cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Stimulation of pulmonary J receptors by an enkephalin-analog.

Respiratory and cardiovascular actions of a stable enkephalin-analog (EA), D-met2-pro5-enkephalinamide, were studied in decerebrate male Wistar rats. Injection of a small dose of EA (10 micrograms/kg) into the right atrium produced apnea, bradycardia and hypotension within 1 to 2 sec. These effects lasted for 2 to 4 sec. Apnea was followed by a period of fast and shallow breathing which lasted for 7 to 10 min. The decrease in heart rate and mean blood pressure was 26 +/- 3% (S.E.) and 12 +/- 1.5% (S.E.), respectively. Higher doses of EA used in this study (100,500 and 1,000 micrograms/kg, right atrium) produced similar responses. However, the durations of apnea and fst and shallow breathing and magnitudes of bradycardia and hypotension were greater with the higher doses. Bilateral vagotomy (low in the neck) abolished these effects. These actions are typical of pulmonary J receptor stimulation. Nerve recording experiments in artificially ventilated rats showed that interruption of vagal innervation to the lungs abolished the EA-induced cessation of phrenic nerve activity (apnea), increased frequency of phrenic nerve bursts (fast breathing) and decreased spike activity in each burst (shallow breathing). These results suggested that EA stimulated lung sensory receptors. Of the known lung sensory receptors (stretch, irritant and J. receptors), only pulmonary J receptors are known to produce apnea, bradycardia and hypotension. Direct recordings from pulmonary J receptor fibers in thin filaments of vagus confirmed that EA stimulates these receptors.
Acute Effects of Classroom Exercise Breaks on Executive Function and Math Performance: A Dose–Response Study

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine the acute dose–response relationship of classroom exercise breaks with executive function and math performance in 9- to 12-year-old children by comparing 5-min, 10-min, or 20-min classroom exercise breaks to 10 min of sedentary classroom activity. Method: This study used a within-subjects experimental design conducted in the spring of 2012. Ninety-six 4th- and 5th-grade students in 5 classrooms in South Carolina were randomized to receive each of 4 treatments: 5-min, 10-min, or 20-min exercise breaks or 10 min of a sedentary lesson led by research staff. Students completed the Trail-Making Test, an Operational Digit Recall test, and a math fluency test immediately before and after each condition. Planned linear contrasts were used to compare posttest scores between conditions using a repeated-measures mixed model, adjusted for gender, classroom, and the time-varying pretest scores. Potential effect modifiers were added as interaction terms. Results: Math...
Proteins: Structure, folding and function

Living organisms evolved by developing the capacity to convert an available form of energy into a useful form of energy; how well they thrive depends on how effectively a needed conversion is performed.
Spp24 Derivatives Stimulate a Gi‐Protein Coupled Receptor‐Erk1/2 Signaling Pathway and Modulate Gene Expressions in W‐20‐17 Cells

Secreted phosphoprotein 24 kDa (Spp24) is an apatite- and BMP/TGF-β cytokine-binding phosphoprotein found in serum and many tissues, including bone. N-terminally intact degradation products ranging in size from 14 kDa to 23 kDa have been found in bone. The cleavage sites in Spp24 that produce these short forms have not been definitively identified, and the biological activities and mechanisms of action of Spp24 and its degradation products have not been fully elucidated. We found that the C-terminus of Spp24 is labile to proteolysis by furin, kallikrein, lactoferrin, and trypsin, indicating that both extracellular and intracellular proteolytic events could account for the generation of biologically-active Spp18, Spp16, and Spp14. We determined the effects of these truncation products on kinase-mediated signal transduction, gene expression, and osteoblastic differentiation in W-20–17 bone marrow stromal cells cultured in basal or pro-osteogenic media. After culturing for five days, all forms inhibited BMP-2-stimulated osteoblastic differentiation, assessed as induction of alkaline phosphatase activity, in basal, but not pro-osteogenic media. After 10 days, they also inhibited BMP-2-stimulated mineral deposition in pro-osteogenic media. Spp24 had no effect on Erk1/2 phosphorylation, but Spp18 stimulated short-term Erk1/2, MEK 1/2, and p38 phosphorylation. Pertussis toxin and a MEK1/2 inhibitor ablated Spp18-stimulated Erk 1/2 phosphorylation, indicating a role for Gi proteins and MEK1/2 in the Spp18-stimulated Erk1/2 phosphorylation cascade. Truncation products, but not full-length Spp24, stimulated RUNX2, ATF4, and CSF1 transcription. This suggests that Spp24 truncation products have effects on osteoblastic differentiation mediated by kinase pathways that are independent of exogenous BMP/TGF-β cytokines. J. Cell. Biochem. 116: 767–777, 2015. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
The effects of temporary removal of the alpha male on the behavior of subordinate male vervet monkeys.

