cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A Semantic (Faceted) Web

Resume Cet article propose une reponse historico-theorique aux questions qui sont au cœur du present numero : D’ou venons-nous ? Ou en sommes-nous ? Ou allons-nous ? Notre reflexion porte sur un ensemble de theories et de pratiques communement connues sous le nom de classification a facettes ou theorie des facettes, telles qu’elles sont appliquees dans le contexte du web semantique. Nous examinons des applications du web semantique qui utilisent, adaptent ou interpretent de facon erronee la theorie ou la pratique de l’analyse par facettes ou de la classification a facettes. Notre objectif secondaire est de suggerer la creation de definitions operationnelles et de specifications fonctionnelles pour une theorie des facettes qui puisse enrichir, amplifier et elargir la comprehension que nous en avons presentement et ses applications sur le web semantique.
The effect of interventions to prevent cardiovascular disease in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Abstract Purpose Cardiovascular complications account for over 50% of mortality among patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. We quantify the cardiovascular benefit of lowering cholesterol, blood pressure, and glucose levels in these patients. Methods We conducted a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials in type 2 diabetes or diabetes subgroups, comparing the cardiovascular effects of intensive medication control of risk factor levels in standard therapy or placebo. We identified trials by searching MEDLINE (1966 to 2000) and review articles. Treatment details, patient characteristics, and outcome events were obtained using a specified protocol. Data were pooled using fixed-effects models. Results Seven serum cholesterol-lowering trials, six blood pressure–lowering trials, and five blood glucose-lowering trials met eligibility criteria. For aggregate cardiac events (coronary heart disease death and nonfatal myocardial infarction), cholesterol lowering [rate ratio (RR) = 0.75; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.61 to 0.93) and blood pressure lowering (RR = 0.73; 95% CI: 0.57 to 0.94) produced large, significant effects, whereas intensive glucose lowering reduced events without reaching statistical significance (RR = 0.87; 95% CI: 0.74 to 1.01). We observed this pattern for all individual cardiovascular outcomes. For cholesterol-lowering and blood pressure–lowering therapy, 69 to 300 person-years of treatment were needed to prevent one cardiovascular event. Conclusions The evidence from these clinical trials demonstrates that lipid and blood pressure lowering in patients with type 2 diabetes is associated with substantial cardiovascular benefits. Intensive glucose lowering is essential for the prevention of microvascular disease, but improvements in cholesterol and blood pressure levels are central to reducing cardiovascular disease in these patients.
Lipid Lateral Mobility and Membrane Phase Structure Modulation by Protein Binding

Using a combination of fluorescence correlation and infrared absorption spectroscopies, we characterize lipid lateral diffusion and membrane phase structure as a function of protein binding to the membrane surface. In a supported membrane configuration, cholera toxin binding to the pentasaccharaide headgroup of membrane-incorporated GM1 lipid alters the long-range lateral diffusion of fluorescently labeled probe lipids, which are not involved in the binding interaction. This effect is prominently amplified near the gel-fluid transition temperature, Tm, of the majority lipid component. At temperatures near Tm, large changes in probe lipid diffusion are measured at average protein coverage densities as low as 0.02 area fraction. Spectral shifts of the methylene symmetric and asymmetric stretching modes in the lipid acyl chain confirm that protein binding alters the fraction of lipid in the gel phase.
Efficacy of mycophenolate mofetil in pediatric patients with steroid-dependent nephrotic syndrome

Most patients with minimal change nephrotic syndrome are steroid responsive and tolerate this medication. However, a substantial number of patients relapse frequently and become steroid dependent. These patients often require treatment with alternative immunosuppressive drugs to maintain remission and minimize steroid toxicity. Previous studies have suggested that mycophenolate mofetil is effective in treating these patients. However, there are limited data on the effectiveness of this agent in pediatric patients, specifically those with steroid-dependent nephrotic syndrome. The purpose of this study was to assess the efficacy and safety of mycophenolate mofetil therapy in children and adolescents with steroid-dependent nephrotic syndrome who failed other treatments. A retrospective chart review was performed on all patients with steroid-dependent nephrotic syndrome. Clinical characteristics, laboratory data and the relapse rate were assessed prior to and during mycophenolate mofetil treatment. Twenty-one patients, ages 2-17 years, with steroid-dependent nephrotic syndrome who were treated with mycophenolate mofetil between 2001-2005 were included in this review. The indication for mycophenolate mofetil use was steroid dependence in 17 and steroid toxicity in 4 patients. The mean duration of treatment was 1.0+/-0.5 years (range: 0.2-2.0 years). Patients treated with mycophenolate mofetil had a reduction in relapse rate from 0.80+/-0.41 to 0.47+/-0.43 relapses per month ( P <0.02). Side effects were mild and mostly gastrointestinal in nature. In 1 child, mycophenolate mofetil was discontinued due to varicella infection and not restarted. The findings indicate that mycophenolate mofetil is a useful adjunctive therapy in the treatment of patients with steroid-dependent nephrotic syndrome. It lowers the relapse rate by 40% and is well tolerated by patients with steroid-dependent nephrotic syndrome.
Distribution of serotonergic neurons and processes in the lamprey spinal cord

