cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A simple adsorption/dilution model for rice herbicides.

As environmental fate computer models increase in complexity, it is more difficult to evaluate their validity. Because increasing model complexity allows for a wider range of possibilities for model behavior, it becomes easier to fit a model to an experimental data set and most soil transport and transformation models require calibration in order to be used (Jury and Ghodrati 1988). As a response to these considerations, this work was conducted to develop and evaluate a simple simulation model used in rice culture, which mimics a minimal set of processes: adsorption and dilution. Degradation, volatilization and uptake processes were omitted from the model in order to simplify and reduce parameters. Moreover, model output would be compared to field data, without calibration. The environmental fate of pesticides used in California rice culture is perhaps easier to model than in other forms of agriculture because soil and water conditions during the growing seascn are relatively constant. The performance of the model developed in this paper was compared using 3 rice herbicides; thiobencarb and molinate, used primarily for control of barnyardgrass (Echinochloa crus-galli L.(Beauv.)) and bentazon, used for control of various broadleaf weeds. These compounds are usually aerially applied, post-flood. Their use requires various water holding periods in order to reduce downstream pollution from field runoff (Lee 1989). Environmental fate studies conducted in California rice fields with clay loam soils provided a convenient data set for comparing model predictions to measured values (Ross and Sava 1986, Ross et al. 1989). Model development in this work was constrained by estimating all input parameters independently from data used for validation.
Estimators for optimally sensitive systems

The synthesis of an optimally sensitive controller is extended to the noisy case. A Kalman filter is used to estimate the uncertain parameter variations which are then used in the controller.
Low Power/Low Voltage silicon and GaAs technologies in portable communication products: Profound changes in technology migration

Abstract Low Voltage/Low Power silicon and GaAs device and process technologies will be discussed with respect to critical benchmark parameters. Special consideration is given to technology aspects as they refer to applications in portable communication products. Portable products are of particular interest since the subsystems cover a diversified range of technology requirements with respect to RF, digital, and analog signal processing under the most stringent power constraints.
Opportunities for developing the science of operations and supply‐chain management

Abstract In a separate paper ( Singhal and Singhal, 2011b ), we identified two sets of opportunities for radical innovations in operations and supply-chain management (O&SCM): pursuing all phases of science and pursuing multiple perspectives. In this paper, we propose and analyze ways to accomplish this task. A network of research teams can be effective in obtaining multiple perspectives and discovering radical innovation if it conducts intensive research over an extended period. Outliers are a source of multiple perspectives and innovative ideas and can help in identifying and addressing risks. Similarly, meta-analyses and syntheses of published works can provide multiple perspectives and lead to radical innovations.
Comparison of the effects of Na2CO3, Ca3(PO4)2, and NiO catalysts on the thermochemical liquefaction of microalga Spirulina platensis

Abstract This study investigated the effect of three types of catalysts on the yield of biocrude oil from thermochemical liquefaction (TCL) of the microalga, Spirulina platensis. TCL experiments were performed in a 1.8 L batch reactor using an alkali metal catalyst (Na2CO3), an alkaline earth metal (Ca3(PO4)2), and a transition metal oxide (NiO) and compared with non-catalytic TCL results. Na2CO3 was found to increase biocrude oil yield resulting in 51.6% biocrude oil, which was ∼29.2% higher than under non-catalytic conditions and ∼71% and ∼50% higher than when using NiO and Ca3(PO4)2 catalysts, respectively. Presence of NiO and Ca3(PO4)2 increased yields of gaseous products. GC–MS analysis indicated critical differences in chemical composition of the biocrude oil obtained under different catalyst conditions. Biocrude oil from the catalyzed runs had greater abundance of monoaromatic compounds and lesser polyaromatic and aliphatic compounds than that of non-catalyzed reactions. TCL using Na2CO3 reported the lowest energy consumption ratio and recovered highest energy in the form of biocrude oil among all treatments. Algal biocrude oil had an energy density of 34–39 MJ kg−1 compared to 43 MJ kg−1 for petroleum crude, but had higher oxygen and nitrogen levels. In all cases, the solids conversion was more than 94%. Analysis of solids revealed that 40–60% of the initial catalysts were retained in the solid char.
Bathymetry and gravity data across a mid‐Cretaceous triple junction trace in the southwest Pacific basin

[1] Bathymetry and gravity profiles from the southwest Pacific have been used to locate and characterize the trace of a ridge-ridge-ridge triple junction created between ∼84 and ∼120 Ma. In areas free of subsequent volcanism, the triple junction trace is identified by a 1 km-deep bathymetric trough bordered by seafloor spreading fabric with distinctly different trends. Crustal thickness estimates obtained with gravity models indicate the triple junction trace is often characterized by anomalously thin crust, which may result from relatively low melt production at a triple junction. Crustal thickness estimates follow previously identified spreading rate-related trends.
Documenting measurement sensitivity and bias of field-measured parameters in water quality monitoring programs