The effects of temporary removal of the alpha male on the behavior of subordinate adult male vervet monkeys were evaluated. Twelve subordinate males from six captive multimale, multifemale vervet monkey groups were observed in two conditions: when all group members were present and when the alpha male was temporarily removed from each group. In the absence of the alpha male, subordinate males initiated more affiliative behavior and increased the amount of time spent in proximity to females but their rates of aggression were unaltered. Increased affiliative behavior was selectively directed to high-ranking females and their offspring. Under removal conditions, subordinate male behavior did not resemble that of alpha males in intact conditions: they differed in their proximity to and affiliative behavior towards other group members. In the absence of the alpha male, females increased their aggression towards subordinate males. These observations suggest that the presence of alpha males strongly inhibits subordinate males' behavior. When the constraints of the alpha male's presence are removed, subordinate males rapidly engage in behavior that may enhance their likelihood of attaining high rank. In combination with prior studies, the data also indicate that the behaviors involved in the maintenance of high rank by alpha males differ from those subordinates use to acquire dominance. Finally the current study supports the view that aggression by female vervets may be highly influential in determining male ascendency to dominant rank.
A high accuracy automated strain-field mapper

The design and capabilities of a computer-automated high-spatial-resolution displacement-measurement system are described. The system is used to determine the relative displacement fields generated by thermal or mechanical loads by comparing a pair of SEM or optical micrographs, one recorded before the load is applied and the other afterwards. The displacements are measured by cross-correlation analysis of the relative positions of visible surface texture on the micrographs. Displacement accuracy on a specimen surface is ±60 Ă for optical microscopy, and ±10 Ă for scanning electron microscopy. Both in-plane or out-of-plane deformation can be characterized depending on the angle at which the specimen is viewed. This instrument has the potential of quantifying surface deformation over submicron gage lengths and will be an invaluable tool in experimental micromechanics.
Sperm storage in female Eriophyoidea (Acarina).

The spermathecae of females of 20 species of Eriophyoidea (two Nalepellidae, two Rhyncaphytoptidae, and 16 Eriophyidae) were examined in situ for the presence of sperm. Both Rhyncaphytoptidae and 14 of the 16 Eriophyidae stored sperm consistently in only one of the two spermathecae. None of these stored sperm predominantly in the left or right spermatheca, and in each the sperm-filled spermatheca was nearly the same size as the sperm reservoir of the spermatophore. There was evidence that species storing sperm in only one spermatheca are normally inseminated only once. The other four species, two of Nalepellidae and two of the three grass-infesting Eriophyidae, stored sperm consistently in both spermathecae. In three of these four species, one of the two sperm-filled spermathecae was at least as large as the sperm reservoir (spermatophores of the fourth species were not available), suggesting insemination from more than one spermatophore. The data on sperm storage suggest an evolutionary connection between the method of sperm storage and the taxonomic position of the host plant. Predominance of sperm storage in only one spermatheca among species parasitic on dicotyledonous hosts and absence of this type of sperm storage among the relatively primitive family, Nalepellidae, suggest that sperm storage in one spermatheca may constitute an evolutionary advancement over sperm storage in both spermathecae.
The PRIME Lab biomedical program

Abstract The biomedical accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) initiative at PRIME Lab including the status of equipment and sample preparation is described. Several biomedical projects are underway involving one or more of the nuclides: 14C, 26Al and 41Ca. Routine production of CaF2 and graphite is taking place. Finally, the future direction and plans for improvement of the biomedical program at PRIME Lab are discussed.
Spatial HARDI: Improved Visualization of Complex White Matter Architecture with Bayesian Spatial Regularization

Imaging of water diffusion using magnetic resonance imaging has become an important noninvasive method for probing the white matter connectivity of the human brain for scientific and clinical studies. Current methods, such as diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), high angular resolution diffusion imaging (HARDI) such as q-ball imaging, and diffusion spectrum imaging (DSI), are limited by low spatial resolution, long scan times, and low signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). These methods fundamentally perform reconstruction on a voxel-by-voxel level, effectively discarding the natural coherence of the data at different points in space. This paper attempts to overcome these tradeoffs by using spatial information to constrain the reconstruction from raw diffusion MRI data, and thereby improve angular resolution and noise tolerance. Spatial constraints are specified in terms of a prior probability distribution, which is then incorporated in a Bayesian reconstruction formulation. By taking the log of the resulting posterior distribution, optimal Bayesian reconstruction is reduced to a cost minimization problem. The minimization is solved using a new iterative algorithm based on successive least squares quadratic descent. Simulation studies and in vivo results are presented which indicate significant gains in terms of higher angular resolution of diffusion orientation distribution functions, better separation of crossing fibers, and improved reconstruction SNR over the same HARDI method, spherical harmonic q-ball imaging, without spatial regularization. Preliminary data also indicate that the proposed method might be better at maintaining accurate ODFs for smaller numbers of diffusion-weighted acquisition directions (hence faster scans) compared to conventional methods. Possible impacts of this work include improved evaluation of white matter microstructural integrity in regions of crossing fibers and higher spatial and angular resolution for more accurate tractography.
Comparison of Tolerance of Combination Carboplatin and Paclitaxel Chemotherapy by Age in Women with Ovarian Cancer

