cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Evaluation of a multistory forest canopy remote sensing model driven by stand-level architecture

A Monte Carlo ray tracing model for canopy birdirectional reflectance is applied to forest canopy architectures consisting of inhomogeneous mixtures of coniferous and both shade- tolerant and intolerant hardwood species. The model assumes a multi-layered canopy of known optical properties, statistical composition and geometric arrangement and, for the results reported here, further assumed Lambertian scattering of canopy elements. Upward and downward direct, diffuse and multiply scattered solar irradiance is traced through the canopy and from a reflecting background. The stand-level architecture for the model was derived from a forest growth succession model which predicted canopy structure height profiles as a function of site condition and environmental driving variables. Fifteen theoretical successional stages consisting of five age class distributions for three different site indices were simulated using the forest growth model. Fifteen forest growth replications for each of the forest plots were generated. Monte Carlo reflectance predictions were then made for each of these theoretical cases with ten canopy reflectance replications per plot. The model was applied to field and aircraft data collected September 8, 1990 from a hemlock-spruce-fir forest canopy at the Northern Experimental Forest study site near Howland, Maine, the location of a NASA sponsored Forest Ecosystem Dynamics Multi-sensor Aircraft Campaign. Model predicted bidirectional reflectance distribution functions are compared to representative samples of AVIRIS (airborne visible/infrared imaging spectrometer) observations corresponding to successional age class distributions of 50, 75, 100 and 200 years for dry mesic and wet sites.© (1995) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Metabolic signature identifies novel targets for drug resistance in Multiple Myeloma

Drug resistance remains a major clinical challenge for cancer treatment. Multiple myeloma (MM) is an incurable plasma cell cancer selectively localized in the bone marrow (BM). The main cause of resistance in myeloma is the minimal residual disease (MRD) cells that are resistant to the original therapy including bortezomib treatment and high dose melphalan in stem cell transplant. In this study, we demonstrate that altered tumor cell metabolism is essential for the regulation of drug resistance in MM cells. We show the unprecedented role of the metabolic phenotype in inducing drug resistance through LDHA and HIF1A in MM; and that specific inhibition of LDHA and HIF1A can restore sensitivity to therapeutic agents such as bortezomib and can also inhibit tumor growth induced by altered metabolism. Knockdown of LDHA can restore sensitivity of bortezomib resistance cell lines while gain of function studies using LDHA or HIF1A induced resistance in bortezomib sensitive cell lines. Taken together, these data suggest that HIF1A and LDHA are important targets for hypoxia-driven drug resistance. Novel drugs that regulate metabolic pathways in MM, specifically targeting LDHA, can be beneficial to inhibit tumor growth and overcome drug resistance.
Flux pinning of Bi2Sr2CaCu2O8+δ/Ag superconductors utilizing (Sr,Ca)14Cu24O41 defects and nanophase Al2O3 and Au particles

Investigations into flux-pinning of Bi 2 Sr 2 CaCu 2 O 8+δ /Ag (Bi-2212/Ag) thick film conductors utilizing micron-sized (Sr,Ca) 14 Cu 24 O 41 and nanophase Al 2 O 3 and Au particles are described. Addition of defect particles delayed and reduced formation of 2212 c-axis texture, while improving film quality by inhibiting Sr:Ca:Cu:O defect formation. Oxide defects were observed to rapidly coarsen in the melt, simultaneously with beneficial increase of 2212 texture. Nanophase Al 2 O 3 reacted rapidly ( < 4 min) with 2212-type melts (Sr:Ca = 1.33-2.07) to form solid-solution (Sr,Ca) 3 Al 2 O 6 with Sr:Ca ratio close to the Sr:Ca composition of the precursor matrix. Addition of nanophase Al 2 O 3 improved the J c (1 T) over the range 20-30 K, e.g. J c (30 K, 1 T)/J c (5 K, 0 T)=(<0.001), 0.005, and 0.065 for 0%, 10% and 46% molar addition, respectively. The addition of nanophase or micron-sized Au completely suppressed 2212 c-axis orientation for the processing temperatures tested.
Primaries with strategic voters: trading off electability and ideology

This paper presents a spatial model of primary election to analyze strategic voting and its effect on the policy outcome. Primary voters care for the electability of the candidates as well as their offered policies. The trade off between these two factors might make the preferences of the primary voters non-single-peaked. I show the median voter is still decisive when the preferences are quadratic. Moreover, I use comparative statics and numerical analysis to evaluate the conditions under which the position of the Condorcet winner in the primary election shifts toward the center. Among the conditions that contribute to such a shift are radical policies by the incumbent, public opinion shift toward the incumbent party, and accurate information about the population median.
Underground comix as television criticism

Underground “comix” use a comic book format to comment, often with blatant sexual scenes and profanity, on American society. The author traces the history of comix, exemplifies their criticism of television, and compares comix' methods and influence to more usual critical outlets and to television itself.
Costs of coronary restenosis (lovastatin restenosis trial)

Within the Lovastatin Restenosis Trial, restenosis has been clearly shown to increase resource utilization and costs. While it is not possible to generalize these results to other patient populations, it is clear that successful efforts to decrease restenosis will certainly improve efficacy while decreasing follow-up costs and increasing the cost-effectiveness of intervention in the coronaries.
Estimation of elastic parameters in beams and certain plates: H 1 regularization

The estimation of elastic parameters in beams and certain types of plates is discussed using anH1-regularization technique that easily accommodates pointwise constraints. The optimal coefficient is shown to enjoy more regularity than that assumed in the formulation of the problem. This additional smoothness is useful for analyzing the limit behavior of finite-dimensional problems. Numerical results are presented.
Background gradient suppression in pulsed gradient stimulated echo measurements.

