cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
An integrating averager of microspectrofluorometric signals

Optical signals are used to measure a variety of cell events; in particular, ratiometric fluorescent dyes offer diverse applications, but bring with them the difficult analytical problem of obtaining optical signals at rapidly alternating wavelengths. An improved method for using a computer to record these optical signals is described, and an example record of a Ca+2 transient given. A second technical problem is that ultraviolet (UV) light is required to excite many fluorescent dyes; many common lenses cannot transmit UV light. This article describes the tests needed to measure and optimize the optical path taken by light through a microscope and provides examples with sample lenses.
Pollen analysis at INQUA

The X INQUA Congress was held in August, 1977 at the University of Birmingham. Pollen analysis was one of the many topics bearing on Quaternary research that were discussed.
The effects of volcanism on Oligocene-age plant communities from the Ethiopian Plateau, and implications for vegetational resilience in a heterogeneous landscape

Abstract Substantial volcanism and associated volcaniclastic sedimentation took place in association with East African Rift formation, and in some cases this would have had substantial ecological impacts. Ethiopian Late Oligocene (27.36 ± 0.11 Ma) fossiliferous volcanogenic strata provide opportunities to evaluate the magnitude of disruptive impact of volcanism on forest communities (before development of the Main Ethiopian Rift), and to assess their resilience. Fine-scale sampling and palynological analyses from the Magargaria River region of the northwestern Ethiopian Plateau tests the hypothesis that volcanism had a regional and significant disrupting effect on forest vegetation. These studies are compared with macrofossil and sedimentological data representing more local conditions previously reported from the same sediments. Results indicate that while some forests gave way to open environments dominated by herbaceous taxa, other communities remained or recovered quickly. Volcanic influences on sedimentary processes altered an existing forest ecosystem by creating a spatially heterogeneous landscape that also varied through time. This study supports the inherent significance of palynological data as indicators of ecological change at a regional scale relative to the more local view that macrofossils can provide, and underscores the importance of both kinds of fossils whenever possible for the study of the ecological dynamics of plant communities. The presence of forest taxa after repeated ashfalls indicates a degree of forest community resilience consistent with relatively limited burial by ash during the studied volcanic episodes. This study also suggests that taphonomic and diagenetic processes strongly affected the composition of palynomorph assemblages, skewing them towards thick-walled individuals, especially fungi.
Effects of oxygen and heat treatment on the mechanical properties of alpha and beta titanium alloys

Two alloys, Ti-6Al-2V and Ti-2Al-16V, simulating the alpha and beta phases of Ti-6A1-4V, respectively, were prepared with oxygen concentrations from 0.07 to 0.65 wt pct (0.20 to 1.83 at. pct). Their microstructure, deformation behavior, and strength were investigated with X-ray diffraction, microscopy, and mechanical tests to determine the effects of oxygen concentration and heat treatment. In both alloys the hardness increases in identical fashion with the square root of oxygen concentration. The alloys' strengths also depend on heat treatment, but in different ways. Whereas the alpha alloy is non-age-hardenable, the beta alloy's strength can be doubled by aging. The hardening effect of oxygen is generally unaffected by heat treatment, except for the alloys with the highest oxygen concentrations. During aging of the alpha a small amount of Ti3Al can form, and slight age-hardening occurs. The ductility of the alpha alloy is little affected by aging. On the other hand, oxygen causes a change from good ductility at low oxygen concentration (0.07 wt pct) to total brittleness at 0.65 wt pct oxygen, independent of heat treatment. In the beta alloy there are complex phase transformations depending on heat treatment. Its deformation behavior varies from very ductile in solutiontreated and quenched (STQ) condition to totally brittle in aged conditions. The aging embrittlement appears to be caused by alpha and some omega precipitation. Decoration of the beta grain boundaries with precipitates accounts for the intergranular brittle fracture. Oxygen, on the other hand, is not an embrittler, although it reduces the ductility of the beta alloy.
Sex-Role Orientation and the Responses of Men to Exercise Stress

Abstract The present investigation was designed to investigate whether males' gender roles mediate their perception of strenuous physical exercise, a stereotypically masculine task. Forty-two college-age males from three sex-role categories (masculine, feminine, and androgynous) performed a bicycle ergometer exercise at comparable work intensities. Results indicated that, in comparison to feminine males, masculine males reported lower physical strain (via general RPEs), while androgynous males had more positive affect and greater endurance. These findings suggest that inadequate experience with cross-gender behaviors may have a greater influence upon perceptions of an activity than the gender inappropriateness of such behavior.
Magnetic resonance imaging and spectroscopy in offspring at risk for schizophrenia: Preliminary studies

1. 1. Studies of first-degree relatives of persons with schizophrenia provide an opportunity to characterize risk factors for the development of this illness. In this report the authors will provide preliminary data from an ongoing study of neurobiological alterations in the offspring of schizophrenia patients. 2. 2. A series of offspring of schizophrenic patients (OS) were compared with age and sex matched healthy controls (HC) without psychiatric history in first degree relatives on psychiatric, volumetric Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) of whole brain and proton Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (1H MRS) evaluations of the ventral prefrontal cortex. 3. 3. Compared with HC group, high risk subjects had reduced left amygdala volume, enlarged third ventricular volume, and smaller overall brain volume. 4. 1H MRS studies showed a trend for decreased NAA/choline ratios in the anterior cingulate region in the OS group as compared to HC subjects. 4. Follow-up studies of these subjects are needed to confirm the predictive value of these measures for future emergence of schizophrenia in subjects at risk for this illness.
Splanchnic perfusion pressure: a better predictor of safe primary closure than intraabdominal pressure in neonatal gastroschisis.

