cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
3D bioprinting of collagen to rebuild components of the human heart

Collagen is the primary component of the extracellular matrix in the human body. It has proved challenging to fabricate collagen scaffolds capable of replicating the structure and function of tissues and organs. We present a method to 3D-bioprint collagen using freeform reversible embedding of suspended hydrogels (FRESH) to engineer components of the human heart at various scales, from capillaries to the full organ. Control of pH-driven gelation provides 20-micrometer filament resolution, a porous microstructure that enables rapid cellular infiltration and microvascularization, and mechanical strength for fabrication and perfusion of multiscale vasculature and tri-leaflet valves. We found that FRESH 3D-bioprinted hearts accurately reproduce patient-specific anatomical structure as determined by micro-computed tomography. Cardiac ventricles printed with human cardiomyocytes showed synchronized contractions, directional action potential propagation, and wall thickening up to 14% during peak systole.
Learning at Multiple Resolutions: Wavelets as Basis Functions in Artificial Neural Networks, and Inductive Decision Trees

Learning at multiple resolutions provides a fast, hierarchical and efficient technique for extracting models from empirical data. In this chapter we describe the application of wavelets for multi-resolution learning in artificial neural networks and inductive decision trees, and show how wavelets may provide a unifying framework for various supervised learning techniques. A Wave-Net is an artificial neural network with activation functions derived from the class of wavelets. Wave- Nets combine the mathematically rigorous, multi-resolution character of wavelets with the adaptive learning of artificial neural networks. Learning with Wave-Nets is efficient, and is explicitly based on the local or global error of approximation. The advantages of Wave-Net learning over other artificial neural learning techniques are highlighted, and learning methods for minimizing the L2 or L∞ norms are described. The reduced black box character of Wave-Nets is demonstrated by the explicit relationship between Wave-Net parameters and the quality of learning, and by the ability to extract if-then rules from a Haar Wave-Net. The relationship between Haar Wave-Nets and other rule-extraction techniques such as decision trees is described.
Countercyclical Monetary Policy Transmission Mechanism in the U.S. and Latin American Economies over the Post-2008 Period

Except for the Chilean case, competitive pricing behaviors by commercial banks in the U.S. and other Latin American economies in the post-U.S. subprime mortgage crisis were documented. The findings...
Double Obstruction Following Third Renal Transplant: A Case Report.

Abstract As the field of transplant evolves and patients with chronic disease live longer, retransplant for end-stage renal disease becomes more common because kidney allografts have a limited lifespan. In renal retransplant, graft and patient survival is near equivalent to first-time transplant; however, these procedures present a unique surgical risk profile, especially third and subsequent transplants, which are reviewed in this manuscript. The risk of bowel obstruction in primary kidney transplant recipients is much lower than patients who have undergone laparotomy for second or third transplant because of the retroperitoneal location of the transplanted kidney. Internal hernia is an uncommon cause of small bowel obstruction, particularly after kidney transplant, and often diagnosis and intervention are delayed because of diagnostic uncertainty. We report a case of a 34-year-old man with acute kidney injury and bowel obstruction, whose final diagnosis was an internal hernia around the transplanted ureter of an intra-abdominally placed third renal transplant resulting in ureteric obstruction associated with small bowel obstruction—a case of double obstruction.
Ectomycorrhizal fungal community assembly on seedlings of a neotropical monodominant tree

Ectomycorrhizal tree species may benefit from positive plant–soil feedbacks, where soil environments near adult trees enhance conspecific seedling growth and survival. In tropical monodominant forests, seedling survival is particularly important, as seedling banks help maintain stand-level dominance over generations. Positive plant–soil feedbacks may be mediated by diverse ectomycorrhizal fungal communities, which improve nutrient acquisition of heavily shaded seedlings. Despite the potential importance of these fungi, little is known about ectomycorrhizal fungal community development on seedlings of tropical monodominant trees. In Guyana, we sequentially monitored percent colonization and species composition of ectomycorrhizal fungi on an even-age cohort of seedlings of the tropical monodominant tree Dicymbe corymbosa (Fabaceae subfamily Detarioideae). Ectomycorrhizal fungi found on D. corymbosa seedlings over a 12-month period of early development were compared to those of conspecific adults and four other ectomycorrhizal tree species in the region. Species turnover was high (80%) between 6- and 12-month-old seedlings, though the /russula-lactarius, /clavulina, and /tomentella-thelephora lineages were species-rich on seedlings at all ages. The number of ectomycorrhizal morphotypes per seedling increased with age, but extent of fungal colonization did not. Seedling ectomycorrhizal fungi were shared with sympatric conspecific adults (55%) and, to a lesser extent, regional heterospecific adults (27%), but numerous species were previously unrecorded for Guyana. Over their development D. corymbosa seedlings did not rely strictly on adult trees for their mycobionts but appeared to foster unique assemblages of ectomycorrhizal fungi.
Assessing Rough-and-tumble Play Behavior in Juvenile Rats

