cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Automated verification, assembly, and extension of GBM stem cell network model with knowledge from literature and data

Abstract Signaling network models are usually assembled from information in literature and expert knowledge or inferred from data. The goal of modeling is to gain mechanistic understanding of key signaling pathways and provide predictions on how perturbations affect large-scale processes such as disease progression. For glioblastoma multiforme (GBM), this task is critical, given the lack of effective treatments and pace of disease progression. Both manual and automated assembly of signaling networks from data or literature have drawbacks. Existing GBM networks, as well as networks assembled using state-of-the-art machine reading, fall short when judged by the quality and quantity of information, as well as certain attributes of the overall network structure. The contributions of this work are two-fold. First, we propose an automated methodology for verification of signaling networks. Next, we discuss automation of network assembly and extension that relies on methods and resources used for network verification, thus, implicitly including verification in these processes. In addition to these methods, we also present, and verify a comprehensive GBM network assembled with a hybrid of manual and automated methods. Finally, we demonstrate that, while an automated network assembly is fast, such networks still lack precision and realistic network topology.
Entrepreneurial Intent is not Black or White: An Intersectional Perspective

Considerable research has explored various drivers of entrepreneurial intent (EI), including the effects of race or gender separately (e.g., Edelman, Brush, Manolova, & Greene, 2010). Our study builds on this previous work by considering the intersection between race and gender, a unique and needed broadening of perspective as race and gender do not exist in isolation from each other. Applying both role congruity and social identity theory, this study considers an individual’s EI through an intersectional lens. Using a sample of 562 student respondents from five universities across the U.S., an experiment examines entrepreneurial intent to participate in entrepreneurship programs after exposure to one of five website conditions intentionally varied in terms of racial and gendered language and imagery. Our findings reveal that intersectionality matters as students responded to the conditions significantly differently dependent upon the race-gender intersection. Overall, the highest positive influence in entrepreneurial intent across all students, regardless of race or gender, resulted from exposure to the racial-minority-female-centric website condition.
Impact of Preoperative Risk Factors on Inpatient Stay and Facility Discharge After Free Flap Reconstruction

ObjectiveTo determine the preoperative risk factors most predictive of prolonged length of stay (LOS) or admission to a skilled nursing facility (SNF) or inpatient rehabilitation center (IPR) after...
The impact of trainees' working hour regulations on outcome in CABG and valve surgery in the State of New York

Background and aim In 2011, the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) restricted the first-year residents' duty-hour to less than 16-hour shifts, decreased the maximum shift duration for senior residents, and increased minimum time off after on-call duties. Whether these changes may have impacted the outcomes in cardiac surgery remains unclear. Methods We performed a difference-in-difference analysis of the New York State Cardiac Surgery Reporting System data in 2004-2006 (before the duty-hour policies change) and 2014-2016 (after the change). We evaluated differences in 30-day risk-adjusted mortality rates (RAMR) in coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) and valve surgeries, stratifying data by hospital type: teaching hospitals (TH) versus nonteaching hospitals (NTH). NTH served as the control not affected by the duty-hour policies. Results (1) The overall surgical volume for CABG surgery has decreased over time (37,645-24,991), while the volume for valve surgery remained similar (20,969-21,532); (2) TH had better short-term outcomes for CABG procedures during 2014-2016 (median RAMR: 1.01% vs. 1.55% in TH vs. NTH, respectively; p = .025) as well as for valve procedures during both 2004-2006 (5.16% vs. 7.49%, p = .020) and 2014-2016 (2.59% vs. 4.09%, p = .033); (3) at difference-in-difference analysis, trainees' duty-hour regulations were not associated with worsening short-term outcomes in both CABG (p = .296) and valve (p = .651) procedures performed in TH. Conclusion The introduction of the 2011 trainees' duty-hour regulations was not associated with worse short-term outcomes for CABG and valve surgery performed in the State of NY by TH.
Inhibitors of Arachidonic Acid Metabolism Inhibit Tumor-Promoter-Stimulated Chemiluminescence in Murine Keratinocytes

The carcinogenic process can be experimentally divided into stages; this is advantageous in developing an understanding of the molecular changes in each stage that are essential for the development of neoplasias. One of the best-studied multistage models is the mouse skin (Slaga et al., 1980a,b,c). Initiation is the result of a single application of a carcinogen, most commonly 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene, at a dose that causes no tumors. The second stage, promotion, results from the repetitive treatment with a tumor promoter such as 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA). Of all the biochemical and morphological responses of the epidermis to TPA, the most important and relevant appear to be the induction of ornithine decarboxylase, the induction of dark cells, hyperplasia, and the development of an inflammatory state (Slaga et al., 1980b, c, d).
Effective elastic properties of a composite containing multiple types of anisotropic ellipsoidal inclusions, with application to the attachment of tendon to bone

