cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Effects of photoperiod and continuous administration of melatonin on plasma concentrations of prolactin in cashmere goats

The objective of this study was to determine whether continuous melatonin administration by means of implants (Regulin) would provide a short-day photoperiodic signal and modulate prolactin secretion in goats maintained under controlled environmental conditions. Mean plasma concentrations of prolactin in goats maintained under long-day (LD) photoperiods was greater (79 ng/ml; P=0.01) than for goats maintained under short-day (SD) photoperiods (41.9 ng/ml; SEM=3.8 ng/ml). There was a day-length-by-time interaction (P<0.01). A nocturnal peak in circulating concentrations of prolactin was observed in goats exposed to LD but not to SD photoperiods. There also was a day-length-by-sex interaction (P=0.06). Male goats had higher levels of prolactin than females during LD (98.6 and 59.3 ng/ml, respectively). During SD, plasma prolactin levels were higher in female compared to male goats (48.3 and 35.5 ng/ml, respectively; SEM=5.4 ng/ml). Prolactin secretion was reduced (P=0.14) in goats receiving melatonin (50.9 ng/ml) compared with those not receiving melatonin implants (70.3 ng/ml; SEM=3.8 ng/ml). The nocturnal rise in prolactin secretion in goats subjected to LD photoperiods was not prevented by melatonin. Therefore, a continuous melatonin release, administered by means of implants near the end of the normal breeding season, did not significantly impact prolactin secretion in goats.
Frequency pulling and heterodyning observed in voltage spectrum of the Fröhlich conductor NbSe3

Abstract The voltage power spectrum of NbSe 3 has been studied in the upper charge-density wave (CDW) state where only one CDW exists. In the non-Ohmic regime sharp spikes appear in the spectrum. The frequency of these spikes increases monotonically with current as in the lower CDW state. We study the “fine structure” of the spectrum and find evidence for “frequency pulling” between the modes. A linear coupled-mode treatment is used to model this effect. There is also evidence of heterodyning of an intrinsic (current independent) 2MHz mode. We briefly discuss these phenomena in terms of Frohlich sliding conductivity. Difficulties with the simple two-fluid model as well as models based on solid state turbulence are pointed out.
A Technique to measure the positions of sense wires in low mass drift chambers

Abstract In this paper we report on a technique to measure the positions of sense wires in low mass drift chambers using electrons from a collimated 90Sr source. With this technique a sense wire position can be determined to an accuracy of less than 50 μm.
αT244M Mutation affects the redox, kinetic, and in vitro folding properties of Paracoccus denitrificans electron transfer flavoprotein

Threonine 244 in the α subunit of Paracoccus denitrificans transfer flavoprotein (ETF) lies seven residues to the amino terminus of a proposed dinucleotide binding motif for the ADP moiety of the FAD prosthetic group. This residue is highly conserved in the α subunits of all known ETFs, and the most frequent pathogenic mutation in human ETF encodes a methionine substitution at the corresponding position, αT266. The X-ray crystal structures of human and P. denitrificans ETFs are very similar. The hydroxyl hydrogen and a backbone amide hydrogen of αT266 are hydrogen bonded to N(5) and C(4)O of the flavin, respectively, and the corresponding αT244 has the same structural role in P. denitrificans ETF. We substituted a methionine for T244 in the α subunit of P. denitrificans ETF and expressed the mutant ETF in Escherichia coli. The mutant protein was purified, characterized, and compared with wild type P. denitrificans ETF. The mutation has no significant effect on the global structure of the protein as inferr...
Stretchable silicon sensor networks for structural health monitoring

We have developed a technique to realize dense sensor/actuator networks that can be deployed on the centimeter to meter-scale in a cost-effective manner. The two-dimensional network is entirely processed in a CMOS foundry before it is "stretched" to the target size and "cut" to the right shape. Our technique therefore combines the maturity of CMOS fabrication techniques with the ability to quickly assemble a fully interconnected 2D sensor network of arbitrary size and shape. Both sensor node placement and network wiring are achieved automatically. The sensor networks are rugged because no wire bonds or solder connections are needed and can be seamlessly integrated into structural materials. The high node count per unit area and large amount of electronic functionality that can be integrated per node will lead to a new class of materials and structures that are truly intelligent.
Maturation‐related loss in rooting competence by loblolly pine stem cuttings: The role of auxin transport, metabolism and tissue sensitivity

