cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Recording Using Tetrodes

The locations of the neuronal sources, as well as their temporal APs, provide important information on the underlying architecture and dynamics of a neuronal microcircuit. This chapter focuses on a special spatial configuration of four microelectrodes on a non-planar probe, called a tetrode. A tetrode is traditionally used for cortical spike sorting and classification with an improved performance comparing to using a single microelectrode. Another way of using tetrodes is to solve the inverse problem of cortical source localization from its concurrent recordings on the same neuronal source by the four electrodes. The mathematical principle for solving such an inverse problem is explained under the assumption of a monopole source model. A tetrode can also be stepped stepwise to resolve the neuronal sources along a track, and multiple stepping tetrodes can be used together to sample along multiple tracks. Lastly, the limitations of tetrodes are summarized.
A 2 KW, 2.85 GHZ Multipactor RF Source Utilizing Depletion Mode GaN HEMTs

A pulsed RF source for multipactor research capable of providing 2 kW at 2.85 GHz to a multipactor test cell is described utilizing state-of-the-art GaN HEMTs from Cree/Wolfspeed and integrated GaN amplifier from Qorvo/Tri-Quint. A Mini-Circuits ZX95-2920CA+ VCO is used as the signal generator with low phase noise and modulation capable with a bandwidth of 55 MHz. An inline attenuator provides the operator power control in the range of approximately 42 to 64 dBm (16 to 2800 W). A high-speed RF switch creates a 100-microsecond pulse with a rise time of 25 ns and a typical switching time of 35 ns. A single Tri-Quint TGA2585-SM provides the majority of the gain in the system, 32 dB, and the necessary power for the final output stage (6 W). Four CGHV31500F amplifiers operating in parallel comprise the output stage providing the bulk of the power needed, 500 W each for a total of 2 kW with 12.5 dB gain each, with a single unit providing the necessary input power before splitting to the four finals (50.5 dBm, ~ 112 W). A custom PCB was designed to properly bias the GaN stages and prevent device failure due to improper bias sequencing. Custom power splitters and combiners had to be used due to the high-power levels being considered with directional couplers on the output to monitor output (forward) power and reflected (reverse) power during operation. This will provide valuable insight into characteristics of the plasma cloud generated during the multipactor event.
A Rocket Experiment on the Structure of Sporadic E

A radio propagation experiment designed to measure very low electron densities was flown over the sunrise period on July 15, 1964. Two strong sporadic E layers were noticed during each of the three flights, with densities of the order of 105 cm-3 The characteristics of these sporadic E layers are discussed in detail, with reference both to the characteristics of the radio signal propagated to the rocket, and to the detailed ionograms taken immediately preceding and following the flight.
The United Nations in the Age of Sustainable Development

Achieving sustainable development will be the over-riding challenge of this century. Throughout most of history, the challenges of integrating economic development, social inclusion, and environmental sustainability were local or regional. In the 21st century, however, they are indisputably global. Only through global cooperation can individual nations overcome the interconnected crises of extreme poverty, economic instability, social inequality, and environmental degradation. In the Age of Sustainable Development, the United Nations will be more essential than ever. As foreseen in the UN Charter, the UN General Assembly (UNGA) is the world’s meeting ground for global cooperation, and UN agencies have specialised knowledge of essential global importance. Yet the UN will have to be organised to succeed in this unprecedented challenge, to ensure much higher levels of accountability, timeliness, efficiency, and political commitment of the Member States and the UN itself. The proposal made at the 2012 Rio+20 Summit for a new High-Level Political Forum (HLPF) led by Heads of State and Government to oversee the UN’s new mandate in sustainable development is, in this regard, a critical starting point.
In Pursuit of NEPA's Promise: The Role of Executive Oversight in the Implementation of Environmental Policy

The NEPA process does not end with the preparation of satisfactory impact statements. NEPA requires more than just the preparation of paperwork, even excellent paperwork. It requires an action agency to come to terms with what was learned in an EIS, to balance competing policy interests, and to make a decision that, to the fullest extent possible, furthers the goal of environmental protection. The courts, however, have declined to supervise that balancing process. The executive branch through the U.S. EPA and the Council on Environmental Quality, on the other hand, possess the authority to oversee the substantive implementation of NEPA through section 309 of the Clean Air Act. The full potential of this authority, however, remains untapped.This article begins with a thorough exploration of the legislative history of NEPA and section 309 of the Clean Air Act in order to discern in a more concrete way what Congress intended to achieve through NEPA and how executive branch oversight was intended to serve those ends. After examining the limited manner in which the executive branch has used its oversight authority, the article explores a number of administrative reforms that could help create a more effective link between impact statements, agency decisionmaking, and what agencies actually do. In short, the article argues that EPA’s watchdog role should extend to records of decision and the implementation of the commitments found in those decisions.
Effect of endoscopic cyclophotocoagulation on refractive outcomes when combined with cataract surgery