Estimates of the effective stiffness of a composite containing multiple types of inclusions are needed for the design and study of functionally graded systems in engineering and physiology. While excellent estimates and tight bounds exist for composite systems containing specific classes and distributions of identical inclusions, these are not easily generalized to complex systems with multiple types of inclusions. For example, three-point parameters are known for only a few inclusion shapes and orientations. The best estimate available for a composite containing multiple classes of inclusions arises from the Kanaun-Jeulin approach. However, this method is analogous to a generalized Benveniste approach, and therefore suffers from the same limitations: while excellent for low volume fractions of inclusions, the Kanaun-Jeullin and Benveniste estimates lie outside of three-point bounds at higher volume fractions. Here, we present an estimate for composites containing multiple classes of aligned ellipsoidal inclusions that lies within known three-point bounds at relatively higher volume fractions of inclusions and that is applicable to many engineering and biological composites.
Phosphatidate phosphatase: activity and properties in fetal and adult rat lung.

Abstract The purpose of this work is to compare the properties of phosphatidate phosphatase ( l -α-phosphatidate phosphohydrolase, EC 3.1.3.4) in fetal and adult rat lung and to establish the developmental profile of activity measured under optimal conditions. The maximal pH of 6.0–7.0 and the inhibition by fluoride, Ca 2+ and detergents were similar for both adult and fetal. Phosphatidate phosphohydrolase activity was located in both mitochondria and microsomes. The localizations of marker enzymes indicated that the activity in these subfractions was not a result of cross contaminations. Very low activity was detected in the supernatant fraction and no Mg 2+ requirement was demonstrable. The activity in the particulate fraction was about 50% of the adult from 18 day gestation until birth. Following birth, the activity rapidly increased to adult levels. Dipalmitoyl, dioleoyl and diacyl glycerol 3-phosphates are all utilized well as substrates. 1,2-dipalmitoyl- sn -glycerol 3-phosphate was hydrolyzed faster under maximal conditions. The velocity-substrate curves tended to be sigmoidal, particularly when 1,2-dipalmitoyl- sn -glycerol 3-phosphate was the substrate. Estimated apparent K m values of 0.02–0.03 mM were obtained for fetal and adult preparations.
Mannose as a Metabolite and an Inhibitor of Metabolism in Euglena

Mannose inhibited the growth rate of Euglena when glucose, fructose, pyruvate, acetate, ethanol, succinate, oxalacetate, or glutamine was the sole source of carbon. The degree of inhibition was a function of the particular substrate and, in the case of glucose, of the glucose to mannose concentration ratio. The metabolic basis of growth inhibition was investigated. Mannose does not critically inhibit glucose entry or phosphorylation and does not interfere with the Krebs cycle. Mannose 6-phosphate, however, is an inhibitor of phosphoglucose isomerase, and this may account for much of the growth inhibition when fructose or glucose is the carbon source. That inhibition at this site alone cannot account entirely for growth inhibition is indicated by the sensitivity to mannose of growth on substrates which enter metabolism at the level of the Krebs cycle, and by the results of experiments in which pairs of substrates were used as carbon sources. Mannose by itself does not support growth. 14C from mannose-1-14C, however, was incorporated into protein, phospholipids, and wax, but not into CO2. Trapping of 14C-acetyl groups generated from glucose-1-14C with sulfanilamide was associated with a decrease in 14CO2 and 14C-phospholipid, but not of 14C-wax formation, whereas sulfanilamide inhibited neither 14C-phospholipid nor 14C-wax formation from mannose-1-14C. Mannose increased 14CO2 production and 14C incorporation from pyruvate-2-14C into phospholipids, but decreased 14C incorporation into wax. Based on these observations, the existence of two metabolic compartments for lipid synthesis in Euglena is postulated.
Reasoning about actions and change: from single agent actions to multi-agent actions (extended abstract)

We often deal with dynamic worlds where actions are executed by agents and events may happen. Example of such worlds range from virtual worlds such as the world of a database to robots and humans in physical worlds. To understand the dynamics of such worlds as well as to be able to assert some control over such worlds one needs to reason about the actions and events and how they may change the world. In this invited talk we will present some of the important results in this field and present some future directions. In particular, we will discuss how theories and results from reasoning about actions and change can be combined with theories and results in dynamic epistemic logics to obtain a unified theory of multi-agent actions.
Viscosity solutions of the Bellman equation for perturbed optimal control problems with exit times

In a series of papers, we presented new theorems characterizing the value function in optimal control as the unique bounded-from-below viscosity solution of the corresponding Bellman equation that satisfies appropriate side conditions. Instead of the usual assumption that the instantaneous costs are uniformly positive, our results assumed that all trajectories satisfying a certain integral condition must asymptotically approach the target. In this note, we study perturbed exit time problems which have the property that all trajectories satisfying the integral condition must stay in a bounded set. This is a weaker asymptotic property, since it allows bounded oscillating trajectories and attractors other than the target. We show that, under this weaker asymptotic condition, the value function is still the unique bounded-from-below solution of the corresponding Bellman equation that vanishes on the target. Our theorem applies to problems which are not tractable by the known results. The significance of our work is that (i) applied control abounds with problems whose dynamics are only known up to a margin of error, which can be represented by perturbations, and (ii) our theorem implies the convergence of numerical methods which can be used to approximate value functions for problems that satisfy our relaxed hypotheses.
On the Tax Costs of Equity Finance: The Case of Catastrophe Insurance

