cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Reconstruction of image sequences using motion compensation

In this paper we study a motion-compensated approach for simultaneous reconstruction of image frames in a time sequence. We treat the frames in a sequence collectively as a single function of both space and time, and define a temporal prior to account for the temporal correlations in a sequence. This temporal prior is defined in a form of motion-compensation, aimed to follow the curved trajectories of the object motion through space-time. The image frames are then obtained through estimation using the expectation-maximization (EM) algorithm. The proposed algorithm was evaluated extensively using the 4D gated mathematical cardiac-torso (gMCAT) D1.01 phantom to simulate gated SPECT perfusion imaging with Tc99m. Our experimental results demonstrate that the use of motion compensation for reconstruction can lead to significant improvement in image quality and reconstruction accuracy.
Experimental Characterization of The Mesoscale Dislocation Density Tensor

The dislocation density tensor has been an important variable in the theoretical characterization of dislocations in deformed crystals since its introduction over 5 decades ago. However, the non-destructive, three-dimensional (3D) measurements of lattice rotations and elastic strain needed to determine dislocation density tensors with micron spatial resolution over mesoscopic length scales have until now not been available. We have used 3D X-ray microscopy with sub-micron point-to-point spatial resolution to demonstrate 3D, spatially resolved measurements of the dislocation density tensor in elastically and plastically deformed silicon single crystal plates. Measurements were made of the dislocation density tensor along a line in a ∼35 µm thick silicon plate that was bent (elastically) to a 5.42 mm radius of curvature at room temperature, and in a similar sample deformed plastically by annealing to 700°C under bending stress. We discuss the theoretical background for the dislocation density tensor with re...
Chemical and physical characteristics of a eutrophic reservoir and its tributaries: Long Lake, Washington—II

Abstract Sampling of Long Lake, Washington and its tributaries was continued for additional information to facilitate a reliable understanding of the dynamics that account for the reservoir's eutrophic condition. The sewage effluent from the City of Spokane's primary treatment plant, via the Spokane River, is a major source of nutrients influencing the reservoir's trophic status. Existing loads of nitrogen and phosphate in the river increased in 1973 by 3.86 and 2.36 metric tons day−1, respectively, below the effluent. Of the influent phosphate, 32% was retained in the reservoir. The Spokane River occurred as a density interflow in the reservoir from mid-July to mid-September and effectively isolated a wedge of anoxic, nutrient laden and low conductive water between the dam and 24 km up-reservoir. The river, as an underflow, initiated fall homothermy. The reservoir had a mean retention time of 49 days and effected greater hypolimnetric oxygen depletion and nutrient accumulation than the previous year.
Oxidation-Reduction Potential Requirements of Cl. welchii and other Clostridia.

SummaryThe oxidation-reduction potential requirements of three Clostridia have been determined at a variety of pH values. The observations reveal striking and characteristic differences between the three kinds of organisms and a marked effect of pH on the limiting Eh for growth.
Minor-drug-resistant HIV populations and treatment failure

Treatment efficacy in those infected with HIV is eventually compromised by the development of resistance to antiretroviral drugs. To delay resistance in patients it is critical to better understand drug-resistance mechanisms and to accurately detect drug-resistant mutations prior to treatment. Minor-drug-resistant viruses are present in chronically infected patients, treatment-failure patients and those recently infected with resistant viruses through transmission. They are often present at levels below 20%, therefore conventional genotypic and phenotypic assays cannot detect them. Accumulating data indicate that minor-resistant viruses that are present before treatment can lead to drug resistance and poor treatment responses in patients. Detailed characterization of such minor-resistant populations using highly sensitive assays may have a profound impact on the treatment of HIV-infected individuals.
Preparing teachers of the deaf to teach sex education

No graduate program in education of the deaf in the United States presently offers a course in sex education, or even health, for deaf students. Programs training counselors for the deaf seldom offer such classes. Frequently, however, the teacher or counselor who has primary contact with the deaf person finds himself responsible for instruction in sexuality as a routine part of his job. This article describes an in-service model used to prepare professionals working with the hearing impaired to infuse into traditional curricula the concepts of elementary human growth and development, including basic family relationships, sex differentiation, health and personal hygiene, social attitudes, habits and problems, and growth, development, and reproduction. Special emphasis is placed on the unique problems in communicating with the deaf. The model is intended for training those professionals who have had no extensive preparation in sexuality or sex education, but who find themselves responsible for instructing and advising students and clients.
Buyer involvement in purchasing success

Abstract This article discusses the importance of buyer involvement and then determines the level of involvement or importance that industrial buyers place on the purchase of services. Specifically, the level of involvement is determined for frequently- purchased industrial service categories under three major buying situations. Managerial implications are given.
INDUCED NANOCRYSTALLIZATION OF DEXTROSE MONOHYDRATE