The distribution of serotonin in the spinal cord in two species of lamprey, Ichthyomyzon unicuspis and Petromyzon marinus, was studied by indirect immunofluorescence techniques. Multipolar cell bodies containing serotonin-like immunoreactivity were found along the length of the spinal cord, along the midline and slightly ventral to the central canal. These cell bodies send a diffuse projection of processes throughout the spinal cord, including: (1) a dense projection to the ventral surface; (2) a strong projection to the ventromedial longitudinal fiber tracts; (3) a less intense projection to the dorsal longitudinal fiber tracts; and (4) a weak projection to the lateral fiber tracts. Lesion experiments showed that processes descending from the brain or rostral spinal cord provide a major projection to the lateral fiber tracts and smaller contributions to the dorsal and ventromedial fiber tracts. Fluorescent processes were also observed in the dorsal roots and serotonergic peripheral cell bodies were seen adjacent to the dorsal roots. Our results suggest that the serotonergic innervation of the lamprey spinal cord arises from three sources: spinal interneurons, descending tracts and peripheral (possibly sensory) input. This provides an anatomical substrate for our recent finding12,13 that serotonin modulates the central pattern generator for locomotion in the lamprey spinal cord.
Random variables with independent integer and fractional parts

For random variables with independent integer and fractional parts : a canonical form is given for those with positive differentiable densities, and a condition ensuring exponentiality is made less restrictive.
Extrapyramidal disorders: a possible underlying mechanism.

Abstract In vivo and in vitro studies have been presented to suggest an interrelationship between drugs used in the management of, or known for their induction of, extrapyramidal disorder and certain dehydrogenase enzymes involved in ths metabolic pathway of the biogenic amines. This relationship is discussed to advance a tentative hypothesis explaining a possible underlying mechanism and to provide an explanation for the implication of alcohol consumption in worsening of extrapyramidal symptoms during certain pharmacotherapy. The major neutral metabolites of the biogenic amines acted as substrate to or induced rat liver alcohol dehydrogenase (L-ADH) and drugs used in the management of tardive dyskinesia similarly induced L-ADH. This induction of L-ADH could enhance the metabolic biotransformation of the neutral metabolites of the monoamines. Conversely, drugs known to evoke extrapyramidal dyskinesias inhibited rat liver aldehyde dehydrogenase (L-ALDH). This inhibition of ALDH may give rise to toxic condensation products between biogenic amine aldehydes and their precursors which may be implicated in certain dyskinesias. It is proposed that one of the mechanisms underlying the biogenic amine involvement in the pathogenesis of certain extrapyramidal diseases may include a critical balance between their reductive and oxidative routes of metabolism.
Significant Heterosexual Relationships Among College Students

Abstract The purpose of the present study was to identify the relationship dimensions that characterize an individual's network of significant heterosexual relationships. Two hundred and sixty male and female undergraduates completed an anonymous questionnaire designed to assess 11 relationship factors for each of the individual's five most significant heterosexual relationships. Factor analytic procedures using the varimax criteria were employed to determine the dimensions of these relationships. Results indicated a great deal of similarity in the dimensions across all five significant relationships, with the most significant relationship being somewhat distinct from the other four less significant relationships. Discussion centered on the implications of these results for future research on the impact of relationship networks on individuals' personal adjustment and the quality of their heterosexual relationships.
Pharmacology of autism

Abstract The purpose of this review is to discuss the pharmacology of autistic disorder (autism) and other pervasive developmental disorders (PDDs) from the perspective of specific target symptom domains of behavior. Drug treatment strategies directed toward the following target symptom domains are included: motor hyperactivity and inattention; interfering stereotypical and repetitive behavior; aggression and self-injurious behavior (SIB); and the core social impairment of autism and other PDDs. For motor hyperactivity and inattention, studies have indicated that the α2 adrenergic agonists, clonidine and guanfacine, are useful. A placebo-controlled study by the Research Units on Pediatric Psychopharmacology (RUPP) Autism Network found methylphenidate to be efficacious in 49% of subjects with various PDDs for these target symptoms. Preliminary data with the norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor atomoxetine are encouraging. For interfering stereotypical and repetitive behavior, controlled studies of the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor fluvoxamine found the drug to be more efficacious and better tolerated in adults than children with autism and other PDDs. A recent controlled study of low-dose liquid fluoxetine found the drug more efficacious than placebo for interfering repetitive behavior and well tolerated. A large placebo-controlled study of the atypical antipsychotic risperidone found the drug to be efficacious for reducing aggression, SIB and tantrumming in 70% of children with autism and that the response was maintained for up to 6 months. Open-label studies of other atypical antipsychotics are generally encouraging. A small, single-blind study of the glutamatergic agent d -cycloserine showed significant benefit for the social withdrawal of autism. Future directions include studying coactive pharmacological treatment strategies utilizing more than one drug to target more than one target symptom domain in individuals with autism and other PDDs.
Frequency-Resolved Nanoscale Chemical Imaging of 4,4′-Dimercaptostilbene on Silver

