cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Lumbar mechanics of floor to knuckle height lifting on sloped surfaces

Abstract Lifting a load from a sloped floor, where both the lifter and load are on the inclined surface, may be encountered in a variety of manual materials handling situations. The goal of this study was to determine the effects of lifting from a sloped floor surface (both facing up and down 10° and 20°) on the lumbar region and compare with the level surface. Twenty-one men and 22 women completed a single session of six freestyle lifts in each condition while sagittal plane kinematics and erector spinae (ES) muscle activities were measured. Secured in a milk crate, the men lifted 25 kg while the women lifted 15 kg. A top-down inverse-dynamics model calculated the net moment at L5/S1. Subject-selected foot placement relative to the crate was significantly affected by lifting condition ( p p =0.330). However, the static contribution from mass location significantly increased when facing up hill ( p p p p =0.932). No significant interactions were observed between the men and women ( p >0.007). Relevance to industry Lifting from the floor places a person at risk for low back pain and injury. These risks appear to be increased when facing up or down an inclined surface. Therefore, additional care should be taken when working in this awkward environment.
In vivo microscopy of hamster renal allografts

Abstract Nine hundred hamster renal allografts were examined to evaluate them as a dynamic model of the mammalian nephron. Grafts invariably vascularized so that glomeruli and tubules became viable. Glomeruli were readily visualized so that all morphological components usually visible with the light microscope could be identified. Glomerular blood flow responded to variations in anesthesia, epinephrine, and hemorrhagic shock by involvement of preglomerular vessels. Graded permeability of glomerular capillaries was demonstrated by using dye tracers which revealed that these vessel walls were not permeable to protein. Passive anaphylaxis produced by rabbit-anti-hamster kidney serum had a profound effect on glomerular blood flow by abruptly stopping flow without involving pre- or postglomerular vessels. Specific identification of tubules was limited to the origin of proximal tubules and the terminal segments of distal tubules with collecting tubules. In addition to the above structures both the renal pelvis and ureter could be viably maintained. It was concluded that the grafts are excellent for examining the structure and dynamic responses of glomeruli but may be of lesser value for studying the tubular system.
Static and dynamic analysis of Li-polymer battery using thermal electrochemical model

A dynamic model of a micro cell for Li-polymer battery based on the thermal electrochemical principle is developed to analyze static and dynamic performances. The micro cell model is one dimensional and coupled with two-dimensional macro cell thermal model to construct a pouch type battery. Firstly, the model is used to analyze both static and dynamic performances that include overpotentials, current distribution, potential distribution, and concentration of ions through the
Combining Part and Whole Lactations to Estimate Herdmate Averages

Abstract A regression method based on variances and covariances of unextended herd-year-season means for each of the 10 lengths of lactation was used to calculate the adjusted herdmate average. Needed parameters were estimated from monthly Dairy Herd Improvement Association test information from 12,750 Holstein cows with 16,991 part and whole records. Weights generated under this method were compared with those from the usual method. Components of variance among and within herd-year-season and herd-year season components of covariance between the 10 lengths were computed for the regression procedure. Both sets of estimates were smoothed to adjust for aberrant components. Regressions were estimated for all combinations of herdmate lengths in the data. The weights for each length varied with the distribution of the number of herdmates at each length. Weights for different lengths of herdmate means were developed algebraically for each method and were compared for different herdmate distributions. The weights for the short length records of herdmates of a cow with a complete record were comparatively larger for usual method than those from the regression method. When herdmates with lactations of different length were present, the longer incomplete and complete records received considerably less emphasis in the usual method than in the regression method. Possibilities of implementing the regression method are discussed.
The Effect of Radial Node Spacing on Finite Difference Calculations of Temperatures in Living Tissues

Finite difference calculations of the transient radial temperature distribution in living tissue are compared with an analytical solution in which metabolism, blood flow rate, and arterial blood temperature vary with time. The effects of node spacing and integration time interval on the accuracy of the finite difference calculations are investigated.
The prevention of natural motoneuron cell death by dibutyryl-cyclic GMP in the spinal cord of White Leghorn chick embryos.

Abstract The effect of dibutyryl-cyclic guanosine monophosphate (db-cGMP) treatment of White Leghorn chick embryos on the extent of natural motoneuron cell death in the lumbar spinal cord was examined. A dose of 1.59 μmol of db-cGMP effected an increase in motoneuron survival of 26.7%. No effect on motoneuron survival was observed with equimolar doses of 8-bromo-cGMP, db-cAMP, GMP, guanosine, or butyric acid.
Surge Associated With Air Expulsion in Near-Horizontal Pipelines

