cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Regions of stability with unequal saturation limits and non-zero set point

Constraints on the magnitudes of control variables limit the region where open-loop unstable systems can be stabilized using feedback control. Variations in regions of stability with unequal control saturation limits and non-zero set points are illustrated for single-input unstable linear systems which have one or two unstable eigenvalues. The regions of stability for saddle-point- and unstable-node-type singularities increase with the increase in one of the saturation limits, but they become invariant when the larger control limit exceeds a certain value; the stability regions vanish for non-zero set-points that saturate the controls. The unstable-focus-type singularity exhibits strikingly different characteristics. These results suggest guidelines for obtaining desired stability regions for different types of singularities.
SPARC synthesis in pre-implantation and early post-implantation mouse embryos.

SPARC (secreted protein acidic and rich in cysteine), also known as osteonectin and BM-40, is a secreted protein associated with a variety of embryonic and adult tissue and cell types, including placenta, parietal and visceral endoderm, certain epithelia (e.g. gut, skin, glandular epithelia), and regions of active chondrogenesis and osteogenesis. Although much is known concerning the tissue distribution of this protein, neither the time and location of its initial appearance nor its functions during embryogenesis have been clearly established. We identified the location of SPARC on two-dimensional protein gels. By using two-dimensional gel analysis of both pre- and post-implantation stage mouse embryos, we find that SPARC is initially synthesized between 3.5 and 4.5 days of embryogenesis. This is the earliest time during development at which synthesis of SPARC has been demonstrated. Inner cell masses isolated from 4.5 day blastocysts synthesize SPARC indicating that either primitive ectoderm, primitive endoderm, or both produce this protein. SPARC synthesis is also detectable in isolated trophoblast vesicles. Thus, SPARC is synthesized not only in placenta, parietal endoderm, and visceral endoderm, but in the precursors of these tissues as well. Examination of 7.5 day embryos reveals that SPARC is synthesized in isolated parietal yolk sac and in whole extraembryonic and embryonic regions. Relative to other proteins, synthesis of SPARC was most prevalent in the parietal yolk sac. The possible implications of SPARC synthesis as early as 4.5 days are discussed.
SPONTANEOUS RECOVERY OF INSTRUMENTAL DISCRIMINATIVE RESPONDING

In six experiments, rats received discriminative training in which making a response (R) during a stimulus (S) produced a particular outcome (O). In Experiment 1, that outcome was replaced by a second outcome and responding was tested either immediately or after a delay. More substantial responding was observed with the delayed test. In Experiment 2, a test of transfer to new responses suggested that the growth in performance was not attributable to greater use of particular S-O associations. However, in Experiment 3, the growth in responding was found to be specific to particular S-R combinations. Experiment 4 replicated that specificity and demonstrated the importance of using two different outcomes for obtaining the growth in responding with time. Experiments 5 and 6 repeated these observations for the case of extinction, in which O was replaced by nonreinforcement. These results are interpreted as suggesting that an outcome-independent inhibitory S-R process develops, both with extinction and with the use of a second outcome, but dissipates with time.
More than meets the eye: a survey of screen-reader browsing strategies

Browsing the Web with screen readers can be difficult and frustrating. Web pages often contain inaccessible content that is expressed only visually or that can be accessed only with the mouse. Screen-reader users must also contend with usability challenges encountered when the reading content is designed with built-in assumptions of how it will be accessed -- generally by a sighted person on a standard display. Far from passive consumers of content who simply accept web content as accessible or not, many screen-reader users are adept at developing, discovering, and employing browsing strategies that help them overcome the accessibility and usability problems they encounter. In this paper, we overview the browsing strategies that we have observed screen-reader users employ when faced with challenges, ranging from unfamiliar web sites and complex web pages to dynamic and automatically-refreshing content. A better understanding of existing browsing strategies can inform the design of accessible websites, development of new tools that make experienced users more effective, and help overcome the initial learning curve for users who have not yet acquired effective browsing strategies.
Output switching noise spectral analysis and modeling in buck regulators

Useful closed-form equations for describing the spectrum of inherent steady-state switching noise at the output of buck regulators in both Continuous Conduction Mode (CCM) and Discontinuous Conduction Mode (DCM) of operation are derived. The formulas can be used by analog/RF designers to predict and account for power supply noise early in the design cycle regardless of the specific design details of the regulator itself, which can save significant development and debugging effort later in the design cycle. The theoretical formulas are verified by measuring the noise spectrum of a standard off-the-shelf buck regulator commonly used for mixed-signal SoCs and comparing these measurements to the predictions made by the proposed formulas.
Import substitution and late industrialization: Latin America and Asia compared

Abstract Asymmetries between the profit-risk perceptions of foreign and domestic investors are unavoidable aspects of late development. Import substitution strategies that try to advance industrialization by compensating for the asymmetries have, therefore, been part of the development efforts of Asian and Latin American NICs. Current explanations of the greater success of Asian NICs with ISI are examined and an alternative is advanced that stresses the impact of culture and history on consumer preference formation and through this on the survival and modernizing of craft industry. Partial evidence plus suggestions for deeper testing are offered.
Critical purchasing incidents in e-business

