cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Impacts of LCC growth on domestic traffic and fares at largest US airports

Abstract This paper examines the evolution of domestic origin-destination air traffic and fares at the top 200 airports in the US between 1990 and 2008, with a focus on the impacts of low-cost carrier entry and growth. By 2008, 95 of the airports had an aggregate low-cost carrier market share of domestic traffic greater than 20%, up from 27 airports in 1990. Their entry or substantial growth at US airports has had significant impacts on lowering average fares and stimulating passenger volumes. This market stimulation effect has, however, diminished in recent years, as the difference in average fares between carrier types has narrowed and as the number of additional US domestic origin-destination markets able to support their entry has dwindled.
Cyclic AMP-dependent melatonin production in Y79 human retinoblastoma cells.

: Melatonin is rhythmically synthesized in some vertebrate retinas and has been implicated in the regulation of key rhythmic events in the photoreceptor-pigment epithelial complex. In human retina, melatonin is present; however, no information exists on the cellular regulation of this hormone. We report here that the established human retinoblastoma cell line Y79 synthesizes and releases melatonin. Treatments that elevate cyclic AMP (cAMP) levels (forskolin, 8-Br-cAMP, and the phosphodiesterase inhibitor 3-isobutyl-1 -meth-ylxanthine) all stimulate melatonin release from static cultures of Y79 cells. Other 8-bromo nucleotide analogues (cyclic GMP, ATP, and AMP) are not effective. These results suggest that Y79 human retinoblastoma cells require a cAMP-dependent mechanism for melatonin biosynthesis similar to that described previously in other vertebrates. This is the first demonstration of melatonin release from a cultured human cell line. These results support the idea that human retinal cells share homologies with pineal cells, as suggested by the condition trilateral retinoblastoma.
ASYMPTOTIC APPROXIMATION AND FIRST-ORDER CORRECTION OF COUPLED-MODE EQUATIONS

A reformulation of the asymptotic solution of the coupledmode equations with a periodic variation of the refractive index along the propagation length is presented. A first-order correction using the asymptotic solution and Piccard’s method are also determined. It is found that the first-order solution compares very well with the numerical solution throughout a wide range of coupling parameters. The key differences between the method presented here and elsewhere reside in the derivation of the asymptotic solution as well as in the carefull derivation of the higher order corrections.
Application of the second-order moments of polarized hydrogen lines to the investigation of pressure broadening and the motional stark effect

We present direct applications of the previously investigated algebraic second-order moments of polarized hydrogen lines to the study of pressure broadening (by charged perturbers) and of the motional Stark effect. These problems are of relevant interest for the diagnostics of electric and magnetic fields in solar plasmas. Pressure broadening is investigated under the simple assumption that the charged perturbers produce an isotropic electric field following the Holtsmark distribution. The corresponding line width turns out to be a simple function of the transition levels. In the investigation of the motional Stark effect, it is assumed that the hydrogen atoms follow an isotropic, Maxwellian velocity distribution. It is found that the effect of the motional electric fields on the dispersion of the Stokes profiles is analogous to that of an effective magnetic field, B* = χB, where χ depends only on the transition levels and the plasma temperature, plus an additional line-dependent broadening mechanism that affects the intensity profile only.
Effects of Stress on Susceptibility of Naive Channel Catfish in Immersion Challenge with Edwardsiella ictaluri

Abstract The effects of stress on the susceptibility of fingerlings of channel catfish Ictalurus punctatus to Edwardsiella ictaluri during immersion challenges were evaluated. Channel catfish fingerlings were exposed to a standardized confinement stressor for 30 min. Infections were established in stressed and nonstressed channel catfish fingerlings by exposure to E. ictaluri under aerated static conditions for 24 or 48 h. Stress and increased time of static bacterial exposure significantly decreased the survival of channel catfish fingerlings after immersion challenge. This study established a relationship between a behavioral stressor (confinement) and increased susceptibility of channel catfish to E. ictaluri infection. From estimates ofexperimental error, a relationship between the precision of the challenge system and the number of replicate aquaria per treatment was established. This analysis indicated that the immersion challenge is associated with a high degree of variability, which limits the eff...
Ultraviolet- and short-wavelength cone contributions alter the early components of the ERG of young zebrafish

