cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Sensitivity of the Distorted Born Iterative Method to the Initial Guess in Microwave Breast Imaging

The distorted Born iterative method (DBIM) has been explored recently for microwave breast imaging. DBIM is an iterative method; thus, it requires an initial guess of the dielectric properties of the breast. In this paper, we study the sensitivity of DBIM imaging accuracy and convergence speed to the properties of a homogeneous initial guess. We conduct this investigation for a multifrequency formulation of DBIM, wherein the dispersive breast tissue properties are described with a Debye model. The parameters of the Debye model for the initial guess are linearly linked to reflect typical breast tissue dielectric properties. The static permittivity characterizing the properties is swept over an appropriate range of initial guesses and DBIM is used to obtain imaging results for each guess. Image quality and the number of iterations required for convergence is evaluated using three-dimensional (3-D) anatomically realistic numerical breast phantoms. This investigation not only vividly illustrates the sensitivity of DBIM to the initial guess but also definitively demonstrates that the use of initial values close to the average properties of the breast yields near-optimal performance. Finally, we present and evaluate a practical algorithm for estimating the average properties to be used as the initial guess.
Reseña Histórica de la Fundación de la Revista de Biología Tropical

En noviembre de 1950, pocos meses despues de llegar a Costa Rica, conoci al Dr. Alfonso Trejas, en esa epoca director del laboratorio clinico del Hospital San Juan de Dios. En ese tiempo, habia sido recien nombrado Rector de la Universidad el Lic. Rodrigo Facio, un dinamico catedratico con quien don Alfonso y yo teniamos buenas relaciones. El dia 9 de febrero de 1953 nos reunimos con los decanos de las Facultades de Agronomia, Farmacia, Odontologia y Ciencias y llegamos a una decision: la publicacion se llamaria REVISTA DE BIOLOGIA TROPICAL; este acuerdo unanime fue comunicado al Rector de la Universidad don Rodrigo Facio el 17 de febrero del mismo ano (Apendice 2).
Application of a tunable-diode-laser absorption diagnostic for CO measurements in an automotive HCCI engine.

An infrared laser absorption technique has been developed to measure in-cylinder concentrations of CO in an optical, automotive HCCI engine. The diagnostic employs a distributed-feedback, tunable diode laser selected to emit light at the R15 line of the first overtone of CO near 2.3 {micro}m. The collimated laser beam makes multiple passes through the cylinder to increase its path length and its sampling volume. High-frequency modulation of the laser output (wavelength modulation spectroscopy) further enhances the signal-to-noise ratio and detection limits of CO. The diagnostic has been tested in the motored and fired engine, exhibiting better than 200-ppm sensitivity for 50-cycle ensemble-average values of CO concentration with 1-ms time resolution. Fired results demonstrate the ability of the diagnostic to quantify CO production during negative valve overlap (NVO) for a range of fueling conditions.
The Use of Fluorescent Tracers to Characterize the Post-Phloem Transport Pathway in Maternal Tissues of Developing Wheat Grains

Various polar fluorescent tracers were used to characterize the pathways for apoplastic and symplastic transport in the "crease tissues" (i.e. the vascular strand, chalaza, nucellus, and adjacent pericarp) of developing wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) grains. With mostly minor exceptions, the results strongly support existing views of phloem unloading and post-phloem transport pathways in the crease. Apoplastic movement of Lucifer yellow CH (LYCH) from the endosperm cavity into the crease was virtually blocked in the chalazal cell walls before reaching the vascular tissue. However, LYCH could move slowly along the cell wall pathway from the chalaza into the vascular parenchyma. Slow uptake of LYCH into nucellar cell cytoplasm was observed, but no subsequent symplastic movement occurred. Carboxyfluorescein (CF) imported into attached grains moved symplastically from the phloem across the chalaza and into the nucellus, but was not released from the nucellus. In addition, CF moved in the opposite direction (nucellus to vascular parenchyma) in attached grains. Thus, the post-phloem symplastic pathway can accommodate bidirectional transport even when there is an intense net assimilate flux in one direction. When fresh sections of the crease were placed in fluorochrome solutions (e.g. LYCH or pyrene trisulfonate), dye was rapidly absorbed into intact cells, apparently via unsealed plasmodesmata. Uptake was not visibly reduced by cold or by respiratory inhibitors, but was greatly reduced by plasmolysis. Once absorbed, the dye moved intercellularly via the symplast. Based on this finding, a size-graded series of fluorescein-labeled dextrans was used to estimate the size-exclusion limits (SEL) for the post-phloem symplastic pathway. In most, and perhaps all, cells of the crease tissues except for the pericarp, the molecular diameter for the SEL was about 6.2 nm. The SEL in much of the vascular parenchyma may be smaller, but it is still at least 3.6 nm. Channel diameters would likely be about 1 nm larger, or about 4.5 to 7.0 nm in the vascular parenchyma and 7.0 nm elsewhere. These dimensions are substantially larger than those for "conventional" symplastic connections (about 3 nm), and would have a greater than proportionate effect on the per channel diffusive and hydraulic conductivities of the pathway. Thus, relatively small and probably ultrastructurally undetectable adjustments in plasmodesmatal structure may be sufficient to account for assimilate flux through the crease symplast.
Nuclear electric quadrupole induction of atomic polarization.

