cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Space-Time Processing for X Channels Using Precoders

In this paper, we investigate how to send space-time codes with full diversity and low decoding complexity for X channels using precoders. First, we assume that we have 2 transmitters and 2 receivers. Each transmitter sends different codewords to each receiver at the same time. We propose an orthogonal transmission scheme that combines space-time block coding and array processing to achieve low-complexity decoding and full diversity for transmitted signals. To our best knowledge, this is the first scheme which can achieve low-complexity decoding and full diversity for any transmitted codeword in X channel when all the users transmit at the same time. Finally, we show that under certain conditions, our proposed scheme can be extended to a general case with any number of transmitters and receivers each with any number of antennas. Simulation results validate our theoretical analysis.
Effect of surface emittance and approximate kernels in radiation-conduction interaction

Representative results are presented for nongray radiation-conduction interaction in a radiating gas bounded by two gray infinite parallel plates. The effect of the surface emittanee on the interaction of radiation with conduction for diffuse surfaces and a special case of one black surface combined with a diffusely emitting, specularly reflecting surface is investigated. Additionally, the accuracy of the one-term exponential kernel approximation is examined.
Kinetics of transport of divalent cations across sarcoplasmic reticulum vesicles induced by ionophores.

Abstract The fluorescent chelate probe technique is employed in exploring the kinetics of Ca++ and Sr++ release from sarcoplasmic reticulum induced by two divalent cation ionophores, A23187 and X537A. Both reagents are shown to release Ca++ that has been previously accumulated. A23187 is 60X more effective than X537A, while X537A is 100X more effective than A23187 in sequestering Ca++ into an organic phase in two phase systems. An explanation for the discrepancy between the effectiveness of the antibiotics in the two phase system and the transport rates in sarcoplasmic reticulum is provided by the observation of a particularly low affinity of X537A for Ca++ and Sr++ in polar media. The fluorescence properties of A23187 in the vesicle membrane are described.
Barriers and Bridges to U.S. Forest Service—Community Relationships: Results from Two Pilot Tests of a Rapid Social Capital Assessment Protocol

Successful management of national forests in the United States requires Forest Service personnel to collaborate with the public, including individuals living in communities near national forest lands. Collaboration enables agency personnel to build long-term trusting and reciprocal relationships with local communities through their ongoing planning processes. However, frequently agency personnel do not have the tools or data necessary to measure the strength of relationships that exist between the agency and local communities. A rapid social capital assessment protocol is presented that can be used by agency personnel and social scientists as a tool for gauging the existence and strength of Forest Service—community relationships. The utility of the protocol is illustrated by describing findings from two pilot tests conducted in communities near the Tombigbee National Forest in Mississippi and the Nantahala National Forest in North Carolina. Barriers to effective Forest Service—community relationships are highlighted and opportunities for social capital development, such as utilizing local news outlets, are presented.
Homogenization of Cohesive-Frictional Strength Properties of Porous Composites: Linear Comparison Composite Approach

This paper introduces a novel micromechanics method for strength homogenization of cohesive-frictional porous composites. Within a yield design formulation, the inherently nonlinear homogenization problem associated with strength upscaling is treated by the linear comparison composite (LCC) theory, which resolves the strength properties of the heterogeneous medium by estimating the effective properties of a suitable linear comparison composite with similar underlying microstructure. The LCC homogenization method rationalizes the development of strength criteria for cohesive-frictional materials affected by the presence of porosity and rigidlike inclusions. Modeling results for benchmark microstructures improve existing micromechanics formulations by allowing the consideration of the complete range of frictional behaviors for the Drucker-Prager solid and by lifting the restriction on the incompressibility of the solid for the estimation of morphology factors that describe the mechanical interaction between...
Ethical Issues in Parent Training Programs

There has been a steady increase in the design and implementation of training programs that teach behavior-modification techniques to parents. This paper addresses the broad issue of ethical problems in behavior modification and specific problems in the area of parent training programs. The author has examined both parent training programs conducted by professionals and implemented by parents, and books on behavior modification written for parents to implement with their children. Four areas of concern are discussed. First, what constitutes an appropriate target for intervention and are there potential conflicts between parents' and children's rights? Many of the programs analyzed offered parents little guidance in selecting significant goals, and most selected goals focused on eliminating undesirable behaviors. Second, problems related to the nature of intervention are discussed — problems associated with both positive contingencies (how are reinforcers chosen and evaluated?) and with the sanctioned use ...
Transcriptional changes in right ventricular tissues are enriched in the outflow tract compared with the apex during chronic pulmonary embolism in rats.