Abstract The electroretinogram (ERG) is a commonly used measure to examine retinal processing in both basic and clinical research. The purpose of this study was to determine the retinal mechanisms responsible for the developmental differences found in the zebrafish ERG waveform. The ERG of young zebrafish possesses a voltage-negative response to ultraviolet- and short-wavelength stimuli, but not to middle- and long-wavelength stimuli; the ERG of adult zebrafish does not possess this response component. ERGs were obtained from young zebrafish before and after the introduction of either aspartate, or a combination of APB ( dl -2-amino-4-phosphonobutyric acid) and PDA ( cis -2,3-piperidinedicarboxylic acid) in order to suppress the responses of various types of retinal neurons. Log irradiance versus response amplitude functions of the ERG response to 200-ms stimuli of various wavelengths at various times following stimulus onset (70 and 120 ms) was derived as well as spectral sensitivity. Aspartate eliminated all voltage-positive responses regardless of stimulus wavelength; irradiance–response functions following aspartate were similar to the early responses of young control fish to ultraviolet- and short-wavelength stimuli. APB + PDA produced similar but not identical results as aspartate, suggesting that the combination of these agents does not completely eliminate all post-receptoral contributions to the ERG. Spectral sensitivity functions derived from aspartate-exposed subjects at various time measurements were dominated by contributions from ultraviolet- and short-wavelength-sensitive cone types. These wavelength-dependent ERG responses are similar to those found in humans with enhanced S-cone syndrome. Finally, ERG waveform differences across stimulus wavelength suggest that the circuitry of ultraviolet- and short-wavelength cone types is different to that of middle- and long-wavelength cone types in young zebrafish.
The Occurrence Rate of Soft X-Ray Flares as a Function of Solar Activity

In this paper we investigate the occurrence rate of soft X-ray solar flares observed by the Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellites (GOES). The analysis includes all flares classified as equal to or brighter than A1 and covers the time period from 1993 November to 1995 July. We find a power-law relationship between the number of flares per hour and peak X-ray brightness in the 1-8 A range. The average power-law index for dN/dF, where N is the number of events per hour and F, the GOES flux, is about -1.88 ± 0.21. A similar result was found from previous work based on uncollimated GOES-type observations concerning flares brighter than about C2. This index is independent of the background flux level (which is related to the solar activity level) to within our statistical uncertainties. We obtain the FWHM distribution of flare lifetimes from our sample and find that the distribution is independent of X-ray brightness class. We extrapolate the soft X-ray flare occurrence rate obtained for the Sun to other very active solar-like stars.
Cooperative role of the MHR and the CA dimerization helix in the maturation of the functional retrovirus capsid

The second helix in the C-terminal domain of retroviral capsid (CA) protein functions as the site of dimerization between subunits in capsid assembly and is believed to participate in a unique interface between Gag molecules in immature particles. This study reports isolation of two substitutions in the dimerization helix of Rous sarcoma virus CA protein that have the ability to suppress lethal defects in core maturation imposed by alterations to the major homology region (MHR) motif just upstream. Together with two previously published suppressors, these define an extended region of the dimerization helix that is unlikely to contribute directly to CA-CA contacts but whose assembly-competence may be strongly affected by conformation. The broad-spectrum suppression and temperature-sensitivity exhibited by some mutants argues that they act through modulation of protein conformation. These findings provide important biological evidence in support of a significant conformational change involving the dimerization helix and the MHR during maturation.
Low-power system-on-chip acoustic localizer

We present the design of system-on-chip acoustic localizer chip that can be directly integrated with miniature MEMS microphone array. Continuous-time bandpass filtering and amplification at interface with microphone array enable low-power and small-form factor implementation. Time delays between acoustic signals observed over a planar geometry of four microphones are obtained by relating spatial and temporal differentials and estimated through mixed-signal least-square digital adaptation. Designed 3 mm×3 mm chip in 0.5 µm CMOS technology operates with estimated 150 µW power dissipation at 16 kHz sampling rate.
Laser scanning and multiple detection for video image processing

An object (12) is raster scanned with a small, localized beam of laser light (22) and the backscattered radiation therefrom is monitored by a plurality of detectors (44). Each of the detectors (44) monitors a different characteristic of the backscattered radiation and an arithmetic operation is performed on the output of the detectors to provide a single composite video signal with enhanced contrast.
Microbial studies of a selenium-contaminated mine site and potential for on-site remediation

Surface water Selenium (Se) concentrations are above regulatory standards at several active and inactive phosphate mine sites in the US Western Phosphate Resource Area. The focus of the present study was to examine the impacts of the microbial communities on the oxidation state of Se in overburden waste from the Smoky Canyon phosphate mine in Idaho, USA. Microbial populations were found that reduce soluble selenate (SeO (4) (2-) ) to insoluble elemental Se. Microcosm experiments were conducted for molecular genetic analysis of this microbial community by rRNA gene profiling. An acetone pretreatment step was developed to remove interfering pre-petroleum hydrocarbons from the samples prior to extraction. PCR was used to amplify 16S and 18S rRNA genes present in the microbial community DNA. The amplified products were subjected to denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE). Isolates and excised DGGE bands were amplified and sequenced for identification to determine the relative importance of culturable isolates to the total microbial population. Analysis of samples from different sites at the mine showed how Se contamination and previous remediation treatments changed the microbial populations across the site. Members of the family Enterobacteriaceae were dominant among the selenate reducing isolates from the site containing high Se levels. In particular, Serratia fonticola was isolated repeatedly from contaminated Smoky Canyon Mine site samples. Packed column studies were performed with seleniferous waste rock fractions from Smoky Canyon Mine. Column amendments consisted of combinations of iron, compost, and whey. Eh, pH, and extractable Se measurements were taken. Tests with infiltrated water showed columns containing an organic amendment combined with iron metal were the most resistant to Se leaching. Iron-based compounds from the corroding metal are thought to strongly bind the Se reduced by microbial activity, thereby stabilizing the Se in an insoluble form. We conclude that long-term stabilization of selenium at contaminated mine sites may require reductive microbial processes combined with abiotic immobilization by iron, either natural or engineered, to stabilize the Se and retard re-oxidation and release. Iron-selenide or iron-selenite compounds are more stable and resistant to leaching, especially when removed from active weathering.
Appropriating Mathematical Practices: A Case Study of Learning to Use and Explore Functions Through Interaction with a Tutor