Precessing nuclear quadrupole moments are observed to induce oscillating electric dipole moments in neighboring atoms. The $^{35}\mathrm{Cl}$ nuclei of a single crystal of NaCl${\mathrm{O}}_{3}$ placed between the plates of a capacitor are excited into precession by a rf pulse. After the pulse, the electric polarization induced by the chlorine nuclear quadrupole moments produces a voltage across the capacitor, which is amplified with a dc SQUID. This technique provides information on the location and polarizability of atoms near nuclear quadrupole moments in noncentrosymmetric crystals.
Affective ERP processing in a visual oddball task: Arousal, valence, and gender

Abstract Objective To assess affective event-related brain potentials (ERPs) using visual pictures that were highly distinct on arousal level/valence category ratings and a response task. Methods Images from the International Affective Pictures System (IAPS) were selected to obtain distinct affective arousal (low, high) and valence (negative, positive) rating levels. The pictures were used as target stimuli in an oddball paradigm, with a visual pattern as the standard stimulus. Participants were instructed to press a button whenever a picture occurred and to ignore the standard. Task performance and response time did not differ across conditions. Results High-arousal compared to low-arousal stimuli produced larger amplitudes for the N2, P3, early slow wave, and late slow wave components. Valence amplitude effects were weak overall and originated primarily from the later waveform components and interactions with electrode position. Gender differences were negligible. Conclusion The findings suggest that arousal level is the primary determinant of affective oddball processing, and valence minimally influences ERP amplitude. Significance Affective processing engages selective attentional mechanisms that are primarily sensitive to the arousal properties of emotional stimuli. The application and nature of task demands are important considerations for interpreting these effects.
Some remarks to system availability

In the present paper a result of MARTZ [9] is generalized and applications to statistical inference about the long-run availability are given.
The effect of epinephrne on anaesthetized hyperthyroid dogs pretreated with reserpine and/or guanethidine

Dogs made hyperthyroid with Protamone were anaesthetized with thiopentone and methoxyflurane after pretreatment with either guanethidme and/or reserpine They were then given a standard epinephrme challenge Ventricular fibrillation and other severe ventricular arrhythmias were seen more frequently in all of these animals than was observed in prenous studies of hyperthyroid dogs anaesthetized with methoxyflurane, but not pretreated with reserpine and/ or guanethidme Thus, by inference from the literature reviewed and the experimental Work of this paper, it would appear to be extremely dangerous to admmister epmephrme to hyperthyroid patients while they are receiving guarethidme and/or reserpme therapy
“He Said, She Said”: Assessing Discrepancies in Husbands' and Wives' Reports on the Division of Household Labor

Using the National Survey of Families and Households (NSFH) data, the discrepancy in the husband's and wife's reports on household work is examined. I found that husbands tend to overestimate their own contribution (or wives underestimate the husbands' contribution), but wives do not. Husbands tend to overestimate (or wives underestimate) their wives' contribution to shopping and paying bills, suggesting the husbands' inefficiency to perform these tasks may bias their estimates. To examine various sources of the interspouse response discrepancy, multiple regression analyses are conducted. The relationship between the interspouse response discrepancy in the husband's household work time and the attitudinal variables suggests that our estimates are affected by social desirability. The relationship between the discrepancy in the wife's time and both spouses' family-role attitudes indicates that the resentment felt by each spouse in performing household work may bias their estimates in their own favor. The wife's perceived fairness is related to the interspouse discrepancy in the husband's relative share of household work. Length of marriage generally decreases the interspouse response discrepancy, suggesting that the knowledge each spouse has of each other is an important factor. Finally, various measures of the division of household labor utilizing one or two spouses' responses are regressed upon the same set of predictors. The husband's relative share, rather than each spouse's absolute time, and both spouses' combined estimate, rather than either spouse's, are better explained by the various predictors.
Corrections to scaling for branched polymers and gels

We have extended series expansions for both lattice animals and percolation (which model branched polymers and gels, respectively), and also have obtained Monte Carlo simulations of systems 1000 times larger than hitherto studied (17 \ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{} ${10}^{9}$ sites). We find more precise estimates of the corresponding "correction-to-scaling exponents," and calculate the "correction-to-scaling function" ${f}_{1}(z)$ for the first time.
Childhood predictors of later suicide: Follow‐up of a sample of gifted children

By 1987, 8.7% of the deaths of the men and 5.2% of the deaths of the women in Terman's sample of gifted children were from suicide. Four variables distinguished those who killed themselves at a young age from those committing suicide later: the length of pregnancy, the length of breast feeding, loss of father by death or divorce, and a lower desire to excel.
EGF receptor expression in primary laryngeal cancer : correlation with clinico-pathological features and prognostic significance

