cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Control of lymphocyte homing

The expression of immunity, both protective and pathologic, is critically dependent on the appropriate distribution of 'lymphoid resources' among the tissues of the body. The 'homing' mechanisms mediating this distribution have proven to have an astounding plasticity--directing, under strict microenvironmental control, the selective recruitment of specific lymphocyte subsets to the various secondary lymphoid tissues and extralymphoid immune effector sites. The past year has seen significant progress in our understanding in three areas: the molecular basis of lymphocyte interactions with endothelium, providing new insight into the complex multistep process of lymphocyte extravasation; the role of extravascular matrix and cells in retaining lymphocytes within tissues; and the mechanisms by which local microenvironments differentially regulate adhesion molecule expression and function so as to provide for site-selective lymphocyte homing.
Eagle-eye: a near-optimal statistical framework for noise sensor placement

The relentless technology scaling has led to significantly reduced noise margin and complicated functionalities. As such, design time techniques per se are less likely to ensure power integrity, resulting in runtime voltage emergencies. To alleviate the issue, recently several works have shed light on the possibilities of dynamic noise management systems. Most of these works rely on on-chip noise sensors to accurately capture voltage emergencies. However, they all assume, either implicitly or explicitly, that the placement of the sensors is given. It remains an open problem in the literature how to optimally place a given number of noise sensors for best voltage emergency detection. In this paper, we formally define the problem of noise sensor placement along with a novel sensing quality metric (SQM) to be maximized. We then put forward an efficient algorithm to solve it, which is proved to be optimal in the class of polynomial complexity approximations. Experimental results on a set of industrial power grid designs show that compared with a simple average-noise based heuristic and two state-of-the-art temperature sensor placement algorithms aiming at recovering the full map or capturing the hot spots at all times, the proposed method on average can reduce the miss rate of voltage emergency detections by 7.4x, 15x and 6.2x, respectively.
Cracking in Alloy 600/182 Reactor Vessel Head Penetrations

During the last fourteen months (December 2000 through February 2002), a large effort has been expended in examining and repairing cracks in reactor vessel head penetrations on the three Oconee reactor vessel closure heads. It is a typical maintenance practice during refueling outages to inspect the top of the head to detect flange leaks or other sources of boron on the top of the head. These inspections also meet requirements imposed by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission in response to numerous leaks in alloy 600 components throughout the nuclear industry [1]. When leaks were first detected, inspections and repairs of the Oconee heads resulted in large radiation doses and long outages. Each subsequent outage has shown improvement in both dose and execution time for the repairs. Metallurgical examinations have confirmed the mechanism of cracking and industry efforts have resulted in improvements in the technologies of both inspection and repair. The results of some of the metallurgical examinations are presented along with a description of some of the improvements in welding and inspection.Copyright © 2002 by ASME
The education of Ehrenfried Walther von Tschirnhaus (1651–1708)

Ehrenfried Walther von Tschirnhaus, mathematician, inventor, and correspondent of Spinoza, is often thought to have studied medicine at Leiden, though documentation of this fact has been lacking. Tschirnhaus' medical education is here documented, along with the nature of his medical practice.
Surface modification of microfluidic channels by UV-mediated graft polymerization of non-fouling and ‘smart’ polymers

Abstract Microfluidic channels prepared from polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) have been modified by UV-mediated graft polymerization of temperature-responsive polymers (poly[N-isopropyl acrylamide] or pNIPAAm), temperature- and pH-responsive copolymers (P[NIPAAm-co-acrylic acid (AAc)]), and a non-fouling hydrogel (polyethyleneglycol diacrylate, or PEGDA). This was done by presorbing a photosensitizer (PS) within the PDMS channel surface regions, contacting the different monomer solutions with the PS-containing surface under nitrogen, and irradiating with UV. The pNIPAAm-grafted surface was hydrophilic below its lower critical solution temperature (LCST), resisting non-specific adsorption, while it was hydrophobic above its LCST, now binding pNIPAAm-coated nanoparticles. Combined temperature- and pH-responsive surfaces were also prepared by UV radiation grafting a monomer mixture of pNIPAAm with AAc. The surfaces have been characterized by advancing water contact angle measurements. These smart microfluidic channels should be useful for many applications such as affinity separations and diagnostic assays.
Dynamic model of nutrification in Huntington Bay, New York

Abstract A dynamic simulation model of nutrification with respect to phytoplankton and zooplankton levels in Huntington Bay is developed. The validity of relationships used by previous researchers in freshwater environments is tested under marine conditions. Nutrients are modelled, and it is shown that nitrogen is the limiting nutrient in the bay. Phosphorus is not found to be limiting.
Resolving component deployment & configuration challenges for enterprise DRE systems via frameworks & generative techniques

