cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Infrared-based module for the synthesis of 68Ga-labeled radiotracers

Abstract Introduction Generator-produced positron emission tomography tracers have gained much attention recently due to favorable imaging characteristics, accessibility and affordability. The focus of this study was to design and validate a semiautomated module for 68 Ga-labeled chemistry utilizing infrared-based heating for rapid control of thermal cycle. Methods A prototype module was built and installed in our laboratory. DOTA (1,4,7,10-tetra-azacyclododecane-1,4,7,10-tetra-acetic acid) was manually labeled (10–1000 nmol) with 68 Ga to optimize synthesis conditions. For automation, 250 nmol of DOTA was labeled with 68 Ga with reaction times of 5 min ( n =5), 10 min ( n =5) and 20 min ( n =6). A dose calibrator and radio-thin-layer chromatography were used to access the product yield and quality of both manual and automated syntheses. Results A semiautomated 68 Ga synthesis module was developed. The system showed that software control could be used to drive a multistep radiochemical synthesis and to produce 68 Ga-DOTA with >95% radiochemical purity, similar to that in manual synthesis. The device also showed that for a short reaction time of 5 min, decay-corrected radioactive yields of >70% could be achieved. The total synthesis was as short as 22 min, including 6–8 min for HCl evaporation. The temperature and pressure profiles of the process were consistent. Conclusion We demonstrated the use of a commercially available 68 Ga/ 68 Ge generator with a semiautomated module to successfully label the bifunctional chelator DOTA with 68 Ga. Further investigation with different 68 Ga-labeled bioconjugates is warranted to demonstrate the usefulness of the module as a tool for tracer development and imaging research.
BMPs: actions in flesh and bone.

Although originally isolated from bone, BMPs control the growth, development and repair of a wide range of different tissues.
Spectrally constrained NIR tomography for breast imaging: simulations and clinical results

A multi-spectral direct chromophore and scattering reconstruction for frequency domain NIR tomography has been implemented using constraints of the known molar spectra of the chromophores and a Mie theory approximation for scattering. This was tested in a tumor-simulating phantom containing an inclusion with higher hemoglobin, lower oxygenation and contrast in scatter. The recovered images were quantitatively accurate and showed substantial improvement over existing methods; and in addition, showed robust results tested for up to 5% noise in amplitude and phase measurements. When applied to a clinical subject with fibrocystic disease, the tumor was visible in hemoglobin and water, but no decrease in oxygenation was observed, making oxygen saturation, a potential diagnostic indicator.
On nonlinear Schrödinger equations, II.H S -solutions and unconditional well-posedness

We consider the nonlinear Schrodinger equation (NLS) (see below) with a general “potential”F(u), for which there are in general no conservation laws. The main assumption onF(u) is a growth rateO(|u| k ) for large |u|, in addition to some smoothness depending on the problem considered. A uniqueness theorem is proved with minimal smoothness assumption onF andu, which is useful in eliminating the “auxiliary conditions” in many cases. A new local existence theorem forH S -solutions is proved using an auxiliary space of Lebesgue type (rather than Besov type); here the main assumption is thatk≤1+4/(m−2s) ifs m/2). Moreover, a general existence theorem is proved for globalH S -solutions with small initial data, under the main additional condition thatF(u)=O(|u|1+4/m) for small |u|; in particularF(u) need not be (quasi-) homogeneous or in the critical case. The results are valid for alls≥0 ifm≤6; there are some restrictions ifm≥7 and ifF(u) isnot a polynomial inu and $$\bar u$$ .
The Green function and correlation exponents for interacting particles in one dimension

We give a heuristic argument that shows how all the correlation functions at large distances and times of a translationally invariant one-dimensional quantum liquid are determined by one (bosons or spinless fermions) or two (spin-1/2 fermions) correlation exponents. The argument is based on the observation that in the path-integral formulation of the problem the effect of creation and destruction operators can be seen on inserting dislocations in a two-dimensional crystal of particle world lines.
Schwarz meets Schwann: Design and fabrication of biomorphic and durataxic tissue engineering scaffolds

Tissue engineering is a discipline at the leading edge of the field of computer assisted intervention. This multidisciplinary engineering science attempts to meet the reparative and regenerative needs of tissues and organs based on the notion of design and fabrication of scaffolds- porous, three-dimensional "trellis-like" biomimetic structures that, on implantation, provide a viable environment to recuperate and regenerate damaged cells. Existing scaffold fabrication strategies produce sub-optimal porous labyrinths with contra-naturam straight edges. The biomorphic geometry that mimics the secundam-naturam substrate would be one that is continuous through all space, partitioned into two not-necessarily-equal sub-spaces by a non-intersecting, two-sided surface. Minimal surface geometry is not only ideal to describe such a space but is also the preferentially assumed geometry in natural and pathological or manipulated cells. We present results on the premier attempt in computer-controlled fabrication, modulation, and mechanical characterization of tissue engineering scaffolds based on triply periodic minimal surfaces (TPMS). We also present novel strategies to realize coterminous seeding-feeding networks thereby guaranteeing blood/nutrient supply to the proliferating cells at close proximity. This initiative of linking Schwann's 1838 cell theory with Schwarz's 1865 discovery of TPMS is a significant step to fabricate the previously elusive optimal biomorphic tissue analogs.
Iron Chelation Inhibits NF-κB–Mediated Adhesion Molecule Expression by Inhibiting p22phox Protein Expression and NADPH Oxidase Activity