Transcriptional changes in right ventricular tissues are enriched in the outflow tract compared with the apex during chronic pulmonary embolism in rats. Physiol Genomics 39: 61-71, 2009. First published July 14, 2009; doi:10.1152/physiolgenomics.00076.2009.—Moderate to severe pulmonary embolism (PE) can cause pulmonary arterial hypertension and right ventricular (RV) heart damage. Previous stud- ies from our laboratory indicate that the basal outflow tract of the RV is injured and has acute inflammation followed by tissue remodeling while the apex appears normal. The present studies examine transcrip- tion responses to chronic PE in RV apex and outflow tracts using DNA microarrays to identify transcription responses by region. Changes predominated in the RV outflow tract (8,575 genes showed 1.5-fold expression change). Gene ontology and KEGG analyses indicated a significant decrease in genes involved in cellular respira- tion and energy metabolism and increases in inflammatory cell adhe- sion molecules and extracellular matrix proteins. Signal pathways for wound healing such as fibroblast growth factor, collagen synthesis, and CCN proteins (named for the first three members of the family: cysteine-rich protein 61, connective tissue growth factor, and nephro- blastoma overexpressed gene) were strongly upregulated. In compar- ison, few genes (422) showed significant change in the RV apex tissue. Apex-selective genes included two genes affecting metabolism and a stretch-sensitive transcription factor (ankyrin repeat domain 1). We conclude that the RV outflow tract is subject to strong proinflam- matory and profibrotic remodeling transcriptional responses in chronic PE. Severe loss of genes involved in cellular respiration is consistent with previous histology indicating a shift in cell types present within the outflow tract tissue away from highly energy- dependant cardiomyocytes to less metabolically active cells during remodeling. The apex region of the RV had few compensating adaptations. heart; pulmonary hypertension; inflammation; microarray; Wnt sig- naling
Systems biology approaches for the study of multiple sclerosis.

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a progressive neurological disease caused by an autoimmune attack to the central nervous system (CNS). MS is thought to result from a complex interaction between genetic and environmental factors. In this review, we analyse the contribution of genomics, trancriptomics and proteomics in delineating these factors, as well as their utility for the monitoring of disease progression, the identification of new targets for therapeutic intervention and the early detection of individuals at risk.
The association between perceptions of daily experiences and self- and spouse-rated mood

Abstract A recent study by L. P. Rehm ( Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology , 1978 , 46 , 854–859) reported strong associations between the daily report of pleasant and unpleasant events and a global mood rating. This study examined desirable and undesirable events in an effort to replicate and extend Rehm's work by having 26 married couples complete a daily event and mood checklist about husbands for 14 consecutive days. The group averaging strategy generally used to describe event-mood correlations was compared to a tabulation of significant individual correlations. The observed correlations were consistent with a previous study of pleasant events by P. M. Lewinsohn and M. Graf ( Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology , 1973 , 41 , 261–268) and a study of unpleasant events by P. M. Lewinsohn and J. Talkington ( Applied Psychological Measurement , 1979 , 3 , 83–101), yet were considerably smaller than those reported by Rehm. Wives' ratings of their husbands' mood revealed the same relationship with experiences as did husbands' self-rated mood. Differences in the populations studied and the event and mood assessments between our study and Rehm's could account for this finding. A tabulation approach to the data showed that few subjects actually achieved statistically significant associations in contrast to the group approach which indicated small associations across all subjects.
Non-Traumatic Necrosis of the Femoral Head

The results of treatment by drilling and bone grafting in fifty-five hips indicate that the procedure can restore viability to the non-traumatic necrotic femoral head in a majority of instances (79 per cent). Mold arthroplasty, when warranted, may also result in a satisfactory hip.
Numerical simulation of hypervelocity projectiles in detonable gases

A numerical scheme for calculating hypersonic flows involving shock-induced combustion is discussed. The analysis is limited to inviscid flow and includes chemical nonequilibrium and real-gas effects. Two types of flows are considered. First, the hypersonic, exothermic blunt-body flow problem is examined for mixtures of Hi/Oi and Hi/air, and the numerical results are compared with experimental results. Second, a hypervelocity mass launcher concept known as the "ram accelerator" is investigated in the velocity range of 5-7 km/s. Temperature contours and the distribution of various physical quantities along the ram accelerator projectile surface and tube wall are presented for a 14-deg nose projectile and for a gas mixture of 2Hi + Oi + 5He. In the present study, a new numerical scheme developed for calculating hypersonic chemically reacting flows is described. The new numerical formulation represents a departure from previous computational fluid dynamics models of the ram ac- celerator.11'12 The earlier models were based on a global Arrhe- nius rate equation, with the Arrhenius constants determined from experimental ignition delay studies. The current model is more accurate in that it accounts for the reaction kinetics of a 7 species 8 reaction combustion model. Nonetheless, the ear- lier results were encouraging in that they predicted hyperveloc- ity operation was possible. The new scheme, based on an algorithm developed by Yee and Shinn,13 was applied to spheres moving through mixtures of H 2/O2 and H2/air at speeds above and below the corre- sponding Chapman-Jouguet detonation speed. The results were then compared with the experiments just mentioned. The code was also used to investigate the flow and combustion processes in the ram accelerator, in the velocity range of 5-7 km/s. The first section of this paper presents an overview of the phenomena associated with hypersonic exothermic blunt-body flow. The following sections describe the governing equations, combustion model, and the numerical scheme used. Finally, results are presented for hypersonic blunt-body flows and for a complete ram accelerator configuration. Regimes of Exothermic Blunt-Body Flow Figure 2 shows the structure of the shock layer in the vicinity of the stagnation point of a blunt body moving through a detonable gas mixture. At flight speeds t/i, sufficiently low such that the temperature behind the bow shock is less than the ignition temperature, no combustion will occur. At higher flight speeds, but still below the detonation speed D of the gas mixture, the shock and combustion front are separated by an induction zone of thickness A/. This situation is shown in Fig. 3, obtained from the work of Lehr, 10 for a stoichiometric
Preparing Parents for Discharge: Medication Administration in the Home Environment