Modern ultrasound induction is very much useful in crystallization process. It uses piezoelectric transducers or quartz crystals to convert mechanical waves to electrical signals and vice versa. Growth of a crystal is environment dependent. The characteristics of grown crystals depend on impurities, temperature, preparation of the solution and mechanical agitation. The properties and size of a crystal can be tailored by controlling any one or all the above factors. The most interesting fact is that the ultrasound influences the properties and size of a crystal. It is found that the characteristics are improved and tailored for a specific need of the industry when a crystal is grown by radiating ultrasonic wave. In some cases, it produces nanocrystals. We used a device which generates the Ultrasonic wave of 15 MHz, which is applied to the crystal right from the time before nucleation till the crystal formation. The Dextrose monohydrate crystals are grown by conventional slow cool batch method. In the same slow cool batch method, Ultrasonic waves of 15 MHz are allowed to pass, influence the nucleation, crystal formation and growing process. The crystal formation process under the exposure of Ultrasound is allowed to continue for a sufficiently long time to yield the desired nanocrystals. The FTIR, UV, microhardness and SEM analysis are taken for the crystals with and without ultrasound.
The host plants of the Telamonini treehoppers (Hemiptera: Membracidae: Smiliinae) and the first diagnoses of nymphs for 14 species.

Recent research on the treehopper tribe Telamonini has focused on their classification and Nearctic distribution but little has been published on their biology, including detailed information on their host plants as well as data on their nymphal stage. Any studies including host plant data have emphasized adult records (often unreliable due to their movements), largely ignoring the nymphs, which are the predominant feeding stage. This work provides the first comprehensive summary of Telamonini host plants, it documents the first positive identification of the nymphs for several telamonine species (and the genus Helonica ), and it provides the first morphological diagnoses for 14 species, thus filling in major gaps in the life history of many species. Host plant records were determined based on accounts in the literature (adults and nymphs), from rearings of nymphs on host plants to the adult stage, and from label data on museum specimens. The Telamonini are known from 22 families, 41 genera, and 80 species of mostly woody, deciduous trees (of which, six species are new host plant records). Nearly half of all telamonines have been collected from more than one plant genus and only 12 species are known from a single host plant species. Telamonine nymphs were reared to the adult stage on 15 plant species. Of 68 telamonine species, 45 have been found on oak ( Quercus ), and white oak ( Q. alba ) is the most common telamonine host plant. Telamona monticola has the most recorded host plants with 29. The work includes 23 color illustrations showing both live and preserved nymphs, representing 15 species, all illustrated for the first time (eight are positively identified for the first time). Differences in nymphal morphology among species within Archasia, Glossonotus , Heliria , and Telamona suggest current generic definitions need revision. This study highlights the need for an increased emphasis on nymphal collections when determining treehopper host plants and inferring classifications.
The effect of tris(hydroxymethyl)aminomethane on sucrose storage in and leakage from corn scutellum slices

Abstract Sucrose leaked from slices of the corn scutellum incubated in tris(hydroxymethyl)aminomethane (tris) buffer (0·06 M, pH 7·5). When the slices were incubated in tris buffer plus fructose the amount of sucrose leakage was increased. The sucrose content of slices incubated in tris buffer plus sucrose declined nearly as much as those incubated only in tris indicating that tris almost completely inhibited the storage of exogenous sucrose. Evidence is presented that these results were due to the action of tris on the membrane separating the storage compartment of the scutellum cell from the cell exterior rather than on the membrane between the sucrose synthesis compartment and the cell exterior. Slices pretreated in tris buffer for 1 hr and then quickly washed with water were no longer leaky, but the inhibition of exogenous sucrose storage persisted. This inhibition could be reversed by H + and either Al 3+ or certain divalent cations.
On stability of solutions of nonlinear nonstationary systems of impulsive differential equations in a critical case

We study the problem of stability of critical equilibrium states for a nonlinear system of impulsive differential equations in a special case. The investigation is carried out on the basis of direct Lyapunov method with the use of two auxiliary functions.
Studies on the binding of small ions in protein solutions with the use of membrane electrodes. II. The binding of calcium ions in solutions of bovine serum albumin.

The sulfonated polystyrene-collodion membrane is used to study the binding of calcium to bovine serum albumin in solutions of CaCl2. A maximum of eight calcium ions is bound per albumin molecule at pH 7.4; increasing pH favors increased binding and vice versa. The binding of chloride is the same as in the presence of NaCl.
Scalable apprenticeships: reconnecting students through technology

Today's students are typically over scheduled and hyper-connected, yet increasingly disconnected with their education. The classroom into which they step for core science, technology and engineering subjects is often removed from both the practice of the disciplines being taught and the technology tools which pervade other aspects of their life. A significant challenge is to reconnect the excitement and discovery that drew faculty into their disciplines back to the learning environments of STEM and CSE students they teach. Peer Instruction (inserting discussion and formative assessment into lecture) and project-based learning are two promising attempts at recapturing the process of science and engineering in introductory coursers.Recent experiments in freshman project-based seminars such as nanoscale engineering and a major redesign of the introductory Course 6 (Computer Science and Electrical Engineering) at MIT are exploring ways to bring apprenticeship back to both small and large classes. Through Python-based tutoring tools, layered mentoring that includes just-in-time "guest laboratory assistants" to achieve 1:4 instructor-student ratios in large courses, and careful attention to learning space design new strategies for scaled apprenticeships are being forged.
The Synergy Between DNA and Nucleosomes in Chromatin

