cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Dynamic MR perfusion and proton MR spectroscopic imaging in sturge-weber syndrome: Correlation with neurological symptoms

Purpose To investigate physiological alterations in Sturge-Weber syndrome (SWS) using MR perfusion imaging (PWI) and proton spectroscopic imaging (MRSI), and their association with neurological status. Materials and Methods Six consecutive patients with a clinically established diagnosis of SWS underwent MRI using a 1.5 Tesla scanner. The protocol consisted of conventional anatomic scans, dynamic PWI, and multislice MRSI. A pediatric neurologist evaluated the neurological scores, and the imaging results were correlated with neurological scores using nonparametric correlation analysis. Results Two patients had classic neuroimaging findings of unilateral cerebral atrophy with corresponding leptomeningeal enhancement and hypoperfusion (prolonged mean transit time). Two patients had bilateral disease, and two had normal symmetric perfusion. Among clinical measures, the highest correlation was between hemiparesis index and hypoperfused tissue volume (Spearman's correlation coefficient, ρ = 0.943, P < 0.05). There was also a trend of correlation, although not statistically significant (P = 0.06), between the hemiparesis score and the NAA/Cr ratio in the mid to posterior centrum semiovale, lateral gray matter (GM), and splenium. Conclusion In SWS, PWI indicates cerebral hypoperfusion predominantly due to impaired venous drainage, with only the most severely affected regions in some patients also showing arterial perfusion deficiency. The extent and severity of the perfusion abnormality and neuronal loss/dysfunction reflect the severity of neurological symptoms and disability, and the highest correlation is found with the degree of hemiparesis. These parameters may be useful as quantitative measures of disease burden; however, further studies in larger number of patients (and with a more homogeneous age range) are required to confirm the preliminary findings reported here. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2006. © 2006 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Ascertaining causality in theory‐based evaluation

not merely an issue of relevance to academics; it deeply affects the lives of many stakeholder groups, whether they realize it or not. The attribution of causality to programs and other types of evaluand is a daunting challenge. However, there are a number of methods available, both traditional and nontraditional, that can help the practitioner address this issue. This chapter explores the relative strengths and weaknesses of program theory as a tool for inferring causality and makes two broad rec-
Quantum 1/f optimization of quantum sensing in spintronic, electro-optic, and nanodevices

Most quantum sensing is limited by fundamental 1/f noise, and is described by the author’s quantum 1/f noise theory. The present review paper summarizes this new aspect of quantum mechanics and displays its applications in spin valves and related devices, in the classical forms of infrared detectors, and in various other nanodevices, such as MEMs. In spintronic devices, the quantum 1/f effect causes macroscopic quantum fluctuations of the electronic spin flip rate. They translate into 1/f noise in the leakage current, given by the conventional quantum 1/f formula. In infrared detectors, the dark current exhibits similar quantum 1/f fluctuations that are present in the elementary cross sections and process rates that limit and determine the dark current. In n + -p junction infrared detectors, for instance, at low temperatures, these are mainly the recombination cross sections present in the space charge region and on the surface in the junction region. At higher temperatures, they are mainly the scattering cross sections in the diffusion tail in the p region. Conventional quantum 1/f effect in these scattering cross sections will be noticed as mobility fluctuations, and therefore also as 1/f fluctuations in the diffusion constant, causing again 1/f noise in the dark current.
SEC holds roundtable on securities lending/short selling

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to summarize and provide excerpts from a two‐day roundtable on securities lending and short selling hosted by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on September 29‐30, 2009.Design/methodology/approach – The paper provides summaries and participants' comments from two days of SEC commissioner's questions and panel discussions. Day one – securities lending: Panel 1 – overview of securities lending; Panel 2 – securities lending and investor protection concerns; Panel 3 – improving securities lending for the benefit of investors; Panel 4: the future of securities lending and potential regulatory solutions. Day two – short selling: Panel 1 – controls on “naked” short selling; Panel 2: making short sale disclosure more meaningful.Findings – Many pension and mutual funds view securities lending as an investment activity. Securities lenders see cash collateral as an important risk. FINRA and the SEC have considered the need for increased transparency and the possible ...
Direct observation of reptation at polymer interfaces

ALTHOUGH the diffusion of polymer chains in the liquid state can be described over long distances by classical diffusion laws, chain entanglements make a description of the short-range behaviour more complex. In the standard 'reptation' model1,2 the polymer chains are considered to move in a curvilinear manner along their own contours, exhibiting snake-like motion through the entangled sea of surrounding molecules. This model successfully explains many observations3–13, yet no direct evidence for reptative motion has been reported. Here we describe the observation of reptation of molecules across the interface between two types of partially deuterated polystyrene polymers. The time evolution of the hyd-rogen and deuterium profiles, determined by dynamic secondary-ion mass spectrometry, can be explained only on the basis of a reptation model. Our results demonstrate that, despite being inevit-ably simplified, the description of polymer diffusion in terms of reptation is essentially correct.
Errata: Computing the solid angle subtended by a planar figure

