cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Temporal variability of color Doppler jet areas in patients with mitral and aortic regurgitation

Abstract The temporal variability of color flow jets during regurgitation has not been systematically examined. We therefore analyzed color Doppler images in 52 patients (29 with mitral regurgitation and 23 with aortic regurgitation) for frame-to-frame variability in the size of the regurgitant color jet. Planimetered jet areas varied markedly throughout the flow period, with the difference between the largest and smallest mitral regurgitant jets ranging from 1.1 to 11.9 cm 2 in individual patients. Maximal and minimal aortic regurgitant jets varied from 1.5 to 6.6 cm 2 between frames. The point during the cardiac cycle at which the largest regurgitant jet area was recorded also varied markedly for mitral and aortic lesions. Mitral regurgitant jets peaked at 51% of systole, with a range from 9% to 100%. The point during diastole at which the maximal aortic regurgitant jet was recorded varied from 2% to 84%, with a mean of 31.2% of the diastolic period. The persistence of the flow disturbance was examined as the percent of systole or diastole during which the maximal jet area remained at least 50% or 75% of its maximal size. Mitral regurgitant jets remained at least one-half maximal size for a mean of 60.7% (range, 20% to 90%) of systole, but remained at 75% of maximal size for a mean of only 39% of systole. Aortic regurgitant jets persisted at over one-half maximal size for a mean of 63.2% (range, 30% to 90%) of diastole, but sustained 75% of maximal size for a mean of only 44% of diastole. Thus regurgitant jet area is characterized by marked temporal variability in onset, maximal size, and persistence. This variability in color flow Doppler recordings has important clinical implications for understanding regurgitant physiology, and may be relevant for quantitative approaches to valvular regurgitation by color flow Doppler imaging.
Grain Yield and Weed Biomass of a Wheat–Lentil Intercrop

Intercropping cereal with pulse crops often increases total grain production in subtropical regions. Our objective was to determine if a yield advantage resulted when lentil (Lens culinaris Medik.) was intercropped with wheat (Triticum aestivum L. emend. Thell.) in a cool semiarid region. A field experiment was conducted during 1989, 1990, and 1991 under dryland management in south central North Dakota. Lentil and hard red spring wheat were each sown alone and intercropped in different planting patterns and populations. Plants were hand clipped at the soil surface and threshed to provide grain yield estimates in all 3 yr. In 1991, grain was also harvested with a research combine to assess if intercrops could be harvested mechanically. Grain yield of wheat was unaffected by intercropping (P < 0.05). Intercropping reduced grain yield of lentil by 87 to 95% when yield estimates were based on samples harvested manually, and by 70 to 85% when samples were harvested mechanically. The increased height at which pods formed on intercropped compared with sole-cropped lentil plants and subsequent enhancement in mechanical harvestability of grain in intercrops partially explains this difference in yield estimates between harvesting methods. The land equivalent ratio was 1.15 for grain yield across intercrop treatments with mechanical harvest, and 1.03 for the intercrop treatments when grain was harvested manually. While harvestability of the short-statured lentil was enhanced in this investigation by intercropping the low lentil yield under intercropping suggests that wheat-lentil mixtures are probably not adapted to cool semiarid regions.
Quality-of-information modeling and adapting for delay-sensitive sensor network applications

Acceptable Quality-of-Information(QoI) is essential for sensor network applications such as infrastructure health monitoring because it directly impacts public safety. However, it is a challenging problem to attain good QoI of sensor applications due to unpredictable environment noise, unreliable network communication, and varying requirements for wide variety of sensor applications. We believe the first step to addressing this challenge is to develop an application-independent QoI model. In this paper, we present a fundamental quality-of-information model based on signal-to-noise ratio. Our model addresses information quality by considering sensor measurement quality, network quality and sensor application requirements by end users. Furthermore, we develop a quality-aware scheduling framework which exploits an analytical queue model to calculate and adapt sensor node sampling rate and base station scheduling priority in order to optimize overall quality. Our results show that sensor measurement quality in terms of sampling rate, network quality in terms of loss rate and delay, all play significant roles in impacting overall quality. A QoI-aware scheduler thus is an effective approach to quantify information quality and adapt for unpredictable sensor networks.
Recurrent Interactions between the Input and Output of a Songbird Cortico-Basal Ganglia Pathway Are Implicated in Vocal Sequence Variability

Complex brain functions, such as the capacity to learn and modulate vocal sequences, depend on activity propagation in highly distributed neural networks. To explore the synaptic basis of activity propagation in such networks, we made dual in vivo intracellular recordings in anesthetized zebra finches from the input (nucleus HVC, used here as a proper name) and output [lateral magnocellular nucleus of the anterior nidopallium (LMAN)] neurons of a songbird cortico-basal ganglia (BG) pathway necessary to the learning and modulation of vocal motor sequences. These recordings reveal evidence of bidirectional interactions, rather than only feedforward propagation of activity from HVC to LMAN, as had been previously supposed. A combination of dual and triple recording configurations and pharmacological manipulations was used to map out circuitry by which activity propagates from LMAN to HVC. These experiments indicate that activity travels to HVC through at least two independent ipsilateral pathways, one of which involves fast signaling through a midbrain dopaminergic cell group, reminiscent of recurrent mesocortical loops described in mammals. We then used in vivo pharmacological manipulations to establish that augmented LMAN activity is sufficient to restore high levels of sequence variability in adult birds, suggesting that recurrent interactions through highly distributed forebrain–midbrain pathways can modulate learned vocal sequences.
Dynamic Simulations of Alumina Membrane Fouling From Recycling of Semisynthetic Metalworking Fluids