Medication administration in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) setting is an entity of its own. Medications for neonates often have complex doses, defined intervals, and frequently interact with other medications or treatment modalities. Rigorous practices are required for our patients' safety as well as each infant's survival. When working with this vulnerable population there is seldom room for error. In the initial days of a premature infant's life the medication regimens are critical to support physiologic stability and assist the body to function properly. We work together to provide nursing and medical management including medications and nutrition to promote the health and well-being of these tiny fragile beings. The medications are ordered by neonatologists, fellows, residents, or neonatal nurse practitioners; verified by a pharmacist; and final verification occurs with the bedside nurse caring for the infant; and for many medications this process is verified by another nurse to increase safety. Each medication ordered is examined based on the five rights of medication administration before it is given. Nurses at the bedside must be cognizant that they are often the last line of defense for medication safety for these fragile infants. For parents, the birth of a premature infant can be compared to just taking off on a journey in the car with no map, no plans of where you are headed, or how long it will take you to get there. You do not know what to expect or what you will find around the next corner. The parents' previous plan of having a healthy term newborn have been abruptly altered and they do not know what to expect or how things will go. Overtime, the life-and-death scenario changes and the infant becomes more stable and requires less technical and medical intervention. Establishing a partnership with the family, upon admission to
Application of affymetrix array and massively parallel signature sequencing for identification of genes involved in prostate cancer progression

Affymetrix GeneChip Array and Massively Parallel Signature Sequencing (MPSS) are two high throughput methodologies used to profile transcriptomes. Each method has certain strengths and weaknesses; however, no comparison has been made between the data derived from Affymetrix arrays and MPSS. In this study, two lineage-related prostate cancer cell lines, LNCaP and C4-2, were used for transcriptome analysis with the aim of identifying genes associated with prostate cancer progression. Affymetrix GeneChip array and MPSS analyses were performed. Data was analyzed with GeneSpring 6.2 and in-house perl scripts. Expression array results were verified with RT-PCR. Comparison of the data revealed that both technologies detected genes the other did not. In LNCaP, 3,180 genes were only detected by Affymetrix and 1,169 genes were only detected by MPSS. Similarly, in C4-2, 4,121 genes were only detected by Affymetrix and 1,014 genes were only detected by MPSS. Analysis of the combined transcriptomes identified 66 genes unique to LNCaP cells and 33 genes unique to C4-2 cells. Expression analysis of these genes in prostate cancer specimens showed CA1 to be highly expressed in bone metastasis but not expressed in primary tumor and EPHA7 to be expressed in normal prostate and primary tumor but not bone metastasis. Our data indicates that transcriptome profiling with a single methodology will not fully assess the expression of all genes in a cell line. A combination of transcription profiling technologies such as DNA array and MPSS provides a more robust means to assess the expression profile of an RNA sample. Finally, genes that were differentially expressed in cell lines were also differentially expressed in primary prostate cancer and its metastases.
Reading "Das öde Haus": E. T. A. Hoffmann's Urban Hermeneutics

In a story titled "Das ode Haus" from his 1817 collection Nachtstucke , E. T. A. Hoffmann (1776–1822) creates a hermeneutic problem in the streets of Berlin. No matter how hard the story's protagonist tries to use his powers of observation and his imagination to solve the mystery behind the facade of a dilapidated old house, he is repeatedly frustrated. This article connects "Das ode Haus" to early nineteenth-century aesthetic discourses about hermeneutics, vision, and the developing modern urban landscape. While engaging elements of Enlightenment and Romantic hermeneutic traditions, Hoffmann's story ultimately points toward a more modern exegesis based upon the aesthetic value of incomprehensibility.
Cancer-Induced, Immune-Mediated Ocular Degenerations

