cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Technology requirements and readiness for very large vehicles

Common concerns of very large vehicles in the areas of economics, transportation system interfaces and operational problems were reviewed regarding their influence on vehicle configurations and technology. Fifty-four technology requirements were identified which are judged to be unique, or particularly critical, to very large vehicles. The requirements were about equally divided among the four general areas of aero/hydrodynamics, propulsion and acoustics, structures, and vehicle systems and operations. The state of technology readiness was judged to be poor to fair for slightly more than one half of the requirements. In the classic disciplinary areas, the state of technology readiness appears to be more advanced than for vehicle systems and operations.
Treatment of core-binding-factor in acute myelogenous leukemia with fludarabine, cytarabine, and granulocyte colony-stimulating factor results in improved event-free survival

BACKGROUND. Acute myelogenous leukemia (AML) associated with core-binding-factor (CBF) abnormalities is the type of leukemia most responsive to cytarabine (ara-C) therapy and is of relative favorable prognosis. In vitro and ex vivo observations suggest that increases in intracellular ara-C levels influenced by administration of fludarabine and granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (GCSF) increase the effect of ara-C, prompting us to clinically evaluate the efficacy of such combinations. METHODS. We analyzed the event-free survival of patients with newly diagnosed CBF AML treated with fludarabine and ara-C (FA) (N = 45) or with FA and GCSF (FLAG) (N = 22) and compared results to patients treated with regimens consisting of idarubicin and ara-C with or without GCSF (IA/IAG) (N = 47). RESULTS. After accounting for prognostic covariates other than treatment (including year in which treatment was administered), FA, and in particular FLAG, were associated with longer event-free survival than IA/IAG. CONCLUSIONS. Thus, our data lends clinical credence to the observed modulation of ara-C by fludarabine and GCSF. Cancer 2008. © 2008 American Cancer Society.
Hypertension and antihypertensives in pregnancy: Orbach et al

See related article, page 301 Chronic hypertension in pregnancy boosts the risk for an array of adverse vents, including maternal and fetal mortalty. An estimated 1-5% of pregnancies are omplicated by this disorder, but Orbach nd colleagues note that its incidence can be xpectedto increaseasratesofmaternalobeity climb and as women postpone childearing. The researchers, authors of a new tudy discussed by Journal Club members, ave attempted to determine whether aderse perinatal outcomes occurring in this atient group are the result of the disease or f the drugs used to treat it. Data like these ould help resolve which women are the best andidates for medication.
Semantic deficits in children with language impairments: issues for clinical assessment.

Children with language impairments demonstrate a broad range of semantic difficulties, including problems with new word acquisition, storage and organization of known words, and lexical access/retr...
Studies of a tetralin-based scintillator with possible applications in neutron spectrometry

Abstract Tetralin, because of its high hydrogen density relative to xylene (or toluene), was used to prepare solutions which contain different concentrations of the common scintillation chemicals, POPOP, PBBO or αNPO. Pulse height was found to increase by increasing solute concentrations, but pulse-shape discrimination properties were found to be better for less concentrated solutions. Addition of naphthalene to these solutions resulted in a marked improvement in pulse-shape discrimination properties with no noticable effect on pulse heights. An optimum choice was a scintillator consisting of 4 g PBBO and 120 g napthalene per liter of tetralin. A comparison with the widely used scintillator, NE-213, showed that it had a pulse-height response which was 14% greater than the tetralin scintillator. However, the comparison also showed that the pulse-shape discrimination figure of merit ( R 1 ) associated with the tetralin scintillator was twice as much as that of NE-213. In general, the tetralin-based scintillator showed promise for neutron detection purposes in the presence of a gamma-ray background.
A lentiviral sponge for miR-101 regulates RanBP9 expression and amyloid precursor protein metabolism in hippocampal neurons.

Neurodegeneration associated with amyloid β (Aβ) peptide accumulation, synaptic loss, and memory impairment are pathophysiological features of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Numerous microRNAs regulate amyloid precursor protein (APP) expression and metabolism. We previously reported that miR-101 is a negative regulator of APP expression in cultured hippocampal neurons. In this study, a search for predicted APP metabolism-associated miR-101 targets led to the identification of a conserved miR-101 binding site within the 3’ untranslated region (UTR) of the mRNA encoding Ran-binding protein 9 (RanBP9). RanBP9 increases APP processing by β-amyloid converting enzyme 1 (BACE1), secretion of soluble APPβ (sAPPβ), and generation of Aβ. MiR-101 significantly reduced reporter gene expression when co-transfected with a RanBP9 3'-UTR reporter construct, while site-directed mutagenesis of the predicted miR-101 target site eliminated the reporter response. To investigate the effect of stable inhibition of miR-101 both in vitro and in vivo, a microRNA sponge was developed to bind miR-101 and derepress its targets. Four tandem bulged miR-101 responsive elements (REs), located downstream of the enhanced green fluorescence protein (EGFP) open reading frame and driven by the synapsin promoter, were placed in a lentiviral vector to create the pLSyn-miR-101 sponge. Delivery of the sponge to primary hippocampal neurons significantly increased both APP and RanBP9 expression, as well as sAPPβ levels in the conditioned medium. Importantly, silencing of endogenous RanBP9 reduced sAPPβ levels in miR-101 sponge-containing hippocampal cultures, indicating that miR-101 inhibition may increase amyloidogenic processing of APP by RanBP9. Lastly, the impact of miR-101 on its targets was demonstrated in vivo by intrahippocampal injection of the pLSyn-miR-101 sponge into C57BL6 mice. This study thus provides the basis for studying the consequences of long-term miR-101 inhibition on the pathology of AD.
Sex differences in ethanol liquid diet consumption in Sprague–Dawley rats

