cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Risk of melanoma following keratinocyte malignancies

Patients diagnosed with keratinocyte cancer experience heightened risk for melanoma, yet patients who go on to develop this malignancy have not been well-characterized. We followed a population-based cohort of 2243 participants with histologically confirmed KC identified from dermatology and pathology practices who did not have a history of internal malignancy (1363 BCC, 880 SCC). A total of 77 participants went on to develop melanoma. Individual-level data were collected via personal interviews including demographic information and skin cancer risk factors, as well as KC tumor characteristics such as anatomic site and histologic subtype. Using adjusted Cox proportionate hazards models, older patients (age 61 or older vs 60 or younger) were at twofold increased risk for developing melanoma following KC (age 61-65 HR = 2.5; 95% CI = 1.3-4.6) (age > 65 HR = 2.0; 95% CI = 1.2-3.4) and women were at reduced risk compared to men (HR = 0.5; 95% CI = 0.3-0.8). Among patients with BCC, those with tumors on the trunk/limbs compared to the head/neck were at greater risk for subsequent melanoma (HR = 2.7; 95% CI = 1.3-5.7). Subsequent risk of melanoma also related to established risk factors including blond/red vs dark hair (HR = 1.9; 95% CI = 1.1-3.4), tendency to burn rather than tan (HR = 1.7; 95% CI = 1.0-2.7), ≥1 nevi on their back compared to no nevi (HR = 2.2; 95% CI = 1.2-3.8) and a history of ≥1 painful childhood sunburns vs none (HR = 2.1; 95% CI = 1.2-3.6). Thus, in addition to pigmentary traits, ultraviolet radiation (UVR)-related factors and clinical features of KC such as anatomic site may be useful in identifying patients at increased risk for melanoma after KC.
Spatial and temporal dynamics of the fungal community of chestnut blight cankers on American chestnut (Castanea dentata) in Michigan and Wisconsin

Abstract Chestnut blight cankers caused by the fungal pathogen Cryphonectria parasitica on infected American chestnut trees can be invaded by hypoviruses that infect C. parasitica mycelia. Hypoviruses lower pathogen virulence (i.e. hypovirulence) and decrease the probability of stem girdling. Cankers also are susceptible to invasion by non-C. parasitica fungi; however, the influence of invading fungi on disease severity is unknown. Fungi may antagonize C. parasitica growth and combine with hypovirulence to further reduce the probability of stem girdling. We conducted a survey to investigate how spatial and temporal dynamics of the fungal community within cankers correlate with canker severity and the likelihood of girdling. Cankers from six American chestnut populations were monitored from 2012 to 2016. We found that the spatial distribution of the fungal community within a canker resembled a mosaic that increased in fungal diversity over time. Cankers with increased fungal diversity were not associated with higher stem survivorship over time, compared to cankers with abundant hypovirulence in recovering chestnut populations. Fungal communities also were unstable, and cankers on surviving trees containing hypovirulence consistently were invaded by non-C. parasitica fungi. Our results suggest that canker communities are not stable, and volatility of the fungal community indicates that cankers can change quickly from less severe to more severe cankers through loss of hypovirulence. Non-C. parasitica fungi may facilitate canker expansion through greater inhibition of hypovirulent C. parasitica relative to virulent C. parasitica, which may permit virulent C. parasitica to escape hypovirus infection and resume rapid canker expansion.
Integration Through Connecting in Explanatory Sequential Mixed Method Studies

The purposes of this methods article are to (a) discuss how integration can occur through a connecting approach in explanatory sequential mixed methods studies, (b) describe a connecting strategy d...
5 – Inland Marshes

Inland marshes, dominated by emergent vegetation, grasses, sedges, and rushes, are found in a variety of climates and landscape positions. Many are located in depressions. In humid climates, inland marshes are fresh, but, in arid and semiarid regions, they may be saline. Hydrology of inland marshes is dynamic, with annual and decadal cycles of flooding and drying. Plant and animal communities vary predictably with these temporal changes in hydrology. In the past, many inland marshes were drained for agriculture and, today, efforts are underway to restore them. Restoration consists of restoring hydrology, usually by plugging drainage ditches. Reestablishing vegetation occurs by natural colonization or by seeding or planting. Natural colonization or self-design may reestablish a functioning plant community but may lack key plant species (e.g., Carex and other sedges) found in natural marshes. Seeding and planting may be needed to restore these species. Some functions such as emergent and aquatic primary production develop quickly following restoration. However, processes such as decomposition, carbon and nutrient cycling, and habitat use by birds take longer.
Optimized Jumping of an Articulated Robotic Leg

This paper proposes a nonlinear programming (NLP) formulation intended for the trajectory optimization of legged robot jumping applications during the stance phase, taking into consideration the detailed robot model, actuator capability, terrain condition, etc. The method is applicable to a wide class of jumping robots and was successfully implemented on an articulated robotic leg for jumping in terms of maximum reachable height, minimum energy consumption, as well as optimum energy efficiency. The simulation and experimental results demonstrate that this approach is capable of not only planning one single jumping trajectory, but also designing a periodic jumping gait for legged robots.
Tweeting Along Partisan Lines: Identity-Motivated Elaboration and Presidential Debates:

The influence of partisan identification infiltrates all aspects of a democracy. This study employs an innovative design to explore the presidential debate-viewing experience among young citizens. ...
GENs: Generative Encoding Networks.