Abstract Objective To determine the difference between predicted and actual refractive outcomes after combined endoscopic cyclophotocoagulation and cataract surgery (phaco-ECP) in patients with open-angle glaucoma (OAG). Design Retrospective case–control study of patients with OAG who underwent phaco-ECP compared with cataract surgery alone. Participants Eighty-three patients with OAG, aged 55 to 91 years, who underwent a combined phaco-ECP procedure and 58 biometry- and age-matched control patients with OAG who underwent cataract surgery alone. Methods Patient records were retrospectively reviewed at the Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis (St. Louis, Mo.). The primary outcome was the difference in predicted and actual refractive outcomes in patients undergoing either phaco-ECP or standard cataract surgery. Results Compared with phaco alone, the difference in predicted versus actual postoperative results was more myopic in the phaco-ECP group (0.029, –0.110, and –0.095 vs –0.169, –0.325, and –0.312 [p Conclusions Patients undergoing phaco-ECP may have postoperative refractive errors that may vary from that predicted preoperatively more so than in cataract surgery alone. Surgeons may consider analyzing their results to determine whether any adjustment should be made to lens power selection when performing phaco-ECP.
Pseudomonas putida Tryptophan Synthetase: Partial Sequence of the α Subunit

Abstract There is 50% identity in the sequences of the first 50 residues of the α chains of Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas putida. No deletions or additions of residues are found in this region, except for the N-terminal methionine residue which is missing in the polypeptide isolated from P. putida. Most of the residues which differ are chemically dissimilar, and half of them are specified by codons which differ by more than a single base. The two residues known by mutational analysis to be essential for catalysis in E. coli are conserved in P. putida. The potential taxonomic usefulness of information of this sort is analyzed.
Recent progress with multi-anode microchannel array detector systems

The Multi-Anode Microchannel Arrays (MAMAs) are a family of photoelectric, photon-counting array detectors that are being developed specifically for use in instruments on space-borne and ground-based telescopes. In this paper we review briefly the construction and modes-of-operation of the MAMA detectors and describe the current development status of the different detector systems.
Cooperative relaxation methods for multigroup radiation diffusion in radiation hydrodynamics

With restrictive Courant criteria, the time integration of a radiation diffusion equation is generally done by a fully or partially implicit method. Relaxation methods are often effective and cooperative relaxation refers to a technique that will diffuse each spectral radiation group as a separate operation and combine the changes to a full spectrum. Successive passes over the groups provide convergence, as well as conserving energy over time, space and spectrum. Linearized and fully nonlinear variations on the method are discussed.
Full duplex cellular systems: will doubling interference prevent doubling capacity?

Recent advances in antenna and RF circuit design have greatly reduced the crosstalk between the transmitter and receiver circuits on a wireless device, which enable radios to transmit and receive on the same frequency at the same time. Such a full duplex radio has the potential to double the spectral efficiency of a point-to-point radio link. However, the application of such a radio in current cellular systems (3GPP LTE) has not been comprehensively analyzed. This article addresses the fundamental challenges in incorporating full duplex radios in a cellular network to unlock the full potential of full duplex communications. We observe that without carefully planning, full duplex transmission might cause much higher interference in both uplink and downlink, which greatly limits the potential gains. Another challenge is that standard scheduling methods which attempt to achieve the maximum capacity gain lead to a severe loss in energy efficiency. In this article, we identify new tradeoffs in designing full duplex enabled radio networks, and discuss favorable conditions to operate in full duplex mode. New scheduling algorithms and advanced interference cancellation techniques are discussed, which are essential to maximize the capacity gain and energy efficiency. Under this new design, most of the gain is achievable with full duplex enabled base stations, while user equipment still operates in half duplex mode.
Combat exposure, PTSD symptoms, and cognition following blast-related traumatic brain injury in OEF/OIF/OND service members and Veterans

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are frequently documented among the Operation Enduring Freedom/Operation Iraqi Freedom/Operation New Dawn (OEF/OIF/OND) veterans. This study will investigate both combat exposure and PTSD as factors that may influence objective cognitive outcomes following blast-related mild TBI (mTBI). Participants included 54 OEF/OIF/OND veterans who had been exposed to blast and reported symptoms consistent with mTBI and 43 combat-deployed control participants who had no history of blast exposure or TBI. Raw scores from the Controlled Oral Word Association Test, Trail Making Test, Color-Word Interference Test, and Verbal Selective Reminding Test were used to measure cognitive functioning. All participants demonstrated adequate effort on the Word Memory Test. Demographics, injury characteristics, overall intellectual functioning, and total scores from the PTSD Checklist-Civilian Version (PCL-C) and Combat Exposure Scale (CES) were used as the predictors for each cognitive measure. History of mTBI was significantly associated with higher PCL-C and CES scores. Multivariable linear regression, however, showed no significant differences in cognitive performance between groups. The absence of effect of mTBI, PTSD, and combat exposure on cognitive functioning noted in this study may be partially explained by the inclusion of only those participants who passed performance validity testing.
Against the View That We Are Normally Required to Assist Wild Animals

