cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Inhibition of GH in maternal separation may be mediated through altered serotonergic activity at 5-HT2A and 5-HT2C receptors

The hyposecretion of growth hormone (GH) in maternal separation (MS) of rat pups is remarkably similar to the specific suppression of GH secretion to evocative tests in infants diagnosed with Reactive Attachment Disorder of Infancy (RADI). Growth hormone-releasing factor (GRF) and somatostatin (SS) provide opposing regulation of GH secretion, and both are modified by noradrenergic and serotonergic stimuli in neonatal and adult rats. In this study, GRF administration reversed MS-induced suppression of GH secretion in 10-day-old pups, but this action of GRF was prevented by pretreatment with cyproheptadine (Cypro), a serotonergic antagonist. The normalization of GH secretion after return to the dam was not altered by pretreatment with SS. Indirect 5-HT agonists, fluoxetine (FLX) and 5-HTP, both stimulated GH secretion in 10-day-old pups. All mixed serotonin- and 5-HT1A-receptor agonists suppressed GH secretion in 10-day-old pups. Antagonists Cypro and ketanserin (Ket) suppressed FLX-induced GH secretion. In contrast, only Cypro suppressed 5-HTP-induced GH secretion. Maternal separation inhibited GH secretion stimulated by 5-HTP, but not by FLX. The serotonergic pathway acting on 5-HT2A receptors may be obligatory for GRF-mediated stimulation and is sensitive to inhibition by Cypro. In addition, a Ket-sensitive serotonergic parallel pathway acting on 5-HT2C receptors may also stimulate GH secretion by acting on GRF or SS. However, only the obligate 5-HT2A pathway appears to be suppressed in MS. These data and observations by others indicate that specific suppression of GH secretion in MS may derive from a reduction in GRF release through noradrenergic neurons, possibly impinging upon serotonergic terminals in the hypothalamus. This study may also provide insight into mechanisms by which GH secretion is suppressed in humans with RADI.
Affinity Chromatography of Succinate Dehydrogenase from the Membranes of Micrococcus Lysodeikticus

Isolated plasma membranes of Micrococcus lysodeikticus were subjected to extraction with n-butanol in a two-phase system. Succinate dehydrogenase obtained in the soluble aqueous phase after high-speed centrifugation was resolved by separation on calcium phosphate gel and affinity chromatography. The affinity ligand used was oxaloacetate and elution from the column was achieved with 0.5 M succinate. In the final product there was an eleven-fold reduction in the 32P-lipid to protein ratio and a fourteen-fold increase in specific activity relative to the high speed supernatant fraction following n-butanol extraction.
Density effects in a colonial monoculture: experimental studies with a marine bryozoan (Membranipora membranacea L.).

Naturally occurring monocultures of plants and animals are not common, despite recent emphasis on the analysis of density effects in artificial plant monocultures. In natural populations, Membranipora membranacea, an encrusting marine bryozoan, usually forms monospecific, nearly even-aged stands on kelp blades. We experimentally manipulated the density of M. membranacea colonies and monitored the responses of individual colonies on settling panels. Colonies undergo a sub-annual cycle of growth, stasis and reproduction, shrinkage, and death. However, crowding by conspecifics accelerates the transition to stasis, triggers early onset of reproduction, and results in increased stage-specific mortality. Unlike many interactions involving colonial invertebrates, overgrowth rarely occurs at boundaries of M. membranacea colonies. Instead, colonies stop growing when they contact conspecifics; therefore more dense assemblages are populated with smaller individual colonies. At the peak in colony size during August, the mean size among colonies grown at high population densities was 300 mm2 less than colonies grown at low densities or approximately 62% smaller. Mortality was concentrated in small size classes; at the end of the season colonies gradually shrank to the smallest size classes and then died. We summarized the demography of M. membranacea colonies on low- and high-density panels using size-classified transition matrices and used loglinear analysis to examine the effects of density and time on the transition patterns. As the amount of free space on panels declined, so did the frequency of upward size-class transitions. Our analysis revealed that free space declined more rapidly on panels in the high density treatment and that the transitional probabilities were sensitive to density of conspecifics and seasonal change, but only for some size classes and during some time periods.
Relation of the Postcommissurotomy Syndrome to the Rheumatic State

The postcommissurotomy syndrome is a frequent troublesome complication after mitral valve surgery, the etiology of which is still obscure. In this study of 137 patients who survived surgery the clinical features of this complication are carefully detailed, possible associated conditions are studied, and pathologic findings in the atrial appendages are analyzed. In particular, the relation of this syndrome to the rheumatic state is critically examined.
Effects of antiarrhythmic drugs on the chronic pacing threshold and the endocardial R wave amplitude in the conscious dog.

