molecules on oxygen (O2) and carbon dioxide (CO2) transport in barrier materials. Methanol vapor was considered as a flavor simulant mainly because of its conveniently high diffusion coefficient, which makes the experimental time accessible. A highly accurate syringe pump was used to introduce a desired activity level of vapor into gas feed stream. Adsorption of methanol on high energy surfaces is carefully characterized to prevent underestimation of methanol permeability. A special permeation cell was also developed to study the effect of interacting vapors on O2 and CO2 transport in barrier materials. Systematic permeation measurements were conducted for binary and ternary gas/vapor permeation measurements (e.g., MeOH/O2 and O2/CO2/MeOH) to verify the feasibility of our new vapor/gas permeation system. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys, 2012
Compositional design and optimization of dentin adhesive with neutralization capability.

A B S T R A C T Objectives: The objective of this work was to investigate the polymerization behavior, neutralization capability, and mechanical properties of dentin adhesive formulations with the addition of the tertiary amine co-monomer, 2-N-morpholinoethyl methacrylate (MEMA). Methods: A co-monomer mixture based on HEMA/BisGMA (45/55, w/w) was used as a control adhesive. Compared with the control formulation, the MEMA-containing adhesive formulations were characterized comprehensively with regard to water miscibility of liquid resin, water sorption and solubility of cured polymer, real-time photopolymerization kinetics, dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA), and modulated differential scanning calorimetry (MDSC). The neutralization capacity was characterized by monitoring the pH shift of 1 mM lactic acid (LA) solution, in which the adhesive polymers were soaked. Results: With increasing MEMA concentrations, experimental copolymers showed higher water sorption, lower glass transition temperature and lower crosslinking density compared to the control. The pH values of LA solution gradually increased from 3.5 to about 6.0–6.5 after 90 days. With the increase in crosslinking density of the copolymers, the neutralization rate was depressed. The optimal MEMA concentration was between 20 and 40 wt%. Conclusions: As compared to the control, the results indicated that the MEMA-functionalized copolymer showed neutralization capability. The crosslinking density of the copolymer networks influenced the neutralization rate.
Understanding Spatial Variation in Tax Sheltering: The Role of Demographics, Ideology, and Taxes

Taxpayers shelter income from taxation both through illegal evasion and legal avoidance. This tax sheltering creates a difference between a household’s actual income and what it reports to the tax authorities. While tax sheltering is a central concern for designing a tax system, the private nature of this behavior complicates evaluating the magnitude and determinants of such behavior. In this article, we combine zip-code level data on reported income from the Internal Revenue Service and the Census Bureau to examine three types of determinants of tax sheltering: (1) tax policy variables, including tax rates (2) political attitudes toward taxation; and (3) demographics. Our estimates suggest that higher tax rates increase the amount of tax sheltering. In terms of political support, our results suggest that places with voters who are either more conservative or less supportive of tax increases actually shelter less income.
Major vitelline envelope proteins in pipefish oocytes originate within the follicle and are associated with the Z3 layer

A method is described for purifying salt-washed vitelline envelopes of pipefish eggs. Approximately 72% of the envelope dry weight is represented by 2 extractable proteins with molecular masses of 109 and 98 kDa. The 2 proteins are present in a 1:2 ratio, respectively, on 1-dimensional electrophoretic gels; the 98 kDa protein can be resolved further into a family of peptides by 2-dimensional gel electrophoresis. A monoclonal antibody raised against vitelline envelope protein recognizes both groups of protein and no other component of the oocyte, plasma, or liver. Immunocytochemistry indicated that the recognized antigen first appears in late cortical alveolistage oocytes, coincident with formation of the Z3 layer of the vitelline envelope; immunogold staining of thin sections confirmed antigen localization to the Z3 layer. Incubation of intact follicles with [35S]methionine in vitro followed by 2-dimensional gel electrophoresis and immunoblotting demonstrated the synthesis of the vitelline envelope proteins by such preparations. However, isolated follicle cells or denuded oocytes failed to yield convincing evidence of a similar nature. We conclude from these observations that the principal vitelline envelope proteins originate from within the follicle rather than elsewhere, such as the liver, and that the structural integrity of the follicle may be necessary for their elaboration.
METHODOLOGY TO COMPARE 3-D AND 2-D PARAMETERS FOR THE OPTIMIZATION OF HARD TURNED SURFACES

ABSTRACT Hard Turning provides an alternative to grinding in some finishing applications. Average Surface Roughness Ra has been widely used in industry to establish surface texture needed for a given application. It is known that the single parameter Ra is inadequate to define the functionality of a surface texture. The quality of a surface can be determined by the nature of its interaction with another surface. Thus a surface with significant peaks will not make as good a bearing surface as a surface with deep valleys and low peaks. Two different surfaces with similar values of Ra can behave differently under fatigue loading conditions. 3-D visualization of expected surface texture will facilitate optimization of machining parameters to produce function-specific surfaces. The advantages and shortcomings of some current surface texture prediction models are discussed. A new method based on neuro-fuzzy techniques is proposed. Optimization using some 3-D surface parameters was carried out and compared with ...
Improving verbose queries using subset distribution