Objective— Excess iron may increase oxidative stress and play a role in vascular inflammation and atherosclerosis. Here we determined whether the iron chelator, desferrioxamine (DFO), ameliorates oxidative stress and cellular adhesion molecule expression in a murine model of local inflammation. Methods and Results— Dorsal air pouches were created in C57BL/6J mice by subcutaneous injection of air. DFO (100 mg/kg body weight) was injected into the air pouch once a day for two days followed immediately on the second day by lipopolysaccharide (LPS; 2.5 mg/kg body weight). The animals were euthanized 24 hours later for analysis of oxidative stress markers and adhesion molecules in air pouch tissue. LPS treatment enhanced protein levels of p22 phox , a catalytic subunit of NADPH oxidase, and increased NADPH oxidase activity and levels of superoxide radicals and hydrogen peroxide. Furthermore, LPS activated NF-κB and increased expression of adhesion molecules. All of these inflammatory responses were strongly suppressed by DFO, but not iron-loaded DFO. Conclusions— Our data show that DFO inhibits LPS-induced, NADPH oxidase–mediated oxidative stress and, hence, NF-κB activation and adhesion molecule expression in a murine model of local inflammation. Iron chelation may be helpful in treating atherosclerotic vascular diseases by ameliorating oxidative stress and inflammation.
Simulation of motor-neuronal networks

This research develops a theoretical connectionist-type model of the operation of the human motor system. The model includes the operation of the cerebral cortex, pons, spinal cord, and muscles. It emphasizes the parallel passage of neuronal signals, the integration of multiple signals within nuclei, and the modulation of signals as a result of sensory input. A redundant Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) procedure that analyzes EEG signals by a method similar to the one used by pontine nuclei is described.
SciEthics Interactive: science and ethics learning in a virtual environment

Learning in immersive 3D environments allows students to collaborate, build, and interact with difficult course concepts. This case study examines the design and development of the TransGen Island within the SciEthics Interactive project, a National Science Foundation-funded, 3D virtual world emphasizing learning science content in the context of ethical dilemmas. The 2 year development process is examined through the lens of the rapid prototyping instructional design model, following the project from conceptualization to implementation of a 3D simulation. Through expert interviews, focus groups, and working groups, we were able to determine critical scientific and ethical issues to present to learners in the virtual world. We collected data on 53 students using the simulation at universities in the United States and South Africa and evaluated their experience using qualitative and quantitative methods. Results showed that student participants were engaged and motivated by the simulation. The students reported an increase in science knowledge and ethical understanding, but individual experiences varied.
Layer-by-layer optical assembly of colloidal particles

We report our work of binding microscopic particles into three dimension structures through a novel layer-by-layer approach. Multi-beam interferometry was used to form a two dimensional periodic optical field. Such optical landscape was used to trap colloidal particles into a single layer of 2-d colloidal array. A second optical tweezers setup was combined to offset such single-layer 2-d colloidal arrays in the third dimension. A strong electric field was found at the vicinity of each single layer with carefully calculated experimental parameters. Our numerical results suggest that with practical parameters, the strong electric field resulted from the diffraction of trapped particles should trap colloidal particles into a new layer of identical 2-d arrays, thereby offering an alternative approach to optically bind microscopic particles into three dimension periodic structures. Preliminary experimental results of this method demonstrating trapping with secondary diffracted light are also presented.
Angiotensin-(1-12): A Chymase-Mediated Cellular Angiotensin II Substrate

The classical view of biochemical pathways for the formation of biologically active angiotensins continues to undergo significant revision as new data uncovers the existence of important species differences between humans and rodents. The discovery of two novel substrates that, cleaved from angiotensinogen, can lead to direct tissue angiotensin II formation has the potential of radically altering our understanding of how tissues source angiotensin II production and explain the relative lack of efficacy that characterizes the use of angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors in cardiovascular disease. This review addresses the discovery of angiotensin-(1-12) as an endogenous substrate for the production of biologically active angiotensin peptides by a non-renin dependent mechanism and the revealing role of cardiac chymase as the angiotensin II convertase in the human heart. This new information provides a renewed argument for exploring the role of chymase inhibitors in the correction of cardiac arrhythmias and left ventricular systolic and diastolic dysfunction.
Selling the Eco-Entrepreneurial City: Natural Wonders and Urban Stratagems in Tucson, Arizona