Nonresonant tip-enhanced Raman (TERS) images of 4,4′-dimercaptostilbene (DMS) molecules adsorbed on silver reveal that different vibrational resonances of the molecules are optimally enhanced at different sites of the metal surface. The recorded images map the interaction between vibrational-mode-dependent polarizability tensors of DMS and enhanced electromagnetic fields at a plasmonic tip–surface nanojunction. TERS images also provide insights into specific molecule–metal interactions. Namely, by virtue of the symmetry (C2h) of the molecular reporter specifically selected for this study, we demonstrate how non-totally symmetric vibrational modes of DMS (bu modes) map differences in vibronic coupling strength across the metal surface. In effect, each pixel in the recorded TERS images reports on the distinct local environments in which the various probed molecules reside. We illustrate the concept.
FATIGUE OF FIBER-COMPOSI TES The Case for Mechanism-Based Models

Long duration fatigue testing of composites is time consuming and expensive. There is, therefore, a stronger incentive to reduce the reliance on fatigue testing than in other areas of design. Mechanismbased models offer the potential to reduce the reliance on test programs. Such models have been derived for several fatigue damage mechanisms, notably: delamination, fiber bridged cracking and off-axis ply cracking. There has been less success at modeling fatigue processes at higher levels, such as at notches. Examples of existing models are presented from the literature, and their capabilities and deficiencies are discussed in the context of improving the processes of materials selection and design for durability. Key principles are advocated, including modeling damage propagation utilizing Paris type expressions, the importance of lengthscales in modeling fatigue processes and the need to improve the capability to model multiple, interacting, damage processes.
Fourier analysis of complex impedance (amplitude and phase) in nonlinear systems: A case study of diodes

The general framework of Fourier analysis of complex impedance including both the amplitude and phase information is presented. For the single frequency sine/cosine input, Fast Fourier Transform can be used to obtain the amplitude and phase of the harmonics in the output signal. Complex nonlinear least squares fitting can then be applied to correlate the experimental and calculated results as in conventional impedance spectroscopy. General purpose p–n junction diodes were used as model systems to test the
Maximal Muscle Strength of Elderly Women is not Influenced by Oestrogen Status

It has recently been reported that oestrogen replacement may preserve the ratio of muscle strength to cross-sectional area in the hand in addition to its beneficial effect on bone mass in postmenopausal women. Since muscle strength is associated with falls and fractures in elderly people, this additional effect of oestrogen replacement could be of considerable benefit to postmenopausal women. We therefore wished to determine whether this effect was also evident in larger muscle groups that are involved in ambulation, balance, and activities of daily living. We examined the relationship of oestrogen replacement therapy (ORT) to maximal dynamic muscle strength in 85 healthy women aged 65-82 years. Thirty-seven women were currently taking ORT and had been on stable doses for 2 to 43 years [17.8 (1.8); mean (SEM)], while 48 women had no previous exposure to postmenopausal oestrogen therapy. Dynamic muscle strength was determined for five standard lower-body exercises using isotonic equipment by the 1-RM method. Bone mineral density (BMD, g/cm2) of the axial and appendicular skeleton as well as body composition was assessed by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. There was no difference between subjects according to ORT status for age, height, weight, lean body mass (LBM), fat mass, or percentage body fat. BMD of the spine (L2-4), mid-radius, and whole body was greater (p < 0.001) in individuals receiving ORT, with no significant difference at the femoral neck. No differences existed between groups for lower-body muscle strength. Normalizing muscle strength to body mass and LBM did not alter the result.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Potentiation of the hypoxic ventilatory response by 1 day of hyperoxia in neonatal rats.

Abstract The O2 sensitivity of the neonatal rat carotid body is increased after 1 day in moderate hyperoxia (60% O2) ( Donnelly et al., 2009 ). We investigated whether this enhanced peripheral chemosensitivity increases the hypoxic ventilatory response (HVR) and tested the hypothesis that this plasticity is mediated by the superoxide anion. Neonatal rats (7 d old) were injected with saline or MnTMPyP, a superoxide scavenger, and placed into 60% O2 for 23–28 h. Baseline ventilation was reduced and the acute HVR (12% O2) was enhanced in hyperoxia-treated rats relative to age-matched controls; MnTMPyP did not block these effects. An additional group of rats was studied after only 30 min in 60% O2. This shorter exposure had no effect on normoxic ventilation or the HVR. We conclude that 1 d, but not 30 min, of 60% O2 augments the HVR of neonatal rats and that production of the superoxide anion does not contribute to this plasticity.
Highly efficient tabletop optical parametric chirped pulse amplifier at 1 μm

