cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Hydrocarbon-Degrading Microbial Communities Are Site Specific, and Their Activity Is Limited by Synergies in Temperature and Nutrient Availability in Surface Ocean Waters

ABSTRACT The objective of this study was to quantify the potential for hydrocarbon biodegradation in surface waters of three sites, representing geographic regions of major oil exploration (Beaufort Sea in the Arctic, northern Gulf of Mexico [GOM], and southern GOM), in a systematic experimental design that incorporated gradients in temperature and the availability of major nutrients. Surface seawater was amended in microcosms with Macondo surrogate oil to simulate an oil slick, and microcosms were incubated, with or without nutrient amendment, at temperatures ranging from 4 to 38oC. Using respiration rate as a proxy, distinct temperature responses were observed in surface seawater microcosms based on geographic origin; biodegradation was nearly always more rapid in the Arctic site samples than in the GOM samples. Nutrient amendment enhanced respiration rates by a factor of approximately 6, stimulated microbial growth, and generally elevated the taxonomic diversity of microbial communities within the optimal temperature range for activity at each site, while diversity remained the same or was lower at temperatures deviating from optimal conditions. Taken together, our results advance the understanding of how bacterioplankton communities from different geographic regions respond to oil perturbation. A pulsed disturbance of oil is proposed to favor copiotrophic r-strategists that are adapted to pointed seasonal inputs of phytoplankton carbon, displaying carbon and nutrient limitations, rather than oil exposure history. Further understanding of the ecological mechanisms underpinning the complex environmental controls of hydrocarbon degradation is required for improvement of predictive models of the fate and transport of spilled oil in marine environments. IMPORTANCE The risk of an oil spill accident in pristine regions of the world’s oceans is increasing due to the development and transport of crude oil resources, especially in the Arctic region, as a result of the opening of ice-free transportation routes, and there is currently no consensus regarding the complex interplay among the environmental controls of petroleum hydrocarbon biodegradation for predictive modeling. We examined the hydrocarbon biodegradation potential of bacterioplankton from three representative geographic regions of oil exploration. Our results showed that rates of aerobic respiration coupled to hydrocarbon degradation in surface ocean waters are controlled to a large extent by effects of temperature and nutrient limitation; hydrocarbon exposure history did not appear to have a major impact. Further, the relationship between temperature and biodegradation rates is linked to microbial community structure, which is specific to the geographic origin.
ESRA19-0401 Ultrasound-guided paravertebral catheter placement in a severe scoliosis patient undergoing robotic vats: a case report

Background and aims The use of paravertebral block (PVB) has served an important role in acute pain control and enhanced recovery for numerous types of surgeries. Fundamental to its safe application is an in-depth understanding of anatomical landmarks, proper approach and the potential dangers. We portray a case report of a 61-year-old woman with lung adenocarcinoma and severe scoliosis who underwent a right-sided robotic-assisted thoracoscopy with upper lobectomy and mediastinal lymphadenectomy with pre-operative PVB catheter placement for perioperative pain control. Methods After providing consent, the patient was placed in the sitting position and pre-scanned using ultrasound for identification of the T5/T6 paravertebral space (PS).The first clinician using ultrasound re-identified our target PS after prepping the skin. A second clinician using an 18G Tuohy needle accessed the PS at 5 cm using live ultrasound. A soft-tip catheter was left in place at 10 cm. A total of 5cc of 0.5% Ropivicane was injected through the catheter once firmly secured in place. Authorization to photograph/video record the patient was obtained. Results See figures 1, 2, and 3. The patient was discharged POD#4 with her chest tube removed pain free. Conclusions PVB has been shown to be an excellent evidence-based regional technique to contribute to both anesthesia and analgesia. Paramount to its application is the proper approach, especially when encountering anatomical variations. With an appropriate systematic approach and identification of vital structures, PVB catheter placement may be utilized in severe scoliosis with successful post-operative pain control.
Clinical genomics and contextualizing genome variation in the diagnostic laboratory

The human genome contains the instructions for the development and biological homeostasis of the human organism and the genetic transmission of traits. Genome variation in human populations is the ...
Teaching an Undergraduate Course in Bayesian Statistics: A Panel Discussion

Allan Rossman (AR): As part of the special cluster of articles about teaching Bayesian statistics, JSE editor Jeff Witmer asked me to organize and moderate a panel discussion with a goal of providi...
Analysis of Electric Vehicle Charging Behavior Patterns with Function Principal Component Analysis Approach

This manuscript focused on analyzing electric vehicles’ (EV) charging behavior patterns with a functional data analysis (FDA) approach, with the goal of providing theoretical support to the EV infrastructure planning and regulation, as well as the power grid load management. 5-year real-world charging log data from a total of 455 charging stations in Kansas City, Missouri, was used. The focuses were placed on analyzing the daily usage occupancy variability, daily energy consumption variability, and station-level usage variability. Compared with the traditional discrete-based analysis models, the proposed FDA modeling approach had unique advantages in preserving the smooth function behavior of the data, bringing more flexibility in the modeling process with little required assumptions or background knowledge on independent variables, as well as the capability of handling time series data with different lengths or sizes. In addition to the patterns revealed in the EV charging station’s occupancy and energy consumption, the differences between EV driver’s charging time and parking time were analyzed and called for the needs for parking regulation and enforcement. The different usage patterns observed at charging stations located on different land-use types were also analyzed.
Gender Differences in Couples’ Division of Childcare, Work and Mental Health During COVID-19

