cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
dReach: δ-Reachability Analysis for Hybrid Systems

dReach is a bounded reachability analysis tool for nonlinear hybrid systems. It encodes reachability problems of hybrid systems to first-order formulas over real numbers, which are solved by delta-decision procedures in the SMT solver dReach. In this way, dReach is able to handle a wide range of highly nonlinear hybrid systems. It has scaled well on various realistic models from biomedical and robotics applications.
Multiresolution histograms for SVM-Based texture classification

Multiresolution histograms have been recently proposed as robust and efficient features for texture classification. In this paper, we evaluate the performance of multiresolution histograms for texture classification using support vector machines (SVMs). We observe that the dimensionality of multiresolution histograms can be greatly reduced with a Laplacian pyramidal decomposition. With an appropriate kernel, we show that SVMs significantly improve the performance of multiresolution histograms compared to the previously used nearest-neighbor (NN) classifiers on a texture classification problem involving Brodatz textures. Experimental results indicate that multiresolution histograms in conjunction with SVMs are also robust to noise.
Discriminating primary clinical states in bipolar disorder with a comprehensive symptom scale.

Objective: We assessed the spectrum and severity of bipolar symptoms that differentiated bipolar disorder (BD) clinical states, employing the Bipolar Inventory of Symptoms Scale (BISS) which provides a broader item range of traditional depression and mania rating scales. We addressed symptoms differentiating mixed states from depression or mania/hypomania. Method: One hundred and sixteen subjects who met DSM-IV-TR criteria for BD and were currently in a depressed, manic/hypomanic, mixed episode, or recovered state were interviewed using the BISS. Results: A subset of manic items differed between mixed episodes and mania/hypomania or depression. Most anxiety items were more severe in mixed subjects. BISS Depression and Manic subscales differentiated episodes from recovered status. The majority of depression and manic symptoms differentiated mood states in the predicted direction. Mixed episodes had overall greater mood severity than manic/hypomanic episodes or depressed episodes. Conclusion: These results indicate that a small subset of symptoms, several of which are absent in DSM-IV-TR criteria and traditional rating scales for bipolar studies, aid in distinguishing mixed episodes from depressive or manic/hypomanic episodes. The results also support the utility of a comprehensive BD symptom scale in distinguishing primary clinical states of BD.
Phosphorylation mechanism and structure of serine‐arginine protein kinases

The splicing of mRNA requires a group of essential factors known as SR proteins, which participate in the maturation of the spliceosome. These proteins contain one or two RNA recognition motifs and a C-terminal domain rich in Arg-Ser repeats (RS domain). SR proteins are phosphorylated at numerous serines in the RS domain by the SR-specific protein kinase (SRPK) family of protein kinases. RS domain phosphorylation is necessary for entry of SR proteins into the nucleus, and may also play important roles in alternative splicing, mRNA export, and other processing events. Although SR proteins are polyphosphorylated in vivo, the mechanism underlying this complex reaction has only been recently elucidated. Human alternative splicing factor [serine/arginine-rich splicing factor 1 (SRSF1)], a prototype for the SR protein family, is regiospecifically phosphorylated by SRPK1, a post-translational modification that controls cytoplasmic-nuclear localization. SRPK1 binds SRSF1 with unusually high affinity, and rapidly modifies about 10-12 serines in the N-terminal region of the RS domain (RS1), using a mechanism that incorporates sequential, C-terminal to N-terminal phosphorylation and several processive steps. SRPK1 employs a highly dynamic feeding mechanism for RS domain phosphorylation in which the N-terminal portion of RS1 is initially bound to a docking groove in the large lobe of the kinase domain. Upon subsequent rounds of phosphorylation, this N-terminal segment translocates into the active site, and a β-strand in RNA recognition motif 2 unfolds and occupies the docking groove. These studies indicate that efficient regiospecific phosphorylation of SRSF1 is the result of a contoured binding cavity in SRPK1, a lengthy Arg-Ser repetitive segment in the RS domain, and a highly directional processing mechanism.
The warm-hot gaseous halo of the Milky Way

The circumgalactic region of the Milky Way contains a large amount of gaseous mass in the warm-hot phase. The presence of this warm-hot halo observed through $z=0$ X-ray absorption lines is generally agreed upon, but its density, path-length, and mass is a matter of debate. Here I discuss in detail why different investigations led to different results. The presence of an extended (over 100 kpc) and massive (over ten billion solar masses) warm-hot gaseous halo is supported by observations of other galaxies as well. I briefly discuss the assumption of constant density and end with outlining future prospects.
Functional MRI determination of a dose-response relationship to lower extremity neuromuscular electrical stimulation in healthy subjects.