Pulsed gradient spin echo (PGSE) experiments can be used to measure the probability distribution of molecular displacements. In homogeneous samples this reports on the molecular diffusion coefficient, and in heterogeneous samples, such as porous media and biological tissue, such measurements provide information about the sample's morphology. In heterogeneous samples however background gradients are also present and prevent an accurate measurement of molecular displacements. The interference of time independent background gradients with the applied magnetic field gradients can be removed through the use of bipolar gradient pulses. However, when the background gradients are spatially non-uniform molecular diffusion introduces a temporal modulation of the background gradients. This defeats simple bipolar gradient suppression of background gradients in diffusion related measurements. Here we introduce a new method that requires the background gradients to be constant over coding intervals only. Since the coding intervals are typically at least an order of magnitude shorter than the storage time, this new method succeeds in suppressing cross-terms for a much wider range of heterogeneous samples.
Hospitality and Violence Contradictions in a Southern City

During 1974 and 1975, Atlanta was one of the top convention cities in the United States, but the city was also known as the nation’s “murder capital.” The contradiction in the discourse on hospitality and violence is the focus of this research. The discussion of hospitality by business leaders and elected officials was used to unify support for growth, but a separate discourse on violence had unfortunate ethical consequences. This discourse tended to divide whites from blacks and suburban dwellers from central-city residents. Little effort was made to seek common ground in the discourse on hospitality and violence.
Is discrimination disappearing? Residential credit market evidence, 1992‐98

Makes three contributions to the ongoing debate over whether racial discrimination is disappearing, and white privilege eroding. First, develops an argument concerning why many economists treat empirical evidence of racial discrimination with skepticism or indifference. Second, presents some new econometric results which provide empirical insight into whether racial inequality is disappearing in residential credit markets. These results suggest that for African Americans and Latinos, racial disadvantage remains statistically significant in most cities, though its magnitude has fallen during the 1990s in many cities. Third, suggests an empirical implementation of “white privilege” in the residential credit market. Consistently finds white advantage in credit markets to be statistically significant in an econometric model of residential loan approval and denial.
Substitutions of different regions of the third cytoplasmic loop of the thyrotropin (TSH) receptor have selective effects on constitutive, TSH-, and TSH receptor autoantibody-stimulated phosphoinositide and 3',5'-cyclic adenosine monophosphate signal generation.

TSH and immunoglobulin G (IgG) preparations from patients with Graves' disease increase inositol phosphate as well as cAMP formation in Cos-7 cells transfected with rat TSH receptor (TSHR) cDNA. In a previous report, we mutated alanine 623 of the third cytoplasmic loop (residues 605-625) of the TSHR and showed it was critical for TSH and Graves' IgG initiation of phosphatidylinositol bisphosphate (PIP2) but not cAMP signaling. In this report, we substituted residues in the third loop of the TSHR with sequences from the N- and C-termini of the third loop of the alpha 1- and beta 2-adrenergic receptors (ARs), which computer analysis has identified as homologous to those in the TSHR. Alanine 623 is conserved in most ARs as well as in glycoprotein hormone receptors; there is, therefore, no change in alanine 623. After transfection of the mutant TSHR cDNAs into Cos-7 cells, we show that the mutant proteins are normally synthesized, processed, and incorporated into the membrane bilayer by Western blotting with ...
Electron-impact ionization of the tungsten atom.

The near-threshold electron-impact ionization cross section for the tungsten atom is calculated in a distorted-wave approximation. A shape resonance is found to have a large effect on the total cross sections for the 6s and 5d subshells. The shape resonance in the l=2 scattering channel is most clearly defined when one examines the differential cross section with ejected energy.
Services for Learning Disabled Adolescents: A Survey:

This article presents the results of a nationwide survey conducted to determine the types and availability of services being provided to learning disabled adolescents. Results are summarized under three main categories: procedures, services for learning disabled adolescents, and problems and needs. As a consequence of PL 94–142, public schools are moving to comply with the law; thus, much of the data in this survey must continually be updated and reanalyzed.
Structural Investigations of a Sputtered Intermediate Carbonization Layer for 3C-SiC on (111) and (110) Si Substrates

Thin SiC buffer layers have been grown by sputtering a graphite C target onto both (111) and (110) Si substrates. Converting the graphitic C into SiC is highly temperature dependent and relies on free silicon atoms that sublime from voids in the substrate at higher temperatures. Morphological and structural investigations were performed by Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FESEM) and X-ray Diffraction (XRD).
War experiences and distress symptoms of Bosnian children.

