Innate Character Research Articles

A whole-mechanical method to establish human embryonic stem cell line HN4 from discarded embryos

Since the first human embryonic stem cell (hESC) line was generated by Thomson et al. (in Science 282:1145-1147, 1998), hundreds of hESC lines have been reported by different labs, providing resources for basic research and regenerative medicine as well. However it has been widely recognized that hESC lines varied on their properties, in terms of gene expression profile, epigenetic modify profile, and differentiation tendency. Generation of more hESC lines will largely enhance our knowledge of hESCs innate character. In this current work, we reported the generation of HN4, a hESC line derived from grade III IVF human embryo by using a mixture of human foreskin fibroblast (HFF) and mouse embryonic fibroblast (MEF) as feeder layers, and a whole-mechanical method in inner cell mass (ICM) isolation. HN4 satisfied the criteria of hESCs pluripotency, with high expression of hESC surface markers (SSEA-3, SSEA-4, TRA-1-60, TRA-1-81), transcription factors (OCT-4, NANOG, REX-1), and alkaline phosphatase. It is able to differentiate to three germ layer derivatives when cultured in vitro, or in teratoma formation. Moreover, it displayed promising potential in neural differentiation under a proper culture condition, suggesting the advantage of HN4 in further investigation. Additionally, the whole-mechanical protocol for ICM isolation facilitates hESC line generation for its ease to handle.

Towards gender equal access to ICT

Despite the great strides in information and communication technology (ICT) and the global and far-reaching effects of its spread, women in the Arab Gulf region, in general, and in Oman, in particular, are at a higher risk of being marginalized from today's knowledge-based economy, due to factual findings related to a traditionally male-dominated ICT sector, unequal access to training, the lack of Arabized Internet content and training, and the lack of awareness and policy advocacy, among others. This research aims to provide a gender-sensitive assessment of the ICT space in Oman and the status of women within it, and to develop the seeds of an information base that provides gender analysis of the opportunities and challenges in the ICT space. Survey results show that socio-cultural norms, the innate character issues of Omani females, access and training, and career counseling are mostly the factors that inhibit them from entering and adopting a career in ICT. The analysis and recommendations presented in this research are intended to assist policymakers who are willing and committed to reorienting ICT policy to take account of the needs, aspirations, and constraints of women in Omani society. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

A decoupling FEM for simulating near-field wave motion in two-phase media

A decoupling technique for simulating near-field wave motions in two-phase media is introduced in this paper. First, an equivalent but direct weighted residual method is presented in this paper to solve boundary value problems more explicitly. We applied the Green's theorem for integration by parts on the equivalent integral statement of the field governing equations and then introduced the Neumann conditions directly. Using this method and considering the precision requirement in wave motion simulation, a lumped-mass FEM for two-phase media with clear physical concepts and convenient implementation is derived. Then, considering the innate attenuation character of the wave in two-phase media, an attenuation parameter is introduced into Liao's Multi-Transmitting Formula (MTF) to simulate the attenuating outgoing wave in two-phase media. At last, two numerical experiments are presented and the numerical results are compared with the analytical ones demonstrating that the lumped-mass FEM and the generalized MTF introduced in this paper have good precision.

Des lieux pour le « profane » dans l’Empire tardo-antique ? Les fêtes entre koinônia sociale et espaces de rivalités religieuses