The means whereby vision can be lost from a disease located distant from the eye include autoimmunity, with sensitization resulting from extraocular stimuli, a process illustrated here by the immunologic confusion caused by cancers. The uncontrolled proliferation of malignancies commonly involves the expression of components of the central nervous system, but a damaging loss of tolerance is rare. When autoimmunity does develop, organ-specific antigens are more often involved than the more generalized and widely disseminated common neuronal components. A focus upon a single antigen is typical of the immune-mediated paraneoplasia, a collection of syndromes identified by unusual antibody reactions. This review provides an outline of the immunologic trail that led to the recognition of autoimmunity in paraneoplastic ocular degenerations, how specific antibody reactions aid in diagnosis, and the possibility of including antibodies in modes for sight-saving intervention. ‘Those who do not know history are desti...
Investigation of the multiple melting behaviour of a PTT by DSC and polarized light optical microscopy

The multiple melting behaviour of isothermally crystallized bulk poly(trimethylene terephthalate) (PTT) observed using DSC has been correlated to the total depolarized light intensity (DLI) of thin films using hot-stage polarized light optical microscopy. The observation of partial melting, recrystallization and final melting in the DSC is correlated to the observation of the partial decrease, sudden increase and final decrease in DLI under the same heating conditions. Integration of real-time visible spectra of the transmitted light was used to separate the effects of retardation from pure birefringence of the colorful spherulitic thin-film PTT samples. The correlation of the results from these two methods has demonstrated clearly that the observed DSC multiple melting behaviour of this particular polymer is the illustrated effect of a process of continuous partial melting/recrystallization/final melting in the material during thermal analysis. The observed thermal behaviour of these metastable spherulitic materials is a complex function of their thermal history including crystallization temperature and anneal conditions, including scanning rate during thermal analysis.
Teaching panel on university and industry collaboration

SUMMARY This workshop provided a forum of discussion about topics related to the poultry teaching and curriculum. Given that the poultry industry is dynamic and adaptable, the workshop was a way for poultry educators to learn about the concerns of 6 different poultry industries in the form of a panel discussion. Correspondingly, topics of concern were posed to the panel by those at educational institutions who operate in the teaching arm of academia. The goal of the discussion was to gain a better understanding of the future role of poultry educators and potential changes in curriculum.
Water hardness and cardiovascular disease elements in water and human tissues

The hypothesis that the hardness of drinking water has a causal role in the development of cardiovascular disease will be strengthened if it can be demonstrated that elements in drinking water find their way into human tissues in significant amounts. For biologically important metals, the evidence is reviewed for a relationship of tissue levels to levels in drinking water. Hard water can contribute significantly to daily magnesium intake. Residents of hard-water areas may have raised levels of magnesium in coronary arteries, bone, and myocardial tissue. Lead levels in bone and in blood have been shown to be elevated in individuals living in homes with lead plumbing and soft water. Cadmium intake from water is probably small compared to that from other sources, and there is no convincing evidence of alteration in human tissue levels via drinking water cadmium. Human zinc and copper tissue levels are of interest but have not been adequately studied in relation to drinking water levels.
Role of NADPH oxidase in the mechanism of lung neutrophil sequestration and microvessel injury induced by Gram-negative sepsis: studies in p47phox-/- and gp91phox-/- mice.

We addressed the role of O(2) generated by the NADPH oxidase complex in the mechanism of polymorphonuclear leukocyte (PMN) accumulation and transalveolar migration and lung microvascular injury. Studies were made in mice lacking the p47(phox) and gp91(phox) subunits of NADPH oxidase (p47(phox-/-) and gp91(phox-/-)) in which PMN are incapable of the respiratory burst. The mice were challenged i.p. with live Escherichia coli to induce sepsis. We observed time-dependent increases in PMN sequestration and migration from 1 to 6 h after challenge with 2 x 10(8) E. coli. The responses in knockout mice were greater post-E. coli challenge compared with control mice; i.e., transalveolar PMN migration post-E. coli challenge increased by approximately 50% in the null mice above values in wild type. The increased PMN infiltration was associated with decreased lung bacterial clearance. The generation of the chemoattractant macrophage-inflammatory protein-2 in lung tissue was greater in NADPH oxidase-defective mice after E. coli challenge than control mice; moreover, macrophage-inflammatory protein-2 Ab pretreatment prevented the PMN infiltration. We also observed that E. coli failed to increase lung microvascular permeability in p47(phox-/-) and gp91(phox-/-) mice despite the greater lung PMN sequestration. Thus, O(2) production is required for the induction of sepsis-induced lung microvascular injury. We conclude that NADPH oxidase-derived O(2) generation has an important bactericidal role, such that an impairment in bacterial clearance in NADPH oxidase-defective mice results in increased chemokine generation and lung tissue PMN infiltration.
Screening and Quantification of Multiple Chromosome Translocations in Human Leukemia