To determine the effects of antiarrhythmic drugs on the chronic pacing threshold and the endocardial R wave amplitude, we tested seven drugs (representative of Vaughn Williams' antiarrhythmic class-I-IV) on four to six dogs after the implanted ventricular endocardial bipolar leads had reached chronic stable thresholds. The seven antiarrhythmic drugs tested were procainamide (oral [p.o.] and intravenous [IV], class IA), lidocaine (IV, class IB), tocainide (p.o., class IB), flecainide (p.o. and IV, class IC), propranolol (p.o. and IV, class II), amiodarone (p.o. and IV, class III), and verapamil (p.o. and IV, class IC), propranolol (p.o. and IV, class II), amiodarone (p.o. and IV, class III), and verapamil (p.o. and IV, class IV). The drugs were administered in sufficient doses to achieve plasma levels associated with antiarrhythmic efficacy in humans. All oral drugs were given for sufficient time to achieve expected steady state levels. The pacing thresholds, both voltage and current, and the endocardial R wave amplitude were measured in the conscious dog with a Medtronic pacing system analyzer at a pulse width of 0.1, 0.5, 1.0, and 2.0 ms at intervals following IV or p.o. administration of each antiarrhythmic drug. We found that there were no significant effects of the tested seven antiarrhythmic drugs on the chronic pacing threshold and the endocardial R wave amplitude at any of the pulse widths. We conclude that in the healthy dog antiarrhythmic drugs do not alter the pacing threshold and the endocardial R wave amplitude.
Algorithms for Computing Motion by Mean Curvature

We propose a finite element algorithm for computing the motion of a surface moving by mean curvature. The algorithm uses the level set formulation so that changes in topology of the surface can be accommodated. Stability is deduced by showing that the discrete solutions satisfy both $L^\infty$ and $W^{1,1}$ bounds. Existence of discrete solutions and connections with Brakke flows are established. Some numerical examples and application to related problems, such as the phase field equations, are also presented.
A Nonlinear Model Combining Pulmonary Mechanics and Gas Concentration Dynamics

To elucidate the various mechanisms by which pulmonary mechanics affect the distribution of gas species throughout the lungs, a multicompartment model relating pressure differences, flows, volumes, and gas species concentrations has been developed. The alveolar regions of the model are nonlinearly elastic and the pressure-flow relation of their associated small airways is volume dependent. Various combinations of parameter values were chosen, including cases in which the model was mechanically uniform (normal) and nonuniform (obstructive). Computer solutions of model equations were obtained for both piecewise-exponential and sinusoidal transpulmonary pressure inputs. Clinical measures of mechanical uniformity and gas concentration homogeneity were evaluated along with unobservable indexes. Results indicate how the distribution of mechanical variables affects the distribution of gas species concentration within the lungs. For the nonuniform (obstructive) model, the gas is distributed more inhomogeneously at higher frequencies and lower lung volumes. The distribution of initial dead space gas to the compartments as well as pendelluft tend to decrease this inhomogeneity. Dynamic compliance for the non-uniform model was frequency dependent at each of the three volume operating points investigated, whereas the semilog nitrogen washout curve was essentially linear for some frequencies and volumes while nonlinear for others. Consequently, inferences about distributions of mechanical parameters and intrapulmonary gas may require that clinical measurements be obtained together at several frequencies and volume operating points.
Consistency of cholecystokinin satiety effect across deprivation levels and motivational states.

Abstract A gastrointestinal hormone, cholecystokinin (CCK), has recently been implicated in the regulation of meal size. The consistency of the CCK satiety effect was examined across deprivation levels and motivational states. In a series of experiments rats were food deprived for varying amounts of time and injected with various doses of the CCK octapeptide before consuming a test meal of a liquid diet. In Experiment 1, 20 rats were deprived for 5 or 19 hr and injected with 0, 15, and 40 Ivy dog units/kg (U/kg) of CCK and in Experiment 2, 18 rats were 48 hr deprived and were injected with 0, 40, or 80 U/kg of CCK. In Experiment 3, 12 rats were deprived for 92 hr and received 80 U/kg of CCK. In all experiments CCK produced a dose-related suppression in food intake. CCK did not appear to become less effective as deprivation increased: 15 U/kg suppressed intake by approximately 30% at 5 and 19 hr deprivation; 40 U/kg suppressed intake by approximately 50% at all three deprivation levels; 40 U/kg suppressed intake by approximately 72% at 48 hr deprivation and 66% at 92 hr deprivation. In Experiment 4, the effects of CCK on food consumed in absence of hunger (0 hr deprivation) were observed by administering hypertonic saline to food-sated rats before presentation of a liquid diet. Under these conditions 40 U/kg of CCK suppressed intake by 76%. An additional experiment indicated that the increased inhibitory effects observed in the latter experiment were not due to the added variable of thirst. Thus under a wide variety of deprivation conditions and under varying motivational states CCK is remarkably consistent in its inhibitory effects on food intake, which are best described by a constant percent of control intake.
Division of labor between subsets of lymph node dendritic cells determines the specificity of the CD8⁺ T-cell recall response to influenza infection.

Cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) are important targets for vaccines against a wide variety of infections that enter the body via mucosal tissues. To induce effective immunity these vaccines must include the most protective epitopes and elicit rapid recall responses at the site of infection. Although live attenuated viruses are sometimes used to induce cellular immunity against recurrent influenza infections, the mechanisms that determine the magnitude of the response to individual viral components are very poorly defined. Heterosubtypic infections in C57BL/6 mice illustrate an additional level of complexity, when the antigen specificity of the response shifts dramatically between primary and secondary challenge. This model provides a unique opportunity to identify the mechanisms that regulate memory CD8+ T-cell reactivation in vivo and control the specificity of the recall response by pathogen-specific CTL. We show that multiple factors contribute to the changing pattern of immunodominance during secondary infection, including the location of the memory CD8+ T cells at the time of reinfection and their ability to directly recognize migratory CD103+ DCs as they arrive in the lung draining LN.
DIFFERENTIATION, ORGANOGENESIS, AND THE TECTONICS OF CELL WALL ORIENTATION. III. THEORETICAL CONSIDERATIONS OF CELL WALL MECHANICS

This paper is concerned with the relationship between cell wall orientation in dividing tissues and stress. An examination of the possible orientations of a cell-plate in a cell under axial stress reveals that only one orientation passing through the center of the cell can be completely free from shear stress, thus providing a favored plane for the positioning of an hypothetical, shear-sensitive, cell-plate precursor. From this principle of shear-free partitioning, and the three basic rules of stress behavior along free boundaries, it is possible to predict certain features of cell wall orientation along free edges and epidermal surfaces and in some simple apices. The possible significance of the widespread phenomenon of axillary induction of bud formation is discussed in terms of the generation of stresses at the base of the axillant leaf, and the general efficacy of mechanical stress as a spontaneously arising morphogenetic trigger is considered. IN PREVIOUS PAPERS a correlation was established between cell wall patterns and principal stress trajectories, as studied in the maturing ovule of Gossypium hirsutum L. This was made possible by the accurate description of principal stress trajectories in a suitable plastic model by means of photoelastic stress analysis. The role of the integuments in the ontogeny of the ovule was discussed in terms of providing for the growth of the embryo-sac in a space free from the external compressive stresses generated by the growth of
Primary rhabdoid adrenocortical carcinoma: a clinicopathological and immunohistochemical study of three cases

Aims We describe three cases of primary adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC) with prominent rhabdoid features and study their clinicopathological and immunohistochemical properties. Methods and results The patients were three females aged 45–55 years (mean 49 years), none of whom had any hormone-related symptoms. Histologically, the characteristic features were rhabdoid tumour cells with prominent eosinophilic cytoplasmic inclusions, eccentric vesicular nuclei and prominent nucleoli. Areas of more conventional ACC were present in all cases. Immunohistochemically, the rhabdoid component showed a similar staining pattern to conventional ACC, being positive for steroid receptor cofactor 1, inhibin, melan A, calretinin and synaptophysin, while negative for high molecular weight cytokeratin and Pax8. In addition, antimitochondrial antibodies showed a weak reaction and nuclear expression of integrase interactor 1 (INI1) was preserved. Clinical follow-up information for two patients demonstrated that one patient was alive 237 months after diagnosis, and one patient had died of disease 4 months after diagnosis. Conclusions ACC with rhabdoid features are rare tumours that seem to mirror the clinical and immunohistochemical features of conventional ACC. In addition, they appear to display similar biological behaviour. Adrenocortical carcinoma should be included in the differential diagnosis when evaluating tumours of unknown origin with rhabdoid morphology.
Experience with a Poll of Experts: the Problems and the Possibilities

Is THE POLLING of experts with regard to current national and international problems practical and desirable? Experience with such a survey over the period of a year indicates that it is, but that special techniques and precautions are required. Furthermore, the increasingly important role played in our society by the specialist makes the process of synthesizing expert opinion a useful (although sometimes surprising) contribution to adult education. Dr. Kornhauser, formerly a member of Columbia University's Bureau of Applied Social Research, is now Professor of Psychology at Wayne University.
Totalsynthese des Chlorophylls

Im Verlauf von vier Jahren gelang die Synthese des Chlorophylls a aus vier relativ einfachen Pyrrol-Derivaten. Eine neue Porphyrin-Synthese verlauft in funf Stufen mit einer Gesamtausbeute von etwa 50%. Das Produkt ist nicht mit anderen Porphyrinen verunreinigt. Durch Erhitzen des oxydierten Porphyrins in Essigsaure gelang erstmals die direkte Umwandlung eines Porphyrins in ein Purpurin. Dieses wird photochemisch und durch anschliesende Hydrolyse in racemisches Chlorin 5 ubergefuhrt. Die Racemat-Trennung gelingt uber die Chinin-Salze. Die Arbeit zeigt, das eine so gezielte Synthese nur auf Grund eingehender theoretischer Uberlegungen moglich ist.
Free Surface Energy Change for Water Adsorbed on Hydroxyapatite

The free energies of immersion for three hydroxyapatite samples of different origin and method of preparation were determined from water adsorption isotherms at 20 and 25 C. The free energies varied with the temperature of the isotherm, changing linearly with the outgassing temperature in the range of 20 and 300 C. The samples outgassed at 300 C yielded free energy of immersion values of 365, 432, and 476 ergs/ cm2 for the VIC-, NBS-, and TVA-HAP, respectively. Work of adhesion and work of spreading were calculated for water on these samples.
On the origin of apparently short carbon–carbon double bonds in transition-metal vinyl complexes