In this brief paper, I will defend the position that while sentient animals are morally considerable, we are not normally morally required to assist suffering wild animals, though this does not mean that it is ethically impermissible to do so. I will argue that this position can be defended without denying that we have obligations to assist distant suffering humans, and that it need not rely on the claim that there is something wrong with intervening in human-independent processes (“the wild”). For the purposes of this paper I will just assume that sentient animals are morally considerable. This view is widely accepted and not particularly controversial (see Palmer 2010 for a more substantial defense of this view).
European rituals of initiation and the production of men

This article examines how male rites of initiation in Europe have been replaced by adjustments to lifecourse events located within the enlarged sphere of entertainment. These adjustments foster new forms of attachment and separation. Based on an interpretation of European films and informed by ethnographic fieldwork, it argues that contemporary European masculinity no longer relies on violent, transformative, collective rituals. This violence still exists, however, experienced vicariously within Europe, while actual violence is largely displaced outside the West. Masculinity nonetheless survives, as a counterconcept to femininity to give expression to the comic, the lost, the confused, the contingent, the unnecessary, the needy, the playful.
TH-C-137-03: Implementing and Evaluating Aperture Morphing for CBCT-Based Adaptive Planning

Purpose: To implement and test a novel application of an online adaptive re‐planning technique, segment aperture morphing (SAM), to kV cone‐beam CT (CBCT). Methods: Five IMRT prostate patients with kV CBCT image guidance were chosen. The patients were re‐planned with Panther planning system (Prowess), 5 mm margin, prescribed PTV D95 of 76 Gy, prostate D100 of 78 Gy. Daily contours were generated on nine CBCTs each using ABAS (Elekta). SAM, as implemented in Panther, then executes to morph apertures based on changes in the beams eye view target shape thereby correcting for both deformation and translation of the target through MLC adjustments. The 45 SAM plans were compared to the current standard of IGRT based shifts. The Panther re‐plan, SAM and shifted plan calculations were done without heterogeneity corrections to avoid uncertainties in CBCT electron density. The DVH parameters used in treatment planning were compared between SAM and shifted. Results: The SAM method provided significantly better target coverage, P<0.0002 for all target DVH parameters. SAM maintained target coverage with average prostate D100 of 78Gy and PTV D95 76Gy, while repositioning left the target under‐dosed at 72Gy. SAM also decreased rectal dose, in particular reducing V60 from 15.4 to 14.0% (P=0.0185). On average bladder dose is lower for repositioning but this at the cost of considerably reduced target coverage, (shifted bladder dose correlates to target dose with an r2∼0.2.) In all but one fraction, the prostate is best covered by SAM. The contour generation takes ∼20‐60 seconds, SAM is instantaneous and the dose calculation ∼20 seconds. Conclusion: Aperture morphing based on target shape change determined by auto‐segmentation consistently and significantly improves target coverage and reduces rectal dose compared to rigid IGRT shifts. It is a viable method for CBCT‐based adaptive planning. A research version of ABAS was provided by Elekta AB, Stockholm, Sweden, and a research version of Panther by Prowess Inc, Concord, CA.
Accumulation and distribution of sulfated materials in the maturing mouse lens capsule.

Lenses of late gestational and postnatal normal-eyed mice were tested for accumulated sulfated materials by using Spicer's high-iron-diamine staining method and also for newly incorporated sulfate autoradiographically following adminsitration of 35SO4 either in vivo or in isolated and organ-cultured lenses. Accumulated and newly incorporated sulfate was observed in all lenses for each age group tested. Discrete regional differences were seen in histochemical staining patterns for sulfate on the lens capsule in specimens of all ages, and distinct laminar zonations were seen in the various regions of the capsule in older specimens. Typically, the anterior and equatorial regions of the capsule demonstrated three histochemically distinct laminar zones while the posterior capsule usually demonstrated two laminar zones. Autoradiographic results indicated that sulfate was indeed being incorporated into these regions, and in the same general pattern as seen with histochemistry. The materials were largely insensitive to testicular hyaluronidase but were preferentially sensitive to nitrous acid digestion, indicating the presence of capsular heparan sulfates. Autoradiographic results from organ-cultured lenses indicated that this tissue itself is a primary source of these materials.
Oxygen permeation through oxygen ionic or mixed-conducting ceramic membranes with chemical reactions