Objective. The objective of this study was to compare tolerance of treatment of ovarian cancer patients ≥ 70 years to those ≤55. Materials and methods. A retrospective review of all data relevant to comparison of clinical course in 31 women ≥70 years (Study Group) and 44 women ≤55 (Control Group), who received primary therapy for ovarian cancer between 1996 and 2001 was performed. The tolerance of the entire treatment plan was then compared using SAS 8.1 (Gary, IN), χ 2 test with Yates correction or Fischer's exact test, and the Student t test as appropriate. Results. The mean age for the study group was 73, and for the control group 49. Statistically significant differences were as follows: the study group had a lower hemoglobin and serum albumin, higher performance status postoperatively, and received lower carboplatin dose and dose intensity. The groups were similar in stage at presentation, medical comorbidities, estimated blood loss, optimal cytoreduction rates, dose intensity of paclitaxel, completed number of chemotherapy cycles, time intervals from surgery to completion of therapy, and posttreatment performance status and nutritional status. The rate of grade 3 and 4 toxicities was low in both groups, and did not hinder delivery of therapeutic dose of chemotherapy. Conclusion. Women in the study group tolerated aggressive cytoreductive surgery and therapeutic doses of chemotherapy, despite poorer nutritional status and general health at time of diagnosis. Although older women are more likely to have chemotherapy dose reduction, the treatment remained within the recommended standard dosage.
Tsg101 regulates PI(4,5)P2/Ca2+ signaling for HIV-1 Gag assembly

Our previous studies identified the 1,4,5-inositol triphosphate receptor (IP3R), a channel mediating release of Ca2+ from ER stores, as a cellular factor differentially associated with HIV-1 Gag that might facilitate ESCRT function in virus budding. Channel opening requires activation that is initiated by binding of 1,4,5-triphosphate (IP3), a product of phospholipase C-mediated PI(4,5)P2 hydrolysis. The store emptying that follows stimulates store refilling which requires intact PI(4,5)P2. Raising cytosolic Ca2+ promotes viral particle production and our studies indicate that IP3R and the ER Ca2+ store are the physiological providers of Ca2+ for Gag assembly and release. Here, we show that Gag modulates ER store gating and refilling. Cells expressing Gag exhibited a higher cytosolic Ca2+ level originating from the ER store than control cells, suggesting that Gag induced release of store Ca2+. This property required the PTAP motif in Gag that recruits Tsg101, an ESCRT-1 component. Consistent with cytosolic Ca2+ elevation, Gag accumulation at the plasma membrane was found to require continuous IP3R activation. Like other IP3R channel modulators, Gag was detected in physical proximity to the ER and to endogenous IP3R, as indicated respectively by total internal reflection fluorescence and immunoelectron microscopy or indirect immunofluorescence. Reciprocal co-immunoprecipitation suggested that Gag and IP3R proximity is favored when the PTAP motif in Gag is intact. Gag expression was also accompanied by increased PI(4,5)P2 accumulation at the plasma membrane, a condition favoring store refilling capacity. Supporting this notion, Gag particle production was impervious to treatment with 2-aminoethoxydiphenyl borate, an inhibitor of a refilling coupling interaction. In contrast, particle production by a Gag mutant lacking the PTAP motif was reduced. We conclude that a functional PTAP L domain, and by inference Tsg101 binding, confers Gag with an ability to mod
Death by a Thousand Curb-cuts: Evidence on the effect of minimum parking requirements on the choice to drive

Abstract Little research has been done to understand the effect of guaranteed parking at home—in a driveway or garage—on mode choice. The research presented here systematically examines neighborhoods in the three New York City boroughs for which residential, off-street parking is possible but potentially scarce. The research is conducted in two stages. Stage one is based on a Google Earth© survey of over 2000 properties paired with the City’s tax lot database. The survey and tax lot information serve as the basis to estimate on-site parking for New York City neighborhoods. With parking availability estimated, a generalized linear model using census tracts as the unit of analysis, is used to estimate the maximum likelihood parameters that predict the proportion of residents who drive to work in the Manhattan Core. The research shows a clear relationship between guaranteed parking at home and a greater propensity to use the automobile for journey to work trips even between origin and destinations pairs that are reasonably well and very well served by transit. Because journey to work trips to the downtown are typically well served by transit, we infer from this finding that non-journey to work trips are also made disproportionately by car from these areas of high on-site parking.
Joint frequency-hopping waveform design for MIMO radar estimation using game theory

Using a colocated Multiple Input Multiple Output (MIMO) radar system, we consider the problem of joint design of amplitudes and frequency-hopping codes for frequency-hopping waveforms. First, we present the MIMO radar signal model and the sparse representation. Then, we formulate a novel game model and propose two joint design algorithms, one applying a non-cooperative scheme, and the other applying a cooperative scheme. Owing to the extremely large size of the feasible set of the discrete code, we propose to use these algorithms to obtain the e-approximate Nash equilibrium (e-ANE). We demonstrate the improvement of the resulting codes and amplitudes through numerical examples.
The hypothermic and antinociceptive effects of intrathecal injection of CGRP (8-37) in mice.