Play is a complex social behavior that is highly conserved across mammals. In most species, males engage in more frequent and vigorous play as juveniles than females, which reflects subtle yet impactful sex differences in brain circuitry and development. In this protocol, we describe a behavioral testing paradigm to assess social play in male and female juvenile rats. We highlight the behavior scoring criteria for distinguishing rough-and-tumble play from other play-related social behaviors. By analyzing both sexes, play behavior can be leveraged as a powerful tool to understand the sex-specific development and expression of social behavior.
Multiple Mode Couplings in a Waveguide Array for Broadband Near-Zero Dispersion and Supercontinuum Generation

We achieve a broadband near-zero dispersion in a thin silicon nitride waveguide array at near-infrared utilizing the multiple mode couplings. Different orders of modes are coupled at four different wavelengths, generating eight zero dispersion wavelengths (ZDWs). The broadband near-zero dispersion profile within 90 ps/nm/km is achieved, spanning over the spectral range of 1350 $-$ 1900 nm. Using the dispersion engineered waveguide array, an octave-spanning supercontinuum is numerically generated with a pump of 100 fs and 200 pJ. The concept of using multiple mode couplings to obtain broadband near-zero dispersion can be applied to other spectral regimes and material platforms as well, by engineering the structural parameters to shift the positions of the ZDWs.
First Chair Chats: Reflections on a Virtual Pilot Collaboration

This review provides an inside perspective of a virtual event created as an expansion of digital library services during the COVID-19 pandemic In May 2020, University of North Texas staff from the Music Library and External Relations Office hosted a live, virtual chat to discuss perspectives on music and copyright Four guest presenters and audience members participated using the Zoom video conferencing platform While the organizers considered the event a success, challenges and feedback along the way have informed plans for future chat events © 2020 The Author(s) Published with license by Taylor & Francis Group, LLC
Longitudinal Connections of Self-esteem and Depression Among Adult Children and their Parents

This study sought to replicate research that explores the interconnection between self-esteem and depression throughout young and middle adulthood, and examine the transmission of self-esteem and depression between parent and adult child. Four waves of dyadic data (n = 203 parent–child dyads) from the Longitudinal Study of Generations were used. Cross-lagged panel modeling was used to examine the link between self-esteem and depression over young and middle adulthood. Actor–partner interdependence modeling (APIM) was then used to examine the interconnections between parent and adult children over time. Findings indicated self-esteem was relatively stable during both young and middle adulthood, whereas depression was relatively stable during middle adulthood but unstable during young adulthood. In the dyadic model, partner effects were only present from adult children to their parents (i.e., lower adult child self-esteem was related to lower parent self-esteem). Findings indicate a reverse transmission process from adult child to parent (versus parent to child) may be present after a child becomes an adult.
Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Six-Month Intervention Study of Soy Protein Isolate in Men with Biochemical Recurrence after Radical Prostatectomy: A Pilot Study.

There is evidence to suggest that soy may be beneficial for prostate cancer patients, but few randomized trials have addressed this. We examined the effect of 6–8 mo soy protein supplementation on ...
Licensing of nominal ellipsis in Hungarian possessives

We argue, based on novel data, that the possessor head (Poss) can license ellipsis of its complement in Hungarian. That is, contra existing claims in the literature, possessor morphology can survive nominal ellipsis and be stranded on the remnant. Adopting Saab & Lipta k (2016)’s of ellipsis licensing, we propose that there is variation in the size of the ellipsis site in Hungarian: nominal ellipsis can be licensed by either Num or Poss. We further propose that nominal ellipsis licensed by Poss can capture a previously unanalyzed variation in the Hungarian possessive pronoun paradigm. Specifically, the two variants of possessive pronouns correspond to two different structures: one is the anaphoric possessive (see De ka ny 2015), while the other exists only as a consequence of nominal ellipsis, which, as we show, is a productive possibility.
Development of a PointNet for Detecting Morphologies of Self-Assembled Block Oligomers in Atomistic Simulations.

Molecular simulations with atomistic or coarse-grained force fields are a powerful approach for understanding and predicting the self-assembly phase behavior of complex molecules. Amphiphiles, block oligomers, and block polymers can form mesophases with different ordered morphologies describing the spatial distribution of the blocks, but entirely amorphous nature for local packing and chain conformation. Screening block oligomer chemistry and architecture through molecular simulations to find promising candidates for functional materials is aided by effective and straightforward morphology identification techniques. Capturing 3-dimensional periodic structures, such as ordered network morphologies, is hampered by the requirement that the number of molecules in the simulated system and the shape of the periodic simulation box need to be commensurate with those of the resulting network phase. Common strategies for structure identification include structure factors and order parameters, but these fail to identify imperfect structures in simulations with incorrect system sizes. Building upon pioneering work by DeFever et al. [Chem. Sci.2019, 10, 7503-7515] who implemented a PointNet (i.e., a neural network designed for computer vision applications using point clouds) to detect local structure in simulations of single-bead particles and water molecules, we present a PointNet for detection of nonlocal ordered morphologies of complex block oligomers. Our PointNet was trained using atomic coordinates from molecular dynamics simulation trajectories and synthetic point clouds for ordered network morphologies that were absent from previous simulations. In contrast to prior work on simple molecules, we observe that large point clouds with 1000 or more points are needed for the more complex block oligomers. The trained PointNet model achieves an accuracy as high as 0.99 for globally ordered morphologies formed by linear diblock, linear triblock, and 3-arm and 4-arm star-block oligomers, and it also allows for the discovery of emerging ordered patterns from nonequilibrium systems.
Seeking a Widely Adoptable Practical Standard to Estimate Signal-to-Noise Ratio in Magnetic Resonance Imaging for Multiple-Coil Reconstructions

