cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Market Constraints in NTFP Trade: Household Perspectives in Chittagong Hill Tracts of Bangladesh

SUMMARY Non-timber forest products' (NTFP) market potential to achieve livelihood development and poverty reduction objectives is often constrained by socioeconomic factors. This paper explores NTFP market constraints from village households' perspective and examines how different socioeconomic factors may influence those constraints. This case study focused on Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) of Bangladesh. Field data were collected through household questionnaire survey and group discussions. Results suggest that CHT's NTFP market systems suffer from poor transportation facilities, communication systems, financial capital or credit access, and market information and linkages. NTFP market knowledge and information among households is deficient and limited. NTFP market knowledge is significantly influenced by various socioeconomic factors such as household member's education, sex, household's income and ethnicity, distance to market and road access.
Participation in Organizational Change: A Longitudinal Field Study

This study was carried out as part of a long-term Quality of Work Life experiment in one division of a utility. The experiment is part of a national effort to examine collaborative union-management problem-solving and change implementation. The purpose of the study was to determine the impact of a formal participative process of implementing change established as part of the experiment. Participation occurred in two levels or intensities: (1) direct via membership on either a joint committee or on one of several task forces, and (2) indirect or nonmembership. Subjects were measured at three points in time on a variety of perceptual and attitudinal measures. An analysis of covariance revealed that when job level and pretest scores were held constant, direct participants increased in their perceptions of influence in decision-making and in organizational attitudes in comparison to indirect participants. A second analysis indicated that the changes persisted during an additional time interval. It was conclud...
Synthesis of β- and γ-Carbolines by the Palladium-Catalyzed Iminoannulation of Internal Alkynes

A variety of substituted β- and γ-carbolines have been prepared in good to excellent yields by the annulation of internal acetylenes by the tert-butylimines of N-substituted 3-iodoindole-2-carboxaldehydes and 2-haloindole-3-carboxaldehydes, respectively, in the presence of a palladium catalyst.
src-related tyrosine kinases regulate transcriptional activation of the interstitial collagenase gene, MMP-1, in interleukin-1-stimulated synovial fibroblasts.

Objective. To characterize tyrosine kinases that contribute to the transcription of interstitial collagenase. Methods. Four thousand six hundred fourteen basepairs of the rabbit collagenase promoter region were cloned and sequenced. Plasmids containing collagenase promoter fragments linked to the luciferase reporter gene were transiently transfected into primary rabbit synovial fibroblasts. Regulation of gene activation by inflammatory mediators and tyrosine kinase inhibitors was assessed. To identify specific tyrosine kinases that contribute to collagenase gene expression, v-src was transiently expressed in rabbit synovial fibroblasts along with collagenase promoter constructs, and basal and interleukin-1 (IL-1)-induced collagenase transcription was assayed. Results. An inhibitor of src-related tyrosine kinases, herbimycin A, inhibited increases of collagenase messenger RNA in IL-1– and phorbol myristate acetate-treated fibroblasts. Transcriptional activation of collagenase by IL-1 was also inhibited by herbimycin A. Expression of v-src in synovial fibroblasts enhanced basal and IL-1-inducible transcription. Conclusion. Activation of collagenase transcription by inflammatory mediators involves activation of an src-related tyrosine kinase.
The Impact of Citizen Participation Programs and Policy Decisions On Participants' Opinions

ITIZEN participation programs sponsored by government agencies can serve many purposes.' While participating citizens often see these programs as contributing to increased influence in government policy-making, members of the sponsoring agencies are more likely to see them as a means to improve agency effectiveness.2 From the agency perspective, perhaps the most important purpose of these programs is to provide a process that will permit the development of implementable policies; the assumption being that if individuals believe they have had a say in a fair and open process of policy development then they will be willing to accept the outcome of that process, even if it is not their preferred outcome (Rosenbaum 1980: 4-5). That agency officials do hold these views is borne out by a study of Canadian participation programs which concludes that "for most agency representatives, participation was seen as a means to develop programs which would have broad public acceptance, to enhance the efficient performance of agency responsibilities, and to improve the agency's image" (Sewell and Phillips 1979: 352). Likewise, a study of Army Corps of Engineers' participation programs found that these programs were instituted because the Corps "assumed that a well-intentioned, positive, open-planning process would result directly in the participants' greater satisfaction with the agency; that this would in turn foster greater congruence on goals between the individual participants and the agency; and that more effective implementation of the agency's goals would result" (Mazmanian and Nienaber 1979: 177). An element of this assumption is that the process of reaching a decision is at least as important as the decision itself to the individuals involved. It is a short step from this assumption to the view that a symbolic process can substitute for the product; that even an unpopular policy can gain legitimacy and will have a better chance of being implemented if it appears to have been reached by an open and democratic process.3
Disseminated toxoplasmosis resulting in graft failure in a cord blood stem cell transplant recipient.