Optical parametric chirped pulse amplification (OPCPA) is a scalable technology for ultrashort pulse amplification. Its major advantages include design simplicity, broad bandwidth, tunability, low B-integral, high contrast, and high beam quality. OPCPA is suitable both for scaling to high peak power as well as high average power. We describe the amplification of stretched 100 fs oscillator pulses in a three-stage OPCPA system pumped by a commercial, single- longitudinal-mode, Q-switched Nd:YAG laser. The stretched pulses were centered around 1054 nm with a FWHm bandwidth of 16.5 nm and had an energy of 0.5nJ. Using our OPCPA system, we obtained an amplified pulse energy of up to 31 mJ at a 10 Hz repetition rate. The overall conversion efficiency from pump to signal is 6%, which is the highest efficiency obtained with a commercial tabletop pump laser to date. The overall conversion efficiency is limited due to the finite temporal overlap of the seed (3 ns) with respect to the duration of the pump (8.5 ns). Within the temporal window of the seed pulse the pump to signal conversion efficiency exceeds 20%. Recompression of the amplified signal was demonstrated to 310 fs, limited by the aberrations initially present in the low energy seed imparted by the pulse stretcher. The maximum gain in our OPCPA system is 6x107, obtained through single passing of 40 mm of beta- barium borate. We present data on the beam quality obtained from our system (M2=1.1). This relatively simple system replaces a significantly more complex Ti:sapphire regenerative amplifier-based CPA system used in the front end of a high energy short pulse laser. Future improvement will include obtaining shorter amplified pulses and higher average power.
Chronic granulocytic leukemia in a patient with sickle cell anemia

R eports of patients with sickle cell disease and hematologic neoplasms are rare, although there is no evidence that patients with sickle cell disease have increased resistance to such malignancies. It has been speculated that the rarity of hematologic neoplasms in sickle ce!l disease is due to early mortality in this disease. Although reported rarely, sickl’e cell disease has been found to co-exist with multiple myeloma, Hodgkin’s disease, malignant histiocytosis, acute myelocytic leukemia, acute myelomonocytic leukemia, acute lymphocytic leukemia, and chronic granulocytic leukemia [l]. There are, to our knowledge, two previous descriptions of patients with sickle cell anemia and chronic granulocytic leukemia [2,3], and one report of a patient with sickle/beta thalassemia and chronic granulocytic leukemia [4].
Simple models for biomembrane structure and dynamics

Simulation of biomembranes over length and time scales relevant to cellular biology is not currently feasible with molecular dynamics including full atomic detail. Barring an unforeseen revolution in the computer industry, this situation will not change for many decades. We present two coarse grained simulation models for biomembranes that treat water implicitly (i.e. no water molecules appear in our simulations. The hydrophobic effect, hydrodynamics and related properties are approximately included without simulation of solvent). These models enable the study of systems and phenomena previously intractable to simulation. The influence of membrane bound proteins on lipid ordering and the diffusion of membrane bound proteins is discussed.
Failure detection diagnostics for thermofluid systems

This paper presents experimental results for an on-board microprocessor-based failure detection package designed to assist in the diagnosis of heat pump failures. A model-free limit and trend checking scheme, and a model-based innovations detection formulation operate in parallel to detect anomalous behavior. This dual approach permits the study of tradeoffs between failure detection performance and method complexity. A series of typical anomalies are experimentally simulated in a heat pump, and results are presented to demonstrate the performance of each detection strategy
The definition of the sentinel lymph node in melanoma based on radioactive counts.

Background There is no consensus on the definition of a hot, nonblue sentinel lymph node (SLN), despite the widespread use of radiocolloid in SLN mapping.
Type XVII collagen and collagen-like molecules: related by more than a common motif

Abstract Historically, collagens have been defined as extracellular matrix structural proteins whose sequence is characterized by many repeats of a three amino acid unit, GLY-X-Y. However, the latter motif has been identified in certain domains of a number of other proteins including the C1q subunit of complement, the collectins, the asymmetric form of acetylcholinesterase, ficolin and the macrophage scavenger receptors. We describe these molecules and discuss both their structure and their putative functions. Intriguingly, these proteins show similarity to a 180 kD protein component of an epithelial cell/matrix anchorage device called the hemidesmosome. The latter protein is now considered a bona fide member of the collagen superfamily and has been termed type XVII collagen, despite the fact that it is a non-secreted transmembrane protein. We review recent studies on type XVII collagen which provide clues to its potential protein–protein interactions as well as its role in the pathogenesis of two human skin diseases.
Introduction to a supplement on innovative approaches to studying health outcomes in rare diseases.