Epidermal-growth-factor-receptor (EGFR) expression was evaluated in 103 primary laryngeal tumors and in 42 normal laryngeal tissue specimens. Significantly higher EGFR levels were found in cancer specimens than in normal mucosa (p = 0.0053). EGFR expression did not correlate with age, tumor localization, T classification, cervical-lymph-node involvement or type of surgery, whereas it was higher in poorly differentiated tumors (G3) than in well/moderately differentiated (G1-G2) tumors (p < 0.05). Follow-up data were available for 74 patients. When EGFR status and the most important clinico-pathological characteristics were submitted to univariate analysis, tumor localization, type of surgery and EGFR status were found to be significantly correlated with disease-free survival. The 24-month disease-free survival rate was 58% for EGFR+ cancer patients and 82% for EGFR- ones. With multivariate analysis, only EGFR status and tumor localization were identified as significant independent prognostic parameters. Data reported here suggest that high EGFR levels may identify a sub-set of laryngeal-cancer patients with a particularly unfavorable prognosis. © 1992 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Crack propagation in an elastic solid subjected to general loading—III. Stress wave loading

Abstract T he stress intensity factor of a half-plane crack extending non-uniformly in an isotropic elastic solid subjected to stress wave loading is determined. A plane stress pulse strikes the crack at time t = 0, the wavefront being parallel to the plane of the crack. At some arbitrary later time t = τ, the crack begins to extend at a non-uniform rate. It is found that the stress intensity factor is a universal function of instantaneous crack-tip velocity times the stress intensity factor for an equivalent stationary crack. An energy rate balance fracture criterion is applied to obtain an equation of motion for the crack tip. The delay time between the arrival of the incident pulse and the onset of fracture is also calculated for this fracture criterion.
GAPscreener: An automatic tool for screening human genetic association literature in PubMed using the support vector machine technique

Synthesis of data from published human genetic association studies is a critical step in the translation of human genome discoveries into health applications. Although genetic association studies account for a substantial proportion of the abstracts in PubMed, identifying them with standard queries is not always accurate or efficient. Further automating the literature-screening process can reduce the burden of a labor-intensive and time-consuming traditional literature search. The Support Vector Machine (SVM), a well-established machine learning technique, has been successful in classifying text, including biomedical literature. The GAPscreener, a free SVM-based software tool, can be used to assist in screening PubMed abstracts for human genetic association studies. The data source for this research was the HuGE Navigator, formerly known as the HuGE Pub Lit database. Weighted SVM feature selection based on a keyword list obtained by the two-way z score method demonstrated the best screening performance, achieving 97.5% recall, 98.3% specificity and 31.9% precision in performance testing. Compared with the traditional screening process based on a complex PubMed query, the SVM tool reduced by about 90% the number of abstracts requiring individual review by the database curator. The tool also ascertained 47 articles that were missed by the traditional literature screening process during the 4-week test period. We examined the literature on genetic associations with preterm birth as an example. Compared with the traditional, manual process, the GAPscreener both reduced effort and improved accuracy. GAPscreener is the first free SVM-based application available for screening the human genetic association literature in PubMed with high recall and specificity. The user-friendly graphical user interface makes this a practical, stand-alone application. The software can be downloaded at no charge.
Mineral nutrient efficiency of rice

Data are given on the genetics of the trait “mineral nutrient efficiency” in rice. It is shown that rapid development of the root system of hybrids provides their advantage in rate of uptake of mineral substances.
Performance and energy efficient cache migrationapproach for thermal management in embedded systems

In this paper we propose an approach for performance and power aware warm start for the data cache during core level migration events that originate from overheating. We utilize the concept of reuse in the references to eliminate unnecessary information from being migrated. Furthermore, we exploit the temperature predictability to trigger the cache migration slightly before the actual thermal limit to allow sufficient time for the extraction of the reuse information and transfer of it to the destination cache while the execution is resuming normally. The suggested hardware not only is cost efficient but is also programmable so as to maintain flexibility in targeting application particularities. The experimental results we provide confirm the applicability of this approach.
Don't throw the baby out with the bathwater: enabling a bottom-up approach in genome-wide association studies.

The current model for conducting genome-wide association studies (GWAS) is primarily phenotype-driven. In this “top-down” approach, the model is the case-control study, where participants are enrolled based on the presence or absence of a clinical phenotype, for example, cardiovascular disease or breast cancer (Pennisi 2007; Wellcome Trust Case Control Consortium 2007). The International HapMap Project has identified a large number of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the human population that enable investigators to genotype subjects for these various polymorphisms and determine associations with a phenotype of interest (Fig. 1A) (International HapMap Consortium et al. 2007).
Extreme food behavior in abusive families