Component-based software engineering (CBSE) is increasingly being adopted for large-scale software systems, particularly for enterprise distributed real-time and embedded (DRE) systems. One of the most challenging-and often most neglected-problems in CBSE for enterprise DRE systems is the system (re)deployment and (re)configuration (D&C) process, where the increasing heterogeneity and versatility of application domains requires supports for an unprecedented level of configurability and adaptability. Existing D&C technologies suffer from two major problems: (1) insufficient module-level reusability and ability to evolve in the face of functionality evolution and diversification due to the interaction of too many orthogonal concerns imposed by a wide range of application requirements and (2) significant inherent and accidental complexities stemming from inadequate design tools. To address these problems, my research focuses on improving both computing performance and human productivity associated with the D&C of component-based enterprise DRE systems. To improve computing performance, my research has systematically identified bottlenecks with conventional D&C approaches and provides an aspect-oriented approach to decouple "extrinsic" orthogonal D&C concerns from "intrinsic" core D&C infrastructure, thereby enabling different crosscutting D&C concerns to be weaved independently to create a light-weight, highly optimized and extensible D&C infrastructure. To improve human performance, my research provides model-driven tools and analysis techniques to alleviate key inherent and accidental complexities in the D&C process.
Analyses of genetic variants of L-glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase in Drosophila melanogaster by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis and immunoelectrophoresis.

A protein spot corresponding to l-glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (α-GPDH, E.C. 1.1.1.8, NAD+ oxidoreductase) has been identified on a two-dimensional gel (isoelectric focusing-SDS gel) containing up to 150 stained protein spots from a crude Drosophila homogenate. Preliminary identification of the α-GPDH spot was made by including a suitable amount of purified Drosophila α-GPDH in crude fly homogenates prior to electrophoresis and observing an intensity enhancement of the corresponding protein spot on the gels. When three purified electrophoretic variants (slow, fast, and ultrafast) were mixed and analyzed by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis, horizontal displacements of the three protein spots were observed. Immunoprecipitation of the enzyme prior to electrophoresis and gene mapping further confirmed the identity of the α-GPDH protein spot. The α-GPDH spot can also be detected by autoradiography of a two-dimensional gel from a single fly extract, where it has been estimated to constitute 0.5–1% of the total soluble protein. Mutants which express no apparent α-GPDH activity were analyzed by two-dimensional gels and immunoelectrophoresis in an attempt to identify and characterize the inactive proteins. It is suggested that these techniques provide a powerful tool for the analysis of CRM+-null activity mutants of a specific gene-enzyme system.
Non-parabolicity and transverse mass of electron carriers in silicon

Abstract It is shown that band structure effects give a small but not negligible contribution to the transverse cyclotron mass enhancement in silicon [100] field effect transistor devices. For carrier concentrations of about 8 × 1012 electrons per cm2 the mass increases by approximately Δm ∗ = 0.005 , i.e. 2.4%. In opposition to the many-body corrections, the band structure enhancement increases with concentration.
Differential expression of proliferative, cytoskeletal, and adhesive proteins during postnatal development of the hamster submandibular gland

Although the submandibular gland (SMG) plays important exocrine and endocrine roles, little is known about the molecular details underlying its development. Previously, we reported that in the postnatally developing hamster SMG, GPT, the protein product of the first N-glycosylation gene, ALG7, was an in vivo marker for salivary cell proliferation. Here we investigated the proliferative, cytoskeletal, and adhesive changes during SMG postnatal development. The cellular localization and abundance of GPT, filamentous actin, and β1 integrin receptor were examined using confocal microscopy and immunoblotting. In neonatal glands, high GPT levels marked extensive cell proliferation throughout the tissue. The apical regions of immature salivary cells displayed intense actin staining, while most of the β1 integrin was diffusely distributed throughout the tissue. As development proceeded, discrete regions of the gland expressed attenuated levels of GPT, an increased organization of actin to the cell cortex, and β1 integrin to the basal lamina. In the adult SMG, differentiated salivary cells displayed low levels of GPT and actin. While the abundance of β1 integrin remained unchanged throughout development, in the adult, it was found exclusively in regions where cells contact the basal lamina. These data indicate that SMG development entails regionalized cell proliferation and polarization, and that these processes are temporally and spatially coordinated with the establishment of stable cell-substratum interactions.
Antibody response following injection with M. tuberculosis.

SummaryLive Mycobacterium tuberculosis injected intravenously into rabbits produced higher titers of hemagglutination (HA) and hemagglutination lysis (HL) antibodies than were obtained using phenol-killed or heat-killed M. tuberculosis. In guinea pigs, injection of 106 cells of M. tuberculosis, either intracardially or intraperitoneally, resulted in HA or HL antibody, whereas antibody was not produced by animals injected with lower doses. HA or HL antibody was not produced by subcutaneous injection of live organisms.Serum obtained from guinea pigs three weeks after intracardial injection of M. tuberculosis strain H37Rv was used to determine the immunoglobulin class of antibody responsible for the HA and HL reaction. Only 19S immunoglobulin could be associated with this antibody activity.
Job Proximity and Accessibility for Workers of Various Wage Groups