Measurement sensitivity and bias quality control metrics are commonly reported for water-quality parameters measured in the laboratory. Less commonly recognized is that they should also be reported for field-measured parameters. Periodic evaluation helps document data quality and can help serve as early warning if there are problems with methods or techniques that could negatively affect ability to interpret threshold values and trends over time. This study focuses on traditional assessment of bias and introduces a new method for estimating measurement sensitivity of water-quality parameters measured monthly in the field. Alternative measurement sensitivity is a new data quality indicator used to demonstrate how quantifying sensitivity at the measurement level can improve understanding the uncertainty affecting each reported data value. That, in turn, can help interpret the meaning of results from many separate data points measured in the field. In this 30-month study, pH and specific conductance consistently met, and dissolved oxygen did not always meet NPS and USGS quality control standards for bias. Evaluation of dissolved oxygen bias and sensitivity during the study provided impetus to improve calibration techniques that resulted in data that later met quality goals.
The RhoGEF Net1 Is Required for Normal Mammary Gland Development

Neuroepithelial transforming gene 1 (Net1) is a RhoA subfamily-specific guanine nucleotide exchange factor that is overexpressed in human breast cancer and is required for breast cancer cell migration and invasion. However, the role of Net1 in normal mammary gland development or function has never been assessed. To understand the role of Net1 in the mammary gland, we have created a conditional Net1 knockout mouse model. Whole-body deletion of Net1 results in delayed mammary gland development during puberty characterized by slowed of ductal extension and reduced ductal branching. Epithelial cells within the developing ducts show reduced proliferation that is accompanied by diminished estrogen receptor-α expression and activity. Net1-deficient mammary glands also exhibit reduced phosphorylation of regulatory subunits of myosin light chain and myosin light-chain phosphatase, indicating that RhoA-dependent actomyosin contraction is compromised. Net1 deficiency also leads to disorganization of myoepithelial and ductal epithelial cells and increased periductal collagen deposition. Mammary epithelial cell transplantation experiments indicate that reduced ductal branching and disorganization are cell autonomous. These data identify for the first time a role for NET1 in vivo and indicate that NET1 expression is essential for the proliferation and differentiation of mammary epithelial cells in the developing mammary gland.
Cell-selective metabolic labeling of proteins

Metabolic labeling of proteins with the methionine surrogate azidonorleucine can be targeted exclusively to specified cells through expression of a mutant methionyl-tRNA synthetase (MetRS). In complex cellular mixtures, proteins made in cells that express the mutant synthetase can be tagged with affinity reagents (for detection or enrichment) or fluorescent dyes (for imaging). Proteins made in cells that do not express the mutant synthetase are neither labeled nor detected.
Modules in monoidal model categories

Abstract This paper studies the existence of and compatibility between derived change of ring, balanced product, and function module derived functors on module categories in monoidal model categories.
Internetwork infrastructure requirements for virtual environments

in White Papers - The Unpredictable Certainty, National Academy Press, pp. 110-122, 1997. Also in the Proceedings of the Virtual Reality Modeling Language (VRML) Symposium, San Diego Supercomputer Center (SDSC), San Diego, CA, December 13-15, 1995.
Cognitive Task Performance Time And Accuracy In Supervisory Process Control

Abstract Research is reported on several types of cognitive tasks that are performed by industrial process controllers. Statistics of performance time and accuracy are examined as a function of task repetitions and complexity variables. Performance plateaus were found in these statistics when the tasks were held at an average complexity level. A distribution of performance time is identified. As the reference and/or field size increased or other complexity variables changed, the means and variances of performance time for within- and between-persons changed with those variables in different ways with the type of cognitive task. Some of these complexity variables accounted for about 90 percent of the time variation within a typical subject. Accuracy was found to be about 95 percent, varying slightly by the type of task but not with the complexity variables.
Molecular simulation of phase equilibria: simple, ionic and polymeric fluids

Abstract Recent advances in molecular simulation methodologies have enabled the calculation of phase equilibria for model fluids with unprecedented speed and accuracy. In this paper, we first briefly review the Gibbs ensemble Monte Carlo method for direct determination of phase coexistence. A new application of the Gibbs ensemble technique to the restricted primitive model of ionic systems is described in detail. The calculated phase coexistence envelope is in disagreement with most previous theoretical and numerical estimates. Our result for the reduced critical temperature is T c ∗ = 0.056 and for the reduced critical density ϱ c ∗ = 0.04. A recently developed technique for the calculation of the chemical potentials of polymeric fluids is also discussed and a tentative phase diagram for a homopolymer of length n = 20 segments is presented. We conclude with a discussion of potential future applications of molecular simulation techniques to the prediction of equilibrium properties of fluids.
A device for research in human information processing capacity.

Biosensory unilateral response processor /burp/ - human information processing capacity determiner
“I am sure that you are more pessimistic than I am...”: An interview with Giorgio Agamben

(2004). “I am sure that you are more pessimistic than I am...”: An interview with Giorgio Agamben. Rethinking Marxism: Vol. 16, No. 2, pp. 115-124.
Measure concentration in optimization

We discuss some consequences of the measure concentration phenomenon for optimization and computational problems. Topics include average case analysis in optimization, efficient approximate counting, computation of mixed discriminants and permanents, and semidefinite relaxation in quadratic programming.
Stern advice for Copenhagen

In this new book, economist Nicholas Stern makes a sweeping proposal for a global climate deal.
Dynamic changes in body form during swimming in the water snake Nerodia sipedon.