Oxygen permeation through oxygen ionic or mixed-conducting ceramic membranes under reaction conditions was analyzed by a simple mathematical model considering different transport mechanisms (with n-type versus p-type flux equations) and oxidation reaction kinetics (extremely fast reaction versus no reaction). Experimental oxygen permeation data for Bi1.5Y0.3Sm0.2O3−δ (BYS) membrane under two different reaction conditions (with methane and ethane) were measured and analyzed by the modeling results. For a membrane under reaction conditions with a specific reducing gas, the oxygen permeation flux depends strongly on the oxidation reaction rate and the reducing gas flow rate. Such dependencies are different for membranes with oxygen permeation controlled by p-type electron transport and those by n-type electron or oxygen vacancy transport. Oxygen permeation flux under the condition of extremely fast reaction is several-fold higher than that under the condition of slow reaction as a result of the decrease of the oxygen partial pressure in the reaction side with increasing reaction rate. The oxygen permeation flux through BYS membrane under the reaction conditions with ethane is about one order of magnitude higher than that with methane because of the significantly faster oxidation reaction with ethane than with methane. The analysis results also suggest that increasing oxidation reaction rate in the reaction side by use of a heterogeneous catalyst can enhance the oxygen permeation flux through an ionic or mixed-conducting ceramic membrane. For a membrane with a fixed oxygen permeation mechanism, increasing gas flow rate lowers the conversion of oxidation reaction in the reaction side (equivalent to a decrease in reaction rate), causing a decrease in the oxygen permeation flux. Varying reactant flow rate may also cause a change in oxygen permeation mechanism leading to a complex permeation flux versus flow rate relationship.
Thickness and angular dependency of color change in TN LCDs

The background color of a TN LCD is one of the important issues of the liquid crystal flat panel display technology, especially as the panel size gets bigger and the displayed information content gets larger. Therefore, in the first part of this paper, we carried out (1) a theoretical calculation of the color coordinates as a function of And for the range of the ind from 0. 1 jm to 2.0 jtm, which cover the first, second, and third Gooch and Tarry minima; and (2) theoretical calculations for the color coordinates as a function of viewing angle near the first, second and third Gooch and Tarry minima. Our experimental results corresponding to the above two cases will also be presented for cornparison. Our data shows that our theoretical results agree reasonably well with the experimental ones. In the second part of this paper, we will use the above experimentally verified theoretical method to study and compare the color quality of the single-gap NB mode, the multi-gap NB mode, and the NW mode LCDs. The result will provide important information for LCD design and the selection of a mode of operation.
LIPID PHASES IN RENAL BRUSH BORDER MEMBRANES REVEALED BY LAURDAN FLUORESCENCE

Steady-state fluorescence properties of 6-dodecanoyl-2-dimethylaminonapththalene (Laurdan) have been used to determine the coexistence of separate lipid-phase domains in apical brush border membrane vesicles isolated from the rat renal cortex. The temperature dependence of generalized polarization has been utilized to quantitate the lipid phases. Finally, the effect of cholesterol enrichment on these parameters has been studied. The results indicate the coexistence of lipid-phase domains in brush border membranes based on the values of the generalized polarization and assuming that the membrane state can be described by coexistence of gel and liquid crystalline state. At 37 degrees C, approximately 19-32% of the brush border membrane lipids are in the gel phase, and cholesterol enrichment causes a further concentration-dependent increase in the gel phase of brush border membrane lipids.
Altered filterability of CPD-stored sickle trait donor blood.

Previous studies have shown that in sickle trait (AS) donor blood very little sickling is visible. AS donor blood was evaluated by a method of blood filtration, which would be sensitive to intracellular gellation of S hemoglobin which might not be evident morphologically. Blood was collected from normal and sickle trait subjects into CPD solution and stored at 4 C. Blood was removed over a 21-day period and filtered through paper filters at unit gravity and also examined microscopically. Sickling was not evident in saline wet preparations, but was seen in each AS sample in 10 per cent formalin-saline. At 4, 25, and 37 C, AS blood filtered less rapidly than did normal (P < 0.01). AS blood filterability became progressively prolonged as temperature rose; conversely normal blood filterability shortened with increasing temperature. Over 21 days, AS blood remained less filterable than normals. AS samples with high hemoglobin S percentages filtered significantly more slowly than did those with less S hemoglobin. Recognizing that these studies refer only to blood in vitro, no conclusions are drawn with respect to reversibility of the altered filterability or any possible clinical implications.
Prediction of Coronary Heart Disease Based on Clinical Suspicion, Age, Total Cholesterol, and Triglyceride

Our results, based on the definition of coronary heart disease by cinearteriography, show that definite relationships exist among incidence of coronary heart disease (CHD), age, total cholesterol (TC), and total triglycerides, with less definite ones between free cholesterol, and phospholipids for a specific group of 450 male patients referred to the Cleveland Clinic because of suspected coronary heart disease. Equations and graphs of the association of incidence of CHD with these conditions are presented. The relationships were strong enough to be of aid in discriminating CHD from normal; the most useful being age, TC, and TG. Incidence determinations were presented in terms of total incidence and incidence associated with the variable itself. Coronary angiography demonstrated 350 CHD and 100 normals or a ratio of 3.5 to 1. This ratio is a reflection of the high accuracy with which physicians suspect CHD. Age and TC were good discriminators in these patients suspected of CHD. An improved relationship and...
Comparison of 1-(1-naphthy)ethylcarbamate derivatives of a carbohydrate bonded chiral stationary phase

