cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
5 – A Computational Model for the Stereoscopic Optics of a Head-Mounted Display

For stereoscopic photography or telepresence, orthostereoscopy occurs when the perceived size, shape and relative position of objects in the three-dimensional scene being viewed match those of the physical objects in front of the camera. In virtual reality, the simulated scene has no physical counterpart, so orthostereoscopy must be defined in this case as constancy, as the head moves around, of the perceived size, shape and relative positions of the simulated objects. Achieving this constancy requires that the computational model used to generate the graphics matches the physical geometry of the head-mounted display being used. This geometry includes the optics used to image the displays and the placement of the displays with respect to the eyes. The model may fail to match the geometry because model parameters are difficult to measure accurately, or because the model itself is in error. Two common modelling errors are ignoring the distortion caused by the optics and ignoring the variation in interpupillary distance across different users. A computational model for the geometry of a head-mounted display is presented, and the parameters of this model for the VPL EyePhone are calculated.
Optimizing medical therapy in the coronary artery bypass graft patient

Abstract Guideline directed medical therapy (GDMT) following coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery has been shown to prolong survival and decrease major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) and the need for repeat revascularization. Unfortunately, compliance with GDMT in CABG patients may be as low as 50%, thus negating the beneficial long-term effects of CABG surgery. This chapter will review those GDMT interventions that have been shown to prolong survival and minimize MACE following CABG. Strategies will be provided by which GDMT can be instituted, and compliance maintained, to achieve the best long-term outcomes in CABG patients.
Measuring urban and rural establishment innovation in the United States

What are the best proxies for innovation and do the best proxies vary by type of region? A commonly used and easily obtained measure is patenting, but there may be disadvantages to using it exclusi...
Conversion of the LLNL/CAMS 1 MV biomedical AMS system to a semi-automated natural abundance 14C spectrometer: system optimization and performance evaluation

Abstract The Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory – Center for Accelerator Mass Spectrometry compact 1 MV biomedical accelerator mass spectrometer was repurposed and optimized for the semi-automated radiocarbon measurement of natural abundance environmental samples. Here we present results from 15 months of routine system operation and evaluate the system performance based on 30 sample wheels measured with consistent operating conditions over 7 months from August 2019 to March 2020. The average measurement precision was 2.7 ± 0.7‰. System accuracy was assessed with measurements of 14C-free materials, standard materials with 14C-content spanning 0.5 to 1.5 F14C, and by comparison to split samples measured with the 10 MV AMS system. Overall, this system can routinely measure samples as small as 300 µgC and less than 33000 years without the need for size-specific correction protocols.
Distance estimation from monocular cues in an ethological visuomotor task

ABSTRACT In natural contexts, sensory processing and motor output are closely coupled, which is reflected in the fact that many brain areas contain both sensory and movement signals. However, standard reductionist paradigms decouple sensory decisions from their natural motor consequences, and head-fixation prevents the natural sensory consequences of self-motion. In particular, movement through the environment provides a number of depth cues beyond stereo vision that are poorly understood. To study the integration of visual processing and motor output in a naturalistic task, we investigated distance estimation in freely moving mice. We found that mice use vision to accurately jump across a variable gap, thus directly coupling a visual computation to its corresponding ethological motor output. Monocular eyelid suture did not affect performance, thus mice can use cues that do not depend on binocular disparity and stereo vision. Under monocular conditions, mice performed more vertical head movements, consistent with the use of motion parallax cues, and optogenetic suppression of primary visual cortex impaired task performance. Together, these results show that mice can use monocular cues, relying on visual cortex, to accurately judge distance. Furthermore, this behavioral paradigm provides a foundation for studying how neural circuits convert sensory information into ethological motor output.
Dorsal Cochlear Nucleus of the Rat: Representation of Complex Sounds in Ears Damaged by Acoustic Trauma

Acoustic trauma damages the cochlea but secondarily modifies circuits of the central auditory system. Changes include decreases in inhibitory neurotransmitter systems, degeneration and rewiring of synaptic circuits, and changes in neural activity. Little is known about the consequences of these changes for the representation of complex sounds. Here, we show data from the dorsal cochlear nucleus (DCN) of rats with a moderate high-frequency hearing loss following acoustic trauma. Single-neuron recording was used to estimate the organization of neurons’ receptive fields, the balance of inhibition and excitation, and the representation of the spectra of complex broadband stimuli. The complex stimuli had random spectral shapes (RSSs), and the responses were fit with a model that allows the quality of the representation and its degree of linearity to be estimated. Tone response maps of DCN neurons in rat are like those in other species investigated previously, suggesting the same general organization of this nucleus. Following acoustic trauma, abnormal response types appeared. These can be interpreted as reflecting degraded tuning in auditory nerve fibers plus loss of inhibitory inputs in DCN. Abnormal types are somewhat more prevalent at later times (103–376 days) following the exposure, but not significantly so. Inhibition became weaker in post-trauma neurons that retained inhibitory responses but also disappeared in many neurons. The quality of the representation of spectral shape, measured by sensitivity to the spectral shapes of RSS stimuli, was decreased following trauma; in fact, neurons with abnormal response types responded mainly to overall stimulus level, and not spectral shape.
Linking Operational IT Failures to IT Control Weaknesses