Toxoplasmosis is an infrequent infection with a high mortality rate in hematopoietic stem cell transplant recipients, and is usually caused by reactivation of prior, latent infection upon intensive immunosuppression. We report a case of fatal disseminated toxoplasmosis, diagnosed at autopsy, in a 7-year-old boy who received a cord blood graft for recurrent acute lymphoblastic leukemia. This case represents both the first reported case of toxoplasmosis in an engrafted cord blood recipient, and also of graft failure due to toxoplasmosis. Recommendations for toxoplasmosis diagnosis, treatment, and prophylaxis in stem cell transplant recipients are reviewed. Pediatr Blood Cancer 2007;48:222–226. © 2006 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
The risk of stroke within a week of minor stroke or transient ischemic attack.

Background: The risk of stroke is highest in the first week following an index stroke or transient ischemic attack (TIA). Recent evidence indicates that prompt pharmacological treatment and evaluation may help mitigate this risk. Objective: To identify risk factors for recurrent stroke 1 week after index cerebrovascular event and review evidence for early and aggressive evaluation and management. Methods: We searched the National Library of Medicine Pubmed database to identify studies reporting recurrent or secondary stroke in individuals with identified stroke or TIA. Results/conclusion: The risk of recurrent stroke in the week after a TIA or minor stroke is up to 10%. Factors identified with risk of early stroke recurrence include age, elevated blood pressure, clinical symptoms of motor weakness or speech disturbance, and large vessel atherothrombotic mechanism. Studies have shown that timely initiation of stroke preventative therapy may reduce the risk of stroke within this early period.
The Evolution of Human Segmental Duplications and the Core Duplicon Hypothesis

Duplicated sequences are important sources of genetic instability and in the evolution of new gene function within species. Hominids have a preponderance of intrachromosomal duplications organized in an interspersed fashion, as opposed to tandem duplications, which are common in other mammalian genomes such as mouse, dog, and cow. Multiple lines of evidence, including sequence divergence, comparative primate genomes, and fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) analyses, point to an excess of segmental duplications in the common ancestor of humans and African great apes. We find that much of the interspersed human duplication architecture within chromosomes is focused around common sequence elements referred to as “core duplicons.” These cores correspond to the expansion of gene families, some of which show signatures of positive selection and lack orthologs present in other mammalian species. This genomic architecture predisposes apes and humans not only to extensive genetic diversity, but also to large-scale structural diversity mediated by nonallelic homologous recombination. In humans, many de novo large-scale genomic changes mediated by these duplications are associated with neuropsychiatric and neurodevelopmental disease. We propose that the disadvantage of a high rate of new mutations is offset by the selective advantage of newly minted genes within the cores.
Forecasting the Impact of Technology Infusion on Subsonic Transport Affordability

Presented at the 3rd World Aviation Congress and Exposition, Anaheim, CA, September 28-30, 1998.
Cytoarchitectonic abnormalities in developmental dyslexia: A case study

A patient is reported who had a well-documented history of developmental dyslexia. Reading difficulties were present in other male members of the immediate family. Gross anatomical and cytoarchitectonic analysis of the brain in serial sections showed a consistently wider left cerebral hemisphere, an area of polymicrogyria in the left temporal speech region, and mild cortical dysplasias in limbic, primary, and association cortices of the left hemisphere . Galaburda AM, Kemper TL: Cytoarchitectonic abnormalities in developmental dyslexia: a case study. Ann Neurol 6:94-100, 1979 Despite the fact that developmental dyslexia has been recognized for nearly 100 years, the structural basis for the disability has not been established. Only one brief report of the neuropathological findings has appeared [S]. Abnormal gyri were said to exist in the parietal regions, with accompanying thinning of related areas of the corpus callosum, and ectopic neurons were present in the subcortical white matter. An intriguing finding described recently by Hier and colleagues [ 151 in a computerized brain tomographic study in patients with developmental dyslexia is the presence of a disproportionately large number of brains with a wider right than left parietooccipital region, a reversal of the more common pattern of asymmetry in this area 1191. In the present study we report the results of a systematic survey of wholebrain serial sections in a well-documented case of developmental dyslexia. Case Report The patient was born at term after a normal gestation and delivery. There were no neonatal complications, and his early developmental milestones were judged to be normal. The only abnormality noted in early childhood was that the patient was clumsier than his siblings. Speech in full sentences was delayed until after the age of 3 years. Difficulties with reading and spelling were noted soon after entrance into elementary school, and he repeated the first grade. At that time the diagnosis of specific developmental dyslexia was first made. A routine neurological evaluation disclosed no abnormal findings, and the Stanford-Binet intelligence score was 105. The patient's difficulties persisted despite special tutoring, and at age 13 years he was given a battery of tests of intelligence and achievement, with repeat testing at ages 14, 15, and 19 years. The test results, which are summarized in the Table, showed that in spite
A comparison of analyses of occupational bladder cancer: Death certificate vs. population‐based case‐control interview data