A comparison of rooting ability of stem cuttings made from hypocotyls and epicotyls from 50-day-old seedlings of loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) reveals a dramatic decline by epicotyl cuttings, which do not root at all in 20-30 days in the presence or absence of auxin. In contrast, almost all the hypocotyls root during this time, but only in the presence of exogenously applied auxin. The failure of epicotyls to root does not appear to be due to differences in [ 14 C]-labeled auxin uptake, transport, metabolism, or tissue distribution in the two types of cuttings. At the cellular level, initial responses to auxin, such as differentiation of the cambium into parenchyma, occur in both types of cuttings, but localized rapid cell division and root meristem organization are not observed in epicotyls. Autoradiography revealed that radioactivity from α-naphthalene acetic acid is bound in the cortex but not concentrated at sites of root meristem organization prior to the organization of the meristem in hypocotyls. During the development of the epicotyl, cellular competence to form roots appears to be lost. Although this loss in competence is not associated with a concurrent loss in ability to transport auxin polarly, the latter process appears to play a key role in rooting other than to move auxin to the site of root formation. The phytotropin N-(1-naphthyl)phthalamic acid inhibits rooting if applied during the first 3 days after the cutting is made, but does not affect auxin concentration or metabolism at the rooting site.
A new two dimensional empirical mode decomposition for images using inpainting

This paper introduces a two dimensional version of the empirical mode decomposition (2D-EMD) using an inpainting technique. The most natural use for 2D-EMD is in image processing. The algorithm hereby presented is based on the underlining idea of the one-dimensional EMD presented by Huang et al. in [1], but using inpainting and three surfaces: upper surface, lower surface, and mean surface. Upper and lower surfaces are surfaces connected by local maxima and minima, respectively. The mean surface is calculated by the average of the upper and lower surfaces. Using these three surfaces, the intrinsic mode functions (IMFs) are obtained through an iterative process, as in the 1D-EMD. The lower IMFs of the 1D-EMD correspond to high frequency components. The lower IMFs obtained with 2D-EMD show image edges.
Overcoming pre-existing adenovirus immunity by genetic engineering of adenovirus-based vectors.

Adenovirus (Ad)-based vectors offer several benefits showing their potential for use in a variety of vaccine applications. Recombinant Ad-based vaccines possess potent immunogenic potential, capabl...
A SYNDROME OF ECTRODACTYLY, ECTODERMAL DYSPLASIA, CLEFT LIP AND PALATE, PARTIAL ANODONTIA AND UROGENITAL ABNORMALITIES

Three of four siblings born to nonconsanguineous unaffected parents had various manifestations of a multiple malformation syndrome. All three had hypohidrotic ectodermal dysplasia and partial anodontia. A 20 year old white woman had cleft lip and palate, ectrodactyly and syndactyly of the hands and mild to moderate conductive hearing loss. A 13 year old boy had cleft lip and palate, syndactyly, moderate hearing loss and an ilial bladder. He had had a hydrocele and urethral obstruction. A 12 year old girl had absence of the labia minora. Absence of the right kidney and ureterovesical obstruction on the left were detected roentgenographically. The obstruction was corrected surgically. The disorder in this family is similar to that described previously by Rosselli and Gulienetti and by Bowen and Armstrong. It would appear to be of autosomal recessive inheritance.
An integral equation approach to the study of the steady state current at surface microelectrodes

Abstract An efficient and accurate numerical procedure using integral equation methods is described for solving steady state microelectrode transport problems. The approach is applicable to the general case of an arbitrarily shaped planar electrode, including both surface and bulk reactions. In this work, results for the electrode current are presented for typical values of the dimensionless surface and bulk reaction constants for (1) the common case of an isolated disc-shaped microelectrode imbedded in an insulating plane substrate and (2) two identical disc-shaped microelectrodes at arbitrary separations in an insulating plane. The numerical results for the isolated disc problem are in excellent agreement with both the recent asymptotic approximations of Phillips and a new four-term expansion derived herein for conditions which are surface-reaction limited. For the more typical diffusion-limited reaction conditions studied by Phillips, a numerically based correction to the asymptotic series is proposed, thereby extending the range of utility of the analytical approximation. Overall, the numerical method allows straightforward investigation of mixed boundary value problems and is applicable to other surface transport problems, e.g. microelectrode rings or arrays of circular microelectrodes, for which characterization of the mass transport process for the two-disc configuration is a first step.
Mechanochemitry: A Molecular Biomechanics View of Mechanosensing

Molecular biomechanics includes two themes: the study of mechanical aspects of biomolecules and the study of molecular biology of the cell using mechanical tools. The two themes are interconnected for obvious reasons. The present review focuses on one of the interconnected areas—the mechanical regulation of molecular interaction and conformational change. Recent conceptual developments are summarized, including catch bonds, regulation of molecular interaction by the history of force application, and cyclic mechanical reinforcement. These studies elucidate the mechanochemistry of some of the candidate mechanosensing molecules, thereby providing a natural connection to mechanobiology.
The Power of Femininity in the New South: Women's Organizations and Politics in North Carolina, 1880-1930

This examination of women's voluntary associations in North Carolina between 1880 and 1930, describes how they: explored the ideal of southern femininity; shaped public policy; brought about social reform; and created a feminine role in politics even before they were enfranchised.
Ovarian control of blood meal retention the the mosquito Anopheles freeborni

Abstract Female Anopheles freeborni begin to defaecate the haem containing residue of a blood meal about the time their ova mature, 40–45 hr after feeding. Ovariectomized females begin to defaecate 15 hr prematurely, while ovariectomized females treated with 20-hydroxyecdysone retain blood meals longer, proportional to dose, than do those untreated. It is concluded that the production of ecdysteroids by the ovary initiates a mechanism for retention of the blood meal in the mosquito.
Mackey, Alison, & SUSAN M. GASS. (Eds.). Research Methods in Second Language Acquisition: A Practical Guide. Malden, MA: Wiley–Blackwell, 2012. Pp. vi, 326. $103.95, cloth. ISBN 978–1–44433–426–5.