Mapping data from and/or onto a known family of distributions has become an important topic in machine learning and data analysis. Deep generative models (e.g., generative adversarial networks ) have been used effectively to match known and unknown distributions. Nonetheless, when the form of the target distribution is known, analytical methods are advantageous in providing robust results with provable properties. In this paper, we propose and analyze the use of nonparametric density methods to estimate the Jensen-Shannon divergence for matching unknown data distributions to known target distributions, such Gaussian or mixtures of Gaussians, in latent spaces. This analytical method has several advantages: better behavior when training sample quantity is low, provable convergence properties, and relatively few parameters, which can be derived analytically. Using the proposed method, we enforce the latent representation of an autoencoder to match a target distribution in a learning framework that we call a {\em generative encoding network}. Here, we present the numerical methods; derive the expected distribution of the data in the latent space; evaluate the properties of the latent space, sample reconstruction, and generated samples; show the advantages over the adversarial counterpart; and demonstrate the application of the method in real world.
Island Studies and the US Militarism of the Pacific

Scholarship in island studies has helped bring forward the relationship between land and sea, allowing us to examine how the oceans have been territorialized by the US military. I seek to place island studies in a conversation with scholars calling for a “critical ocean studies” for the 21st century who have fathomed the depths in relation to Indigenous and feminist epistemologies, particularly in the Pacific Islands. The paper turns to the 2018 RIMPAC exercises and places them in relationship to the work of Chamorro poet Craig Santos Perez.
Nonpharmacological Interventions for Pain Management in Lung Cancer Patients: A Systematic Review.

Background: The presence of lung cancer is almost always associated with pain, a symptom that causes severe distress in patients. Although many pharmacological methods are available to manage pain in this oncologic population, the medications often cause undesirable sideeffects and inadequate relief. Nonpharmacological interventions can be used as adjuvants to pharmacological interventions in reducing pain and increasing quality of life. Objectives: The purpose of this review is to compare the efficacy of nonpharmacological interventions in reducing pain in lung cancer patients. Materials and Methods: This is a systematic review study guided by the Preferred Reporting Items of Systematic reviews and Meta-Analysis Protocol. Interventions identified in the present systematic review have been categorized as physical treatment, technologybased, cognitive behavioral, coping, and coaching. Results: Results indicate that the nonpharmacological interventions such as physical treatment interventions, selfmanagement and coaching interventions, cognitive behavioral interventions, and technologybased interventions or coping skills interventions had limited and shortterm effects on alleviating pain among the patients. However, previous studies have provided limited evidence regarding nonpharmacologic therapy due to the lack of a comparison group, small sample sizes, and lack of longterm followup periods to determine whether sustained effects are feasible. Conclusion: Healthcare professionals should consider additional research on the added advantage of utilizing the nonpharmacological interventions as an adjunct option while managing pain in lung cancer patients.
Breast Cancer-Related Lymphedema: Magnetic Resonance Imaging Evidence of Sparing Centered Along the Cephalic Vein.

Background A distinct pattern of edema distribution is seen in breast cancer-related lymphedema. The area of edema sparing has not been characterized in relation to anatomy. Specifically, alternate lymphatic pathways are known to travel adjacent to the cephalic vein. Our study aims to define the location of edema sparing in the arm relative to the cephalic vein. Methods A retrospective review of patients who underwent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) between March 2017 and September 2018 was performed. Variables including patient demographics, arm volumes, and MRI data were extracted. MRIs were reviewed to define the amount of sparing, or angle of sparing, and the deviation between the center of sparing and the cephalic vein, or angle of deviation. Results A total of 34 consecutive patients were included in the analysis. Five patients demonstrated circumferential edema (no sparing) and 29 patients demonstrated areas of edema sparing. Advanced age (69.7 vs. 57.6 years) and greater excess arm volume (40.4 vs. 20.8%) correlated with having circumferential edema without sparing (p = 0.003). In 29 patients with areas of edema sparing, the upper arm demonstrated the greatest angle of sparing (183.2 degrees) and the narrowest in the forearm (99.9 degrees; p = 0.0032). The mean angle of deviation to the cephalic vein measured 3.2, –0.1, and –5.2 degrees at the upper arm, elbow, and forearm, respectively. Conclusion Our study found that the area of edema sparing, when present, is centered around the cephalic vein. This may be explained by the presence of the Mascagni-Sappey (M-S) pathway as it is located alongside the cephalic vein. Our findings represent a key springboard for additional research to better elucidate any trends between the presence of the M-S pathway, areas of sparing, and severity of lymphedema.
A Review of “Silverstein, M. L. (2013). Personality assessment in depth: A casebook.”

