cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Wavespace-Based Coherent Deconvolution

Array deconvolution is commonly used in aeroacoustic analysis to remove the influence of a microphone array's point spread function from a conventional beamforming map. Unfortunately, the majority of deconvolution algorithms assume that the acoustic sources in a measurement are incoherent, which can be problematic for some aeroacoustic phenomena with coherent, spatially-distributed characteristics. While several algorithms have been proposed to handle coherent sources, some are computationally intractable for many problems while others require restrictive assumptions about the source field. Newer generalized inverse techniques hold promise, but are still under investigation for general use. An alternate coherent deconvolution method is proposed based on a wavespace transformation of the array data. Wavespace analysis offers advantages over curved-wave array processing, such as providing an explicit shift-invariance in the convolution of the array sampling function with the acoustic wave field. However, usage of the wavespace transformation assumes the acoustic wave field is accurately approximated as a superposition of plane wave fields, regardless of true wavefront curvature. The wavespace technique leverages Fourier transforms to quickly evaluate a shift-invariant convolution. The method is derived for and applied to ideal incoherent and coherent plane wave fields to demonstrate its ability to determine magnitude and relative phase of multiple coherent sources. Multi-scale processing is explored as a means of accelerating solution convergence. A case with a spherical wave front is evaluated. Finally, a trailing edge noise experiment case is considered. Results show the method successfully deconvolves incoherent, partially-coherent, and coherent plane wave fields to a degree necessary for quantitative evaluation. Curved wave front cases warrant further investigation. A potential extension to nearfield beamforming is proposed.
Effect of the goitrogen methimazole on skeletal muscle growth of chick embryos.

Abstract The effect of methimazole (MMI) treatment on the body growth of chick embryos, with particular reference to skeletal muscle growth, was ascertained during the second half of embryogenesis. MMI-induced hypothyroidism is easily achieved and the optimum effective dose appears to be 2.5 mg/100 g body wt/day. When this dose is administered from 10 through 19 days of incubation, the following parameters at 20 days of incubation are reduced below control levels by the percentages indicated in parentheses: body wt (38%), shank-toe length (20%a), gastrocnemius muscle weight (50%), gastrocnemius total actin (75%), gastrocnemius total crude fibrillar protein (60%), sartorius muscle weight (48%), sartorius total actin (65%), and sartorius total crude fibrillar protein (50%). Muscle DNA levels were not appreciably altered by the MMI treatment. Most of the effect of hypothyroidism on body weight and muscle growth becomes apparent between 17 and 20 days of incubation when there are normally large increases in these parameters. The effects of MMI were counteracted, in part, by thyroxine replacement from 16 through 19 days of incubation. The effect of MMI administration from 10 through 19 days of incubation was compared to the effectiveness when administered from 10 through 14 or 15 through 19 days. At 20 days of incubation, body weight and gastrocnemius muscle weight and actin content were affected nearly the same following either 5-day treatment as following 10-day MMI treatment. Apparently, early hypothyroidism effects a change in body and gastrocnemius muscle growth which persists after withdrawal of MMI. Also, this early influence of thyroid deprivation does not seem to be required for a nearly full effect of MMI-induced hypothyroidism on these parameters from 15 to 20 days of incubation.
Fold-thrust belt evolution expressed in an internal thrust sheet, Sevier orogen: The role of cataclastic flow

Large hinterland thrust sheets are the dominant structures in retroarc fold-thrust belt (FTB) wedges. These internal sheets remain active throughout the history of an FTB and strongly influence the kinematics of the external portions of the FTB and the overall behavior of the entire tectonic wedge. Their emplacement and deformation account for a significant portion of the total mechanical energy budget in FTB evolution based on estimates using deformation features preserved within such sheets. Moreover, the deformation within dominant internal sheets can be used as a means to evaluate the tectonic history of the wedge as a whole. The principal deformation mechanisms in different parts of an FTB wedge are strongly controlled by variations in the geothermal gradient. Retroarc FTBs typically show a steeper geothermal gradient in the hinterland than in the foreland, resulting in a foreland-ward slope of the “brittl-ductile transition.” Therefore, a change from plastic to elastico-frictional (EF) mechanisms is expected not only with decreasing depth, but also across strike as a dominant internal thrust sheet is transported toward the foreland and undergoes exhumation by synorogenic erosion. However, evidence for cataclasis overprinting early plastic deformation features is often not preserved in ancient FTBs because of extensive erosion of the wedge top. Even where evidence for lat-stage cataclastic behavior exists in either ancient or modern (i.e., active) orogens, it is often not recognized or studied. Our work in the Canyon Range, central Utah segment of the Sevier FTB shows that unraveling the EF mechanisms, such as lat-stage cataclastic flow, is critical to understanding the total deformation history of an internal thrust sheet. After initial emplacement under plastic deformation conditions, the CR thrust sheet was continuously reactivated under EF conditions, thereby helping to maintain critical taper of the FTB wedge during its development. Structures preserved in the CR thrust sheet, therefore, record a significant portion of the deformation history of the FTB as a whole. The Canyon Range (CR) syncline, part of the CR sheet, underwent fold tightening within the EF regime and the cataclasized rocks are well preserved. The geometry and progressive deformation patterns of the CR syncline reveal four distinct to partly overlapping deformation stages. The history of the rocks in the CR thrust sheet has been tracked by incrementally retro-deforming the FTB and by unraveling details of the deformation within the CR syncline at various scales for each stage. We use the CR syncline as a type example to show that unraveling EF mechanisms is critical to (1) understanding the state of a FTB wedge during its evolution, (2) calculating the energy involved in FTB emplacement, and (3) developing accurate restorations. Placing constraints on the depth of the rocks for successive stages of deformation is essential for developing retrodeformable balanced cross sections, and in turn, geometric and kinematic models for wedge evolution.
The effect of hemispheric synchronization on intraoperative analgesia.

