cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Robust object tracking via adaptive sparse representation

In this paper, we present a robust object tracking system capable of handling pose and scale variations. The system is based on adaptive sparse representation and dictionary learning. We focus on the problem of automatic tracking with no prior knowledge other than the location of the region to be tracked in the first frame, which could be located by a detector. The detected region, i.e., a bounding box, and some samples near the bounding box are extracted as positive samples. In addition, we select regions outside the bounding box as negative samples. Both, positive and negative samples are used to build the dictionary and we use K-SVD method for dictionary learning in order to decrease the number of atoms and improve the processing speed. One of the main drawbacks in tracking systems is false tracking when the object is not in the frame any more. We overcome this problem by comparing the newly tracked region with previously tracked regions to find out if the object is still in the frame or not. If the object is not in the frame, the algorithm stops tracking and starts searching for the object using the sparse detector in the following frames. Experiments on video sequences demonstrate the effectiveness and robustness of the proposed system for tracking.
Estradiol modulates long-term synaptic depression in female rat hippocampus.

Fluctuating estradiol levels in the adult, female rat modify the anatomical and functional organization of the hippocampal CA1 region. When systemic levels of estradiol are low, e.g., on estrus or ...
The Impact of Light Emitting Diodes

The Electrochemical Society Interface • Winter 2015 • www.electrochem.org 43 T he Luminescence and Display Materials Division (LDM) was last featured in Interface in the winter 2009 issue. In that issue I wrote about the emerging technology of solid state lighting (SSL), which was then the subject of intensive research by many members of LDM. At that time, one envisioned the replacement of inefficient incandescent lamps by LED-based systems, leading to more than 3% reduction of energy consumption in the U.S., and accompanied by a similar reduction in pollution, greenhouse gases, and costs.1 It turns out that our predictions have been surpassed by recent developments in solid state lighting: the combined efforts of industry and academia, in conjunction with government support, have led to LED-based lighting devices, which are not only superior to incandescent lamp, but also to fluorescent lighting, the main light source in commercial and industrial applications. While high quality fluorescent lamps yield about 100 lumens/watt, hereby reaching the achievable potential for this technology, SSL devices have reached higher efficiencies already, with prototypes reaching 200 lumens/ watt.2 The importance of these rapid, and globally important, developments was recognized in 2014 by the Nobel Prize Committee, which awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics 2014 to Isamu Akasaki, Hiroshi Amano, and Shuji Nakamura, “for the invention of efficient blue light-emitting diodes which has enabled bright and energysaving white light sources.”3 In this issue, Martin Hermus and Jakoah Brgoch report on recent approaches to develop efficient and stable phosphor materials in their article, “Phosphor by Design: Approaches Toward the Development of Advanced Luminescent Materials.” One would expect phosphor development to be an important research topic, but other aspects of SSL attract attention as well. The contribution “Polymeric Materials in Phosphor-Converted LEDs for Lighting Applications: Outlook and Challenges,” by Maxim Tchoul, Alan Piquette, and Alexander Linkov, addresses in detail the role of polymeric materials in solid state lighting, New technologies often have negative, unforeseen implications, and the article “Impact of Light Emitting Diode Adoption on Rare Element Use in Lighting: Implications for Yttrium, Europium, and Terbium Demand,” by Anthony Y. Ku, Anant A. Setlur, and Johnathan Loudis, addresses the question of possible shortages of critical rare earth elements. While the articles in this issue emphasize SSL, it should be noted that our LDM Division does (and should) provide a forum for all aspects of light-emitting processes and techniques for their implementation, and I find that advances in the different research areas often profit from the intellectual cross-fertilization among our members at the ECS meetings. Thus I hope to see you at PRiME 2016 in Honolulu.
The Prospective Nature of Voluntary Action: Insights from the Reflexive Imagery Task:

Voluntary action is peculiar in several ways. For example, it is highly prospective in nature, requiring the activation of the representations of anticipated action-effects (e.g., a button pressed)...
Ifosfamide combinations in lymphoma.

From 1977 to 1989, combination ifosfamide and etoposide has been used at the M.D. Anderson Cancer Center for management of lymphoma in both untreated patients and patients with recurrent disease. Results of the various salvage regimens are reviewed. On the average, overall and complete response rates have been 60% and 25%, respectively. Median survival time was 9 months for relapsed intermediate-grade lymphoma and 12 months for low-grade lymphoma. The preliminary results of a new combination, mesna, ifosfamide, novantrone, etoposide (MINE), are discussed. Finally, we discuss the long-term results (at 10 years of follow-up) of a front-line protocol using ifosfamide/methotrexate/etoposide (IMVP-16) as consolidation or intensification for cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, prednisone (CHOP) responders. At 10 years, 62% of intermediate-grade lymphoma patients are alive and disease free.
Teaching Marketing Management in a Developing Country: The Moroccan Experience

Teaching marketing management in a developing country is beset with many difficulties, both in relation to students’ attitudes and the availability of teaching materials. The author examines teaching methods used in a developing country, Morocco, and presents a series of alternative approaches. These new methods were tested in practice during a period of four years and success is reflected by increased enrollments in marketing classes.
Banking in Major Countries

