cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Cytometry in cell necrobiology: Analysis of apoptosis and accidental cell death (necrosis)

The term cell necrobiology is introduced to comprise the life processes associated with morphological, biochemical, and molecular changes which predispose, precede, and accompany cell death, as well as the consequences and tissue response to cell death. Two alternative modes of cell death can be distinguished, apoptosis and accidental cell death, generally defined as necrosis. The wide interest in necrobiology in many disciplines stems from the realization that apoptosis, whether it occurs physiologically or as a manifestation of a pathological state, is an active mode of cell death and a subject of complex regulatory processes. A possibility exists, therefore, to interact with the regulatory machinery and thereby modulate the cell's propensity to die in response to intrinsic or exogenous signals. Flow cytometry appears to be the methodology of choice to study various aspects of necrobiology. It offers all the advantages of rapid, multiparameter analysis of large populations of individual cells to investigate the biological processes associated with cell death. Numerous methods have been developed to identify apoptotic and necrotic cells and are widely used in various disciplines, in particular in oncology and immunology. The methods based on changes in cell morphology, plasma membrane structure and transport function, function of cell organelles, DNA stability to denaturation, and endonucleolytic DNA degradation are reviewed and their applicability in the research laboratory and in the clinical setting is discussed. Improper use of flow cytometry in analysis of cell death and in data interpretation also is discussed. The most severe errors are due to i) misclassification of nuclear fragments and individual apoptotic bodies as single apoptotic cells, ii) assumption that the apoptotic index represents the rate of cell death, and iii) failure to confirm by microscopy that the cells classified by flow cytometry as apoptotic or necrotic do indeed show morphology consistent with this classification. It is expected that flow cytometry will be the dominant methodology for necrobiology. Cytometry 27:1–20, 1997. © 1997 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
The Denver Developmental Screening Test

The Denver Developmental Screening Test (DDST) was devised to provide a simple method of screening for evidences of slow development in infants and preschool children. The test covers four functions: gross motor, language, fine motor-adaptive, and personal-social. It has been standardized on 1,036 presumably normal children (two weeks to six years of age) whose families reflect the occupational and ethnic characteristics of the population of Denver.
Democracy and Scarcity: Toward a Theory of Participatory Democracy

In contrast to the conditions prevailing in an era of abundance, during an age of scarcity a whole new theorizing of the nature and role of participation in democratic theory seems plausible-one that sees it as integral to the functioning of the democratic process. With the private sphere no longer offering the satisfactions and opportunities that it did in the past, a participatory conceptualization of democracy might offer the only hope for stabilizing democratic values and institutions in an age when the traditional foundation for democratic consensus (namely, material abundance) is being eroded by diminishing resources. A "temporal politics" rooted in issues of personal development and human dignity needs to replace a "spatial politics" absorbed in questions of acquisition.
Nicotinic acetylcholine receptors do not mediate excitatory transmission in young rat carotid body.

Carotid body chemoreceptors transduce a decrease in arterial oxygen tension into increased action potential (AP) activity on the sinus nerve, which increases the drive to breathe. The mechanism by which AP activity increases is unresolved, but acetylcholine (ACh), acting through nicotinic receptors, is postulated to be a major contributor to nerve excitation based partly on the demonstration that pharmacological antagonism of nicotinic receptors reduces the afferent nerve response in some studies. However, most previous studies relied on indirect measures of chemoreceptor activity or utilized a recording configuration that is sensitive to AP morphology in addition to AP frequency. In the present study, single-unit AP activity was recorded from the soma of rat chemoreceptor neurons in vitro. The nicotinic blocker mecamylamine (50 μM) ablated the excitatory actions of exogenous ACh and increased, rather than decreased, AP activity during moderate hypoxia. At higher dosage (500 μM) AP height was reduced, conduction velocity slowed, and conduction failure occurred, especially during hypoxia, producing the appearance of a decreased response to hypoxia. Recovery from mecamylamine block was slow (>10 min). In contrast to mecamylamine, suramin, a P2X receptor blocker, reversibly inhibited the response to hypoxia, suggesting relatively free diffusion of drugs to the glomus cell/nerve synaptic site. These results strongly suggest that ACh acting through nicotinic receptors does not mediate excitatory transmission in rat carotid body and that previous results demonstrating such a role may have been partially influenced by changes in AP morphology or conduction failure.
Robust inference for event probabilities with non-Markov event data.

