cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Macrophage A2b Adenosine Receptor Regulates Tissue Insulin Sensitivity

High fat diet (HFD)-induced type 2 diabetes continues to be an epidemic with significant risk for various pathologies. Previously, we identified the A2b adenosine receptor (A2bAR), an established regulator of inflammation, as a regulator of HFD-induced insulin resistance. In particular, HFD was associated with vast upregulation of liver A2bAR in control mice, and while mice lacking this receptor showed augmented liver inflammation and tissue insulin resistance. As the A2bAR is expressed in different tissues, here, we provide the first lead to cellular mechanism by demonstrating that the receptor's influence on tissue insulin sensitivity is mediated via its expression in macrophages. This was shown using a newly generated transgenic mouse model expressing the A2bAR gene in the macrophage lineage on an otherwise A2bAR null background. Reinstatement of macrophage A2bAR expression in A2bAR null mice fed HFD restored insulin tolerance and tissue insulin signaling to the level of control mice. The molecular mechanism for this effect involves A2bAR-mediated changes in cyclic adenosine monophosphate in macrophages, reducing the expression and release of inflammatory cytokines, which downregulate insulin receptor-2. Thus, our results illustrate that macrophage A2bAR signaling is needed and sufficient for relaying the protective effect of the A2bAR against HFD-induced tissue inflammation and insulin resistance in mice.
Kissinger's Computer: National Security Council Computerization, 1969&#x2013;1972

After National Security Advisor Henry Kissinger ordered the National Security Council to adopt computers to improve its information-management capabilities in 1969, it employed the RAND Corporation, which championed its view of White House needs, and project manager Charles Joyce from the Department of Defense, who championed users' needs. The ensuing process illustrates how institutional constraints and resources have a powerful effect on technology adoption.
Direct Chemical Synthesis of the β-Mannans: Linear and Block Syntheses of the Alternating β-(1→3)-β-(1→4)-Mannan Common to Rhodotorula glutinis, Rhodotorula mucilaginosa, and Leptospira biflexa

Two stereocontrolled syntheses of a methyl glycoside of an alternating β-(1→4)-β-(1→3)-mannohexaose, representative of the mannan from Rhodotorula glutinis, Rhodotorula mucilaginosa, and Leptospira biflexa, are described. Both syntheses employ a combination of 4,6-O-benzylidene- and 4,6-O-p-methoxybenzylidene acetal-protected donors to achieve stereocontrolled formation of the β-mannoside linkage. The first synthesis is a linear one and proceeds with a high degree of stereocontrol throughout and an overall yield of 1.9%. The second synthesis, a block synthesis, makes use of the coupling of two trisaccharides, resulting in a shorter sequence and an overall yield of 4.4%, despite the poor selectivity in the key step.
Quasi-Likelihood Estimation in Semiparametric Models

Abstract Suppose the expected value of a response variable Y may be written h(Xβ +γ(T)) where X and T are covariates, each of which may be vector-valued, β is an unknown parameter vector, γ is an unknown smooth function, and h is a known function. In this article, we outline a method for estimating the parameter β, γ of this type of semiparametric model using a quasi-likelihood function. Algorithms for computing the estimates are given and the asymptotic distribution theory for the estimators is developed. The generalization of this approach to the case in which Y is a multivariate response is also considered. The methodology is illustrated on two data sets and the results of a small Monte Carlo study are presented.
Feature space transform for multitarget detection

This approach to multitarget tracking is from the perspective of an unsupervised pattern recognition problem. In the usual formulation the target data are processed to produce feature points, which may be track points. The feature points that correspond to the same track are identified when mapped as a dense region in the parameter space. Parameter space representation of crossing and nearly coincident tracks forms overlapping clusters that are not separable. This factor makes the transform approach in its usual form unworkable. Nevertheless, the transform technique need not be abandoned, for the diameter of the aggregate of tracts is evident in the parameter space. Once the direction and location of the aggregate of tracts is located, the individual tracks within the group can be identified by proven techniques.
Characterizing Fibrin ‘A-a’ Interactions By Single Molecule Force Spectroscopy

Blood vessel injury triggers the conversion of soluble fibrinogen to insoluble fibrin polymer that serves as the structural scaffold of a blood clot. Understanding the biophysical forces involved in maintaining fibrin structure is of great interest to the biomedical community. Previous reports have identified the ‘A-a’ interaction as a main contributor to the structural integrity of fibrin. Herein, we present the use of single molecule force spectroscopy to study the forced dissociation of ‘A-a’ interactions between fibrin molecules. The rupture of the ‘A-a’ interaction is accompanied by a characteristic force pattern previously unreported in fibrin force spectroscopy, reminiscent of the forced unfolding of other proteins in the literature. We propose that the characteristic pattern represents structural deformation of fibrinogen prior to the rupture of the ‘A-a’ interaction. Several analysis techniques are employed to characterize each unfolding event of the pattern. First, the polymeric nature of each event is examined using the worm-like chain model. We find that the first three events may be fit with one persistence length, but the significantly larger persistence length of the final event suggests a fundamentally different type of molecular extension than the previous three. Next, the energy landscape of each event is investigated by varying the loading rate. The first event is characterized by an ill-defined force probability distribution, indicating that it might correspond to initial reorientation of the substrate-bound molecule. In contrast, the other events have profiles characteristic of well-defined single-bond ruptures. While high-force events two and three have strikingly similar kinetic parameters implying similar molecular nature, the fourth, low-force event likely represents the final dissociation of the weakened ‘A-a’ interaction. Characterization of the forced dissociation of ‘A-a’ interactions may provide insight into the biomechanical properties of fibrin fibers held together via these interactions.
Adolescents and Maternal Employment: Is it Harmful for a Young Adolescent to Have an Employed Mother?