There are reports of sex differences in ethanol intake between different strains of male and female rats; however, ethanol consumption (via an ethanol liquid diet) and blood ethanol levels (BELs) between male and female rats of the Sprague-Dawley strain have not been studied. Therefore, the aims of this study were to examine body growth, ethanol consumption (ml/day and g.kg(-1).day(-1)), and BELs in adult male and female (n=6-8 per group; sham-operated and ovariectomized) Sprague-Dawley rats consuming different concentrations (3% to 9% volume/volume) of the Lieber-DeCarli liquid ethanol diet. Throughout the study, male rats weighed significantly more than both female groups, and ovariectomized female rats weighed more than sham female rats. Ethanol diet consumption (ml/day) was significantly greater in male rats than in female rats at higher ethanol concentrations, whereas, when the diet consumption was expressed in grams of ethanol per kilogram of body weight per day, the sham female group was shown to consume significantly more ethanol than the male group. Even though there were differences in ethanol intake, BELs were similar among the groups. The data indicate that, similar to other strains, Sprague-Dawley rats also exhibit sex differences in their pattern of body growth (weight gain) and ethanol intake; however, BELs were similar among the groups.
Effect of two clasping assemblies on arch integrity as modified by base adaptation.

Abstract It is quite apparent from the results of this experiment that the importance of tissue support for distal-extension removable partial dentures cannot be overstated. It would appear that good adaptation of the base far outweighs the importance of clasp design on a well-fitting framework for a distal-extension removable partial denture. When appropriate, regular recall evaluation of removable partial dentures and implementation of indicated readaptive procedures are not available, close base adaptation can be lost because of ridge resorption. As this loss occurs, the clasp design begins to play an increasingly influential role in abutment tooth movement during function.
Changes in Milk Products “Sham Fed” to Calves. I. Effects of Volume of Milk Fed

Summary 1.In a series of trials each of four calves was sham fed from nipple and open pails, respectively, 25 lbs. of whole milk in five successive 5-lb. units. 2.Marked lipolysis, as manifested by increased acidity and concomitant acceleration, of coagulation by rennet, was observed in whole milk that was sham fed to the calves. 3.When the milk was sham fed from a nipple feeder, the alteration of the properties was greatest in the first portions fed and least in the last, but when fed from an open pail, the differences in magnitude of change in successive units were not marked except in rennet coagulability, which was most rapid in the second increment and less in subsequent units. 4.Though the degree of change in the first increments was more marked when consumed by sucking than by drinking, the alterations were similar for both systems of feeding after the third increment. 5.Lipolysis in the successive 5-lb. units closely paralleled the changes in degree of dilution, indicating that lipolytic agents were closely associated with the diluting medium. 6.The rate of intake from the open pail was from four to six times more rapid than from the nipple feeder, but the differences in rates of dilution were less, being approximately the same in the first increment but diverging in subsequent units. 7.The system of feeding and/or the time factor affected the dilution of the milk as the volume of intake increased.
Non-linear theory of a wind-driven homogeneous layer near the equator

Abstract This article deals with the equatorial motion produced by a uniform east wind blowing over a homogeneous ocean of constant depth. It is shown by a dimensional argument that for the range of parameters applicable to the Cromwell Current, the inertial forcesare equally important with the frictional forces. The motion is calculated for several values of the coefficient of eddyviscosity. The calculations give an undercurrent whose intensity increases with decreasing values of the eddy viscosity and which, for sufficiently small values, resembles the Cromwell Current in several of its principal features, in intensity, in width, in horizontal and vertical velocity variation with depth. An analogy is drawn between the western boundary currents and the equatorial undercurrents. It is shown that both are in a sense, inertial boundary currents, possessing frictional boundary-layers near the boundaries, the western coasts in the former instance and the equator in the latter.
Reduced spaces and their relation to relative equilibria

It is known that the Hamiltonian motion of a mechanical system with symmetry induces Hamiltonian flows on reduced phase spaces. In this paper we apply Morse theory to study the relationship between the topology of the reduced space and the number of relative equilibria in the corresponding momentum level set. Our attention is restricted to simple mechanical systems with compact configuration space and compact symmetry group. We begin by showing that the set of relative equilibria in a level set of the momentum map is compact. We then employ techniques from Morse theory to prove that the number of orbits of relative equilibria with momentum in the coadjoint orbit of a given regular momentum value is bounded below by the the sum of Betti numbers of the corresponding reduced space when the Hamiltonian is fibre quadratic and the reduced Hamiltonian is nondegenerate. In addition, for a certain class of group actions on the configuration manifold, it is shown that the above result extends to Hamiltonians of the form potential plus kinetic.
Sodium and proton MR properties of cartilage during compression.