This PDF file contains the errata for “OE Vol. 50 Issue 05 Paper OE ERR-MAY2011-1” for OE Vol. 50 Issue 05
Communication efficiency in research and development

If communication in research and development is efficient, then the current cognitive situation in any specialty should fully reflect all available relevant information. Available evidence suggests that communication in R & D is not in that sense efficient, and a priori arguments seem to show that it could not be. But we try to show that the evidence and arguments are inconclusive, and that the question of efficiency is an open one. It is also one which information science has an interest in pursuing. © 1993 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Visualizing the spatial dynamics of student success

Abstract This study attempt to visualize the spatial patterns of selected academic attributes across college classroom space based on data from a map-embedded smart attendances and GIS visualizations. The academic attributes of 542 participants from Los Angeles Mission College (LAMC) in California were analyzed in a GIS platform. The spatial dynamics of student success revealed the distance decay effect on test scores, class participation, and class attendance. The visualization of class performance highlighted the spatial interdependence between seat location and academic attributes, which was validated by 145 sample students' perceived mental maps generated from the accompanying questionnaire survey. The replication of the visualization technique across different class sizes and courses could help educators identify seats for early intervention and micromanagement of classrooms.
Is dependent what we want to be? effects of incongruency

Abstract A paradigm shift within marketing has focused attention on the relational end of the exchange continuum where dependence justifies relationship behavior and drives outcomes. Previous research, however, ignores the possibility that attitudes toward dependence might also be responsible for relational and economic outcomes. We propose that the impact of adverse attitudes might be partially responsible for previous empirical results, contradicting the notion that parties respond favorably toward relationships and experience positive outcomes. Building on dependency theory, transactional cost analysis (TCA), and congruency theory, this study examines the influence attitudes toward dependence have on the ability of a channel member to work effectively under conditions where dependence exists. Results indicate that when dependence exists adverse attitudes toward dependence moderate the relationships between dependence and dealer satisfaction, and dependence and revenue generated from the relationship, but not necessarily in a negative fashion or under all dependent conditions.
Novel actions of estrogen to promote proliferation: integration of cytoplasmic and nuclear pathways.

Both steroids and growth factors stimulate proliferation of steroid-dependent tumor cells, and interaction between these signaling pathways occurs at several levels. Steroid receptors are classified as ligand-activated transcription factors, and steps by which they activate target gene transcription are well understood. Several steroid responses have now been functionally linked to other intracellular signaling pathways, including c-Src or tyrosine kinase receptors. Steroids such as 17β-estradiol (E2), via binding to cytoplasmic or membrane-associated receptors, were also shown to rapidly activate intracellular signaling cascades such as ERK, PI3K and STATs. These E2-stimulated phosphorylations can then contribute to altered tumor cell function. ER-positive breast cancer cells, in which proliferation is stimulated by E2 and suppressed by antiestrogens, have been of particular interest in dissecting nuclear and cytoplasmic roles of estrogen receptors (ER). In some cell contexts, ER interacts directly with the intracellular tyrosine kinase c-Src and other cytoplasmic signaling and adaptor molecules, such as Shc, PI3K, MNAR, and p130 Cas. Although the hierarchy among these associations is not known, it is clear that c-Src plays a fundamental role in both growth factor and E2-stimulated cell growth, and this may also require other growth factor receptors such as those for EGF or IGF-1. STAT transcription factors represent one pathway to integrate E2 cytoplasmic and nuclear signaling. STAT5 is phosphorylated in the cytoplasm at an activating tyrosine in response to E2 or EGF, and then is translocated to the nucleus to stimulate target gene transcription. E2 stimulates recruitment of STAT5 and ER to the promoter of several proliferative genes, and STAT5 knockdown prevents recruitment of either protein to these promoters. STAT5 activation by E2 in breast cancer cells requires c-Src and EGF receptor, and inhibition of c-Src or EGFR, or knockdown of STAT5, prevents E2 stimulation of several genes and breast cancer cell proliferation. Hyperactivation of the growth factor receptor-c-Src pathway can in some contexts decrease growth responses to E2, or render cells and tumors resistant to suppressive actions of endocrine therapies. Crosstalk between growth factors and steroids in both the cytoplasm and nucleus may thus have a profound impact on complex biological processes such as cell growth, and may play a significant role in the treatment of steroid-dependent breast cancers.
Territory and classroom management: An exploratory case study *