Abstract Calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) and the selective antagonist properties of the peptide fragment of CGRP [CGRP (8–37)] have been the subjects of numerous investigations. These data represent the first demonstration of the hypothermic and antinociceptive effects of CGRP (8–37). Intrathecal injection of CGRP (8–37) in mice produced hypothermia which differed from that produced by CGRP in time course, duration of action and potency. CGRP and CGRP (8–37) did not alter blood flow. Thus, a direct vasodilatory action was not responsible for the acute hypothermic effects of the drugs. The combination of CGRP and CGRP (8–37) resulted in a decrease in body temperature which was no greater than that of either drug alone. We failed to observe any significant antinociceptive effect in the tail-flick assay after i.t. injection of CGRP (8–37), but dose-dependent antinociception was produced by CGRP (8–37) in the p-phenylquinone (PPQ) assay, with an ED 50 value of 6.0 μg. However, CGRP (8–37) failed to block or enhance the antinociception produced by CGRP over a wide dose range. In addition to demonstrating an agonist-like effect for CGRP (8–37), these data also indicate that CGRP and CGRP (8–37) may not act through a common mechanism.
The relation of early lumen depreciation of halophosphate phosphors to antimonous and manganous ion concentrations

Abstract Plaque brightness depreciation of Ca 10 F 2 (PO 4 ) 6 :Sb, Mn phosphors subjected to 185 nm radiation in a nitrogen atmosphere is found to be approximately an inverse linear function of Sb concentration and to be independent of Mn content. When irradiation is carried out in the prescence of as little as 0.2% O 2 , depreciation of phosphors containing Mn may be much greater than in a pure N 2 ambient. This appears to be caused by photo-oxidation of Mn on or close to the surface of the phosphor crystal. The results of magnetic susceptibility measurements rule out the likelihood that photo-oxidation of Mn, when it occurs, involves either a redox couple with an electron acceptor in the structure or residual oxygen adhering to the surface. It is shown that both the Sb and Mn emission intensities are reduced in the same proportion following exposure to 185 nm radiation, so that loss of luminous efficiency is probably the result of dissipation of excitation energy prior to absorption by Sb and/or a non-radiative process occurring after absorption by Sb. From diffuse reflectance spectra the following radiation-induced absorptions associated with the presence of Sb are found: two unresolved peaks at 320 and 350 nm and absorption at 254 nm. The relative absorption in each of these regions increases with increasing depreciation.
Multiple Myeloma With Mixed Lytic and Blastic Bone Lesions With Lymphadenopathy: Rare Manifestation of a Common Disease-Case Presentation and Literature Review

Multiple myeloma - a neoplastic proliferation of plasma cell is the second most common blood cancer. Multiple myeloma is characterized by neoplastic proliferation of the plasma cells. These cells infiltrate variety of organs. Infiltration by immature neoplastic cells and overproduction of monoclonal immunoglobulin chain is responsible for clinical manifestations of multiple myeloma. The most common clinical presentation of multiple myeloma is an asymptomatic person having anemia and elevated globulin in laboratory testing. Multiple myeloma is diagnosed by triad of > 10% marrow infiltration by plasma cells, serum/urine monoclonal protein and end organ damages. One of the common end organ damage is lytic bone lesions resulting from imbalance between osteolytic and osteoblastic activities. Lymphadenopathy and osteoblastic lesions are rare presentations of multiple myeloma - lymphadenopathy in 1% of cases with IgA subtype and osteoblastic lesions in IgE myeloma and lambda light chains. Osteoblastic multiple myeloma is a distinct entity from POEMS syndrome. IgG myeloma with kappa chain predominance is not described yet with osteoblastic lesions and lymphadenopathy. We present a rare case of IgG myeloma with kappa chain predominance that had both lymphadenopathy and osteoblastic lesions.
N, N'-bis(4-ethynyl phenyl) 1,4,5,8-naphthalimide : a new monomer for a high Tg, heat-resistant polymer

Abstract A new 4-ethynyl-substituted monomer, bis(4-ethynyl phenyl) 1,4,5,8-naphthalimide (EPNI) was synthesized and characterized. EPNI is a crystalline material which, when thermally polymerized under N 2 in the solid state, yielded a highly crosslinked resin. The progress of polymerization was followed by Fourier transform i.r. spectroscopy, differential scanning calorimetry and wide-angle X-ray diffraction. It was found that EPNI reacted completely thermally to yield an extended polyene structure. Polymer plates were made by solid-state polymerization of EPNI under 4.8 MPa for 1.5 h at 300°C. Because EPNI is ordered and polymerized in the crystalline state, it showed zero polymerization shrinkage (EPNI had the same density as the well consolidated polymer, 1.40 g ml −1 ). EPNI polymerized to high conversion in spite of its very rigid matrix, probably because of the localization of its polymerizable ethynyl groups. A plate of polymeric EPNI (PEPNI) with 10% voids had a storage modulus of 2.2 GPa at room temperature, a glass transition temperature, T g of 309°C and a linear coefficient of thermal expansion of 4.28 × 10 −5 K −1 . PEPNI has excellent thermal and thermooxidative stabilities since it retained over 83% of its initial weight after 105 h at 427°C in air.
Metalliferous Sediment and a Silica-Hematite Deposit within the Blanco Fracture Zone, Northeast Pacific

A Tiburon ROV dive within the East Blanco Depression (EBD) increased the mapped extent of a known hydrothermal field by an order of magnitude. In addition, a unique opal-CT (cristobalite-tridymite)-hematite mound was discovered, and mineralized sediments and rock were collected and analyzed. Silica-hematite mounds have not previously been found on the deep ocean floor. The light-weight rock of the porous mound consists predominantly of opal-CT and hematite filaments, rods, and strands, and averages 77.8% SiO2 and 11.8% Fe2O3. The hematite and opal-CT precipitated from a low-temperature (≥ 115° C), strongly oxidized, silica- and iron-rich, sulfur-poor hydrothermal fluid; a bacterial mat provided the framework for precipitation. Samples collected from a volcaniclastic rock outcrop consist primarily of quartz with lesser plagioclase, smectite, pyroxene, and sulfides; SiO2 content averages 72.5%. Formation of these quartz-rich samples is best explained by cooling in an up-flow zone of silica-rich hydrothermal...
Familial aggregation of ischemic stroke in young women: the Stroke Prevention in Young Women Study.