In a Roman empire where a variety of religious choices abounded – some of them exclusive in character – public festivals present two images which are at first sight contradictory. Promoted by the authorities, they transcended their religious dimension to become occasions for a koinônia founded on aspects of a common identity (political, social and traditional). In this respect they belong to a “secular” aspect of antiquity. Yet this consensual image, though consistent with the religious pluralism of the period, coexists with another, much closer to the standard western perception. Quite apart from the public executions which delighted the “société du spectacle” of antiquity, festivals often resulted in the unleashing of anti-Christian movements, while simultaneously uniting the Christian Fathers in opposition to them. From the anthropological point of view, this bipolarisation of the atmosphere of the festival reflects its innate character as an occasion segregated from everyday life, which permits access to the gods / to God. Historically, it corresponds to the tensions perceptible in the religious world from the second century onwards between participation in common religious debates and practices and the affirmation of identity. Such an interpretative framework would explain why (a) in the late empire festivals offered space to the “secular”; (b) as a result, they were at first little affected by religious change; and (c) since they provided an opportunity for the expression of collective identities, they were suitable occasions for denouncing the Other, if he was felt to be - or represented as - a threat to the community. With the gradual christianisation of the imperial power in the fourth century, the definition of the “sacred” underwent a change and religious rivalries intensified. Nevertheless the authorities continued to patronise and support festivals which included the “secular” element, in view of their consensual nature and their progressive disengagement from traditional religious activities. In the fifth century, when the politics, society and religion of the empire were dominated by a new concept of sacrality, this “secular” space inevitably became the object of censure and, as a result, festivals were forced to modify their raison d’être and/or their ceremonial practices.

Innate plasticity of a predatory behavior: nonlearned context dependence of avian flush-displays

If a foraging adaptation comprises a signal for sensory exploitation of prey, does the behavior and its use develop through learning, like many foraging behaviors or does it depend on nonlearned stereotypical motor actions, like many signals for sensory exploitation? We asked whether the visually conspicuous motor pattern of body pivoting with spread tail and wings used by the painted redstart (Myioborus pictus) to flush insect prey is a nonlearned phenotypic trait. The motion pattern and the increase in these displays under branches (context dependence based on physical properties of the habitat) help the wild birds in foraging because prey that rest on substrates is visually stimulated, flushed into the air, and consequently chased in aerial pursuits. In unrewarded conditions in the aviary, both the foraging-experienced adults and the foraging-naive hand-raised fledglings increased the frequency of flush-displays at locations with substrates above birds, recreating the pattern of foraging observed in adults in their natural habitats. The results imply that parent‐offspring cultural transmission or learning during foraging is not required for the development of both the display motion pattern and the adaptive context-dependent increase in display frequency. Such a nonlearned context dependence based on physical properties of the habitat is remarkable considering that avian foraging context-dependent plasticity is often based on learning. We hypothesize that this innate character of the signals may be a result of evolution to exploit universal properties of visually triggered escape behaviors of various insects that are predictably flushed from their resting sites in the habitat. Key words: behavioral evolution, flush-pursuer, foraging mode, innate behavior, Myioborus pictus, predator‐prey, sensory exploitation. [Behav Ecol]

Defect Identification and Repair Algorithm for Polymer Light Emitting Diodes

The innate character of ink jet instability sometimes causes device defects in polymer light emitting diodes (PLED). This study develops an image-processing method to identify defects by methods such as filtering, color processing, background subtraction, dilation, etc. Based upon the defect information and the pre-built ink jet print head library, the amount of ink volume and the location to print on can be appropriately estimated to patch defects. In addition, an optimal printing route can be determined with a specially designed head driving waveform, consisting of pre-oscillations during motion intermission. By this methodology a 60 pL sized drop from ink jet nozzles can approximately patch the PLED panel with pixel resolution of 240x73 μm, the QCIF standard. The results demonstrated good accuracy in landing while patching unfilled pixels. However, there are some satellite drop occurrences observed due to the sensitivity of image data threshold level setting. Overall, the confidence level of successful defect identification is larger than 95%. In this paper, an optimal repair route and a strategy about thin film morphology control were also discussed. These approaches are helpful to repair defects and, consequently, increase the yield rate for PLED or other applications by ink jet technology.