One major problem in using token programs in the public school setting is that it is often difficult to identify reinforcers which naturally occur within the classroom setting and maintain their reinforcing properties. The present study offers a novel alternative to the token approach by using territory as a reinforcer within the classroom. A teacher in a suburban elementary school experienced considerable difficulty in controlling her class (N=24). Using a multiple baseline approach the intervention program included two phases, the first to control out of seat behavior, and the second, inappropriate verbalizations. A one square yard area was marked off around each student's desk with heavy tape, and subjects were then allowed to select an area to be seated, and to name their “territory”. During phase I, subject violations of clearly communicated rules regarding out of seat resulted in an immediate 20-min loss of territory. During this period, the student was seated in a desk chair at the side of the room (“No Man's Land”) which was not defined by taped boundaries. While out of seat behavior immediately declined, inappropriate verbal behavior remained at baseline levels. When occupation of subjects territory was made contingent upon following rules for verbal behavior, inappropriate verbalizations showed a marked decrement.
Structure Sensitivity of Vibrational Spectra of Mesoporous Silica SBA-15 and Pt/SBA-15

The vibrational properties of mesoporous silica (SBA-15) were investigated by deep ultraviolet (UV) Raman and infrared spectroscopies with and without the presence of platinum nanoparticles in the mesopores that were incorporated by sonication. Raman and IR spectral line assignments were made by comparison to amorphous silicas. This procedure permitted identification of vibrations of longitudinal (LO) and transverse (TO) optical lattice modes, the presence of Si−OH, and vibrational modes associated with the presence of three-, four-, and six-membered siloxane rings. Hydraulic pressing of the mesoporous silica with pressure in the range 3−7 tons cm-2 destroys the X-ray diffraction pattern and strongly decreases the Raman peak (D2) associated with three-membered rings at the surface. In the presence of platinum nanoparticles in the silica mesopores, a peak attributed to a Pt−O stretching vibration appears at between 530 and 580 cm-1 in the UV−Raman spectrum, which can be used to monitor the presence of the ...
Sequential expectancies and decision making in a changing environment: an electrophysiological approach.

This experiment addressed two questions. First, we sought to determine how sequential expectancies, as indexed by the amplitude of P300, are formulated when subjects are presented with a series in which the event probabilities are continuously changing. Second, we wanted to determine the effect on P300 amplitude of seeking information prior to a decision when the decisions are required at random intervals. Eight subjects were presented with a Bernoulli series of high and low tones in which the event probabilities reversed at random intervals. Thus, while the event probabilities were either .33 or .67 over short segments of the series, they were .50 over each trial block. The subject's task was to count the number of low-pitched tones. In two separate conditions (“Unknown” and “Known”) the subjects received different information about the series. In the Unknown condition, the subjects were not informed of the reversals in stimulus probability and were only told that the events were equally probable. In the Known condition, the subjects were informed of the probability reversals and, in addition to the counting task, were asked to detect the probability reversals. The trials were divided into two categories: “transition” and “stable.” The transition trials were those that occurred between the actual probability reversal and the subject's reported detections. The stable trials were all those not included in the transition category. The data from the stable trials revealed that, in most cases, subjects generated their expectancies, as indexed by the amplitude of P300, in an identical manner during both conditions. Accurate knowledge of the stimulus probabilities did, however, influence the amplitude of P300 for events that were preceded by sequences of stimuli that occur only rarely at each level of probability. These data suggest that the mechanism responsible for generating sequential expectancies is largely automatic. Certain aspects of this mechanism are, however, modulated by the subject's knowledge of the parameters of the series. The data from the transition trials revealed that, in the Unknown condition, the subjects’ assignments of subjective probabilities, as indexed by the amplitude of P300, adapted rapidly to meet the new sequence-generating rules following the probability transitions. In contrast, during the Known condition, the amplitude of the P300 and Slow Wave components steadily increased, as the decision point approached, to levels well above those in the Unknown condition. By the first trial following the decision, this enhancement in P300 and Slow Wave activity was no longer evident. These results are discussed in terms of a descriptive model of the subjects’ decision making behavior.
Weight function calculations for mixedmode fracture problems with the virtual crack extension technique

Abstract An efficient finite element method is presented for calculating the stress intensity factors ( K I and K II ) and the weight functions for mixed-mode cracks with one virtual crack extension. The computational efficiency is enhanced through the use of singular elements and the application of colinear virtual crack extension (VCE) technique to symmetric mesh in cracktip neighborhood. This symmetric mesh in crack-tip vicinity permits the analytical separation of strain energy release rate into G I for Mode I and G II for Mode II for the mixed fracture problems with the colinear virtual crack extension. Rice's displacement derivative representation of weight function vector for symmetric crack has been extended to the mixed fracture mode at nodal location ( x i , y i ) with crack length ( a ) and inclination angle (β) as h I(II) (x i , y i , a, β) = ( H 2K I(II) (∂U I(II) (x i , y i , a, β/∂a) . This equation permits explicit determination of weight functions for the entire structure of a given asymmetric crack geometry with colinear VCE technique. The explicit weight functions for mixed fracture mode depend strongly on the constraint conditions. The method of obtaining the required stress intensity factors of a given asymmetric crack geometry, from the weight function concept under the selected constraint conditions, which are different from constraint conditions used in the available weight functions for the same crack geometry, is also presented in this paper. This is accomplished by combining the predetermined explicit weight functions with the self-equilibrium forces at their application locations. These self-equilibrium forces include both the applied surface tractions and the reaction forces induced from the constraint conditions.
Effect of Screening on Shot Noise in Diffusive Mesoscopic Conductors