In this double-blinded randomized study, we sought to confirm that patients undergoing general anesthesia who were exposed to a hemispheric synchronization (Hemi-Sync) musical recording during surgery had a smaller analgesia requirement, as was suggested in a previous study. Bispectral index monitoring was used to adjust depth of hypnosis, and hemodynamic variables were used to determine analgesia administration. Consented patients underwent either laparoscopic bariatric or one-level lumbar disk surgery. After endotracheal intubation and application of headphones, baseline heart rate and arterial blood pressure were established. Isoflurane was titrated to maintain sedation on the basis of a target bispectral index range of 40 – 60, and 25-g increments of fentanyl were administered in response to increases in heart rate and systolic arterial blood pressure. Bariatric patients who listened to Hemi-Sync required one-third less fentanyl than the control group (mean [SD]: 0.015 [0.01] vs 0.024 g·k g 1 · min 1 [0.01]) (P 0.009). It is interesting to note that lumbar patients in the experimental and control groups required similar amounts of fentanyl (0.012 [0.01] vs 0.015 g·k g 1 · min 1 [0.01]). End-tidal isoflurane concentration was similar for Hemi-Sync and blank-tape patients (bariatric, 0.74% (0.14) vs 0.77% (0.21); lumbar, 0.36% [0.16] vs 0.39% [0.12]). The bariatric patients in this study demonstrated that Hemi-Sync may be an innovative intraoperative supplement to analgesia. (Anesth Analg 2004;98:533–6)
Kingship and Political Practice in Colonial India

List of illustrations Acknowledgements Glossary Introduction 1. Honour, status and state formation in seventeenth- and eighteenth-century Maravar country 2. Cosmological fragmentation in the public sphere 3. Domain formation in mid-nineteenth-century Ramnad 4. Human and divine palaces in the fragmentation of monarchical cosmology 5. Ritual performances, the ruling person and the public 6. Raja Baskara Setupati and the emergence of a new political style Conclusion Bibliography Index.
Biomechanical Studies of Living Cells Using the Optical Stretcher

The optical stretcher is a novel biophotonic device capable of trapping and stretching individual biological cells. A geometrical optics model of force generation is used to determine cellular elasticity. Laser induced heating is carefully considered.
Comparing nanoparticle risk perceptions to other known EHS risks

Over the last decade social scientific researchers have examined how the public perceives risks associated with nanotechnology. The body of literature that has emerged has been methodologically diverse. The findings have confirmed that some publics perceive nanotechnology as riskier than others, experts feel nanotechnology is less risky than the public does, and despite risks the public is optimistic about nanotechnology development. However, the extant literature on nanotechnology and risk suffers from sometimes widely divergent findings and has failed to provide a detailed picture of how the public actually feels about nanotechnology risks when compared to other risks. This study addresses the deficiencies in the literature by providing a comparative approach to gauging nanotechnology risks. The findings show that the public does not fear nanotechnology compared to other risks. Out of 24 risks presented to the participants, nanotechnology ranked 19th in terms of overall risk and 20th in terms of “high risk.”
Further discussion of the octanol/air partition coefficient Koa as a correlating parameter for gas/particle partitioning coefficients

Abstract The pure-compound liquid vapor pressure (poL) has been used extensively as a log–log correlating parameter for gas/particle partitioning constants. When the partitioning to the aerosol particle phase involves partitioning into an organic material (om) phase, the success of poL in this context relies on compound-to-compound constancy of the molecular activity coefficient ζom in the om phase. While ζom for a particular type of aerosol may indeed tend to remain constant within a given compound class, significant class-to-class variations in ζom are certain. This paper discusses the theory underlying the advantages of using the octanol/air partition coefficient Koa as a correlating parameter for gas/particle partitioning constants. In particular, it is far more likely that different compounds will exhibit similar values of the ratio ζ oct ζ om than it is that they will exhibit similar values of ζom. The conclusion that the octanol-based partition coefficient Koa has significant advantages over the pure-compound partition coefficient poL when parameterizing gas/particle partitioning has a direct analog in the selection of the octanol/water partition coefficient Kow as a correlating parameter for soil/water partition coefficients like the organic carbon/water partition coefficient Koc. The nature of this analogy is discussed in detail. The acknowledged success of log K ow in this regard presages wide application of log K oa as a correlating parameter for gas/particle partition coefficients.
Tissue distribution of S35 in the rat following oral administration of labeled sulfanilamide.