Abstract Video records of swimming water snakes show that during moderate to rapid swimming, the rear half to two-thirds of the trunk is compressed laterally, approaching the body form of some sea snakes. Body form of swimming snakes differed significantly from their shape when resting on a flat surface or when anesthetized and suspended in water. The extent of lateral flattening is positively correlated with swimming speed, a relationship generally supported by tests of trunk models in a flow tank. In Nerodia , the ability to temporarily flatten the trunk depends on kinetic costovertebral joints, a large compressible body cavity, and the absence of ventral skeletal support – features found in most snakes. Histological studies and manipulations of partially dissected preserved specimens showed that the resting angle of the ribs is maintained by localized elastic hypertrophy of the costovertebral capsular ligament. Trunk form during swimming in Nerodia is proposed to arise from anteromedial movement of the distal rib powered by deep muscles acting in concert with those proposed to generate undulation of the vertebral column.
Social sites research through CourseRank

Social sites such as FaceBook, Orkut, Flickr, MySpace and many others have become immensely popular. At these sites, users share their resources (e.g., photos, profiles, blogs) and learn from each other. On the other hand, higher education applications help students and administrators track and manage academic information such as grades, course evaluations and enrollments. Despite the importance of both these areas, there is relatively little research on the mechanisms that make them effective. Apart from being both a successful social site and an academic planning site, CourseRank provides a live testbed for studying fundamental questions related to social networking, academic planning, and the fusion of these areas. In this paper, we provide a system overview and our main research efforts through CourseRank.
Measurements of total reactive nitrogen during the Airborne Arctic Stratospheric Expedition

Composite distributions of measured total reactive nitrogen NO(y), from the NASA ER-2 during the Airborne Arctic Stratospheric Expedition are presented. The observed features of these distributions are discussed in terms of the controlling dynamical, chemical and microphysical processes. In the latitudinal profile from 58 deg N to within about 4 deg poleward of the polar vortex boundary, NO(y) conforms closely to predictions of NO(y) based on N2O measurements. Poleward of 5 deg of latitude within the boundary, the average NO(y) decreases sharply and is significantly lower than that predicted from N2O. This feature is consistent with loss of NO(y) through sedimentation of particles containing NO(y) in polar stratospheric clouds.
Precision Detection of the Cosmic Neutrino Background

In the standard big bang cosmology the canonical value for the ratio of relic neutrinos to cosmic microwave background (CMB) photons is 9/11. Within the framework of the standard model of particle physics there are small corrections, in sum about 1{percent} , due to slight heating of neutrinos by electron-positron annihilations and finite-temperature QED effects. We show that this leads to changes in the predicted CMB anisotropies that will bias determination of the other cosmological parameters if not correctly taken into account. These changes might be detected by future satellite experiments. {copyright} {ital 1999} {ital The American Physical Society}
The pathophysiological effects of nitrogen mustard on the rabbit eye. I. The biphasic intraocular pressure response and the role of prostaglandins.

Abstract Topical application of 1·0% nitrogen mustard (NM) to the rabbit eye was found to cause a rapid rise in intraocular pressure (IOP) reaching a peak within 40 min, followed by a period of normo- or hypotension. At the same time, miosis and a gradual rise in aqueous flare occurred, but white cells (WBCs) were not seen in the anterior chamber. A second rise in IOP occurred 3–12 hr following NM application. After 12 hr, the soluble protein concentration in the aqueous humor had increased from a control value of 0·47±0·05 to 16·1±0·6 mg/ml, the combined prostaglandin (PG) F 2 α and PGE concentration from 0·42±0·08 to 2·7±0·4 ng/ml, and the WBC count from 0 to 845±273 WBCs/μl. Intraperitoneal indomethacin treatment did not affect the initial IOP rise, but it completely blocked the second hypertensive phase and reduced the aqueous flare, cellular response, aqueous humor PG levels, and duration of miosis. In 12 out of 15 retrobulbar EtOH “denervated” eyes, the initial rise in IOP after NM application was completely blocked, but the second rise in IOP and the associated signs of uveitis were not inhibited. A combination of indomethacin treatment and “denervation” completely blocked both hypertensive phases and partially inhibited the aqueous flare and cellular response during the first 12 hr. These findings indicate that only the initial NM-induced ocular irritative response, in particular the first hypertensive phase, is mediated by a neural mechanism, and that PGs play an important role in the second hypertensive phase and associated ocular inflammation which peaks 6 to 12 hr after topical NM application.
Global statistical analysis of MISR aerosol data: a massive data product from NASA's Terra satellite