A review of the book "Research Methods in Second Language Acquisition: A Practical Guide," edited by Alison Mackey and Susan M. Gass, is presented.
Understanding stalling demographic transition in high-fertility countries: a case study of Guatemala

The debate surrounding the use of period, cohort, and tempo-adjusted measures has framed most of the recent studies evaluating the utility of macro-level fertility indicators. Period measures are susceptible to distortions, due to birth timing changes, but there is currently no universally accepted adjustment technique. Recent comparative analyses have offered some insights but only as applied to the low-fertility developed world setting. The utility of different types of measures in the high fertility context is unclear. Furthermore, regional variation in the pace of fertility transition is characteristic of many less developed countries and is rarely incorporated into macro-level analyses. The purpose of this analysis is to evaluate macro-fertility indicators at the regional and national levels in a high-fertility country, Guatemala, using the four most recent survey data sets. The results support the use of macro-level period indicators and adjusted period indicators of fertility in developing country contexts.
Synthesis and lithographic performance of highly branched polymers from hydroxyphenylmethylcarbinols

A new synthesis pathway for 4- and 2-hydroxymethylcarbinol (4- and 2-HPMC) has made a new class of highly branched polymers readily available. The polymers, which are isomers of polyhydroxystyrene, show unexpected dissolution behavior in aqueous bases which differs from the solubility characteristics seen for the linear polymers obtained by free-radical polymerization. This behavior is traced back to the influence of the changing bond types in the co-polymerization series on the kinetic parameters. With respect to lithography, the absorption of the polymers is too high to make them attractive as DUV resist materials. Although their bond structure shows all bond types that also exist in novolaks, the HPMC polymers are found to be more PHS-like than novolak-like in their performance with DNQ sensitizers. However, they are compatible with DNQ/novolak resists, and can be used in resin blends with novolaks without phase separation.
Distributed signature sequence adaptation via pricing for downlink of MC-CDMA system

A distributed signature sequence adaptation scheme is considered for the downlink of MC-CDMA system, wherein each mobile user selfishly adapts its signature sequences to improve its own performance objective with no consideration to the other users in the system. Pricing is introduced to each user's performance objective to make that user notice the power it consumes. It then serves as a control signal to motivate users to efficiently share the limited transmission power at base station, even thought the adaptation of users signature sequences is independent. It is shown that the proposed adaptation scheme will converge to a set of signature sequences at which no user can further improve its own performance with unilateral adaptation. Simulation result indicates that a simple linear pricing function with a properly chosen unit price can significantly improve the system performance.
Expected waiting time for the visual response

Let the light-quanta be absorbed in the retina according to a Poisson process. The present paper derives bounds for the expected waiting time for an occurence of a visual response. These bounds can serve as control limits for a proposed coincidence threshold. An upper bound for the probability that a visual response has not occured in (O,t) is derived and is used to obtain an upper bound for the mean visual threshold.
Applied Anatomy of the Cremasteric Muscle and Fascia

AbstractPurpose: Although the cremasteric muscle is a prominent structure of the inguinal canal, specific details of its anatomy are seldom discussed in either anatomical or surgical texts. Therefore, a detailed description of the anatomy of the cremasteric muscle and fascia is provided, followed by descriptions of new applications of this knowledge for operations on the inguinal canal.Materials and Methods: Observations are described based on more than 1,000 operations on the inguinal canal conducted during a 15-year period. Magnification of 3.5 × was used in all dissections.Results: Careful dissections of the cremasteric muscle and fascia allowed for development of new approaches to enhance exposure of the inguinal canal and internal ring, and to mobilize the spermatic cord and testes.Conclusions: Knowledge of the anatomy of the cremasteric muscle and fascia, and techniques for dissection are adjuncts to surgery of the inguinal canal, including inguinal hernia repair and orchiopexy.
Design of a 1GHz Digital PLL Using 0.18\mu m CMOS Technology

A digital phase-locked loop (DPLL) is designed and is shown to have 1GHz operation with lock time of 643.36ns. The lock time was reduced by adjusting the charge pump current and the loop filter capacitor. There was a trade-off between the lock time, loop filter capacitor, and ripples on the output of the VCO. Design procedures and simulation results are illustrated.
Milk Production and Nitrogen Utilization by Dairy Cows Infused Postruminally with Sodium Caseinate, Soybean Meal, or Cottonseed Meal