The recycling of semisynthetic metalworking fluids (MWFs) using alumina membranes is significantly impacted by aggregated MWF microemulsions that cause partial and complete blocking of membrane pores. In this paper, computational fluid dynamic methods are employed to model both a portion of a sintered alumina membrane with tortuous pores and the microemulsions passing through it. Several particle size distributions, measured experimentally at various times through the membrane service life and under two different cross-flow velocities, were used to determine the particle sizes simulated in the flow. Simulated MWF particles smaller than the largest pore diameter were found to completely block the pore through the build-up of a network of particles that blocked smaller diameter inlets and outlets. The results demonstrate as well that significant membrane flux reduction can occur by partial blocking of pore inlets and outlets even in the absence of complete blocking.
Density-dependent mobility of a two-dimensional electron fluid

Measurements of the low-frequency electron mobility on a helium surface are extended to higher densities and to lower temperatures than those previously reported in the literature. For electron areal densities greater than 5 \ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{} ${10}^{7}$ ${\mathrm{cm}}^{\ensuremath{-}2}$, the electron scattering is greater than predicted by one-electron theories by an amount which is weakly temperature dependent and increases with increasing density.
A Comparison of Drawings and Sentence Completion Responses of Congenital Heart Children with Normal Children

Summary The House-Tree-Person, Sentence Completion and Inside-of-the-Body tests were administered to 20 congenital heart children and their matched controls. The stories of the H-T-P test of the congenital heart children tended to have more themes about illness-health, and life-death than those of the normal children. Similarly, more themes of illness-health were found in the congenital heart children on the Sentence Completion test (P < .001). Although the congenital heart children did not draw a greater number of hearts than the control children, they did reveal a tendency to draw relatively larger hearts and relatively fewer other internal organs (P < .05). A major implication of the findings is that the body distortion of a congenital heart child pertains more to his perception of the inside of his body than to the view of his external body. This suggests that the Inside-of-the-Body test would be a useful addition to projective techniques aimed at investigating distortion of body image by the physical...
Non-Dominated Strategies for Decision Based Design for Component Reuse

Component level reuse enables retention of value from products recovered at the end of their first lifecycle. Reuse strategies determined at the beginning of the lifecycle are aimed at maximizing this recovered value. Decision based design can be employed, but there are several difficulties in large scale implementation. First, computational complexities arise. Even with a product with a relatively small number of components, it becomes difficult to find the optimal component level decisions. Second, if there is more than one stakeholder involved, each interested in different attributes, the problem becomes even more difficult, due both to complexity and Arrow’s Impossibility Theorem. However, while the preferences of the stakeholders may not be known precisely, and aggregating those preferences poses difficulties, what is usually known is the partial ordering of alternatives. This paper presents a method for exploiting the features of a solution algorithm to address these difficulties in implementing decision based design. Heuristic methods including non-dominated sorting genetic algorithms (NSGA) can exploit this partial ordering and reject dominated alternatives, simplifying the problem. Including attributes of interest to various stakeholders ensures that the solutions found are practicable. One of the reasons product reuse has not achieved critical acceptance is because the three entities involved, the customers, the manufacturer and the government do not have a common ground. This results in inaccurate aggregating of attributes which the proposed method avoids. We illustrate our approach with a case study of component reuse of personal computers.Copyright © 2007 by ASME
Femtosecond Optical Control of Charge Shift within Electron Donor−Acceptor Arrays: An Approach to Molecular Switches

The preparation and study of molecules for potential use as switches and wires in electronic or optoelectronic devices are areas of active research. Energy and electron transfer processes within molecules can take place on a femtosecond time scale. Thus, it may be possible to produce molecular electronic devices that respond equally rapidly. Molecular switches that employ optically-controlled, reversible electron transfer reactions may possess both speed and photostability advantages over molecular switches based on photochemical changes in molecular structure. An important criterion for a molecular switch is the ability to rapidly control the `states` of the switch. In this paper we report the two-pulse femtosecond electron transfer dynamics of a donor-acceptor(1) dyad, 1, and a donor-acceptor(1)-acceptor(2) triad, 2, in which an initial femtosecond laser flash is used to produce an ion pair, whose subsequent fate is controlled by a second femtosecond laser flash. 30 refs., 3 figs.
Metabolic and monetary costs of avoidable parenteral nutrition use.