Over the past decade, rare diseases have assumed an increasingly prominent place in health care discourse in the US and around the world. Rare diseases currently comprise approximately 6,000 different disease types, affecting about 6–8 % of people,1 or about the same proportion of the US population with diabetes.2 However, the number of rare diseases continues to rise, as new genomic data have led physicians and scientists to recognize that many diseases thought to be single entities may actually be made up of numerous genetically unique rare subtypes that have different responses to therapy and varying prognoses. In addition, drugs for rare diseases make up the largest growing category of new molecular entities approved by regulators in the US and EU.3,4 New legislative programs in the US and EU have sought to encourage greater investment in research for certain types of rare diseases, including neglected tropical diseases.5 At the same time, investment by charitable foundations and patient interest groups related to rare diseases has led to some notable therapeutic advances, such as ivacaftor, a breakthrough therapy for a rare subtype of cystic fibrosis.6
Emerging directions in the analysis of prehistoric stone tool use

Lawrence H. Keeley. Experimental Determination of Stone Tool Uses: A Microwear Analysis. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1980. 216 pages.
Recovering from unexpected lane drifts

A desktop driving simulator was used to investigate how drivers react to an unexpected lane drift. Participants drove scenarios in which vision was occluded for three to seven 1-second intervals, in which a wind gust pushed them laterally during the final occlusion in a series. No-task and an odd/even digit task condition were used to vary the cognitive load during the occlusions. Steering angle and lateral lane position profiles were used to identify steering reaction times and time to regain lateral lane stability after a lane drift. Results showed that drivers were quicker to counter-steer and regain lateral lane position stability in the digit task occlusion condition.
Characterization of ATP and P2 agonists binding to the cardiac plasma membrane P1,P4-diadenosine 5′-tetraphosphate receptor

P1,P4-Diadenosine 5'-tetraphosphate (Ap4A) acts as an extracellular modulator through its interaction with purinoceptors. Our laboratory has demonstrated the presence of an Ap4A receptor in cardiac tissue [1,2]. Due to the rapid hydrolysis of ATP by cardiac membranes the relationship of ATP and Ap4A binding to purinoceptors on cardiac membranes has not been characterized. In this communication we used two approaches to determine the relationship of ATP to the Ap4A receptor. Radioligand binding carried out with [alpha-32P]Ap4A and adenosine 5'-O-?3-thiotriphosphate? ([gamma-35S]ATPgammaS) demonstrates the presence of a single high affinity binding site for Ap4A and the presence of two binding sites for ATPgammaS. The second approach utilized immunoaffinity purified Ap4A receptor that was shown to be free of ATPase and Ap4Aase activities. Non-radiolabeled Ap4A and ATPgammaS effectively inhibited photocrosslinking of [alpha-32P]8-N3Ap4A to the receptor polypeptide while ATP was a much less effective inhibitor. Furthermore, on plasma membranes [alpha-32P]8-N3Ap4A photocrosslinked to only a 50 kDa polypeptide. These data are consistent with Ap4A interacting with a homogeneous population of receptors on cardiac plasma membranes but with ATP having a low affinity for the receptor.
Intravenous digital left ventriculography at rest and with atrial pacing as a screening procedure for coronary artery disease

Digital subtraction left ventriculography using intravenous contrast injection was evaluated as a screening diagnostic method for coronary heart disease. Intravenous ventriculography was performed in 61 patients with 35 cc of contrast medium injected into a central vein (usually the inferior vena cava). Recognition of regional wall motion abnormalities by this technique was shown to be comparable with direct left ventriculography in 40 patients who underwent both imaging modalities at rest. If the rest digital ventriculogram was normal, it was repeated after incremental atrial pacing to the onset of chest pain or to a maximal heart rate of 150 beats/min. Forty-four of the 61 patients had significant coronary artery disease, of whom 10 had a wall motion abnormality at rest on intravenous ventriculography. With pacing, 28 of the 34 remaining patients developed a new wall motion abnormality. Thus, 38 (86%) of 44 patients with coronary heart disease were identified by wall motion abnormalities. One of the 17 patients without coronary artery disease had an abnormal rest study and was incorrectly assigned a diagnosis of coronary disease. Intravenous digital ventriculograms approximate those obtained by direct ventriculography. When combined with atrial pacing they are a sensitive and specific means of detecting coronary artery disease.
Auxin-impregnated hygroscopic gel : effects on ponderosa pine and common hackberry seedlings

Greenhouse and field studies were conducted to determine the effects of indole3-butyric acid (IBA) and 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) on root development and survival of 3+0 bareroot Pinus ponderosa (Dougl. ex Laws.) and 2+0 bareroot Celtis occidentalis (L) seedlings. In the greenhouse, 100 and 200 ppm. IBA and 10 and 50 ppm 2,4-D were applied to seedlings through a root dip in an auxin hygroscopic gel mix. A randomized complete block analysis of variance indicated that IBA gel treatments increased root volume and root dry weight in hackberry and had no effect on ponderosa pine; 2,4-D gel treatments had detrimental effects on both species. In the field, IBA gel treated ponderosa pine seedlings exhibited improved height and survival relative to the non-treated control seedlings. There was no detectable improvement in survival in the field for hackberry. However, diameter and stem dry weight were lower for hackberry seedlings treated with the gel dip alone.
Observation of microwave‐induced eye lens surface motion in vitro

Previous experiments have shown that murine ocular lenses immersed in saline in vitro suffered microscopic physical damage (including cataractogenic changes) after exposure to pulsed microwaves under conditions in which the temperature rise was negligible. The suspected coupling mechanism is thermoelastic transduction (TET). To test this hypothesis, laser interferometry was used to measure the lens surface motion induced by pulsed microwaves. Although experimental constraints delayed the recording of surface motion data until 0.5 ms after the microwave pulse, damped oscillatory motion was measured over an interval of several milliseconds. A theoretical model is presented to explain the observed motion as natural oscillation modes of an elastic sphere excited by TET waves produced in the surrounding saline. Effects of the lens capsule are also discussed. The conclusions reached are that the observed motion is TET induced, but the lens damage occurs during the passage of the initial excitatory TET waves through the lens, an event which could not be monitored by this experiment.
Cardiac response to startle stimuli in larval zebrafish: sympathetic and parasympathetic components.