Abstract Four Holstein cows with fistulated rumens were in a 4×4 Latin square design for us to determine effects of administering different sources of protein postruminally on milk production, milk composition, and efficiency of nitrogen utilization. Treatments consisted of postruminal infusion of 1) water, 2) sodium caseinate, 3) soybean meal, or 4) cottonseed meal. Milk yield (kg/day) and milk protein production (g/day) for the four treatments were: 1) 30.6, 1043; 2) 32.7, 1146; 3) 32.1, 1102; and 4) 31.1, 1087. Synthesis of milk protein increased during postruminal infusions of protein as indicated by the increased casein nitrogen fraction in milk. All protein infusions improved efficiency of use of absorbed nitrogen for synthesis of milk protein. Milk fat percentage and daily production of milk fat were not affected by treatments.
Hemispheric Asymmetry in the Processing of Stroop Stimuli: An Examination of Gender, Hand-Preference, and Language Differences

The present investigation examined the possibility that the explanation for the Stroop phenomenon lies in the hemispheric asymmetry of the human brain. Forty-eight male and 73 female students from freshman psychology classes served as subjects for this study. There were 37 males and 53 females who were right-handed and monolingual; 16 left-handers (five males, 11 females); and 13 bilingual subjects (four male, nine female) included in the sample. Only one person was both left-handed and bilingual. All subjects responded to color words printed in incongruent colors by reading the word or reporting the color in which the word was printed. Response latencies were recorded in hundredths of a second for each of the 36 trials for each subject. For all individuals, response latency was consistently shorter when reading the word than when reporting the color. Females demonstrated a shorter latency for the color stimuli than did males; however males demonstrated a shorter latency for the word stimuli. Evidence indicated that the Stroop phenomenon may best be explained by different modes of neural processing for symbolic and iconic stimuli for all individuals. It was further indicated that females have greater flexibility between hemispheres unless other intervening factors (i.e., hand preference or language differences) provide a symmetry in hemispheric functioning not ordinarily found in males.
Selective opening of mitochondrial ATP-sensitive potassium channels during surgically induced myocardial ischemia decreases necrosis and apoptosis.

Objective: Mitochondrial ATP-sensitive potassium channels have been proposed to be myoprotective. The relevance and specificity of this mechanism in cardiac surgery was unknown. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of the mitochondrial potassium ATPsensitive channel opener diazoxide on regional and global myocardial protection using a model of acute myocardial infarction. Methods: Pigs (n ¼ 19) were placed on total cardiopulmonary bypass and then subjected to 30 min normothermic regional ischemia by snaring the left anterior descending coronary artery (LAD). The aorta was then crossclamped and cold blood Deaconess Surgical Associates cardioplegia (DSA; n ¼ 6) or DSA containing 50 mM diazoxide (DZX; n ¼ 6) was delivered via the aortic root and the hearts subjected to 30 min hypothermic global ischemia. The crossclamp and snare were removed and the hearts reperfused for 120 min. Results: No significant differences in preload recruitable stroke work relationship, Tau, proximal, distal or proximal/distal coronary flow, regional or global segmental shortening, systolic bulging or post-systolic shortening were observed within or between DSA and DZX hearts during reperfusion. Infarct was present only in the region of LAD occlusion in both DSA and DZX hearts. Infarct size (% of area at risk) was 33.6 ^ 2.9% in DSA and was 16.8 ^ 2.4% in DZX hearts (P , 0:01 versus DSA). Apoptosis as estimated by TUNEL positive nuclei was 120.3 ^ 48.8 in DSA and was significantly decreased to 21.4 ^ 5.3 in DZX hearts. Myocardial infarct was located centrally within the area at risk in both DSA and DZX hearts but was significantly increased at borderline zones within the area at risk in DSA hearts. Conclusions: The addition of diazoxide to cardioplegia significantly decreases regional myocardial cell necrosis and apoptosis in a model of acute myocardial infarction and represents an additional modality for achieving myocardial protection. q 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.
Reduced temporal sampling effect on accuracy of time-domain fluorescence lifetime Förster resonance energy transfer

Fluorescence lifetime imaging (FLIM) aims at quantifying the exponential decay rate of fluorophores to yield lifetime maps over the imaged sample. When combined with Forster resonance energy transfer (FRET), the technique can be used to indirectly sense interactions at the nanoscale such as protein–protein interactions, protein–DNA interactions, and protein conformational changes. In the case of FLIM-FRET, the fluorescence intensity decays are fitted to a biexponential model in order to estimate the lifetime and fractional amplitude coefficients of each component of the population of the donor fluorophore (quenched and nonquenched). Numerous time data points, also called temporal or time gates, are typically employed for accurately estimating the model parameters, leading to lengthy acquisition times and significant computational demands. This work investigates the effect of the number and location of time gates on model parameter estimation accuracy. A detailed model of a FLIM-FRET imaging system is used for the investigation, and the simulation outcomes are validated with in vitro and in vivo experimental data. In all cases investigated, it is found that 10 equally spaced time gates allow robust estimation of model-based parameters with accuracy similar to that of full temporal datasets (90 gates).
The Effect of a Family Therapy and Technology-Based Intervention on Caregiver Depression