Abstract Background/Purpose Both measured intraabdominal pressure (IAP) and calculated splanchnic perfusion pressure (SPP) have been advocated for use in operative management of gastroschisis. We directly compared these 2 clinical indices. Methods Institutional review board–approved multi-institutional retrospective review from 3 centers with 112 subjects. Splanchnic perfusion pressure was recorded as mean arterial pressure–IAP. We compared the clinical utility of IAP and SPP using univariate and multivariate regression analyses. Results Calculated mean SPP was higher among neonates requiring silo placement compared to those without (39.0 ± 1.9 vs 33.7 mm Hg, P P P P Conclusions These data suggest that SPP is a stronger predictor than IAP for the ability to achieve primary closure in the management of neonatal gastroschisis. We infer from these data that intraoperative SPP of more than 43 mm Hg may obviate the need for silo placement.
Vulnerability of memory to electroconvulsive shock in relation to onset and offset of reinforcement.

Abstract Rats displayed amnesia for one-trial aversive (Experiment 1) and appetitive (Experiment 2) learning tasks in which certain durations of continuous exposure to reinforcement were followed immediately by electroconvulsive shock. However, amnesia was significantly attenuated in rats given a shorter exposure to the reinforcement, yet with the same interval between the onset of reinforcement and electroconvulsive shock. Processes that protect newly acquired information from the effects of electroconvulsive shock do not appear to be initiated until the perceived offset of the incoming information flow.
Fear of success: the construction and validation of a measuring instrument.

This study constructed an instrument which identifies people who fear success (FOS) in academic areas and conducted a laboratory study which tested the instrument's predictive validity. The theoretical formulation of the FOS phenomenon leads to the expectation that individuals high in the fear of success would demonstrate the following characteristics: low self-esteem, a preoccupation with the evaluative aspects of situations, a competitive orientation, repudiation of competence, and self-sabotage at the approach or attainment of success. The fear of success questionnaire is an 83-item scale with a reliability of .90. In a 2 × 2 factorial design, subjects identified by the FOS questionnaire were given either Success or nonsuccess feedback after completing the first of two equivalent reading tests. The results of the laboratory experiment indicated that there is strong clear evidence of self-sabotage under conditions of success among subjects who scored high on the FOS questionnaire.
Design of the First 500-kV Substations on the Southern California Edison Company System

The design of two new 500-kV substations has been completed and is discussed in this paper. The discussion of the design covers first a description of the 500-kV grid of transmission lines and substations that will serve as a support for the existing 220-kV system. Following the description of the new system is a discussion of the substation design criteria. The areas covered are insulation coordination, line and bus arrangement, bus conductor selection, and equipment requirements. The paper concludes with a description of the stations.
Channel modeling and detector design for dynamic mode high density probe storage

Probe based data storage is a promising solution for satisfying the demand for ultra-high capacity storage devices. One of the main problems with probe storage devices is the wear of tip and media over the lifetime of the device. In this paper we present the dynamic mode operation of the cantilever probe that partially addresses the problems of media/tip wear. A communication system model which incorporates modeling of the cantilever interaction with media is proposed for the system. We demonstrate that by using a controllable canonical state space representation, the entire system can be visualized as a channel with a single input which is the tip-media interaction force. A hypothesis testing formulation for bit-by-bit detection is developed. We present three different classes of detectors for this hypothesis test. In particular, we consider two different cases where statistics on the tip-medium interaction are available and not available. Simulation results are presented for all these detectors and their relative merits are explored.
Link performance of SOA-based slow and fast light

We perform simple link analysis simulations to assess the performance of an SOA generating slow and fast light via four wave mixing. Power penalty is calculated for various alpha parameter values and bit rates.
Robust neighboring extremal guidance for the advanced launch system

With the availability of modern flight computers, realtime neighboring extremal guidance seems feasible. To overcome sensitivity to unknown system parameters and environmental uncertainties, a robust neighboring extremal guidance scheme is proposed. About the optimal trajectory, the accessory problem in the calculus of variations is formed, generating a quadratic cost criterion in the perturbed states and controls. By formulating a disturbance attenuation problem based upon the second variation cost criterion, a differential game is formulated. The game theoretic cost criterion is minimized with respect to the perturbed control but maximized with respect to the unknown parameters in the linearized dynamics. The resulting differential game problem gives rise to a two-point boundary-value problem solved using the sweep method. The sweep method solution provides a linear robust neighboring extremal guidance scheme that is applied to the Advanced Launch System.
Quantitative Precorneal Disposition of Topically Applied Pilocarpine Nitrate in Rabbit Eyes