Labor statistics show that mothers of adolescents are more likely to work than are those of children in any other age group, and, therefore, represent an important sample to address. The present st...
Using Quantitative Trait Loci Results to Discriminate Among Crosses on the Basis of Their Progeny Mean and Variance

To develop inbred lines, parents are crossed to generate segregating populations from which superior inbred progeny are selected. The value of a particular cross thus depends on the expected performance of its best progeny, which we call the superior progeny value. Superior progeny value is a linear combination of the mean of the cross's progeny and their standard deviation. In this study we specify theory to predict a cross's progeny standard deviation from QTL results and explore analytically and by simulation the variance of that standard deviation under different genetic models. We then study the impact of different QTL analysis methods on the prediction accuracy of a cross's superior progeny value. We show that including all markers, rather than only markers with significant effects, improves the prediction. Methods that account for the uncertainty of the QTL analysis by integrating over the posterior distributions of effect estimates also produce better predictions than methods that retain only point estimates from the QTL analysis. The utility of including estimates of a cross's among-progeny standard deviation in the prediction increases with increasing heritability and marker density but decreasing genome size and QTL number. This utility is also higher if crosses are envisioned only among the best parents rather than among all parents. Nevertheless, we show that among crosses the variance of progeny means is generally much greater than the variance of progeny standard deviations, restricting the utility of estimates of progeny standard deviations to a relatively small parameter space.
Impact parameter dependent parton distributions and off-forward parton distributions for ζ→0

It is shown that the off-forward parton distribution for {zeta}=0, i.e., where the initial and final states differ only in their transverse momenta, can be interpreted as a simultaneous measurement of the longitudinal momentum and transverse position of partons in the infinite momentum frame. (c) 2000 The American Physical Society.
Robotic-assisted repair of a duodenal diaphragm in a child

Abstract The retroperitoneal location of the duodenum and the small volume of the peritoneal cavity in pediatric patients make the laparoscopic repair of congenital duodenal anomalies challenging. As a result, robotic-assisted repair of duodenal atresia in a pediatric patient has been reported only once in the literature. This report describes the robotic-assisted laparoscopic repair of a congenital duodenal diaphragm in a 2-year-old, 8 kg patient who presented with vomiting and failure to thrive. An upper gastrointestinal series revealed partial obstruction at the second part of the duodenum with proximal dilatation. These findings are consistent with a duodenal diaphragm. Traditional laparoscopy was utilized to kocherize the first and second parts of the duodenum and to identify a loop of proximal jejunum for the proposed anastomosis. A duodeno-jejunal anastomosis was then performed using intra-corporeal suturing with a daVinci SI robotic system. The patient had a quick and uneventful post-operative course. At 6 month follow-up, she was asymptomatic and the surgical incisions had healed with excellent cosmetic appearance. A combination of laparoscopic and robotic techniques offers a promising alternative to open or purely laparoscopic repair of congenital duodenal anomalies.
Surgical site infections after gracilis free flap reconstruction for facial paralysis.

Compared with other free tissue transfer procedures, the gracilis free muscle transfer (GFMT) for facial reanimation is unique in that the recipient site is typically uninvolved by malignancy or in...
Relations among home literacy environment, child characteristics and print knowledge for preschool children with language impairment

To contribute to the modest body of work examining the home literacy environment (HLE) and emergent literacy outcomes for children with disabilities, this study addressed two aims: (a) to determine the unique contributions of the HLE on print knowledge of preschool children with language impairment and (b) to identify whether specific child characteristics (oral language ability, print interest) moderated these relations. The sample consisted of 119 preschool children with language impairment. HLE was conceptualised as frequency of storybook reading and literacy teaching during book reading. Frequency of storybook reading was a unique predictor of print knowledge, which is consistent with research on children with typical language. Literacy teaching did not predict print knowledge, which diverges from research on children with typical language. No interactions between the HLE and child characteristics were significant, but language ability and print interest play a role in understanding individual differences in literacy development.
Acute stressor exposure facilitates innate immunity more in physically active than in sedentary rats

