cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Caring as a Democratic Virtue

CARING BEHAVIORS Although it is possible that rationality may not lead to certainity, most of us, I think, would admit that human beings have evolved conceptions of cognitive virtues that have been of help in creating civilizations....We would not be better off without impartiality, consistency and reasonableness, even though we may all live them imperfectly....We can educate children to identify and agree upon a procedural conception of what it is to reason well. Charles Peirce’s famous contention that the ultimate meaning of a concept is some difference in human habits of behavior may effectively lead us toward behavioral conceptions of inquiry virtues such critical and creative thinking. In fact, we often speak of impartiality, consistency, reasonableness, and the like as cognitive virtues, meaning behavioral dispositions that are useful to rational deliberation. Our behavioral analysis may further lead us to identify noncognitive virtues of inquiry, such as affective and democratic virtues. And we should consider cognitive and other kinds of vices, meaning habits of behavior that tend to block inquiry. Something like this, in fact, is the point being made by Matthew Lipman, Ann Margaret Sharp, and others who analyze thinking in behavioral terms such as making certain kinds of moves and following certain procedures. And Peirce helped us to understand that since behavior may be collective and collaborative, and since groups of people develop habits of interactive behavior, including cognitive behavior, our conception of the behavioral virtues of inquiry is equally useful in analyzing individuals and communities. In discussing virtues of care and democracy in this essay, I will employ this behavioral conception of the term virutes.
Mobile Interfaces: Liquids as a Perfect Structural Material for Multifunctional, Antifouling Surfaces

Life creates some of its most robust, extreme surface materials not from solids but from liquids: a purely liquid interface, stabilized by underlying nanotexture, makes carnivorous plant leaves ultraslippery, the eye optically perfect and dirt-resistant, our knees lubricated and pressure-tolerant, and insect feet reversibly adhesive and shape-adaptive. Novel liquid surfaces based on this idea have recently been shown to display unprecedented omniphobic, self-healing, anti-ice, antifouling, optical, and adaptive properties. In this Perspective, we present a framework and a path forward for developing and designing such liquid surfaces into sophisticated, versatile multifunctional materials. Drawing on concepts from solid materials design and fluid dynamics, we outline how the continuous dynamics, responsiveness, and multiscale patternability of a liquid surface layer can be harnessed to create a wide range of unique, active interfacial functions—able to operate in harsh, changing environments—not achievabl...
A mycosis of the American lobster, Homarus americanus, caused by Fusarium sp

Abstract A mycosis in cultured American lobsters, Homarus americanus , is described. The causative agent, a pigment-producing Fusarium sp., was isolated from diseased lobsters from an experimental “lobster farm” in New York. Affected lobsters had “black spots” of various sizes on the exoskeleton and appendages and brownish discoloration of the gills. Hyphae and conidia of the Fusarium sp. were present in or on these lesions.
Quality Improvement and Ethical Oversight

Lynn and colleagues report the results of a credible and timely project: an analysis of ethical requirements for QI activities and their relationship to regulations protecting human research subjec...
Evaluation of the intravenous reinforcing effects of clonidine in baboons.

Abstract Clonidine HCl is an antihypertensive that is also sometimes used to alleviate symptoms of withdrawal during narcotics detoxification. Recently, there have been reports abuse of clonidine by methadone patients and opioid abusers. The present study evaluated the intravenous self-administration of clonidine in four baboons. Self-injections were available 24 h/day under a fixed-ratio (FR 120 or 160) schedule of injection with a 3-h timeout after each injection. Doses of clonidine (0.0001–0.056 mg/kg per injection) or its vehicle (saline) were substituted for cocaine (0.32 mg/kg) for at least 15 days. Food pellets were available continuously under a concurrent FR 30 schedule of pellet delivery. Clonidine maintained self-injection greater than its saline vehicle in all four baboons. Although self-injection of clonidine increased as a function of dose within each baboon, there were differences between baboons in the range of doses of clonidine that maintained self-injection. Doses of 0.032 or 0.056 mg/kg maintained peak mean levels of clonidine self-injection which ranged from low (3.2 injections/day) to high (>6 injections/day) across baboons. Levels of self-injection were similar to vehicle at 0.01 mg/kg clonidine in two of four baboons. However, in the other two baboons, very low doses of clonidine (0.0001–0.001 mg/kg) maintained low to moderate levels of self-injection. Acute administration of clonidine produced signs of sedation including lip droop, drooling and sitting with eyes closed. At high doses, some toxicity was apparent: Baboons were pale and not responsive. Food intake was generally increased in a dose dependent manner. The present study indicates that clonidine functions as a positive reinforcer.
Design of experiments in BDD variable ordering: lessons learned