Operational IT failures have significant negative impacts on firms but little is known about their origins. Building on accounting research linking adverse operational events to SOX-disclosed control weaknesses (CWs) over financial reporting, we study the origins of IT failures in relation to IT-CWs. We use a sample of 212 operational IT failures where the confidentiality, integrity, or availability of data assets and functional IT assets (hardware, networks, etc.) has been compromised. We find that IT failures are linked to a relatively small set of IT-CWs, where each IT failure type is linked to a distinctly different subset of IT-CWs. Moreover, IT failures that are more harmful to the firm are found to be associated with IT-CWs that are more severe in the sense that they are more difficult to remediate.
T-Even Bacteriophage-Tolerant Mutants of Escherichia coli B I. Isolation and Preliminary Characterization

A general procedure is described for isolation of T-even phage-tolerant mutants of Escherichia coli. Two such mutants of E. coli B have been examined in some detail. These mutants adsorb T-even phages but are unable to release viable progeny. Under certain conditions, viability of the cells is completely unaffected by phage infection in one mutant, and there is but a slight decrease in colony-forming ability in the other. Phage deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) is injected into these cells, as shown by the formation of phage-specific enzymes, but it is not degraded to acid-soluble material. Some phage DNA replication occurs in both strains. The mutants are both more resistant to ultraviolet light than is the parent strain.
Private Lawdrafting, Intellectual Property, and Public Laws

Public lawmakers have inadequate and misaligned incentives to engage in legal innovation. Private lawmaking is offered as a potential solution to this problem. However, private lawmaking faces a dilemma: In order to be effective, the cost-reducing standard forms produced by private lawdrafters need to be publicly enacted. However, enactment as law eliminates the intellectual property rights that are essential to properly motivate the private lawdrafters to produce such forms. As a result, private lawdrafters will have inadequate and misaligned incentives to engage in legal innovation that would provide widespread benefits. Absent some mechanism to allow the private lawdrafter a way to appropriate the gains from his investment in cost reducing legal innovation, the promise of private lawmaking may be minimal.
Purification, characterization, cDNA cloning and expression of a novel ketoreductase from Zygosaccharomyces rouxii

A novel ketoreductase isolated from Zygosaccharomyces rouxii catalyzes the asymmetric reduction of selected ketone substrates of commercial importance. The 37.8-kDa ketoreductase was purified more than 300-fold to > 95% homogeneity from whole cells with a 30% activity yield. The ketoreductase functions as a monomer with an apparent Km for 3,4-methylenedioxyphenyl acetone of 2.9 mm and a Km for NADPH of 23.5 µm. The enzyme is able to effectively reduce α-ketolactones, α-ketolactams, and diketones. Inhibition is observed in the presence of diethyl pyrocarbonate, suggesting that a histidine is crucial for catalysis. The 1.0-kb ketoreductase gene was cloned and sequenced from a Z. rouxii cDNA library using a degenerate primer to the N-terminal sequence of the purified protein. Furthermore, it was expressed in both Escherichia coli and Pichia pastoris and shown to be active. Substrate specificity, lack of a catalytic metal, and extent of protein sequence identity to known reductases suggests that the enzyme falls into the carbonyl reductase enzyme class.
Acoustic Emission Responses of Plasma Sprayed Ceramics During Four Point Bend Tests

Free standing ceramics including alumina-13 wt.% titania (AT13), alumina-3 wt.% titania (AT3), alumina-40 wt.% zirconia (AZ40), and calcia-stabilized zirconia (CSZ), were produced by water-stabilized plasma spraying. Four point bend tests were performed in the in-plane direction (i.e., spray direction) to obtain the modulus of rupture of the materials. In situ acoustic emission (AE) monitoring was used to detect cracking during the tests. The AE characteristics such as ring down counts, event duration, peak amplitude, and energy were recorded and analyzed to evaluate different cracking mechanisms. The AE responses versus time for individual tests were evaluated and two basic types of cracking mechanisms; i.e., catastrophic failure and microcracking before failure, can be observed. AT3 and AZ40 tend to exhibit microcracking before failure and CSZ shows catastrophic failure. However, both mechanisms can be observed for AT13. For the total AE responses, the amplitude distributions are skewed to the right and the energy distributions show multi-modal distributions. Micro-, transitional, and macro-cracks can be better distinguished by the energy distribution. The relative proportion of these cracks was also determined.
Queue machines: an organization for parallel computation

We explore parallel system organizations based on a representation of programs which allows execution using a queue as a working store. The main advantage of such a representation, called Q-notation, is that multiple processors can be used in a very regular manner, so that a simple and natural mapping of parallel computations onto parallel processors is achieved. The proposed machines are characterized by very efficient and fast instruction issue, modularity with useful fault-tolerance properties, and simplified interconnection requirements. We define a Q-notation for program representation and discuss in general its capabilities and limitations in executing ordinary (sequential) and concurrent programs.
2‐Methyl‐2‐(Trimethylsiloxy)Pentan‐3‐one