Background: Characterization of fusion gene transcripts in leukemia that result from chromosome translocations provides valuable information regarding appropriate treatment and prognosis. However, screening for multiple fusion gene transcripts is difficult with conventional PCR and state-of-the-art real-time PCR and high-density microarrays. Methods: We developed a multiplex reverse transcription-PCR (RT-PCR) assay for screening and quantification of fusion gene transcripts in human leukemia cells. Chimeric primers were used that contained gene-specific and universal sequences. PCR amplification of fusion and control gene transcripts was achieved with use of an excess of universal primers to allow the ratio of abundance of fusion gene to endogenous or exogenous controls to be maintained throughout PCR. Multiplex RT-PCR products analyzed by an ABI 310 Genetic Analyzer were consistent with those of duplex RT-PCR (single analytical sample plus control). In addition, multiplex RT-PCR results were analyzed by an assay using an oligonucleotide microarray that contained probes for the splice-junction sequences of various fusion transcripts. Results: The multiplex RT-PCR assay enabled screening of >10 different fusion gene transcripts in a single reaction. RT-PCR followed by analysis with the ABI Prism 310 Genetic Analyzer consistently detected 1 fusion-transcript-carrying leukemia cell in 100–10 000 cells. The assay covered a 1000-fold range. Preliminary results indicate that multiplex RT-PCR products can also be analyzed by hybridization-based microarray assay. Conclusions: The multiplex RT-PCR analyzed by either ABI Prism 310 Genetic Analyzer or microarray provides a sensitive and specific assay for screening of multiple fusion transcripts in leukemia, with the latter an assay that is adaptable to a high-throughput system for clinical screening.
Effect of ascorbic acid on endothelium-dependent vasodilatation of human arterial conduits for coronary artery bypass grafting.

Objective: Techniques aimed at improving the performance of arterial conduits will maximize the clinical benefit achievable with coronary artery bypass surgery. Controlling oxidant stress could be a strategy for preventing early graft deterioration. We tested the effect of a free radical scavenger, ascorbic acid (vitamin C), on preserving the endothelium-dependent vasodilatation function in vitro of radial artery and internal thoracic artery. We also tested its effect on the amount of reactive oxygen species (ROS) generated by each graft. Methods: Radial artery (RA, n ¼ 25) and internal thoracic (ITA, n ¼ 19) segments were obtained from coronary artery bypass grafting patients. Each segment was divided into 3 ‐ 4 mm vascular rings and incubated with or without ascorbic acid (10 23 mol/l) for 1 h or 72 h. Using the organ bath technique, the endothelium-dependent vasodilatation function was tested in vitro by the addition of cumulative concentrations of acetylcholine (10 29 ‐10 25 mol/l) following vasocontraction by endothelin-1 (3 £ 10 28 mol/l). ROS were measured by using chemiluminescence technique at 1-h and after 72 h incubation with or without ascorbic acid. Results: There were no differences in the vasodilatation function between control and ascorbic acid group of both arteries in the 1-hour incubation experiment. However, in the 72 h incubation experiment, ascorbic acid preserved the endothelium-dependent vasodilatation function of RA compared with control group (35.8 ^ 2.2% vs. 25.9 ^ 2.1%; P ¼ 0:005), but not ITA (39 ^ 3.5% vs. 40.5 ^ 9.3%; P ¼ 0:438). After 72 h incubation, RA generated significantly more free radicals compared with 1 h (133.7 ^ 151.5 vs. 16.8 ^ 16.8 cps=mg £ 100; P ¼ 0:01); however, AA has no statistically significant effect on decreasing the amount of free radicals generated by both arteries. Conclusions: In RA, ascorbic acid is able to preserve the endothelium-dependent vasodilatation function after 72 h incubation, but not after 1 h. However, the mechanism of action of AA is not completely understood. This finding could open the door for understanding the role of oxidant stress and antioxidants in preserving the endothelial function of coronary artery bypass grafts. q 2003 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Estimated versus measured glomerular filtration rate in children before hematopoietic cell transplantation.

Abstract An accurate assessment of kidney function before hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) can help to properly dose conditioning chemotherapy and follow patients for the development of chronic kidney disease. We cross-sectionally examined 94 children and young adults before HCT to compare formal nuclear glomerular filtration rate (GFR) testing with estimated GFR using creatinine and cystatin C–based equations, including the original Schwartz formula and the more recent formulas developed in the Chronic Kidney Disease in Children (CKiD) cohort. The median age of the cohort was 5.9 years (range, .26 to 30.5 years). The mean cohort nuclear GFR was 107.4 ± 24.7 mL/min/1.73 m2, with 18 of 94 subjects (19.1%) having abnormal kidney function (GFR
Effect of diet and mating on oviposition in the twospotted stink bug Perillus bioculatus (F.) (Heteroptera: Pentatomidae).