Background: We prospectively collected data on in patients receiving parenteral nutrition to determine the magnitude of potentially preventable metabolic and monetary costs associated with parenteral nutrition. Methods: Parenteral nutrition was prescribed by the treating physicians with optional consultation from a multidisciplinary metabolic support service. Days on parenteral nutrition, appropriateness of parenteral nutrition, metabolic complications, and avoidable parenteral nutrition charges were determined. Parenteral nutrition use was considered "indicated" or "not indicated" based on the American Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition guidelines and "preventable" if the gastrointestinal tract was functional but not accessed when possible. Results: Of the 209 parenteral nutrition starts, 62% were indicated, 23% were preventable, and 15% were not indicated. Parenteral nutrition starts were deemed indicated in 82% of instances in which a metabolic support service consult was obtained, compared w...
Strained Heterocyclic Systems. Part 21.1 the Menschutkin Reaction

Rate constants are determined for methyl iodide quaternisations of a series of 2-substituted quinolines and pyridines. Relative rates are interpreted in terms of steric effects, electronic effects ...
Diurnal variation of lipopolysaccharide-induced alterations in sleep and body temperature of interleukin-6-deficient mice

Infectious challenge triggers a broad array of coordinated changes within the host organism, including alterations in sleep-wake behavior and body temperature. Pro-inflammatory cytokines orchestrate many of the behavioral, metabolic, and endocrine responses to immune challenge. Although interleukin (IL)-6 mediates several aspects of sickness behavior, a role for this cytokine as a mediator of alterations in sleep in response to immune challenge has not been established. We evaluated sleep-wake behavior and core body temperature of IL-6-deficient (IL-6 KO; B6.129S6-Il6tm1Kopf) mice and C57BL/6J control mice after intraperitoneal (IP) administration of 10 microg lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Because feedback mechanisms that regulate responses to immune challenge exhibit circadian rhythms, we evaluated responses to LPS administered at the beginning of both the light and dark portions of the light:dark cycle. LPS-induced increases in non-rapid eye movements sleep (NREMS) of both mouse strains, but this increase was less pronounced in IL-6 KO mice than in C57BL/6J mice. Strain differences in LPS-induced increases in NREMS were greatest after light-onset administration. During the 12 h light period, NREMS of C57BL/6J mice increased from 53.0+/-1.7% of recording time after vehicle to 65.4+/-1.4% of recording time after LPS. During this same time period, NREMS of IL-6 KO mice increased from 50.5+/-1.8% after vehicle to only 52.4+/-1.8% of recording time after LPS. REMS of both mouse strains was suppressed to the same extent after LPS, irrespective of timing of administration. LPS-induced fever in C57BL/6J mice, with peak magnitude of 1.4+/-0.3 degrees C and 1.8+/-0.2 degrees C after dark onset and light onset administration, respectively. In contrast, this dose of LPS-induced profound hypothermia in IL-6 KO mice, with nadirs of hypothermia reaching 4.9+/-1.0 degrees C after injection at dark onset and 2.2+/-0.5 degrees C after administration at light onset. These results indicate that IL-6 mediates some of the effects of LPS on NREMS and body temperature of mice, and that the magnitude and duration of these effects differ as a function of the time at which the challenge is given.
Accuracy of sentinel node biopsy in predicting nodal status in patients with breast carcinoma.

Background and Objectives While sentinel lymph node biopsy is considered by many to have replaced axillary node dissection in the management of breast cancer, concerns remain regarding false-negative results. Methods To investigate the accuracy of sentinel node biopsy, we reexamined all sentinel and nonsentinel nodes with multilevel sectioning and immunohistochemical staining in 42 consecutive cases of breast cancer in which sentinel node biopsy was performed and followed by axillary dissection. Results By routine hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining, 34% of patients were found to be node positive, with no cases of false-negative sentinel node biopsy. Reevaluation of 775 negative sentinel and nonsentinel nodes with an additional two levels and immunohistochemistry identified three “node-negative” patients who had micrometastases in the sentinel node, increasing detection in 8% of cases. More important, is the fact however, that there were no cases where additional sections and immunohistochemistry identified metastases in nonsentinel nodes that had bypassed the sentinel node. The accuracy of the sentinel node in predicting the nodal status was 100%. Conclusions Cytokeratin immunohistochemistry will identify more patients with nodal micrometastases; however, it was unable to identify any cases where micrometastases were present in nonsentinel nodes when the sentinel node was negative. The status of the sentinel node accurately identifies the status of the axillary basin. J. Surg. Oncol. 2001;77:243–246. © 2001 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Hyperpolarized 89Y complexes as pH sensitive NMR probes.