Abstract A survey of carbon–carbon double bond lengths in transition metal vinyl complexes reveals a number of complexes with surprisingly short CC bonds. Accurate calculations with restricted Hartree–Fock (RHF) and density functional theory (DFT) methods on three examples with extremely short CC double bonds, Cp2ZrCl(–CHCHSiMe3), Cp*Ir(PMe3)(C2H3)(H) and Pt(PPh3)3(MeCCHMe)+, show that the short double bonds cannot be due to electronic or intramolecular steric effects. However, model calculations on Cp2ZrCl(–CHCHSiMe3) reveal that a disorder between two configurations of the CαCβ moiety could result in the apparent shortening of the CαCβ distance. The simulated structural parameters under this disorder model are completely consistent with the measured structure. A corresponding disorder model can be used to rationalize the shortening of the CC bond in Cp*Ir(PMe3)(C2H3)(H) and Pt(PPh3)3(MeCCHMe)+. Thus, these structures and perhaps other vinyl transition metal structures with short CC bonds could be subject to a similar disorder problem that results in an apparent shortening of the CC bonds.
On the Difficulties Inherent in Fisher's Fiducial Argument

Abstract The terms predictive and postdictive are introduced for two basic and implicitly well-known modes of interpreting probabilities, and the roles of these two modes in statistical inference are discussed with emphasis on the confidence argument of Neyman and the fiducial argument of Fisher. The conflicts between the confidence approach and the fiducial approach are analyzed in a way which generally supports Fisher's position. Finally, difficulties internal to the fiducial approach are discussed. It is concluded that the general form of the fiducial argument is appealing but that many of the restrictions imposed by Fisher are awkward or ambiguous and ought, perhaps, to be replaced.
Magnetic relaxation rates in spin-polarized hydrogen

A self-contained discussion is presented of the longitudinal (T 1 −1 ) and transverse (T 2 −1 ) relaxation rates in bulk and surface samples of spin-polarized atomic hydrogen (H↓), at sufficiently low temperatures that only the lowest two atomic hyperfine levels are thermally populated. The nonhydrodynamic contribution to the rates, due to binary collisions between hydrogen atoms, in both normal and Bose condensed samples of H↓ are emphasized. However, the approach is general and is equally well suited for treating long-wavelength, hydrodynamic relaxation processes. Most of the discussion pertains to samples close to thermodynamic equilibrium. The calculation of the longitudinal relaxation rate for some states far from equilibrium, particularly relevant for real samples of H↓, is also presented. Some of the interesting results are:(1) the potentially long surface longitudinal relaxation time (T 1) in samples with most of the available surface area oriented perpendicular to the direction of the stabilizing field; (2) the possibility of extracting the condensate fractionn o(T)/n from aT 1 measurement in the Bose condensed state, and finally (3) an amusingGedanken experiment that would allow us to detect the onset of Bose condensation in aT 1 measurement in the absence of recombination.
Mesoporous Silica-Supported Uranyl: Synthesis and Photoreactivity

A mesoporous silica-supported uranyl material (U a q O 2 2 + -silica) was prepared by a co-condensation method. Our approach involves an I - M + S - scheme, where the electrostatic interaction between the anionic inorganic precursor (I - ), surfactant (S-), and cationic mediator (M + ) provides the basis for the stability of the composite material. The synthesis was carried out under acidic conditions, where the anionic sodium dodecyl sulfate provided the template for the uranyl cation and silicate to condense. Excitation with visible or near-UV light of aqueous suspensions of U a q O 2 2 + -silica generates an excited state that decays with ko = 1.5 x 10 4 s - 1 . The reaction of the excited state with aliphatic alcohols exhibits kinetic saturation and concentration-dependent kinetic isotope effects. For 2-propanol, the value of k C 3 H 7 O H /k C 3 D 7 O H decreases from 2.0 at low alcohol concentrations to 1.0 in the saturation regime at high alcohol concentrations. Taken together, the data describe a kinetic system controlled by chemical reaction at one extreme and diffusion at the other. At low [alcohol], the second-order rate constants for the reaction of silica-*U a q O 2 2 + with methanol, 2-propanol, 2-butanol, and 2-pentanol are comparable to the rate constants obtained for these alcohols in homogeneous aqueous solutions containing H 3 PO 4 . Under slow steady-state photolysis in O 2 -saturated suspensions, U a q O 2 2 + -silica acts as a photocatalyst for the oxidation of alcohols with O 2 .
Contact in Context: An Examination of Social Settings on Whites' Attitudes Toward Interracial Marriage