Background Signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) is used to evaluate the performance of magnetic resonance (MR) imaging systems. Accurate and consistent estimations are needed to routinely use SNR to assess coils and image reconstruction techniques. Purpose To identify a reliable and practical method for SNR estimation in multiple-coil reconstructions. Study type Technical evaluation and comparison. Subjects/phantom A uniform phantom and four healthy volunteers: 35, 38, 39 y/o males, 25 y/o female. Field strength/sequence Two-dimensional multislice gradient-echo pulse sequence at 3 T and 7 T. Assessment Reference-standard SNR was calculated from 100 multiple replicas. Six SNR methods were compared against it: difference image (DI), analytic array combination (AC), pseudo-multiple-replica (PMR), generalized pseudo-replica (GPR), smoothed image subtraction (SIS), and DI with temporal instability correction (TIC). The assessment was repeated for different multiple-coil reconstructions. Statistical tests SNR methods were evaluated in terms of relative deviation (RD) and normalized mutual information (NMI) with respect to the reference-standard, using a linear regression (0.05 significance level) to assess how different factors affect accuracy. Results Average RD (phantom) for DI, AC, PMR, GPR, SIS, and TIC was 7.9%, 6%, 6.7%, 10.1%, 40%, and 14.6%, respectively. RD increased with acceleration. SNR maps with AC were the most similar to the reference standard (NMI = 0.358). Considering all brain regions of interest, average RD for all SNR methods varied 96% among volunteers but remained approximately 10% for AC, PMR, and GPR, whereas it was more than 30% for DI, SIS, and TIC. RD was mainly affected by image reconstruction (beta = 12) for AC and SNR entropy for SIS (beta = 19). Data conclusion AC provided accurate and robust SNR estimation. PMR and GPR are more generally applicable than AC. DI and TIC should be used only at low acceleration factors, when an additional noise-only scan cannot be acquired. SIS is a single-acquisition alternative to DI for generalized autocalibrating partial parallel acquisition (GRAPPA) reconstructions. Evidence level 1 TECHNICAL EFFICACY: Stage 1.
CRISPR-Cas12a induced DNA double-strand breaks are repaired by locus-dependent and error-prone pathways in a fungal pathogen

CRISPR-Cas mediated genome engineering has revolutionized functional genomics. However, basic questions remain regarding the mechanisms of DNA repair following Cas-mediated DNA cleavage. We developed CRISPR-Cas12a ribonucleoprotein genome editing in the fungal plant pathogen, Magnaporthe oryzae, and found frequent donor DNA integration despite the absence of long sequence homology. Interestingly, genotyping from hundreds of transformants showed that frequent non-canonical DNA repair outcomes predominated the recovered genome edited strains. Detailed analysis using sanger and nanopore long-read sequencing revealed five classes of DNA repair mutations, including single donor DNA insertions, concatemer donor DNA insertions, large DNA deletions, deletions plus donor DNA insertions, and infrequently we observed INDELs. Our results show that different error-prone DNA repair pathways resolved the Cas12a-mediated double-strand breaks (DSBs) based on the DNA sequence of edited strains. Furthermore, we found that the frequency of the different DNA repair outcomes varied across the genome, with some tested loci resulting in more frequent large-scale mutations. These results suggest that DNA repair pathways provide preferential repair across the genome that could create biased genome variation, which has significant implications for genome engineering and the genome evolution in natural populations.
Low-Energy Excitations in High-Temperature Superconductors

Patrick A. Lee Superconductivity in some metals is the result of electrons forming pairs that travel through the material without resistance. Although the mechanism in this process is understood in many materials, it remains only partly understood regarding high-transition-temperature copper oxide superconductors. In his Perspective, Lee discusses results in the same issue by Krishana et al. that indicate unusual properties of excitations in the copper oxides known as "quasiparticles," particularly with regard to the transport of heat by these excitations. A better understanding of these quantum mechanical superpositions of electron and hole states should reveal more about the superconducting state itself.
Specific interference by ingested dsRNA

A genetic interference phenomenon in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans has been described in which expression of an individual gene can be specifically reduced by microinjecting a corresponding fragment of double-stranded (ds) RNA1. One striking feature of this process is a spreading effect: interference in a broad region of the animal is observed following the injection of dsRNA into the extracellular body cavity. Here we show that C. elegans can respond in a gene-specific manner to dsRNA encountered in the environment. C. elegans normally feed on bacteria, ingesting and grinding them in the pharynx and subsequently absorbing bacterial contents in the gut. We find that Escherichia coli bacteria expressing dsRNAs can confer specific interference effects on the nematode larvae that feed on them.
Dispersion in Industry Price Changes and the Relative Association between Alternative Income Measures and Security Returns