OBJECTIVE: The war in Bosnia has had a tremendous impact on civilians. Little is known about the impact of modern warfare on children. This survey documents the nature and frequency of war-related experiences among Bosnian children and describes their manifestations of selected psychological sequelae. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey of 364 internally displaced 6- to 12-year-old children and their parents living in central Bosnian collectives was conducted during the war. Parents were surveyed for their children's war experiences; the children were surveyed for war-related distress symptoms. RESULTS: The children were exposed to virtually all of the surveyed war-related experiences. The majority had faced separations from family, bereavement, close contact with war and combat, and extreme deprivation. The prevalence and severity of experiences were not significantly related to a child's gender, wealth, or age, but were related to their region of residence, with children from the region of Sarajevo having the highest prevalence of experiences. Almost 94% of the children met Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th ed, criteria for posttraumatic stress disorder. Significant life activity affecting sadness and anxiety were reported by 90.6% and 95.5% of the children, respectively. High levels of other symptoms surveyed were also found. Children with greater symptoms had witnessed the death, injury, or torture of a member of their nuclear family, were older, and came from a large city. CONCLUSIONS: The war-related experiences of the children studied were both varied and severe, and were associated with a variety of psychological sequelae. This experience underscores the vulnerability of civilians in areas of conflict and the need to address the effects of war on the mental health of children. Language: en
Calculating the parameters of self-oscillations in the vertical combustion chamber of the blast-furnace air heater during unstable combustion

A procedure for simplified calculation of the parameters of self-oscillations excited during unstable (vibrating) combustion in the vertical combustion chambers of blast-furnace air heaters is developed. The proposed procedure is based on an independent nonlinear dynamic system similar to the equations from the theory of a blade supercharger stalling and surging mode. The head characteristic considered in the blade supercharger stalling and surging theory determines the part of the supercharger drive rotation energy that is converted into the head developed by the supercharger. In the considered system, the supercharger head characteristic is replaced by the combustion chamber head characteristic. Being a function of flow rate, this characteristic describes the part of heat supplied to flow that is converted to the flow head. Unlike the supercharger head characteristic, which is determined by experiment, the combustion chamber head characteristic is determined by calculation, due to which it becomes much easier to calculate the parameters of self-oscillations according to the proposed procedure. In particular, an analysis of the periodic solutions of the obtained dynamic system made it possible to determine the pattern in which the amplitude of considered self-oscillations depends on the surge impedance of the vertical combustion chamber.
Indomethacin in the Extremely Low Birthweight (ELBW) Infant-Reduction in Intraventricular Hemorrhage. † 949

Indomethacin in the Extremely Low Birthweight (ELBW) Infant-Reduction in Intraventricular Hemorrhage. † 949
Survey of planetary entry guidance algorithms

Abstract This comprehensive literature survey reviews past and present planetary entry guidance algorithms. The algorithms are categorized based on the vehicle L/D and the planetary atmosphere that the vehicle is entering. Each algorithm is described based on the guidance type, the guidance formulation, and the inclusion of aerothermal parameters. An analysis was completed defining the performance of each guidance algorithm relative to one another within its specific category. Finally, an overall assessment was made regarding the state-of-the-art in spacecraft entry guidance.
Binding of progesterone by human uterine cytosol.

Progesterone binding by 100,000 × g cytosols of human myometria from patients undergoing hysterectomy for various reasons was assayed using equilibrium dialysis or DEAE-cellulose filtration. The estimates of high-affinity progesterone binding obtained by both techniques showed a significant correlation. Dialysis and filtration assays with cortisol competing with [3H]progesterone for binding indicated that the specific progesterone binding by the cytosols was the result of progesterone interaction with two high-affinity constituents. Myometrial cytosols from tissues under progestin stimulation (secretory endometrium or pregnancy) had low concentrations of progestin binders. Cytosols from uteri with atrophic endometrium showed consistently high concentrations of progestin binders and those tissues under estrogen stimulation (proliferative endometrium or hyperplasia) had variable binder concentrations. No differences were detected between grouped observtions classified into 10 clinical categories. The DEAE-c...
A Nonobscuring, Easily-Calibrated Method For Testing Ellipsoids And Hyperboloids On A Fizeau Interferometer

In 1974 Simpson, et al. showed how a half-silvered Hindle sphere could be used, in conjunction with auxiliary null optics, to test convex paraboloidal and hyperboloidal surfaces. An extension of this concept has been made. A partially-reflective surface and a nearly aplanatic surface form a single-element, low-power null lens which can be used to test a particular ellipsoid or hyperboloid. Two embodiments of such a lens have been constructed to test convex ellipsoids. The singlet null lens is used in a Fizeau configuration. It provides superior correction to a more conventional null lens, is insensitive to misalignment, and is calibrated by test in a stand-alone mode.
The relevance of epigenetics to PTSD: Implications for the DSM‐V