Although empirical evidence supports the use of neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) to treat physical impairments associated with stroke, the mecha- nisms underlying the efficacy of this modality are poorly understood. Recent studies have employed functional imaging to investigations of brain responses to median nerve stimulation. These studies suggest a dose-response relationship may exist between selected stimulation parameters and hemodynamic responses in sensorimotor regions. However, substantial gaps exist in this literature. The present study was designed to address these defi- ciencies. Ten healthy subjects participated. In phase one, four stimulus intensity levels were established: (1) sensory threshold (Th), (2) (MMTh)�0.333+Th (low- intermediate level, LI), (3) (MMTh)�0.666+Th (high- intermediate level, HI), and (4) maximal motor (MM). In phase two, subjects were scanned using a spiral-echopla- nar imaging technique at each stimulus level. Image sets were analyzed to determine hemodynamic responses at the highest Pearson correlation level (r) ascertained for each of five areas of interest (AOI): (1) primary sensory, (2) primary motor, (3) cingulate gyrus, (4) thalamus, and (5) cerebellum. ANOVA demonstrated significant main effects for BOLD signal amplitude (p<0.05) changes in all AOI. Similarly, ANOVA showed significant differ- ences in the volume of activation (p<0.05) with increasing stimulus intensity in four AOI. Secondary analyses of pooled data showed increasing probabilities of activation at higher stimulus intensities within each AOI. Collec- tively, these data indicate a dose-response relationship exists between lower extremity NMES and brain activa- tion in specific neural regions. The current results, while limited in their generalizability, are foundational for future studies of interventions using NMES.
Éléments d’un discours nostalgique anglo-montréalais. L’exemple de l’oeuvre de William Weintraub

La prise en charge de la minorisation culturelle et sociale des anglophones au Quebec depuis les annees 60 a provoque diverses reponses collectives parmi les communautes anglophones a Montreal, en particulier parmi celles qui ont vecu au Quebec avant l’institution des politiques de francisation. Depuis le referendum de 1980, un discours d’identite civique fonde sur une serie de recits historiques et culturels teintes de nostalgie a emerge parmi ce groupe. Cet article esquisse et examine les elements constitutifs de ce discours grâce a une analyse des oeuvres de William Weintraub; puis ce meme discours est examine dans la triple perspective de ses mecanismes interpellateurs, de ses interlocuteurs, et de sa relation avec les discours collectifs sur l’identite quebecoise.
Large Motor Drives

The sections in this article are 1 Large DC Motor Drives 2 Large AC Synchronous Motor Drives 3 Large AC Induction Motor Drives 4 Multilevel Inverters for Large Motor Drives
Troubling kinship: Sacred marriage and gender configuration in South India

Patterns of kin-making among devadasis in northern Karnataka pose problems for anthropological charting of kinship and for state projects of family normalization. Given to the goddess Yellamma by her family in a rite of marriage, a devadasi becomes a person who is both a woman and a son. Such a person cannot be mapped within a structuralist calculus of kin in which every position is always already gendered. I elaborate kin-making as a technology for producing gender and value in persons who can inhabit, but may confound, alignments between sex, gender, and kin position that have been smuggled into the anthropological project as kinship.
Terrain-aided Navigation for an Underwater Glider

A terrain-aided navigation method for an underwater glider is proposed that is suitable for use in ice-covered regions or areas with heavy ship traffic where the glider may not be able to surface for GPS location updates. The algorithm is based on a jittered bootstrap algorithm, which is a type of particle filter that makes use of the vehicle's dead-reckoned navigation solution, onboard altimeter, and a local digital elevation model DEM. An evaluation is performed through postprocessing offline location estimates from field trials that took place in Holyrood Arm, Newfoundland, overlapping a previously collected DEM. During the postprocessing of these trials, the number of particles, jittering variance, and DEM grid cell size were varied, showing that convergence is maintained for 1,000 particles, a jittering variance of 15 m2, and a range of DEM grid cell sizes from the base size of 2i¾?m up to 100i¾?m. Using nominal values, the algorithm is shown to maintain bounded error location estimates with root-mean-square RMS errors of 33 and 50i¾?m in two sets of trials. These errors are contrasted with dead-reckoned errors of 900i¾?m and 5.5 km in those same trials. Online open-loop field trials were performed for which RMS errors of 76 and 32 m- were obtained during 2-h-long trials. The dead-reckoned error for these same trials was 190 and 90i¾?m, respectively. The online open-loop trials validate the filter despite the large dead-reckoned errors, single-beam altitude measurements, and short test duration.
Functional implications of tactile projection patterns to the lateral hemispheres of the cerebellum of the albino rat: the legacy of Wally Welker

In the late 1970s, Wally Welker and his colleagues published a series of papers describing the first high-resolution physiological maps of tactile mossy fiber projections to the granule cell layer of the rat. Over the subsequent decade, his laboratory continued to explore the implications of these results for cerebellar connectivity and function while also extending the basic mapping results to a number of additional mammalian species. In each case, the maps revealed several surprising features, including a dominance of tactile (cutaneous inputs), robust short latency responses from the sensory periphery, and a fractured patchy somatotopic organization of receptive fields. This paper summarizes the major results of these micromapping experiments and reconsiders their implications for cerebellar function in light of more recent experimental data. The paper also explores the relationship between these fundamental discoveries and Wally Welker's theory-neutral approach to experimental science.
“Visualizing” Apartheid: Contemporary Art and Collective Memory during South Africa’s Transition to Democracy