In this paper, I examine how urban entrepreneurs socially construct nature to promote tourism and growth. Using textual analyses and interviews, I study one state-sponsored booster in Tucson, Arizona as it sells the city as "natural" landscape. The literatures on entrepreneurialism and place promotion are replete with cities sold as culture and history, suburbs sold as the pastoral, or rural spaces sold as countryside. There is another alternative, however: a metropolis "themed" as pristine desert. In response, this paper offers two modest contributions. The first is a detailed study of place marketing in a scenery-obsessed city. Second, I consider the possible contradictions of selling a growing city with images of its desert periphery. Only by understanding the "eco-entrepreneurial city" might we better theorize the ironies of a Tucson sold as "Real. Natural. Arizona."
Effect of acute and chronic arecoline treatment on cerebral metabolism and blood flow in the conscious rat

Treatment with the muscarinic agonist arecoline improves memory retention in patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD). In animal models, arecoline selectively increases local cerebral glucose utilization (LCGU). We examined (1) whether these focal increases in metabolism were coupled to local cerebral blood flow (LCBF) and (2) whether the effect of arecoline on LCGU and LCBF was dependent upon duration of drug administration. In groups of young Fischer-344 rats, LCGU and LCBF were determined in 59 brain regions by the [14C]2-deoxyglucose and the [14C]iodoantipyrine autoradiographic methods following either the acute administration of arecoline (2 mg/kg and 15 mg/kg) or the chronic three week administration of arecoline (50 mg/kg/day). In general, LCBF correlated closely with LCGU following arecoline 2 mg/kg administration, but heterogeneous regions were present. Following treatment with arecoline 15 mg/kg, the two parameters became uncoupled with LCBF increasing disproportionately in relation to LCGU. Coupling between LCBF and LCGU was preserved during chronic arecoline treatment (50 mg/kg/day) but some regions, such as the hippocampus, were uncoupled with LCGU increasing to a greater extent than LCBF. Thus, we demonstrate that acute and chronic administration of arecoline can differentially modulate LCBF and LCGU. Since clinical administration of arecoline can improve cognitive function in patients with AD, understanding the ability of arecoline to selectively alter LCBF and LCGU in regions such as the hippocampus may offer insight into the pathophysiology of AD and provide direction for the development of definitive therapy for neurodegenerative disorders.
Resilience of persistent Arctic mixed-phase clouds

Mixed-phase clouds, comprising both ice and supercooled liquid water, have a large impact on radiative fluxes in the Arctic. Interactions between numerous local feedbacks sustain these complex cloud systems, leading to the development of a resilient mixed-phase cloud system. The Arctic region is particularly sensitive to climate change. Mixed-phase clouds, comprising both ice and supercooled liquid water, have a large impact on radiative fluxes in the Arctic. These clouds occur frequently during all seasons in the region, where they often persist for many days at a time. This persistence is remarkable given the inherent instability of ice–liquid mixtures. In recent years it has emerged that feedbacks between numerous local processes, including the formation and growth of ice and cloud droplets, radiative cooling, turbulence, entrainment and surface fluxes of heat and moisture, interact to create a resilient mixed-phase cloud system. As well as the persistent mixed-phase cloud state there is another distinct Arctic state, characterized by radiatively clear conditions. The occurrence of either state seems to be related, in part, to large-scale environmental conditions. We suggest that shifts in the large-scale environment could alter the prevalence of mixed-phase clouds, potentially affecting surface radiative fluxes and the Arctic energy budget.
Relative frequency of Neogene volcanic events as recorded in coal partings from the Kenai lowland, Alaska: A comparison with deep-sea core data

Tephra layers occur as partings in Neogene coal beds from the Kenai Peninsula lowland, Alaska. The coal is time-equivalent with Deep Sea Drilling Project (DSDP) cores from the Gulf of Alaska and along the Aleutian Islands and appears to preserve a more detailed but less complete record of volcanism. Coal from the lower Beluga Formation has abundant thin (<10 cm) and dispersed partings recording an eruption once every 125-500 yr of peat accumulation, probably coinciding with a volcanic pulse more than 10.5 m.y. ago. This pulse is not well recorded in nearby DSDP cores, possibly because of bioturbation and distance from source vents. Coal beds in the upper Beluga Formation were deposited during a period of reduced volcanic activity 10.5-7.5 m.y. ago and record volcanic events that occurred approximately every 9,000 yr. This is also manifested in a near absence of tephra layers in DSDP cores of equivalent age. A volcanic pulse occurred about 7.5 m.y. ago, concurrent with the deposition of the lower Sterling Formation; however, intervals between volcanic events average 11,000 yr or longer. An absence of tephra layers in the Gulf of Alaska DSDP core for this time interval indicates that volcanic centers were distant. A dramatic change in frequency and magnitude of volcanism occurred about 5 m.y. ago. Tephra layers recur at intervals of 1,700-2,400 yr, and thicknesses of some layers exceed 2 m. This increase in volcanism is also recorded in DSDP cores.
Electromagnetic Scattering by Arbitrarily Shaped Two-Dimensional Perfectly Conducting Objects Coated with Homogeneous Anisotropic Materials

ABSTRACT Combined-field surface integral equations are applied to analyze electromagnetic scattering from coated perfectly conducting objects. The conducting core and the homogeneous anisotropic coating layers covering it are assumed to be two-dimensional and of arbitrary shape. Furthermore, individual layers of anisotropic material constituting the composite clad structure are allowed to have distinct medium tensor properties. Numerical solution of the resulting integral equations is facilitated by the method of moments. Equivalent surface currents on the metal core and the jacket surface are computed, and along with the corresponding radar cross section are presented for a variety of scattering geometries.
Some effects of noise on the speaking behavior of stutterers.

