cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
NMDA receptor antagonists attenuate mechanical hyperalgesia in rats with unilateral inflammation of the hindpaw

Abstract The effects of N- methyl- d -aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonists on mechanical hyperalgesia associated with tissue inflammation were studied. Following an injection of the inflammatory agent, complete Freund's adjuvant, into the rat hindpaw, there was a significant decrease in threshold and an increase in response duration to mechanical stimuli, suggesting that a state of mechanical hyperalgesia was induced. The intrathecal administration of the NMDA receptor antagonists, dizocilpine maleate and (±)-2-amino-5-phosphonopentanoic acid, significantly increased mechanical threshold and reduced response duration in the inflamed hindpaw, but had no effect on the non-injected paw. The results suggest that NMDA receptor activation may contribute to the mechanical hyperalgesia that follows peripheral tissue inflammation.
Absolute far-field displacements from the 28 June 1992 Landers earthquake sequence

Displacements observed for the Landers earthquake indicate that the depth of the bottom of the rupture is shallower towards the northern end. Displacements were dominantly symmetric and the rupture extended farther south on the Johnson Valley fault than has been mapped on the basis of surface ground offsets. The combined geodetic moment for the Landers and Big Bear earthquakes agrees well with teleseismic estimates.
Destructive decision-making in developing countries

In most developing countries strategic decision-making has been largely based on false premises that have led to destructive results. One set of false premises stems from the assumption that development can be dissociated from the destructively exponential growth in developed countries, from the limits on the planet's physical resources and from complex ecological linkages. Another set is grounded on the popular myths of entrenched development economics: particularly, the enshrining of GNP as the overall indicator of “progress,” and the concomitant withdrawal of attention from poverty and concentrated wealth, unemployment, and the injurious effects of many “modern” technologies. These destructive premises tend to reinforce the evolving institutions of new-style empire and oligarchy.
Reply to ''Comment on an intranuclear-cascade model''

We discuss a comment by Fredrickson on a cascade model of particle-nucleus high-energy collisions.
Microfabricated silicon carbide thermionic energy converter for solar electricity generation

This paper reports an initial prototype for microfabricated silicon carbide (SiC) thermionic energy converters (TECs), which have promise as topping stages for solar thermal electricity generation. Our initial TEC device achieved cathode temperatures of over 2000 K with incident optical intensity of approximately 1 W/mm2 (equivalent to 1000 Suns), remained structurally stable under thermal cycling, and maintained a temperature difference between the cathode and the anode of over 1000 K. In addition, our device converted the estimated 0.1 W of optical power incident on the cathode to 0.12 nW of electrical power. The low conversion efficiency is due to the high work function of SiC, which severely limits the thermionic current. According to the Richardson-Dushman equation, the thermionic current should increase by more than six orders of magnitude if we cesiate both electrodes of the converter, increasing the efficiency accordingly. In our initial experiments, the thermionic current was enhanced by ∼1.5 orders of magnitude using the cesium coating.
Primary care referral of patients with low back pain to physical therapy: impact on future health care utilization and costs.

Study design A retrospective cohort. Objective To describe physical therapy utilization following primary care consultation for low back pain (LBP) and evaluate associations between the timing and content of physical therapy and subsequent health care utilization and costs. Summary of background data Primary care management of LBP is highly variable and the implications for subsequent costs are not well understood. The importance of referring patients from primary care to physical therapy has been debated, and information on how the timing and content of physical therapy impact subsequent costs and utilization is needed. Methods Data were extracted from a national database of employer-sponsored health plans. A total of 32,070 patients with a new primary care LBP consultation were identified and categorized on the basis of the use of physical therapy within 90 days. Patients utilizing physical therapy were further categorized based on timing (early [within 14 d] or delayed)] and content (guideline adherent or nonadherent). LBP-related health care costs and utilization in the 18-months following primary care consultation were examined. Results Physical therapy utilization was 7.0% with significant geographic variability. Early physical therapy timing was associated with decreased risk of advanced imaging (odds ratio [OR] = 0.34, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.29, 0.41), additional physician visits (OR = 0.26, 95% CI: 0.21, 0.32), surgery (OR = 0.45, 95% CI: 0.32, 0.64), injections (OR = 0.42, 95% CI: 0.32, 0.64), and opioid medications (OR = 0.78, 95% CI: 0.66, 0.93) compared with delayed physical therapy. Total medical costs for LBP were $2736.23 lower (95% CI: 1810.67, 3661.78) for patients receiving early physical therapy. Physical therapy content showed weaker associations with subsequent care. Conclusion Early physical therapy following a new primary care consultation was associated with reduced risk of subsequent health care compared with delayed physical therapy. Further research is needed to clarify exactly which patients with LBP should be referred to physical therapy; however, if referral is to be made, delaying the initiation of physical therapy may increase risk for additional health care consumption and costs.
Single Molecule Ezymology with Electronic Circuits