Summary. Multistate event data, in which a single subject is at risk for multiple events, is common in biomedical applications. This article considers nonparametric estimation of the vector of probabilities of state membership at time t. Estimators, derived under the Markov assumption, have been shown (Datta and Satten, 2001, Statistics and Probability Letters55, 403–411) to be consistent for data that is non-Markov. Inference, however, must take into account possibly non-Markov transitions when constructing confidence bands for event curves. We develop robust confidence bands for these curves, evaluate them via simulation, and illustrate the method on two datasets.
Airborne imaging: Systems, deployments, practices and capabilities

This paper presents a functional implementation of an unmanned aerial vehicle complete with image acquisition payloads for the documentation and virtual reconstruction of cultural heritage sites. We discuss technological advances in unmanned aerial vehicles, as well as contemporary practices in implementation, which have evolved in the direction of reducing costs, enabling new functionalities, and emerging applications in cultural heritage fieldwork. These advances are the basis for the design and execution of our unmanned aircraft, which we develop to collect unique and comprehensive datasets in challenging acquisition scenarios at active cultural heritage sites. Our platform is able to perform visual imaging, using a variety of acquisition triggers and mechanisms to enable high-resolution in-plane site photogrammetry, oblique aerial examinations of large sites, and sequence acquisitions for use in structure from motion based volumetric reconstructions of specific areas of interest. This data is in turn suitable for exploration with or without volumetric post processing techniques using visual analysis techniques using interactive high resolution tiled display inspection environments.
CONTINUOUS PULMONARY ARTERY PRESSURE MONITORING IN PERSISTENT PULMONARY HYPERTENSION OF THE NEWBORN

CONTINUOUS PULMONARY ARTERY PRESSURE MONITORING IN PERSISTENT PULMONARY HYPERTENSION OF THE NEWBORN
Factors Influencing the Local Distribution of Peromyscus californicus in Northern California

Factors influencing the local distribution of Peromyscus californicus in northern California were investigated. Analysis of stomach contents and laboratory feeding experiments indicated that seeds of Umbellularia californica are a dietary staple. Rates of water consumption of P. californicus were compared in the laboratory with those of P. truei , which shares a similar habitat. An association of P. californicus with the large surface dens of Neotoma fuscipes was found. The restricted geographic distribution of P. californicus may be attributable in part to an interaction of ecological factors associated with the California laurel complex.
δ versus μ receptors: cardiovascular and respiratory effects of opiate agonists microinjected into nucleus tractus solitarius of cats

Abstract The cardiovascular and respiratory responses to relatively specific μ or δ agonists microinjected (0.5 μl/kg) into the region of the nucleus of tractus solitarius (NTS) were examined in anesthetized cats. Blood pressure, heart rate, and respiratory rate were monitored for 30 min after the microinjection of opioid compounds or saline vehicle. The δ agonist, ( d -Ala 2 , d -Leu 5 )-enkephalin (10–100 nmol/kg) elicited dose-dependent decreases in blood pressure, heart rate, and respiratory rate which were naloxone reversible. In contrast the μ agonists, morphine (10–54 nmol/kg) and morphiceptin (100–320 nmol/kg) had no effect on blood pressure or respiratory rate; yet, naloxone elicited pressor responses in animals pretreated with these μ agonists. A receptor-binding assay demonstrated a predominance of μ sites in the NTS. These data show that the δ opiate agonist is more effective than μ agonists in modifying cardiovascular variables in the NTS; we suggest caution in relating specific cardiovascular function to receptor subtypes defined by binding assays.
Simulation-based signal selection for state restoration in silicon debug

Post-silicon validation has become a crucial part of modern integrated circuit design to capture and eliminate functional bugs that escape pre-silicon verification. The most critical roadblock in post-silicon validation is the limited observability of internal signals of a design, since this aspect hinders the ability to diagnose detected bugs. A solution to address this issue leverage trace buffers: these are register buffers embedded into the design with the goal of recording the value of a small number of state elements, over a time interval, triggered by a user-specified event. Due to the trace buffer's area overhead, only a very small fraction of signals can be traced. Thus, the selection of which signals to trace is of paramount importance in post-silicon debugging and diagnosis. Ideally, we would like to select signals enabling the maximum amount of reconstruction of internal signal values. Several signal selection algorithms for post-silicon debug have been proposed in the literature: they rely on a probability-based state-restoration capacity metric coupled with a greedy algorithm. In this work we propose a more accurate restoration capacity metric, based on simulation information, and present a novel algorithm that overcomes some key shortcomings of previous solutions. We show that our technique provides up to 34% better state restoration compared to all previous techniques while showing a much better trend with increasing trace buffer size.
Ethics and the limits of environmental economics

Abstract The purpose of this paper is to establish the limits of the cost-benefit framework used by environmental economists given the acceptance of an ethic of environmental concern. Two approaches to environmental ethics will be considered — one based on the view that human beings are the focus of moral concern, and another based on the notion that moral concern can be extended to the non-human natural world as well. If human beings are morally considerable, cost-benefit analysis can be legitimately applied to environmental issues involving the pursuit of human well-being so long as those who suffer losses from environmental damage are adequately compensated. However, the application of cost-benefit analysis to environmental issues is inconsistent with the moral considerability of human beings in cases where environmental damage is harmful to human health and in cases where the natural environment is so highly valued that the compensation of damaged parties is infeasible. Moreover, cost-benefit analysis cannot be legitimately applied where non-human natural entities are viewed as morally considerable.
Global network influences on local functional connectivity

The relationship between EEG oscillations and underlying neural activity is unclear. The authors find a U-shaped relationship between the two in visual cortex that is linked to visuospatial attention performance in monkeys. A neural network model indicates a critical role for selective inputs to inhibitory neurons.
Quantitative aspects of the wear of melamine laminates