This case study uses a sociocultural perspective and the concept of appropriation (Newman, Griffin and Cole, 1989; Rogoff, 1990) to describe how a student learned to work with linear functions. The analysis describes in detail the impact that interaction with a tutor had on a learner, how the learner appropriated goals, actions, perspectives, and meanings that are part of mathematical practices, and how the learner was active in transforming several of the goals that she appropriated. The paper describes how a learner appropriated two aspects of mathematical practices that are crucial for working with functions (Breidenbach, Dubinsky, Nichols and Hawks, 1992; Even, 1990; Moschkovich, Schoenfeld and Arcavi, 1993; Schwarz and Yerushalmy, 1992; Sfard, 1992): a perspective treating lines as objects and the action of connecting a line to its corresponding equation in the form y = mx + b. I use examples from the analysis of two tutoring sessions to illustrate how the tutor introduced three tasks (estimating y-intercepts, evaluating slopes, and exploring parameters) that reflect these two aspects of mathematical practices in this domain and describe how the student appropriated goals, actions, meanings, and perspectives for carrying out these tasks. I describe how appropriation functioned in terms of the focus of attention, the meaning for utterances, and the goals for these three tasks. I also examine how the learner did not merely repeat the goals the tutor introduced but actively transformed some of these goals.
Pedestrians, vehicles, and cell phones

With cellular phones and portable music players becoming a staple in everyday life, questions have arisen regarding the attentional deficits that might occur when such devices are used while performing other tasks. Here, we used a street-crossing task in an immersive virtual environment to test how this sort of divided attention affects pedestrian behavior when crossing a busy street. Thirty-six participants navigated through a series of unsigned intersections by walking on a manual treadmill in a virtual environment. While crossing, participants were undistracted, engaged in a hands free cell phone conversation, or listening to music on an iPod. Pedestrians were less likely to successfully cross the road when conversing on a cell phone than when listening to music, even though they took more time to initiate their crossing when conversing on a cell phone ( approximately 1.5s). This success rate difference was driven largely by failures to cross the road in the allotted trial time period (30s), suggesting that when conversing on a cell phone pedestrians are less likely to recognize and act on crossing opportunities.
Cloning and expression analysis of a human cDNA homologous to Xenopus TFIIIA

Abstract We report here the nucleotide sequence of a clone, C2H2-34.10 , isolated from a human brain cDNA library using degenerate oligodeoxyribonucleotide hybridization. C2H2-34.10 has extensive homology to the Xenopus laevis 5S DNA/ RNA-binding protein, TFIIIA. The deduced amino acid (aa) sequence of the human clone gives a protein of 363 aa with identity to TFIIIA from both X. laevis (57%) and Rana pipiens (59%). This human clone contains nine C2H2-type zinc fingers like frog TFIIIA. Northern blot analysis indicates that the C2H2-34.10 RNA is expressed in human ovary, as well as human neuronal cell lines.
Urinary desmosine, elastolysis, and lung disease.

Desmosine is an amino acid specific to elastin. Animal studies suggest that urinary desmosine (UD) represents endogenus elastin degradation. Therefore, UD has previously been used to investigate endogenous elastolysis, but was not elevated in subjects with chronic obstructive airways disease (COAD), although accelerated pulmonary elastolysis is thought to contribute to COAD. We have investigated whether this reflects large day-to-day and between-subject variation in UD and whether, in man, dietary desmosine contributes significantly to that in urine. Mean 24-hour UD output (over 5 consecutive days) from 10 asymptomatic subjects (5 males) was higher in males than females (77.4 ± 9.6 and 40.2 ± 5.0 nmol24 hours, respectively; mean ± SD, P < .001), but not significantly different when expressed in terms of creatinine (μg desmosine/100 mg creatinine: males, 2.5 ± 0.4; females, 3.1 ± 0.8; mean ± SD). The lowest between-subject variation was observed when the mean of 5 days' 24-hour UD values was analyzed on the basis of gender (coefficient of variation [CV], 12.5%); when gender was not considered, the least between-subject variation was found for the mean of 5 days' desmosine/creatinine analysis (CV, 24.5%). Approximately 1% of dietary desmosine (ingested as [3H]elastin and [3H] desmosine) was excreted in the urine within 24 hours, contributing approximately 15% of UD while on a normal diet. Although ingestion of a low elastin diet (< 110desmosine/24 hours than a normal diet) resulted in lower within-subject variation in 24-hour UD excretion (mean CV decreased from 31.5% to 20.2%), the between-subject CV and UD levels did not alter. In a pilot study of subjects with bacterial pneumonia developing (1) in a normal lung (n = 3; 7 days' urine), and (2) in chronic lung disease (n = 3; 7 days' urine), elevated 24-hour UD was observed in two subjects (μg desmosine/100 mg creatinine, 7.3 ± 0.75 and 6.5 ± 1.9; mean ± SD). In subjects with α1-proteinase inhibitor (α1PI) deficiency (n = 1, 18 days' urine; n = 11, 1 days' urine), only one 24-hour urine sample contained elevated μg desmosine/100 mg creatinine (5.44). Further studies are required on the use of UD as an index of in vivo elastolysis for clinical purposes.
Vicinal deuterium perturbations on hydrogen NMR chemical shifts in cyclohexanes.