The purpose of the present research was to determine the influence of the loudness and spectrum of noise stimuli on stuttering frequency, reading rate, and vocal level. During each of six noise con...
Isolated long-head triceps brachii tendon avulsion in a surfer detected at MR imaging

We report a case of a rare isolated avulsion of the long head of the triceps tendon detected at magnetic resonance (MR) examination occurring in a 35-year-old male surfer. Isolated long-head triceps tendon avulsions have rarely been reported and, to our knowledge, the MR findings have not previously been described in the world literature.
A security evaluation of a novel resilient web serving architecture: Lessons learned through industry/academia collaboration

We have previously developed a virtualization-based web serving architecture and a prototype to enhance web service resilience under cyber attack. The proposed system utilizes replicated virtual servers managed by a closed-loop feedback controller without humans in the loop. We have replicated the prototype at the Raytheon Company, which conducted a thorough penetration test and security examination. In this paper, we present the Resilient Web Service (RWS) and describe its security evaluation by Raytheon of a prototype implementation. We then present new research directions that address previous weaknesses and discuss the ongoing efforts of designing the next generation RWS architecture.
Intrauterine Oxygen Tension During the Estrous Cycle in the Rat: Its Relation to Uterine Respiration and Vascular Activity

Intrauterine oxygen tension, measured in vivo in the adult virgin rat, varied during the course of the estrous cycle. Average pO2 was maximal during diestrus-1 (47.6 mm Hg) and minimal during estrus (25.7 mm Hg). Metestrous, diestrous-2 and proestrous values were intermediate to these extremes. The frequency of alteration in intraluminal oxygen tension, a measure of vascular contractility, increased uniformly from 15.7 peaks/hr during diestrus-2 to 70.3 peaks/hr during metestrus. Only slight changes in pO2 amplitude were noted. The timing of pO2 changes during the cycle, and of the vasodynamic activity which affects these changes, apparently preceded the gross morphologic and metabolic alterations in the uterus by about 12–24 hr. The primary regulation of the level of intrauterine pO2 during the cycle appeared to be through steroid hormone control of vasodynamic and metabolic activity, with myometrial contractile activity being only of secondary influence. (Endocrinology 83: 701, 1968)
High-frequency rapid B-mode ultrasound imaging for real-time monitoring of lesion formation and gas body activity during high-intensity focused ultrasound ablation

The goal of this study was to examine the ability of high-frame-rate, high-resolution imaging to monitor tissue necrosis and gas-body activities formed during high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) application. Ex vivo porcine cardiac tissue specimens (n = 24) were treated with HIFU exposure (4.33 MHz, 77 to 130 Hz pulse repetition frequency (PRF), 25 to 50% duty cycle, 0.2 to 1 s, 2600 W/cm2). RF data from Bmode ultrasound imaging were obtained before, during, and after HIFU exposure at a frame rate ranging from 77 to 130 Hz using an ultrasound imaging system with a center frequency of 55 MHz. The time history of changes in the integrated backscatter (IBS), calibrated spectral parameters, and echo-decorrelation parameters of the RF data were assessed for lesion identification by comparison against gross sections. Temporal maximum IBS with +12 dB threshold achieved the best identification with a receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) curve area of 0.96. Frame-to-frame echo decorrelation identified and tracked transient gas-body activities. Macroscopic (millimetersized) cavities formed when the estimated initial expansion rate of gas bodies (rate of expansion in lateral-to-beam direction) crossed 0.8 mm/s. Together, these assessments provide a method for monitoring spatiotemporal evolution of lesion and gas-body activity and for predicting macroscopic cavity formation.
Asphalt in carbon-14-dated archaeological samples from Terqa, Syria