The domestic banking scene in each country shapes the opportunities and prospects for favourable development of international banking operations. The following brief description of the banking systems of selected countries mirrors the fairly wide contrasts that can be observed in major countries. The British banking system reflects a long-standing international orientation. Nearly half of the deposits in U.K. banks are domiciled in specialised institutions that have evolved from London’s pivotal international financing role. In France, we have a system that stands apart in terms of the new competitive environment, public ownership of major banks, and recently strengthened monetary powers of the Bank of France. By contrast, banking in Germany is characterised by numerous banks, both in number and types. The three big banks in Germany conform closely to the mixed banking pattern, explaining their orientation toward underwriting and international finance. Switzerland offers another interesting special situation. Swiss banks receive substantial foreign funds for deposit and investment management.
Assessing Agreement between Radiomic Features Computed for Multiple CT Imaging Settings

Objectives Radiomics utilizes quantitative image features (QIFs) to characterize tumor phenotype. In practice, radiological images are obtained from different vendors’ equipment using various imaging acquisition settings. Our objective was to assess the inter-setting agreement of QIFs computed from CT images by varying two parameters, slice thickness and reconstruction algorithm. Materials and Methods CT images from an IRB-approved/HIPAA-compliant study assessing thirty-two lung cancer patients were included for the analysis. Each scan’s raw data were reconstructed into six imaging series using combinations of two reconstruction algorithms (Lung[L] and Standard[S]) and three slice thicknesses (1.25mm, 2.5mm and 5mm), i.e., 1.25L, 1.25S, 2.5L, 2.5S, 5L and 5S. For each imaging-setting, 89 well-defined QIFs were computed for each of the 32 tumors (one tumor per patient). The six settings led to 15 inter-setting comparisons (combinatorial pairs). To reduce QIF redundancy, hierarchical clustering was done. Concordance correlation coefficients (CCCs) were used to assess inter-setting agreement of the non-redundant feature groups. The CCC of each group was assessed by averaging CCCs of QIFs in the group. Results Twenty-three non-redundant feature groups were created. Across all feature groups, the best inter-setting agreements (CCCs>0.8) were 1.25S vs 2.5S, 1.25L vs 2.5L, and 2.5S vs 5S; the worst (CCCs 0.8 across all imaging settings. Conclusions Varying degrees of inter-setting disagreements of QIFs exist when features are computed from CT images reconstructed using different algorithms and slice thicknesses. Our findings highlight the importance of harmonizing imaging acquisition for obtaining consistent QIFs to study tumor imaging phonotype.
Management of elderly patients with early-stage medically inoperable endometrial cancer: Systematic review and National Cancer Database analysis.

Abstract Purpose To evaluate the effectiveness of radiation therapy among elderly patients who are deemed medically inoperable. Methods and Materials We searched PubMed to identify studies from the past 25 years that reported outcomes of medically inoperable endometrial cancer patients treated with radiation alone. The National Cancer Database (NCDB) was queried to identify patients 65 years and older with Stage I–II medically inoperable endometrial cancer. Univariable and multivariable models were performed to investigate the impact of prognostic factors on overall survival. Results Thirteen papers met inclusion criteria for the systematic review. Overall survival for Stage I tumors at 5 years was 30–95%. Reported pelvic control for the 888 total patients with Stage I tumors was 80–100% and 61–89% for Stage II. Late complications for all patients treated ranged from 0% to 21% across patients. The NCDB analysis demonstrated that any radiotherapy was associated with improved survival over no local therapy. Combination therapy (external beam radiation therapy + brachytherapy) was associated with the most favorable survival with a hazard ratio (HR) of 0.442 (p Conclusions The available evidence suggests high rates of local control after radiation therapy for elderly women with Stage I–II medically inoperable endometrial cancer. Our analysis of the NCDB suggests that radiation therapy improves survival, and combination therapy provides the most favorable outcomes. Given a relatively favorable toxicity profile, definitive radiation therapy should be considered a preferred approach for patients with medically inoperable endometrial cancer.
Enteral Feeding Tubes: What Every Fellow Should Know

GI fellows rapidly discover that they must become intimately familiar with the role of feeding tubes in patients with GI disease as gastroenterologists are called upon daily to select which type of tube is best, where it should be placed, and how it should be placed. The evaluation of a patient for enteral nutrition is best performed by the gastroenterologist who combines the cognitive expertise in nutrition and gastroenterology together with the endoscopic skills to place the appropriate type of feeding tube. Enteral feeding is the preferred method of nutrition support when oral feeding is inadequate and a functional gastrointestinal tract is present. Endoscopic directed access for enteral nutrition may be established for nasoenteric tubes (NET), percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG), percutaneous gastrojejunostomy(PEGJ), or direct percutaneous endoscopic jejunostomy (DPEJ). This chapter will detail the most effective endoscopic methods of feeding tube placement using the most recent technologies including the drag and clip for NET and PEGJ and balloon enteroscopy for DPEJ. The most recent guidelines for peri-procedural anticoagulation management and the ethics of feeding tube therapy are reviewed as well. The GI fellow should have a variety of tools and techniques in his armamentarium for successful and safe enteral feeding tube placement. This chapter will cover the placement, management and troubleshooting of endoscopic feeding tubes.
Emotion Detection from Text via Ensemble Classification Using Word Embeddings