A number of situations of engineering interest are associated with the relatively rapid filling of a nearly horizontal pipeline. The displacement of the air may lead to a number of different transient conditions of concern in engineering design. Our specific application relates to the use of underground storage tunnels to mitigate combined sewage overflows. Historically, the operation of these system have created surges initiated when the tunnel passes to a surcharged condition that have resulted in “geysering” in which an air/water combination is expelled to the ground surface through manholes or other risers. Numerical models that have been created to describe the phenomena generally treat the air as a passive phase that exists at atmospheric pressure and disappears when the water fills the tunnel. In an attempt to understand the conditions leading to extreme surges, a physical model that reproduced the essential elements of the tunnel filling process was created. This model was filled at one end in a fill box in which the maximum water level was controlled with an overflow weir. A surge riser was mounted at the opposite end of the pipeline to observe the magnitudes of surges created under a number of different flows created by varying the inflow rate, the initial water level in the pipe, and the pipe slope. In general, initiation of the filling process generated a hydraulic bore that propagated through the system until the tunnel reached a surcharged state and the maximum surge generated depends on the dynamics of the bore. However, under certain flow conditions, the water level in the surge riser was observed to increase prior to the arrival of the bore, an occurrence that can only be explained by pressurization of the air in the pipe. Subsequent experiments confirmed this explanation and a modified experimental setup was created to elucidate the important effects of the air. Measurements were made of a number of key flow variables and are found to be consistent with the predictions of a numerical model that considers the elementary dynamics of the air.© 2003 ASME
Shakespeare's Half-Foot: Gendered Prosody in SONNET 20

(2007). Shakespeare's Half-Foot: Gendered Prosody in SONNET 20. The Explicator: Vol. 65, No. 4, pp. 202-204.
Origin and Distribution of Glauconites and Related Clay Aggregates on Sea Floor off Southern California: ABSTRACT

Studies have been made of about 1,300 glauconitic samples from the sea floor off southern California, in Monterey Bay, California, and off Cedros Island, Baja California. The principal depositional environments are continental terraces, banks, ridges, and basin slopes. Clay aggregates that probably would be designated as glauconite, according to contemporary field usage of the term by geologists, grade from relatively soft, pale yellow-green, highly expandable montmorillonitic types to dark green, illitic types. As lattice thickness [d(001)] of these different types increases, the refractive index and potassium content decreases. The organic nitrogen content is greatest in highly expandable varieties. Glauconite may compose from less than 1 per cent to about 80 per cent of the upper few centimeters of sediment. Maximum concentrations occur in the sediments from the outer shelf and upper slope areas, but the distribution is patchy, both areally and vertically, within these sediments. Glauconite is rare in water depths of less than 100 feet. Off southern California, glauconites that probably have been deposited from turbidity currents occur in near-surface sediments from the continental rise and on the abyssal floor. Living benthonic Foraminifera of the same species as those that are filled with expandable glauconite occur in water depths that range from approximately 100 feet to 6,000 feet. Specimens of the genus Cassidulina are common in Foraminiferal faunas that contain abundant glauconite-filled tests. Glauconite replaces argillaceous sedimentary rock, mineral grains, organic carbonate, and probable fecal pellets. Some spheroidal-ellipsoidal and irregular-papillate forms appear to be of accretionary origin. The mineralogy and morphology of fillings in Foraminifera indicate that they are probably deposited by direct precipitation. Distinctive morphological varieties of glauconite are not everywhere randomly distributed, but are commonly concentrated in localized areas, which indicates that variations in morphology may be caused by local conditions of origin. Glauconites have been recognized that are reworked from Pliocene, and perhaps Miocene, submarine outcrops. Foraminiferal tests that are filled with glauconite range in age from Pliocene to Recent and from Pleistocene to Recent. No direct evidence of present-day formation of glauconite has been found. End_of_Article - Last_Page 275------------
The prevalence of mandibular dysfunction. Part I : Sex and age distribution of related signs and symptoms

This study concludes the following: 1. Mandibular dysfunction is extensive. 2. Age and sex differences are apparent with various signs and symptoms. 3. Women and younger patients tend to respond positively more often than men and older patients to questions relating to subjective TMJ and muscle symptoms. 4. Objective TMJ and occlusal signs show little age or sex differentiation. 5. Positive responses to questions regarding bruxism were more common in men. 6. Age and sex differences in the prevalence of mandibular dysfunction may be influenced by the method of investigation (anamnestic versus clinical examination) and by the signs and symptoms selected to be representative of this disorder. When compared with the findings of earlier investigations, the conclusions suggest that social, cultural, psychologic, sex, and age differences contribute to the responses to questions pertaining to mandibular dysfunction. However, this may not be an accurate reflection of the prevalence of mandibular dysfunction since the objective signs do not show the age and sex differences that the subjective symptoms indicate. Therefore, additional studies are needed to correlate all data to establish a more reliable profile of both signs and symptoms of mandibular dysfunction.
Comprehensive management of locally advanced breast cancer.