On definition of geographic variable scaling

According to the description effect range, the method of scaling system in cartography is with the precision of four grades: nominal scaling, ordinal scaling, interval scaling and ratio scaling. The authors have researched their innate character and inherent relations. The essence of evaluation partialordering set (A≦) is the mapping of evaluation object (X, ≤) under fixed condition. The collection and classification ofxi∈X corresponds how to expressAj∈A, i.e. ∀xi∈X⇛f(xi)=Aj∈A, Aj is the image ofxi under mappingf. The function relation between evaluation partial-ordering set (A, ≦) and evaluation object (X, ≦) is decided by the space character and the way of collection and classification. The different space character and way of collection and classification will produce the different express method and evaluation result, accordingly the authors give out the mathematical definitions for nominal scaling, ordinal scaling, interval scaling and ratio scaling respectively. These results have been proved through the examples.

Leadership by Definition: First Term Reflections on George W. Bush's Political Stance

George W. Bush elevated the value of definition in presidential leadership and made it central to his political stance. This was as much a strategic calculation of political advantage in the moment at hand as it was a reflection of the man's innate character. Accounting for Bush's leadership posture in this way helps to situate it on a larger historical canvas as a particular rendition of a familiar type; reference to general characteristics of the type facilitates, in turn, an assessment of the strengths and weaknesses of Bush's performance over the course of his first term. Conclusions consider deviations from the patterned political effects of leadership of this sort and weigh their possible significance.Stephen Skowronek is the Pelatiah Perit Professor of Political and Social Science at Yale University (stephen.skowronek@yale.edu). He is author of The Politics Presidents Make: Leadership from John Adams to Bill Clinton and more recently with Karen Orren, The Search for American Political Development. Earlier versions of this paper were presented at CIDE in Mexico City, at the University of Texas, and the University of Tulsa. It was also featured as the Abbott Memorial Lecture at the Sondermann Symposium on the Presidency at Colorado College, Colorado Springs (December 2004). The version printed here was completed on May 10, 2005.

Cells from angiogenic sprouts of calcified aortic valve explants show an innate character to from engineered vessels

Introduction: In an ex vivo culture model tissue of human calcified aortic valves shows angiogenic activity. Cultured cells isolated from angiogenic sprouts showed an innate ability to construct engineered vessels in a static system.

Method of Patching Element Defects by Ink-Jet Printing for Polymer Light Emitting Diodes

The innate character of ink-jet instability causes the device defect in manufacturing for polymer light emitting diodes (PLED). This study develops image process skill to identify defect location; these skills include the filtering, color processing, background subtraction, dilation etc. Combination with the defect information and the predetermined head library, the ink-jet amount to patch defects can be appropriately estimated. Besides, an optimal printing route has designed with a special head driving of pre-oscillation during motion intermission. By this methodology, a 60 pL drop size from ink jet nozzle can precisely patch the PLED panel with pixel resolution of 240*73 μm, the QCIF standard. This ink-jet manufacture skill use for patch defects can increase the yield rate on line.

Ink-Jet Instability Behavior Analysis for Polymer Light Emitting Diodes Fabrication

A polymer light emitting diodes (PLED) is manufactured by thermal bubble ink-jet (TIJ) printing technique. This study is to solve the innate character of ink-jet instability causes the device defect in manufacturing process. Analysis shows that the ink-jet instability occurs at the beginning of each strip pixel because of the mechanical inertia force, the head start-driving instability, and the capillary pressure-driving force effects on drop landing on substrate. The mechanical inertia force generally causes an exponential decay of drop position deviation with the printing distance, and the head start-driving instability makes some nozzles have a critical characteristic in drop landing behavior. Besides, we found different bank pattern at start and end side to regulate the pressure difference will dramatic improve the uniformity of the polymer film in drying. The data shows that converging opening channel of bank pattern got uniform polymer film, and a closing channel of bank pattern made a local defect at both end of strip. By this analysis and improvement, the transient instability can be solved at same time not in conflict. Ink-jet line-width can be very stable and consistence, the line-width average is approximately 95.4 μm and the variation is approximately 2.5%. The printing PEDOT layer and the printing Green-PF layer above said PEDOT layer, it appeared a perfect film distribution in both.