The current COVID-19 crisis, with its associated school and daycare closures as well as social-distancing requirements, has the potential to magnify gender differences both in terms of childcare arrangements within the household and at work. We use data from a nationally representative sample of the United States from the Understanding Coronavirus in America tracking survey to understand gender differences within households on the impact of the COVID-19 crisis. We study how fathers and mothers are coping with this crisis in terms of childcare provision, employment, working arrangements, and psychological distress levels. We find that women have carried a heavier load than men in the provision of childcare during the COVID-19 crisis, even while still working. Mothers’ current working situations appear to have a limited influence on their provision of childcare. This division of childcare is, however, associated with a reduction in working hours and an increased probability of transitioning out of employment for working mothers. Finally, we observe a small but new gap in psychological distress that emerged between mothers and women without school-age children in the household in early April. This new gap appears to be driven by higher levels of psychological distress reported by mothers of elementary school-age and younger children.
Abstract SP125: Rescue DNA repair pathway and tumor immunity

Defects in DNA damage response (DDR) is a major factor that predispose normal cells to acquire oncogenic mutations. However, after a tumor develops, cancer cells manage their survival by repairing DNA damage resulting from unchecked DNA replication. Cancer cells can use the alternative or backup (rescue) DNA repair programs to overcome their DDR defects and cope with genotoxic lesions. For example, breast cancer cells with deficiency in homologous recombination (HR) can repair their DNA by either relying on other highly expressed HR-related proteins (such as RAD51 or PARP1), or by using other DNA repair mechanisms such as break-induced replication, alternative nonhomologous end joining (ALT-NHEJ) and basal excision repair (BER). Since DNA repair pathways operate in related networks in cancers in general and breast cancers in particular, it is likely that factor/s that play important roles in multiple DNA repair pathways may serve as a critical component of backup DNA repair pathways that breast cancer cells get addicted to survive and to become therapy resistant. One way these rescue DNA repair pathway factor/s may promote breast cancer progression is by shaping tumor immune microenvironment. Consistent with that, DNA damage and DNA repair pathways in general have been shown to regulate multiple arms of the immune response including antigenicity or tumor mutational burden (TMB) and regulation of immune checkpoint protein levels. Our studies suggest that rescue DNA repair pathways may support tumor progression and therapy response by promoting tumor cell intrinsic and extrinsic mechanisms of immunosuppression. Our results reveal that factors associated with backup DNA repair pathwaysmay promote immunosuppression by altering cGAS-STING and Type I Interferon (IFN) signaling pathways. Furthermore, using a specific inhibitor that targets rescue DNA repair pathway signaling, we show altered levels of several proteins involved in antigen processing and presentation, including proteasome/Immunoproteasome subunits and MHC I protein subunits, which are essential for the detection of cancer cells by cytotoxic T cells. Importantly, our pre-clinical and clinical data suggest that approaches aimed at successfully targeting rescue DNA repair factor(s) may promote anti-tumor immunity and will have promising clinical outcomes for treating breast cancer patients. Citation Format: M Rao. Rescue DNA repair pathway and tumor immunity [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2020 San Antonio Breast Cancer Virtual Symposium; 2020 Dec 8-11; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2021;81(4 Suppl):Abstract nr SP125.
Transitional justice: criminal courts and alternatives

After gross violations of human rights, what is one to do? This is the subject of transitional justice, a growth industry for intellectuals and policy makers after the Cold War. Should one prosecute individuals in international courts, or in hybrid or special courts, or in national courts? Should one avoid courts and rely on truth commissions, or bar violators from public office, or just move on to concentrate on building a rights-protective state in the future rather than looking back via criminal prosecution? There are many complexities facing those interested in international criminal justice – meaning those interested in whether to prosecute against the background of international human rights and humanitarian norms. Beyond punishment of evildoers, one needs to keep in mind other possible goals of transitional justice: deterring future atrocities, bringing psychological closure to victims and/or relatives, producing reconciliation among divided communities, building a rights-protective polity in the future, adjusting to the lingering power of elements of the old regime. In the last decade of the twentieth century the United Nations created two international criminal courts, the first in almost fifty years. Moreover a new International Criminal Court (ICC) came into legal existence in July 2002. Furthermore, special courts were created in the aftermath of atrocities in Sierra Leone, East Timor, Kosovo, and Cambodia, while a new court was created by the interim government of Iraq after the US invasion and occupation of 2003 to try Saddam Hussein and his lieutenants. The United Kingdom agreed that the former dictator of Chile, Augusto Pinochet, could be extradited to Spain to stand trial there for torture.
Ontogeny of Inner Ear Saccular Development in the Plainfin Midshipman (Porichthys notatus).

