cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Direct inhibitory effect of calcitriol on parathyroid function (sigmoidal curve) in dialysis

Direct inhibitory effect of calcitriol on parathyroid function (sigmoidal curve) in dialysis. The effect of intravenous calcitriol on parathyroid function was evaluated in nine chronic hemodialysis patients with secondary hyperparathyroidism. Two micrograms of calcitriol were administered intravenously after dialysis thrice weekly for ten weeks. Parathyroid function was assessed by inducing hypo- and hypercalcemia with low calcium (1.0 mEq/liter) and high calcium (4.0 mEq/liter) dialyses before and after ten weeks of intravenous calcitriol therapy. To avoid hypercalcemia during calcitriol administration, the dialysate calcium was reduced to 2.5 mEq/liter. Parathyroid hormone (PTH) values (pg/ml) from dialysis-induced hypo- and hypercalcemia were plotted against serum ionized calcium, and the sigmoidal relationship between PTH and calcium was evaluated. Basal PTH levels fell from 902 ± 126 pg/ml to 466 ± 152 pg/ml (P
The Proportion of Household Income Devoted to Mortgage Payments: A Model with Supporting Evidence

ABSTRACT During the 1970s, increases in housing prices and interest rates in turn brought increases in housing mortgage payments. However, the same period was accompanied by rising household income. The space-time behavior of effort, the proportion of household income that is devoted to housing mortgage payments, is shown to be characterized by a logistic process. An example of the model, using data from four census regions of the United States, indicates that by the end of the 1980s the proportion of household income devoted to mortgage payments is likely to return to levels that prevailed in the early 1970s.
Genital tract HIV RNA levels and their associations with human papillomavirus infection and risk of cervical precancer.

Objective Plasma HIV RNA levels have been associated with risk of human papillomavirus (HPV) and cervical neoplasia in HIV-seropositive women. However, little is known regarding local genital tract HIV RNA levels and their relation with cervical HPV and neoplasia.
Dimeric immunoglobulin E serves as a unit signal for mast cell degranulation.

Abstract Rat immunoglobulin E (IgE) was treated with a crosslinking reagent, dimethyl suberimidate, and fractionated by gel filtration into monomers, dimers, trimers, and higher polymers. The fractions retained substantial ability to bind specifically to mast cells. About one-third of the cell-bound dimers appeared to bind bivalently. The fractions were assayed in vivo by passive cutaneous anaphylaxis in rats, and for histamine or serotonin release in vitro using normal or tumor mouse mast cells. The monomers showed no activity, while the dimers and higher polymers gave excellent and approximately equivalent responses. We conclude that IgE that has been crosslinked to form dimers prior to the addition to mast cells can serve as a unit signal for triggering IgE-mediated exocytosis.
Representation of information about skin temperature in the discharge of single cortical neurons.

Abstract A single-unit study was undertaken in the squirrel monkey to characterize the response of units in the cerebral cortex to temperature stimulation of the skin. Thermal stimulation was applied to the hand with a Peltier module. Thirty-one thermally responsive units were found in both the precentral and postcentral gyri. Individual units were found to respond to either steady-state temperature levels or to phasic temperature changes but never to both. Responses to steady-state thermal stimuli were characterized by monotonic increasing thermometer functions or decreasing thermometer functions. Responses appearing to signal deviation from steady-state neutral temperature without changes in mean frequency of firing were also observed. Responses to phasic temperature changes were increases or decreases in frequency of discharge to both warming and cooling, or were similar to the phasic behavior of ‘cold’ units. All but 3 of the 15 units tested for a tactile receptive field responded to mechanical as well as thermal stimulation.
The Biasing Impact of Pretrial Publicity on Juror Judgments

This study examines three previously unexplored aspects of the biasing impact of pretrial publicity. First, this study tests the differential effects of several different types of pretrial publicity on juror decision making. Second, this study explores the impact the presentation of trial evidence has on biases created by pretrial publicity. Finally, the study explores the psychological processes by which pretrial publicity effects may operate. Results indicate that pretrial publicity, particularly negative information about the defendant's character, can influence subjects' initial judgments about a defendant's guilt. This bias is weakened, but not eliminated by the presentation of trial evidence. Character pretrial publicity, and both weak and strong inadmissible statements appear to operate by changing subjects' initial judgments of the defendant's guilt. This initial judgment then affects the way subjects assess the evidence presented in the trial and the attributions they make about the defendant. Prior record pretrial publicity appears to have its effects by influencing subjects' inferences about the criminality of the defendant and this is related to posttrial judgments.
The impact of perceptual congruence on the effectiveness of cause-related marketing campaigns