Applying the design of experiments methodology to the evaluation of BDD variable ordering algorithms has yielded a number of conclusive results. The methodology relies on the equivalence classes of functionally perturbed circuits that maintain logic invariance, or are within (1, 2, ...)-minterms of the original reference circuit function, also maintaining entropy-invariance. For some of the current variable ordering algorithms and tools, the negative results include: statistically significant sensitivity to naming of variables; confirmation that a number of variable ordering algorithms are statistically equivalent to a random variable order assignment; and observation of a statistically anomalous variable ordering behavior of a well known benchmark circuit isomorphic class when analyzed under single and multiple outputs. On the positive side, the methodology supports a statistically significant merit evaluation of any newly introduced variable ordering algorithm, including the one briefly introduced in this paper.
Catheter and Guidewire Used to Cross a Spiral Dissection of the Right Coronary Artery

Intimal dissection and disruption with closure of a tortuous right coronary artery during elective coronary angioplasty can be especially difficult to address. We describe the use of the Probing CatheterTM, in conjunction with the GlidewireTM, to recross a postcoronary angioplasty dissection and occlusion in an elderly female who was considered not to be a candidate for coronary bypass surgery.
Early diagnosis of cystic fibrosis in the newborn period and risk of Pseudomonas aeruginosa acquisition in the first 10 years of life: A registry-based longitudinal study.

Objective. Controlled clinical trial data have suggested that identifying asymptomatic cystic fibrosis (CF) patients through newborn screening improves health outcomes of affected children in the first decade of life. However, it is unclear whether these improvements also include a reduction in risk for bronchial infection, the major determinant of CF morbidity. The authors therefore investigated the association between early CF diagnosis and acquisition of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, the major bronchial pathogen, in the first decade of life. Methodology. Longitudinal data on 3625 CF patients diagnosed between 1982 and 1990 and before 36 months of age were ascertained from the National Cystic Fibrosis Patient Registry. We compared P aeruginosa acquisition in the first 10 years of life among 4 groups: EAD (early asymptomatic diagnosis)-<6 weeks, by pre/neonatal screening, genotype, family history (n = 157); ESD (early symptomatic diagnosis) (n = 227); LAD (late asymptomatic diagnosis)-6 weeks to 36 months (n = 161); and LSD (late symptomatic diagnosis) (n = 3080). P aeruginosa acquisition was determined from yearly sputum and/or bronchoscopy cultures. Children whose CF diagnoses followed meconium ileus or whose cultures were obtained only from nasal samples were excluded from the study. Results. Kaplan Meier analyses for P aeruginosa acquisition were conducted for each diagnostic group. Regression models were used to generate adjusted relative hazards with EAD as the referent group. Relative hazards were 0.9 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.7-1.2) for ESD, 0.8 (95% CI: 0.6-1.2) for LAD, and 1.0 (95% CI: 0.7-1.2) for LSD. The risk of acquiring P aeruginosa was therefore not significantly different between children diagnosed early, late, asymptomatically, or symptomatically. Conclusions. These data suggest that, despite improvements in other health outcomes from newborn screening for CF, early asymptomatic diagnosis of CF does not affect P aeruginosa acquisition.
Prepregnancy Depressive Symptoms and Preterm Birth in the Black Women's Health Study

Purpose To examine the association between prepregnancy depressive symptoms and preterm birth. Methods The present study is a prospective investigation of prepregnancy depressive symptoms—measured by the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D)—and risk of preterm birth reported in the Black Women's Health Study. With data on 2,627 singleton births (175 spontaneous and 163 medically indicated preterm births and 2,289 term births), we used generalized estimating equation models to estimate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) adjusted for potential confounders. Results Relative to mothers with CES-D scores less than 16, the multivariable ORs of spontaneous preterm birth for mothers with CES-D scores of 16–22, 23–32, and ≥33 were 1.17 (95% CI = 0.78–1.80), 1.20 (95% CI = 0.69–2.10), and 2.00 (95% CI = 0.94–4.25), respectively ( p for trend = 0.09). There was little evidence of an association between prepregnancy depressive symptoms and medically indicated preterm birth. Conclusions Our data provide some evidence of an increased risk of spontaneous preterm birth among women with high prepregnancy depressive symptoms.
Hydroxyl radical generation by postischemic rat kidney slices in vitro.

Abstract To quantitate the formation of hydroxyl radicals (HO·) in ischemia and reoxygenation, dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) was added to “trap” evolving HO· in normal, in ischemic, and in schemic and reoxygenated rat kidney slices, incubated in short-term organ culture in vitro. Hydroxyl radical generation was measured as the accumulation of the specific product of DMSO oxidation by HO·, methane sulfinic acid (MSA) in the kidney tissue and surrounding medium using a new colorimetric assay. A mean difference of 7 nmol cumulative HO·/gram tissue was detected in rat kidney slices subjected to ischemia and reoxygenation. This amount of HO· generation was not significantly greater than that found in nonischemic or in schemic but not reoxygenated control tissues, and does not appear to represent the higly toxic burst of HO· radicals implied in current theoretical discussions of reperfusion injury. However, the addition of EDTA chelated iron (1:1) to the incubation medium led to marked postischemic HO· generation. We conclude that clearly toxic numbers of HO· radicals are not formed during reoxygenation in rat kidney slices, either because there is insufficient iron, because only a small fraction of cells in the kidney tissue make oxygen radicals, or because cellular defenses against HO· formation are more powerful than currently appreciated.
Analysis of magnetostatic modes modified by exchange and anisotropy energies