The auditory system of the plainfin midshipman fish ( Porichthys notatus) is an important sensory system used to detect and encode biologically relevant acoustic stimuli important for survival and reproduction including social acoustic signals used for intraspecific communication. Previous work showed that hair cell (HC) density in the midshipman saccule increased seasonally with reproductive state and was concurrent with enhanced auditory saccular sensitivity in both females and type I males. Although reproductive state-dependent changes in HC density have been well characterized in the adult midshipman saccule, less is known about how the saccule changes during ontogeny. Here, we examined the ontogenetic development of the saccule in four relative sizes of midshipman (larvae, small juveniles, large juveniles, and nonreproductive adults) to determine whether the density, total number, and orientation patterns of saccular HCs change during ontogeny. In addition, we also examined whether the total number of HCs in the saccule differ from that of the utricle and lagena in nonreproductive adults. We found that HC density varied across developmental stage. The ontogenetic reduction in HC density was concurrent with an ontogenetic increase in macula area. The orientation pattern of saccular HCs was similar to the standard pattern previously described in other teleost fishes, and this pattern of HC orientation was retained during ontogeny. Lastly, the estimated number of saccular HCs increased with developmental stage from the smallest larvae (2,336 HCs) to the largest nonreproductive adult (145,717 HCs), and in nonreproductive adults estimated HC numbers were highest in the saccule (mean ± SD = 28,479 ± 4,809 HCs), intermediate in the utricle (mean ± SD = 11,008 ± 1,619 HCs) and lowest in the lagena (mean ± SD = 4,560 ± 769 HCs).
Regulation of Gastrointestinal Smooth Muscle Function by Hydrogen Sulfide

7 Chapter AINTRODUCTION 1. Production and Metabolism of Hydrogen Sulphide in mammalian cells 11 2. Catabolism of Hydrogen Sulphide 15 3. Physiological effects of Hydrogen Sulphide 16 4. Molecular mechanisms of Hydrogen Sulphide 20 5. Hydrogen Sulphide in the Gastrointestinal System 21 6. Gastric Motility 22 Chapter BMATERIALS AND METHODS 1. Reagents 27 2. Animals 27 3. Preparation of dispersed smooth muscle cells 28 4. Preparation of cultured smooth muscle cells 28 5. RT-PCR analysis of CBS and CSE 29 6. Western blot analysis of CBS and CSE 29 7. Transfection of CSE siRNA in cultured gastric cells 30 8. Measurement of Adenylyl cyclase activity 30 9. Assay for Rho-kinase activity 31
Market EfficiencyTeston RSS3in AgriculturalFutures Exchange

บทคดยอ การศกษาครงนมงทดสอบประสทธภาพของราคายางแผนรมควนชน 3 ในตลาดซอขายลวงหนาระหวางป พ.ศ.2547-2550 โดยมประเดนคำถามสำคญ คอ กระบวนการกำเนดราคาของยางแผนรมควนชน 3 ในตลาดสนคาเกษตรลวงหนามประสทธภาพแทจรงหรอไม การวเคราะหใชราคาตลาดซอขายลวงหนาโตเกยวเปนตวชนำราคาของตลาดสนคาเกษตรลวงหนาในประเทศไทยผานทางราคาจากตลาดจรง ผลการศกษาพบถงความเปนอสระตอกนระหวางราคาตลาดสนคาเกษตรลวงหนาแบบรายวนและแบบรายเดอนในการทดสอบความเอนเอยงกบราคาในตลาดจรง สะทอนใหเหนวากระบวนการกำหนดราคาในตลาดสนคาเกษตรลวงหนาของประเทศไทยมประสทธภาพ ดงนนจงสามารถนำราคาดงกลาวมาใชเปนตวทำนายราคาในตลาดจรงในอนาคตได นอกจากนผลการศกษายงชวยใหเขาใจถงพฤตกรรมของตลาดสนคาเกษตรลวงหนา คำสำคญ : ตลาดสนคาเกษตรลวงหนา, ประสทธภาพตลาด, สมมตฐานการไมเอนเอยง ยางแผนรมควนชน 3 Abstract The study investigates the efficiency of futures pricing for ribbed smoked rubber sheet no.3 (RSS3) during the period 2004-2007. It addresses the question “Is price discovery process in RSS3 futures market efficient?” Time series data from RSS3 of TOCOM was used as a leading indicator for the rubber price on the Agricultural Futures Exchange of Thailand. The results indicate that the monthly futures prices served as unbiased estimators of futures spot prices and there was no dependence on daily price changes. The tests consistently supported the unbiased hypothesis which implies that Thailand’s RSS3 futures market is efficient and aids the process of price discovery. This study would fill the information gap in the prediction of futures spot prices with a guide to understanding how the futures market behaves. Keywords : agricultural futures market, market efficiency, unbiased hypothesis, RSS3
In Search of Health