In the cause-related marketing (CRM) literature, the degree of fit between a firm and cause has been shown to positively impact the effectiveness of CRM campaigns. Throughout the literature, however, firm-cause fit has been operationalized as the relatedness of conceptual attributes such as brand image and positioning (i.e., conceptual congruence). Across three studies, the authors demonstrate that the relatedness of perceptual attributes such as color (i.e., perceptual congruence) can also enhance the effectiveness of CRM campaigns. Study 1 shows that perceptual congruence between a firm and cause positively affects perceptions of overall fit and participation intentions. Study 2 provides evidence that perceptual congruence impacts CRM effectiveness through a fit-as-fluency mechanism. Finally, Study 3 demonstrates the moderating effect of elaboration on the relationship between fit type (perceptual vs. conceptual congruence) and participation intentions. Consistent with previous findings, elaboration positively affects participation intentions when the fit type is conceptual, but the results of Study 3 indicate that elaboration negatively impacts participation intentions when the fit type is perceptual.
Calculating complex interactions in molecular dynamics simulations employing Lagrangian particle tracking schemes

Abstract In this report, we describe some general features of Lagrangian particle tracking and the method of table look-up that are important for calculating many different types of interactions of arbitrary complexity in large molecular dynamics simulations. Based on our experience using these approaches and state-of-the-art of computer technology, we state formally those properties of Lagrangian tracking and table look-up that are important to the design of optimal programming structures. We examine the relationship between Lagrangian indexing and list indexing of data and how this influences the complexity of programming structures for effecting vector operations. Included in this report are criteria for the efficient use of Lagrangian particle tracking schemes in molecular dynamics simulations.
The Present and Possible Future of Quantitative Criminology

By the time I became editor of JQC, it was already a thriving and well-regarded journal. Jamie Fox, John Laub, and Mike Maltz had done the hard work necessary to develop a niche for it within criminology, and to make its presence known to potential contributors. Due to their efforts, it had built up a solid base of readers and had earned a reputation for publishing high-quality scholarship. The editor did not have to worry about finding enough papers to fill issues, and so did not have to think much about the state of quantitative criminology in general. As with other established journals, the major editorial task was to oversee the selection of manuscripts from a pool of mostly sound and innovative submissions. These were very fortunate circumstances for me, and they reflected the significant progress that the field and the journal had made. They nevertheless provided no insights into the development of quantitative criminology, nor any illuminating stories about the role that JQC had played in it. I therefore have nothing original to say about these matters, and I will not try to disguise the fact by reflecting on them. I appreciate, however, the opportunity that the editors have given me to comment on the present state and possible future direction of quantitative criminological research. The remaining sections of this essay will first review the current situation, and will then consider what the field needs and where it may be headed.
Modeling of simultaneous exchange of colloids and sorbing contaminants between streams and streambeds.

Contaminant transport in streams can be significantly modified by both stream−subsurface exchange and the presence of colloidal particles, but the interaction of these effects is not well understood. Exchange with the hyporheic zone exposes contaminants to surface−chemical reactions with streambed sediments, while colloidal particles have a large reactive surface area that allows them to carry pollutants that would otherwise be transported primarily as dissolved species. A new theoretical model is developed to predict the role of colloids in mediating advective contaminant exchange between streams and streambeds. Bedform-induced pumping theory is applied to model physical transport, and colloid filtration and reversible contaminant sorption are used to calculate the local distributions of colloids and contaminants within the streambed. Residence time functions of both colloids and contaminants in the bed are then used to link contaminant concentrations in the pore water and streamwater. Model simulations ...
A modified Kober method for the determination of alpha- and beta-estradiol.

Abstract A method is described for the determination of α‐ and β‐estradiol by a modified Kober procedure. It is based on the fact that β‐estradiol reacts with Kober's reagent in the cold while α‐estradiol does not. The results of analysis of a series of samples containing the two isomers are given.
Optical signature of Venus lightning as seen from space

Abstract The calculations of M. A. Williams, L. W. Thomason, and D. M. Hunten ( Icarus 52 , 166–170, 1982) for the light transmitted to space by a Venus lightning flash by dropping the use of similarity relations have been improved. This revised model increases their escape fractions and image sizes by about a factor of 2; however, their conclusions remain valid.
Behavioral and socioemotional outcomes through age 5 years of the legacy for children public health approach to improving developmental outcomes among children born into poverty.

Objectives. We evaluated Legacy for Children, a public health strategy to improve child health and development among low-income families.Methods. Mothers were recruited prenatally or at the birth of a child to participate in Legacy parenting groups for 3 to 5 years. A set of 2 randomized trials in Miami, Florida, and Los Angeles, California, between 2001 and 2009 assessed 574 mother-child pairs when the children were 6, 12, 24, 36, 48, and 60 months old. Intent-to-treat analyses from 12 to 60 months compared groups on child behavioral and socioemotional outcomes.Results. Children of mothers in the intervention group were at lower risk for behavioral concerns at 24 months and socioemotional problems at 48 months in Miami, and lower risk for hyperactive behavior at 60 months in Los Angeles. Longitudinal analyses indicated that children of intervention mothers in Miami were at lower risk for behavior problems from 24 to 60 months of age.Conclusions. Randomized controlled trials documented effectiveness of th...
Characterization of small specimens using an integrated computational/measurement technique

Traditional electromagnetic material property extraction techniques rely on the use of carefully chosen specimen and measurement geometries that have analytical solutions which relate material properties to scattering parameters. Specimens must be carefully formed into precise shapes to meet the geometrical requirements of the analytical solutions, which can sometimes be either difficult or impossible depending on the material. Here we present an extraction method based on the use of a computational, as opposed to analytical, solution which can be used with nearly any specimen geometry.
Helix-coil stability constants for the naturally occurring amino acids in water. XIII. The presence of by-products in amino-acid analysis of copolymers and their effect on the guest parameters; recomputed values of sigma and s for L-serine.

