cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Esophagitis secondary to ingestion of caustic material.

Abstract The records of 176 patients admitted to Grady Memorial Hospital over a 10-year period with a history of ingestion of corrosive material were reviewed. Esophagoscopy was performed in 168 patients an average of 15 hours after ingestion. In 94 patients, no esophageal burn was found. Seventy-four others had injury of the esophagus of varying degree; 3 of these had no evidence of oropharyngeal burn. The patients with esophageal injury were treated with steroids for two weeks and antibiotics for 5 days. No complications resulted from esophagoscopy or steroid therapy in any patient. Stricture did not develop in any of the patients in whom esophagoscopy was negative. Documented stricture occurred in 29 patients with esophagoscopic evidence of esophageal burns, 7 of whom did not respond to periodic esophageal dilation and subsequently underwent esophageal bypass. Three patients had symptoms and signs of gastric perforation on the first, sixth, and eighth days after ingestion, respectively, and at laparotomy all of them were found to have severe gastric injury. One of these patients died on the postoperative day 28; this was the only death among all patients seen with history of ingestion of corrosive material. This study suggests that with early esophagoscopy, approximately 55% of patients who ingest corrosive material can be spared the agony and prolonged treatment of possible esophageal injury. Appropriate management will result in preservation of the esophagus in most patients.
Ineffectiveness of anticoagulation in experimental radiation therapy.

Abstract A spontaneous mammary carcinoma, a methylcholanthrene induced fibrosarcoma, and a methylcholanthrene induced squamous carcinoma have been examined in syngeneic C3H f /Sed mice to assess the modification of tumor response to local radiation therapy by the administration of warfarin. For the fibrosarcoma (demonstrably antigenic in this animal system) recipient mice were normal or previously sensitized to the tumor. The transplant take rate and the growth rate of the mammary carcinoma and the fibrosarcoma were determined following subcutaneous injections of single cell suspensions. The radiation dose required for local control of 50% of the tumors (TCD 50 ) was determined for single and ten equal radiation doses. The dosage of warfarin in the drinking water resulted in a 2–3 -fold prolongation of the prothrombin time. Warfarin administration before and following inoculation of tumor cells did not alter the transplantability. Warfarin administration either during the course of fractionated irradiation, or at and following single doses, did not affect tumor response to irradiation.
Perspectives on Plagiarism from ESL Students in Hong Kong.

Abstract This inquiry aimed to discover how well students pursuing higher education in Hong Kong can recognize plagiaristic writing, in what terms they perceive it as inappropriate, and how they view students who plagiarize. The study included 170 first-year and 41 third-year Chinese students all majoring in fields of science in one of Hong Kong's tertiary-level institutions. A questionnaire was administered to the first-year students prior to any classroom mention of plagiarism. The results indicated these students had little familiarity with the Western notion of plagiarism and poor ability to recognize it. As for the inappropriateness of plagiarism, their chief concern was its detrimental effect on learning. They expressed less concern for the rights of the original writer or for the effect of plagiarism upon one's classmates, academic institution, or instructors. The questionnaire also determined that these students view persons who plagiarize as weak and lazy. On the other hand, third-year students were more able to recognize plagiarism and showed greater concern for the original writer and the issue of honesty. It is concluded that these first-year students need explicit orientation and training on how to avoid plagiarism when writing in a Western academic community.
Characterization and evaluation of smoke tracers in PM: Results from the 2003 Montana wildfire season

Throughout August and September 2003, Missoula, Montana was heavily impacted by smoke from wildland forest fires burning throughout western Montana. In an effort to study the organic compounds contributing to smoke particulate matter impacting downwind communities, three co-located PM2.5 cyclones collected 24-h samples during significant smoke events in Missoula. Filter samples were then analyzed at two independent laboratories to quantify the concentrations of several chemical markers of wood smoke generated under natural combustion conditions, as well as to provide an intercomparison study of analytical methods (HPLC and GC/MS) used in the determination of levoglucosan concentrations. Concentrations of monosaccharide anhydrides, methoxyphenols and soluble potassium were measured from PM2.5 samples collected during periods of smoke and baseline (non-impacted) conditions. From these analyses, the associations between the wood smoke markers and PM2.5 mass were examined. Levoglucosan was found to be the most useful marker for wood smoke generated from natural forest fire events in the northern Rocky Mountains, whereas measurement of other species (mannosan, methoxyphenols) provided information on the type of vegetative material burned (e.g., hardwood versus softwood). The emission ratios of levoglucosan to PM2.5 and organic carbon from the wildfire smoke was found to be 0.042 and 0.062, respectively. Results of the statistical analyses showed that the GC/MS and HPLC approaches to levoglucosan analysis were statistically equivalent.
The sub-Parker spiral structure of the heliospheric magnetic field