Various single-molecule techniques based on optical, electronic, and mechanical mechanisms have proven useful for studying enzymology. Here, we demonstrate an electronic single molecule technique which takes advantage of the sensitivity and bandwidth of a field-effect transistor (FETs) built from a single-walled carbon nanotube (SWNTs). The technique clearly visualizes a wide range of dynamic interactions between enzymes and their substrates, from long-duration variability of catalytic kinetics to short-lived transient states. Measurements with three different enzyme systems (lysozyme, protein kinase A, and DNA polymerase) summarized here suggest the generality and attractiveness of the technique as a new tool to complement other single molecule techniques.
Earth Science Center at Massachusetts Institute of Technology

An integrated and unified instructional and research program in the earth sciences is being organized at MIT. Included in this effort are geology, geochemistry and geophysics, the atmospheric sciences, and the oceanographic sciences. Space, facilities, staff and students will be brought together in a common educational effort. A recent gift of $2,527,500 from Mr. and Mrs. Cecil H. Green of Dallas, Texas (Mr. Green is Chairman of the Board of Geophysical Service, Inc. and a Vice President of Texas Instruments, Inc.) will be used to create a Center for Earth Sciences in the form of a major building on the MIT campus. This building will house the teaching and research facilities and laboratories to be used in the program and will be the center for most of the activities in the several Earth sciences.
Postnatal development of the organ of Corti in cats: a light microscopic morphometric study.

Abstract This study quantitatively characterizes the development of the major morphological features of the organ of Corti during the first 2 weeks postnatal, the period when the cat auditory system makes the transition from being essentially non-functional to having nearly adult-like responses. Four groups of kittens (n=3) were studied at one day postnatal (P1), P5, P10, P15, and compared to adults. Measurements were made of the organ of Corti at 3 cochlear locations: 20%, 60% and 85% of basilar membrane length from the base – cochlear locations which in the adult correspond to best frequencies of ≈20 kHz, 2 kHz and 500 Hz, respectively. In addition, measurements of basilar membrane length and opening of the tunnel of Corti were made in 20 cochlear specimens from kittens aged P0–P6. Results indicate that: (i) at P0 the basilar membrane has attained adult length, and the tunnel of Corti is open over approximately the basal one-half of the cochlea; (ii) the initial opening of the tunnel of Corti occurs at a site about 4 mm from the cochlear base (best frequency of ≈25 kHz in the adult cochlea); (iii) the thickness of the tympanic cell layer decreases markedly at the basal 20-kHz location; (iv) the areas of the tunnel of Corti and space of Nuel and the angulation of the inner hair cells (IHC) relative to the basilar membrane all show marked postnatal increases at both the middle and apical locations; (v) IHC are nearly adult-like in length and shape at birth, whereas the OHC (at 2-kHz and 500-Hz locations) undergo marked postnatal changes; (vi) disappearance of the marginal pillars and maturation of the supporting cells are not yet complete by P15.
NAD(P)H-dependent production of oxygen reactive species by the salivary glands of the mosquito Anopheles albimanus

Salivary gland homogenates of the adult female mosquito Anopheles albimanus, but not those of Aedes aegypti, induced light production in the presence of NADPH and luminol, indicating a NADPH oxidase activity producing reactive oxygen species (superoxide anion) by the anopheline salivary homogenate. Superoxide production by the anopheline salivary homogenate was also confirmed by the NADPH-dependent, superoxide dismutase inhibitable, reduction of cytochrome c. The NADPH oxidase reaction measured by light production in the presence of luminol was inhibited by superoxide dismutase and catalase. Both NADH and NADPH were substrates for the production of oxygen reactive species by the salivary homogenate. Activity, as measured by luminol-dependent light emission, was enhanced one order of magnitude in the presence of 1.6 mg/ml of either phosphatidylserine or bovine serum albumin. Molecular sieving and hydroxyapatite chromatography of the salivary homogenate showed coelution of the NADPH oxidase activity with the previously reported salivary peroxidase activity. It is suggested that the salivary peroxidase of Anopheles albimanus has the ability of producing superoxide in the presence of NADPH, and this may provide the peroxidase with substrates necessary for peroxidation of vasoconstrictor amines such as serotonin, released by aggregating platelets at the site of mosquito probing and feeding.
The structure and conformation of Lys63-linked tetraubiquitin.

Summary Ubiquitination involves the covalent attachment of the ubiquitin C-terminus to the lysine sidechain of a substrate protein by an isopeptide bond. The modification can comprise a single ubiquitin moiety or a chain of ubiquitin molecules joined by isopeptide bonds between the C-terminus of one ubiquitin with one of the seven lysine residues in the next ubiquitin. Modification of substrate proteins with Lys63-linked polyubiquitin plays a key non-degradative signaling role in many biological processes including DNA repair and NF-κB activation, whereas substrates modified by lysine-48 (Lys48) linked chains are targeted to the proteasome for degradation. The distinct signaling properties of alternatively linked ubiquitin chains presumably stems from structural differences that can be distinguished by effector proteins. We have determined the crystal structure of Lys63 tetraubiquitin at a resolution of 1.96 A and performed Small Angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) experiments and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations to probe the conformation of Lys63 tetraubiquitin in solution. The chain adopts a highly extended conformation in the crystal, in contrast with the compact globular fold of Lys48 Ub4. Small Angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) experiments show that the tetraubiquitin chain is dynamic in solution, adopting an ensemble of conformations that are more compact than the extended form in the crystal. The results of these studies provide a basis for understanding the differences in the behavior and recognition of Lys63 polyubiquitin chains.
Growth of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) and impacts of chilling and post-inoculation storage on STEC attachment to beef surfaces.