This research utilized the critical incident technique (CIT) to identify factors influencing customer satisfaction and retention of customers participating in e-commerce transactions. Customers were asked in telephone interviews to discuss both particularly satisfying and dissatisfying (or critical) incidents they had experienced when using web sites to conduct transactions. Each customer also provided demographic information, rated their satisfaction with the experience and ecommerce provider, and was asked how often they purchased products from the provider prior to and after the incident. Analysis revealed 662 citations by customers of items contributing to either positive or negative experiences. Exploratory text-mining analysis revealed that the majority of positive items pertained to the transaction (38%), product (25%), or website (23%), and to customer support (35%) or the transaction for negative items (30%). Approximately 86% of customers citing positive items said they were very likely to use the e-commerce site again, compared to 22% of customers citing negative items. Customer support and user experience both seemed to play an important mediating role on the criticality of negative incidents. Over 70% of first time users and customers who said customer support ignored or refused their requests for assistance said they were unlikely to return to the site, compared to 20% when customer support was said to be responsive. Correlation analysis confirmed that negative incidents tended to be more critical than positive ones, and more so for first time customers.
Neural reward and punishment sensitivity in cigarette smokers.

Background Nicotine addiction remains a major public health problem but the neural substrates of addictive behavior remain unknown. One characteristic of smoking behavior is impulsive choice, selecting the immediate reward of smoking despite the potential long-term negative consequences. This suggests that drug users, including cigarette smokers, may be more sensitive to rewards and less sensitive to punishment.
Do Land-Use Controls Cause Sprawl?

Low-density urbanization, also known as urban sprawl, has accelerated in the United States in recent years, In this article I will test the cumulative influence of locally adopted (municipal) land-use controls on sprawl. Land-use controls that shift the cost of development onto builders and away from the general public are found to reduce sprawl; those that mandate low densities are found cumulatively to increase sprawl, whereas urban containment systems have limited cumulative effects. Further, regions whose local governments rely on ad valorem property taxes to fund services and infrastructure tend to sprawl more than those that rely on a broader tax base.
Are Homophobic Men Attracted to or Repulsed by Homosexual Men? Effects of Gay Male Erotica on Anger, Fear, Happiness, and Disgust

University of GeorgiaResearch has found that proximity to sexual minorities is associated with negativeaffect in homophobic individuals. To test whether negative feelings serve a protectivefunction in homophobic men against the sexual behavior of gay men, 54 collegiate menassessed for homophobic attitudes were primed with explicit male homosexual orheterosexual erotica followed by a lexical decision task measuring anger, fear, happi-ness, and disgust. Results indicated that in the group primed with homosexual erotica,homophobia is positively related to anger and fear and negatively related to happinessand disgust. No such associations were found for the heterosexual prime. The Þndingsare placed in the context of purported protective mechanisms of negative emotions offear and anger, but not disgust, in sexually prejudiced people who may possess fear of,or actual sexual arousal associated with, same-sex stimuli.Keywords: homophobia, sexual prejudice, sexual erotica
Juvenile hormone activity of sesamex and related compounds in tests on the yellow mealworm.

Sesamex (2-(2-ethoxyethoxy) ethyl 3,4-(methylenedioxy) phenyl acetal of acetaldehyde), a synergist for pyrethrins and carbamates, and 82 related compounds were tested against Tenebrio molitor L. for juvenile hormone activity. Six of the compounds were as active or more active than sesamex or farnesyl methyl ether, the standard. Since 4 of the 6 did not have a (methylenedioxy) phenyl group but did have other meta - or para -substituted phenyl groups, high juvenile hormone activity in the yellow mealworm can be obtained with compounds having phenyl substituents other than the methylenedioxy group.
De novo-designed peptide transforms Golgi-specific lipids into Golgi-like nanotubules.

Abstract Cellular organelles, such as the Golgi apparatus and the endoplasmic reticulum, adopt characteristic structures depending on their function. While the tubular shapes of these structures result from complex protein-lipid interactions that are not fully understood, some fundamental machinery must be required. We show here that a de novo-designed 18-mer amphipathic α-helical peptide, Hel 13-5, transforms spherical liposomes made from a Golgi-specific phospholipid mixture into nanotubules on the scale of and resembling the shape of the nanotubules that form the Golgi apparatus. Furthermore, we show that that the size and the shape of such nanotubules depend on lipid composition and peptide properties such as length and the ratio of hydrophobic to hydrophilic amino acids. Although the question of precisely how nature engineers organellar membranes remains unknown, our simple novel system provides a basic set of tools to begin addressing this question.
Soil bulk density, penetration resistance, and hydraulic conductivity under controlled traffic conditions