The present study was designed to quantitate the influence of several precorneal factors on the disposition of topically applied ophthalmic drugs. With tritiated pilocarpine nitrate, methodology was developed for in vivo assessment of the relative contribution of tear turnover, instilled solution drainage, and nonproductive absorption to the loss of drug from the precorneal area. Studies were conducted in both awake and anesthetized rabbits whose drainage ducts were either unobstructed or plugged, and the loss of drug was monitored directly from the precorneal area or as appearance in the aqueous humor. By selective variation in experimental conditions, the influence of tear turnover, instilled solution drainage, and nonproductive absorption on ocular drug bioavailability was separately studied and quantitated. Instilled solution drainage was by far the largest contributing factor in the loss of drug from the precorneal area of the eye and, in the range of instilled volumes normally employed, tear turnover played a relatively minor role in drug loss. Compared to the cornea, precorneal tissue other than the cornea has a considerably greater surface area and thus is a potentially significant route for drug loss. However, under normal circumstances, loss by this route was minimal as compared to loss via instilled solution drainage.
Toxicity of the genus Dieffenbachia.

Abstract A series of tests was undertaken to evaluate the toxicity of Dieffenbachia and also to elucidate the toxic constituent(s). The juice of two species of Dieffenbachia were used, D. picta and D. exotica . The reaction of the albino Wistar rat to the instillation of the juice from the plant into the oral cavity was very similar to the reaction observed in the human upon accidental ingestion. Single-dose oral toxicity determination in rats showed an LD50 > 160 ml/kg. An eye irritation study in albino rabbits showed principally conjunctival involvement and some reversible damage to the cornea. An oxalic acid determination on the whole plant and on the juice of D. exotica gave values of 0.37% and 0.15%, respectively; for D. picta , 0.21% and 0.10%. Blood histamine concentrations were determined on rats treated with the juice of D. picta , and the levels were significantly increased over those of untreated animals. Histologic examination of tongue tissue from animals treated with Dieffenbachia juice showed edema, vascular congestion, degeneration of the basement membrane, and an inflammatory reaction. Trypsin digestion of the juice decreased the toxicity observed in the rat mouth. Rats pretreated with diphenhydramine hydrochloride, histologically showed some protection to the effects of the juice, but treatment with cortisone acetate only delayed the reaction. The toxicity of the juice is attributed to a labile “proteinlike” substance, not to the oxalate content as previously believed. The mechanism of toxicity seems to be associated with histamine release.
Lactic acid in cancer and mitochondrial disease

Cancer and the mitochondrial diseases are disparate disorders that have in common a failure of normal cellular respiratory activity in disease-affected tissues. In mitochondrial diseases, the impairment in the mitochondria is often the result of abnormalities in their mtDNA, whereas in cancerous cells, the altered respiration is driven by the Warburg effect. The oxidation of glucose (as pyruvate in the mitochondria) is inhibited and energy production relies on cytoplasmic glycolysis. This suppressed mitochondrial activity confers in tumor cells a state of resistance to apoptosis and, in mitochondrial diseases like mitochondrial encephalopathy, lactic acidosis, and stroke-like episodes (MELAS), the altered respiration leads to lactic acidosis. Driving glucose to its complete oxidation inside the mitochondria has potential in cancer therapy to reconstitute apoptotic competence in tumor cells and, in mitochondrial disease, to treat lactic acidosis. This minireview investigates the development of small molecule agents for suppressing the Warburg effect in cancer therapy and lactic acidosis in mitochondrial disease. Drug Dev Res 70:499–511, 2009. © 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Elaidic Acid Increases Hepatic Lipogenesis by Mediating Sterol Regulatory Element Binding Protein-1c Activity in HuH-7 Cells

The liver is the major organ responsible for lipid biosynthesis. Sterol regulatory element-binding proteins (SREBP) are major transcription factors that regulate the expression of genes regulating fatty acid and cholesterol biosynthesis. Here we show that elaidic acid upregulates hepatic de-novo fatty acid and cholesterol synthesis in HuH-7 cells. To define the molecular mechanism involved in this unique regulation on hepatic lipogenesis, luciferase reporter gene assays were performed in HEK293 cells to compare the regulation of sterol regulatory element (SRE) that is present in SREBP-target promoter by elaidic acid and oleic acid. The results show that elaidic acid potently induced SRE-luciferase activity, whereas oleic acid inhibited this activity. Furthermore, elaidic acid increased SREBP-1c mRNA, while oleic acid did not alter it. Oleic acid inhibited mature form of SREBP-1 protein level, while elaidic acid did not show inhibitory effects. In addition, elaidic acid was also found to increase several selected lipogenic genes that are involved in fatty acids and sterol synthesis. These data demonstrate a unique role of elaidic acid, the most abundant trans fatty acid, in modulating hepatic lipogenesis.
Simultaneous transfer of energy and information for MIMO-OFDM relay system