2-Methyl-2-(trimethylsiloxy)pentan-3-one intermediate: 2-hydroxybutanenitrile intermediate: 2-[(1′-ethoxy)-1-ethoxy]butanenitrile intermediate: 2-hydroxy-2-methylpentan-3-one product: 2-methyl-2-(trimethylsiloxy)pentan-3-one Keywords: acetal (and thioacetal) formation; addition, to CC; addition, to CO; silylation; acetone; diisopropylamine; tetrahydrofuran; butyllithium (concd); 2-hydroxybutanenitrile; sodium cyanide, poison
Economic Coercion and Partner Violence Against Wives in Vietnam A Unified Framework

Economic coercion refers to behaviors that control an intimate partner's ability to acquire, use, and maintain economic resources. Little is known about economic coercion in Vietnam. Using survey responses from 533 married women ages 18 to 50 years, we estimated multinomial logistic regression models to compare the determinants of exposure to economic coercion only, co-occurring economic coercion, and any psychological, physical, or sexual intimate partner violence (IPV), and any IPV only, relative to no exposure. Women who, in their childhood, witnessed physical IPV against their mother had higher odds of exposure to co-occurring economic coercion and any IPV as an adult (adjusted Odds Ratio = 3.54, 95% confidence interval [CI] = [1.84, 6.83]) and any IPV only (adjust Odds Ratio = 1.75, 95% CI = [1.00, 3.06]), but not economic coercion only. Women who experienced violence as a child had higher odds of exposure to any IPV only (adjusted Odds Ratio = 1.63, 95% CI = [1.04, 2.56]) but not economic coercion only. Women with more schooling had higher odds of exposure to economic coercion only (adjusted Odds Ratio = 1.17, 95% CI = [1.03, 1.33]) but not other forms of violence. Overall, the estimates from the three models differed significantly. Thus, the determinants of economic coercion and common forms of IPV may differ. More research should focus on men's perpetration of economic coercion.
VLSI decompositions for deBruijn graphs

A C-chip VLSI decomposition of a graph G is a collection of C isomorphic disjoint subgraphs of G (the building blocks), which together contain all of G's vertices. The efficiency of such a decomposition is defined to be the fraction of edges of G that are in the building block. Motivated by the need to construct large Viterbi decoders, the authors study VLSI decompositions of deBruijn graphs. They obtain some strong necessary conditions for a graph to be a building block for a deBruijn graph, and some slightly more restrictive sufficient conditions which allow the construction of some efficient building blocks for deBruijn graphs. >
Measurement Properties of the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index: A Systematic Review

Objective To conduct a systematic review of the measurement properties of the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) and to evaluate the quality of WOMAC measurement studies using COSMIN (Consensus-Based Standards for the Selection of Health Measurement Instruments) criteria. Methods A search was conducted in the MEDLINE, CINAHL, Embase, PsycINFO, Scopus, and SPORTDiscus databases through September 2013. Data that assessed the WOMAC measurement model, reliability, validity, respondent burden, and equivalence across methods of administration were extracted. Overall study quality was rated following COSMIN criteria. Results A total of 76 articles from 22 countries were included. Internal consistency reliability was consistently high (≥0.90) for the function scale and acceptable (≥0.70) for the pain and stiffness scales. Test–retest reliability was acceptable. Score equivalence was demonstrated across paper and electronic methods of data collection. Floor and ceiling effects were low except for notable (24–38%) proportions of patients achieving the best possible scores on the pain and stiffness scales 1–23 years after arthroplasty. Five exploratory factor analyses did not support a measurement model in which the pain and function items were distinct. Correlations between the WOMAC pain and function scales were high (median 0.79). The WOMAC pain and function scales had similar correlations with other pain measures, and therefore the WOMAC pain scale did not show divergent validity. COSMIN criteria were not fully met in most studies. Conclusion The WOMAC scales were reliable, but its pain scale was highly related to physical function. Further research into joint-specific pain measures that have broader content validity is needed.
Compositions of deep-sea ash layers derived from north pacific volcanic arcs: variations in time and space

Abstract Glass separates from 115 ash layers derived from the Kamchatkan (DSDP Site 192; 34 layers), the eastern Aleutian (DSDP Site 183; 56 layers) and the Alaska Peninsula (DSDP Site 178; 25 layers) volcanic arcs have been analyzed for up to 28 elements. In addition, the abundance and diversity of associated mafic phenocrysts have been evaluated. The resulting data set has made possible an evaluation of the late Miocene to Recent changes in composition of ashes derived from North Pacific volcanic arcs and of the factors controlling the evolution of highly siliceous magmas. We find no evidence for a general transition from arc tholeiite to calc-alkalic magma parentage of ashes derived from the volcanic arcs during the last 10 m.y., but instead find 0.1- to 0.5-m.y. intervals during which particular types of volcanism are prevalent. Most convincing is the transition from arc tholeiite to calc-alkalic for ashes derived from Kamchatka during the last 0.8 m.y., a change believed to be associated with a landward shift in the site of magma generation. Considered together, ashes derived from North Pacific volcanic arcs have been becoming more siliceous during the last 1.5 m.y. and may be associated with accelerated subduction during the same time interval. Hydrous phenocrysts (e.g., biotite) are typically associated with low-silica deep-sea ashes, but not with terrestrial volcanic rocks of comparable silica contents, suggesting the important role of water in the evolution of siliceous magma. REE patterns and relative abundances of mafic phenocrysts demonstrate the importance of fractional crystallization in controlling the evolution of highly siliceous arc magmas. REE increase with increasing silica, but become less concentrated in ashes with SiO2 > 64%. Eu anomalies increase throughout the SiO2 range. Initial fractionation is dominated by clinopyroxene and plagioclase with amphibole strongly influencing fractionation above 64% SiO2.
Statistical analysis of cytologic features useful in separation of metastatic urothelial carcinoma from other metastatic epithelial malignancies.