Shot noise in diffusive mesoscopic conductors, at finite observation frequencies $\ensuremath{\omega}$ (comparable to the reciprocal Thouless time ${\ensuremath{\tau}}_{T}^{\ensuremath{-}1}$), is analyzed with an account of screening. At low frequencies, the well-known result ${S}_{I}(\ensuremath{\omega})\phantom{\rule{0ex}{0ex}}=\phantom{\rule{0ex}{0ex}}2\mathrm{eI}/3$ is recovered. This result is valid at arbitrary $\ensuremath{\omega}{\ensuremath{\tau}}_{T}$ for wide conductors longer than the screening length. However, at least for two very different systems, namely, wide and short conductors, and thin conductors over a close ground plane, noise approaches a different fundamental level, ${S}_{I}(\ensuremath{\omega})\phantom{\rule{0ex}{0ex}}=\phantom{\rule{0ex}{0ex}}eI$, at $\ensuremath{\omega}{\ensuremath{\tau}}_{T}\ensuremath{\gg}1$.
Association of double-stranded RNA with whitefly-mediated silvering in squash

A disorder of unknown aetiology appearing as silvering on squash (Cucurbita pepo) leaves has become prevalent in south Florida. Typical symptoms, observed after 2 weeks of exposure to adults of Bemisia tabaci, the sweet potato whitefly (SPWF) include vein clearing followed by silvering of whole leaves. Fruits from affected plants are blanched or streaked longitudinally. The silverleaf syndrome was not mechanically transmissible when crude extracts of symptomatic leaves were used as inoculum. Two sizes of double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) of c. 4.6 and 4.2 kilobase pairs (kbp) were consistently observed in leaf extracts of caged, whitefly-infested, symptomatic plants. In contrast, caged plants not exposed to whiteflies showed no symptoms and contained no detectable dsRN A. In addition, squash plants exposed to SPWF colonies from California neither developed silverleaf symptoms nor contained any dsRNA. Double-stranded RNA could also be readily detected in whitefly-infested yellow summer squash and zucchini from the field. However, asymptomatic eggplant and watermelon infested with SPWF from nearby fields did not contain detectable dsRNA. Dot-spot hybridization assays using an RNA-specific probe detected homologous sequences in both adults and nymphs of SPWF that induced silverleaf symptoms but not in adults and nymphs of SPWF that could not induce silverleaf symptoms. These results, along with the non-endogenous nature of the detected dsRNA suggest that the dsRNA is or is associated with the causal agent of whitefly-mediated leaf silvering in squash.
Transition to shear-driven turbulence in Couette-Taylor flow.

Turbulent flow between concentric cylinders is studied in experiments for Reynolds numbers 800R1.23\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}${10}^{6}$ for a system with radius ratio \ensuremath{\eta}=0.7246. Despite predictions for the torque scaling as a power law of the Reynolds number, high-precision torque measurements reveal no Reynolds-number range with a fixed power law. A well-defined nonhysteretic transition at R=1.3\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}${10}^{4}$ is marked by a change in the Reynolds-number dependence of the torque. Flow quantities such as the axial turbulent diffusivity, the time scales asociated with the fluctuations of the wall shear stress, and the root-mean-square fluctuations of the wall shear stress and its time derivative are all shown to be simply related to the global torque measurements. Above the transition, the torque measurements and observed time scales indicate a close correspondence between this closed-flow system and open-wall--bounded-shear flows such as pipe flow, duct flow, and flow over a flat plate.
Choosing application development tools and techniques

Many different tools and techniques for assisting application system development are available today, but there is no good method available for choosing the proper ones to use in a particular application. This paper presents a fivefold classification of application systems and the tools and techniques most suitable for each class. Characteristics of each class of applications are explained, and methods of using this analysis to select application development tools and techniques are discussed.
Plastic deformation and interfacial sliding in Al and Cu thin film: Si substrate systems due to thermal cycling