Emotion detection from text has become a popular task due to the key role of emotions in human-machine interaction. Current approaches represent text as a sparse bag-of-words vector. In this work, we propose a new approach that utilizes pre-trained, dense word embedding representations. We introduce an ensemble approach combining both sparse and dense representations. Our experiments include five datasets for emotion detection from different domains and show an average improvement of 11.6% in macro average F1-score.
Abstract 19210: Enhanced Denitrosylation Mitigates Cardiac Hypertrophy and Dysfunction During Chronic Pressure Overload

Protein S-nitrosylation (SNO) is a post-translational modification of protein thiol, which is a major effector mechanism of nitric oxide (NO) signaling. Level of protein SNO is controlled by S-nitr...
Sparse matrix factor modification in structural reanalysis

Structural reanalysis problems, such as in nonlinear finite element analysis or optimum design, involve progressive changes in the global stiffness matrix and its matrix factors. Although many studies have been devoted to the subject of matrix factor modification, most investigations have dealt with the problem separately from sparse matrix methods. This paper introduces a graph-theoretic model for the forward solution procedure which is applicable for identifying the modified entries of the matrix factors due to changes in the original matrix. Applications of this graph-theoretic model to existing refactorization methods are presented. The relation between substructuring and sparse matrix ordering strategies, and their effects on reanalysis are discussed. Modification of a sparse matrix associated with an n × n finite element grid ordered by the nested dissection scheme is analysed.
Unlocking the Complex Flavors of Dysgeusia after Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation.

Abstract Dysgeusia is a frequently occurring symptom after hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) that has important long-term effects on physical, nutritional, and immunologic recovery, as well as on quality of life. Despite the relevance of this symptom, the study of dysgeusia in patients undergoing HCT has been limited, owing in part to its complexity. In this article, we review normal taste function and its clinical evaluation, discuss how dysgeusia uniquely affects patients undergoing HCT, and examine distinct, transplantation-related contributors to dysgeusia that may help elucidate strategies to ultimately reduce this symptom burden after transplantation.
Practice Makes Perfect: Simulation in Emergency Medicine Risk Management

Simulation has been steadily changing the safety culture in the healthcare industry and allowing individual clinicians and interdisciplinary teams to be proactive in the culture of risk reduction and improved patient safety. Literature has demonstrated improved patient outcomes, improved team based skills, systems testing and mitigation of latent safety threats. Simulation may be incorporated into practice via different modalities. The simulation lab is helpful for individual procedures, in situ simulation (ISS) for system testing and teamwork, community outreach ISS for sharing of best practices and content resource experts. Serious medical gaming is developing into a useful training adjunct for the future.
Cell Cycle Regulation in Intestinal Epithelial Cells

To investigate the role that cell cycle regulation may play during differentiation of intestinal epithelial cells, we examined the expression of p53, p21, cyclin D1, cyclin E and E2F in differentiating Caco-2 cells. Caco-2 cells were established from a human colon adenocarcinoma, and differentiate spontaneously after reaching confluence. p53 was undetectable in undifferentiated Caco-2 cells, while significant levels of p21 were observed. p53 transcripts could be detected by day 14 and levels increased slightly toward day 21. Steady state levels of p21 mRNA increased approximately four fold during process of Caco-2 differentiation. The levels of cyclins D1, E and transcription factor E2F-1 mRNA increased early during the differentiation of Caco-2 cells, but decreased as the cells were maintained in culture in a differentiated state. Our data suggest that the Caco-2 cell line will provide a good model system for studying the function of p21 and other cell cycle regulators in the process of terminal differentiation.
3-D Structures of Macromolecules Using Single-Particle Analysis in EMAN

Single-particle reconstruction is a methodology whereby transmission electron microscopy (TEM) is used to record images of individual monodisperse molecules or macromolecular assemblies, then sets of images of individual particles are computationally combined to produce a 3-D volumetric reconstruction. Ideally the TEM specimen will be prepared in vitreous ice (electron cryomicroscopy), but negative stain preparations may be used for lower resolution work. This technique has been demonstrated to produce structures at resolutions as high as ∼ 4 A, though this is not yet typical. The reconstruction process is quite computationally intensive, and several software packages are available for this task. EMAN is one of the easier to master software suites for single-particle analysis. This protocol explains how to perform an initial low-resolution reconstruction using EMAN.
Matrix Training for Toddlers With Autism Spectrum Disorder and Other Language Delays

Although matrix training is an intervention technique designed to promote generative language, it has not been applied widely to toddlers with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) despite the benefits it...
Metabolomics assessment reveals oxidative stress and altered energy production in the heart after ischemic acute kidney injury in mice

Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a systemic disease associated with widespread effects on distant organs, including the heart. Normal cardiac function is dependent on constant ATP generation, and the preferred method of energy production is via oxidative phosphorylation. Following direct ischemic cardiac injury, the cardiac metabolome is characterized by inadequate oxidative phosphorylation, increased oxidative stress, and increased alternate energy utilization. We assessed the impact of ischemic AKI on the metabolomics profile in the heart. Ischemic AKI was induced by 22 minutes of renal pedicle clamping, and 124 metabolites were measured in the heart at 4 hours, 24 hours, and 7 days post-procedure. Forty-one percent of measured metabolites were affected, with the most prominent changes observed 24 hours post-AKI. The post-AKI cardiac metabolome was characterized by amino acid depletion, increased oxidative stress, and evidence of alternative energy production, including a shift to anaerobic forms of energy production. These metabolomic effects were associated with significant cardiac ATP depletion and with echocardiographic evidence of diastolic dysfunction. In the kidney, metabolomics analysis revealed shifts suggestive of energy depletion and oxidative stress, which were reflected systemically in the plasma. This is the first study to examine the cardiac metabolome after AKI, and demonstrates that effects of ischemic AKI on the heart are akin to the effects of direct ischemic cardiac injury.
Seasonal variations in chronic rhinosinusitis symptom burden may be explained by changes in mood.

There are many year-round modifiers of chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS). However, it is unknown whether there are seasonal variations in the sinonasal symptom burden of CRS. This was a retrospective cross-sectional study of sinonasal symptom burden measured using the 22-item Sinonasal Outcome Test (SNOT-22) and its four associated nasal, sleep, ear/facial discomfort and emotional subdomains in 1028 individuals with CRS. The season (winter, spring, summer or fall) when the SNOT-22 was completed was recorded. Regressions, controlling for clinical and demographic characteristics, were performed to seek association between season of the year and SNOT-22 total and subdomain scores. The mean SNOT-22 scores were 37.4 for those individuals completing their SNOT-22 in the fall, 40.5 in the winter, 37.4 in the spring and 36.0 in the summer. There was a statistically significant association between higher SNOT-22 scores and completing the SNOT-22 in the wintertime (adjusted β = 4.08, 95% CI 0.74–7.42, p = 0.017). When seeking association between season and SNOT-22 subdomain scores, wintertime was associated only with higher emotional (adjusted β = 0.48, 95% CI 0.14–0.81, p = 0.006) and sleep (adjusted β = 2.23, 95% CI 0.54–3.91, p = 0.010) subdomain scores. Examining individual SNOT-22 items, these associations were due to more symptoms related to depressed mood (“sad”) and psychomotor retardation. There are seasonal variations in symptom burden of CRS patients, independent of aeroallergen hypersensitivity, with the greatest increase in baseline CRS symptomatology during the winter. This finding was most strongly associated with increased emotional symptomatology and depressed mood.
The backward hustle: An experimental investigation of tax code notches and labor supply

Abstract The phase-in and phase-out of benefits as part of social safety nets has the potential to distort individuals’ labor supply decisions. Classical economic theory predicts a strong incentive to adjust labor supply and bunch at the discontinuities that arise within notched tax systems. However, such behavior has been difficult to observe in both survey and administrative data. In this paper, we design a laboratory experiment to explore the impact of notches on subjects’ bunching behavior within an environment where subjects receive full information about their payment schedules and can freely adjust their labor supply (number of tasks completed). While we find clear evidence of bunching under our notched payment system, many subjects still fail to bunch. We explore the role of behavioral factors such as self-control, overconfidence, and loss aversion as potential determinants of bunching behavior. Our results indicate that, within our sample, self-control and loss aversion have a positive and significant association with subjects’ decision to bunch, while overconfidence has a negative association. These estimates are of the expected sign and suggest that behavioral factors may serve as important underlying determinants of an individual’s decision to bunch.
‘His stones, his daughter, and his ducats’: the rhetoric of love and possession in early modern Europe

In the early modern period both romantic love and parental love were often seen in terms of possession and ownership, in particular the possession of wives and children by a male head of household....
The principle of complementarity as the basis for the model of ethical cognition

The analysis of the Boolean model of ethical cognition has demonstrated that a law similar to the principle of complementarity is realized in the model: ‘interference of feelings’ is incompatible with the correct registration of inner intentions. The entire class of the possible algebraic models is investigated, and it is shown that if we postulate the existence in the human psyche of the principle of complementarity and of analogues of parallel and sequential locations of physical devices, then as a consequence we obtain the Boolean model.
Place-Making and Religion: A Solidarity Psychology of the Commons