Adverse soil physical conditions that limit soil water infiltration, root development, and crop yield could develop when using a no-tillage system, especially in humid regions or for irrigated crops. This study determined the effects of tillage treatments and controlled traffic on soil bulk density (BD), penetration resistance (PR), hydraulic conductivity (HC), water content, and organic matter concentration. Treatments were no-tillage with residues left standing (NT-ResSt) or shredded (NT-ResSh), and no-tillage after wheat and conventional tillage after sorghum (NT-CT). Determinations were made at traffic furrow, non-traffic furrow, and row positions after grain sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench) harvest in 1992. The grain sorghum had been grown in rotation with winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) under limited irrigation conditions on Pullman clay loam (Torrertic Paleustoll) at Bushland, Texas, from 1986 to 1992. Tillage treatments did not significantly (P = 0.05) affect any determined variable. Mean PR was greates (1.23 MPa) in the traffic furrow, but sampling position did not affect BD. Differences in HC were significant (P = 0.05) only due to sampling depth, but tended to be greater in row than in furrow positions and with the NT-CT treatment than with other treatments. These results show that adverse soil physical condition (increased BD and PR) development is limited to designated traffic zones when using no-tillage for irrigated crop production.
Non-compact AdS5 universe with parallel positive tension 3-branes

Abstract We construct the general model with only parallel positive tension 3-branes on M 4 × R 1 and M 4 × R 1 / Z 2 . The cosmology constant is sectional constant along the fifth dimension. In this general scenario, the 5-dimensional GUT scale on each brane can be indentified as the 5-dimensional Planck scale, but, the 4-dimensional Planck scale is generated from the low 4-dimensional GUT scale exponentially in our world. We also give two simple models to show explicitly how to solve the gauge hierarchy problem.
Maxik Interaction with Gaba Transporter 3 and Heat Shock Protein 60 in the Mouse Brain

Large conductance voltage- and calcium-activated potassium (MaxiK) channels regulate Ca2+ signaling, transmitter release, and repolarization of the action potential in neurons. Analysis of MaxiK interactome from the mouse brain using liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry in tandem and knockout animals, as negative controls, revealed that MaxiK interacts with a variety of proteins localized to the mitochondria, plasma membrane, cytoplasm, Golgi apparatus, endoplasmic reticulum and other intracellular organelles. We examined whether proteins identified by mass spectrometry colocalize with MaxiK channel in cells. To this end, we have first chosen two proteins, namely gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) transporter (GAT)-3, and a heat shock protein (HSP)-60. GAT-3 is expressed in unmyelinated axons and glial processes, whereas HSP-60 is present in the cytosol and mitochondria, and is implicated in translocation of mitochondrial proteins from the cytoplasm. Immunocytochemical studies in HEK293T cells showed that MaxiK colocalizes with GAT-3 at the plasma membrane and HSP60 at the cell periphery. These results indicate that MaxiK could be playing a role in modulating GABA release from the presynaptic nerve terminals via GAT-3, and HSP-60 could be involved in translocating MaxiK to the mitochondria. Supporting the latter, we have confirmed the presence of MaxiK in isolated brain mitochondria using immunocytochemistry. Further studies will help to understand the role of MaxiK in modulating GAT-3 or vice versa and the role of HSP-60 in targeting MaxiK to brain mitochondria. Supported by AHA and NIH.
Upstream operators enhance repression of the lac promoter

To study regulation of transcription by distant elements, a wild-type lac operator was inserted upstream of a promoter-constitutive operator control region. The upstream operator is shown to aid in repression of transcription from the mutant control region. The effectiveness of the upstream operator as a function of its distance from the mutant control region parallels the length dependence observed for DNA cyclization. A quantitative model is proposed for action-at-a-distance of DNA control sites in which protein-protein and protein-DNA interactions are mediated by DNA looping. In this model, the effective concentrations of interacting proteins that are tethered by DNA are determined by the length of the intervening DNA and by its inherent bending and torsional stiffness. This model makes a number of predictions for both eukaryotic and prokaryotic control sequences located far from their sites of action.
Deoxycytidine reverses the suppression of pigmentation caused by 5-BrdUrd without changing the amount of 5-BrdUrd in DNA

Abstract 5-Bromodeoxyuridine (BrdUrd) suppresses pigmentation in Syrian hamster melanoma cells in vitro, and this suppression is reversed by the addition of deoxycytidine (dCyd) to the culture medium. Exogenous dCyd also decreases the incorporation of BrdUrd into nuclear DNA. Over a certain range of dCyd concentrations, however, increasing the concentration of dCyd does not lead to any significant further decrease in the level of BrdUrd incorporation. With 0.5 μM BrdUrd in the medium, increasing the dCyd concentration from 0.4 mM to 1.0 mM produces essentially no detectable change in the amount of BrdUrd incorporated. This is the range of dCyd concentrations, however, in which the addition of dCyd has the greatest effect in reversing the suppression of pigmentation caused by BrdUrd. The effects of dCyd on pigmentation are prevented by aminopterin, which blocks the conversion of dCyd to thymidine nucleotides. The results suggest that dCyd reverses the suppression of pigmentation caused by BrdUrd through a mechanism that does not involve changes in the amount of BrdUrd in nuclear DNA, and that the effect of dCyd on pigmentation depends upon the conversion of the exogenously supplied dCyd to thymidine nucleotides.
Family life cycle and fertility in Germany before unification: 1947–1989