Sulfur-35 was found to be relatively uniformly distributed in the animal body at one, two, four, eight, and twenty-four hours after administration of labeled sulfanilamide. The same was true two hours after the last of 16–18 doses at four-hour intervals. The tissues concerned with excretion and detoxification tended to show, particularly at the later time intervals, concentrations slightly higher than the other tissues. There is no evidence of extensive binding of sulfanilamide by the tissues.
Induction of ovulation and fertilization in the 90-day-old ewe lamb.

Abstract The induction of ovulation and fertilization was studied in 50 sexually immature crossbred ewe lambs which received 500 or 1000 i.u. PMSG with or without pretreatment with progesterone. Pretreatment with progesterone did not significantly affect ovulation, fertilization or ova recovery rates. Also, progesterone pretreatment did not significantly affect weight of the ovaries, corpora lutea, follicular fluid or the reproductive tract. Lambs receiving 1000 i.u. PMSG had a significantly (P
In vitro response of prostaglandin E2 receptor (EP3) in the term pregnant rat uterus and cervix to misoprostol

We examined and compared the in vitro effects of misoprostol (synthetic prostaglandin E1 (PGE1) analogue) on prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) secretion and EP3 receptor mRNA expression in the pregnant rat myometrium and cervix at 19 days gestation. Myometrial and cervical tissue samples were exposed to media with or without misoprostol (50 or 100 pg/ml) and incubated for 15 and 30 min, and 1, 3, 6, 12, and 24 h. Media and tissue samples were collected for quantification of PGE2 and mRNA expression of rEP3alpha and rEP3beta receptor, respectively. PGE2 secretion increased (P < or = 0.05) in the myometrium exposed to 50 and 100 pg/ml misoprostol. Cervical PGE2 secretion increased following exposure to the 100 pg/ml dose only. In the myometrium, 50 and 100 pg/ml misoprostol induced elevations in rEP3alpha and rEP3beta receptor mRNA expression. rEP3alpha and rEP3beta receptor mRNA expression in the cervix was not different from controls. These data demonstrate that the EP3 receptor is differentially expressed in the myometrium and cervix in response to misoprostol. This may account for the ability of misoprostol to stimulate the myometrium when administered for cervical ripening.
A Change in the Solar He ii EUV Global Network Structure as an Indicator of the Geo-Effectiveness of Solar Minima

Solar activity during 2007 - 2009 was very low, causing anomalously low thermospheric density. A comparison of solar extreme ultraviolet (EUV) irradiance in the He II spectral band (26 to 34 nm) from the Solar Extreme ultraviolet Monitor (SEM), one of instruments on the Charge Element and Isotope Analysis System (CELIAS) on board the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) for the two latest solar minima showed a decrease of the absolute irradiance of about 15 +/- 6 % during the solar minimum between Cycles 23 and 24 compared with the Cycle 22/23 minimum when a yearly running-mean filter was used. We found that some local, shorter-term minima including those with the same absolute EUV flux in the SEM spectral band show a higher concentration of spatial power in the global network structure from the 30.4 nm SOHO/Extreme ultraviolet Imaging Telescope (EIT) images for the local minimum of 1996 compared with the minima of 2008 - 2011.We interpret this higher concentration of spatial power in the transition region's global network structure as a larger number of larger-area features on the solar disk. These changes in the global network structure during solar minima may characterize, in part, the geo-effectiveness of the solar He II EUV irradiance in addition to the estimations based on its absolute levels.
The relationship between visible intracellular aggregates that appear after overexpression of Sup35 and the yeast prion‐like elements [PSI+] and [PIN+]

Overproduced fusions of Sup35 or its prion domain with green fluorescent protein (GFP) have previously been shown to form frequent dots in [PSI+] cells. Rare foci seen in [psi−] cells were hypothesized to indicate the de novo induction of [PSI+] caused by the overproduced prion domain. Here, we describe novel ring-type aggregates that also appear in [psi−] cultures upon Sup35 overproduction and show directly that dot and ring aggregates only appear in cells that have become [PSI+]. The formation of either type of aggregate requires [PIN+], an element needed for the induction of [PSI+]. Although aggregates are visible predominantly in stationary-phase cultures, [PSI+] induction starts in exponential phase, suggesting that much smaller aggregates can also propagate [PSI+]. Such small aggregates are probably present in [PSI+] cells and, upon Sup35–GFP overproduction, facilitate the frequent formation of dot aggregates, but only the occasional appearance of ring aggregates. In contrast, rings are very frequent when [PSI+] cultures, including those lacking [PIN+], are grown in the presence of GuHCl or excess Hsp104 while overexpressing Sup35–GFP. Thus, intermediates formed during [PSI+] curing seem to facilitate ring formation. Surprisingly, GuHCl and excess Hsp104, which are known to promote loss of [PSI+], did not prevent the de novo induction of [PSI+] by excess Sup35 in [psi−][PIN+] strains.
A New World Order: the Spanish Campaign for Precedenge in Early Modern Europe