Dealing with verbose (or long) queries poses a new challenge for information retrieval. Selecting a subset of the original query (a "sub-query") has been shown to be an effective method for improving these queries. In this paper, the distribution of sub-queries ("subset distribution") is formally modeled within a well-grounded framework. Specifically, sub-query selection is considered as a sequential labeling problem, where each query word in a verbose query is assigned a label of "keep" or "don't keep". A novel Conditional Random Field model is proposed to generate the distribution of sub-queries. This model captures the local and global dependencies between query words and directly optimizes the expected retrieval performance on a training set. The experiments, based on different retrieval models and performance measures, show that the proposed model can generate high-quality sub-query distributions and can significantly outperform state-of-the-art techniques.
The impact of antiretroviral therapy on HPV and cervical intraepithelial neoplasia: current evidence and directions for future research

Increasing numbers of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected women are now accessing life-prolonging highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) in developing countries. There is a need for better understanding of interactions of human papillomavirus (HPV) and HIV, especially in the context of increasing life expectancy due to HAART. The data regarding the impact of HAART on reducing the incidence and progression and facilitating the regression of HPV infection and cervical abnormalities is largely inconsistent. Published studies differ in their study designs (prospective or retrospective cohorts or record linkage studies), screening and diagnostic protocols, duration and type of HAART use, recruitment and referral strategies, and definitions of screening test and disease positivity. Due to the ethical and resource limitations in conducting randomized trials of the impact of HAART on incidence of HPV, CIN, and cervical cancer among HIV-infected women, it is important to consider innovative study designs, including quasi-experimental trials and operations research in sentinel populations to answer the critical research questions in this area.
The Recovery of Archaic Truth in Literature: Light and Darkness in the Perception of Space in the Human Imagination

While the appeal of both inner and outer space of world and consciousness presents an inexhaustible source for the artist and writer, primitive memories remain in the archaic makeup of human beings that continue to haunt as well as enchant the human mind. The archaic mind is evident not only in the once-upon-a-time of fairy tales, but in the acute awareness of existence itself—the closest we can get to the first order experience of the human creature to the wonder and terror of its birthing reality. This essay considers both ancient myth and reflective imagination in the work of modern thinkers and poets such as Nietzsche, Freud, Dostoevsky, and Rilke, as well as contemporary writers within oral traditions such as the Lakota writer Leslie Marmon Silko and the Caribbean poet Derek Walcott whose cultural traditions and works draw on mythic themes and archaic consciousness.
Ikon-Techniken für Benutzerschnittstellen komplexer Anwendungssoftware

Innerhalb der letzten Dekade hat man im Bereich der Entwicklung von Anwendungssoftware immer mehr die Benutzerschnittstelle von der Anwendung entkoppelt und sie mit grafischen Darstellungsformen und direkt manipulativen Interaktionsformen versehen. Nun konnen grafische Darstellungsformen in Benutzerschnittstellen auch ohne drrekt manipulative Interaktionsformen existieren, und direkte Manipulation ist wiederum so definiert (z.B. auch nach SHNEIDERMANN 1983), das sie auch ohne grafische Darstellungsformen im engeren Sinne auskommen kann. Direkte Manipulation auf grafischen Objektwelten kann aber als ganz spezifische Interaktionsform angesehen werden, die spezielle Techniken und Regeln ihrer Anwendung benotigt. Diese Techniken nennen wir hier “Ikon-Techniken”.
Chaperone-mediated 26S Proteasome Remodeling Facilitates Free K63 Ubiquitin Chain Production and Aggresome Clearance

Efficient elimination of misfolded proteins by the proteasome system is critical for proteostasis. Inadequate proteasome capacity can lead to aberrant aggregation of misfolded proteins and inclusion body formation, a hallmark of neurodegenerative disease. The proteasome system cannot degrade aggregated proteins; however, it stimulates autophagy-dependent aggregate clearance by producing unanchored lysine (K)63-linked ubiquitin chains via the proteasomal deubiquitinating enzyme Poh1. The canonical function of Poh1, which removes ubiquitin chains en bloc from proteasomal substrates prior to their degradation, requires intact 26S proteasomes. Here we present evidence that during aggresome clearance, 20S proteasomes dissociate from protein aggregates, while Poh1 and selective subunits of 19S proteasomes are retained. The dissociation of 20S proteasome components requires the molecular chaperone Hsp90. Hsp90 inhibition suppresses 26S proteasome remodeling, unanchored ubiquitin chain production, and aggresome clearance. Our results suggest that 26S proteasomes undergo active remodeling to generate a Poh1-dependent K63-deubiquitinating enzyme to facilitate protein aggregate clearance.
Crystalline glycoprotein cell walls of algae: their stucture, composition and assembly

Cell walls from various algae within the Chlamydomonaceae display, when negatively stained and examined in the electron microscope, a crystalline lattice component. On the basis of the Fourier transforms of micrographs of the cell wall, the algae have been classified into five classes. Most of the algae examined fall into class II. The two-dimensional repeating morphological unit cell of the wall of each class is described and in each case is a parallelogram whose overall dimensions are all of the same order of magnitude. The implications of the classification for classical taxonomy are discussed. More detailed structural information, to a resolution of about 2.5 nm (based on optical filtering and image enhancement techniques), is presented for two of the cell wall classes. From the evidence of polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, the cell wall of these algae is constructed primarily from a small number of high molecular mass glycoprotein species. In Chlamydomonas reinhardi it has been shown that the hydroxyproline residues in the wall glycoprotein are cross-linked to short oligosaccharides. Some of the conditions necessary for the complete in vitro reassembly of the cell wall of C. reinhardi are presented and include the presence of a discrete nucleating agent and the presence of a physical surface. Dislocations within the crystalline lattice of the cell walls are described and their role as growth points discussed.