cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Following the herd.

The ability to digest lactose into adulthood is a recently evolved trait that has risen to high frequency in some human populations, coincident with the introduction of cattle domestication. A new study shows that variants responsible for this trait arose independently in Europeans and Africans, providing a striking example of convergent evolution.
On the number of factors

A proposed criterion for the number of factors is developed on the basis of the similarity between a factorial residual and the partial correlation coefficient; something is known concerning the sampling error of the latter. Instead of computing the residuals as partials, a formula is presented for adjusting the standard deviation of the distribution of residuals so as to approximate the S.D. of the residuals as partial correlations. The criterion requires that factors be extracted until the adjusted S.D. reaches or falls below 1/√N. When tried out on six samples drawn from six universes of known factorial description, the criterion indicated the correct number of factors each time. The requisites of situations adequate for such empirical checks are discussed.
Climatic urban design: configuring the urban fabric to support daylighting, passive cooling, and solar heating

Access to site-based energy resources is a pre-requisite for natural lighting, solar heating, and natural ventilation in buildings. This paper describes design methods and proposals developed for the City of Chattanooga, Tennessee, USA, to simultaneously address access to daylight, solar radiation and wind for as many buildings as possible in the urban core. The study area is the entire downtown district. Results include specific design proposals as part of the city’s Downtown Plan along with portable design patterns that may be employed in other cities. The organization of buildings, streets and open spaces in higher density areas can either preserve or block access to sun, wind, and light resources. I developed a composite technique, ‘Climatic Envelopes,’ which regulates the shape of buildings on a block or site for the purpose of protecting access to both daylight from the sky and direct radiation from sun. It combines the ‘Daylight Envelope’ with the ‘Solar Envelope’. This technique was applied to the existing pattern of blocks and buildings in the downtown core. Results show that existing buildings were not designed to consider other sites’ rights to light and sun. My team developed building configurations that satisfy the criteria for composite climatic envelopes and follow several design patterns for daylighting, while maximizing development potential. The resulting calculated floor area ratio for the proposed pattern was twice the existing density. The team developed proposals for modifications to cool the city by creating additional shade, channeling winds to bring ventilation to more buildings, and working with the existing topography, resulting in a ‘Downtown Cooling Plan.’
Computer control technology - past, present and probable future

This survey paper reviews the field of computer control from its inception in the late 1950s to the present and note the trends in hardware, software and applications, Based on this it projects present trends in these areas to predict the foreseeable fu ture of the field. In particular the present very strong trends toward distributed and hierarchical control systems based on microprocessors and recent developments in communications techniques is followed. In the software area the probable effect of the new ADA language is discussed along with the developments in specific problem and applications oriented languages.
The management of the burned child.

The need to admit an average o f 540 children each year with moderate to severe degree bum injuries has led to the development of an effective treatment programme in a 30-bed special care ward at the Red Cross War Memorial Children’s Hospital, Rondebosch. These numbers highlight the extensive problem facing the community in the prevention of such injuries, and in finding a way to safeguard children against trauma that can disfigure or handicap them for life.
Stable deformations in large metallic clusters.

Only a relatively small number of metallic clusters exhibit a stable spherical shape. We show that the majority of such clusters tend to acquire a deformed shape, in order to minimise the fluctuating part of the total energy, due to the bunching of the single particle electronic levels in a confined geometry. We have found also that there is a large number of low lying shape isomers. Often the deformation energy surface develops rather wide shallow pockets and such clusters are particularly easy to deform. As a function of the electron number the cluster ground state deformations and isomer energies show some remarkable regularities
Spectroscopic Imaging Scanning Tunneling Microscopy as a Probe of Orbital Structures and Ordering

Unlike charge and spin, the orbital degree of freedom of electrons in transition metal oxides is difficult to detect. We present a theoretical study of a new detection method in metallic orbitally active systems by analyzing the quasiparticle scattering interference (QPI) pattern of the spectroscopic imaging scanning tunneling spectroscopy, which is sensitive to orbital structures and orbital ordering. The QPIs for the ${d}_{xz}$ and ${d}_{yz}$-orbital bands in the ${t}_{2g}$-orbital systems show a characteristic stripelike feature as a consequence of their quasi-one-dimensional nature, which is robust against orbital hybridization. With the occurrence of orbital ordering proposed in ${\mathrm{Sr}}_{3}{\mathrm{Ru}}_{2}{\mathrm{O}}_{7}$ and iron pnictides, the stripelike QPI patterns exhibit nematic distortion breaking the ${C}_{4}$ symmetry.
2008 Special Issue: The Emergent neural modeling system