New chiral stationary bonded phases (CSPs) based on derivatized malto-oligosaccharides are reported. Chiral separations are reported for 3,5-dinitrobenzoyl-derivatized amines and amino acids as well as some 3,5-dinitrophenylcarbamoylated alcohols. These new CSPs incorporate a 1-(1-naphthyl)ethylcarbamate (NEC) moiety which introduces additional stereogenicity and provides a useful probe for investigating chiral recognition. The elution order, when known, was dependent upon the configuration of the NEC substituent; that is, the S enantiomers were retained longest on the S column and the R enantiomers were retained longest on the R column. Elution order from the RS column, when known, was the same as that observed for the S column. In most cases, retention correlated with bonded ligand concentration on the silica substrate. In general, the best enantioselectivities and resolution were obtained on the S column.
Hierarchical organization, integrations in biology and cancer, balance loss, and a question on modernism

Abstract The hierarchical organization of biological processes is considered in the light of universal interrelationships of each and every factor affecting open systems such as human life. The maintenance of health and/or the production of disease are viewed at different levels of biological organization as related to the dualistic concept. The relative effects of environmental versus genetic tendencies in the pathogenesis of “disease” are mathematically formulated as related to time and location. Psychological determinants are considered as cause and as consequence of the onset of somatic disease. The multifactorial aspects of chronic pathology are seen in relation to dominant tendencies in life and in medical sciences, as well as to individual factors. The “non-specificity” of some aspects of cancer as related to “Adaptation” is advanced. Doubts are raised regarding the ultimate value of modern technological achievements and overspecialization per se, as well as on the lines followed by modern trends in the organization of cancer research. Finally, the increasing need for progressive thoughtful integration versus increasing specialization is stressed.
Defining the Role of Astrocytes in Neuromodulation

Astrocytes undergo elevations in intracellular calcium following activation of metabotropic receptors, which may trigger glutamate secretion and excitation of surrounding neurons. In this issue of Neuron , Fiacco et al. use transgenic mice that express a foreign G q -coupled receptor in astrocytes to show that selective stimulation of astrocytes is not sufficient to induce the release of glutamate.
First Report of Boxwood Blight Caused by Cylindrocladium pseudonaviculatum in the United States.

In September and October 2011, a new disease was observed on Buxus spp. in North Carolina and Connecticut, respectively. In North Carolina, over 10,000 containerized Buxus sempervirens (American boxwood) were affected at one location. A few weeks later, the disease was found in Connecticut on entire plantings of B. sempervirens ‘Suffruticosa’ (English boxwood) at two residential properties, and shortly thereafter on over 150,000 plants at two production nurseries. Initial foliar symptoms appeared as light to dark brown spots, often with dark borders. Spots enlarged and coalesced, often with a concentric pattern, and black streaks or cankers developed on stems. Infected leaves became brown or straw colored and dropped quickly after foliar symptoms were visible. Branch dieback and plant death were also observed in Connecticut. Cultures were isolated from symptomatic leaves and stems and identified as Cylindrocladium pseudonaviculatum Crous, Groenewald & Hill 2002 (1) (syn. Cylindrocladium buxicola Henricot ...
Regime changes and the impact of currency depreciations: the case of Spanish–US industry trade

Over the past half century, Western Europe has been part of varying currency regimes. Yet, whether under Bretton Woods, the European Monetary System, or the Euro, exchange-rate fluctuations have had an influence on these countries’ trade flows with the United States at the national and the industry level. This study looks at the case of Spain, examining the role of real exchange-rate fluctuations on trade with the United States for 74 industries. We find that the trade balances of only 40 industries are cointegrated with their macroeconomic determinants, but that 26 of these respond positively in the long run to a real depreciation. While industry characteristics do not seem to explain which industries are more likely to do this, we find that a relatively large share of industries in the Machinery sector see their trade balances improve after a depreciation.
A study of the effect of applied pressure on surface contact area

Summary A study has been made of the effect of applied pressure on the area of contact between copper surfaces of a controlled roughness over the temperature range of 400 to 1200°F. The pressure required to obtain intimate contact for the model studied in detail (500- μ in. (rms) wedges pressed into an 8- μ in. (rms) surface) was found to be 0·59 of the Vickers hot hardness. The pressure required is inversely proportional to the surface roughness and directly proportional to the number of points of contact raised to the ( n − 2)/ n power where n is the Meyer coefficient.
Impact broadening of the dtμ formation resonances