Although it is now common to look at the information carried by the genome as a linear sequence of nucleotides, such representation does not say much about the organization of the genetic information within the cell nucleus. How the genome accommodates the tight packing needed to fit in the cell nucleus and at the same time maintains the accessibility necessary for specific expression is one of the open questions in modern biology. In eukaryotic cells, DNA is wrapped and packaged into chromatin through the binding of histones assembled into nucleosomes. In addition to bundling DNA, the nucleosomes also facilitate communication between distant genomic sites, such as enhancers and promoters found at the ends of protein-mediated loops. In order to understand the physical and chemical basis of such processes, we have begun to investigate chromatin organization and looping. We have developed a mesoscale model of chromatin at a resolution of a single base pair and used Monte Carlo numerical strategies to unders...
Recovery from unilateral neglect

Spontaneous recovery of function occurs in the syndrome of hemisensory neglect in monkeys. We produced this syndrome in 13 macaques by unilateral operative resection of the frontal polysensory association cortex. Using standardized behavioral measures, we documented severe acute neglect and followed the course of its improvement. Using the 2-deoxy[14C]glucose autoradiographic method, we studied animals in the acute phase of neglect and found decrements in local glucose utilization in subcortical structures, but not in cortical regions with known frontal connections. After spontaneous behavioral recovery, mild local glucose utilization decrements remained, but only in nucleus medialis dorsalis of the thalamus. The findings suggest that acute behavioral symptoms are based on widespread depression of neuronal activity in uninjured structures with synaptic relations to damaged cortex, and that return of neuronal activity in those structures is accompanied by restitution of behavioral function.
The Visual Implications of Inspection Time

The quest to define human intelligence has led researchers down a large range of paths. One such path has been to search for a single psychometric measure that can be used to account for a large portion of the variance in human mental ability. Inspection time (IT) has emerged at the forefront of these efforts and is often referred to as the amount of time required to make a single observation of sensory input. IT can be shown to account for approximately 20% of the variance in human mental ability. In this study, we attempt to gain an insight into the nature of IT as a psychometric measure by contrasting individuals that are adept at performing the IT task (those with low ITs) with individuals that are not (those with high ITs) using oculomotor and task-performance measures recorded during two visual tasks. These tasks were designed to test participants' visual-attentional control and visual working memory under varying degrees of difficulty. The data show that a sensory-level theory of IT is incapable of accounting for the results found during the visual tasks, which leads us to introduce a novel theory of IT that places IT as a measure of information propagation. A discussion is presented on the implications and need for future validation of the theory.
Er3+-doped Y2O3 ceramic laser at ∼ 2.7 μm with direct diode pumping of the upper laser level

We report relevant spectroscopy and efficient diode-pumped ~ 2.7-μm laser operation of Er3+:Y2O3 ceramic resonantly pumped into upper laser level 4I11/2. This is believed to be the first laser demonstration based on 4I11/2 → 4I13/2 transitions of Er3+ in Y2O3.
Peralkaline silicic volcanic rocks in northwestern nevada.

Late Tertiary silicic ashflow tuffs and lavas peralkaline in chemical character (atomic Na + K greater than Al), mainly comendites, occur over wide areas in northwestern Nevada and appear to be widespread in southeastern Oregon. Such peralkaline rocks—which are not uncommon in the western United States—and other chemically unusual silicic rocks are found near the margins rather than toward the center of the Great Basin.
Prefrontal-subcortical pathways mediating successful emotion regulation.

Summary Although prefrontal cortex has been implicated in the cognitive regulation of emotion, the cortical-subcortical interactions that mediate this ability remain poorly understood. To address this issue, we identified a right ventrolateral prefrontal region (vlPFC) whose activity correlated with reduced negative emotional experience during cognitive reappraisal of aversive images. We then applied a pathway-mapping analysis on subcortical regions to locate mediators of the association between vlPFC activity and reappraisal success (i.e., reductions in reported emotion). Results identified two separable pathways that together explained ∼50% of the reported variance in self-reported emotion: (1) a path through nucleus accumbens that predicted greater reappraisal success, and (2) a path through ventral amygdala that predicted reduced reappraisal success (i.e., more negative emotion). These results provide direct evidence that vlPFC is involved in both the generation and regulation of emotion through different subcortical pathways, suggesting a general role for this region in appraisal processes.
Influence of fiber surface treatment on properties of Indian grass fiber reinforced soy protein based biocomposites

