cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Transcriptional regulation of the peripheral nervous system in Ciona intestinalis

The formation of the sensory organs and cells that make up the peripheral nervous system (PNS) relies on the activity of transcription factors encoded by proneural genes (PNGs). Although PNGs have been identified in the nervous systems of both vertebrates and invertebrates, the complexity of their interactions has complicated efforts to understand their function in the context of their underlying regulatory networks. To gain insight into the regulatory network of PNG activity in chordates, we investigated the roles played by PNG homologs in regulating PNS development of the invertebrate chordate Ciona intestinalis. We discovered that in Ciona, MyT1, Pou4, Atonal, and NeuroD-like are expressed in a sequential regulatory cascade in the developing epidermal sensory neurons (ESNs) of the PNS and act downstream of Notch signaling, which negatively regulates these genes and the number of ESNs along the tail midlines. Transgenic embryos mis-expressing any of these proneural genes in the epidermis produced ectopic midline ESNs. In transgenic embryos mis-expressing Pou4, and MyT1 to a lesser extent, numerous ESNs were produced outside of the embryonic midlines. In addition we found that the microRNA miR-124, which inhibits Notch signaling in ESNs, is activated downstream of all the proneural factors we tested, suggesting that these genes operate collectively in a regulatory network. Interestingly, these factors are encoded by the same genes that have recently been demonstrated to convert fibroblasts into neurons. Our findings suggest the ascidian PNS can serve as an in vivo model to study the underlying regulatory mechanisms that enable the conversion of cells into sensory neurons.
The current state of lifestyle intervention implementation research: where do we go next?

In the USA, the prevalence of obesity is 33.8% [1] and type 2 diabetes is 27% [2]. The landmark Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP) showed that a lifestyle intervention facilitating a 7% weight loss had a significantly greater impact on diabetes risk than placebo or metformin with a risk reduction of 58% over 3 years [3]. Similar findings were reported in diabetes prevention studies in Finland and China [4, 5]. The impact of lifestyle interventions appears to be long term [3, 4]. In the 10-year follow-up of the DPP, the incidence of diabetes in the placebo and metformin groups (who had been offered the lifestyle intervention following the initial intervention period) fell to equal that of the lifestyle group; however, the cumulative incidence of diabetes remained lowest in the lifestyle group [6]. The China Da Qing Study revealed reduced incidence of diabetes from a lifestyle intervention at 20-year follow-up [5]. Widespread availability of lifestyle interventions could have a tremendous impact on public health.
Use of H-2 mutations to quantitate alloreactivity: alloreactivity is strongest against H-2 antigens which are closest to self.

Lymph-node cells fromH-2 allogeneic, intra-H-2 recombinant andH-2 mutant congenic strains were sensitized in limiting dilution cultures to quantitate the cytotoxic T-lymphocyte precursor frequencies (CTL.Pf) against antigens encoded by different regions of theH-2 complex. When fourH-2K b mutants of C57BL/6 (B6) were tested, we observed anti-B6 CTL.Pf that were as high or higher than those of recombinant strains which differ from B6 at theK end of theH-2 complex. Relative to strains completelyH−2 allogeneic to B6, the CTL.Pf inH-2bm1,H-2bm3 andH-2bm5 averaged 40–50 percent, andH-2bm8 averaged 140 percent. Recombinant strains B10.A (4R) and B10.D2 (R103), which differ from B6 at theK end of theH-2 complex, averaged 60 percent of the completelyH-2 allogeneic value. Since the mutant and wild-type gene products have no serological and minimal structural differences relative to other alleles atH-2K, these results indicate that the CTL.Pf does not increase with increasing H-2 antigenic disparity between any two strains. Rather, the data suggests that the T-cell receptor repertoire recognizes those H-2 molecules or determinants closest to self.
Lossy DCOPF for optimizing congested grids with renewable energy and storage

This paper proposes a DC optimal power flow (DCOPF) with losses formulation for optimizing the allocation and operation of energy storage systems (ESSs) in renewable energy integrated power grids with transmission constraints. This so-called lossy DCOPF (l-DCOPF) represents an effort to bridge the gap between the full OPF, which accurately represents the complete physics of the system but suffers from computational complexity due to nonconvexities, and its widely used linear approximation, the DCOPF, which assumes a lossless network. In this work, we demonstrate that the l-DCOPF provides more accurate results for the proposed ESS optimization problem than the DCOPF. Comparisons of the DCOPF, l-DCOPF, and OPF are made for a 14-bus power system with 15% wind penetration, ramp rates on conventional generation, and network congestion.
Functional changes in undamaged sciatic nerves and spinal cord of mice following nerve damage.