Most previous stress-immune research focused on the immunosuppressive effects of stress on acquired immunity. More recently, it has become clear that acute stressor exposure can potentiate innate, as well as suppress acquired, immunity. For example, acute stress improves recovery from bacterial inflammation, a classic in vivo measure of innate immunity. The previous work was done in sedentary organisms. Physical activity status can modulate the impact of stress on immune function. The following studies tested the hypothesis that the effect of stress on inflammation after subcutaneous challenge with bacteria (Escherichia coli) is facilitated by physical activity. The results were that sedentary, stressed rats resolved their inflammation 1-2 days faster and have increased circulating neutrophils compared with their nonstressed, sedentary counterparts. In contrast, physically active, stressed rats resolve their inflammation 3-4 days faster and have increased circulating and inflammatory site neutrophils compared with their nonstressed counterparts. Importantly, the beneficial impact of stress on inflammation recovery and neutrophil migration was greater in the physically active, than sedentary, stressed rats. Thus physical activity status facilitates the positive effect of acute stress on innate immunity.
Acute and chronic effects of particles on hospital admissions in New-England.

Background Many studies have reported significant associations between exposure to PM2.5 and hospital admissions, but all have focused on the effects of short-term exposure. In addition all these studies have relied on a limited number of PM2.5 monitors in their study regions, which introduces exposure error, and excludes rural and suburban populations from locations in which monitors are not available, reducing generalizability and potentially creating selection bias. Methods Using our novel prediction models for exposure combining land use regression with physical measurements (satellite aerosol optical depth) we investigated both the long and short term effects of PM2.5 exposures on hospital admissions across New-England for all residents aged 65 and older. We performed separate Poisson regression analysis for each admission type: all respiratory, cardiovascular disease (CVD), stroke and diabetes. Daily admission counts in each zip code were regressed against long and short-term PM2.5 exposure, temperature, socio-economic data and a spline of time to control for seasonal trends in baseline risk. Results We observed associations between both short-term and long-term exposure to PM2.5 and hospitalization for all of the outcomes examined. In example, for respiratory diseases, for every10-µg/m3 increase in short-term PM2.5 exposure there is a 0.70 percent increase in admissions (CI = 0.35 to 0.52) while concurrently for every10-µg/m3 increase in long-term PM2.5 exposure there is a 4.22 percent increase in admissions (CI = 1.06 to 4.75). Conclusions As with mortality studies, chronic exposure to particles is associated with substantially larger increases in hospital admissions than acute exposure and both can be detected simultaneously using our exposure models.
Assessment of postoperative pain after Mohs micrographic surgery

BACKGROUNDMohs micrographic surgery (MMS) has the highest cure rate for the treatment of cutaneous malignancies and is usually performed in an outpatient setting with local anesthesia. Although most patients experience minimal discomfort during the procedure, postoperative pain after MMS has not bee
Definition of Intellectual Disability in Criminal Court Cases

Definitions and associated descriptions of the condition now commonly known as intellectual disability serve many functions. The Atkins v. Virginia U.S. Supreme Court decision (2002) has called attention to the importance of clear, objective, and measureable wording of the definition. This article discusses the potential for misunderstanding and misinterpretation of such words as ability and cognitive, the importance of clarifying the role of measurement error and sociocultural factors, and the noncausal relationship between impairment in intelligence and adaptive behavior.
Functional Status Strongly Predicts Hospital Use in the Last 6 Months of Life (769)

Method. 19 patient and family units transitioning from hospital to home hospice care in the Midwest participated in this study. They photographed objects, people, and events during the hours or day(s) of this transition. Semi-structured interviews occurred usually one day after the first home visit by hospice personnel. Data collection and analysis were concurrent, using validated transcripts and field notes, coded with NVivo software.
A Network-Efficient Nonbinary QC-LDPC Decoder Architecture

Nonbinary low-density parity-check (LDPC) codes are of great interest due to their better performance cover binary ones when the code length is moderate. However, the cost of decoder implementation for these LDPC codes is still very high. In this paper, a low-complexity VLSI architecture for nonbinary LDPC decoders is presented. By exploiting the intrinsic shifting and symmetry properties of nonbinary quasi-cyclic LDPC (QC-LDPC) codes, significant reduction of memory size and routing complexity can be achieved. These unique features lead to two network-efficient decoder architectures for Class-I and Class-II nonbinary QC-LDPC codes, respectively. Comparison results with the state-of-the-art designs show that for the code example of the 64-ary (1260, 630) rate-0.5 Class-I code, the proposed scheme can save up to 70.6% hardware required by switch network, which demonstrates the efficiency of the proposed technique. The proposed design for the 32-ary (992, 496) rate-0.5 Class-II code can achieve a 93.8% switch network complexity reduction compared with conventional approaches. Furthermore, with the help of a generator for possible solution sequences, both forward and backward steps can be eliminated to offer processing convenience of check node unit (CNU) blocks. Results show the proposed 32-ary (992, 496) rate-0.5 Class-II decoder can achieve 4.47 Mb/s decoding throughput at a clock speed of 150 MHz.
Instability of subcooled boiling film on a vertical wall