The influence of fiber treatment on the properties of biocomposites derived from grass fiber and soy based bioplastic was investigated with environmental scanning electron microscopy, thermal and mechanical properties measurements. Grass fibers were treated with alkali solution that reduced the inter-fibrillar region of the fiber by removing hemicellulose and lignin, which reduce the cementing force between fibrils. This led to a more homogenous dispersion of the biofiber in the matrix as well as increase in the aspect ratio of the fiber in the composite, resulting in an improvement in fiber reinforcement efficiency. This led to enhancement in mechanical properties including tensile and flexural properties as well as impact strength. Additionally, the alkali solution treatment increased the concentration of hydroxyl groups on the surface, which led to a better interaction between the fibers and the matrix.
Why the social sciences won't become high-consensus, rapid-discovery science

A research front of rapid discovery, leaving a trail of cognitive consensus behind it, is characteristic of natural sciences since about the 17th century in Europe. The basis of this high-consensus, rapid-discovery science is not empiricism, since empirical research existed in the natural sciences before the 17th century. The key is appropriation of genealogies of research technologies, which are pragmatically manipulated and modified to produce new phenomena; high consensus results because there is higher social prestige in moving ahead to new research discoveries than by continuing to dispute the interpretation of older discoveries. The social sciences have not acquired this pattern of rapid discovery with high consensus behind the research front. Their fundamental disability is not lack of empirical research, nor failure to adhere to a scientific epistemology, nor the greater ideological controversy that surrounds social topics. What is fundamentally lacking in the social sciences is a genealogy of research technology, whose manipulation reliably produces new phenomena and a rapidly moving research front. Unless the social sciences invent new research hardware, they will likely never acquire much consensus or rapid discovery. Possibilities may exist for such development stemming from research technologies in microsociology and in artificial intelligence.
Transmembrane signaling in the brain by serotonin, a key regulator of physiology and emotion.

Serotonin (5-HT) is an ancient chemical that plays a crucial functional role in almost every living organism. It regulates platelet aggregation, activation of immune cells, and contraction of stomach and intestinal muscles. In addition, serotonin acts as a neurotransmitter in the brain and the peripheral nervous system. These activities are initiated by the binding of serotonin to 15 or more receptors that are pharmacologically classified into seven groups, 5-HT1 through 5-HT7. Each group is further divided into subgroups of receptors that are homologous but are encoded by discrete genes. With the exception of the 5-HT3 receptor-a cation channel—all of the others are G protein-coupled receptors that potentially activate or inhibit a large number of biochemical cascades. This review will endeavor to compare and contrast such signaling pathways with special attention to their tissue-specific occurrence, their possible role in immediate effects on covalent modification of other proteins, and relatively slower effects on gene expression, physiology and behavior.
Influence of castration and testosterone propionate on cardiac output, renal blood flow, and blood volume in mice.

SummaryThe cardiac output and renal blood flow has been determined in mice by the adaptation of the 86Rb method of Sapir-stein. Cardiac output also was determined with [131I] albumin. Castration decreased the cardiac output, renal 86Rb uptake and renal blood flow. Testosterone propionate was ineffective after 2 days but within 7 days had restored these values to normal. Extension of the androgen treatment did not produce any further changes. The blood volume of the mice was decreased approximately 10% by castration and restored to normal by testosterone propionate.
The diagnosis and evaluation of compensated and uncompensated patency of the ductus arteriosus

Summary The term compensated patent ductus arteriosus is suggested for the condition of those patients in whom the arteriovenous shunt is small and there is no appreciable effect on the peripheral circulation or cardiac reserve. Such cases may be reliably diagnosed by the characteristic murmur in the absence of any other sign or symptom. The murmur, as illustrated by the phonocardiogram, is crescendo in systole, continues into diastole, becoming decrescendo. The term uncompensated patent ductus arteriosus may be used forthose patients having a large arteriovenous shunt with evidence of present or impending circulatory insufficiency. In such cases, in addition to the characteristic murmur, there is a low diastolic pressure with the peripheral signs of aortic regurgitation, cardiac enlargement, pulmonary congestion, and impaired growth and development of the child. These cases may be compared to “free” aortic regurgitation. Surgical ligation is indicated for the uncompensated patent ductus arteriosus at whatever age signs of circulatory embarrassment appear. For patients with a compensated ductus, a policy of watchful waiting is advised.
Use of the analyticity of the generalized Fourier spectrum in object reconstruction

The analyticity of the generalized Fourier spectrum is used to estimate unmeasured visibilities with data obtained from an amplitude–phase optical interferometer. According to the Van Cittert–Zernike theorem, the complex visibilities are a scaled version of the spatial spectrum of the object. Hence an image of the object can be reconstructed from this measurement. However, since interferometers sparsely sample the object’s frequency spectrum, estimation of the unmeasured visibilities is crucial to obtaining a good spatial description of the object. This paper presents two techniques derived from the analyticity of the generalized Fourier spectrum that implement the estimation process. Both techniques are tailored specifically to interferometric data in that (1) all measured data is kept and used and (2) the sparseness of the sampling is taken into account.
Binding of pyridine to a zinc porphyrin in aromatic solvents[1]

Abstract The 1:1 adduct formation between the zinc complex of meso -tetra-4-benzyloxyphenylporphine and pyridine have been studied in benzene, chlorobenzene, bromobenzene, toluene, acetophenone, methylbenzoate, anisole and nitrobenzene using absorption spectroscopy and water-jacketed cells. The binding equilibria were measured at 20, 30 and 40°C. K eq values of binding decrease with increasing temperature. The thermodynamic parameters have been calculated. Attempts have been made to explain the thermodynamic parameters.
In vivo evaluation of a new polyurethane-coated catgut suture.