Proton and sodium MR relaxation times of bovine articular cartilage specimens were measured as a function of proteoglycan (PG) depletion and as a function of mechanical compression. Proton and sodium relaxation times of normal cartilage were compared with relaxation times of PG-depleted cartilage to evaluate the significance of PG depletion-induced changes in MR relaxation parameters. These comparisons were conducted for both uncompressed and mechanically compressed states. The mechanical compressions were performed with an MR-compatible pressure cell and evaluated dynamically via interleaved one-dimensional proton and sodium MR projection imaging. The comparisons indicate that sodium relaxation parameters are sensitive to PG depletion when cartilage is in a mechanically compressed state or an uncompressed state. In contrast, proton relaxation parameters do not change significantly with PG depletion when cartilage is in an uncompressed state. However, during mechanical compression, proton T2 becomes sensitive to PG depletion. These results support the potential of sodium magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) as a possible modality for obtaining imaging contrast related to PG depletion. The results also indicate the potential of proton MRI to provide such contrast if the image acquisition is conducted in conjunction with a mechanical compression via physical exercise.J. Magn. Reson Imaging 10:961-967, 1999.
Integrated variance reduction strategies

In this paper we develop strategies for integrating certain well-known variance reduction techniques to estimate a mean response in a finite-horizon simulation experiment. Our building blocks are the techniques of conditional expectation, correlation induction, and control variates. Under some mild assumptions, we explain how each integrated strategy yields a smaller response variance than its constituent variance reduction techniques yield individually. We also provide asymptotic variance comparisons for integrated strategies involving the correlation-induction technique of Latin hypercube sampling. Our Monte Carlo results show that in the simulation of stochastic activity networks, large efficiency gains can be achieved by using these integrated variance reduction strategies.
An Overview of Color Constancy Algorithms

Color constancy is one of the important research areas with a wide range of applications in the elds of color image processing and computer vision. One such application is video tracking. Color is used as one of the salient features and its robustness to illumination variation is essential to the adaptability of video tracking algorithms. Color constancy can be applied to discount the inuence of changing illuminations. In this paper, we present a review of established color constancy approaches. We also investigate whether these approaches in their present form of implementation can be applied to the video tracking problem. The approaches are grouped into two categories, namely, Pre-Calibrated and Data-driven approaches. The paper also talks about the ill-posedness of the color constancy problem, implementation assumptions of color constancy approaches, and problem statement for tracking. Publications on video tracking algorithms involving color correction or color compensation techniques are not included in this review.
Microwave Radiation Effects on Ionic Current in Ionic Crystalline Solids

We describe experiments to test for microwave enhancement of bulk vacancy diffusion in NaCl, bulk interstitial diffusion in AgCl, and grain boundary diffusion in NaCl. Experimental results for bulk vacancy diffusion in NaCl indicate that intrinsic vacancy mobility is not enhanced by microwave field intensities typical of microwave sintering experiments. Nevertheless, a microwave effect is observed with features consistent with a recent theory for microwave-enhanced driving forces.
A reappraisal of angioplasty and stenting for the treatment of vertebral origin stenosis.

Objective To assess the rate of restenosis after vertebral origin angioplasty and stenting (VOAS). Methods We reviewed the records of 33 patients (24 men, 9 women; age range, 49-81 yr; mean, 64.5 yr) who underwent VOAS during a period of 5 years and followed each for the development of adverse sequelae through a prospectively maintained database. A neuroradiologist not involved in the stenting procedures assessed original and follow-up angiograms for evidence of restenosis. Restenosis was quantified as insignificant (0-24%), mild (25-49%), moderate (50-74%), or severe (75-100%). Results Of the 33 patients, 30 presented with transient ischemic attacks or stroke. Most (31 of 33 patients) manifested other brachiocephalic stenoses, including 27 patients with occlusion, hypoplasia, or stenosis of the contralateral vertebral artery. Angiographic follow-up (mean, 16.2 mo) was obtained in 30 patients (2 patients died before follow-up, and 1 refused). Restenosis was mild in seven patients, moderate in eight, and severe in five. The combined rate of moderate-to-severe restenosis was 43.3%. No complications resulted in permanent morbidity. One patient died as a result of a stroke in a different vascular distribution 4 months after VOAS. Another patient died as a result of basilar thrombosis in which emergent stenting had been undertaken in an effort to perform thrombolysis. Conclusion Despite a technical success rate of 97% and a low incidence of complications, VOAS is associated with a high rate of moderate-to-severe restenosis.
Disentanglement and decoherence in two-spin and three-spin systems under dephasing