Control females of the twospotted stink bug, Perillus bioculatus (F.), and those given an artificial diet mated repeatedly over their lifetimes when held with males. The average number of observed matings was 4 and 8.4 in the controls and those given the artificial diet, respectively. Mating and an adequate diet are prerequisites for laying a full compliment of eggs in this insect. Virgins laid an average of 22 eggs compared with 138 in the multiply mated controls, 84 in singly mated females and 42 in multiply mated females given an artificial diet. The number of clutches deposited was not significantly affected by treatment, but the number of eggs per clutch was significantly lower in virgins and those given the artificial diet than in the controls or once mated females. The number of eggs per clutch showed no significant changes as the female aged. Oviposition rates were calculated over 5-d periods for each female and presented as eggs per day. In all experimental groups the number of eggs deposited per interval decreased as the females aged. By 27.5 d after the start of oviposition, females from all treatments laid one or fewer eggs per day. The decrease in eggs per day deposited by females as they aged is attributed to an increase in the time between clutch deposition. Egg viability showed no significant differences among the multiply mated controls, once mated females, or the multiply mated females given the artificial diet. This suggests that multiple mating is not required to maintain egg viability, but is necessary to maintain oviposition over the lifetime of the female. Low numbers of eggs oviposited by females given the artificial diet is attributed to the production of fewer mature follicles than in the controls and not to an impairment of the process of oviposition. In contrast, the lower number of eggs laid by virgin females results from an impairment of the oviposition process and not the impairment of ovarian follicle maturation.
Bartolomé de Las Casas: Anthropologist

To call Bartolome de Las Casas an anthropologist may seem to some not only inaccurate but presumptuous as well. It is true that he was an anthropologist only incidentally, for he was primarily a man of action determined to influence the course of events in America. It was to protect the Indians from cruel and devastating wars of conquest against them, and to defend them from the charge that they were slaves according to Aristotle’s theory that certain classes of human beings are inherently slaves, that Las Casas became a student of Indian culture. Certainly he did not possess all the skills required of an anthropologist today. But his attempt to describe the cultures of the American Indians, in the course of his defense of the natives, resulted in his producing a most comprehensive picture of their civilization. His works constitute even today one of the indispensable sources on the native people encountered during the course of what Spaniards of that time believed to be the Eighth Wonder of the World — the discovery of America.
The properties of a new polymerase III transcription factor reveal that transcription complexes can assemble by more than one pathway.

Abstract We have resolved a previously unidentified factor (TFIIID) that is required for in vitro transcription of polymerase III templates. Our ability to resolve factor D from each of the other components of the transcription machinery (polymerase and transcription factors IIIB and IIIC) allowed us to test the capacity of these separated components to form stable complexes with tRNA genes. We find that none of the individual components binds detectably to tRNA genes, but that certain combinations of transcription factors do bind. Our results show that TFIIID is essential for binding and that formation of a full transcription complex can proceed by either of two different pathways.
Direct calculation of the X-ray structure factor of ionic liquids

A conceptually simple and computationally efficient direct method to calculate the total X-ray structure factor of ionic liquids from molecular simulations is advocated to be complementary to the popular Fourier transform (FT) method. The validity of the direct method is well formulated and established by comparison with FT results. The effectiveness is demonstrated through versatile partition schemes using tetradecyltrihexylphosphonium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)amide P14,666 Tf2N as a model system. Three characteristic intermolecular peaks were observed below 2 A−1, consistent with experimental X-ray measurements. The prepeak corresponds to the polarity alternation leading to structural heterogeneity and the intermediate shoulder is due to the ubiquitous charge ordering of the ionic liquid. The intense peak is mainly attributed to the adjacent contact of apolar cationic tails. The cationic head–anion correlation function is found to be a unique signature for all three characteristic length scales even if a certain peak is concealed by fortuitous cancellation in the X-ray structure factor. The proposed direct formulation can be readily extended to neutron scattering experiments.
Complex Product and System Innovation:Market Structure and Corporate Strategy

It analyzes the characters of complex product market structure using industry economics method based on the research of complex product and system characteristics.It argues that the complex product market is oligopolistic competition.It shows that the complex product manufacturing companies have a tendency to develop in industry cluster,diversified product and internationalized allies.
The Role of Biologic Tumor Markers in Testicular Cancer

Serial quantitative measurements of serum alphafetoprotein (AFP) and human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) have been prospectively studied in 386 patients with testicular germ cell cancer during the past seven years using sensitive and specific radioimmunoassays (RIAS). When HCG and AFP was measured in patients with nonseminomatous testicular tumors (NSTT), about 90% of these patients with active tumors have elevated levels of serum HCG and/or AFP. These markers have proven valuable in reducing the clinical staging errors to 5-14% by measuring their serum levels during the pre- and post-lymphadenectomy periods. The role of these markers have been demonstrated in monitoring the therapy and determining the prognosis of patients with NSTT. Although serum AFP has not been observed in patients with seminoma, serum HCG has been observed in patients with pure seminoma. Although these markers are seen with certain other cancers, their differential diagnosis does not pose a problem. However, since most seminoma and about 10% of NSTT do not produce these markers, their value in differential diagnosis of a scrotal mass is limited. In interpretation of these markers, one should consider their biologic half-lives and their discordant behavior while the patient is under therapy. Concentrating the 24 hour urine and extracting the urinary HCG content by using a carboxy-terminal RIA enhance the potential for a more sensitive monitoring of the tumor burden and for guiding the therapy of certain patients with testicular cancer. Finally, there are a number of potential markers under investigation in our laboratory.
Oxidative Stress Assessment in Response to Ultraendurance Exercise: Thiols Redox Status and ROS Production according to Duration of a Competitive Race