As a result of the large difference in thermal expansion coefficients between metal and Si, high stresses can develop in thin metallic films attached to Si substrates in microelectronic devices during thermal excursions experienced in processing steps or during usage. These stresses may induce plastic deformation of the thin films accompanied by creep and interfacial sliding, and have a pronounced effect on the reliability of microelectronic devices and components. Even though various methods have been proposed to study thermal stress, methodologies for studying plastic deformation of thin films are not well established. Here, we report the results of a study of plastic deformation and interfacial sliding of thin Al and Cu films on Si substrates during thermal cycling. Cross-sectional profiles of pattern-grown Al and Cu films of nominally 250 nm thickness were measured before and after thermal cycling by employing an atomic force microscope. Through statistical analysis, the size changes of the thin films induced by thermal cycling were determined. Finite element (FE) analyses were conducted to compute the stress and strain states within the thin film and at the interface, and the results were utilized to interpret the atomic force microscopy (AFM) observations. Experiments revealed that, following thermal cycling, Al films expanded relative to the Si substrate, whereas Cu films shrank, resulting in an alteration of the film-footprint on the substrate in both cases. Based on the FE calculations, this was attributed to net inelastic deformation of the thin films via creep and yielding, with the deformation being accommodated at the interface by diffusion-controlled interfacial sliding.
Impact of latent heat release on polar climate

[1] In this study we use model output from a range of coupled climate models, as well as, focused AGCM experiments to support the hypothesis that in a warmer climate increased moisture availability will cause a warming of the Polar Regions through increased dynamical heat transports. Projections of climate change due to increased greenhouse gases predict significant warming of the Polar Regions. This change in polar temperatures has been primarily attributed to ice-albedo feedbacks. However, in this study we show that in our AGCM experiments the temporal and spatial coherence between developing extratropical cyclones and latent heat release causes a greater than 2°C warming of the poles.
Unsupervised Transcription of Piano Music

We present a new probabilistic model for transcribing piano music from audio to a symbolic form. Our model reflects the process by which discrete musical events give rise to acoustic signals that are then superimposed to produce the observed data. As a result, the inference procedure for our model naturally resolves the source separation problem introduced by the the piano's polyphony. In order to adapt to the properties of a new instrument or acoustic environment being transcribed, we learn recording-specific spectral profiles and temporal envelopes in an unsupervised fashion. Our system outperforms the best published approaches on a standard piano transcription task, achieving a 10.6% relative gain in note onset F1 on real piano audio.
Social Work Roles in Law Reform Litigation

THE LIBERAL reform potential of the U.S. Supreme Court has ended. If that ending was not dramatically ap parent in the Burger Court years, it became abundantly clear with the Rehn quist Court's 1989 decisions on abortion and civil rights. The current Court is con servative and prepared to be activist. The demise of the Court's reform potential, however, does not eliminate reform litigation as a tool of social change. Reform potential remains in state courts, as exemplified by recent cases such as a Massachusetts decision creating new welfare rights for homeless people (Massachusetts Coalition for the Homeless v. Secretary of Human Services, 1987) or a New York case that treated a surviving gay life partner as a family member under the state's recent rent control laws (Braschi v. Stahl Associates, 1989). Lawyer and nonlawyer activists alike must recognize and employ this subsidiary weapon in the larger arsenal of reform tools. This article introduces social workers to litigation law reform and then cata logs social work roles in such reforms. Lawyers, of course, dominate courtroom activity, but sophisticated litigation reform efforts depend on a variety of nonlawyer contributions. Using one major litigation campaign, the welfare campaign of the 1960s, this article illus trates such contributions.
Improving visualization interactivity in Java

An ongoing challenge for visualization researchers is to create tightly coupled dynamic query interfaces that response quickly and smoothly to user interaction, regardless of the amount of data or the complexity of the display. Our solution is to follow a simple philosophy: during user activity, maintain the quality of visual context at the expense of visual content by reducing the impact of expensive visualization operations on interactivity. Our interactive visualization strategy splits finite computational resources by giving the user interface whatever resources it needs to maintain interactivity, and giving the data system whatever remains; user interface optimizations increase resources left for the data system, and data system optimizations make the best use of leftover resources. In this paper we describe three techniques that implement this strategy. First, we use a family of techniques called throttling to moderate the execution of queries and renders. Second, we improve refresh speed by elimination several unnecessary, graphically-intensive operations. Third, we preprocess and render data into bitmaps using an asynchronous imaging engine. Using these techniques, we have increased the speed and smoothness of interface navigation in our visualization framework even during expensive query and render operations.© (2000) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Derivatives of Sugar Compounds Provide Anti-Aging Effects

The alpha-hydroxyacids (AHAs) have developed into a major ingredient technology for anti-aging and adjunctive therapeutic skincare over the past decade. Polyhydroxy acids (PHAs) evolved from AHA technology, offering similar anti-aging benefits as AHAs, with reduced sensory irritation and discomfort on sensitive skin. Recent trends in skincare have embraced 'non-acid' technology, while still demanding the beneficial effects on skin that have been achieved with the use of AHAs. One new approach in the development of novel ingredient technology utilizes sugar (saccharide) derivatives and naturally occurring aminosugar derivatives to provide anti-aging effects to skin. N-acetylglucosamine is one new compound that is being investigated for use in skin care. Clinical study results with this compound reveal significant anti-aging benefits to skin, including skin plumping and skin smoothing effects. In addition, it is well tolerated on skin. N-acetylglucosamine is a novel, naturally-derived, 'non-acid' ingredient with many potential future applications in cosmetic and therapeutic skin care.
Radial solutions to a p-laplacian dirichlet problem