The objective of this research is to assess whether the incremental information content of current cost (CC) income and constant dollar (CD) income is time-period specific. Based on work by Lim and Sunder (1990), we predict that CC (CD) income is more likely to exhibit incremental information content over CD (CC) income when the dispersion in annual price changes across industries is large (small). Evidence provided using FASB Statement No. 33 data is consistent with these predictions. That is, CD (CC) income is shown to exhibit incremental information content over CC (CD) income in the years 1980 and 1983 (1981 and 1982). We then extend this analysis to a disclosure environment that includes historical cost (HC) income, and find that CD (CC) income also has incremental information content over HC income in those same years—1980 and 1983 (1981 and 1982). Thus, by identifying time periods when either CC income or CD income is the preferred income measure, we also are able to provide sample-wide evidence th...
Entropy-constrained product code vector quantization with application to image coding

While product code VQ is an effective paradigm for reducing the encoding search and memory requirements of vector quantization, a significant limitation of this approach is the heuristic nature of bit allocation among the product code features. We propose an optimal bit allocation strategy for PCVQ through the explicit incorporation of an entropy constraint within the product code framework. Unrestricted entropy-constrained PCVQs require joint entropy codes over all features and concomitant encoding and memory storage complexity. To retain manageable complexity, we propose "product-based" entropy code structures, including independent and conditional feature entropy codes. We also propose an iterative, locally optimal encoding strategy to improve performance over greedy encoding at a small cost in complexity. This approach is applicable to a large class of product code schemes, allowing joint entropy coding of feature indices without exhaustive encoding. Simulations demonstrate performance gains for image coding based on the mean-gain-shape product code structure. >
Bounded eigenfunctions and absolutely continuous spectra for one-dimensional Schrödinger operators

We provide a short proof of that case of the Gilbert-Pearson theorem that is most often used: That all eigenfunctions bounded implies purely a.c. spectrum. Two appendices illuminate Weidmann's result that potentials of bounded variation have strictly a.c. spectrum on a half-axis, ?
Estimating speech recognition error rate without acoustic test data.

We address the problem of estimating the word error rate (WER) of an automatic speech recognition (ASR) system without using acoustic test data. This is an important problem which is faced by the designers of new applications which use ASR. Quick estimate of WER early in the design cycle can be used to guide the decisions involving dialog strategy and grammar design. Our approach involves estimating the probability distribution of the word hypotheses produced by the underlying ASR system given the text test corpus. A critical component of this system is a phonemic confusion model which seeks to capture the errors made by ASR on the acoustic data at a phonemic level. We use a confusion model composed of probabilistic phoneme sequence conversion rules which are learned from phonemic transcription pairs obtained by leave-one-out decoding of the training set. We show reasonably close estimation of WER when applying the system to test sets from different domains.
Numerical study of the effects of transport phenomena on macrosegregation during unidirectional solidification of a binary substance

Unidirectional solidification of a binary substance has been modelled using a continuum formulation to investigate the macrosegregation resulting from fluid motion induced by an unstable density inversion. Localized and global species redistribution was predicted in each of 3 simulations, which examined the effects of mushy zone permeability and cooling rate. Localized segregation in the form of freckle segregates, which were composed of eutectic material surrounded by large compositional gradients, was linked to discrete channels that existed in the mushy zone prior to its complete solidification. The channels acted as paths of least resistance for the transport of interdendritic fluid into the overlying bulk liquid. Freckles were most pronounced for the more permeable mushy zone, while conduction dominated solidification, which occurred over the longest interval for the case involving the largest cooling rate, inhibited freckle formation. Due to the rejection of solute deficient (less dense) fluid from the mushy zone via the channels, normal segregation associated with axial variations in the average composition of the solid was also predicted.
Relationship of Bull Fertility to Sperm Nuclear Shape

The relationship between sperm nuclear shape and bull fertility was determined. Two groups of bulls, 3 per group, were selected. Bulls differed in fertility based on lifetime nonreturn rates. Digital images of propidium iodide-stained sperm from each bull were collected and shape-evaluated by Fourier harmonic amplitudes 0 to 5. A discriminant function (P < .05) was constructed based on harmonic amplitudes and the 2 fertility groups. When individual sperm were classified as being of high or lower fertility, the percentage of each bull's sperm placed in the high-fertility group had a linear relationship (r = .89, P < .05) with fertility. To construct a plot of mean sperm shapes, a novel technique to automatically orient and identify the anterior tip of the sperm head was developed. The mean nuclear shape of high-fertility sperm was more elongated and tapered than those of lower fertility. A discriminant function (P < .05) was also constructed that separated the 6 bulls into 2 groups based only on the harmonic amplitudes or sperm nuclear shape. The bulls were correctly classified into the 2 fertility groups. A comparison of sperm chromatin structure analysis (SCSA) and harmonic amplitudes found that overall size variance, anterior roundness, and posterior taperedness of sperm nuclei were related to chromatin stability (P < .05). Some of the differences observed in sperm nuclear shape between the high- and lower-fertility bulls may be explained by varying levels of chromatin stability. However, sperm nuclear shape appears to contain additional information from chromatin stability alone. In this particular study, with 6 bulls, all with good chromatin quality, sperm nuclear shape was a better predictor of bull fertility.
Method for Investigating the Spectral Characteristics of Corroded Metal

The extent of corrosion on the world’s bridges, buildings, power line towers, and various other outdoor steel structures is a significant problem faced by today’s infrastructure. For example, in the United States there are approximately 576,000 bridges, 41% of which are deemed potentially unsafe due to their substandard condition [1]. Corrosion is the major cause of these structures being evaluated as inadequate.
Left atrial reservoir function predicts atrial fibrillation recurrence after catheter ablation: a two-dimensional speckle strain study.