During the period 1558-1566, a major conflict erupted between Spanish and French ambassadors in Rome over the issue of national and monarchical precedence. This conflict reflected confusion about the transition of power between Charles V and Philip II and, more importantly, Spain's newfound sense of its greatness and destiny in the sixteenth century. Spanish ambassadors waged a propaganda campaign to try to change the accepted ranking of European crowns, with the Spanish Habsburgs moved to the top, but in the end their efforts failed. This failure exposes the limits of Spanish power, especially in Italy, where they have traditionally been considered dominant in this period.
A macro-enzyme cause of an isolated increase of alkaline phosphatase.

Abstract Background Macroenzyme complexes of serum enzymes and antibody can increase the circulating enzymatic activity and may lead to unnecessary additional testing and procedures. Laboratory physicians and scientists need to be aware of techniques to identify macroenzyme complexes when suspected. Case report To investigate the possibility of a macro-alkaline phosphatase in the serum of a 74 year old male with persistently increased alkaline phosphatase we coupled a protein A/G agarose affinity chromatography technique with isoenzyme electrophoresis to look for the presence of macro-alkaline phosphatase. Results The majority of the alkaline phosphatase activity in the patient's serum sample was bound to the column and only a minor fraction (25%) of alkaline phosphatase activity was present in the column flow-through. The alkaline phosphatase activity was also found to co-elute with the immunoglobulins in the patient sample. The alkaline phosphatase activity in a control serum sample concurrently treated in the same manner did not bind to the column and was found in the column flow-through. Conclusion The use of protein A/G agarose affinity chromatography is a rapid and simple method that can be applied to the investigation of other macro-enzyme complexes.
Tract formation following percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy in an animal model

Complications of percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) have often been related to the application of excessive traction to the gastrostomy tube in an attempt to achieve immediate juxtaposition of the gastric and abdominal walls. Recent clinical reviews have suggested that complication rates can be reduced by avoiding such traction and leaving a longer tract between these structures. Laboratory evaluation of tract development has been lacking. The present study was designed to evaluate tract formation in an animal model. Eight mongrel dogs underwent PEG placement using silastic (n = 4) or latex (n = 4) catheters. Two animals from each group were subsequently sacrificed at 1 week and the remaining animals, at 2 weeks. In each animal, 6 cm catheter length was left between the gastric and the abdominal walls. This distance was assured by crossbar and suture fixation of the catheter at the skin entry site. Complete tract formation was evident in all animals at the time they were sacrificed, with no significant gross or histologie differences being noted between the silastic and the latex groups. Increased collagen deposition was noted at 2 weeks in comparison with that observed at 1 week. In an additional three animals, the same procedure was performed, but the catheter was not secured to the abdominal wall at the site of skin penetration. In these animals, tract formation was incomplete as late as at 2 weeks, but there were no associated complications. We conclude that early PEG tract formation is not dependent on the immediate proximity of the gastric and abdominal walls. The type of catheter used does not dictate the time course of early tract development. Failure to fix the catheter externally at the skin entry site results in retarded tract formation, although this does not appear to increase the incidence of catheter-related complications. Although the present study documents the safety and reliability of long tract formation, short tracts remain advantageous from the standpoint of catheter replacement and are associated with low complication rates when excessive traction is assiduously avoided.
Analysis of torsional splittings in the microwave spectra of dimethylether, CH3OCH3 and its isotopes, CD3OCH3 and CD3OCD3

Abstract The multiplet splitting patterns of microwave transitions in the ground state and the first two torsional excited states of CH3OCH3, CD3OCD3, and CD3OCH3 were analyzed in terms of the semirigid rotor models C2vF-C3vT-C3vT and C 3 F- C 3v T- C 3v T . The following nonzero potential coefficients were obtained for CH3OCH3: V30 = V03 = 909.05 ± 0.49 cm−1, V′33 = 5.06 ± 1.60 cm−1; for CD3OCH3: V30(CD3) = 897.18 ± 2.41 cm−1, V03(CH3) = 910.45 ± 0.33 cm−1; for CD3OCD3: V30 = V03 = 897.00 cm−1. These results are compared to earlier microwave studies of these molecules.
In-flight aero-optics of turrets

Recent in-flight aero-optical measurements from the Airborne Aero-Optics Laboratory are provided, along with instrumentation and experimental set-up. Results of an extensive survey of the aero-optical environment at different viewing angles, for both flat-window and conformal-window turrets at different subsonic and low transonic speeds below M = 0.65 , are presented, compared and extensively discussed. A comparison between two turret geometries, hemisphere-on-cylinder and hemisphere only, plus the statistical analysis of wavefronts at different viewing angles, are also presented and discussed. Additionally, dynamics of a local shock appearing on the conformal-window turret at transonic Mach number are discussed.
The time course in development of hypocalcemia and plasma lactate accumulation in mature and immature hyperthermic domestic fowl (Gallus domesticus).