Abstract The article presents time-series macro-level aggregate data sets of childbearing/family life cycle and fertility-inhibiting indices for the two German lands during the period 1947–1989. Estimation of these indices is achieved by the application of new demographic and statistical methodologies, which require only knowledge of age-specific fertility rates. These annual sets of indices of family demography, which otherwise would require detailed biographical information on the dates of such events, help to quantitatively ascertain the effects of various pronatalist policies adopted by the two countries. The results indicate that the childbearing and fertility patterns of the two countries diverged systematically during the years of separation. Today, while the two German countries are politically and economically united, they are demographically different. Maternal ages at first and last birth in East Germany were consistently below those for West Germany. Women in West Germany enter the childbearing process at the age when their counterparts in East Germany exit.
Superior high-speed automatic gain controlled erbium-doped fiber amplifiers

Abstract In order to realize superior high-speed automatic gain controlled erbium-doped fiber amplifiers (EDFAs), we have investigated gain dynamics in EDFAs pumped at 980 or 1480 nm when the input channel count is suddenly changed. It has been found that when the pump power is simultaneously adjusted at the moment the input channel count changes, the dynamic gain excursion of the surviving channels in the EDFA pumped at 980 nm remains, although that in the EDFA pumped at 1480 nm is not observed. Based on this result, we have proposed that the EDFAs pumped at 980 nm are employed an optical delay line in addition to a high-speed automatic gain control scheme, in order to adjust the control time of the pump power to the input channel count change and suppress the dynamic gain fluctuation effectively. By employing the optical delay line in the EDFA pumped at 980 nm, the maximum dynamic gain excursions of the surviving channel have successfully been reduced up to about 0.1 dB when the input signal power is changed by 15 dB due to the change in input signal channel count.
A comparative measurement of the neutral density and particle confinement time in EBT-S

The neutral density and particle confinement time in the ELMO Bumpy Torus-Scale Experiment (EBT-S) have been determined by two different techniques. These involve a spectroscopic measurement of molecular and atomic hydrogen emissions and a time-decay measurement of a fast-ion population using a diagnostic neutral beam. The results from both diagnostics exhibit identical trends for either estimate, although the absolute values differ by a factor of 2 to 3. The observed variations with fill gas pressure and microwave power from either technique are consistent with measurements of electron density and temperature. In this paper, the measurement techniques are discussed, and the results are compared in the context of consistency with independently observed plasma behavior.
Reference Group Choice and Antibiotic Resistance Outcomes

Two types of cohort studies examining patients infected with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) were contrasted, using different reference groups. Cases were compared to uninfected patients and patients infected with the corresponding, susceptible organism. VRE and MRSA were associated with adverse outcomes. The effect was greater when uninfected control patients were used.
Smith Predictors in Nonlinear Systems - Application to ISS-based Leader/follower Trailing Control

As in any control system, the presence of small delays in the feedback channel may severely affect the performance of the closed-loop system, and prevent a the successful application of established nonlinear control methodologies. In order to make a control law robust with respect to small time delay, we first extend input-to-state stability (ISS) concepts to encompass the effect of bounded delays and restrictions on the input. Then, a method is proposed to integrate the presence of a Smith predictor in a backstepping design based on nonlinear small gain assignment, when small time delays is present in the feedback loop. The method is applied to a leader-follower trailing control problem. Simulation results confirm the validity of the control design and the robustness analysis.
Mechanistic description and experimental studies of electrochromatography of proteins

Electrochromatography is a form of gradient liquid chromatography in which an axial electric potential is applied to columns packed with gel-filtration media. Experimental methodology and a mechanistic model are further developed for a system that minimizes Joule heating at electric field strengths of 100 V/cm by dissipating heat through a cooling jacket and use of a cooled, low ionic strength eluting buffer. Focusing of proteins can be achieved in a 15-mm-dia. Column by the interplay of eluent velocity, electrophoretic migration rate, and electrically induced concentration polarization when the stationary phase is more conductive than the mobile phase. Voltage gradients of up to 125 V/cm for eluent velocities at 18–25 cm/h separate binary protein mixtures of Bhb-α-lactalbumin, BSA-myoglobin, and α-lactalbumin-myoglobin over Sephadex G-100 and G-50. Retention times are consistent with values obtained from a mechanistic nonlinear model.
Zinc isotope fractionation during magmatic differentiation and the isotopic composition of the bulk Earth

