cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Release of peptide-YY from the dog pancreas.

The objectives of this study were to characterize the distribution of immunoreactive peptide-YY (PYY) in the dog pancreas and to examine whether vagal stimulation can release PYY from the pancreas. Levels of pancreatic polypeptide (PP) were also measured. PYY levels in extracts of the right lobe (0.43 +/- 0.03 ng/mg tissue) and head (0.35 +/- 0.12 ng/mg tissue) of the pancreas were approximately 10- to 20-fold higher than those in extracts of the stomach (0.03 +/- 0.01 ng/mg tissue; P less than 0.05) and left lobe of the pancreas (0.02 +/- 0.01 ng/mg tissue). However, PYY levels in extracts of the pancreas and stomach were significantly lower than PYY levels in extracts of the colonic mucosa (7.63 +/- 0.71 ng/mg tissue). PP levels were significantly (300-fold) higher in pancreatic extracts than in stomach and colonic extracts. Immunoreactive PYY and PP in pancreatic and colonic mucosal extracts coeluted with synthetic PYY and PP standards on HPLC. Electrical vagal stimulation of dogs resulted in a signifi...
Evaluation of CXCR4 Inhibition in the Prevention and Intervention Model of Laser-Induced Choroidal Neovascularization

PURPOSE. Endothelial precursor cells (EPCs) derived from hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) have been shown to contribute to choroidal neovascularization by signaling through the SDF-1/CXCR4 axis. In a prevention and treatment/intervention modality of the laser choroidal neovascularization (CNV) model, the efficacy of CXCR4 inhibition on reducing choroidal leakage and angiogenesis was evaluated. METHODS. CNV in rats was generated by focal rupture of Bruch's membrane with an 810-nm diode laser. In the prevention mode, a CXCR4 antagonist (AMD3100) was delivered via an osmotic pump 1 day after laser induction. In the intervention mode, AMD3100 delivery commenced 14 days after laser induction. Inhibition of CXCR4 was determined through leukocyte and SDF-1 actin polymerization blood biomarker assays. Leakage was assessed by fluorescein angiography, and CNV lesion size was quantified after isolectin B4 endothelial cell staining. SU14813, an anti-VEGFR, PDGFR-beta, KIT, and FLT3 inhibitor, was also assessed in an intervention study protocol. RESULTS. Inhibition of CXCR4 was demonstrated by an increase in the number of blood leukocytes, and diminished SDF-1 induced actin polymerization in whole blood. CNV leakage and neovascularization were inhibited when the dose regimen was initiated 1 day after laser-induced CNV induction. AMD3100 did not show efficacy when administered 14 days after lasering. Treatment with SU14813 significantly decreased CNV leakage and lesion size in an intervention modality. CONCLUSIONS. Inhibition of CXCR4 may be useful in preventing neovascularization but does not appear to have an effect on already established angiogenesis. A multiple receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) inhibitor approach shows promise for the treatment of wet age-related macular degeneration.
Growth Parameters, Protein and DNA Synthesis of an Embryogenic Suspension Culture of White Spruce (Picea glauca)

Summary Growth parameters of a white spruce ( Picea glauca ) embryogenic suspension culture were characterized. Tissue fresh mass, dry mass, number of immature somatic embryos (stage 1), intracellular protein content, and total DNA accumulation showed similar growth curves over a 21-d culture period. Extracellular proteins gradually accumulated during the first 9 d, then dramatically increased. Immature embryo number showed a positive correlation to intracellular protein and DNA accumulation, correlation coefficients for these parameters were higher than for fresh and dry masses. The results from in vivo pulse-labelling with 35 S-methionine showed a peak for incorporation into proteins at day 7. The protein profiles of intracellular proteins were greatly different Erom those of extracellular proteins.
Acquired free protein S deficiency associated with multiple myeloma: a case report.

Investigation of recurrent venous thromboembolic events in a 46-year-old man with progressive IgG kappa (total serum IgG, 74.3 mg/ml) multiple myeloma revealed profound reductions in free protein S (PS) antigen (<0.1 U/ml) and PS activity (0.33 U/ml). Total PS antigen, protein C, antithrombin III, and C4b-binding protein levels were within normal limits. The patient had no family history suggestive of a congenital PS deficiency and no history of thrombosis predating the diagnosis of his plasma cell dyscrasia. Patient IgG was isolated from serum using a protein A-sepharose affinity column and characterized. PS-dependent clotting assays (Staclot Protein S, Diagnostica Stago, Asnleres sur-Seine, France) performed on normal pooled plasma mixed with dilutions of patient IgG (0.0–33.0 mg/ml) revealed a dose-dependent neutralization of PS activity by 43%. Total and free PS antigen levels were measured using Laurell rocket electroimmunodiffusion (Assera-Plate Protein S, Diagnostica Stago), which revealed a similar dose-dependent reduction in free PS antigen but preserved normal total PS antigen. Free PS antigen was reduced by 77% to 0.23 U/ml using an IgG concentration (16.5 mg/ml) less than one-fourth of that of the patient at time of serum collection. Specific binding of the patient IgG to commercially available purified human PS was demonstrated by Western Immunoblot analysis. Whereas acquired free PS deficiency has been previously reported in association with nephrotic syndrome, inflammatory bowel disease, HIV infection, and varicella infection, this is the first reported case of a hypercoagulable syndrome associated with acquired free PS deficiency and multiple myeloma. © 1996 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
The release of lysosomal enzymes from human polymorphonuclear leukocytes by human C3e