reality behind the word, which is a simple enough task. The most healthy place, at least for my pocketbook, is a small cottagelike house. I am surrounded by retired couples, Nebraskans and Kansans and Iowans. My neighbor is named Prescott. He is a small, dapper man, with a trim white mustache. He was a career sergeant in the army, and now, to supplement his pension, he trains dogs. He called me over my third day here. The occasion was that he heard me playing the guitar. I sit before him and humble myself into silence. Here I got this guitar. Now Mother, go get the guitar. Now I got this from my dead nephew. I just like it if you look at her. Now I couldnt handle the damn thing, the neck was too wide. Mrs. Prescott brings out the guitar and hands it to him, saying Here, Pa. In his small red hands he turns it. It pivots about its center of gravity like a mobile, or like something abstract: an idea. Suspended in his hands it shows its form, shows the rich wood, still warm, though unrubbed, unpolished. He points then to the fingerboard, scarred and gouged at the side so that the frets protrude like the heads of nails driven imperfectly. This neck here, you see, was too goddamn wide, I got little hands. So I just planed her down a bit. To make her fit. Yes. Well, my nephew died and I was over to his place and I just figure nobody ud want this, it was stuck in a closet all dusty. So I tuk it. He told me it was a good guitar. Well I aint played much. Last time before this I had a guitar was nineteen fifteen, I still remember we was walking down a road in Kansas and I was strumming and this friend turn to me and says Sam I give you a dollar if you bust that fucking guitar, and so I laughed and said okay and busted it on a telephone pole. And I aint had a
Culture and Strategy in Business Schools: Links to Organizational Effectiveness.

This study examined the independent and conditional effects of organizational culture type and managerial strategy on the organizational effectiveness of higher education schools of business. A total of 333 deans and chairs of business schools in the United States and Canada completed a survey instrument that addressed variables related to organizational culture, strategic orientation, and seven dimensions of organizational effectiveness. Clan and market cultures characterized approximately half of the institutions surveyed, with hierarchical institutions comprising the remainder. It was found that clan cultures were found to be more effective on three of the effectiveness dimensions (system openness and community interaction, student educational satisfaction, and faculty employment satisfaction) than market or hierarchy cultures. Active management strategies were found to be more effective than passive management strategies on six of the seven dimensions (organizational health, ability to acquire resources, system openness and community interaction, student educational satisfaction, student career development, and faculty employment satisfaction), regardless of type. Overall, it was found that clan cultures were more effective on dimensions that focused on the individual and on the perceived "openness" of the institution. (Contains 41 references.) (MDM) ******************************************************************************** Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document. ******************************************************************************** Culture and Strategy in Business Schools: Links to Organizational Effectiveness Christopher Clott Ph.D. Associate Professor College of Business and Economics Elmhurst College 630-617-3116 FAX 630-617-6497 E-mail: chriscl@elmhurst.edu Nancy Fjortoft Assistant Dean and Associate Professor of Pharmacy Practice Chicago College of Pharmacy Midwestern University 630-971-6417 FAX 630-971-6097 E-mail: nfjort@midwestern.edu
Ethics, Information Technology, and Public Health: Duties and Challenges in Computational Epidemiology

The application of powerful information technology tools to the practice of public health poses ethical, in addition to practical, challenges. Under a modern, electronic standard of care, it can be as blameworthy to apply such tools inappropriately as it is not to apply them at all. Certain ethical guidelines can help public health scientists make sound decisions about what users and uses of information technology (IT) are appropriate in public health. Even with these guidelines, however, there remain some gray areas, particularly with respect to maintaining the privacy and confidentiality of public health information. The power of modern IT tools renders obsolete some previously sacrosanct guidelines about maintaining privacy and confidentiality. It is therefore necessary for public health practitioners to exercise “progressive caution” in applying information technology to the practice of public health. Developments such as bioinformatics pose acute challenges to maintaining privacy and confidentiality, as does the use of powerful computer technology as support for decisions about interventions. Finally, the interests of ethics and sound public health practice collide in the application of such modern tools as meta-analysis and data mining to public health problems. Even the time-honored practice of using and publishing case studies in public health research presents challenges to maintaining confidentiality of information, as the World Wide Web and other communication and education tools make it increasingly possible for readers to identify the individual(s) discussed in a case.
Effectively using recurrently-connected spiking neural networks

Recurrently connected spiking neural networks are difficult to use and understand because of the complex nonlinear dynamics of the system. Through empirical studies of spiking networks, we deduce several principles which are critical to success. Network parameters such as synaptic time delays and time constants and the connection probabilities can be adjusted to have a significant impact on accuracy. We show how to adjust these parameters to fit the type of problem.
Prenatal Exposure to Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs)

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are ubiquitous air pollutants, generated by incomplete combustion of organic material. Common sources in the urban environment include traffic, particularly diesel trucks and buses, coal-fired power plants, heating fuels, and cigarette smoke. The fetus in utero and young infant are particularly vulnerable to the effects of toxicants. Prenatal exposures to PAHs are thought to be contributors to some major diseases in children, including developmental disorders, asthma, and cancer. All three diseases impose significant burdens – rates of childhood asthma and developmental problems having increased in recent decades. As will be discussed, synergistic interactions have been shown between these exogenous exposures and ‘host’ factors such as genetic susceptibility and nutritional deficits.
A Multidimensional Analysis of Tax Practitioners' Ethical Judgments