We compare disentanglement and decoherence rates within two-spin and three-spin entangled systems subjected to all possible combinations of local and collective pure dephasing noise combinations. In all cases, the bipartite entanglement decay rate is found to be greater than or equal to the dephasing-decoherence rates and often significantly greater. This sharpens previous results for two-spin systems [T. Yu and J. H. Eberly Phys. Rev. B 68, 165322 (2003)] and extends them to the three-spin context.
Pronunciation of homographs

Abstract We tested the predictions concerning the pronunciation of monosyllabic homographs (words such as bass that have one regular and one irregular pronunciation) made by the dual-route model, the analogy model, and the distributed model if some level of independence between processes is assumed. In Experiment 1, we found that the naming latency of monosyllabic homographs was longer than the naming latency of regular control words that were half the printed frequency of the homographs. (We also found a longer naming latency for multisyllabic homographs that differed in both stress assignment and phonemic composition (e.g., project ) compared to control words, but no difference in naming latency for multisyllabic homographs that differed only in stress assignment (e.g., insult )). In addition, we found that the more frequent pronunciation was the irregular pronunciation for the majority of the monosyllabic homographs, and the naming latency for the more frequent pronunciation for these homographs was the same as or longer than the naming latency for the less frequent pronunciation. In Experiment 2, we carried out a delayed naming control experiment and did not find any naming latency differences between homographs and controls. In Experiment 3, we compared homographs with exceptions matched in frequency and found that the naming latency difference between homographs and their controls was larger than that between exceptions and their controls. Thus, the longer naming latency for monosyllabic homographs found in Experiment 1 is not simply a production effect or an exception effect. Finally, in Experiment 4, we found that for all three classes of homographs, the proportion of a given pronunciation was highly correlated with the subjective familiarity of that pronunciation. In the discussion, we argue that these results can only be supported by naming models in which the entire input string dominates sublexical constraints. Moreover, we argue that the counterintuitive data in which the more frequent pronunciation has a longer latency than the less frequent pronunciation requires two different constraints or processes that have different time courses.
Image quality in dynamic CT: a clinical discussion.

Modern state-of-the-art computed tomographic (CT) scanners emphasize three capabilities: image quality, dynamic scan capability, and a high-resolution thin-section technique. Image quality is fundamental and dependent on optimum performance and the interrelationship of all system components. Variables that affect the performance of the scanner include x-ray tube output and rate of heat dissipation; quantum detection efficiency; electronic noise in the acquisition system; speed, accuracy, and integration of mechanical motion in the gantry and table; and the algorithm used for image reconstruction. System design must allow for dynamic scan operation, either in the single-scan or cluster mode, with short interscan or intergroup delays or, as more recently developed, with helical acquisition. Dynamic scanning is frequently used for nonneurologic applications, including diagnosis of vascular and perivascular diseases and multifocal organ disease, particularly hepatic disease. Efficient operation depends on rap...
Isotopic dating of Meso- and Neoproterozoic mafic magmatism in the southern Tobacco Root Mountains, southwestern Montana

Abstract New isotopic dating of mafic dikes in the southern Tobacco Root Mountains of southwestern Montana provides evidence for two distinct episodes of subparallel Proterozoic mafic magmatism separated by about 700 m.y. Previously published geochemical data from dikes in the southern Tobacco Root Mountains had identified three geochemical groups (termed groups A, B, and C) with apparent Rb–Sr ages of 1455 Ma (group A) and 1100–1120 Ma (groups B and C). Sm–Nd dating of a geochemical group A dike yields an age of 1448 ± 49 Ma that is interpreted to represent the emplacement age of the dikes. This age is similar to published U–Pb dates from mafic sills that intrude the nearby Mesoproterozoic Belt Supergroup and Laramide basement-cored uplifts of the Archean Wyoming Province. Paleomagnetic results from groups A and B dikes are similar, suggesting that the were emplaced at about the same time. We suggest that the mafic magmatism recorded by the southern Tobacco Root Mountains group A/C dikes at about 1450 Ma probably corresponds to continental extension that accompanied development of the Mesoproterozoic Belt Basin. U–Pb dating of baddeleyite from the group B dikes provides evidence for a younger magmatic event with an age of 782.4 ± 4.9 Ma (95% confidence; ±7.1 Ma incorporating uranium decay constant errors). This date is similar to isotopic dates from Neoproterozoic mafic dikes and sills exposed elsewhere in uplifts of the Rocky Mountain foreland and that intrude the Mesoproterozoic strata of the Belt Supergroup. Geochronologic data from elsewhere in the northern Cordillera and Canadian Shield indicate that the group B dikes in the southern Tobacco Root Mountains are part of a regional 780 Ma magmatic event that extended for more than 2400 km along the western margin of Laurentia. The origin of the magmatic event is not clear, but may be related to a mantle plume and crustal extension accompanying initial breakup of the supercontinent Rodinia and development of the proto-Pacific Ocean. No evidence of ca. 1100 Ma mafic magmatism in this part of the northern Cordillera was found.
Evaluation of the Dairy Herd Improvement Association Record System