Central regulation of cardiac output via the sympathetic and parasympathetic branches of the autonomic nervous system allows the organism to respond to environmental changes. Sudden onset stimuli, startle stimuli, are useful probes to study central regulatory responses to the environment. In mammals, startle stimuli induce a transient bradycardia that habituates with repeated stimulation. Repeated presentation of the stimulus results in tachycardia. In this study, we investigate the behavioral regulation of heart rate in response to sudden stimuli in the zebrafish. Larval zebrafish show a stereotyped heart rate response to mild electrical shock. Naive fish show a significant increase in interbeat interval that resolves in the 2 s following stimulation. This transient bradycardia decreases on repeated exposure to the stimulus. Following repeated stimulation, the fish become tachycardic within 1 min of stimulation. Both the transient bradycardia and following tachycardia responses are blocked with administration of the ganglionic blocker hexamethonium, demonstrating that these responses are mediated centrally. The transient bradycardia is blocked by the muscarinic antagonist atropine, suggesting that this response is mediated by the parasympathetic system, while the following tachycardia is specifically blocked by the beta-adrenergic antagonist propranolol, suggesting that this response is mediated by the sympathetic nervous system. Together, these results demonstrate that at the larval stage, zebrafish actively regulate cardiac output to changes in their environment using both the parasympathetic and sympathetic branches of the autonomic nervous system, a behavioral response that is markedly similar to that observed in mammals to similar sudden onset stimuli.
Role of orexin input in the diurnal rhythm of locus coeruleus impulse activity

Activation of noradrenergic locus coeruleus (LC) neurons promotes wakefulness and behavioral arousal. In rats, LC neurons receive circadian inputs via a circuit that originates in the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) and relays through the dorsomedial hypothalamus (DMH) to LC; this circuit input increases LC activity during the active period. DMH neurons expressing the peptide neurotransmitter orexin/hypocretin are ideally situated to act as a relay between SCN and LC due to their synaptic inputs from SCN and innervation of LC. Here, we examined the hypothesis that orexin is involved in transmitting circadian signals to LC using single-unit recordings of LC neurons in anesthetized rats maintained in 12:12 light-dark housing. We replicated earlier findings from this lab that LC neurons fire significantly faster on average during the active compared to rest periods. Local microinjection of an orexin antagonist, SB-334867-A attenuated the impulse activities of the fastest firing population of LC neurons during the active period. We also found that DMH orexin neurons project preferentially to LC and express a diurnal rhythm of activation that correlates with LC neuronal firing frequency. Therefore, we propose that DMH orexin neurons play a role in modulating the day-night differences of LC impulse activity.
High-order Sobolev preconditioning

Abstract This paper compares the use of first- and second-order Sobolev gradients to solve differential equations using the method of least-squares steepest descent. The use of high-order Sobolev gradients offers a very effective preconditioning strategy for the linear part of a nonlinear differential equation.
Maternal Sensitivity and Infant Response to Frustration: The moderating role of EEG asymmetry

a b s t r a c t Two hundred and thirty-three 5-month-old infants and their mothers participated in a study designed to examine the influence of maternal sensitivity and infant neurophysiology, as well as interactions between these, on infants' regulatory behavior and reactivity to emotional challenge. Maternal sensitivity was measured during two mother-child free- play episodes prior to the challenge task. Infant neurophysiology was derived from a measure of resting EEG asymmetry collected during a baseline episode. Infant regula- tory behaviors (mother orienting and distraction) and reactivity to challenge (negative affect) were assessed during an arm restraint procedure. Maternal sensitivity predicted mother-orienting behavior for all infants, regardless of baseline EEG asymmetry. Mater- nal sensitivity also predicted more distraction behaviors for infants with left frontal EEG asymmetry at baseline. In contrast, maternal sensitivity predicted more negative affect for infants with right frontal EEG asymmetry at baseline. These findings lend support for the hypothesis that maternal sensitivity and infant neurophysiological functioning interact to predict regulatory behavior and reactivity and are discussed in terms of the significance for understanding infant regulatory development in the first year of life.
Conjunctoids and Artificial Learning