An investigation is made of magnetostatic modes modified by exchange interaction in anisotropic ferromagnets; and it gives a macroscopic description of influence of exchange interaction on Damon-Eshbach surface modes. The classic Damon-Eshbach (DE) and De Wames and Wolfram (DWW) theories of magnetic excitations in thin films is extended. A remarkable qualitative difference from previous theory is that all the spin wave vectors normal to the film are related to the exchange parameter. In case of weak exchange interaction, the critical angle between surface wave and bulk wave is modified according to the new circumstance and the spin wave dispersion relation is analysed. Es werden magnetostatische Moden untersucht, die durch Austauschwechselwirkung in anisotropen Ferromagneten modifiziert sind, und es wird eine makroskopische Beschreibung des Einflusses der Austauschwechselwirkung auf Damon-Eshbach-Oberflachenmoden geliefert. Dabei werden die klassische Damon-Eshbach (DE) und die DeWames- und Wolfram (DWW)-Theorie der magnetischen Anregungen in dunnen Schichten erweitert. Eine bemerkenswerte qualitative Differenz von der fruheren Theorie ist, das alle zur Schicht senkrechten Spinwellenvektoren mit dem Austauschparameter verknupft sind. Im Falle schwacher Austauschwechselwirkung wird der kritische Winkel zwischen Oberfiachen- und Volumenwelle entsprechend den neuen Umstanden modifiziert, und die Spinwellendispersionsbeziehung wird analysiert.
Strain in metamorphosed volcaniclastic rocks and its bearing on the evolution of orogenic belts

Orogenic belts commonly contain thick deposits of volcaniclastic and associated rock types that bear abundant strain markers. Detailed mapping of a deformed assemblage of volcaniclastic rocks in a well-exposed part of the Ritter Range (central Sierra Nevada, California) has yielded five types of strain markers: lithic lapilli, accretionary lapilli, tuff-breccia fragments, reduction spots, and “ash-flow ellipsoids.” The axial ratio and angle between the long axis of the markers to a reference line were measured in a large number of specimens, and the strain was determined using the shape factor grid method and data on initial fabrics. Strain in these rocks is markedly heterogeneous over short distances owing mostly to the heterogeneous nature of the stratigraphic section. The mean strain ellipsoid ( X > Y > Z ) for the area has the following values: a 62 percent increase in X , a 15 percent increase in Y , and a decrease of 46 percent in Z (shortening normal to the slaty cleavage). The mean strain magnitude (¯e s ) for the area is ¯e s =0.77, considerably below that of the mean slate (¯e s =1.44); the symmetry of the deformation is principally one of flattening, however, and has a Lode9s value (ν = 0.40) close to that of the mean slate (ν = 0.43). Results indicate that thick stratigraphic sections can be profoundly affected by internal strain: for the volcanogenic assemblage in the Ritter Range, calculations made show that tectonic deformation has thinned the part of the pendant studied by more than 50 percent, from a thickness of 9.0 to 4.3 km. It appears likely that significant portions of the central Sierra Nevada country rock may have undergone comparable thinning of section. A plot of mean strain ellipsoids from a number of orogenic belts ranging in age from Archean to Mesozoic define two mean deformation paths, one clearly a flattening deformation in which extensions of the X and Y axes of the main strain ellipsoids have a ratio of (% X /% Y ) ≈ 4, while the other path lies close to a plane strain ( Y ≈ 1). The elongate shape characteristic of most orogenic belts is probably the most important factor controlling the extension ratios of thick stratigraphic sections during deformation, and hence their mean deformation paths. The fact that mean strain ellipsoids from orogenic belts spanning a considerable period of geologic time (2.5 b.y.) show closely comparable symmetries, suggests that present-day deformation is likely to provide realistic models for interpreting paleostrain found in ancient orogenic belts.
The heart team approach to acute type A dissection: a new paradigm in the era of the integrated Penn classification and the Essen concept.

In this issue of the journal, Tsagakis and colleagues from Essen in Germany report their experience with the heart team concept in acute type A aortic dissection [10]. We believe that this report describes a new paradigm for the integrated management of this life-threatening disease: an Essential Concept from the Heart Team in Essen. The Essen concept demonstrates individualized management for acute type A aortic dissection based on the Penn classification because advanced diagnostics and therapeutics can be performed without delay in a single clinical venue. The haemodynamics can be stabilized and secured in Penn class C presentations, including the capability for immediate sternotomy for release of pericardial tamponade. Prompt angiography can evaluate aortic branch vessels to plan definitive revascularization in Penn class B presentations. Given that the diagnostic workup is now comprehensive and immediate, the management of acute type A aortic dissection can be tailored to address the specifics of the clinical presentation in the individual patient, as outlined by the integrated Penn classification. In this landmark report by Tsagakis and colleagues, tailored intervention extended beyond the traditional central aortic repair. A third of patients also had concomitant descending thoracic aortic reconstruction with a frozen elephant trunk technique. A third of patients who underwent cardiac catheterization
Lysine tRNA is the predominant tRNA in murine mammary tumor virus