Abstract The wear behavior of high pressure decorative laminates has been quantitatively investigated by placing a stationary, metal ball rider against the flat surface of a rotating disc of melamine resin reinforced with α-cellulose fibers. The factors most influencing the wear were the load, the humidity, and the nature of the specimen, i.e . reinforced or unreinforced, fully cured or undercured. It was found that the width of the wear track T was related to the number of thousands of revolutions of the disc L by the equation T = AL n where A and n are constant for a given experiment. The equation enables the wearlifetime of a laminate to be established from a few experimental measurements.
Crystallization and preliminary X‐ray analysis of the atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) receptor extracellular domain complex with ANP: use of ammonium sulfate as the cryosalt

Atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) plays a major role in blood pressure and volume regulation owing to its natriuretic and vasodilatory activities. The ANP receptor is a single-span transmembrane receptor coupled to its intrinsic guanylyl cyclase activity. The extracellular hormone-binding domain of rat ANP receptor (ANPR) was overexpressed by permanent transfection in CHO cells and purified. ANPR complexed with ANP was crystallized at 301 K by the hanging-drop vapor-diffusion method. The crystals were frozen in 3.4 M ammonium sulfate used as a cryoprotectant. The crystals diffracted to 3.1 A resolution using synchrotron radiation and belonged to the hexagonal space group P6(1), with unit-cell parameters a = b = 100.3, c = 258.6 A.
Complete Genome Sequence of Human Adenovirus Prototype 17

As one of the first five human adenoviruses (HAdVs) to be sequenced, type 17 was important as a reference tool for comparative genomics of recently isolated HAdV pathogens in species D. HAdV-D17 was the first species D adenovirus to be sequenced and was deposited in GenBank in 1999. These genome data were not of high quality, and a redetermination of the same stock virus provides corrected data; among the differences are a length of 35,139 bp versus 35,100 bp in the original, and 160 mismatches to the original genome were found. Annotation of the coding sequences reveals 39 as opposed to 8, a finding which is important for phylogenomic studies.
Retinal Detachment Due to Facial Gunshot Wound: The Utility of Ultrasonography in a Medically Austere Environment

Abstract Background Retinal detachment is one complication of ocular trauma. Retinal detachments resulting from gunshot wounds are typically associated with significant facial trauma, orbital trauma, or globe penetration. Ultrasonography has been shown to be of diagnostic utility in the evaluation of retinal detachments. Objectives In this case, an atypical mechanism for retinal detachment is described. The aim is to describe the successful use of ultrasound as an aid for accurate diagnosis and disposition of a retinal detachment in practice environments with limited medical resources. Case Report We present a case of a low-velocity gunshot wound resulting in retinal detachment from pressure wave forces. A 21-year-old patient sustained a facial gunshot wound injury from a ricocheting AK-47 round, resulting in a closed globe retinal detachment. Portable ultrasonography was utilized as an accurate diagnostic modality in the management and disposition of this patient, allowing prompt confirmation of the diagnosis in a medically austere environment. Conclusion Ultrasonography can be a valuable diagnostic tool in the evaluation of ocular trauma in medically austere environments.
Spanish as a second language when L1 is Quechua: Endangered languages and the SLA researcher:

Spanish is one of the most widely spoken languages in the world. Quechua is the largest indigenous language family to constitute the first language (L1) of second language (L2) Spanish speakers. De...
Synthesis and evaluation of novel aromatic substrates and competitive inhibitors of GABA aminotransferase.

The design, synthesis, and evaluation of novel γ-aminobutyric acid aminotransferase (GABA-AT) inhibitors and inactivators can lead to the discovery of new GABA-related therapeutics. To this end, a series of aromatic amino acid compounds was synthesized to aid in the design of new inhibitors and inactivators of GABA-AT. All compounds were tested as competitive inhibitors of GABA-AT. The amino acids with benzylic amines were also tested as substrates for GABA-AT. It was found that these compounds were all poor competitive inhibitors of GABA-AT, but some were substrates of the enzyme, suggesting their utility as scaffolds for potential GABA-AT mechanism-based inactivators. Computer modeling was used to rationalize the substrate activity of the various compounds.
Postcolonial linguistic voices: identity choices and representations

Frantz Fanon, the celebrated theoretician of revolutionary thought and movements in Africa, once suggested that colonialism transforms both the colonised and the coloniser. Here he was referring sp...
Comparison of regional clear-sky albedos inferred from satellite-observations and model computations

A comparison of model- and satellite-inferred clear sky top-of-atmosphere (TOA) albedos is presented. The clear sky albedos were inferred from GOES-2 observations for November 1978 over South America and most of North America and adjacent ocean regions. The model albedos were computed on a 1 deg X 1 deg latitude-longitude grid, allowing for variations in surface vegetation type, solar zenith angle, orography, and spectral absorption/scattering. Over the ocean areas, the observed and calculated TOA albedos agree within + or - 1 percent, while the albedos over land mostly agree within + or - 2 percent for the entire range of significant geographical variation of albedo from 13 percent over the Amazon Basin to 24 percent over mountains of western North America. Both the ocean and land agreements lie within the theoretical and observational uncertainties.
Comments on “Direct bilinear Routh stability criteria for discrete systems