We provide estimates of the tax costs of equity financing and the resulting effects on the prices of catastrophe insurance/reinsurance arrangements using a partial equilibrium model of insurance pricing and capitalization that incorporates specific loss distributions for nationwide catastrophe losses. After consideration of insurer investment in tax-exempt securities, the effect of loss carry-back/forward provisions on expected marginal tax rates, and personal taxes, our results imply that the tax costs of equity finance have a substantial effect on catastrophe insurance/reinsurance prices. The estimated tax costs generally exceed 100% of the present value of expected claim costs for high "layers" of catastrophe coverage, thus suggesting that U.S. corporate taxation plays a significant role in explaining both the limited scope of catastrophe insurance/reinsurance and the institutional responses that reduce tax costs. In particular, our results help explain growth in catastrophe reinsurance for U.S. risks with offshore (foreign) reinsurers in tax-favored jurisdictions and, at least in part, the innovation of catastrophe bonds, which reduce tax costs associated with equity financing while avoiding some of the expected costs of financial distress that accompany non-contingent subordinated debt financing.
Geochemical analyses of the Late Devonian “Kellwasser Event” stratigraphic horizon at Steinbruch Schmidt (F.R.G.)

We report here the absence of an Ir anomaly in an exceptionally complete stratigraphic sequence across the Frasnian-Famennian boundary in the Rhenish Slate Mountains of the Federal Republic of Germany. There exists no anomaly either at the “Kellwasser Event” mass extinction horizon (Uppermost gigas-Lower triangularis Subzonal interval), or at the subzonal horizon where an Ir anomaly was reported in the Canning Basin strata in Australia.
The FASBs Concepts Statement On Cash Flows And Present Value

In February 2000, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) issued Statement of Financial Accounting Concepts No. 7, Using Cash Flow Information and Present Value in Accounting Measurements. In this document the FASB asserts without proof that a present value computation along its lines will provide a good estimate of the fair value of an asset or liability. Using numerical examples provided by the FASB, we attempt to construct arguments in support of the FASB’s claim. We find that such arguments require strong and not at all obvious assumptions about players in hypothetical markets.
A problem for predicativism solved by predicativism

John Hawthorne and David Manley say that the difference between these two sentences raises a problem for Predicativism about names. According to the currently more standard version of Predicativism, a bare singular name in argument position, like ‘John’ in (2), is embedded in a definite description with an unpronounced definite article. The problem is supposed to be that (1) permits a covarying reading that allows for different races to have been won by different colts, while (2) does not permit a covarying reading—it can be true only if there is a single John that won every race. But, the objection runs, if the name ‘John’ is really embedded in a definite description with an unpronounced definite article, then the two sentences are structurally parallel and should not differ with respect to covariation. Appealing to Jason Stanley's ‘Nominal Restriction’ (the 2005 version), I show that the difference between the two sentences above not only does not raise a problem for Predicativism but also is actually predicted by it.
Dynamically pulsed MTCMOS with bus encoding for total power and crosstalk minimization

Increased buffer insertion along on-chip global lines and the increasing contribution of leakage power have resulted in buffer leakage emerging as one of the chief contributors to system leakage power. We present a novel power-gating scheme for repeaters on global bus lines that address the pressing problem of runtime leakage while simultaneously eliminating worst-case capacitive coupling between adjacent bus lines. We propose using a pulsed MTCMOS (multiple threshold CMOS) scheme that dynamically activates the bus system only when transmitting a signal. Additionally, a bus encoding scheme is used to eliminate worst-case coupling and thereby negate the power-gating and pulse generation performance penalty. We consider all sources of delay and leakage power, including that of the MTCMOS control circuitry. This technique can result in nearly a 30% reduction in total bus system power for low switching activities and up to 2.3 times reduction in standby mode leakage with no reactivation delay penalty.
The mouse H-2A region influences the envelope gene structure of tumor-associated murine leukemia viruses.

C57BL/10 (B10) strains congenic at the mouse major histocompatibility locus (H-2) were injected with a modified ecotropic SL3-3 murine leukemia virus (MuLV) to determine the effect of the H-2 genes on the envelope gene structure of recombinant MuLVs. All tested strains rapidly developed T-cell lymphomas, and recombinant proviruses were detected in the tumor DNAs by Southern blot. The B10.D2 (H-2d), B10.Br (H-2k), B10.Q (H-2q), and B10.RIII (H-2r) strains exhibited a TI phenotype in which almost all tumors contained type I recombinants. These recombinants characteristically acquire envelope gene sequences from the endogenous polytropic viruses but retain the 5′ p15E (TM) gene sequences from the ecotropic virus. The parental B10 (H-2b) strain, however, had a novel phenotype that was designated NS for nonselective. Only 30% of the B10 tumors had detectable type I recombinants, whereas a proportion of the others appeared to contain type II recombinants that lacked the type I-specific ecotropic p15E gene sequences. Studies of other B10 congenic strains with hybrid H-2 loci and selected F1 animals revealed that the NS phenotype was regulated by a dominant gene(s) that mapped to the A region of H-2b. These results demonstrate that a host gene within the major histocompatibility complex can influence the genetic evolution of pathogenic retroviruses in vivo.
SELF-CONCEPTION AND PERSONAL IDENTITY: REVISITING PARFIT AND LEWIS WITH AN EYE ON THE GRIP OF THE UNITY REACTION