The relationship between religion and place must account for the actors who shape the places where a given religion occurs. The ‘commons’ is a comprehensive framework to consider religion and place and it supports a “solidarity psychology” that emphasizes mutualism, human wellness and wholeness through stewarding shared resources or ‘commoning’. A mosque controversy in Brooklyn demonstrates the challenges in achieving a solidarity psychology of the commons. Research into national controversies, local organizing, field visits, census data and interviews shows how people differ on the content of their commons. In places of great diversity and bitter contestation, it is vital to understand how to build the commons. An example of a place-based pedagogy in Brooklyn is proposed as a way to promote religious understanding across differences and create the conditions for a commons that arises through negotiating those differences.
Minimally modified low density lipoproteins induce aortic smooth muscle cell proliferation via the activation of mitogen activated protein kinase

We have investigated the effects of modifying LDL by Cu++ and various hemoglobin preparations on aortic smooth muscle cell proliferation and on the activation of mitogen activated protein kinase. We found that at very low concentrations (10 μg/ml), LDL modified by all of the above agonists markedly stimulated cell proliferation (5–10 fold). This was accompanied by a 2–3 fold stimulation in mitogen activated protein kinase (MAPK) activity. We conclude that modification of LDL under situations that are closer to those found in vivo (i.e. hypoxic conditions), may involve the activation of MAPK as a common biochemical mechanism of action. This in turn, contributes to aortic smooth muscle cell proliferation.
Incidence and Predictors of Diabetes Mellitus after a Diagnosis of Early-Stage Breast Cancer in the Elderly Using Real-World Data.

The incidence and predictors of diabetes (DM) in patients with breast cancer (BC) were evaluated. We compared DM incidence and physician access in BC patients to matched controls. We identified women with stage I–III BC diagnosed from 2005 to 2013 in the SEER-Medicare database, with ≥ 2 years of follow-up after diagnosis, without previous DM claims. Incident DM was determined by ≥ 1 DM claims after BC diagnosis. Multivariable analysis was used to identify factors associated with incident DM. Age- and race-matched non-cancer controls were obtained from a 5% random sample and assigned an index date. Physician and PCP visits per-patient-per-year were compared between cases and controls in the two-year period prior to and after the index date. Among 14,506 eligible BC patients, 3234 (22.3%) developed DM versus 16.5% of controls. Among BC patients, factors associated with incident DM included race (Black OR 1.63 95% CI 1.39–1.93, Hispanic OR 3.03 95% CI 1.92–4.81; vs. Caucasians), SES (Quintile 0 vs. Quintile 4 OR 1.55 95% CI 1.33–1.78), and receipt of chemotherapy (vs. none OR 1.19 95% CI 1.08–1.31). Among cases and controls, respectively, median physician visits per-patient-per-year were 19 and 17 prior to the index date, and 46 and 19 after the index date; median PCP visits were 2 for both groups in both periods. About 22% of BC patients developed DM, more than controls in the same period. While there were differences in healthcare access, there weren’t differences in PCP access between groups. This represents an opportunity for better comorbidity management in BC patients.
Mental Marronage on the Metacognitive Mountain: Teaching Critical Analysis, Historical Awareness and Social Activism to ADW Student Writers

Just as their ancestors went through the process of being physically liberated, students must undergo the process of being intellectually liberated—a mental marronage. Historically, the term marronage classified those who were enslaved, emancipating themselves by way of escape from the plantation, forming free and independent communities, and resisting, through armed rebellion, those who opposed their freedom. Essentially, African Diaspora and the World teaches students to use their minds for the same purpose. Hence, a mental marronage is a psychological emancipation from the negative perceptions surrounding those of African descent, created by forming communities of intellectuals, who use their knowledge of the African Diaspora to reform the historical narrative through creative forms of active and written resistance. Students, just as many authors have done, must pick up their pens and use their writing as a method of connecting, critiquing, and changing their world.
Deep Learning Deployment

A new automated code-generation approach is proposed that describes Deep Learning (DL) algorithms in a high-level programming language, which allows code for different hardware platforms to be generated automatically from the same program. The analysis of pros and cons of such an approach is presented with an example of an industry strength pretrained neural network for object classification in images.
Nonequilibrium Dynamics of a Magnetic Nanocapsule in a Nematic Liquid Crystal.

Colloidal particles in nematic liquid crystals show a beautiful variety of complex phenomena with promising applications. Their dynamical behaviour is determined by topology and interactions with the liquid crystal and external fields. Here, a nematic magnetic nanocapsule reoriented periodically by time-varying magnetic fields is studied using numerical simulations. The approach combines Molecular Dynamics to resolve solute–solvent interactions and Nematic Multiparticle Collision Dynamics to incorporate nematohydrodynamic fields and fluctuations. A Saturn ring defect resulting from homeotropic anchoring conditions surrounds the capsule and rotates together with it. Magnetically induced rotations of the capsule can produce transformations of this topological defect, which changes from a disclination curve to a defect structure extending over the surface of the capsule. Transformations occur for large magnetic fields. At moderate fields, elastic torques prevent changes of the topological defect by tilting the capsule out from the rotation plane of the magnetic field.
Perioperative Anesthetic Considerations in the Management of Necrotizing Enterocolitis (NEC) in Newborns and Short Bowel Syndrome (SBS) in Infants