C3e is a leukocytosis-inducing peptide of degraded C3 that has the electrophoretic behavior of prealbumin and a MW of 10–12,000. Using a homogeneous preparation, the ability of C3e to promote lysosomal enzyme release from human polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNs) was examined by incubation of various concentrations of C3e with cytochalasin B-treated (5 μg/ml) human PMNs for 60 min at 37°C. Amounts of extracellular β-glucuronidase, myeloperoxidase, and lysozyme were determined in the cell-free supernatants and it was found that all three enzymes were released in significant amounts without concomitant release of the cytoplasmic enzyme lactate dehydrogenase (LDH). At a concentration of 25 μg/ml of C3e, 25 ± 1.1% (SD) of lysozyme, 20 ± 0.9% β-glucuronidase, and 24.3 ± 0.9% myeloperoxidase were released into the supernatant while the release of LDH remained within the 4–7% range throughout these studies. Furthermore the supernatants were found to contain a substance which was capable of a generating chemotactic fragment from isolated C5. The same range of C3e concentrations (5–25 μg/ml) was, however, incapable of effecting histamine release from basophils. These results suggest that generation of C3e in vivo may serve as a potent stimulus for the generation of the C5-cleaving enzyme from PMNs which in turn may function to recruit more neutrophils by a positive feedback mechanism.
FEMALE PROFESSORS/MALE PROFESSORS CAREER DEVELOPMENT: ATTITUDES, BENEFITS, COSTS

Summary.-Wich the growing number of women in professional careers, whether by choice or by necessity, it has become increasingly critical to investigate any inequalities in treatment due to sex. The purpose of this particular study was to survey female and male professors to compare and contrast 34 female professors' attitudes and beliefs concerning their career development and the interrelation with their personal lives with those of the males (n = 88). The survey indicated women professors do benefit from their career through personal fulfillment, financial gain, and increased career opportunities, jpst as their male counterparts. However, women professors indicate more feelings of discrimination and more personal and family conflict than men. For the past ten years research on women in the labor force has increased by leaps and bounds. According to Alrnquist (1977), there are women working in almost every field of endeavor. Despite their increasing presence in the employment count they do not, in general, receive equal pay, nor are they seen in as many top managerial jobs as one would expect after years of pursuing and pushing equal opportunity under the law. Vriend (1977) reported an important attitude of the American public, which is the belief that for a woman, family will always come first and career second, however, this belief has not been supported by research. Much of the research on women in the labor force can be divided into a few broad areas: personality factors, family situations which influence career choices, and women's attitudes towards their careers. The first area to look at is personality factors associated with professional women. Women considered to be successful in careers outside the home have often been described in somewhat negative terms and considered to be unfeminine or more masculine. Hansson, Chernovetz, and Jones (1977), however, suggest that the term "androgynous" would be more appropriate in describing these females. They state that this term should be considered posirive and reflective of desirable qualities associated with both femininity and masculinity, including the freedom to choose roles either inside or outside the home: Gittman (1978) found that the sex-role orientation and employment status of women in her sample were not associated with perceptions of self-esteem and locus of control orientation. Cartwright (1978), in her survey of young women physicians, found that those who feel satisfied and without undue srress were exceptionally confident, intellectually resourceful, and tolerant. Armstrong (1978) investigated the idea that there are few femaIe administrators in education because the characteristics which have been identified in men who are leaders are not found in women;
Pressure gauge with one-tenth microsecond risetime for shock reflection studies

A pressure gauge having a risetime of 0.1 μsec, no overshoot, a dwell time of 5 μsec, and capable of sensing a pressure jump of 10 mm Hg is described. Pressure‐time traces obtained with the gauge on the end wall of the 17‐in.‐diam low pressure shock tube at the Graduate Aeronautical Laboratories, California Institute of Technology, are presented showing details of the pressure profiles on the end wall for reflecting shock waves.
Technology Forecasting of RFID by Using Bibliometric Analysis and Bass Diffusion Model

Forecasting emerging technologies and identifying the rate of diffusion of products based on these technologies is difficult because of lack of data. Even here techniques such as bibliometric analysis and bass model based on analogous products provides an opportunity to identify the technology growth and possible diffusion of the product. This paper uses bibliometric analysis to forecast RFID technology and uses the adoption of barcode scanner to model the RFID scanner adoption in US retail market.
Early developmental trajectories of males with fragile X syndrome.