Epigenetic modifications, such as DNA methylation, can occur in response to environmental influences to alter the functional expression of genes in an enduring and potentially, intergenerationally transmissible manner. As such, they may explain interindividual variation, as well as the long-lasting effects of trauma exposure. Although there are currently no findings that suggest epigenetic modifications that are specific to posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or PTSD risk, many recent observations are compatible with epigenetic explanations. These include recent findings of stress-related gene expression, in utero contributions to infant biology, the association of PTSD risk with maternal PTSD, and the relevance of childhood adversity to the development of PTSD. The relevance of epigenetic mechanisms to formulations of PTSD for the fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-V) is described.
Substitution of lithium for sodium blocks the depolarizing component of the response to low potassium in a molluscan muscle, the radular protractor of Busycon canaliculatum

Abstract 1. A sucrose gap technique was used to study the effect of substitution of lithium for sodium on the potential changes which occur during superfusion with potassium-free solution. 2. Potassium-free solution induces a complex response consisting of a hyperpolarizing phase (HP) and then a depolarizing phase (DP) during exposure to zero K+, followed by a transient extra hyperpolarizing phase (EHP) on readmission of K+. 3. When Na+ is replaced by Li+, there is a simplified response to K+-free solution, consisting of an HP but no DP during exposure to zero K+. On readmission of K+, but with Na+ still replaced by Li+, the HP gives way to a large transient over-return and extra depolarizing phase (ORP). 4. Treatment with artificial sea water (ASW) in which Na+ has been replaced with Li+ (LiASW) preconditions the radular protractor muscle (RPM). After that, exposure to K+-free solution, in the presence of Na+, induces a simple HP and there is no EHP (or ORP) on readmission of K+.
INSIGHT INTO MECHANISM OF NEODYMIUM: YTTRIUM-ALUMINUM-GARNET LASER PROSTATECTOMY UTILIZING THE HIGH-POWER CONTACT-FREE BEAM TECHNIQUE*

Abstract Objectives The objective of this study was to define the actual mechanism of neodymium: yttrium-aiuminum-garnet (Nd:YAG) laser prostatectomy achieved with the previously described contact-free beam technique using the Ultraline delivery system at high-power settings. Methods Transurethral Nd:YAG laser application was performed with the Ultraline side-firing laser fiber in canine and human prostates. Total or radical prostatectomy was performed after laser treatment to examine and measure laser tissue effects produced using the contact-free beam technique. Results Minimal actual tissue evaporation or vaporization was noted in either the canine or human prostate using this technique. The extent of tissue vaporization achieved was probably insufficient to produce clinically significant voiding outcomes acutely or chronically. However, this technique, using the Nd:YAG laser, produced excellent tissue coagulation and necrosis, similar to other laser delivery systems and reports dealing with laser coagulation prostatectomy. Conclusions The primary mechanism accounting for therapeutic efficacy of the contact-free beam technique for Nd:YAG laser prostatectomy utilizing the Ultraline delivery system at high-power settings appears to be tissue coagulation with subsequent necrosis and slough, rather than tissue vaporization. This is consistent with the known tissue effects of the Nd:YAG laser wavelength in other systems.
Non‐Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease, Non‐Alcoholic Steatohepatitis and Orthotopic Liver Transplantation

Obesity, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) are becoming increasingly common medical problems in the developed world, often in the setting of the metabolic or insulin resistance syndrome (IRS). It is predicted that by the year 2025 > 25 million Americans may have NASH-related liver disease. NASH and NAFLD also affect the donor population. The use of steatotic donor livers for liver transplantation (LT) is associated with an increased risk of primary nonfunction (PNF) in the allograft. There is particular reluctance to use steatotic livers for living donor LT. There is indirect evidence to suggest that patients undergoing LT for cirrhosis resulting from NASH may have poorer outcome, despite careful selection of LT candidates. Indeed it is likely that many potential LT candidates with NASH are excluded from LT due to co-morbid conditions related to IRS. The post-LT patient is at risk of several components of IRS, such as diabetes mellitus, hypertension, hyperlipidaemia and obesity and there is increasing recognition of de novo and recurrent NAFLD and NASH after LT. Thus NAFLD and NASH affect all aspects of LT including donors, patients in evaluation and the LT recipient.
Persons with dementia missing in the community: Is it wandering or something unique?