The definition of locally advanced breast cancer includes patients with large tumors, extensive regional lymph node involvement, or direct involvement of the skin or underlying chest wall. Most of these patients have very poor survival with standard treatment modalities, and over the past 20 years combined modality therapy has been used to improve local and systemic control. There is limited information suggesting that patients with operable locally advanced breast cancer have an improved survival if treated with surgery (or radiation therapy) followed by systemic chemotherapy, as compared with patients treated with local modalities alone. Uncontrolled trials strongly suggest that patients with any stage of locally advanced breast cancer achieve high response rates after induction chemotherapy. Most of these patients can be rendered disease free after combined modality therapy, and their disease-free and overall survival rates appear to be improved when compared with historical controls. These results are most impressive for patients with inflammatory breast cancer, a disease previously found to be uniformly lethal when treated with local modalities of therapy alone. More recently, 30% to 50% of these patients were alive and disease free 5 years after diagnosis, and a substantial percentage were in the same condition 10 years later. Combined modality therapies are the most appropriate approach to patients with locally advanced breast cancer. Much additional research must be done to improve the results of these therapies and maximize the survival of patients with locally advanced breast cancer. Cancer 66:1387-1391, 1990.
On whose shoulders? (Keynote)

Bernard of Chartres (via Sir Isaac Newton) reminded us that all progress is achieved “on the shoulders of giants” - that our greatest discoveries and innovations build upon the inspirations, triumphs, and foundational truths established by those who have gone before us. However, in our field of Software Engineering, as new ideas are transmitted at the speed of light, rather than the speed of Bernard's horse, innovations are typically achieved as we, the ordinary people, exchange ideas, deliver incremental improvements, and offer the occasional truly novel idea to advance our field. In this fast-paced environment it is particularly important for us to take the time to build a strong foundation for our knowledge - keeping audit trails of our experiments, sharing our datasets, releasing the code we used to run our experiments, and generally making our work transparent and reproducible, so that we no longer depend on giants to further the field. Instead our successes are a collective effort from our community. Unfortunately, this degree of openness comes with its own challenges. In this talk, Dr. Cleland-Huang will explore some of the success stories in our field and discuss ways to deal with the psychological, philosophical, and practical barriers that impede open collaboration.
Infection of wheat seed by Pyrenophora tritici-repentis.

The seed infection process of Pyrenophora tritici-repentis, incitant of tan spot of wheat, was investigated, as were several influencing factors. Following inoculation of the wheat spike, P. tritic...
Digital Systems Simulation

Early approaches to digital logic simulation were extremely expensive, difficult to use, and plagued with model inaccuracies. Today's simulators have overcome these problems to varying degrees. This situation, combined with the ever-increasing complexity of today's technology, has prompted the acceptance of digital logic simulation as a mandatory tool in most design automation systems.
The Spirit of Modern Republicanism: The Moral Vision of the American Founders And the Philosophy of Locke

"The Spirit of Modern Republicanism" sets forth a radical reinterpretation of the foundations on which the American regime was constructed. Thomas L. Pangle argues that the Founders had a dramatically new vision of civic virtue, religious faith, and intellectual life, rooted in an unprecedented commitment to private and economic liberties. It is in the thought of John Locke that Pangle finds the fullest elaboration of the principles supporting the Founders' moral vision. "A work of extraordinary ambition, written with great intensity. . . . [Pangle offers] a trenchant analysis of Locke's writings, designed to demonstrate their remarkable originality and to clarify by doing so as much as the objective predicament as the conscious intentions of the Founding Fathers themselves."-John Dunn, "Times Higher Education Supplement" "A forcefully argued study of the Founding Fathers' debt to Locke. . . . What distinguishes Pangle's study from the dozens of books which have challenged or elaborated upon the republican revision is the sharpness with which he exposes the errors of the revisionists while at the same time leaving something of substantive value for the reader to consider."-Joyce Appleby, "Canadian Journal of History" "Breathtaking in its daring and novelty. . . . Pangle's book is tense and tenacious, a stunning meditation on America's political culture."-John Patrick Diggins, "Transactions of the C. S. Peirce Society "
Closing the gap between ideal and real behavior: Scientific vs. engineering approaches to normativity

Early normative studies of human behavior revealed a gap between the norms of practical rationality (what humans ought to do) and the actual human behavior (what they do). It has been suggested that, to close the gap between the descriptive and the normative, one has to revise norms of practical rationality according to the Quinean, engineering view of normativity. On this view, the norms must be designed such that they effectively account for behavior. I review recent studies of human perception which pursued normative modeling and which found good agreement between the normative prescriptions and the actual behavior. I make the case that the goals and methods of this work have been incompatible with those of the engineering approach. I argue that norms of perception and action are observer-independent properties of biological agents; the norms are discovered using methods of natural sciences rather than the norms are designed to fit the observed behavior.
Response of uterine glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase isoenzymes to estrogen.