Abstract The above paper 1 discusses useful Routh-like stability criteria for discrete systems. Unfortunately, however, previous work on the subject escaped the attention of the author. This note co-ordinates previous work with results obtained in the above paper. It also points out some of the more recent developments on the subject.
Diffusion and cooling rate during annealing of sintered bulk YBa2Cu3O7−x

Abstract Oxygen diffusion during annealing of sintered YBa 2 Cu 3 O 7−x is investigated by numerically solving the one-dimensional, nonlinear, diffusion equation for solid and hollow cylinders. The diffusion coefficient is assumed to be a function of both temperature and local concentration of excess oxygen and is obtained from experimental data reported in the literature. Three types of cooling schemes are employed in the numerical calculations: 1. (1) a single-step change in temperature, 2. (2) a linear decrease in temperature followed by a constant temperature, and 3. (3) a temperature decrease in many steps. The initial and final temperatures are 906°C and 450°C; respectively. The shortest annealing time is achieved where the temperature is decreased in many steps, and the longest annealing time occurs when the temperature is changed in a single step. These results agree with experimental observations. The calculated results indicate that where the temperature is decreased in many steps, the average concentration of the cylinder increases relatively sharply with time until it reaches approximately 90% of the saturation concentration corresponding to the final temperature. From then on, the rate of increase becomes small and continues to decrease. Annealing time can be reduced considerably by using hollow cylinders because oxygen can diffuse into the interior from both interfaces at the inner and outer radii. The results indicate that the reduction in annealing time is much larger than the reduction in total area for current flow. For example, annealing time of a hollow cylinder with r i r o = r1 6 would be reduced by more than 50% relative to that of a solid cylinder, while the reduction in total area available for current flow is only 2.8%.
Continuing medical education resources

During their years of formal training, medical students and residents are exposed to intensive teaching experiences designed specifically to produce clinicians whose skills reflect current best knowledge and practice. But despite a good deal of lip service from faculty during those years about the importance of “lifelong learning,” these same students and residents receive virtually no meaningful guidance on keeping up-to-date after they finish medical school and residency. Once in practice, therefore, practitioners are essentially on their own as they face the serious challenge of keeping their knowledge, skills, and performance up-to-date, and up to consistently high standards, in the midst of an increasingly hectic professional life. They discover, moreover, that in contrast to the highly structured environment of medical school and residency—with their tightly controlled standards, defined curricula and abundant faculty, supervisors, and mentors—the opportunities and mechanisms for keeping up-to-date in practice are many and varied, ranging from formal, faculty-driven programs, which are what is generally meant by the term “continuing medical education” (CME), to informal, open-ended, and learner-driven ones.1 The informal variety, which is not usually even thought of as CME, includes a wide spectrum of important professional activities, such as reading journals and textbooks, the use of consultants, practice audit, and participation in continuous quality-improvement activities, in the development and use of practice guidelines, in teaching, and in the experience of practice itself. The sheer logistical challenge to clinicians of keeping up-to-date is therefore compounded by the varied and confusing array of potentially “educational” activities. It is just plain hard to know what is educational, in either a theoretical or practical sense, which makes it difficult to know where to invest precious educational time, not to mention mental and physical effort, and money. The discussion that follows tries to bring some coherence to this confusing state of affairs and provide some guidance in making choices in this important area of professionalism.
Investigation of ion beam neutralization processes with 2D and 3D PIC simulations

Abstract While it is common knowledge that ion beams are easily neutralized for both current and charge density using a variety of means, the precise process of neutralization remains unknown. With the increasing importance of electric propulsion, and in particular micropropulsion systems, this question is of significant importance. Additionally, it has bearing on thruster design, space instrument calibration, electrodynamic tethers, and ionospheric research. A review of the present state of knowledge on this topic is presented as well as results from ion beam simulations using 2D and 3D Particle-in-Cell (PIC) codes. We investigate both the early “filling” problem of the beam starting to move away from the spacecraft and the steady state problem where the beam encounters a wall at an infinite distance from the spacecraft.
Occurrence of head‐to‐head arrangements of structural units in polyvinyl alcohol

Polyvinyl alcohol prepared by hydrolyzing polymerized vinyl acetate is partially degraded within a few minutes by reagents known to attack 1,2-glycol structures. The degree of degradation is limited, however, the final molecular weights of the degraded products being in the range of 3700 to 6500 (viscosity averages). The extent of degradation seems to depend solely on the temperature at which the vinyl acetate was polymerized. Mole percentages (based on the structural unit CH2CHOH) of 1,2-glycol structures, corresponding to head-to-head unit arrangements, have been computed from the degree of degradation with periodic acid. They increase from about 1.23% for polymerization at 25°C. to 1.95% at 110°C. The occurrence of head-to-head structures is attributed to occasional “abnormal” addition of monomer in the chain-growth phase of the polymerization. The activation energy for the abnormal addition reaction is 1250 calories higher than for the normal (preferred) addition; the steric factor for the abnormal addition is about one-tenth that for the normal addition.
Smart Growth and the Scalar Politics of Land Management in the Greater Boston Region, Usa