Abstract The availability of food can provide a positive tool in the treatment of abusive and neglectful families. This concept evolves from the belief that inadequate parents are most often people who have been deprived of an adequate “parenting” experience in their own lives. Deprivation creates a void of security which may result in many extremes of behavior. Many of these extremes, as they are related to food habits, have been defined here. Gorging is identified as the first extreme, and differentiation is made between the dynamics of the discriminate gorger who can be helped specifically and the indiscriminate gorger who needs infinite abundance to feel secure. Secondly, the physical and emotional insecurities which result in a need to hoard food are examined, and some insight is offered into understanding the obese patient and the steps necessary before anticipating any effective regulation of the obese person's eating habits. The last personal extreme discussed is despised-food intake which is an easily recognizable symptom of deprivation. The extremes of interaction between peers and spouses at group meals have been addressed, and it is noted that group meals which are traditionally instruments of socialization can be extremely stressful for groups of insecure members. Finally, the extremes of parent-child interaction are outlined, and it is shown how these extremes can reduce the family's mealtime to a devastating emotional battleground. The characteristics of overfeeding and withholding are defined, and it is shown how this chain of extremes results in a complete breakdown of the “parenting” process in which all members fail. Based on the clinical observations made at The National Center for the Pre- vention and Treatment of Child Abuse and Neglect in Denver, it is suggested that feeding can be used as a therapeutic tool not only to attract and hold patient attendance, but also to facilitate progress in therapy through the reduction of physical anxiety.
The Chat Is Coming from inside the House: An Analysis of Perceived Chat Behavior and Reality.

When looking for ways to improve library services, we considered what data sources were readily available to us and how we could harvest and use this data. We investigated three years of chat reference statistics at Central Michigan University, a large research institution, to gain a better understanding of our patrons’ chat behavior. We then compared the results to a survey given to the information professionals using chat reference, examining the perceptions of our chat service versus the results of our statistical analysis. With a large population of students on-campus, off-campus, and online, we looked at the incoming location of students asking for virtual assistance and which library queue chats (on-campus or off-campus) students are using. We compared many elements including, but not limited to, busiest time of day and year, length of response time and length of chat, all of which give us insights when determining practices to best serve our patrons. We concluded that several of our perceptions wer...
Examining The Role Of Lipid Variations And Proteins On Membrane Biophysics: Synthetic Versus Natural Membrane Vesicles

Biomembranes in living cells are complex, heterogeneous and dynamic systems that regulate numerous biological processes such as cell signaling, endocytosis and exocytosis, and protein trafficking. Cholesterol-rich lipid domains have been hypothesized to exist in a liquid-ordered phase and play an important role in cellular functions. Here, we test the hypothesis that cholesterol diffuses as a complex with other lipids in a bilayer. In addition, we examine the role of lipid variation and proteins on the biophysical properties of biomembranes using comparative studies of giant unilamellar vesicles (GUVs) and plasma membrane vesicles (GPMVs) isolated from Hs578Bst live cells. The fluorescence dynamics assay used here includes two-photon fluorescence lifetime imaging, fluorescence resonance energy transfer, and diffusion (both rotational and translational). Different fluorescent lipid analogs are used in these studies to probe both the hydrophobic core and the head group region. Our comparative studies on GUVs and GPMVs serve as a platform to test our understanding of lipid-lipid and lipid-protein interactions in these biomembrane models.
Peripancreatic lymph node enlargement in Hodgkin's disease, non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, and pancreatic carcinoma

Abstract The distribution of enlarged lymph nodes in the upper abdomen and retroperitoneum were classified according to their relationship to the pancreas in 47 patients with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma; in nine patients with Hodgkin's disease; and in 40 patients with pancreatic carcinoma. Four patterns of lymph node enlargement were evident: (1) preaortic retropancreatic lymph ad en opathy; (2) pancreatico-splenic lymphadenopathy; (3) isolated celiac and/ or portal lymphadenopathy; and (4) diffuse extensive lymphadenopathy. Features differentiating lymphoma from primary pancreatic neoplasm are discussed.
Convergence of optimal stochastic bin packing

Consider independent identically distributed random variables (X"i) valued in [0,1]. Let B(n) be the optimal (minimum) number of unit size bins needed to pack n items of size X"1, X"2,...,X"n. We prove that there exists a numerical constant C such that for t > 0, Pr(|B(n)-E(B(n))|>tn)@? C exp(- t). The constant C does not depend on the distribution of X.
Localized magnetic resonance spectroscopy measurement of brain lactate during intravenous lactate infusion in healthy volunteers.

Abstract Proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H MRS) localized to the left temporal-parietal region in 8 healthy volunteers detected a 2.1-fold +/- 0.7-fold increase (all values +/-SD) in brain lactate during intravenous infusion of 0.5 molar (M) sodium lactate (5 meq/kg over 20 minutes). Significant increases in brain lactate occurred within 5–10 minutes after starting lactate infusion, progressively rose during the infusion, then decreased towards baseline levels during 30 minutes post-infusion. Venous lactate concentration increased from 0.8 +/- 0.2 mM to 10.9 +/- 4.1 mM or 13.6-fold during the infusion. Flow phantom findings in vitro suggest attenuation of 1H MRS blood lactate signal from arteries and veins as a result of flow velocity effects. Correlations between paired blood and brain lactate measurements at each sampling time indicate a non-linear relationship between compartments during lactate infusion.
Patient Self-management of Chronic Disease in Primary Care