The substitution of a deuterium for a hydrogen is known to perturb the NMR chemical shift of a neighboring hydrogen atom. The magnitude of such a perturbation may depend on the specifics of bonding and stereochemical relationships within a molecule. For deuterium-labeled cyclohexanes held in a chair conformation at −80 °C or lower, all four possible perturbations of H by D as H−C−C−H is changed to D−C−C−H have been determined experimentally, and the variations seen, ranging from 6.9 to 10.4 ppb, have been calculated from theory and computational methods. The predominant physical origins of the NMR chemical shift perturbations in deuterium-labeled cyclohexanes have been identified and quantified. The trends defined by the Δδ perturbation values obtained through spectroscopic experiments and by theory agree satisfactorily. They do not match the variations typically observed in vicinal JH−H coupling constants as a function of dihedral angles.
Equilibrium electro-deformation of a surfactant-laden viscous drop

We theoretically investigate the deformation of a viscous drop covered with non-diffusing insoluble surfactant under a uniform DC electric field. At equilibrium, surfactant immobilizes the spheroidal drop surface and completely suppresses the fluid flow. In this work we focus on the equilibrium electro-deformation of a surfactant-laden drop in the leaky dielectric framework by developing (1) a second-order small-deformation analysis and (2) a spheroidal model for a highly deformed (prolate or oblate) drop. Both models are compared against experimental data and numerical simulation results in the literature. Our analysis shows how the existence of equilibrium spheroidal drop depends on the permittivity ratio, conductivity ratio, surfactant coverage, and the elasticity number. Furthermore, the spheroidal model highlights that differences between surfactant effects, such as tip stretching and surface dilution effects, are greatly amplified at large surfactant coverage and high electric capillary number. These surfactant effects are well captured in the spheroidal model, but cannot be described in the second-order small-deformation theory.
Management of Hepatitis B: Summary of a Clinical Research Workshop

Chronic hepatitis B is caused by persistent infection with the hepatitis B virus (HBV), a unique DNA virus that replicates through an RNA intermediate produced from a stable covalently closed circular DNA molecule. Viral persistence appears to be due to inadequate innate and adaptive immune responses. Chronic infection has a variable course after several decades resulting in cirrhosis in up to one-third of patients and liver cancer in a proportion of those with cirrhosis. Sensitive assays for HBV DNA levels in serum have been developed that provide important insights into pathogenesis and natural history. Therapy of hepatitis B is evolving. Peginterferon induces long-term remissions in disease in one-third of patients with typical hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg) positive chronic hepatitis B, but a lesser proportion of those without HBeAg. Several oral nucleoside analogues with activity against HBV have been shown to be effective in suppressing viral levels and improving biochemical and histological features of disease in a high proportion of patients with and without HBeAg, at least in the short term. What is uncertain is which agent or combination of agents is most effective, how long therapy should last, and which criteria should be used to start, continue, switch or stop therapy. Long-term therapy with nucleoside analogues may be the most appropriate approach to treatment, but the expense and lack of data on long-term safety and efficacy make recommendations difficult. Clearly, many basic and clinical research challenges remain in defining optimal means of management of chronic hepatitis B.
Young Children's Self‐care and Independence Tasks: Applying Self‐Efficacy Theory

Social Psychologist, Albert Bandura, defines self‐efficacy as the individual's belief in his or her own ability to perform a behavior. Self‐efficacy for some self‐care and independence tasks occurs in an early stage of young children's development. As caregivers take more responsibility for young children they must be aware of the child's need to become self‐efficacious. Several self‐care and independence tasks are discussed in relation to self‐efficacy. Personal accomplishment is a key source of information for each child.
A theory for granular materials exhibiting normal stress effects based on Enskog's dense gas theory