Derek Parfit's “reductionist” account of personal identity (including the rejection of anything like a soul) is coupled with the rejection of a commonsensical intuition of essential self-unity, as in his defense of the counter-intuitive claim that “identity does not matter.” His argument for this claim is based on reflection on the possibility of personal fission. To the contrary, Simon Blackburn claims that the “unity reaction” to fission has an absolute grip on practical reasoning. Now David Lewis denied Parfit's claim that reductionism contravenes common sense, so I revisit the debate between Parfit and Lewis, showing why Parfit wins it. Is reductionism about persons then inherently at odds with the unity reaction? Not necessarily; David Velleman presents a reductionist theory according to which fission does not conflict with the unity reaction. Nonetheless, relying on the distinction between person level descriptions of first-person states and the first-person perspective itself, I argue that Velleman's theory does not eliminate fission-based conflict with the unity reaction.
Stripping polarograms for film electrodes

Abstract Equations describing stripping polarograms, or pseudopolagrams, for thin film electrodes are derived. Stripping polarograms for Tl(I), Pb(II), Cd(II), and Cu(II) in NaCl medium are compared with these equations. Cu(II) yields a stripping polarogram with the shape characteristic of a one-electron reduction due to a two step reduction via a Cu(I) intermediated.
Vitamin E deficiency and enhanced platelet function: Reversal following E supplementation

Marked platelet hyperaggregability to adenosine diphosphate, epinephrine, and collagen was demonstrated in two children with vitamin E deficiency, with complete reversal following E supplementation. No clinical thrombotic tendency was observed during the E-deficient state. The action of vitamin E in the schema of platelet arachidonate peroxidation appears to be at the step of phospholipase A activation, or the conversion of arachidonic acid into the cyclic endoperoxides, since the peroxidation product malonaldehyde was increased during the E-deficient state with normalization following E sufficiency.
Ten-Year Performance Evaluation of Asphalt-Rubber Surface Mixes:

In 1988, the Florida legislature passed a bill directing the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) to investigate the feasibility and potential use of ground tire rubber (GTR) in asphalt-concrete mixtures. To address this legislative mandate, the FDOT planned and constructed three test projects to define performance that would allow for rational decisions about the use of GTR in Florida. A major finding of a 10-year performance evaluation of these test sites is that the wet process addition of rubber improved the crack resistance of surface mixtures. State Road 16 test sections with wet process rubberized mixes showed about 1 to 6 percent cracked areas, depending on the amount of rubber, whereas those with virgin asphalt or dry-mixed asphalt rubber showed about 30 percent cracked areas. In addition, the cracking data collected during this evaluation appear to suggest that an effective optimum rubber content is within the 10 to 15 percent range. The long-term performance evaluation program of the thr...
Acylation of hemoglobin by succinyldisalicylate, a potential crosslinking reagent

Abstract Diaspirin, HO 2 CC 6 H 4 OOCCH 2 CH 2 COOC 6 H 4 CO 2 H, acylates hemoglobin more effectively than does aspirin. The disalicylate has the potential to act as a crosslinking reagent in proteins and other molecules in general.
Supporting mental model accuracy in trigger-action programming

Trigger-action programming is a simple programming model that enables users to create rules that automate behavior of smart homes, devices, and online services. Existing trigger-action programming systems, such as if-this-then-that (IFTTT), already have millions of users worldwide; however, their oversimplification limits the expressivity of the programs that can be created. While extensions of IFTTT to allow more complex programs have been proposed, previous work neglects a key distinction between different trigger types (states and events) and action types (instantaneous, extended, and sustained actions). In this paper, we systematically study the impact of these differences through two user studies that reveal: (i) inconsistencies in interpreting the behavior of trigger-action programs and (ii) errors made in creating programs with a desired behavior. Based on a characterization of these issues, we offer recommendations for improving the IFTTT interface so as to mitigate issues that arise from mental model inaccuracies.
Left ventricular inflow obstruction associated with persistent left superior vena cava and dilated coronary sinus