Patients with chronic conditions make day-to-day decisions about—selfmanage—their illnesses. This reality introduces a new chronic disease paradigm: the patient-professional partnership, involving collaborative care and self-management education. Self-management education complements traditional patient education in supporting patients to live the best possible quality of life with their chronic condition. Whereas traditional patient education offers information and technical skills, self-management education teaches problem-solving skills. A central concept in self-management is selfefficacy—confidence to carry out a behavior necessary to reach a desired goal. Self-efficacy is enhanced when patients succeed in solving patientidentified problems. Evidence from controlled clinical trials suggests that (1) programs teaching self-management skills are more effective than informationonly patient education in improving clinical outcomes; (2) in some circumstances, self-management education improves outcomes and can reduce costs for arthritis and probably for adult asthma patients; and (3) in initial studies, a self-management education program bringing together patients with a variety of chronic conditions may improve outcomes and reduce costs. Selfmanagement education for chronic illness may soon become an integral part of high-quality primary care.
Why Should I Be a Teacher

Though teaching yet has its advocates, more and more teachers are leaving the profession after only a few years in the school setting. The satisfactions of this impossibly complex and difficult profession are less and less obvious in this era of accountability and high stakes testing. Indeed, I suggest that the satisfactions often ascribed to the teaching profession are ever doubtful, and in the article I look for an alternative to the current propaganda concerning the satisfactions to be expected by teachers in their work, and suggest that to teach is to take an ethical stance in the world. This ethical stance is, finally, the only and the best satisfaction available to the teacher.
Protracted exposure radiosensitization of experimental human malignant glioma

Clinical modulation of radiosensitivity via combined fractionated high dose rate and continuous ultra-low dose rate irradiation (ULDR) holds promise for the radiosensitization of human malignant gliomas. We measured both the in vitro and in vivo responses of a human malignant glioma cell line to combined continuous ULDR and high dose rate treatments. For in vitro ULDR treatments, U251 human malignant glioma cells were cultured in media containing tritiated water to yield a continuous dose rate of 0.03 Gy/hr. After exposures of 24, 48, or 72 hr, cells were acutely (1.1 Gy/min) irradiated, replated, and scored for colony formation. In vivo, U251 flank xenografts in nude mice had 125-iodine (125-I) seed brachytherapy at a dose rate of 0.05 Gy/hr. For whole-body continuous ULDR (0.03 Gy/hr), a 137-Cs source was mounted a fixed distance above the cages of animals bearing xenografts. After 3 daysapos; continuous exposure, xenografts were acutely irradiated (2 Gy × 8 vs. 5 Gy × 2 daily fractions), and the regrowth delay in tumors was measured. In vitro, exposure to ULDR (0.03 Gy/hr) alone caused only modest killing and reduced the surviving fraction by approximately 0.2 logs after 72 hr exposure. The highest (10 Gy) dose of acute irradiation alone reduced survival by 1 log. However, U251 cell killing increased to 2.5 logs after combined HDR and ULDR treatments. Linear-quadratic modeling showed comparatively greater increase in the beta than the alpha coefficients of the linear-quadratic model for cell killing. In vivo, the 125-I seed brachytherapy treatments delayed tumor growth but resulted in no regression. The HDR treatments (5 Gy × 2 or 2 Gy × 8 daily fractions) caused growth delays (in days) of 17 ± 2 or 16 ± 2 (P = NS) days, respectively. The combined seed and 5 Gy × 2 or 2 Gy × 8 daily fractions regimen resulted in striking prolongation of regrowth delay (52.3 ± 8.7 vs. 59.5 ± 7.7 days) (P < 0.001 vs. HDR treatments alone). External ULDR alone caused no regression and minimal growth delay. Combined continuous external ULDR and the 5 Gy × 2 vs. 2 Gy × 8 daily fraction regimens resulted in prolongation of growth delay (33 ± 0.9 (P = 0.01 vs. 5 Gy × 2 daily fractions alone) vs. 35 ± 0.7 (P = 0.049 vs. 2 Gy × 8 daily fractions alone). We conclude that continuous ULDR increases the effect of HDR treatments of experimental malignant glioma. This increased effect may prove clinically important in the treatment of human malignant brain tumors. Radiat. Oncol. Invest. 6:255–263, 1998. © 1998 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Conceptual study of micro-tab device in airframe noise reduction: (I) 2D computation

A two-dimensional numerical study was performed to investigate the acoustic effects of micro-tab device on airframe noise reduction. As the noise generated by leading-edge slat and trailing-edge flap rise with their increased deflection angles, it is possible to mitigate such high-lift noise by using reduced settings without sacrificing the aerodynamic performance during approach. In this paper, micro-tab device attached to the pressure side of the flap surface is envisioned as a mean to achieve this goal. Hybrid method involving Computational Fluid Dynamics and acoustic analogy was used to predict the far-field noise spectrum. Results illustrate that the micro-tab device with reduced deflection angles of the high-lift settings provides lower noise signature at far-field positions, comparing to the baseline configuration, while the aerodynamic performance is maintained. In addition, two parametric studies which investigated the effects of micro-tab location and micro-tab height on acoustic spectra were also included.
A review of microdialysis coupled to microchip electrophoresis for monitoring biological events