This paper investigates performance tradeoffs between energy and information transfer in a relay based two-hop wireless system involving an energy harvesting receiver. The source and relay nodes of the two-hop amplify-and-forward (AF) system employ orthogonal space-time block codes along with orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing (OFDM) scheme. The joint optimal source and relay precoders over the subchannels in frequencies are designed to achieve different tradeoffs between the overall energy transfer capability and the information rate, which are characterized by the boundary of the so-called rate-energy (R-E) region. The effect of various parameters on the boundary of the R-E region is demonstrated for different frequency selective channel models.
The art of conversation: eliciting information from experts through multi-stage communication☆

We examine the strategic interaction between an informed expert and an uninformed decision maker, extending the analysis of Crawford and Sobel (Econometrica 50 (1982) 1431). We modify their model to allow for more extensive communication between the two parties and show that face-to-face communication between the expert and the uninformed decision maker followed by a written report from the expert leads to improved information transmission. In (almost) all cases, there exists an equilibrium in our modified model that ex ante Pareto dominates all of the equilibria identified by Crawford and Sobel. This remains true even if the expert's bias is so great that in their model no information would be disclosed.
Characterization of the affinity for nitrogen, uptake kinetics, and environmental relationships for Prorocentrum minimum in natural blooms and laboratory cultures

Abstract During the late spring and early summer of 1998, an extensive bloom of the dinoflagellate Prorocentrum minimum (>93% of phytoplankton cell density) developed in several tributaries of the Chesapeake Bay, USA. In January 1999, a bloom of mixed dinoflagellates (Heterocapsa rotundata, H. triquetra and P. minimum, with P. minimum forming 21% of total phytoplankton cells and 39% of the total biovolume) developed in the mesohaline Neuse Estuary, North Carolina, USA. During these blooms, experiments were carried out to characterize the nitrogen uptake kinetics of these assemblages with 15 N isotopic techniques. Four nitrogenous substrates (NO3−, NH4+, urea, and a mixed amino acids substrate) were used to determine uptake rate and substrate preference. Rates of nitrogen uptake were also measured in P. minimum cultures grown on varying growth nitrogen substrates. The calculated kinetic parameters determined for the P. minimum-dominated field assemblages and the cultures indicated a preference for NH4+. NH4+ was also the primary nitrogen source supporting the blooms. In addition, a high affinity for urea was also found, and urea contributed significantly to the Neuse Estuary bloom. Furthermore, results showed that the regulation of uptake for each of the substrates was different: strong positive relationships between affinity and temperature were found for NH4+ and amino acids, while a negative response was found for NO3−, and very little response to temperature was noted for urea. These differences suggest that a diversity of nitrogen uptake mechanisms may aid the development and maintenance of P. minimum blooms.
Solvent selection for pressurized liquid extraction of polymeric sorbents used in air sampling

Pressurized liquid extraction (PLE) was evaluated as a method for extracting semivolatile organic compounds (SOCs) from air sampling media, including quartz fiber filter (QFF), polyurethane foam (PUF), and a polystyrene divinyl benzene copolymer (XAD-2). Hansen solubility parameter plots were used to aid in the PLE solvent selection in order to both reduce coextraction of polyurethane and save time in evaluating solvent compatibility during the initial steps of method development. A PLE solvent composition of 75:25% hexane:acetone was chosen for PUF. The XAD-2 copolymer was not solubilized under the PLE conditions used. The average percent PLE recoveries (and percent relative standard deviations) of 63 SOCs, including polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, polychlorinated biphenyls, and organochlorine, amide, triazine, thiocarbamate, and phosphorothioate pesticides, were 76.7 (6.2), 79.3 (8.1), and 93.4 (2.9)% for the QFF, PUF, and XAD-2, respectively.
Comments on ''three-dimensional effects in viscous wakes.'

T note clarifies a definition used by Steiger and Bloom to characterize viscous wake dimensions In Ref 1 and earlier publications, 3 an Oseen approximation of the boundary-layer equations was used to calculate the asymptotic wake growth Physically, the analysis would be expected to be more exact in the far downstream region of the wake, but several predictions of Ref 1 are unrealistic in this region This problem is discussed first Then a numerical example is presented in which four undetermined constants of the analysis are evaluated from data of an incompressible, turbulent wake The following is a definition of a viscous layer thickness used in Ref 1: in the plane z = 0, y = 5i; and in the plane y = 0, z = 62 when u = 0 99 ue These definitions are introduced at Eq (26) The viscous wake width in the y = 0 plane has been calculated from Eq (33b) (corrected for typographical error) and is shown in Fig 1 as a function of the transformed axial coordinate s The round-off error introduced by u = 0 99 ue causes the wake widths 52 for all eccentricities e to approach — • oo The error introduced in Ref 1 by the term ln{lOO[(^e — Uo)/ue]} in Eqs (26a, 29, 30, 33a, 33b, 34, and 40) and in Fig 4 is appreciable for all values of s The equation numbers and nomenclature are those of Ref 1 To avoid this numerical problem, it is preferable to define the wake dimensions in terms of the defect velocity u — ue — u That is, in the plane z = 0, y = 81; and in the plane y = 0, z = 52 when u = 0 01 (ue — UQ), where UQ is the local wakecenterline velocity Then in all of the equations just mentioned the correct logarithmic term becomes simply In {100} With this correction, the predicted asymptotic wake characteristics are in accord with data for incompressible, turbulent wakes Furthermore, the algebraic complexity of the analysis is reduced Equation (27) (for pe = p = const) can now be combined with Eqs (33b, 38, and 39) to yield an explicit relation between the wake dimension 52 and the
A Report of the LITA Mobile Computing Interest Group Meeting, American Library Association Annual Conference, New Orleans, June 2011