Abstract Background It has previously been suggested that significant dilatation of the coronary sinus can contribute to left ventricular inflow obstruction and is amenable to surgical correction. The purpose of this study was to review our experience with this rare condition. Methods Since 1995, 6 patients have undergone coronary sinus reduction for concerns of obstruction with other concomitant intracardiac repairs. Preoperative echocardiography identified a significantly dilated left superior vena cava to the coronary sinus in 5 patients (83%) and an abnormal mitral valve in 4 patients (67%); these resulted in abnormal Doppler inflow patterns. Preoperative cardiac catheterization was performed in 5 patients and revealed increased atrial "a" waves, with a gradient to the left ventricular end-diastolic pressure in each case. At the time of surgery, coronary sinus angioplasty was performed in all patients. Results There were no deaths, and there was no major morbidity. Follow-up imaging revealed no significant left ventricular inflow obstruction in any patient. Conclusions We conclude that dilatation of the coronary sinus can become hemodynamically significant and that coronary sinus angioplasty is a safe and effective technique.
Photohydroxylation, photocyanation and fluorescence quenching of 2-fluoroanisole complexed with cyclodextrins: a comparison with 4-fluoroanisole-cyclodextrin complexes

Abstract The influence of cyclodextrin (CD) on the efficiency and selectivity of aromatic nucleophilic substitutions of 2-fluoroanisole (2-FA) has been investigated. Results are compared with the effect of CD on the quenching of 2-FA fluorescence by iodide as well as aromatic nucleophilic substitutions on 4-fluoroanisole. It is found that both nucleophiles, water and cyanide, are inhibited strongly by α-CD from reacting with irradiated 2-FA. Surprisingly, β-CD retards photohydroxylation of 2-FA to a much greater extent than it does photocyanation. An additional process, photoreduction to form anisole, appears to proceed via an independent pathway. A hypothesis which includes the possible influence of water structure near the CD openings is advanced to explain the results.
Watt range electrical power output through single optical fiber for remote, safe, isolated powering applications

We establish an empirical model to project the highest power output from a photovoltaic power converter (PPC). This model helped us achieve over one watt electrical output power from a single fiber channel. A total of 1.2W electrical power output from two parallel connected 8-segment devices was obtained from a well heat-sunk package with 4W laser illumination from a single fiber. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first time that, over one watt electrical power has been delivered by a single fiber channel. Over 30% power conversion efficiency was maintained in this high power conversion process, whereas the power conversion efficiency was over 40% at low laser input power. This high electrical power output enables more applications in sensing, safing, or arming that could not be achieved before due to less available power. It also further strengthens the position of this unique solution of providing isolated power in harsh, noisy and high-voltage environments.
Identifying the facets of impulsivity that explain the relation between ADHD symptoms and substance use in a nonclinical sample

Adults with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are at higher risk to use substances than their nonclinical peers. Increased levels of impulsivity are generally thought to contribute to their increased levels of risk. Impulsivity is a multifaceted construct, however, and little research to date has attempted to identify which facets of impulsivity contribute to the increased rates of substance abuse among individuals with ADHD. The current study examined the relation among ADHD symptom clusters (i.e., hyperactivity/impulsivity and inattention), substance use rates (i.e., alcohol use, nicotine use, and marijuana use), and personality processes associated with impulsive behavior in a group of young adults. Participants were 361 undergraduate students. Both symptom clusters were positively associated with rates of substance use. Specifically, hyperactive/impulsive symptoms were associated with alcohol and nicotine use, and inattentive symptoms were associated with alcohol use. Several pathways from hyperactive/impulsive symptoms to alcohol, nicotine, and marijuana use via specific facets of impulsivity were identified. These findings have implications for understanding the relation between ADHD symptoms and substance use, as well as clinical implications for preventing and treating substance use problems in individuals with symptoms of ADHD.
Differential hormonal regulation of l-glycerol 3-phosphate dehydrogenase in rat brain and skeletal muscle☆

Abstract The level of l -glycerol 3-phosphate dehydrogenase (EC 1.1.1.8) is regulated in the rat brain by glucocorticoids. Following hypophysectomy, the concentration of brain glycerol-3-P dehydrogenase decreases to about 40% of the control. By immunotitration, we have demonstrated that this decrease in glycerol-3-P dehydrogenase activity is due to fewer enzyme molecules rather than less efficient ones. We also demonstrated that the enzyme remaining in the brain after hypophysectomy is identical to that found in the brains of control littermates, as determined by gel permeation chromatography, pH optimum, heat lability, electrophoretic mobility, and Ouchterlony double-diffusion analysis. Since the concentration of glycerol-3-P dehydrogenase in skeletal muscle is not regulated by glucocorticoids, we also compared the brain enzyme to the muscle enzyme. By the above criteria, skeletal muscle glycerol phosphate dehydrogenase is identical to the brain enzyme. This suggests that the same structural gene codes for glycerol-3-P dehydrogenase in brain and muscle and that the difference in response to glucocorticoids is due to the presence of a specific regulatory mechanism in brain that is absent in muscle.
Somatosensory climbing fiber responses in the caudal posterior vermis of the cat cerebellum.