The authors examined the utility of death certificate data for occupational health surveillance by comparing the ability of the data to identify high-risk occupations for bladder cancer with that of a population-based case-control study. Death certificate data for white males from 23 states for 1979–1987 were analyzed using proportionate mortality ratios. The case-control study used cancer registry cases for 1977–1978. Results were compared for 21 a priori suspect occupations. A broad definition of agreement resulted in agreement for 62% of the occupations; the death certificate study identified eight of 15 occupations identified by the case-control study and neither study identified five of the categories. While death certificate data have many limitations, our results indicate that death certificate data can provide clues to some potential occupational health problems. With the advantages of inexpensive data, large sample size, and industrial coverage, more refined analyses of the data should prove useful for occupational mortality surveillance and hypothesis generation. © 1994 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
A family of integration algorithms for constitutive equations in finite deformation elasto‐viscoplasticity

A two parameter family of incrementally objective integration schemes is proposed for the analysis of a broad range of unified rate-dependent viscoplastic constitutive models in large deformation problems. A similar scheme can be applied to rate-independent solids as well. These algorithms are a generalization of the mid-point integration rule. Full linearization of the principle of virtual work is performed in an updated Lagrangian framework together with a calculation of the consistent linearized moduli. Some details of the finite element implementation are given for plane strain and axisymmetric problems. The method is compared with other objective integration schemes and is tested with several examples where large strains and rotations occur.
Characterization of the FKBP.rapamycin.FRB ternary complex.

Rapamycin is an important immunosuppressant, a possible anticancer therapeutic, and a widely used research tool. Essential to its various functions is its ability to bind simultaneously to two different proteins, FKBP and mTOR. Despite its widespread use, a thorough analysis of the interactions between FKBP, rapamycin, and the rapamycin-binding domain of mTOR, FRB, is lacking. To probe the affinities involved in the formation of the FKBP·rapamycin·FRB complex, we used fluorescence polarization, surface plasmon resonance, and NMR spectroscopy. Analysis of the data shows that rapamycin binds to FRB with moderate affinity (Kd = 26 ± 0.8 μM). The FKBP12·rapamycin complex, however, binds to FRB 2000-fold more tightly (Kd = 12 ± 0.8 nM) than rapamycin alone. No interaction between FKBP and FRB was detected in the absence of rapamycin. These studies suggest that rapamycin's ability to bind to FRB, and by extension to mTOR, in the absence of FKBP is of little consequence under physiological conditions. Furthermor...
Influence of trap color and San Jose scale (Homoptera: Diaspididae) pheromone on sticky trap catches of 10 aphelinid parasitoids (Hymenoptera).

The influence of trap color and a combination of trap color plus San Jose scale, Quadraspidiotus perniciosus (Comstock), sex pheromone on sticky trap catches of aphelinid parasitoids of the San Jose scale was studied in an unsprayed apple orchard in Johnston County, N.C., in 1986 and 1987, and a sprayed commercial peach orchard in Nash County, N.C., in 1987. The responses of parasitoids to five enamel paints were compared in 1986, and similar responses to three enamel paints with and without the San Jose scale pheromone were compared in 1987. The adult parasitoids (3,958 total) collected on the traps represented ten aphelinid species: Ablerus clisiocampae (Ashmead), Aphytis diaspidis (Howard), Encarsia sp., A. melanostictus Compere, Coccobius sp., Coccophagoides murtfeldtae (Howard), E. aurantii (Howard), E. perniciosi (Tower), Marietta carnesi (Howard), and M. mexicana (Howard). Black traps attracted significantly more C. murtfeldtae and Encarsia sp. (endoparasitic species) than did other colors, suggesting a response to the contrast between the bark and foliage of the tree. Yellow and black traps attracted significantly more A. diaspidis , an ectoparasitic species, than white traps at both orchards in 1987. Colored traps baited with San Jose scale pheromone attracted significantly more E. perniciosi , an endoparasitic species, than colored traps without San Jose scale pheromone. This indicates that San Jose scale pheromone is a kairomone for the parasitoid. In comparisons with colored traps baited with pheromone, black traps attracted significantly more E. perniciosi than did yellow or white traps in the unsprayed apple orchard in 1987. This suggests an interaction between olfactory and visual cues in host location by this species.
BH3-only protein BIM mediates heat shock-induced apoptosis.

Acute heat shock can induce apoptosis through a canonical pathway involving the upstream activation of caspase-2, followed by BID cleavage and stimulation of the intrinsic pathway. Herein, we report that the BH3-only protein BIM, rather than BID, is essential to heat shock-induced cell death. We observed that BIM-deficient cells were highly resistant to heat shock, exhibiting short and long-term survival equivalent to Bax−/−Bak−/− cells and better than either Bid−/− or dominant-negative caspase-9-expressing cells. Only Bim−/− and Bax−/−Bak−/− cells exhibited resistance to mitochondrial outer membrane permeabilization and loss of mitochondrial inner membrane potential. Moreover, while dimerized caspase-2 failed to induce apoptosis in Bid−/− cells, it readily did so in Bim−/− cells, implying that caspase-2 kills exclusively through BID, not BIM. Finally, BIM reportedly associates with MCL-1 following heat shock, and Mcl-1−/− cells were indeed sensitized to heat shock-induced apoptosis. However, pharmacological inhibition of BCL-2 and BCL-XL with ABT-737 also sensitized cells to heat shock, most likely through liberation of BIM. Thus, BIM mediates heat shock-induced apoptosis through a BAX/BAK-dependent pathway that is antagonized by antiapoptotic BCL-2 family members.
First-pass myocardial perfusion imaging with whole-heart coverage using L1-SPIRiT accelerated variable density spiral trajectories.