The zinc stable isotope system has been successfully applied to many and varied fields in geochemistry, but to date it is still not completely clear how this isotope system is affected by igneous processes. In order to evaluate the potential application of Zn isotopes as a proxy for planetary differentiation and volatile history, it is important to constrain the magnitude of Zn isotopic fractionation induced by magmatic differentiation. In this study we present high-precision Zn isotope analyses of two sets of chemically diverse, cogenetic samples from Kilauea Iki lava lake, Hawaii, and Hekla volcano, Iceland, which both show clear evidence of having undergone variable and significant degrees of magmatic differentiation. The Kilauea Iki samples display small but resolvable variations in Zn isotope composition (0.26‰<δ66Zn<0.36‰; δ66Zn defined as the per mille deviation of a sample's 66Zn/64Zn compositional ratio from the JMC-Lyon standard), with the most differentiated lithologies exhibiting more positive δ66Zn values. This fractionation is likely a result of the crystallization of olivine and/or Fe–Ti oxides, which can both host Zn in their crystal structures. Samples from Hekla have a similar range of isotopic variation (0.22‰<δ66Zn<0.33‰), however, the degree of fractionation caused by magmatic differentiation is less significant (only 0.07‰) and no correlation between isotope composition and degree of differentiation is seen. We conclude that high temperature magmatic differentiation can cause Zn isotope fractionation that is resolvable at current levels of precision, but only in compositionally-evolved lithologies. With regards to primitive (ultramafic and basaltic) material, this signifies that the terrestrial mantle is essentially homogeneous with respect to Zn isotopes. Utilizing basaltic and ultramafic sample analyses, from different geologic settings, we estimate that the average Zn isotopic composition of Bulk Silicate Earth is δ66Zn=0.28±0.05‰ (2s.d.).
High-energy neutrinos from dark matter particle self-capture within the Sun

A potential flux of high-energy neutrinos from the annihilation of dark matter particles trapped within the Sun has been exploited to place indirect limits on particle dark matter. In most models, the dark matter interacts weakly, but the possibility of a dark matter particle with a large cross section for elastic scattering on other dark matter particles has been proposed in several contexts. I study the consequences of such dark matter self-interactions for the high-energy neutrino flux from annihilation within the Sun. The self-interaction among dark matter particles may allow dark matter in the halo to be captured within the Sun by scattering off of dark matter particles that have already been captured within the Sun. This effect is not negligible in acceptable and accessible regions of parameter space. Enhancements in the predicted high-energy neutrino flux from the Sun of tens to hundreds of percent can be realized in broad regions of parameter space. Enhancements as large as factors of several hundred may be realized in extreme regions of the viable parameter space. Large enhancements require the dark matter annihilation cross section to be relatively small, < or approx. 10{sup -27} cm{sup 3} s{sup -1}. This phenomenology ismore » interesting. First, self-capture is negligible for the Earth, so dark matter self-interactions break the correspondence between the solar and terrestrial neutrino signals. Likewise, the correspondence between indirect and direct detection limits on scattering cross sections on nuclei is broken by the self-interaction. These broken correspondences may evince strong dark matter self-interactions. In some cases, self-capture can lead to observable indirect signals in regions of parameter space where limits from direct detection experiments would indicate that no such signal should be observable.« less
Excitation Energy Dependence of Fluorescence Intermittency in CdSe/ZnS Core-Shell Nanocrystals

We report measurements of the excitation energy dependence of the fluorescence intermittency of single CdSe/ZnS core/shell nanocrystals (NCs), using two different sizes of NCs and three different excitation energies. The lowest excitation energy corresponds to exciting the smaller size NC at its optical band gap, so we examine both excitation at the band gap and at varying energies above the band gap. We find that off-time probability distributions follow a power law with exponent roughly −1.5 regardless of NC size or excitation energy. The on-time probability distributions follow a truncated power law with a power-law exponent that again does not depend on size or energy. With comparable absorption rate, the truncation times for the larger nanocrystals are very similar when excited either 270 or 480 meV above the band gap but shorten for near-ultraviolet excitation 1 eV above the band gap. For the smaller nanocrystals, the truncation times are comparable whether excited at the band gap or 270 meV above. ...
The dual-bootstrap iterative closest point algorithm with application to retinal image registration

Motivated by the problem of retinal image registration, this paper introduces and analyzes a new registration algorithm called Dual-Bootstrap Iterative Closest Point (Dual-Bootstrap ICP). The approach is to start from one or more initial, low-order estimates that are only accurate in small image regions, called bootstrap regions. In each bootstrap region, the algorithm iteratively: 1) refines the transformation estimate using constraints only from within the bootstrap region; 2) expands the bootstrap region; and 3) tests to see if a higher order transformation model can be used, stopping when the region expands to cover the overlap between images. Steps 1): and 3), the bootstrap steps, are governed by the covariance matrix of the estimated transformation. Estimation refinement [Step 2)] uses a novel robust version of the ICP algorithm. In registering retinal image pairs, Dual-Bootstrap ICP is initialized by automatically matching individual vascular landmarks, and it aligns images based on detected blood vessel centerlines. The resulting quadratic transformations are accurate to less than a pixel. On tests involving approximately 6000 image pairs, it successfully registered 99.5% of the pairs containing at least one common landmark, and 100% of the pairs containing at least one common landmark and at least 35% image overlap.
DIABETIC BLADDER DYSFUNCTION: CURRENT TRANSLATIONAL KNOWLEDGE