Using data from a New York Times poll conducted in 2000, we analyze whites' approval of interracial marriage by examining the contexts in which whites have contact with blacks. The contexts can be ordered by the type of contact they provide, from close and personal to distant or hierarchical. The results of our analysis show that the type of contact engendered by a variety of contexts is important in determining attitudes toward interracial marriage. The contacts in most of the social settings are associated with friendship; the contexts are related to approval of interracial marriage even when friendship, age, gender, income, political party, and region are included in the analysis.
Travel Packaging on the Internet: : The Impact of Pricing Information and Perceived Value on Consumer Choice

Packaging travel products on the Internet is increasing in prevalence, yet limited research exists on how consumers evaluate and purchase vacation packages online. Research on product bundling is plentiful but has been conducted primarily in non-Internet purchase settings. The current research seeks to fill the void in both areas by investigating consumer choices of Internet vacation packages. In this study, an online panel of research subjects chose between 12 pairs of Las Vegas vacation packages that varied as a function of rate transparency, savings, and price. The findings suggest that transparent pricing, that is, itemization of individual package components and discounts, is preferred if it reduces uncertainty or simplifies the decision process. Nontransparent pricing is more effective if savings are not shown or the price is higher than the alternative, in which case the itemized components complicate the decision process without providing useful information.
Electrical properties and site distribution of cations in (MnyCo1−y)0.4Fe2.6O4

The high-temperature electrical properties (conductivity and thermopower) of the Co0.4Fe2.6O4-Mn0.4Fe2.6O4 join were measured in order to determine the cation intersite distribution and establish the conduction mechanism. The cobalt and manganese site occupancies show a nearly linear composition dependence. Trivalent iron occupancies reflect the transition from an octahedral substituent (Co) to a tetrahedral substituent (Mn), but any influence on the iron distribution reaction is minimal. Small polaron conduction parameters are similar to those for magnetite and vary little across the join.
Forty generations of bidirectional selection for mating frequency in male Japanese quail

Abstract A bidirectional replicated selection experiment for high (H1 and H2) or low (L1 and L2) cumulative number of complete matings (CNCM) in male Japanese quail was conducted for 40 generations. In the S32 generation, a subline was taken from each selected line and selection was relaxed. In the randombred control line (C), CNCM and unselected traits changed significantly over generations. Means of the selected lines were adjusted each generation for deviations from the control means. After 40 generations of selection, there was a 21-fold difference in CNCM (59.4 vs 2.8) between Lines H1 and L1. Whereas means increased and variation decreased in the high lines, means decreased and variation increased in the low lines. Regressions of mean CNCM on generation of Lines H1, H2, L1, and L2 were 1.15 +/- 0.08, 0.61 +/- 0.08, -0.26 +/- 0.04, and -0.34 +/- 0.03, respectively. Although responses to selection were observed throughout the 40 generations in Line H1, the low lines appeared to have reached a limit to selection after the S30 generation. Relaxed lines provided supporting evidence for this conclusion. Mean CNCM decreased in the relaxed high lines to that of the control, whereas the low relaxed lines remained at the same level as their corresponding selected lines. Line H2 went into extinction in the 37th generation as a result of reduced fitness. Realized heritabilities of CNCM were 0.09, 0.07, 0.06, and -0.15 in Lines H1, H2, L1, and L2, respectively. As correlated responses to the selection, male quail in the high lines were heavier, exhibited greater relative aggressiveness, and had larger cloacal glands than those of the control and low lines.
Experimental determination of the mean ionization energy in nitrogen oxides in a 60Co γ-radiation field

The mean energy of ion pair formation in O2, N2, CO2, air, N2O, NO, and NO2 was experimentally determined. Verification of the procedure for determining the work of ionization from calculated stopping powers and ionization measurement data showed good agreement with published data. The mean energy of ion pair formation in NO (31.6 ± 0.1 eV) and NO2 (31.3 ± 0.2 eV) was determined for the first time.
Age-related reproduction in striped skunks ( Mephitis mephitis ) in the upper Midwest

Reproductive data from the upper Midwest are meager for the striped skunk ( Mephitis mephitis ), a common North American carnivore. We provide data on some age-related reproductive attributes of 178 female striped skunks collected at 19 sites in eastcentral North Dakota and westcentral Minnesota in 1979–1981 and 1987–1991. Seventy-four percent of the females were 1 year old; 95% were pregnant or parous when collected. Thirteen of 873 (1.5%) embryos in 123 pregnant females were being resorbed. The overall mean (±1 SE ) litter size estimated from live embryos was 7.2 ± 0.4. Means of litter-size estimates were similar for females ≥1 year old, but annual estimates of litter size differed among years for all females combined. For females from the interval 1979–1981 and 1990, the mean implantation date based on embryo size was 4 March (±1.6 days). Potential litters were composed of a mean of 55 ± 3% females. Estimates of litter size based on counts of corpora lutea averaged 0.9 young per female less than estimates for the same females based on counts of live embryos, indicating that some skunks may have produced polyovular follicles or identical twins.
Distributed source coding for controlling cyber physical systems with application in smart grids