Emergent (http://grey.colorado.edu/emergent) is a powerful tool for the simulation of biologically plausible, complex neural systems that was released in August 2007. Inheriting decades of research and experience in network algorithms and modeling principles from its predecessors, PDP++ and PDP, Emergent has been redesigned as an efficient workspace for academic research and an engaging, easy-to-navigate environment for students. The system provides a modern and intuitive interface for programming and visualization centered around hierarchical, tree-based navigation and drag-and-drop reorganization. Emergent contains familiar, high-level simulation constructs such as Layers and Projections, a wide variety of algorithms, general-purpose data handling and analysis facilities and an integrated virtual environment for developing closed-loop cognitive agents. For students, the traditional role of a textbook has been enhanced by wikis embedded in every project that serve to explain, document, and help newcomers engage the interface and step through models using familiar hyperlinks. For advanced users, the software is easily extensible in all respects via runtime plugins, has a powerful shell with an integrated debugger, and a scripting language that is fully symmetric with the interface. Emergent strikes a balance between detailed, computationally expensive spiking neuron models and abstract, Bayesian or symbolic systems. This middle level of detail allows for the rapid development and successful execution of complex cognitive models while maintaining biological plausibility.
The Army Dietitian's Role in Humanitarian Assistance

Abstract LEARNING OUTCOME: Describe the roles the Army dietitian can provide in support of military medical nation assistance programs. Regional crises and conflicts present the predominant threat to US national security for the future. Peacetime engagement, as a guiding foreign policy is a coordinated effort of political, economic, and military assistance promoting stability throughout the world. Nation assistance, conducted by the US, provides one conduit to foster stability, deter conflict and protect national interests. As other nations pursue their national objectives, the US can actively engage them by utilizing military assistance. Military medical efforts can be a cost effective strategy to achieve peacetime engagement through nation assistance. Army dietitian's have been involved in humanitarian aid and nation assistance activities since 1959 when a dietitian deployed to Peru to instruct and supervise the training of Peruvian food service personnel in a newly constructed hospital. More recent examples, include the assessment of nutritional operations in hospitals and coordination of food donations in Haiti, nutritional assessment and feeding of Chinese refugees in Kwajalein and disaster relief feeding in Saint Thomas after Hurricane Marilyn. A historical review examines the professional capabilities and unique contributions made by this allied health specialty. Trained in the areas of food service management and sanitation as well as clinical nutrition, the Army dietitian is a versatile resource in assessing the nutritional status of local populations, implementing food service relief efforts, and teaching proper food safety and sanitation to the local populace. The Army dietitian can positively influence the development of the host nation's medical infrastructure through nutritional support, general preventive medicine, and medical education and training. The most cost effective nation assistance activities in the future will require further refinement of operational concepts, innovative policies and proactive programs promoting an expanded role for Army dietitians.
A Comparative Analysis of Low-Level Radio Frequency Interference in SMOS and Aquarius Microwave Radiometer Measurements

Measurements of both the Soil Moisture and Ocean Salinity (SMOS) and Aquarius L-band microwave radiometers show a significant presence of radio frequency interference (RFI), although they operate in a protected frequency band where transmission is prohibited. RFI detection and mitigation remain a challenging problem for both missions, especially for low or moderate (i.e., on the order of 10 K or less) amplitude contributions. An algorithm for low-level source detection and mitigation is already included in Aquarius data sets, and both Aquarius and SMOS have distinct attributes that can potentially enable further improvements in detection and mitigation of these sources to some degree. The combination of SMOS and Aquarius data sets may enable further future improvements as well. Initial efforts toward this goal are reported in this paper. Similarities and differences in RFI effects on SMOS and Aquarius are examined, with a particular focus on instrument properties that cause differences in received RFI power in SMOS and Aquarius observations of a specific source. A study is also performed of SMOS observations for regions reported by Aquarius to contain “low-level” RFI. It is shown that the detection of these sources in the SMOS data set is challenging and that the dependence of the SMOS third and fourth Stokes parameters on incidence angle makes the polarimetric features of SMOS difficult to utilize for low-level source detection. However, an angular fitting procedure suggested previously in the literature can, in some cases, detect such sources in horizontal and vertical polarizations.
New concepts in antimicrobial therapy for emergency department infections