Microdialysis is a powerful sampling technique that enables monitoring of dynamic processes in vitro and in vivo. The combination of microdialysis with chromatographic or electrophoretic methods with selective detection yields a "separation-based sensor" capable of monitoring multiple analytes in near real time. For monitoring biological events, analysis of microdialysis samples often requires techniques that are fast (<1 min), have low volume requirements (nL-pL), and, ideally, can be employed on-line. Microchip electrophoresis fulfills these requirements and also permits the possibility of integrating sample preparation and manipulation with detection strategies directly on-chip. Microdialysis coupled to microchip electrophoresis has been employed for monitoring biological events in vivo and in vitro. This review discusses technical considerations for coupling microdialysis sampling and microchip electrophoresis, including various interface designs, and current applications in the field.
Subsumption Architecture for Fluid-Advected Chemical Plume Tracing with Soft Obstacle Avoidance

A typical chemical plume tracing (CPT) is to navigate an autonomous vehicle to find a chemical plume that is transported in a turbulent fluid flow, to trace the plume to its source, and to declare the source location. CPT in the real world, however, is more complicated, for example, some test runs, conducted in August 2002 on Clememte Isand, California, failed because of some "soft obstacles", such as kelp forest or seaweed in near-shore ocean environments. This paper presents a subsumption architecture for CPT with soft obstacle avoidance by integrating a Follow-Obstacle behavior. The behaviors used herein can be grouped into two categories: soft obstacle avoidance and plume searching and tracing. The simulation studies of CPT with soft obstacle avoidance are performed using a simulated turbulent fluid environment.
A Comparison of Soil Moisture Models Using Soil Climate Analysis Network Observations

Abstract Because of the lack of field measurements, models are often used to monitor soil moisture conditions. Therefore, it is important to find a model that can accurately simulate soil moisture under a variety of land surface conditions. In this paper, three models of varying complexities [the Variable Infiltration Capacity (VIC), Decision Support System for Agrotechnology Transfer (DSSAT), and Climatic Water Budget (CWB) models] that are commonly used for simulating soil moisture were evaluated and compared using soil moisture data (1997–2005) from three Soil Climate Analysis Network (SCAN) sites (Bushland, Texas; Prairie View, Texas; Powder Mill, Maryland). Results demonstrated that DSSAT and VIC simulated soil moisture more accurately than CWB at the three SCAN sites. DSSAT and VIC both accurately simulated the annual cycle of soil moisture and the wetting and drying in response to weather conditions, as evidenced by the relatively strong correlations, but could not accurately simulate the actual so...
Disturbances in the performance of thermal discrimination tasks following cortical ablations in rats

Abstract Previous studies of the effects of ablating the rat's somatosensory cortex on temperature discrimination have yielded negative results. Presently, it was assumed that (1) the rat's face might possess thermal acuity comparable to that found in highly sensitive skin regions of primates, (2) the rat's facial discriminative capacity for thermal differences might be more acute in a cool range well below normal room temperature (24°C), and (3) by using more sensitive procedures and focusing on the effects of damage to the face areas in the rat's somatosensory cortex, disturbances in the capacity to make discriminations between cool stimuli might be revealed that previously went unnoticed. Results of experiments testing these assumptions indicated that rats can use their snouts to make discriminations of 1°C or less, that their acuity is better in the cool than in the warm range, and that somatosensory ablations produce moderate to severe disturbances in the capacity to discriminate between cool stimuli but only slight transitory disturbances in this capacity for warm stimuli. Additionally, the results suggest that the sensorimotor cortex may be involved in the rat's thermal discriminative capacity.
Two Brothers With Renal and Hepatic Polycystic Disease Treated With Combined Liver and Kidney Transplantation: A Case Report

We report two brothers with renal and hepatic polycystic disease who developed end-stage renal failure, requiring hemodialysis, and organomegaly syndrome related to the gigantic size of the liver and both kidneys. Although there was no liver failure, combined liver and kidney transplantation was performed owing to worsening of the clinical condition. In both cases, successful transplantation was accomplished with intra-abdominal engraftment of the liver and kidneys through the same abdominal incision.
Deposition of glomalin-related soil protein and sequestered toxic metals into watersheds.

We hypothesized that glomalin-related soil proteins (GRSP) are eroded in sufficient quantities to influence metal loading into watersheds. We tested correlations among GRSP, Glomeromycota fungi, and metals (cadmium, iron, lead, and manganese) in proteins extracted from embankment soils at seven locations along an urban/coastal watershed. Immunoreactive (IRSP) and easily extractable (EE-IRSP) glomalin ranged from 0.007 to 2.9 mg g-1 and from 0.006 to 0.63 mg g-1 of soils, respectively. Glomalin-bound metals (μg mg-1 protein) were Cd = 0.00−0.338; Fe = 0.5−227.7; Pb = 0.11−188.95; Mn = 2.23−784.42). Glomeromycota fungi were detected in 24% of all samples tested with PCR targeting the 18S and 28S ribosomal DNA extracted from soils. Specific assay for G. intraradices showed 3.08 × 107 copies g-1 and 1.96 × 103 copies g-1 of soil at two sites. Estimated annual glomalin loading into the watershed ranged from 5.48 × 102 to 7.22 × 104 kg of IRSP and from 2.57 × 102 to 2.86 × 104 kg of EE-IRSP; including 2.7 kg (C...
Creative Social Commentary in the Composition Classroom.