Abstract Consider a vertical plate with a leading edge. The temperature of the plate is above the spontaneous nucleation temperature, so that vapor completely covers the plate. Two-dimensional quasi-parallel theory is used to examine the stability of the two-phase system. Numerical calculations show that the main parameter determining the thickness of the vapor film and its stability is the difference between the temperature of the heated vertical plate and the saturation temperature of the liquid. As the thickness of the vapor film is made smaller, the nose of the neutral curve approaches that of the corresponding one-phase liquid. The overall temperature difference between the plate and liquid bulk does not strongly influence stability properties.
INTELLIGENT MEASUREMENTS FOR CARS

Abstract The requirements for the development of cars with regard to environmental protection, fuel economy, reliability, safety, handling, etc, are steadily growing. On the other hand, the introduction of CAD and CAM methods has decreased the time to develop a new car by a considerable amount. However, the number of test data is increasing and the time necessary to test the cars at different development stages is still too high. It has to be decreased by at least the same amount by means of computer-aided testing (CAT), so that the flood of data can be processed on board and the results can be presented to the test engineer immediately after or during the test in the form of an easily readable protocol.
High Tech or High Touch: Will Technology Help or Hurt Our Teaching?

Books reviewed in this article: David G. Brown, Interactive Learning: Vignettes from America's Most Wired Campuses Marc Eisenstadt and Tom Vincent, The Knowledge Web: Learning and Collaborating on the Net Pat Maier, Liz Bamett, Adam Warren, and David Brunner, Using Technology in Teaching and Learning Adam Warren, David Brunner, Pat Maier, and Liz Barnett, Using Technology in Teaching and Learning: An Introductory Guide Steve Ryan, Bernard Scott, Howard Freeman, and Daxa Patel, The Virtual University: The Internet and Resource-Based Learning
Electronic conduction and tunneling in Ta‐oxide and Sn‐oxide thick films

Electrical resistivity and its temperature coefficient are measured for a large number of Ta-oxide and Sn-oxide thick films in the temperature range 80 to 400 K. These results, along with the measurement of other physical properties, are used to explain the behavior of electronic conduction in these metal oxide thick films. From this study, the importance of tunneling and hopping in these thick films is ascertained. Der elektrische Widerstand und sein Temperaturkoeffizient werden fur eine grose Zahl von Ta-Oxid- und Sn-Oxid-Dickschichten im Temperaturbereich von 80 bis 400 K gemessen. Diese Ergebnisse, zusammen mit den Messungen anderer physikalischer Eigenschaften, werden benutzt, um das Verhalten der elektrischen Leitfahigkeit in diesen Metalloxid-Dickschichten zu erklaren. Aus dieser Untersuchung wird die Bedeutung von Tunneling und Hopping in diesen Dickschichten festgestellt.
“Deglorifying” the Maximum Power Transfer Theorem and Factors in Impedance Selection

The limited usefulness of the maximum power transfer theorem in practice is argued. Inappropriately, the utility and value of the maximum power transfer theorem are often elevated to be religious icons of electrical engineering. While the theorem appears to be useful, often in real circuits the load impedance is not set equal to the complex conjugate of the equivalent impedance of the connecting source. When the load impedance happens to be equal to the complex conjugate of the source impedance, other practical reasons for this type of impedance matching exists, other than effecting maximum power transfer. Some reasons are discussed in a straightforward fashion.
Consumption of Exogenous Bifidobacteria Does Not Alter Fecal Bifidobacteria and Breath Hydrogen Excretion in Humans

The hypothesis that consumption of bifidobacteria by humans would increase colonic bifidobacteria and decrease breath hydrogen excretion was examined. A commercially available strain of bifidobacteria was tracked through the gastrointestinal tract. We determined that a 12-d feeding period of 10(10) cells of exogenous bifidobacteria daily was adequate to achieve a stable number of exogenous bifidobacteria in the colon. A 12-d washout period was chosen because the exogenous bifidobacteria could no longer be detected at that time. A double-blind crossover study used both male and female subjects. The order of treatment with skim milk alone or skim milk + bifidobacteria was randomized. Breath hydrogen excretion (micromol/L) and fecal counts of total bifidobacteria [log colony forming units (CFU)/g feces] were not significantly different between males and females and were not affected by consumption of exogenous bifidobacteria. Calculations based on the numbers of exogenous bifidobacteria consumed and the fecal numbers of exogenous bifidobacteria excreted suggested that numbers of the exogenous strain increased within the gastrointestinal tract. These data suggest that it is difficult to permanently alter total colonic bifidobacteria and affect physiologic function (net hydrogen in the colon as reflected by breath hydrogen) by feeding bifidobacteria, although the percentage of the total bifidobacteria represented by the exogenous strain can be affected.
Human factors and data fusion as part of control systems resilience