At some point in the disease process many persons with dementia (PWD) will have a missing incident and be unable to safely return to their care setting. In previous research studies, researchers have begun to question whether this phenomenon should continue to be called wandering since the antecedents and characteristics of a missing incident are dissimilar to accepted definitions of wandering in dementia. The purpose of this study was to confirm previous findings regarding the antecedents and characteristics of missing incidents, understand the differences between those found dead and alive, and compare the characteristics of a missing incident to that of wandering. A retrospective design was used to analyse 325 newspaper reports of PWD missing in the community. The primary antecedent to a missing incident, particularly in community-dwelling PWD, was becoming lost while conducting a normal and permitted activity alone in the community. The other common antecedent was a lapse in supervision with the expectation that the PWD would remain in a safe location but did not. Deaths most commonly occurred in unpopulated areas due to exposure and drowning. Those who died were found closer to the place last seen and took longer to find, but there were no significant differences in gender or age. The key characteristics of a missing incident were: unpredictable, non-repetitive, temporally appropriate but spatially-disordered, and while using multiple means of movement (walking, car, public transportation). Missing incidents occurred without the discernible pattern present in wandering such as lapping or pacing, repetitive and temporally-disordered. This research supports the mounting evidence that the concept of wandering, in its formal sense, and missing incidents are two distinct concepts. It will be important to further develop the concept of missing incidents by identifying the differences and similarities from wandering. This will allow a more targeted assessment and intervention strategy for each problem.
Growth of perturbations in homogeneous collisionless collapse: discs versus spheres

We study the growth of radial perturbations during the collapse of homogeneous spheres and discs. We model the sphere by concentric shells and the disc by concentric rings, initially at rest and allowed to move only radially. Our numerical experiments show only moderate growth in spheres but rapid growth in discs, leading to pronounced ring formation. For a sphere, the perturbations can be treated analytically as in cosmology. The growth rate is that of a power-law in time and independent of scale. For discs, we present an analytic solution for the perturbations using a suitable mode expansion. Shorter wavelength perturbations grow faster, exhibiting exponential growth at early times.
Man-Machine Interactive Imaging and Data Processing Using High-Speed Digital Mass Storage

The role of vision in teleoperation has been recognized as an important element in the man-machine control loop. In most applications of remote manipulation, direct vision cannot be used. To overcome this handicap, the human operator's control capabilities are augmented by a television system. This medium provides a practical and useful link between workspace and the control station from which the operator perform his tasks. Human performance deteriorates when the images are degraded as a result of instrumental and transmission limitations. Image enhancement is used to bring out selected qualities in a picture to increase the perception of the observer. A general purpose digital computer, an extensive special purpose software system is used to perform an almost unlimited repertoire of processing operations.
An Analysis of Presidential Preferences in the Distribution of Empowerment Zones and Enterprise Communities

Critics regarded the selection of urban empowerment zones and enterprise communities by Secretary Cisneros in 1994 as sympathetic to President Clinton's considerations. However, the secretary countered that cities were chosen based on their ability to revitalize their communities successfully, as outlined in their applications. To determine whether the secretary responded to top-down presidential preferences, data from the complete list of applications is used to test four hypotheses derived from principal—agent theory. The results of the logistic regression models do not validate the significance of the presidential variables (for instance, presidential support score for each city's congressional delegation, marginal districts, and 1992 state vote for President Clinton). Rather, many of the nonpresidential variables (community participation, size of the empowerment zone or enterprise community, and poverty) were significant in supporting the secretary's contention.
Estimates of internal stress and related mosaicity in solution grown crystals : proteins

The concept of microscopic stress centers is applied to evaluate macroscopic lattice rotation in a striation layer. The centers are trapped by the growing crystals replacing normal molecules: they are characterized by strain tensor e o and induce lattice distortions. The lattice rotation in striation layer is found to occur around axes parallel to the growing face. rotation angle being proportional to the center stress tensor and variation of the center concentration. Estimates for lysozyme give rotation in the order of arcmin for impurity volume fraction of ∼ 10 -2 and e o ≃ 3 × 10 -2 . Impurities are known to induce cracks, mosaic blocks or splitting in inorganic salts growing at high supersaturation, probably via adsorption, making the nuclei-to-substrate binding weaker and thus facilitating appearance of the misoriented 2D or 3D nuclei. Here, 2D nucleation is addressed. An average mosaic misorientation 1/2 due to randomly misoriented 2D nuclei was estimated for lysozyme. The calculated mosaicity is shown to steeply increase with supersaturation. At the chosen reasonable parameters, 1/2 is also of the order of arcmin at the supersaturation range Δμ/kT ≃ 0.5-3 where Δμ is the difference in chemical potentials between the protein molecules in solution and in crystal and kT is thermal energy.
EFFECT OF HOUSING SHAPE ON THE CATCH OF RECORDING GAGES

Abstract The reduction in catch due to the shape of the housing of the U.S. Weather Bureau standard recording gage was explored using data from Weather Bureau stations with both recording and nonrecording gages, a gaging site which included both a standard nonrecording gage and a Stevens recording gage, and gages on the East Central Raingage Network. It was found that, on the average, the standard 8.0-in. diameter orifice recording gage caught 2.5 to 6 percent less rain than the nonrecording gage and 2.5 percent less rain than the recording gage fitted with a 12-in. diameter orifice. The Stevens recording gage caught 5.5 percent less rain than the nonrecording gage. It is concluded that proximity of a sloping portion of the gage housing on the 8-in. diameter orifice recording gages is responsible for the catch reduction.
Intestinal alkaline phosphatase and base deficit in mesenteric occlusion.