To show that uterine glucose–6– phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) exists in multiple molecular species (isoenzymes), cytosols were subjected to polyacrylamide disc gel electrophoresis, stained specifically for G6PD and quantitated by planimetry of absorbancy tracings from spectrophotometric scanning of the gels. The uterus, 10 days after ovariectomy, contained 3 isoenzymes with the following SA (μmoles NADPH/ min/mg protein) : G6PD–1, 0.021; G6PD–2, 0.005 ; and G6PD–3, 0.0IS, in order of decreasing mobility. Estradiol benzoate, from 0.01 to 1000 μg/ day/animal for 4 days, produced a dose—related increase in total G6PD activity, primarily due to a 7–fold elevation in G6PD–1, a slight increase in G6PD–2 and a decrease in G6PD–3. Uterotrophic doses of testosterone and progesterone had no effect on G6PD activity or isoenzyme patterns at the doses used. A time—course study, using 100 (xg estradiol benzoate per day, showed the peak of G6PD–1 activity was obtained within 3–4 days. Concomitant administration of the ...
Seeding of the Rectus Sheath with Hepatocellular Carcinoma after Image Guided Percutaneous Liver Biopsy Using Coaxial Biopsy Needle System

Needle track seeding following image guided needle biopsy is a known but uncommon complication in the workup of hepatocellular carcinoma. We present the case of a 55 year-old male who was found to have a recurrent hepatocellular carcinoma in the rectus sheath five years following a CT guided biopsy with the biopsy needle passing through the anterior abdominal wall muscles.
Calcium-dependent activation of glycogen phosphorylase in rat pheochromocytoma PC12 cells by nerve growth factor.

Summary Glycogen phosphorylase in PC12 cells exists in two forms analogous to those found in brain and muscle. The active phosphorylated form of the enzyme, phosphorylase-a, represents about 20–30% of total glycogen phosphorylase in these cells. Incubation of PC12 cells with 100 ng 7S nerve growth factor/ml increased phosphorylase-a within minutes. In contrast to nerve growth factor, insulin (6 ng/ml) and epidermal growth factor (6 ng/ml) decreased phosphorylase-a. Activation of phosphorylase-a by nerve growth factor was not accompanied by increases in cyclic AMP; however, removal of extracellular Ca 2+ or incubation of cells with calcium channel blockers inhibited activation of glycogen phosphorylase by nerve growth factor.
Disease resistance of Pacific white shrimp, Litopenaeus vannamei, following the dietary administration of a yeast culture food supplement

Abstract A yeast culture feed supplement (Diamond V XP Yeast Culture®, Diamond V Mills, Cedar Rapids, Iowa [IA]) was assessed for its impact on disease resistance in the Pacific white shrimp, Litopenaeus vannamei. Animals were fed a standard shrimp pellet diet supplemented with 0% (control with 1% grain carrier), 0.5% (with 0.5% carrier), or 1.0% XP daily for 4 weeks. To assess resistance to bacterial disease, at 1-week intervals 21 shrimp (0.5–2.5 g) from each test diet were injected intramuscularly with an LD50 dose (2.0×105/g body weight) of a gram-negative shrimp pathogen, Vibrio sp. 90-69B3. Survival was monitored every 4 h for 48-h post injection. Each week, three independent bacterial challenges were performed for each diet and the results expressed as the mean percent survival±standard error (S.E.). A two-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) showed a significant effect of diet (p=0.003, df=31), but not duration of feeding, on survival. A one-way ANOVA showed no differences among the treatment groups after 1 or 2 weeks. After 3 weeks, the mean survival of 1% XP-fed shrimp (74.2±1.4%) was significantly higher than that of controls (42.9±5.5%), while mean survival of shrimp fed 0.5% XP (54.8±11.9%) was not significantly different from controls. After 4 weeks, mean survival of 1.0% XP-fed shrimp (63.4±8.8%) remained higher than that of controls but the difference was not significant (p=0.07). An insufficient number of animals were available from the 0.5% XP-fed group to perform bacterial challenges at this timepoint. Mean survival of control shrimp declined significantly over the 4 weeks of study (slope of linear regression ≠0, p=0.005, df=11), but no decline was observed in animals fed the 0.5% or 1.0% XP diets. After 4 weeks L. vannamei fed standard shrimp pellets, 0% XP control, or 1.0% XP diets showed no significant differences in weight, suggesting that the changes in disease resistance did not correlate with changes in growth rate among the treatment groups. These results indicate that dietary administration of Diamond V XP Yeast Culture® can protect shrimp against a decline in resistance to bacterial disease.
Pharmacological chaperoning of nAChRs: A therapeutic target for Parkinson's disease