In the many symposia on teaching and supervising personality assessment held at the convention of the Society for Personality Assessment, a common lament is the lack of time to address the interpre...
Side-Channel Resistant Circuit Styles and Associated IC Design Flow

The supply current variations, which are being analyzed to find the secret information, are the aggregated effect of the supply current variations of the individual switching logic gates that make up the microcontroller- or ASIC-based encryption system under attack. The fundamental reason that the information is leaked through the power supply is that the logic gates have an asymmetric power consumption. Indeed, as discussed in Section 2.1, only when the output of the logic gate makes a 0–1 transition, a current comes from the power supply and charges the output capacitance. In all other cases, no or only a limited amount of energy (due to short circuit or leakage) is consumed from the power supply. Hence by observing the supply current, one has information on the switching event and the state of the logic gate.
Initiation of deoxyribonucleic acid synthesis. IV. Incorporation of the ribonucleic acid primer into the phage replicative form.

Abstract The product of in vitro replication of the ΦX174 or M13 viral strand is known to be a circular duplex with a discontinuity in the synthetic strand (RF II). This replication intermediate has now been converted to an alkali-stable covalent duplex (RF I) through the joint action of Escherichia coli DNA polymerase I and E. coli ligase. Failure of T4 DNA polymerase to substitute for the E. coli enzyme implied the presence of an RNA priming segment at the 5' end which the unique 5' → 3' exonuclease function of the E. coli enzyme can excise. This suggestion was confirmed by conversion of the RF II product to an alkali-labile RF I through the joint action of T4 DNA polymerase and T4 ligase, an enzyme which can join RNA ends, and by location of the alkali-labile linkage of the RF I in the complementary (synthetic) strand. These results extend earlier evidence for RNA priming of DNA replication. They also call attention to a possible physiological role of E. coli DNA polymerase I in the excision of such RNA primers during DNA replication.
Global convergence analysis of algorithms for finding feasible points in norm-relaxed MFD

This paper introduces two new algorithms for finding initial feasible points from initial infeasible points for the recently developed norm-relaxed method of feasible directions (MFD). Their global convergence is analyzed. The theoretical results show that both methods are globally convergent; one of them guarantees finding a feasible point in a finite number of steps. These two methods are very convenient to implement in the norm-relaxed MFD. Numerical experiments are carried out to demonstrate their performance on some classical test problems and to compare them with the traditional method of phase I problems. The numerical results show that the methods proposed in this paper are more effective than the method of phase I problems in the norm-relaxed MFD. Hence, they can be used for finding initial feasible points for other MFD algorithms and other nonlinear programming methods.
Incorporating D3.js information visualization into immersive virtual environments

We have created an integrated interactive visualization and analysis environment that can be used immersively or on the desktop to study a simulation of microstructure development during hydration or degradation of cement pastes and concrete. Our environment combines traditional 3D scientific data visualization with 2D information visualization using D3.js running in a web browser. By incorporating D3.js, our visualization allowed the scientist to quickly diagnose and debug errors in the parallel implementation of the simulation.
Symplectic embedding of real bi-disc

Let z j = x j + iy j ∈ ℂ (j = 1, 2) and let Ω = {(z 1, z 2) ∈ ℂ2 : |x 1|2 + |x 2|2 < 1, |y 1|2 + |y 2|2 < 1} be a real bi-disc in ℂ2. In this article we will find the sharp lower bound for R such that Ω admits a symplectic embedding into D(R) × ℂ, the complex cylinder with base radius R
The nuclear receptor Rev-erbα controls circadian thermogenic plasticity

The nuclear receptor Rev-erbα, a powerful repressor of transcription, is shown to link circadian and thermogenic networks by regulating the function of brown adipose tissue. In addition to daily circadian oscillation of body temperature, mammals are able to protect their core body temperature from the cold. This study identifies the nuclear receptor Rev-erb , a repressor of transcription, as a link between circadian and thermogenic networks and body temperature rhythmicity through the regulation of brown adipose tissue function. Mice exposed to cold fare dramatically better in the morning when Rev-erbα is barely expressed than at five in the afternoon when Rev-erbα is abundant, and deletion of the Rev-erbα gene improves cold tolerance. Rev-erbα is shown to function as a physiological repressor of uncoupling protein 1 (Ucp1) in brown adipose tissue, thereby acting to maintain body temperature rhythm in an environmentally responsive manner. Circadian oscillation of body temperature is a basic, evolutionarily conserved feature of mammalian biology1. In addition, homeostatic pathways allow organisms to protect their core temperatures in response to cold exposure2. However, the mechanism responsible for coordinating daily body temperature rhythm and adaptability to environmental challenges is unknown. Here we show that the nuclear receptor Rev-erbα (also known as Nr1d1), a powerful transcriptional repressor, links circadian and thermogenic networks through the regulation of brown adipose tissue (BAT) function. Mice exposed to cold fare considerably better at 05:00 (Zeitgeber time 22) when Rev-erbα is barely expressed than at 17:00 (Zeitgeber time 10) when Rev-erbα is abundant. Deletion of Rev-erbα markedly improves cold tolerance at 17:00, indicating that overcoming Rev-erbα-dependent repression is a fundamental feature of the thermogenic response to cold. Physiological induction of uncoupling protein 1 (Ucp1) by cold temperatures is preceded by rapid downregulation of Rev-erbα in BAT. Rev-erbα represses Ucp1 in a brown-adipose-cell-autonomous manner and BAT Ucp1 levels are high in Rev-erbα-null mice, even at thermoneutrality. Genetic loss of Rev-erbα also abolishes normal rhythms of body temperature and BAT activity. Thus, Rev-erbα acts as a thermogenic focal point required for establishing and maintaining body temperature rhythm in a manner that is adaptable to environmental demands.
APPLYING ASPECTS OF PROBLEM BEHAVIOR THEORY TO LATINO YOUTH: THEORETICAL, METHODOLOGICAL, AND SOCIOCULTURAL CONSIDERATIONS