Abstract The effects of sciatic nerve crush on electrophysiologic characteristics of undamaged contralateral sciatic nerve and spinal cord were studied in mice. Composite responses were elicited from both sciatic nerve and spinal cord by single-or paired-pulse stimulation. Conduction velocities of the initial components were not different in undamaged contralateral and control nerve. Nerve recovery, characterized by amplitude ratios of paired-pulse responses, yielded a depression-facilitation-depression pattern in control sciatic nerves with increasing intervals between pulses. Recovery in undamaged contralateral nerves did not show this pattern. Compared to controls, response amplitude ratios from undamaged contralateral nerves were either depressed or facilitated depending on the time elapsing between ipsilateral nerve crush and subsequent testing. Upon removal of spinal influences by nerve transection, the pattern of contralateral nerve recovery more closely followed the recovery pattern of control nerve. Composite cross-cord responses (CCRs) were obtained from one sciatic nerve after stimulation of the opposite sciatic nerve. The area under both CCRs elicited by paired-pulse stimulation was compared to the area under a CCR elicited by single-pulse stimulation. For control cord, CCRs were facilitated with short paired-pulse separation intervals. With longer interpulse intervals, CCRs were depressed. CCRs from animals receiving nerve crush were either depressed (6 days postcrush) or facillitated (10 days postcrush) across all pulse separation intervals compared to control. The most significant treatment effects were found in tests of pathways from damaged nerve to undamaged contralateral nerve in 6-day postcrush preparations. The results suggest that a spinal mechanism may be responsible for the phasic alterations in electrophysiologic characteristics of both undamaged contralateral nerve and spinal cord. The data have implications for the possibility of functionally altered contralateral motoneurons being part of this spinal mechanism.
Tropical wave-induced oceanic eddies at Cabo Corrientes and the María Islands, Mexico

[1] TOPEX/Poseidon and ERS-2 satellite altimeter observations and the 1/16° Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) Layered Ocean Model (NLOM) show the existence of anticyclonic eddies in the Cabo Corrientes – Maria Islands region off the Mexican West Coast. Analysis of the results demonstrates that: (1) The Cabo Corrientes - Maria Islands region is characterized by mean poleward coastal currents, driven by local wind forcing. (2) The local currents are intensified by the arrival of baroclinic downwelling coastally trapped waves (CTWs), generated in the equatorial Pacific. (3) Anticyclonic eddies are generated as the intensified local currents pass cape-like features in the coastline or shelf-break geometry. (4) From 1979 to 2001 the CTWs generated an average of 2.35 (2.5) Cabo Corrientes (Maria Islands) anticyclonic eddies per year. (5) The formation of eddies varies interannually, increasing (decreasing) during El Nino (La Nina) years. Comparison of a variety of numerical simulations, which include different dynamics and/or different wind forcing and/or different topographic effects, suggests that bottom topography, local wind, and baroclinic instabilities are not essential for the eddy generation. It is (a) the capes at Cabo Corrientes and the Maria Islands and (b) the strong transient events associated with the CTWs that are essential to the formation of these newly recognized eddies.
High-power HTS planar filters with novel back-side coupling

Novel back-side coupling was used to produce high-power high temperature superconducting (HTS) filters. Several 2.88 GHz, 0.7% equal-ripple bandwidth, 2-pole TE/sub 01/ mode filters were fabricated using Tl/sub 2/Ba/sub 2/CaCu/sub 2/O/sub 8/ HTS thin films on 20-mil LaAlO/sub 3/ substrates. The calibrated, measured performance of the filter at 77 K was <0.1 dB in-band insertion loss and 0.2 dB ripple up to 8 W. The uncalibrated measured performance of the filter was unchanged up to 21 W. This represents a significant advance in the power handling of planar HTS filters. These high-power, high-performance, compact HTS filters were designed to be used in transmitters for satellite communications.
Anaerobic vs aerobic pathways of carbonyl and oxidant stress in human lens and skin during aging and in diabetes: A comparative analysis

Abstract The effects of anaerobic (lens) vs aerobic (skin) environment on carbonyl and oxidant stress are compared using de novo and existing data on advanced glycation and oxidation products in human crystallins and collagen. Almost all modifications increase with age. Methylglyoxal hydroimidazolones, carboxymethyllysine, and carboxyethyllysine are severalfold higher in lens than in skin and markedly increase upon incubation of lens crystallins with 5 mM ascorbic acid. In contrast, fructose-lysine, glucosepane crosslinks, glyoxal hydroimidazolones, metal-catalyzed oxidation (allysine), and H2O2-dependent modifications (2-aminoapidic acid and methionine sulfoxide) are markedly elevated in skin, but relatively suppressed in the aging lens. In both tissues ornithine is the dominant modification, implicating arginine residues as the principal target of the Maillard reaction in vivo. Diabetes (here mostly type 2 studied) increases significantly fructose-lysine and glucosepane in both tissues (P
A Comparison of Low-Level Trajectories in an Urban Atmosphere

Abstract Throughout the month of June 1965 tetroons ballasted for 150–300 m altitude were released and radar-tracked in New York City and environs. The study evaluates the skill with which data from both a dense mesoscale network of surface wind observations and a less dense network of balloon-derived wind observations in the planetary boundary layer can be used to reconstruct the tetroon trajectories. Root-mean-square errors in predicting 2- and 4-hr tetroon positions from surface-wind-derived trajectories are reduced by the addition of a vector correction to account for vertical wind shear; this correction also randomizes the direction of the errors. Corrected surface wind trajectories, when compared with the tetroon trajectories, are slightly better than those computed from the balloon-derived winds. The best results obtained yield rms 2-hr prediction errors of 15 km; the median error of this distribution expressed as a percentage of the range of each tetroon flight was 36%.
Liquid crystal-based optical control of phased array antennas