Abstract 1. 1. During hyperthermia-induced thermal panting, there was a progressive development of alkalosis, hypocapnia, hypocalcemia and plasma lactate accumulation in both mature and immature domestic fowl. 2. 2. The results of this study further demonstrate that hypocalcemia is a general consequence of respiratory alkalosis in animals. 3. 3. The significant (P 4. 4. Plasma lactate accumulation may therefore play an important role as an extrarenal buffering component in the normal defense against severe alkalosis.
Synthesis, Structural Characterization, and Initial Evaluation as Anticancer Drugs of Dibutyltin Polyamines Derived from Various 4,6-Diaminopyrimidines

A number of diaminopyrimidines have been incorporated into dibutyltin polyamines with molecular weights ranging from 3.5 × 104 to 3.7 × 106 and product yields from 47 to 88%. Infrared spectroscopy is consistent with the inclusion of the diaminopyridines into the polymer backbone with the IR spectroscopy showing the formation of the Sn–N bond as well as the presence of bands from both reactants being present in the polymer. F MALDI MS is also consistent with the products being polymeric and containing units from both the dibutyltin and pyrimidine reactants. The products exhibit good inhibition of cancer cell lines including those derived from human lung, bone, breast, prostrate, and colon cancers. Inhibition occurs within the same concentration range, and lower than that of the most widely employed chemotherapeutic drug, cisplatin.
Standardized Informal Exercise Testing for Programming Rate Adaptive Pacemakers

It is essential that patients with pacemakers capable of rate modulation undergo some form of exercise testing to assure appropriate rate modulation. Informal exercise testing is a reasonable and less expensive alternative to formal treadmill testing. Empiric adjustment of the rate response parameters by assessing the patient's rate response while walking at a self-determined casual and brisk pace has been used. However, no normals exist to determine the appropriate rate response for a "casual" and "brisk" walk. Volunteers were tested with metronome-guided casual and brisk walks in an effort to standardize the informal exercise and determine expected heart rate response for these levels of activity. Results of the metronome-guided rate response in normal volunteers may be useful in determining the appropriate rate response for pacemaker patients when tested in such an informal manner.
A comparison of urban and forest microclimates in the midwestern United States

Abstract Weather data for 1973 from seven deciduous forest sites were compared with corresponding data from two nearby urban sites in central Illinois. The forest air and soil temperatures, rainfall, and wind travel were found to be significantly lower throughout the year. Daily temperature ranges were lower in the forest during the period when leaves were present on the trees. Most of the differences between urban and forest microclimates result from structural characteristics of the forest vegetation and their effects on radiation interception, rainfall interception, and reduction of wind velocities and from the physical characteristics of cities which result in greater absorption of solar radiation and retention of heat.
In Situ Processing of Silicon Carbide Layer Structures

A novel route to low-cost processing of silicon carbide (SiC) layer structures is described. The processing involves pressureless liquid-phase cosintering of compacted powder layers of SiC, containing alumina (Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}) and yttria (Y{sub 2}O{sub 3}) sintering additives to yield a yttrium aluminum garnet (YAG) second phase. By adjusting the {beta}:{alpha} SiC phase ratios in the individual starting powders, alternate layers with distinctly different microstructures are produced: (i) homogeneous microstructures, with fine equiaxed SiC grains, designed for high strength; and (ii) heterogeneous microstructures with coarse and elongate SiC grains, designed for high toughness. By virtue of the common SiC and YAG phases, the interlayer interfaces are chemically compatible and strongly bonded. Exploratory Hertzian indentation tests across a bilayer interface confirm the capacity of the tough heterogeneous layer to inhibit potentially dangerous cracks propagating through the homogeneous layer. The potential for application of this novel processing approach to other layer architectures and other ceramic systems is considered.
On the hole index of L(2,1)-labelings of r-regular graphs

An L(2,1)-labeling of a graph G is an assignment of nonnegative integers to the vertices of G so that adjacent vertices get labels at least distance two apart and vertices at distance two get distinct labels. A hole is an unused integer within the range of integers used by the labeling. The lambda number of a graph G, denoted @l(G), is the minimum span taken over all L(2,1)-labelings of G. The hole index of a graph G, denoted @r(G), is the minimum number of holes taken over all L(2,1)-labelings with span exactly @l(G). Georges and Mauro [On the structure of graphs with non-surjective L(2,1)-labelings, SIAM J. Discrete Math. 19 (2005) 208-223] conjectured that if G is an r-regular graph and @r(G)>=1, then @r(G) must divide r. We show that this conjecture does not hold by providing an infinite number of r-regular graphs G such that @r(G) and r are relatively prime integers.
An automated scheduling system for project management