The high mortality rate associated with acute mesenteric infarction is largely due to delay in diagnosis [l, 4, 71. Early symptoms and physical findings are nonspecific. All common laboratory tests are also of little help during the critical early phases of ischemia. A rapidly performed test specific for the diagnosis is needed. Brooks and Carey [1] have advocated base deficit (BD) as a specific diagnostic test for acute mesenteric occlusion. Our study reexamines BD as an indicator of mesenteric ischemia or infarction. Serum intestinal alkaline phosphatase (IAP), one of several isomeric forms of alkaline phosphatase, is readily measured by a variety of techniques [2, 5, 61. IAP is found throughout the small bowel mucosa. Alterations in mucosal blood supply could provoke release of IAP into the systemic circulation. Detection of these changes would provide the basis for a specific diagnostic test for mesenteric occlusion.
Synthesis of reflexive algorithms with intelligence for effective robot path planning in unknown environments

The ability of a robot to find a goal in an unknown environment is significantly improved from previous path planners with the synthesis of intelligence and reflexive algorithms as a path planning approach. A hybrid expert system vector field (HESV) path planner is introduced and tested in 100 map scenarios using a custom robotic simulation shell. The method combines a trap detection expert system, a low-level reflexive obstacle avoidance algorithm, and a trap evasion expert system, to achieve improved performance without sacrificing computational efficiency. Simulation results and evaluations are presented for the potential field, vector field, and HESV techniques. HESV's expert systems have been simplified to illustrate the performance improvements that result from a small amount of intelligence. Although recommendations for the structure of the path planning system are given, the purpose of the paper is to show the effectiveness of intelligent rules in path planning, rather than to define the actual rules to be used.© (1994) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
A transition to sharp timing in stochastic leaky integrate-and-fire neurons driven by frozen noisy input

The firing activity of intracellularly stimulated neurons in cortical slices has been demonstrated to be profoundly affected by the temporal structure of the injected current Mainen & Sejnowski, 1995. This suggests that the timing features of the neural response may be controlled as much by its own biophysical characteristics as by how a neuron is wired within a circuit. Modeling studies have shown that the interplay between internal noise and the fluctuations of the driving input controls the reliability and the precision of neuronal spiking Cecchi et al., 2000; Tiesinga, 2002; Fellous, Rudolph, Destexhe, & Sejnowski, 2003. In order to investigate this interplay, we focus on the stochastic leaky integrate-and-fire neuron and identify the Holder exponent H of the integrated input as the key mathematical property dictating the regime of firing of a single-unit neuron. We have recently provided numerical evidence Taillefumier & Magnasco, 2013 for the existence of a phase transition when becomes less than the statistical Holder exponent associated with internal gaussian white noise H=1/2. Here we describe the theoretical and numerical framework devised for the study of a neuron that is periodically driven by frozen noisy inputs with exponent H>0. In doing so, we account for the existence of a transition between two regimes of firing when H=1/2, and we show that spiking times have a continuous density when the Holder exponent satisfies H>1/2. The transition at H=1/2 formally separates rate codes, for which the neural firing probability varies smoothly, from temporal codes, for which the neuron fires at sharply defined times regardless of the intensity of internal noise.
De novo synthesis of the trisaccharide subunit of landomycins A and E.

A highly enantio- and diastereoselective synthesis of α-l-rhodinose, β-d-olivose as well as the trisaccharide portion of landomycin A from achiral acetyl furan has been developed. The key transformations include the palladium-catalyzed glycosylation, Myers’ reductive rearrangement, diastereoselective dihydroxylation, and regioselective Mitsunobu inversion. A Mitsunobu reaction on a six member ring cis-1,2-diol was found to chemoselectively discriminate between equatorial and axial alcohols and to stereoselectively convert cis-1,2-diol into anti-1,2-diol.
Possible association of a cholecystokinin promoter variant to schizophrenia.

Several lines of research indicate a cholecystokinin (CCK) deficit in schizophrenia patients. A C to T substitution was found in the promoter region of the CCK gene. We investigated this promoter variant in patients with schizophrenia and geographically-matchedcontrols. The T allele was detected in 24% of the 85 schizophrenics and 16% of the 247 controls. No significant difference in the T allele frequency was found between patients and controls (χ2 = 2.77, P > 0.1). The schizophrenia sample was analyzed further along the dimensions of positive and negative symptoms. The patients with prominent negative symptoms presented a statistically significant association to the T allele (χ2 = 4.13, P 0.15). Since the case-control analysis may present incorrect ethnic match between cases and controls, we applied the family-based tests to verify the above findings. Both transmission disequilibrium test (TDT; χ2 = 5.33, P < 0.025 in 12 trios) and haplotype relative risk (HRR; χ2 = 3.844, P < 0.05 in 60 trios) indicated a significantly high transmission of T allele to schizophrenia offspring probands from their parents. While our family-based tests seem to support the CCK involvement in schizophrenia, no definite conclusion can be drawn based on such a small sample size. This preliminary finding is subjected to future investigations. © 2002 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Sizes, shapes, and derived properties of the saturnian satellites after the Cassini nominal mission