Previously used procedures for processing the amino acids from 6N hydrochloric acid hydrolysis of poly[N5-(4-hydroxybutyl)-L-glutamine], poly[N5-(3-hydroxypropyl)-L-glutamine], and several random copolymers derived from these, led to the formation of spurious products. These have been isolated and characterized as the γ-ester of glutamic acid and the hydroxyalkyl amine, and chloro-alkyl amine hydrochloride. The former reduces the observed values for glutamic acid, but the latter has no effect on them. A method is used to avoid formation of these artifacts in the amino-acid analysis. Of all the copolymers studied previously in this series, the compositions of only those containing L-serine are in error as a result of the formation of the γ-ester. A redetermination of the amino-acid compositions of the copolymer fractions studied earlier leads to slightly revised values for the Zimm-Bragg parameters σ and s of serine.
Stabilizing electroweak vacuum in a vectorlike fermion model

To avoid possible electroweak vacuum instability in the vectorlike fermion model, we introduce a new singlet scalar to the model, which couples to the vectorlike fermion and also mixes with the Higgs boson after spontaneous symmetry breaking. We investigate the vectorlike fermion predominantly coupled to the third-generation quarks, and its mass is generated from the vacuum expectation value of the new scalar field in the model. In this setup, as running towards high energies, the new scalar provides a positive contribution to the running of the Higgs quartic coupling, and the matching on the scale of the scalar mass gives rise to a threshold effect that lifts up the Higgs quartic coupling strength. The two effects help stabilize the electroweak vacuum of the Higgs potential. Therefore, this setup could evade possible vacuum instability in the vectorlike fermion model. We show that a large range of parameter space is allowed to have both stable Higgs vacuum and perturbativity of all the running couplings, up to the Planck scale. We also examine the experimental constraints from the electroweak precision observables such as oblique corrections $S,T$ and nonoblique corrections to the $Z{b}_{L}{\overline{b}}_{L}$ coupling, the Higgs coupling precision measurements, and the current LHC direct searches.
Silicon nanomembranes as a means to evaluate stress evolution in deposited thin films

Abstract Thin-film deposition on ultra-thin substrates poses unique challenges because of the potential for a dynamic response to the film stress during deposition. While theoretical studies have investigated film stress related changes in bulk substrates, little has been done to learn how stress might evolve in a film growing on a compliant substrate. We use silicon nanomembranes (SiNMs), extremely thin sheets of single-crystalline Si, as a substrate for the growth of amorphous SiN x to begin to address this question. Nanomembranes are released from a silicon-on-insulator wafer with selective etching, transferred over a hole etched into a Si wafer, and bonded to the edges of the hole. The nanomembrane window provides the substrate for SiN x deposition and a platform, using Raman spectroscopy, for measurements of the evolving strain in the nanomembrane. From the strain in the nanomembrane, the film stress can be inferred from the required balance of forces in the film/substrate system. We observe that the strain in the tethered NM increases as the NM is made thinner while the intrinsic steady-state stress in the deposited film is reduced.
Controller Area Network for In-Vehicle Law Enforcement Applications

Based on requirements for an advanced law enforcement vehicle demonstrator, in-vehicle controller area network (CAN) architecture has been implemented. In an effort to reduce the amount of point-to-point wiring in law enforcement vehicles and centralize communications between devices, CAN is suggested as a means to serialize data communications within the vehicle environment. The benefits of this CAN net-centric approach to in-vehicle law enforcement applications over traditional point-to-point schemes will offer increased flexibility and expandability for future technology insertions and provide the user access to information from a set of interoperable CAN enabled sources.
Linear programming computation of upper and lower bounds of viscoelastic functions

Abstract In this communication we wish to report a new technique to inter-convert numerically linear viscoelastic functions. Customarily such computations are accomplished through the distribution of relaxation times [l-41. Difficulties encountered in such methods have been dis-cussed [3,5]. Our technique circumvents the use of distribution of relaxation times by resorting to linear programming (LP). Because of its importance in operations research, standard LP routines are readily available in any computer library. Thus calculations may be accomplished with minimal efforts in further programming. In this work, we have used ALPHAC, an LP routine developed at the Univer-sity of California Computer Center. The method is simple to use, requires relatively few data points, and yields rather accurate re-sults. cable to systems of linear equations [6]. The classic problem of LP Linear programming is a numerical optimization procedure appli-cable to systems of linear equations [6]. The classic problem of LP
Factor prices, factor proportions, and factor endowments in the pacific northwest: a regional test of the Heckscher-Ohlin theorem for then-factor case