Hyperpolarization can increase the sensitivity of NMR/MRI experiments, but the primary limitation is the T1 decay of magnetization. Due to its long T1, the hyperpolarized 89Y nucleus makes an excellent candidate as an in vivo spectroscopy/imaging probe. Here we report the 89Y chemical shift dependence upon pH for two hyperpolarized 89Y(III) complexes and demonstrate how such complexes can be used as sensitive spectroscopy/imaging agents to measure pH.
Axisymmetric inertial oscillations of a fluid in a rotating spherical container

This paper describes an experiment performed with a fluid-filled sphere whose rotation speed about a fixed axis was forcibly varied in a slight but sinusoidal manner about a non-zero mean value. The object of this experiment was both to excite axisymmetric inertial eigen-oscillations within the relatively low viscosity fluid through the mild pumping action of the oscillatory Ekman boundary layer near the wall, and to measure and compare with theory some of the properties of such modes.Seven distinct fluid resonances were detected via pressure measurements made along the axis for various ratios of the excitation to the mean rotation frequency. For the three most pronounced of those modes, the observed frequency ratios agree within ½ of 1% with the corresponding ratios predicted from linear, small viscosity theory. The response amplitudes at the various resonances and the rates of decay upon switching off the excitation also compare favourably with theory, although the observed amplitudes are systematically lower and the decays more rapid by a few per cent to several tens of per cent.The theory referred to above is largely that of Greenspan (1964, 1968). It is in part rederived here from energy considerations.
Asymptotic properties of a simple random motion

A random walker in ℝ N is considered. At each step the walker picks a point in ℝ N from a fixed finite set of destination points. Having chosen the point, the walker moves a fractionr (r<1) of the distance toward the point along a straight line. Assuming that the successive destination points are chosen independently, it is shown that the asymptotic distribution of the walker's position has the same mean as the destination point distribution. An estimate is obtained for the fraction of time the walker stays within a ball centered at the mean value for almost every destination sequence. Examples show that the asymptotic distribution could have intricate structure.
Non-incremental shuttle-avoidance acquisition to pressurized air US

Forty-nine healthy, experimentally naive rats of the Sprague-Dawley strain were trained in a shuttle-avoidance apparatus to a pressurized air US with either an 11 sec. CS-US interval (group I, N = 28) or an 8 sec. CS-US interval (group II, N = 21) and a 2½ min. intertrial interval. CS was a 65 decibel buzzer. No significant difference in rate or nature of learning between groups was found, and they were therefore combined. Forty-five rats acquired the avoidance response to a criterion of five avoidances in six trials in a mean of 9.22 trials (s.e. = 1.00 trial). Acquisition was non-incremental: subjects shifted abruptly from escape responding to avoidance responding (p <.01) without oscillating. The data are contrasted with results from electric shock shuttle-avoidance where learning has been seen repeatedly to be incremental in nature. Results are interpreted as sustaining a one-trial learning hypothesis in shuttle-avoidance acquisition.
Jet algorithms at D0

The DO experiment at the Fermilab Tevatron proton-antiproton collider \( (\sqrt {s} = 1.8{\text{ TeV}}) \) accumulated a large sample of high energy jet production data during Run 1 (1992–1996). Since March 2001, DO has engaged in continuous data collection with an upgraded detector equipped for the higher energy \( (\sqrt {s} = 1.96{\text{ TeV}}) \) and luminosity conditions of the Run 2 Tevatron. We summarize here pivotal measurements of Run 1 and consider their comparison to theoretical predictions and to other experiments. These factors elucidate DO’s jet clustering algorithm strategy for Run 2 jet measurements. Preliminary measurements of jets from the Run 2 DO experiment are also presented.
Natural variants of pearl millet (Pennisetum typhoides) with altered levels of set II alcohol dehydrogenase activity.

Two linked genes, Adh1 and Adh2, specify three sets of ADH isozymes in pearl millet. Set I is a homodimer specified by Adh1, Set III is a homodimer specified by Adh2, and Set II is a heterodimer consisting of one ADH1 subunit and one ADH2 subunit. Dry seeds exhibit only Sets I and II. Anaerobic treatment of seeds greatly increases the activity of Sets I and II and causes the Set III isozymes to be expressed. In the investigation reported here, the ADH zymogram phenotypes of 112 inbred pearl millet lines were analyzed. Two kinds of naturally occurring ADH variant strains were observed: in the “low-activity” variant, Set II activity is low in the dry seed, and no Set III activity is present upon anaerobic treatment. In the “high-activity” variant, Set II activity is high and Set III isozymes are expressed in the dry seed. The mutation in the high-activity strain appears to affect the product of Adh2 and not the product of Adh1. Dominance tests show that the mutations in both types of variant strains act in cis. These observations and linkage tests indicate that the mutations are closely linked to or at the Adh2 locus.
Low temperature specific heats of H(NbIrO) and R(NbPtO)

The specific heats of the hexagonal structures H(NbIrO) and R(NbPtO) have been measured from1.2 to15 K. The R-phase compound is found to be superconducting withTc=3.8 K. The reduction inTc from10.1 to3.8 K between the two phases is qualitatively accounted for by corresponding reductions in the density of states and Debye temperature using the BCS theory.
Epitaxial growth of ZnO nanowires on a- and c-plane sapphire