Purpose: Diabetes mellitus, a metabolic disorder caused by an absolute or relative deficiency of insulin, is a debilitating and costly disease with multiple serious complications. Lower urinary tract complications are among the most common complications of diabetes mellitus. The most common, bothersome lower urinary tract complication of diabetes mellitus is diabetic cystopathy or diabetic bladder dysfunction. We reviewed the current translational knowledge of diabetic bladder dysfunction.Materials and Methods: We performed a search of the English literature through PubMed®. The key words used were diabetes and bladder dysfunction or cystopathy. Our data and perspective are provided for consideration of the future direction of research.Results: Despite traditional recognition of diabetic bladder dysfunction as a voiding problem characterized by poor emptying and overflow incontinence, recent clinical and experimental evidence indicate storage problems such as urgency and urge incontinence in diabetes mell...
Iodine Toxicity in Large White Turkey Breeder Hens

Iodine was fed to turkey breeder hens during a 20-wk laying cycle to determine the appropriate dietary level to support reproduction and avoid toxicity. A basal diet that contained by analysis. 7 ppm iodine supported good hatchability of Large White turkey eggs. Supplementing 35 or 350 ppm iodine to the basal diet resulted in toxic effects (P less than or equal to .05) on hatchability. Feeding 350 ppm also depressed (P less than or equal to .05) egg weights, egg production, and eggshell water vapor conductance. Embryonic mortality data indicated that toxic effects of iodine on embryos occur principally during the 1st wk of incubation and immediately prior to and during pipping. It was concluded that iodine toxicity may occur in Large White turkey breeder hens when 350 ppm are fed in the diet.
A quantitative study of the impact of automated facilitation on engineering student dyadic task completion

Engineering students are very well versed in the fields of science and mathematics; however, the successful engineering student must also build their communication skills to prepare for their work on collaborative projects. Study is needed to determine if exposure to communication intervention strategies will enhance these professional skills of engineers over time. This project evaluates the effects of a structured approach to facilitation through the use of an automated Virtual Facilitator. Dyads will be asked to solve a widely used scenario entitled the “Candle Problem.” The scenario involves overcoming a common bias called “functional fixedness” that prevents subjects from seeing alternatives to their preconceived notions for the specific use of objects. This study aims to analyze the impact of automated interventions on the completion of a shared task between dyads by measuring the amount of time it takes the dyad to develop the solution, the number of inquiries inspired by the Virtual Facilitator, and whether or not the dyad was successful in completing the task. The Virtual Facilitator, using intervention techniques adapted from the work of Chris Argyris, will monitor the dyadic interactions using text matching / Boolean logic and intervene in the conversation as needed.
RENAL CELL CARCINOMA INDUCED COOMBS NEGATIVE AUTOIMMUNE HEMOLYTIC ANEMIA AND SEVERE THROMBOCYTOPENIA RESPONSIVE TO NEPHRECTOMY

A 68-year-old woman with a history of hypertension, diabetes and gastroesophageal reflux presented with an 11-day history of dizziness and weakness. Physical examination was significant for pallor. Hemoglobin was 5.6 gm./dl. (normal 14.0 to 18.0) with a normal white blood count and a platelet count of 10.0 10 9 /l. and 7.0 10 9 /l., respectively. Reticulocytes were 14.7% (normal 0.5% to 1.5%) with a normal prothrombin time, activated partial thromboplastin time and haptoglobin. A Coombs test was negative, as were antinuclear antibodies, double-stranded DNA, sugar water and human albumin microspheres tests. Peripheral blood smear revealed moderate anisocytosis, marked polychromasia, spherocytosis and many nucleated red blood cells. No schistocytes were present. Platelets were greatly decreased in number with abnormal large forms. Upper and lower gastrointestinal endoscopy failed to reveal an active source of bleeding. Computerized tomography of the abdomen revealed an irregular heterogeneous solid mass in the right kidney measuring 5.0 3.5 3.2 cm., which was suspicious for renal cell carcinoma. The patient was treated with corticosteroids and intravenous immunoglobulins without response. On the 19th day of hospitalization right radical nephrectomy confirmed clear cell renal cell carcinoma, nuclear grade 2, final pathological stage II (T2N0M0). Blood counts improved after surgery. Steroids were tapered off. At 210 days after surgery complete blood count was normal and the patient was taking no medication. DISCUSSION
A Simple Evaporative System for Space-Environmental Thermal Control of Electronic Components

A passive mass transfer thermodynamic device employing the latent heat of vaporization of an enclosed liquid is described as a method of precise thermal control for single, low-mass, high-energy electronic components. This device has particular application for electronic components having high power density which are incorporated in spacecraft electronic systems relying otherwise on radiant exchange with the environment as a means of space-environmental thermal control. Specific areas of interest growing out of the design requirements for such a mass transfer device are 1) liquid ullage control under zero-g conditions, precluding loss of liquid due to blow-out, and 2) favorable exploitation of liquid adsorption and surface phenomena in maintaining a continuous heat-sinking effect. The latter effect is demonstrated by data obtained in operating appropriately instrumented thermal control test articles under one-g conditions in vacuum and non-vacuum environments. Satisfactory heat-sinking is demonstrated over a range of energy inputs. Application of the system methodology and capabilities to the problem of space-environmental thermal control is evaluated and summarized.
Malignant melanoma: genetics and therapeutics in the genomic era