This article examines contemporary artwork in South Africa in orderto understand its role within the larger process of transitional justice taking place in the country. How has contemporary art contributed to and/or shaped the construction of a 'collective memory' about Apartheid? How has this art interacted with the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC)? The author argues that South African artists have played a significant role in the overall social transformation of the country, undertaking projects which continue to negotiate the legacies of Apartheid.
The computational complexity of a set of quadratic functions

Abstract We consider the problem of determining the fewest number of nonscalar multiplications needed to compute a set of quadratic functions. We develop mathematical characterizations and lower bound techniques which, when applied to problems related to matrix multiplication or quaternion multiplication, generate bounds similar to those known for the bilinear case. The special case of a pair of quadratic functions is also considered and good lower and upper bounds are established for this case.
Allele shuffling: conjugational transfer, plasmid shuffling and suppressor analysis in saccharomyces cerevisiae

Abstract Trans -acting suppressor analysis represents a powerful genetic technique capable of revealing interactions among biochemical pathways in vivo. Suppressor characterization in Saccharomyces cerevisiae has traditionally utilized meiotic segregation for the requisite manipulation of strain genotypes. Meiotic segregation is not compatible with all yeast genotypes and can be prohibitively labor intensive when examining large collections of suppressors. To facilitate rapid phenotypic analysis of suppressor mutations, we have devised a novel genetic strategy called ‘allele shuffling’. This plasmid-based method should in principle identify allele-specific, allele-dependent and bypass suppressors. A centromere vector (YCp) was developed that can be directly transfrered from Escherichia coli to yeast via ‘ trans -kingdom’ conjugation. Suppressors of a thermolabile cdc 23 allele, cdc 23–39, were isolated in the background of a yeast host strain harboring the mutant cdc 23–39 gene positioned on a counterselectable plasmid. CDC23 or cdc23-39 genes cloned into a mobilizable YCp vector were then transferred directly from E. coli cultures to each suppressed yeast strain on the surfaces of agar plates. Plasmid shuffling of the cdc 23–39 allele transconjugants segregated away the original cdc 23–39 gene present during mutagenesis, allowing the intra-or extragenic nature of suppression to be determined. Phenotypes (if any) produced by suppressor mutations were revealed in those transconjugants receiving the wild-type CDC 23-containing episome. The allele shuffling method should be generally applicable to the analysis of suppressors of any essential yeast gene.
ST7 is a novel low-density lipoprotein receptor-related protein (LRP) with a cytoplasmic tail that interacts with proteins related to signal transduction pathways.

In 1997, McCormick and co-workers identified a novel putative tumor suppressor gene, designated ST7, encoding a unique protein with transmembrane receptor characteristics [Qing et al. (1999) Oncogene 18, 335−342]. Using degenerate primers corresponding to the highly conserved region of the ligand-binding domains of members of the low-density lipoprotein receptor (LDLR) superfamily, Ishii et al. [Genomics (1998) 51, 132−135] discovered a low-density lipoprotein receptor-related protein (LRP) that closely resembles ST7. Later, another LRP closely resembling ST7 and LRP3 was found (murine LRP9) [Sugiyama et al. (2000) Biochemistry 39, 15817−15825]. These results strongly suggested that ST7 was also a novel member of the low-density lipoprotein receptor superfamily. Proteins of this superfamily have been shown to function in endocytosis and/or signal transduction. To evaluate the relationship of ST7 to the LDLR superfamily proteins and to determine whether ST7 may function in endocytosis and/or signal transdu...
An assay for thyroid hormone binding to chromatin receptors.

Abstract I have measured the interaction of T3 with highly soluble, expanded, rat liver chromatin using a new assay for the study of hormone binding to nucleoprotein. Bound hormone and free hormone were rapidly and quantitatively separated by the adsorption of the hormone-nucleoprotein complex onto hydroxylapatite. This procedure satisfies several criteria for a successful binding assay: (1) The binding capacity is stable throughout the time required to reach equilibrium, (2) the ratio of specific to nonspecific binding (signal/noise) is at least 20:1, (3) large numbers of samples can be handled easily, (4) the amount of bound hormone is directly proportional to the quantity of chromatin employed, (5) the hormone and its analogs display a range of affinities for the binding site, and (6) the binding occurs to a limited number of sites, over a free hormone concentration range which is similar to the hormone concentrations found in vivo.
Economic and Environmental Impact Analyses of Catalytic Olefin Hydroformylation in CO2-Expanded Liquid (CXL) Media

Recently, CEBC researchers reported a new hydroformylation process concept that uses CO2-expanded liquids (CXLs) as reaction media. The hydroformylation turnover frequencies (TOFs) were up to 4-fold higher in CXLs than those in neat organic solvent. The enhanced rates were achieved at milder conditions (30−60 °C and 4−12 MPa) compared to industrial processes (140−200 °C and 5−30 MPa). Preliminary economic and environmental analyses of the CXL process are presented here and benchmarked against a simulated conventional hydroformylation process for which nonproprietary data were obtained mostly from the Exxon process. The simulation results indicate that the CXL process has clear potential to be economically viable and environmentally favorable subject to nearly quantitative recovery and recycle of the rhodium-based catalysts. For the simulated conventional process, acetic acid discharged during the catalyst recovery steps is the dominant source of adverse environmental impact. These analyses have provided g...
Regulation of mdrlb gene expression in Fischer, Wistar and Sprague-Dawley rats in vivo and in vitro