Concern has been expressed surrounding the utility of studies describing the efficacy of antimicrobial interventions targeting the Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) that inoculate chilled versus non-chilled beef carcasses. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the effects of chilling (non-chilled, chilled to surface temperature of ≤5 °C) on STEC attachment to brisket surfaces, and the effects of post-inoculation storage on STEC recovery. Paired briskets from split carcasses were separated; one brisket from each pair was kept non-chilled, while the other was chilled to a surface temperature of ≤5 °C prior to inoculation. Briskets were inoculated with a cocktail of eight STEC and then stored at 5 or 25 °C. At 0, 30, 60, 90 and 120 min post-inoculation, 30 cm(2) of tissue was aseptically excised, followed by selective enumeration of strongly and loosely attached STEC. A significant, though small (0.4 log10 CFU/cm(2)), difference in the numbers of strongly attached cells was observed between non-chilled and chilled briskets (p < 0.05). Significant effects on cell attachment by the interaction of chilling and post-inoculation storage period, or chilling and post-inoculation storage temperature, were identified (p < 0.05). Results indicate beef chilling and post-inoculation storage conditions influenced STEC attachment to beef.
Sources of variations in patterns of plant–insect association

MODELS of evolution in parasite–host or predator–prey systems assume that particular pairs of species either always interact or never interact1. But, in nature, a particular parasite species may interact with a particular host species at some times (or in some places) but not at others, even if host availability is not variable. These differences could stem either from variation among con-specific hosts in their resistance to parasitism or from variation among conspecific parasites in their tendency to attack particular host species. We report here that both of these effects exist, that they are probably due to genetic variation both in parasites and in hosts, and that they interact to produce spatial variation in ecological relationships. We studied three potentially interacting species, a herbivorous insect and two of its potential host plants, at each of two sites. At one site, a plant species was avoided by the insects because of a combination of local insect preference and local plant resistance. This result shows that the diet is a property neither of the parasite nor of the host, but of the parasite–host interaction.
Comparative survival of conidia of eight species of Bipolaris, Curvularia, and Exserohilum in soil and influences of swine waste amendments on survival

Abstract Survival of conidia of eight species of Bipolaris, Curvularia, and Exserohilum in soil was compared to identify the species most suitable for use in experiments to assay fungitoxicity of soils amended with animal wastes and agricultural byproducts. Conidia produced on cellulose-containing substrates were added to soil between porous nylon mesh membranes, incubated for 0–12 weeks, retrieved, and plated on cornmeal agar to induce germination as an indicator of viability. In three experiments, significant variation in spore germination was attributed to fungal species, incubation time in soil, and species × time interactions. Few or no differences in viability of conidia of the eight species were evident prior to incubation in soil, but numerous significant differences (P = 0.05) were observed between species after incubation for 2–12 weeks in soil. Survival of conidia usually was greatest for C. lunata, B. sorokiniana, and B. stenospila; least for B. cynodontis, B. hawaiiensis, and E. rostratum; and intermediate or inconsistent for B. spicifera and C. geniculata. C. lunata, B. sorokiniana, and B. stenospila appear most capable of survival in soil as conidia and most suitable for use as test organisms to evaluate fungitoxicity of amended soils. When conidia of these species were incubated for 4–8 weeks in three soils with and without previous commercial swine waste applications, survival was often significantly (P = 0.05) reduced across soils or in individual soils that had received swine waste. The most frequent and strong reductions in survival of conidia in waste-amended soils were observed with B. stenospila. Results indicate that the eight species of fungi studied differ significantly in ability of conidia to survive in soil, that three species exhibit the greatest potential for survival, that these species may be used to bioassay soils for fungitoxicity, and that conidia of these species exhibit slight to strong reductions in survival in soils that previously received commercial applications of liquid swine waste.
Effect of Particle Shape on Interface Behavior of DEM-Simulated Granular Materials

ABSTRACT This paper presents a detailed computational investigation of the effect of particle shape on the interface shear behavior of granular materials. The discrete element method (DEM) using clusters to model rough particles is used, expanding the procedure introduced in an earlier paper by Jensen et al. [1]. Seven new cluster shapes (i.e., particle configurations) of varying degrees of roughness are presented herein, and numerical experiments simulating ring shear tests are made using these clusters. From these simulations, the effect of particle shape on void ratio (e) and interface angle of friction between soil and structure surface (δ) is reported. Particle shape characteristics include roundness, angularity, and surface roughness. The results of numerical simulations using the newly formed cluster shapes are in very good qualitative agreement with laboratory tests. Simulation results showed that the void ratio of a particle mass increased as the angularity or roughness of the particles increased...
Monitoring the TOPEX and Jason-1 Microwave Radiometers with GPS and VLBI Wet Zenith Path Delays