[1] Recent studies have shown that the heliospheric magnetic field can be much more radial than the standard Parker spiral in the rarefactions of co-rotation interaction regions (CIRs). This effect can be explained by the motion of open magnetic field foot points at the Sun across the coronal hole boundary. Such motion causes magnetic field lines to be connected and stretched across the CIR's fast-slow wind transition, creating a less transverse, “sub-Parker” magnetic field spiral. Here we include foot point motion at the Sun in a steady-state magneto-hydrodynamic (MHD) model to quantify the formation and evolution of such sub-Parker spirals out to 5 AU. We compare these results with Ulysses CIR observations during its first polar orbit, and find that sub-Parker spirals consistent with our model are almost always present in CIR rarefactions. Thus, we explain the existence and frequent occurrence of the sub-Parker spiral structure of heliospheric magnetic field.
The action of x-irradiation on the regeneration field of the forelimb of the adult newt, Diemictylus viridescens.

Studies were conducted in order to determine the nature of the action of x-irradiation on regeneration of the urodele forelimb. Right and left forelimbs of adult newts were parabiosed along their posterior edges, after the right limbs had been irradiated with 2,000 r. Forelimbs of control animals underwent similar operations. However, both limbs remained unirradiated. The angles which the stumps made with each other were classified as parallel, acute, and wide angles. Sixty days after amputation of these limbs, the cartilage patterns of the two groups were compared. In the control series, as the angle between the stumps was increased, the number of digits in the bilaterally symmetrical regenerates decreased, with a loss of central structures. At very wide angles, the doubled stumps produced no regenerates. In the experimental series, there were no interference effects from the irradiated right forlimbs. Single normal asymmetric left hands regenerated, despite widening angles between the stumps. Sham operations, which were performed on irradiated and unirradiated limbs, seemed to have no effect on the regenerative capacities of the limbs, with no regeneration in 97.7% of the irradiated limbs and normal regeneration in 91.1% of the unirradiated limbs. X-rays seem to act on the limb to eliminate the interference effects normally found in regenerating doubled stumps. This seems to involve a disruption of the longitudinal control of the regeneration field. The loss of inter-tissue communication and possible loss of the bioelectric field is discussed.
Particle-size and chemical control of As, Cd, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb, and Zn in bed sediment from the Clark Fork River, Montana (U.S.A.)

Mining and smelting in the headwaters of the Clark Fork River have significantly enriched Clark Fork River bed sediment in As, Cd, Cu, Mn, Pb, and Zn. These enriched elements are present predominantly in (operationally defined) “reducible” and “oxidizable” chemical phases, with small contributions from “residual” phases. In size fractionated samples (300, 63–300, 38–63, 17–38, and < 17 μm) metals and arsenic concentrations generally increase with decreasing particle size, with the greatest contribution to this increase from the “reducible” phase. Copper is an exception, with the strongest contribution to this increase from the “oxidizable” phase. Anomalously high concentrations in the coarsest (300 μm) fraction of some of the samples described in this study are due to preferential concentration of iron and manganese oxides on coarse particles, and entrapment of coarse organic material on 300 μm sieves. Clark Fork bed sediment is, in general, quite coarse; the relatively high concentrations of metals in the coarse fractions of these sediments are therefore important to the bulk metal and As content of this system.
Transverse relaxation of three identical Spin-12 nuclei subject to shift anisotropy interactions

The transverse relaxation of three identical Spin-12 nuclei subject to intramolecular dipolar, chemical shift anisotropy, and fully correlated random field spin-lattice couplings is derived from the semiclassical density operator formalism. Retention of dipolar-dipolar and dipolar-shift anisotropy cross-correlation terms significantly alters the calculation compared with simplified intuitive approaches. It is shown that the transverse magnetization is described by four coupled equations, whereas previous calculations have shown that the longitudinal relaxation is governed by five time constants. This anomaly, which can be viewed as a generalization of the “76 effect,” arises since the shift anisotropy interaction is not rotationally invariant. The spectral densities of the lattice correlation functions, which quantitatively describe the time evolution of the density operator, are calculated for both immobilized and internally rotating triads attached to isotropically reorienting molecular frameworks characterized in size by rotational diffusion correlation times that span a complete range of ω0τc. It is demonstrated that the transverse relaxation reflects dipolar-shift anisotropy interference only if (1) γhr−3 ⋍ B0 Δσ, (2) the motion is quite isotropic, or (3) the overall correlation time is relatively long (ω0τc, > 1). However, the primary concern in such multispin systems is the influence of dipolar-dipolar interference terms. The practical consequences of this investigation may be of central importance to the interpretation of CF3 “reporter group” relaxation as employed in various biophysical NMR studies.
Characteristics of high performance microwave transistors fabricated by ion implantation