Administration of 2-acetylaminofluorene (2-AAF) to rats increased mdr1b expression in Fischer, Wistar and Sprague-Dawley rat livers ; however, the response was much smaller in Sprague-Dawley livers. To investigate the basis of this difference we further examined the regulation of the mdr1b gene in hepatocytes isolated from Fischer, Sprague-Dawley and Wistar rats. A time-dependent increase in basal expression of mdr1b but not mdr2 was observed in hepatocytes isolated from all three strains of rats. After 4 days in culture, a larger increase in mdr1b mRNA levels was observed in Fischer and Wistar rat hepatocytes (3.5- and 4.6-fold respectively) than Sprague-Dawley hepatocytes (2-fold). Treatment of primary hepatocytes with 2-AAF caused an induction of mdr1b expression that varied among the three strains. Notably, Sprague-Dawley hepatocytes were not responsive to 2-AAF. In contrast to the parent compound, the electrophilic metabolites N-hydroxy-2-acetylaminofluorene and N-acetoxy-2-acetylaminofluorene caused a dose-dependent induction of mdr1b expression in both Fischer and Sprague-Dawley hepatocytes, indicating that differences in the metabolic activation of 2-AAF between the strains may account for the differences in mdr1b induction by 2-AAF. Hepatocytes isolated from all three strains of rats showed an equivalent induction of mdr1b after treatment with cycloheximide. Nuclear run-on assays demonstrated that the increases in mdr1b expression with time in culture and after xenobiotic treatment were due to increased transcription.
Density matrix perturbation theory.

An orbital-free quantum perturbation theory is proposed. It gives the response of the density matrix upon variation of the Hamiltonian by quadratically convergent recursions based on perturbed projections. The technique allows treatment of embedded quantum subsystems with a computational cost scaling linearly with the size of the perturbed region, $O({N}_{\mathrm{pert}\mathrm{.}})$, and as $O(1)$ with the total system size. The method allows efficient high order perturbation expansions, as demonstrated with an example involving a 10th order expansion. Density matrix analogs of Wigner's $2n+1$ rule are also presented.
Inhibitory Effects of Detergents in Membrane Filters

Aqueous filtrates from membrane filters contain material(s) with UV spectral characteristics quite similar to those of a nonionic isooctyl phenoxy polyethoxy ethanol (IPPE)-type detergent. A permeability test utilizing mammalian cell cultures was employed to evaluate the inhibitory properties of the extract and commercial IPPE. The cell culture test was sensitive to IPPE in concentrations as low as 0.006 percent and produced comparable results with extract concentrations having spectral absorbance (283 mμ) values equal to those of IPPE. Dose-response patterns were markedly similar. Spectral analyses of successive aqueous filtrates were used to study the extractability of the offending agent(s). Treatment of membrane filters with hot water prior to autoclaving rendered the filters safe for sterilization of solutions including cell culture media components.
Historical change in coastal sage scrub in southern California, USA in relation to fire frequency and air pollution

Invasions resulting in the transformation of one ecosystem to another are an increasingly widespread phenomenon. While it is clear that these conversions, particularly between grassland and shrubland systems, have severe consequences, it is often less clear which factors are associated with these conversions. We resampled plots from the 1930s (Weislander VTMs) to test whether two widely assumed factors, changes in fire frequency and nitrogen deposition, are associated with the conversion of coastal sage scrublands to exotic grasslands in southern California. Over the 76-year period, coastal sage scrub cover declined by 49%, being replaced predominantly by exotic grassland species. Grassland encroachment was positively correlated with increased fire frequency and, in areas with low fire frequencies, air pollution (percent fossil carbon as indicated by ∂14C, likely correlated with nitrogen deposition). We conclude that increases in fire frequency and air pollution over the last several decades in southern California may have facilitated the conversion of coastal sage shrubland to exotic grassland systems.
Diversity of the G-protein family: Sequences from five additional α subunits in the mouse

Biochemical analysis has revealed a number of guanine nucleotide-binding regulatory proteins (G proteins) that mediate signal transduction in mammalian systems. Characterization of their cDNAs uncovered a family of proteins with regions of highly conserved amino acid sequence. To examine the extent of diversity of the G protein family, we used the polymerase chain reaction to detect additional gene products in mouse brain and spermatid RNA that share these conserved regions. Sequences corresponding to six of the eight known G protein alpha subunits were obtained. In addition, we found sequences corresponding to five newly discovered alpha subunits. Our results suggest that the complexity of the G protein family is much greater than previously suspected.
WEEDER: An Advisory System for the Identification of Grasses in Turf