Cell for cell, probably no human cancer is as aggressive as melanoma. It is among a handful of cancers whose dimensions are reported in millimeters. Tumor thickness approaching 4 mm presents a high risk of metastasis, and a diagnosis of metastatic melanoma carries with it an abysmal median survival of 6-9 mo. What features of this malignancy account for such aggressive behavior? Is it the migratory history of its cell of origin or the programmed adaptation of its differentiated progeny to environmental stress, particularly ultraviolet radiation? While the answers to these questions are far from complete, major strides have been made in our understanding of the cellular, molecular, and genetic underpinnings of melanoma. More importantly, these discoveries carry profound implications for the development of therapies focused directly at the molecular engines driving melanoma, suggesting that we may have reached the brink of an unprecedented opportunity to translate basic science into clinical advances. In this review, we attempt to summarize our current understanding of the genetics and biology of this disease, drawing from expanding genomic information and lessons from development and genetically engineered mouse models. In addition, we look forward toward how these new insights will impact on therapeutic options for metastatic melanoma in the near future.
Memory T Lymphocytes Generated by Mycobacterium bovis BCG Vaccination Reside within a CD4 CD44lo CD62 Ligandhi Population

In the lungs of mice vaccinated with Mycobacterium bovis BCG, there was an accumulation of CD4 cells expressing the activated effector phenotype CD44hi CD62 ligandlo) (CD62Llo) which were capable of secreting gamma interferon. Upon cell transfer, however, cells expressing a resting/naive phenotype (CD44lo CD62Lhi) were capable of protecting the recipients from a virulent challenge infection, suggesting the emergence of T-cell memory from within this subset.
Mind and Brain: Consciousness in Unresponsive Subjects

A new study shows that subjects rendered unresponsive with sedatives do not exhibit a stereotypic 'unconscious' response to direct cortical stimulation; instead, agent-specific effects are seen that can distinguish between unresponsiveness with and without consciousness.
Precision Photomicrography in Bacteriology

The field of bacterial life cycles and variation in which I have been interested for upwards of twenty years has from its inception involved the knowledge of critical photomicrography to an increasing degree. In the serious consideration of the life cycle of any micro-organism it has been rather necessary to be able to depict its various stages in a way that will be convincing to those whom the work seeks to interest. This has been particularly true for bacteria, inasmuch as most of these stages have been generally regarded either as artefacts or involution forms. Contributing perhaps to this impression have been the slipshod or inadequate technical preparation methods in vogue, especially for photographic reproduction. Judging by the number of inquiries that have followed the reproduction of photographs illustrating published studies from this laboratory, I have the impression that a new interest in making really good photomicrographs of bacteria is being awakened. At least it is safe to say that the possibilities of accomplishing this seem to be recognized by a larger number of persons. Moreover, the revelations resulting in part from such photography, in part from their correlation with variability changes, should give a new impetus to microbic cytology which has already been fruitful in numerous directions. After all, the production of high grade photographs of bacteria is quite realizable if one will but familiarize oneself with certain fundamental matters of technic, particularly in their relation to the optics of the microscope; but it is scarcely necessary to state that certain of these considerations have been evolved gradually. Because of the paucity of pertinent information on photomicrography as applied to bacteriology, it will be my purpose in this paper to crystallize from experience those considerations that have made for precision work. Although some of the work has been with tissue sections, it is not the intention to stress that aspect of the subject, not only because the same fundamental principles apply, but because tissue photomicrography is relatively simple compared with the demands of the work in which I have been engaged.
On Air Conditioning With Photovoltaics

A simple solar photovoltaic power system comprised of photovoltaic modules and a vapor-compression air conditioner is described and its performance characteristics are analyzed. The mathematical model expresses the system’s cooling capacity as a function of insolation, ambient air temperature, and indoor air temperature. The economics of photovoltaic power systems are generally optimum when the power supply matches exactly the load demand, thus eliminating the need for on-site energy storage or backup power. Correlations between predicted cooling capacities and air conditioning loads are presented as one measure of the economics of air conditioning with photovoltaics.Copyright © 1979 by ASME
Singlets lead to photogeneration in C 60 -based organic heterojunctions

Two independent and direct measurements of exciton transport in the fullerene ${\mathrm{C}}_{60}$ unambiguously indicate that singlets are responsible for energy transport and ultimately charge generation in organic photovoltaic cells. The singlet exciton diffusion length, ${L}_{D}$ was measured using fits to the external quantum efficiency of planar heterojunction photovoltaics, and via ${\mathrm{C}}_{60}$ fluorescence, giving a mean value of $34\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}3\phantom{\rule{0.16em}{0ex}}\mathrm{nm}$. Direct measurement of the ${\mathrm{C}}_{60}$ singlet state transient fluorescence decay gives a lifetime of $590\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}10\phantom{\rule{0.16em}{0ex}}\mathrm{ps}$, from which we infer a diffusivity of $0.020\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.004\phantom{\rule{0.16em}{0ex}}\mathrm{c}{\mathrm{m}}^{2}/\mathrm{s}$. This is at least ten times that typical for organics, which we attribute to the spherical symmetry of the ${\mathrm{C}}_{60}$ molecule that promotes highly efficient exciton transfer. Further, ${L}_{D}$ is used to determine that the ${\mathrm{C}}_{60}$ energy gap is $18\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}5\phantom{\rule{0.16em}{0ex}}\mathrm{meV}$ larger than the analogous fullerene ${\mathrm{C}}_{70}$.
Modeling Auto-Ignition Transients in Reacting Diesel Jets