A generalized version of the Heckscher-Ohlin model of trade has been developed by A. V. Deardorff for thel-factor,m-commodity, andn-country case. To test the validity of the Deardorff's model, first the factor content and commodity composition of trade between the Pacific Northwest (PNW) and the rest of the United States (ROUS) are estimated. These estimated values are then employed in a model to examine the degree of importance of relatively cheap energy and capital prices and relatively expensive wage rates in determining the level and composition of the PNW's trade with the rest of the United States. This study finds that the Pacific Northwest has a comparative advantage in the production of those goods which intensively use energy and capital and sparingly use labor in their production processes. This finding is, of course, in accord with the prediction of Deardorff's model.
γ-Tubulin and microtubule organization during meiosis in the liverwort Ricciocarpus natans (Ricciaceae)

Extant liverworts are “ living fossils ” considered sister to all other plants and as such provide clues to the evolution of the microtubule organizing center (MTOC) in anastral cells. This report is the fi rst on microtubule arrays and their γ -tubulin-nucleating sites during meiosis in a member of the Ricciales, a specialized, species-rich group of complex thalloid (marchantioid) liverworts. In meiotic prophase, γ -tubulin becomes concentrated at several sites adjacent to the nuclear envelope. Microtubules organized at these foci give rise to a multipolar prometaphase spindle. By metaphase I, the spindle has matured into a bipolar structure with truncated poles. In both fi rst and second meiosis, γ -tubulin forms box-like caps at the spindle poles. γ -Tubulin moves from spindle poles to the proximal surfaces of telophase chromosomes where interzonal microtubules are nucleated. Although a phragmoplast is organized, no cell plate is deposited, and second division occurs simultaneously in the undivided sporocyte. γ -Tubulin surrounds each of the tetrad nuclei, and phragmoplasts initiated between both sister and nonsister nuclei direct simultaneous cytokinesis. The overall pattern of meiosis (unlobed polyplastidic sporocytes, nuclear envelope MTOC, multipolar spindle origin, spindles with box-like poles, and simultaneous cytokinesis) more closely resembles that of Conocephalum than other marchantiod liverworts.
Prevalence of traumatic hip and pelvic fractures in patients with suspected hip fracture and negative initial standard radiographs--a study of emergency department patients.

Objectives: To determine the prevalence of hip and pelvic fractures in emergency department (ED) patients with hip pain and negative standard initial radiographs. Methods: This was a retrospective, cohort study at an academic, community-based ED. ED patients presenting during a one-year period with hip pain for whom a plain-film radiograph was obtained were included. Eligible patients were identified by query of electronic records. Plain radiographs and magnetic resonance images (MRIs) were ordered at the discretion of the treating physician. Initial plain radiographs were read at the point of care by board-certified radiologists. MRI images were reviewed by radiologists with fellowship training in musculoskeletal imaging. Structured follow-up at more than one month postvisit was conducted to rule out a subsequent diagnosis of hip fracture. Ninety-five-percent confidence intervals (95% CIs) and kappa (κ) were calculated as appropriate. Results: Seven hundred sixty-four of 895 patients (85.3%) had follow-up completed (study group). Within the study group, 219 patients (29%) had evidence of fracture on initial radiographs. Of the 545 patients with negative initial radiographs, 62 patients (11.4%) underwent hip MRI during the ED visit. MRI identified 24 additional patients with hip fractures. Interobserver agreement for the presence of fracture on MRI was very good (κ= 0.847). For patients with negative initial plain radiographs who did not have a hip MRI, follow-up did not identify any of these patients as having a subsequent diagnosis of fracture. Thus, 24 of 545 (4.4%; 95% CI = 3.0% to 6.5%) patients with negative initial plain radiographs had a hip fracture. Conclusions: In this cohort of ED patients with symptoms suspicious for hip fracture who had negative standard radiographs, the authors found that 4.4% were subsequently diagnosed as having fracture. Further studies are warranted to identify characteristics of patients requiring advanced hip imaging studies.
Use of a commercial probiotic supplement in meat goats