Abstract Tactile stimulation of the body surface elicited climbing fiber responses in 5% of the 839 Purkinje cells recorded in the caudal posterior vermis (lobules VII–IX) of cats anesthetized with sodium pentobarbital. The cells responsive to tactile stimulation were mainly encountered around the prepyramidal fissure between lobules VIIb and VIIIa. This region was characterized by responses representing only selective areas of the ipsilateral face, forepaw, hindlimb, or proximal tail-pelvic territory. Climbing fiber responses representing the face and forepaw were encountered more laterally and those representing the proximal tail-pelvic area more medially. Tactile representations of the body surface are located within the same cortical domain as other climbing fiber inputs, which suggests that the caudal posterior vermis is a multifunctional region of the cerebellum.
Attentional guidance in singleton search: An examination of top-down, bottom-up, and intertrial factors

While it is clear that the goals of an observer change behaviour, their role in the guidance of visual attention has been much debated. In particular, there has been controversy over whether top-down knowledge can influence attentional guidance in search for a singleton item that is already salient by a bottom-up account (Theeuwes, Reimann, & Mortier, 2006). One suggestion is that passive intertrial priming accounts for what has been called top-down guidance (e.g., Maljkovic & Nakayama, 1994). In the present study, participants responded to the shape of a singleton target among homogenous distractors in a trial-by-trial cueing design. We examined the influence of target expectancy, trial history, and target salience (which was manipulated by changing the number of distractors). Top-down influence resulted in fast RTs that were independent of display size, even on trials that received no priming. Our findings show there is a role for top-down guidance, even in singleton search. The designation of intertria...
Two-dimensional receptive-field organization in striate cortical neurons of the cat

The two-dimensional organization of receptive fields (RFs) of 44 cells in the cat visual cortex and four cells from the cat LGN was measured by stimulation with either dots or bars of light. The light bars were presented in different positions and orientations centered on the RFs. The RFs found were arbitrarily divided into four general types: Punctate, resembling DOG filters (11%); those resembling Gabor filters (9%); elongate (36%); and multipeaked-type (44%). Elongate RFs, usually found in simple cells, could show more than one excitatory band or bifurcation of excitatory regions. Although regions inhibitory to a given stimulus transition (e.g. ON) often coincided with regions excitatory to the opposite transition (e.g. OFF), this was by no means the rule. Measurements were highly repeatable and stable over periods of at least 1 h. A comparison between measurements made with dots and with bars showed reasonable matches in about 40% of the cases. In general, bar-based measurements revealed larger RFs with more structure, especially with respect to inhibitory regions. Inactivation of lower cortical layers (V-VI) by local GABA injection was found to reduce sharpness of detail and to increase both receptive-field size and noise in upper layer cells, suggesting vertically organized RF mechanisms. Across the population, some cells bore close resemblance to theoretically proposed filters, while others had a complexity that was clearly not generalizable, to the extent that they seemed more suited to detection of specific structures. We would speculate that the broadly varying forms of cat cortical receptive fields result from developmental processes akin to those that form ocular-dominance columns, but on a smaller scale.
Interpreting Islam through the Internet: making sense of hijab

Hijab, the practice of modesty or "covering," is one of the most visible and controversial aspects of Islam in the twenty-first century, partly because the Qur'an offers so little guidance on proper dress. This forces Muslims to engage in ijtihad (interpretation), which historically has resulted in vast differences in dress around the world. By transcending some of the boundaries of space, time and the body, the Internet has emerged as a place where Muslims from diverse backgrounds can meet to debate ideas and flesh them out through shared experiences. After discussing hijab in the Qur'an and other traditional sources, this article explores the use of cyberspace as a multi-media platform for learning about and debating what constitutes appropriate Islamic dress. The last section focuses on a case study of the multi-user "hijablog" hosted by thecanadianmuslim.ca, which represents one of the largest in-print discussions on hijab ever recorded in the English language. On this blog and other forums like it, ijtihad has become a critical tool for debate on matters such as hijab, which are important but sparsely discussed in the Qur'an.
Disappearance of Coronary Artery Stenosis Murmur after Aortocoronary Bypass

A woman with a diastolic coronary artery stenosis murmur which disappeared immediately after aortocoronary bypass surgery is reported. Two months postoperation, the murmur reappeared coincidental with acute anteroseptal myocardial infarction, presumably secondary to occlusion of the bypass graft. Ten months following surgery, when coronary arteriography showed occlusion of the bypass graft and the affected coronary artery, the murmur was no longer present.
On the perturbation of the reduced minimum modulus of bounded linear operators

Let X and Y be two Banach spaces, and let T:X->Y be a bounded linear operator. We study the perturbation problem of the reduced minimum modulus of T, and in particular we correct a mistake in a recent paper.
An integrative and holistic engineering education

The several reports and papers of the past decade suggesting paradigm shifts in engineering education are shown to reveal a common theme, to wit: engineering is an integrative process, and thus engineering education, particularly at the baccalaureate level, should be designed toward that end. Suggesting a change in intellectual culture, the roots of contemporary collegiate education in the United States are traced to their origin and attention is given to discussing the current emphasis on reductionism vis-a-vis integration or, said another way, a course-focused education compared to a more holistic approach in which process and knowledge are woven throughout the curriculum. A new construct for systemic change in baccalaureate engineering education is suggested in terms of a taxonomy of intellectual components connected holistically with a core focus on developing human potential, as opposed to the present system in which students are passed serially through course filters.
No stomatal response to ethylene.