Human performance and human decision making is counted upon as a crucial aspect of overall system resilience. Advanced control systems have the potential to provide operators and asset owners a wide range of data, deployed at different levels that can be used to support operator situation awareness. However, the sheer amount of data available can make it challenging for operators to assimilate information and respond appropriately. This paper reviews some of the challenges and issues associated with providing operators with actionable state awareness through data fusion and argues for the over arching importance of integrating human factors as part of intelligent control systems design and implementation. Human factors methods are proposed as a means by which to improve system performance, resilience, and safety.
The Historical Roots of Tibetan Scholasticism

This paper examines the social milieu within which a form of Buddhism based on logic , commentary, and debate arose in Tibet during the period of the ‘Tibetan renaissance.’ Taking as exemplary scholastic the thirteenth-century monk Sakya , I argue that crucial to the survival of a Tibetan scholasticism were new monastic networks supported by a revivified economy, the use of scholastic discourses as cultural unifiers, the special status accorded scholarly knowledge within Tibetan society at large, and the distinctive manner in which exoteric scholasticism was piggybacked onto the esoteric, ritual-intensive Buddhist tantra that came to dominate the period.
A fast and robust network bisection algorithm

Partitioning is a fundamental problem in diverse fields of study such as pattern recognition, parallel processing, and the design of VLSI circuits. Recently, node clustering or compaction has been shown to enhance the performance of iterative partitioning algorithms by several authors. However, clustering has been mainly used as a preprocessing step before partitioning in existing methods. The paper describes a technique to extract clusters using information collected during a pass of an iterative exchange algorithm. Alternative approaches for the implementation of this new clustering technique are discussed, and one such approach is chosen to be incorporated in a modified Fiduccia-Mattheyses algorithm (C.M. Fiduccia, R.M. Mattheyses, 1982) based on a tradeoff between run time and performance. The resulting algorithm, BISECT, performs well in comparison with variants of the Kernighan-Lin algorithm including the Fiduccia-Mattheyses algorithm, local approaches, and simulated annealing on a wide variety of real and randomly generated benchmarks. BISECT is also used to find small vertex separators, and its results are compared with previous methods on several benchmarks. The empirical results show that BISECT is stable and is not very sensitive to the initial partition. Under suitably mild assumptions, BISECT can be shown to run in linear time. The empirical results confirm the speed of BISECT which can partition very large graphs (12,598 nodes and 91,961 edges) in less than six minutes of CPU time on a Sun Sparc 1+ workstation. >
A Multichannel Depth Probe Fabricated Using Electron-Beam Lithography

A multielectrode probe structure is described in which several thin-film metal electrodes are defined on the outer surface of a glass micropipette using electron-beam lithography. Electrode geometries are controlled to within one micron, resulting in electrode recording characteristics which are extremely well matched. Recording sites are 5 , um wide rings spaced 100 , um apart in depth. Analysis and characterization show the structure to be capable of accurately recording tissue potentials with a minimum of tissue damage. Use of these probes in current source-density (CSD) analysis of extraceliular current flow is described.
SBAS-DInSAR Analysis of Very Extended Areas: First Results on a 60 000- $\hbox{km}^{2}$ Test Site

We present the results of the first experiment to survey the temporal evolution of the deformation affecting very large areas using the small baseline subset (SBAS) differential synthetic aperture radar interferometry (DInSAR) algorithm. In particular, we have analyzed a set of 264 descending European Remote Sensing (ERS) SAR data frames from 1992 to 2000; these data are relevant to an area in central Nevada (U.S.) that extends for about 600times100 km. The starting point of our study has been the generation of an appropriate set of small baseline multilook interferograms computed from long SAR image strips, which were obtained by jointly focusing six contiguous raw data frames. Following their generation, the selected interferograms, which are computed on a spatial grid of 160times160 m, have been inverted via the SBAS technique to retrieve, for each coherent pixel, the displacement time series and the corresponding mean deformation velocity. The presented results are, to our knowledge, the first ones with such an extended multitemporal SAR data set, and they demonstrate the effectiveness of the approach to analyze the deformation of the investigated zone.
American Jews Were Free to Choose

Deborah Dash Moore, citing Oscar Handlin, suggests a similarity between immigration from country to country and internal migration (moves within a country). This article describes how Jewish internal migration within the U.S. after World War II was similar to earlier Jewish experiences of migration from Europe.Immigration to America by large numbers of Jews was primarily the result of the poor and oppressed conditions they were forced to endure in Europe. Freedom was their principle objective then, and the expansion of freedom seemed to be at the very heart of the internal migration by Jews to Sunbelt cities after World War II. Thus, Jews who emigrated from Europe did so in order to escape a retched existence, especially Jews that immigrated from Jebenhausen a city in central Europe that was notoriously poor and overcrowded. These Jews were essentially searching for a better life, though at one time the city of Jebenhausen had provided that opportunity. However, it became overcrowded and consequently jobs began to dissipate. As a result, Jews that had once lived in Jebenhausen, and for that matter many of the cities throughout Europe, began a continuous exodus to America that would not decelerate until long after World War II. What at first began slowly by chain migration, soon erupted into a full-blown exit based upon the promised freedoms apparent in the New World. All in all, European Jews were motivated by social, economic and political considerations in their decision to immigrate to America.
Chapter 8: Toward Better Mutual Fund Governance