Purpose. Response to an ultraendurance competitive race on thiols redox status, reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, and oxidative stress (OxS) was investigated according to duration. Methods. Twenty-four elite runners were examined: six completed 50 km and eighteen 100 km. Blood and urine samples were collected before and immediately after the race. Erythrocytes and plasma aminothiols by high-performance liquid chromatography, total antioxidant capacity (TAC), and OxS biomarkers (protein carbonyl (PC), thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (TBARS), 8-isoprostane (8-iso-PGF2α), and 8-OH-2-deoxyguanosine (8-OH-dG)) by immunoenzymatic assays and ROS production by Electron Paramagnetic Resonance were assessed. Results. Significant increases (P between <0.05 and <0.0001) were recorded in plasma total and oxidized aminothiols concentration and TAC (P < 0.0001) only after 100 km: plasmatic (ROS production (+12 versus +29%), PC (+54 versus +115%), and TBARS (+28 versus +55%)) and urinary (8-OH-dG.creatinine(-1) (+71 versus +158%) and 8-iso-PGF2α.creatinine(-1) (+43 versus +135%)) concentrations for 50 and 100 km (duration 4 h 3' versus 8 h 42'), respectively. Conclusion. Very prolonged ultraendurance exercise causes an increase in ROS production and OxS depending on specific biomarker examined but always linearly and directly related to exercise duration. Redox status of erythrocytes was preserved. A relationship between running performance and both prerace ROS production and antioxidant-redox status was found in 100 km race.
Guillain-Barre Syndrome Outcome

The prognostic indicators and outcome in 297 patients with Guillain-Barre syndrome were analysed at the Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche ‘Mario Negri’, Milan, Italy.
GOODNESS OF FIT TESTS, CONTINGENCY TABLES

This chapter presents a number of statistical tests for comparing a set of observed frequencies with corresponding frequencies calculated according to some null hypothesis. The theoretical probabilities for the cells may be completely determined by the hypothesis. Such probabilities, when multiplied by the total sample size n , give the expected frequencies. One or more parameters may be estimated from the observed frequencies and used in calculating the estimated frequencies. In either case, the relative agreement between the f i 's and F i 's is measured by χ 2 = ∑ k i =1( f i – F i ) 2 /F i , which has degrees of freedom v = k – 1 – p, where k is the number of classes after combining any small expected frequencies to make each F i ≥ 1, and p is the number of parameters estimated from the data. The critical region for χ 2 is always in the upper tail.
Robert D. Tollison and the economics of politics

Robert Tollison was the most prolific of the second generation of public choice scholars from the Virginia School. Tollison’s many applications of the economic approach to politics, law, regulations and religion demonstrate that narrow self-interest can account for a broad range of political, economic, and other social phenomena. In addition, Tollison was a talented editor, an inspiring teacher, and effective administrator. He edited several influential books and was coeditor of the journal Public Choice for 18 years, increasing its prominence and impact. He taught several generations of students, supervised 49 Ph.D. dissertations and coauthored papers with most of his students to help them launch their academic careers. He was director of the Center for Study of Public Choice during its glory days at George Mason University.
High frequency ultrasound in-plane registration of deformable finger vessels

Ultrasound imaging is widely used in clinical imaging because it is non-invasive, real-time, and inexpensive. Due to the freehand nature of clinical ultrasound, analysis of an image sequence often requires registration between the images. Of the previously developed mono-modality ultrasound registration frameworks, only few were designed to register small anatomical structures. Monitoring of small finger vessels, in particular, is essential for the treatment of vascular diseases such as Raynaud’s Disease. High frequency ultrasound (HFUS) can now image smaller anatomic details down to 30 microns within the vessels, but no work has been done to date on such small-scale ultrasound registration. Due to the complex internal finger structure and increased noise of HFUS, it is difficult to register 2D images of finger vascular tissue, especially under deformation. We studied a variety of similarity measurements with different pre-processing techniques to find which registration similarity metrics were best suited for HFUS vessel tracking. The overall best performance was obtained with a normalized correlation metric coupled with HFUS downsampling and a one-plus-one evolutionary optimizer, yielding a mean registration error of 0.05 mm. We also used HFUS to study how finger tissue deforms under an ultrasound transducer, comparing internal motion vs. transducer motion. Improving HFUS registration and tissue modeling may lead to new research and improved treatments for peripheral vascular disorders.
Marine Microbial Community Adaptation and Resiliency to Anthropogenic Stresses Through Horizontal Gene Transfer