Abstract Granular materials exhibit phenomena such as normal stress differences, which are typical of materials whose response is non-linear. For example, when a non-linearly elastic slab is sheared, its motion is not determined by the shear force but by the normal forces that manifest themselves due to the shearing (Poynting effect). Another example is a non-linear fluid which exhibits normal stress differences that lead to phenomena like “die-swell” or “rod-climbing,” which is again a manifestation of the stresses that develop orthogonal to planes of shear. In this paper, an expression for the stress tensor of a granular material that can exhibit normal-stress effects due to a solids fraction gradient is derived from both continuum and kinetic models. The continuum model motivates and develops the form of the stress tensor, but introduces undetermined coefficients. The kinetic model evaluates those coefficients using Enskog's dense gas theory. The dependence of the granular stress tensor on the solids fraction gradient arises by requiring that the correlating factor that links the two-particle distribution function to the two single-particle distribution functions be the contact value for the radial distribution function of a non-homogeneous, hard-sphere fluid. A representation for that contact value is found by developing the generalized van der Waals theory expression for a stress tensor element of a nonhomogeneous fluid (a fluid that exhibits a density gradient) in equilibrium, and comparing it to the exact expression. That representation of the contact value is introduced into the two-particle distribution function, and its contribution to the stress tensor is found. The resulting stress tensor expression is applied to a simple shear flow problem in which a linear, solids-fraction profile is transverse to the flow. The resulting normal-stress effects increase with the solids-fraction and its gradient.
Astrocytes in the Aged Rat Spinal Cord Fail to Increase GFAP mRNA Following Sciatic Nerve Axotomy

Aging in the brain is associated with specific changes in the astrocyte population. The present study establishes that similar changes occur in the aging spinal cord. The levels of glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) mRNA were significantly increased 0.4-fold in aged 8- to 17-month-old rats compared to young 2-month-old rats. The ability of astrocytes in the aging spinal cord to respond to a non-invasive CNS injury was compared to young rats 4 days following sciatic nerve axotomy. The level of GFAP mRNA was significantly increased 0.5-fold in the young rats in response to axotomy. In contrast, the level of GFAP mRNA in aged rats did not increase following injury above that present in non-axotomized rats of the same age.
A multivariate generalized ARCH approach to modeling risk premia in forward foreign exchange rate markets

Assuming that daily spot exchange rates follow a martingale process. we derive the implied time series process for the vector of 30-day forward rate forecast errors from using weekly data. The conditional second moment matrix of this vector is modeled as a multivariate generalized ARCH process. The estimated model is used to test the hypothesis that the risk premium is a linear function of the conditional variances and covariances as suggested by the standard asset pricing theory literature. Little support is found for this theory; instead lagged changes in the forward rate appear to be correlated with the ‘risk premium.’ This study examines spot and forward exchange rates at a weekly level for four different currencies. It is shown that the vector of forward market forecast errors can be parameterized as a vector moving average (MA) process where the MA coefficients can be theoretically determined from knowledge of the martingale behavior of exchange rates. The conditional covariance matrix is then estimated by assuming a multivariate GARCH structure which depends on a relatively small number of parameters. A range of LM tests confirms that the model provides an adequate description of the first- and second-order moments of the conditional density of the data. The vector MA process is then used to provide some bounds on the magnitude of the risk premium. Series of tests are also applied to the estimated model to test for the inclusion of terms that would be implied by a time varying risk premium. The results are not consistent with any standard model of asset pricing, but do provide evidence for the existence of this type of effect.
Crack healing of alumina with a residual glassy phase: strength, fracture toughness and fatigue

Abstract The crack-healing behavior of identation cracks and large precracks in 96 wt.% alumina was studied as a function of annealing temperature in air and inert environments. Crack healing occurred at annealing temperatures of 800 °C and above in both air and inert (argon) environments, indicating its cause as transport of existing material to the crack plane, and resulted in increased strength and fracture toughness. However, the resulting phase assemblage in the crack plane was susceptible to fatigue at room temperature in distilled water, as evidenced by a somewhat low fatigue parameter of N = 68. Furthermore, polished-and-annealed samples were more susceptible to fatigue at room temperature in air than as-polished samples.
Location Privacy in Sensor Networks Against a Global Eavesdropper

While many protocols for sensor network security provide confidentiality for the content of messages, contextual information usually remains exposed. Such information can be critical to the mission of the sensor network, such as the location of a target object in a monitoring application, and it is often important to protect this information as well as message content. There have been several recent studies on providing location privacy in sensor networks. However, these existing approaches assume a weak adversary model where the adversary sees only local network traffic. We first argue that a strong adversary model, the global eavesdropper, is often realistic in practice and can defeat existing techniques. We then formalize the location privacy issues under this strong adversary model and show how much communication overhead is needed for achieving a given level of privacy. We also propose two techniques that prevent the leakage of location information: periodic collection and source simulation. Periodic collection provides a high level of location privacy, while source simulation provides trade-offs between privacy, communication cost, and latency. Through analysis and simulation, we demonstrate that the proposed techniques are efficient and effective in protecting location information from the attacker.
Microsatellite DNA markers for the study of horseshoe crab (Limulus polyphemus) population structure