This chapter evaluates the implications of an emerging model of mutual fund governance for effective oversight and regulation. As in the traditional model, in which a board of directors or trustees serves as the board of multiple discrete funds managed by a single investment adviser, this alternative model similarly contemplates the creation of multiple funds, but it eschews a single investment adviser charged with managing each fund’s assets. Rather, there are numerous advisers, each managing one or a small number of funds within the group. Although the new model may portend an improvement over the traditional model in some respects, questions arise as to whether it introduces concerns of its own and whether those concerns are more or less manageable than those to which the traditional model gives rise. The chapter contends that, although the new model produces risks not associated with the traditional model, there are reasons to believe, at least preliminarily, that it is at least as effective as the traditional model.
Prediction of the Three-Dimensional Drape Image by Using Computer Image Processing and Computer Graphics

目的 : コンピュータ画像処理および3次元CG (コンピュータグラフィックス) 手法を用いて, 簡易に織物の3次元ドレープ像を予測できるシステムの試作を行った.そして, この試作システムを用いて, 2次元ドレープ撮影像より織物が任意の視点から眺められた状態での3次元ドレープ像を予測し, 実測3次元ドレープ像と比較検討を行った.成果 : 簡単な画像処理した2次元ドレ-プ画像について, スムーズシェーディング法を用いて3次元CG計算を行った結果, 復元された3次元ドレープ像の凸部・凹部周辺においてドレープ傾斜角度が急激に大きくなる傾向をみつけた.そこで, 2次元ドレープ像の輝度値よりドレープ高さを計算する方法を提案するとともに, 周辺部の高さ補正係数を設定する手法について検討した.これらの補正係数を用いてZ軸に対して45°, 90°方向より眺めた3次元ドレープ像をCG計算した結果, 予測3次元ドレープ像と実測3次元ドレープ像間には比較的よい一致がみられた.
Production of Cl. welchii Toxin in Peptone-free Medium.

Summary and ConclusionsCl. welchii was grown in a medium free from peptone or other substances of large molecular weight. Toxins were consistently produced which were equal to or more potent than those produced in glucose peptone beef infusion broth. The pH of the culture media did not fall below 6.0. This may in part be responsible for the higher potency of toxin obtained in this medium. The basal medium alone did not support growth; when it was supplemented with pantothenic acid, pimelic acid, nicotinic acid, riboflavin, or liver-extract, there was a marked increase of growth and toxin-production.The fact that the highest bacterial-nitrogen value was obtained in glucose-peptone beef-infusion broth, appears to indicate that the casein hydrolysate still lacks one or more chemical ingredients required for maximal growth.The work is being continued in an effort to identify a chemically defined medium for maximal growth and consistent toxin production by Cl. welchii.
Influence of Clofibrate (Ethyl-4-Chlorophenoxyisobutyrate) on Hepatic Drug Metabolism in Male Rats

SummaryElevations in liver weight, liver/body weight, and microsomal protein content associated with chronic clofibrate administration in male rats were found to be dependent upon the age of the animals. Pretreatment with clofibrate significantly reduced pentobarbital and zoxazolamine sleeping times and enhanced the rates of microsomal metabolism for pentobarbital, ethylmorphine and aminopyrine. Specific activities of microsomal enzymes involved with the hy droxylation of zoxazolamine or aniline remained unaffected via chronic drug administration. The metabolism of all drug substrates were significantly increased via pretreatment with clofibrate when the results were expressed on the basis of total liver protein.The authors thank Ayerst Laboratories for the generous supply of clofibrate (Atromid-S).
Hibernation of the Big Brown Bat

Relatively few of the some 1300 species of bats live in the temperate regions of the world. Many of the species found in this northern region live through the winter by hibernating. But hibernating bats, in contrast to other hibernating mammals such as the hedgehog and ground squirrels, are essentially poikilothermous (Kayser, 1940). Their metabolism is proportional to their body temperature, and in the inactive state they show no evidence of a thermoregulatory mechanism (Hock, 1951). Hence in bats there appears to be no real distinction between sleep and hibernation. The state of hibernation for bats can be defined, then, only as a relatively long period or series of periods when the animals are subjected to low environmental temperatures, become inactive, and have a very low metabolic rate correlated with a low body temperature. There is some disagreement in the literature as to the requirements for successful hibernation in bats. Rysgaard (1942), for instance, felt that in the more northern areas it was necessary for bats to carry out a limited amount of feeding during hibernation, while Bailey (1928) was of the opinion that bats not only do not feed but that they remain motionless during the entire period. Observations by Guthrie (1933) and others agree with our observation that bats move periodically during hibernation, as demonstrated by the subsequent locations found occupied by banded specimens (Beer, 1955). However, activity during winter months does not necessarily imply that the active bats are able to find food during a Minnesota winter (in some of the caves they could obtain water to drink). This suggestion that activity does not necessarily imply feeding is supported by the fact that we have held big brown bats in the cold (4–5°C) in laboratory cages from the middle of November after they had been in …
MOCVD of SnO2 on Silicon Microhotplate Arrays for Use in Gas Sensing Applications