The density dependence of dt\ensuremath{\mu} molecular formation has been treated as a line-broadening process in the impact approximation. In the present paper, elastic cross sections and their coherent difference are calculated for ${\mathrm{D}}_{2}$+${\mathrm{D}}_{2}$ and (dt\ensuremath{\mu})dee+${\mathrm{D}}_{2}$ collisions. Together with the rotationally inelastic cross sections previously calculated [Phys. Rev. A 37, 329 (1988)] using the same accurate intermolecular potential, this provides all cross sections needed for evaluation of the width in the impact approximation. The impact width is dominated by elastic scattering and, at the temperature 23 K and liquid-hydrogen density, has the value 14 meV, which is more than three times the previously calculated value.
Hybrid boundary-based and region-based deformable models for biomedical image segmentation

The problem of segmenting an image into visually sensible regions has received considerable attention. Recent techniques based on deformable models show particular promise for this problem because they produce smooth closed object boundaries. These techniques can be broadly classified into two categories: boundary-based deformable models, and region-based deformable models. Both of these approaches have distinct advantages and disadvantages. In this paper, we introduce a hybrid deformable modeling technique which combines the advantages of both approaches and avoids some of their disadvantages. This is accomplished by first minimizing a region-based functional to obtain initial edge strength estimates. Smooth closed object boundaries are then obtained by minimizing a boundary-based functional which is attracted to the initial edge locations. In this paper, we discuss the theoretical advantages of this hybrid approach over existing image segmentation methods and show how this technique can be effectively implemented and used for the segmentation of 2D biomedical images.© (1994) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Illustrative example on designing and evaluating multimedia systems

This paper illustrates a step-by-step approach to designing an example multimedia system using our periodic pipelined design and evaluation framework. The periodic pipelined framework provides a systematic approach to designing scalable, distributed heterogeneous systems whose timing properties can be strictly controlled and analyzed. The approach exploits the natural pipelined execution pattern found in a large number of continuous-data applications executing over heterogenous distributed resources. This paper illustrates how to model the example multimedia system using the framework and how to make design decisions such that the system's end-to-end timing requirements can be met. Specifically, we focus on how to assign pipeline stage rates to model the specific set of signal processing rates required in the example system. Finally, this paper provides timing analysis results and makes explicit the fundamental trade-offs in designing this example system.
The cyclized C-terminal dipeptide of arginine vasopressin: metabolic stability and antagonism of puromycin-induced amnesia.

Abstract The cyclized derivative of the C-terminal dipeptide of arginine vasopressin (AVP), cyclo(Arg-Gly), can, when administered peripherally, block puromycininduced amnesia in mice. The potency and time course of action of this peptide are very similar to that of the parent hormone, AVP. Radioactively labelled cyclo(Arg-Gly), injected sc, was found to be degraded mainly by kidney and liver, and both intact peptide and degradation products reached the brain. However, cyclo(Arg-Gly) injected directly into brain was stable for up to 24 hr. The disappearance of cyclo(Arg-Gly) from plasma and brain was biphasic, with halflives longer than that reported for AVP. The results suggest that cyclo(Arg-Gly), formed in vivo from AVP, could contribute to the long-term effects of AVP in the CNS. However, not all of the actions of the hormone can be attributed to formation of longer-acting derivatives, and it is postulated that separate receptors may exist in brain for the neurohypophyseal hormones and their active fragments.
Fractionation of an ECM hydrogel into structural and soluble components reveals distinctive roles in regulating macrophage behavior

Extracellular matrix (ECM) derived from mammalian tissues has been utilized to repair damaged or missing tissue and improve healing outcomes. More recently, processing of ECM into hydrogels has expanded the use of these materials to include platforms for 3-dimensional cell culture as well as injectable therapeutics that can be delivered by minimally invasive techniques and fill irregularly shaped cavities. At the cellular level, ECM hydrogels initiate a multifaceted host response that includes recruitment of endogenous stem/progenitor cells, regional angiogenesis, and modulation of the innate immune response. Unfortunately, little is known about the components of the hydrogel that drive these responses. We hypothesized that different components of ECM hydrogels could play distinctive roles in stem cell and macrophage behavior. Utilizing a well-characterized ECM hydrogel derived from urinary bladder matrix (UBM), we separated the soluble and structural components of UBM hydrogel and characterized their biological activity. Perivascular stem cells migrated toward and reduced their proliferation in response to both structural and soluble components of UBM hydrogel. Both components also altered macrophage behavior but with different fingerprints. Soluble components increased phagocytosis with an IL-1RAhigh, TNFαlow, IL-1βlow, uPAlow secretion profile. Structural components decreased phagocytosis with a PGE2high, PGF2αhigh, TNFαlow, IL-1βlow, uPAlow, MMP2low, MMP9low, secretion profile. The biologic activity of the soluble components was mediated by Notch and PI3K/Akt signaling, while the biologic activity of the structural components was mediated by integrins and MEK/ERK signaling. Collectively, these findings demonstrate that soluble and structural components of ECM hydrogels contribute to the host response but through different mechanisms.
The RNA virus quasispecies: fact or fiction?