Purpose The majority of persons with Alzheimer's disease (AD) are cared for at home by a family member such as a spouse or daughter. Caregiving places enormous demands on these caregivers, and the negative consequences associated with caregiving are well documented. This paper reports results from the Miami site of the REACH (Resources for Enhancing Alzheimer's Caregiver Health) program that examined the efficacy of a family therapy and technology-based intervention in reducing depressive symptoms (according to the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression scale) among family caregivers of AD patients at 6 months and 18 months follow-up. Design and methods There were 225 White American and Cuban American caregivers that were randomized into a structural ecosystems therapy, structural ecosystems therapy + computer-telephone integrated system, or minimal support control condition. Results Caregivers in the combined family therapy and technology intervention experienced a significant reduction in depressive symptoms at 6 months. The 18-month follow-up data indicated that the intervention was particularly beneficial for Cuban American husband and daughter caregivers. Implications The results indicate that information technology has a promising role in alleviating distress and depression among groups of AD caregivers. The data also demonstrate that interventions have differential impacts according to ethnic group and the caregiver-patient relationship.
Levels of adaptation: insights into survival in dynamic environments

Different biological species exhibit varying levels of adaptation to dynamically changing environments. This phenomenon is explored utilizing the dual dynamic network model by examining the evolutionary search properties and fitness distributions of large numbers of offspring from random and evolved populations of dual dynamic networks configured with operational parameters to enable an abstraction of hierarchically organized levels of adaptations. The results indicate that the ability to track a dynamically changing environment may be easier when the dynamics of the adaptable system are governed by both weak and strong influences that are coupled in a linearly modulatory fashion.
Cognitive control and attentional functions

Cognitive control is essential to flexible, goal-directed behavior under uncertainty, yet its underlying mechanisms are not clearly understood. Because attentional functions are known to allocate mental resources and prioritize the information to be processed, we propose that the attentional functions of alerting, orienting, and executive control and the interactions among them contribute to cognitive control in the service of uncertainty reduction. To test this hypothesis, we examined the relationship between cognitive control and attentional functions. We used the Majority Function Task (MFT) to manipulate uncertainty in order to evoke cognitive control along with the Revised Attention Network Test (ANT-R) to measure the efficiency and the interactions of attentional functions. A backwards, stepwise regression model revealed that performance on the MFT could be significantly predicted by attentional functions and their interactions as measured by the ANT-R. These results provide preliminary support for our theory that the attentional functions are involved in the implementation of cognitive control as required to reduce uncertainty, though further investigation is needed.
A Time-Frequency Functional Model for Locally Stationary Time Series Data

Unlike traditional time series analysis that focuses on one long time series, in many biomedical experiments, it is common to collect multiple time series and focus on how the design covariates impact the patterns of stochastic variation over time. In this article, we propose a time-frequency functional model for a family of time series indexed by a set of covariates. This model can be used to compare groups of time series in terms of the patterns of stochastic variation and to estimate the covariate effects. We focus our development on locally stationary time series and propose the covariate-indexed locally stationary setting, which include stationary processes as special cases. We use smoothing spline ANOVA models for the time-frequency coefficients. A two-stage procedure is introduced for estimation. To reduce the computational demand, we develop an equivalent state space model to the proposed model with an efficient algorithm. We also propose a new simulation method to generate replicated time series ...
The Loyal Atlantic: Remaking the British Atlantic in the Revolutionary Era. Edited by Jerry Bannister and Liam Riordan. (Toronto, Canada: University of Toronto Press, 2012. Pp. ix, 318. $29.95.)

Jerry Bannister and Liam Riordan should be proud of this edited volume. With this book of collected essays taken from a 2009 conference on the topic, the editors have greatly expanded historians' k...
Membrane versus Soluble Isoforms of TNF-α Exert Opposing Effects on Tumor Growth and Survival of Tumor-Associated Myeloid Cells

TNF-α, produced by most malignant cells, orchestrates the interplay between malignant cells and myeloid cells, which have been linked to tumor growth and metastasis. Although TNF-α can exist as one of two isoforms, a 26-kDa membrane tethered form (mTNF-α) or a soluble 17-kDa cytokine (sTNF-α), the vast majority of published studies have only investigated the biologic effects of the soluble form. We show for the first time that membrane and soluble isoforms have diametrically opposing effects on both tumor growth and myeloid content. Mouse lung and melanoma tumor lines expressing mTNF-α generated small tumors devoid of monocytes versus respective control lines or lines expressing sTNF-α. The lack of myeloid cells was due to a direct effect of mTNF-α on myeloid survival via induction of cell necrosis by increasing reactive oxygen species. Human non-small cell lung carcinoma expressed varying levels of both soluble and membrane TNF-α, and gene expression patterns favoring mTNF-α were predictive of improved lung cancer survival. These data suggest that there are significant differences in the role of different TNF-α isoforms in tumor progression and the bioavailability of each isoform may distinctly regulate tumor progression. This insight is critical for effective intervention in cancer therapy with the available TNF-α inhibitors, which can block both TNF-α isoforms.
(E,Z)-2,13-octadecadien-1-ol acetate. A new pheromone structure for sesiid moths