(...) The maximum mean of either group to identify a grass species was 55% of the specimens, which were examined by participants with plant science training using WEEDER. Participants with some plant science training had a higher mean identification of each species (23% identified) than participants with no training (18%) when using the identification key. Little difference in their ability to identify the unknown species was found between the two groups when they were using WEEDER (...)
β2-Adrenergic receptor and adenylate cyclase gene polymorphisms affect sickle red cell adhesion

Sickle red cell (SS RBC) adhesion is thought to contribute to sickle cell disease (SCD) pathophysiology. SS RBC adhesion to laminin increases in response to adrenaline stimulation of beta(2)-adrenergic receptors (beta(2)ARs) and adenylate cyclase (ADCY6), and previous evidence suggests such activation occurs in vivo. We explored whether polymorphisms of the beta(2)AR and ADCY6 genes (ADRB2 and ADCY6, respectively) affect RBC adhesion to laminin. We found that the beta(2)AR arg(16)-->gly substitution and two non-coding ADCY6 polymorphisms were associated with elevated adhesion. We postulate that ADRB2 and ADCY6 polymorphisms may influence SCD severity through the mechanism of RBC adhesion.
Hyperform specification: designing and interacting with self-reconfiguring materials

We are on the verge of realizing a new class of material that need not be machined or molded in order to make things. Rather, the material forms and re-forms itself according to software programmed into its component elements. These self-reconfiguring materials are composed of robotic modules that coordinate with each other locally to produce global behaviors. These robotic materials can be used to realize a new class of artifact: a shape that can change over time, i.e., a four-dimensional shape or a hyperform. Hyperforms present several opportunities: objects such as furniture could exhibit dynamic behaviors, could respond to tangible and gestural input, and end-users could customize their form and behavior. To realize these opportunities, the tangible interaction community must begin to consider how we will create and interact with hyperforms. The behaviors that hyperforms can perform will be constrained by the capabilities of the self-reconfiguring materials they are made of. By considering how we will interact with hyperforms, we can inform the design of these systems. In this paper, we discuss the life cycle of a hyperform and the roles designers and end-users play in interacting with hyperforms at these various stages. We consider the interactions such a system could afford as well as how underlying hardware and software affect this interaction. And we consider the extent to which several current hardware systems, including our own prismatic cubes (Weller et al. in Intelligent Robots and Systems. IEEE, 2009), can support the hyperform interactions we envision.
The Myth of the Green Fairy: Distilling the Scientific Truth About Absinthe

AbstractIn spite of its history and illegality, the use of absinthe, the aperitif made famous in fin de siecle Parisian cafes, is on the rise again in the United States and abroad. Writers and artists like Baudelaire, Verlaine, Wilde, van Gogh, Hemingway, Degas, Picasso and Gauguin all prominently featured absinthe in their writing and art, often attributing their creativity, as well as emotional instability, to the effects of la fee verte, or the green fairy. Consequently, absinthe has earned a reputation as a mysterious and dangerous substance capable of inducing all manner of psychosis, violence and passion. Yet contemporary science shows that the absinthe myth cannot be accounted for by the pharmacological reality. This article describes the history of absinthe and recent scientific developments, and uses a psychoanalytic framework to explain why the absinthe myth endures.
The stimulation of auroral kilometric radiation by type III solar radio bursts

It has been found that the onset of auroral kilometric radiation (AKR) frequently coincides with the arrival of type III solar radio bursts. Although the AKR onsets are usually abrupt and appear to be spontaneous, they sometimes develop from a discrete frequency near the leading edge of a type III burst or sometimes occur at progressively lower frequencies following that edge. From this, and the absence of the related solar electrons in specific cases, it was concluded that the incoming type III waves were sometimes responsible for stimulating auroral kilometric radiation. It was estimated that intense, isolated type III bursts were capable of stimulating AKR roughly one third of the time, and that at least ten percent of the observed AKR onsets could be attributed to these and weaker bursts, including some barely detectable by the ISEE plasma wave receivers.
Concerning the composition and source of the acquired enamel pellicle of human teeth

Abstract Natural pellicle was collected from sound, clean enamel of extracted, erupted, permanent human teeth. Short-term experimental pellicles were formed in the mouth and from ductal saliva which had been Millipore ® -filtered to remove any contaminating bacteria. Since much of the organic matter from the enamel surface was soluble in the 2 per cent hydrochloric acid used for collection of the pellicles, all the samples analyzed in this study were of “total” pellicle, including both the acid-soluble and the acid-insoluble pellicle. Unfiltered and filtered saliva samples were analyzed for comparison with the pellicles. Total natural pellicle had a fairly constant amino-acid composition which was quite different from the analyses of insoluble pellicle reported in the literature and different from the experimental pellicles and saliva analyzed. The total natural and experimental pellicles did not contain appreciable amounts of collagen, enamel protein, eukeratin nor haemoglobin but did exhibit some characteristics of a “soft” keratin. Formation of the experimental pellicles from saliva was a selective process. The in vivo and in vitro experimental pellicles were similar in composition, indicating that all the constituents necessary for the formation of a short-term pellicle were present in saliva and that bacteria or their products were not essential.
Prediction of Polymer Glass Transition Temperatures Using a General Quantitative Structure−Property Relationship Treatment

A novel approach to the prediction of the physical properties of polymers is presented. A QSPR study, involving the use of a newly developed statistical package, CODESSA, is described for the Tg of...
The relationship of benzodiazepine binding sites to the norepinephrine projection in the hypothalamus of the adult rat.