Necrotizing enterocolitis is one of the most common gastrointestinal emergencies in neonatal intensive care units and one of the most serious diseases because of its associated long-term morbidity and significant mortality. In this chapter, we describe the pathophysiology and epidemiology along with the anesthesia management and care challenges of patients with necrotizing enterocolitis and short bowel syndrome.
Ground Based and Extraterrestrial Observations of Stellar Flux

The significance of recent improvements made in the absolute monochromatic flux measurements of the Sun and Vega are discussed with a special emphasis on the absolute calibration of the V-magnitude of stars. The difficulties relating to the determination of vacuum ultra-violet fluxes are outlined and the improvements that can be achieved using synchroton radiation as the fundamental laboratory source are presented. Colour indices derived from OAO-2 observation are given for about 80 early type stars and the (1700 — V) colour is discussed in terms of interstellar reddening and sensitivity to effective temperature. Basic problems requiring further investigation are finally outlined.
How to Avoid Redundant Object-References

A type of data "redundancy" that is not fact-redundancy arises from object-references that are non-"information-bearing". Several forms of this phenomenon may occur in fact samples, including mention of a scope-defining object, and use of an anaphoric term --- whether stated or implicit. We give various examples of this phenomenon of non-informative object-reference, and suggest that the problem is addressed by fully-semantically-accurate modeling: if we can correctly capture all referential meaning (which requires working with fact instances, not just fact types) --- including whether the object-reference is intended as "information-bearing" (in its context) --- then a design-procedure exists, outlined here, that will attribute fact-type "roles" to mentioned objects in such a way as to avoid all non-information-bearing object-reference.
Gender Pattern on Success in Economics Classes

To analyze the effect of gender on learning outcome in economics classes, seven hundred and forty-four principles of microeconomics and macroeconomics students are surveyed at two public universities. After controlling factors such as number of hours worked, SAT, number of missed classes, being a junior, and number of economics courses taken, etc., our main empirical result reveals that gender is a significant factor contributing to learning success as measured by grades. Contrary to past empirical studies that often showed male students excel in economics classes, we find female students seem to perform better than male students, indicating a changing gender pattern.
Wavelength-Dependent Phenomena in Nonlinear Laser-Plasma Interactions

The number and energy distribution of superthermal electrons produced in a laser-heated plasma can be quantitatively obtained directly from the experimental x-ray spectrum using only the assumption that the fast electrons lose energy by bremsstrahlung and electron-electron collisions. The result is independent of the spatial and temporal distribution of electron density and temperature. This analysis is given in Sec. II.
Inclusion of the orientational entropic effect and low-resolution experimental information for protein-protein docking in Critical Assessment of PRedicted Interactions (CAPRI).

Inclusion of entropy is important and challenging for protein-protein binding prediction. Here, we present a statistical mechanics-based approach to empirically consider the effect of orientational entropy. Specifically, we globally sample the possible binding orientations based on a simple shape-complementarity scoring function using an FFT-type docking method. Then, for each generated orientation we calculate the probability through the partition function of the ensemble of accessible states, which are assumed to be represented by the set of nearby binding modes. For each mode, the interaction energy is calculated from our ITScorePP scoring function that was developed in our laboratory based on principles of statistical mechanics. Using the above protocol, we present the results of our participation in Rounds 22–27 of the CAPRI (Critical Assessment of PRedicted Interactions) experiment for ten targets (T46-T58). Additional experimental information, such as low-resolution SAXS data, was used when available. In the prediction (or docking) experiments of the ten target complexes, we achieved correct binding modes for six targets: one with high accuracy (T47), two with medium accuracy (T48 and T57), and three with acceptable accuracy (T49, T50, and T58). In the scoring experiments of seven target complexes, we obtained correct binding modes for six targets: one with high accuracy (T47), two with medium accuracy (T49 and T50), and three with acceptable accuracy (T46, T51, and T53).
Toll-like receptor 4 mediates ozone-induced murine lung hyperpermeability via inducible nitric oxide synthase

We tested the hypotheses that 1) inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) mediates ozone (O3)-induced lung hyperpermeability and 2) mRNA levels of the gene for iNOS (Nos2) are modulated by Toll-like ...
Freeze-fracture cytochemistry: a simplified guide and update on developments.

SUMMARY A wide variety of methods by which cytochemistry and freeze-fracture can be successfully combined have recently become available. All these techniques are designed to provide information on the chemical nature of structural components revealed by freeze-fracture, but differ in how this is achieved, in precisely what type of information is obtained, and in which types of specimen can be studied. Colloidal gold labelling is the most widely used cytochemical technique in freeze-fracture cytochemistry, and for many of the methods it is indispensable. In principle, there are four points in which the cytochemical labelling step may be integrated into the standard freeze-fracture procedure: (i) before the specimen has been frozen, (ii) after it has been fractured and thawed, (iii) after platinum shadowing or (iv) after completion of the full replication sequence. Retention of the gold label so that it can be viewed with replicas can be achieved by depositing platinum and/or carbon upon the labelled surface, thereby partially entrapping the marker particles within the replica, or by retaining, attached to the replica, fragments of fractured membrane (or other cellular components) that would normally have been lost during the replica cleaning step. Another approach to visualizing the label is to use sections, either with portions of a replica included face-on, or for examining the fracture path through the sample (without replica). Recent developments have centred on the use of replicas to stabilize half-membrane leaflets; not only may these and associated attached components be retained for labelling just before mounting, but they provide a means for manipulating the specimen— specifically, turning it over during processing—so that additional structural information can be obtained. This article aims to explain how modern freeze-fracture cytochemisty works, and how the various techniques differ in what they can tell us about membranes and other cellular structures. With the effectiveness of many of the techniques now demonstrated, freeze-fracture cytochemistry is firmly established, alongside a range of related labelling techniques, for increasing application in cell and membrane biology in the 1990s.
10 EFFECT OF USING PROTECTIVE AI COVER SHEATHS ON FERTILITY OF LACTATING DAIRY COWS