Two problems currently facing the dairy industry are the evaluation of new methods of measuring milk quantity and quality, and the production testing of more cows. Productiontesting problems center around labor costs and the limited number of farmers serviced by one Dairy Herd Improvement Association (DHIA) technician. Increasing the length of the testing interval would proportionally increase the number of farmers serviced by a technician, reduce the labor costs per farmer, and possibly increase the income of the technician. The evaluation of new milking devices and the adoption of different testing intervals is dependent upon the accuracy of the new methods relative to a standard. The standard for comparison of methods of production testing has been the actual daily production of the cow smnmed over all the days in the lactation. The accuracy needed in measuring test-day production should depend upon the influence of test-day production on the variation of the estimate of lactation production. Unbiasedness is also an important property for evaluating any method of production testing. Erb et al. (5) studied five methods of testing, using the daily production records of 19 cows. Thompson et al. (9) estimated the bias and the variance of the estimate of lactation production. The reader is referred to Erb et al. (4, 5) for a review of the early literature on testing methods and the accuracy of various testing methods. The purpose of this investigation was to determine the magnitude of the daily variation in milk yield and evaluate various methods of testing and estinmting lactation yield.
Real-time Health Monitoring of Bridge Structures Using a Reference- Free Damage Detection Algorithm

This paper proposes a continuous real-time structural health monitoring (SHM) and damage detection system. Wavelet packet decomposition (WPD) with a likelihood ratio was used for the damage sensitive indicator (DSI). A benchmark model updating structure instrumented with acceleration sensors was used for demonstration tests. A real-time reference-free damage detection algorithm is successfully implemented and verified using the benchmark test structure. The DSI based on WPD with a likelihood ratio algorithm showed consistency with two different damage scenarios. Furthermore, the application was web-published on a remote collaboratory site for remote access to a real-time structural health monitoring system.
Scheduling manufacturing systems

Abstract In this paper, three industrial scheduling problems arising in manufacturing systems are discussed. The first problem is the single machine scheduling problem with sequence-dependent setup times and precedence constraints. The mixed-integer formulation proposed is simple and easy to implement. The problem is solved with an efficient heuristic algorithm. The second problem is a machine cell scheduling problem. A new dispatching rule is developed to minimize the total tool setup time. The performance of the proposed rule was tested against three priority rules: first-in—first-out, shortest processing time, and longest processing time. The results of the simulation experiment showed that the dispatching rule performs better than the rules tested. The third problem is concerned with scheduling laser cutting operations. The overall objective is to minimize the number of overproduced parts and randomly nested parts. An integer programming formulation is proposed.
Shear stress induces endothelial transdifferentiation from mouse smooth muscle cells.

Smooth muscle cells (SMCs) under shear stress may alter their gene expression patterns to adapt to a new hemodynamic environment. Their plasticity may play an important role in vascular development, healing, and remodeling as well as vascular lesion formation under abnormal environmental conditions. A mouse vascular SMC line (P53LMACO1) cultured under shear stress significantly increased the mRNA levels of endothelial cell markers including Platelet-endothelial cell adhesion molecule-1 (PECAM-1), von Willebrand factor (vWF), and VE-cadherin, while significantly decreasing the mRNA levels of SMC markers including alpha-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA), calponin-1, smooth muscle myosin heavy chain (SMMHC), and transgelin as compared to static control cells. Protein levels of PECAM-1 and vWF were significantly increased, while protein levels of α-SMA were substantially decreased in the shear stress-cultured cells. In addition, shear stress-cultured cells showed an enhanced capability to form capillary-like structures on Matrigel. Thus, shear stress may promote endothelial cell transdifferentiation from SMCs.
Effect of a Change of Atmospheric Stability on the Growth Rate of Puffs Used in Plume Simulation Models

Abstract The dependence of plume growth rate on plume size is discussed. It is shown that the growth rates estimated by techniques used in some widely distributed puff models can be in error by as much as two orders of magnitude, although the errors are more commonly on the order of 10%. The concept of virtual travel distance is shown to provide a more realistic representation of the physical processes involved in plume growth after a change in atmospheric stability.
Involvement and role playing

Three studies focused on involvement as a function of type and content of the role play, experimenter behaviors, and proportion of time in scenario roles. Several measures of involvement were obtained. Generally, there was a low correlation between involvement estimated by observers and self-reported involvement; subjective involvement also was related more consistently to other variables.
Optical glory of small freely rising gas bubbles in water: observed and computed cross-polarized backscattering patterns