In this paper the characteristics and fabrication of implanted microwave transistors are discussed. By use of arsenic implanted emitter and boron implanted base, devices can be fabricated with f T between 4.0 and 7.0 GHz, while f max ranges from 18.0 to 25.5 GHz. Noise figures range from 3.8 to 5.5 db at 4 GHz. Results will be presented from devices implanted with arsenio emitter energies from 27 to 30 KeV and boron base energies from 20 to 38 KeV. Boron base doses range from 5 \times 10^{12} to 1013B/cm2, while emitter dose was 1 \times 10^{15} to 2 \times 10^{15} As/cm2. It was found that (Q E /D E ) eff ranged from 1.5 to 2.5 \times 10^{13} cm-4sec for all emitter implants. A discussion of improvement of uniformity and yield is included along with some wafer yield data.
Disruption of acute opioid dependence by antisense oligodeoxynucleotides targeting neurogranin

Neurogranin has been suggested to serve as a common regulator synchronizing the activities of PKC and CaMKII in acute opioid tolerance. To examine if a similar mechanism exists in acute opioid dependence, we directly targeted neurogranin using antisense oligodeoxynucleotides. Male ICR mice were pretreated with neurogranin antisense or mismatch oligodeoxynucleotides (2 μg/day, i.c.v.) for 3 consecutive days. On Day 4, morphine (100 mg/kg, s.c.) was used to induce dependence, as revealed by naloxone-precipitated withdrawal in saline or mismatch-pretreated mice. Antisense-pretreated mice showed decreased neurogranin expression, lack of morphine-induced phosphorylation of neurogranin and activation of CaMKII and CREB, and absence of naloxone-induced withdrawal jumping. Taken together, these data suggest that neurogranin plays an essential role in acute opioid dependence, possibly by affecting the CaMKII and CREB signaling pathway.
Sampanis v. Greece: Discrimination, Disrespect, and Romani Identity on the EU Frontier

This article examines Greek Romani identity from an exogenous viewpoint focused not on who Romani people think and feel they are, but on what others make of them, through official discourse, political action, and educational policy. This article combines a normative argument about social justice as recognition (Axel Honneth) with an empirical case study of the confrontation of a diasporic group (Pontic Greeks from the former Soviet Union) with Romani parents and children at the doorstep of a Greek school. This was the occasion for a European Court of Human Rights decision involving various nongovernmental organizations and Greek government ministries. This article argues that the dynamic interplay between official and unofficial actors in securing access of Greek–Roma children to schooling has the effect, however unintended, of framing rather narrow possibilities for the development of a positive Roma identity.
Global smoothness preservation and simultaneous approximation for multivariate general singular integral operators

Abstract In this article we continue with the study of multivariate smooth general singular integral operators over R N , N ≥ 1 , regarding their simultaneous global smoothness preservation property with respect to the L p norm, 1 ≤ p ≤ ∞ , by involving multivariate higher order moduli of smoothness. Also we study their multivariate simultaneous approximation to the unit operator with rates. The multivariate Jackson type inequalities obtained are almost sharp containing elegant constants, and they reflect the high order of differentiability of the engaged function. In the uniform case of global smoothness we prove optimality. At the end we list the multivariate Picard, Gauss–Weierstrass, Poisson–Cauchy and Trigonometric singular integral operators as applicators of our general theory.
Synchrotron cooling and annihilation of an e/+/-e/-/ plasma - The radiation mechanism for the 5 March, 1979 transient

Positron-electron pair radiation is examined as a mechanism that could be responsible for the impulsive phase emission of the March 5, 1979 transient. Synchrotron cooling and subsequent annihilation of the pairs can account for the energy spectrum, the very high brightness, and the approximately 0.4 MeV feature observed from this transient, whose source is likely to be a neutron star in the supernova remnant N49 in the Large Magellanic Cloud. In this model, the observed radiation is produced in the skin layer of a hot, radiation dominated pair atmosphere, probably confined to the vicinity of the neutron star by a strong magnetic field. The width of this layer is only about 0.1 mm. In this layer, approximately 10 to the 12th power generations of pairs are formed (by photon-photon collisions), cooled and annihilated during the approximately 0.15 sec duration of the impulsive phase. The very large burst energy implied by the distance of the Large Magellanic Cloud, and its very rapid release, are unsolved problems. Nonetheless, the possibility of neutron star vibrations, which could transport the energy coherently to the surface, heat the atmosphere mechanically to a hot, pair-producing temperature, and have a characteristic damping time roughly equal to the duration of the impulsive phase are addressed.
Variability of latent and sensible heat fluxes estimated using bulk formulae

Abstract The spatial and temporal variability of monthly average latent and sensible heat flux over the oceans is explored. Monthly flux anomalies are estimated using bulk formulae applied to COADS marine data over 1946–1986. Emphasis is on behaviour during fall and winter over the well sampled North Atlantic and North Pacific oceans, but available data from the Indian Ocean, from the tropics and from the Southern Hemisphere are also included. Random observation errors and random weather sampling errors are reduced by averaging several observations together. Biases in the observations and in the bulk formulae are not automatically reduced by averaging, but because the mean of the fluxes is subtracted to provide the anomalies, the non‐time‐varying biases are diminished. Largest latent flux anomalies occur from the tropics to middle latitudes, and largest sensible flux anomalies appear in middle‐to‐high latitudes. In mid‐latitudes, monthly latent and sensible flux anomalies are strongly correlated, so that ...
Photogrammetry and knowledge representation in computer vision