Library and Information Technology Association (LITA) Mobile Computing Interest Group (MCIG) met at the 2011 American Library Association Annual Conference. Four presentations were given, and the d...
The Social Scientist in the ‘Open Society’

THE REACTION, or lack of reaction, of social scientists to the reappearance of totalitarianism in the second quarter of the twentieth century constitutes one of the most serious present dangers to democracy. A remarkable apathy on the part of some who profess a silent devotion to the institutions of representative democratic government has created an intellectual vacuum in which defenders of tyranny have actually been able to present the ancient tenets of their creed as the 'true' or 'real' democratic philosophy.More serious, perhaps, are the strangely misdirected efforts of honest men who, having experienced planned suffering, now propose (where proposals are still allowed) a planned democracy on a scale that denies discussion or choice. Equally disconcerting is the response of those who now see any political organization as Leviathan and who counsel, therefore, the 'social' control of men through institutions that are supposed to be incapable of oppression. In this situation it is a rare and encouraging experience to read the lucid and vigorous affirmation of a liberal's position offered by Professor Karl Popper.' His statement will doubtless appear to many readers as lacking in system or method, as a too feeble directive to compete with the stirring and appealing ideologies that now beckon bewildered men into the "closed society" where all problems will be solved for them. For Popper comes close to advocating muddling through as a political program in itself; and for those who attribute the world's troubles to this policy rather than utopian planning his plea will be regarded as the last pitiful fruit of indecision. To others, however, who have long enjoyed the opportunity to engage in what he calls piecemeal social engineering, and to people who have allowed themselves the practice of his trial and error method of conducting public affairs, Professor Popper must make great sense. The value of Popper's work as a defence of democracy calls for no lengthy comment here. His book speaks adequately for itself, and it speaks to the public, which, as Popper holds, must reach its own decision
Changes in immobility responses in rat pups with maternal stimuli

Abstract Presentation of maternal stimuli to an isolated rat pup results in what has been called “comfort” responses, as indicated by both behavioral and physiological quieting. This experiment investigated the role of passive maternal stimuli on tonic immobility and dorsal immobility in 9- and 15-day-old rat pups. Although these stimuli appeared ineffective in inducing tonic immobility, presentation of the mother did produce an increase in duration of dorsal immobility in 15-day-old pups. This increase in the dorsal immobility response may reduce struggling in the presence of the mother and thereby aid the mother in transporting the infant back to the nest.
Adjunct Thrombus Aspiration Reduces Mortality in Patients Undergoing Percutaneous Coronary Intervention for ST-Elevation Myocardial Infarction With High-Risk Angiographic Characteristics

Routine aspiration thrombectomy (AT) in percutaneous coronary intervention for patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) has not proved effective in randomized trials. However, in patients undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention with severely reduced flow or visible thrombus, AT remains an intuitively attractive option. The use of adjunctive AT in a high-risk cohort of 158 consecutive patients with STEMI and Thrombolysis In Myocardial Infarction (TIMI) 0 to 1 flow or visible thrombus on baseline angiography was examined. Of these, 80 patients underwent AT as an adjunct to primary percutaneous coronary intervention, and 78 underwent percutaneous coronary intervention without AT (non-AT). TIMI 3 flow rates, residual thrombus after percutaneous coronary intervention, and major adverse cardiac events (mortality and nonfatal Q-wave myocardial infarction) at 30 days, 6 months, and 1 year were compared. Baseline characteristics were similar between groups. The AT group more frequently achieved TIMI 3 flow after the intervention (91.3% AT vs 67.9% non-AT; p <0.001) and had less residual thrombus (7.5% AT vs 19.2% non-AT; p = 0.03). AT was associated with reduced major adverse cardiac events at 6 months (6.8% AT vs 24.0% non-AT; p = 0.004) and 1 year (16.6% AT vs 29.2% non-AT; p = 0.009), and decreased mortality rates in the AT group at 6 months (5.4% AT vs 21.3% non-AT; p = 0.004) and 1 year (7.7% AT vs 26.2% non-AT; p = 0.005). In conclusion, for patients with STEMI and TIMI 0 or 1 flow or visible thrombus on baseline angiography, AT was associated with increased TIMI 3 flow rates, decreased residual thrombus, and decreased clinical events, including mortality.
Alterations in cardiac gene expression during the transition from stable hypertrophy to heart failure. Marked upregulation of genes encoding extracellular matrix components.