Abstract The method of aminoacylation and subsequent identification of the esterified amino acids was used to characterize the transfer RNAs in murine mammary tumor virus. Lysine tRNA was the major tRNA in both “free” 4S RNA and “7OS-associated” 4S RNA in virus derived from either tissue culture or mouse milk.
High-resolution quantitative ultrasound imaging for soft tissue classification

Mouse models have been widely used in cardiovascular research when investigating the progression or treatment of various diseases. It is always challenging to find non-invasive tools for early detection of diseases. This led us to the development of small animal models for diagnostic imaging techniques, such as high-frequency quantitative ultrasound imaging. This work describes the development of an ultrasound tissue classification technique that could be used to quantitatively assess atherosclerotic plaques in mouse heart. Signal and image processing of radiofrequency ultrasound data have been performed in time, frequency, and wavelet domains to quantitatively assess the severity of atherosclerosis in an APOE-KO mouse model fed with high fat diet. Multiple in vitro experiments were conducted, and ultrasound images of high contrast-resolution were obtained using parameters from various domains. For example, images reconstructed using the time variance (Tσ2), and frequency skewness (PD skew ) parameters showed high-contrast resolutions of approximately 17.95±2.98 dB, and 9.67±0.24 dB (n=4) between normal tissue and atherosclerotic lesions. The technique is integrated with a custom-designed high-frequency ultrasound imaging system and is able to provide parametric images of high contrast and special resolution down to 24 microns.
Comparative aspects of estivating metabolism in the gastropod, Marisa

Abstract 1. 1. During fasting (estivation) Marisa cornaurietis utilized primarily carbohydrate (56%) and some protein (33%) for energy. Metabolic rates and tissue catabolism were much greater at 33% relative humidity than at 85% relative humidity. 2. 2. After 2 days of estivation, the respiratory rate of Marisa decreased to about 80% of the resting value, whereas the slug Limax flaws, under similar conditions showed only a 30% drop in respiratory rate by the 16th day of fasting. With fasting, the R.Q values remained near unity for Marisa, but decreased to 0.86 in Limax. From a comparative standpoint, Marisa, was much more tolerant to dormancy than the slug. 3. 3. Marisa tolerates anaerobic conditions for up to 48 hr.
Role of K-ras mutations in colorectal carcinoma

In order to investigate whether two common types of colorectal cancer with different gross appearances share the same incidence of K-ras mutation, the occurrence of a point mutation in codon 12 or codon 13 of the K-ras oncogene was determined in 50 cases of colorectal carcinoma. The PCR technique was employed, followed by RFLP analysis and sequencing to identify specific point mutations. No correlation was found between the presence of a K-ras gene mutation and histological parameters. A strong association was found between K-ras mutations and the gross polypoid appearance of colorectal carcinoma (polypoid 73% versus ulcerative 8%). The results indicate a preferential association with the K-ras oncogene involved in polypoid type colorectal carcinoma.
Expression of type XVIII collagen during healing of corneal incisions and keratectomy wounds.

Purpose To determine the distribution of type XVIII collagen in mouse ocular tissues and to investigate the expression of type XVIII collagen during healing of corneal incisions and keratectomy wounds. Methods Immunohistochemical analysis of type XVIII collagen was performed in mouse ocular tissue, with polyclonal antibodies to the hinge domain. For wound-healing experiments, excimer laser keratectomy and single linear incisions were performed on mouse corneas. The corneas were harvested at various time points after wounding and processed for immunohistochemistry, in situ hybridization, competitive reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), and Western blot analysis. Results In the unwounded mouse cornea, type XVIII collagen was expressed by the corneal epithelial cells. Type XVIII collagen was immunolocalized to the mouse corneal epithelium, epithelial basement membrane, Descemet's membrane, ciliary epithelium, lens capsule, retinal inner limiting membrane, and Bruch's membrane. In the early stages of wound healing after excimer laser keratectomy (days 3 and 7), type XVIII collagen staining of the epithelial basement membrane was absent, whereas its localization to Descemet's membrane was unchanged. After linear corneal incisions, however, type XVIII collagen was clearly seen in the stroma and in the epithelial basement membrane. Type XVIII collagen immunolocalization to the subepithelial stromal wound region peaked at 1 week after wounding, and its mRNA showed a corresponding temporal increase in expression within the same region after linear corneal incisions. Conclusions The results suggest that type XVIII collagen is broadly expressed in ocular tissues and that it may have a role in wound healing, especially after incisional corneal wounds.
Improved position and velocity encoder resolution using an electro-optic beam scanner

Optical encoders are the most common means for measuring linear or rotary position. A photodetector senses the occlusion, reflection, or diffraction of light by a structure that moves linearly or rotates relative to a fixed light source. Counting the switching between `on' and `off' gives a measure of position, and velocity is determined through numerical differentiation. This paper proposes the use of an electrooptic beam scanner to improve the accuracy of the detection of both position and velocity, by scanning the light source across the moving structure and comparing the phase of the photodetector signal to the phase of the scan. The Doppler effect between the forward and backward scan can provide velocity information without numerical differentiation. A simple experiment for detecting the position of a razor edge demonstrates the concept for position.© (1999) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
An absolute standard for 6Li vector analyzing powers