Abstract The Cassini spacecraft has provided data on over twenty satellites orbiting Saturn. In this study we update the shape measurements derived from imaging data of nearly all the observed regular satellites (those with low eccentricities and inclinations) and briefly discuss some of the implications of their properties. In particular, the improved data show that Rhea’s shape is hydrostatic.
The realpolitik of reference

Abstract: What are the conditions for fixing the reference of a proper name? Debate on this point has recently been rekindled by Scott Soames, Robin Jeshion, and others. In this paper, I sketch a new pragmatic approach to the justification of reference-fixing procedures, in opposition to accounts that insist on an invariant set of conditions for fixing reference across environments and linguistic communities. Comparing reference to other relations whose instances are introduced through “initiation” procedures, I outline a picture in which the procedures that are successful for fixing the reference of proper names depend in part on regularities in the actual environment.
Serotonin and sudden death: Differential effects of serotonergic drugs on seizure-induced respiratory arrest in DBA/1 mice

Abstract In the DBA/1 mouse model of sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP), administration of a selective serotonin (5-HT) reuptake inhibitor (SSRI), fluvoxamine, completely suppressed seizure-induced respiratory arrest (S-IRA) at 30 min after administration (i.p.) in a dose-related manner without blocking audiogenic seizures (AGSz), but another SSRI, paroxetine, reduced S-IRA but with a delayed (24 h) onset and significant toxicity. A serotonin–norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor, venlafaxine, reduced S-IRA incidence, but higher doses were ineffective. A selective 5-HT7 agonist, AS-19, was totally ineffective in reducing S-IRA. In developing DBA/1 mice that had not previously experienced AGSz, administration of a nonselective 5-HT antagonist, cyproheptadine, induced a significantly greater incidence of S-IRA than that of saline. This study confirms that certain drugs that enhance the activation of 5-HT receptors are able to prevent S-IRA, but not all serotonergic drugs are equally effective, which may be relevant to the potential use of these drugs for SUDEP prevention. Serotonergic antagonists may be problematic in patients with epilepsy.
Comparison between sirolimus- and paclitaxel-eluting stents in complex patient and lesions subsets.

Background: Sirolimus-eluting stents (SES) and paclitaxel-eluting stents (PES) both significantly reduce the need for repeat intervention compared to bare metal stents. Studies comparing the clinical outcomes of these stents in noncomplex subsets of patients and lesions demonstrate a similar safety and efficacy profile. The data for more complex subsets of patients and lesions remains conflicting. This study aimed to compare SES with PES in a selected population with a broad range of complex features. Methods and Results: The patient population consisted of 1,591 consecutive patients with complex features undergoing drug-eluting stent (DES) implantation. In the SES group there were 1,095 patients (1,653 lesions) and in the PES group 496 patients (802 lesions). In-hospital, 30-day, and 12-month clinical outcomes were compared between groups. No discernable difference in major adverse cardiac events (MACE) between SES and PES was detected at intermediate and longer-term follow-up (SES 22.4% vs. PES 20.5% at 12 months; P = 0.407). A trend toward increased angiographically documented stent thrombosis was observed in the SES group at both 3 and 12 months (SES 2.2% vs. PES 0.8% at 12 months; P = 0.051). When adopting the more inclusive definition of probable stent thrombosis, this trend was no longer seen. After adjusting for baseline differences between the two groups, there still remained no difference in MACE between SES and PES (HR 1.051 [CI 0.826–1.339] P = 0.685). The trend toward increased angiographically documented stent thrombosis in the SES group remained after adjustment for baseline differences (HR 2.836 [CI 0.968–8.311] P = 0.057). Conclusions: In a selected population with complex disease the rate of MACE was comparable between SES and PES, with higher overall rates of thrombosis and MACE compared to a noncomplex population. Thus, the focus should be directed to prevent late complications in this complex subset regardless of stent type selection. © 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Genotoxicity induced in cultured chinese hamster cells exposed to natural or synthetic crude oils and near ultraviolet light

Abstract Cultured Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells were incubated with dilutions of natural or synthetic crude oils and subsequently exposed to near ultraviolet light (NUV). Although the magnitude of photo-induced cytotoxicity in CHO was essentially independent of the source of the oil (within a factor of two), two shale oils were exceptionally high in photo-induced mutagenic activity eliciting a response 10–12 times the observed natural background mutation frequency. Other shale oils, natural crude oils and a solvent refined coal medium distillate blend were weaker or negative in photo-induced mutagenic activity. Hydrotreatment of a photoactive shale oil, although eliminating the mutagenic potential, did not reduce the oil's cytotoxic potential.
CCR5 expression on monocytes and T cells: Modulation by transmigration across the blood–brain barrier in vitro