Communication is an important issue in cyber physical systems (CPS), which conveys information from sensor(s) to controller(s) in order to control the physical dynamics. When there are multiple sensors receiving correlated observations, it is important to design an efficient distributed source coding scheme. Although distributed source coding has been widely studied in the context of pure data communication networks, such as the information theoretic argument (such as Slepian-Wolf coding schemes) and practical codes design (such as the nested lattice based ones), there are many new challenges in the context of CPS, e.g., the cost function for the purpose of control. In this paper, we propose schemes of lattice based quantization, efficient coloring coding scheme and adaptation to physical dynamics. Numerical simulations with application in smart grids demonstrate that the proposed distributed source coding scheme can efficiently suppress the information source.
Assembly of a Polytopic Membrane Protein Structure from the Solution Structures of Overlapping Peptide Fragments of Bacteriorhodopsin

Three-dimensional structures of only a handful of membrane proteins have been solved, in contrast to the thousands of structures of water-soluble proteins. Difficulties in crystallization have inhibited the determination of the three-dimensional structure of membrane proteins by x-ray crystallography and have spotlighted the critical need for alternative approaches to membrane protein structure. A new approach to the three-dimensional structure of membrane proteins has been developed and tested on the integral membrane protein, bacteriorhodopsin, the crystal structure of which had previously been determined. An overlapping series of 13 peptides, spanning the entire sequence of bacteriorhodopsin, was synthesized, and the structures of these peptides were determined by NMR in dimethylsulfoxide solution. These structures were assembled into a three-dimensional construct by superimposing the overlapping sequences at the ends of each peptide. Onto this construct were written all the distance and angle constraints obtained from the individual solution structures along with a limited number of experimental inter-helical distance constraints, and the construct was subjected to simulated annealing. A three-dimensional structure, determined exclusively by the experimental constraints, emerged that was similar to the crystal structure of this protein. This result suggests an alternative approach to the acquisition of structural information for membrane proteins consisting of helical bundles.
Myopia in adults with retinopathy of prematurity.

Purpose To evaluate myopia in adults with retinopathy of prematurity (ROP). Design Observational case series. Methods Axial length (AL), corneal radius (CR), and AL/CR ratio were measured in myopic adults with ROP using ultrasound A-scan biometry and keratometry, respectively. Results Twenty-five eyes of 18 patients (mean age, 48 years) were studied. Mean gestational age at birth was 29 weeks. The average refraction was −5.23 diopters, AL 24.43 mm, CR 7.45 mm, and AL/CR ratio 3.28. On average, myopic adults with ROP had a shorter AL and decreased CR (increased corneal curvature), but a similar AL/CR ratio, relative to adults with the same degree of myopia who were born full-term. Myopic adults with ROP also had increased lens thickness (LT) and shallow anterior chamber depth (ACD). Conclusions Myopic adults with ROP had a shorter AL and smaller CR than expected for their degree of myopia. However, AL/CR ratios for these patients were similar to the values of adults who were born full-term. These results suggest that the refractive element most responsible for myopia in adults with ROP is higher corneal curvature (decreased CR), whereas the predominant factor in adult myopic individuals who were born full-term is increased AL. We believe that increased LT and shallow ACD make a lesser contribution to myopia in adults with ROP.
Frontier production functions

This paper summarizes the literature on frontier production and cost functions and on their relationship to the problem of efficiency measurement.
Inelastic x-ray scattering at modest energy resolution

We report results from the development of an inelastic scattering spectrometer designed to take advantage of high energy synchrotron radiation available at CHESS. The device allows a large increase of the effective scattering volume in the sample by permitting measurements to be made in an energy range up to 25 KeV. The highest useable energy appears limited by the efficiency of the analyzers under consideration. At 20 KeV a novel 4-bounce, sagittal focusing monochromator passes 10e11 photons/second with Darwin width limited energy resolution. In the scattering plane, the monochromator images the electron beam producing a small scattering source for the analyzing optics. Analyzer systems under study include a cooled mosaic crystal in para-focusing geometry, and an adjustable spherically bent silicon crystal respectively for parallel and point-by-point collection of the energy loss spectrum. This paper discusses the optical configurations presents results from our early measurements and suggests directions for improvements.
Key concepts in evaluating outcomes of ATP funding of medical technologies

The Economic Assessment Office (EAO) of the Advanced Technology Program (ATP) commissions economic studies by outside research organizations. A recent study by the Research Triangle Institute (RTI) outlines a framework for evaluating ATP funding of medical technologies. The RTI study employs a standard approach to cost-benefit analysis, while utilizing a number of methods unique to health care assessment to measure the benefits brought about by the new medical technologies. This article highlights important analytical points and explicates key concepts forming the basis of understanding for the approach. Concepts of economic returns, such as private and social returns, and the returns to public investment, are discussed in the framework of cost-benefit analysis and net present value. For analyzing the benefits of new medical technology, methods from health care assessment and concepts such as QALYs and the statistical value of life are identified and explained.
Reactions of schizophrenics to life-threatening disease