Background and Purpose: Stroke occurs infrequently in young adults. While a familial basis for older onset stroke is well established, the extent of familial clustering in young-onset stroke is unknown. To address this issue, we compared the frequency of stroke in relatives of stroke cases to that in relatives of controls across different ages and by stroke subtype. Methods: Through a population-based case-control study of stroke, we identified 487 women aged 15–49 years with ischemic stroke and 615 women without stroke matched by age and geographic region. Family history of stroke was collected for 5,749 relatives (parents and siblings) of case and control probands by standardized interview. Results: Strokes were reported in 149 relatives of case patients and 119 relatives of controls. Siblings of stroke case patients had more than four times the risk of stroke compared to siblings of controls (OR, 4.17; 95% CI, 1.9–8.8) and mothers of stroke case patients had twice the risk of stroke compared to mothers of control subjects (OR, 2.02; 95% CI, 1.4–3.0). The association between stroke in probands and family history of stroke was strongest among women aged 15–24 years (OR, 2.5; 95% CI, 0.4–15.1), and diminished with increasing proband age (OR, 1.6; 95% CI, 0.8–3.3 among women 25–34 years and OR, 1.5; 95% CI, 1.1–1.9 among women 35--49 years; P<0.0001 for trend). Conclusions: We conclude that young-onset stroke aggregates in families and that the magnitude of aggregation increases with decreasing proband age. Genet. Epidemiol. 2006. Published 2006 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Resolute ignorance on race and Rushton

Abstract I review Rushton’s research on the evolutionary divergence of the three major human lineages. His life-history theory predicts, and his multiple analyses document, a consistent three-way patterning of mean differences among blacks, whites, and East Asians on coevolved sets of morphological, physiological, developmental, psychological, and behavioral traits. I then analyze a typical example of how critics evaluate his work, including the rate at which they cast his scientific hypotheses, methods and conclusions in politically charged language. The set of articles in question, although authored by well-known academics and appearing in a major, peer-reviewed journal, illustrate how mob science works to “discredit” valid research and enforce collective ignorance about entire bodies of evidence. Rushton is a scholar and gentleman but it appears that his critics often act like neither.
Infantile spasms: facial expression of affect before and after epilepsy surgery.

Abstract This is a longitudinal study of facial expression of affect in 28 children with intractable infantile spasms who underwent epilepsy surgery. After a mean follow-up period of 1.8 years, there was a significant increase in positive affect, a significant decrease in neutral affect, and no change in negative affect during a nonverbal communication paradigm. These findings were unrelated to surgical (i.e., side of surgery, type of surgery) or seizure-related variables (i.e., seizure control, age at onset of illness, duration of illness, change in antiepileptic drugs). Comparison of affect in a subgroup of 16 patients with those of 32 normal subjects suggest a normal age-related increase in the use of positive affect. Both before and after surgery, the patients used the most positive affect while not communicating. They also used significantly more positive affect during while requesting objects or assistance rather than during social referencing. Intractable infantile spasms might be associated with reduction in the facial expression of positive affect and with impaired use during social communication.
Fulfilment of planned and unplanned purchases of sale- and regular-price items: a benchmark study

A descriptive benchmark study of 2,172 shoppers introduces nine mutually exclusive planned/actual shopper purchase categories. It identifies, for shoppers entering a store, the actual number of shoppers and dollars spent in each of the nine mutually exclusive planned/actual shopper categories, differentiating planned and actual purchases based on whether they were sale or regular-price items. Approximately 13.5 per cent of the 2,172 shoppers stated that they did not plan to purchase items. Another 13.7 per cent indicated they planned to purchase only items on sale, 60.2 per cent of the shoppers indicated they planned to purchase only regular-price items, and 12.6 per cent planned to purchase both sale and regular-price items. Of the 2,172 shoppers surveyed, only 11.1 per cent (242) completed all purchases they planned to make, 58.1 per cent of all planned items were purchased, and 18 per cent (391) of all shoppers left the store without buying anything. This study differentiates sale-price purchases based...
Fusion of multiple landmine detection algorithms using an adaptive neuro fuzzy inference system

We present a fusion method, based on fuzzy inference, for detecting buried objects using ground-penetrating radar (GPR) data. The performance of different discrimination algorithms can vary significantly depending on the target type, burial orientation, and other environmental conditions. In some cases, algorithms can provide complementary evidence, while in other cases they can provide contradicting evidence. Thus, effective fusion of these algorithms can achieve higher probability of detection with fewer false alarms. The proposed fusion method is based on an Adaptive Neuro Fuzzy Inference System (ANFIS) [1] capable of simultaneously identifying local contexts as well as learning optimal weights for combining local expert discriminators. It is capable of learning meaningful and simple fuzzy rules for different regions of the input space. Results on large and diverse GPR data collections show that the proposed fusion approach can identify local, simple, and meaningful rules capable of non-linear fusion of different discriminators. We also show that the proposed fuzzy inference outperforms other commonly used fusion methods.
Role of biotic interactions in regulating conifer invasion of grasslands