Problem Behavior Theory (PBT; Jessor, Donovan, & Costa 1991 ) is a common and influential perspective designed to further our understanding of problem behaviors among youth. However, few scholars have directly examined the validity of PBT to use with Latino youth. The present chapter critically examines the bas ic tenets of PBT and its relevance to understanding problem and conventional behavioral outcomes in Latino youth. A brief overview of PBT is presented, followed by an in-depth, critical discussion of its application to research on Latino youth. Several conceptual and methodological recommendations for future research are discussed including definitional issues and relevant social, cul tural, and demographic influences (e.g. , peer and family influences, socioeconomic status, ethnic identity, immigration and acculturation, and gender) on problem and conventional behaviors. In addition, the links between problem and conventional behaviors are critically investigated. Consideration of these various factors will further enhance the ecological and cultural validity of Latino youth development theories and research.
Substructure in clusters of galaxies and the value of Ω

We investigate the formation of clusters of galaxies in an expanding universe using a new code that regrids at a region of high density. In particular we investigate two models for the initial conditions, both with the standard CDM power spectrum - one has $\Omega = 1$ and the other $\Omega = 0.2$. Both universes have $H_0 = 100 \kms\mpc^{-1}$ and $\Lambda = 0$. The level of substructure in the final cluster can be used as a discriminant of the cosmic density. We discuss various statistics which can be measured observationally from clusters of galaxies, that can be used to discriminate between the two models. We find that most of the statistics that use the clusters' member galaxies may not be the best measures of substructure. Statistics that rely more on X-ray maps and other observables depending more directly on the mass distribution could be better discriminants of $\Omega$.
Respiratory syncytial virus-immunoglobulin intravenous (RSV-IGIV) for respiratory syncytial viral infections: Part I

Abstract RSV is a highly contagious, devastating disease, especially in highrisk infants. RSV infection typically presents as an upper respiratory tract infection and then may progress to the lower respiratory tract, causing pneumonia and bronchiolitis. The signs, symptoms, and severity of RSV infection vary with age and the number of previous RSV infections. Young age, premature birth, a crowded living environment, day care attendance, and exposure to passive smoking are risk factors for more severe RSV disease. Treatment of RSV infection consists primarily of supportive care but may also include bronchodilators and ribavirin. RSV-IGIV provides passive immunity against RSV infections. RSV-IGIV has been shown to decrease the incidence of RSV hospitalization by 41% to 65% and the number of hospital days by 53% to 59%. The use of RSV-IGIV has also decreased the occurrence and duration of moderate/severe RSV infection. RSV-IGIV has an FDA-approved indication for the prevention of RSV-LRTI in infants less than 24 months of age who have BPD or were born prematurely (≤35 weeks' gestational age). RSV-IGIV is not approved for use in children with CHD.
Influence of prescribed burning on bird abundance and species assemblage in a semiarid Great Plains grassland

Abstract. Encroachment of woody plants is widespread in semiarid grasslands of the southwestern United States. Wildlife responses to shrub removal techniques in the region are relatively unknown. In 2008 and 2009, we examined avian responses to prescribed burning of ungrazed shortgrass prairie within a study area (4811 ha) near Amarillo, Texas, that is heavily encroached by honey mesquite (Prosopis glandulosa) and cholla (Opuntia spp.). Specifically, we compared relative abundance, species richness, and species diversity of breeding birds across large, spatially replicated experimental plots burned every 2 or 4 years since 2002 and unburned controls. We found no significant differences in the mean relative abundance of most species across the treatments. However, Northern Bobwhite (Colinus virginianus), Cassin's Sparrow (Peucaea cassinii), and Brown-headed Cowbird (Molothrus ater) were more abundant in less frequently burned plots and unburned controls. We found no differences in species richness or diver...
Distinct homeostatic requirements of CD4+ and CD4- subsets of Vα24-invariant natural killer T cells in humans

CD1d-restricted Valpha24-invariant natural killer T cells (iNKTs) are important in immunoregulation. CD4(+) and CD4(-) iNKTs develop with similar frequencies in murine thymus and depend on interleukin-15 (IL-15) in periphery. However, homeostatic requirements of iNKTs have not been analyzed in humans. We evaluated thymic production, peripheral dynamics, and functional maturation of human iNKTs. CD4(+) subset comprises 90% of iNKTs in mature thymocytes and cord blood (CB) but only 40% in adult blood. Using T-cell receptor excision circle (TREC) analysis, we directly measured in vivo replicative history of CD4(+) and CD4(-) iNKT cells. Compared to CD4(+), CD4(-) iNKTs contain fewer TRECs, express higher levels of IL-2Rbeta, and proliferate with higher rate in response to IL-15. In contrast, CD4(+) cells express higher levels of IL-7Ralpha and better respond to IL-7. Neither thymic nor CB iNKTs are able to produce cytokines unless they are induced to proliferate. Therefore, unlike in the mouse, human CD4(+) iNKTs are mainly supported by thymic output and limited peripheral expansion, whereas CD4(-) cells undergo extensive peripheral expansion, and both subsets develop their functions in periphery. These findings reveal important differences in homeostatic requirements and functional maturation between murine and human iNKTs that are to be considered for clinical purposes.
The Electoral Consequences of Direct Political Action: Evidence from Brazil