In their recent review, Mas et al. propose that the existence of quasispecies has become a universal rule for RNA viruses and may be extended to other biological systems. Although the historical perspective on quasispecies theory provided by Mas et al. serves as a valuable introduction to the subject, their article presents a polarized view of the applicability of quasispecies theory to RNA virus evolution and contains a number of important misunderstandings. Herein, I present a counterargument: that for all its power as a theory, the data needed to demonstrate the existence of quasispecies in natural populations of RNA viruses are still lacking. Although elements of quasispecies theory have been debated for a number of years, there is clearly still a major intellectual chasm between the proponents and opponents of quasispecies dynamics in RNA viruses. Even the strongest supporters of quasispecies theory should acknowledge that the overwhelming majority of papers claiming to report evidence of RNA virus quasispecies do nothing of the sort. In common parlance, the term ‘quasispecies’ is used by virologists to refer to any type of intra-host genetic variation. For example, it is now de rigueur to refer to intra-host populations of hepatitis C virus
Foraminal injection of a painful sacral nerve root using an epidural catheter: Case report

Abstract Background and Objectives: Nerve root pain has been treated with steroid injections since the 1970s. We will describe a novel method for nerve root injection using a directed epidural catheter. Case Report: A case is described where catheter placement accurately reproduced symptoms which were then relieved with local anesthetic and steroid. Conclusion: This is a novel approach to treatment of painful nerve roots with a catheter. Reg Anesth Pain Med 2002;27:214-216.
Tensile Strength, Elongation, Hardness, and Tensile and Flexural Moduli of PLA Filled with Glycerol-Plasticized DDGS

Rapid growth of the biofuel industry is generating large amounts of coproducts such as distillers dried grains with solubles (DDGS) from ethanol production and glycerol from biodiesel. Currently these coproducts are undervalued, but they have application in the plastics industry as property modifiers. The objective of this research effort is to quantify the effects on mechanical properties of adding DDGS and glycerol to polylactic acid (PLA). The methodology was to physically mix DDGS, as filler, with PLA pellets and injection mold the blends into test bars using glycerol as a plasticizer. The bars were subject to mechanical testing procedures to obtain tensile strength, tensile and flexural moduli, elongation to break, and surface hardness of blends from 0 to 90 %, by weight, of plasticized filler. Blends were typically relatively brittle with little or no yielding prior to fracture, and the addition of glycerol enabled molding of blends with high levels of DDGS but did not increase strength. Any presence of filler decreased the tensile strength of the PLA, and 20–30 % filler reduced strength by 60 %. The 35–50 % filled PLA had about one-fifth the value for pure PLA; at 60–65 % filler level, about 10 % tensile strength remained; and over 80 % filler, 95 % of the strength was lost. Over 20 % filler, the tensile modulus decreased. The 35 % plasticized, filled blend yielded about one-half the stiffness as the pure PLA case; flexural modulus trended in the same manner but demonstrated a greater loss of stiffness. Most blends had less than 3 % elongation to break while surface hardness measurements indicated that up to 60 % filler reduced Shore D hardness by less than 20 %. The tensile strength and modulus data are consistent with the findings of other researchers and indicate that the type of filler and amount and sequence of plasticization are secondary effects, and the total PLA displaced is the dominant factor in determining the mechanical strength of the PLA and DDGS blends. Up to 65 % plasticized DDGS filler can be injection molded, and sufficient mechanical strength exists to create a variety of products. Such a novel material provides higher-value utilization of the biofuel coproducts of glycerol and DDGS and maintains the biodegradable and biocompatible nature of PLA.
Power-form demand and cost functions in inventory lot size models

Abstract This paper presents a continuous-time inventory model with known time-varying demand and carrying cost functions. Backlogs are prohibited, replenishments are assumed to be instantaneous and the planning horizon is finite. The problem is to find the optimal number and schedule of replenishments, i.e. the time intervals between consecutive orders, which minimizes total carrying and replenishment costs throughout the planning horizon. First, a necessary and sufficient condition on the optimal replenishment times is derived for general demand and carrying cost functions when the number of replenishments is fixed. Then, a complete solution (optimal number and schedule of replenishments) is given for the case of power-form demand and carrying cost functions. The asymptotic properties of the solution as the planning horizon tends to infinity are also investigated. The model lends itself to a tractable parametric analysis, and generalizes several special cases already known in the literature.
Some further comments on interrupt driven FORTRAN

This article will present a few of the design considerations that were necessary in the implementation of the assembly language support for Interrupt Driven FORTRAN. Preliminary information appeared in an article in the previous issue of the SIGMINI Bulletin. Although that article described a single FORTRAN-callable subroutine for the control of an A/D subsystem, the Laboratory Support Library consisted of routines to control the entire interface, including D/A subsystems, relays and digital I/O.
Variation in sensitivity to aflatoxin B1 among several strains of Drosophila melanogaster (Diptera).