Nematic liquid crystal (NLC) technology-based optical systems for controlling phased array antennas are presented. These systems can provide low-cost, high-quality (>6-b), phase-based antenna control for very large phased arrays (e.g. 5000 elements). An experiment demonstrating NLC-based antenna phase control is performed, with 0-3 pi phase shift measured for a 60-MHz carrier. A novel time-multiplexed radar beam scanning approach is introduced to counter the slow response of the NLCs, allowing fast 200 beams/s antenna scanning rates. >
A tool for the nonparametric characterization of the geometry of spectra in hyperspace

There is a relative paucity of studies that seek to nonparametrically describe or categorize hyperspectral image (HSI) data in the most natural context within which those data are best represented: n-dimensional (n-D) hyperspace, where n is the number of bands in an HSI data cube. Statistical techniques-and specifically those based on second-order statistics-are predominant and generally do not provide (nor are they utilized to provide or 'leave behind') an understanding of the distribution of spectra in hyperspace for the purpose of discovering patterns, comparing data sets, developing a deeper understanding of HSI data, etc. With the terabytes of HSI data in archives today representing a huge diversity of geographical settings, it seems natural to enquire as to whether there are universal patterns among HSI data sets. If such patterns exist, new techniques may be developed to exploit them, e.g., to enhance information extraction speed and accuracy. Since an understanding of the nature of HSI data has rarely gone beyond cursory, visual assessments of geographical setting; i.e., assessments of whether the data are of desert, forest, urban, littoral, etc., environments, it is perhaps worthwhile to develop methods to probe n-D hyperspace with the intent to identify and describe universal data commonalities, differences, classifications, and patterns. Building upon earlier work (Resmini, 2003 [1], 2006 [2]), an algorithm was created to describe the volume (and label the individual volume elements) of hyperspace occupied by an HSI data set. The algorithm essentially discretizes hyperspace assigning addresses to boxes in which data points (i.e., spectra) reside. The algorithm has been applied to visible/near-infrared to shortwave infrared (VNIR/SWIR) and longwave infrared (LWIR) HSI data cubes. Implemented in C code, the algorithm may also be used to calculate the fractal dimension of any array of points in any n-D hyperspace because it is essentially an implementation of box counting. The algorithm is described as are results of its application to actual HSI data sets. The fractal dimension of HSI data derived from the algorithm are also presented and compared to principal componentsbased estimates of data dimensionality. Application of the algorithm for developing a deeper understanding of the nature of HSI data as viewed as points in hyperspace is discussed as are practical applications for 'traditional' HSI exploitation activities such as anomaly and target detection.
TRUMP: A transportable language understanding program

Transportability has perpetually been the nemesis of natural language processing systems, in both the research and commercial sectors. During the last 20 years, the technology has not moved much closer to providing robust coverage of everyday language, and has failed to produce commercial successes beyond a few specialized interfaces and application programs. the redesign required for each application has limited the impact of natural language systems. Trump (TRansportable Understanding Mechanism Package) is a natural language analyzer that functions in a variety of domains, in both interfaces and text processing. While other similar efforts have treated transportability as a problem in knowledge engineering, Trump instead relies mainly on a “core” of knowledge about language and a set of techniques for applying that knowledge within a domain. the information about words, word meanings, and linguistic relations in this generic knowledge base guides the conceptual framework of language interpretation in each domain. Turmp uses this core knowledge to piece together a conceptual representation of a natural language input by combining generic and specialized inforamtion. the result has been a language processing system that is capable of performing fairly extensive analysis with a minimum of customization for each application.
Developmental characteristics of phenylethanolamine and octopamine in the rat brain.

— Phenylethanolamine and octopamine have been detected in the developing rat brain. Maximum concentration of these amines occurs early in development (16-17 days of gestation). At this developmental stage, the brain concentration of these amines is higher than that of norepinephrine. There is a sharp decline in the phenylethanolamine and octopamine concentrations on day 18 of gestation to approximately those of the adult. This decrease coincides with an increase in-monoamine oxidase activity of fetal brain, with an increase in the activities of tyrosine hydroxylase and dopamine-β-hydroxylase, and with the appearance of a saturable active uptake mechanism for norepinephrine. The administration of iproniazid, a monoamine oxidase inhibitor, to pregnant rats produced an increase in phenylethanolamine, octopamine and norepinephrine concentrations in the fetal rat brain at 16 days of gestation. p-Chlorophenylalanine, an inhibitor of phenylalanine hydroxylase, decreased fetal brain norepinephrine; this drug increased brain levels of phenylethanolamine and octopamine. The combined administration of iproniazid, p-chlorophenylalanine and phenylalanine to pregnant rats resulted in increased concentrations of octopamine and in a several-fold increase of phenylethanolamine levels; norepinephrine concentrations were sharply reduced. The possible significance of these findings in relation to pathological conditions such as phenylketonuria is discussed.
Toward facilitating assistance to students attempting engineering design problems