Democracy affords citizens the ability to influence policy through participation in elections and through direct political action. Though previous scholarship evaluates the impact each strategy has on outcomes, little if any work exists that examines how one strategy, direct action, affects success in the other, elections. This study analyzes the relationship between land occupations and the electoral success of the Workers' Party in Brazil between 1996 and 2006. It finds that the relationship varies in presidential and mayoral elections depending on income inequality and incumbency. Once the PT captures the presidential office in 2002, these effects disappear, suggesting that the effect of political protest also depends on who is in office.
Monoamine metablites as predictors of anttoepressant response: A critique

Abstract 1. 1. Monoamine metabolite measurenients are being increasingly used for making nosological, symptomatological and pharmacological profiles of the affective disorders. 2. 2. A number of unresolved methodological issues question the validity of using baseline metabolite levels for predicting treatment response. 3. 3. Some studies show correlations between baseline metabolite levels and response to treatment with specific antidepressant agents. 4. 4. Effects of antidepressant treatment on metabolite levels may be useful in predicting drug response.
Embodying robotic art: cybernetic cinematics

If cinema is one of the last machines to come out of the mechanical age, then its legacy of targeting "the mind through the senses" continues in a newer electronic and mechanical art form: gestural robotics. Gestural robotics harnesses microcontrollers and mechanical devices to create sculptural art. Like cinema, it uses a technical framework and repetition to embody ideas and emotions. Each form asks us to harness our ability to suspend disbelief, pointing to the primacy of our internal dialogues and imaginations. The similarities between these two art forms, although separated by leaps in technology, modes of presentation, and historical distance, signals our continued ability to connect with all the facets of our environment. Collectively, the two reinforce the increasingly wide range of creative expressions we've carved out for ourselves, negating anxieties about the isolation of our increasingly technological environment. We persist in developing both mechanical and technological items in ways that affect our society. However, we codify an art form by its basic parameters. In cinema, it was the finessing of stills to perfection in motion; in robotics, it is the microcontrollers that let a work of art exist autonomously, away from the computer. The art of gestural robotics takes a fresh look at the mechanical. It appreciates the technical in a way that goes beyond the information, analogous to the way film takes on a dimension beyond its 30 frames per second.
The role of endorphins and vasopressin in canine endotoxin shock.

Chemical antagonists were used to assess the role of @-endorphin and arginine-vasopressin (AVP) in canine endotoxin shock. Fifteen awake dogs were given Escherichia coli endotoxin IV. Within 5 min, CO decreased to 282, LV dP/dt to 46%, and MAP to 52% of baseline. Fifteen minutes after endotoxin, five do8s each received naloxone, AVP antagonist, or no treatment. Control (untreated) animals exhibited persistent cardiovascular depression, with CO 49%, LV dP/dt 691, and MAP 9 1% of baseline after 45 min. Naloxone improved CO to 69%, LV dP/dt to 94%, and MAP to 91% by 30 min after treatment. AVP blockade improved CO to 105%, LV dP/dt to 107%, and h4AP to 95% of baseline by 30 min after treatment, and caused significant tachycardia. Plasma cortisol and AVP increased markedly in all groups after endotoxin administration. AVP antagonist treatment increased mean survival from 1.4 to 4 days. These data suggest that abnormally elevated AVP contributes to cardiovascular depression in canine endotoxin shock and that AVP blockade is therapeutic in the animal model studied. o
Prestin in HEK cells is an obligate tetramer

The unusual membrane motor protein prestin is essential for mammalian hearing and for the survival of cochlear outer hair cells. While prestin has been demonstrated to be a homooligomer, by Western blot and FRET analyses, the stoichiometry of self association is unclear. Prestin, coupled to the enhanced green fluorescent protein, was synthesized and membrane targeted in human embryonic kidney cells by plasmid transfection. Fragments of membrane containing immobilized fluorescent molecules were isolated by osmotic lysis. Diffraction-limited fluorescent spots consistent in size with single molecules were observed. Under continuous excitation, the spots bleached to background in sequential and approximately equal-amplitude steps. The average step count to background levels was 2.7. A binomial model of prestin oligomerization indicated that prestin was most likely a tetramer, and that a fraction of the green fluorescent protein molecules was dark. As a positive control, the same procedure was applied to cells transfected with plasmids coding for the human cyclic nucleotide-gated ion channel A3 subunit (again coupled to the enhanced green fluorescent protein), which is an obligate tetramer. The average step count for this molecule was also 2.7. This result implies that in cell membranes prestin oligomerizes to a tetramer.
Ecological strategies and fitness tradeoffs inEscherichia coli mutants adapted to prolonged starvation