The objective of the present work is to establish a framework to design simple Arrhenius mechanisms for simulation of Diesel engine combustion. The goal is to predict auto-ignition and flame propagation over a selected range of temperature and equivalence ratio, at a significantly reduced computational cost, and to quantify the accuracy of the optimized mechanisms for a selected set of characteristics. The methodology is demonstrated for n-dodecane oxidation by fitting the auto-ignition delay time predicted by a detailed reference mechanism to a two-step model mechanism. The pre-exponential factor and activation energy of the first reaction are modeled as functions of equivalence ratio and temperature and calibrated using Bayesian inference. This provides both the optimal parameter values and the related uncertainties over a defined envelope of temperatures, pressures, and equivalence ratios. Non-intrusive spectral projection is then used to propagate the uncertainty through homogeneous auto-ignitions. A benefit of the method is that parametric uncertainties can be propagated in the same way through coupled reacting flow calculations using techniques such as Large Eddy Simulation to quantify the impact of the chemical parameter uncertainty on simulation results.© 2015 ASME
The First International Conference on Auto/Biography: Approaching the Auto/Biographical Turn. 21–24 June 1999, Beijing, China

(1999). The First International Conference on Auto/Biography: Approaching the Auto/Biographical Turn. 21–24 June 1999, Beijing, China. a/b: Auto/Biography Studies: Vol. 14, EXTREMITIES: MEMOIRS AT THE FIN DE SIECLE, pp. 146-155.
Spatial resolution in elasticity imaging

Thus far, spatial resolution in elasticity imaging has been addressed empirically. No clear analytical approaches have emerged because the estimators are nonlinear in the data and signals are time-variant and nonstationary. This paper describes a linear systems approach based on a small-strain impulse approximation that results in the derivation of a local impulse response (LIR) and modulation transfer function (MTF). Closed-form solutions for the strain LIR provide new insights with respect to the effects of instrumentation on axial resolution for strain imaging. Phantom measurements are used to validate results. We found that the correlation window determined axial resolution in most practical situations but that the same system properties that determine B-mode resolution ultimately limit elasticity imaging.
Abstract 452: Cyclic Strain Induces Osteopontin Expression in Vascular Smooth Muscle via a Hydrogen Peroxide--Dependent Mechanism

Introduction: Vascular inflammation, a hallmark of hypertension, is associated with increased cyclic strain on the vessel wall. Reactive oxygen species (ROS), such as superoxide and hydrogen peroxide, are known to play an important role in the progression of cardiovascular inflammation. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms of ROS modulation of vascular inflammation through increased cyclic strain remain largely unknown. Objective: In this study, we sought to determine whether cyclical strain induces an increase in osteopontin (OPN), a pro-inflammatory protein, in a hydrogen peroxide dependent manner using an in vitro cell system. Methods: Rat aortic smooth muscle cells were seeded on collagen-I coated, flexible bottomed six-well plates and cyclically stretched at 10% elongation in a biaxial stretch bioreactor. Following stretch, cells were harvested and protein, mRNA, and hydrogen peroxide levels were measured via Western Blotting, quantitative real-time PCR, and Amplex Red assay, respectively. Results: Preliminary results indicate that cyclic strain promotes a 16% ± 6 increase in hydrogen peroxide levels compared to non-stretched cells at 8 hours. In addition, elevated expression of OPN protein was observed with 24 hours of stretch (195% ± 16). Increased OPN mRNA was also observed with 12 hours of stretch (39% ± 15). Finally, OPN expression was blunted when cells were simultaneously stretched for 24 hours with 200U/mL PEG-Catalase (a H2O2 scavenger) suggesting that the stretch induced increase in OPN expression is mediated by hydrogen peroxide (49%±14 decrease in cells stretched with PEG-Catalase versus non- PEG-Catalase treated but stretched cells) Conclusion: These data support that increased cyclical mechanical stretch, as experienced by the vascular wall under hypertensive conditions, increases osteopontin expression, via a hydrogen peroxide-mediated pathway.
Predictors of College Attendance Patterns of Rural Youth

This study investigated patterns of college attendance using data from a nationwide and contemporary sample of 2112 rural youth. We found that more than half of rural youth attended two-year institutions at some point during their college career and about a fourth initially enrolled in a two-year college before enrolling in a four-year college. Results also revealed that parental education, college preparatory track and preparation experiences, and teacher expectations predicted students’ college attendance patterns. Our findings point to the importance of two-year colleges and highlight the influence of family characteristics and students’ schooling experiences in the postsecondary trajectories of rural youth.