PURPOSE To design and evaluate two-dimensional (2D) L1-SPIRiT accelerated spiral pulse sequences for first-pass myocardial perfusion imaging with whole heart coverage capable of measuring eight slices at 2 mm in-plane resolution at heart rates up to 125 beats per minute (BPM). METHODS Combinations of five different spiral trajectories and four k-t sampling patterns were retrospectively simulated in 25 fully sampled datasets and reconstructed with L1-SPIRiT to determine the best combination of parameters. Two candidate sequences were prospectively evaluated in 34 human subjects to assess in vivo performance. RESULTS A dual density broad transition spiral trajectory with either angularly uniform or golden angle in time k-t sampling pattern had the largest structural similarity and smallest root mean square error from the retrospective simulation, and the L1-SPIRiT reconstruction had well-preserved temporal dynamics. In vivo data demonstrated that both of the sampling patterns could produce high quality perfusion images with whole-heart coverage. CONCLUSION First-pass myocardial perfusion imaging using accelerated spirals with optimized trajectory and k-t sampling pattern can produce high quality 2D perfusion images with whole-heart coverage at the heart rates up to 125 BPM. Magn Reson Med 76:1375-1387, 2016. © 2015 International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine.
Provocation testing in noncardiac chest pain.

The ability to reproduce chest pain and to identify the esophagus as the source of this pain are the major reasons why provocation testing has become standard in the evaluation of patients with noncardiac chest pain. Recent studies that challenge the validity of performing provocation tests have polarized experts into two camps: those who would abandon such testing because of its low sensitivity and low specificity, and those who would use testing judiciously because of moderate increases in diagnostic yield. Use of 24-hour pH and pressure testing has shown a high number of chest pain events associated with acid reflux in patients with positive cholinergic stimulation tests and esophageal dysmotility, as well as pain with esophageal dysmotility in patients with positive acid infusion tests. Mechanisms of esophageal chest pain are not known. All provocation agents can decrease coronary flow reserve (i.e., induce microvascular angina), thus raising the question of a cardiac source of pain even in patients with positive presumed esophageal provocation. Acid infusion, cholinergic stimulation, and balloon distention are discussed in light of 24-hour pH and pressure monitoring. Esophageal distention and the role of acid in inducing chest pain are emphasized. The role of stress, the use of defined stressors to induce chest pain, and altered pain perception as a final common pathway for chest pain are examined.
The Forging of a Historian: Robert A. Kann in America, 1939–1976

When the late Robert A. Kann entered the historical profession in the 1940's the study of the Habsburg monarchy was in its infancy in the United States. Today, a robust and mature discipline, its leading American practitioners rank equally with those from other countries, and a voluminous literature has deepened our knowledge of that vanished realm. Professor Kann's achievements through teaching, research, and writing over a span of four decades have contributed substantially to this tranformation in a complex scholarly discipline. This essay will recount some of his achievements insofar as they were realized during his years in the United States. It will also recall some personal qualities of a remarkable man whose death on August 30, 1981, at the age of seventy-five, grieved all who knew him and his works.
Tunable picosecond spectroscopy for detection of nitric oxide

Nitric oxide (NO) is a major chemical byproduct of many photochemically active nitrogen-containing compounds. As a prototypical free radical with a very well characterized high-resolution spectrum, NO provides a standard spectroscopic fingerprint for indirect quantitative analysis and detection of a number of low vapor pressure nitroaromatic compounds in air through either direct photochemical decomposition of a parent molecule or from its relatively high vapor pressure chemical constituents. In this paper, we will discuss applications of picosecond laser spectroscopy for measurements and detection of NO and the nascent NO generated from photolysis of nitrobenzene. We will give a general overview of our tunable picosecond laser and detection system that we routinely use for probing and exciting the NO gamma band. This broad wavelength tuning capability of our laser allows us to set up pump-probe type experiments for detecting blue shifted rovibronic bands and probing the relative population distribution for NO. In all cases, experiments were performed using UV laser pulses of duration less than 20 ps. Also, we studied the effect of N 2 collisions on the photoframentation spectrum of nitrobenzene in 1000 mbar of N 2 buffer gas.
Economic and social trends in Latin America: the bases for social discontent:

The great economic growth achieved in Latin America during the 1990s was accompanied by negative characteristics from unemployment to volatility. Moreover, the ‘lost half-decade’ of 1997—2002 witnessed an increase in poverty and growing inequality. The promised accelerated growth, low unemployment, improved income distribution and reduction of poverty were far from achieved despite the liberalization that led to higher exports and direct foreign investment. In the aftermath, a space has opened for the broad, creative review of the region’s development agenda, particularly in light of the Millennium Development Goals. If Latin America is to meet these goals, it must not only achieve economic growth and recover external markets but also complement these with a dynamic development that is integrating, inclusive, equitable, democratic and participatory.
SIDE CONSTRAINTS AND THE STRUCTURE OF COMMONSENSE ETHICS