The use of Creative Writing methodologies and techniques in university Composition classes has recently become an element of contention, namely questioning whether or not creativity for composition and rhetoric curriculum is detrimental or productive for student learning. This essay discusses the beneficial aspects of using Creative Writing form, style and authorial first-person point-of-view within the Composition classroom to encourage student learning and progress. Specific paper assignment descriptions and examples are detailed, as are the learning outcome benefits for these assignments, which explain how and why Creative Writing is advantageous for Millennial generation students. The author of this essay has written in the first-person to analyse what ethical considerations must be taken into account when teaching ‘honest writing’ and how properly to teach rhetorical discourse within a Creative Writing-influenced classroom.
Biosynthesis of reovirus-specified polypeptides: multiplication rate but not yield of reovirus serotypes 1 and 3 correlates with the level of virus-mediated inhibition of cellular protein synthesis

Kinetic analysis of mouse L fibroblast cells infected with reovirus revealed that serotypes 1 (Lang strain) and 3 (Dearing strain) differ significantly from each other in terms of their rates of multiplication and their effects on cellular protein synthesis. Serotype 1 did not significantly affect the synthesis of cellular polypeptides in monolayer cultures of L cells at late times after infection when virus-specific protein synthesis was at a maximum. By contrast, under identical culture conditions, serotype 3 essentially completely inhibited the synthesis of cellular polypeptides at late times when viral protein synthesis was at a maximum. The kinetics of virus-specific polypeptide synthesis and the production of infectious progeny were considerably slower for the serotype 1 Lang strain as compared to the serotype 3 Dearing strain, both at 30 and 37 degrees. However, the relative pattern of viral polypeptide synthesis and the final yield of infectious progeny did not differ significantly between serotypes 1 and 3. For both serotypes, the maximum yield of infectious progeny was obtained shortly after the maximum rate of viral polypeptide synthesis was reached. These results suggest that the rate of multiplication, but not the final yield, of reovirus serotypes 1 and 3 is related to the extent of virus-mediated inhibition of cellular protein synthesis.
ORGANIZATIONAL INVOLVEMENT AND BLACK PARTICIPATION: CONTINUITY AND CHANGE

Empirical investigations of black political activity either do not include measures for associational affiliation among blacks or take into consideration differences among black organizations in their capacity to promote political activity among their members. In this investigation, a model of black political behavior was presented that included not only the standard predictors of political activity, but also incorporated measures for membership in different types of voluntary associations. Two important conclusions emerge from this study. First, this investigation demonstrated that since the 1960s, there has been an important transformation in the organizational infrastructure of the black community: blacks changed their voluntary memberships from political to nonpartisan organizations. Second, these findings showed that the decline in group-based political mobilization since the 1960s is partly the result of this shift from partisan to nonpolitical affiliations.
The Chinese Remainder Problem and Polynomial Interpolation.

(1987). The Chinese Remainder Problem and Polynomial Interpolation. The College Mathematics Journal: Vol. 18, No. 4, pp. 320-322.
Facilitating Inclusion with Integrated Curriculum: A Multidisciplinary Approach.

Integrated curriculum is a model that minimizes instruction in isolated academic disciplines by combining goals and objectives from a variety of areas. Teachers using integrated curriculum may select a subject for instruction and include related topics from other areas in the unit plan. Students with special needs often require instruction in life/independent living, social, and academic skills; however, those subjects are not normally included in the content of general education classrooms. By using an integrated curriculum model, teachers can infuse skills from these areas into the typical content focused on in the classroom.
Highly efficient and stable organic light-emitting diodes

Abstract Doped and undoped multilayer organic light-emitting diodes containing copper phthalocyanine as the hole-injection layer, aromatic diamines as the hole-transport layers and (tris(8-hydroxy-quinoline)aluminum) as the electron-injection, electron-transport, and emitting layer were fabricated. The influence of the individual layer thicknesses and doping locations (electron-transport layer and/or hole-transport layer) on the current-voltage characteristics, luminous efficiency, and stability was investigated. Optimization of these parameters led to highly efficient (above 8 lm/W) and stable organic light-emitting diodes.
Canine gastric mucosal vasodilation with prostaglandins and histamine analogs

The effect of direct intragastric artery infusion of prostaglandins E2 and I2, arachidonic acid, dimaprit (histamine H2 agonist), and 2',2'-pyridylethylamine (histamine H1 agonist) on gastric mucosal blood flow was examined in dogs to elucidate the relationship between gastric secretory state and mucosal blood flow in dogs. These compounds were chosen because of their diverse effect on gastric acid secretion. Gastric fundus blood flow was measured both electromagnetically with a flow probe around the left gastric artery which supplies the fundus almost exclusively, and by the radioactive microsphere technique. Intraarterial infusion of all the compounds resulted in gastric mucosal vasodilation even though PGE2, PGI2, and arachidonic acid inhibit gastric acid secretion, dimaprit stimulated gastric acid secretion, and 2',2'-pyridylethylamine does not affect gastric acid secretion. There was total agreement in the blood flow measurements by the two different techniques. Our data suggest that gastric acid secretion and gastric vasodilation are independently regulated. In addition, the validity of the studies in which the aminopyrine clearance indicates that prostaglandins are mucosal vasoconstrictors needs to be questioned because of the reliance of those measurements on the secretory state of the stomach.
A clinical evaluation of rats dying in the activity-stress ulcer paradigm