Monitoring of altimeter microwave radiometer measurements is necessary in order to identify radiometer drifts or offsets that if uncorrected will introduce systematic errors into ocean height measurements. To examine TOPEX Microwave Radiometer (TMR) and Jason-1 Microwave Radiometer (JMR) behavior, we have used coincident wet zenith delay estimates from Very Long Baseline Interferometry (VLBI) and Global Positioning System (GPS) geodetic sites near altimeter ground tracks. We derived a TMR path delay drift rate of −1.1 ± 0.1 mm/yr using GPS data for the period from 1993.0–1999.0 and −1.2 ± 0.5 mm/yr using VLBI data. Thereafter, the drift appears to have leveled off. Already after 2.3 years (82 cycles) of the Jason-1 mission, it is clear that there have been significant systematic errors in the JMR path delay measurements. From comparison with GPS wet delays, there is an offset of −5.2 ± 0.6 mm at about cycle 30 and a more abrupt offset of −11.5 ± 0.8 mm at cycle 69. If we look at the behavior of the JMR co...
Advancement of optical component control for an imaging Fabry-Perot interferometer

Risk mitigation activities associated with a prototype imaging Fabry-Perot Interferometer (FPI) system are continuing at the NASA Langley Research Center. The system concept and technology center about enabling and improving future space-based atmospheric composition missions, with a current focus on observing tropospheric ozone around 9.6 micron, while having applicability toward measurement in different spectral regions and other applications. Recent activities have focused on improving an optical element control subsystem to enable precise and accurate positioning and control of etalon plates; this is needed to provide high system spectral fidelity critical for enabling the required ability to spectrally-resolve atmospheric line structure. The latest results pertaining to methodology enhancements, system implementation, and laboratory characterization testing will be reported
Inference on the common variance of correlated normal random variables

ABSTRACT Scale equivariant estimators of the common variance σ2, of correlated normal random variables, have mean squared errors (MSE) which depend on the unknown correlations. For this reason, a scale equivariant estimator of σ2 which uniformly minimizes the MSE does not exist. For the equi-correlated case, we have developed three equivariant estimators of σ2: a Bayesian estimator for invariant prior as well as two non-Bayesian estimators. We then generalized these three estimators for the case of several variables with multiple unknown correlations. In addition, we developed a system of confidence intervals which produce the desired coverage probability while being efficient in terms of expected length.
Persistent increases in cocaine-seeking behavior after acute exposure to cold swim stress.

Background Acute and chronic stress reinstates drug-seeking behavior. Current animal models show that these effects are contingent (temporally, contextually, or both) on the drug-conditioning environment. To date, no paradigm exists to model the common human situation in which stressors that are distinct from the experience of drugs can lead to relapse. Methods Rats were allowed to self-administer cocaine or saline over 8 days. They then underwent extinction training, during which responding was not reinforced with drug infusions. After 16 days of extinction, rats were submitted to a brief cold swim stress and then tested for seeking behavior (responding not reinforced with drug infusions) for 4 days. Results All rats developed self-administration behavior. Following extinction, cold swim stress induced reinstatement of drug-seeking behavior in cocaine-trained rats, an effect that was still present 3 days after stress exposure. Conclusions This study indicates that cold swim stress can have long-term effects on drug-seeking behavior and may provide us with a suitable model to study the latent effects of stress on relapse to drug abuse.
Beyond neurons: Involvement of urothelial and glial cells in bladder function

Aim The urothelium, or epithelial lining of the lower urinary tract (LUT), is likely to play an important role in bladder function by actively communicating with bladder nerves, smooth muscle, and cells of the immune and inflammatory systems. Recent evidence supports the importance of non-neuronal cells that may extend to both the peripheral and central processes of the neurons that transmit normal and nociceptive signals from the urinary bladder. Using cats diagnosed with a naturally occurring syndrome termed feline interstitial cystitis (FIC), we investigated whether changes in physiologic parameters occur within 3 cell types associated with sensory transduction in the urinary bladder: 1) the urothelium, 2) identified bladder dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons and 3) grey matter astrocytes in the lumbosacral (S1) spinal cord. As estrogen fluctuations may modulate the severity of many chronic pelvic pain syndromes, we also examined whether 17β-estradiol (E2) alters cell signaling in rat urothelial cells.
Synthesis of the 5'-Se-thymidine phosphoramidite and convenient labeling of DNA oligonucleotide.