The relationship of benzodiazepine binding sites to noradrenergic terminals in different brain regions of adult rats was evaluated. The in vitro addition of 10−5 M diazepam (DZ) significantly reduced the depolarization-induced release of [3H]norepinephrine (NE) in the hypothalamus, while no effect was observed in the cerebellum, suggesting that DZ may act directly on NE terminals in the hypothalamus. The action of DZ in the hypothalamus was blocked either by co-incubation with the benzodiazepine (BZ) antagonist RO 15-1788 (a neutral ligand for BZ binding sites) or with the GABA antagonist, bicuculline. Analysis of BZ binding heterogeneity, using the triazolopyridazine CL 218,872 as displacing agent, indicated that binding heterogeneity exists in both the cortex and hypothalamus, whereas the cerebellum has a more homogeneous binding site population. Binding site heterogeneity does not appear to explain the selective effect of DZ on hypothalamic noradrenergic terminals. Systemic injection of the neurotoxin 6-hydroxyDOPA decreased NE levels significantly in the cerebellum, cortex and hypothalamus. Only in the hypothalamus, however, did the decrease in NE levels correlate in magnitude with the decrease in BZ receptor binding. A large proportion of BZ receptors may be located presynaptically on the hypothalamic NE terminals. The location of these BZ binding sites may contribute to the unique response to DZ observed in the hypothalamus following either in vitro or in utero exposure.
Metacognition, comprehension monitoring, and the adult reader

This article provides an overview and synthesis of the current literature on metacognition and comprehension monitoring among adult readers. It is organized around three major research questions: (1) How do adults conceptualize their own comprehension-fostering and comprehension-monitoring activities? (2) How effectively do adults evaluate and regulate their ongoing efforts to understand? (3) How successfully do adults assess the final products of their comprehension efforts? Cutting across these broad issues are questions concerning metacognitive differences as a function of reading ability, academic success, domain expertise, developmental level, and task variables. The research reveals that adults' conceptions of how they comprehend and how they monitor their comprehension are quite variable. In general, those who have more expertise, who are better readers, and who are more successful students seem to have greater awareness and control of their own cognitive activities while reading. The research also reveals that adults evaluate and regulate their ongoing efforts to understand, although there is considerable room for improvement in these skills. Finally, the research shows that adults are remarkably unsuccessful at assessing how well they have comprehended a text and whether or not they are ready to take a test on the material. The article closes with a discussion of recent intervention efforts aimed at enhancing the metacognitive skills of adult readers.
The Role of Management Games and Simulations in Education and Research

This review takes a broad look at the management gaming movement and summarizes how the field has evolved to its current state. The article defines terms and parametersfor the management gamingfield and briefly reviews the history of business gaming. Several models of experiential learning applicable to gaming are explained. Included are studies on the educational value of management games and a review of the literature that deals with management games and simulations as research laboratories. Some of the field's trends and future developments are also projected.
Cytopathology and release of an RNA virus from a strain of Trichomonas vaginalis

Abstract A strain of Trichomonas vaginalis infected with a double-stranded RNA virus showed pronounced cytopathology in the form of giant syncytia generated by the recruitment of single cells. The giant cells ultimately lysed, releasing virus into the culture medium. In the infected cells, clusters of electron-dense particles resembling viral structures were found in the cytoplasm. In addition, distinctive inclusions composed of similar particles were present in the nuclei of some cells. Double-stranded viral RNA of 5.5 kbp was demonstrated in both cytoplasmic and nuclear fractions from these cells. Viral particles collected from the cell-free culture supernatant were of the same shape and size as the RNA virus isolated from a strain of T. vaginalis described previously (Wang & Wang, Journal of Biological Chemistry , 260: 3697–3702, 1985; Wang & Wang, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the U.S.A. 83: 7956–7986) which does not show this cytopathology.
Hepatocyte Growth Factor Gene Therapy for Pancreatic Islets in Diabetes: Reducing the Minimal Islet Transplant Mass Required in a Glucocorticoid-Free Rat Model of Allogeneic Portal Vein Islet Transplantation

Islet transplantation for diabetes is limited by the availability of human islet donors. Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) is a potent beta-cell mitogen and survival factor and improves islet transplant outcomes in a murine model. However, the murine model employs renal subcapsular transplant and immunodeficient mice, features not representative of human islet transplantation protocols. Therefore, we have developed a more rigorous, marginal-mass rat islet transplant model that more closely resembles human islet transplantation protocols: islet donors are allogeneic Lewis islets; recipients are normal Sprague Dawley rats; islets are delivered intraportally; and immunosuppression is accomplished using the same immunosuppressants employed by the Edmonton group. We demonstrate that 1) surprisingly, the Edmonton immunosuppression regimen induces marked insulin resistance and beta-cell toxicity in rats, 2) adenovirus does not adversely affect islet transplant outcomes, 3) the Edmonton immunosuppressants may delay or block rejection of adenovirally transduced islets, and more importantly, 4) pretransplant islet adenoviral gene therapy with HGF markedly improves islet transplant outcomes, 5) this enhanced function persists for months, and 6) HGF enhances islet function and survival even in the setting of immunosuppressant-induced insulin resistance and beta-cell toxicity. This approach may enhance islet transplantation outcomes in humans.
Structure and magnetic behavior of magnetic multilayers