This paper discusses some design considerations and the features of an interactive, general purpose, automated scheduling system. The objective of Flight Operations Planning Schedule System (FOPSS) project is to develop an automated scheduling system to handle the scheduling workload requirement of the planned flight rate in the shuttle mature operation time frame. FOPSS has been developed for NASA and is in use by Mission Operations Directorate of JSC, Houston to support the preflight planning for Shuttle manned space flight operations. Currently, FOPSS can schedule and maintain the status of up to 50,000 activities.
Characterization of basal and re-inflammation-associated long-term alteration in pain responsivity following short-lasting neonatal local inflamatory insult

Abstract Recently, several studies have suggested that neonatal noxious insult could alter future responses to painful stimuli. However, the manifestations, mechanisms, and even developmental nature of these alterations remain a matter of controversy. In part, this is due to the lack of detailed information on the neonatal sensitive period(s) during which noxious stimulation influences future nociception, and the time-course and distribution of the resultant abnormalities. The present paper describes these parameters in a rat model of short-lasting (∼24 h) neonatal local inflammation of a hindpaw produced by injection of 0.25% carrageenan (1 μl/g). Examinations of paw withdrawal responses to thermal and mechanical stimulations in adult animals, which as neonates were subjected to this insult, showed that the previously-reported long-term hypoalgesia and hyperalgesia are not mutually exclusive outcomes of early noxious experience. Long-term hypoalgesia was apparent at the basal conditions and was equally strong in the previously injured and uninjured paws, which suggests a globally-driven deficit. In contrast, long-term excessive hyperalgesia had the strongest manifestation in the neonatally-injured paw after re-inflammation, indicating significant segmental involvement in its generation. The differences between mechanisms underlying the observed hypoalgesia and hyperalgesia are further underscored by the finding that, while the former is detectable only after animals reach the second month of life, the latter is elicitable immediately upon cessation of the initial neonatal inflammation. Nevertheless, we detected a significant overlap in the neonatal sensitive periods for generation of these effects (both occurring within the first postnatal week). Also, neither the basal hypoalgesia nor excessive re-inflammation-associated hyperalgesia subsided with age and were detectable in 120–125-day-old rats. These finding provide a framework within which the entire complex of long-term effects of early noxious experience can be understood and examined.
Energetics of quinone-dependent electron and proton transfers in Rhodobacter sphaeroides photosynthetic reaction centers.

Proteins bind redox cofactors, modifying their electrochemistry and affinity by specific interactions of the binding site with each cofactor redox state. Photosynthetic reaction centers from Rhodobacter sphaeroides have three ubiquinone-binding sites, QA, and proximal and distal QB sites. Ubiquinones, which can be doubly reduced and bind 2 protons, have 9 redox states. However, only Q and Q- are seen in the QA site and Q, Q-, and QH2 in the proximal QB site. The distal QB function is uncertain. Multiple conformation continuum electrostatics (MCCE) was used to compare the ubiquinone electrochemical midpoints (Em) and pKa values at these three sites. At pH 7, the QA/QA- Em is −40 mV and proximal QB/QB- −10 mV in agreement with the experimental values (assuming a solution ubiquinone Em of −145 mV). QB reduction requires changes in nearby residue protonation and SerL223 reorientation. The distal QB/QB- Em is a much more unfavorable −260 mV. QA and proximal QB sites generally stabilize species with a −1 charge...
Safety of tiagabine: summary of 53 trials

We reviewed the clinical safety of tiagabine HCl (TGB), a selective CNS GABA uptake inhibitor, in nearly 3100 patients from 53 separate clinical trials. TGB was found to have no clinically important effect upon hepatic metabolic processes, serum concentrations of concomitant antiepileptic drugs (AEDs), laboratory values, or important interactions with any common non-AEDs. Adverse effects were usually mild and involved the nervous system. TGB is safe and well-tolerated as add-on therapy for the treatment of partial seizures.
Corrosion Behavior of Surface Modified NdFeB Permanent Magnet in Dilute Chloride Environments

Abstract Nanoporous oxide layer was formed on the NdFeB permanent magnets by a simple anodization process in fluoride containing ethylene glycol at 50 V for 15 minutes. The electrochemical polarization behavior of the commercial permanent magnetic material was evaluated in 0.1 M NaH2PO4 solution (pH: 4.75) containing 0–0.017 M of chloride at room temperature. The material was evaluated in magnetized and demagnetized condition with different surface preparation conditions such as: Ni-Cu-Ni coated, uncoated (bare), and anodized. The nickel coated magnetic sample showed reasonable pitting corrosion resistance up to 0.0017 M chloride addition. The uncoated samples showed passivity in chloride free phosphate solution. Chloride additions caused pitting and the pitting protection potential was equal to the corrosion potential with 0.0017 M chloride addition. Demagnetization did not alter the electrochemical polarization. However, the passive film formed on the magnetic sample showed higher charge carrier density than the film formed on the demagnetized sample.
Marching along ridges. An extrapolatable approach to locating conical intersections