Background Predictors of atrial fibrillation (AF) recurrence after catheter ablation (CA) are not fully defined. We hypothesized that 2D left atrial (LA) regional strain maps would help identify abnormal atrial substrate that increases susceptibility to AF recurrence post-CA.
Biochemical evidence thatl-glutamate is a neurotransmitter of primary vagal afferent nerve fibers

Summary To determine in rat if vagal afferent fibers projecting into the intermediate one third of the nucleus tractus solitarius (NTS), the site of termination of baroafferents, utilize glutamate as a neurotransmitter, the high-affinity uptake of [3H] l -glutamate and content of glutamate were analyzed in micropunches of rat brain stem. The intermediate NTS contains a high-affinity synaptosomal uptake system for [3H] l -glutamate that is greater in capacity than that in areas adjacent to the NTS; it is almost two-fold higher than uptake in medial septum and nucleus accumbens and equal to that of hippocampal regions purportedly containing a rich glutamatergic innervation. Unilateral ablation of the nodose ganglion (i.e. cells of origin of vagal afferents) resulted, within 24 h in a prolonged significant reduction, to 56% of control, of [3H] l -glutamate uptake, bilaterally in the NTS. The reduction of Na+-dependent synaptosomal uptake of [3H] l -glutamate, resulted from a decrease in Vmax without change in theKm of the process, was anatomically restricted to the intermediate NTS, and was not associated with changes in [3H]GABA uptake. The content of glutamate in the NTS was significantly (P
Negative Probabilities in Financial Modeling

We first define and derive general properties of negative probabilities. We then show how negative probabilities can be applied to modeling financial options such as Caps and Floors. In trading practice, these options are typically valued in a Black-Scholes-Merton framework assuming a lognormal distribution for the underlying interest rate. However, in some cases, such as the 2008/2009 financial crisis, interest rates can get negative. Then the lognormal distribution is inapplicable. We show how negative probabilities associated with negative interest rates can be applied to value interest rate options. A model in VBA, which prices Caps and Floors with negative probabilities, is available upon request. A follow up paper will address bigger than unity probabilities in financial modeling.
Synthesis of Chelate-Supported Dialkyl and Alkylidene Complexes of Molybdenum(VI)

The use of chelating diamide [o-(Me3SiN)2C6H4]2- as a coligand for high-oxidation early transition metal complexes has been investigated. Reaction of Mo(NPh)2Cl2DME with Li2[o-(Me3SiN)2C6H4] afforded green microcrystals of [Mo(NPh)(μ-NPh)(o-(Me3SiN)2C6H4)]2 (1), while reaction of Mo(NPh)2Cl2DME with H2[o-(Me3SiN)2C6H4] gave Mo(NPh)Cl2(o-(Me3SiN)2C6H4)(NH2Ph) (2). Two derivatives of 2 are reported, Mo(NPh)Cl2(o-(Me3SiN)2C6H4)(PMe3) (3) and Mo(NPh)Cl2(o-(Me3SiN)2C6H4)(THF) (4). Structural studies of 3 are reported. Reaction of 3 or 4 with RMgX (X = Cl or Br) gave Mo(NPh)R2(o-(Me3SiN)2C6H4) (R = Me 5, Ph 6, CH2CMe3 7, CH2Ph 8, CH2SiMe3 9). Reaction of 2 with RMgCl (R = CH2CMe3, CH2SiMe3) gave mixtures of Mo(NPh)R2(o-(Me3SiN)2C6H4) and Mo(NPh)2R2. Both Mo(NPh)2(CH2CMe3)2 (10) and Mo(NPh)2(CH2SiMe3)2 (11) were isolated form the reaction of Mo(NPh)2Cl2DME and RMgCl (R = CH2CMe3, CH2SiMe3). The alkylidene, Mo(NPh)(C(H)CMe3)(o-(Me3SiN)2C6H4)(PMe3) (13), was isolated from the reaction of 7 and an excess of PMe3 at...
Experimental evaluation and mathematical modeling of microbially enhanced tetrachloroethene (PCE) dissolution.

Experiments to assess metabolic reductive dechlorination (chlororespiration) at high concentration levels consistent with the presence of free-phase tetrachloroethene (PCE) were performed using three PCE-to-cis-1,2-dichloroethene (cis-DCE) dechlorinating pure cultures (Sulfurospirillum multivorans, Desulfuromonas michiganensis strain BB1, and Geobacter lovleyi strain SZ) and Desulfitobacterium sp. strain Viet1, a PCE-to-trichloroethene (TCE) dechlorinating isolate. Despite recent evidence suggesting bacterial PCE-to-cis-DCE dechlorination occurs at or near PCE saturation (0.9−1.2 mM), all cultures tested ceased dechlorinating at ∼0.54 mM PCE. In the presence of PCE dense nonaqueous phase liquid (DNAPL), strains BB1 and SZ initially dechlorinated, but TCE and cis-DCE production ceased when aqueous PCE concentrations reached inhibitory levels. For S. multivorans, dechlorination proceeded at a rate sufficient to maintain PCE concentrations below inhibitory levels, resulting in continuous cis-DCE production a...
Traitement endovasculaire d'une fistule aorto-cave chronique a l'aide d'une endoprothèse thoracique