Abstract Epitaxial ZnO nanowires were grown on a - and c -plane sapphire substrates by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition without metal catalysts or templates. Nanowires with monodisperse diameters grow in dense arrays perpendicular to a -plane sapphire and with in-plane rotational alignment due to [0 0 0 1] ZnO ∥[ 1 1 2 ¯ 0 ] sapphire , [ 1 1 2 ¯ 0 ] ZnO [ 0 0 0 1 ] sapphire epitaxy. On c -plane sapphire, multiple possible epitaxial relations give a mixture of nanowire orientations. The majority of the nanowires grow in one of the three directions all at an angle of 51.8° off the substrate plane with [0 0 0 1] ZnO ∥[ 1 0 1 ¯ 4 ] sapphire , [ 1 0 1 ¯ 0 ] ZnO ∥[ 1 2 ¯ 1 0 ] sapphire epitaxy. A small fraction of the nanowires grow perpendicular to the substrate with [0 0 0 1] ZnO ∥[0 0 0 1] sapphire .
A uvbyCaHβ ANALYSIS OF THE OLD OPEN CLUSTER, NGC 6819*

This is the published version. Copyright © 2014. The American Astronomical Society. All rights reserved.
Spectroscopic and functional determination of the interaction of Pb2+ with GATA proteins.

GATA proteins are transcription factors that bind GATA DNA elements through Cys4 structural zinc-binding domains and play critical regulatory roles in neurological and urogenital development and the development of cardiac disease. To evaluate GATA proteins as potential targets for lead, spectroscopically monitored metal-binding titrations were used to measure the affinity of Pb2+ for the C-terminal zinc-binding domain from chicken GATA-1 (CF) and the double-finger domain from human GATA-1 (DF). Using this method, Pb2+ coordinating to CF and DF was directly observed through the appearance of intense bands in the near-ultraviolet region of the spectrum (250−380 nm). Absorption data collected from these experiments were best fit to a 1:1 Pb2+−CF model and a 2:1 Pb2+−DF model. Competition experiments using Zn2+ were used to determine the absolute affinities of Pb2+ for these proteins. These studies reveal that Pb2+ forms tight complexes with cysteine residues in the zinc-binding sites in GATA proteins, β1Pb =...
Treatment of persons with mental illness and substance use disorders in medical emergency departments in the United States.

Edited by Mona M. Shattell, PhD, RNUniversity of North Carolina at Greensboro, School of Nursing, Greensboro, North Carolina, USAMedical emergency departments (EDs) in the United States have often ...
Estimating the value of an internal biostatistical consulting service.

Biostatistical consulting is a service business. Although a consulting biostatistician's goal is long-term collaborative relationships with investigators, this is the same as the long-term goal of any business: having a group of contented, satisfied customers. In this era of constrained resources, we must be able to demonstrate that the benefit a biostatistical consulting group provides to its organization exceeds its actual cost to the institution. In this paper, I provide both a theoretical framework for assessing the value of a biostatistical service and provide an ad hoc method to value the contribution of a biostatistical service to a grant. Using the methods described, our biostatistics group returns more than $6 for each dollar spent on institutional support in 1998.
Tau and HMW tau phosphorylation and compartmentalization in apoptotic neuronal PC12 cells.

In the Alzheimer disease brain, the microtubule-associated protein tau is hyperphosphorylated. There is also evidence that apoptotic-like processes may contribute to the neuronal loss in AD. In an apoptotic model that involves replating neuronal PC12 cells without serum and nerve growth factor (NGF), tau was hyperphosphorylated. During replating, however, neurites are removed. Here, differentiated cells were maintained in serum-free media before growth factor removal, thus maintaining neuritic processes during the apoptotic process and allowing for evaluation of neuritic changes. Tau phosphorylation, evaluated by immunoblotting and immunocytochemistry, was compared with various measures of cell death. Compared with control, NGF-deprived cells exhibited gradual and consistent increases of lactate dehydrogenase release over a 5-day period and a peak of caspase-3 activity at Day 2 after NGF removal. Nuclear staining demonstrated chromatin condensation in NGF-deprived cells. Apoptotic cells had thickened, tortuous, and shortened neuritic processes compared with control cells. Immunoblotting showed an increase in both tau and high molecular weight (HMW) tau phosphorylation during the apoptotic process. Immunoreactivity of both tau isoforms shifted from the detergent insoluble cytoskeleton to the detergent soluble compartment in the apoptotic cells. The microtubule binding of both tau isoforms from apoptotic cells also was impaired. Immunoblotting of purified plasma membrane showed preferential association of HMW tau with the plasma membrane during apoptosis. Also, plasma membrane-associated HMW tau was more phosphorylated during apoptosis. Immunocytochemistry demonstrated increased tau phosphorylation in most apoptotic cells, especially in the neurites. Tau was, however, dephosphorylated cells in the last stages of apoptosis. J. Neurosci. Res. 66:203–213, 2001. © 2001 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Cortical plasticity and music.