In our everyday moral deliberations, we attend to two central types of considerations – outcomes and moral rules. How these considerations interrelate is central to the long-standing debate between deontologists and utilitarians. Is the weight we attach to moral rules reducible to their conduciveness to good outcomes (as many utilitarians claim)? Or do we take moral rules to be absolute constraints on action that normatively trump outcomes (as many deontologists claim)? Arguments over these issues characteristically appeal to commonsense intuitions about various cases. As a result, an important portion of the debate involves empirically tractable questions — questions that can be investigated by probing for people’s judgments in cases in which the two types of considerations come into conflict with one another.
The Quest for a Uniform Time: From Ephemeris Time to Atomic Time

In his 1939 paper H. Spencer Jones presented compelling evidence that de Sitter’s proportionality constant Q did not differ from unity. This meant that the fluctuations of the Moon and Mercury were proportional to their respective mean motions. Jones also verified that the secular accelerations of the Sun and Mercury were proportional to their mean motions. (The secular accelerations of the Moon and Mercury, on the other hand, were not proportional to their respective mean motions, because tidal friction not only slows the Earth’s rotation but also changes the Moon’s mean motion.) The two proportionalities – of the fluctuations of the Moon and Mercury to their mean motions, and of the secular accelerations of the Sun and Mercury to their mean motions – were straightforwardly interpretable as due to variations in the Earth’s rotation, that is, as errors in the accepted measure of time. Other hypotheses left these proportionalities as unexplained coincidences. The general conclusion in the astronomical community was that the Earth’s rotation was slowing and fluctuating.
Blockade of cannabinoid-induced antinociception by norbinaltorphimine, but not N,N-diallyl-tyrosine-Aib-phenylalanine-leucine, ICI 174,864 or naloxone in mice

Previous studies showed that cannabinoids administered intrathecally (i.t.) produced antinociception and synergism with the antinociceptive effects of morphine. Low doses of naloxone that appear selective for the mu receptor failed to block the antinociceptive effect of the cannabinoids. The present studies evaluated the interaction of the cannabinoids with kappa and delta opioid antagonists and agonists. Antinociception produced by delta 9 tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and delta 8-THC (i.v., ED80 doses) was blocked by the kappa antagonist, nor-BNI (10 and 20 micrograms/mouse). The effects of CP 55,940 administered i.v. were blocked by norbinaltorphimine (nor-BNI; i.v. but not i.t.). The delta antagonist, N,N-diallyl-Tyr-Aib-Phe-Leu (ICI 174,864; 10 micrograms/mouse administered i.t.), failed to block the effects of any of the cannabinoids administered i.v. Nor-BNI administered i.t. blocked the antinociception produced by the cannabinoids (administered i.t., ED80 doses). The AD50s generated for nor-BNI vs. i.t. administered delta 9-THC, delta 8-THC, levonantradol and CP 55,940 were 3.5, 1.1, 3.8 and 4.5 micrograms/mouse, respectively. Nor-BNI (10 micrograms/mouse i.t.) shifted the dose-effect curve for delta 9-THC to the right in a parallel manner. delta 9-THC was additive with the kappa agonist, U50,488H, whereas delta 9-THC produced a parallel 37-fold shift to the left in the dose-effect curve of the delta agonist, DPDPE. Nor-BNI (70 micrograms/mouse i.c.v.) or ICI 174,864 (10 micrograms/mouse i.t.) failed to block the effects of the cannabinoids administered i.t. The exact nature of the nor-BNI/cannabinoid interaction is yet to be determined.
The Impact of Online Homework on Class Productivity.

Even in an increasingly cyber-driven world, many classrooms are still heavily reliant upon paper and pencil assignments. More and more students are provided with computer access at school as well as at home, which presents educators with a tool that can minimize the use of paper within their classrooms and decrease the amount of energy and resources schools are using in their classroom on a daily basis. The purpose of this study is to determine whether online homework creates a measurable difference in student performance when compared to traditional, paper homework. Results showing increased student performance when utilizing paper homework may give support to explaining why most teachers still utilize this method. In contrast, if the use of online homework increases or maintains student performance, it may justify a push toward a more online-based extension of student learning. Overall, the results for this study seem to indicate that online homework, at the very least, maintains student performance within the classroom, although a greater study sample may be necessary to confirm this position.
The Interpretation of Multilingual Statutes by the European Court of Justice

Lawrence M. Solan U legislation is written in all of the EU’s official languages. Each version is authoritative, and no version is privileged as “the original,” at least not as an official matter. The practice derives from the very first Regulation of the Council of the European Economic Community in 1958, which declared Dutch, French, German, and Italian as the official languages. As countries have entered the EU, the Regulation has been amended to expand the number of official languages to match the official languages of the Member States. Moreover, the accession treaties themselves contain provisions that show respect for the linguistic diversity of the EU. For example, the 1997 Treaty of Amsterdam says:
Cultural shaping of neural responses: Feedback‐related potentials vary with self‐construal and face priming