This research proposes two indexes, job proximity and accessibility, to measure workers' location advantage by residences with respect to their job markets. Job proximity is designed to capture the spatial separation between residents and jobs. Job accessibility measures one's ability to overcome such separation as may be affected by transportation means, road network, congestion, and intensity of competition for jobs among workers. The research compares the two measures among workers of various wage levels in an attempt to reveal who has the greatest advantage in job access and whether job access is a spatial or nonspatial issue. In Cleveland in 1990, the mean wage rate of 30,000 was a critical turning point: below this level, the higher the mean wage rate in a residential area, the farther the area was away from jobs; above this level, the trend is reversed. In other words, below a wage threshold, workers tend to trade better and more spacious housing (usually farther away from jobs) for more commuting;...
Excimer laser exacerbation of Avellino corneal dystrophy

We review the clinical, histopathological, and ultrastructural findings and DNA phenotyping of a patient with Avellino corneal dystrophy exacerbated by laser in situ keratomileusis. The findings are reported and interpreted in the context of a literature review. The case highlights the possible difficulty of recognizing subtle dystrophic findings, as well as the importance of avoiding refractive surgical intervention in patients with Avellino corneal dystrophy to avoid exacerbation of dystrophic deposits in the cornea and subsequent reduction in vision.
Automated detection of methanol vapour by open path Fourier transform infrared spectrometry

Abstract Signal processing techniques are developed to detect the presence of methanol vapour in an open path Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) measurement. An automated detection algorithm is implemented through the direct application of digital filtering and pattern recognition methods to short segments of FTIR interferograms. To test the data analysis methodology, a pollutant source of methanol vapour is simulated by the use of open air active bistatic, passive terrestrial, and passive laboratory spectrometer configurations. Approximately 30,000 interferograms collected from these experiments are used in optimizing and testing the digital filtering and pattern recognition techniques. Interferogram segment lengths ranging from 40 to 150 points are evaluated, along with different segment starting positions and filter bandpass widths. Interferogram segments as short as 40 points (0.01 cm optical retardation) are found to yield detection percentages approaching 100%. These results are achieved while maintaining an extremely low rate of false detections (0.5%).
A Fluid/Solid Model for Predicting Slender Body Deflection in a Moving Fluid

An analytical solution is presented for the steady-periodic shape variation of a thin elastic beam subject to fluid mechanic forces and driven by the motion imposed on its ends. The general solution is applicable to such problems as swim fins and aerodynamic flutter, with the proper choice of boundary conditions. The general results are exemplified here by using specific boundary conditions that mimic the motion of swim fins. The calculated instantaneous shape, position, slopes, and lateral velocities of the fin are compared with corresponding measurements taken from underwater video of fins worn by divers swimming at a controlled speed. The analysis revealed new swim technique parameters that characterise the heel slope and its phase with respect to the heel motion. The calculated power, thrust, and Froude efficiency are presented in terms of these parameters.
Simple electronic speckle-shearing-pattern interferometer

A simple electronic speckle-shearing-pattern interferometer, in which the image of an object is focused and sheared with a split lens onto a diffuser, is described. The sheared images on the diffuser are focused by a television camera and then digitized and processed in a host computer. The results obtained for two basic types of shearing, lateral and radial, are presented.
An Autopsy Study of Cerebrovascular Accident in Diabetes Mellitus

A two-part study has been presented dealing with a comparison of cerebrovascular accident (CVA) as between diabetic and nondiabetic subjects. In the first part it has been shown that the frequency of CVA is increased in diabetes. While cerebral hemorrhage occurs slightly more commonly in the nondiabetic group, cerebral infarction and focal encephalomalacia occur about 1.5 times more frequently in the diabetic group. In the second part a comparison has been made of the frequency of hemodynamic, inflammatory, atheromatous, thrombotic, and proliferative vascular disease between 75 cases of diabetes and 77 nondiabetic subjects. It has been shown that hemodynamic disease of small intraparenchymal cerebral vessels occurs more frequently in the diabetic group, but the increase is of essentially the same order of magnitude as the increase in the frequency of hypertension in diabetes. No significant difference between the two groups was found as regards the frequency of inflammatory, atheromatous, or thrombotic va...
Techniques for estimating test length under random test

When a circuit is tested using random or pseudorandom patterns, it is essential to determine the amount of time (test length) required to test it adequately. We present a methodology for predicting different statistics of random pattern test length. While earlier methods allowed estimation only of upper bounds of test length and only for exhaustive fault coverage, the technique presented here is capable of providing estimates of all statistics of interest (including expected value and variance) for all coverage specifications.
Vanadium [dicyanoperfluorostilbene]2·yTHF: a molecule-based magnet with Tc≈ 205 K

A new radical anionic bridging ligand, derived from the in situ reduction of α,α′-dicyanoperfluorostilbene, is reported to support ferrimagnetic ordering below 205 K in a three-dimensional vanadium-based coordination polymer.
The structure of singularities in space-times with torsion

An analysis of the extension of the Hawking-Penrose singularity theorem to Riemann-Cartan U4 space-times with torsion and spin density is undertaken. The minimal coupling principle in U4 is used to formulate a new expression for the convergence condition autoparallels in Einstein-Cartan theory. The Godel model with torsion is given as an example.
A MALDI-TOF MS method for the simultaneous and quantitative analysis of neutral and sialylated glycans of CHO-expressed glycoproteins