The presence of fossil fuel compounds in archaeological samples giving ages much higher than expected has long been suspected but never proved by appropriate chemical analyses. An excessively high conventional 14C age was found in an archaeological charcoal sample from Terqa, Syria1 (S313, Table 1). Its14 C age of 28,700 yr BP was at variance with the archaeological context, and with the 14C age of several other samples1 (such as S283, Table 1) obtained from the same area and expected to date from ∼3000 BC or younger. The inconsistency can be explained by assuming contamination with geologically old material—either industrial petroleum products or ancient asphalt. We report here organic geochemical investigations of the sample S313 and of sample S267, which gave a 14C age ∼2,000 yr too old. A third charcoal sample (S283) from the same area, whose 14C age was consistent with its known historical age, and an asphalt sample found stuck to the bottom of a goblet from another site in the area dated at 1700 BC on typological grounds, were also analysed. Similar studies of used crankcase oils from motor vehicles, weathered 0–2 yr, and of hydraulic transmission fluid show that modern motor oil cannot be the contaminant at this excavation site. Our data clearly indicate that ancient asphalt must be the source of contamination. Caution should be exercised, therefore, in interpreting 14C dates of archaeological samples from areas containing asphalt or other fossil fuel deposits.
The growth of wing cracks and the brittle compressive failure of ice

Abstract High-speed photography has revealed the macroscopically stable growth of wing cracks in columnar, fresh-water ice compressed uniaxially within the brittle regime. The growth is influenced by the interaction of the cracks with free surfaces and is in excellent agreement with the Ashby-Hallam model [ Acta metall. 34 , 497 (1986)].
Effects of quantized scalar fields in cosmological spacetimes with big rip singularities

Effects of quantized free scalar fields in cosmological spacetimes with big rip singularities are investigated. The energy densities for these fields are computed at late times when the expansion is very rapid. For the massless minimally coupled field it is shown that an attractor state exists in the sense that, for a large class of states, the energy density of the field asymptotically approaches the energy density it would have if it was in the attractor state. Results of numerical computations of the energy density for the massless minimally coupled field and for massive fields with minimal and conformal couplings to the scalar curvature are presented. For the massive fields the energy density is seen to always asymptotically approach that of the corresponding massless field. The question of whether the energy densities of quantized fields can be large enough for backreaction effects to remove the big rip singularity is addressed.
Predicting mortality risk for infants weighing 501 to 1500 grams at birth: A National Institutes of Health Neonatal Research Network report

ObjectivesTo develop and evaluate a model that predicts mortality risk based on admission data for infants weighing 501 to 1500 grams at birth, and to use the model to identify neonatal ICUs where the observed mortality rate differs significantly from the predicted rate.DesignValidation cohort study
Pseudomonas meningitis complicating radical resection for radiorecurrent cancer of the paranasal sinuses: report of two patients successfully treated with intrathecal polymyxin.

Pseudomonas meningitis is a grave complication of craniofacial surgery and radiotherapy. The management of this complication is reviewed and illustrated by the course of two patients who were successfully treated after radical resection for radiorecurrent cancer of the paranasal sinuses was complicated by pseudomonas meningitis.
Partisan-Ideological Divergence and Changing Party Fortunes in the States, 1968—2003: A Federal Perspective

We expand on previous literature on party competition in the American states by examining competition for both state and national offices. We find significant differences in Democratic Party electoral advantage within states, along with across-state variation in changes in these differences over time. We attribute these results to movement in the partisanship and ideology of the states’ citizenry. As consistency in these core political attitudes increases, parties are able to campaign and govern on messages that are more consistent across electoral levels. The result is greater consistency in party electoral performance across state and national offices.
Hydrolysis of liquefied corn starch in a membrane reactor

The objective of this study was to develop a continuous hydrolysis process for the enzymatic saccharification of liquefied corn starch using a membrane reactor. A residence time distribution study confirmed that the membrane reactor could be modeled as a simple continuous stirred tank reactor (CSTR). Kinetic studies indicated that the continuous reactor operated in the first-order region with respect to substrate concentration at substrate concentrations greater than 200 g/L. At a residence time of 1 h and an enzyme concentration of 1 g/L, the maximum reaction velocity (V(m)) was 3.86 g glucose/L min and the apparent Michaelis constant (K(m) (')) was 562 g/L. The K(m) (') value for the continuous reactor was 2-7 times greater than that obtained in a batch reactor.Kinetic data were fit to a model based on the Michaelis-Menten rate expression and the design equation for a CSTR. Application of the model at low reactor space times was successful. At space times of 6 min or less, the model predicted the reactor's performance reasonably well. Additional work on the detection and quantitation of reversion products formed by glucoamylase is required. Isolation, detection, and quantitation of reversion products by HPLC was difficult. Detailed analysis on the formation of these reversion products could lead to better reactor designs in the future.
Information Security Cultures of Four Professions: A Comparative Study

Differences in cultures across professions have been reported in the professional culture literature. An understanding of such differences is important to understand the effects of culture. We extend this argument to the area of information security. We argue that it is necessary to examine the information security cultures of various professions to identify differences that may exist, so that they may be taken into account in formulating initiatives to enhance information security. In this article, we provide a comparative description of the security cultures of four professions - information systems, accounting, marketing and human resources - based on semi- structured interviews of respondents from each of the professions. Our results confirm the existence of differences in security cultures across professions. In particular, they indicate that there are differences in beliefs about what constitutes information security, who is responsible for it, and the likelihood of their compliance with security under performance pressure.
Monocularly programmed human saccades during vergence changes