Abstract A cursory review is made of the present state of metallic multilayer (ML) fabrication and their quality using the degree of coherence in the growth direction as the main criteria. It is seen that the quality of ML is not particularly sensitive to the matching of the d-spacings and areas/atoms of its components. The behavior of several ML systems of interest for their possible magnetic applications is discussed.
On the application of the mode‐acceleration method to structural engineering problems

Mode-superposition has been extensively used in computing the dynamic response of complex structures. Two versions of mode-superposition, namely the mode-displacement method and the mode-acceleration method, have been employed. The present paper summarizes the results of a systematic study comparing the accuracy of the mode-displacement and mode-acceleration methods when applied to structures with various levels of damping or various excitation frequencies. The paper also discusses several details concerning the implementation of the mode-acceleration method.
Quantum phonon optics: Coherent and squeezed atomic displacements

In this paper we investigate coherent and squeezed quantum states of phonons. The latter allow the possibility of modulating the quantum fluctuations of atomic displacements below the zero-point quantum noise level of coherent states. The expectation values and quantum fluctuations of both the atomic displacement and the lattice amplitude operators are calculated in these states---in some cases analytically. We also study the possibility of squeezing quantum noise in the atomic displacement using a polariton-based approach.
Associations Between Mental Health and Surgical Outcomes Among Women Undergoing Mastectomy for Cancer

Following diagnosis of breast cancer, many women experience serious psychological distress, which can adversely affect their cancer care and outcomes. We conducted this study to examine the association between mental health conditions and hospital outcomes and costs among women undergoing mastectomy for invasive breast cancer. Using nationally representative data from the 2005 to 2008 Nationwide Inpatient Sample, we identified women aged ≥18 years with invasive breast cancer who underwent inpatient mastectomy (N = 40,202). Individuals with a psychiatric diagnosis (major depressive, posttraumatic stress, panic, adjustment, or generalized anxiety disorder) or substance abuse were compared with those without a mental health condition. Outcomes included risk of complications, prolonged hospitalization (>3 days), and direct costs of care. Multivariable logistic and linear regression analyses were performed to control for sociodemographic and clinical characteristics. Overall, 4.5% of patients had a mental health condition. Patients with substance abuse were more likely than those without to experience both complications (8.5% versus 4.8%; adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 1.61 [1.30-2.00]) and prolonged hospitalization (26.4% versus 13.6%; AOR = 2.25 [1.95-2.59]), and to have higher average costs ($9,855 versus $9,128, p = 0.009). Presence of psychiatric diagnoses was also significantly associated with increased complications (5.9% versus 4.8%; AOR = 1.21 [1.10-1.34]), prolonged hospitalization (8.5% versus 4.8%; AOR = 1.40 [1.32-1.49]), and higher average costs ($9,723 versus $9,108, p < 0.001). Mental health conditions are associated with poorer outcomes and higher costs in breast cancer patients undergoing inpatient mastectomy. Greater efforts are needed to identify and manage these patients with psychiatric and substance use disorders during the perioperative period.
A reliable game fish weight estimation model for Atlantic tarpon (Megalops atlanticus)

Abstract Rapid growth of popular and lucrative catch-and-release marine sportfisheries worldwide has highlighted the need for reliable weight estimation methods for use in fishing tournaments, pursuit of fishing records, and to support scientific research that allows captured fish to be released alive. This paper describes new methods to predict weight from measurements of body size of game fish. Here we also evaluated efficacy of a widely used historical model and compared this to several new statistical and analytical weight estimation models that we developed herein. We applied these candidate models to a unique morphometric data set on Atlantic tarpon ( Megalops atlanticus ) which contained information on body weight W as a function of fork length L and dorsal girth G for more than 1100 individuals from Florida, the Gulf of Mexico, Caribbean Sea and western Africa. A popular formula ( W = G 2 L/800), developed more than a century ago specifically for tarpon was originally derived from geometric and physical relationships between fish body weight and shape. We found this model to be negatively biased >−15% (i.e., underestimates individual fish weights) across the tarpon's entire size range up to 130 kg (the current world record). Bias for our “new” ellipsoid volumetric formulation, which extends the principles of allometry, was less than 1% across the entire range of observed sizes. Our new estimator was used by Texas Parks and Wildlife Department to assist fishery management in setting “minimum maximum” sizes for recreationally caught tarpon that have the potential to break the Texas State record. It has also supported catch-and-release tarpon fisheries and tournaments in Florida, Texas, Mexico, and Trinidad. It provides a reliable means to accurately estimate weights of tarpon of potential (world) record sizes.
Parabolic growth of oxide solid solutions on binary alloys