Les traumatismes abdominaux penetrants avec lesions de l'aorte et de la veine cave necessitent habituellement une intervention en urgence et sont frequemment mortels. La formation d'une fistule aorto-cave (FAC) chronique est une complication tardive rare de ces lesions. Nous rapportons un cas de FAC se presentant 17 ans apres une plaie abdominale par balle, responsable d'une insuffisance cardiaque progressive comme symptome d'appel. La FAC a ete traitee avec succes par une endoprothese d'aorte thoracique.
Information processing analysis of human land mine detection skill

This paper describes findings from a study conducted to analyze the behavior, knowledge, and thinking that support the highest levels of human land mine detection skill. A recent assessment of land mine detection capability concluded that 'human operators perform better with any detector system than the corresponding fully automated system.' This assessment, plus evidence linking individual differences in detection ability to experience, suggests that methods, data, and theory developed in studying human expertise can be applied to the problems of land mine detection and discrimination. Studies of experts across a variety of skill domains have demonstrated that analyses of experts' skills can yield findings useful for designing efficient and effective training programs and supporting technology development. This initial field study was performed to (a) identify the upper levels of human mine detection capability using currently-fielded hand-held equipment and (b) model the knowledge, thickening, and techniques employed by proficient human operators. Two experienced operators showed sufficiently impressive detection performance to qualify as experts. Data laos show that skilled PSS-12 operator can detect low-metal mines with considerable accuracy. A first-approximation information- processing model of expert operator skill is presented that is based on observation of the operators' activities as they searched for mine targets.
In situ identification and visualization of neurons that mediate enteric and enteropancreatic reflexes.

To identify neurons participating in enteric and enteropancreatic reflexes, we validated the use of the activity-dependent markers FM1-43 and FM2-10 as “on-line” probes for the visualization of activated guinea pig enteric and pancreatic neurons. FM1-43 or FM2-10 labeling of neuronal perikarya and processes was induced by KCl (70 mM), veratridine (1.0 μM), intracellular injection of depolarizing current pulses, stimulation of afferent inputs, evoking reflexes (by inflating an intraluminal balloon, blowing puffs of N2 at, or applying glucose to, the villous surface of the duodenum), or injury; labeling was prevented by tetrodotoxin (0.5 μM). Intracellular recording and injection of Neurobiotin® confirmed that FM1-43 labeled neurons that spike, but not those that exhibit only fast excitatory postsynaptic potentials. Perikarya did not label if axonal transport was blocked by colchicine. When pulses of N2 or glucose were directed at duodenal villi in vitro, labeling by FM1-43 or FM2-10 was observed in myenteric and pancreatic neurons, as well as in subsets of cells in pancreatic islets and intestinal crypts. Hexamethonium blocked the spread of label via nicotinic synapses and thus enabled primary afferent neurons to be located. Balloon distension elicited hexamethonium-resistant labeling of epithelial cells, interstitial cells, and Dogiel type II neurons in each plexus; however, in preparations stimulated with pulses of N2 or glucose, hexamethonium-resistant labeling of neurons occurred only in the submucosal plexus and not in myenteric ganglia. These observations suggest that primary afferent neurons responsible for mucosal pressure- or glucose-induced enteric and enteropancreatic reflexes are submucosal, whereas myenteric afferent neurons become activated only when the wall of the bowel is distended. The data are compatible with the possibility that primary afferent neurons are activated by a signaling molecule released from intestinal epithelial cells. © 1996 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Reaction of molten metal droplets with a rarefied atmosphere.

high and low mass flux argon plasma jet," Aerospace Research Labs., ARL 64-191 (1964). "Pfender, E., Wutzke, S. A., Shin, K. T., Eddy, T., and Eckert, E. R. G., "Thermal analysis and study of arc-flow interactions in the anode regime of an electric arc," Univ. of Minnesota, HTL TR 64 (1965). 12 Busz-Peuckert, G. and Finkelnburg, W., "Die Abhangigkeit des Anodenfalles von Stromstarke und Bogenlange bei Hochtempurbogen," Z. Phys. 140, 540 (1955). 13 Wutzke, S. A., Cremers, C. J., and Eckert, E. R. G., "The thermal analysis of anode and cathode regimes in an electric Arc column," Univ. of Minnesota, HTL TR 56 (1963). . 14 Raezer, S. D., "Electrode heat transfer in the rotated arc," Applied Physics Lab., TG-674, The Johns Hopkins University, Silver Spring, Md. (1965). 15 Olsen, H. N., Maldonado, C. D., Caron, A. P., and Dawson, L. R., "Investigation of the interaction of a preionized gas with an electric arc," Aerospace Research Labs., ARL 65-48 pp 12-16 (1965). 16 Maecker, H., "Messung and Auswertung von Bogencharakteristiken (Ar, N2)," Z. Phys. 158, 392-404 (1960). Pfender, E., Raithby, G. D., and Eckert,'E. R. G., "Anode comparison study in a wall-stabilized argon arc," Aerospace Research Labs., ARI/65-232 (1965). Emmons, H. W. and Land, R. L, "The Poiseuille plasma experiment," Phys. Fluids 5, 1489-1500 (1962). 19 Knopp, C. F., "An experimental determination of the thermal and electrical conductivity of atmospheric argon plasma," Northwestern Univ., NU-GDL Rept. B-l-65 (1965), p. 194.
PLC-β3 signals upstream of PKCε in acute and chronic inflammatory hyperalgesia