Abstract (E,Z)-1,13-Octadecadien-1-ol acetate was identified from ovipositor extracts of the grape root borer and was shown to attract males of the species.
Conditioning analysis of missing data estimation for large sensor arrays

Optimal missing data estimation algorithms including deblurring and denoising are designed to restore images captured from large CCD sensor arrays using a butting technique, where 1 to 2 columns of data are missed at the butting edge. We developed a consistency method with separable deblurring to estimate the missing data. This method converts an ill-posed restoration problem into a well-posed one by making few assumptions based on regularization theory. Under the condition that no noise is inserted, and the separable blur kernel is exactly known, the consistency method can deblur the original image and at the same time estimate the missing columns(s) exactly. However, this algorithm becomes unstable when large noise is inserted or inaccurate estimation of the blur kernel is made. Conditioning analysis is used to quantify the amount of ill condition of the blur kernel when the assumptions are relaxed to different levels, which provides a solid measurement on how stable the system will remain knowing the signal-to-noise ratio and the inaccuracy of the blur kernel estimation. Experimental results from different approaches are compared.
Measurement of Oxygen Diffusivity and Permeability in Polymers Using Fluorescence Microscopy

A simple fluorescence microscopy technique is developed and presented to investigate heterogeneities in emission intensity and quenching responses of luminescence sensors and to measure diffusion and permeation coefficients of oxygen in polymers. Most luminescence oxygen sensors do not follow linearity of the Stern-Volmer (SV) equation due to heterogeneity of luminophore in the polymer matrix. To circumvent this limitation, inverted fluorescence microscopy is utilized in this work to investigate the SV response of the sensors at the micron scale. It was found that intensity is higher in regions where the luminophore is aggregated, but the response is poorer to oxygen concentration. In contrast, the nearly homogeneous regions exhibit linearity with high SV constants. In these diffusion experiments, oxygen concentration was measured by luminescence changes in regions with high SV constants and good linearity. Two diffusion experiments were performed-termed film-on-sensor and accumulation-in-volume techniques. A new Fick's law based quasi-steady-state diffusion model was developed and combined with the SV equation to obtain effective permeation coefficients for the accumulation-in-volume technique. Using these experimental techniques, oxygen diffusion properties in free-standing Teflon polymer films, cast silicon elastomers, and cast polydimethylsiloxane films containing different weight percentages of zeolite were determined with good precision.
Optical solitons in PT periodic potentials

We investigate the effect of nonlinearity on beam dynamics in parity-time (PT) symmetric potentials. We show that a novel class of one- and two-dimensional nonlinear self-trapped modes can exist in optical PT synthetic lattices. These solitons are shown to be stable over a wide range of potential parameters. The transverse power flow within these complex solitons is also examined.
LineFORM: Actuated Curve Interfaces for Display, Interaction, and Constraint

In this paper we explore the design space of actuated curve interfaces, a novel class of shape changing-interfaces. Physical curves have several interesting characteristics from the perspective of interaction design: they have a variety of inherent affordances; they can easily represent abstract data; and they can act as constraints, boundaries, or borderlines. By utilizing such aspects of lines and curves, together with the added capability of shape-change, new possibilities for display, interaction and body constraint are possible. In order to investigate these possibilities we have implemented two actuated curve interfaces at different scales. LineFORM, our implementation, inspired by serpentine robotics, is comprised of a series chain of 1DOF servo motors with integrated sensors for direct manipulation. To motivate this work we present various applications such as shape changing cords, mobiles, body constraints, and data manipulation tools.
Analysis of Polymerization Kinetics and the Use of a Digital Computer

Abstract The design of chemical reactors for polymerization and degradation processes requires the consideration of the kinetics of reaction systems which may contain several hundred or even thousand consecutive and simultaneous reactions. The problem is further complicated by the fact that the kinetic mechanisms for these processes are not well established. The present paper is a theoretical analysis of addition polymerization, copolymerization and degradation systems occurring in both continuous stirred tank and batch reactors for a number of kinetic models reported in the literature. Analytical solutions are derived for the steady state continuous process. In the batch process a steady state is not assumed and approximately 200 simultaneous first order differential equations for species concentrations are solved numerically. The paper is divided into three parts. Addition polymerization is discussed in the first part for each of the special cases of monomer, spontaneous, combination and disproportionat...
Anatomic Changes Produced in Mice Treated with Excessive Doses of Cortisone

Summary1. The administration to mice of Cortisone in doses approximately 50 times the dose for humans produced a striking lymphopenia, loss in body weight, atrophy of thymus and spleen, and diminution in size of adrenal cortex, salivary glands, pituitary, and hibernating fat bodies. A number of histologic changes are briefly described.2. The anatomic findings correspond to those of the “alarm and adaptation” phenomena of Selye except for atrophy of the adrenal cortex in place of hypertrophy. Cortisone per se may produce some of the morphologic changes associated with the “alarm reaction.”3. Administration of these excessively large doses of Cortisone may produce exhaustion of protective mechanisms, including antibody formation.
Abstract P5-06-11: Knockdown of Splicing Factor SRp20 Results in Cell Line-Dependent Apoptosis in Breast Cancer Cells