Abstract The development of a MALDI-TOF MS method for the quantitative analysis of the glycosylation of CHO-expressed biotherapeutic glycoproteins shall be presented. The method utilizes a well-established chemistry, reductive amination of glycans, to derivatize glycans with either a light analog ( 12 C 7 anthranilic acid) or a heavy analog ( 13 C 7 anthranilic acid) to allow for the direct comparison of the alternately-labeled glycans by MALDI-TOF MS. The method allows for the simultaneous analysis of neutral and sialylated glycans and displays a linear dynamic range over two orders of magnitude with sub-picomolar sensitivity. Additionally, because the glycans are derivatized with anthranilic acid, which is a very sensitive fluorophore, the glycans can be analyzed by chromatography with fluorescence detection. The need for this type of method is highlighted by the biotechnology/biopharmaceutical industry’s continuous drive towards fully understanding process control. By providing this type of quantitative data, glycosylation changes of the expressed protein can be easily observed thereby helping to further advance the understanding of a major aspect of the biopharmaceutical process.
Effect of chronic administration of a new potent agonist of GH-RH(1-29) NH2 on linear growth and GH responsiveness in rats

Abstract The effects of a repeated or continuous administration of a potent agonistic analog of growth hormone-releasing hormone (GH-RH), [Dat 1 , Thr 8 , Orn 12,21 , Abu 15 , Nle 27 , Asp 28 , Agm 29 ] hGH-RH(1–29) (JI-36), on the linear growth and the GH responses to bolus injections of GH-RH(1–29)NH 2 were investigated in male rats about 7 weeks old. Body weight and tail length were monitored. Basal serum GH and IGF-I concentrations and GH responses to GH-RH(1–29)NH 2 were measured by RIA. Chronic administration of GH-RH agonist JI-36 by continuous release from osmotic minipumps at the rate of 0.2 μg/h or twice daily injections of 0.5 and 5 7gmg/rat for 4 weeks significantly speeded up the growth of rats as measured by the tail length. The acceleration of growth was similar in the 3 groups and was associated with stimulation of IGF-I secretion. The GH response to bolus injection of GH-RH(1–29)NH 2 was preserved in all groups and no attentuation of the response occurred in rats treated for 4 weeks with agonist JI-36 as compared with the control group. Our results indicate that chronic administration of GH-RH agonist JI-36 significantly increases the growth rate without affecting somatotroph responsiveness in rats. It is therefore likely that this class of GH-RH agonists may be useful clinically.
Some Elementary Properties of SIR Networks or, Can I Get Sick because You Got Vaccinated?

We consider epidemics on social networks and address the question of whether administering a safe vaccine to one or more individuals can raise another individual's chances of becoming infected. Surprisingly, this can happen if transmission probabilities vary over time. If transmission probabilities do not vary with time, we show that in the discrete SIR model vaccination cannot cause collateral damage. We phrase this question in terms of monotonicity properties and answer it using bond percolation methods. By passing to a covering graph we are able to extend these results to models with more complicated latent and infective states.
Studies of action of acids and bases on porcine submaxillary mucin.

Abstract Porcine submaxillary mucin (PSM) as prepared by the method developed in this laboratory showed strong blood group A activity. Much of this property was lost by treatment with dilute acids. Acid hydrolysis studies with organic and mineral acids did not confirm specific and extensive cleavage of fucose from PSM, but the sialic acid component could be removed specifically. Alkaline hydrolysis and simultaneous borohydride reduction removed over 90% of the carbohydrate residues. During this process the serine and threonine glycosidic linkages to hexosamine were cleaved by the β-elimination reaction. This was demonstrated by reduction procedures which showed that the carbohydrate side chains linked to threonine could be removed and detected by the conversion of 70% threonine to α-aminobutyric acid and 90% as serine conversion to alanine. At least 85% of the hydroxyamino acids appeared to be involved in glycosidic linkage with the oligosaccharide side chains. Hydrolysis of PSM by proteolytic enzymes such as trypsin, pepsin, papain was of the order of 5–10%, whereas pronase produced more extensive cleavage.
Using Cytogenetic Rearrangements for Cancer Prognosis and Treatment (Pharmacogenetics)

Chromosomal rearrangements including translocations, deletions, inversions, and insertions are common genetic alterations in cancer. Over 1,000 recurrent chromosome rearrangements have been reported so far in different human tumors ( http://cgap.nci.nih.gov/Chromosomes/Mitelman ). Most of these chromosome rearrangements are associated with specific tumor types and bear distinctive diagnostic and prognostic significance. Molecular characterization of these rearrangements has revealed numerous cancer genes, including novel fusion genes, and their normal and aberrant interactions involved in tumorigenesis, and has identified myriad therapeutic targets. With the help of advanced high-throughput technologies, many cryptic chromosome rearrangements undetectable by conventional cytogenetics have recently been discovered and delineated. The understanding of the mechanisms responsible for the formation of recurrent chromosome rearrangements and their biological functions has led to novel treatment regimens that target tumor cells specifically, with minimal impact to normal cells. Here, we review common recurrent chromosome rearrangements in both hematopoietic malignancies and solid tumors, and their clinical significance, with a focus on acquired fusion genes and their therapeutic implications (i.e., pharmacogenetics).
The information-based organization: new dimensions for the public manager