Broadly Distributed Chemical Reactivity of Natural Antibodies Expressed in Coordination with Specific Antigen Binding Activity

Antibody (Ab) nucleophilic reactivity was studied using hapten and polypeptide antigens containing biotinylated phosphonate diester groups (covalently reactive antigen analogs, CRAs). Polyclonal IgG from healthy donors formed covalent adducts with a positively charged hapten CRA at levels superior to trypsin. Each of the 16 single chain Fv clones studied expressed a similar reactivity, indicating the V domain location of the nucleophiles and their broad distribution in diverse Abs. The formation of hapten CRA-Fv adducts was correlated with Fv proteolytic activity determined by cleavage of a model peptide substrate. Despite excellent nucleophilicity, proteolysis by IgG proceeded at lower rates than trypsin, suggesting that events occurring after nucleophilic attack on the substrate limit the rate of Ab proteolysis. The extracellular domain of the epidermal growth factor receptor with phosphonate diester groups at Lys side chains and a synthetic peptide corresponding to residues 421- 431 of human immunodeficiency virus glycoprotein (gp) 120 with the phosphonate diester at the C terminus formed covalent adducts with specific polyclonal and monoclonal Abs raised by immunization with epidermal growth factor receptor and synthetic gp120-(421- 436) devoid of phosphonate diester groups, respectively. Adduct formation was inhibited by extracellular domain of the epidermal growth factor receptor (exEGFB) and synthetic gp120-(421- 436) devoid of phosphonate groups, suggesting that the nucleophiles are located within the antigen binding sites. These results suggest the innate character of the Ab nucleophilic reactivity, its functional coordination with non-covalent adaptive binding interactions developing over the course of B cell maturation, and novel routes toward permanent inhibition of Abs.

Electrochemical characterization of high-surface-area catalysts and other nanoscale electroactive materials at sticky-carbon electrodes

Direct quantitative electroanalysis of submilligram quantities of nanoscale, high-surface-area electroactive powders is achieved by hand-pressing the solids onto the surface of a carbon–wax composite electrode. Since this ‘sticky carbon’ method does not require solvents or polymer binders to create electrode structures, such as cast films, one may now examine the innate electrochemical character of nanoscale materials. Electrode preparation with sticky carbon is rapid and simple and offers a convenient means to screen high-surface-area electrode materials whose inherently high RC time constants can compromise the resolution of the faradaic information. The effects on the electrochemical character of electrocatalysts, active materials in batteries, electrochromic materials, etc., of the common constituents (e.g. solvents, polymer binders, ionomers) and processes/forces (temperatures, pressures) necessary to create practical electrode structures may now be methodically explored.

GaN-based blue laser diodes

We report our recent progress on GaN-based high-power laser diodes (LDs),which will be applied as a light source in high-density optical storagesystems. We have developed raised-pressure metal-organic chemical vapourdeposition (RP-MOCVD), which can reduce the threading-dislocation density inthe GaN layer to several times 108 cm-2, and demonstratedcontinuous-wave (cw) operation of GaN-based LD grown by RP-MOCVD. Furthermore,we found that the epitaxial lateral overgrowth (ELO) technique is useful forfurther reducing threading-dislocation density to 106 cm-2and reducing the roughness of the cleaved facet. By using this growthtechnique and optimizing device parameters, the lifetime of LDs was improvedto more than 1000 hours under 30 mW cw operation at 60 °C. Our resultsproved that reducing both threading-dislocation density and consumption poweris a valid approach to realizing a practical GaN-based LD. On the other hand,the practical GaN-based LD was obtained when threading-dislocation density inELO-GaN was only reduced to 106 cm-2, which is a relatively smallreduction as compared with threading-dislocation density in GaAs- andInP-based LDs. We believe that the multiplication of non-radiative centres isvery slow in GaN-based LDs, possibly due to the innate character of theGaN-based semiconductor itself.