In engineering design courses, many problems have a specification that the student's implementation must meet, but give the student a large range of freedom for the internal design of that implementation. There may be several distinct, correct strategies for solving them, some of which may be unknown to the teaching staff or intelligent tutor designer. When a student is pursuing an unrecognized strategy and begins to struggle, staff may redirect them, costing unnecessary work, and automated hint generators may offer unhelpful feedback. We have taken a first step toward discovering these alternate correct strategies by visualizing many student solutions together, using dynamic and static features of these solutions, so that the teaching staff can understand the space of correct strategies. This approach has been applied to two domains: an online Matlab programming challenge and an undergraduate computer architecture course. We discuss these initial investigations and pose discussion questions to the community about potential enhancement and application of this analysis.
Solvent facilitated proton transfer in hydrogen bonded complexes of proton donor and acceptor groups in model protein systems.

Abstract The tautomeric equilibrium between a hydrogen bonded complex and a proton transfer complex (hydrogen bonded ion pair) in a number of phenol-amine systems, is dependent, among other factors, on the polarity of the solvent. The formation of a proton transfer complex is accompanied by a decrease in free energy of 2–6 kcal/mole. Based on spectrophotometric studies of the base dependent ionization of several phenol derivatives in aqueous dioxane solutions, it is likely that proton donor sidechain groups possessing a p K a in the range 3–10, can participate in proton transfer complexes with basic groups whose conjugate acids possess a greater p K a , in nonpolar and partially polar regions of a protein. It is suggested, that the decrease in free energy accompanying the formation of a proton transfer complex can affect the direction of a protein conformational transition.
Fascioliasis in pregnancy.

BACKGROUND: Fascioliasis is a common zoonotic infection worldwide, although cases in the United States are uncommon, sporadic, and predominantly found in the immigrant population. The small number of cases identified in the United States may reflect the unfamiliarity of physicians with this infection. CASE: A 28-year-old Hispanic woman who frequently visited northern Central Mexico presented at 36 weeks of gestation with nausea, vomiting, and right upper quadrant pain. She was diagnosed with cholelithiasis. Postpartum endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography and sphincterotomy were performed, with discovery of the trematode Fasciola hepatica. The patient received triclabendazole, which led to clinical improvement. CONCLUSION: Fascioliasis often mimics another common problem in pregnancy, cholelithiasis; clinicians need to be aware of this disease in high-risk populations.
Communication Systems for Load Management

Load management and distribution automation schemes of electric utilities require an extensive, reliable and economical communication system. Several communication technologies have been investigated, tested and employed to optimize these schemes. This paper examines these communication techniques, discusses advantages and disadvantages of each with a special emphasis on power line carrier system (PLC), and finally presents recommendations and suggests areas for future research.
Historiographical Counterfactuals and Historical Contingency

Book reviewed in this article: Virtual History: Alternatives and Counterfactuals edited by Niall Ferguson
Vitamin D and cancer.

Abstract Vitamin D, a steroid hormone and exerts its biological effects through its active metabolite 1α, 25 dihydroxyvitamin D3 [1,25(OH)2D3]. Like steroid hormones, 1,25(OH)2D3 is efficacious at very low concentrations and serves as a ligand for vitamin D receptors (VDR), associating with VDR very high affinity. Despite its potent property as a differentiating agent, its use in the clinical practice is hampered by the induction of hypercalcemia at a concentration required to suppress cancer cell proliferation. Therefore nearly 400 structural analogs of vitamin D3 have been synthesized and evaluated for their efficacy and toxicity. Among these analogs, relatively less toxic but highly efficacious analogs, EB1089, RO24-5531, 1α-hydroxyvitamin D5 and a few others have been evaluated in a preclinical toxicity and in Phase I clinical trials for dose tolerance in advanced cancer patients. Clinical trials using vitamin D analogs for prevention or therapy of cancer patients are still in their infancy. Vitamin D mediates its action by two independent pathways. Genomic pathway involves nuclear VDR and induces biological effects by interactions with hormone response elements and modulation of differential gene expressions. Evidence also suggests that vitamin D analogs also interact with steroid hormone(s) inducible genes. The non-genomic pathway is characterized by rapid actions of vitamin D. It involves interactions with membrane-VDR interactions and its interactions with protein kinase C and by altering intracellular calcium channels. Thus, the development of nontoxic analogs of vitamin D analogs and understanding of their molecular mechanism(s) of action are of significant importance in the prevention and treatment of cancer by vitamin D.
Narration and narratives: the “acculturation/call” story as a blend of oral and literate world view