Twenty-two microsatellite DNA loci were identified and characterized for horseshoe crabs (Limulus polyphemus) collected from two Atlantic coast and one Gulf of Mexico site. These markers revealed a high degree of genetic diversity (8–35 alleles per locus), heterozygosity (25.0% to 100.0%), and allelic heterogeneity (69.8% of comparisons). Considerable regional differentiation was observed as genetic distances (chord) ranged between 0.25 and 0.45, and all FST values (0.014–0.092) were significant. These preliminary findings are consistent with patterns of regional differentiation observed using allozyme variation and contradictory to findings of limited gene flow reported for sequence variation at the mitochondrial DNA COI region.
Vasopressin receptor subtypes in dorsal hindbrain and renal medulla

We have investigated the ability of a series of synthetic vasopressin analogues and related peptides to compete with (3H)-arginine8 vasopressin for binding sites in rat renal medulla and dorsal hindbrain. In renal medulla, arginine8 vasopressin and deamino arginine8 vasopressin, a selective antidiuretic, were equipotent while two antagonists of the pressor action of arginine vasopressin were less potent. In the dorsal hindbrain, arginine8 vasopressin and the pressor antagonists were more potent than the synthetic antidiuretic. Potency profiles of these and other analogues suggest that the renal medulla and dorsal hindbrain vasopressin receptors represent different subtypes.
Use of approximation concepts in fuzzy design problems

Abstract This paper presents a fuzzy formulation for design problems. Design variables, as well as problem parameters are modeled as fuzzy numbers characterized by membership functions. An optimization approach and a formulation based on functional requirements on performance parameters are presented. In both cases, numerically efficient algorithms are required to evaluate system responses and their membership functions. Approximation concepts are introduced to develop an efficient numerical methodology in order to define high quality approximations for response functions and membership functions of system responses. Example problems are presented to illustrate and validate the use of approximations in the context of fuzzy design problems. Numerical results show the usefulness and effectiveness of the proposed method.
Cooperative production switchover coordination for the real-time order acceptance decision

This research addresses a cooperative production coordination method to maximise acceptance rates of customer orders. Accepting a new customer order may result in conflicts in generating or executing the production plans of given, committed orders. These conflicts can be prevented by adaptively modifying the production plans of the committed orders without violating their due dates. By switching the production priority rules of the committed orders, the production capacity can be extended during a specific time period, and this extended capacity can be considered to determine the acceptability of the new order. Demand and production capacity fluctuations have been examined for the validation of the proposed methods. The experimental results indicate that the proposed methods increase order acceptance and capacity utilisation rates by over 10–15% on average for variable order quantities and production capacities compared with fixed production methods. These results imply that the proposed methods are effic...
Peak power estimation of VLSI circuits: new peak power measures

New measures of peak power are proposed in the context of sequential circuits, and an efficient automatic procedure is presented to obtain very good lower bounds on these measures, as well as providing the actual input vectors that attain such bounds. Automatic generation of a functional vector loop for near-worst case power consumption is also attained. Experiments show that vector sequences generated give much more accurate estimates of peak power dissipation and are generated in significantly shorter execution times than estimates made from randomly generated sequences for four delay models.
Enforcing convexity for improved alignment with constrained local models

Constrained local models (CLMs) have recently demonstrated good performance in non-rigid object alignment/ tracking in comparison to leading holistic approaches (e.g., AAMs). A major problem hindering the development of CLMs further, for non-rigid object alignment/tracking, is how to jointly optimize the global warp update across all local search responses. Previous methods have either used general purpose optimizers (e.g., simplex methods) or graph based optimization techniques. Unfortunately, problems exist with both these approaches when applied to CLMs. In this paper, we propose a new approach for optimizing the global warp update in an efficient manner by enforcing convexity at each local patch response surface. Furthermore, we show that the classic Lucas-Kanade approach to gradient descent image alignment can be viewed as a special case of our proposed framework. Finally, we demonstrate that our approach receives improved performance for the task of non-rigid face alignment/tracking on the MultiPIE database and the UNBC-McMaster archive.
Structure of Protein Related to Dan and Cerberus: Insights into the Mechanism of Bone Morphogenetic Protein Antagonism

The bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs) are secreted ligands largely known for their functional roles in embryogenesis and tissue development. A number of structurally diverse extracellular antagonists inhibit BMP ligands to regulate signaling. The differential screening-selected gene aberrative in neuroblastoma (DAN) family of antagonists represents the largest group of BMP inhibitors; however, little is known of how they mechanistically inhibit BMP ligands. Here, we present the structure of the DAN family member, protein related to Dan and Cerberus (PRDC), solved by X-ray crystallography. The structure reveals a growth factor-like appearance with an unexpected dimerization mechanism that is formed through extensive β strand contacts. Using site-directed mutagenesis coupled with in vitro and in vivo activity assays, we identified a BMP-binding epitope on PRDC. We also determined that PRDC binds heparin with high affinity and that heparin binding to PRDC interferes with BMP antagonism. These results offer insight for how DAN family antagonists functionally inhibit BMP ligands.
The contents of visual memory are only partly under volitional control.