The stomata of Zea mays and Pisum sativum did not respond to ethylene concentrations between 1 and 10/sup 5/ microliters/liter. The mechanism of CO/sub 2/ action on stomata is, therefore, different from that which competitively inhibits morphogenetic responses to ethylene. The absence of any response to nitrous oxide confirms earlier findings. Stomatal insensitivity to all three gases applied, ethylene, allene, and nitrous oxide, that the CO/sub 2/ receptor in the guard cells is specific for CO/sub 2/. 5 references.
The AXSIO mission and its technologies

AXSIO’s two focal plane instruments (the imaging X-ray Microcalorimeter Spectrometer and the X-ray Grating Spectrometer) will deliver a 100-fold increase in capability over the current generation of instruments for high-resolution spectroscopy, microsecond spectroscopic timing, and high count rate capability. AXSIO covers the 0.1 - 12keV energy range, complementing the capabilities of the next generation observatories such as ALMA, LSST, JWST, and 30-m ground-based telescopes These instruments allow AXSIO to accomplish most of the IXO science goals at a significantly reduced complexity and cost. These capabilities will enable studies of a broad range of scientific questions such as what happens close to a black hole, how supermassive black holes grow, how large scale structure forms, and what are the connections between these processes?
Progress and problems in the study of adolescence

The increase in research on adolescence is considered with attention to its transitional aspects during the adolescent period and as a bridge between childhood and adulthood. In addition, the new effort to examine interactional processes between parent and child and between environment and genes is discussed with respect to the articles in this special issue.
Novel 3D Co-Culture Model for Epithelial-Stromal Cells Interaction in Prostate Cancer

Paracrine function is a major mechanism of cell-cell communication within tissue microenvironment in normal development and disease. In vitro cell culture models simulating tissue or tumor microenvironment are necessary tools to delineate epithelial-stromal interactions including paracrine function, yet an ideal three-dimensional (3D) tumor model specifically studying paracrine function is currently lacking. In order to fill this void we developed a novel 3D co-culture model in double-layered alginate hydrogel microspheres, incorporating prostate cancer epithelial and stromal cells in separate compartments of the microspheres. The cells remained confined and viable within their respective spheres for over 30 days. As a proof of principle regarding paracrine function of the model, we measured shedded component of E-cadherin (sE-cad) in the conditioned media, a major membrane bound cell adhesive molecule that is highly dysregulated in cancers including prostate cancer. In addition to demonstrating that sE-cad can be reliably quantified in the conditioned media, the time course experiments also demonstrated that the amount of sE-cad is influenced by epithelial-stromal interaction. In conclusion, the study establishes a novel 3D in vitro co-culture model that can be used to study cell-cell paracrine interaction.
Duplex perception of cues for stop consonants: evidence for a phonetic mode.

When the (vocalic) formant transitions appropriate for the stops in a synthetic approximation to [spa] or [sta] are presented to one ear and the remainder of the acoustic pattern to the other, listeners report a duplex percept. One side of the duplexity is the same coherent syllable ([spa] or [sta]) that is perceived when the pattern is presented in its original, undivided form; the other is a nonspeech chirp that corresponds to what the transitions sound like in isolation. This phenomenon is here used to determine why, in the case of stops, silence is an important cue. The results show that the silence cue affects the formant transitions differently when, on the one side of the duplex percept, the transitions support the perception of stop consonants, and when, on the other, they are perceived as nonspeech chirps. This indicates that the effectiveness of the silence cue is owing to distinctively phonetic (as against generally auditory) processes.
Interactive Police-Citizen Encounters that Result in Force:

The behavior of officers and suspects during encounters is influenced by the actions, comments, and demeanor of the other actor. The present study looks at the interactive context of police-citizen...
Residual wave front phase estimation in the reimaged lyot plane for the eclipse coronographic telescope

Coronagraphs for extra-solar planet detection remove diffracted stellar light through the combination of a coronagraphic mask and a Lyot stop. When the entrance pupil contains a nearly perfect wave fiont, most of the stellar light is absorbed at the mask. Light scattered around the spot due to mid- and high-spatial frequency phase errors in the pupil appears at the Lyot plane as speckles whose amplitudes are proportional to the local wave front phase residuals. The speckles scale with optical wavelength but are not radially smeared. The Eclipse deformable mirror (DM) can be used to modify the Lyot amplitude distribution, providing a simple means of estimating the residual phase content and controlling the wave front. To reduce the detrimental noise carried by uncontrollable high-spatial frequency wave front components, theLyot plane signal is filtered at the science plane to pass only the controllable spatial frequencies that contribute to the dark hole. The Lyot stop is then reimaged onto a detector. We demonstrate through simulations that this approach signiscantly improves the signal-to-noise ratio of the planet measurement.
Community struggles and the shaping of democratic consciousness