An adequate and clean artificial insemination (AI) technique is recommended to maximize reproductive outcomes in dairy cattle. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of using protective sheaths (PS; Continental Plastic Inc., Delavan, WI, USA) to minimize contamination of the AI catheter (AIC) on pregnancies per AI (P/AI) in lactating dairy cattle. A previous study reported no improvement on cattle fertility when using PS during first service AI (King et al. 1984 Can. Vet. J. 25, 327). Lactating cows housed in free-stall barns on a commercial dairy farm with a rolling herd milk production average of 10.140 kg were presynchronized with 2 injections of PGF2α (25 mg; Lutalyse, Pharmacia & Upjohn, Kalamazoo, MI, USA) given 14 days apart (starting at 26 ± 3 d postpartum) followed by Ovsynch [OV; GnRH-7 d-PGF2α-56 h-GnRH-16 h-timed-AI(TAI)] 12 days later. Cows presenting signs of standing heat any time during the protocol received AI, whereas the remaining animals were subjected to TAI16 h after second OV GnRH (100 μg; Cystorelin, Merial, Duluth, GA, USA). At the moment of AI (one AI technician), 996 services from lactating dairy cows were randomly assigned to 1 of the 2 groups; with (TRT, n = 487) or without (CON, n = 509) the use of PS. In the TRT group, the AIC protected with a PS was introduced into the vagina; once in the cranial portion of the vagina adjacent to the cervical os, the PS was pulled back and only the AIC was manipulated through the cervix into the uterine body for semen deposition. In the CON group, cows received AI without the PS. Additionally, sterile cotton swab (BD, Franklin Lakes, NJ, USA) samples were taken from AIC (n = 51) after AI from both treatment groups. Pregnancy diagnosis was determined by ultrasonography 42 ± 3 d after AI. Data analyses were performed using GLIMMIX (P/AI) and FREQ (culture) procedures of SAS (SAS Institute Inc., Cary, NC, USA). Cultured swab samples revealed that the use of PS was effective in minimizing contamination of the AIC (bacterial growth on AIC; TRT = 57.7% v. CON = 100%; P < 0.0002). Overall, the proportion of cows pregnant (all services) was greater (P = 0.03) for cows in TRT (42.7 ± 2.2%) compared with CON group (36.1 ± 2.1%). For first services postpartum, P/AI did not differ (P = 0.87) between CON (43.01 ± 4.4%) and TRT (43.8 ± 4.6%) groups. However, P/AI for second or greater services (≥2S) were greater (P = 0.007) in TRT (43.8 ± 2.9%) than in CON cows (32.3 ± 2.6%). Results from this study suggested that the use of PS during AI improved P/AI for ≥2S in lactating dairy cows. Performing a clean AI technique through the use of PS may be a cost-effective strategy to improve reproductive outcomes in dairy cattle. Further investigation is needed under various reproductive management conditions to confirm and determine the underlying mechanisms for these findings. Authors thank Coba/Select Sires Inc. (Columbus, OH, USA) for the donation of the AI protector sheaths, Meerland Dairy for providing the animals and Brian Alkire (Coba’s AI technician).
Inequities in the VR System: Do They Still Exist?

This investigation determined whether differences still exist for racial minorities and women in terms of acceptance rates, employment outcomes, and quality of successful closures in the state-federal vocational rehabilitation system. Three control variables— age, education level, and severity of disability—were used in a logistic regression model. Differences in odds (based on odds ratio estimates) were found for the following: (a) acceptance rates—favored European Americans over African Americans, (b) employment outcomes—favored European Americans over both African Americans and Native Americans, and (c) quality of closures—favored men over women, with age acting as an effect modifier.
Radiological health implications of lead-210 and polonium-210 accumulations in LPG refineries.