The identification of a site of origin and direction of differentiation for metastatic neoplasms is clinically important, but is often difficult purely by cytologic analysis of aspirated material. Cytologic separation of metastatic urothelial carcinoma (UC) from other moderate or poorly differentiated epithelial malignancies is difficult, with few cytologic criteria identified in the literature as valuable for this distinction. Several investigators have suggested that “cercariform cells” (CCs) are highly correlated with the presence of metastatic UC. We statistically analyzed the utility of 37 cytomorphologic features for the recognition of urothelial differentiation in a series of 26 metastatic UCs, 10 metastatic squamous cell carcinomas (SCCs), and 15 metastatic adenocarcinomas (ADCs). All specimens had been obtained from metastatic deposits in the lung, liver, lymph nodes, or soft tissues. Stepwise discriminate function analysis with all three diagnoses showed that the strongest discrimination could be made using the findings of waxy metaplastic cytoplasm, with significant increments in prediction added by analysis for (CCs) followed by spindle cells, multiple nucleoli, and columnar-shaped cells. The combination of these five variables accurately predicted 90% of all diagnoses, including 26 accurate diagnoses of UC, 9 accurate diagnoses of SCC, and 11 accurate diagnoses of ADC. CCs were present in highest numbers in UCs and present least frequently in cases of poorly differentiated ADC. While CCs were useful in the identification of UC, CCs occurred in a significant number of SCCs, limiting their diagnostic value as a single variable. Diagn. Cytopathol. 2003;29:334–338. © 2003 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Microglial activation in stroke: therapeutic targets.

Microglial activation is an early response to brain ischemia and many other Stressors. Microglia continuously monitor and respond to changes in brain homeostasis and to specific signaling molecules expressed or released by neighboring cells. These signaling molecules, including ATP, glutamate, cytokines, prostaglandins, zinc, reactive oxygen species, and HSP60, may induce microglial proliferation and migration to the sites of injury. They also induce a nonspecific innate immune response that may exacerbate acute ischemic injury. This innate immune response includes release of reactive oxygen species, cytokines, and proteases. Microglial activation requires hours to days to fully develop, and thus presents a target for therapeutic intervention with a much longer window of opportunity than acute neuroprotection. Effective agents are now available for blocking both microglial receptor activation and the microglia effector responses that drive the inflammatory response after stroke. Effective agents are also available for targeting the signal transduction mechanisms linking these events. However, the innate immune response can have beneficial as well deleterious effects on outcome after stoke, and a challenge will be to find ways to selectively suppress the deleterious effects of microglial activation after stroke without compromising neurovascular repair and remodeling.
Caloric restriction and aging

The relationship between eating less and greater longevity is explored. The author notes that eating less but ensuring an adequate supply of protein fat vitamins and minerals has been shown to improve the health and longevity of rodents. The relevance of these findings to humans is considered. (ANNOTATION)
Effects of a metabotropic glutamate receptor 5 positive allosteric modulator, CDPPB, on spatial learning task performance in rodents

Abstract Metabotropic glutamate receptor 5 (mGlu5) has been implicated in a variety of learning and memory processes and is important for avoidance learning. The present studies used an mGlu5 receptor positive allosteric modulator, 3-cyano-N-(1,3 diphenyl-1H-hyrazol-5-yl)benzamide (CDPPB), to characterize the importance of mGlu5 receptors in aversively- and appetitively-motivated spatial learning tasks (tasks in which the instrumental contingency involves discriminative cues that differ in spatial location). C57Bl/6 male mice were initially trained in the Barnes maze in the absence of drug. Subsequently, CDPPB (30 mg/kg, i.p.), administered 20 min prior to each of 3 daily reversal learning training sessions in the Barnes maze, significantly enhanced performance compared to vehicle-treated controls and had a significant effect on search strategy. Mice treated with CDPPB also displayed significantly less perseverative behavior than control-treated animals. In a second experiment, male Sprague–Dawley rats were trained in an appetitively-motivated, delayed alternation version of a T-maze. 30 mg/kg CDPPB (s.c.), delivered 20 min prior to each of 5 daily training sessions, enhanced the delay rats were able to withstand between the sample and choice portions of each T-maze trial. The present results emphasize the role of mGlu5 receptors in spatial learning tasks and support previous studies which report mGlu5 positive allosteric modulators can enhance learning in some tasks and may have potential as nootropic drugs.
Proline-induced constraints in alpha-helices.