This study investigates professional tax practitioners' ethical judgments and behavioral intentions in cases involving client pressure to adopt aggressive reporting positions, an issue that has been identified as the most difficult ethical/moral problem facing public accounting practitioners. The multidimensional ethics scale (MES) was used to measure the extent to which a hypothetical behavior was consistent with five ethical philosophies (moral equity, contractualism, utilitarianism, relativism, and egoism). Responses from a sample of 67 tax professionals supported the existence of all dimensions of the MES other than egoism. Regressions of ethical judgments and behavioral intentions on the MES dimensions indicate that ethical decision making is most heavily influenced by the moral equity dimension, followed by the contractualism dimension. In contrast, the utilitarianism and relativism dimensions were only related to ethical judgments and behavioral intentions in isolated instances.
Optimization Concepts and Applications in Engineering

In this revised and enhanced second edition of Optimization Concepts and Applications in Engineering, the already robust pedagogy has been enhanced with more detailed explanations, an increased number of solved examples and end-of-chapter problems. The source codes are now available free on multiple platforms. It is vitally important to meet or exceed previous quality and reliability standards while at the same time reducing resource consumption. This textbook addresses this critical imperative integrating theory, modeling, the development of numerical methods, and problem solving, thus preparing the student to apply optimization to real-world problems. This text covers a broad variety of optimization problems using: unconstrained, constrained, gradient, and non-gradient techniques; duality concepts; multiobjective optimization; linear, integer, geometric, and dynamic programming with applications; and finite element-based optimization. It is ideal for advanced undergraduate or graduate courses and for practising engineers in all engineering disciplines, as well as in applied mathematics.
Quality of Life, Measurements of

Defining and measuring the standard of living has a long history in economics and sociology, and is essential for understanding the role that consumption plays in how people live and their quality of life. The most commonly used national measure to compare the quality of life across countries and across time is gross domestic product (GDP) per capita or the closely related national income per capita. This approach has several weaknesses, and researchers have devised alternative measurements of the standard of living that are more comprehensive at both the national level and the individual level. There is no consensus on the best measure to use, and this entry is an overview of three alternative models and measures of quality of life: neoclassical, institutional, and Buddhist. Keywords: consumption; class; decision making; materialism
An Anatomy of Change and Transition: The Automobile Industry of Southeast Michigan

At one time Southeastern Michigan was characterized by a rapid decline in manufacturing jobs and was labeled a typical rust-belt region over-dependent upon one sector of industrial production. By the end of this century in almost twenty years the region has become a center of high-tech activity, an area of increasing employment in manufacturing, and an example of a revitalized and restructured industry. The root of this transformation is found in the way the industry was restructured in order to confront its problems and, among other things, in the way it increasingly relied on a more flexible structure of engineering and production led in part by smaller and independent businesses. But this transformation has also meant a significant change in the kinds of work performed and the skill sets needed, and the need to revise how workers are to receive education and training to ensure a workforce able to address the workplace of the future.
Relation between Composition and Consumer Acceptance of Milk Beverages

Summary Consumer acceptance observations were made on milk beverages of varying fat and solids-not-fat (SNF) content. Threshold taste tests indicated that many people can differentiate between milk beverages with variations in fat and SNF of 0.5 and 1.0%, respectively. The addition of 1.0% SNF to whole, low-fat, or nonfat milk beverages caused a highly significant increase in consumer acceptance of each type of beverage. A slight but significant preference was shown for a low-fat beverage with 1.0% added SNF when compared with whole milk of normal composition. Equal preference was indicated for a low-fat beverage without added SNF when compared with a nonfat product fortified with 1.0% SNF. A slight but significantly greater preference was evident for a regular whole milk with 1.0% added SNF, when compared to a higher fat (4.0%) product without added SNF.
National Football League faces hedge fund manager fraud: implications for professional associations and investors from the case of international management associates

Purpose – To describe the fraudulent activity of investment manager Kirk S. Wright and to discuss its implications for investors and professional associations. Design/methodology/approach – Describes how Mr Wright established and built his fund business, how he solicited investors, how he falsified financial reporting to investors, how investors discovered his fraud and filed lawsuits, how the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) took disciplinary action, and how National Football League (NFL) players unsuccessfully sued the NFL and its players’ union for recommending Mr Wright’s firm. Draws lessons from the story for investors and associations. Findings – Since hedge funds are not as strictly regulated as other investment vehicles, investors need to take extra steps to not fall prey to unscrupulous fund managers. Originality/value – Detailed, informative case study.
Benchmarking of LSTM Networks

LSTM (Long Short-Term Memory) recurrent neural networks have been highly successful in a number of application areas. This technical report describes the use of the MNIST and UW3 databases for benchmarking LSTM networks and explores the effect of different architectural and hyperparameter choices on performance. Significant findings include: (1) LSTM performance depends smoothly on learning rates, (2) batching and momentum has no significant effect on performance, (3) softmax training outperforms least square training, (4) peephole units are not useful, (5) the standard non-linearities (tanh and sigmoid) perform best, (6) bidirectional training combined with CTC performs better than other methods.
Identity, stigma management, and well-being.