Abstract Plain catgut sutures were coated with different polyester-based polyurethanes. The sutures were implanted subcutaneously in rats and tested for tensile strength loss and tissue reactions. A polyurethane coating based on an oxalic acid polyester was hydrolysed too fast to protect the catgut against proteolysis. However, a 2-0 plain catgut having a 50 μm polyurethane coating based on glutaric acid polyester maintained its original tensile strength for 8 days. The tensile strength then decreased as for plain catgut. Histological examination of the surrounding tissues showed that the strong inflammatory reaction observed in the first three days with non-coated catguts is decreased, but occurs again later, although to a lesser extent.
In Vitro Production of Tumor Necrosis Factor-α by Adherent Human Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells incubated with Killed Coccidioidal Arthroconidia and Spherules

We examined thein vitro production of tumor necrosis factor (TNF) by adherent human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (MNL) incubated with arthroconidia or spherules derived from the dimorphic fungus Coccidioides immitis. Using a bioassay measuring the percentage cytotoxicity of L929 cells, arthroconidia and spherules induced the production of measurable amounts of TNF by MNL. Both the arthroconidial and spherule preparations contained <0.01 ng/ml of endotoxin, below that needed to induce cytotoxicity in the bioassay. Based on ELISA, the vast majority of TNF induced by arthtoconidia or spherules was TNF-α, with minimal production of TNF-β. These are the first data to show the production of TNF in human coccidioidomycosis.
Open Retromuscular Mesh Repair of Complex Incisional Hernia: Predictors of Wound Events and Recurrence

Background Mesh repair of incisional hernias has been consistently shown to diminish recurrence rates after repair, with an increased risk of infectious complications. We present a consecutive series of elective, retrorectus mesh repairs of the abdominal wall and attempt to determine predictors of wound events and recurrence. Study Design A retrospective review was performed to include elective, retromuscular mesh repairs of complex incisional hernias from August 2006 to August 2013. Demographics, operative details, and postoperative events including wound events, surgical site infections (SSI), and recurrences were recorded. Results Over the 7-year period, 255 retromuscular mesh repairs of midline incisional defects were performed. Median age of the patients was 58 years, with an average BMI of 32.2 kg/m 2 . Average size of the fascial defect was 181.4 cm 2 , with recurrent defects making up 48% of repairs. Wound events occurred in 37.7% of cases; SSIs occurred in 19.6% of cases. Recurrence rate was 16.9%, with mean time to recurrence of 19.2 months. With respect to mesh type, recurrences were 16.2% with synthetic, 17.1% for bioabsorbable, and 25% for biologic mesh. When evaluating polypropylene meshes, recurrence was more likely with lightweight mesh (22.9%) vs midweight mesh (10.6%) (p = 0.045). Predictors of SSI included history of mesh infection (odds ratio [OR] 4.8, 95% CI 1.9 to 12.1; p Conclusions Wound events are common after open mesh repairs of complex incisional hernias. Previous mesh infections and recurrent repairs increase the likelihood of an SSI, which significantly increases the risk of recurrence. Recurrences after retrorectus mesh repairs are significantly higher with lightweight compared with mid-weight meshes.
Problems in Bayesian analysis of stochastic simulation

It is argued that Bayesian methodology is an appropriate tool in certain simulation contexts. Computational problems, specific to simulation applications, are then described in some detail; possible remedies are also outlined.
Identification of major indigenous protein components in mammalian axons and locally synthesized axonal protein in hypoglossal nerve.

Abstract The composition of major protein components of myelin-free axons isolated from selected peripheral nerves of the rabbit was determined by sodium dodecyl sulfate microelectrophoresis. Five major peaks were identified from microdensitometric profiles of microelectrophoregrams, having apparent molecular weights in daltons of 620,000, 200,000, 100,000, 62,000 and 52,000. The major 100,000-dalton component was converted in situ to products in the 60,000 to 50,000-dalton range by in vitro incubation in elevated calcium, a property characteristic of neurofilament protein. Proteins labeled in myelinated axons of the hypoglossal nerve had apparent molecular weights of 100,00, 52,000, and 18,000 daltons. Indirect evidence suggested that neurofilament protein may be a product synthesized by the myelinated axon locally.
Building outside of the box: iGEM and the BioBricks Foundation.