Sixty-three Boer crossbred goats were used in 5 separate experiments (Exp. 1 to 5) to evaluate the effects of a commercial probiotic supplement on growth performance (Exp. 1 to 4), diet digestibility (Exp. 5), carcass traits (Exp. 3), and fecal bacterial populations (Exp. 4). Goats were either fed a commercially pelleted concentrate diet and supplemented with a commercial probiotic (PRO) that had shown anecdotal positive effects on goat growth and performance according to local goat producers, or they remained as controls. The dose of PRO used was within the labeled dose for sheep for all studies. For Exp. 1, goat BW and feed intake were measured and G:F was calculated every 7 d for 56 d. For Exp. 2 to 4, BW and feed intake were measured and G:F was calculated every 14 d. The first day of supplementation was considered d 0. Carcass traits were also collected at slaughter on d 57 for Exp. 3, and fecal samples were collected every 14 d for microbial culture for Exp. 4. For Exp. 5, which was a digestibility trial that lasted for 10 d, animals were placed in metabolic pens for collection of feces and orts. Growth performance of goats was not affected by probiotic supplementation, with the exception of performance in Exp. 2, in which ADG and G:F were improved (P < 0.03) in PRO goats compared with control goats on d 56 only (treatment x day interaction; P < 0.05), averaging 0.21 +/- 0.02 kg/d for PRO goats and 0.11 +/- 0.02 kg/d for control goats for ADG and 0.17 +/- 0.02 for PRO goats and 0.10 +/- 0.02 for control goats for G:F. Carcass weights and weights of fabricated cuts (shoulder, loin, leg, rack, shank, and total parts) as well as carcass length, leg circumference, loin eye area, and backfat were not influenced by PRO supplementation. Apparent digestibilities of OM, DM, NDF, ADF, CP, and GE (on a DM basis) were similar for the PRO and control treatments. Fecal culture analysis of Escherichia coli and coliforms, Lactobacillus, and Bifidobacterium populations were not influenced by the PRO treatment. Overall, although the PRO treatment affected goat ADG and G:F in Exp. 2, no PRO treatment effects were noted on growth performance for Exp. 1, 3, and 4. Furthermore, the PRO treatment did not affect diet digestibility, carcass traits, or fecal microbial populations in goats. In conclusion, no consistent benefits were noted from supplementing healthy, growing meat goats with PRO.
Incorporating ambiguity and archetypes in entertainment-education programming: Lessons learned from Oshin

Entertainment-education programming represents a promising media strategy in development communication that can increase audiences' knowledge about social issues, create favorable attitudes, and change their overt behaviors on such topics as family planning, gender equality, and child development. This article draws upon the fields of development and organizational communication, psychology, and literary criticism to analyze the audience success of a Japanese television soap opera Oshin, arguing that incorporation of strategically ambiguous messages and cultural archetypes can help broaden the cultural appeal of entertain ment-education messages. Caveats on the incorporation of these concepts in entertainment- education programming are also discussed.
Backbone Dynamics of the Monomeric λ Repressor Denatured State Ensemble under Nondenaturing Conditions

Oxidizing two native methionine residues predominantly populates the denatured state of monomeric lambda repressor (MetO-lambdaLS) under nondenaturing conditions. NMR was used to characterize the secondary structure and dynamics of MetO-lambdaLS in standard phosphate buffer. 13Calpha and 1Halpha chemical shift indices reveal a region of significant helicity between residues 9 and 29. This helical content is further supported by the observation of medium-range amide NOEs. The remaining residues do not exhibit significant helicity as determined by NMR. We determined 15N relaxation parameters for 64 of 85 residues at 600 and 800 MHz. There are two distinct regions of reduced flexibility, residues 8-32 in the N-terminal third and residues 50-83 in the C-terminal third. The middle third, residues 33-50, has greater flexibility. We have analyzed the amplitude of the backbone motions in terms of the physical properties of the amino acids and conclude that conformational restriction of the backbone MetO-lambdaLS is due to nascent helix formation in the region corresponding to native helix 1. The bulkiness of amino acid residues in the C-terminal third leads to the potential for hydrophobic interactions, which is suggested by chemical exchange detected by the difference in spectral density J(0) at the two static magnetic fields. The more flexible middle region is the result of a predominance of small side chains in this region.
The navy program

THERE are three main aspects of this great war problem: The Army, the Navy, and the war industry of this country. No one of those aspects can be forgotten if this tripartite organization is to function efficiently, smoothly, and to the end that we train a team to win this war. Colonel Buekema and I, however, are considering primarily the problem of the Army and Navy, but not for a moment do we, as responsible officers of the armed services, forget the other member of the team. The responsibility for training for war industry is laid upon another agency of the Government, the War Manpower Commission; but it is our responsibility to insure that our programs and whatever program the War Manpower Commission may develop integrate together, and that neither the Army nor the Navy usurp nor contract for nor absorb so much of the training facilities of the country as to prevent the third member of the team from having its proper opportunity to do its job. I should like to state that positively and affirmatively as the policy attitude of both the War and Navy Departments.
Effect of Maize Tempering on Throughput and Product Yields

ABSTRACT Scientifically researched 2- and 3-stage tempering procedures and the commercially practiced 1-stage procedure were compared for throughput and corn dry-milling product yields at pilot-scale (30-kg lots) operation. The throughput and product yields were influenced by the temper procedure and the tailgate weight distance. For most corn dry-milling products, yields corresponding to 2- or 3-stage tempering procedures could be equaled or surpassed using the 1-stage tempering procedure at specific temper durations. In general, yields from the 2-stage and 3-stage procedures were comparable to the yields from the 1-stage procedure at temper durations of 30–40 and 50–60 min, respectively. An increase in the tailgate weight distance improved the product yields for temper durations <30 min but reduced the yields for longer temper durations. An increase in temper duration ≤50 min resulted in a reduction in throughput but an improvement in flaking grit yield. The temper duration and tailgate weight distance ...
Endothelium-dependent potentiation of human platelet aggregation.