Abstract Woody-plant invasions can be regulated by positive and negative interactions with the recipient community, but the sensitivity of these interactions to ontogeny or abiotic conditions is not well understood. We experimentally examined germination, seedling survival and growth of the conifer, Pseudotsuga menziesii, in response to above- and below-ground interactions with resident vegetation in low-elevation prairies of western Washington (USA). Shading, below-ground competition, and soil origin (prairie vs. forest) had strong and, at times, interacting effects on Pseudotsuga establishment. These effects varied among life stages and years. Germination was strongly enhanced by shading and inhibited by below-ground competition during a drought year, but not during a wet year. Germinant and seedling survival were strongly enhanced by shading, inhibited by below-ground competition, and unaffected by forest soil or mycorrhizal inoculation. Seedling growth was strongly negatively affected by below-ground competition, weakly affected by soil origin, and unaffected by shading. No individuals survived a single growing season in the absence of shade and presence of competing vegetation. In contrast, the presence of shade and removal of below-ground competition increased mean survival to ∼85%. Our results demonstrate that biotic factors can regulate woody-plant invasions and that the strength and direction of these effects can differ with ontogeny and abiotic conditions. Although woody-plant invasions are typically attributed to extrinsic factors (e.g., climate, fire, or grazing), our results highlight the importance of biotic interactions as critical intrinsic controls.
Robust Modified Policy Iteration

Robust dynamic programming robust DP mitigates the effects of ambiguity in transition probabilities on the solutions of Markov decision problems. We consider the computation of robust DP solutions for discrete-stage, infinite-horizon, discounted problems with finite state and action spaces. We present robust modified policy iteration RMPI and demonstrate its convergence. RMPI encompasses both of the previously known algorithms, robust value iteration and robust policy iteration. In addition to proposing exact RMPI, in which the “inner problem” is solved precisely, we propose inexact RMPI, in which the inner problem is solved to within a specified tolerance. We also introduce new stopping criteria based on the span seminorm. Finally, we demonstrate through some numerical studies that RMPI can significantly reduce computation time.
Hydrogen peroxide opposes the hypoxic depression of evoked synaptic transmission in rat hippocampal slices

Abstract Hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 , 3.3 mM) partially reversed the hypoxic depression of the evoked population spike recorded from CA1 region of rat hippocampal slices. It is known that elevated endogenous adenosine contributes to the hypoxic inhibition of the population spike. Exogenous adenosine (100 μM) inhibited the population spike that had been partially resuscitated by H 2 O 2 during maintained hypoxia. It is concluded that the ability of H 2 O 2 to oppose hypoxic depression does not occur at the level of the adenosine receptor since added adenosine was still effective in inhibiting the evoked potential in the presence of H 2 O 2 .
130 CARDIOVASCULAR CHANGES IN PRETERM INFANTS NURSED UNDER RADIANT WARMERS

Radiant warmers compare favourably with incubators for the easy access they provide to critically-ill infants without disturbing the thermal environment. The major disadvantage of radiant warmers are increased insensible water loss and increased oxygen consumption. Its cardiovascular effects are largely unknown. We measured cardiac output, stroke volume, heart rate, lower limb and skin blood flow in twenty preterm newborn infants nursed in an incubator and under a radiant warmer at an abdominal skin temperature of 36.5°C. Mean (±SE) birth weight was 1.57±0.06 kg, gestational age 31.7±0.4 wk, weight at exam 1.69±0.02 kg, and median postnatal age 15 days. Cardiac output and stroke volume were estimated using a combination of pulsed Doppler and M-mode echocardiography. Limb blood flow was measured in the right calf by strain gauge plethysmography and blood flow through the cutaneous microcirculation in the left calf by photoplethysmography.
69: Prophylactic arterial catheterization may improve operative morbidity in suspected placenta accreta and reduce the need for hysterectomy