Previous work shows that when an image of a face is presented immediately prior to each trial of a speeded cognitive task (face-priming), the error-related negativity (ERN) is upregulated for Asians, but it is downregulated for Caucasians. These findings are consistent with the hypothesis that images of "generalized other" vary cross-culturally such that they evoke anxiety for Asians, whereas they serve as safety cues for Caucasians. Here, we tested whether the cross-cultural variation in the face-priming effect would be observed in a gambling paradigm. Caucasian Americans, Asian Americans, and Asian sojourners were exposed to a brief flash of a schematic face during a gamble. For Asian Americans, face-priming resulted in significant increases of both negative-going deflection of ERP upon negative feedback (feedback-related negativity [FRN]) and positive-going deflection of ERP upon positive feedback (feedback-related positivity [FRP]). For Caucasian Americans, face-priming showed a significant reversal, decreasing both FRN and FRP. The cultural difference in the face-priming effect in FRN and FRP was partially mediated by interdependent self-construal. Curiously, Asian sojourners showed a pattern similar to the one for Caucasian Americans. Our findings suggest that culture shapes neural pathways in both systematic and highly dynamic fashion.
Secondary hyperparathyroidism downregulates lipoprotein lipase expression in chronic renal failure

In a recent study, we found marked downregulation of lipoprotein lipase (LPL) gene expression in fat, myocardium, and skeletal muscle of rats with chronic renal failure (CRF). Recently, hepatic lip...
Indirect heating of Pt by short-pulse laser irradiation of Au in a nanoscale Pt/Au bilayer

Thermal transport in a metallic multilayer on picosecond time scales is controlled by the electronic thermal conductivity ( e), the electronic interfacial thermal conductance (Gee), and electron-phonon coupling constant (g). We analyze heat transfer in a nanoscale Pt/Au bilayer using data obtained in pump-probe measurements and modeling using a transmission-line-equivalent circuit. For optical exciation of either the Pt or Au side of the bilayer, the majority of energy is deposited into the Pt phonons on a time scale of 1 ps because gPt gAu and Gee > gAuhAu, where hAu is the thickness of the Au layer. We determine g of the Au layer and set a lower bound on Gee of the Pt/Au interface: gAu = 2.2 ± 0.6 × 1016 W m−3 K−1 and Gee > 5 GW m−2 K−1.
Precise regulation of the guidance receptor DMA-1 by KPC-1/Furin instructs dendritic branching decisions

Extracellular adhesion molecules and their neuronal receptors guide the growth and branching of axons and dendrites. Growth cones are attracted to intermediate targets, but they must switch their response upon arrival so that they can move away and complete the next stage of growth. Here, we show that KPC-1, a C. elegans Furin homolog, regulates the level of the branching receptor DMA-1 on dendrites by targeting it to late endosomes. In kpc-1 mutants, the level of DMA-1 is abnormally high on dendrites, resulting in trapping of dendrites at locations where a high level of the cognate ligand, the adhesion molecule SAX-7/L1, is present. The misregulation of DMA-1 also causes dendritic self-avoidance defects. Thus, precise regulation of guidance receptors creates flexibility of responses to guidance signals and is critical for neuronal morphogenesis.
Studies on the Blood Proteins, III Albumin-Globulin Ratio in Antitoxic Immunity

In a previous communication,1 we presented the results of some experimental observations bearing on the relationship between the globulin content of an animal's serum and the grade of immunity developed in it by immunization with various bacteria. These observations brought out several interesting points concerning the relation of the serum globulins to the antibodies, and especially emphasized the lack of parallelism between the globulin content of the blood and the concentration of antibodies. During the past year, we have directed our efforts to a consideration of this problem in its bearing on antitoxic immunity. This subject possesses more than academic interest because of the constant association of the antisubstance with the serum globulin, and because of the practical application that has been made of this knowledge in the preparation and concentration of antitoxic
Mixing and the Central Limit Theorem

The object of this chapter is to show how conditions like uniform ergodicity, uniform mixing and related notions allow one to extend certain limit theorems valid for sequences of independent random variables to stationary Markov sequences. In the first section, the case of independence is discussed and the remarkable result of Kolmogorov on the approximation of an nth convolution of a distribution by an infinitely divisible law with error term is obtained. Uniform ergodicity and strong mixing are introduced in section 2. The relation of these to the ordinary concepts of ergodicity and mixing are discussed. Cogburn’s interesting result on limit laws for stationary Markov sequences that are uniformly ergodic is derived. An operator formulation of strong mixing and uniform ergodicity is given in the following section. Various L P norm conditions on the Markov transition operator are also introduced. The L P norm condition is shown to be equivalent to the maximal absolute correlation between past and future tending to zero as the distance between past and future tends to zero. The various conditions are examined in the case of random walks on compact groups. A central limit theorem is proved for stationary Markov sequences in the last section and applied to random walks on compact groups.
Determination of aflatoxins in tea bags by high performance liquid chromatography