SUMMARY This study investigated and compared predictors of well-being in lesbians/bisexual women and gay/bisexual men. Well-being was assessed using measures of self-esteem, life satisfaction, and depression. Predictor variables included involvement in lesbian/gay/bisexual (LGB) culture, rejection of negative stereotypes of LGBs, positivity of gay/lesbian identity, and perceived acceptance by family, heterosexual friends, and work/school associates. A survey instrument was developed and distributed in the Greater Buffalo area in Spring and Summer of 1994, to which 168 lesbians and bisexual women and 152 gay and bisexual men responded. Overall, results were very similar for lesbian/bisexual women and gay/bisexual men. Having a positive LGB identity was the most robust predictor of psychological well-being in both women and men who participated in the study. In addition, rejection of negative stereotypes predicted positive LGB identity. Results are discussed within the context of lesbian/bisexual women's me...
Disulfide Bridges in Tropomyosin

The effect of rabbit skeletal tropomyosin and tropomyosin-troponin on the ATPase activity of actomyosin was compared for tropomyosins with the Cys-190 disulfide bridge intact (crosslinked tropomyosin) or broken and blocked with N-ethylmaleimide (MalNEt-tropomyosin). Experiments were carried out at 25°C under the following solution conditions: 30 mM KCl, 5 mM MgCl2, 1 mM EGTA or 0.1 mM Ca2+, 2 mM ATP, 0.02% NaN3, 10 mM imidazole at pH 7.0 (or 10 mM Tris at pH 8.0). At pH 7.0 both MalNEt-tropomyosin and crosslinked tropomyosin had an inhibitory effect on the ATPase activity of actomyosin subfragment-1, with MalNEt-tropomyosin inhibiting more strongly than crosslinked tropomyosin. Under the same conditions the inhibitory effect of both tropomyosins on the ATPase activity of acto-(heavy meromyosin) was less pronounced but the inhibitory effect of MalEt-tropomyosin was still approximately twice that of crosslinked tropomyosin at the stoichiometric ratio of tropomyosin to actin. At pH 8.0 MalNEt-tropomyosin had an inhibitory effect on the ATPase of acto(heavy meromyosin) while crosslinked tropomyosin had a potentiating effect, demonstrating the dual effect of tropomyosin at one set of solution conditions and protein ratios. In the presence of excess troponin and 1 mM EGTA at pH 7.0 MalNEt-tropomyosin and crosslinked tropomyosin were indistinguishable in their ability to inhibit the ATPase of acto-(heavy meromyosin). In the presence of excess troponin and 0.1 mM Ca2+, crosslinked tropomyosin enhanced the ATPase of acto-(heavy meromyosin) to a slightly greater degree than MalNEt-tropomyosin. Our results suggest that potentiation and inhibition are occurring simultaneously. We have previously shown that the presence or absence of a disulfide bridge has a profound effect on the stability of the –COOH terminal half of the molecule [Williams and Swenson (1981) Biochemistry, 20, 3856]. The results presented here indicate that the presence of the disulfide bridge in tropomyosin also affects the ATPase activity of actomyosin and suggest that MalNEt-tropomyosin and crosslinked tropomyosin may be useful tools in studying the kinetic mechanism of skeletal muscle control.
Behavioral Symptoms in Long-Term Survivors of Ischemic Stroke

The range of behavioral changes occurring after stroke has not yet been fully characterized. To evaluate behavioral symptoms after stroke and clinical characteristics that may influence the number and frequency of such symptoms, we compared 53 survivors of mild ischemic stroke with 30 stroke-free controls. Stroke survivor and control participants completed self-ratings of behavioral symptoms and were administered measures of cognitive status (ie, Beck Depression Inventory II, Mini-Mental State Examination, and Controlled Oral Word Association Test). Informants of stroke survivors and controls completed ratings of behavioral symptoms and functional status (ie, Neuropsychiatric Inventory Questionnaire, Informant Questionnaire on Cognitive Decline in the Elderly, and Functional Activities Questionnaire). More behavioral symptoms were observed in stroke survivors than in controls (mean [standard deviation] total number of symptoms on the Neuropsychiatric Inventory Questionnaire, 2.1 [2.0] vs 1.1 [1.5]; P = .02). Informants of stroke survivors were more likely to recognize behavioral symptoms than were stroke survivors themselves. Higher initial stroke severity was associated with more behavioral symptoms. With more behavioral symptoms, there was more functional impairment. Our findings suggest that behavioral symptoms can have unique and troublesome effects on stroke patients. Future research is needed to understand how the identification of behavioral symptoms after stroke can improve care in stroke survivors.
Phenology, ontogeny and the effects of climate change on the timing of species interactions

Climate change is altering the phenology of many species and the timing of their interactions with other species, but the impacts of these phenological shifts on species interactions remain unclear. Classical approaches to the study of phenology have typically documented changes in the timing of single life-history events, while phenological shifts affect many interactions over entire life histories. In this study, we suggest an approach that integrates the phenology and ontogeny of species interactions with a fitness landscape to provide a common mechanistic framework for investigating phenological shifts. We suggest that this ontogeny-phenology landscape provides a flexible method to document changes in the relative phenologies of interacting species, examine the causes of these phenological shifts, and estimate their consequences for interacting species.
Modulation of Polyplex Release from Biodegradable Microparticles through Poly(ethylenimine) Modification and Varying Loading Concentration