Horizontal gene transfer (HGT) in prokaryotic lineages is an evolutionary, dynamic mechanism known to promote adaptation to novel habitats by acquisition of genes and alteration of the genetic composition of an organism. The inherent complexity of the microbial species concept exists due to the difficulty involved in quantifying HGT events that results in extensive genome differences even among closely related organisms. In marine ecosystems , HGT leads to an enrichment of microbial populations comprising degradation pathways that enable adaptation to multiple anthropogenic stressors caused by coastal development, oil and gas industry, and aquaculture. Genetic elements such as plasmids, phages and integrons are frequently associated with the dissemination of xenobiotic degradation genes that facilitates microbial adaptation to stress within marine environments. The factors involved in microbial adaptation to stress and their connection to resilience of ecosystems after an anthropogenic disturbance are being increasingly reported and can have implications on coastal recovery and restoration. The increased incidence of metagenomic studies in recent years has also facilitated a better understanding of genetic elements and their contribution to microbial diversity in marine environments. This chapter discusses HGT processes, resistance and resilience patterns found in marine microbial communities along with recent findings about genetic elements that respond to the selective pressures associated with coastal and ocean ecosystems.
Personal Growth and Well-Being at Work: Contributions of Vocational Psychology

Positive psychology’s focus on human strengths, personal growth, and well-being is frequently applied to career development and the workplace. Such applications also fall within the purview of voca...
Confronting the misbeliefs pertaining to blood donation and transfusion practices in India.

Abstract India, a country of 1.3 billion is still yearning for just 12 million units of blood and facing a shortage of 10%; this seemingly small number has claimed many lives, particularly in the less developed parts of the country. The root cause of the problem, although not defined clearly, can be ascertained from the survey reports from different parts of the country targeted to analyze the knowledge, attitude and practices related to blood donation. Most of these reports are coherent in their findings and report the existence of the fallacious perceptions about blood donation even after six decades of the initiation of voluntary blood donation practices. The unawareness about the shortage and lack of opportunities to donate have emerged as important factors for the lack of motivation towards donation. The shortage of blood in turn promotes replacement transfusion nationwide as the only alternative to restore the exhausted stock, since humans serve as the only source of supply for the replenishment of this life-saving fluid. Paucity of blood banks across the country, particularly in the rural areas makes the situation even worse. There is a dire need to emphasize on the participation of youth. The poor implementation of the various governmental policies, aimed at increasing voluntary non-remunerated blood donation (VNRBD) also requires tremendous improvement.
Partial entropic stabilization of lattice Boltzmann magnetohydrodynamics.

The entropic lattice Boltzmann algorithm of Karlin et al. [Phys. Rev. E 90, 031302 (2014)] is partially extended to magnetohydrodynamics, based on the Dellar model of introducing a vector distribution for the magnetic field. This entropic ansatz is now applied only to the scalar particle distribution function so as to permit the many problems entailing magnetic field reversal. A 9-bit lattice is employed for both particle and magnetic distributions for our two-dimensional simulations. The entropic ansatz is benchmarked against our earlier multiple relaxation lattice-Boltzmann model for the Kelvin-Helmholtz instability in a magnetized jet. Other two-dimensional simulations are performed and compared to results determined by more standard direct algorithms: in particular the switch over between the Kelvin-Helmholtz or tearing mode instability of Chen et al. [J. Geophys. Res.: Space Phys. 102, 151 (1997)], and the generalized Orszag-Tang vortex model of Biskamp-Welter [Phys. Fluids B 1, 1964 (1989)]. Very good results are achieved.
Copyright in the Participatory and Online Video Environment

This paper discusses the nature of copyright exceptions to the limited monopoly rights of copyright holders as well as why a grasp of copyright exceptions is central to the evolution of participatory and online video environments. It also explains the historical underpinnings of unbalanced copyright policy, and how challenging attempts to rebalance it have been. In that light, the success of practice-related rebalancing efforts has been remarkable. These rebalancing efforts are of particular interest to participatory and online video creators and users, who can both make use of their successes and translate their techniques into the copyright regimes of their own national environments. Finally it argues that such participation in rebalancing copyright will be critical to the evolution of participatory and online video culture.
Prevention of diabetic foot complications

This paper discussed the importance of prevention of diabetic foot ulcers and our institution's protocol for prevention, reviewing the existing evidence in the literature regarding the effectiveness of the preventive approach. Diabetes mellitus is the second most significant cause of disease in Singapore after ischaemic heart disease. National University Hospital, Singapore, adopts a two-pronged strategy for the management of diabetic foot ulcers. The most important strategy is prevention, and education is key. Education should mainly be directed at patients and caregivers, but also professionals (general practitioners, allied health professionals and nurses) so that they can effectively educate patients and caregivers. Patient education includes care of diabetes mellitus, care of the foot and use of appropriate footwear. Patients also tend to have poor foot hygiene. Annual foot screening for diagnosed diabetics plays an important role. However, prolonged and sustained government intervention is necessary to provide education and screening on a national scale.