Objective To establish a method for determination of aflatoxin G 1,B 1,G 2,B 2 in tea bags by high performance liquid chromatography. Methods Samples were extracted ultrasonically with acetonitrile- water solution for 30 minutes,purified with multifunctional SPE column,dried by nitrogen blowing concentrator in a bottle,derived with n- hexane and trifluoroacetic acid at 40 ℃ for 15 min,then dried by nitrogen blowing concentrator again for acetonitrile constant volume. The analytes were separated by C18 column,eluted with methanol- water( 45 + 55) solution,and finally detected by fluorescence detector. Results Under optimum conditions,the separation of aflatoxin G 1,B 1,G 2,B 2 was good,and the average recoveries were between 72% ~ 82. 3% at two adding levels. RSD was from 3. 3% to 4. 5%,all had good linear relationship,r2 0. 9990. The detection limits of aflatoxin G 1,B 1,G 2,B 2 were 0. 10 μg / kg,0. 002 μg / kg,0. 005 μg / kg,0. 017 μg / kg,respectively. Conclusion The method is sensitive,simple,rapid and accurate. It is suitable for the simultaneous determination of aflatoxin G 1, B 1,G 2,B 2 in tea bags.
The Corruption of Constitutional Conservatism

This very short essay elaborates on Justice Alito’s comment that the Supreme Court’s decision on same-sex marriage in Obergefell v. Hodges, is evidence of “the deep and perhaps irremediable corruption of our legal culture’s conception of constitutional interpretation.” One contributor to this corruption has been the success of Jack Balkin’s “living originalism,” which flies the false flag of originalism in order to advance the progress of living constitutionalism. Balkin has begun to enlist prominent originalists, including Steven Calabresi, in this operation, which will make it harder for the next generation of law students to learn what genuine originalism is.
Spezifische Aspekte der Therapie von Thymustumoren

Von 1/1983 bis 9/1999 wurden in einer prospektiven Studie bisher 44 Patienten (32 Frauen, 12 Manner, mittl. Alter 48,2 (31–78) Jahre) mit einem Thymustumor einer Thymektomie (Thx) unterzogen. Nach Masaoka wurden 32 Thymome folgendermasen klassifiziert: Stad. I 19, Stad. IIa 7, Stad. IIb 2, Stad. III 4. Zwolf Patienten hatten ein Thymuskarzinom (9) oder ein Karzinoid (3). Bei 39 Thx (88,6) konnte eine Ro-Resektion erfolgen. Die perioperative Mortalitat betrug 1/44 (2,3%). Die Rezidivrate betrug 9,1% (4/44). Bei einem Follow-up von 3 bis 198 (median 37) Monaten nach Thx betrugen die kumulativen Uberlebensraten (ULR) nach 5 Jahren 78% und nach 10 Jahren 6o% (Kaplan-Meier). Die erfolgreiche Behandlung von Karzinom und insbesondere Karzinoid des Thymus erfordert eine individuelle multimodale Therapie mit dem Ziel der Standardisierung.
Intermodulation suppression in a broad band TWT

Summary form only given, as follows. We examine methods for reducing two-tone intermodulation products in the custom-made XWING broadband traveling wave tube. Harmonic suppression and difference frequency techniques are used to demonstrate intermodulation suppression techniques and the spatial variation of their spectral evolution. Harmonic and difference frequency optimum drive levels and phase are determined which suppress the third order intermodulation product by more than 21 dB in the 2-6 GHz band. The variation of the suppression with drive level near saturation and two-tone difference frequency are examined. IM3 reduction using the harmonic injection technique is experimentally demonstrated in a broadband TWT distributed amplifier. The TWT used in this investigation, termed the XWING TWT (for eXperimental WIsconsin Northrop Grumman TWT), is a research version of a product manufactured by Northrop Grumman. This two-stage, helical TWT provides a moderate gain of 20-30 dB over a frequency range of 2-6 GHz. The upper fundamental and harmonic frequencies were set to 2.00 and 4.00 GHz, respectively. Since the phase of the injected harmonic must be referenced with respect to the higher frequency fundamental, two Agilent 83623B synthesizers were configured to share a common 10 MHz phase reference signal. The 4.00 GHz signal was sent through a Narda 3752 phase shifter, allowing the fundamental-to-second harmonic phase relationship to be adjusted in real-time. The lower fundamental frequency of 1.95 GHz was supplied by a Wavetek 3520 synthesizer, providing a 50 MHz difference between the two drive tones. The experiment was performed for fundamental drive tones of 15 and 18dBm/tone. First, the 1.95 and 2.00 GHz fundamental drive tones were independently set to 15 dBm/tone at the TWT input tap, and the output spectrum was captured on an Agilent E4407B digital spectrum analyzer. Next, the 4.00 GHz second harmonic tone was injected at the TWT input and the phase was varied, with respect to the 2.00 GHz fundamental, to achieve the lowest IM3 level. With the phase relationship optimized, the injected harmonic amplitude was varied until a maximum suppression in the upper IM3 level was observed. This occurred with injected harmonic amplitude of -2.1 dBm or 17.1 dB below f2. The upper IM3 was reduced by 21.3 dB, yielding an upper carrier to IM3 power ratio of 43.9 dB. The TWT output spectrum with and without harmonic injection is shown below. It can be seen that the upper IM3 is suppressed by 21.3 dB. The experiment was repeated at higher input drive levels of 18 dBm/tone and an IM3 reduction of 24.2 dB was observed. The optimum phase of the 4 GHz injected harmonic was measured at the TWT input tap and was found to lead the 2 GHz fundamental by 47.5 degrees, with respect to the fundamental period.
Statistical Thermodynamics and Stochastic Kinetics: Stochastic simulations of chemical reaction kinetics