Abstract Reactions with the spin structure 1 + + 0 + → 0 + + 0 + have properties which allow an absolute determination of ∣ iT 11 ∣ via measurement of two of the tensor analyzing powers. Vector analyzing powers of the 12 C ( 6 L i , α 3 ) 14 N reaction are deduced to accuracies of about 6% from measurements of the tensor analyzing powers T 20 and T 21 at E Li = 33 MeV. The vector analyzing power in 6 L i + 4 He elastic scattering is measured at E c.m. = 6.2 MeV and θ c.m. = 150°, establishing a secondary standard convenient for fast monitoring of 6 Li vector polarization.
Adapting the Balanced Scorecard and Activity-Based Costing to Higher Education Institutions

In recent years, Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) have seen increased demands for accountability, cost control, and efficient allocation of scarce resources, in the face of growing national and international competition for students and revenues. This study presents the Balanced Scorecard (BSC) and Activity-Based Costing (ABC) as novel approaches to help deal with these challenges.
Using visual motifs to classify encrypted traffic

In an effort to make robust traffic classification more accessible to human operators, we present visualization techniques for network traffic. Our techniques are based solely on network information that remains intact after application-layer encryption, and so offer a way to visualize traffic "in the dark". Our visualizations clearly illustrate the differences between common application protocols, both in their transient (i.e., time-dependent)and steady-state behavior. We show how these visualizations can be used to assist a human operator to recognize application protocols in unidentified traffic and to verify the results of an automated classifier via visual inspection. In particular, our preliminary results show that we can visually scan almost 45,000 connections in less than one hour and correctly identify known application behaviors. Moreover, using visualizations together with an automated comparison technique based on Dynamic Time Warping of the motifs, we can rapidly develop accurate recognizers for new or previously unknown applications.
Hybrid HgCdTe Arrays

"Hybrid array," when related to infrared mosaics, has a different meaning than the more widely accepted definition in electronic packaging. By "hybrid array" we mean the physical and electrical mating of a two-dimensional mosaic array of detectors to a multiplexer, with individual interconnects between each detector and the corresponding input to the multiplexer, to form a focal plane array (FPA). The detector mosaic is the sensing device while the multiplexer performs a self-scanning or readout function appropriate to either a staring or time-delay-and-integration (TDI) format. The integrated signal may be stored in the detector or the multiplexer.© (1983) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Combining the treatment modalities of body weight support treadmill training and Thera-Band: a case study of an individual with hemiparetic gait.

AbstractBackground and purpose: This single-subject case study explored the use of Thera-Band in combination with body weight support treadmill training (BWSTT) during gait retraining of an individual with hemiparesis. Thera-Band was configured around the hemiparetic lower extremity (LE) to assist dorsiflexion and eversion during swing phase and proper foot placement during stance phase of the gait cycle. Use of the Thera-Band was meant to eliminate the need for manual assistance or an ankle foot orthosis (AFO) during BWSTT. Methods: The participant took part in three 10-minute training sessions 3 times a week for 10 weeks. Data collection, which occurred at baseline and during weeks 5 and 10, included hand-held dynamometry of the hemiparetic LE, LE portion of the Fugl-Meyer, 10-meter walk test, Tinetti Balance Test, and Rand Short Form-36 Questionnaire. Results: At no time was it necessary for the researcher to physically assist the participant during the gait retraining, and the hemiparetic foot demonst...
The Problems of the Pliopithecidae as a Hylobatid Ancestor

Various members of the Pliopithecidae (Pliopithecus, Laccopithecus) and the Proconsulidae (Micropithecus, Dendropithecus, Limnoputhecus, Dionysopithecus, and Platdontopithecus) have been proposed as the ancestral hylobatid (gibbon), based largely on small size and simple-cusped, ape-like molars. However, this ignores evidence presented in early anatomical studies of living brachiating primates. All apes and several South American monkeys show structural anatomical adaptations for brachiation. The Pliopithecidae show some ceboid-like features in the hindlimb which suggest that this genus may have been partly suspensory and possibly comparable to spider monkeys, but without a prehensile tail. They were basically arboreal quadrupedal monkeys without any of the brachiator specializations. Large bodied apes add more traits in order to handle great weight. Among the small-bodied brachiators, only the hylobatids possess these large-brachiator traits. Such modifications serve no purpose other than to support a weight greater than 30 kg. The hylobatid gestation time and longevity are also characteristic only of much larger animals. The ancestral gibbon must have been among the large-bodied sivapithecines. This relationship is supported by body size, geography, and biochemical timing (pliopithecids were probably a distinct lineage in the late Oligocene). If a memeber of the Pliopithecidae were the ancestor of extant hylobatids, it would have had to have grown large, became adapted to brachiation, and then grown small again.Laccopithecus has been newly proposed as the ancestral gibbon. If it is not a member of the pliopithecids, with an age of less than 8 mya, then it could be a fossil hylobatid. It would have had to have separated from the Asian great ape line approximately 15 mya, developed full brachiation, and undergone a reduction in body size and dental sexual dimorphism.
Motion Capture Technology for Entertainment [In the Spotlight]