Abstract The endothelium produces many substances which have the potential to alter hemostasis. We examined the influence of a substance(s) released by cultured bovine aortic endothelial cells on very early events (
Functional opposition between habenula metabolism and the brain reward system

Matsumoto and Hikosaka (2007) provided the first electrophysiological evidence that lateral habenula (LHb) neurons are inhibited by stimuli predicting reward and excited by stimuli predicting no reward, in exact opposition to the firing responses of midbrain dopamine (DA) neurons. Discovering the temporal relationship between LHb neuronal activity and negative reward prediction was groundbreaking. But for the metabolic brain-mapping field, development of a more general model of functional opposition between the LHb and the brain reward system (BRS) began with metabolic findings in the 1980s (Shumake and Gonzalez-Lima, 2003).
System control of an autonomous planetary mobile spacecraft

The goal is to suggest the scheduling and control functions necessary for accomplishing mission objectives of a fairly autonomous interplanetary mobile spacecraft, while maximizing reliability. Goals are to provide an extensible, reliable system conservative in its use of on-board resources, while getting full value from subsystem autonomy, and avoiding the lure of ground micromanagement. A functional layout consisting of four basic elements is proposed: GROUND and SYSTEM EXECUTIVE system functions and RESOURCE CONTROL and ACTIVITY MANAGER subsystem functions. The system executive includes six subfunctions: SYSTEM MANAGER, SYSTEM FAULT PROTECTION, PLANNER, SCHEDULE ADAPTER, EVENT MONITOR and RESOURCE MONITOR. The full configuration is needed for autonomous operation on Moon or Mars, whereas a reduced version without the planning, schedule adaption and event monitoring functions could be appropriate for lower-autonomy use on the Moon. An implementation concept is suggested which is conservative in use of system resources and consists of modules combined with a network communications fabric. A language concept termed a scheduling calculus for rapidly performing essential on-board schedule adaption functions is introduced.
Modulation of Opsin Apoprotein Activity by Retinal DARK ACTIVITY OF RHODOPSIN FORMED AT LOW TEMPERATURE

The bovine opsin apoprotein activates transducin, although at a much reduced level than light-activated rhodopsin (Surya, A., Foster, K., and Knox, B. (1995) J. Biol. Chem. 270, 5024–5031). The ability of retinal to modulate opsin apoprotein activity was investigated using a guanyl nucleotide exchange assay on transducin. 11-cis-Retinal reacted with opsin at 22 °C to (a) reform pigment having maximal absorbance at 500 nm and (b) reduce opsin activity by >80%. Pigment formation also occurred at 0 °C with a t½ of 260 min. However, unlike rhodopsin formed at 22 °C (R22), the rhodopsin formed at 0 °C (R0) activated transducin with the same half-saturating concentration as opsin in an exhaustive binding assay. Thus, the formation of a protonated Schiff base associated with 500 nm absorbance does not by itself lead to the inactivation of opsin. The R0 conformation was partially inactivated by incubation at 22 °C (t½ = 61 ± 9 min), suggesting that it may be an intermediate conformation in the regeneration of rhodopsin.
Bubble growth in thermoplastic structural foams

The inflation and growth kinetics of bubbles in thermoplastic structural foams are discussed in some detail using a model which assumes the initial existence of very small voids in the pressurized polymer melt. The effects of a drop in external pressure, the presence of a distribution of bubble sizes, and the diffusion of gas between neighboring bubbles are considered. It is shown that at a given pressure the number of growing bubbles present in the melt at any onetime depends on the ratio of the critical radius to the average radius of the microvoids assumed to be present in the melt It is also demonstrated that gas diffusion between neighboring bubbles reduces the growth rate appreciably only when the interbubble distance is reduced to a micron or less.
Silicon Oxidation in the Thin Oxide Regime

Thermal oxidation of silicon in the thin regime is of vital importance to VLSI device engineers because thin layers of SiO2 are exclusively used as the gate dielectric for high performance of MOS devices. There exists a number of models to explain this kinetics of oxidation. However there is a considerable variance among the reported rate constants, which are supposed to describe the oxidation process. Rather than arriving at an alternative model, the present study aims at simulation of existing models of oxidation in dry oxygen, with a set of experimental data and arrive at the best possible model and provide accurate rate constants for oxidation in dry oxygen. These experimental data have been obtained, earlier, using high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) and ellipsometry techniques to measure thickness of silicon oxide, grown at 800°C in dry oxygen, in the thickness range of 2 to 20 nm. Die thermische Oxydation von Si im dunnen Bereich ist besonders wichtig fur VLSI-Device-Ingenieure, weil dunne SiO2-Schichten ausschlieslich als Gate-Dielektrikum fur Hochleistungs-MOS-Devices verwendet werden. Es gibt eine Reihe von Modellen zur Erklarung der Oxydationskinetik. Die angegebenen Werte der den Prozes beschreibenden Konstanten variieren jedoch erheblich. Es wird hier kein neues Modell entwickelt, sondern die existierenden Modelle werden mit experimentellen Daten simuliert, um zum besten Modell und genauen Konstanten fur die Oxydation in trockenem Sauerstoff zu gelangen Die experimentellen Daten stammen von fruheren HRTEM und ellipsometrischen Messungen der Dicke des bei 800°C in trockenem Sauerstoff gewachsenen SiO2 im Bereich von 2 bis 20 nm.
Experiences with the Bay Area Gigabit Network Testbed