Recent decades have witnessed a significant transformation in strategies of urban environmental governance as authority has shifted from statist command-and-control systems to more horizontal, netw...
Nature of Immunoreactive Gastrin Extracted from Tissues of Gastrointestinal Tract

Extracts of mucosa from human antrum, duodenum, and proximal jejunum obtained at surgery and at autopsy contain two immunoreactive components of gastrin, separable on the basis of size and charge. These components exhibit the same characteristics as the two plasma gastrin components identified earlier. The major plasma component (BG) has a less acidic charge and larger molecular size than heptadecapeptide gastrin; the minor plasma component (H-LG) resembles heptadecapeptide gastrin in both respects. H-LG predominates in most extracts of antral mucosa, but the relative abundance of BG increases distally, being the only detectable component (although at very low concentration) in proximal jejunal mucosal extracts. Both components are immunochemically indistinguishable from the two plasma components and from heptadecapeptide porcine gastrin.
Treatment of childhood acute nonlymphoblastic leukemia : A review

Recommendations for the treatment of ANLL in general, and in pediatrics more specifically, are still conflicting. Overall, a child diagnosed with ANLL has a 35-50% of remaining alive long term, without disease. Induction chemotherapy with cytarabine and daunorubicin will achieve remission in about 80% of children with ANLL. So far, intensifying induction chemotherapy by adding more agents has not changed this result significantly. Major changes in induction chemotherapy may come from either new chemotherapeutic agents or biological agents that hasten bone marrow recovery after treatment. Such an approach might allow more dose-intensive drug administration without increased toxicity. Another question that is slowly being answered with the ongoing trials is the one concerning maintenance. So far, all the pediatric trials that have tried to shorten the maintenance therapy of this disease were able to do so without jeopardizing the final outcome. The final optimal minimal duration of therapy has yet to be established. The best therapy for a patient who has achieved a remission is still the most difficult question regarding the treatment of this disease. So far, allogeneic BMT has yielded the best results, with a disease-free interval varying between 55 and 65%. However, one-third of these patients have chronic GvHD and, therefore, a somewhat diminished quality of life. As preparative regimens and marrow purging protocols evolve, the results of autologous bone marrow transplantation seem to be improving, with disease-free intervals of 35-50% reported.
Phenotypic analysis of seizure-prone mice lacking L-isoaspartate (D-aspartate) O-methyltransferase.

Abstract Within proteins and peptides, bothl-asparaginyl and l-aspartyl residues spontaneously degrade, generating isomerized and racemized aspartyl residues. The enzyme protein l-isoaspartate (d-aspartate) O-methyltransferase (E.C. 2.1.1.77) initiates the conversion of l-isoaspartyl andd-aspartyl residues to normal l-aspartyl residues. This “repair” reaction helps to maintain proper protein conformation by preventing the accumulation of damaged proteins containing abnormal amino acid residues. Pcmt1–/– mice manifest two key phenotypes: a fatal seizure disorder and retarded growth. In this study, we characterized both phenotypes and demonstrated that they are linked. Continuous electroencephalogram monitoring of Pcmt1–/– mice revealed that abnormal cortical activity for ∼50% of each 24-h period, even in mice that had no visible evidence of convulsions. The fatal seizure disorder inPcmt1–/– mice can be mitigated but not eliminated by antiepileptic drugs. Interestingly, antiepileptic therapy normalized the growth of Pcmt1–/– mice, suggesting that the growth retardation is due to seizures rather than a global disturbance in growth at the cellular level. Consistent with this concept, the growth rate of Pcmt1–/– fibroblasts was indistinguishable from that of wild-type fibroblasts.
Chromosomal location of the 28S ribosomal RNA gene of channel catfish by in situ polymerase chain reaction

This study describes the use of the polymerase chain reaction for physical mapping of fish genes. A 287–base pair (bp) fragment of the 28S ribosomal RNA gene (28S rDNA) of channel catfish Ictalurus punctatus was isolated and sequenced with human-derived primers. The nucleotide (nt) sequence of this fragment was 20 bp shorter than that of the corresponding region of the human 28S rDNA. The gene was mapped to chromosomes of channel catfish by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) and in situ polymerase chain reaction (ISPCR). A major locus and a minor locus of 28S rDNA were found on chromosomes of channel catfish. The major locus was associated with the active nucleolus organizer region (NOR) sites. The minor locus was highly resolved and not detectable by silver staining, suggesting that this locus was not involved in synthesis of ribosomal RNA and possessed fewer copies of 28S rDNA. Both loci contained GC-rich DNA elements that could be components of 28S rDNA repeated units. In this study, a potential method of comparative mapping of the channel catfish genome has been presented by using human-derived oligonucleotide sequences. These data demonstrate that ISPCR is highly specific and will be useful in physical mapping of fish genomes.
Non-Euclidean Analysis