: Auditory experience changes the make-up of areas in the cerebral cortex that are involved in the processing of complex sounds, including music. Evidence for this comes from various lines of research. Early blindness results in an expansion of auditory-responsive areas in the parietal cortex and a refinement in the selectivity of neurons in the auditory cortex. Occipital areas normally used only for vision are activated by auditory stimuli in the early blind. This lends credibility to the claim that blind individuals have greater musical abilities. The cross-modal changes in auditory cortical representations are based on activity-dependent modifications of synaptic circuitry. Imagery and anticipation of music also lead to activation of the auditory (and frontal) cortex. It is conceivable, therefore, that even with mental practice alone we can sharpen our musical representations in the cerebral cortex.
Comparing Sex Offender Risk Classification Using the Static-99 and LSI-R Assessment Instruments

Objective: This study compares sex offender risk classification using two popular actuarial risk assessment instruments—the Static-99 and the Level of Service Inventory–Revised (LSI-R). Despite the...
Mosaicism for an FMR1 gene deletion in a fragile X female

Most cases of fragile X syndrome result from expansion of CGG repeats in the FMR1 gene; deletions and point mutations of FMR1 are much less common. Mosaicism for an FMR1 full mutation with a deletion or with a normal allele has been reported in fragile X males. Here we report on a fragile X female who is mosaic for an FMR1 full mutation and an intragenic deletion. The patient is a 4-year-old girl with developmental delay, autistic-like behaviors, and significant speech and language abnormalities. Southern blotting demonstrated the presence of a methylated full mutation, a normal allele in methylated and unmethylated forms, and an additional fragment smaller than the normal methylated allele. This result indicates that the patient is mosaic for a full mutation and a deletion, in the presence of a normal allele. By DNA sequence analysis, we mapped the 5' breakpoint 63/65 bp upstream from the CGG repeat region and the 3' breakpoint 86/88 bp downstream of the CGG repeats within the FMR1 gene. The deletion removed 210 bp, including the entire CGG repeat region. The full mutation was inherited from a premutation in the patient's mother. The deletion, which remained methylated at the Eag I and Nru I sites, was probably derived from the full mutation allele. Mosaicism of this type is rare in females with a fragile X mutation but should be kept in mind in the interpretation of Southern blots.
Enhancing the efficiency of direct reprogramming into cardiac myocytes by defined transcription factors

An efficient method to generate cardiac tissue from other tissues has great therapeutic potential for patients suffering from cardiovascular disease. Pluripotent stem cells, such as embryonic stem (ES) cells, and so-called induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells can be differentiated into multiple cell types, including cardiac myocytes. However, therapeutic use of these cells has several important risks, including cancer as well as loss of differentiated cell identity and function or "drift." Transdifferentiation, the generation of cell types from other differentiated cell types, is an attractive alternative because it poses little risk of cancer and may give rise to cells whose identity is locked in. However, the direct reprogramming of adult fibroblasts into cardiac myocytes is inefficient and the transcription factors that drive this process are unknown. To circumvent these hurdles we hypothesized that fetal derived cells may be more amenable to reprogramming into cardiac myocytes with defined transcription factors. To this end, fetal derived fibroblasts and mesenchymal cells were transduced with transcription factors that have been shown to play a role in myocyte specification and maintenance, including GATA4, Mef2c, Tbx5 and Nkx2.5. To test this hypothesis, the transcription factors were cloned into lentiviral vectors, which were used to infect fibroblasts and mesenchymal cells. Infected cells were then cultured in different media. To assess the efficiency of the reprogramming, RNA was extracted from infected and uninfected cells, and quantitative RT-PCR was used to evaluate the expression levels of the transcription factors and known cardiac genes. We expected to observe higher levels of the transcription factors and cardiac markers in the infected cells relative to the uninfected cells. The results showed that the infected cells expressed higher levels of the transcription factors and a few cardiac markers relative to the uninfected cells. However, due to the small increase in the levels of only a few cardiac markers, the reprogramming was concluded to be inefficient. To make the reprogramming more efficient, other as yet unrecognized transcription factors possibly in the GATA family of transcription factors and culture conditions are currently being considered.
Time-varying X-efficiency: evidence from US property casualty insurers

The existing efficiency studies for the insurance industry rely on the time-invariant efficiency assumption, presumably because of the short duration of observation. However, temporal variation in firm efficiency could be substantial even for a short period of time. We demonstrate this point by examining the X-efficiency for the US property casualty insurers utilizing stochastic panel frontier models. Efficiencies are estimated under both time-invariant and time-varying efficiency assumptions using a large panel dataset from the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) of years 2001–2006. It is shown that the two assumptions result in significantly different estimates. To test whether the estimated efficiencies correspond well to the properties that the true efficiencies should have, we investigate the relationship between the efficiency measures and other indicators of firm performance. The results suggest that the stochastic panel frontier model with time-varying efficiency provides more r...
Decoherence and evolutionary adaptation

Abstract Different interpretations of the decoherent histories approach are summarized; they differ in the role (if any) of evolutionary considerations in the definition of the decoherent history space. Assuming that an evolutionary adaptation encodes historical records of finite complexity, we prove the adaptation is embedded in a decoherent history space.
Serologically detected lymphocyte antigens in Holstein cattle1