1When binocular fixation is shifted to a new target located at a different distance and in a different direction from initial fixation, a binocularly unbalanced saccade occurs at or near the onset of the composite eye movement. Those saccades typically produce good post-saccadic foveation of the target by one eye or the other. 2Following such saccades, the better-aligned eye is typically as well aimed at the target as after pure versional saccades, but the partner eye deviates much more, thus requiring asymmetrical post-saccadic vergence movement. 3This phenomenon suggests that during binocular viewing, the retinal eccentricity of a new-target's image from one of the eyes can be used to programme that eye's own saccade, so that it arrives reliably on target; and that the images of that target from both eyes participate in generating the saccadic excursion of the partner eye. 4The ecologically useful result is rapid achievement of a high-resolution monocular view of the new target, although full binocular foveation is achieved much later.
State-Space Multivariate Autoregressive Models for Estimation of Cortical Connectivity from EEG

We propose using a state-space model to estimate cortical connectivity from scalp-based EEG recordings. A state equation describes the dynamics of the cortical signals and an observation equation describes the manner in which the cortical signals contribute to the scalp measurements. The state equation is based on a multivariate autoregressive (MVAR) process model for the cortical signals. The observation equation describes the physics relating the cortical signals to the scalp EEG measurements and spatially correlated observation noise. An expectation-maximization (EM) algorithm is employed to obtain maximum-likelihood estimates of the MVAR model parameters. The strength of influence between cortical regions is then derived from the MVAR model parameters. Simulation results show that this integrated approach performs significantly better than the two-step approach in which the cortical signals are first estimated from the EEG measurements by attempting to solve the EEG inverse problem and second, an MVAR model is fit to the estimated signals. The method is also applied to data from a subject watching a movie, and confirms that feedforward connections between visual and parietal cortex are generally stronger than feedback connections.
Pharmacological Vasodilation Improves Insulin-Stimulated Muscle Protein Anabolism but Not Glucose Utilization in Older Adults

OBJECTIVE Skeletal muscle protein metabolism is resistant to the anabolic action of insulin in healthy, nondiabetic older adults. This defect is associated with impaired insulin-induced vasodilation and mTORC1 signaling. We hypothesized that, in older subjects, pharmacological restoration of insulin-induced capillary recruitment would improve the response of muscle protein synthesis and anabolism to insulin. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS Twelve healthy, nondiabetic older subjects (71 ± 2 years) were randomized to two groups. Subjects were studied at baseline and during local infusion in one leg of insulin alone (Control) or insulin plus sodium nitroprusside (SNP) at variable rate to double leg blood flow. We measured leg blood flow by dye dilution; muscle microvascular perfusion with contrast enhanced ultrasound; Akt/mTORC1 signaling by Western blotting; and muscle protein synthesis, amino acid, and glucose kinetics using stable isotope methodologies. RESULTS There were no baseline differences between groups. Blood flow, muscle perfusion, phenylalanine delivery to the leg, and intracellular availability of phenylalanine increased significantly ( P P −1 · 100 ml · leg −1 ) increased significantly ( P CONCLUSIONS Pharmacological enhancement of muscle perfusion and amino acid availability during hyperinsulinemia improves the muscle protein anabolic effect of insulin in older adults.
A Cross of Iron: Harry S. Truman and the Origins of the National Security State, 1945-1954

Preface and acknowledgements 1. The National Security discourse: ideology, political culture and state making 2. Magna Charta: the National Security Act and the specter of the Garrison state 3. The high price of peace: guns-and-butter politics in the early Cold War 4. The time tax: American political culture and the UMT debate 5. 'Chaos and conflict and carnage confounded': budget battles and defense reorganization 6. Preparing for permanent war: economy, science and secrecy in the National Security state 7. Turning point: NSC-68, the Korean war and the National Security response 8. Semiwar: the Korean war and rearmament 9. The Iron Cross: solvency, security and the Eisenhower transition 10. Other voices: the public sphere and the National Security mentality 11. Conclusion Selected bibliography Index.
Some perspectives on the use of cheese as a food ingredient

Over the past few decades, cheese has been growing in commercial importance in the food industry because of its use as an ingredient, including as a topping on pizza, filling in appetizers, slices on hamburgers, and sauces in pasta dishes. Traditionally, cheeses like Mozzarella, cheese powders, processed and imitation cheeses were the main ingredient cheeses but now there are a growing number of other cheese types being used as ingredients, e.g. in the US these include pizza type (i.e. cheese not meeting the standard of identity for Mozzarella), Hispanic and cream cheeses. For ingredient cheeses, such as Mozzarella, considerable research has been conducted on the impact of altering milk composition, manufacturing conditions and the type of starter cultures on the functional properties that are important for its use as an ingredient, e.g. slicing, shredding and melting properties. It is now recognized that insoluble calcium associated with the caseins in cheese plays a critical role in cheese texture, including melting properties. The total and insoluble calcium contents can be controlled by altering the critical pH values during manufacture, e.g. at coagulation or whey draining. Post-manufacture changes in the proportions of insoluble/soluble calcium are primarily responsible for most of the early changes in cheese texture and not proteolysis as was commonly believed until recently. End-users of cheese in various foods routinely demand consistent functionality over a long shelf-life and the cheese has to meet very specific performance targets, e.g. color and flow. Various approaches to modify the insoluble calcium content in cheese, studies on the performance of cream cheese as an ingredient and strategies to extend the acceptable performance window for cheese are described. A framework is presented that allows cheese texture and functional properties to be described in terms of specific molecular interactions of the caseins.
Genetic Variation Within and Among Populations of Arabidopsis thaliana