This paper deals with various topics in analysis on hyperbolic spaces. It surveys some recent progress in non-Euclidean Fourier Analysis and proves some new results for the geodesic Radon transform on hyperbolic spaces.
Motion control of a novel planar biped with nearly linear dynamics

In this paper, we propose the design of a planar biped for which the model is nearly linear, i.e., the inertia matrix is a constant and the gravity terms in the equations of motion are still nonlinear, but simplified. The legs are designed such that the inertia matrix is independent of the joint variables. As a result, the nonlinear terms in the centrifugal and Coriolis terms disappear. In this design, each leg has two links that are connected by a revolute joint at the knee. The two legs are connected to each other at the hip. The center of mass of each leg is located at the hip, using counterweights. We assume that the stance leg is locked at the knee during the support phase. For this system, dynamic model for complete walking, i.e., swing phase, knee lock, and foot impact are considered. Motion control for trajectory following of this design is studied using a nonlinear controller. The paper discusses the issue of tracking of desired trajectories during the full cycle motion.
Heat Shock Protein 70 Protects Cells from Cell Cycle Arrest and Apoptosis Induced by Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 Viral Protein R

Viral protein R (Vpr) of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) is an accessory protein that plays an important role in viral pathogenesis. This pathogenic activity of Vpr is related in part to its capacity to induce cell cycle G2 arrest and apoptosis of target T cells. A screening for multicopy suppressors of these Vpr activities in fission yeast identified heat shock protein 70 (Hsp70) as a suppressor of Vpr-induced cell cycle arrest. Hsp70 is a member of a family of molecular chaperones involved in innate immunity and protection from environmental stress. In this report, we demonstrate that HIV-1 infection induces Hsp70 in target cells. Overexpression of Hsp70 reduced the Vpr-dependent G2 arrest and apoptosis and also reduced replication of the Vpr-positive, but not Vpr-deficient, HIV-1. Suppression of Hsp70 expression by RNA interference (RNAi) resulted in increased apoptosis of cells infected with a Vpr-positive, but not Vpr-defective, HIV-1. Replication of the Vpr-positive HIV-1 was also increased when Hsp70 expression was diminished. Vpr and Hsp70 coimmunoprecipitated from HIV-infected cells. Together, these results identify Hsp70 as a novel anti-HIV innate immunity factor that targets HIV-1 Vpr.
Kinetic and mechanistic studies of blue tetrazolium reaction with phenylhydrazines.

Abstract The reaction kinetics of blue tetrazolium with selected arylhydrazines were investigated under pseudo-first-order conditions. The reaction rate constants were obtained at various temperatures, and the enthalpy (8.4–11.2 kcal/mole) and entropy (− 38– − 45 eu) of activations were calculated. A Hammett plot yielded a straight line with a slope of 0.52. The reaction was inhibited by atmospheric oxygen and iodine. A free radical mechanism is presented.
Reinforcement-Related Regulation of AMPA Glutamate Receptor Subunits in the Ventral Tegmental Area Enhances Motivation for Cocaine

Chronic cocaine use produces numerous biological changes in brain, but relatively few are functionally associated with cocaine reinforcement. Here we show that daily intravenous cocaine self-administration, but not passive cocaine administration, induces dynamic upregulation of the AMPA glutamate receptor subunits GluR1 and GluR2 in the ventral tegmental area (VTA) of rats. Increases in GluR1 protein and GluR1(S845) phosphorylation are associated with increased GluR1 mRNA in self-administering animals, whereas increased GluR2 protein levels occurred despite substantial decreases in GluR2 mRNA. We investigated the functional significance of GluR1 upregulation in the VTA on cocaine self-administration using localized viral-mediated gene transfer. Overexpression of GluR1(WT) in rat VTA primarily infected dopamine neurons (75%) and increased AMPA receptor-mediated membrane rectification in these neurons with AMPA application. Similar GluR1(WT) overexpression potentiated locomotor responses to intra-VTA AMPA, but not NMDA, infusions. In cocaine self-administering animals, overexpression of GluR1(WT) in the VTA markedly increased the motivation for cocaine injections on a progressive ratio schedule of cocaine reinforcement. In contrast, overexpression of protein kinase A-resistant GluR1(S845A) in the VTA reduced peak rates of cocaine self-administration on a fixed ratio reinforcement schedule. Neither viral vector altered sucrose self-administration, and overexpression of GluR1(WT) or GluR1(S845A) in the adjacent substantia nigra had no effect on cocaine self-administration. Together, these results suggest that dynamic regulation of AMPA receptors in the VTA during cocaine self-administration contributes to cocaine addiction by acting to facilitate subsequent cocaine use.
A Review of Water Mist Fire Suppression Technology: Part II - Application Studies

The progress on the research and application of water mist technology in fire suppression has been substantial over the last decade. This paper, following our previous review on water mist fundamen...
Differential assay for high-throughput screening of antibacterial compounds.