Many bacteria in nature are nutritionally deprived, and there has been heightened interest during the past decade in the properties of these bacteria. We subjected five populations ofEscherichia coli to prolonged starvation in a minimal salts medium, during which time the density of viable cells declined by several orders of magnitude. From each one, we isolated a surviving clone that showed some heritable difference in colony morphology. We then characterized these mutants in two ecologically relevant respects. First, we determined the nature of their selective advantage, if any, during prolonged starvation. (i) Three of the five mutants had significantly lower net death rate when progenitor and mutant clones were starved separately. (ii) Three mutants showed a significant reduction in death rate in mixed culture that was frequency dependent and manifest when the mutant clone was initially rare. This pattern suggests that these mutants fed on some byproduct of progenitor cells (living or dead). (iii) Two mutants caused the death rate of their progenitors to increase significantly relative to the rate measured in the absence of the mutant. This pattern suggests that these mutants had become allelopathic to their progenitors. Thus, three distinct ecological adaptations to prolonged starvation are evident. No advantage was detected for one mutant, whereas two mutants exhibited multiple advantages. Second, we asked whether the starvation-selected mutants were as fit in growth-supporting conditions as their progenitors. All five mutants were inferior to their progenitor during competition in fresh medium. Evidently, there is an evolutionary tradeoff between performance under growth and starvation conditions.
Restoration of advanced spermatogenic cells in the experimentally regressed rat testis: Quantitative relationship to testosterone concentration within the testis

We examined the effect of exogenously administered testosterone (T) on the quantitative restoration of advanced spermatogenic cells in adult rat testes rendered azoospermic by treating rats with polydimethylsiloxane (PDS) implants of T and estradiol (E). Experimental rats received PDSTE implants for an initial 8-week period; control rats received empty implants. By 8 weeks of PDS-TE treatment, rats became severely oligospermic, and the T concentration within the seminiferous tubule fluid (STF) was reduced approximately 80% (from 57.8 ng/ml in controls to 9.6 ng/ml). After the initial 8-week PDS-TE treatment, PDS-TE implants were removed from one group of rats; a second group of PDS-TE-implanted rats received an additional PDS-T implant of 24 cm. Eight weeks after the removal of PDS-TE implants or the implantation of additional T, testis weight and numbers of advanced spermatogenic cells were restored to those of control rats. The STF T concentration 8 weeks after the removal of PDS-TE implants also was re...
Hall Effect Studies of AlGaAs Grown by Liquid-Phase Epitaxy for Tandem Solar Cell Applications

We report results from Hall effect studies on Al x Ga1−x As (x = 0.23–0.24) with bandgap energies of 1.76 ± 0.01 eV grown by liquid-phase epitaxy (LPE). Room-temperature Hall measurements on unintentionally doped AlGaAs revealed p-type background doping for concentrations in the range 3.7–5.2 × 1016 cm−3. Sn, Te, Ge, and Zn-doped AlGaAs were also characterized to study the relationship between doping concentrations and the atomic fractions of the dopants in the melt. Temperature-dependent Hall measurements were performed to determine the activation energies of the four dopants. Deep donor levels (DX centers) were dominant for Sn-doped Al0.24Ga0.76As, but not for Te-doped Al0.24Ga0.76As. Comparison of the temperature-dependent Hall effect results for unintentionally and intentionally doped Al0.24Ga0.76As indicated that the impurity contributing to the p-type background doping had the same activation energy as Mg. We thus suggest a Te-doped emitter and an undoped or Ge-doped base to maximize the efficiency of Al x Ga1−x As (x ∼ 0.23) solar cells grown by LPE.
Properties and applications of composite diamond coatings

Abstract A wear resistant coating consisting of micron size particles of shock-synthesized diamond uniformly dispersed in a plated metal matrix has been developed. The composite coating process is described and the controlling parameters are discussed. Laboratory and field tests have demonstrated that the coatings have excellent wear resistance and are suitable for many industrial applications as a replacement for conventional wear resistant materials particularly for combating low to medium pressure abrasive and adhesive wear.
Application of the California Institute of Technology Electic Analog Computer to Nonlinear Mechanics and Servomechanisms

This paper describes the non-linear elements and circuit techniques used with the California Institute of Technology electric analog computer. Their application to nonlinear mechanical vibratory systems and nonlinear servomotors is discussed in detail. These techniques have been found to be generally suitable for representing single valued nonlinear functions of a dependent variable. Nonlinear springs, spring loaded backlash, and nonlinear damping factors can be readily simulated as well as saturation effects and other single valued non-linearities in servomotors. Methods of analysis are illustrated for several typical problems including a nonlinear rotating mechanical system and an autopilot employing a solenoid-operated rate and position limited hydraulic motor. Numerous servos of this type have now been studied and correlation of computer solutions with actual servo test data have shown in every case that the mathematical equations presented here accurately describe this type of motor.
Chinese Science: a Flexible Response to the West?