The failing heart is characterized by impaired cardiac muscle function and increased interstitial fibrosis. Our purpose was to determine whether the functional impairment of the failing heart is associated with changes in levels of mRNA encoding proteins that modulate parameters of contraction and relaxation and whether the increased fibrosis observed in the failing heart is related to elevated expression of genes encoding extracellular matrix components. We studied hearts of 18- to 24-month-old spontaneously hypertensive rats with signs and symptoms of heart failure (SHR-F) or without evidence of failure (SHR-NF) and of age-matched normotensive Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) rats. Compared with WKY rats, SHR-NF exhibited left ventricular (LV) hypertrophy (2.2-fold) and right ventricular (RV) hypertrophy (1.5-fold), whereas SHR-F were characterized by comparable LV hypertrophy (2.1-fold) and augmented RV hypertrophy (2.4-fold; all P < .01). Total RNA was isolated from ventricles and subjected to Northern blot analysis. In SHR-F hearts, the level of alpha-myosin heavy chain mRNA was decreased in both ventricles to 1/3 and 1/5 of the SHR-NF and WKY values, respectively (both P < .01). Levels of beta-myosin heavy chain, alpha-cardiac actin, and myosin light chain-2 mRNAs were not significantly altered in hearts of SHR-NF or SHR-F. Levels of alpha-skeletal actin were twofold greater in SHR-NF hearts compared with WKY hearts and were intermediate in SHR-F hearts. Levels of atrial natriuretic factor (ANF) mRNA were elevated threefold in the LV of SHR-NF (P < .05) but were not significantly increased in the RV of SHR-NF compared with WKY rats. During the transition to failure (SHR-F versus SHR-NF), ANF mRNA levels increased an additional 1.6-fold in the LV and were elevated 4.7-fold in the RV (both P < .05). Levels of sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca(2+)-ATPase (SRCA) mRNA were maintained in the LV of hypertensive and failing hearts at levels not significantly different from WKY values. In contrast, the level of RV SRCA mRNA was 24% less in SHR-NF compared with WKY rats, and during the transition to failure, this difference was not significantly exacerbated (29% less than the WKY value). The levels of fibronectin and pro-alpha 1(I) and pro-alpha 1(III) collagen mRNAs were not significantly elevated in either ventricle of the SHR-NF group but were fourfold to fivefold higher in both ventricles of SHR-F (all P < .05).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
Superconducting materials and their application: state of the art and prospects for the year 2000

The state of development of metallic and ceramic superconducting materials is discussed. Both materials properties and processing are considered. Present and future applications are discussed. Emphasis is placed on current-carrying capacity, which is critical for large-scale applications such as high-field magnets, energy storage magnets, power transmission lines, rotating machines, and transportation systems. Additional applications discussed include small-scale devices such as electronic components and sensors. >
Interstitial flow induces MMP-1 expression and vascular SMC migration in collagen I gels via an ERK1/2-dependent and c-Jun-mediated mechanism

The migration of vascular smooth muscle cells (SMCs) and fibroblasts into the intima after vascular injury is a central process in vascular lesion formation. The elevation of transmural interstitial flow is also observed after damage to the vascular endothelium. We have previously shown that interstitial flow upregulates matrix metalloproteinase-1 (MMP-1) expression, which in turn promotes SMC and fibroblast migration in collagen I gels. In this study, we investigated further the mechanism of flow-induced MMP-1 expression. An ERK1/2 inhibitor PD-98059 completely abolished interstitial flow-induced SMC migration and MMP-1 expression. Interstitial flow promoted ERK1/2 phosphorylation, whereas PD-98059 abolished flow-induced activation. Silencing ERK1/2 completely abolished MMP-1 expression and SMC migration. In addition, interstitial flow increased the expression of activator protein-1 transcription factors (c-Jun and c-Fos), whereas PD-98059 attenuated flow-induced expression. Knocking down c-jun completely abolished flow-induced MMP-1 expression, whereas silencing c-fos did not affect MMP-1 expression. Taken together, our data indicate that interstitial flow induces MMP-1 expression and SMC migration in collagen I gels via an ERK1/2-dependent and c-Jun-mediated mechanism and suggest that interstitial flow, ERK1/2 MAPK, c-Jun, and MMP-1 may play important roles in SMC migration and neointima formation after vascular injury.
Developmentally distinct MYB genes encode functionally equivalent proteins in Arabidopsis

The duplication and divergence of developmental control genes is thought to have driven morphological diversification during the evolution of multicellular organisms. To examine the molecular basis of this process, we analyzed the functional relationship between two paralogous MYB transcription factor genes, WEREWOLF (WER) and GLABROUS1 (GL1), in Arabidopsis. The WER and GL1 genes specify distinct cell types and exhibit non-overlapping expression patterns during Arabidopsis development. Nevertheless, reciprocal complementation experiments with a series of gene fusions showed that WER and GL1 encode functionally equivalent proteins, and their unique roles in plant development are entirely due to differences in their cis-regulatory sequences. Similar experiments with a distantly related MYB gene (MYB2) showed that its product cannot functionally substitute for WER or GL1. Furthermore, an analysis of the WER and GL1 proteins shows that conserved sequences correspond to specific functional domains. These results provide new insights into the evolution of the MYB gene family in Arabidopsis, and, more generally, they demonstrate that novel developmental gene function may arise solely by the modification of cis-regulatory sequences.
An Efficient Technique for Sample-Masked Voice Transmission