Abstract This rhetorical analysis of missionary stories, recounted and enacted, finds unusual traces of oral thought in the lives of these literate people adjusting to exclusively oral and highly residual oral cultures. These missionaries told “acculturation/call” stories that made abstract and technical situations personal and concrete. These stories consisted of a prologue, problem/resolution, summary, and projection in a “sewn” rather than a “plotted” order. Because the “call” took precedence over the acculturation story, these stories also were sacred stories in which the dynamic power of the word was as strong as in oral thought and in which participation or identification also was present. The presence of this blended oral and literate system has implications for adjustment, communication, effectiveness, and ethics in the intercultural encounter.
Estimating probability of collision for safe motion planning under Gaussian motion and sensing uncertainty

We present a fast, analytical method for estimating the probability of collision of a motion plan for a mobile robot operating under the assumptions of Gaussian motion and sensing uncertainty. Estimating the probability of collision is an integral step in many algorithms for motion planning under uncertainty and is crucial for characterizing the safety of motion plans. Our method is computationally fast, enabling its use in online motion planning, and provides conservative estimates to promote safety. To improve accuracy, we use a novel method to truncate estimated a priori state distributions to account for the fact that the probability of collision at each stage along a plan is conditioned on the previous stages being collision free. Our method can be directly applied within a variety of existing motion planners to improve their performance and the quality of computed plans. We apply our method to a car-like mobile robot with second order dynamics and to a steerable medical needle in 3D and demonstrate that our method for estimating the probability of collision is orders of magnitude faster than naive Monte Carlo sampling methods and reduces estimation error by more than 25% compared to prior methods.
Effects of stage of gestation and nutrient restriction during early to mid-gestation on maternal and fetal visceral organ mass and indices of jejunal growth and vascularity in beef cows.

The objectives were to evaluate effects of maternal nutrient restriction and stage of gestation on maternal and fetal visceral organ mass and indices of jejunal growth and vascularity in beef cows. Thirty multiparous beef cows (BW = 571 ± 63 kg; BCS = 5.4 ± 0.7) carrying female fetuses (d 30 of gestation) were allocated to receive a diet of native grass hay (CON; 12.1% CP, 70.7% IVDMD, DM basis) to meet NRC recommendations for BW gain during early gestation or a nutrient-restricted diet of millet straw (NR; 9.9% CP, 54.5% IVDMD, DM basis) to provide 68.1% of NEm and 86.7% of MP estimated requirements. On d 125 of gestation, 10 CON and 10 NR cows were killed and necropsied. Five remaining CON cows received the CON diet, and 5 NR cows were realimented with a concentrate supplement (13.2% CP, 77.6% IVDMD, DM basis) and the CON hay to achieve a BCS similar to CON cows by d 220 of gestation. Remaining cows were necropsied on d 245 of gestation. Cow BW and eviscerated BW (EBW) were less (P 0.63) at d 245. Cows fed the CON diet had greater (P < 0.09) to- tal gastrointestinal (GI) tract, omasal, and pancreatic weights. Stomach complex, ruminal, and liver weights were greater for CON than NR cows (P < 0.09) on d 125. Total GI, stomach complex, and pancreatic weights increased (P < 0.001) with day of gestation. Restricted cows had decreased (P = 0.09) duodenal RNA:DNA compared with CON. Duodenal DNA was less (P = 0.01) and jejunal RNA:DNA (P = 0.09) was greater for cows at d 125 vs. 245. Cow jejunal capillary area den- sity increased with day of gestation (P = 0.02). Fetal BW and EBW were unaffected by dietary treatment (P ≥ 0.32). Total GI tract and all components increased in mass with day of gestation (P < 0.001). Fetuses from NR dams had greater (P = 0.003) reticular mass at d 245 than CON fetuses. Fetuses from NR cows had greater (P = 0.02) percent jejunal proliferation at d 125 and greater (P = 0.03) total intestinal vascularity (mL) at d 245. Fetal jejunal DNA decreased (P = 0.09), RNA:DNA increased (P = 0.05), and total jejunal pro- liferating cells increased (P < 0.001) with day of ges- tation. Jejunal capillary area density, number density, and surface density were greater (P < 0.008) during late gestation. Results indicate that maternal and fetal intestines undergo changes during gestation, which can be affected by nutrient restriction and may partially explain differences observed in fetal development and postnatal performance.
Knowledge Discovery by Mining Association Rules and Temporal-Spatial Information from Large-Scale Geospatial Image Databases

Discovering relevant knowledge from large-scale geospatial image databases is challenging because of the complexity of describing visual semantics, the computational cost of processing petabytes of data, and the difficulty in summarizing and presenting knowledge. In this paper, we revisit a selective set of core data mining algorithms, namely association rules mining, spatial mining, and temporal mining. We then customize these algorithms using visual content and potential objects extracted from geospatial image databases with other relevant information, such as text-based annotations. Queries utilizing the mining results are also discussed in this paper. These mining and query processing algorithms play an important role in GeoIRIS- Geospatial Information Retrieval and Indexing System.
Adaptive spatial multilooking and temporal multilinking in SBAS Interferometry