We examine the radial solutions of the Dirichlet problem the unit ball in we show that this problem has infinitely many solutions - one with each prescribed number of nodes.
Yugoslavia’s Open-Door Policy and Global Tourism in the 1950s and 1960s

In post-Stalin Eastern Europe, international tourism occupied a paradoxical position. For practical and ideological reasons, socialist states continued to implement stringent passport regimes and s...
Synthesis and evaluation of a redox chemical delivery system for brain-enhanced dopamine containing an activated carbamate-type ester.

A chemical delivery system (CDS) for enhanced delivery of dopamine to brain tissue, based on a dihydropyridine pyridinium salt redox system, was modified to include an activated carbamate ester. The dihydronicotinate moiety was chemically attached to the amino group of dopamine (DA) by acylation with chloroethyl chloroformate, followed by condensation with sodium nicotinate under mild conditions. The product was selectively N-alkylated at the pyridine ring and subjected to regioselective reduction to the corresponding 1,4-dihydropyridine derivative, DA-CDSac. In vitro stability of the new compound was studied in phosphate buffers at mild acidic, physiological, and mild alkaline pH values. Oxidation studies showed facile conversion of the dihydronicotinate, DA-CDSac, is readily converted to the corresponding quaternary salt, both chemically and enzymatically. In vivo studies in rats did not detect sustained increases in brain levels of the quaternary salt after i.v. dosing with DA-CDSac. However, the new CDS appeared to change spontaneous locomotor activity in rats after i.v. administration which may be due to altered central DA neuronal activity.
Cyclic AMP Enhancement of Depolarization‐Induced NAD(P)H Changes in Brain Cortical Slices

: The increased levels of NAD(P)H effected by electrical depolarization are markedly augmented in the presence of cyclic AMP, isoproterenol, or RO 20–1724, agents known to elevate cyclic AMP in rat brain slices. The data presented indicate that the cyclic AMP effect on an important component of intermediate metabolism is not an enhancement of a basal response but a separate response that is activated by depolarization, is Ca2+–dependent, regulates cytochrome a-a3 independently of its effects on NAD(P)H levels, and is dependent on a substrate other than glucose.
Oscillations of a Rotating Liquid Drop

The effect of rotation on the oscillation frequencies of a liquid drop is investigated under the assumptions that the drop is imbedded in a fluid of the same or different density and that the interface between drop and fluid is acted on by constant surface tension. While rotation influences the oscillations through both Coriolis force and the centrifugal distortion of the drop, only the former is important for nonaxisymmetric oscillations in first approximation, causing the predicted splitting of the frequency for the two modes that differ in circular polarization sign with respect to the axis of rotation. In axisymmetric oscillations, the centrifugal distortion and the Coriolis force combine to increase frequency in the cases where drop density exceeds that of the fluid.
Patches as better bug reports

Tools and analyses that find bugs in software are becoming increasingly prevalent. However, even after the potential false alarms raised by such tools are dealt with, many real reported errors may go unfixed. In such cases the programmers have judged the benefit of fixing the bug to be less than the time cost of understanding and fixing it.The true utility of a bug-finding tool lies not in the number of bugs it finds but in the number of bugs it causes to be fixed.Analyses that find safety-policy violations typically give error reports as annotated backtraces or counterexamples. We propose that bug reports additionally contain a specially-constructed patch describing an example way in which the program could be modified to avoid the reported policy violation. Programmers viewing the analysis output can use such patches as guides, starting points, or as an additional way of understanding what went wrong.We present an algorithm for automatically constructing such patches given model-checking and policy information typically already produced by most such analyses. We are not aware of any previous automatic techniques for generating patches in response to safety policy violations. Our patches can suggest additional code not present in the original program, and can thus help to explain bugs related to missing program elements. In addition, our patches do not introduce any new violations of the given safety policy.To evaluate our method we performed a software engineering experiment, applying our algorithm to over 70 bug reports produced by two off-the-shelf bug-finding tools running on large Java programs. Bug reports also accompanied by patches were three times as likely to be addressed as standard bug reports.This work represents an early step toward developing new ways to report bugs and to make it easier for programmers to fix them. Even a minor increase in our ability to fix bugs would be a great increase for the quality of software.
A novel and in situ technique for the quantitative detection of MTBE and benzene degrading bacteria in contaminated matrices

A novel and in situ technique is presented here as a better alternative to culture-dependent and PCR-based techniques for the quantitative detection of predominant bacterial species involved in the bioremediation of contaminants. It allowed rapid, specific and in situ identification of Biosep®-immobilized eubacteria from MTBE- and benzene-contaminated matrices.
Pituitary neurologic surgery: a unique subspecialty in evolution.