Photogrammetry and computer vision are closely related disciplines with differing goals. This paper explores the ramifications of those differences with an eye toward identifying opportunities for leveraging the contributions of both fields. We identify some of the thorny issues that computer vision researchers are wrestling with and point out some of the areas where advances in photogrammetry can help. In most cases, further progress will require a shift from the conventional techniques of photogrammetry to ones that are more compatible with the ground-level, real time, and fully automated constraints that are emphasized in computer vision.
No chance for romance: Corporate culture, gendered work, and increased singlehood in Japan

AbstractThis paper is part of a larger study that investigates the cause of increased singlehood among women in Japan. On the basis of findings from qualitative research this paper argues that Japa...
Blastic Plasmacytoid Dendritic Cell Neoplasm: A Rapidly Progressive and Fatal Disease without Aggressive Intervention

Blastic plasmacytoid dendritic cell neoplasm (BPDCN) is an aggressive myeloid neoplasm derived from plasmacytoid monocytes. The most common presentation involves cutaneous manifestations, which are often accompanied by bone marrow involvement. The tumor cells reveal an immature blastic appearance and diagnosis is based on the expression of cluster of differentiation (CD)4 and CD56. The literature reports a high relapse rate and poor prognosis when treated with leukemia-type induction chemotherapy alone; however, long-term remission is attainable with allogeneic stem cell transplantation in the first complete remission. Here, we report the dismal course of a patient with BPDCN with cutaneous and bone marrow involvement unable to undergo an aggressive intervention.
Manejo de la intoxicación por plomo en la niñez

This paper reviews the clinical management of children with lead poisoning. A first step is to define the measures to be used in their assessment and be aware of the limitations. Measurements of blood lead levels can be made on anticoagulated whole blood samples using either: atomic absorption spectroscopy or anodic stripping voltametry. However a more accurate method is fluorescent RX'ray of the skeleton or systematic biochemical tests of lead levels in urine. Remedies include elimination of lead in the environment, changes in children's behavior and dietary checks for adequate calcium and iron intake. Chelation therapy, using Ca edetate and succimer eliminates lead from the skeleton, which is then quickly excleted using a cathartic to help prevent re-absorption. Chelation may save lives where BLLs are very high. There is usually a short term reduction of BLLs with a subsequent rise. Serious cases may require repeat therapies. Chelation should be considered in children with BLLs > = 45 micrograms/dl. Chelation therapy reduces BLLs and associated symptoms. However cognitive decline may be irreversible, indicating that emphasis should be on prevention rather than cure. The English version of this paper is available at: http://www.insp.mx/salud/index.html.
Error bounds for Newton refinement of solutions to algebraic riccati equations

Recent error bounds derived from the Schur method of solving algebraic Riccati equations (ARE) complement residual error bounds associated with Newton refinement of approximate solutions. These approaches to the problem of error estimation not only work well together but also represent the first computable error bounds for the solution of Riccati equations. In this paper the closed-loop Lyapunov operator is seen to be central to the question of whether Newton refinement will improve an approximate solution (region of convergence), as well as providing a means of bounding the actual error in terms of the residual error. In turn, both of these issues are related to the condition of the ARE and the damping of the associated closed-loop dynamical system. Numerical results are given for seven problems taken from the literature.
Effective Teaching: Perspectives and Insights from Division Two's 2- and 4-Year Awardees:

I surveyed Division Two's teaching award winners in the 2-year college and 4-year college and university categories to discover the qualities and attributes that make these individuals effective teachers. I found that (a) most awardees did not receive formal training in teaching; (b) many awardees believed that observations of others' effective teaching methods and feedback on their own teaching were key to their becoming effective teachers; (c) over the course of their careers, awardees generally have become more student oriented and less lecture oriented; (d) they viewed time constraints in their work as the chief obstacle limiting teaching effectiveness; and (e) relative to each other, they held different philosophies of teaching.
Addressing Common Problems in Engineering Design Projects: A Project Management Approach

In using projects to teach engineering design, the instructor faces the question of how to structure the process to insure an effective learning environment without compromising the independence and open-ended nature of the student's experience. The instructor faces the problems of student time scallop (the tendency to increase effort exponentially as the final deadline approaches), of potential laggards in a group (students doing little work and getting credit for the group's results) and of students learning appropriate work documentation habits. All of these problems are project management issues and project management tools can be used to solve them. This includes both the instructor's and the student's use of project management tools. In our process, students use three key techniques to address these issues: 1. a milestone schedule, 2. regular project review meetings and memos and 3. design memos which document each design task as the project progresses. Greatest success results when students utilize all three of these tasks. Both students and instructors have experienced reduced time scallop. A memo portfolio provides a measure of individual student performance. Students turn in improved projects, learn some basic project management tools, and gain experience at regular documentation of their work.
Generation of Functional Eyes from Pluripotent Cells