The previously described Bacillus subtilis reporter strain BAU-102 is capable of detecting cell wall synthesis inhibitors that act at all stages of the cell wall synthesis pathway. In addition, this strain is capable of detecting compounds with hydrophobic/ surfactant activity and alternative mechanisms of cell wall disruption. BAU-102 sequesters preformed β-gal in the periplasm, suggesting leakage of β-gal as the means by which this assay detects compound activities. A model is proposed according to which β-gal release by BAU-102 reflects activation of pathways leading to autolysis. The authors also report a simplified high-throughput assay using BAU-102 combined with the fluorogenic substrate N-methylumbelliferyl-β-D-galactoside as a single reagent. Cell wall inhibitors release β-gal consistently only after 60 min of incubation, whereas compounds with surfactant activity show an almost immediate release. A high-throughput screen of a 480-compound library of known bioactives yielded 8 compounds that cause β-gal release. These results validate the BAU-102 assay as an effective tool in antimicrobial drug discovery. (Journal of Biomolecular Screening 2007:1102-1108)
A Layered Finite Element Method for Electromagnetic Analysis of Large-Scale High-Frequency Integrated Circuits

A high-capacity electromagnetic solution, layered finite element method, is proposed for high-frequency modeling of large-scale three-dimensional on-chip circuits. In this method, first, the matrix system of the original 3-D problem is reduced to that of 2-D layers. Second, the matrix system of 2-D layers is further reduced to that of a single layer. Third, an algorithm of logarithmic complexity is proposed to further speed up the analysis. In addition, an excitation and extraction technique is developed to limit the field unknowns needed for the final circuit extraction to a single layer only, as well as keep the right-hand side intact during the matrix reduction process. The entire procedure is numerically rigorous without making any theoretical approximation. The computational complexity only involves solving a single layer irrespective of the original problem size. Hence, the proposed method is equipped with a high capacity to solve large-scale IC problems. The proposed method was used to simulate a set of large-scale interconnect structures that were fabricated on a test chip using conventional Si processing techniques. Excellent agreement with the measured data has been observed from dc to 50 GHz
Fluorescence Signal Amplification by Cation Exchange in Ionic Nanocrystals

Ein Kationenaustausch setzt Tausende Dikationen aus nichtfluoreszierenden CdSe-Kristallen frei und aktiviert dadurch Tausende ursprunglich nichtfluoreszierender Fluo-4-Fluorophore. So wird eine Fluoreszenzverstarkung erzielt (siehe Bild), die sich fur Bioassays mit niedrigen Nachweisgrenzen nutzen lasst. Die Technik ist schnell und einfach, zeichnet sich durch ein groses Farbstoff-Reporter-Verhaltnis aus und ist flexibel bezuglich der Wahl der Nanokristalle und Fluorophore.
Imagery in Creative Drama

The spontaneous imaginative play of the preschool-aged child appears to strengthen and influence learning and a wide range of behaviors. An essential component in imaginative play is the ability to...
Neutrinoless double- β decay of 48 Ca in the shell model: Closure versus nonclosure approximation

Neutrinoless double-$\ensuremath{\beta}$ decay ($0\ensuremath{\nu}\ensuremath{\beta}\ensuremath{\beta}$) is a unique process that could reveal physics beyond the Standard Model. Essential ingredients in the analysis of $0\ensuremath{\nu}\ensuremath{\beta}\ensuremath{\beta}$ rates are the associated nuclear matrix elements. Most of the approaches used to calculate these matrix elements rely on the closure approximation. Here we analyze the light neutrino-exchange matrix elements of ${}^{48}$Ca $0\ensuremath{\nu}\ensuremath{\beta}\ensuremath{\beta}$ decay and test the closure approximation in a shell-model approach. We calculate the $0\ensuremath{\nu}\ensuremath{\beta}\ensuremath{\beta}$ nuclear matrix elements for ${}^{48}$Ca using both the closure approximation and a nonclosure approach, and we estimate the uncertainties associated with the closure approximation. We demonstrate that the nonclosure approach has excellent convergence properties which allow us to avoid unmanageable computational cost. Combining the nonclosure and closure approaches we propose a new method of calculation for $0\ensuremath{\nu}\ensuremath{\beta}\ensuremath{\beta}$ decay rates which can be applied to the $0\ensuremath{\nu}\ensuremath{\beta}\ensuremath{\beta}$ decay rates of heavy nuclei, such as ${}^{76}$Ge or ${}^{82}$Se.
Threat appeals and persuasion: Seeking and finding the elusive curvilinear effect

ABSTRACTOne of the earliest theories of threat appeals, the drive model, predicts that the fear–persuasion relationship is characterized by an inverted U-curve. Evidence of such a curve has proven elusive, probably because, in reality, there are two curvilinear hypotheses, not one. Existing primary studies and meta-analyses have tested the between-persons version of the inverted U-curve and found it wanting. In contrast, this study reports on a within-persons version and finds clear support for it. A peaked curve predicted change in intention to use dental floss, whereas a flatter curve did not. Partitioning the sample on individual differences in the behavioral inhibition system produced curves that did not differ in their ability to predict persuasion. Because no contemporary theory of threat appeals can predict these curvilinear findings, researchers should reconsider the utility of drive theory.
Entry Guidance by Onboard Trajectory Planning and Tracking