In climate models, aerosol forcing is the major source of uncertainty in climate forcing, over the industrial period. To reduce this uncertainty, instruments on satellites have been put in place to collect global data. However, missing and noisy observations impose considerable difficulties for scientists researching the global distribution of aerosols, aerosol transportation, and comparisons between satellite observations and global-climate-model outputs. In this paper, we fit a Spatial Mixed Effects (SME) statistical model to predict the missing values, denoise the observed values, and quantify the spatial-prediction uncertainties. The computations associated with the SME model are linear scalable to the number of data points, which makes it feasible to process massive global satellite data. We apply the methodology, which is called Fixed Rank Kriging (FRK), to the level-3 Aerosol Optical Depth (AOD) dataset collected by NASA's Multi-angle Imaging SpectroRadiometer (MISR) instrument flying on the Terra satellite. Overall, our results were superior to those from non-statistical methods and, importantly, FRK has an uncertainty measure associated with it that can be used for comparisons over different regions or at different time points. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Sound-identity processing in early areas of the auditory ventral stream in the macaque

Auditory cortical processing is thought to be accomplished along two processing streams. The existence of a posterior/dorsal stream dealing, among others, with the processing of spatial aspects of sound has been corroborated by numerous studies in several species. An anterior/ventral stream for the processing of nonspatial sound qualities, including the identification of sounds such as species-specific vocalizations, has also received much support. Originally discovered in anterolateral belt cortex, most recent work on the anterior/ventral pathway has been performed on far anterior superior temporal (ST) areas and on ventrolateral prefrontal cortex (VLPFC). Regions of the anterior/ventral stream near its origin in early auditory areas have been less explored. In the present study, we examined three early auditory regions with different anteroposterior locations (caudal, middle, and rostral) in awake rhesus macaques. We analyzed how well classification based on sound-evoked activity patterns of neuronal populations replicates the original stimulus categories. Of the three regions, the rostral region (rR), which included core area R and medial belt area RM, yielded the greatest classification success across all stimulus classes or between classes of natural sounds. Starting from ∼80 ms past stimulus onset, clustering based on the population response in rR became clearly more successful than clustering based on responses from any other region. Our study demonstrates that specialization for sound-identity processing can be found very early in the auditory ventral stream. Furthermore, the fact that this processing develops over time can shed light on underlying mechanisms. Finally, we show that population analysis is a more sensitive method for revealing functional specialization than conventional types of analysis.
Are U.S. CEOs Overpaid? A Response to Bogle and Walsh

am delighted to have the opportunity to re spond to Jack Bogle's and Jim Walsh's comments on my article "Are U.S. CEOs Overpaid?" (AMP, May 2008), in which I concluded that the typical U.S. CEO is not overpaid. The main issue I addressed is whether the high pay of CEOs is largely a market phenomenon (and CEOs are paid appropriately), or, instead, is driven by the power of the CEOs and the weak ness of their boards (leading CEOs to be over paid). I concluded that high CEO pay is largely a market phenomenon, likely driven by technolog ical change and the increased scale technological change allows. An important part of my argument was that many other groups?private equity and hedge fund investors, investment bankers, ath letes, and lawyers?have seen their compensation increase substantially and by the same order of magnitude as CEOs, despite the arm's-length na ture of their compensation arrangements. In other words, market forces, not weak corporate gover nance, have bid up the pay of successful individ uals in many sectors. For this reason, I argued that the proposed "Say on Pay" Act?requiring an advisory shareholder vote on CEO pay at every company every year?would not improve on or even affect the current market-based outcomes, but would impose additional costs on companies an$ shareholders.
Infectious tolerance develops after intrathymic alloantigen-induced acceptance of rat heart allografts can be adoptively transferred.

Background We have shown that intrathymic (IT) injection of alloantigen with antirat lymphocyte serum (ALS) treatment can induce donor-specific allograft acceptance. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether T-regulatory (T-reg) cells play a role in the maintenance of donor-specific heart graft tolerance that develops after IT injection of Lewis (LEW, RT1l) alloantigen into a Dark Agouti (DA, RT1a). Methods Naive DA rats were injected IT with 2.5 ×107 LEW donor splenocytes and injected intraperitoneally with 1 mL ALS. Twenty-one days after pretreatment, a LEW or Brown Norway (BN, RT1n) heart was transplanted into a treated DA recipient. Splenocytes (1 × 108 or 5 × 107) from a LEW heart–tolerant long-term survivor (LTS; >60 days) DA recipient were harvested and adoptively transferred (AT) into an irradiated (450 rad) naive DA rat 24 hours before transplanting a LEW heart. Results All LEW heart allografts were rejected by untreated DA rats in a mean survival time (MST) of 7.4 ± 1.7 days (n = 7). In contrast, 66.7% of LEW heart grafts into IT + ALS–pretreated DA recipients were accepted indefinitely (n = 24). When either 1 × 108 (n = 5) or 5 × 107 (n = 5) splenocytes from a LEW heart graft–tolerant LTS (>60 days) DA recipient were AT into a new naive DA rat, all new LEW heart grafts were accepted indefinitely. Conclusions The donor-specific tolerance that develops after IT + ALS–induced LEW heart acceptance by DA recipients can be transferred adoptively to new naive DA recipients, thus indicating that it is infectious tolerance.
Hidden in plain view: feminists doing engineering ethics, engineers doing feminist ethics.