A conical intersection is a singular point in nuclear coordinate space. As result of this singularity the parameters used to search for energy minimized conical intersections, energy gradients, energy difference gradients and coupling vectors, vary irregularly along the search path. This irregular variation precludes the efficient use of extrapolation procedures to speed convergence. In this work we show how a previously introduced orthogonalization procedure for the branching or g–h space can be used to design search algorithms in which the key parameters are slowly varying functions of the search path. From a topographical perspective this approach amounts to walking along a path parallel the ridge of conical intersections.
SeaWinds scatterometer instrument using a pulse compression radar

The SeaWinds scatterometer instrument is currently being developed by NASA/JPL, as a part of the NASA EOS program, for flight on the Japanese ADEOS II mission in 1999. This Ku-and radar scatterometer will infer sea surface wind speed and direction by detecting the normalized radar backscatter cross section over several different azimuth angles. This paper presents the design characteristics of and operational approach to the instrument itself. The SeaWinds pencil-beam- antenna conical-scan design is a departure from the fixed fan- beam antennas of SASS and NSCAT. The purpose of this change is to develop a more compact design consistent with the resource constraints of the ADEOS II spacecraft. The SeaWinds conical- scan arrangement has a 1-m reflector dish antenna that produces a time-shared dual antenna beam at 40 degrees and 46 degrees look angles. The dual-beam operation provides up to four azimuth look directions for each wind measurement cell. At an orbit height of 803 km, the conical scan provides a broad and contiguous wind measurement swath width of about 1800 km for each orbital pass. The radar has a linear frequency modulation, or chirp, encoded transmitter waveform. The bandwidth of modulation is nominally 375 kHz. For each transmitted pulse, an onboard pulse compression processor will produce 12 measurement cells of 6-km resolution in range and about 26 km in azimuth (cross-track). Key specifications of the SeaWinds instrument and associated trade-offs and performance are described.© (1997) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Electrospinning Nanofibers: Measurements, Dynamics, and Control Strategy Development

Electrospinning produces submicron fibers for a variety of applications using a wide range of polymers. Achieving the desired fiber diameter, maximizing productivity, and minimizing variation are important production objectives. This paper addresses several important areas needed to develop a general electrospinning control approach including: developing a correlation between measurements, process conditions, and the resulting fiber diameter, developing a method to determine an operating regime that meets manufacturing objectives, and identifying process dynamics for controller design.Copyright © 2014 by ASME
Eigensystem synthesis for active flutter suppression on an oblique-wing aircraft

The application of the eigensystem synthesis technique to place the closed-loop eigenvalues and shape the closed-loop eigenvectors has not been practical for active flutter suppression, primarily because of the availability of only one control surface (aileron) for flutter suppression. The oblique-wing aircraft, because of its configuration, provides two independent surfaces (left and right ailerons), making the application of eigensystem synthesis practical. This paper presents the application of eigensystem synthesis using output feedback for the design of an active flutter suppression system for an oblique-wing aircraft. The results obtained are compared with those obtained by linear quadratic Gaussian techniques.
Biosynthesis of polybrominated aromatic organic compounds by marine bacteria

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and polybrominated bipyrroles are natural products that bioaccumulate in the marine food chain. PBDEs have attracted widespread attention because of their persistence in the environment and potential toxicity to humans. However, the natural origins of PBDE biosynthesis are not known. Here we report marine bacteria as producers of PBDEs and establish a genetic and molecular foundation for their production that unifies paradigms for the elaboration of bromophenols and bromopyrroles abundant in marine biota. We provide biochemical evidence of marine brominases revealing decarboxylative-halogenation enzymology previously unknown among halogenating enzymes. Biosynthetic motifs discovered in our study were used to mine sequence databases to discover unrealized marine bacterial producers of organobromine compounds.
Interpretation: Event or process?

Interpretation is defined as a process of the creation of meaning rather than the event of a translation between codes as Freud originally saw it. Therapy is then seen as consisting of a process in which two persons negotiate over meaning. Within treatment the two participants create a meaning system or concordance, part of which the client comes to utilize in his/her personal meaning system or identity. The selection of a central metaphor around which to focus the concordance is seen as an important part of the treatment.
Image transport quality can be improved in disordered waveguides

Abstract We show that the quality of image transport can be improved in disordered waveguides compared with periodic waveguides such as coherent fiber optic bundles that are commonly used for imaging applications. The improvement is due to the transverse Anderson localization phenomenon that creates localized transport channels with finite radii through the disordered imaging waveguide.
Process control procedures to augment quality control of leukocyte-reduced red cell blood products.