Summary Lymphocytes from 103 Holstein cattle were tested with 11 antilymphocytotoxic sera. Four of these sera were produced by whole blood immunization; these generally yielded lymphocytotoxicity against a large number of animals in each test panel. The majority of the sera were collected from parous cows which had never been immunized. Observations about this latter group of sera are (1) lymphocyte antibodies may occur by alloimmunization in foetal-maternal interaction, (2) normal sera from non-immunized parous cows generally had a narrower specificity of antibodies than from parous cows immunized with blood from unrelated animals and in some cases these antisera may be monospecific, and (3) these sera from parous cows are easy to obtain without the need for laborious immunizations. Analysis of these lymphocytotoxic sera indicate several reagents were obtained which possessed different antibodies; these were useful in detecting polymorphism of cattle lymphocyte antigens. Using these 11 sera, an analysis of the reactions patterns among 103 Holsteins, including parent-offspring data resulted in the postulation of several alleles. These data suggest that cattle lymphocyte antigens are very polymorphic and inherited.
Interface modification and characterization of silicon carbide platelets coated with alumina particles

Abstract A colloidal-chemistry-based technique was developed for interface modification of silicon carbide platelets (SiCp) by coating with alumina particles. The coating process utilizes electrostatic and/or electrosteric interactions between the particles to promote heterocoagulation. Since an understanding of the chemical interface between the SiCp and alumina is important for improving the coating process, the powders were characterized by the measurement of the electrokinetic sonic amplitude (ESA). The major factors studied were particle size, type of alumina, presence of polyacrylate surfactant, and concentration of alumina in the coating slip. The surface coverage and morphology of the alumina coating on SiCp was determined quantitatively by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The results indicate that around pH 5.8, the surface charge difference between SiCp and alumina was the largest and the coating of alumina on SiCp was feasible. The SEM data showed that surface coverage was uniform, and the highest surface coverage on SiCp was 66% when the surface area ratio of alumina to SiCp was 250% in the suspension. No significant improvement of the coating rate was observed by the addition of a polyacrylate for dispersion of SiCp. The concentration of alumina in the slip exhibited a strong influence on the amount of surface coverage on SiCp.
Sleep, sleep disorders and inflammation in children.

Sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) and, more specifically, obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), can lead to significant morbidities including cardiovascular morbidity and neurocognitive dysfunction in children. Oxidative stress and increased inflammatory process activity are thought to be linked to the morbid consequences of OSA. Clinical and laboratory-based approaches have shown that oxidative stress and inflammation may be further modulated by genetic, lifestyle and environmental factors. Surgical treatment for OSA in children has been shown to be at least partially effective at normalizing endothelial function, reducing levels of inflammatory markers, and improving lipid profile, the apnea–hypopnea index and sleep fragmentation.
Optimal pupil design for confocal microscopy

Confocal reflectance microscopy may enable screening and diagnosis of skin cancers noninvasively and in real-time, as an adjunct to biopsy and pathology. Current instruments are large, complex, and expensive. A simpler, confocal line-scanning microscope may accelerate the translation of confocal microscopy in clinical and surgical dermatology. A confocal reflectance microscope may use a beamsplitter, transmitting and detecting through the pupil, or a divided pupil, or theta configuration, with half used for transmission and half for detection. The divided pupil may offer better sectioning and contrast. We present a Fourier optics model and compare the on-axis irradiance of a confocal point-scanning microscope in both pupil configurations, optimizing the profile of a Gaussian beam in a circular or semicircular aperture. We repeat both calculations with a cylindrical lens which focuses the source to a line. The variable parameter is the fillfactor, h , the ratio of the 1/e 2 diameter of the Gaussian beam to the diameter of the full aperture. The optimal values of h , for point scanning are 0.90 (full) and 0.66 for the half-aperture. For line-scanning, the fill-factors are 1.02 (full) and 0.52 (half). Additional parameters to consider are the optimal location of the point-source beam in the divided-pupil configuration, the optimal line width for the line-source, and the width of the aperture in the divided-pupil configuration. Additional figures of merit are field-of-view and sectioning. Use of optimal designs is critical in comparing the experimental performance of the different configurations.
Election Reform and Democratic Objectives- Match or Mismatch?

Discussion of campaign reform tends to center on specific proposals, often leaving goals implicit as if they are too obvious for discussion. However, the proposals often appear less important, contradictory, or perverse when the discussion centers on goals. This essay focuses on the goals of campaign reform. To demonstrate the significance of discussing campaign reform's objectives, this article will explore the often illusory relationship between election law reforms and their desired goals. Several related propositions will be developed. First, the process of reform is not an end in itself, an unevaluable taste. Rather, reforms can be evaluated for their effectiveness in serving the public and for their responsiveness to ordinary people, the "little guys."1 Second, it is not clear that purity in the electoral process creates anticipated, or even desired, results. For example, instead of leading toward the democratization of power, current reform efforts may actually lead away from it. Third, while there is a good deal still unknown about which democratic processes would work better, those which have been getting all the shoutingled by individuals with political careers at stake2are clearly not superior. Enfranchisement of disenfranchised Americans and attention to competition would increase responsiveness much more directly. Although ensuring popular support of democracy is important, part II of this article demonstrates that popular support of electoral reform cannot be the only justification for change. Instead, as part III shows, modification of democratic processes must be directed toward specific goals, most importantly the achievement of rational popular choice and control. Although two popular reform agendas, developing a more competitive democratic process (part III. A)
Tax Biases to Debt Finance: Assessing the Problem, Finding Solutions