How has engineering ethics addressed gender concerns to date? How have the ideas of feminist philosophers and feminist ethicists made their way into engineering ethics? What might an explicitly feminist engineering ethics look like? This paper reviews some major themes in feminist ethics and then considers three areas in which these themes have been taken up in engineering ethics to date. First, Caroline Whitbeck’s work in engineering ethics integrates considerations from her own earlier writings and those of other feminist philosophers, but does not use the feminist label. Second, efforts to incorporate the Ethic of Care and principles of Social Justice into engineering have drawn on feminist scholarship and principles, but these commitments can be lost in translation to the broader engineering community. Third, the film Henry’s Daughters brings gender considerations into the mainstream of engineering ethics, but does not draw on feminist ethics per se; despite the best intentions in broaching a difficult subject, the film unfortunately does more harm than good when it comes to sexual harassment education. I seek not only to make the case that engineers should pay attention to feminist ethics and engineering ethicists make more use of feminist ethics traditions in the field, but also to provide some avenues for how to approach integrating feminist ethics in engineering. The literature review and analysis of the three examples point to future work for further developing what might be called feminist engineering ethics.
The effect of adrenergic blocking agents on plasma insulin and blood glucose during urethan or epinephrine induced hyperglycemia

Abstract Blood glucose and immunoreactive plasma insulin levels were measured in rats during hyperglycemia induced by urethan or epinephrine. The effect of adrenergic blocking agents was studied. Urethan induced hyperglycemia was prevented by acute bilateral adrenalectomy. The hyperglycemic effect of urethan was blocked significantly by phentolamine, N-isopropyl-methoxamine and Dichloro-isoproterenol, and that of epinephrine by phentolamine and N-isopropyl-methoxamine. There was no rise in plasma insulin levels in response to urethan or epinephrine induced hyperglycemia. The inhibition of insulin release in response to hyperglycemia was significantly reversed both in urethan and epinephrine treated rats, by phentolamine only (an α-adrenergic blocking agent). It is suggested that urethan induced hyperglycemia is induced by epinephrine. Endogenous epinephrine, as well as exogenous epinephrine, inhibits the insulin secretory response to hyperglycemia by stimulation of α-receptors. The inhibition of insulin release in response to hyperglycemia is not the major cause of the hyperglycmeia induced by urethan or epinephrine since some adrenergic blocking agents can inhibit the hyperglycemia without increasing plasma insulin levels.
Kupffer cells participate in rejection following liver transplantation in the rat.

Recognition of foreign antigens involves macrophages which release mediators such as immunoactive interleukins, and in the liver, the resident macrophages (Kupffer cells) are activated following transplantation. Therefore, we evaluated the hypothesis that Kupffer cells participate in the rejection reaction following transplantation. Orthotopic liver transplantation was performed between different syngenic rat strains. Livers from Lewis rats were stored in lactated Ringer's solution for 1 h to minimize cold ischemic injury and transplanted into PVG recipients. At 24 h postoperatively, transaminases (AST) were elevated to values around 2000 U/l, total bilirubin was increased to values around 20 micromol/l, and five of six rats died within 3 days. Macroscopic and histological examination showed large areas of necrosis without cellular infiltration, characteristic of rejection. When donor rats were treated with gadolinium chloride (GdCl3, 10 mg/kg i.v. 24 h before storage of the liver) to inactivate the Kupffer cells, AST levels only rose to around 700 U/l, and the total bilirubin level was in the normal range (< 4 micromol/l). Survival was improved significantly by GdCl3, with five of seven rats surviving more than 1 month (P < 0.05) and four of seven rats surviving for at least 100 days without immunosuppressive drug therapy. Rejection was not totally prevented, however, since the surviving rats had elevated AST and bilirubin levels, and cellular infiltration in portal areas along with proliferation of bile canaliculi was observed. These data are consistent with the hypothesis that Kupffer cells participate in mechanisms of early rejection following liver transplantation.
THE RHETORIC AND RATIONALITY OF ACCOUNTING RESEARCH.

Abstract This essay suggests the value of a rhetorical understanding of accounting research practice. Rhetoric reminds us that despite the methodological differences across various accounting research communities, there is a ubiquity to argument in scholarly practice. No matter what kinds of questions accounting researchers address, no matter what methods they apply to those questions, no matter what languages they evoke, and no matter what purposes and values they attach to the research enterprise, nothing counts as accounting knowledge until it is argued before one's peers. Thus, while rhetoric is not going to substitute for the many and different substantive ways in which accounting researchers produce accounting knowledge, neither can those substantive methods substitute for rhetoric. An understanding of rhetoric's role within research is thereby necessary to understand the practice of accounting research and, in turn, the knowledge such practice produces.
Transhepatic PermCath for Hemodialysis