The disrupting effect of a prolyl residue on an α-helix has been analyzed by means of conformational energy computations. In the preferred, nearly α-helical conformations of Ac-Ala4-Pro-NHMe and of Ac-Ala7-Pro-Ala7-NHMe, only the residue preceding Pro is not α-helical, while all other residues can occur in the α-helical A conformation; i.e., it is sufficient to introduce a conformational change of only one residue in order to accommodate proline in a distorted α-helix. Other low-energy conformations exist in which the conformational state of three residues preceding proline is altered considerably; on the other hand, another conformation in which these three residues retain the near-α-helical A-conformational state (with up to 26° changes of their dihedral angles ϕ and ψ, and a 48° change in one ω from those of the ideal α-helix) has a considerably higher energy. These conclusions are not altered by the substitution of other residues in the place of the Ala preceding Pro. The conformations of the peptide chain next to prolyl residues in or near an α-helix have been analyzed in 58 proteins of known structure, based on published atomic coordinates. Of 331 α-helices, 61 have a Pro at or next to their N-terminus, 21 have a Pro next to their C-terminus, and 30 contain a Pro inside the helix. Of the latter, 16 correspond to a break in the helix, 9 are located inside distorted first turns of the helix, and 5 are parts of irregular helices. Thus, the reported occurrence of prolyl residues next to or inside observed α-helices in proteins is consistent with the computed steric and energetic requirements of prolyl peptides.
The SLC4 family of bicarbonate (HCO3-) transporters

The SLC4 family consists of 10 genes (SLC4A1-5; SLC4A7-11). All encode integral membrane proteins with very similar hydropathy plots-consistent with 10-14 transmembrane segments. Nine SLC4 members encode proteins that transport HCO3(-) (or a related species, such as CO3(2-)) across the plasma membrane. Functionally, eight of these proteins fall into two major groups: three Cl-HCO3 exchangers (AE1-3) and five Na(+)-coupled HCO3(-) transporters (NBCe1, NBCe2, NBCn1, NBCn2, NDCBE). Two of the Na(+)-coupled transporters (NBCe1, NBCe2) are electrogenic; the other three Na(+)-coupled HCO3(-) transporters and all three AEs are electroneutral. In addition, two other SLC4 members (AE4, SLC4A9 and BTR1, SLC4A11) do not yet have a firmly established function. Most, though not all, SLC4 members are functionally inhibited by 4,4'-diisothiocyanatostilbene-2,2'-disulfonate (DIDS). SLC4 proteins play important roles many modes of acid-base homeostasis: the carriage of CO2 by erythrocytes, the transport of H(+) or HCO3(-) by several epithelia, as well as the regulation of cell volume and intracellular pH.
Families of Origin, Foster Care Experience, and the Transition to Adulthood

The rising number of young adults transitioning to adulthood from the foster care system has been a focus of prior research. The current study explored foster care youths transitions to adulthood to identify factors that contribute to or inhibit prosocial adult outcomes. Structured data derived from interviews with foster care-experienced adults and child welfare professionals as well as focus groups with foster care-experienced adults and foster parents were analyzed using content analysis to examine the transition to adulthood from foster care. Positive or negative life outcomes resulted from two key mechanisms: a) issues related to family of origin (inadequate parenting, abuse); and b) foster care experiences (including a pattern of “drift”). We explore disidentification, a new social psychological concept. Throughout, key players provide policy recommendations for the child welfare system.
Veratrum Alkaloids L:Structure-Activity Relationships in a Series of Synthetic Hypotensive Analogs of the Protoveratrines

A study aimed at further elucidation of the relationship between hypotensive activity and structure among analogs of the protoveratrines is reported. A series of synthetic protoverine tetraesters, which differ from each other only in the nature of the acid residue affixed at C15, have been prepared and subjected to preliminary pharmacological evaluation. The results indicate that alteration in the structure of the ester affixed at C15 in analogs of the protoveratrines profoundly affects hypotensive potency.
The interrelationship between mechanics and thermodynamics

Based on the principle of indistinguishability of identical particles, it is shown that the time-independent Liouville equation can account for the non-causal behavior of a many-particle system in thermostatic equilibrium. For a slowly evolving non-equilibrium system the condition for local equilibrium and the irreversible behavior of the system are established through an approximate solution of the time-dependent Liouville equation. The importance of temperature as the link between the equations of mechanics and thermodynamics is emphasized.
Stochastic flows on the boundaries of lie groups

The boundaries of a semi-simple Lie group G in this paper are slightly more general than Furstenberg's boundaries. The horizontal diffusion gt in G induces a stochastic flow on any boundary of G, whose one point motion is a Brownian motion. The global and local stability of the flow are established, using the limiting property of gt under the Iwasawa decomposition. The Lyapunov spectrum contains only negative exponents and the associated filtration are determined by the root space structure of G. In this way, we obtain many interesting examples of Lie group-valued stochastic flows on compact spaces, including the gradient flow and other finite dimensional flows on spheres
Evidence for two sites of adaptation affecting the dark-adapted ERG of cats and primates.