ABSTRACT Objective To review the evolving approaches to surgical management of pituitary tumors during the past century, which may predict future directions. Methods We undertook a retrospective review of selected literature published during the past century and report the trends in the treatment of pituitary tumors. Results Harvey Cushing’s extraordinary influence on American neurosurgery and remarkably successful pituitary surgical series were the foundation for the development of a highly subspecialized neurosurgical operative field. Continued evolution in the treatment of pituitary tumors has been historically based on the following: (1) the development of exogenous cortisone and vasopressin; (2) the development of high-voltage and nuclear radiation therapy; (3) the experience gained from total hypophysectomy for “endocrine” driven malignant lesions and diabetic retinopathy; (4) the development of the image intensifier and television intraoperative fluoroscopic control; (5) the use of endoscopes in pituitary surgical procedures; (6) the application of the operating microscope to transsphenoidal approaches; (7) the development of the imaging modalities of computed tomographic scanning and subsequent magnetic resonance imaging; and (8) the concepts surrounding “minimally invasive” surgical techniques. Conclusion The pituitary surgical techniques of today have evolved primarily because of extraordinary past accomplishments. The approaches used continue to maximize tumor resection and preserve functioning pituitary tissue. New intraoperative imaging techniques will forge the future of the field of pituitary neurosurgery, and the expected outcomes will be improved surgical success and lower perioperative morbidity. (Endocr Pract. 2002;8:356-361)
The footprints of Saharan air layer and lightning on the formation of tropical depressions over the eastern Atlantic Ocean

The roles of the Saharan Air Layer (SAL) and lightning during genesis of Tropical Depression (TD) 8 (2006) and TD 12 (2010) were investigated in relation to the interaction of the dust outbreaks with each system and their surrounding environment. This study applied data collected from the 2006 NASA African Monsoon Multidisciplinary Analysis and 2010 Genesis and Rapid Intensification Processes projects. Satellite observations from METEOSAT and Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS)—Aerosol Optical Depth (AOD) were also employed for the study of the dust content. Lightning activity data from the Met Office Arrival Time Difference (ATD) system were used as another parameter to correlate moist convective overturning and a sign of cyclone formation. The AOD and lightning analysis for TD 8 demonstrated the time-lag connection through their positive contribution to TC-genesis. TD 12 developed without strong dust outbreak, but with lower wind shear (2 m s−1) and an organized Mesoscale Convective System (MCS). Overall, the results from the combination of various data analyses in this study support the fact that both systems developed under either strong or weak dust conditions. From these two cases, the location (i.e., the target area) of strong versus weak dust outbreaks, in association with lightning, were essential interactions that impacted TC-genesis. While our dust footprints hypothesis applied under strong dust conditions (i.e., TD 8), other factors (e.g., vertical wind shear, pre-existing vortex and trough location, thermodynamics) need to be evaluated as well. The results from this study suggest that the SAL is not a determining factor that affects the formation of tropical cyclones (i.e., TD 8 and TD 12).
Impact of Copper Limitation on Expression and Function of Multicopper Oxidases (Ferroxidases)

Copper is an essential trace element whose recommended intake is met by most North American diets. However, incidence of new cases of secondary copper deficiency is rising due to complications of gastric bypass surgery and high zinc exposure. Patients frequently are ataxic and anemic. Anemia of copper deficiency was first described in the 19th century, but the underlying biochemistry remains unknown. Approximately one dozen cuproenzymes have been characterized in mammals. Four of these are referred to as multicopper oxidases (MCO) due to their copper binding geometries. They have iron oxidase activity (ferroxidase). These include the hepatic secreted protein ceruloplasmin representing ∼90% of plasma copper, a splice-variant of ceruloplasmin originally characterized in brain linked by glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI) to membranes, an intestinal enriched MCO named hephaestin, and newly described MCO in placenta called zyklopen. Limitation in available copper appears to limit function of the MCO group exhibited as impaired iron flux due to the copper requirement of MCO for their ferroxidase activity. Dietary copper deficiency is associated with lower levels of ceruloplasmin, GPI-ceruloplasmin, and hephaestin. Limitation of copper does not appear to limit synthesis of MCO but rather their stability and turnover. However, there appears to be a disconnect between limitation in MCO function and anemia, because humans and mice missing ceruloplasmin are not anemic despite hepatic iron overload and hypoferremia. Furthermore, anemic copper-deficient mammals are not improved by iron replacement. This suggests that the anemia of copper deficiency is not caused by iron limitation but rather impairment in iron utilization.
Introduction: Social Organization of Demographic Responses to Disaster: Studying Population—Environment Interactions in the Case of Hurricane Katrina