Abstract Observational studies in multiple sclerosis (MS) demonstrated altered expression of chemokine receptors (CkRs) on comparable populations of mononuclear cells (e.g. CD 4 + / CD45RO + T-cells) in brain sections compared with blood. These findings raised questions about the regulation of CkRs on trafficking cells. Regulatory processes for CkRs are complex: examples include down-regulation following ligand engagement during migration and either up- or down-regulation following activation. Additionally, CkRs that mediate transmigration without being down-regulated will be selectively enriched on migrating cells in the inflammatory site. Finally, CkRs may act as functionally neutral markers of activated cells capable of undergoing transmigration. Clarifying CkR regulation may aid in the selection and application of antagonists for treating neuroinflammation. Mechanisms of receptor regulation during transmigration cannot be studied by descriptive methods. We evaluated CCR5 expression on CD14+ monocytes and CD3+ T-cells following CCL5-driven transmigration through an in vitro blood–brain barrier (IVBBB), as both T-cells and monocytes in MS lesions express CCR5. CCR5 expression was augmented on non-migrating CD14+ but not CD3+ cells, suggesting selective activation of monocytes by incubation in contact with endothelial cells. As proposed from observational studies, CCR5 was enriched on monocytes that migrated spontaneously in the absence of exogenous chemokine. Addition of the CCR5 ligand CCL5 to the lower chamber led to enhanced CD3+ T-cell migration. Interestingly, CCR5 was down-regulated on both CD14+ monocytes and CD3+ T cells during CCL5-driven migration. These results are distinct from those obtained in comparable studies of CCR2 and CXCR3, suggesting that the specifics for CkR expression should be studied for individual receptors on each leukocyte subpopulation during the design of strategies for pharmacological blockade in neuroinflammation.
Additional notes on Pre-Conquest avocados in Mexico

A total of 118 measured cotyledons from the archaeological deposits in the Oaxaca Valley show an average length of 2.9 cm and an average width of 1.6 cm. Average 1 × w =4.63. The majority of the cotyledons are elongate and have a convex base. Among the cotyledons found are eight in which the outer seed coats are intact. Assuming that the outer seed coats are relatively free from shrinkage, they show that the original size of the avocado cotyledons was about 36% greater than the size of the fully desiccated cotyledons. The average length of the intact seeds coats is 3.8 cm, average width is 2.0 cm and the average 1 × w =7.26. By applying the 36% differential to the Tehuacan Valley avocado cotyledons of the same time period, we find that the largest cotyledon had a length of 4.4 cm and a width of 4.8 cm which compare favorably with the size of modern cultivated avocado seeds. The Tehuacan Valley people practised selection for large fruit which was presumably of better quality than the wild-type fruit from which they were derived. while we have no old series with which to compare sizes in the Oaxaca Valley, it appears that the people of this area did little to improve the size of the avocado fruit which they were growing. If it is correct to assume that the two cotyledons found in Zone B-1 of Guila Nacquitz Cave are in their correct position (they could be instrusive) and they came originally from the same stock as those of the Tehuacan Valley where most of the archaeological cotyledons are of similar size and shape, it is obvious that the Oaxaca Valley people did not take advantage of the opportunity for improving avocados.
Accurate, robust, adaptive control in contour tracking applications of robotic manipulators

Abstract This paper presents a nonlinear model-reference adaptive contrll system based on Liapunov stability considerations for robotic manipulators. Asymptotic stability of the computed torque method is proven using a model-reference formulation. Robustness of the control algorithm against model uncertainties are studied. For trajectory tracking in contour cutting or precise wedding, the accuracy is very important. Tracking accuracy for contour paths is studied as a function of commanded trajectory step resolution and the natural frequency of the reference model. The higher the natural frequency of the second order reference model, the faster the response; but the simulations show that there is a trade-off between the magnitude of natural frequency and the desired trajectory tracking accuracy. In addition, as the natural frequency of the reference model increases, the robotic system needs finer trajectory step resolution in order to guarantee the same levels of accuracy as achieved with low natural-frequency reference models.
The effect of brief separations on 2-month-old infants

After a two minute face-to-face interaction with an adult, twenty infants aged 7 to 13 weeks were left alone for one minute. Each infant interacted with and was left by two adults—the infant's mother and an unfamiliar female adult. The order of presentation was counterbalanced across subjects. Coding was done from videotapes by coders who were blind to the hypotheses of the study and to the identity of the infant or the adult. Infants were more likely to extend their arms in the direction of the adult's departure, to cry longer, and to show more distress brow expressions during maternal absence. During stranger absence infants were more likely to yawn or to exhibit a high rate of rhythmic (stereotypic) movements of the mouth. A second study, exactly like the first except that the infants were exposed to the stranger for a 10-minute familiarization period prior to the formal experimental procedure, yielded no systematic differences between mother and stranger separation. These findings suggest that ontogenetic precursors of proximity seeking behavior toward attachment figures may be related to the 2-month-old's capacity to respond to the cessation of interaction with familiar figures in a way which is qualitatively different from his response to the cessation of interaction with unfamiliar figures.