Introduced here is a new technique for encrypting bandpass signals. The technique linearly filters a sample-masked signal, modifying the encryption component of the cryptogram to place its spectrum within the frequency band of the signal. Sample masking is a recognized means of encrypting baseband signals while containing the spectrum of the cryptogram within the signal bandwidth. A drawback occurs for bandpass signals, owing to the processing required in the mixing procedures used ordinarily to convert the signal from bandpass to baseband and back. In contrast, the linear filter modifies the encryption component of the cryptogram without processing the signal component, reducing the computational burden of encrypting and decrypting by an order of magnitude. When the maximum frequency is an integer multiple of the minimum frequency, the filter can output the same information symbols that appear at the input and replace the redundant symbols with symbols that control the passband of the output signal. For voice bandwidths of 300-3000 Hz sampled at 6000 Hz, redundancy symbols (one in every ten or 600 samples/s) are removed, the information symbols (nine in ten or 5400 samples/s) are encrypted, and the redundancy symbols are replaced by bandwidth-controlling symbols. Experimental results of clear voice transmitred over simulated telephone lines validate the technique.
Conscientious Objection, Emergency Contraception, and Public Policy

Defenders of medical professionals' rights to conscientious objection (CO) regarding emergency contraception (EC) draw an analogy to CO in the military. Such professionals object to EC since it has the possibility of harming zygotic life, yet if we accept this analogy and utilize jurisprudence to frame the associated public policy, those who refuse to dispense EC would not have their objection honored. Legal precedent holds that one must consistently object to all forms of the relevant activity. In the case at hand, then, I argue that these professionals must also oppose morally innocuous practices that may prevent pregnancy after fertilization. These results reveal that such objectors cannot offer a plausible and consistent objection to harming zygotic life. Additionally, there are good reasons to reject the analogy itself. In either case, these findings call into question the case supporting refusals of EC based on scruples.
Spectral shaping by strong self-phase-modulation and gain bandwidth in high-energy femtosecond Yb-doped fiber amplifiers

Spectral shaping in a fiber amplifier with finite gain bandwidth (DeltalambdaFWHM~15nm) and strong self-phase-modulation (PhiNL~12pi) is studied numerically and experimentally. Pulses amplified to 30 muJ energy are dechirped to 250 fs duration.
Proactive inhibition and semantic organization: Relationship with verbal memory in patients with schizophrenia

Compared to other cognitive functions in schizophrenia, evidence suggests that verbal memory is particularly impaired. This study used the California Verbal Learning Test (CVLT) to examine proactive inhibition (PI) and semantic processing in verbal memory in 29 patients with schizophrenia and 29 healthy controls. Patients showed significantly less PI, but also did not organize (cluster) their recall according to semantic category. Controls and patients demonstrated small retroactive inhibition (RI) effects regardless of semantic content. Although both groups made similar types and numbers of free recall intrusion errors patients committed more phonemic and nonshared recognition errors. Results suggest that reduced semantic processing prevented build of PI, and contributes to defective memory in schizophrenia. The anatomic-physiologic abnormalities that underlie these findings may be particularly pronounced in prefrontal and temporal-parietal cortical areas.
Beyond retrograde and anterograde signalling: mitochondrial-nuclear interactions as a means for evolutionary adaptation and contemporary disease susceptibility.

Although there is general agreement that most forms of common disease develop as a consequence of a combination of factors, including genetic, environmental and behavioural contributors, the actual mechanistic basis of how these factors initiate or promote diabetes, cancer, neurodegenerative and cardiovascular diseases in some individuals but not in others with seemingly identical risk factor profiles, is not clearly understood. In this respect, consideration of the potential role for mitochondrial genetics, damage and function in influencing common disease susceptibility seems merited, given that the prehistoric challenges were the original factors that moulded cellular function, and these were based upon the mitochondrial–nuclear relationships that were established during evolutionary history. These interactions were probably refined during prehistoric environmental selection events that, at present, are largely absent. Contemporary risk factors such as diet, sedentary lifestyle and increased longevity, which influence our susceptibility to a variety of chronic diseases were not part of the dynamics that defined the processes of mitochondrial–nuclear interaction, and thus cell function. Consequently, the prehistoric challenges that contributed to cell functionality and evolution should be considered when interpreting and designing experimental data and strategies. Although several molecular epidemiological studies have generally supported this notion, studies that probe beyond these associations are required. Such investigation will mark the initial steps for mechanistically addressing the provocative concept that contemporary human disease susceptibility is the result of prehistoric selection events for mitochondrial–nuclear function, which increased the probability for survival and reproductive success during evolution. Abbreviations: Mn-SOD, manganese superoxide dismutase; mtDNA, mitochondrial DNA; NF-κB, nuclear factor κB; OXPHOS, oxidative phosphorylation; TNFα, tumour necrosis factor α; UCP, uncoupling protein
Activation sequence modification during cardiac resynchronization by manipulation of left ventricular epicardial pacing stimulus strength