Innovative community efforts in academia and non-profits to engage student researchers, encourage open sharing of DNA constructs and new methodology as well as build a Registry of Standardized Biological Parts have been central to the emergence of synthetic biology.
A novel biological activity of praziquantel requiring voltage-operated Ca2+ channel β subunits: Subversion of flatworm regenerative polarity

Background Approximately 200 million people worldwide harbour parasitic flatworm infections that cause schistosomiasis. A single drug-praziquantel (PZQ)-has served as the mainstay pharmacotherapy for schistosome infections since the 1980s. However, the relevant in vivo target(s) of praziquantel remain undefined. Methods and findings Here, we provide fresh perspective on the molecular basis of praziquantel efficacy in vivo consequent to the discovery of a remarkable action of PZQ on regeneration in a species of free-living flatworm (Dugesia japonica). Specifically, PZQ caused a robust (100% penetrance) and complete duplication of the entire anterior-posterior axis during flatworm regeneration to yield two-headed organisms with duplicated, integrated central nervous and organ systems. Exploiting this phenotype as a readout for proteins impacting praziquantel efficacy, we demonstrate that PZQ-evoked bipolarity was selectively ablated by in vivo RNAi of voltage-operated calcium channel (VOCC) beta subunits, but not by knockdown of a VOCC alpha subunit. At higher doses of PZQ, knockdown of VOCC beta subunits also conferred resistance to PZQ in lethality assays. Conclusions This study identifies a new biological activity of the antischistosomal drug praziquantel on regenerative polarity in a species of free-living flatworm. Ablation of the bipolar regenerative phenotype evoked by PZQ via in vivo RNAi of VOCC beta subunits provides the first genetic evidence implicating a molecular target crucial for in vivo PZQ activity and supports the 'VOCC hypothesis' of PZQ efficacy. Further, in terms of regenerative biology and Ca(2+) signaling, these data highlight a novel role for voltage-operated Ca(2+) entry in regulating in vivo stem cell differentiation and regenerative patterning.
An application of some bayesian diagnostics to a study of the impact of blood lead upon human blood pressure

Recently, Pirkle et al. used a sample of 40–59 year old white males from the second cycle of the U.S. National Health and Nutrition Survey (NHANES II) to estimate the association between blood pressure and blood lead concentration. They found that, on average, a 1 μg/dl increase in blood lead increased diastolic blood pressure by about 4.5 per cent and systolic blood pressure by about 6.5 per cent. We use Bayesian diagnostics to enquire into the statistical robustness of some dimensions of their results. In particular, we ask whether the results they report are sensitive to specification uncertainty and are intolerant to measurement error. We conclude the possibility to be remote that the introduction or the omission of other covariates will significantly alter the estimated influence of blood lead upon either the diastolic blood pressures or the systolic blood pressures of the adult white males in their sample. Similarly, our analysis demonstrates that other covariates are likely to affect the estimated influence of blood lead concentration only if they are quite poorly measured.
Improved Schottky Gate Characteristics for MOVPE-Grown GaAs MESFETs

Abstract Undoped surface layers of GaAs and Al0.50Ga0.50As, 50–300 A thick, are shown to improve Schottky diode characteristics on heavily doped GaAs. As the thickness of the undoped GaAs spacer is increased from 0 to 300 A, the reverse leakage current decreases by about 2 orders of magnitude and the effective barrier height increases from 0.45 to 0.67 eV. Al0.50Ga0.50As is much more effective in improving the diode characteristics for two reasons: (1) the larger bandgap results in an increased barrier height and (2) the larger effective mass further reduces the tunneling current. This is seen in a > 106 reduction in reverse current and barrier height increase from 0.47 to 1.0 eV as the Al0.50Ga0.50As thickness is increased from 0 to 300 A.
Performance, effectiveness, and reliability issues in software testing

The author has identified two problems that need to be overcome in order that some of the powerful testing techniques be used in practice: performance and effectiveness. The testing methods referred to are dataflow and mutation testing. >
Alleviating routing congestion by combining logic resynthesis and linear placement

In this approach, the logic is restructured using an intermediate placement solution and then the placement is adjusted to match the new logic structure. This ability to change logic structure during layout allows one to obtain channel density reductions that are not possible by physical design operations such as lateral shifting, pin permutation, and channel routing. Parts on an industrial chip have been resynthesized using a prototype program implementing these ideas with an average of 11.2% reduction in bit slice area compared to the original designs. >
Observations of Wintertime U.S. West Coast Precipitating Systems with W-Band Satellite Radar and Other Spaceborne Instruments