The establishment and maintenance of a reliable vascular access continues to be a problem in hemodialysis. We report a patient with end-stage lupus nephritis who had no alternative for vascular access and failed peritoneal dialysis. A vascular access device (PermCath, Quinton Instrument Co, Bothell, WA) was inserted using a transhepatic approach. There were no bleeding or thrombotic complications. The catheter was replaced once through the same track due to poor blood flow and reinserted once after 5 days due to infection. The patient has been doing well and receiving adequate dialytic therapy for over 1 year with this form of vascular access.
The cue in discriminated escape conditioning as a secondary positive reinforcer

Twelve albino rats were given escape training in a two-compartment Miller box. Seven Ss received a 1.5 sec tone indicating when a door-press escape was possible, whereas, for the five controls, the tone was not paired with escape. Following intermittent reinforcement, Ss receiving discriminated escape training acquired a new response more effectively that controls when the new response produced the tone but no escape.
Expressive Communication and Human Development in the New Broadband Environment.

An understanding of the structure and functions of expressive communication in face-to-face communication and audiovisual media can inform the development of new educational services for human development across cultures in the emerging broadband environment.
Parametric Investigation of Circular and Elliptical Bulge Tests in Warm Hydroforming Process for AA5754-O Sheet

This study numerically investigated the effects of process parameter variations such as blank holder forces (800kN-1200kN), strain rates (0.0013/sec, 0.013/sec, 0.13/sec), coefficient of friction (0.05-0.15), temperature (150 °C, 260 °C) and apex angles (0o, 60o, 90o,120o) on warm hydroforming of AA 5754-O sheet blanks. Warm hydroforming process was simulated through hydraulic bulge test with circular and elliptical die openings. Dome height and sheet thinning were selected as control parameters for formability of AA 5754-O sheet blanks. Results showed that the dome height and formed blank thicknesses did not change significantly with the variation of coefficient of friction and blank holder force. Moreover, increasing forming temperature and non-isothermal conditions yielded slightly better formability. On the other hand, increase in strain rate, and elliptical type of bulge test cavity led to significant decreases in dome height and formed part thinning. Another significant finding was that the elliptical bulge test model and isothermal analyses did not reveal the effect of anisotropy for the sheet material concerned.
Transcranial Doppler determination of cerebral perfusion in patients undergoing CPR: Methodology and preliminary findings

Study objectives: To correlate cerebral arterial blood velocity measurements as determined by transcranial Doppler ultrasound with various resuscitation maneuvers performed in an uncontrolled manner in a series of cardiac arrest patients undergoing standard resuscitation. Type of participants: Any patient undergoing resuscitation for a non-traumatic cardiac arrest was eligible for the study. Interventions: Resuscitation was carried out while flow velocities were monitored in various intracranial arteries by transcranial Doppler ultrasound. Vessel identification was based on the angle and depth of insonation. Measurements and main results: The internal carotid artery was located more consistently than either middle cerebral or ophthalmic arteries and provided superior waveforms for analysis. Alterations in flow velocity were noted and correlated to various therapeutic interventions. Flow velocities were 70% of normal during the early phase of resuscitation but deteriorated over time until there was no evidence of net forward flow. Even early in CPR, flow was demonstrated only during systole. Conclusion: Transcranial Doppler ultrasound appears to be a potentially promising means of determining cerebral flow in patients undergoing CPR.
Factors affecting the dissolution rate of medicaments from tablets II. Effect of binder concentration, tablet hardness, and storage conditions on the dissolution rate of phenobarbital from tablets

A series of formulations is described in which several binders are used in varying proportions and the tablets are compressed at different pressures. Results show the effects of these variables on dissolution rates of phenobarbital tablets in an acid medium of pH 1.2. Some data on the effects of storage of tablets under controlled conditions are presented.
PACER: proportional detection of data races

Data races indicate serious concurrency bugs such as order, atomicity, and sequential consistency violations. Races are difficult to find and fix, often manifesting only after deployment. The frequency and unpredictability of these bugs will only increase as software adds parallelism to exploit multicore hardware. Unfortunately, sound and precise race detectors slow programs by factors of eight or more and do not scale to large numbers of threads.This paper presents a precise, low-overhead sampling-based data race detector called Pacer. PACER makes a proportionality guarantee: it detects any race at a rate equal to the sampling rate, by finding races whose first access occurs during a global sampling period. During sampling, PACER tracks all accesses using the dynamically sound and precise FastTrack algorithm. In nonsampling periods, Pacer discards sampled access information that cannot be part of a reported race, and Pacer simplifies tracking of the happens-before relationship, yielding near-constant, instead of linear, overheads. Experimental results confirm our theoretical guarantees. PACER reports races in proportion to the sampling rate. Its time and space overheads scale with the sampling rate, and sampling rates of 1-3% yield overheads low enough to consider in production software. The resulting system provides a "get what you pay for" approach that is suitable for identifying real, hard-to-reproduce races in deployed systems.
WRF simulations of two extreme snowfall events associated with contrasting extratropical cyclones over the western and central Himalaya