While numerical predictor-corrector entry guidance algorithms have in recent years demonstrated great potential, a standing concern still is that the computational requirement such an algorithm demands may exceed the capability of the flight computer. An alternate entry guidance method combining a fullynumerical predictor-corrector algorithm with Linear Quadratic Regulator (LQR) based trajectory tracking control is explored in this paper. The predictor-corrector algorithm is used to plan a reference trajectory onboard. This reference trajectory is then tracked by an LQR tracking law, which provides the guidance commands. When necessary, the reference trajectory is updated periodically by the predictor-corrector algorithm with respect to the current vehicle state to eliminate any accumulated tracking error. The effectiveness of the LQR gains has been known and is demonstrated again in this paper to be independent of the particular reference trajectory used to generate them. Therefore a set of LQR gains can be generated offline, and stored online for tracking any reference trajectory planned by the predictor-corrector algorithm. Such an entry guidance strategy significantly reduces onboard computational requirements and still retains the adaptability of a numerical predictor-corrector entry guidance algorithm. The implementation details are presented. Numerical results are provided to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method.
Liberation of a Histamine-Like Substance on Stimulation of Sympathetic Nerves

Several attempts have been made to find a nervous mechanism for the release of histamine from body tissues,1, 2 but thus tar the only evidence that such may exist has been indirect.3 The present study deals with the release of histamine by the skin upon stimulation of sympathetic nerves. The epidermal layer of the skin contains relatively large quantities of histamine (24 γ/g).Experiments were carried out on rabbits, unanesthetized or anesthetized lightly with urethane or ether. The cervical sympathetic trunk and its superior ganglion were prepared for stimulation with bipolar electrodes (4 to 60 sec, primary 3 volts, secondary coil at 10 cm). Blood samples obtained from the great auricular vein by venipuncture before and after nerve stimulation were compared for their ability to contract an isolated segment of guinea pig ileum according to the method of Schultz and Dale. Atropinized Ringer-Locke solution was used in the muscle bath in every case. Standard histamine solutions were used for comparison of c...
The Effect of Failure on Self-Concept

Abstract This paper explores the effects of failure on an individual's self-concept. A model based on attribution theory, among others, is elaborated to predict how an individual's self-concept will be affected by failure situations. It is argued that where the individual chooses to attribute causality for failure, the situation will determine the effects of that failure on his self-concept unless the individual's belief system modifies the attribution process. This attribution is related to one major individual difference: a person's generalized expectancy for control. It is hypothesized that an individual's predisposition to conceive of causality as deriving from either controllable forces or uncontrollable forces will mediate the attribution process and hence the effect of the failure on his self-esteem. The hypothesized effects of failure on self-concept are tested by analysis of 122 undergraduate students' responses to a series of ten hypothetical failure situations. Responses to the situations were ...
Effects of Fluctuating Pressure Gradients on Boundary Layer Turbulence

This study investigates the effects of fluctuating pressure gradients on boundary layer turbulence. Two-dimensional (2D) time resolved particle image velocimetry (PIV) measurements have been performed in a zero pressure gradient (ZPG) boundary layer. The streamwise and wall-normal (x, y) components of the fluid material acceleration (Du/Dt and Dv/Dt, respectively) are integrated spatially to obtain the pressure distributions. Large scale pressure fluctuation gradients are found to involve three dimensional flow structures. Ejections, high wall-normal enstrophy flux, and viscous vorticity production occur mostly during periods of ∂p′/∂x 0) are preferentially associated with sweeps, as fluid approaching the wall is decelerating. Consequently, the outward transport of small-scale turbulence is suppressed, and the near-wall enstrophy increases. The instability of the flow associated with the adverse pressure gradients might also contribute to the increased production of near-wall turbulence. Results also indicate that the regions of fluctuating adverse and favorable pressure gradients are likely to be associated with the downwash and upwash sides, respectively, of very large scale roller structures, several boundary layer thicknesses in length.Copyright © 2013 by ASME
Adjuvants for Substance Abuse Vaccines

Small molecules are unable to stimulate the immune system by themselves, and so require conjugation to a larger structure, i.e., a carrier molecule (often a protein) to enable effective engagement of immune cell receptors that can initiate adaptive immune responses. However, in most circumstances, the molecular structure of the hapten and a protein carrier molecule alone are inadequate to elicit a strong immune response. Since blocking the pharmacological effects of substance abuse drugs requires binding of a large fraction of the drug molecules, robust antibody responses are essential for drugs that are active in the high nanomolar or low micromolar range. To achieve such high specific antibody levels, vaccine formulations must have additional costimulatory signals in order to ramp up the immune responses. The costimulatory signals are most often provided by added materials that are generally called adjuvants. While the field has become markedly better understood and more complex than when the early adjuvants were described by Charles Janeway as the “immunologists’ dirty little secret,” the fundamental issues involved remain the same – stimulating antigen-presenting cells, activating helper T cells, and activating B cells in order to promote differentiation, proliferation, and high-level specific immune responses. Each of these steps is now understood to involve multiple molecular signals and pathways both inside and outside each cell type, resulting in an elegant and flexible, though incredibly complex, regulated immune response.