The potentialofCloudSatW-bandradarfor observingwintertime storms affecting the West Coast ofNorth America is evaluated. Storms having high hydrological impact often result from landfalls of ‘‘atmospheric rivers’’ (‘‘ARs’’), which are the narrow elongated regions of water vapor transport from the tropics. CloudSat measurements are used for retrievals of rain rate R and cloud ice water path (IWP) along the satellite ground track overocean andland.These retrievalspresentquasi-instantaneousverticalcross sectionsofprecipitating systems with high-resolution information about hydrometeors. This information is valuable in coastal areas with complex terrain where observations with existing instrumentation, including ground-based radars, are limited. CloudSat reflectivity enhancements [i.e., bright band (BB)] present a way to estimate freezing levels, indicating transitions between rainfall and snowfall. CloudSat estimates of these levels were validated using data from radiosonde soundings and compared to model and microwave sounder data. Comparisons of CloudSat retrievals of rain rates with estimates from ground-based radars in the areas where measurements from these radars were available indicated an agreement within retrieval uncertainties, which were around 50%. The utility of CloudSat was illustrated for case studies of pronounced AR events at landfall and over ocean. Initial analysis of CloudSat crossings of ARs during the 2006/07 season were used for rainfall regime prevalence assessment. It indicated that stratiform rain, which often had BB features, warm rain, and mixed rainwereobservedwithabout26%,24%,and50%frequency.Stratiformregionsgenerallyhadhigherrainrates. Significant correlation (;0.72) between mean values of IWP and rain rate was observed for stratiform rainfall.
Labor in the Puerto Rican Economy

Labor in the Puerto Rican Economy. Carlos E. Santiago. Westport: Praeger, 1992. xx + 174pp. $42.95 (cloth). ISBN 0–275–94135–3.
Signals of selection in outlier loci in a widely dispersing species across an environmental mosaic.

Local adaptation reflects a balance between natural selection and gene flow and is classically thought to require the retention of locally adapted alleles. However, organisms with high dispersal potential across a spatially or temporally heterogeneous landscape pose an interesting challenge to this view requiring local selection every generation or when environmental conditions change to generate adaptation in adults. Here, we test for geographical and sequence-based signals of selection in five putatively adaptive and two putatively neutral genes identified in a previous genome scan of the highly dispersing purple sea urchin, Strongylocentrotus purpuratus. Comparing six populations spanning the species’ wide latitudinal range from Canada to Baja California, Mexico, we find positive tests for selection in the putative adaptive genes and not in the putative neutral genes. Specifically, we find an excess of low-frequency and nonsynonymous polymorphisms in two transcription factors and a transporter protein, and an excess of common amino acid polymorphisms in the two transcription factors, suggestive of spatially balancing selection. We test for a genetic correlation with temperature, a dominant environmental variable in this coastal ecosystem. We find mild clines and a stronger association of genetic variation with temperature than latitude in four of the five putative adaptive loci and a signal of local adaptation in the Southern California Bight. Overall, patterns of genetic variation match predictions based on spatially or temporally balancing selection in a heterogeneous landscape and illustrate the value of geographical and coalescent tests on candidate loci identified in a genome-wide scan for selection.
Printing and the Growth of a Protestant Movement in Germany from 1517 to 1524

The Reformation was the first religious movement which had the aid of the printing press. It was the first intellectual movement in which the printing press had a popular effect. The importance of printing for the spread of the Reformation has long been recognized but there has been little detailed investigation of the interaction of the two great revolutionary developments.
On the development of consensus values of reference dosimetry parameters for interstitial brachytherapy sources.

The American Association of Physicists in Medicine recommends that the reference dose-rate distribution, used for treatment planning for low-energy photon brachytherapy sources in routine clinical use, must be based on at least two independent determinations: one using experimentally measured dose rates and one using Monte Carlo simulation dosimetry techniques. In this work, we present an approach for developing consensus dosimetry parameters from various independent reference dosimetry studies for interstitial brachytherapy sources. This approach is applied to four recently published papers on the dosimetric properties of the BrachySeed™ Model LS-1 125I seed. Consensus values for the dose-rate constant, radial dose function, and anisotropy parameters are presented for the LS-1 Model 125I seed.
Assessing Risk Retention Strategies for Environmental Project Management

Abstract Environmental companies face the risk of liability claims that can, significantly, affect their resources and financial future. At the same time most small- and medium-sized companies do not rely on sophisticated risk-management procedures. We propose here a method that allows for distribution of the liability risk among different projects and which can be applied in a straightforward manner by this type of companies. This procedure relies on incorporating the cost of future claims within a project’s revenue, thus treating liability costs as legitimate business revenues. Part of the premium charged, denoted as risk price, is to be used to meet future claims and part to administer the funds collected. Projects of similar magnitude awarded during the same fiscal year share the same risk price, administrative expenses, and risk markup. For projects of similar magnitude that are (or will be) initiated at various years these variables are weighted according to a project’s exposure horizon from an expected occurrence of a liability claim. For proposals of variable revenue, awarded at different time-periods, liability costs are distributed proportionally to a project’s budget and time-lag from a claim. Our procedure does not render small or recent projects non-competitive and it provides an easy-to-implement risk-management tool to environmental companies.
Small-carrion penile prosthesis: A report on 160 cases and review of the literature

The use of the Small-Carrion penile prosthesis in 160 patients is evaluated. Methods to determine those patients who will benefit from the use of this prosthesis and the size prosthesis needed are discussed. Suggestions are made on how to handle problems or complications that may occur during or after the operation, as well as the antibiotic regimen. The literature is reviewed.
Structure of E. coli 16S RNA elucidated by psoralen crosslinking