We present an adaptive filtering algorithm for accurate estimation of differential interferometric phase and coherence, in order to better support the SBAS approach. The typical method to enhance interferograms is a simple boxcar multilooking, that improves the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) at the expense of the spatial resolution. The presented technique is based on an adaptive space filter that identifies and averages statistically homogeneous pixels in a given neighbourhood. It also consists of a phase filtering operation in the time domain via the temporal multilink for recovering the consistency of the interferometric phase (phase triangulation). Results on real Cosmo-SkyMed data, acquired over the city of Naples, are shown in order to demonstrate the effectiveness of the presented technique.
Mus81, Rhp51(Rad51), and Rqh1 Form an Epistatic Pathway Required for the S-Phase DNA Damage Checkpoint

The S-phase DNA damage checkpoint slows the rate of DNA synthesis in response to damage during replication. In the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe, Cds1, the S-phase-specific checkpoint eff...
Independent-Band Tight-Binding Parameters for Fe–MgO–Fe Magnetic Heterostructures

We present a computationally efficient and transferable independent-band tight-binding model (IBTB) for spin-polarized transport in heterostructures with an effort to capture the band structure effects. As an example, we apply it to study the transport through Fe-MgO-Fe(100) magnetic tunnel junction devices. We propose a novel approach to extract suitable tight-binding parameters for a material by using the energy resolved transmission as the benchmark, which inherently has the band structure effects over the 2-D transverse Brillouin zone. The IBTB parameters for various symmetry bands for bcc Fe(1 0 0) are first proposed which are complemented with the transferable tight-binding parameters for the MgO tunnel barrier for the Δ1-like and Δ5-like bands. The nonequilibrium Green's function formalism is then used to calculate the transport features like J-V characteristics, voltage dependence, and the barrier width dependence of the tunnel magnetoresistance ratio are captured quantitatively, and the trends match well with the ones observed in ab initio methods.
Comparison of on-farm forage-dry-matter methods to forced-air oven for determining forage dry matter

The objective of the study was to compare 3 different on-farm methods of determining DM in forages using traditional forced-air oven (FAO) as a standard for comparison. Silage samples (60 corn silage, 35 grass silage) were analyzed by microwave (MW), Koster Moisture Tester, Q-Dry (a new automatic convection system to measure DM), and FAO using standard or manufacturers’ methods for each system. A linear relationship was observed for corn silage between FAO and MW (β = 1.014; R 2 = 0.961), Koster Moisture Tester (β = 1.028; R 2 = 0.885), and Q-Dry (β = 0.982; R 2 = 0.921), where β is slope of the regression line and R2 is coefficient of determination. In addition, grass silage showed a significant relationship between FAO and MW (β = 1.021; R2 = 0.961), Koster Moisture Tester (β = 1.245; R 2 = 0.950), and Q-Dry (β = 0.965; R 2 = 0.952). All methods resulted in similar DM determination, exhibiting a strong, linear relationship with FAO (P < 0.01), and all have advantages and disadvantages. Microwave and Q-Dry showed the strongest correlations to FAO. These data suggest that MW and Q-Dry are the best on-farm alternatives to traditional oven drying for DM determination.
Differentiation of Self and the Process of Forgiveness: A Clinical Perspective for Couple and Family Therapy

In this article we explore the role of differentiation of self in facilitating forgiveness in the context of couple and family relationships. Differentiation is defined from the Bowen perspective as the ability to connect with others without being excessively emotionally reactive to the ebb and flow inherent in all significant relationships (being able to connect to others yet also being able to self-regulate). Forgiveness is described as the releasing of an emotional injury via a complex psychological and relational process that is less an act of will than a discovery or possibility through understanding and empathy. Differentiation of self is related to emotional intelligence and empathy. The developmental and relational benefits of such are illustrated and discussed. A rationale for viewing differentiation and forgiveness in a contextual, historical, and relational attachment paradigm is suggested. Relevant clinical cases illustrate the dynamics of differentiation and forgiveness as discovery in the context of an understanding and empathic relational environment.
Antenna theory: a review

In this review the author traces the history of antennas and some of the most basic radiating elements, demonstrates the fundamental principles of antenna radiation, reviews Maxwell's equations and electromagnetic boundary conditions, and outlines basic procedures and equations of radiation. Modeling of antenna source excitation is illustrated, and antenna parameters and figures-of-merit are reviewed. Theorems, arraying principles, and advanced asymptotic methods for antenna analysis and design are summarized. >
The consistent Boltzmann algorithm for the van der Waals equation of state

The direct-simulation Monte Carlo method is generalized by introducing an advection displacement that models a hard-core exclusion with a weak and constant interparticle attraction. Simulation results demonstrate that both the van der Waals equation of state and its Maxwell tie-line construction can be obtained.
Intercropping with Sunflowers to Attract Beneficial Insects in Organic Agriculture