Language and Reality: An Introduction to the Philosophy of Language (review)

Reviewed by: Language and reality: An introduction to the philosophy of language by Michael Devitt, Kim Sterelny Luis Alonso-Ovalle Language and reality: An introduction to the philosophy of language. By Michael Devitt and Kim Sterelny. 2nd edn. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press, 1999. Pp. xiii, 342. Michael Devitt and Kim Sterelny’s introduction to the philosophy of language was first published more than a decade ago. On that occasion, the preface presented the work as intended, ‘primarily, but not solely’, to be a textbook. The very same aim prevails in this second edition, which, despite numerous profitable changes, maintains the general axes of content and form of the first. As in the first edition, the authors organize the material without any pretense of neutrality: their realist and naturalist perspective still pervades the whole book. D & S are realists in that they claim that the world exists objectively. They are naturalists both in that they reject the idea that philosophical knowledge [End Page 188] is a priori and in that they claim that physical objects and processes are all that exist. The book surveys the relationships between language and reality, on the one hand, and language and thought on the other, and includes some further discussion on the place and role of the philosophy of language within the philosophical building. After a brief introduction on the nature of the phenomena to be explored, Part 2 begins wondering about the relation between language and reality by focusing on the problem of meaning and reference. There is an emphasis on the truth-referential theory of meaning, by which the truth conditions of a sentence depend on the referential properties of its elements together with the way they are combined (Frege’s insight). Part 3 focuses on the relation between language and thought, suggesting that it should be considered somewhat ‘symbiotic’: The authors argue for both the hypothesis that thought is language-like and for the relative independence of language with respect to thought. Within Part 3, Ch. 8 will be of special interest for linguists since it is devoted to the notion of linguistic competence. Interestingly enough, D & S remain dubious of the idea that grammatical rules play an important role in language processing and look critically at the alleged innate character of certain linguistic principles. Part 4 explores the relation between theories of language and the metaphysical doctrine of realism, according to which the objects of our environment exist independently of us and our thoughts. The main point of the authors here is that, since a realist metaphysics has a more secure epistemic foundation than any theory of language, it has to take precedence over whatever metaphysics of any other kind a theory of language assumes. Metaphysics should override linguistic assumptions. Despite maintaining the general flavor of the first edition, there are important changes in this second one. The material on causal theories of reference and their competitors has changed substantially and so have issues dealing with a speaker’s linguistic and conceptual competence. Linguists will be delighted to see that the views on the role of a Chomskyan theory of grammar within a theory of mind and meaning have been completely reworked. The authors argue that developing a theory of sentence structure is a different task from that of explaining the speaker’s ability to understand and produce those sentences. Therefore, a good theory of sentence structure is not necessarily a good theory of linguistic competence. The book is a most welcome updated introduction to the philosophy of language, useful for anyone interested in dealing with the basics and beyond and of special value for readers coming from such related disciplines as formal semantics or artificial intelligence. The book is also pedagogically outstanding. The use of asterisks to mark off more difficult sections is retained from the first edition as are the suggested reading sections that accompany each chapter. Both will help those who decide to tackle the subtleties of the philosophical argumentation on the domain of language. Luis Alonso-Ovalle University of Massachusetts, Amherst Copyright © 2001 Linguistic Society of America

Effects of deafening on the temporal pattern of vocalizations in the budgerigarMelopsittacus undulatus

The physical characteristics of vocalization were examined in budgerigars (Melopsittacus undulatus) deafened at the age of about 28 days. Autocorrelation was used in the analysis, with 2 parameters: 1) inter-element intervals and 2) amplitudes of all sound elements of the vocalization. The deafened birds developed the temporal pattern specific to normal warble song in autocorrelograms. However, abnormalities were found in the frequency spectrum of elements. The temporal pattern of warble song might be an innate character, because auditory feedback is unnecessary for its development.