Two extreme snowfall events associated with extratropical cyclones, one interacting with the western and one with the central Himalaya, are simulated with the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model over 8 days. One event in January 1999 was driven by a longwave trough over west Asia, with the cyclone becoming terrain-locked in the western Himalayan notch. Another event in March 2006 was driven by a trough further south and east, facilitating the passage of two successive cyclones along the entire Himalayan ridge, drawing moisture from warm tropical waters. These flow patterns are typical for extreme winter precipitation in the western and central Himalaya, respectively, but were amplified in these two cases. In the WRF simulations, snowfall is confined to the western Himalaya in the January simulation, while a near-continuous band of accumulated snowfall along the Himalayan ridge forms in the March simulation. Precipitation rate throughout both simulations is largely determined by cross-barrier moisture flux, which is generally greatest wherever the cyclonic winds converge on the mountains at each time. However, the March 2006 simulation evolves in an environment with greater convective instability upwind of and moisture transport toward the mountains than in the January 1999 event. Hence, greater precipitation rates and more solid snowbands are generated in the March than in the January simulation. However, due to the terrain-locking of the cyclone in the January event, individual locations receive more persistent snowfall, so that the greatest 8 day accumulations are similar between the two events, although these accumulations are more widespread in the March event.
Differential Inhibition of Cytosolic PEPCK by Substrate Analogues. Kinetic and Structural Characterization of Inhibitor Recognition.

The mechanisms of molecular recognition of phosphoenolpyruvate (PEP) and oxaloacetate (OAA) by cytosolic phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (cPEPCK) were investigated by the systematic evaluation of a variety of PEP and OAA analogues as potential reversible inhibitors of the enzyme against PEP. The molecules that inhibit the enzyme in a competitive fashion were found to fall into two general classes. Those molecules that mimic the binding geometry of PEP, namely phosphoglycolate and 3-phosphonopropionate, are found to bind weakly (millimolar Ki values). In contrast, those competitive inhibitors that mimic the binding of OAA (oxalate and phosphonoformate) coordinate directly to the active site manganese ion and bind an order of magnitude more tightly (micromolar Ki values). The competitive inhibitor sulfoacetate is found to be an outlier of these two classes, binding in a hybrid fashion utilizing modes of recognition of both PEP and OAA in order to achieve a micromolar inhibition constant in the absence of direct coordination to the active site metal. The kinetic studies in combination with the structural characterization of the five aforementioned competitive inhibitors demonstrate the molecular requirements for high affinity binding of molecules to the active site of the enzyme. These features include cis-planar carbonyl groups that are required for coordination to the active site metal, a bridging electron rich atom at the position corresponding to the C2 methylene group of OAA to facilitate interactions with R405, a carboxylate or sulfonate moiety at a position corresponding to the C1 carboxylate of OAA, and the edge-on aromatic interaction between a carboxylate and Y235.
Lower extremity amputation risk factors associated with elevated ankle brachial indices and radiographic arterial calcification.

An elevated ankle brachial index (ABI) resulting from medial artery calcification, or Monckeberg's arteriosclerosis, is commonly seen in patients with diabetes mellitus or end-stage renal disease. Recent data have found an association between elevated ABIs and cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the prognostic significance of high ABIs, poorly compressible arteries, and radiographic artery calcification compared with low ABIs in predicting lower extremity amputation and morbidity. A retrospective review was conducted of patients who had undergone a lower extremity amputation from July 1, 2011 to August 31, 2012. A total of 129 patients (140 lower extremity amputations) were categorized into 3 groups: a low ABI ( 1.3) or poorly compressible arteries. Of the 129 patients, 31 (22.14%), 36 (25.71%), and 73 (52.14%) were in group 1, 2, and 3, respectively. The prevalence of diabetes was greatest in group 2 (p = .016). A high percentage of radiographic arterial calcification was found in all 3 groups (p = .003). Statistically significant differences were also found in groups 1 and 3 for peripheral arterial disease (p < .001), chronic kidney disease (p < .001), coronary artery disease (p = .021), revascularization history (p < .001), and tobacco use (p = .012). A U-shaped relationship between the ABI and comorbidity was found, suggesting an elevated ABI is as equally prognostic as a low index in predicting the need for amputation.
Apoptosis, but not necrosis, of infected monocytes is coupled with killing of intracellular bacillus Calmette-Guérin

We have examined the effect of killing of host monocytes infected with bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) on the viability of the intracellular mycobacteria. Peripheral blood monocytes were infected in vitro with a single bacillus per cell and maintained in culture for 6-8 d to allow the bacilli to replicate. Replicating viable BCG were found singly in perinuclear vacuoles bounded by tightly apposed lipid bilayers. Monocytes were then exposed to toxic mediators that induced killing of cells as evaluated by 51Cr release into the culture medium. Both hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) (an inducer of cell necrosis) and adenosine triphosphate (ATP4-) (an inducer of cell apoptosis) treatment killed infected monocytes. H2O2-induced killing had no effect on BCG viability. ATP-induced cell death was accompanied by DNA fragmentation and nuclear condensation. Apoptosis was associated with a swelling of the phagocytic vacuoles which became multibacillary and with a reduction of BCG viability as enumerated by colony-forming units.
Role of adult neurogenesis in hippocampus-dependent memory, contextual fear extinction and remote contextual memory: new insights from ERK5 MAP kinase