Background: Cancer-specific alternative splicing as well as aberrant splicing factor expression in tumors have been reported (Korner M et al, Am. J. Pathol. 175:461-472, 2009). Splicing factor SRp20 belongs to a family of highly conserved serine-arginine-rich proteins with multiple functions in RNA processing such as spliceosome assembly and alternative splicing (Graveley BR, RNA. 6(9):1197-211, 2000). Materials and Methods: We established stable MDA-MB-231, MCF-7, and T47D cell lines carrying doxycycline (Doxy)-inducible SRp20shRNA and assessed Doxy-induced knockdown (KD) of SRp20 by western blot. We performed cell growth curves in triplicate using the MTT assay to determine the effect of SRp20 KD in these cell lines after Doxy induction of SRp20shRNA, and compared these to controls. For apoptosis assays, we stained SRp20shRNA sublines with Hoechst 33342 and counted apoptotic cells under the microscope. We also carried out western blots to examine the expressions of Bcl-2 and cleaved caspases-3, -6, -7, and -9. Results and Discussion: We found that the expression of SRp20 was upregulated in immortalized human mammary epithelial cells (HMECs), compared to controls, and that the level of SRp20 correlated with the transformation state. Knockdown of SRp20 was seen to be 88%, 58%, and 52% in MDA-MB-231, MCF-7, and T47D cells, respectively. However, SRp20 KD suppressed breast cancer cell growth in a cell line-dependent manner. Cell growth after 7 days was decreased in estrogen receptor-negative (ER-) MDA-MB-231 cells (91.4%), and estrogen receptor-positive (ER+) MCF-7 (73.2%), while SRp20 KD had no effect on growth of ER+ T47D cells. The differences between MCF-7 and T47D were notable, since SRp20 was suppressed by -50% in both lines. We found that the number of apoptotic cells in MDA-MB-231 line remarkably increased after Doxy treatment, indicating that the inhibition of cell growth was due to apoptosis. Further, immunoblot analysis of Bcl-2 and cleaved caspases in MDA-MB-231 cells indicated that the SRp20 KD activates the intrinsic apoptotic pathway in these breast cancer cells. We are presently assessing the expressions of these proteins in MCF-7 and T47D cells and investigating the mechanistic basis for this cell line-dependent effect of SRp20 KD. In summary, we report here a novel finding that inhibition of splicing factor SRp20 inhibits cell growth in some breast cancer cell lines. The intrinsic apoptotic pathway appears to be the main mechanism of cell growth inhibition in these cells. Our results indicate that SRp20 plays a major role in the survival of some breast cancer cell lines. This splicing factor may represent a novel therapeutic target for the treatment of some breast cancers. (Supported in part by CA40570 and CA138762 from NCI to WTB, in part by IDPH to XH, and in part by UIC) Citation Information: Cancer Res 2010;70(24 Suppl):Abstract nr P5-06-11.
Research on Shearing Force Calculation of Rotary Gang Slitting based on LS-DYNA

Through the discussion of computing formula of rotary gang slitting shearing force,according to the actual production needs,the circular shears 3D model was designed.By using LS-DYNA,the circular shears plate finite element model was set up for nonlinear computational study,a copper plate in the shearing process of stress-strain state and shear stress were obtained.With the theoretical calculation result contrast analysis,the copper bar cutting simulation of distribution of stress and plastic deformation accuracy were confirmed,the shear stress curve of a better response of the shear process of shear stress changes was gotten,the dynamic finite element analysis provided theoretical support for the circular shears design and actual production.
The drug approval process and the information it provides.

By law, the commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is responsible for determining whether a new drug is safe and efficacious before it is approved for marketing in the U.S. and for monitoring its use after approval. This paper provides a brief overview of the approval process, in terms of responsibilities of the sponsor in submitting an application for review to the FDA and FDA's responsibilities and organizational procedures for reviewing and approving those applications. A brief history on the legislation regarding the FDA's responsibility in the drug approval area is discussed along with recent regulations, legislation, and FDA initiatives aimed at improving the drug approval process. Specific information that can be released to the public upon request is also discussed. This paper is limited to the regulation of drugs; somewhat different regulations govern the review and regulation of biological products and abbreviated new drug applications.
Diagnosis and Endocrine Testing in Acromegaly

Acromegaly is defined as a state of excessive production of growth hormone (GH) and somatomedin C (SmC)/IGF-I generally from a GH-producing pituitary tumor. Once the diagnosis is suspected on clinical grounds, it should be established based on persistent elevations of GH and of IGF-I and confirmed with a glucose tolerance test showing a lack of suppressibility of GH levels. Other tests, including the paradoxic GH elevation in response to TRH and LHRH, are helpful in establishing the diagnosis as well as in determining and monitoring the outcome of surgical and medical therapy. New tests are also discussed.
Cramer-Rao type bounds for sparsity-aware multi-target tracking in multi-static passive radar