Pluripotent cells such as embryonic stem (ES) and induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells are the starting point from which to generate organ specific cell types. For example, converting pluripotent cells to retinal cells could provide an opportunity to treat retinal injuries and degenerations. In this study, we used an in vivo strategy to determine if functional retinas could be generated from a defined population of pluripotent Xenopus laevis cells. Animal pole cells isolated from blastula stage embryos are pluripotent. Untreated, these cells formed only epidermis, when transplanted to either the flank or eye field. In contrast, misexpression of seven transcription factors induced the formation of retinal cell types. Induced retinal cells were committed to a retinal lineage as they formed eyes when transplanted to the flanks of developing embryos. When the endogenous eye field was replaced with induced retinal cells, they formed eyes that were molecularly, anatomically, and electrophysiologically similar to normal eyes. Importantly, induced eyes could guide a vision-based behavior. These results suggest the fate of pluripotent cells may be purposely altered to generate multipotent retinal progenitor cells, which differentiate into functional retinal cell classes and form a neural circuitry sufficient for vision.
Effect of island area on Drosophila population densities

Species of the Drosophila affinis subgroup show a positive correlation between population density and island area on islands in the vicinity of Deer Isle, Maine. The low density of flies on small islands may be due to inbreeding depression, exposure to salt spray, desiccation, or decimation by violent storms. Mushroom-feeding species of Drosophila show great year to year fluctuations in abundance on these islands, probably due to changes in the level of their resource supply. Population fluctuations and non-linear correlations between island area and population size may have complicating effects on the probability of extinction of species on different sized islands.
Transients in the Oxidative and H-Atom-Induced Degradation of 1,3,5-Trithiane. Time-Resolved Studies in Aqueous Solution

The ¥ OH-induced oxidation of 1,3,5-trithiacyclohexane (1) in aqueous solution was studied by means of pulse radiolysis with optical and conductivity detection. This oxidation leads, via a short-lived ¥ OH radical adduct (<1 Is), to the radical cation 1 ¥+ showing a broad absorption with Imax equal to 610 nm. A defined pathway of the decay of 1 ¥+ is proton elimination. It occurs with k ) (2.2 ( 0.2) 10 4 s -1 and yields the cyclic C-centered radical 1(-H) ¥ . The latter radical decays via ring opening (‚-scission) with an estimated rate constant of about 10 5 s -1 . A distinct, immediate product (formed with the same rate constant) is characterized by a narrow absorption band with Imax ) 310 nm and is attributed to the presence of a dithioester function. The formation of the 310 nm absorption can be suppressed in the presence of oxygen, the rationale for this being a reaction of the C-centered cyclic radical 1(-H) ¥ with O2. The disappearance of the 310 nm band (with a rate constant of 900 s -1 ) is associated with the hydrolysis of the dithioester functionality. A further aspect of this study deals with the reaction of H ¥ atoms with 1 which yields a strongly absorbing, threeelectron-bonded 2U/1U* radical cation [1(S∴S)-H] + (Imax ) 400 nm). Its formation is based on an addition of H ¥ to one of the sulfur atoms, followed by ‚-scission, intramolecular sulfur -sulfur coupling (constituting a ring contraction), and further stabilization of the S ∴S bond thus formed by protonation. [1(S∴S)-H] + decays with a first-order rate constant of about 10 4 s -1 . Its formation can be suppressed by the addition of oxygen which scavenges the H ¥ atoms prior to their reaction with 1. Complementary time-resolved conductivity experiments have provided information on the quantification of the 1 ¥+ radical cation yield, the cationic longerlived follow-up species, extinction coefficients, and kinetics concerning deprotonation processes as well as further reaction steps after hydrolysis of the transient dithioesters. The results are also discussed in the light of previous photochemical studies.
Phase II study of polymyxin B, tobramycin, and clotrimazole to prevent oral irradiation mucositis

Colonization of the oral mucosa by gram-negative organisms and/or fungi is theorized to be an etiologic factor in severe mucosal reactions in patients receiving radiation to treat head and neck cancers. Patients treated with altered fractionation schedules have high rates of confluent mucositis, which can be slow to heal and can on occasion disrupt the continuity of the radiation course, with possible detrimental effects on outcome. It has been proposed that antimicrobial agents directed at these organisms can alleviate the severity of the mucosal reactions. We studied the use of a suspension of polymyxin B and tobramycin in conjunction with a clotrimazole troche in patients receiving radiotherapy with altered fractionation schedules to the oropharynx or oral cavity. Thirty-seven patients were enrolled in the trial. Radiation doses ranged from 63 to 77 Gy over 5–7 weeks. The rate of confluent mucositis in the entire group was 84%. This was not significantly different (P > 0.1) from a rate of 85% seen in an historical control group of 79 patients treated with our concomitant boost regimen. Possible reasons for the apparent ineffectiveness of this antibacterial-antifungal regimen are discussed. Radiat Oncol Invest 1996;4:23–26. © 1996 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Extracellular matrix protein adsorption to phosphate-functionalized gels from serum promotes osteogenic differentiation of human mesenchymal stem cells