Grass-roots protest activities against economic growth have often been viewed as particularistic, random, self-interested actions that have little significant impact on the larger political economy or movements for social change. This article, however, provides an alternative framework for understanding these community conflicts by examining the structural contradictions of political life that frame such conflicts and by showing, through a case study of a toxic waste protest, the ways in which these structural contradictions are subjectively experienced in the process of political protest. This integrated analysis thus shows how ordinary citizens may develop a more active, participatory concept of democracy.
Neonatal Citalopram Treatment Inhibits the 5-HT Depleting Effects of MDMA Exposure in Rats

Neonatal exposure to 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) produces long-term learning and memory deficits and increased anxiety-like behavior. The mechanism underlying these behavioral changes is unknown, but we hypothesized that it involves perturbations to the serotonergic system as this is the principal mode of action of MDMA in the adult brain. During development, 5-HT is a neurotrophic factor involved in neurogenesis, synaptogenesis, migration, and target region specification. We have previously shown that MDMA exposure (4 × 10 mg/kg/day) from postnatal day (P)11–20 (analogous to human third trimester exposure) induces ∼50% decreases in hippocampal 5-HT throughout treatment. To determine whether MDMA-induced 5-HT changes are determinative, we tested if these changes could be prevented by treatment with a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (citalopram: CIT). In a series of experiments, we evaluated the effects of different doses and dose regimens of CIT on MDMA-induced 5-HT depletions in three...
Photodesorption threshold energies in semiconductors

Abstract Analysis of previously published experimental data concerning photodesorption in some metal oxides and semiconductors shows that the threshold energy for photodesorption E0, which is expected to be related to the band-gap energy Eg, generally shows a systematic deviation from it: in most cases E0 is smaller than Eg. An explanation is proposed which assumes that the threshold energy E0 is governed by mechanisms different from the band-gap mechanism although the bulk photodesorption is nearly always due to the latter. The mechanisms marking the start of the photodesorption are weak and may become effective only when the intrinsic radiation absorption is low or forbidden, i.e. at photon energies near or below Eg. Some factors which may influence the experimental results on photodesorption are critically examined.
p54nrb associates with the 5′ splice site within large transcription/splicing complexes

The functional coupling of transcription and splicing has been reported both in vivo and in vitro, but the molecular mechanisms governing these interactions remain largely unknown. Here we show that p54nrb, a transcription/splicing factor, associates with the 5′ splice site (SS) within large complexes present in HeLa cell nuclear extracts, in which the hyperphosphorylated form of RNA polymerase II (RNAPIIO) is associated with U1 or U1 and U2 snRNPs. These RNAPIIO–snRNP complexes also contain other transcription/splicing factors, such as PSF and TLS, as well as transcription factors that interact with RNAPIIO during elongation, including P-TEFb, TAT-SF1 and TFIIF. The presence of these factors in functional elongation complexes, demonstrated using an immobilized DNA template assay, strongly suggests that the RNAPIIO–snRNP complexes reflect physiologically relevant interactions between the transcription and splicing machineries. Our finding that both p54nrb and PSF, which bind the C-terminal domain of the largest subunit of RNAPII, can interact directly with the 5′ SS indicates that these factors may mediate contacts between RNAPII and snRNPs during the coupled transcription/splicing process.
Mesonephric adenocarcinoma of bladder

Mesonephric adenocarcinoma of the bladder is an unusual tumor, with its origin unclear. Metaplasia of urothelium and anaplasia of embryonic cell rests appear to be the cause of this tumor. A patient is described with mesonephric adenocarcinoma, who is now apparently free of disease two years after a radical cystectomy and ileal conduit. This represents the second such report in the literature.
Regulation of c-met expression by transcription repressor Daxx

The protooncogene c-met encodes the tyrosine kinase receptor for the hepatocyte growth factor/scatter factor (HGF/SF). While overexpression of c-met is documented in many types of tumors, the mechanism of c-met regulation remains elusive. Here, we demonstrate Daxx as a repressor of c-met transcription. The expression of c-met is elevated in Daxx knockout mouse cells and is reversed by Daxx reconstitution. C-met promoter analysis of Daxx−/− cells reveled changes in chromatin acetylation, but not in DNA methylation. Daxx binds to the mouse c-met promoter and Daxx-binding region is sufficient for transcription repression, while HDAC2 is associated with c-met promoter mostly in Daxx+/+ cells, pointing to Daxx-dependent HDAC2 recruitment as a potential mechanism of c-met repression. HGF-induced cell mobility and invasion confirmed augmented activity of c-Met/HGF pathway in Daxx−/− cells. Finally, inverse correlation between Daxx and c-Met in cancer cell lines and in metastatic breast cancer specimens suggests potential function of Daxx as a c-met repressor during cancer progression.