The present study compared the effects of full-field steady adapting backgrounds on the sensitivity of the scotopic threshold response (STR) of the dark-adapted ERG and scotopic PII (b-wave and d.c.-component) to Ganzfeld flashes in cats (n = 4), macaque monkeys (n = 2), and one human subject. In cats, the sensitivity of the STR was reduced by a factor of 2 by backgrounds that were 500 times weaker than backgrounds reducing PII; and for the primates, the STR was reduced by backgrounds almost 100 times weaker than those reducing PII. Since the STR is generated more proximally in the retina than PII, these results provide evidence for proximal and more distal retinal sites of postreceptoral light adaptation. A practical implication is that dim scattered room light can remove the STR from the ERG while hardly affecting PII.
Dorsal tegmental bundle destruction: effects on operant behavior, brain catecholamine levels, and behavioral suppression produced by adrenergic agonists.

Abstract The effect of lesions of the ascending noradrenergic dorsal tegmental bundle (DTB) upon the content of catecholamines in forebrain areas, operant behavior and the suppression of operant behavior produced by methoxamine, clonidine, and isoproterenol was investigated. It was found that lesions of the DTB which significantly reduced the content of noradrenaline in the hippocampus also produced a significant increase in the total forebrain content of dopamine, facilitated relearning of a continuous reinforcement operant task, increased the suppression of operant behavior produced by isoproterenol and decreased the suppressive effects of methoxamine.
An Approach to the Evaluation and Management of Vasculitis

1. Vasculitis is a term representing many heterogeneous and often overlappinggroups of clinicopathologic syndromes defined by the presence of inflamma-tory leukocytes in blood vessel walls that lead to vascular damage and down-stream organ dysfunction.2. Although individual vasculitides are relatively uncommon, this category of dis-ease processes has an incidence of 20 in every million persons.3. The exact pathophysiologic mechanism is not known, although autoimmunityandimmunopathogenicresponsestocertainstimuliarelikelytoplaykeyroles.4. Possiblemechanismsofvesseldamageimplicatedinvasculitisincludeeffectsof immune complexes, pathogenic T-cell responses with granuloma forma-tion, and autoantibodies such as antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies.5. Vasculitis diagnoses are classically grouped into primary and secondaryvasculitides, by sizeofvessel affected, andbydemographics and clinicopath-ologic characteristics of affected patients.6. A complete history and physical examination are paramount in the evaluationof vasculitis as typical clinical manifestations are neither sensitive nor specificand frequently mimic other more common disorders.
Macromolecular ligands of exchangeable copper, zinc and cadmium in human serum

Abstract Dissociation of metal-protein complexes of copper, zinc, and cadmium in human serum by histidine and glycine was studied. Distribution of metal between protein-complexed and amino acid-complexed species as a function of amino acid concentration is similar for solutions of human serum albumin and native human serum, indicating that human serum albumin and the macromolecular ligands which complex loosely bound serum copper, zinc, and cadmium have equal avidity for these metal ions. Copper-albumin complex is the least stable, cadmium-albumin complex the most stable, with respect to dissociation by histidine.
Preliminary results of comparisons between Tropical Atmosphere Ocean (TAO) oceanographic refresh and Legacy sensors

As part of the transition of the Tropical Atmosphere Ocean (TAO) program, NOAA's National Data Buoy Center (NDBC) is testing commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) components to replace obsolescent sensors. The ldquorefreshrdquo of TAO will also include changing to a transmission system that allows hourly receipt of high-resolution data, and incorporating a new payload. Six refresh buoys will be deployed within 10 kilometers of existing TAO buoys. Meteorological and ocean sensors will be compared in order to verify that the refresh system replicates the data provided by the ldquolegacyrdquo TAO system. Two refresh buoys have already been deployed along the TAO 140degW line at 9degN and 2degS. . An analysis of the first three months of oceanographic data from these two buoys is presented and discussed. The temperature sensors were compared in a laboratory setting and the results were very good. While the ocean temperatures from the refresh buoys are reported at ten minutes intervals every hour via the Iridium satellite constellation, the legacy buoys report ten minute data over Service ARGOS as the polar satellites pass the buoys. At the 2degS,140degW site, eight of the ten ocean temperature sensors reported data that is statistically equivalent to the legacy buoy temperatures. The other two refresh temperature sensors at 20 and 80 meter depths failed to report. Five of the ten ocean temperature sensors at the 9degN, 140degW site reported statistically equivalent data. Data from two of the legacy TAO sensors were failed by TAO analysts prior to deployment of the TAO program. Comparison of the other three temperature sensors yielded results that were not statistically equivalent. The region between 40 and 120 meters depth is characterized by a sharp temperature gradient. The environment may be responsible for the variability between the sensors in this region. Following recovery of the legacy and refresh buoys during fall 2008, the 10 minute data from the temperature sensors will be downloaded and NDBC and the NOAA's Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory will perform an in-depth analysis.
Picturing the body in spatial neglect: descending a staircase.