One of the primary goals for tissue engineering is to induce new tissue formation by stimulating specific cell function. Human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) are a particularly important cell type that has been widely studied for differentiation down the osteogenic (bone) lineage, and we recently found that simple phosphate functional groups incorporated into poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) hydrogels could induce osteogenesis without using differentiation medium by unknown mechanisms. Here, we aimed to determine whether direct or indirect cell/materials interactions were responsible for directing hMSCs down the osteogenic lineage on phosphate (PO(4))-functionalized PEG hydrogels. Our results indicated that serum components adsorbed onto PO(4)-PEG hydrogels from medium in a presoaking step were sufficient for attachment and spreading of hMSCs, even when seeded in serum-free conditions. Blocking antibodies for collagen and fibronectin (targeted to the hydrogel), as well as β1 and β3 integrin blocking antibodies (targeted to the cells), each reduced attachment of hMSCs to PO(4)-PEG hydrogels, suggesting that integrin-mediated interactions between cells and adsorbed matrix components facilitate attachment and spreading. Outside-in signaling, and not merely shape change, was found to be required for osteogenesis, as alkaline phosphatase activity and expression of CBFA1, osteopontin and collagen-1 were each significantly down regulated upon inhibition of focal adhesion kinase phosphorylation even though the focal adhesion structure or cell shape was unchanged. Our results demonstrate that complex function (i.e. osteogenic differentiation) can be controlled using simple functionalization strategies, such as incorporation of PO(4), but that the role of these materials may be due to more complex influences than has previously been appreciated.
Breakthrough to awareness: a preliminary neural network model of conscious and unconscious perception in word processing

A neural network model is constructed to mimic the processing involved in semantic and working memory when subliminal effects are involved. These effects involve modifications of reaction time to later inputs, according to whether or not there has been conscious or unconscious processing of the earlier input. The model is constructed of two separate modules: one (a semantic memory module) allowing for processing at a semantic, but unconscious, level, and the other (a working memory module) for conscious experience. The latter module, although a replica of the earlier one, has different lateral connectivity and output function from the former. The model is shown to give a good fit to Marcel's data on the processing of polysemous words. Further tests are suggested for the model, and a possible cortical implementation suggested. The relevance of the model to recent approaches to consciousness is also explored.
Raphe origin of serotonergic nerves terminating in the cerebral ventricles.

Abstract The dorsal and median raphe nuclei of the midbrain are known to contain the perikarya of origin of the major serotonergic (indoleamine) neurons projecting to the parenchyma of the forebrain. Lesions were placed in these nuclei to determine whether serotonin-containing nerve terminals in the cerebral ventricular system are also derived from the raphe nuclei. Brain tissue from control rats and rats 2–7 days after placement of raphe lesions was examined by fluorescence and electron microscopy. By the third day after lesion there was a marked reduction in the formaldehyde-induced fluorescence of supra-ependymal terminals. By the same time virtually all supra-ependymal terminals showed advanced degenerative changes as visualized by electron microscopy. There was a degeneration of supra-ependymal terminals in all parts of the cerebral ventricular system examined, including the epithalamic region (e.g. habenula and pineal recess; serotonin-containing terminals in the latter areas had previously been thought to arise from modified pinealocytes in the pineal recess). We conclude that most, if not all, supra-ependymal nerve terminals are derived from serotonergic cells of origin in the raphe nuclei.
Four window differential capillary velocimetry.

Abstract A video red blood cell velocimeter was implemented with four photometric windows in such a fashion that the upstream and downstream signals are the difference between spatially separated window pairs. The performance of this system was compared with that of a conventional dual window photometric video velocimeter. Tests were made with artificial patterns of red blood cells that simulated long trains of contiguous cells, or large plasma gaps. It was found that the four window system produces a correlogram that is better suited for delay to maximum cross-correlation detection. Similarly, when the responses of the two methods were compared in terms of ability to detect changes of velocity, the time constant for a test step velocity change was found to be 1.2 ± 0.7 sec for the four window system vs 2.3 ± 0.6 sec for the two window system. It is concluded that this modification of the capillary red blood cell velocimetry methodology is better suited for detecting the spontaneous flow variations due to vasomotion.
Carbon dioxide and senescence in cotton plants.