When we look around within a visual scene, is visual information automatically placed in visual memory during each saccade, or can we control which information is retained and which is excluded? We examined this question in five experiments by requiring participants to remember sequentially presented visual shapes or faces—some of which were marked for encoding (targets) and others that were supposed to be ignored (distractors)—over a 1-sec delay. The results show that distractors were retained in visual memory, regardless of stimulus category, suggesting that it is a general phenomenon. Whether or not participants were allowed to prepare for a target or distractor did not modulate distractor intrusion. When attention coupled with eye movements could be used to select targets, distractors were no longer encoded into memory. When eye movements were constrained, distractors once again intruded into memory. These findings suggest that top-down control processes are insufficient to filter the contents of visual memory.
Role of deoxyribonuclease in cancer chemotherapy

It has been postulated that the lysosomal enzyme deoxyribonuclease is responsible for nicks in both strands of deoxyribonucleic acid so that alkylating agents can cross-link the nucleotides of the two strands. Administration of an alkylating agent, p-di(2-chloroethyl)amino-L-phenylamine, to CF1 mice results in elevated activities of free deoxyribonuclease in Ehrlich ascites tumor cells and normal liver homogenates and isolated lysosomal fractions. The drug acts specifically on the release of the hydrolytic enzyme deoxyribonuclease rather than nonspecific rupture of the lysosomal membrane. Deoxyribonuclease activity increases in cancer tissue as cell proliferation continues.
Fifty-three year follow-up of coronary heart disease versus HDL2 and other lipoproteins in Gofman's Livermore Cohort.

To assess the relationships of lipoprotein mass concentrations to all-cause and coronary heart disease (CHD) mortality, we analyzed the prospective 53-year follow-up of 1,905 men measured for lipoprotein mass concentrations by analytic ultracentrifugation between 1954 and 1957. Cause of death was determined from medical records and death certificates before 1979 and from National Death Index death diagnoses thereafter. Of the 1,329 men (69.8%) who died through 2008, CHD was listed as a contributing cause of death for 409 men, including 113 deaths from premature CHD (age ≤ 65 years). When adjusted for age, the risk associated with the lowest HDL2 quartile increased 22% for all-cause (P = 0.001), 63% for total CHD (P < 10−5), and 117% for premature CHD mortality (P = 0.0001). When adjusted for standard risk factors (age, total cholesterol, blood pressure, BMI, smoking) and the lowest HDL3 quartile, the corresponding risk increases were 14% (P = 0.05), 38% (P = 0.004), and 62% (P = 0.02), respectively. Men with HDL3 ≤ 25th percentile had 28% greater total CHD risk (P = 0.03) and 71% greater premature CHD risk (P = 0.01). Higher LDL-mass concentrations increased total CHD risk by 3.8% (P < 10−9) and premature CHD risk by 6.1% (P < 10−7) per 10 mg/dl increase in concentration. Thus, low HDL2 is associated with increased CHD risk.
Leukoaraiosis on Magnetic Resonance Imaging Correlates With Worse Outcomes After Spontaneous Intracerebral Hemorrhage

Background and Purpose—Leukoaraiosis (LA) is associated with dementia, ischemic stroke, and intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH), but there are few data on how LA might impact outcomes after acute ICH. We tested the hypothesis that the severity of LA on magnetic resonance imaging is related to worse functional outcomes after spontaneous ICH. Methods—We prospectively identified patients with spontaneous acute ICH. LA was identified on magnetic resonance imaging and its severity was graded using the Fazekas method to include a score for the deep white matter and periventricular regions. Outcomes were obtained at 14 days, 28 days, and 3 months with the modified Rankin Scale (mRS; a validated scale from 0 [no symptoms] to 6 [dead]) and analyzed with multivariate logistic regression. Results—Higher Fazekas total (periventricular plus deep white matter) score correlated with higher mRS score at 14 days (P=0.02) and 3 months (P=0.02). This relationship was driven by the periventricular score, for which higher score (m...
Applying user-centered design to research work

Evaluation and usability as a practice area has diversified its approaches, broadened the spectrum of UX issues it addresses, methodological, and professional issues that arise in the field's continuing effort to contribute robust information about users to product planning and design. ---David Siegel and Susan Dray, Editors
Remote sensing of the coastal marine atmospheric boundary layer

Coastal region marine atmospheric boundary layer (MABL) properties derived from satellite data are compared with coastal in situ measured conditions. A multispectral approach using visible and IR data is being tested to indirectly estimate important variables such as depth of the MABL. In situ and ground-based remote data were obtained from ship mounted systems and from shoreline stations. In examined cases, remotely sensed information yields reasonable assessments of the height of the top of the boundary layer as well as of conditions immediately above the surface. Remote data describe high resolution horizontal/temporal variations, important in the coastal but not described by point measured in situ data.
Implications of Policy Interactions for California's Climate Policy