Public management education should reflect the tremendous organizational changes brought about by information technologies and their applications. Increasing penetration of information technologies and the need for well-considered approaches to use those technologies will pose new opportunities and obstacles for public managers. This paper describes three key skill areas for curriculum consideration: information technology management, information management, and human resource management.
Augmentation of Pituitary Responsiveness to Luteinizing Hormone/Follicle Stimulating Hormone-Releasing Factor (LH-RF) as a Result of Acute Ovariectomy i n the Four-day Cyclic Rat

Within 6 h of ovariectomy in adult rats with 4-day estrous cycles, plasma FSH titers were significantly elevated above those of sham-operated controls at all stages of the estrous cycle, whereas plasma LH concentrations were raised by ovariectomy only during diestrus day 2, proestrus or estrus. A single intravenous injection of a partially purified extract of ovine stalk-median eminence tissue (LH-RF) into sham-operated control rats or incubation of pituitaries from similar rats with the same releasing factor extract elevated LH and FSH output at all stages of the cycle. This response to LH-RF was related to the stage of the estrous cycle, maximal pituitary responsiveness occurring on proestrus. Ovariectomy 6 h before administration of LH-RF significantly augmented pituitary LH and FSH responsiveness both in vivo and in vitro. This elevation in hypophyseal responsiveness observed in vitro followed a cyclic pattern which could be superimposed on the normal cyclic changes in pituitary responsiveness, wherea...
Tactile illusion-produced number perception in blind and sighted persons.

Objective To determine whether tactile receptive communication is possible in both sighted and blind persons through the use of a mechanical device that creates the perception of continuous contact through sequential points of vibration on the skin and whether the ability of these two groups differs. Material and Methods The cohort consisted of 20 sighted and 20 blind subjects who had no prior exposure to a tactile communication device that produces a tactile illusion. Each subject was presented number sequences created by the tactile illusion in the form of single-digit, three-digit, and four-digit sequences, and the number of trials needed for correct identification was recorded. Results On average, the sighted subjects tended to identify the digit sequences sooner than did the blind subjects by almost one trial; however, this difference was not statistically significant. Younger subjects and female subjects also tended to identify the digit sequences sooner. Nevertheless, the overall correlation between age and number of trials across all replications was relatively minor. Conclusion Tactile receptive communication is possible through the use of a mechanical device used to create tactile illusions. The tactile illusion of numbers is equally perceived by blind and sighted persons.
Stereochemical control of yeast reductions. 6. Diastereoselectivity of 2-alkyl-3-oxobutanoate oxido-reductases.

Abstract Two L-oxido-reductases, designated as L-enzyme 1 and L-enzyme 2, purified from bakers' yeast catalyzed the reduction of 2-alkyl-3-oxobutanoates using NADPH as the coenzyme to furnish carbinols of the L-configuration ( ee = 0.98). The L-enzyme 2 (MW 36,000) has a more relaxed substrate specificity than L-enzyme 1 (MW 74,000). With the exception of 2-methyl-3-oxobutanoate, L-enzyme 1 and 2 exhibited opposite chiral preferences relative to the C-2 substituent to yield the anti(2S,3S)- and the syn(2R,3S)-isomer respectively. The degree of diastereoselectivity depends on the C-2 substituent but not on the size of the ester grouping for L-enzyme 1. In contrast, the diastereoselectivity of L-enzyme 2 is not affected by the size of C-2 alkyl substituent and ester groupings. The kinetic parameters of the purified enzymes are consistent with the stereochemical outcome of intact bakers' yeast reductions in that L-enzyme 1 is the dominant enzyme in competitive reductions.
A dual chamber for comparative studies using the brain slice preparation

Abstract 1. 1. A dual linear-flow chamber for comparative studies using brain slices is described. 2. 2. Electrophysiological and ultrastructural analysis of rat hippocampal slices incubated in the chamber showed that its two compartments allows performance of reliable paired comparison studies in a highly efficient manner.
Effects of diazepam and triazolam on auditory and visual thresholds and reaction times in the baboon.