The quantitative detection of gas concentrations in mixed atmospheres is becoming increasingly important in manufacturing processing, environmental monitoring, and medical diagnostics. Several conductive oxides, such as SnO2, ZnO, and TiO2, are well known to exhibit changes in resistivity when exposed to various gases at temperatures ranging from 200–500 °C. Current discrete devices based on resistive changes such as the Taguchi sensor, however, suffer from certain performance problems, including poor gas detection specificity. Integrated arrays of sensors, fabricated using planar technology, offer a promising solution to these problems, as well as other benefits such as low power consumption and low cost. In this paper, we report the results of using Metalorganic Chemical Vapor Deposition (MOCVD) to fabricate thin films of SnO2 on microhotplate arrays. The studied arrays contain 4 micromachined, suspended elements, each having an integrated resistive heater that produces a rapid thermal rise time ~3 msec. By separately heating individual elements, we can take advantage of the thermally selective nature of the MOCVD process to limit deposition to these areas, resulting in a maskless deposition process. In addition, these array elements have surface electrical contacts that permit the measurement of the resistance of the thin films during deposition, as well as when they are operated in a gas sensing mode. In situ growth measurements will be reported.
Plasma Testing of IProSEC Cathode Devices

The Ion Proportional Surface Emission Cathode (IProSEC) is a low-brightness cathode technology under development for applications where large areas are available for emission and it is advantageous to avoid the space charge effects associated with bright or intense sources. Space applications include spacecraft charge control and electrodynamic tethers. Surface Emission Cathodes emit electrons by concentrating an electric field between a pdoped insulator and an adjacent metal cathode element. The insulator potential is held positive of the cathode with gate elements. In plasma, the gate is eliminated due to ambient ion flux which maintains the insulator potential near plasma ground. Previous work has demonstrated the ability of metal on insulator devices to function in plasma with gains as high as 100. Here devices with alternate constructions have been tested using a laboratory plasma source demonstrating the necessity of achieving the proper balance between insulator and conductor area. Chip-based sources are compared to carbon nanotube mats. The principle of operation, ion flux proportionality, and prototype performance is discussed.
Postacute Care and Recovery After Cancer Surgery: Still a Long Way to Go.

Objective: To determine whether postacute care (PAC) facilities can compensate for increased mortality stemming from a complicated postoperative recovery (complications or deconditioning). Background: An increasing number of patients having cancer surgery rely on PAC facilities including skilled nursing and rehabilitation centers to help them recover from postoperative complications and the physical demands of surgery. It is currently unclear whether PAC can successfully compensate for the adverse consequences of a complicated postoperative recovery. Methods: We combined data from the Veterans Affairs Cancer Registry with the Surgical Quality Improvement Program to identify veterans having surgery for stage I-III colorectal cancer from 1999 to 2010. We used propensity matching to control for comorbidity, functional status, postoperative complications, and stage. Results: We evaluated 10,583 veterans having colorectal cancer surgery, and 765 veterans (7%) were discharged to PAC facilities whereas 9818 veterans (93%) were discharged home. Five-year overall survival after discharge to PAC facilities was 36% compared with 51% after discharge home. Stage I patients discharged to PAC facilities had similar survival (45%) as stage III patients who were discharged home (44%). Patients discharged to PAC facilities had worse survival in the first year after surgery (hazard ratio 2.0, 95% confidence interval 1.7–2.4) and after the first year (hazard ratio 1.4, 95% confidence interval 1.2–1.5). Conclusions: Discharge to PAC facilities after cancer surgery is not sufficient to overcome the adverse survival effects of a complicated postoperative recovery. Improvement of perioperative care outside the acute hospital setting and development of better postoperative recovery programs for cancer patients are needed to enhance survival after surgery.
Quantitative Modeling of Effect of Intrusion Rock on Hydrocarbon Generationg of Source Rocks

For large-scale magma intrusion area, magma intrusion effects on hydrocarbon generating and expulsing of source rocks have not been recognized distinctly. In Jizhong depression of Bohai Bay basin, where the Wen'an slope encountered with magma intrusion that entered into the Carboniferous-Permian coal measure strata in Palaeogene, which has great effects on thermal evolution of the source rocks. As shown from the basin modeling, the magma intrusion could be regarded as additional geothermal source which can be put as an equivalent terrestrial heat flow value into the modeling in terms of the magma-intrusive depth and geothermal data, obtaining the hydrocarbon-generated and-expulsed results of the source rocks. The estimation shows that the contribution rate of the magma intrusion to hydrocarbon generation in Carboniferous-Permian source rocks is up to 62.4%.
Nylon fiber leukapheresis: associated complement component changes and cranulocytopenia.