Spatial neglect—a syndrome in which there is asymmetric perception, orienting, or response associated with functional disability1—has a potentially devastating effect on self-care and safety after stroke. Still, it frequently goes unrecognized.2 How is this possible? A tremendously disabling disorder should be easy to detect. In this issue of Neurology ® , Rousseaux et al.3 present a study that may give us an inkling of the problem: we may be assessing the eyes, but not the body.
Comparability among measures of primate diets

Feeding niche constitutes one of the most basic ecological parameters defining any species. Unfortunately, our picture of primate feeding niches is suspect because field workers have used a variety of observational techniques to assess diet in the wild. Here the question of the comparability of these techniques is explored empirically, by comparing the dietary profiles of a small group of primate species that have been studied by two methods in a single locality. These methods are shown to yield quite different results, both in the realm of simple description, and in the realm of behavioral-ecological hypothesis testing.
Phase-Sensitive Sodium B1 Mapping

Quantitative sodium MRI requires accurate knowledge of factors affecting the sodium signal. One important determinant of sodium signal level is the transmit B(1) field strength. However, the low signal-to-noise ratio typical of sodium MRI makes accurate B(1) mapping in reasonable scan times challenging. A new phase-sensitive B(1) mapping technique has recently been shown to work better than the widely used dual-angle method in low-signal-to-noise ratio situations and over a broader range of flip angles. In this work, the phase-sensitive B(1) mapping technique is applied to sodium, and its performance compared to the dual-angle method through both simulation and phantom studies. The phase-sensitive method is shown to yield higher quality B(1) maps at low signal-to-noise ratio and greater consistency of measurement than the dual-angle method. An in vivo sodium B(1) map of the human breast is also shown, demonstrating the phase-sensitive method's feasibility for human studies.
Cartilage sulfation inhibitor from rat liver curtails growth of embryonic chicken cartilage in vitro

We studied the effect of high MW cartilage sulfation (somatomedin) inhibitors from rat liver on cartilage growth in vitro. Pelvic rudiments from 11-day-old chicken embryos (5.70 mg average weight) were incubated in an organ-culture system with defined tissue-culture medium; after two days (T0–2), media were changed and incubation continued for another three days (T2–5). Normal rat serum (10% vol/vol) stimulated cartilage growth (weight change + 1.33 ± 0.16 mg, mean ± SEM T0–2 and + 1.33 ± 0.27 mg, T2–5). Partially purified cartilage sulfation inhibitors (CSI) caused a weight decrease (− 1.09 ± 0.17 mg T0–2 and −0.44 ± 0.06 mg T2–5). Adding inhibitors to cartilage incubations containing normal serum abolished the growth-promoting effect of serum (−0.79 ± 0.07 mg T0–2 and −0.40 ± 0.08 mg T2–5). The growth-curtailing effect of CSI was reversible; after preincubating cartilage with CSI for two days (−0.62 ± 0.11 mg T0–2), subsequently exposing it to normal serum allowed cartilage growth to resume (+ 1.02 ± 0.21 mg T2–5). Cartilages incubated with normal serum and various concentrations of inhibitor exhibited a dose-dependent inhibition of serum-stimulated growth. Cartilage Length was not altered by the inhibitor; cartilage dry:wet weight ratio or protein concentration (μg/mg wet weight) did not differ among groups. Triodothyronine (T3) stimulated cartilage growht in a dose-dependent manner as expected. Adding CSI to cartilage incubations containing T3 (1.5 nmol/l or 15 nmol/L) completely abolished the growth-stimulating effect of T3. This is the first demonstration that high MW cartilage sulfation inhibitors from rat liver cause a dose-dependent and reversible inhibition of the growth of embryonic chicken cartilage in vitro; their ability to inhibit both serum- and T3-stimulated growth suggests that they exert broad, antianabolic effects.
Preferences for complexity-simplicity and symmetry-asymmetry.

A 2 × 2 design was employed; 70 undergraduates from two classes were exposed to complexity-simplicity and symmetry-asymmetry. Each class showed an overwhelming preference for the complex-symmetrica...
Broad-Band Power-Measuring Methods at Microwave Frequencies

Two broad-band methods of measuring power at microwave frequencies have been investigated. In both methods, the normal load termination may remain connected to the microwave generator while the power is being measured. The first method makes use of the forces due to the electromagnetic fields in a transmission system to cause displacements of a diaphragm or membrane. This displacement is proportional to the square of the actuating fields and is made to operate an indicating system which gives output proportional to the microwave power. In the second method, thin films on a skin-depth scale are inserted in a microwave transmission system so as to cause only small discontinuities. A small fraction of the total power, usually 1/1800 to 1/200, is dissipated in the film. The indicator system measures the temperature rise of the film, ordinarily as a function of its resistance change, and output is again proportional to the microwave power. Continuous characteristics have been measured from 1,000 to 10,000 Mc, with additional isolated data at about 300 kc, 5 Mc, and 300 Mc. Both methods give a calibration flat to better than ±1 db between 1,000 and 10,000 Mc with gradually reduced sensitivity at lower frequencies for the tellurium-zinc unit
Position-based routing for heterogeneous wireless ad hoc networks