Purpose This work investigates the effects of hyaluronic acid (HA) conjugated onto branched poly(ethylenimine) (bPEI) and varying loading concentrations of these polymers complexed with DNA on their release from poly(DL-lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) microparticles and the transfection of target cells.
Relationship between the Brainstem Auditory Evoked Response and Extraversion, Impulsivity, and Sociability

Abstract It has been suggested that the trait of extraversion is associated with physiological arousal (Eysenck, 1967). Both psychophysiological and behavioral studies have generally supported this statement (Eysenck & Eysenck, 1985). However, recent research has suggested that the trait of impulsivity is the trait most closely linked to the physiological arousal mechanisms believed to underlie extraversion (Revelle, Humphreys, Simon, & Gilliland, 1980). This study utilized brainstem auditory evoked responses (ABRs) to investigate which trait (extraversion, impulsivity, sociability) is most closely related to hypothesized ascending reticular activating system-regulated arousal processes. The results indicated that the full scale of extraversion was related to ABR wave V activity,r= .27,p
The preoperative erythrocyte sedimentation rate is an independent prognostic factor in renal cell carcinoma.

BACKGROUND Prognostic nomograms are used increasingly in clinical trials and to guide surveillance for patients with renal cell carcinoma (RCC). An elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) reportedly has been associated with a poor prognosis among patients with RCC, but the ESR is not incorporated into existing nomograms. Hence, the current study was conducted to expand on prior observations pertaining to the ESR as a prognostic indicator in patients with RCC. METHODS The authors identified 3008 patients who underwent nephrectomy for RCC between 1970 and 2002. Disease-specific survival was estimated using the Kaplan–Meier method, and its association with the ESR and other clinical and pathologic features was evaluated using Cox proportional hazards regression analysis. RESULTS A preoperative ESR was available for 1075 patients (35.7%), 501 of whom (46.6%) exhibited an elevated ESR, including 437 of 881 patients (49.2%) with clear cell RCC, 41 of 134 patients (30.6%) with papillary RCC, and 20 of 48 patients (41.7%) with chromophobe RCC. An elevated ESR was associated with adverse clinical, laboratory, and pathologic profiles for all three histologic subtypes. The risk ratios (RRs) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) for death because of clear cell RCC, papillary RCC, and chromophobe RCC for patients with an elevated ESR were 3.6 (95% CI, 1.1–1.9), 3.8 (95% CI, 1.4–10.6), and 10.3 (95% CI, 1.2–89.5), respectively. The association between an elevated ESR and death from clear cell RCC persisted even after multivariate analysis (RR of 1.5; 95% CI, 1.2–2.0). CONCLUSIONS An elevated ESR in patients with RCC suggested the presence of aggressive disease and poorer outcomes after surgical treatment. For patients with clear cell RCC, the ESR provided useful information above and beyond traditional prognostic algorithms, and it may be valuable for preoperative prognostication. Cancer 2006. © 2005 American Cancer Society.
The substitution of urban land for other inputs

Existing estimates of the elasticity of substitution between land and nonland rely on data from the housing sector. These studies are replicated with a sample of high-rise office buildings; the replication supports the previous estimates of an elasticity in the range of 0.5 to 0.75. But there are some sources of downward bias in these estimates. The most serious is errors in the measurement of land value. Engineering approaches are used to correct for bias in a subsample of 59 observations. The engineering estimates support a unitary substitution elasticity. The importance of the Cobb-Douglas function for urban modeling suggests the need to use engineering approaches on larger samples and other types of property.
Ready to be Physically Active? The Effects of a Course Preparing Low-Income Multiethnic Women to be more Physically Active

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effect of a preintervention physical activity preparatory course on physical activity, and social, cognitive, and transtheoretical constructs. The sample included 82 low-income, multiethnic women (75% Latina) who completed an 8-week course designed to prepare them to become more active prior to randomization into a 10-month physical activity intervention. Participants completed precourse and postcourse measures. Paired-comparison t tests showed increases in knowledge, perceived social support for exercise, minutes of walking per week, and total cognitive and behavioral processes following the preparatory course. Perceived barriers and self-efficacy for exercise did not change from precourse to postcourse. Preintervention preparatory courses may be an effective way to increase social and cognitive constructs associated with physical activity behavior, potentially yielding a greater effect from subsequent interventions.
Laser multiphoton ionization of aromatic molecules in nonpolar liquids

Abstract The laser multiphoton ionization (MPI) of fluoranthene in tetramethylsilane (TMS) and of azulene in n -tridecane, n -pentane, 2,2,4,4-tetramethylpentane, TMS and tetramethyltin is reported. Three distinct types of MPI mechanisms have been identified: two-photon ionization, stepwise three-photon ionization and mixed two- and three-photon ionization. The stepwise three-photon process consists of two-photon excitation, relaxation to a lower lying excited state with a lifetime comparable to the laser pulse duration (for azulene this state is the S 2 while for fluoranthene both the S 1 and S 2 states) and subsequent ionization with the absorption of a third photon. The ionization threshold of azulene in each liquid has been determined and found to vary linearly with the V 0 of the liquid.
Configuration of VLSI arrays in the presence of defects