Summary E. coli 16s RNA in solution was photoreacted with hydroxymethyltrimethylpsoralen and long wave ultraviolet light. Positions of crosslinks were determined to high resolution by partially digesting the RNA with T, RNase, separating the crosslinked fragments by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis, reversing the crosslink, and sequencing the separated fragments. This method yielded the locations of crosslinks to f15 nucleotides. Even finer placement has been made on the basis of our knowledge of psoralen reactivity. Thirteen unique crosslinks were mapped. Seven crosslinks confirmed regions of secondary structure which had been predicted in published phylogenetic models, three crosslinks discriminated between phylogenetic models, and three proved the existence of new structures. The new structures were all long range interactions which appear to be in dynamic equilibrium with local secondary structure. Because this technique yields direct information about the secondary structure of large RNA& it should prove invaluable in studying the structure of other RNAs of all sizes.
Vocalizations by Alaskan moose: female incitation of male aggression

Evidence of female fomentation of male–male aggression as a mechanism of mate choice is rare, especially in mammals. Female choice of mates in polygynous species may be masked by intense male competition or by males attempting to restrict female choice. We studied protest moans of female Alaskan moose Alces alces gigas in interior Alaska, USA, from 1987 to 1990, to determine if moans incited male–male aggression. Alaskan moose exhibit a mating system in which one dominant male (the harem master) herds, defends, courts, and attempts to mate with females in his harem. Protest moans were given by females only in response to courtship. We hypothesized that if protest moans were related to females reducing harassment and exercising mate choice, females should give protest moans more frequently when courted by small males and less often when courted by large males, and that rates of male–male aggression would be elevated following protest moans. Harems were composed of one large male, with a mean of 4.4 females (median = 3 females); 10% of 132 harems included ≥10 females. The temporal pattern of protest moans from late August through November was associated with, but tended to lag behind, mating behavior. The rate of protest moans given by females decreased with increasing size of males courting them. Male–male aggression was significantly less during periods without protest moans than during periods in which protest moans occurred. These results indicate that female moose gave protest moans to reduce harassment by smaller males, and assure a mating opportunity with the most dominant male. Such a subtle mechanism of indirect mate choice by females may occur in other vertebrates in which choice is limited by a mating system in which male–male combat and male dominance over females reduces opportunities for female choice. The importance of female choice may be undervalued in studies of sexual selection in mammals.
Optimizing polarization states in a figure-8 laser using a nonreciprocal phase shifter

The polarization states in a figure and laser are analyzed using Jones matrices. The analysis shows that a figure-8 laser in CW operation does not give enough information to allow the optimization of the birefringence for mode-locking. A switchable nonreciprocal phase shifter is proposed to provide a simple way to optimize the birefringence for a mode-locked figure-8 laser. Using this device, the mode-locking of a diode-pumped figure-8 laser was started, with a probability better than 99%, by following a sequence of predetermined mechanical adjustment. With the proposed nonreciprocal phase shifter, the optimization and starting of a figure-8 laser can easily be automated. >
Spontaneous reduction of Eu3+ ion in Al co-doped sol-gel silica matrix during densification

Abstract Eu and Eu-Al co-doped silica glasses have been prepared by impregnating the pores of a base catalysed tetraethylorthosilicate (TEOS) gel with the nitrate salt of Eu and Al and subsequent densification around 1125 to 1150°C. Absorption, emission and excitation spectra of these glasses indicate that Eu 3+ ions are spontaneously reduced to Eu 2+ in the presence of Al 3+ during sintering of the glasses above 1000°C.
The morbidity and cost implications of hemodialysis clinical performance measures.

Clinical performance measures, including dialysis dose, hemoglobin, albumin, and vascular access, are the focus of monitoring and quality improvement activities. However, little is known about the implications of clinical performance measures for hospital utilization and health care costs. We obtained clinical performance measures and hospitalization records for a national random sample of 10,650 hemodialysis patients and analyzed the relationship between changes in clinical performance measures and hospital utilization after adjustment for patient demographic and medical characteristics. Higher hemoglobin, higher albumin, and fistula or graft use were independently associated with fewer hospitalizations, fewer hospital days, and decreased Medicare inpatient reimbursement. For example, a 0.5 g/dL higher hemoglobin, a 0.25 g/dL higher albumin, fistula use, and graft use were associated with hospitalization rate ratios of 0.90 (95% confidence interval 0.85, 0.96), 0.64 (0.53, 0.77), 0.60 (0.52, 0.69), and 0.79 (0.71, 0.89), respectively. Moreover, there was a 2–3-fold variation in hospital utilization across end-stage renal disease networks that was still evident after adjustment for patient characteristics and clinical performance measures. Clinical performance measures, especially albumin and vascular access, are strongly associated with hospital utilization and health care costs. These results highlight the importance of targeting nutrition and vascular access in quality improvement efforts. The marked variation in hospital utilization across networks deserves further examination.