California’s Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006 (AB 32) requires that the State lower its greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions to 1990 levels by the year 2020. To achieve this ambitious goal, California’s Air Resources Board (ARB) has developed an AB 32 Scoping Plan that includes multiple policies and programs targeting different sectors and energy uses. Although these diverse policies and programs are typically approached and analyzed as if they were independent of one another, in fact, interactions among these policies and between AB 32 policies and federal policies can have very important consequences for environmental effectiveness as well as economic performance.Interactions between policies are most problematic when two conditions occur: first, a state policy creates more stringent requirements that overlap with a “broader” state or federal policy (“overlap criteria”); and, second, the broader federal or state policy provides flexibility to meet requirements through adjustments across sectors or states (“flexible policy criteria”). These flexible policies can include quantity-based policies (such as, cap-and-trade) and policies that average performance (such as, renewable portfolio standards or renewable fuel standards.)In the context of the AB 32 Scoping Plan, two types of interactions pose the greatest concern. The first is the interaction between the GHG cap-and-trade program and other AB 32 policies that regulate sources covered by the cap-and-trade program. For example, emissions from transportation fuel combustion are regulated by both the cap-and-trade program and by the Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS), which mandates reductions in the GHG-intensity of transportation fuels.When state-level policies overlap with cap-and-trade, the complementary policies will generally fail to create any additional emission reductions. With a binding cap-and-trade system in place, aggregate emissions will equal the cap whether or not complementary policies are implemented. While complementary policies may shift emissions among sources or sectors covered by the cap, aggregate emissions will remain unchanged.
Use of flow visualization data to examine spatial-temporal velocity and burst-type characteristics in a turbulent boundary layer

It is well known that turbulence production in turbulent boundary layers occurs in short, energetic bursts; however, the relationship between the results of pointwise burst detection techniques and the spatial flow structure associated with such burst-type events has not been clearly established. To address this point, a study using VITA detection of burst-type events was done which allows the direct comparison between flow visualisation results and quantitative, temporal velocity profile data for a flat-plate turbulent boundary layer. Using automated image processing of hydrogen-bubble flow visualisation pictures, temporal velocity profile data are established using a corrected time-of-flight technique for velocity extraction. Using the visualisation-derived data, spatial-temporal velocity-derived properties, as well as probe-type burst detection properties are established. In addition, temporal and ensemble-averaged burst-type characteristics are shown to be essentially identical to previous VITA-detected velocity probe results. The VITA approach is extended to establish the spatial extent of burst-type events and the ensemble-averaged spatial-temporal properties associated with VITA-based de-ensemble-averaged spatial-temporal properties associated with VITA-based detection. By use of a regionalised detection procedure, the types of burst-type patterns are categorised and compared with the associated visualisation sequences.
The lack of influence of age on male fertility.

Abstract Objective: This study was undertaken to determine the effect of male aging on sperm quality as determined by semen analysis, the fertilization rate of human oocytes in vitro, and live birth rates. Study Design: Retrospective analysis correlating outcome measures with male age was performed for 558 oocyte donation cycles in 441 couples. The oocyte donation model was chosen because it controls for oocyte quality and endometrial receptivity, which allows variations in sperm quality as a function of male age to be the only dependent variable. Outcome measures analyzed were semen analysis, fertilization rates in vitro, pregnancy rates, live birth rates, and cumulative live birth rates by life-table analysis. Results: There was a negative correlation between male age and total sperm count, but there was no correlation between male age and any of the other parameters in the semen analysis. There was no association between male age and the fertilization rate of donated oocytes in vitro, pregnancy rates, or live birth rates. Recipient couples were grouped by quartiles of male age, and cumulative live birth rates were the same in the 4 groups. Conclusion: Whereas male aging is associated with a significant decline in total sperm count, this change is not reflected in a decreased fertilization rate or a decreased live birth rate in the oocyte donation model. (Am J Obstet Gynecol 2001;184:818-24.)
A regularization approach to robust variable structure observer design applied to vehicle parameter and state estimation

State estimation falls under the class of applications described as inverse problems and like all such problems is often ill posed, i.e., exhibits extreme sensitivity to small errors or noise in the measurements. Sliding mode estimation techniques have been employed to construct observers for nonlinear systems, but due to their tendency to act as high gain systems may exacerbate the difficulties associated with ill conditioned systems. This paper therefore formulates the state estimation problem as a constrained optimization problem, that seeks a trade off between the information available in the measurements and the a priori knowledge about the system, usually available in the case of dynamic systems as a set of differential equations describing the evolution of the systems states in time. The paper presents a simulation example to demonstrate the noise suppression characteristics of this formulation and also presents the application of the regularized sliding observer in a truck roll warning system.