Adult male baboons were trained on a psychophysical procedure that measured detection thresholds and reaction times for pure tone and white light stimuli. Intramuscular injections of diazepam or triazolam were given 30 min before session onset; stimulus intensity was randomly varied from trial to trial, and four to five estimates of sensory thresholds and reaction times were obtained throughout each session. Diazepam produced dose-related elevations of both auditory and visual thresholds and reaction times. Effects of a single high dose of diazepam were apparent 4–5 days after administration. Triazolam was approximately 100 times more potent than diazepam in elevating reaction times and visual threholds, but did not elevate auditory thresholds. There were no residual effects of triazolam on the day after dosing. These results suggest that diazepam and triazolam produce qualitatively similar effects on basic psychophysical function, but that they can be differentiated on the basis of sensory modality changes and post-drug recovery time.
Estimation of the complex shear modulus in tissue-mimicking materials from optical vibrometry measurements

This study deals with the development of an optimization-based technique for the identification of viscoelastic shear modulus in soft tissue specimens using ultrasound radiation force and optical vibrometry measurements. In the experiment, a tissue-mimicking phantom is submerged in water and excited harmonically via radiation force of modulated ultrasound, while the gel's response is monitored (in terms of particle velocity) by a laser vibrometer targeting the exposed surface of the specimen. For a systematic approach to the problem, the tissue's viscoelastic modulus is sought via gradient-based minimization of a Bayesian cost function, aided by a boundary integral equation treatment of the solid–fluid vibration problem and semi-analytical computation of the material sensitivities of the misfit function. Through an independent motion tracking of the load transferring component, the proposed technique also allows (by way of the reconstructed shear modulus) for an independent estimation of the acoustic radi...
Influence of recent bark beetle outbreak on fire severity and postfire tree regeneration in montane Douglas-fir forests.

Understanding how disturbances interact to shape ecosystems is a key challenge in ecology. In forests of western North America, the degree to which recent bark beetle outbreaks and subsequent fires may be linked (e.g., outbreak severity affects fire severity) and/ or whether these two disturbances produce compound effects on postfire succession is of widespread interest. These interactions remain unresolved, largely because field data from actual wildfires following beetle outbreaks are lacking. We studied the 2008 Gunbarrel Fire, which burned 27 200 ha in Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii ) forests that experienced a bark beetle outbreak 4-13 years prefire (''gray stage,'' after trees have died and needles have dropped), to determine whether outbreak severity influenced subsequent fire severity and postfire tree regeneration. In 85 sample plots we recorded prefire stand structure and outbreak severity; multiple measures of canopy and forest-floor fire severity; and postfire tree seedling density. Prefire outbreak severity was not related to any measure of fire severity except for mean bole scorch, which declined slightly with increasing outbreak severity. Instead, fire severity varied with topography and burning conditions (proxy for weather at time of fire). Postfire Douglas-fir regeneration was low, with tree seedlings absent in 65% of plots. Tree seedlings were abundant in plots of low fire severity that also had experienced low outbreak severity (mean ¼ 1690 seedlings/ha), suggesting a dual filter on tree regeneration. Although bark beetles and fire collectively reduced live basal area to ,5% and increased snag density to .2000% of pre-outbreak levels, the lack of relationship between beetle outbreak and fire severity suggests that these disturbances were not linked. Nonetheless, effects on postfire tree regeneration suggest compound disturbance interactions that contribute to the structural heterogeneity characteristic of mid/lower montane forests.
An asynchronous time-stepping (ATS) integrator for atmospheric applications: Aerosol dynamics

Mixed time integration methods, also known as multiple time-step methods (MTS), have been proposed and implemented successfully to reduce the stiffness of problems in molecular dynamics and solid mechanics, where different time scales are used to integrate different motions or meshes. We apply the similar concept and develop an asynchronous time-stepping (ATS) integrator for atmospheric application. This paper first presents ATS as a generalized ordinary differential equation solver and describes its key components including: (1) global and local time management; (2) dynamic time-scale ordering; and (3) integration and iteration methods. Then we apply ATS to solve stiff problems in aerosol dynamics, where we further introduce several techniques such as grouping particulate species by particle sections to speed up computations. The comparisons between ATS and standard ODE solvers including LSODE, LSODES and VODE in aerosol dynamics simulation are presented, which show that ATS is robust and able to achieve a significant digit average (SDA) value of 2.0 to 3.0 while its speed is around 10 to 100 times faster than LSODE with equivalent accuracy. ATS has been implemented in CMAQ-UCD, a sectional, dynamic aerosol model built on USEPA's CMAQ platform.
A comparison of the effect of vanadate on the binding of myosin-subfragment-1.ADP to actin and on actomyosin subfragment 1 ATPase activity.

Equilibrium binding studies were used to determine the binding constant of vanadate ion (Vi), to the complex of actomyosin subfragment 1 (S1) with ADP and Vi and of actin to the myosin S1 · ADP · Vi complex. The proteins used were obtained from rabbit skeletal muscle. Pre-steady-state measurements were also performed to determine the rates of Vi association and dissociation from the actomyosin S1 · ADP · Vi complex. Using these measured values in a simple model, the steady-state actomyosin S1 ATPase activity was predicted over a range of Vi concentrations. This model predicted that Vi would have little effect on the actomyosin S1 ATPase activity. In agreement with this prediction, the measured ATPase activity of actomyosin S1 was not greatly inhibited by Vi, except at high concentrations at which polymeric species of Vi may occur (> 900 μM).
A Finite Renewal Algorithm for the Knapsack and Turnpike Models