Light scattered from spherical bubbles in water manifests an enhancement in the backward direction analogous to the well-known optical glory of a drop. Unlike the glory for water drops, in which the rays travel partially on the drop’s surface, the glory for bubbles is due to rays that are refracted and multiply reflected within the scatterer and is an example of a transmitted wave glory. Photographs of glory scattering for freely rising air bubbles in water are displayed for bubbles having diameters of less than 300 μm. A physical-optics model for backscattering is developed for spherical bubbles. Computed glory patterns from both Mie-series calculations and the physical-optics model agree with the observed patterns. The patterns of freely rising air bubbles having a diameter of ≲300 μm are essentially those predicted for a spherical scatterer. The interference of different classes of glory rays is more clearly seen for bubbles in water than for the previously studied case of bubbles in oil.
Modification of ribulose bisphosphate carboxylase by 2,3-butadione.

Abstract D-ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylases purified from barley or formate-grown Pseudomonas oxalaticus were inactivated by 2,3-butadione. Pseudo first-order inactivation depended on the presence of borate and was reduced by product 3-phosphoglycerate. The half-times at 30°C and pH 8.3 in the presence of 2 mM 2,3-butadione are 10 and 60 minutes for the enzymes from P. oxalaticus and barley, respectively. Saturation kinetics and arginine modification were demonstrated for the enzyme from P. oxalaticus .
Attributions related to wife abuse: A comparison of the perceptions of volunteer advocate-counselors and marriage and family therapists

Attributions related to wife abuse held by advocate-counselors working in women's shelter home settings and marriage and family therapists were compared. The major finding was that the two groups were surprisingly similar in their attributions even though their theoretical backgrounds and training were considerably different. Implications for practice and training are presented.
Differential furanose selection in the active sites of archaeal DNA polymerases probed by fixed-conformation nucleotide analogues.

DNA polymerases select for the incorporation of deoxyribonucleotide triphosphates (dNTPs) using amino acid side-chains that act as a “steric-gate” to bar improper incorporation of rNTPs. An additional factor in the selection of nucleotide substrates resides in the preferred geometry for the furanose moiety of the incoming nucleotide triphosphate. We have probed the role of sugar geometry during nucleotide selection by model DNA polymerases from Sulfolobus solfataricus using fixed conformation nucleotide analogues. North-methanocarba-dATP (N-MC-dATP) locks the central ring into a RNA-type (C2′-exo, North) conformation near a C3′-endo pucker, and South-methanocarba-dATP (S-MC-dATP) locks the central ring system into a (C3′-exo, South) conformation near a C2′-endo pucker. Dpo4 preferentially inserts N-MC-dATP and in the crystal structure of Dpo4 in complex with N-MC-dAMP, the nucleotide analogue superimposes almost perfectly with Dpo4 bound to unmodified dATP. Biochemical assays indicate that the S. solfatar...
Acoustical properties of the swimbladder in the oyster toadfish Opsanus tau.

Both the swimbladder and sonic muscles of the oyster toadfish Opsanus tau (Linnaeus) increase in size with fish growth making it difficult to distinguish their relative contributions to sound production. We examined acoustics of the swimbladder independent of the sonic muscles by striking it with a piezoelectric impact hammer. Amplitude and timing characteristics of bladder sound and displacement were compared for strikes of different amplitudes. Most of the first cycle of sound occurred during swimbladder compression, indicating that the bladder rapidly contracted and expanded as force increased during the strike. Harder hits were shorter in duration and generated a 30 dB increase in amplitude for a 5-fold or 14 dB range in displacement. For an equivalent strike dominant frequency, damping, bladder displacement and sound amplitude did not change with fish size, i.e. equal input generated equal output. The frequency spectrum was broad, and dominant frequency was driven by the strike and not the natural frequency of the bladder. Bladder displacement decayed rapidly (ζ averaged 0.33, equivalent to an automobile shock absorber), and the bladder had a low Q (sharpness of tuning), averaging 1.8. Sound output of an acoustic source is determined by volume velocity (surface area × velocity), and bladder surface area, muscle dimensions and contraction amplitude increase with fish size. Therefore, larger fish will be capable of producing more intense sound. Because the bladder is a low Q resonator, its output will follow muscle contraction rates independent of its size and natural frequency.
Coronary artery pathophysiology after radiofrequency catheter ablation: review and perspectives.

Background Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) has proven to be an effective and safe treatment in patients with ventricular and atrial tachyarrhythmias. Among complications arising after RFA, the incidence of coronary artery (CA) injury is exceedingly low. When CA injury does occur, however, it can be clinically devastating. The proximity of CAs to common ablation sites suggests that the relationship between RFA and CA perfusion pathophysiology is important for optimal lesion formation and safe arrhythmia treatments. Objective Although others have described the presentation and outcomes of patients with CA injury after ablation, a review that consolidates the mechanisms of CA injury after RFA has yet to be presented in the cardiology literature. Methods We conducted an extensive literature search of studies published over the past 30 years that relate the biophysics of RFA with CA perfusion pathophysiology and injury. Results We present a review of the dynamic relationship between RFA and CA perfusion. We describe RFA lesion pathology, mechanisms of CA injury from RFA, and factors that influence lesion formation, such as convective cooling and the shadow effect. Conclusion We summarize methods to mitigate CA injury after RFA and propose new research avenues to optimize lesion formation and safe arrhythmia treatments when tissue is ablated in the vicinity of CAs.
Binocular and monocular depth cues in online feedback control of 3D pointing movement.