Background: Success of cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) depends on altering electrical ventricular activation (VA) to achieve mechanical benefit. That increases in stimulus strength (SS) can affect VA has been demonstrated previously in cardiomyopathy patients undergoing ablation. Objective: To determine whether increasing SS can alter VA during CRT. Methods: In 71 patients with CRT devices, left ventricle (LV) pacing was performed at escalating SS. Timing from pacing stimulus to right ventricular (RV) electrogram, ECG morphology, and maximal QRS duration on 12 lead ECG were recorded. Results: Demographics: Baseline QRS duration 153 ± 25 ms, ischemic cardiomyopathy 48%, ejection fraction 24%± 7%. With increased SS, conduction time from LV to right ventricle (RV) decreased from 125 ± 56 ms to 111 ± 59 ms (P = 0.006). QRS duration decreased from 212 ± 46 ms to 194 ± 42 ms (P = 0.0002). A marked change in QRS morphology occurred in 11/71 patients (15%). The RV ring was the anode in 6, while the RV coil was the anode in 5. Sites with change in QRS morphology showed decrease in conduction time from LV to RV from 110 ± 60 ms to 64 ± 68 ms (P = 0.04). Twelve patients (16%) had diaphragmatic stimulation with increased SS. Conclusions: Increasing LV SS reduces QRS duration and conduction time from LV to RV. Recognition of significant QRS morphology change is likely clinically important during LV threshold programming to avoid unintended VA change.
Decisionism and action: changing perspectives in organization theory

The neglect of moral discourse in mainstream organization theory during the past four decades may be attributed to the dominance of the “decision,” popularized by Herbert Simon, as the field's primary unit of analysis. Underwritten by an epistemology derived from the logical positivists’ analytical distinction between value and fact, the idea of decision has come to be uncritically accepted as a morally neutral and empirically self-evident beginning point for organizational analysis. The ethnomethodological writings of Harold Garfinkel, coupled with insights from contemporary philosophy of language, radically challenge the value-fact distinction, pointing to an epistemology of everyday life in which value and fact are initially fused. The inherent fusion of value and fact provides the basis for an alternative epistemology for organization theory—termed the “action” or “process” perspective—which fundamentally alters the empirical understanding of organizational life and, consistent with the writings of Ma...
Reducing Tardiness under Global Scheduling by Splitting Jobs

Under current analysis, soft real-time tardiness bounds applicable to global earliest-deadline-first scheduling and related policies depend on per-task worst-case execution times. By splitting job budgets to create sub jobs with shorter periods and worst-case execution times, such bounds can be reduced to near zero for implicit-deadline sporadic task systems. However, doing so could potentially cause more preemptions and create problems for synchronization protocols. This paper analyzes this tradeoff between theory and practice by presenting an overhead-aware schedulability study pertaining to job splitting. In this study, real overhead data from a scheduler implementation in LITMUSRT was factored into schedulability analysis. This study shows that despite practical issues affecting job splitting, it can still yield substantial reductions in tardiness bounds for soft real-time systems.
A 4-91 GHz distributed amplifier in a standard 0.12 /spl mu/m SOI CMOS microprocessor technology

This paper presents five-stage and seven-stage distributed amplifiers (DA) in a 0.12 /spl mu/m SOI CMOS technology. The five-stage DA has a 4 to 91 GHz bandpass frequency with a gain of 5 dB. The seven-stage DA has a 5 to 86 GHz bandpass frequency with a gain of 9 dB. The power consumption is 90 and 130 mW for the 5-stage and 7-stage respectively at a voltage power supply of 2.6 V. The chips occupy an area of less than 0.82 and 1 mm/sup 2/ for the 5-stage and 7-stage respectively.
Keynote Speech: Large-Scale Bioimaging and Visualization

The next decades will see an explosion in the use and the scope of medical imaging, fueled by advanced computing and visualization techniques. In my opinion, advanced, multimodal imaging and visualization techniques, powered by new computational methods, will change the face of biology and medicine and provide comprehensive views of the human body in progressively greater depth and detail. As the resolution of imaging devices continue to increase, image sizes grow accordingly. Multi-modal and/or longitudinal imaging studies result in large-scale data sets requiring parallel computing and visualization. In this presentation, I will discuss the state-of-the-art in large-scale biomedical imaging and visualization research, present examples of their vital roles in neuroscience, neurosurgery, radiology, and biology and discuss future challenges.
The Influence of Black English on Diagnosis of Reading In Learning Disabled and Normal Readers

This study investigated the removal of black English dialect features from the error scores of three oral reading tests—the Gray Oral Reading Test, the Gilmore Oral Reading Test, and the Spache Diagnostic Reading Scales. The 40 children in the sample population (20 control children matched by age and sex with 20 children identified by the school as learning disabled) were given all three tests. Each test was scored first using test manual criteria and then rescored using those criteria but eliminating from the error count any dialect miscue. On all three tests, LD children scored lower than control children. Also, the effect of removing dialect miscues as errors caused an overall increase in reading scores on all three tests. On the Gray and Spache tests, but not on the Gilmore test, control children benefited more from the removal of dialect responses as errors than LD children. Additionally, the results indicated that dialect had a greater impact on the scores of the Gilmore than it did on the Gray and ...