Abstract Eggs of five different wild-type strains of fruit flies, Drosophila melanogaster , were allowed to develop into adults on media containing 0.27 and 0.40 ppm of the toxic and carcinogenic mycotoxin, aflatoxin B 1 (AFB 1 ). Egg-to-adult viability and development time, adult sex ratio and size, and pupa case size were measured for each treatment and compared to control values for each strain. Adult size and pupa size were not affected significantly by the AFB 1 treatments, while egg-to-adult development time increased for strains grown on AFB 1 -containing media. Strain-specific changes in egg-to-adult viability and adult sex ratio were observed. The most probable explanation for these differences is genetic variation among the strains. Crimea, Hikone-R, Lausanne-S, Oregon-R, and Swedish-C were the strains tested.
AUTOLOGOUS CARDIAC STEM CELLS FAVORABLY ALTER LATE REMODELING IN A LARGE ANIMAL MODEL OF MYOCARDIAL INFARCTION

Regenerative medicine using cell therapy offers a promising strategy for recovery of damaged myocardium. C-kit-positive cardiac stem cells (CSCs) alleviate myocardial dysfunction after ischemic injury. Use of human cells in animals generally requires immuno-suppression limiting the duration of
Shringking core model/reaction control for a wide size distribution of solids

Abstract Conversion-time expressions for solids reacting by the shrinking core model/reaction control kinetics are extended here from a single size feed to a wi while simple approximations are found to represent well the mixed flow of solids of these wide size distributions.
Symmetry in nuclei and beyond

The concepts of dynamic symmetry, dynamic supersymmetry and critical symmetry are briefly reviewed. These concepts provide classification schemes for finite quantal systems. They have led to important discoveries in a variety of fields. The discovery of supersymmetry in nuclei is reviewed.
Application of a dry-gas meter for measuring air sample volumes in an ambient air monitoring network.

Ambient air monitoring for non-research applications (i.e., compliance) occurs throughout the world. Often, air sampling systems employed for these purposes employ simple yet robust equipment capable of handling the rigors of demanding sampling schedules and harsh environments. At the Hanford Site (near Richland, Washington) concentrations of radionuclides in ambient air are monitored continuously at 44 locations. In 2004, mechanical dry-gas meters were incorporated into the Hanford Site ambient air sample collection system to allow the direct measurement of sample volumes. These meters replaced an airflow measurement system that required two manual flow measurements and a sample duration measurement to determine sample volume. A six-month evaluation of the dry-gas meters compared sample volumes calculated using the original flow-rate method to the sample volume measured directly by the dry-gas meter. The two methods provided sample volumes that were within 15% of each other 87% of the time. The results indicated that for instances where the sample volume measured by the two methods differed by more than 15%, the dry-gas meter method provided a more accurate sample volume measurement. The results of the evaluation further indicated that the dry-gas meters provided more accurate sample volumes for all samples, resulting in greater confidence in the calculated concentration results. Health Phys.
Observation of coherent reaction dynamics in heme proteins

Femtosecond laser pulses, resonant with Soret band of the nitric oxide complex of myoglobin (MbNO), were used to probe coherent, low-frequency nuclear motion of the heme group after photolysis. Distinct oscillations with periods of 430 and 150 femtoseconds were observed and are attributed to heme doming and iron-histidine motion, respectively. These results verify that the nuclear motion of the heme is strongly coupled to the ligand binding reaction and demonstrate that such motion is not determined by overdamped (diffusive) dynamics. The relative phases and frequencies of the nuclear motion of the photoproduct suggest that the coherence arises from impulsive electronic forces associated with the spin-state change of the heme iron atom and the depopulation of its dz2 orbital during the bond-breaking event.
Use of 3‐azabicyclo[3.2.2]nonane in the Mannich reaction II. Secondary γ‐amino alcohols

The syntheses of a group of secondary γ-amino alcohols by reduction of the corresponding Mannich base with sodium borohydride are described. These alcohols are to be screened for possible pharmacodynamic activity.
Osteocranial development in the viviparous surfperch Amphistichus argenteus (pisces: Embiotocidae)

The development of the cranial and branchial skeleton of the surfperch Amphistichus argenteus, a member of the family Embiotocidae, is described, and phylogenetic and functional aspects of the skull development of this species are discussed. The earliest bones to appear are those dermal elements of the branchial skeleton involved with feeding, and the bones, both dermal and endochondral, located in the basicranial region of the neurocranium. These are followed by dermal bones associated with the lateral line system and finally by the remainder of the bones of the branchial skeleton and the cartilaginous bones of the otic capsules. The last bone to develop is the ethmoid.