The penalties for configuring VLSI arrays for yield enhancement are assessed. Each dement of the fabricated array is assumed to be defective with independent probability p. A fixed fractmn R of the elements are to be connected into a prespecified defect-free configuration by means of switched interconnections. The probability that this can be done, known as the yield, must be bounded away from zero. The additional interconnections required increase the integrated circuit's area by the area overhead ratio AOR. Propagation delay is determined by the maximum connection length d. The following results are shown. Connection of RN fixed pins to distinct nondefective elements from an N- element linear array requires d = O(log N), AOR = O(log N). Connection of RN pairs of elements from two N-element linear arrays requires only constant d and AOR. Connection of a chain ofRN 2 dements from an N x N array requires only constant d and AOR; this result is closely related to the percolation model of statistical physics. Connection of a V'-RN x d'-RN lattice from an N x N array requires d = (~( IV)-~ N). Algorithms are presented that connect any fraction R < I - p of the dements with yield approaching one as N increases.
Errata for Formal Aspects of Computing (2006) 18: 495---517 and their consequences

We present a correction for an error that occurs in the following paper Formal Aspects of Computing (2006) 18:495–517. Atfirst sight, the error appears tobe simply amisplacedquantifier in thedefinitionof bisimulation.Weexplain, however, that the error and its correction reveal a subtle interaction between the substructural connectives of MBI and the resource–process calculus SCRP. We begin with a specific example which illustrates the error. We include also the known typographical errors. We include also a statement of the consequences of these errata for the paperElectronic Notes in Theoretical Computer Science 172, 545–587, 2007, which builds directly upon Formal Aspects of Computing (2006) 18:495–517 and which illustrates the significance of these errata.
The Art of the Cap Table

This article provides an overview of the impact of raising capital on the equity ownership structure of a biotechnology company. The equity ownership structure as captured in a table of capitalization determines how the fruits of success will be divided between founders, management and investors at an exit event such as an acquisition or initial public offering. The evolution of the Cap Table is captured and described through multiple financing events and scenarios and illustrates how value is allocated to the various parties involved in the transactions as the company grows and develops.
Heterologous immunoadsorption in the purification of enzymes: N-acetyl-β-glucosaminidase

An immunoadsorbent column was prepared using a specific antibody toN-acetyl-β-glucosaminidase of human origin. Although no precipitating activity of the antisera was found with mouse or rat liver extracts, enzyme was easily eluted from the column which provided about 50fold, single-step purifications of these heterologous enzymes.
Ox40L-Ox40 pathway plays distinct roles in regulating Th2 responses but does not determine outcome of cutaneous leishmaniasis caused by Leishmania mexicana and Leishmania major.

Abstract Ox40 ligand (Ox40L)–Ox40 pathway has been shown to enhance Th2 responses and play a role in pathogenesis of cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) caused by Leishmania major. Using Ox40l−/− BALB/c mice we analyzed the role of this pathway in determining the outcome to CL caused by L. mexicana and compared to L. major. Contrary to our expectations, Ox40l−/− mice were highly susceptible to both L. major (LV39) and L. mexicana (M379) and developed large non-healing lesions containing parasites comparable to Ox40l+/+ BALB/c mice. Interestingly, upon in vitro stimulation with Leishmania antigen (LmAg), the lymph node cells from L. major infected Ox40l−/− mice produced significantly less IL-4 and IL-10 compared to Ox40l+/+ mice. L. mexicana infected Ox40l−/− and Ox40l+/+ mice did not show any difference in the production of IL-4 and IL-10. No difference was noted in the amount of Th1 cytokines IFN-ү and IL-12 produced by Ox40l−/− and Ox40l+/+ mice infected with either parasite. These results indicate that the Ox40L–Ox40 pathway promotes Th2 bias only in L. major infection but not L. mexicana infection and this pathway is not critical for susceptibility to CL.
CIVIC FRAGMENTATION OR VOLUNTARY ASSOCIATION? HABERMAS, FRASER, AND CHARTER SCHOOL SEGREGATION

In this essay, Terri Wilson puts the argument developed by Kathleen Knight Abowitz that charter schools could be considered as counterpublic spaces into interaction with empirical research that explores patterns of voluntary self-segregation in charter schools. Wilson returns to the theoretical tension between Jurgen Habermas and Nancy Fraser over the inclusivity of the public sphere. Wilson argues that Fraser's concept of counterpublic space rests on an oversimplification of Habermas's concept of the public sphere and, further, that justifying school choice through Fraser's “multiplicity of publics” offers few resources for questioning the increasing segregation of schools. According to Wilson, Habermas's normative project—and his concept of “idealization,” in particular—offers both an answer to Fraser's critique and a better application of “the public sphere” to the issue of school choice. Wilson concludes by considering how Habermas's understanding of the public sphere as a normative ideal might serve as a useful resource for evaluating the public-ness of charter school reform.