operative morbidity in suspected placenta accreta and reduce the need for hysterectomy Neeraj Desai, Hima Tam Tam, Adiel Fleischer Hofstra North Shore-LIJ School of Medicine, Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Manhasset, NY OBJECTIVE: The optimal operative approach to placenta accreta (PA) is not well defined. We evaluated whether prophylactic arterial occlusion (CATH) techniques can decrease the need for routine cesareanhysterectomy and improve operative outcomes in patients with suspected PA. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective study of all antenatally diagnosed PA at our institution from 1995-2011. Data regarding maternal demographics, operative procedure, EBL, PRBC, use of other blood products (FFP, cryo, or platelets), OR time, length of stay (LOS), and need for hysterectomy were collected. Cases with CATH, either Avitene embolization(UAE) or hypogastric balloon(BAL) were compared to controls without CATH. Data were analyzed using Fisher’s-exact and t-test. RESULTS: Of 78 identified PA, 63 had an antenatal diagnosis (Mean GA del 36wks); of these 39 had CATH, and 24 had no arterial occlusion. Maternal demographics were similar in both groups. CATH had significantly less EBL (2.0 vs.3.6l; p 0.0012), less PRBC (2.5 vs. 4.5U; p 0.0006), less need for additional blood products (15% vs. 42%; OR 0.25 [CI 0.07-0.84]; p 0.04) with no difference in OR time or LOS. In a subgroup analysis of CATH, 26 had intraoperative UAE immediately post delivery of infant while 13 had BAL. UAE vs. no occlusion also had decreased EBL and less PRBC transfusion (p 0.01). However, this reduction was not seen with BAL. 56 of 63 had attempt at uterine preservation; 35% in the CATH group required a hysterectomy vs. 88% without CATH (p 0.001). When the patient did have a hysterectomy, those that had CATH had similar EBL (3.0 vs.3.8l; p 0.41), and no significant differences in PRBC, use of other blood products, OR time,or LOS. When analyzed by type of CATH, there was a trend for lower EBL and PRBC vs. BAL, but this was nonsignificant. In the CATH group, only one complication (axillary hematoma) was observed. CONCLUSION: This is one of the largest series to date in the US that looks at the management of PA. Our findings suggest that a protocol that includes CATH may improve the likelihood of uterine conservation and reduces operative morbidity.
The Rehabilitation of Anton Syndrome

Anton syndrome is a rare stroke syndrome that can occur after injury to the bilateral occipital lobes of the brain and result in cortical blindness with a lack of awareness of visual deficits. Patients with this syndrome tend to dismiss their blindness, resolutely insist that their vision is intact, and confabulate responses when asked to describe their visual perceptions. This syndrome can theoretically occur in any person with cortical blindness despite the mechanism of injury to the occipital lobe. We describe a patient who developed cortical blindness with Anton syndrome after bilateral occipital lobe infarctions.
An integrated system for computer-aided diagnosis in CT colonography: work in progress

Abstract A high-throughput, integrated software system to investigate computer-aided diagnosis for CT colonography is described and demonstrated. The system allows investigation of numerous parameters and algorithms critical to the goal of automated localization of possible polyps. The system forms the foundation of our future research efforts.
On uncertain ground: being at home in the context of public housing redevelopment

The recent global financial crisis increased the volatility of housing markets and furthered the ongoing disinvestment in public sector housing. This disinvestment has been manifest in urban restructuring programmes involving both the privatisation and the wholesale demolition of public/social housing. For example, programmes like HOPE VI in the USA have radically altered the landscape of public housing through the demolition of tens of thousands of housing units nationwide. However, what of the people who occupied this housing, and what of the lives they had built there? In such a context, deliberating on the notion of being at home becomes a pressing task, necessitating serious consideration of the lived experience of place and place attachments among those who have been displaced by such programmes. While research has studied outcomes such as the quality of the new neighbourhood and household economic stability, it does not adequately address the lived experience of place and the disruptions that force...
On Reconstruction from Non-uniform Spectral Data

This paper addresses the reconstruction of compactly supported functions from non-uniform samples of their Fourier transform. We briefly investigate the consequences of acquiring non-uniform spectral data. We summarize two often applied reconstruction methods, convolutional gridding and uniform re-sampling, and investigate the reconstruction accuracy as it relates to sampling density. Finally, we provide preliminary results from employing spectral re-projection methods in the reconstruction.
A conservation law for a wide class of queueing disciplines

A large class of queueing disciplines is defined for Poisson arrival statistics. For this class, a Conservation Law is proven which constrains the allowed variation in the average waiting times. Specifically, defining ρp as the product of the average arrival rate and the average service time for customers from the pth priority group (where the priority system is any queue discipline included in the defined class) and Wp as their average waiting time (in queue), the Conservation Law states that Σ ρp Wp is invariant over the set of queue disciplines in the class.
A Comparison Study on Implementing Optical Flow and Digital Communications on FPGAs and GPUs

FPGA devices have often found use as higher-performance alternatives to programmable processors for implementing computations. Applications successfully implemented on FPGAs typically contain high levels of parallelism and often use simple statically scheduled control and modest arithmetic. Recently introduced computing devices such as coarse-grain reconfigurable arrays, multi-core processors, and graphical processing units promise to significantly change the computational landscape and take advantage of many of the same application characteristics that fit well on FPGAs. One real-time computing task, optical flow, is difficult to apply in robotic vision applications because of its high computational and data rate requirements, and so is a good candidate for implementation on FPGAs and other custom computing architectures. This article reports on a series of experiments mapping a collection of different algorithms onto both an FPGA and a GPU. For two different optical flow algorithms the GPU had better performance, while for a set of digital comm MIMO computations, they had similar performance. In all cases the FPGA implementations required 10x the development time. Finally, a discussion of the two technology’s characteristics is given to show they achieve high performance in different ways.
Stratospheric aerosols on Jupiter from Cassini observations