Abstract Rats fed 1 hr daily and housed in running-wheel activity cages exhibited excessive running and developed stomach ulcers as compared to food control, body weight control and home cage control rats. In addition to the observed gastric disease, experimental animals had increased bilirubins, decreased glycogen and decreased serum proteins suggesting that hepatic disease played a role in the lethal consequence of exposing rats to the activity-stress procedure. The decreases in liver glycogen and serum glucose suggested that the terminal problem was related to incipient exhaustion of metabolic substrates.
Deterministic models of fractal and multifractal growth

Abstract Four deterministic models are presented in order to get more insight into the geometry and multifractal behavior associated with fractal growth phenomena. These models allow for exact treatment and are used to demonstrate such properties as directed self-affinity and self-similarity and multifractal growth probability and mass distribution. It is pointed out that in some cases the various fractal dimension definitions may lead to inconsistent results.
Studies on tyrosine-α-ketoglutarate transaminase from bovine thyroid and liver tissue

Abstract 1. 1.This paper describes the purification and characteristics of tyrosine-α-ketoglutarate transaminase ( l -tyrosine:2-oxoglutarate aminotransferase, EC 2.6.1.5) from bovine thyroid tissue. The most active preparations appeared to be more than 80% homogeneous on the basis of ultracentrifugal and immunoelectrophoretic analysis. 2. 2.Bovine thyroid tyrosine-α-ketoglutarate transaminase was compared with the same enzyme isolated from bovine liver and found to be similar with respect to heat tolerance, pH optima, substrate affinity, and response to most inhibitors. Immunologically the proteins appeared to be identical. 3. 3.The only difference between the two enzymes was the effect of diiodotyrosine. Diiodotyrosine did not inhibit thyroid transaminase and would partially protect it against inhibition by the sulfhydryl inhibitor, p -chloromercuriphenylsulfonic acid. On the other hand, diiodotyrosine inhibited liver transaminase 50% at 2.5 mM concentration and did not protect it from the inhibitory effect of p -chloromercuriphenylsulfonic acid. 4. 4.Both thyroid and liver transaminase utilized tyrosine and monoiodotyrosine as substrates but used diiodotyrosine poorly.
Dielectric and width effect on H -plane and E -plane coupling between rectangular microstrip antennas

Theory and numerically computed results are presented for mutual coupling between two rectangular microstrip antenna patches. E -plane alignment and H -plane alignment are the two patch orientations considered. The s -parameter matrix element s_{11} is used to study the mutual coupling. Extensive results are provided for s_{11} covering several relative substrate dielectric constants, antenna patch widths, and antenna patch separations. Results are also given for resonant frequency, resonant impedance behavior, and radiation pattern at resonance.
Prediction of VIV for Risers With Effective Strakes

Accurate prediction of straked riser response can be important for determining the minimum strake coverage needed to ensure adequate riser fatigue life in demanding high-speed current environments. Previously published results from ExxonMobil’s 2003 vortex-induced vibration (VIV) model tests on a long, flexible, straked cylinder showed that strakes can greatly reduce, but may not entirely eliminate flow-induced vibration. The data also showed that the low-amplitude vibrations that persist when the cylinders are straked are different in character from VIV on bare cylinders, suggesting that the strakes are effective in disrupting the alternating vortex shedding mechanism that excites bare-cylinder VIV and that other flow mechanisms may drive the straked-cylinder vibration. This further implies that classic VIV models that have been developed to predict bare-pipe response due to alternating vortex shedding may not be accurate for straked cylinders even if the excitation model (“lift curve”) is adjusted to represent lower excitation levels on strakes.Classic VIV prediction methods for bare risers rely on special-purpose theoretical models to account for the strongly nonlinear interactions between bare cylinder motion and hydrodynamic excitation. However, for the low amplitudes of vibration observed in tests with straked cylinders, the influence of the cylinder motion on the flow may be less important. In an effort to more accurately predict the performance of strakes, ExxonMobil has recently explored a new approach for predicting flow-induced vibrations for straked risers that neglects any influence of riser motion on excitation, and instead assumes that hydrodynamic excitation can be approximated to useful accuracy by excitation measured on a fixed straked cylinder. New experiments show that this excitation is stochastic, with broad band-width, and that it conforms to relatively simple scaling laws.The measured stochastic excitation data has been used with a conventional linear random vibration model to predict the response data acquired from the 2003 model tests on the long, flexible, straked cylinder. Comparison shows a dramatic improvement in prediction scatter compared to predictions using a classic bare-pipe VIV formulation with a “lift curve” model of the strake hydrodynamic excitation.Copyright © 2013 by ASME