The synthesis of the 5′-Se-derivatized thymidine and phosphoramidite is reported, and the Se-phosphoramidite was incorporated into DNA. Because of its high nucleophilicity, this 5′-Se-moiety permits convenient postsynthetic modification of oligonucleotides. The proof of principle was successfully demonstrated by incorporating fluorescein into DNA. It was also found that the 5′-dye-labeled Se-DNA can be recognized by DNA polymerase as an efficient primer. This novel strategy opens a new avenue for nucleic acid probe preparation and detection.
New perspectives in chronic granulomatous disease.

Chronic granulomatous disease (CGD) is an uncommon hereditary disorder characterized by recurrent pyogenic infections that usually begin early in life and may lead to death in childhood (1, 2). The disease is inherited according to an X-linked or, more rarely, an autosomal recessive pattern (3). Although phagocytes from patients with chronic granulomatous disease ingest microorganisms normally, killing is deficient because of the failure of a membrane-associated NADPH oxidase to produce superoxide and related toxic oxygen metabolites (4-6). Defective killing results in recurrent bacterial and fungal infections and granulomatous inflammatory lesions, which account for the morbidity and mortality associated with this disease (1). The NADPH oxidase utilizes NADPH as its electron source. The transfer of an electron down a short electron transfer chain consisting of a flavin and an unusual phagocyte cytochrome b converts oxygen to superoxide anion. This enzyme system, present only in phagocytic cells, is inactive in resting cells but is rapidly activated upon exposure to a variety of particulate soluble stimuli, such as opsonized microbes and chemotactic peptides (re-
Exploring the Relationship Between Different Types of Serious Leisure and Successful Aging

As the aging population grows and their life expectancy increases, one concern is how to live a happy and healthy later life; in other words, how to age successfully. In this sense, leisure is one important aspect of successful aging. Thus, this study examined the relationship between different types of serious leisure and successful aging in later life. Participants whose serious leisure activity included a high social component were more likely to engage more seriously. However, there were no significant differences between different types of serious leisure activity and successful aging. This research suggests that older adults have broad choices of leisure activities to experience successful aging.
A quasi-likelihood approach to model bernoulli data with spatial dependence

A Binomial random variable is defined as a sum of n independently identically distributed binary random variables. However, departure from independence is frequently encountered in practice. This paper proposes a method to estimate one type of spatially dependent model, which uses the moments of these models and a quasi-likelihood procedure. An application in the integrated circuit manufacturing is used to illustrate the technique.
Mutant Kit: thwarting the message down below

Comment on Tanaka et al, page [2324][1] Signal transduction pathways involving KitWT have been extensively studied, whereas there is limited information regarding mutant Kit signaling. In this issue of Blood , Tanaka and colleagues describe the constitutive activation of NF-κBin this regard.
An empirical model for a hydrocyclone: Reject rate versus orifice size and pressure ratio

Abstract The parameters that affect the reject ratio of a 35 mm liquid-liquid hydrocyclone in test runs that use water alone to obtain flow data-parameters such as inlet pressure, pressure differential ratio, inlet flow rate and reject orifice diameter are explored. Study of the observed relationships indicates that of the parameters listed, only reject orifice diameter and pressure differential ratio have a direct correlation to a liquid-liquid hydrocyclone's reject ratio performance. An equation is presented that uses these two parameters to model the reject ratio performance of several reject orifice sizes. The most accurate model presented uses pressure differential ratio as the parameter for a basic equation form, which has a different set of coefficients for each reject orifice size. The practical application of the resulting relationships is discussed and the analysis presented graphically.
Freedom in Theory and Praxis: Classical Conceptions and Contemporary Implications*

I have elaborated the classical Marxian and Durkheimian conceptions of human freedom to serve as a foundation for understanding contemporary interest in human freedom as well as its relationship to other modern desires, such as a sense of community or solidarity. There is obviously no agreement regarding the lessons to be drawn from this discussion on human freedom and its relationship to the forces of modernization. This is reflected in the paradox that modernization is seen by many as liberating, and by others as that from which liberation is sought. In a purely descriptive account, both liberation quests are valid. The final issue, however, is not one of description but one of values. The limits to the reconciliation of freedom and community are contained within the limits of politics itself. One of the most influential aspects of the false consciousness of ideological politics is to deny the multidimensionality of politics in theory. Since Hegel, it appears that social theory can, in principle, resolve any contradiction, if only given sufficient time and reason. Nevertheless, sociopolitical action continually requires choices among ideals in ways not required of the symbolic action of social theorists. Our compelling task remains to search for and identify those socio-political arrangements that hold differing “payoffs” for efforts to build more humane institutions.
Numerical prediction of mass-exchange between cathode and anode channels in a PEM fuel cell

Abstract A numerical model is developed to predict the mass flow between channels in a Polymer Electrolyte Membrane (PEM) fuel cell with a serpentine flow path. The complete three-dimensional Navier–Stokes equations with multi-species mixture are solved and electro-chemical reactions are modeled as mass source/sink terms in the control volumes. The results indicate that flow distribution in both anode and cathode channels are significantly affected by the mass consumption patterns on the Membrane Electrode Assembly (MEA). The water transport is governed by both electro-osmosis and diffusion processes. Further, the overall pressure drop is less than that expected for a regular straight channel flow.
Automatic Test Equipment in the Production Process