Position based routing methods have been used successfully recently for homogeneous wireless networks when all nodes have the same transmission range, and the signal will be received by all nodes with the transmission range. All these protocols are likely to fail for heterogeneous wireless ad hoc networks, or the signal could be blocked by obstacles. We assume that two nodes can always communicate directly if their distance is no more than (/spl radic/2/2)R, where R is the maximum transmission range. A method has been proposed in [L. Barriere, et al., (2001)] to construct a planar topology using some virtual links for some routing protocols, such as [P. Bose, et al., (1999)], [F. Kuhn, et al., (2003)]. We present an improved method to construct another planar topology and our simulations show that our protocol out-performs the previous method for dense networks significantly: it uses much less messages and creates much less virtual links, while the routing performances of our method is almost the same as the previous method.
A Practical Algorithm for Computing a Subadditive Dual Function for Set Partitioning

Recently, a new algorithm for computing an optimal subadditive dual function to an integer program has been proposed. In this paper we show how to apply the algorithm to the set partitioning problem. We give several enhancements to the algorithm and we report computational experiments. The results show that it is tractable to obtain an optimal subadditive function for small and medium size problems. To the best of our knowledge this is the first work that reports computational experiments on computing an optimal subadditive dual function.
Dewetting Transitions in Protein Cavities

In a previous analysis of the solvation of protein active sites, a drying transition was observed in the narrow hydrophobic binding cavity of Cox-2. With the use of a crude metric that often seems able to discriminate those protein cavities that dry from those that do not, we made an extensive search of the PDB, and identified five other proteins that, in molecular dynamics simulations, undergo drying transitions in their active sites. Because such cavities need not desolvate before binding hydrophobic ligands they often exhibit very large binding affinities. This article gives evidence that drying in protein cavities is not unique to Cox-2.
Science alone is not always enough: The importance of ethical assessment for a more comprehensive view of equine welfare

Abstract Researchers in equitation science have worked diligently to use objective measures in horse behavior and welfare studies, ones that colleagues will appreciate. This is appropriate. However, because equine welfare is not purely an empirical matter, we must recognize that science alone may not be enough when assessing equine treatment. The science community must realize, as does the public already, that different value assumptions will lead to different welfare emphases. Thus, there is an intimate interplay between science and values where the quality of life of both human and nonhuman animals are concerned. If certain training practices or aesthetic modifications are shown to the public and a majority finds them objectionable, the practices should be further scrutinized. There are still many that believe if a horse is healthy and performing competitively then its welfare is good. On closer scrutiny, equine welfare is conceptually more nuanced than this and includes an ethical/values-based component. Welfare is not only concerned with biological functioning, but also with "affective states" such as emotions, pain, suffering, and frustration when opportunities to express species-characteristic behaviors are thwarted. These emphases, informed by empirical insights, reflect value frameworks that influence the scientific study of equine welfare. Here, we consider the complementary values-based side of equine welfare and suggest how ethical assessments have the potential to enhance equine welfare. Three different ethical accounting methods are presented in this article and an example from the horse industry is used to illustrate each. Each subdiscipline of the horse industry contains at least a few ethically questionable practices. Stakeholders are challenged to examine their area of the horse industry and evaluate questionable practices, possibly using the ethical accounting processes discussed in this article.
Quasi-analytic solution of the diffusion equation

Abstract An approximate method for solving the partial differential equation of conduction is developed that is continuous in time and discrete in space. The general solution is presented for a slab having five nodes and time dependent boundaries and having an arbitrary initial temperature distribution. The corresponding case, for a four node and a three node slab, is given in Appendix I. A typical example for a slab is solved using this quasi-analytic method, as well as by the traditional finite difference method. Both approximate solutions of the example problems are compared graphically with the exact solution.
Sugar epitopes as potential universal disease transmission blocking targets

One promising method to prevent vector-borne diseases is through the use of transmission blocking vaccines (TBVs). However, developing several anti-pathogen TBVs may be impractical. In this study, we have identified a conserved candidate carbohydrate target in the midguts of several Arthropod vectors. A screen of the novel GlycoChip glycan array found that the anti-carbohydrate malaria transmission blocking monoclonal antibody (MG96) preferentially recognized D-mannose (alpha) and the type II lactosamine disaccharide. The specificity for D-mannose was confirmed by competition ELISA using alpha-methyl mannoside as inhibitor. Con A, which identifies terminal mannose residues, did not inhibit MG96 reactivity with mosquito midgut lysates, suggesting that Con A has differential recognition of this monosaccharide. However, the jack bean lectin, Jacalin, which recognizes D-mannose (alpha), d-galactose (alpha/beta) and the T antigen, not only displays a similar banding profile to that recognized by MG96 on immunoblot but was also shown to effectively inhibit MG96. Wheat-germ agglutinin, which recognizes N-acetyllactosamine units, only partially inhibited MG96 reactivity. This highlights the contribution of both glycan moieties to the MG96 epitope or glycotope. Enzyme deglycosylation results suggest that MG96 recognizes a mannose alpha1-6 substitution on an O-linked oligosaccharide. Taken together, the data suggest that MG96 recognizes a discontinuous glycotope composed of Manalpha1-6 proximal to Galbeta1-4GlcNAc-alpha-O-R glycans on arthropod vector midguts. As such, these glycotopes may represent potential transmission blocking vaccine targets for a wide range of vector-borne pathogens.