We retrieved global distributions and optical properties of stratospheric aerosols on Jupiter from ground-based NIR spectra and multiple-phase-angle images from Cassini Imaging Science Subsystem (ISS). A high-latitude haze layer is located at ∼10–20 mbar, higher than in the middle and low latitudes (∼50 mbar). Compact sub-micron particles are mainly located in the low latitudes between 40°S and 25°N with the particle radius between 0.2 and 0.5 μm. The rest of the stratosphere is covered by the particles known as fractal aggregates. In the nominal case with the imaginary part of the UV refractive index 0.02, the fractal aggregates are composed of about a thousand 10-nm-size monomers. The column density of the aerosols at pressure less than 100 mbar ranges from ∼10^7 cm^(−2) at low latitudes to ∼10^9 cm^(−2) at high latitudes. The mass loading of aerosols in the stratosphere is ∼10^(−6) g cm^(−2) at low latitudes to ∼10^(−4) g cm^(−2) in the high latitudes. Multiple solutions due to the uncertainty of the imaginary part of the refractive index are discussed. The stratospheric haze optical depths increase from ∼0.03 at low latitudes to about a few at high latitudes in the UV wavelength (∼0.26 μm), and from ∼0.03 at low latitudes to ∼0.1 at high latitudes in the NIR wavelength (∼0.9 μm).
Mid-infrared photonic crystals in silicon

This talk will cover our recent work on photonic crystal cavities realized in a silicon-on-insulator platform, operating around 4.4 µm. The technique of scanning resonant scattering microscopy used to image mid-infrared cavity modes is also discussed.
Regional Blood‐Brain Barrier Permeability to Amino Acids After Portacaval Anastomosis

The influx of phenylalanine, tryptophan, leucine, and lysine across the blood-brain barrier of individual brain structures was studied in rats 7--8 weeks after a portacaval shunt or sham operation. The method involved a brief infusion of labeled amino acid in tracer quantity and quantitative autoradiography. The clearance rates of phenylalanine, tryptophan, and leucine were increased in proportion to each other in every region examined, but not by the same factor. Tryptophan clearance increased the most (about 200%) and leucine the least (about 30%), compared with phenylalanine (about 80%). This was unexpected, as all three amino acids are believed to be transported by the same mechanism. The changes were most marked in several limbic structures and the reticular formation, whereas the hypothalamus was least affected. Plasma clearance of lysine was decreased in all areas by about 70%. Since the circulating lysine concentration was decreased by 13%, the actual rate of lysine influx was even more reduced. The results demonstrate specific alterations in two different amino acid transport systems. The resulting excess brain neutral amino acids, some of which are neurotransmitter precursors, as well as reduced basic amino acid availability, may be of etiological significance in heptic encephalopathy.
Continuous-wave Doppler ultrasound and decreased amniotic fluid volume in pregnant women with intact or ruptured membranes

The cause(s) of decreased amniotic fluid in the absence of fetal anomalies and intrauterine growth retardation is not clear. A prospective study was performed to evaluate umbilical and uterine artery Doppler velocimetric results in pregnancies complicated by decreased amniotic fluid. Three medically highrisk groups were studied: women with (1) normal fluid and intact membranes, (2) decreased fluid and intact membranes, and (3) decreased fluid and ruptured membranes. The decreased fluid/intact membranes group had a significantly increased incidence of abnormal uterine artery waveforms (diastolic notching or absence of end-diastolic velocity); however, uterine systolic/ diastolic ratios were not significantly different. The umbilical systolic /diastolic ratios were marginally higher in the intact membranes /decreased fluid group when compared with the ruptured membranes group. This study suggests that problems with maternal blood supply to the placenta may be related to decreased amniotic fluid when membranes are intact.
Teaching modeling and simulation to computing science students

This article discusses the contents of a course in modeling and simulation designed for Computer Engineering and Computer Science students. A discussion of the need for such a course precedes a description of the course content and assignments.
Identification of external excitations in self-adjoint distributed systems using modal filters

A method is presented for the identification of external excitations acting on distributed parameter systems and, for certain special cases, the parameters contained in the equations of motion. By extracting the modal co-ordinates from the system output, and using these modal co-ordinates to identify the modal excitations acting on a number of modes, the actual external disturbances are synthesized. The modal co-ordinates are extracted from the system output by interpolation of the sensors measurements and use of the expansion theorem, a process known as modal filtering. It is shown that the accuracy of the identification improves as the number of sensors is increased. The effects of factors such as measurement noise and interpolation error are analyzed.
UNSTEADY LIFT FORCE ON A TOWED SPHERE

Abstract An experimental effort to characterize the broadband flow-induced lift forces on a spherical body that is towed underwater is described. The body itself is the transducer which is comprised of a small geophone encased in a near-neutrally-buoyant sphere, 7·62 cm in diameter. The research described in this paper quantifies the flow-induced unsteady lift force signal as a function of the sphere diameter Reynolds number (7620
More about heliox and bronchiolitis.

To the Editor .— The study by Martinon-Torres et al1 using heliox therapy in infants with acute bronchiolitis makes me question the diagnosis of “bronchiolitis” in those infants. It appears from the study that the use of heliox helped to decrease the work of breathing in these infants. It is conceivable that this was achieved by its property of having lower density. It is also known that heliox has higher viscosity, which affects the laminar flow. Laminar flow is the predominant flow in the peripheral airways or bronchioles. Therefore, patients with true “bronchiolitis” where the inflammation and obstruction is in the peripheral airways will have decreased flow with heliox and increased work of breathing. Because this didn’t happen in these infants, one could …