The mathematical and algorithmic connections between the knapsack problem and a fundamental renewal-type problem are established. The renewal point of view leads to an efficient computational result and is based in part on an extension of a turnpike theorem shown by Gilmore and Gomory. The distribution of effort model is examined briefly by means of the renewal approach so as to add new insight to the mathematical structure of this problem.
The importance of sulphur3s̄ulphur bonding in the hydrodesulphurization process of thiophene, using transition metal sulphide catalysts

Abstract Transition metal sulphides are widely used as catalysts for the hydrodesulphurization (HDS) process of thiophene and related compounds. It is generally believed that, during adsorption of thiophene onto vacant sulphur sites on the surface of the catalyst, strong σ and π bonds are formed between the thiophene sulphur and catalyst metal atoms, with strong metal d and sulphur p character. From a series of scattered-wave electronic structure calculations on Ni-promoted MoS 2 —thiophene complexes for which the separation between the thiophene molecule and the catalyst is systematically varied, we show that metal—sulphur bonding is weak during adsorption. Strong interactions between the sulphur atom in thiophene and the sulphur atoms in the catalyst, operative at relatively large thiophene—catalyst separations, lead to weak binding of thiophene to the catalyst. A new mechanism for the adsorption of thiophene, not requiring sulphur vacancies on the surface of the catalyst, and based on sulphur—sulphur bonding, is proposed. It is shown that this adsorption mechanism can be an integral part of the overall HDS process if it occurs along the edges of (promoted) MoS 2 catalysts.
Production of glycerides from glycerol and fatty acid by immobilized lipases in non-aqueous media

Immobilized Mucor miehei lipase catalyzes synthesis reactions between glycerol and oleic acid. No organic solvent is necessary to solubilize the substrates, which allows for the use of a reaction medium solely composed of the necessary substrates. Water produced in the reaction evaporates due to the high temperature used for the process. A conversion of 86% of oleic acid into triolein is obtained when using the substrates in stoichiometric amounts. Varying the ratio of glycerol over oleic acid allows for the preferential synthesis of one of the glycerides. Some batch reactors have been set up using different means of removing the water: spontaneous evaporation, molecular sieves, vacuum, and dry air bubbling.
Carving Out the Niche: A Review of Alumni Surveys on Undergraduate Psychology Majors:

Information about psychology majors' activities after graduation is an important ingredient in the evaluation and renewal of undergraduate programs. In this article, we review the survey research on psychology alumni, analyzing the various survey objectives, samples, results, and program implementations. Based on this review, we make recommendations about the design of future studies, the role of APA's Educational Affairs Office, and the use of life-span development theory and methodology to refine future alumni research in undergraduate psychology.
Common hippocampal structural and functional changes in migraine

The hippocampus is classically involved in memory consolidation, spatial navigation and is involved in the stress response. Migraine is an episodic disorder characterized by intermittent attacks with a number of physiological and emotional stressors associated with or provoking each attack. Given that migraine attacks can be viewed as repeated stressors, alterations in hippocampal function and structure may play an important role in migraine pathophysiology. Using high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging, hippocampal morphometric and functional differences (in response to noxious heat stimulation) were compared in age and gender-matched acute episodic migraineurs with high (HF) versus low (LF) frequency of migraine attacks. Morphometric results were compared with age and gender-matched healthy control (HC) cohort. Significant larger bilateral hippocampal volume was found in LF group relative to the HF and HC groups suggestive of an initial adaptive plasticity that may then become dysfunctional with increased frequency. Functional correlates of greater deactivation (LF > HF) in the same hippocampal regions in response to noxious stimulation was also accompanied by overall reduction in functional connectivity of the hippocampus with other brain regions involved in pain processing in the HF group. The results implicate involvement of hippocampus in the pathophysiology of the migraine.
Structure-based design, synthesis by click chemistry and in vivo activity of highly selective A3 adenosine receptor agonists

2-Arylethynyl derivatives of (N)-methanocarba adenosine 5′-uronamides are selective A3AR (adenosine receptor) agonists. Here we substitute a 1,2,3-triazol-1-yl linker in place of the rigid, linear ethynyl group to eliminate its potential metabolic liability. Docking of nucleosides containing possible short linker moieties at the adenine C2 position using a hybrid molecular model of the A3AR (based on the A2AAR agonist-bound structure) correctly predicted that a triazole would maintain the A3AR selectivity, due to its ability to fit a narrow cleft in the receptor. The analogues with various N6 and C2-aryltriazolyl substitution were synthesized and characterized in binding (Ki at hA3AR 0.3–12 nM) and in vivo to demonstrate efficacy in controlling chronic neuropathic pain (chronic constriction injury). Among N6-methyl derivatives, a terminal pyrimidin-2-yl group in 9 (MRS7116) increased duration of action (36% pain protection at 3 h) in vivo. N6-Ethyl 5-chlorothien-2-yl analogue 15 (MRS7126) preserved in vivo efficacy (85% protection at 1 h) with short duration. Larger N6 groups, e.g.17 (MRS7138, >90% protection at 1 and 3 h), greatly enhanced in vivo activity. Thus, we have combined structure-based methods and phenotypic screening to identify nucleoside derivatives having translational potential.
Changes within the growth hormone/insulin-like growth factor I/IGF binding protein axis during critical illness.