This state-of-the art review addresses advances in the understanding of infectious disease management that have practical implications for emergency care. The associations of decreased mortality and shorter length of hospital stay with the timely administration of antimicrobial agents for various types of serious infections underscore the importance of emergency department diagnosis and management. Treatment of patients presenting with infectious diseases to the ED continues to present challenges because of emerging bacterial resistance, the introduction of new antimicrobial drugs, and greater emphasis on cost-effectiveness and outpatient care. The emergence of drug-resistant Streptococcus pneumoniae has resulted in changes to empirical therapy for various respiratory tract infections and meningitis. Higher doses of amoxicillin are recommended for treatment of children with acute otitis media, fluoroquinolones with enhanced pneumococcal activity are new treatment options for adults with community-acquired pneumonia, and vancomycin is now added to a third-generation cephalosporin for treatment suspected bacterial meningitis in infants and adults. Recently recognized resistance of uropathogenic Escherichia coli to trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole will lead to greater reliance on fluoroquinolones for nonpregnant women with urinary tract infection. The need for expensive in-hospital care for many presumed serious infectious presentations is increasingly questioned. Low-risk groups have been identified among patients with pneumonia, pyelonephritis, pelvic inflammatory disease, and fever and neutropenia who may be managed as outpatients. In the future, we will see the introduction of protein-conjugate pneumococcal vaccine for young children, new antimicrobial agents with enhanced activity against increasingly resistant gram-positive bacteria, and further efforts to limit antimicorbial treatment to patients with diagnoses clearly associated with benefit from these agents so as to forestall further development of bacterial resistance.
GHz Near-IR Optical Parametric Amplifier using a Hydrogenated Amorphous Silicon Waveguide

We demonstrate for the first time optical parametric amplification operating at a GHz rate in near-IR using hydrogenated amorphous silicon waveguides. The strong gain at this repetition rate shows its potential for telecommunication applications.
Continued visual field progression in eyes with prior visual field progression in patients with open-angle glaucoma.

PURPOSE To evaluate continued visual field (VF) progression in eyes with prior VF progression from open-angle glaucoma, using event-based criteria. METHODS Retrospective observational case series of 70 eyes (70 patients) with open-angle glaucoma, treated for at least 2 years, that had earlier shown 1 step of VF progression. Further VF progression required a worsening of 3 adjacent points at the same location on 2 consecutive VF tests. Potential risk factors for continued progression were evaluated. RESULTS The mean follow-up was 127±43 months. Thirty-seven eyes (55%) continued to progress. At 5, 10, and 15 years after the initial VF, the Kaplan-Meier estimate of the risk of developing 2 steps of progression was 18%, 53%, and 71%. A shorter time to the first step of progression was significantly associated with further progression (P<0.001), as was slope of the VF mean deviation (P<0.001) and pattern standard deviation (P=0.041). Eyes with further progression had higher mean IOP after the first step of progression (P=0.026). Among 37 eyes with 2 steps of progression, the estimate of the risk of progressing further was 32% at 10 years after the initial VF. CONCLUSION Eyes with a relatively shorter time to initial VF progression from open-angle glaucoma are likely to continue to progress over long-term follow-up. More aggressive treatment in such eyes might reduce the likelihood of further VF progression.
A Preliminary Investigation of Radiative Heat Exchange Between the Ocean and the Atmosphere.

Abstract Quantitative estimates of the exchange of heat by radiation between the earth's surface and the atmosphere have been provided for the North Atlantic region during a representative winter season (1956–57). The evacuations were made with the aid of Elsasser's radiation chart. The primary data used were the soundings of the ocean weather stations and Bermuda and Azores. Though the network of stations is rather open, the broad aspects of the pattern stand out with clarity. In particular, this is true of the configurations associated with the mobile cyclones in various stage of development, the meridional variation and the influences due to the distribution of continents and oceans. The divergence of the vertical radiative flux of heat was evaluated at all stations, and it was found that the locations of the main Ion by the atmosphere are situated at about 800 mb and in the upper part of the troposphere.
Robert Abbe: early American brachytherapist.

Abstract Purpose To assess Robert Abbe's career and contributions to brachytherapy, in the context of the work of contemporary European and American investigators. Methods and Materials Examination of his lectures and journal articles, as well as contemporaneous newspaper accounts, textbooks, and archival material. Results Although not the first American to apply radium therapeutically, Robert Abbe was among the earliest to acquire and systematically use a clinically significant quantity. He replicated early European experimental and clinical work, and published a large series of cases treated with generally favorable results. Abbe was the first American to emphasize the role of radiobiology in optimizing therapeutic ratio. His eloquence and stature helped legitimize the new therapeutic modality. Conclusions Robert Abbe was probably the nation's most influential early brachytherapist.
Growth characteristics of ascitic tumor cells in the heparinized peritoneal cavity of the mouse.

Summary and conclusions1. In a large proportion of Swiss Albino mice which had received 3 daily intraperitoneal injections of heparin (25 or 50 units) immediately before inoculation of Krebs-2 ascites tumor, the amount of ascitic fluid and its concentration of tumor cells were consistently and significantly lower than in controls. 2. Macroscopically visible implantation of ascitic cells from the fluid into the peritoneum was considerably reduced and sometimes completely absent in overwhelming majority of heparinized mice (Series II). 3. An additional injection of heparin (twenty-four hours after inoculation) increased these effects (Series III) while heparinization given entirely after inoculation (Series I) induced only wide fluctuations in the extent of ascites tumor growth. 4. Accordingly, inhibition of implantation was considered to be the primary and direct effect of heparinization, which may account for reduction of the amount of ascitic fluid and of its concentration of tumor cells as secondary eff...
Preparation of Bovine Immunoglobulins and Free Secretory Component and Their Specific Antisera