Automatic test equipment for 100 percent incoming inspection of electronic devices is inexpensive enough and effective enough today that sample testing no longer makes sense for most quality-control organizations. Although component manufacturers normally perform 100 percent inspection--at least in the early stages of manufacture--there are a great many ways in which errors can be passed along to the user. As a result, incoming digital integrated circuits (IC's) may have error rates as high as 5 percent and, for linear ICes, rejection rates may be up to 10 percent. Nor do acceptable quality levels (AQL's) provide a positive assurance of the quality of a lot, as is pointed out in an appendix. Break even is basically the point at which the cost of testing meets the cost of not testing. It is often expressed as the number of units that must be tested per year to justify a piece of automatic test equipment. Both the cost of testing and the cost of not testing can be calculated quite easily once the various factors to be used are considered.
Need for constraints in component-separable color image processing

The component-wise processing of color image data in performed in a variety of applications. These operations are typically carried out using Lookup Table (LUT) based processing techniques, making them well suited for digital implementation. A general exposition of this type of processing is provided, indicating it's remarkable utility along with some of the practical issues that can arise. These motivate a call for the use of constraints in the types of operators that are used during the construction of LUTs. Several particularly useful classes of constrained operators are identified. These lead to an object-oriented approach generalized to operated in a variety of color spaces. The power of this type of framework is then demonstrated via several novel applications in the HSL color space.
An electron microscopic study of dendritic degeneration in the cerebral cortex resulting from laminar lesions.

The morphological characteristics of dendrites in layers of the cerebral cortex above laminar lesions induced by ionizing particle irradiation have been studied in the striate field of rat at various survival times. Within two weeks following irradiation an increasing number of dendrites display unusual alterations inferred to be signs of degeneration. Degenerating dendrites can be characterized by a dense cytoplasmic matrix, disruption of mitochondria, presence of dense bodies, irregular outline and a marked alteration of the plasmalemma in its dimensions and staining properties. Some degenerating dendrites possess a large accumulation of dense subsynaptic material and are contacted by synapses with enlarged and altered synaptic clefts. A few dendrites contain extensive membranous whorls. Engulfment by reactive astrocyte processes is a common feature and often includes the presynaptic axonal knob, but only the degenerating dendrite has been observed within glial cytoplasm. The inference that the majority of degenerating dendrites in this material are apical dendrites of pyramidal cells suggests that either shaft synapses are common for these cells, protuberances may retract during degeneration, or spines are lost due to loss of afferent terminals.
SU‐GG‐T‐306: Evaluation of Two‐Dimensional Diode Array Dosimeter for An Application of Exit Dosimetry

Purpose: To characterize and evaluate the performance of MapCHECK™ two‐dimensional diode array dosimeter for accurate measurement of exit fluence at an extended source‐to‐surface distance (SSD) for the application of in vivodosimetry based on dose reconstruction. Method and Materials: Dose profile measurements of open field for varying field sizes (3×3cm2, 5×5cm2, 7×7cm2 and 10×10cm2), air gaps (30cm, 40cm, 50cm and 60cm) and thicknesses of primary beam attenuator (10cm and 20cm of solid water) using MapCHECK™, CC04 ionization chamber and GafChromic® EBT radiochromic film were carried out. For clinical measurements, the 2D dosimetry measurements for five IMRT boost fields were carried out at an air gap of 50 cm with MapCHECK™, and compared with GafChromic® EBT radiochromic film, which served as the gold standard. Results: With increasing air gap, the difference between MapCHECK™ system and CC04 increased slightly for both primary beam attenuator thicknesses. For air gaps of 0cm, 30cm, 40cm, 50cm and 60cm, the overall agreement between MapCHECK™ and CC04 was ±1.25%, ±1%, ±2%, ±2.5% and ±4, respectively. The overall agreement averaged over all air gaps between MapCHECK™ system and CC04 was within ±2% while agreement between GafChromic® EBT radiochromic film and CC04 was ±3.5%. For the clinical IMRT fields and using the gamma test, the comparison between MapCHECK™ and GafChromic EBT radiochromic film yielded a mean passing rate of 91.9%, with a minimum and maximum passing rate of 87.6% and 97.2% respectively. Conclusion: MapCHECK™ yielded to have an accurate dose distribution (profile and 2D dose distribution) at an extended SSD (> 130cm). It can be considered a suitable candidate for exit dosimetry.
The cAMP Receptor Subtype cAR2 Is Restricted to a Subset of Prestalk Cells during Dictyostelium Development and Displays Unexpected DIF-1 Responsiveness