Interest in the somatotropic axis, with its complex network of interactions, during critical illness arose only a few decades ago. The distinguishing neuroendocrine features of prolonged critical illness were not differentiated from those during the acute phase until the early 1990s. This incomplete understanding of the somatotropic axis contributed to some disastrous results, such as the multicenter growth hormone trial. The goal of stimulating the somatotropic axis without a proper preceding neuroendocrine diagnosis should be held obsolete. Moreover, the fascinating link between regulators of carbohydrate metabolism, such as insulin and insulin-like growth factor I, and the somatotropic axis may lead to future therapeutic possibilities.
Measuring Urban Communication: Frameworks and Methods for Developing the Criteria for the Urban Communication Foundation Communicative City Award

This article is a response to the Urban Communication Foundation's call for papers contributing to the development of criteria for a Communicative City Award. Drawing on the domains of Complex Systems Theory, Models of Global Structural Coupling and the Literature on Wicked Problems, the author presents a framework for evaluating proposed criteria. To support practical application of the Communicative City Program goals, the author suggests adapting the balanced scorecard methodology and including ideas from Bhutan's work on Gross National Happiness indicators. The article concludes with a preliminary design for a Communicative City Balanced Scorecard intended to trigger additional suggestions and further collaboration.
Next-best-view algorithm for object reconstruction

The goal of sensor planning in 3D object reconstruction is to acquire enough 2D information about an object to create a 3D model of that object. This requires the acquisition of images from different viewpoints, the registration of each view, and the integration of all acquired information into a single model. Our focus is on the acquisition stage, we want to determine sensor poses or viewpoints that provide the next best view in an object reconstruction task. The Next Best View (NBV) is the determination of a new sensor position that reveals an optimal amount of unknown information about the object being modeled. The goal of a NBV reconstruction system is usually to model an object using the smallest number of views. Our approach to complete this task is to study a volumetric representation of the model after a new view is obtained. Since the volumetric model consists of known and unknown information, we want to find the viewpoint from which the largest amount of unknown data can be acquired. The NBV algorithm is integrated into a system that acquires synthetic range data from a computer object model, calculates new viewpoints according to an objective function, and reconstructs a complete volumetric model of the object of interest. The NBV algorithm is described in depth and experimental results are given. Also included is a review of related work.
State space modeling of non-standard actuarial time series

Abstract Insurance professionals have long recognized the value of time series methods in analyzing sequential business and economic data. However, the usual class of Box—Jenkins models are sometimes not flexible enough to adequately describe many practically-arising time series. By way of contrast, the state-space model offers a general approach for multivariate time-series modeling, forecasting, and smoothing. Versions of these models having linear mean structure and Gaussian error distributions have enjoyed actuarial application (for instance, in credibility theory) using the simple recursive updating formulae provided by the Kalman filter algorithm. Recently, fitting these models in more challenging non-linear and non-Gaussian scenarios has become feasible using Monte Carlo integration techniques [Carlin, Polson and Stoffer (J. Amer. Statist. Assoc., 1992)]. This paper gives a brief review of this new methodology, and subsequently demonstrates its usefulness in actuarial settings via three data examples. The non-standard modeling features illustrated include the explicit incorporation of covariates, direct modeling of non-stationary series without differencing, multivariate analysis, comparison of results under normal and non-normal error assumptions, density estimation for future observations, and non-linear model building and testing.
High-affinity dopamine D2/D3 PET radioligands 18F-fallypride and 11C-FLB457: a comparison of kinetics in extrastriatal regions using a multiple-injection protocol.

18F-Fallypride and 11C-FLB457 are commonly used PET radioligands for imaging extrastriatal dopamine D2/D3 receptors, but differences in their in vivo kinetics may affect the sensitivity for measuring subtle changes in receptor binding. Focusing on regions of low binding, a direct comparison of the kinetics of 18F-fallypride and 11C-FLB457 was made using a MI protocol. Injection protocols were designed to estimate K1, k2, fNDkon, Bmax, and koff in the midbrain and cortical regions of the rhesus monkey. 11C-FLB457 cleared from the arterial plasma faster and yielded a ND space distribution volume (K1/k2) that is three times higher than 18F-fallypride, primarily due to a slower k2 (FAL:FLB; k2=0.54 min−1:0.18 min−1). The dissociation rate constant, koff, was slower for 11C-FLB457, resulting in a lower KDapp than 18F-fallypride (FAL:FLB; 0.39 nM:0.13 nM). Specific D2/D3 binding could be detected in the cerebellum for 11C-FLB457 but not 18F-fallypride. Both radioligands can be used to image extrastriatal D2/D3 receptors, with 11C-FLB457 providing greater sensitivity to subtle changes in low-receptor-density cortical regions and 18F-fallypride being more sensitive to endogenous dopamine displacement in medium-to-high-receptor-density regions. In the presence of specific D2/D3 binding in the cerebellum, reference region analysis methods will give a greater bias in BPND with 11C-FLB457 than with 18F-fallypride.