Graduate school: the movie

Graduate school: the movie

『神秘の花園』<i>Golshan-e raz</i> のイラン文化史的位相

The mystical speech in its proper sense is created only through real, profound mystical experiences which mystics with innate unyielding character have in a dynamic tention between God and themselves. Under the social oppression in the Iranian cultural environment were Persian mystics obliged to interprete their unconventional speech into metaphor without any social contexts.The present paper examines the significant properties of the metaphorical expressions found in a Persian metaphysical poem, Golshan-e raz, composed by an Azerbaijan mystical philosopher Mahmud-e Shabestari (d. 1320).In the historical perspective of Persian literature, it can be said that this work does not only present the doctrine of the Unity of Being in a poetical manner, but also shows the malamatiye tendency, especially in its intentional usage of a series of blasphemous words (e. g., kofr, bot, kharabat, etc. ) of anti-Divine Law (shar'). Those ideas and expressions have widely been disseminated by certain malamatiye mystic groups in some Persian mystical poems since the 12th century.In this paper, from the standpoint of intellectual history, special attention is paid to the analysis of the paradoxical system of opposites seen in this work that Shabestari deliberately inherited from a Persian mystic, 'Ein al-Qozat-e Hamadani (d. 1131), who had articulated this paradoxical, dialectical discourse in an attractive way in his Tamhidat.

Ressemblances et dissemblances au sein de couples gemmellaires

This study belongs to the current of research using the method of twins. It aims at assessing the relative importance of genetic factors and nosological influences in the determination of personality components, and the fluctuations of their interaction as a function of the chronological variable. Besides an intelligence test (Raven's Progressive Matrices, two personality tests were used. The latter were projective techniques, one verbal (Rorschach's test) and one kinesigraphic (Mira y Lopez's MPK test). They were given to 28 pairs of monozygotic twins (MZ) and to 27 pairs of dizygotic twins (DZ) with equal proportion of both sexes. The subjects were grouped into two age classes : 14 to 22 and 25 to 65 years. It is at level of intellectual processes that the character of inneity appears at best : for the Progressive Matrix, the differences between raw scores for MZ partners are significant less of intelligence than those for DZ partners. However, with aging the type important is increasingly submitted to environmental factors. Intratension and extratension, as evaluated by the MKP test, as well as introversivity and extraversivity, as evaluated by the Rorschach test, also constitute dimensions of personality the innate character of which appears obvious : deviations for young MZ partners are significanttly less important than those existing for their homologous DZ partners. A certain amount of other dimensions of personality such as aggressivity emotional control, inhibition, possesses on the contrary a genetic determinism that is overshadowed by other intervening factors : significant differences are found for MZ adults only. These results are discussed with reference to the opinion that at the adolescence - a period of crisis - the twin bond especially of the MZ kine would constitute a powerful nosological force leading to differentiation from the partner.

The Historical Development of the Concept of Intelligence

In the historical development of capitalism differing conceptions of the foundations for social classes appear. During the phase of competitive capitalism, faculty psychology dominated the thinking of theoreticians. Its prin cipal postulate was that industriousness socially categorized individuals but that the human mind was more or less equally perceptive. In the period of monopoly capitalism an entirely new ideological conception of social relations arose. That conception was intelligence, a central theme within the pragmatism of James and Dewey. Intelligence was intended to dissolve the class struggle which intensified in the period of monopoly capitalism. The essence of intelligence is an inward- looking individualism that negated struggle as the basis for social change. In stead, intelligence postulated the irrationality of attempting to change society since society was nothing more than a sum total of an innate character, intelli gence. Lastly, intelligence was an ideological form that reflected the social rela tions of production. As such the practical application of the ideological concept, i.e., I.Q. testing, reinforced a consciousness corresponding to monopoly capital ist society.