We investigated levels of nucleotide polymorphism within and among populations of the highly self-fertilizing Brassicaceous species, Arabidopsis thaliana. Four-cutter RFLP data were collected at one mitochondrial and three nuclear loci from 115 isolines representing 11 worldwide population collections, as well as from seven commonly used ecotypes. The collections include multiple populations from North America and Eurasia, as well as two pairs of collections from locally proximate sites, and thus allow a hierarchical geographic analysis of polymorphism. We found no variation at the mitochondrial locus Nad5 and very low levels of intrapopulation nucleotide diversity at Adh, Dhs1, and Gpa1. Interpopulation nucleotide diversity was also consistently low among the loci, averaging 0.0014. gst, a measure of population differentiation, was estimated to be 0.643. Interestingly, we found no association between geographical distance between populations and genetic distance. Most haplotypes have a worldwide distribution, suggesting a recent expansion of the species or long-distance gene flow. The low level of polymorphism found in this study is consistent with theoretical models of neutral mutations and background selection in highly self-fertilizing species.
Invited Commentary on “Allowing Intralimb Kinematic Variability During Locomotor Training Poststroke Improves Kinematic Consistency: A Subgroup Analysis From a Randomized Clinical Trial”

We congratulate Lewek and colleagues1 on this contribution to PTJ and the rehabilitation literature. Their work provokes consideration of a timeless question: What is the goal of gait rehabilitation? To walk faster—regardless of the locomotor strategy? Or to walk better? Of course, these ruminations beg the question: What is “better”? Moreover, is it even possible to change the fundamental locomotor pattern in people poststroke? The research by Lewek et al inspires some reflection on the remaining unanswered questions and raises a few points of possible alternative interpretation. Does their measure of intralimb coordination fully capture the intended construct? How certain can we be that the participants in the study actually did change their fundamental motor patterns following rehabilitation? How certain can we be that this change, if present, represents a positive adaptation? And, finally, should this adaptation be attributed to the presence of variability during manual training? The current environment for neurorehabilitation research and practice is unparalleled in history. Contemporary basic and clinical research reveal tremendous potential for plasticity in the adult nervous system following central nervous system injuries, including stroke, spinal cord injury, traumatic brain injury, and even degenerative conditions such as Parkinson disease or multiple sclerosis. Our knowledge of biomechanics and neuromotor control as it relates to pathologic movement …
LPA5 Is Abundantly Expressed by Human Mast Cells and Important for Lysophosphatidic Acid Induced MIP-1β Release

Background Lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) is a bioactive lipid inducing proliferation, differentiation as well as cytokine release by mast cells through G-protein coupled receptors. Recently GPR92/LPA5 was identified as an LPA receptor highly expressed by cells of the immune system, which prompted us to investigate its presence and influence on mast cells. Principal Findings Transcript analysis using quantitative real-time PCR revealed that LPA5 is the most prevalent LPA-receptor in human mast cells. Reduction of LPA5 levels using shRNA reduced calcium flux and abolished MIP-1β release in response to LPA. Conclusions LPA5 is a bona fide LPA receptor on human mast cells responsible for the majority of LPA induced MIP-1β release.
On the Number of Incidences Between Points and Curves

We apply an idea of Szekely to prove a general upper bound on the number of incidences between a set of m points and a set of n ‘well-behaved’ curves in the plane.
Variable stimulation patterns in younger and older thenar muscle

Neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) is typically used with older adults receiving rehabilitation therapies, but little is known about the stimulation patterns that maximize force output and minimize fatigue in this population. The purpose of this study was to apply variable patterns of stimulation to the thenar muscles of the hand in younger and older adults to determine if force production and neuro- muscular fatigue effects were similar. Three submaximal stimulation patterns were administered: A 20 Hz constant frequency pattern, a pattern that increased from 20 to 40 Hz, and a pattern that incorpo- rated two closely spaced (5 ms) doublet pulses. The doublet stimulation produced significantly higher average forces and force-time integrals (FTIs) than the constant frequency and increasing frequency pat- terns in both age groups. Additionally, older adults showed less fatigue than the younger group during isometric contractions performed after the fatiguing stimulation patterns. These results suggest that var- iable pulse NMES patterns enhance force production in the hand in both younger and older individuals better than constant frequency patterns, which are typically used in clinical applications. Also, greater fatigue resistance to electrical stimulation protocols may exist in the older population; this is critical information for the design and application of NMES rehabilitation regimens used with older adults.
Comparison of four exercise protocols using anaerobic threshold measurement of functional capacity in congestive heart failure