The growth of oxide solid solutions on binary alloys has been described using the ternary diffusion model put forward by Wagner and subsequently modified by Dalvi and Coates and Bastow, Whittle, and Wood. A more refined defect model where the presence of all types of vacancy species within the scales is considered has been adapted to obtain the diffusivities of cations in the scales as a function of oxygen potential and cation composition. In addition, correlation effects on cation jump frequencies have been included to account for additional compositional dependence of the diffusivities. Results have been analyzed for oxidation of Ni-Co to (Ni, Co)O at 1273°K in 1 atm oxygen. Improved agreement between calculated and experimental cation concentration profiles indicates that this approach is better than to arbitrarily assign functional forms to the compositional and oxygen activity dependencies of the diffusivities, and demonstrates that an accurate as possible model for the point defect structure of the oxide is required for correct interpretation of the growth of these solid solution types of scales.
Short‐range Navigation of the Weakly Electric Fish, Gnathonemus petersii L. (Mormyridae, Teleostei), in Novel and Familiar Environments

We investigated the electrolocation performance of the weakly electric fish, Gnathonemus petersii, in novel and familiar environments. By selectively interfering with the fish's sensory input, we determined the sensory channels necessary for navigation and orientation. The fish's task was to locate a circular aperture (diameter: 64 mm) in a wall dividing a 200–1 aquarium into two equal compartments. To assess the fish's performance, we measured (1) the time it took the fish to locate the aperture, (2) the height at which it contacted the divider, (3) its electric organ discharge rate, and (4) the frequency of divider crossings. In the first experiment (novel environment), 50 naive G. petersii assigned to five groups of 10 fish each (intact, blind, electrically “silent,” blind and “silent,” and shamoperated animals) were tested with the aperture presented randomly in one of three positions (aperture center: 7.6, 17.7, 27.8 cm from the bottom). In a novel environment, G. petersii depend on active electrolocation. Despite the changing aperture position, over the 15 trials, fish with a functioning electric organ found the aperture, whereas those without one did not. The electric organ discharge rate was inversely correlated with the amount of time spent searching for the aperture. In a second experiment (familiar environment) 20 intact fish learned the position of a fixed aperture. When we subsequently denervated the electric organ in 10 of these animals, their performance did not differ significantly from that of their conspecifics. Thus, once the fish were familiar with the aperture's position, they no longer depended on active electrolocation. We interpret and discuss this behavior as evidence for a “central expectation” and discuss its possible role in electronavigation.
Irrationality and Regulation: Constructing Mad Cow Knowledge in the US–South Korea FTA

This article explores the scientific rhetoric by which United States has attempted to promote its preferred Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE or ‘mad cow disease’) risk-management policies with several key Asian trading partners. When Korean civil society rejected its government's decision to resume full trade of US beef products following Free Trade Agreement negotiations in 2008, the US government called these expressions ‘irrational’ and refused to address questions about the uncertainty and contested knowledge regarding its beef safety. Rather, the US government dismissed Korean citizens’ concerns over the safety of US beef through the use of scientific and technocratic rhetoric, as a way to obscure the US’ particular political and economic interests. Through investigation of the US' campaign to change international standards on BSE-related trade and the comparative shortcomings of the US' domestic BSE regulatory practices, this article presents the trade conflict as a conflict between competing c...
Franchise management in East Asia

Executive Overview Franchising is the fastest growing method of doing business today. It is becoming a major catalyst for economic growth, employment, and development not only in the United States but also in the international marketplace. Franchising has moved from traditional product (trademark) areas such as automobiles, petroleum, and soft-drink bottlers to the standard industries of fast food, cosmetics, cleaning, convenience stores, computers, and financial services. In almost any area of business, franchising is a reality. We believe that it will surpass every method of doing business by the end of this century. The move toward international franchising is increasing as the U.S. domestic market becomes saturated and opportunities in foreign markets become apparent. We found that the economic growth of the Asian Pacific Rim in the last decade is presenting tremendous opportunities for U.S. franchisors. Several strategies for franchising in East Asia are presented in this article. Major consideration...
Interactions of swelling solvents and catalyst precursors in coal liquefaction systems

Abstract A study was undertaken to evaluate the effect of process parameters on the liquefaction of swelled Black Thunder mine (WY) subbituminous coal with the introduction of soluble catalyst precursors. The process concept involved simultaneously swelling coal with a hydrogen bonding solvent and impregnating coal with a soluble catalyst precursor with subsequent liquefaction at 410°C in a hydrogen atmosphere. The parameters included reaction solvent, swelling solvent and its interaction with various catalyst precursors, and the type, loading, and method of introduction of the catalysts. Interactions among the parameters were evident. Of particular significance, the swelling solvent and its interaction with the catalyst precursor affected coal conversion. Adjusting the various parameters did not increase coal conversion relative to the conversion achieved when the catalyst precursors were added directly to the liquefaction feed slurry.