The Bay Area Gigabit Network Testbed (BAGNet) is a high-performance ATM (155 Mbps) testbed located within the San Francisco Bay Area in northern California. BAGNet is a metropolitan-area network, spanning an area of approximately 50 square miles. There are fifteen sites participating in the testbed, with up to four hosts per site. Although BAGNet is an applications-oriented testbed, much of our effort has been directed towards getting the testbed running and understanding the factors that impact performance of an ATM network. We present some of our experiences an this paper.
Draft Genome Sequence of Thalassotalea sp. Strain ND16A Isolated from Eastern Mediterranean Sea Water Collected from a Depth of 1,055 Meters

ABSTRACT Thalassotalea sp. strain ND16A belongs to the family Colwelliaceae and was isolated from eastern Mediterranean Sea water at a depth of 1,055 m. Members of Colwelliaceae are ubiquitous marine heterotrophs. Here, we report the draft genome sequence of Thalassotalea sp. strain ND16A, a member of the newly described genus Thalassotalea.
Mathematical Methods for the Description of Energy Transfer

Some modern mathematical methods developed for the investigation of energy transfer are described. They are based primarily on master equations and are particularly useful for the description of coherent motion, capture, annihilation, and related phenomena involving quasiParticle such as Frenkel excitons.
Timing of prophylactic antibiotic administration in the uninfected laboring gravida: a randomized clinical trial

Objective The purpose of this prospective study was to determine whether the timing of prophylactic antibiotics at cesarean delivery influences maternal/neonatal infectious morbidity. Study design In this double-blind placebo-controlled trial, cefazolin was given at skin incision (group A) or at cord clamping (group B). Patients were eligible for the trial if they had labored and required a cesarean delivery. Results Over a 30-month period 303 patients with singleton pregnancies entered the trial; 153-group A, 149-group B. Demographics, indication for cesarean delivery (P = .54), and operative time (P = .999), as well as rates of endometritis (RR 0.67, 95% CI 0.42–1.07), wound infection (RR 0.84, 95% CI 0.45–1.55), neonatal sepis (RR 1.28, 95% CI 0.91–1.79), and NICU admissions (RR 1.28, 95% CI 0.91–1.79) were similar between the 2 groups. Conclusion There was no difference in maternal infectious morbidity whether antibiotics were given before skin incision or at cord clamping.
Contribution of long-QT syndrome genes to sudden infant death syndrome: is it time to consider newborn electrocardiographic screening?

Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) is defined as unexplained and unexpected death within the first year of life, without any known preexisting inciting conditions or obvious cause of death on postmortem examination. It remains the most common cause of infant death (excluding neonatal period) in developed countries, occurring in ≈0.03% to 0.1% of live-born infants in the United States.1 Article p 361 The precise mechanisms for SIDS, or “crib death,” are not known, although multiple hypotheses have been proposed over the years, including abnormal brainstem respiratory control of arousal, dysautonomia, and malignant cardiac bradyarrhythmias or tachyarrhythmias.2–4 Genetic, developmental, and environmental risk factors for SIDS have been identified, such as premature birth, multiple gestations, being the sibling of a SIDS victim, maternal illicit drug use, prone sleeping position or bed sharing, and history of apnea/bradycardia or “near-miss SIDS” episodes.3–5 Investigators have suggested respiratory control regulatory abnormalities, neurological developmental defects, and cardiac rhythm disorders, including QT prolongation and ventricular arrhythmias, as underpinnings of SIDS. Supporting these various hypotheses are common autopsy findings such as petechial hemorrhages, pulmonary congestion, and developmental defects in the brainstem and neurotransmitters.4,5 Myriad diagnostic studies have been used for potential risk stratification of infants thought to be at higher risk for SIDS and have included electroencephalogram, pulse oximetry, 12-lead ECG, home apnea monitoring, and infant polysomnography sleep studies. The National Institutes of Health and the American Academy of Pediatrics have actively promoted the supine sleeping position for healthy term infants, and pediatricians have educated parents to put infants to sleep in the supine position. This simple recommendation has, at least in part, contributed to a significant reduction in the incidence of SIDS.6 Death from cardiac causes is uncommon in infancy and is most often the result of cardiac electrical diseases such as the …
Model-based control of nonlinear systems subject to sensor data losses: A chemical process case study

In this work, we consider feedback control of nonlinear uncertain systems subject to sensor data losses. We compare three different potential actions for the controller when feedback is not available: a) setting the input to a fixed value, b) setting the input to the last computed value and c) using the nominal model to predict the value of the state and update the input accordingly. We provide theoretical results that, under certain conditions, motivate the use of feedback based on the nominal model predictions. The results are demonstrated through a chemical process example.
An accurate energy and thermal model for global signal buses