Previous work has shown that humans continuously use visual feedback of the hand to control goal-directed movements online. In most studies, visual error signals were predominantly in the image plane and thus were available in an observer’s retinal image. We investigate how humans use visual feedback about finger depth provided by binocular and monocular depth cues to control pointing movements. When binocularly viewing a scene in which the hand movement was made in free space, subjects were about 60 ms slower in responding to perturbations in depth than in the image plane. When monocularly viewing a scene designed to maximize the available monocular cues to finger depth (motion, changing size and cast shadows), subjects showed no response to perturbations in depth. Thus, binocular cues from the finger are critical to effective online control of hand movements in depth. An optimal feedback controller that takes into account of the low peripheral stereoacuity and inherent ambiguity in cast shadows can explain the difference in response time in the binocular conditions and lack of response in monocular conditions.
Optical Processing Of Coherent Doppler Tomograms

In recent years, we and others have developed a type of reflective tomography based on coherent processing of Doppler frequency-shifted echoes from rotating objects. The objects are placed in the Fraunhofer region and irradiated with microwaves as they rotate. The returning signals are sampled and stored in digital form. These are later processed using an optical computer, and highly-resolved, two-dimensional images (tomograms) can be reconstructed. Holographic character is apparent in the processed data. To produce an image, we first make a data film strip and then irradiate it with light from a He-Ne laser in our coherent optical processor. The available resolution predicts images comparable to those produced with digital computation. A coherent optical system is thus able to provide effective and cost-efficient parallel processing in reconstructing coherent Doppler tomograms.© (1983) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Flow boiling critical heat flux on small heated regions

Often, in optical and electronic equipment, heating is concentrated in very small regions, and, because of materials constraints, cooled walls must be as thin as possible. Also, for efficiency, many high-flux cooling designs involve forced-convection boiling heat transfer. Though efficient, a design with boiling heat transfer can be difficult for it must properly account for the complexities of the boiling flux-temperature relationship. Of concern is locating the point of incipience to boiling and the point of maximum nucleate boiling heat flux, Critical Heat Flux (CHF), and describing the complex behaviors in the vicinities of these points. Characteristics of boiling near these points are discussed in terms of boundary layer behavior. Changes in either the heater size or the wall thickness affects the boiling curve, particularly the CHF behavior. Results from experiments which were conducted on small, heated regions are discussed in light of their application to the design of high-power optical and electronic devices. The effects of flow velocity, subcooling, pressure, heating length, dissolved gas content, and flow streamline curvature are addressed.© (1993) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Linear polarizations of 4.43 MeV 12 C * and 6.13 MeV 16 O * gamma-rays as indicators of directions of particles in solar flares

The linear polarizations of the 4.43 MeV 12C* and the 6.13 MeV 16O* gamma-ray lines, that are assumed to be produced in (p, p′) processes in solar flares, are projected as functions of θ, the angle between the line-of-sight and the direction of the particle beam. The projected polarization amplitudes are quite large, and it is suggested that their measurement would facilitate to uniquely determine the particle direction without recourse to Doppler shift measurements.
Fastest-Known Maximum-Likelihood Decoding of Quasi-Orthogonal STBCs with QAM Signals

We present a maximum-likelihood (ML) decoder with the lowest computational complexity known to-date for full-diversity, arbitrary size Quasi-Orthogonal Space-Time Block Codes (QO-STBCs) with symbols from square or rectangular quadrature amplitude modulation (QAM) constellations. We start with the formulation of an explicit joint two-complex-symbol decoder for general QO-STBCs with arbitrary complex symbols and then derive the proposed ML decoder for QO-STBCs with QAM symbols. The complexity savings are made possible by a simplified quadratic ML decoding statistic that utilizes algebraically the structure of the signal points of the QAM constellation. Comparative computational complexity analysis with existing ML implementations and simulation studies are included herein for illustration and validation purposes.
Personality trait profiles of missionary adolescents.