Chronic exposure to nicotine results in an upregulation of neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) at the cellular plasma membrane. nAChR upregulation occurs via nicotine-mediated pharmacological receptor chaperoning and is thought to contribute to the addictive properties of tobacco as well as relapse following smoking cessation. At the subcellular level, pharmacological chaperoning by nicotine and nicotinic ligands causes profound changes in the structure and function of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), ER exit sites, the Golgi apparatus and secretory vesicles of cells. Chaperoning-induced changes in cell physiology exert an overall inhibitory effect on the ER stress/unfolded protein response. Cell autonomous factors such as the repertoire of nAChR subtypes expressed by neurons and the pharmacological properties of nicotinic ligands (full or partial agonist versus competitive antagonist) govern the efficiency of receptor chaperoning and upregulation. Together, these findings are beginning to pave the way for developing pharmacological chaperones to treat Parkinson's disease and nicotine addiction.
Celebrity Spectacle Influence on Young Voters in the 2004 Presidential Campaign: What to Expect in 2008

Media attention to celebrities during the 2004 U.S. presidential campaign was substantial. This article traces some of the more remarkable celebrity roles throughout the campaign. Through an account of journalistic experience, the authors provide evidence of the way celebrity spectacle dominated much of the campaign rhetoric in the 2004 election. Analysis of what to expect in the future suggests only increased attention to the role of celebrities in U.S. politics as the line between information and entertainment is blurred.
The Real Event Model or the Organizational Convenience Model? A National Survey of Correctional Emergency Preparedness Evaluation Methodology

Preparing correctional personnel to effectively respond to a broad range of lifethreatening emergencies is a critical goal for correctional managers. Although there is a growing literature on the management of correctional emergencies, researchers have not yet examined the methodology correctional managers use to evaluate staff preparedness for effective emergency management. This study presents two emergency preparedness evaluation (EPE) models: the real event model (REM) and the organizational convenience model (OCM). These models have different structural characteristics that may have important practical implications for the EPE process. A 49-question Correctional Emergency Management Survey elicited responses from 41 state Departments of Corrections (DOCs), indicating that the majority of DOCs currently use an OCM-based EPE methodology. The implications of this finding are discussed, and directions for future research suggested.
Laser remote sensing of species concentrations and dynamical processes

A review of current lidar techniques summarizes present capabilities to: (1) measure atmospheric concentrations of most major and several minor molecular species using Raman scattering and DIAL techniques, (2) detect and measure concentrations of certain trace level species, (3) characterize active dynamical processes in the troposphere based upon using water vapor as a tracer, and (4) describe interesting thermodynamic properties based upon rotational Raman temperature profiles, multi-wavelength aerosol distributions, and changes in the phase states of water. Advances in lasers and detectors have extended the range of wavelengths available through the ultraviolet, visible, and infrared spectrum by using tunable laser techniques and supercontinuum broad spectrum lasers. Prior studies are reviewed, several applications for the technology are suggested which extend the techniques proposed to future investigations. In particular, the extension of tunable laser sources into the ultraviolet region has opened opportunities to use resonance Raman techniques, which provide greatly increased sensitivity for certain molecular species, such as hydrocarbons. The developments of supercontinuum lasers and tunable OPO lasers has enabled long-path trace concentration measurements of molecular spectra lines to detect and measure the concentrations of many species, as well as to distinguish any interfering species.
Standardized Mortality Ratio for Evaluating Center-Specific Mortality: Assessment and Alternative

The standardized mortality ratio (SMR) based on a Cox regression model is often used to evaluate center-specific mortality. However, the asymptotic properties and finite-sample behavior of the Cox SMR are not well studied. We describe some strong limitations of the Cox SMR that relate to its underlying assumptions. To address these limitations, we then develop an alternative to the Cox SMR based on stratification. Asymptotic properties of proposed estimators are derived, with finite-sample properties examined through an extensive simulation study. The methods are applied to national kidney transplant data.
Kinetic Study of the Reaction of Hydrogen Atoms with Molecular Chlorine at MilliTorr Pressures

The bimolecular reaction H + Cl2 → ΗCl + Cl (1) is studied in the very low-pressure reactor (VLPR) system at room temperature. Excellent mass balances are found between the Cl2 consumption and both HCl as well as Cl product formation. This indicates that only reaction 1 occurs in the system. Its rate constant is k1 = (0.96 ± 0.04) × 10-11 cm3/(molecule·s) at 298 K. Two independent estimates of the A factor give a value log A1(298 K) = −9.80 ± 0.15 (units of cm3/(molecule·s)). Together with the measured rate constant this yields an activation energy of 1.7 ± 0.2 kcal/mol. All experimental data support a bent transition state for reaction 1.
Requirements for an operating system for robot controller systems

In this review, one class of operating system, which is used in industrial workstations to control robotic systems, is considered from the view point of real-time capability. The industrial workstation here means a high performance computer, which is installed in a manufacturing line to control process and parts flow. Initially, some characteristics required for such real-time operating systems used in industrial workstations are enumerated, involving process synchronization, data sharing, inter-workstation communication and easy man-machine interface. Before the introduction of industrial operating systems, the activities of conventional operating systems are classified into some categories, and are discussed briefly. Then, the required functions of operating systems for industrial workstations are mentioned, according to the preceding categories, which are process management, memory management, data management, input/output management and device management. Lastly, the importance of the interface betwee...
Progress in multilateral Earth observation cooperation: CEOS, IGOS and the ad hoc Group on Earth Observations