Multinomial Conjunctoids are supervised statistical modules that learn the relationships among binary events. The multinomial conjunctoid algorithm precludes the following problems that occur in the existing feedforward multi-layered neural networks: (a) the existing neural networks often cannot determine underlying neural architectures, for example how many hidden layers should be used, how many neurons in each hidden layer are required, and what interconnections between neurons should be made; (b) the existing neural networks cannot avoid convergence to suboptimal (local minimum) solutions during the learning process; (c) the existing network networks require many iteration steps to converge, if at all, to stable states; and (d) the existing neural networks may not be sufficiently general to reflect all learning situations. By contrast, multinomial conjunctoids are based on a well- developed statistical decision theory framework, which guarantees that learning algorithms will converge to optimal learning states as the number of learning trials increases, and that convergence during each trial will be very fast In this Chapter a prototype multinomial conjunctoid circuit based on the CMOS VLSI technology is described.
Web-Based Visualization Tools for Teaching VLSI CAD Algorithms

Abstract: This paper describes a project to develop Java applets that use graphics and animation to aid in teaching VLSI CAD algorithms. Current applets illustrate routing using the Left Edge Algorithm and Lee Algorithm and placement using simulated annealing. Additional applets are planned for the future.
Lattice Boltzmann method for modeling liquid‐vapor interface configurations in porous media

[1] The lattice Boltzmann method (LBM) has emerged as a powerful tool for simulating the behavior of multiphase fluid systems in complex pore networks. Specifically, the single component multiphase LBM can simulate the interfacial phenomena of surface tension and adsorption and thus be used for modeling fluids such as water and its vapor in porous media. This paper provides an introduction to LBM applications to interface configurations in partially saturated porous media. Key elements of this LBM application are fluid-fluid and fluid-solid interactions that successfully mimic the Young-Laplace equation and liquid film adsorption. LBM simulations of liquid behavior in simple pore geometry considering capillarity and adsorption are in good agreement with analytical solutions and serve as critical first steps toward validating this approach. We demonstrate the usefulness of LBM in constructing virtual liquid retention measurements based on porous media imagery. Results of this study provide a basis for application of LBM to understanding liquid configurations in more complex geometries and clear a path for applications involving interface migration, flow, and transport in partially saturated porous media.
Overview: Language matters

Sensitivity to and skillful use of language are core evaluation competencies. The language we use, both among ourselves and with stakeholders, necessarily and inherently shapes perceptions, defines “reality,” and affects mutual understanding. Whatever we seek to understand or do, a full analysis will lead us to consider the words and concepts that undergird our understandings and actions—because language matters.
Use of structural descriptors to predict the RM values of m- and p-alkoxyphenols in RP TLC

Selected meta - and para -alkoxyphenols have been separated by RP TLC on cellulose impregnated with ethyl oleate, with ethanol-water, 25 + 75 and 40 + 60 (%, v/v ), as mobile phases. The R M values of the alkoxyphenols have been correlated with structural descriptors based on the adjacency matrix ( 2 χ v , 2 χ v , and χ 012 ), on the distance matrix ( W , A , 0 B , 1 B , D , C , 2 B , 3 B q , 3 B , 3 B q , I B ), and on electrotopological states (SssO, ScCH 3 , SaaCH, SaasC, SsOH). Most accurate prediction of the R M values of the all alkoxyphenols was achieved by use of second-or third-degree polynomial correlation equations with one structural descriptor from among the topological indexes W , A , 1 B , D , 3 χ v , and I B . The best correlation equations for prediction of R M values separately for meta - and para -alkoxyphenols were been obtained by use of the topological indexes 2 χ v , C and χ 012 .
In vitro fertilization of bovine oocytes in the presence of theophylline

Abstract To determine the effect of theophylline on in vitro fertilization, in vitro matured bovine oocytes were co-incubated with sperm from four different bulls. Dose response was varied among individual bulls, but theophylline at 2.5–5 mM enhanced sperm fertilization of cumulus-intact oocytes by accelerating the time of fertilization in vitro. For cumulus-free oocytes, no beneficial effect of theophylline on sperm fertilizing ability was observed even when sperm were pre-incubated with theophylline for 4–5 h before insemination. It is suggested that sperm might be capacitated by cumulus cells surrounding the oocyte, and that theophylline could increase the probability of sperm contact with the cumulus-oocyte complexes and might facilitate cumulus-induced capacitation and/or zona-induced acrosome reaction. In the presence of theophylline, sperm penetration into cumulus-intact oocytes required 4 h. The rate of fertilization varied among individual bulls, and reached a maximum level at 12–20 h after insemination. Subsequent developmental capacity of fertilized oocytes was also determined after fertilization by co-culture with bovine oviduct epithelial cells. Seven days after in vitro fertilization 18.1–22.7% of the inseminated oocytes had developed into blastocysts (150–160 cells).
Suicidal Ideation Among Adolescents in Relation to Recalled Exposure to Violence