This contribution reports a study of chronic schizophrenics hospitalized in state hospitals who suffer from serious and life-threatening medical and surgical illnesses. Four primary findings are described and discussed: lack of verbalization of pain and discomfort; bodily self-mutilation; toleration and exhibition of loathsome lesions; and inability or unwillingness to tolerate medical care. Some examples of exceptions to these four findings are also presented. Possible explanations for the findings are discussed in terms of their biological, social, and psychological components, recognizing that no single factor can explain the findings in this complex and varied population. It is concluded that treatment staffs in the hospital or community must be alert to changes in patient state, must utilize compromise methods of care and must anticipate or deduce a patient's needs while the patient is physically ill.
Compositional similarities of non-solvent extractable fatty acids from recent marine sediments deposited in differing environments

Abstract Five recent sediment samples from a variety of North American continental shelves were analyzed for fatty acids (FAs) in the solvent-extractable (SOLEX) lipids as well as four types of non-solvent extractable (NONEX) lipids. The NONEX lipids were operationally defined by the succession of extraction procedure required to recover them. The complete procedure included (i) very mild acid treatment, (ii) HF digestion and (iii) saponification of the sediment residue following exhaustive solvent extraction. The distribution pattern and various compositional parameters of SOLEX FAs in the five sediments were divided into three different groups, indicating the difference of biological sources and also diagenetic factors and processes among the three groups of samples. Nevertheless, the compositions of the corresponding NONEX FAs after acid treatment were surprisingly very similar. This was also true for the remaining NONEX FA groups in the five sediment samples. The findings implied that most of the NONEX FAs reported here are derived directly from living organisms. It is also concluded that a large part of NONEX FAs are much more resistant to biodegradation than we have thought, so that they can form the large percentage of total lipids with increasing depth of water and sediments.
The United States, Tibet, and the Cold War

This article examines U.S. policy toward Tibet from the end of the 1940s to the end of the 1980s, especially the 1950s and 1960s. U.S. policy during this period operated on two levels. At the strategic level, the United States consistently supported China's claim of sovereignty over Tibet. But at the tactical level, U.S. policy varied a great deal over time, ranging from the provision of military and financial aid to Tibetan guerrilla forces in the 1950s and 1960s to the almost complete lack of official attention to Tibet in the 1970s and early 1980s. The article explains why the U.S. government has never accepted Tibet's claim to independence and why the question of Tibet, after falling into obscurity in the 1970s, reemerged on the U.S. agenda in the mid- to late 1980s. The article highlights the cynicism that has often characterized tactical shifts in U.S. policy.
Condensed-matter physics. First glimpse of the orbiton.

Crystals are host to a variety of disturbances, which show up as waves or particles. Physicists think they may have seen a new type of disturbance called the orbiton.
Comparisons between wave directional spectra from SAR and pressure sensor arrays

Simultaneous directional wave measurements were made at Torrey Pines Beach, California, by a synthetic aperture radar (SAR) and a linear array of pressure sensors. The measurements were conducted during the West Coast Experiment in March 1977. Quantitative comparisons of the normalized directional spectra from the two systems were made for wave periods of 6.9-17.0 s. The comparison results were variable but generally showed good agreement of the primary mode of the normalized directional energy. An attempt was made to quantify the physical criteria for good wave imaging in the SAR. A frequency band analysis of wave parameters such as band energy, slope, and orbital velocity did not show good correlation with the directional comparisons. It is noted that absolute values of the wave height spectrum cannot be derived from the SAR images yet and, consequently, no comparisons of absolute energy levels with corresponding array measurements were intended.
Use of Cube‐Corner Nano‐Indentation Crack Length Measurements to Estimate Residual Stresses Over Small Spatial Dimensions

Cube-corner indenters, by virtue of their acuity, possess a lowered threshold load for cracking. Shorter crack lengths allow the sampling of residual stresses in small spatial dimensions. We conducted cube-corner indentation on tempered and annealed glasses. Indentation crack geometry was found to be “quarter-penny.” A stress-intensity factor for this geometry, and crack length decrements on tempered materials were used in a stress-intensity superposition to provide reasonable estimates of residual stress. Stresses ∼100 MPa over a length scale of 10 μm, and 30 MPa over 20 μm were measured accurately, indicating that cube-corner indentation is a promising tool for materials characterization.
Evidence within a portfolio-based assessment program: what do medical students select to document their performance?

Background: Decisions about performance in programs of assessment that provide an array of assessment evidence require judgments about the quality of different pieces of assessment data to determine which combination of data points best represent a trainee’s overall performance. Aim: In this article, we examine the nature of evidence selected by first-year medical students to include in a portfolio used to make promotion decisions. Methods: We reviewed portfolios to examine the number, type, and source of assessments selected by students (n ¼ 32) to document their performance in seven competencies. The quality of assessment data selected for each competency was rated by promotion committee members (n ¼ 14). Results: Findings indicate that students cited multiple types and sources of available assessments. The promotion committee rated evidence quality highest for competencies where the program provided sufficient evidence for students to cite a broad range of assessments. When assessments were not provided by the program, students cited self-generated evidence. Conclusion: We found that when student-constructed portfolios are part of an overall assessment system, students generally select evidence in proportion to the number and types of assessments available.
A Multiyear Regional Climate Hindcast for the Western United States Using the Mesoscale Atmospheric Simulation Model