Sunflowers (Helianthus spp.) are listed in many extension factsheets and other such publications as excellent plants to attract beneficial insects in addition to those known to be important pollinators. We performed a 2-year study at a number of organic farms in Alachua County, Florida to determine if the presence of sunflower rows included in a polyculture system increased the occurrence and abundance of beneficial insects in cropped fields. The occurrence of beneficial insects was significantly greater on sunflower than on crop vegetation in control blocks and crop vegetation greater than 10 m distant from sunflowers. While crop vegetation 10 m distant from sunflowers harbored significantly fewer beneficial insects, this difference in occurrence was not seen in crop vegetation 1 m distant from sunflowers. Our results indicate that sunflowers indeed attract and play host to numerous beneficial insects suggesting that sunflower plantings within rows of vegetable crops may indeed be an effective way to attract beneficial insects into cropped fields. However, further study is required to fully describe the distances key beneficial insects move from sunflowers and the impact these beneficial insects have on crop pests.
Analysis of Staphylococcus aureus genes encoding penicillin-binding protein 4 and an ABC-type transporter.

Abstract A region of the Staphylococcus aureus chromosome has been isolated that contains the gene encoding penicillin-binding protein 4 (PBP4), as well as abcA , a gene that encodes a protein with strong, sequence similarity to the ABC transporter family of proteins. A disruption in abcA by Campbell-type integration results in cells that display an increased resistance to methicillin and cefoxitin, two antibiotics known to interact with low-molecular-weight PBPs. Based on these observations, a potential regulatory link between these two genes is discussed.
Loose, artistic "textures" for visualization

Through evolution, the human visual system has developed the ability to process natural textures. However, in addition to natural textures, humans also visually process man-made textures - some of the richest and most compelling of which are in works of art. Art goes beyond what perceptual psychologists understand about visual perception and there remain fundamental lessons that we can learn from art and art history that we can apply to our visualization problems. This article describes and illustrates some of the visualization lessons we have learned from studying art. I believe that these examples also illustrate some of the potential benefits of further study. While this approach is more open-ended than a perceptual psychology approach, both approaches are worthy of pursuit, and the potential benefits of using the less structured approach outweigh any risk of failure.
EVALUATING CYCLIC PELVIC MOVEMENT IN PATIENTS WITH ACETABULAR LABRAL TEARS: A CASE-CONTROLLED PILOT STUDY

Acetabular labral tears are a common cause of hip pain, but specific diagnosis can be difficult due to limitations in current physical examination techniques and radiographic imaging. Pelvic dynamics were captured in 18 participants (10 labral tear patients) who performed single leg squats and stance exercises. Comparisons were made between the pathologic and non-pathologic legs of patients and between patients and controls. The analysis of bilateral symmetry showed significant differences in most parameters implying unique patient compensatory dynamics. Bilateral symmetry was found to be significant in detecting differences in movement patterns and may become a useful tool for clinical evaluation.
Modulation of cardiac electrophysiology by tissue alignment

Most cardiac arrhythmias are associated with pathology-triggered ion channel remodeling. However, multicellular effects, e.g. exaggerated anisotropy and altered cell-to-cell coupling, can also indirectly affect action potential morphology and electrical stability via changed electrotonus. Recent computational studies showed that electrotonus affects stability by altering dynamic properties (restitution). Here, we address the question of how cell alignment and connectivity alter function and whether these effects depend on wave propagation direction. We show that cardiac cell arrangement alters electrical stability in an in vitro cardiac tissue model by mechanisms both dependent and independent of wave propagation direction, and local structural remodeling is felt beyond a space constant. Notably, restitution of action potential duration (APD) and conduction velocity were significantly steepened in the direction of cell alignment. Furthermore, prolongation of APD and calcium transient duration was found in highly anisotropic cell networks, in both longitudinal and transverse propagation. This is in contrast to expected correlation between wave propagation direction and APD based on electrotonic effects only, but is consistent with our findings of increased secretion of atrial natriuretic peptide, a hypertrophy marker, in the aligned structures. Our results indicate anisotropic structure is a potent modulator of electrical stability via electrotonus and molecular signaling.
Zidovudine response relationships in early human immunodeficiency virus infection

Objective To examine predictors of magnitude of CD4+ response to treatment of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection with zidovudine. Methods This was a post hoc analysis of randomized placebo-controlled clinical trial in a multicenter trial, 1423 asymptomatic HIV-positive subjects with CD4+ cell counts less than 500 mm−3 were given 500 mg/day zidovudine, 1500 mg/day zidovudine, or placebo. The main outcome measure was change in the CD4+ cell counts over time. Results This study suggests that earlier treatment with zidovudine results in a larger increment in the CD4+ cell count. In addition, the increment in CD4+ cell count is very long lived. However, drug exposure was not found to be a predictor of response to treatment in the dose range studied. Conclusions A parametric model of disease progression can be estimated with use of data collected in a conventionally designed study. These parametric models may provide insight into the optimal use of drugs. This model suggests that zidovudine does not change the underlying course of HIV infection but simply delays the time course. The model also suggests that the magnitude of this delay is larger when treatment is begun earlier in the course of the disease. Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics (1993) 54, 556–566; doi:10.1038/clpt.1993.188
Informed Consent and Deception in Psychotherapy Research An Ethical Analysis