Abstract The preparation of bovine IgG1, IgG2, IgM, secretory IgA and free secretory component is described. The methods require a minimum of equipment and utilize four basic procedures: precipitation, electrophoresis, gel filtration, and DEAE chromatography. The electrophoretic and immunochemical techniques described for assaying the purity of the various preparations are sensitive and those utilizing radial or immunodiffusion are inexpensive. The immunoelectrophoretic and disc electrophoretic patterns for each preparation are diagnostic and highly reproducible. Methods are described for the preparation of monospecific antisera against each preparation and a polyvalent antiserum against bovine immunoglobulins. In addition, the presence of 7 S IgM in bovine serum, and proteolytic digestion fragments and aggregates of IgG in whey, are described. The occurrence of these immunoglobulin units helps to explain the complicated immunoelectrophoretic patterns often observed in bovine body fluids and also the multiple ring phenomena obtained during radial diffusion assay for immunoglobulins in the cow.
CCK-octapeptide injected in CSF decreases meal size and daily food intake in sheep.

Cholecystokinin octapeptide (CCK-OP) is a potent and specific suppressor of feeding when administered as a continuous lateral cerebral ventricular injection in fasted sheep, and we have proposed that endogenous CCK-OP in the brain is released during meals and acts to terminate feeding. In previous studies, however, only relatively short-term effects of CCK-OP on feeding were examined. In the first experiment of the present series sheep were adapted to a 6-hr feeding period per day. CCK-OP injected continuously for 6 hr into the lateral ventricles reduced feeding during the entire feeding period (809 ± 72 g, sham; 695 ± 71 g, carrier; 505 ± 69 g, CCK-OP; p<0.05). In addition mean feed intake for the two days (injection + first post injection day) was significantly reduced by CCK-OP; thus with CCK-OP, sheep did not compensate by the day after injection for the decreased feed intake on injection day. In a second experiment CCK-OP was injected into the lateral ventricles only during four consecutive 15 min meals 2 hours apart. With a dose of 0.159 pmoles/min CCK-OP, size of the second meal was reduced, but with 0.638 pmoles/min CCK-OP feeding during each of the first two meals was reduced and cumulative intake for the four meals was decreased. These results indicate that CCK-OP administered centrally can have long-term effects on feeding, and under appropriate conditions, could result in negative energy balance.
Glioneuronal tumor with neuropil-like islands.

Mixed glioneuronal neoplasms are relatively uncommon tumors in the central nervous system. Recently, an unusual glioneuronal tumor arising in adults marked histologically by neuropil-like islands was described. We present a similar case arising in a 23-year-old woman who presented with headaches and seizures and on imaging studies was noted to have a frontal-temporal lobe mass. The patient underwent partial resection of the tumor, which histologically resembled anaplastic astrocytoma, and received a course of radiation therapy and chemotherapy. Increasing seizure frequency and expanding size on neuroimaging prompted a re-excision of the tumor. The second resection was marked by islands of tissue resembling gray matter with slightly atypical neuronal and glial cells situated in the white matter. These islands stained positively with synaptophysin and did not stain with glial fibrillary acid protein. Mild vascular proliferation and moderate nuclear pleomorphism also characterized the tumor. Areas of necrosis were not noted. A M1B-1 labeling index of 18.1% was noted. P53 inununoreactivity was observed in approximately 40% of tumor cell nuclei. This lesion is felt to represent a clinically aggressive glioneuronal neoplasm with an unusual and distinctive histologic phenotype.
Effect of rapid curing procedures on polymer implant materials

This investigation of standard curing methods for PMMA implants has demonstrated that alternate means of using the air oven may produce good strength properties along with a considerable degree of porosity, when desired, in a relatively short period of time. Curing of polymers in a pressure pot offers few advantages owing to the length of time required to produce, at best, equivalent strength for the porous materials. The method also poses dangers inherent in the use of superheated salt solution or hot glycerin. The autoclave is widely used in dental offices for sterilizing and will fully and consistently cure polymers within 30 minutes. The best properties for the PMMA resin were achieved with this method (61 MPa or 9,130 p.s.i., tensile strength). The microwave oven has become relatively inexpensive in recent years, and it offers time savings of up to 90 per cent which would be beneficial in implant dentistry or in dental laboratory procedures in general. The exact condition for curing particular polymers must be carefully determined to adjust the time of irradiation in order not to under- or overcure the polymer object. Curing polymers which contain intrinsic foaming agents under pressure conditions slightly reduced the total pore volume. But, pore volume and pore diameter in the large-bead polymers are determined predominantly by packing conditions, not curing conditions. Biologic tolerance to materials cured by these methods in primates is presently being evaluated.
Catecholamine metabolism of a ganglioneuroma: correlation with electronmicrographs.