Abstract In patients with congestive heart failure (CHF), indexes of resting ventricular function are poor predictors of exercise performance. 1 Measurement of maximum oxygen uptake during exercise using respiratory gas exchange is currently being performed to assess the functional capacity of patients with CHF. Furthermore, maximum oxygen uptake may have prognostic importance. 2 However, maximum oxygen uptake may be a difficult endpoint for CHF patients to achieve, and thus may not be readily attainable or reproducible. The oxygen uptake at anaerobic threshold, a parameter of submaximal exercise, may be more attainable and may also provide insight into functional impairment in this patient population. 3
U-Th-Pb Dating

General. Three independent ages may be obtained in the U-Th-Pb system: 206Pb/238U, 207Pb/235U or 207Pb/206Pb, and 208Pb/232Th. Emphasis has been placed on U-Pb dating because the value 238U/235U is a physical constant that permits internal treatment of the data not found in any other dating system. This treatment helps to eliminate the assumption that the phase being dated has remained closed to changes in the parent-daughter system. The theoretical systematics are expressed in Fig. 1. Wetherill (1956a, b) showed that a phase, Open image in new window Fig. 1. Systematic of U-Pb dating (after Catanzaro and Kulp, 1964) which is subject to no lead loss or uranium gain (a closed system), will have 207Pb/235U ages equal to 206Pb/238U ages and that the data will lie along a curved line called concordia. In addition, he showed that phases subject to lead loss or uranium gain during a period of time that is short compared with the age of the phase (episodic bulk daughter losses or parent gains), recently or in the distant past, will have data that will lie along a straight line called discordia. The lower intersection of discordia with concordia represents the time of the episodic event and the upper intersection represents the age of the phase. Nicolaysen (1957) suggested that diffusion of lead out of a phase might take place at a constant rate over the entire history of the phase (continous diffusion), and Tilton (1960) showed that continuous diffusion with bulk lead loss or uranium gain also closely approaches a straight line.
Indicators of Great Basin rangeland health

Early-warning indicators of rangeland health can be used to estimate the functional integrity of a site and may allow sustainable management of desert rangelands. The utility of several vegetation canopy-based indicators of rangeland health at 32 Great Basin rangeland locations was investigated. The indicators were originally developed in rangelands of the Chihuahuan Desert. Soil resources are lost through wind and water-driven erosion mainly from areas unprotected by plant canopies (i.e. bare soil). Study sites in Idaho had the smallest bare patches, followed by sites in Oregon. The more arid Great Basin Sagebrush Zone sites in Utah had the largest bare patches. Several vegetational indicators including percent cover by vegetation, percent cover by life-form, percent cover by sagebrush, and percent cover by resilient species were negatively related to mean bare patch size and are potential indicators of Great Basin rangeland condition. Plant community composition and the range of bare patch sizes were different at sites in the three locations in Idaho, Oregon and Utah. Therefore, expected indicator values are location specific and should not be extrapolated to other locations. The condition of study sites were often ranked differently by different indicators. Therefore, the condition of rangeland sites should be evaluated using several indicators.
Effect of ethanol administration on Mg2+ transport across liver plasma membrane

Acute and chronic ethanol administration results in a decrease in cellular Mg2+ content and an alteration of Mg2+ transport in liver cells. In this study we investigated the extent to which ethanol affects the Mg2+ transport mechanisms in the liver cell membrane. The functionality of these transport mechanisms was assessed in plasma membrane vesicles purified from livers acutely perfused with varying concentrations of alcohol, livers of animals fed with 6% ethanol for 3 weeks, and the respective controls. Acute alcohol administration had little or no effect on the Mg2+ extrusion mechanisms present in the apical and basolateral domains of the hepatocyte but completely impaired the Mg2+ entry mechanism present in the basolateral side of the cell. This effect was already evident at a dose of alcohol as small as 0.01% (approximately 1.5 mM). The chronic administration of ethanol, instead, impaired all the Mg2+ transport mechanisms irrespective of the location and directionality in a time-dependent manner. Taken together, these data indicate a selective sensitivity of the Mg2+ entry mechanism to acute alcohol administration, whereas the Mg2+ extrusion mechanisms are affected only after prolonged exposure to alcohol. These results suggest that the defect in hormone-activated Mg(2+) transport observed in the chronic EtOH model [Young, A., Cefaratti, C., & Romani, A. (2003). Chronic EtOH administration alters liver Mg2+ homeostasis. Am J Physiol 284, G57-G67] depends not only on a reduced cellular Mg2+ content but also on the impaired Mg2+ transport mechanisms present in the hepatocyte plasma membrane, in particular the Mg2+ entry pathway, which prevents the liver cell from restoring cellular Mg2+ homeostasis.