An abundance of systems of scientific and technological importance are not at the thermodynamic limit. Stochasticity naturally emerges then as an intrinsic feature of system dynamics. In Chapter 13 we presented the essential elements of a theory for stochastic processes. The master equation was developed as the salient tool for capturing the change of the system's probability distribution in time. Its conceptual strength notwithstanding, the master equation is impossible to solve analytically for any but the simplest of systems. A need emerges then for numerical simulations either to solve the master equation or, alternatively, to sample numerically the probability distribution and its changes in time. This need resembles the need to sample equilibrium probability distributions of equilibrium ensembles. Attempts to develop a numerical solution of the master equation invariably face insurmountable difficulties. In principle, the probability distribution can be expressed in terms of its moments, and the master equation be equivalently written as a set of ordinary differential equations involving these probability moments. In this scheme, unless severe approximations are made, higher moments are present in the equation for each moment. A closure scheme then is not feasible and one is left with an infinite number of coupled equations. Numerous, approximate closure schemes have been proposed in the literature, but none has proven adequate.
Classification of Gunshot Residue Using Laser Electrospray Mass Spectrometry and Offline Multivariate Statistical Analysis

Nonresonant laser vaporization combined with high-resolution electrospray time-of-flight mass spectrometry enables analysis of a casing after discharge of a firearm revealing organic signature molecules including methyl centralite (MC), diphenylamine (DPA), N-nitrosodiphenylamine (N-NO-DPA), 4-nitrodiphenylamine (4-NDPA), a DPA adduct, and multiple unidentified features not observed in previous mass spectral measurements. Collision-induced dissociation measurements of unknown GSR signature ions reveals inorganic barium and derivatives BaOH, BaOHCH3, BaCH3COO remaining from the primer. Both hydrophilic and hydrophobic signatures are detected using water–methanol electrospray solution. Offline principal component analysis and discrimination of the laser electrospray mass spectral (LEMS) measurements resulted in perfect classification of the gun shot residue with respect to the manufacturer. Principal component analysis of recycled and reloaded casings resulted in classification of the penultimate manufactur...
RB Controls Size, Cellularity, and T Cell Output of the Mouse Thymus

Abstract 835 The establishment of the thymic microenvironment early in life is crucial for the production functional T cells. Conversely, thymic involution results in a decreased T cell output. Thymic involution has important health implications especially following bone marrow transplant. Our objective is to determine molecular and cellular mechanisms that will allow for regeneration of involuted thymic tissue, restore production of naive T cells, and improve immune function while improving our understanding of immunobiology. In this pursuit, we have focused on the Retinoblastoma family of tumor suppressor proteins. The main function of the RB pathway is to restrict passage through the G1/S transition of the cell cycle. RB and its two family members, p107 and p130, mediate the action of a broad range of cellular signals to control the proliferation, survival, and differentiation status of a large number of mammalian cell types. We found that inactivation of the RB pathway in the thymus by early deletion of RB family genes prevents thymic involution, promotes expansion of functional thymic epithelial cells (TECs), and increases thymic T cell output. Moreover, we have identified a direct regulatory relationship between RB and the Foxn1 transcription factor Via E2F transcription factors, where RB/E2F complexes directly repress the Foxn1 promoter, thereby promoting involution. Thus, the RB family is a critical mediator of extra- and intra-cellular signals to regulate thymic epithelial cells and thymus function, and decreasing RB pathway function may promote regeneration of the involuted thymus and restoration of naive T cell production in patients. Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
On distributed computation of optimal control of traffic flow over networks

In this paper, we adapt the Alternating Direction Method of Multipliers (ADMM) to develop a distributed algorithm for computing finite horizon optimal control for traffic flow over networks, where the cost is in terms of the density and flow vectors. The dynamics is described by the Cell Transmission Model. While the problem is non-convex in general, recent work has shown the existence of an equivalent convex relaxation, which we adopt in this paper. An equivalent finite dimensional representation for constraints is developed when the external inflows and control are piecewise constant. The auxiliary variables for ADMM implementation consist of a time shifted copy of the density vector, and two copies of the flow vector. A particular division of these variables into two blocks is provided which facilitates distributed implementation, as well as convergence of the ADMM iterates to an optimal solution, if the initial density on every link is strictly positive and strictly below the jam capacity, and the cost function is proper, closed, convex, and separable over density and flow variables, and over links. We also examine the necessary condition, as given by the maximum principle, to provide sufficient conditions under which the optimal control is unique for non-strict convex cost functions, and of bang-bang type, for a linear network.