While special effects designers have been chasing this fantasy for 30 years, this might be the decade that we reach this momentous goal. One of the secret ingredients that will get us there may be motion capture (MoCap), defined as a technology that allows us to record human motion with sensors and to digitally map the motion to computer-generated creatures. MoCap has been both hyped and criticized since people started experimenting with computerized motion-recording devices in the 1970s. Whether reviled by animation purists as a shortcut on exalted as the solution to traditional film and animation shortcomings. MoCap's controversial applications are on the brink of transforming contemporary entertainment.
Dopamine: a retinal neuromodulator?

Abstract The horizontal cells of the teleost fish retina are richly innervated by dopaminergic terminals from interplexiform cells. The dopamine receptors on the horizontal cells appear to be linked to adenylate cyclase. The application of dopamine to fish horizontal cells increases cyclic AMP levels and induces multiple, long lasting physiological changes in the cells. Included among these changes is a striking decrease in the conductance of the gap junctions that extensively couple adjacent horizontal cells.
Interfacial Atomic Bonding Structure of Oxides on InAs ( 001 ) - ( 4 × 2 ) Surface

Oxide monolayers and submonolayers formed by vapor deposition of In2O and SiO oxides on InAs001-4 2 were studied by scanning tunneling microscopy. At low coverage, In2O molecules bond to the edges of the rows and most likely form new In–As bonds to the surface without any disruption of the clean surface structure. Annealing the In2O/InAs001-4 2 surface to 380°C results in the formation of flat ordered monolayer rectangular islands. The annealed In2O no longer bonds with just the As atoms at the edge of row but also forms new O–In bonds in the trough. SiO chemisorption on InAs001-4 2 is completely different than In2O chemisorption. At room temperature, even at low coverage SiO adsorbates bond to themselves and form nanoclusters. For SiO/InA001-4 2 postdeposition annealing does not disperse the nanoclusters into flat islands. Both In2O and SiO depositions on the InAs001-4 2 surface do not displace surface atoms during both room temperature deposition and postdeposition annealing.
Translation of PDGF cardioprotective pathways.

Vascular function in the aging heart is impaired and may underlie the increased morbidity and mortality associated with ischemic heart disease in older individuals. This vascular dysfunction is due, in part, to impairment of plateletderived growth factor (PDGF)-mediated pathways in senescent cardiac microvascular endothelial cells. Restoration of these pathways by intramyocardial injection of growth factor transiently rescues senescent cardiac angiogenesis. Longer-term reconstitution can be achieved experimentally by transplantation of young bone marrow-derived stem cells to promote senescent cardiac angiogenic function in the murine host. Moreover, enhancement of PDGF pathways is cardioprotective, markedly reducing the extent of myocardial injury following coronary occlusion. The clinical translation of these findings for treatment of ischemic heart diseases must overcome the limitation of the proatherosclerotic actions of PDGF, as well as the generation of autologous stem/precursor cell approaches, for the aging cardiovascular system. Strategies targeting growth factor and/or stem-cell homing to gene products downstream of PDGF in the cardiac microvasculature may provide positive feedback loops to enhance cardiac angiogenesis and protection from myocardial infarction and may offer a foundation for developing novel therapies for the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular disease associated with aging.
Jaynes-Cummings model with quasiclassical fields: The effect of dissipation.

An approximate solution is given for the Jaynes-Cummings model with cavity losses, i.e., the problem of a two-level atom interacting with a single mode of the quantized radiation field, in the rotating-wave approximation, when the field is damped by a reservoir at zero temperature. The approximate solution is derived for initial coherent field states with moderately large numbers of photons. It is simpler in form than earlier results derived by other authors and, over the appropriate parameter range, substantially more accurate than some of them, as shown by direct numerical integration of the master equation. In particular, it is found that an earlier treatment of this problem based on a secular approximation is seriously flawed, in that the conditions for its validity are much more restrictive than was previously believed. Among the results derived it is shown that, just as for the lossless case, when the atom is initially prepared in one of the semiclassical eigenstates the evolution is very simple, with the field and the atomic dipole drifting together in phase. For moderate losses this leads, as in the lossless case, to a ``state preparation''; i.e., to a good approximation, the state of the atom at a specific time can be made independent of its initial state. The effect of losses on the recently discovered ``Schr\"odinger cat'' state of the field is also analyzed. It is found that, although the dissipation destroys the coherence of the macroscopic superposition very rapidly, preparation and observation of the ``cat'' should be possible with the cavity quality factors reported in recent micromaser experiments.
Alcohol pretreatment increases preference for cocaine over monetary reinforcement