While protein kinase C epsilon has been shown to contribute to acute and chronic mechanical hyperalgesia, its upstream signaling pathway has received little attention. Since phospholipase C can signal to PKC epsilon and has been implicated in nociceptor sensitization, we tested if it is upstream of PKC epsilon in mechanisms underlying primary mechanical hyperalgesia. In the rat, the PKC epsilon-dependent mechanical hyperalgesia and hyperalgesic priming (i.e., a form of chronic latent enhanced hyperalgesia) induced by carrageenan were attenuated by a non-selective PLC inhibitor U-73122. A lipid mediator of PLC signaling, l-alpha-lysophosphatidylcholine produced dose-dependent mechanical hyperalgesia and hyperalgesic priming, which was attenuated by EAVSLKPT, a selective PKC epsilon inhibitor. However, U-73122 did not attenuate hyperalgesia induced by psi epsilon RACK, a selective PKC epsilon activator. Antisense to PLC-beta 3 isoform, which was found in small-diameter dorsal root ganglion neurons, also attenuated carrageenan-induced acute and chronic-latent hyperalgesia. These studies support the suggestion that PLC-beta 3 is an important upstream signaling molecule for PKC epsilon-mediated acute and chronic inflammatory pain.
Start-up flows of second grade fluids in domains with one finite dimension

A number of unidirectional transient flows of a second grade fluid in a domain with one finite dimension are studied. The method of integral transforms (Fourier, Hankel or Laplace) is applied to obtain exact solutions. A general theorem on start-up flows for second grade fluids is presented that allows us to determine unidirectional flows of second grade fluids once the corresponding solution is known within the context of the Navier-Stokes theory. In the process of obtaining solutions for the fluid of second grade, we find several new exact solutions within the context of the classical Navier-Stokes theory.
Until Death Do Us Part: Lesbian Rhetorics of Relational Divorce

This study analyzes the “divorce stories” shared by 25 lesbians who maintained close ties with their ex-partners after their breakups. The rhetorical features of their stories (a) model strategies that use the symbolic language of marriage in stories about divorce; (b) resist adversarial language in favor of support language; (c) utilize a vocabulary of family to describe ex-spouse relationships; and (d) establish a language of fairness in breaking up. In the process, this work articulates a queer, relational, out-law rhetoric that reimagines divorce and illustrates the potential for discourses of resistance among marginalized subjects.
Power control for a spread spectrum cellular mobile radio system

In two earlier papers (ICC'80 [3] and GLOBECOM'82 [6]) two power control schemes for spread spectrum cellular land mobile radio have been described, one for the upstream (mobile to base) link and one for the downstream link. Here we compare the power control problem for the upstream and the downstream links and show that using simple algebra we can equalize the signal-to-interference ratio for each mobile in a given cell in both links and thereby increase the capacity by 30 to 100% compared with a system with no power control. We also show that the SIR values can be equalized system-wide for both link directions by means of a nontrivial eigenvalue problem, which results in a further capacity improvement of 10 to 15%. Denial statistics are also presented.
Peptide-based lipid mimetics with tunable core properties viathiol–alkyne chemistry

Thiol–alkyne chemistry is utilized to produce peptide-based A2B star polymers. This topography resembles a phospholipid where the polypeptide B block represents a functional, polar head group and the A blocks represent lipophilic units. We utilize a convergent, modular approach to produce lipid mimetics through conjugation of poly(L-glutamic acid) with three different lipophilic moieties (octadecane, cholesterol and polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane). All samples are shown to self-assemble in aqueous solution into pH-responsive vesicles. The self-assembly and pH-responsiveness were characterized using circular dichroism spectroscopy and light scattering. Detailed light scattering experiments determined that the aggregation number of the vesicles remains nearly constant as a function of pH, suggesting that the pH-responsiveness is a result of both the helix–coil transition as well as a change in chain packing at the vesicle interface.
The impact of explicit cloud boundary information on ice cloud microphysical property retrievals from infrared radiances

[1] Cirrus clouds have a profound impact on the radiation balance of the Earth–atmosphere system. Accurate representation of their radiative properties is critical to understanding climate and predicting climate change. This paper casts the split-window cirrus cloud retrieval technique in an optimal estimation framework facilitating direct inclusion of explicit cloud boundary information from complementary sensors as well as providing a suite of diagnostic tools for evaluating the dominant sources of uncertainty in all retrieved quantities. Errors in retrieved microphysical properties are used to determine the resulting errors in the calculation of global-scale radiative budgets. Uncertainties in optical depth and effective radius are found to diminish from � 45% and � 80%, respectively, in the absence of explicit cloud boundary information to � 15% and � 60% when accurate radarbased or lidar-based estimates are included. It is demonstrated that the improvements to cirrus cloud optical properties afforded by accurate cloud boundary information may lead to as much as a factor of 3 increase in the accuracy to which their impact on the Earth’s radiative balance can be modeled. Colocated infrared radiances from the ModerateResolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) instrument aboard the Earth Observing System (EOS) Aqua satellite and cloud radar observations from the CloudSat satellite will soon allow the retrieval presented here to be integrated into an operational retrieval of the vertical distribution of cloud properties on a global scale. INDEX TERMS: 0320 Atmospheric Composition and Structure: Cloud physics and chemistry; 3359 Meteorology and Atmospheric Dynamics: Radiative processes; 3360 Meteorology and Atmospheric Dynamics: Remote sensing; 3374 Meteorology and Atmospheric Dynamics: Tropical meteorology; 3394 Meteorology and Atmospheric Dynamics: Instruments and techniques; KEYWORDS: cirrus clouds, split-window, CloudSat, radiative fluxes
Comparison of NRC goniometric and integrating sphere methods for realizing an absolute diffuse reflectance scale