Legal, administrative and economic considerations offer no compelling reason for the current tax advantage of debt finance in many countries. Instead, this ‘debt bias’ creates significant inequities, complexities and economic distortions. These are likely to be larger than previously thought, especially in the financial sector. To tackle debt bias, the most promising reform is to introduce an allowance for corporate equity, as some countries have successfully done. Its main obstacle is a budgetary cost, estimated at around 15 per cent of current revenue, on average for a selection of advanced economies. This cost can be reduced by granting the allowance only to new investment. The allowance could also be targeted to the financial sector and financed by special bank levies.
Electrophoretic Analyses of Sera from Mice Protected from Lethal X-radiation

SummaryNo significant change in the serum-protein concentration or composition was observed among the AET-950 and 950 r-IBM mice. A decrease in the albumin concentration and an increase in the globulin concentration was seen after 950 r only. Associated with the secondary loss in body-weight among the 950 r-RBM mice is a decrease in the albumin/globulin ratio, extending from the second through the seventh weeks, and caused by an increase in the lipo-protein concentration and a decrease in the albumin concentration.
Fabrication of directed nano wire networks through self-assembly

We present a major development in our novel, self-assembly-based nano wire fabrication method. When it was first reported in MEMS 2003, the method could successfully produce a network of nano wires that are 50 nm in width and hundreds of microns long despite little control on the global shape of the network itself. However, the recent development enables us to impose very complicated shapes on the nano wire network by assigning points of wire initiation and termination by means of simple lithography. Hence, 1) the number, and 2) the direction of nano wires can be dictated.
A Dynamic Inventory Model with Random Replenishment Quantities

A periodic-review, random-demand inventory model is analyzed under the assumption that replenishment quantities are random fractions of the amounts ordered. Results of a previous study of a single-period model are generalized to form an easily computed heuristic adaptation of the (s, S) policy for use in this environment. The heuristic is based on the simple practice of scaling down pipeline inventories to estimate the inventory position, and scaling up the order quantity in anticipation of an average replenishment yield. Simulation experiments are used to estimate the most cost-efficient (s, S) policies and to estimate the performance of heuristic policies in environments where replenishment randomness ranges from mild (0-20% defectives) to moderate (0-50% defectives). The heuristic is shown to perform quite well, with expected total costs typically within a few percent of the best (s, S) costs. The results tend to support common practice in industry which is similar to the approach studied here. Although the heuristic is naive in the sense that it ignores the degree of randomness in the replenishment quantity, the simulation results support the speculation that unless the target service level is extremely high, the replenishment process must be extremely random for its variability to be a significant explicit factor in the selection of a practical, cost-effective policy.
Numerical experiments on the accuracy of the Chebyshev-Frobenius companion matrix method for finding the zeros of a truncated series of Chebyshev polynomials

For a function f(x) that is smooth on the interval [email protected]?[a,b] but otherwise arbitrary, the real-valued roots on the interval can always be found by the following two-part procedure. First, expand f(x) as a Chebyshev polynomial series on the interval and truncate for sufficiently large N. Second, find the zeros of the truncated Chebyshev series. The roots of an arbitrary polynomial of degree N, when written in the form of a truncated Chebyshev series, are the eigenvalues of an NxN matrix whose elements are simple, explicit functions of the coefficients of the Chebyshev series. This matrix is a generalization of the Frobenius companion matrix. We show by experimenting with random polynomials, Wilkinson's notoriously ill-conditioned polynomial, and polynomials with high-order roots that the Chebyshev companion matrix method is remarkably accurate for finding zeros on the target interval, yielding roots close to full machine precision. We also show that it is easy and cheap to apply Newton's iteration directly to the Chebyshev series so as to refine the roots to full machine precision, using the companion matrix eigenvalues as the starting point. Lastly, we derive a couple of theorems. The first shows that simple roots are stable under small perturbations of magnitude @e to a Chebyshev coefficient: the shift in the root x"* is bounded by @e/df/dx(x"*)+O(@e^2) for sufficiently small @e. Second, we show that polynomials with definite parity (only even or only odd powers of x) can be solved by a companion matrix whose size is one less than the number of nonzero coefficients, a vast cost-saving.
Design considerations for basic MEMS electrostatic actuators

In this paper various practical and theoretical design considerations that lead to a successful MEMS electrostatic actuator design for laboratory-training purposes are examined and simulation results are presented. Two basic actuator structures cantilever beam and fixed beam are simulated using SUGAR MEMS simulation software. Simulation results show the proper size of the actuator for fabrication.