In recent years, considerable attention and controversy have revolved around the use of research strategies involving human subjects. As a result, numerous codes have emerged, designed to protect the rights of people serving as research subjects, and to serve as guides to researchers. For many, such attention to ethical issues has been applauded. Others have found such attention an obstacle to the successful completion of the research work they are striving to accomplish. Robins (1977), for example, has reported that the recent regulations from the Department of Health, Education and Welfare have made it virtually impossible for him and others to do important research into psychopathology and deviance because privacy regulations deny them access to the records they need for adequate "follow-up-studies." He claims that without access to records it is impossible to come to an adequate understanding of the causes and consequences of psychopathology and childhood deviance, and to evaluate the effectiveness of the prevention and treatment of these disorders. He claims that his type of research can and does protect the right to privacy of individuals, because the researcher is interested in a person only as a representative of a class of persons, not as individuals. Robins' concern awakens some important initial questions: "Why such controversy? Why has such interest in ethics and research emerged in recent years? Is such attention genuinely warranted? Can we not simply rely on the good judgment of researchers to protect human subjects and get on with the serious business of research?" In order to understand and address these questions it is important to examine some of the historical events that lie behind the need for, and formulation of, many ethical codes. This will provide a context for the interest in and the controversy about the role of ethics in research with human subjects. It is also important, at the start, to define clearly what research is, what it is designed to do, and some of the critical ethical concerns that emerge when research strategies are applied to the study of psychotherapy. Our considerations will also necessitate an in-depth analysis of the role of informed consent and deception in research, as most ethical problems revolve around these issues. And finally, some recommendations and conclusions for psychotherapy research will be offered. Defining the Scope of the Problem
Adenosine slows ischaemic metabolism in canine myocardium in vitro: relationship to ischaemic preconditioning.

Objective: Studies in rabbits suggest that the cardioprotective effects of adenosine against lethal cell injury may be related to production of adenosine and subsequent activation of adenosine A1, receptors. However, it is not known whether intracoronary adenosine therapy can mimic the metabolic sparing effects of preconditioning in rabbits or dogs. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of intracoronary adenosine on ischaemic metabolism in totally ischaemic canine myocardium. Methods: Dog hearts (n=13) were excised and the coronary arteries were perfused with an oxygenated Krebs' buffer containing glucose. Adenosine was added to the buffer perfusing the circumflex (treated) region. Following perfusion, control and treated beds from each heart were subjected to 90 min total ischaemia at 37°C. Tissue levels of ATP and glycolytic intermediates were determined at several time points during the ischaemic incubation. Results: Adenosine significantly slowed the rate of ATP depletion, glycogen utilisation, and lactate accumulation during the first 20 minutes of total ischaemia. Conclusions: The results suggest that adenosine is capable of slowing ischaemic metabolism and they are consistent with the hypothesis that adenosine may mediate ischaemic preconditioning. Cardiovascular Research 1993; 27 :669-673
Effects of Annular Size, Transmitral Pressure, and Mitral Flow Rate on the Edge-To-Edge Repair: An In Vitro Study

Background Although edge-to-edge repair is an established adjunctive procedure, there is still debate on its long-term durability and efficacy. Methods Fifteen porcine mitral valves were studied in a physiologic left heart simulator with a variable size annulus (dilated = 8.22 cm 2 , normal=6.86 cm 2 , contracted=5.5 cm 2 ). Mitral valves were tested under steady and physiologic pulsatile flow conditions (cardiac outputs: 4 to 6 L/min), at peak transmitral pressures between 100 mm Hg and 140 mm Hg. A miniature force transducer was used to measure the Alfieri stitch force (F A ). Mitral flow rate (MFR), transmitral pressure, effective orifice area, mitral regurgitation, and F A were monitored. Results The edge-to-edge repair led to a decrease in effective orifice area of 16.55% ± 8.22%; further reduction in effective orifice area was attained with annular contraction. Mitral regurgitation after the edge-to-edge repair was significantly higher ( p A were observed: one during systole (F A = 0.059 ± 0.024 N) and a second during diastole (F A = 0.072 ± 0.021 N). Multivariate analysis of variance analysis showed that during systole, transmitral pressure and mitral annular area (MAA) had significant effects on F A [F A = (4.40 × 10 −4 ) transmitral pressure (mm Hg) + (5.0 × 10 −3 ) MAA (cm 2 ) – 0.05 (R 2 = 0.80)], whereas during diastole MFR and MAA had significant effects on F A [F A = (1.03 × 10 −4 ) MFR 2 (L/min) – (1.60 × 10 −3 ) MAA (cm 2 ) + 0.02 (R 2 = 0.90)]. Conclusions With annular dilation, mitral regurgitation persisted even after the edge-to-edge repair. The edge-to-edge repair does not cause clinically relevant mitral valve stenosis in a normal size mitral valve. Mitral flow rate and transmitral pressure are the main determinants of F A during the cardiac cycle. Increasing annular area increases F A during systole but decreases F A during diastole. Systolic F A may become dominant with increases in MAA or peak transmitral pressure, or both.