Sparsity-aware multi-sensor multi-target tracking (MTT) algorithms comprise a two-step sequential architecture that cascades a group sparse reconstruction scheme and a multi-target tracker. The former exploits the a priori knowledge that the measurements across multiple sensors share a common sparse support in a discretized target state space and provides a computationally efficient approach for centralized fusion of the multi-sensor information. In the succeeding step, the multi-target tracker performs data association, compensates for the missed detections, and removes the clutter components, so as to improve the accuracy of multi-target state estimates. In many practical applications, the observation suffers from a high proportion of missing samples, rendering it difficult to accurately estimate the multi-target states using the group sparse reconstruction methods. Therefore, it is of significant interest to analyze the performance loss due to missing samples. In this paper, we analytically evaluate the Cramer-Rao type performance bounds for the sparsity-aware multi-sensor MTT algorithms in a multi-static passive radar system and evaluate the performance loss due to missing samples in the measurement vectors.
Endocrine‐Disrupting Chemicals and Reproductive Health

This review discusses the evidence linking industrial chemicals to a variety of health and reproductive outcomes. Industrial chemical production has increased over the past 30 to 40 years. Basic science, animal models, and epidemiologic data suggest that certain chemicals may act as endocrine disruptors (substances that interfere with normal hormonal action) and may play an etiologic role in a number of conditions whose incidence has also increased during this same period. These include low birth weight, gestational diabetes, obesity, certain cancers, certain birth defects, and neurodevelopmental disorders such as attention deficit disorder and autism. In addition, some environmental chemicals may have epigenetic effects, resulting in transgenerational health impacts. The epidemiologic and experimental evidence that links chemicals such as plasticizers (eg, phthalates and phenols), flame retardants, perfluorinated compounds, and pesticides with adverse reproductive health outcomes is reviewed. Women's health care providers are the liaison between scientific research and their patients; they should educate themselves on the significance of environmental toxins to health. They are ideally positioned, not only to counsel and reassure pregnant women, but also to suggest practicable changes in dietary and lifestyle habits to improve their health. Furthermore, women's health care providers should advocate for regulatory changes that protect women and their families from the health effects of environmental toxins.
Fairy Tales, Sexuality, and Gender in France 1690–1715: Marvelous realities: toward an understanding of the merveilleux

Based either directly or indirectly on folkloric material, literary fairy tales very often transcend national, ethnic, and historical confines. Many of today's best known fairy tales, such as “Beauty and the Beast” or “Cinderella,” have been found to exist in the folklore not only of Europe but of several non-Western cultures as well. But the wide-spread diffusion of certain oral narratives with the same basic structure can be deceptive. In spite of the striking similarities among different traditions, tale-tellers and their audiences always put stories to historically and culturally specific uses. “As soon as an ethnic group adopts the main themes of a tale type, it imbues them with local interests and tastes,” concludes the noted folklorist Lutz Rohrich. Often, literary fairy tales too are appropriations of pre-existing stories that were fashioned to accommodate the preferences and preoccupations of specific tale-spinners and readers. Folk- and fairy tales are closely related genres because of the important continuities they share, such as similar or recurring thematic and structural devices (motifs, stock characters, formulaic openings and endings, etc.). At the same time, the wide-spread diffusion of these devices enables individual storytelling communities to adapt tales to their own needs and desires. Anyone even remotely familiar with folk- and fairy tales will recognize that one of their most prominent features is the use of marvelous (ie. supernatural) characters and settings.
Metaphor-Driven Modeling

As Lakoff and Johnson’s research attests, conceptual metaphor represents a fundamental and natural organizing framework of human understanding. It seems efficacious to apply this framework’s benefits to the task of representing and communicating knowledge about systems and modeling. It seems almost poetic to say “We need to understand a system as a model in terms of conceptual metaphor.”
Head of Cataloging Positions in Academic Libraries: An Analysis of Job Advertisements

ABSTRACT This article is based on a detailed analysis of job advertisements for the head of cataloging position in American academic libraries from 2004 to 2006. The sources for the advertisements were American Libraries, CR in addition to traditional responsibilities managing cataloging activities, it has expanded into areas which were formerly in the domains of systems librarians, automation librarians, and public services librarians. Non-traditional position titles and non-traditional job responsibilities emerged. ALA-accredited MLS/MLIS was still the core required educational qualification. Managerial skills, cataloging experience, and knowledge of cataloging tools and resources were required by all of the selected job advertisements. Communication skills were required by over 90 percent of the selected job advertisements. Tra...
TCT-805 Use of Orbital Atherectomy to Aid in Endovascular Aortic Endograft Delivery in Patients with Severe Iliac Artery Occlusive Disease

Stent grafts for repair of abdominal aortic aneurysms are continuing to evolve to lower profile designs to facilitate easier endograft delivery. Despite improvements in design, a subset of patients undergoing endovascular abdominal aortic aneurysm repair (EVAR) exist with severely calcified iliac