Accurate estimation of energy dissipation and thermal effects in buses is essential to correctly predicting reliability and performance characteristics and packaging requirements of ICs. As fabrication technologies scale down and low-K inter-metal and inter-layer dielectrics are introduced to reduce RC delay, dynamic power dissipation, and crosstalk, study of thermal effects, particularly for global signal buses that switch at high clock frequencies, are becoming more and more important. Further, power dissipation and hence temperature rise and reliability of bus lines are time- and information-dependent, which makes dynamic simulation studies necessary. This paper presents a bus energy dissipation and thermal model that enables designers to simultaneously study energy and thermal effects in global signal buses using real-world address traces. Using this model, the energy dissipation and temperature rise in 32-bit instruction and data address buses are studied with traces obtained from SPEC CPU2000 benchmark programs.
Pulse wave imaging of human abdominal aortas in vivo

Vascular diseases (e.g., abdominal aortic aneurysm or, AAA) lead to changes in the regional aortic wall mechanical properties. Pulse-Wave Imaging (PWI) was previously developed by our group to map the pulse-wave propagation along the abdominal aorta of mice in vivo. In this study, the feasibility of PWI with real-time scanning is shown in human abdominal aortas in vivo. The abdominal aortas of five normal subjects and one AAA subject were scanned. A Sonix RP system (Ultrasonix Medical Corp., Burnaby, Canada) was employed with a phased array at 3.3 MHz. The beam density of the 2-D echograms was reduced to 32 beams in order to obtain a high frame rate of 180-260 Hz. The real-time scanning reduces the artifacts from respiration and transducer motion. The velocities of the aortic wall were estimated using RF-based speckle tracking. The sequences of PWI images visually depicted the propagation of the pulse wave along the aortic wall. The regional pulse-wave velocity (PWV) was measured and used to estimate the Young's modulus of the aortic wall. In healthy volunteers (n=5), the propagation was relatively uniform, with a correlation coefficient of 0.97 plusmn 0.01 and a PWV of 3.73 plusmn 0.19 m/s. The Young's modulus of the aortic wall was 79 plusmn 10 kPa. In the aneurysmal aorta, the propagation of the pulse wave was relatively nonuniform with lower correlation coefficients (r=0.65). The PWV and Young's modulus of the aneurysmal aorta were both found to be higher than in the normal case. The PWI technique was successfully implemented in both normal and aneurysmal human abdominal aortas and shown to provide regional information on the mechanical properties of the aortic wall in vivo.
Diffusion with reversible trapping in a slab with an eroding boundary

Abstract The problem of transient diffusion with reversible trapping of atoms in a slab which has an eroding boundary and subjected to boundary conditions of the third kind has been solved. Numerical results are presented using the zeroth order solution. The results are found to be sufficiently accurate for all cases of practical interest except when the extraneous source distribution peaks very close to the moving boundary. It is also shown that a quasi-steady-state condition can be assumed to exist after the initial transients have passed; with such an assumption the analysis is significantly simplified. The accuracy of the quasi-steady-state analysis is examined by comparing numerical results obtained by the quasi-steady-state analysis against those obtained by the general analysis.
OPTIMAL RANDOM AGE REPLACEMENT FOR AVAILABILITY

An age replacement maintenance policy is considered here, in which a system is restored whenever it fails, or ages without failure up to a preventive maintenance epoch (whichever comes first). The duration of the restoration activity is random, and depends on whether it was precipitated by a failure or by a preventive maintenance action. The case where the preventive maintenance epoch is deterministic has been studied previously, and shown to be optimal in a certain sense. Here, we consider the case where the preventive maintenance epoch is randomized, which is more realistic for many systems. The system availability is the long run proportion of time that the system is operational (i.e., not undergoing repair or preventive maintenance). The optimal rate of preventive maintenance to maximize availability is considered, along with sufficient conditions for such an optimum to exist. The results obtained herein are useful to systems engineers in making critical design decisions.
Performance Comparison of ADRS and PCA as a Preprocessor to ANN for Data Mining

In this paper we compared the performance of the automatic data reduction system (ADRS) and principal component analysis (PCA) as a preprocessor to artificial neural networks (ANN). ADRS is based on a Bayesian probabilistic classifier that is used with a quantization process that results in a simplification of the feature space, including elimination of irrelevant features. ADRS has the advantage of retaining the original names of the features even though the feature space has been modified. Thus, results are easier to interpret than those of PCA and ANN, which transform the feature space in a way that obscures the original meanings of the features. The comparison showed that ADRS performs better than PCA as a preprocessor to ANN when data mining the datasets of the UCI machine learning repository.
Family and Citizenship in Political Theory and Political Science

This article identifies the main threads that have dominated thinking about family and citizenship in political theory. I situate recent research in both political theory and political science within these approaches and identify a traditional hostility to family life among theorists of politics, one legacy of which is a continuing neglect of family life in the field of political science. At a moment when profound changes in family structure and family life are taking root, and when rhetoric about family has become central to American politics, the field of political science needs to do a better job at reckoning with family life and the way it affects our capacities as citizens. I also identify a countervailing trend in political theory that demands that family life be taken seriously, as well as recent research in political science that begins to do so. Finally, in this context I revisit the psychoanalytic approach to studying the relationship between family and politics, and I suggest that it is among the most promising directions that future research in political theory and political science might take in regard to the political significance of the family.