In this provocative synthesis, Ben Elman argues for the enduring significance of science, technology, and medicine in China from late imperial to modern times. Like other modern historians, he explicitly links abstract science with technologies for handling nature and the human body, and roots intellectual history in broader social trends. This is not a specialized history of science in China, but a world history of China with scientific characteristics. Anyone looking for a concise summary of the best recent scholarship on science in China should start here. Drawing heavily on his longer monograph, In Their Own Terms: Science in China, 1550–1900, (Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University Press, 2005), Elman surveys four major periods of scientific and technological development: the encounter with the Jesuits in the late sixteenth to seventeenth centuries, the lesser-known eighteenth century, the Protestant impact of the nineteenth century, and the period of selfstrengthening up through the aftermath of the Sino–Japanese war. He ranges over many fields of investigation, paying attention to astronomy, biology, botany, cartography, manufacturing, mathematics, medicine, and military technology. Most Chinese and Western readers probably still believe that, with a few exceptions, Confucian literati of the imperial age ignored the investigation of nature, and that China failed to initiate a scientific revolution because of this neglect. Elman avoids the unanswerable question of why China did not have the world’s first scientific revolution. Instead, he emphasizes active interaction by literati with the Westerners who brought modern science to China. They showed great curiosity East Asian Science, Technology and Society: an International Journal (2007) 1:143–145 DOI 10.1007/s12280-007-9006-5
Mechanisms of growth in hydatidiform moles

Abstract Nuclear morphology and DNA synthesis were analyzed to determine the mechanism through which hydatidiform moles proliferate. Hydatidiform moles are characterized by a great variation in nuclear morphology and size. There are cells with small nuclei of variable size that have chromocenters and Barr bodies which do not undergo DNA synthesis or mitosis, as well as cells in the diploid range that have evenly stained nuclei that display numerous mitoses and a high proportion of interphase nuclei in the process of DNA synthesis. Nuclei in the medium range show classical endomitotic stages. Endomitotic nuclei in endometaphase do not label with tritiated thymidine; endoanaphase nuclei may have one or a few chromosomes labeled, and endotelophase nuclei are heavily labeled. Nuclei that are evenly stained and are in the medium- to giant-size range label differently, depending upon their size. Many of the medium-sized nuclei are labeled, indicating DNA synthesis; the large nuclei are rarely labeled, and the giant nuclei are never labeled. The growth of a hydatidiform mole appears to be the result of normal mitosis and cytokinesis, as well as polyploidization and accompanying cell enlargement achieved through andomitosis and endoreduplication.
Etorphine induction of analgesia and catatonia in the rat: Systemic or intracranial injection

Abstract Etorphine was injected into the rat either intraperitoneally (i.p.), in the periaqueductal gray (PAG) region of the midbrain, or in the cerebellum (CB). The flinch-jump technique was used to measure analgesia and the bar test to assess catatonia. Etorphine doses were 5, 10, 50 or 100 μg/kg (i.p.). The doses of etorphine administered to the PAG were 0.1, 1.0, 2.0 or 3.0 μg. The dose of etorphine administered to the cerebellum was 2.0 μg. The effective doses into the PAG for producing both analgesia and catatonia were about 15 times less than the intraperitoneal doses, suggesting central mediation of these actions, involving the PAG and perhaps other central neural sites. Injection of 2.0 μg etorphine into the cerebellum did not cause analgesia or catatonia. There was a high correlation between the production of analgesia and of catatonia suggesting a common factor in these actions, at least as measured in this experiment.
A cross-cultural comparative study of management

Abstract This paper discusses a conceptual scheme and the research findings of an empirical study recently completed in six developing countries. The main purpose of the study was to examine the feasibility and effectiveness of transferring advanced management practices, know-how, and techniques from the developed to the developing countries. The research design and approach utilized in this study can be best classified as a micro-macro approach.
Ramsey numbers for all linear forests

Abstract An ( n, j ) linear forest L is the disjoint union of nontrivial paths, such that j of the paths have an odd number of vertices and the union has n vertices. For L , an ( n 1 . j 1 ) linear forest and l 2 an ( n.j 1 ) linear forest, we show that r(L 1 ,L 2 ) = max{n 1 ·(n 2 −j 2 )/2 − 1, n 2 + (n 1 − j 1 )/2 − 1}. This answers in the affirmative a conjecture of Burr and Roberts.
Psychologism Revisited in Logic, Metaphysics, and Epistemology

Psychologism is a philosophical ideology that seeks to explain the principles of logic, metaphysics, and epistemology as psychological phenomena. Psychologism has been the storm center of concerted criticisms since the nineteenth century, and is thought by many to have been refuted once and for all by Kant, Frege, Husserl, and others. The project of accounting for objective philosophical or mathematical truths in terms of subjective psychological states has been largely discredited in mainstream analytic thought. Ironically, psychologism has resurfaced in unexpected guises in the form of intuitionistic logic and mathematics, cognitivism, and naturalized epistemology. I examine some of the principal objections to psychologism - distinguishing roughly between good and bad or philosophically acceptable versus unacceptable psychologism - and consider the extent to which a new wave of psychologism may be gaining prominence in contemporary philosophy, and the light its successes and failures may shed on the original concept and underlying perspective of classical psychologism.
Isolation of Intramuscular Connective Tissue