Abstract The Committee on Earth Observation Satellites (CEOS) coordinates international civil space-borne missions designed to observe and study planet Earth. With over 100 Earth observation satellites expected to be launched during the next 10 years, it is clear that collaborative opportunities have not been fully maximized. In 2003 CEOS has been focusing on articulating a more comprehensive satellite data utilization approach and in following up on its significant involvement in the World Summit on Sustainable Development. The CEOS Chair also serves as Co-Chair of the Integrated Global Observing Strategy (IGOS) Partnership, which seeks to reduce observation gaps and unnecessary overlaps and to harmonize and integrate common interests of space-based and in situ systems. IGOS focused in 2003 on development of a number of themes, including Carbon Cycle, Water Cycle and GeoHazards. The IGOS Ocean Theme is now in its implementation phase. NOAA, while chairing CEOS and co-chairing IGOS, has also been actively involved in organizing and hosting a ministerial-level Earth Observation Summit with a follow-on Group on Earth Observations (GEO) charged with developing the framework for a comprehensive global Earth observation system(s). All these activities demonstrate the commitment to developing more coherent and sustained Earth observation strategies for the good of the planet.
A self-documenting source-independent data format for computer processing of tensor time series

The UCLA Space Science Group has developed a fixed format intermediate data set called a block data set, which is designed to hold multiple segments of multicomponent sampled data series. The format is sufficiently general so that tensor functions of one or more independent variables can be stored in the form of virtual data. This makes it possible for the unit data records of the block data set to be arrays of a single dependent variable rather than discrete samples. The format is self-documenting with parameter, label and header records completely characterizing the contents of the file. The block data set has been applied to the filing of satellite data (of ATS-6 among others).
Synthesis and characterization of ruthenium dioxide nanostructures

We report the synthesis of ruthenium dioxide (RuO2) nanostructures by thermal evaporation of RuO2 powder. RuO2 nanostructures of different shapes were synthesized at various concentration, flow rate, and pressure of oxygen. At a constant pressure of 3 torr of flowing oxygen, polygonal prism-like RuO2 nanorods with flat tips were grown at an O2 flow rate of 100 sccm; club-shaped nanorods with obelisk tip were formed at 300 and 600 sccm, and hollow rods with square tip were formed at 1800 sccm. A mixture of O2 and Ar at a total flow rate of 600 sccm led to the formation of short club-shaped nanorods indicating the suppression effect of Ar on the growth of nanorods. The pressure also had a significant effect on the formation of RuO2 nanostructures, at a fixed flow rate of 600 sccm of O2, a pressure of 3 torr resulted in the growth of club-shaped RuO2 nanorods, while high pressures of 380 and 760 torr resulted in the formation of both linear club-shaped and pine tree-like hierarchical RuO2 nanorods. X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy analysis indicated the formation of tetragonal phase of RuO2 with high crystallinity. A density functional calculation on RuO2, RuO3, and RuO4 was performed to help to explain the experimental results.
Ultrasound-guided cervical facet intra-articular injection

The prevalence of facet joint involvement in chronic neck pain has been reported to be from 35% to 55%, making it an important target of interventional pain therapy. The facet joint and capsule also have been shown to contain nociceptive elements, suggesting that it may be an independent pain generator. Although cervical medial branch block is easier to perform and is the appropriate diagnostic test to predict the response to radiofrequency neurotomy, cervical facet intra-articular injection has also been implemented in the diagnosis and treatment of facet joint-mediated pain. The use of ultrasound (US) imaging to facilitate nerve blocks has increased recently. US allows visualization of bony surfaces as well as soft tissues. Unlike fluoroscopy and computed tomography, US does not expose the patients or personnel to radiation, and the image can be performed continuously while the injectate can be visualized in real-time, thereby increasing the precision of injection. US imaging can be used to obtain well-defined images of the cervical facet column with real-time visualization of the spinal nerves and vessels and may improve the safety of the technique.
2007 AEG Student Professional Paper: Graduate Division: Horizontal Landslide Drain Design: State of the Art and Suggested Improvements

The removal of groundwater from the subsurface is one of the most common remediation practices in slope stabilization. The use of horizontal drains has often proved to be an efficient and economical dewatering option for slope stability. Despite their frequent use, a comprehensive review of the state of the art that includes modern research and contributions from related fields has not been performed for nearly 30 years. The objective of this paper is to provide a summary of the current state of practice, including application of recent research. In addition, this paper provides some suggestions for possible improvements to areas of current practice that have been identified as lacking complete answers. Recent research that may be applied to the design of horizontal drains includes (1) Zhou and Maerz9s (2002) method for optimizing drilling directions to intersect as many discontinuities as possible in a rock mass, (2) Crenshaw and Santi9s (2004) method for calculating an average drain spacing for designs implementing nonuniform drain spacing, and (3) Crenshaw and Santi9s (2004) method for calculating an average two-dimensional groundwater profile representative of a corrugated three-dimensional groundwater table, which is low at drain locations and high between drains. Examples of issues that are not adequately addressed by current practice include (1) calculation of drain spacing values required to lower the groundwater level in a slope by a specific amount, (2) prediction of groundwater changes at various distances away from a drain, and (3) proper approaches to modeling complex landslide and groundwater geometries in two dimensions.
Landscape connectivity promotes plant biodiversity spillover into non-target habitats