Abstract In preparation for studying the effects of increased CO2 on the hydrologic cycle in the western United States, an 8-yr hindcast was performed using a regional climate model (RCM) driven by the large-scale forcing from the NCEP–NCAR reanalysis. The simulated precipitation characteristics agree well with observations, especially in the winter. The simulated precipitation compares with rain gauge data at similar accuracy as the NCEP reanalysis, but the RCM-generated precipitation is more accurate than the reanalysis data at the scales of individual basins. Important characteristics of the hydrologic cycle of the region, such as seasonal snowfall, frequency of heavy and extreme daily precipitation events, and interannual variations of precipitation associated with the North American monsoon are also well represented in the hindcast. Compared to the Climate Research Unit, University of East Anglia (CRU), analysis, the simulated low-level air temperatures show cold biases except in summer. The temperat...
An architecture for WWW-based hypercode environments

A hypercode software engineering environment repre sents all plausible multimedia artifacts concerned with software development and evolution that can be placed or generated on line from source code to formal doc umentation to digital library resources to informal email and chat transcripts A hypercode environ ment supports both internal hypertext and external link server links among these artifacts which can be added incrementally as useful connections are discov ered project speci c hypermedia search and browsing automated construction of artifacts and hyperlinks ac cording the software process application of tools to the artifacts according to the process work ow and collab orative work for geographically dispersed teams We present a general architecture for what we call hyper media subwebs and groupspace services operating on shared subwebs based on World Wide Web technology which could be applied over the Internet or within an intranet We describe our realization in OzWeb
Epigenetic mechanisms in multiple sclerosis: implications for pathogenesis and treatment

Clinical neurologists and scientists who study multiple sclerosis face open questions regarding the integration of epidemiological data with genome-wide association studies and clinical management of patients. It is becoming evident that the interplay of environmental influences and individual genetic susceptibility modulates disease presentation and therapeutic responsiveness. The molecular mechanisms through which environmental signals are translated into changes in gene expression include DNA methylation, post-translational modification of nucleosomal histones, and non-coding RNAs. These mechanisms are regulated by families of specialised enzymes that are tissue selective and cell-type specific. A model of multiple sclerosis pathogenesis should integrate underlying risk related to genetic susceptibility with cell-type specific epigenetic changes occurring in the immune system and in the brain in response to ageing and environmental stimuli.
High-level scheduling model and control synthesis for a broad range of design applications

This paper presents a versatile scheduling model and an efficient control synthesis methodology which enables architectural (high-level) design/synthesis systems to seamlessly support a broad range of architectural design applications from datapath-dominated digital signal processing (DSP) to micro-processors/controllers and control-dominated peripherals, utilizing multi-phase clocking schemes, multiple threading, data-dependent delays, pipelining, and combinations of the above. The work presented in this paper is an enabling technology for high-level synthesis to go beyond traditional datapath-dominated DSP applications and to start becoming a viable and cost-effective design methodology for commodity ICs such as micro-processors/controllers and control-dominated peripherals.
Evaluation of production losses from unconventional shale reservoirs

The Promising production trends and predictions, as well as improvements in hydraulic fracturing and horizontal drilling technologies, have made unconventional reservoirs economically feasible. Although these reservoirs have high initial production rates, it is observed that their production performance declines fast. Therefore, it is necessary to identify the reasons behind the production performance reduction. With continuing production, pore pressure decreases and consequently the effective stress applying on fractures increases. This phenomenon causes the fracture closure. In this paper, both individual and combined effects of natural fracture and hydraulic fracture closures on well performance are investigated. We use available experimental data to represent hydraulic and natural fracture conductivity alterations with changing stress conditions. Simulation results show that the individual effects of hydraulic and natural fracture closure on production performance is in the range of 6%e13% and 7%e23%, respectively. Additionally, the combined effect of natural and hydraulic fracture closure is in the range of 10%e25%. It is observed that the coupled effect of natural and hydraulic fracture conductivity losses is less than the summation of the individual effects. Sensitivity analysis is also performed for certain reservoir parameters. This work can provide a better understanding of the main reasons of production losses from unconventional reservoir simulations. © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
A Specification and Construction Paradigm for Organic Computing Systems

Organic computing systems are systems which have the capability to autonomously (re-)organize and adapt themselves. The benefit of such systems with self-x properties is that they are more dependable, as they can compensate for some failures. They are easier to maintain, because they can automatically configure themselves and are more convenient to use because of automatic adaptation to new situations. While organic computing systems have a lot of desired properties, there still exists only little knowledge on how they can be designed and built.In this paper an approach for specification and construction of a class of organic computing systems is presented, called the (RIA). The core idea is that the behaviour of an organic computing system can be split into productive phases and self-x phases. This allows for a generic description of how ``organic'' aspects can be specified and implemented. The approach will be illustrated by applying it to a design methodology for organic computing systems and further refining it to an explicit case study in the domain of production automation.