Dictyostelium discoidium cells express a family of cell surface cAMP receptors, and these G-protein-coupled receptors are each expressed with unique spatial and temporal patterns. One of these receptors, cAR2, is present during the postaggregative stages of development and our previous work suggests that it is preferentially expressed in prestalk cells. We report here the isolation of the promoter for carB, the gene which encodes cAR2. Using this fragment to generate a carB::lacZ gene fusion construct, we investigated carB expression in detail. Expression is first detected at the tight aggregate stage and subsequently in a pattern reminiscent of the prestalk-specific gene ecmA. There are subtle differences, however, with ecmA being expressed significantly in the anterior-like cells of the migrating pseudoplasmodium and in the basal disc and lower cup supporting the sorus during terminal development. carB is not expressed in any of these places. The presence of these different prestalk cell subtypes was confirmed by double indirect immunofluorescence using anti-cAR2 and antib-galactosidase antibodies. While virtually all cAR2-expressing cells also express ecmA::lacZ, a substantial fraction of ecmA::lacZ-positive cells do not express cAR2. We also found the regulation of carB gene expression to differ from that of ecmA. carB expression is induced in vitro by extracellular cAMP, but surprisingly, not by DIF-1, a soluble molecule thought to be essential for the initiation of prestalk differentiation. Thus, cAR2 appears to be a cAMP receptor present on a restricted subset of prestalk cells and whose expression does not respond typically to the prestalk inducer DIF-1. DIF-1 sensitivity may, therefore, not be characteristic of all early prestalk differentiation. q 1996 Academic Press, Inc.
DNA SYNTHESIS, MITOSIS, AND DIFFERENTIATION IN PANCREATIC ACINAR CELLS IN VITRO

Pieces of mouse embryonic pancreatic epithelium cultured in an inductive situation in vitro, or when examined at critical times in vivo, show a gradient of zymogen granule accumulation. Cells located internally in explants, or in central acini in vivo, show this overt differentiation first. As the epithelia age, the more peripheral cell population proceeds in a similar differentiation. Observations of autoradiograms of H3-thymidine-labeled tissues indicate that the first cells which cease incorporating the DNA-precursor are in the central regions that differentiate first. In older explants, thymidine incorporation is largely restricted to the periphery of the tissue as zymogen appears in the internal cells. Evidence suggests that cells or nuclei which have replicated DNA move inward before dividing. Some daughter cells apparently return peripherad to divide again, whereas others remain centrally where they undergo differentiation. During at least the first 24 hours of these maturational changes, mesenchyme has a stimulatory effect upon epithelial thymidine-incorporation frequencies. The presence of a post-DNA-synthetic population is seen in the form of a group of nonlabeling central cells that remains intact in the midst of a labeled epithelium for as long as 48 hours in vitro (from 72 to 120 hours). If explants are treated with 5-bromodeoxyuridine for any 24-hour segment of the 0 to 72-hour period, before the non-incorporating population arises, no subsequent overt zymogen formation occurs. If explants are treated continuously from 72 to 120 hours, on the other hand, zymogen still forms in some internal cells. Presumably, this differentiation is limited to the postmitotic population as revealed in the thymidine autoradiograms.
Simulating the Effects of an Extended Source on the Shack-Hartmann Wavefront Sensor through Turbulence

In this paper, we study a method of simulating optical wave propagation from a sodium laser beacon, specifically applied to Shack-Hartmann wavefront sensing. A Gaussian laser is propagated from the ground to the three-dimensional scattering volume in the mesosphere (80–100km). The resonant backscatter acts as the laser beacon for the adaptive optics (AO) system. This volumetric aspect is modeled by using multiple slices at different altitudes in the sodium layer. Weak turbulence is used in the experiment and the AO system is operated in the open-loop regime only. This paper investigates the number of slices required to adequately reproduce perspective elongation in the Shack-Hartmann spots. The study showed that the most stringent case in the simulations required nine evenly-spaced slices. Other ways of distributing the slices may lead to different results.
Geography, homicide and execution: the U.S. experience, 1930–1987

Abstract Prior research on the geography of homicide in the U.S. has shown a considerable variation in population-specific rates at the state level, with emphasis historically on high rates in the South. Here, the logical corollary of homicide, execution, is examined in the context of a taxonomy of states originally developed to illustrate homicide rates. The data base describes 3961 executions, all those occurring in the U.S. between 1930 and mid-1987. The research question: Is the geography of execution a reflection of the geography of homicide? is evaluated at two levels, each within the framework of an a priori regionalization of homicide rates based on a comparable period: (1) analysis of the relationship between homicide rates and execution rates, regionally delimited; and (2) the construction of a graphic generalization of relationships between the homicide regionalization and execution attributes. Although recent literature on the geography of homicide has cast doubt on the existence of a cultural dimension underlying geographic variations in homicide rates, evidence from the literature describing discriminatory practices in capital sentencing, anecdotal evidence dealing with patterns and practices associated with execution in recent years, and regional differences in execution characteristics exposed in the course of this research, are suggestive of the existence of significant underlying cultural components in the practice of execution. This research tends to support the position casting doubt on both the equity and utility of capital punishment.
True triaxial piping test apparatus for evaluation of piping potential in earth structures