At the National Research Council of Canada (NRC), the scale of diffuse spectral reflectance in the UV and visible range is realized using an integrating sphere method known as the Modified Sharp-Little method and has been wellcharacterized and validated. More recently, a gonioreflectometer has been designed to capture the bidirectional reflectance of reflecting objects. This system incorporates a diode-array spectroradiometer and is prone to non-linearity errors. In this paper the magnitude of this non-linearity error is evaluated using several diffusely reflecting materials by comparing the angular-integrated reflection indicatrix measured with the gonioreflectometer with results obtained using a transfer spectrophotometer that is traceable to the sphere-based NRC Absolute Reflectometer.
Adaptive format conversion for scalable video coding

The enhancement layer in many scalable coding algorithms is composed of residual coding information. There is another type of information that can be transmitted instead of (or in addition to) residual coding. Since the encoder has access to the original sequence, it can utilize adaptive format conversion (AFC) to generate the enhancement layer and transmit the different format conversion methods as enhancement data. This paper investigates the use of adaptive format conversion information as enhancement data in scalable video coding. Experimental results are shown for a wide range of base layer qualities and enhancement bitrates to determine when AFC can improve video scalability. Since the parameters needed for AFC are small compared to residual coding, AFC can provide video scalability at low enhancement layer bitrates that are not possible with residual coding. In addition, AFC can also be used in addition to residual coding to improve video scalability at higher enhancement layer bitrates. Adaptive format conversion has not been studied in detail, but many scalable applications may benefit from it. An example of an application that AFC is well-suited for is the migration path for digital television where AFC can provide immediate video scalability as well as assist future migrations.
Targeting Protein Kinase C‐alpha (PKC‐α) in Cancer with the Phosphorothioate Antisense Oligonucleotide Aprinocarsen

Antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs) offer a novel pharmacological platform to develop highly specific drugs. As shown by the clinical development of aprinocarsen, an ASO directed against protein kinase C-alpha (PKC-alpha), this platform has made a remarkable advance from the bench to the bedside. This review summarizes the rationale of the early development of aprinocarsen and current clinical experience.
Chronic inhaled ovalbumin exposure induces antigen-dependent but not antigen-specific inhalational tolerance in a murine model of allergic airway disease.

Sensitized mice acutely challenged with inhaled ovalbumin (OVA) develop allergic airway inflammation, characterized by OVA-specific IgE production, airway eosinophilia, increased pulmonary B and T lymphocytes, and airway hyperreactivity. In this study, a chronic exposure model was developed and two distinct patterns of response were observed. Discontinuous inhalational exposure to OVA (6 weeks) produced airway inflammation and hyperreactivity that were similar to acute (10 days) responses. Continuous inhalational exposure to OVA (6 or 11 weeks) resulted in attenuation of airway eosinophilia and hyperresponsiveness without reduction of OVA-specific IgE and IgG 1 levels. The inhibition of airway inflammation was dependent on continuous exposure to antigen, because continuously exposed mice with attenuated inflammatory responses redeveloped allergic airway disease if the OVA aerosols were interrupted and then restarted (11-week-discontinuous). Inhalational tolerance induced by continuous OVA exposure demonstrated bystander suppression of cockroach allergen-mediated airway eosinophilia. These findings may be attributed to changes in production of the anti-inflammatory cytokine interleukin-10 during continuous OVA aerosol exposure. The symptomatic and asymptomatic allergic responses in human asthmatics could be explained by similar variable or discontinuous exposures to aeroantigens.
Periodically-focused solutions to the nonlinear Vlasov–Maxwell equations for intense charged particle beams

Abstract An intense nonneutral ion beam propagates in the z -direction through a periodic focusing quadrupole field with transverse focusing force, F foc =−κ q (s)(x e x −y e y ) , on the beam ions. Here, the oscillatory lattice coefficient satisfies κ q ( s + S )= κ q ( s ), where S =const. is the axial periodicity length. The model employs the Vlasov–Maxwell equations to describe the nonlinear evolution of the distribution function f b ( x , y , x ′, y ′, s ) and the normalized self-field potential ψ ( x , y , s ) in the transverse laboratory-frame phase space ( x , y , x ′, y ′). Using a third-order Hamiltonian averaging technique, a canonical transformation is employed with an expanded generating function which transforms away the rapidly oscillating terms, and leads to a Hamiltonian in the `slow' transformed variables ( X , Y , X ′, Y ′) , with constant focusing coefficient κ fq =const.