The possible role of complement activation in the development of transient granulocytopenia during nylon fiber filtration leukapheresis (FL) was studied in five normal donors. No changes in hemolytic complement (CH50) titers were observed in the donors’ circulating plasma at any point in the procedure. However, comparison of pre- and postfilter blood samples drawn 1 min after donor blood passed the filters revealed decreases in several complement (C) components in postfilter plasma. Marked reductions in CH50, hemolytic C4 and C2, and properdin protein levels were observed, as well as moderate but significant reductions in hemolytic C1, C3, and C5 titers. C1q and factor B protein levels did not fall. Partial C3 cleavage was also demonstrated in postfilter samples by electrophoretic methods. At 5 min or later, reductions in CH50 titers were much less marked, though significant. Maximal granulocytopenia in the donors was observed within minutes after reinfusion of the first postfilter blood. Circulating granulocytes increased to baseline or higher levels after 10-30 min, while reinfusion of postfilter blood (exhibiting only mild reductions in CH50 titer) continued. In a sixth donor, after the initial FL-associated granulocytopenia had cleared, a fresh set of filters was inserted in the line, and the sequence of C component reduction and granulocytopenia was repeated. The pattern of the observed C component changes was consistent with the activation of the classical C pathway, and possibly also the alternative C pathway, immediately after initial contact of blood with the nylon filters. The temporal association of these C changes with the development of the granulocytopenia in vivo within minutes after reentry of this postfilter blood into the donors’ circulation suggests a causal relationship.
Covert Misadventure, Failed Summitry

Beginning in 1958, the Soviet leadership presented challenges to the West on a truly global scale, leading four years later to what are generally seen as the most dangerous moments in the cold war. The confrontation began in Berlin, shifted outside of Europe to three regions of the third world, then returned to Berlin, and was finally resolved in the Caribbean. The relationships between the events will be clearest if the material is discussed in chronological order.
Phytate negatively influences wheat dough and bread characteristics by interfering with cross-linking of glutenin molecules

Abstract The influence of added phytate on dough properties and bread baking quality was studied to determine the role of phytate in the impaired functional properties of whole grain wheat flour for baking bread. Phytate addition to refined flour at a 1% level substantially increased mixograph mixing time, generally increased mixograph water absorption, and reduced the SDS-unextractable protein content of dough before and after fermentation as well as the loaf volume of bread. The added phytate also shifted unextractable glutenins toward a lower molecular weight form and increased the iron-chelating activity of dough. It appears that phytate negatively affects gluten development and loaf volume by chelating iron and/or binding glutenins, and consequently interfering with the oxidative cross-linking of glutenin molecules during dough mixing. Phytate could be at least partially responsible for the weak gluten network and decreased loaf volume of whole wheat flour bread as compared to refined flour bread.
Mapping the Knowledge Domain of Urban Planning

The field of urban planning is far reaching in breadth and depth. This is due to the complex nature of cities, regions, and associated development patterns. Referring to the ambitious field of planning, Aaron Wildavsky famously remarked, “If planning is everything, maybe it’s nothing” (Wildavsky, 1973). Is planning everything? And what does that mean for someone trying to learn about planning? Using the recent Guide to Undergraduate and Graduate Education in Urban and Regional Planning (20th Edition, dated 2013) published by the Association of Collegiate Schools of Planning, we examined the knowledge domain of planning by analyzing the areas of expertise and interests for over 900 regular faculty listed in the Guide. These are self-reported areas of teaching and research interests that can be used to characterize specializations within urban planning programs. Rather than just reporting the frequency of topics mentioned across planning faculty, network analysis was used to illustrate the range and interconnections between topics. The specializations identified are explored and are compared to those identified by the planning profession. The results can be used in university program materials to help convey what planners do along with highlighting the current topics being considered academically and professionally. In addition, it is hoped that the results can be used to reinvigorate a conversation about planning scholarship and practice.
Explaining Adolescent Problem Drinking

This chapter examines the application of Problem Behavior Theory as an account of variation in adolescent problem drinking among high school and college youth followed longitudinally into young adulthood. The theory provided a highly significant and substantial account of problem drinking variation, both cross-sectionally and over time, for both males and females in both the high school and college samples. Variables in all three theoretical systems—Personality, Perceived Environment, and Behavior—were significant predictors of both cross-section variation and developmental change in problem drinker status. The cross-sectional findings also illuminate the marked co-variation of problem drinking with various other adolescent problem behaviors, and the longitudinal findings reveal increasing psychosocial conventionality with development from adolescence into young adulthood. Because of that developmental change, problem drinking in adolescence does not necessarily implicate problem drinking in young adulthood.