Adult neurogenesis occurs in two discrete regions of the adult mammalian brain, the subgranular zone (SGZ) of the dentate gyrus (DG) and the subventricular zone (SVZ) along the lateral ventricles. Signaling mechanisms regulating adult neurogenesis in the SGZ are currently an active area of investigation. Adult-born neurons in the DG functionally integrate into the hippocampal circuitry and form functional synapses, suggesting a role for these neurons in hippocampus-dependent memory formation. Although results from earlier behavioral studies addressing this issue were inconsistent, recent advances in conditional gene targeting technology, viral injection and optogenetic approaches have provided convincing evidence supporting a role for adult-born neurons in the more challenging forms of hippocampus-dependent learning and memory. Here, we briefly summarize these recent studies with a focus on extra signal-regulated kinase (ERK) 5, a MAP kinase whose expression in the adult brain is restricted to the neurogenic regions including the SGZ and SVZ. We review evidence identifying ERK5 as a novel endogenous signaling pathway that regulates the pro-neural transcription factor Neurogenin 2, is activated by neurotrophins and is critical for adult neurogenesis. We discuss studies demonstrating that specific deletion of ERK5 in the adult neurogenic regions impairs several forms of hippocampus-dependent memory formation in mice. These include contextual fear memory extinction, the establishment and maintenance of remote contextual fear memory, and several other challenging forms of hippocampus-dependent memory formation including 48h memory for novel object recognition, contextual fear memory established by a weak foot shock, pattern separation, and reversal of spatial learning and memory. We also briefly discuss current evidence that increasing adult neurogenesis, by small molecules or genetic manipulation, improves memory formation and long-term memory.
Phorbol ester-induced stimulation of prostaglandin biosynthesis in human amnion cells.

Abstract Both phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) and phorbol 12,13-dibutyrate (10 −8 –10 −6 M) induced concentration-dependent increases in prostaglandin E 2 (PGE 2 ) production by human amnion cells, with maximum stimulations of 10.8-fold and 5.9-fold, respectively. 4α-Phorbol 12,13-didecanoate, an inactive phorbol ester analogue, had little or no effect on PGE 2 production by amnion cells. PMA and phorbol 12,13-dibutyrate (10 −7 M) induced a maximal increase in the rate of PGE, biosynthesis within 15 min of treatment. These results suggest that there is an active protein kinase C present in amnion cells that is linked to arachidonic acid release and/or metabolism.
RNA knockdown as a potential therapeutic strategy in Parkinson's disease

Parkinson's disease is a prevalent progressive degenerative disorder of the elderly. There is a current need for novel therapeutic strategies because the standard levodopa pharmacotherapy is only temporarily efficacious. Recently, there have been some high-profile successful preclinical results obtained in animal models of neurological disorders using small interfering RNAs delivered by viral vectors. RNA interference can theoretically be applied to Parkinson's disease since over-expression of various proteins is known to kill the dopamine neurons of the substantia nigra in animal models and in familial forms of Parkinson's disease. Potential RNA interfering strategies and caveats are discussed in this review.
Automated cell counting and cluster segmentation using concavity detection and ellipse fitting techniques

This paper presents a novel, fast and semi-automatic method for accurate cell cluster segmentation and cell counting of digital tissue image samples. In pathological conditions, complex cell clusters are a prominent feature in tissue samples. Segmentation of these clusters is a major challenge for development of an accurate cell counting methodology. We address the issue of cluster segmentation by following a three step process. The first step involves pre-processing required to obtain the appropriate nuclei cluster boundary image from the RGB tissue samples. The second step involves concavity detection at the edge of a cluster to find the points of overlap between two nuclei. The third step involves segmentation at these concavities by using an ellipse-fitting technique. Once the clusters are segmented, individual nuclei are counted to give the cell count. The method was tested on four different types of cancerous tissue samples and shows promising results with a low percentage error, high true positive rate and low false discovery rate.
Electron‐impact induced fragmentation of some natural products containing bis‐2,2‐dimethylchromene and bis‐2,2‐dimethylchroman ring systems

Derivatives of eriostoic and eriostemoic acids (II and III) and their tetrahydro analogs (VI and IX) which contain the bis-2,2-dimethylchromene and the bis-2,2-dimethylchroman ring systems respectively, fragment subsequent to electron-impact in characteristic fashion. The former yield mass spectra dominated by the loss of a methyl radical from their molecular ions while the latter exhibit preferential fragmentation of the heterocyclic ring system. In particular the hydrogen transfer process accompanying elemination of C4H7 from the parent ion of bis-2,2-dimethylchromans was investigated by deuterium labeling studies. Fragment ions containing the bis-2,2-dimethylchroman ring undergo further fragmentation by the loss of C4H8 rather than C4H7. An unusual elimination of CH5 (accompanied by the appropriate metastable ion) from the molecular ions of the 3,5-dinitrobenzoate esters (XIV and XV) was observed in their mass spectra.