Current methods available for testing the piping potential of soils in dams (pinhole test, hole erosion test, and slot erosion test) are limited to cohesive soils that maintain an open hole within the sample. These tests do not adequately simulate conditions within a zoned embankment, where zones of non-cohesive materials are present under relatively high confining stresses. A new apparatus, called true triaxial piping test apparatus or TTPTA, was developed for testing a wider variety of soils under a wider range of confining stresses, hydraulic gradients, and pore pressures than current tests allow. The TTPTA is capable of applying a range of confining stresses along three mutually perpendicular axes in a true triaxial test apparatus. Pore pressures are also controlled through regulated inlet and outlet pressures. The test determines the critical hydraulic gradient and, more importantly, the critical hydraulic velocity at which piping is initiated in non-cohesive soils. Detailed descriptions of the test apparatus and test method are presented, as are initial test results using TTPTA. Three sets of initial tests were conducted using uniform sand to (1) assess the repeatability of test results, (2) evaluate how the rate of change of inflow impacts the critical discharge rate at which piping is initiated, and (3) evaluate how the angle of seepage affects the critical velocity for piping initiation. These initial tests were conducted to evaluate the method and to help set test parameters for future testing. It is found that the TTPTA is capable of yielding fairly consistent results with 10 % scatter in repeat tests. The seepage angle tests demonstrate that the angle between seepage flow direction and the direction of gravity is an important factor to consider when evaluating piping potential. The rate of change in seepage also has a minor influence on test results, but a change in flow rate of 5 (mL/min)/min could produce reliable results. Based on the results, the hydraulic gradient is found to be a less reliable indicator of piping potential than the hydraulic velocity for non-cohesive soils. The TTPTA is capable of simulating conditions within small to medium sized embankments.
Intermolecular potential parameters and combining rules determined from viscosity data

Intermolecular potential parameters and combining rules determined from viscosity data Lucas A. J. Bastien, Phillip N. Price, Nancy J. Brown * Atmospheric Sciences Department Environmental Energy Technology Division Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory Berkeley California, 94707 lucas.bastien@insa-lyon.fr PNPrice@lbl.gov NJBrown@lbl.gov Revised Version: May 27, 2010 Accepted for publication in the International Journal of Chemical Kinetics * Corresponding author: Nancy J. Brown; MS 90 K-110, Berkeley California 94720-8108; NJBrown@lbl.gov; 510-486-4241 Fax: 510-486-5928
Safety and efficacy of intraarterial thrombolysis for perioperative stroke after cardiac operation.

Abstract Background . Acute ischemic stroke after cardiac operations is a devastating complication with limited therapeutic options. As clinical trials of thrombolysis for acute ischemic stroke exclude patients with recent major surgery, the safety of intraarterial thrombolysis in this setting is unknown. Methods . Thirteen patients with acute ischemic stroke within 12 days of cardiac operation underwent intraarterial thrombolysis within 6 hours of stroke symptom onset. The National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale was used to assess neurologic recovery. Results . The mean age was 69 years (standard deviation ±5 years) and 62% were men. Cardiac procedures included valve operations in 6 patients, coronary artery bypass grafting in 4, valve and coronary artery bypass grafting in 2, and left ventricular assist device in 1 patient. Atrial fibrillation occurred in 5 patients (38%). The mean time from operation to stroke was 4.3 days (standard deviation ± 3 days). Thrombolysis was initiated within 3.6 hours (standard deviation ±1.6 hours) of stroke symptom onset. Recanalization was complete in 1 patient, partial in 5, and 7 patients had low flow. Neurologic improvement occurred in 5 patients (38%). One patient needed a chest tube for hemothorax, 2 others were transfused for low hemoglobin. No operative intervention for bleeding was necessary. Conclusions . In select patients with acute ischemic stroke after recent cardiac operation, intraarterial thrombolysis appears to be reasonably safe and may lead to neurologic recovery.
Transverse Susceptibility as a Biosensor for Detection of Au-Fe3O4 Nanoparticle-Embedded Human Embryonic Kidney Cells

We demonstrate the possibility of using a radio-frequency transverse susceptibility (TS) technique based on a sensitive self-resonant tunnel-diode oscillator as a biosensor for detection of cancer cells that have taken up magnetic nanoparticles. This technique can detect changes in frequency on the order of 10 Hz in 10 MHz. Therefore, a small sample of cells that have taken up nanoparticles when placed inside the sample space of the TS probe can yield a signal characteristic of the magnetic nanoparticles. As a proof of the concept, Fe3O4 nanoparticles coated with Au (mean size ~60 nm) were synthesized using a micellar method and these nanoparticles were introduced to the medium at different concentrations of 0.05, 0.1, 0.5, and 1 mg/mL buffer, where they were taken up by human embryonic kidney (HEK) cells via phagocytosis. While the highest concentration of Au-Fe3O4 nanoparticles (1 mg/mL) was found to give the strongest TS signal, it is notable that the TS signal of the nanoparticles could still be detected at concentrations as low as 0.1 mg/mL.