Background: The study objective was to compare the Taylor-Johnson Temperament Analysis secondary population norms for adolescents, to test results of Assemblies of God missionary adolescents, and determine if the mission's experience had significant impact on personality traits. Methods: A retrospective record review study of Taylor-Johnson Temperament Analysis test results administered to all missionary adolescents aged 13- to 18-years-old, having attended a yearly school of missions from 1986 to 1994, was performed. A two-sample, two-tailed t-test was used for statistical analysis. Test results were compared with standard adolescent and adult norms. Initial, and second test results when available, were compared for significant personality trait changes in adolescents over a 2–3 year interval, while in the mission's program. Subpopulation norms were calculated for the study group. Results: Initial tests from 438 study group adolescents demonstrated significant differences in 7 of 9 personality trait categories for males, and 8 of 9 for females, compared with test adolescent norms. Initial, and second test comparisons were performed in 67 adolescents, and showed no significant changes in the personality trait scores in males and females. Personality trait profiles for females more closely resembled adult than adolescent norms, with 8 of the 9 personality trait categories showing no significant difference between adult female norms and study females. Conclusions: Clinicians and mission's sending agencies should be aware of the unique Taylor-Johnson Temperament Analysis test patterns for missionary adolescents, and that Taylor-Johnson Temperament Analysis norm tables for adolescents seem inadequate in evaluating missionary adolescents. Appropriate subpopulation norms are likely necessary. The impact of missions on personality trait categories of missionary adolescents seems negligible, but needs further research with methods that assure follow-up testing. These considerations could apply to other subpopulations and psychological tests.
An exploratory comparison of the roles of representations in face to face and online collaborative learning

The paper reports an empirical study comparing the role of discourse and knowledge representations in face to face versus distance collaborative learning. The study reported in this paper compares proximal (face to face) with distal (synchronous collaboration via networked software) conditions. Two competing hypotheses were evaluated: (1) the influence of representations in the distal condition could be weaker because of the lack of implicit "taken as shared" that results from working together in front of a physically shared display, and because of the greater difficulty of utilizing the representations as a resource for conversation through gesturing. (2) The influence of representations in the distal study could be stronger because participants may rely more on them for their communication in the absence of face-to-face communication. The quantitative data supported the second hypothesis, while other observations supported the first hypothesis. A synthesis is offered.
The Mathematical Structure of an Aquatic Ecosystem Model

As ecological models become more complex, the ques tion of whether they are stable becomes more diffi cult to answer. Some ecologists believe that a com plex system is more stable than a simple system because it is less dependent on any single path through it. Mathematicians, on the other hand, have shown that systems of equations are more likely to become unstable as the number of equations increases. Neither tendency may apply to ecological systems that include time-varying components and in which the number of significant interactions does not de pend strongly on the number of components.In the case of the aquatic ecosystem model MS. CLEANER, solutions of the governing differential equations are stable even though the model contains up to 40 state variables and simulates many biologi cal, biochemical, microbial, and chemical processes. The stability is the result of feedback in the system and the sparseness of the interaction matrix. A qualitative analysis of the model shows that the functions used to ...
Reduced Limbic and Hypothalamic Volumes Correlate with Bone Density in Early Alzheimer’s Disease

Accelerated bone loss is associated with Alzheimer's disease (AD). Although the central nervous system plays a direct role in regulating bone mass, primarily through the actions of the hypothalamus, there is little work investigating the possible role of neurodegeneration in bone loss. In this cross-sectional study, we examined the association between bone mineral density (BMD) and neuroimaging markers of neurodegeneration (i.e., global and regional measures of brain volume) in early AD and non-demented aging. Fifty-five non-demented and 63 early AD participants underwent standard neurological and neuropsychological assessment, structural MRI scanning, and dual energy x-ray absorptiometry. In early AD, voxel-based morphometry analyses demonstrated that low BMD was associated with low volume in limbic grey matter (GM) including the hypothalamus, cingulate, and parahippocampal gyri and in the left superior temporal gyrus and left inferior parietal cortex. No relationship between BMD and regional GM volume was found in non-demented controls. The hypothesis-driven region of interest analysis further isolating the hypothalamus demonstrated a positive relationship between BMD and hypothalamic volume after controlling for age and gender in the early AD group but not in non-demented controls. These results demonstrate that lower BMD is associated with lower hypothalamic volume in early AD, suggesting that central mechanisms of bone remodeling may be disrupted by neurodegeneration.
Embracing Physical Literacy.

At the most recent SHAPE America National Convention held in St. Louis, MO, an international perspective of the term “physical literacy” was introduced. Experts representing North America, Europe, and Asia provided insight into the increased acceptance and implementation of the term. Since the terms “physical education” and “physical activity” are so widely used and recognized in the United States, it is important to discuss whether the use of the term physical literacy is just a fad, or whether it helps to elevate our profession, explain what we do more clearly and accurately, and bring us in line with all the other “literacies,” such as health literacy, computer literacy, etc. The purpose of this article is to provide some background, which will hopefully spark further professional discussion about the potential greater adoption of physical literacy as a key component in our field.
Epithelial to Mesenchymal Transition Tumors: Fallacious or Snail's Pace?

In this issue of Clinical Cancer Research , Yauch et al. ([1][1]) present evidence that a subset of non–small cell lung carcinomas that do not respond to erlotinib therapy have low levels of E-cadherin and higher levels of mesenchymal-type transcripts. The bulk of their evidence uses non–small