Conservation efforts typically focus on maximizing biodiversity in protected areas. The space available for reserves is limited, however, and conservation efforts must increasingly consider how management of protected areas can promote biodiversity beyond reserve borders. Habitat corridors are considered an important feature of reserves because they facilitate movement of organisms between patches, thereby increasing species richness in those patches. Here we demonstrate that by increasing species richness inside target patches, corridors additionally benefit biodiversity in surrounding non-target habitat, a biodiversity “spillover” effect. Working in the world's largest corridor experiment, we show that increased richness extends for approximately 30% of the width of the 1-ha connected patches, resulting in 10–18% more vascular plant species around patches of target habitat connected by corridors than around unconnected but otherwise equivalent patches of habitat. Furthermore, corridor-enhanced spillover into non-target habitat can be predicted by a simple plant life-history trait: seed dispersal mode. Species richness of animal-dispersed plants in non-target habitat increased in response to connectivity provided by corridors, whereas species richness of wind-dispersed plants was unaffected by connectivity and increased in response to changes in patch shape—higher edge-to-interior ratio—created by corridors. Corridors promoted biodiversity spillover for native species of the threatened longleaf pine ecosystem being restored in our experiment, but not for exotic species. By extending economically driven spillover concepts from marine fisheries and crop pollination systems, we show how reconnecting landscapes amplifies biodiversity conservation both within and beyond reserve borders.
Culturing keratinocytes and fibroblasts in a three-dimensional mesh results in epidermal differentiation and formation of a basal lamina-anchoring zone

The purpose of this study was to characterize an in vitro co-culture model in which fibroblasts grown in a three-dimensional nylon mesh were recombined with human keratinocytes. The cultures were kept for 3 and 5 weeks and then processed for electron microscopy. Keratinocytes showed reconstruction of an epidermis consisting of a basal layer with hemidesmosomes, a stratified epithelium with tonofilaments and desmosomes, a granular layer with keratinosomes and keratohyaline granules, and a transitional stratum corneum. Anchoring filaments, lamina densa, anchoring fibrils, bundles of elastin-associated microfibrils (diameters 10 nm) and fine collagen fibrils were formed. Collagen fibrils near the epidermis were much thinner than those in the lower levels. The present study shows that the dermal model containing metabolically active fibroblasts in their natural environment will support epidermal morphogenesis and differentiation including the formation of a basal lamina and anchoring zone.
Isolation and characterization of a new chemokine receptor gene, the putative chicken CXCR1

This study delineates the isolation and characterization of a novel chemokine receptor gene, the putative chicken CXC receptor 1 (cCXCR1). Using a human CXCR1 probe, we isolated several positive clones from a chicken genomic library. One of the clones contained a fragment of approximately 5000bp that hybridized strongly with the hCXCR1 probe. This fragment was sequenced and subjected to a variety of computer analyses. The open reading frame for this gene predicts a seven transmembrane domain protein with all the characteristics of a chemokine receptor and with 67% sequence homology to hCXCR1, 65% to hCXCR2 and also with considerable sequence homology to other human chemokine receptors such as hCXCR4 (50%), hCCR2 (49%) and hCCR1 (49%). However, the homology to a previously isolated potential G-protein-coupled receptor for chickens (AvCRL1) is only 47%. Using 5' RACE, two transcription initiation sites were identified suggesting the potential for the expression of two protein isoforms (I and II) in vivo. The promoter for the putative cCXCR1 contains a variety of consensus transcription factor binding elements that can potentially be involved in the expression of this chicken receptor upon stimulation by stress-inducing agents. RT-PCR analysis was used to determine the pattern of expression of the larger isoform (I) of this receptor in a variety of tissues. This form of the receptor is expressed primarily in the organs of the gastrointestinal tract, tissues that are frequently exposed to stress-inducing agents, but not in the central nervous system, tissues that are protected from insult by the blood barrier. Using the same RT-PCR approach we show that stress-inducing agents, such as 'first-hand' and 'second-hand' cigarette smoke components, tumor promoters and thrombin, differentially stimulate the expression of the isoform I in primary fibroblasts. Thrombin is an enzyme that plays many important roles in thrombosis, angiogenesis and wound healing and exposure to both cigarette smokes and/or to tumor promoters can lead to tumorigenesis. Therefore, upregulation of chemokines and their receptors by stress-inducing agents can confer highly regulated modulation of cellular responses to traumatic and pathological situations.
Double-Edged Sword of the New Cancer Therapeutics