BECAUSE of their accessibility and relative purity, the most widely used sources of tissue for the study of collagenous proteins have been mammalian skin (particularly calf and rat), rat tail tendon, fish skin and fish swim bladder1. Although contributing much to the basic knowledge of the structure and chemistry of collagen, it is not known with certainty whether collagen from these sources is typical of that found in other more inaccessible tissues of the body.
Uniqueness and the inversion problem of incoherent multiple scattering

Abstract It is shown that a unique retrieval of the single scattering electron energy loss distribution from experimental multiple loss data is only possible if it can be assumed that energy gain of the fast electron does not occur. The method given holds for any value of the scattering parameter t λ and to spectra to which many distinct processes contribute. An example of the retrieval method is given, applied to the experimental loss spectrum of a thin aluminum foil with t λ = 10 .
Plastic and stable electrophysiological properties of adult avian forebrain song-control neurons across changing breeding conditions

Steroid sex hormones drive changes in the nervous system and behavior in many animal taxa, but integrating the former with the latter remains challenging. One useful model system for meeting this challenge is seasonally breeding songbirds. In these species, plasma testosterone levels rise and fall across the seasons, altering song behavior and causing dramatic growth and regression of the song-control system, a discrete set of nuclei that control song behavior. Whereas the cellular mechanisms underlying changes in nucleus volume have been studied as a model for neural growth and degeneration, it is unknown whether these changes in neural structure are accompanied by changes in electrophysiological properties other than spontaneous firing rate. Here we test the hypothesis that passive and active neuronal properties in the forebrain song-control nuclei HVC and RA change across breeding conditions. We exposed adult male Gambel's white-crowned sparrows to either short-day photoperiod or long-day photoperiod and systemic testosterone to simulate nonbreeding and breeding conditions, respectively. We made whole-cell recordings from RA and HVC neurons in acute brain slices. We found that RA projection neuron membrane time constant, capacitance, and evoked and spontaneous firing rates were all increased in the breeding condition; the measured electrophysiological properties of HVC interneurons and projection neurons were stable across breeding conditions. This combination of plastic and stable intrinsic properties could directly impact the song-control system's motor control across seasons, underlying changes in song stereotypy. These results provide a valuable framework for integrating how steroid hormones modulate cellular physiology to change behavior.
Analysis of upgraded SRC-11 and H-coal liquid products

Abstract Upgraded coal-derived liquids obtained from catalytic hydroprocessing of SRC-11 and H-coal syncrudes have been studied by i.r., p.m.r., g.c.-m.s., and silica gel chromatography. With increase in residence time, nitrogen, oxygen and aromatics decrease, while naphthenes increase substantially. All the upgraded liquids show low viscosity at 298 K (1.3–1.4 mN s m −2 ), even though saturate and aromatic fractions varied with processing severity. In the aromatic-1 fraction, 1 -ring aromatics increase, and 3-ring aromatics decrease, with increase in severity of hydroprocessing. G.c.-m.s. analyses indicate a marked qualitative similarity for saturate and aromatic fractions irrespective of syncrude source. Only the heavier end of the aromatic-1 fraction is noticeably different. Tentative identifications based on m.s. and g.c. retention times are made for most of the significant components. 600 M Hz p.m.r. spectra of the upgraded SRC-11 and H-coal liquids appear identical, but the n.m.r. difference technique revealed slight differences between the two liquids in concentrations of certain species.
Lithium-benzene sandwich compounds : a quantum chemical study.

The structures and dissociation energies of Li{sub n}{center_dot}(C{sub 6}H{sub 6}){sub n+1} sandwich complexes (n = 1-6) have been investigated using quantum chemical techniques. At the G3(MP2) level of theory, the Li{center_dot}(C{sub 6}H{sub 6}){sub 2} complex exhibits a Jahn-Teller distortion, forming a D{sub 2h} charge-separated species [C{sub 6}H{sub 6}{sup -1/2}-Li{sup +}-C{sub 6}H{sub 6}{sup -1/2}] with a surprisingly large dissociation energy of 0.85 eV, and a short benzene-benzene distance of 3.54 Angstroms. Comparisons are made with the Li{center_dot}C{sub 6}H{sub 6}, Li{sup +}{center_dot}C{sub 6}H{sub 6}, and Li{sup +}{center_dot}(C{sub 6}H{sub 6}){sub 2} complexes. The larger (n > 1) complexes were studied at the B3LYP/6-31G(d) level and were also found to have large dissociation energies, ca. 0.85 eV per Li atom, and short benzene-benzene distances (3.70 Angstroms).
A Comparison of Learning Curves in Natural and Synthesized Speech Comprehension

This study examined the effect of listening practice on the ability of young adults to comprehend natural speech and DECtalk synthesized speech by having them perform a sentence verification task over a 5-day period. Results showed that response latencies of participants shortened in a similar fashion to sentences presented in both types of speech across the 5-day period, with latencies remaining significantly longer in response to DECtalk than to natural speech across the days. These results suggest that high-quality synthesized speech, such as DECtalk, can be useful in many human factors applications.