Non-dependent cocaine users participated in a two-phase experiment conducted under controlled laboratory conditions. During phase 1, subjects sampled intranasal cocaine (100 mg) and placebo (96 mg lactose +4 mg cocaine) in separate sessions and under double-blind conditions. Sampling sessions were followed by a single choice session in which subjects made a maximum of ten choices between 10 mg unit doses of cocaine or placebo. Only subjects who reliably (≥70%) chose cocaine over placebo in phase 1 participated in phase 2. During phase 2, subjects participated in a series of nine experimental sessions conducted on different days in which they were pretreated with varying doses of alcohol (placebo, 0.5, and 1.0 g/kg) and made a maximum of ten choices between 10 mg unit doses of cocaine and an alternative reinforcer (i.e., varying amounts of money). Visual-analog ratings of drug effects and cardiac function were monitored across all experimental sessions. Cocaine was reliably chosen over placebo by the majority (9 of 11) of subjects during phase 1, demonstrating that the drug functioned as a reinforcer. During phase 2, alcohol pretreatment significantly increased choice of cocaine over the alternative reinforcer, while increasing monetary value decreased cocaine choice. Ratings on some visual-analog scales (e.g., good effects) paralleled cocaine choice, with alcohol pretreatment increasing ratings and greater monetary value decreasing them. Cardiac output increased above baseline levels across all alcohol and monetary conditions, but maximal effects were observed during sessions involving pretreatment with the active alcohol doses. Overall, these results demonstrate (a) that alcohol can increase preference for cocaine over alternative reinforcers and thereby may thwart efforts to reduce or abstain from cocaine use, (b) that availability of an alternative, non-drug reinforcer can effectively decrease preference for cocaine, and (c) that combined use of alcohol and cocaine increases cardiac risk compared to use of cocaine alone.
Patterns of Diffusely Increased Skeletal Radiopharmaceutical Uptake

In a three month review of routine radionuclide bone scans, three patterns of diffusely increased skeletal uptake were noted. The classical “superscan” with diffuse axial uptake was seen in two patients with prostatic carcinoma. Nine patients had excellent bone scans characterized by diffusely increased symmetrical axial and appendicular uptake and all had hypercalcaemia associated with either metabolic bone disease or adenocarcinoma. A third pattern, characterized by increased periarticular involvement of the appendicular skeleton, was found in patients with conditions resulting in marrow proliferation, including lymphoma.
Hypersensitivity pneumonitis related to a home furnace humidifier

Abstract A thermophilic actinomycete was isolated from the home furnace humidifier of a patient with biopsy-proved interstitial granulomatous pneumonitis. Extracts of this organism produced a positive Arthus-like reaction and a positive inhalation challenge in the patient and gave a weak preeipitin line in agar gel diffusion against the serum. Subsequent operation of the furnace in the patient's home regularly induced symptoms before but not after removal of the humidifier. This common household appliance may increasingly be a source of exposure to thermophilic actinomycetes.
Beitrüge zur Chemie der Si‐N‐Bindung, XXII N,N′‐Tetrakis(trimethylsilyl)methylendiamin

N.N′-Tetrakis-Tetrakis(trimethylsilyl)methylenediamine is prepared by the reaction of lithium-bis(trimethylsilyl)amide with tris(chloromethyl)amine.
Nuclear compression at premeiotic mitosis. Implications for homologue pairing.

Observations and measurements of maize sporogenous cell nuclei during premeiotic mitotic division cycles in fixed, sectioned and stained material suggest that a striking compression of the nucleus occurs, especially during early prophase of late (probably the last) premeiotic division. It is reasoned such a process could promote relocations of chromosome arms relative to each other prior to meiosis and facilitate strategic meeting or positioning of pairing partners, possibly in conjunction with membrane system or other anchoring of specialized regions.
Anesthesia machine malfunction simulating spontaneous respiratory effort.

We present a case in which a dip in the capnogram of an anesthetized patient, which may indicate clinical complications such as spontaneous respiratory effort, was caused by a malfunction of the anesthesia delivery system. The rubber diaphragm of the ventilator relief valve was found to be coated with a sticky substance which may have caused adhesion at the valve seat. This adhesion blocked the flow ot excess gas to the scavenging system during exhalation. It was demonstrated that a pressure of 5 cm H2O was needed to overcome this adhesion.
Rationale for use of glucocorticoids in modification of restenosis after percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty

Recurrence of stenosis occurs in 15% to 45% of patients who have undergone successful percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty. Restenosis is believed to represent an accelerated form of atherosclerosis. It is recognized that the human coronary artery response to balloon dilatation reflects complex interactions among mediators of tissue injury and inflammation. Prominent among these are monocytes/macrophages, neutrophils, platelets, smooth muscle cells and endothelial cells. Certain changes suggest the potential for immunologically mediated inflammatory responses. It is therefore considered that restenosis, at least in part, reflects perturbations of cellular mediators of tissue injury leading to accelerated atherosclerosis, and that modulation of these processes by glucocorticoids might be therapeutically beneficial.
Analysis of the Ser786Pro interleukin-4 receptor alpha allelic variant in allergic and nonallergic asthma and its functional consequences.