Glandless cotton plants (Gossypium hirsutum L. cv. Coker 100) were subjected to the influence of high CO2-bicarbonate. The content of protein decreased with no accompanying increase in its degraded products. The decrease in protein was correlated with the low content of chlorophyll and also with the reduced activity of carbonic anhydrase. The initiation of these correlations coincided with the time when the control leaves contained the highest enzyme activity during leaf growth. The high concentration of bicarbonate directly restricted the rate of photophosphorylation and that of the Hill reaction in isolated chloroplasts. The amount of ATP in leaves treated in vivo also diminished. High CO2 as bicarbonate, however, did not directly inhibit the activity of carbonic anhydrase in vitro.
Biochemical determinants of adriamycin® toxicity in mouse liver, heart and intestine

Biochemical characteristics relevant to the differential susceptibilities of liver, heart, and intestine to acute Adriamycin® toxicity were examined in female CD-1 mice with and without intravenous Adriamycin (dose range 23–30 mg/kg). The liver which, unlike heart and intestine, is relatively resistant to Adriamycin toxicity, had high levels of glutathione and glutathione peroxidase, and exhibited a sharp decline in non-protein thiol concentrations within 1–3 hr with rebound by 6hr after Adriamycin. Covalent binding to Adriamycin or its metabolites could not account quantitatively for the loss of non-protein thiols, implicating an oxidative mechanism. No lipid peroxidation was observed in the liver, apparently due to effective utilization of antioxidant defenses. Adriamycin caused significant increases in cardiac lipid peroxides, indicative of oxidative tissue damage, which would be expected to exacerbate cardiotoxicity. However, non-protein thiol concentrations did not decrease in heart or in intestine in response to Adriamycin. Both heart and intestine had extremely low levels of glutathione peroxidase activity, which may limit glutathione utilization for protection against oxidative toxicity. The activity of DT diaphorase, which may have an activating role in Adriamycin metabolism, was high in heart and intestine and was induced 4-fold in liver in response to Adriamycin.
Phenytoin does not block hippocampal long‐term potentiation or frequency potentiation

Recently, a theoretical scheme offered mechanisms by which phenytoin exerts its antiepileptic effects. Two predictions arising from this proposal are that phenytoin would suppress alterations in the potency of excitatory neurotransmission engendered by repetitive neural activation and that this effect would be augmented by displacing the extracellular concentration of K+ ([K+]0) away from its normal resting level. In the present study, we tested these predictions by examining the effects of phenytoin on short- and long-term functional plasticity in vitro in the hippocampus. Extracellular field potentials were recorded in the CA1 region of the rat hippocampal slice in response to stimulation of the Schaeffer collaterals. Phenytoin (20 micrograms/ml) did not affect baseline excitatory neurotransmission as measured by input-output curves (population spike amplitude versus stimulus intensity) obtained at low stimulus rates. The drug also had no effect on either frequency potentiation (2.5 Hz) or long-term potentiation (50 Hz, 500 msec; or 400 Hz, 20 msec). When [K+]0 was raised to levels seen during seizures, the drug still did not alter frequency potentiation or long-term potentiation induced by either type of stimulus train. Phenytoin also had no effect on either stimulus-locked or spontaneous epileptiform bursts that appear in conjunction with elevated [K+]0 or on stimulus-locked bursts that appear in the presence of 0.75 mM extracellular calcium. These results, showing that certain forms of functional synaptic plasticity are not affected by phenytoin, suggest a means by which phenytoin could exert its antiepileptic action without interfering with normal brain function.
Judgment, justification and junctions in the rhetorical criticism of legal texts

This note reflects on the uses of the rhetorical criticism of legal texts from the perspective of a law professor. It suggests that lawyers and rhetoricians alike tend to define “legal texts” too narrowly, and thus miss the rhetorical dimensions of important, alternate legal discourses that warrant criticism. It also suggests that careful exploration of the instructive, reconstructive, and evaluative functions of rhetorical criticism can be invaluable tools to the broad legal community which includes not only the members of the legal profession, but also those who encounter law and its language in public discourse writ large.
Feasibility study of a bowtie compressor with novel capacity modulation

A novel refrigeration compressor with an integrated method of capacity modulation for use in domestic refrigerators/freezers is proposed and analyzed here. The compressor is called bowtie compressor due to its two sector-shaped, opposing compression chambers forming a bowtie. The bowtie compressor modulates the cooling capacity by changing the piston stroke without changes of the clearance volume for better thermodynamic efficiency. The new compressor includes a unique off-center-line mechanism so that the piston stroke can be varied without creating an extra clearance volume. To investigate the feasibility of the proposed compressor, a simulation model has been developed. A detailed description of the bowtie compressor and its simulation model are presented in this paper. In addition, parametric studies have been carried out to see how the proposed compressor performance can be improved.
The Texas Instruments/Honeywell GPS Guidance Package