Extract: Studies of the catecholamine metabolism in a patient having a functional ganglioneuroma are reported. Biochemical determinations of catecholamines and metabolites were correlated with histo-chemical and electron microscopic examination of the tumor. Increased urinary excretion of 3-methoxy-4-hydroxy mandelic acid, homovanillic acid, and dopamine was found prior to excision of the tumor. There was no significant increase in excretion of normetanephrine-metanephrine or of norepinephrine-epinephrine. Concentration of norepinephrine and epinephrine in the tumor tissue was 0.095 mg/g. This concentration is greater than that found in neuroblastomas, but less than that found in pheochromocytomas. Normetanephrine-metanephrine was detected in the tumor tissue, indicating degradation of norepinephrine by catechol-O-methyl transferase. Computed turnover of norepinephrine in the tumor tissue was 6.85 hours. Catecholamines were present within heavy mitochondrial fractions prepared from tumor tissue; the spontaneous release of norepinephrine into the suspending medium was determined during incubation under standard conditions. The data indicate that rapid turnover of norepinephrine was not related to accelerated spontaneous release from catecholamine granules. Electron microscopic examination revealed ganglion cells and a complex neuropil. Dense core vesicles were present in many of the neural processes and in ganglion cells. Synaptic junctions between neural processes and between neural processes and ganglion cells were seen. Nerve bundles containing neural processes were present. There was wide variation in the cross sectional diameter of the processes. The number of Type I dense core vesicles of this ganglioneuroma were decreased in comparison with those found in pheochromocytomas and increased in relation to neuroblastomas. Speculation: The synapse-like areas of membrane specialization observed in this tumor may have been part of the mechanism by which differentiation of the ganglion cells was directed. The high rate of turnover of catecholamines does not seem to be dependent upon an increased rate of spontaneous release of catecholamines from isolated secretory vesicles.
A Simplified Analytical Model for a Current-Fed Force-Commutated Converter

The current-fed force-commutated converter (CFFCC) has recently received considerable attention in the electric drives area. It may also have future power conversion applications in electric utility systems. In order to facilitate the study of CFFCC systems a simplified converter model is developed and investigated in this paper. The simplified model is a quasi-steady-state representation based on an average value and fundamental frequency formulation of the circuit equations. Comparisons with exact circuit solutions and a detailed analog computer simulation demonstrate the validity of the simplified model under steady-state and transient conditions.
A study of the influence of experimentally induced hypothyroidism on antibody production and decay rates.

The effect of hypothyroidism induced by intravenous injections of I/sup 131/ on antibody production, the anamnestic response, and on antibody decay rate, compared to normal animals, was studied in 63 rabbits. After initial antigenic stimulation, normal animals reached a higher peak titer on an average of 5 days earlier than hypothyroid animals. Antibody half-life in these animals, as measured by time for antibody concentration to fall 50% from peak titer, was 11.4 days in normal compared to 21.3 days in hypothyroid animals. Following a second antigenic stimulation, normal rabbits reached a peak titer in an average of 6.4 days compared to 15 days for hypothyroid animals. The half-life for both groups was measured by determining the rate of disappearance of passively infused antibody. The half-life, thus measured, in normals was 2.4 plus or minus 0.2 days and was 8.8 plus or minus 1.9 days for hypothyroid animals. The time required for serum-tissue equilibration of infused antibody in normals was 1.0 plus or minus 0.00 days compared to 2.3 plus or minus 1.5 days in hypothyroid animals. (auth)
γ′ Fibrinogen: Evaluation of a New Assay for Study of Associations with Cardiovascular Disease

Background: Studies of disease associations with γ′ fibrinogen, a newly emerging risk factor for cardiovascular disease, have been hampered by the lack of a standardized and well-characterized assay. Methods: We developed an immunometric technique to measure γ′ fibrinogen concentrations in plasma and studied the clinical utility of this test in samples from healthy individuals enrolled in the Framingham Offspring Study and in a separate case/control study of coronary artery disease (CAD). Monoclonal antibody 2.G2.H9, specific for the unique carboxyl terminal peptide of the fibrinogen γ′ chain, was used as capture antibody. Sheep antihuman fibrinogen/horseradish peroxidase conjugate was used for detection, with 3,3′,5,5′-tetramethylbenzidine as substrate. We evaluated the linearity, imprecision, analytical specificity, and lower limit of quantification of the assay. We determined the reference interval for γ′ fibrinogen in healthy individuals from the Framingham Offspring Study (n = 2879) and quantified associations between γ′ fibrinogen and cardiovascular disease risk factors. The sensitivity and specificity of γ′ fibrinogen in evaluating CAD patients (n = 133) was determined with ROC curve analysis. Results: The γ′ fibrinogen ELISA had within-run CVs of 13.4% at 0.127 g/L and 4.8% at 0.416 g/L. The limit of quantification at an imprecision of 20% was 0.10 g/L. The reference interval for healthy individuals was 0.088–0.551 g/L. ROC curve analysis of results from patients with CAD yielded an area under the curve of 0.76, with a diagnostic accuracy of 0.78 at a decision threshold of 0.30 g/L. Conclusions: γ′ Fibrinogen shows excellent utility for cardiovascular risk analysis.
Role of the human and murine cyclin T proteins in regulating HIV-1 tat-activation.