Quality control of leukocyte-reduced packed red cell units (LRprc) produced in blood facilities must conform to regulatory criteria, which state that units may not contain more than 1×106 to 5×106 white blood cells (WBC) per unit. The post-filtration WBC content of a total of n=386 LRprc units was counted with a Nageotte chamber to model the probability that a unit would not meet the regulatory criteria. The distribution of the residual leukocyte counts is close to a negative binomial distribution (NBD) and is independent of the packed red cell volume filtered. The observed probability that a unit of blood has a residual WBC greater than 5×106 is 2·6±2·6×10−3. A power analysis of the two-sample Kolmogorov–Smirnov (KS) test in this application shows that a sample size of 20 is sufficient for determining that the process is in control when an out of control process has a k NBD parameter greater than or equal to that of the in control process. The three out of control processes observed to date appear to have this property. A sample of size 80 may be necessary for confirming that process validation data sets conform to the larger ‘reference’ database (n=386) for processes that are out of control in such a way that their k NBD parameter is less than the k parameter of the in control process. Copyright © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Protective effects of valproic acid on the nigrostriatal dopamine system in a 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine mouse model of Parkinson's disease

The use of animal models (including the 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine [MPTP] mouse model) to mimic dopaminergic (DAergic) cell loss and striatal dopamine (DA) depletion, as seen in Parkinson's disease (PD), has implicated a multitude of factors that might be associated with DAergic cell death in PD including excitotoxicity, inflammation, and oxidative stress. All of these factors have been shown to be reduced by administration of histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitors (HDACis) resulting in some degree of neuroprotection in various models of neurodegenerative disease including in Huntington's disease and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. However, there is limited information of effects of HDACis in PD models. We have previously shown HDACis to be partially protective against 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium (MPP(+))-mediated cell loss in vitro. The present study was conducted to extend these findings to an in vivo PD model. The HDACi valproic acid (VPA) was co-administered with MPTP for 5 days to male FVBn mice and continued for an additional 2 weeks, throughout the period of active neurodegeneration associated with MPTP-mediated DAergic cell loss. VPA was able to partially prevent striatal dopamine depletion and almost completely protect against substantia nigra DAergic cell loss. These results suggest that VPA may be a potential disease-modifying therapy for PD.
Indigenous natural-resource management systems for sustainable agricultural development—a global perspective†

Increasing pressure for food production due to the rapidly growing population has led to the gradual disappearance of numerous indigenous knowledge systems (IKSs) related to natural resource management. This process exposes the earths natural resources to constant ecological instability (such as loss of genetic diversity) and severe environmental vulnerability (such as soil degradation and soil erosion). Recent research on indigenous natural resource management systems indicates that they are highly sophisticated and complex reflecting generations of careful observations of the natural and physical environment. Keeping these in view a literature review has been conducted to identify major consequences of the disappearance of IKSs related to natural resource management. An attempt has been made to categorize indigenous natural resource management systems. IKSs documented from all over the globe and received at the Center for Indigenous Knowledge for Agriculture and Rural Development (CIKARD) were used to illustrate specific instances of locally adapted and economically viable indigenous natural resource management systems. Such examples were found in indigenous agronomic practices agroforestry indigenous genetic resources and pastoral management. An integrated natural resource management model has been developed with an overall goal of increasing food production by small-scale farmers with a least amount of deterioration to natures resource base. The salient features of the proposed model include promoting small-scale farmer participation recording indigenous knowledge systems related to natural resource management conducting diagnostic interviews evaluating modern technologies and conducting on-farm farmer-oriented research (OFFOR) trials for integrating indigenous and modern technologies. Careful implementation of such a model could contribute to ameliorating the growing natural resource problems of the developing world such as soil erosion environmental degradation and ecological destruction. (authors)
Incremental Hierarchical Discriminant Regression

This paper presents incremental hierarchical discriminant regression (IHDR) which incrementally builds a decision tree or regression tree for very high-dimensional regression or decision spaces by an online, real-time learning system. Biologically motivated, it is an approximate computational model for automatic development of associative cortex, with both bottom-up sensory inputs and top-down motor projections. At each internal node of the IHDR tree, information in the output space is used to automatically derive the local subspace spanned by the most discriminating features. Embedded in the tree is a hierarchical probability distribution model used to prune very unlikely cases during the search. The number of parameters in the coarse-to-fine approximation is dynamic and data-driven, enabling the IHDR tree to automatically fit data with unknown distribution shapes (thus, it is difficult to select the number of parameters up front). The IHDR tree dynamically assigns long-term memory to avoid the loss-of-memory problem typical with a global-fitting learning algorithm for neural networks. A major challenge for an incrementally built tree is that the number of samples varies arbitrarily during the construction process. An incrementally updated probability model, called sample-size-dependent negative-log-likelihood (SDNLL) metric is used to deal with large sample-size cases, small sample-size cases, and unbalanced sample-size cases, measured among different internal nodes of the IHDR tree. We report experimental results for four types of data: synthetic data to visualize the behavior of the algorithms, large face image data, continuous video stream from robot navigation, and publicly available data sets that use human defined features
Drotrecogin alfa (activated) in clinical practice and current evidences.

2) and concluded that use of the drug must be reconsidered until new studies provide more information. However, two large multicenter, observational studies were not quoted. One is the Polish observational study by Kluber et al. published in 2008 that observed 3,223 patients with severe sepsis treated throughout the country for two and a half years.