Radon-222, a naturally occurring radioactive noble gas, is often a contaminant in natural gas. During fractionation at processing plants, Radon tends to be concentrated in the Liquified Petroleum Gas (LPG) product stream. Radon-222 decays into a number of radioactive metallic daughters which can plate out on the interior surfaces of plant machinery. The hazards associated with gamma-emitting short-lived radon daughters have been investigated previously. The present work reports an analysis of the hazards associated with the long-lived daughters; Pb-210, Bi-210, and Po-210. These nuclides do not emit appreciable penetrating radiation, and hence do not represent a hazard as long as they remain on the inside surfaces of equipment. However, when equipment that has had prolonged exposure to an LPG stream is disassembled for repair or routine maintenance, opportunities for exposure to radioactive materials can occur. This paper reports a series of measurements made on an impeller taken from a pump in an LPG fac...
Calcitonin stimulates amino acid incorporation into plasminogen activator by cultured renal tubular cells.

Received 30 July 1981 1. Introduction A cultured epithelial cell line (LLC-PK1) derived from porcine kidney has receptors for calcitonins and responds to these hormones with an increase in the cellular content of CAMP [ 1,2] and activation of a CAMP-dependent protein kinase [3]. The LLC-PK1 cells had been selected and maintained in (41 because of their ability to produce large amounts of plasmin- ogen activator. The synthesis and secretion of this enzyme in several other cell systems is modulated by specific hormones, some of which act by increasing cellular levels of CAMP [5,6]. Calcitonin also markedly stimulates plasminogen activator production by LLC- PK1 cells and decreases their replication [7]. Here, we show that calcitonin increases amino acid incorpora- tion into proteins secreted by LLC-PK1 cells. The increased incorporation is mainly into a protein which on polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis has an estimated M, of m 45 000 and has plasminogen activator activity. 2. Materials and methods 2.1.
"Absolute Universal Instability" Is Not Universal

The roots of an improved analytic eigenvalue equation for the absolute universal or collisionless drift instability in a sheared magnetic field are found numerically and compared with the eigenvalues obtained from a numerical solution of the exact differential equation. The startling result is that both techniques predict stability, no matter how weak the shear or how large the transverse wave number, in contradiction to all previous work. Stability is due primarily to the stabilizing influence of the nonresonant electrons.
The Measurement of Time: Children's Construction of Transitivity, Unit Iteration, and Conservation of Speed

One hundred twenty children in kindergarten and grades 2, 4, and 6 were individually interviewed with five Piagetian tasks to determine the grade level at which most have constructed transitive reasoning, unit iteration, and the conservation of speed. The responses were categorized as “successful,”“unsuccessful,” or “transitional.” By combining the “successful” and “transitional” categories, it was found that the children reasoned transitively by second grade (70.0%) and demonstrated unit iteration and conservation of speed by sixth grade (70.0% and 83.3%, respectively). It was concluded that the construction of the logic necessary to make sense of the measurement of time is generally not complete before sixth grade.
Genetic engineering of T cells for adoptive immunotherapy

To be effective for the treatment of cancer and infectious diseases, T cell adoptive immunotherapy requires large numbers of cells with abundant proliferative reserves and intact effector functions. We are achieving these goals using a gene therapy strategy wherein the desired characteristics are introduced into a starting cell population, primarily by high efficiency lentiviral vector-mediated transduction. Modified cells are then expanded using ex vivo expansion protocols designed to minimally alter the desired cellular phenotype. In this article, we focus on strategies to (1) dissect the signals controlling T cell proliferation; (2) render CD4 T cells resistant to HIV-1 infection; and (3) redirect CD8 T cell antigen specificity.
Traversing the chiasms of lived experiences: phenomenological illuminations for practitioner research

This article juxtaposes Merleau‐Ponty’s phenomenology of sense perception and practitioner research as well as demonstrating their potential to become integrated into powerful educational research and practice. The paper elaborates on Merleau‐Ponty’s metaphor of chiasm, extends its symbolic meaning to practitioner research and illustrates its application to the practice of martial and pedagogical arts. Expressed by the Greek letter χ (chi), chiasm means a crisscrossing of the perceiving and the perceived, self and other, language and meaning. Chiasm also signifies an intertwining, an intersection, reversibility, or the process of flowing of phenomena one into another. Chiasm is a contextual encounter of individuals and groups who, by taking action together, can change and transform their life‐worlds. Chiasm can symbolically represent practitioner research as an intertwining of theory and practice. Like the crosspiece, practitioner research can become an endless journey and the meeting place of a researche...
A General Circulation Model for Upper Ocean Simulation

Abstract A general circulation model (GCM) of the ocean that emphasizes the simulation of the upper ocean has been developed. This emphasis is in keeping with its future intent, that of an air-sea coupled model. The basic model is the primitive equation model of Bryan and Cox with the additions, of optional usage, of the Mellor-Yamada level 2.5 turbulence closure scheme and horizontal nonlinear viscosity. These modifications are intended to improve the upper ocean simulations, particularly sea surface temperature and heat content. The horizontal grid spacing is 1° latitude × 1° longitude and is global in domain. The equatorial region between 10°N and 10°S is further refined in the north–south direction to ⅓° resolution. There are 12 vertical levels, with six levels in the top 70 m. The model incorporates varying bottom topography. Prior to coupling the ocean model to an atmospheric GCM, experiments have been carried out to determine the ocean GCM's performance using atmospheric forcing from observed data....