Human cyclin T1 markedly stimulates tat-activation in rodent cells which are normally poorly responsive to the effects of Tat. This result suggests that there are likely to be critical differences in the murine and human cyclin T1 proteins. Here, we analyzed the role of the murine and human cyclin T1 proteins in addition to the human cyclin T2a and T2b proteins on regulating tat-activation. Only the human cyclin T1 protein efficiently formed a complex with Tat bound to TAR RNA. This difference in function was due to the presence of a cysteine residue in human cyclin T1 at position 261 rather than a tyrosine or asparagine residue which are found in the murine cyclin T1 protein and the human cyclin T2a and T2b proteins, respectively. A mouse cyclin T1 protein containing a substitution of tyrosine residue 261 with a cysteine residue, was able to interact with Tat and stimulate tat-transactivation in rodent cells. Likewise, substitution of a cysteine residue for an asparagine residue at position 260 of the cyclin T2a and T2b proteins also resulted in their ability to interact with Tat and stimulate tat-activation in rodent cells. The data indicate that a specific residue in the cyclin T proteins is required for their in vitro interaction with Tat and their ability to stimulate in vivo tat-activation.
Biological Variation in the Heterogeneous Distribution of Haemoglobin F among Erythrocytes

Summary. The development of highly specific fluorescent labelled antibodies against haemoglobin F presented an opportunity to investigate variables which might influence distribution of this haemoglobin among individual erythrocytes. Earlier investigations revealed heterogeneous distribution within healthy individuals and in individuals with sickle cell disease and other haemoglobinopathies. The current study demonstrates quantitatively that there are normal biological determinants of variability in the frequency of F-containing erythrocytes in individuals who have a haemoglobin A electrophoretic phenotype. It also is shown that the frequency of F-containing erythrocytes during the early recovery phase of sickle cell crisis is significantly higher than when there is no recent history of crisis. The mean quantity of haemoglobin F per F-containing erythrocyte appears to be lower after a crisis than in individuals without recent history of crisis. This suggests that following a crisis there may either be biochemical constraints on haemoglobin F synthesis per erythrocyte precursor cell or else there is limited opportunity for selective removal of low F-containing erythrocytes from the circulation.
Automated robotic programming for products with changes

To achieve mass customization, a manufacturing system needs to accomplish a variety of manufacturing processes of different products for the same product family. One of the critical issues is to develop an automatic program for process planning, so that the required product variations can be tackled appropriately in the same manufacturing system. In the current paper, robotic motion planning for automatic coating process is investigated, the state of the art in this area is reviewed and a new methodology is proposed for path generation, trajectory planning and integrated system simulation.
Analysis and Solution of Hydrogen-Cooled Generator Hydrogen Purity Decline

In generators operation,the hydrogen purity is an important monitoring indictor. The change of thepurity affects unit safety operation directly. Hydrogen purity of one #10 generator unit dropquickly. Determining how to find the mainfactors is the main objective. Primarily, it was analyzed that the main reason of hydrogenpurity decrease was the air enter the sealingoil system. Though analyzing DCS history curve,as well as temperature detection test, channeling oil test, and checking thesystem pressure, finally there were two reasons, one isfill oil valve leakage fault, the two is the oil pressure difference of hydrogen side and airside in balance valve aretoo large, causing the oil channeling from air side to hydrogen side.
A Computer Vision Method for DeterminingLength of Cheese Shreds

A computer-vision based system was used to obtain images of shredded cheese. The images were processed by morphological transformation algorithms such as dilation and erosion to smooth the image edge contours. The smoothed image was skeletonized. Cheese shred lengths were determined from skeletonized images using syntactic methods. This method was successful in recognizing individual shreds even when shreds were touching or overlapping. Shred lengths calculated from the processed images compared very well with those measured manually.
The "obsessive" cosmetic surgery patient: a consideration of body image dissatisfaction and body dysmorphic disorder.