Asthma and other atopic disorders affect a large percentage of the population. While many factors contribute to the phenotype of asthma, there is a strong genetic predisposition. IL-4 is a central mediator of allergic inflammation. Along with IL-13, it is the major cytokine responsible for the induction of IgE synthesis. Furthermore, IL-4 acts on Th0 cells and promotes their differentiation into Th2 cells resulting in the production of more IL-4 and IL-13, thereby propagating the allergic cascade. Both IL-4 and IL-13 utilize IL-4Ralpha as a component of their cognate receptor complexes. Eight polymorphisms of the IL-4Ralpha gene resulting in amino acid changes in the coding sequence have been described, and several have been associated with asthma. The central objective of this study was to elucidate the role of the Ser786Pro polymorphism in asthma and its impact on IL-4R function. One-hundred ninety-six individuals with asthma and 53 controls were genotyped for Pro786. Pro786 occurred infrequently in the general population with an allele frequency of 1.8% and, thus, is unlikely to play a major role in atopy or asthma. The Pro786 allele frequency was 1.5% in the asthma group and 2.8% in the control group. The asthma group was subdivided into allergic and nonallergic asthma, and the Pro786 allele frequencies were 1.7 and 1.0%, respectively. The data suggested linkage disequilibrium between Ser786Pro and the Gln576Arg allele, which is associated with atopy. In order to study the impact of the polymorphism on receptor signaling function, we transfected a mouse B lymphoma cell line with the wild-type and Pro786 variants of human IL-4Ralpha. The Ser786Pro polymorphism in isolation did not affect IL-4R function.
Art and Ideology in the Theater of Jacinto Grau

(1969). Art and Ideology in the Theater of Jacinto Grau. Kentucky Romance Quarterly: Vol. 16, No. 3, pp. 261-276.
A novel approach for delivery of enzyme drugs: preliminary demonstration of feasibility and utility in vitro.

A novel heparin/protamine-based approach for delivery of enzyme drugs without associated toxic effects has been proposed. This approach would allow an enzyme drug to be administered in an inactive (i.e. pro-drug) form and then released at the target site in an active form using protamine as the triggering agent. The pro-drug and the triggered release features of this approach would permit the enzyme drug to act specifically and only on its target substrates while sparing normal substrates, thereby alleviating unwanted toxic effects. The in vitro feasibility of the approach has been successfully demonstrated using trypsin as the model protease drug. In addition, the utility of the approach has also been demonstrated by applying the system in delivering streptokinase, one of the most widely used clinical drugs in thrombolytic therapy. This approach may open up the possibility of developing a wide range of new catalytic drugs that are initially thought to be impossible for therapeutic use due to their potent toxic effects.
The use of polyethylene glycol as a binder in tablet compression.

The process developed during this investigation makes it possible to produce pharmaceutically elegant compressed tablets without the necessity for wet granulation. Through the inclusion of powdered polyethylene glycol 4000 in the formula for the tablet, it is possible to compress the properly mixed powdered components into “slugs” which are then screened and recompressed into satisfactory finished tablets. This process has been carried out with the use of a conventional rotary tablet press operating at high speed. This method thus eliminates the need for slow, heavy-duty tablet presses which are currently used in the double compression method for tablet production. It completely eliminates the use of granulating solutions and the lengthy drying process necessary in the wet granulating method and reduces the tendency for “classification” to take place during compression. Thus, the time required for the production of compressed medicinal tablets is considerably shortened and the preparation of a wide range of tablets by the double compression method is made feasible.
Magnetic Resonance Imaging: Its Role in the Neuroradiologic Evaluation of Neurofibromatosis, Tuberous Sclerosis, and Sturge-Weber Syndrome

• Background.— Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has rapidly become a major diagnostic technique, displacing computed tomography (CT) as the primary neuroimaging modality in many disorders of the central nervous system. Neuroimaging studies are valuable in the diagnosis and management of neurofibromatosis, tuberous sclerosis, and Sturge-Weber syndrome. This article reviews the technique of MRI and its role in identifying the characteristic central nervous system manifestations of these neurocutaneous syndromes. Observations.— MRI offers superior soft-tissue contrast without the use of ionizing radiation. It provides more detailed imaging than CT of the characteristic central nervous system lesions of neurofibromatosis, tuberous sclerosis, and Sturge-Weber syndrome. In neurofibromatosis type 1, these include optic glioma, astrocytoma, and plexiform neurofibroma, and "unidentified bright objects" that are seen only with MRI. Bilateral acoustic neuromas are the hallmark of neurofibromatosis type 2. Subependymal nodules and cortical and white matter tubers are characteristic of tuberous sclerosis. Manifestations of Sturge-Weber syndrome include leptomeningeal angiomatosis, hemiatrophy, cortical calcification, and patchy parenchymal gliosis and demyelination. Conclusions.— MRI, especially with gadolinium enhancement, appears to be more sensitive than CT in the detection of neurofibromatosis, tuberous sclerosis, and Sturge-Weber syndrome. MRI may be the imaging method of choice for following certain patients or screening family members. ( Arch Dermatol. 1993;129:219-226)