The relationship between exposure to violence and vulnerability to suicide among adolescents was examined. The topic was initiated by the rapid increase in adolescent's exposure to violence and the sparse systematic research available on its relationship to attitudes about life and death. The study's main hypothesis is that high levels of exposure to violence are associated with high suicide risk according to two conceptual paradigms-Fear of Death and Attraction and Repulsion to Life. Eighty-five adolescents were administered three self report questionnaires. The questionnaires assessed levels of exposure to violence, fear of death, and attitudes towards life and death. Those who had been exposed to a high level of violence reported attitudes synonymous with the profile of an individual at risk for suicide (low fear of death, low repulsion to death, and low attraction to life; high repulsion to life and high attraction to death).
Saviors, “sealfies,” and seals: strategies for self-representation in contemporary Inuit films

The legibility of the inter-relationships between human and seal is what is at stake when Inuit present themselves within administrative discourses at international assemblies in defense of their ontology and the right to hunt seals. In the language of administration and in the narrative practices of international animal rights, seals can only appear in a predetermined categorical framework for what constitutes human ethical responsibility to nature. The seal in animal rights discourse is one type of object that needs saving in the form of protective measures to keep her safe from the rapacious greed of capitalism. However, in Indigenous cultural practices, the seal is another relative, a relation whose presence makes all certainties about hierarchies, use-value, moral exemptions, and human exceptionalism impossible. Using the trending social media phenomenon of the “sealfie” and three contemporary northern Indigenous films, this essay argues that the Inuit use of these media formats showcases their cultural and economic dependence on seal hunting and restructures debates around authority, selfrepresentation, and one-sided environmental protection activities.
Multidimensional medical decision making

A century ago the physician had too little information on which to determine accurate diagnoses. Due to the rapid progression of technology in the Twentieth Century and the beginning of the Twenty-First Century, this situation changed significantly. Now the physician is faced with multi-parameter analyses that include sophisticated imaging, advanced cardiovascular studies, extensive laboratory tests, and genetic information, all of which impact diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis. New informatics tools are needed to assist, not replace, the physician in the decision process. Decision analysis tools must be flexible to accommodate new methods of diagnosis as well as advances in information technology. In this article, basic structures are defined that can form the basis of such a system.
RAD: a compile-time solution to buffer overflow attacks

Buffer overflow attack can inflict upon almost arbitrary programs and is one of the most common vulnerabilities that can seriously compromise the security of a network-attached computer system. This paper presents a compiler-based solution to the notorious buffer overflow attack problem. Using this solution, users can prevent attackers from compromising their systems by changing the return address to execute injected code, which is the most common method used in buffer overflow attacks. Return address defender (RAD) is a simple compiler patch that automatically creates a safe area to store a copy of return addresses and automatically adds protection code into applications that it compiles to defend programs against buffer overflow attacks. Using it to protect a program does not need to modify the source code of the protected programs. Moreover, RAD does not change the layout of stack frames, so binary code it generated is compatible with existing libraries and other object files. Empirical performance measurements on a fully operational RAD prototype show that programs protected by RAD only experience a factor of between 1.01 to 1.31 slow-down. In this paper we present the principle of buffer overflow attacks, a taxonomy of defense methods, the implementation details of RAD, and the performance analysis of the RAD prototype.
Asylums: Essays on the Social Situation of Mental Patients and Other Inmates

A total institution is defined by Goffman as a place of residence and work where a large number of like-situated, individuals, cut off from the wider society for an appreciable period of time, together lead an enclosed, formally administered round of life. Prisons serve as a clear example, providing we appreciate that what is prison-like about prisons is found in institutions whose members have broken no laws. This volume deals with total institutions in general and, mental hospitals, in particular. The main focus is, on the world of the inmate, not the world of the staff. A chief concern is to develop a sociological version of the structure of the self.Each of the essays in this book were intended to focus on the same issue--the inmate's situation in an institutional context. Each chapter approaches the central issue from a different vantage point, each introduction drawing upon a different source in sociology and having little direct relation to the other chapters.This method of presenting material may be irksome, but it allows the reader to pursue the main theme of each paper analytically and comparatively past the point that would be allowable in chapters of an integrated book. If sociological concepts are to be treated with affection, each must be traced back to where it best applies, followed from there wherever it seems to lead, and pressed to disclose the rest of its family.
Severe sepsis epidemiology: sampling, selection, and society

Three new articles in Critical Care add to an expanding body of information on the epidemiology of severe sepsis. Although there have been a range of approaches to estimate the incidence of severe sepsis, most studies report severe sepsis in about 10 ± 4% of ICU patients with a population incidence of 1 ± 0.5 cases per 1000. Importantly, the availability of ICU services may well determine the number of treated cases of severe sepsis, and it seems clear that these studies are reporting the treated incidence, not the incidence, of severe sepsis. In the future, we must focus on whether all severe sepsis should be treated, and, consequently, what level of ICU services is optimal.
Intertrochanteric Femur Fractures

BB is a 79-year-old male who presents to the emergency department with a chief complaint of right hip pain after slipping on a rug and falling. He is transferred to the emergency department via EMS. On presentation, he demonstrates a GCS of 15 and denies any loss of consciousness. On primary survey, his airway is patent and he is hemodynamically stable. On secondary survey, he demonstrates severe pain with passive range of motion of the right hip. His secondary survey is otherwise negative.