"Obsessive" cosmetic surgery patients often present as "hyper-focused" on their appearance. We may best be able to understand these patients through examining their thoughts and feelings about their body image. This paper reviews the relationship between physical appearance, body image dissatisfaction, and the pursuit of cosmetic surgery. An extreme form of body image dissatisfaction, Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD), which may characterize many "obsessive" patients, is also discussed. Recommendations for assessing patients' body image concerns include a comprehensive history as well as specific questions about appearance-related concerns.
Clustering of Sc on SWNT and Reduction of Hydrogen Uptake: Ab-Initio All-Electron Calculations

Energies and kinetic barriers associated with transition metal (Sc) clustering on a single-walled carbon nanotube (SWNT) and graphene were studied by the all-electron density functional method. The analysis shows that the binding energy of Sc atom on SWNT is highly sensitive to the tube diameter and chirality. The metal atoms clustering on common SWNT, with diameters ∼1−2 nm, is energetically favorable and kinetically permitted. Although well-separated, lone Sc atoms on SWNT can enhance the hydrogen storage capacity, their aggregation into clusters significantly reduces the hydrogen uptake; e.g., a Sc4 cluster has the same hydrogen uptake as a single Sc atom. Our analysis shows that, although indeed light transition metal decorated SWNT present potential material for the hydrogen storage, utter care should be taken to avoid the metal clustering on support material, to achieve and maintain higher hydrogen capacity.
Experimental flapping wing optimization and uncertainty quantification using limited samples

Flapping wing micro air vehicles are capable of hover and forward flight with high maneuverability. However, flapping wing flight is difficult to simulate accurately because it is a more complex phenomenon than fixed wing or rotorcraft flight. Consequently, the optimization of flapping wing behavior based on simulation is limited and, therefore, we have elected to optimize a wing experimentally. Specifically, we use experimental data to optimize the flapping wing structure for maximum thrust production in hover mode. We point out the similarities or otherwise between experimental optimization and the more common simulation-based optimization. Experimental optimization is hampered by noisy data, which is due to manufacturing variability and testing/measurement uncertainty in this study. These uncertainties must be reduced to an acceptable level and this requires their quantification. Therefore, improvements in manufacturing and testing procedures were implemented to reduce the noise. Another challenge is to limit the number of experiments for reducing time and cost. This is realized by using surrogates, or meta-models, to approximate the response (in this case, thrust) of the wing. In order to take into account the uncertainty, or noise, in the response, we use a Gaussian Process surrogate with noise and a 2nd order polynomial response surface. We apply a surrogate-based optimization algorithm called Efficient Global Optimization with different sampling criteria and multiple surrogates. This enables us to select multiple points per optimization cycle, which is especially useful in this case as it is more time efficient to manufacture multiple wings at once and this also serves as insurance against failed designs.
The role of calcium in the initiation of superoxide release from alveolar macrophages

The role of calcium in the release of superoxide anion (O2-) was examined in alveolar macrophages after stimulation with the soluble stimuli: concanavalin A (Con A), N-formyl methionyl phenylalanine (FMP), and the calcium ionophore. A23187. The release of O2- by Con A was unaffected over a wide range of extracellular calcium concentrations (20 microM to 3 mM), whereas increasing the extracellular calcium above 2 mM inhibited FMP-stimulated O2- release. In contrast, A23187 did not stimulate O2- release in calcium-free medium (less than or equal to 30 microM). The addition of EGTA (50 microM) to calcium-free medium had no effect on Con A stimulation of O2- release or FMP-stimulated O2- release. These results suggest that, for the three soluble stimuli, there are different roles for Ca+2 in the activation and transmission of stimulatory signals across the cell membrane. Con A- or FMP-stimulated calcium efflux from calcium-loaded cells in either calcium-free medium or 0.5 mM calcium-containing medium. In calcium-free medium, FMP transiently retarded 45Ca+2 uptake, while in 0.5 mM calcium-containing medium, FMP transiently stimulated 45Ca+2 uptake. For either Con A or FMP, calcium efflux preceded O2- release by 30-45 sec. Quinine, an agent that blocks membrane hyperpolarization in macrophages, completely blocked O2- release by concanavalin A or FMP and inhibited 45CA+2 efflux by 50% or more for both agents. These results support the hypothesis that redistribution of cellular Ca+2 is one of the initial steps leading to the release of O2-.
Vibrationally stimulated ionization of carbon monoxide in optical pumping experiments

Abstract Ionization in vibrationally excited CO is investigated. The carbon monoxide is excited by resonance absorption of CO laser radiation and subsequent vibration-vibration (V-V) pumping in an optical cell. Ionization involving CO molecules at high vibrational states occurs in the laser beam region. Thus, a non-self-sustained electric discharge (Thomson discharge), supported by the laser beam, is ignited between two plane electrodes placed in the cell. The applied voltage does not exceed the breakdown voltage for the cell gases. The measured discharge current is several microamperes. The discharge voltage-current characteristic satisfactory corresponds to the Thomson discharge theory. This allows measuring the ionization rate in the plasma with an accuracy of a factor of 2. The vibrational distribution function (VDF) of CO in the cell is measured by infrared emission spectroscopy. It is shown that the CO vibrational levels are strongly overpopulated up to level v =40. By adding helium to the CO-Ar mixture it is demonstrated that definite correlation exists between the discharge current and the high vibrational level populations. It is concluded that the ionization occurs in collisions of two vibrationally excited CO molecules. An ionization rate constant for this process of k i =(8±5)×10 −15 cm 3 /s is inferred from the VDF measurements. Since the Thomson discharge environment allows regulation of the electron concentration by changing the applied voltage, it becomes possible to investigate the influence of electrons on the VDF. The effect of vibration-to-electron (V-e) coupling is measured in the experiment for the first time. This property of the Thomson discharge makes it very promising for a thorough investigation of the interaction between electrons and highly vibrationally excited molecules.
English Presbyterians and the Scottish Disruption: The Legal Phase