This article introduces a special issue of Organization & Environment that uses the historic case of Hurricane Katrina to investigate the social organization of demographic responses to disaster. It begins by establishing natural disasters as a dramatic form of human interaction with the environment. It then goes on to advance a novel framework for understanding the different population movements triggered by such interaction in the context of broader organizational failures. These population movements include unequal resettlement of the disaster zone by former residents, prolonged displacement in other locales, and arrival of a new recovery labor force perceived as socially different from formerly established populations. Respective articles on the social organization of these different population movements are previewed and connections with allied subfields are discussed.
Rescue of Maturation-Defective Flock House Virus Infectivity with Noninfectious, Mature, Viruslike Particles

The infectivity of flock house virus (FHV) requires autocatalytic maturation cleavage of the capsid protein at residue 363, liberating the C-terminal 44-residue γ peptides, which remain associated with the particle. In vitro studies previously demonstrated that the amphipathic, helical portion (amino acids 364 to 385) of γ is membrane active, suggesting a role for γ in RNA membrane translocation during infection. Here we show that the infectivity of a maturation-defective mutant of FHV can be restored by viruslike particles that lack the genome but undergo maturation cleavage. We propose that the colocalization of the two defective particle types in an entry compartment allows the restoration of infectivity by γ.
Basic science of articular cartilage injury and repair

Abstract Although cartilage tissue is surprisingly resilient in response to compression and shear, it also is remarkably durable. However, once damaged, the cartilage has limited or no ability to heal and often undergoes degenerative pathological changes. Complete understanding of the mechanisms and natural history of cartilage injuries, and the healing and regeneration of injured cartilage is lacking. In this article, we will discuss articular cartilage damage, healing mechanisms, and current experimental and clinical techniques to promote healing of damaged cartilage. Although a few successful clinical outcomes have been reported, current surgical treatments are widely believed to have a limited ability to completely restore the characteristics of hyaline cartilage. Nonetheless, recent experimental studies have shown that the successful repair of a clinically significant articular cartilage injury may be possible. Therapies could include a combination of growth factors, cell technologies, and allograft transplantation. Further study is needed to develop these techniques and define their clinical value.
Nearest neighbor search methods for handshape recognition

Gestures are an important modality for human-machine communication, and robust gesture recognition can be an important component of intelligent homes and assistive environments in general. An important aspect of gestures is handshape. Handshapes can hold important information about the meaning of a gesture, for example in sign languages, or about the intent of an action, for example in manipulative gestures or in virtual reality interfaces. At the same time, recognizing handshape can be a very challenging task, because the same handshape can look very different in different images, depending on the 3D orientation of the hand and the viewpoint of the camera. In this paper we examine a database approach for handshape classification, whereby a large database of tens of thousands of images is used to represent the wide variability of handshape appearance. Efficient and accurate indexing methods are important in such a database approach, to ensure that the system can match every incoming image to the large number of database images at interactive times. In this paper we examine the use of embedding-based and hash table-based indexing methods for handshape recognition, and we experimentally compare these two approaches on the task of recognizing 20 handshapes commonly used in American Sign Language (ASL).
Time course of adult castration-induced changes in soma size of motoneurons in the rat spinal nucleus of the bulbocavernosus

The spinal nucleus of the bulbocavernosus (SNB) innervates striated muscles, the bulbocavernosus and levator ani (BC/LA), which control penile reflexes. Castration results in shrinkage in the size of SNB somata and dendrites, as well as BC/LA muscle mass. However, there is no information about how quickly these regressive changes occur compared to the rapid effects of castration upon penile reflexes, which are greatly diminished a few days after surgery. Therefore we examined the time course of change in the size of SNB somata after castration of adult male rats. Males were sacrificed 2, 14, or 28 days after either castration or sham surgery and somata were measured in the SNB and in a control population of motoneurons, the retrodorsolateral nucleus (RDLN). BC/LA weight was reduced in castrates compared to intact males 14 and 28 days post surgery, but SNB somata were significantly smaller in castrates only at 28 days after surgery. As has been previously observed, castration did not affect soma size in the RDLN. These data indicate that SNB somata respond more slowly after castration than BC/LA mass or penile reflexes, suggesting that the size of SNB somata cannot account for the loss of penile reflexes. Androgenic effects on SNB somata may contribute to aspects of reproductive behavior that are not apparent in penile reflexes tested ex copula.
Political correctness, selection bias, and the NCAA Basketball tournament.

Allegations of selection bias toward the major conferences and teams with committee representation have previously been levied on the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Basketball tournament selection committee. We illustrate the source of this bias is political correctness. When using the computer ranking of Ratings Percentage Index (RPI), which uses only wins and losses in its analysis, bias in the selection process seems evident. No bias is revealed when the Sagarin “Predictor” rating is substituted for RPI. The Sagarin “Predictor” rating uses margin of victory and results compared to expectations in its analysis; the selection committee appears to use the same factors when determining at-large bids.