Protein kinases regulate a vast array of cellular processes including, but not limited to, cell proliferation, differentiation, motility, death, and survival. They regulate these and other processes by attaching phosphate groups onto various proteins (substrates), changing the substrate's activity, sub-cellular localization, resistance to (or promotion of) cell death, etc. There are 500+ kinases in the human genome (referred to as the kinome). (SELECT FULL TEXT TO CONTINUE)
Anorexia nervosa trios : behavioral profiles of individuals with anorexia nervosa and their parents

BackgroundAnorexia nervosa (AN) is associated with behavioral traits that predate the onset of AN and persist after recovery. We identified patterns of behavioral traits in AN trios (proband plus two biological parents).MethodA total of 433 complete trios were collected in the Price Foundation Genetic Study of AN using standardized instruments for eating disorder (ED) symptoms, anxiety, perfectionism, and temperament. We used latent profile analysis and ANOVA to identify and validate patterns of behavioral traits.ResultsWe distinguished three classes with medium to large effect sizes by mothers' and probands' drive for thinness, body dissatisfaction, perfectionism, neuroticism, trait anxiety, and harm avoidance. Fathers did not differ significantly across classes. Classes were distinguished by degree of symptomatology rather than qualitative differences. Class 1 (~33%) comprised low symptom probands and mothers with scores in the healthy range. Class 2 (~43%) included probands with marked elevations in drive for thinness, body dissatisfaction, neuroticism, trait anxiety, and harm avoidance and mothers with mild anxious/perfectionistic traits. Class 3 (~24%) included probands and mothers with elevations on ED and anxious/perfectionistic traits. Mother–daughter symptom severity was related in classes 1 and 3 only. Trio profiles did not differ significantly by proband clinical status or subtype.ConclusionsA key finding is the importance of mother and daughter traits in the identification of temperament and personality patterns in families affected by AN. Mother–daughter pairs with severe ED and anxious/perfectionistic traits may represent a more homogeneous and familial variant of AN that could be of value in genetic studies.
Spatial averaging of time-frequency distributions for signal recovery in uniform linear arrays

This paper presents a new approach based on spatial time-frequency averaging for separating signals received by a uniform linear antenna array. In this approach, spatial averaging of the time-frequency distributions (TFDs) of the sensor data is performed at multiple time-frequency points. This averaging restores the diagonal structure of the source TFD matrix necessary for source separation. With spatial averaging, cross-terms move from their off-diagonal positions in the source TFD matrix to become part of the matrix diagonal entries. It is shown that the proposed approach yields improved performance over the case when no spatial averaging is performed. Further, we demonstrate that in the context of source separation, the spatially averaged Wigner-Ville distribution outperforms the combined spatial-time-frequency averaged distributions, such as the one obtained by using the Choi-Williams (1989) distribution. Simulation examples involving the separation of two sources with close AM and FM modulations are presented.
Growth hormone decreases protein catabolism in children with cystic fibrosis.

Despite aggressive nutritional therapy, low body weight and protein catabolism are common problems in children with cystic fibrosis. Previous studies by our group and others have demonstrated improvement in both height and weight in children with cystic fibrosis who were treated with human recombinant GH, and our group has recently documented improved clinical status and lean tissue mass as well. The purpose of this report is to summarize our findings of the effect of GH on whole body protein kinetics in cystic fibrosis and to relate these findings to changes in TNF-α levels. We conducted a 1-yr study of 19 prepubertal children with cystic fibrosis (age 7–12 yr, all <94% of ideal body weight). Ten children were randomly assigned to take daily injections of GH (0.3 mg/kg·wk), and nine were randomly assigned to be controls. Baseline results from the subjects with cystic fibrosis were compared with results obtained from nine age- and gender-matched healthy children. Whole body protein turnover was measured a...
On finding stabilizing state feedback gains for a discrete-time periodic system

Presents an algorithm for stabilising a linear periodic discrete time system using periodic state feedback. The algorithm is very simple and mainly involves the solution of a periodic Lyapunov equation. It gives a number 0</spl alpha/<1 such that all closed loop poles have magnitude less than /spl alpha/. Moreover, it works only with that sub-system whose poles need to be shifted, and is cheaper than an explicit pole placement routine. Thus it is attractive for stabilisation problems where the exact location of closed loop poles is unimportant.
Proof pearl: abella formalization of λ-calculus cube property

In 1994 Gerard Huet formalized in Coq the cube property of l-calculus residuals. His development is based on a clever idea, a beautiful inductive definition of residuals. However, in his formalization there is a lot of noise concerning the representation of terms with binders. We re-interpret his work in Abella, a recent proof assistant based on higher-order abstract syntax and provided with a nominal quantifier. By revisiting Huet's approach and exploiting the features of Abella, we get a strikingly compact and natural development, which makes Huet's idea really shine.