The authors describe the Texas Instruments/Honeywell Phase 1 Global Positioning System (GPS) Guidance Package (GGP) architecture and performance characteristics. The GGP is a tightly coupled, integrated miniature GPS receiver (MGR) and miniature inertial measurement unit (MIMU) capable of performing precision navigation, time coordination, mission management, and flight control for a broad class of Department of Defense platforms. These include strike weapons, unmanned airborne vehicles, and avionics platforms. The MGR architecture contains a highly integrated six-channel (expandable to eight channels) L1/L2 P(Y) code precise positioning service receiver/processor packaged on a single wiring board. The MGR design features a low-power GaAs integrated front end. The MIMU contains three interferometric fiber-optic gyros and three solid-state accelerometers in an inertial sensor assembly plus associated electronics and a microprocessor. The remaining GGP architecture consists of a data processor/data bus unit (DP/DBU) and an adaptable interface unit (AIU). The DP/DBU performs the tightly coupled, integrated navigation function. It has reserve memory and throughput cavity to perform mission management and flight control functions. The AIU supports numerous standard interfaces. >
Relative importance of carbon sources for macroinvertebrates in a Rocky Mountain stream

Estimates of carbon sources, as determined from ratios of stable isotopes, were used in conjunction with estimates of secondary production to determine the relative contribution of algal carbon to macroinvertebrate production across a gradient of elevation in a Rocky Mountain stream (North St. Vrain Creek, Colorado). The relative contribution of algal carbon to macroinvertebrate production was then compared to the relative availability of algal carbon. Although algal production accounted for less than 2‐40% of the combined sources of organic matter to North St. Vrain Creek, the relative contribution of algal carbon to annual macroinvertebrate production ranged from approximately 40% at a subalpine site to nearly 80% at a more open site in the foothills. Thus, the proportional contribution of algal carbon to consumer production greatly exceeded the relative availability of algal carbon in North St. Vrain Creek. Despite the disproportionate importance of algal carbon to consumers, most macroinvertebrates in North St. Vrain Creek used some vascular plant carbon. The abundance of terrestrial plant detritus in most shaded headwater streams has led ecologists to the conclusion that vascular plant detritus generally supports the growth of primary consumers in small, shaded streams. Although terrestrial plant detritus often is of lower nutritional value than other, less abundant food sources (e.g., algae), microbial colonization and processing increase its nutritional value (Cummins and Klug 1979). Algae are known to support most of the consumer production in some streams (e.g., desert streams; Minshall 1978), but it is generally accepted that consumers in small, canopied streams depend largely on terrestrial carbon. Analyses of gut contents from macroinvertebrates often are consistent with the conclusion that vascular plant detritus is the main source of nutrition for primary consumers in
Congestion and fault tolerance of binary tree embeddings on hypercube

An embedding of a binary tree on a hypercube utilizes at most three connections per embedded tree node. The authors show that the remaining connections can be profitably utilized to enhance various properties of embedding. These include (a) the ability for embedding large binary trees in smaller hypercubes by increasing the congestion of embedding uniformly across the nodes of the hypercube and (b) the ability to tolerate node failures in a way which requires minimum (and sometimes no) slowdown in executing binary tree algorithms. The methods described are quite general and can be extended to any embedding of a graph on hypercube. >
Getting it right: word learning across the hemispheres.

Abstract The brain is able to acquire information about an unknown word's meaning from a highly constraining sentence context with minimal exposure. In this study, we investigate the potential contributions of the cerebral hemispheres to this ability. Undergraduates first read weakly or strongly constraining sentences completed by known or unknown (novel) words. Subsequently, their knowledge of the previously exposed words was assessed via a lexical decision task in which each word served as visual primes for lateralized target words that varied in their semantic relationship to the primes (unrelated, identical or synonymous). As expected, smaller N400 amplitudes were seen for target words preceded by identical (vs. unrelated) known word primes, regardless of visual field of presentation. When Unknown words served as primes, N400 reductions to synonymous target words were observed only if the prime had appeared under High sentential constraint; targets appearing in the LVF/RH elicited a small N400 effect and modulation of a subsequent late positivity whereas those in the RVF/LH elicited modulation on the late positivity only. Unknown words initially seen in Low constraint contexts showed priming effects only in a late positivity and only in the RVF/LH. Strength of contextual constraint clearly seems to impact the hemispheres’ rapid acquisition of novel word meanings. N400 modulation for novel words under strong contextual constraint in the LVH/RH suggests that fast-mapped lexical representations may initially activate meanings that are weakly, distantly, associatively or thematically-related. More extensive and bilateral semantic processing seems to occur at longer processing latencies (post N400).
AN ARCHITECTURE FOR UNDERSTANDING INTENT USING A NOVEL HIDDEN MARKOV FORMULATION

Understanding intent is an important aspect of communication among people and is an essential component of the human cognitive system. This capability is particularly relevant to situations that involve collaboration among multiple agents or detection of situations that can pose a particular threat. In this paper, we propose an approach that allows a physical robot to detect the intent of others based on experience acquired through its own sensory–motor capabilities, then use this experience while taking the perspective of the agent whose intent should be recognized. Our method uses a novel formulation of hidden Markov models (HMMs) designed to model a robot’s experience and interaction with the world when performing various actions. The robot’s capability to observe and analyze the current scene employs a novel vision-based technique for target detection and tracking, using a nonparametric recursive modeling approach. We validate this architecture with a physically embedded robot, detecting the intent of several people performing various activities.