The history of the great Disruption in the Scottish Church of a century ago has already been related in detail by various writers. Other students have described specific aspects. For instance, in a stimulating, thematic essay, Laski has outlined the political theory of the schism; from the vantage point of seventy-five years and the Baedeker of Figgis he saw the path of the Disruption more clearly than the seceders. This present paper, however, is concerned not with the Scottish phase or with Laski's pluralistic bias: it relates an English extension of the schism and suggests a few implications of that extension.
Portable temperate ice depth sounder radar (TIDSoR)

Glaciers in several parts of the world are reported to be retreating and thinning rapidly over the last decade. Radar instruments can be used to provide information on the internal and basal conditions of large and small ice masses. Radars operating in the lower part of the HF spectrum are required for sounding temperate glaciers. Also, low-frequency sounders are useful for measuring thickness of fast-flowing glaciers in Greenland and Antarctica. This is due to the composition, attenuation, and back-scattering from large pockets of water present in temperate ice. We are developing a dual-frequency temperate-ice-depth sounder radar (TIDSoR) for determining ice thickness and basal conditions. The most significant features of this novel sensor are its portability as well as its low-power consumption. The system operates at 7.7 MHz and 14.0 MHz with 1 MHz bandwidth and 20 W of output peak power. The radar will be installed in a small aircraft such a DCH-6 (Twin Otter) or carried in a backpack for surface-based measurements. In the first case, the radar will be supported by the airplane power supply and in its backpack configuration by a compact 12 VDC power supply. TIDSoR is expected to be deployed during the summer 2008 for surface-based observations. In this paper, we discuss our design considerations and current progress towards the development of this radar.
GLI1 genotypes do not predict basal cell carcinoma risk: a case control study

Background Susceptibility to basal cell carcinoma results from complex interactions between ultraviolet radiation exposure and genetic factors. The GLI1 oncogene is believed to play a role in the genesis of these tumors. We determined whether GLI1 polymorphisms were risk factors for developing basal cell carcinoma, either alone or in combination with patterns of past sun exposure, and whether there were functional differences among different GLI1 haplotypes.
Blunted neural response to rewards prospectively predicts depression in adolescent girls

The prevalence of depression increases substantially during adolescence. Several predictors of major depressive disorder have been established, but their predictive power is limited. In the current study, the feedback negativity (FN), an event-related potential component elicited by feedback indicating monetary gain versus loss, was recorded in 68 never-depressed adolescent girls. Over the following 2 years, 24% of participants developed a major depressive episode (MDE); illness onset was predicted by blunted FN at initial evaluation. Lower FN amplitude predicted more depressive symptoms during the follow-up period, even after controlling for neuroticism and depressive symptoms at baseline. This is the first prospective study to demonstrate a link between a neural measure of reward sensitivity and the first onset of an MDE. The current results suggest that low reward sensitivity may be an important factor in the development of depression.
Closed-Form Analysis of Equal-Gain Diversity in Wireless Radio Networks

This paper deals with the performance of predetection equal-gain combining (EGC) receivers operating over multipath fading plus cochannel interference (CCI) and additive white Gaussian noise channels. The desired components of the received signals are considered to experience independent but not-necessarily identically distributed Nakagami-m fading, while the interferers are subject to independent Rayleigh fading. The analysis is not only limited to equal average fading power interferers, but the case of interferers with distinct average powers is also examined. By following the coherent interference power calculation, novel closed-form expressions for the moments of the EGC output signal-to-interference-plus-noise ratio (SINR) are derived, which are being used to study the performance of the average output SINR. Furthermore, by assuming an interference-limited fading scenario, novel closed-form union performance bounds are derived. More specifically, tight upper bounds for the outage and average symbol error probability for several constant envelope modulation schemes, and lower bounds for the Shannon average spectral efficiency, are provided. Numerical results demonstrate the effect of the number of interferers, the number of the receiver branches, and the severity of fading on the EGC receiver performance. Computer simulations have been also performed to verify the tightness of the proposed bounds and the correctness of the mathematical analysis. It is shown that the performance of cellular radio systems in the uplink is degraded mainly from the first-tier CCI of the adjacent cells