Abstract Findings from a prospective longitudinal study of 46 boys with fragile X syndrome between the ages of 24 and 72 months were reported. Hierarchical linear modeling was used to construct and evaluate overall developmental trajectories and scores in five domains: Cognition, Communication, Adaptive, Motor, and Personal-Social. The children varied widely, with significant differences across individuals in both mean rate and level of performance. Overall development was significantly delayed, with a slope of .48— approximately half the rate expected for typically developing children. No differences were found in rates of growth across the five domains. Significant differences were found, however, in mean levels of performance. At every age tested, Motor and Adaptive scores were higher than Communication and Cognitive.
Effects of intranigral administration of dopamine agonists and antagonists and baclofen on concentrations of dopac and dopamine in the striatum and substantia nigra of the rat.

Systemic administration of haloperidol to rats failed to alter the concentration of dopamine but increased the concentration of 3, 4-dihydroxy-phenylacetic acid (DOPAC), the major metabolite of dopamine, in both the striatum and substantia nigra. These haloperidol-induced changes in DOPAC were prevented by an intranigral microinjection of baclofen, a drug which reduces nigrostriatal dopaminergic neuronal activity.
Coccidioidomycosis fungal infection in the hand mimicking a metacarpal enchondroma.

Coccidioidomycosis, an infection caused by the fungus Coccidioides immitis, rarely affects the hand, but we report an unusual case which mimicked the radiological appearance of an enchondroma in the metacarpal. Curettage and bone grafting in combination with long-term antifungal therapy are necessary for successful treatment of coccidioidomycosis of the hand.
Valuing publicly sponsored research projects: Risks, scenario adjustments, and inattention

Survey-based choice scenarios used to value non-market public goods typically preclude any risk that the benefits described may not be delivered. Our survey specifies explicit risks of (a) outright program failure and (b) program redundancy due to possible private sector substitutes. Additionally, most analyses assume that survey subjects fully accept these scenarios and that all provided information receives their complete attention. Our discounted expected utility model of choice accommodates both these objective risks and the possibility of subjective scenario adjustment or selective inattention by respondents. We then counterfactually simulate willingness-to-pay in the absence of these distortions.
Crowd management and urban design: New scientific approaches

As our cities become denser and host larger gathering events, the need for scientific and computational approaches to crowd management increases. Today, our cities must cater to activities and places that involve massive crowds such as the Olympics, large transportation terminals and mega entertainment and shopping centers. The planning challenges for mega events and activities led urban planners to embark on new studies that offer entirely new design approaches for crowd management. This article uses the Hajj project as a case study to illustrate these new approaches. By employing a non-technical discourse, this article explains software applications for crowd management in three areas: (i) diagnosing problems, (ii) testing designs and (iii) setting operational plans. Collectively, these software tools assisted in creating a new design that facilitated a safe Hajj environment in recent years. The article also discusses the significance of employing on-the-ground assistance to ensure successful planning and design.
Multiple mitral leaflet contractile systems in the beating heart.

Mitral valve closure may be aided by contraction of anterior leaflet (AL) cardiac myocytes located in the annular third of the leaflet. This contraction, observed as a stiffening of the annular region of the AL during isovolumic contraction (IVC), is abolished by beta-blockade (βB). Sub-threshold rapid pacing in the region of aorto-mitral continuity (STIM) also causes AL stiffening, although this increases the stiffness of the entire leaflet during both IVC and isovolumic relaxation (IVR). We investigated whether these contractile events share a common pathway or whether multiple AL contractile mechanisms may be present. Ten sheep had radiopaque-markers implanted: 13 silhouetting the LV, 16 on the mitral annulus, an array of 16 on the AL, and one on each papillary muscle tip. 4-D marker coordinates were obtained from biplane videofluoroscopy during control (C), βB (esmolol) and during βB+STIM. Circumferential and radial stiffness values for three AL regions (Annular, Belly, and free-Edge), were obtained from inverse finite element analysis of AL displacements in response to trans-leaflet pressure changes during IVC and IVR. βB+STIM increased stiffness values in all regions at both IVC and IVR by 35±7% relative to βB (p<0.001). Thus, even when AL myocyte contraction was blocked by βB, STIM stiffened all regions of the AL during both IVC and IVR. This demonstrates the presence of at least two contractile systems in the AL; one being the AL annular cardiac muscle, involving a β-dependent pathway, others via a β-independent pathway, likely involving valvular interstitial cells and/or AL smooth muscle cells.
Clutter-sensitive data association for simultaneous localization and mapping in robotic wireless sensor networks

Joint Probabilistic Data Association (JPDA) technique can be applied for locating and tracking the radiated sources in dynamic and ad hoc wireless sensor networks. Vice versa, the located sensor nodes in the network can help mapping the indoor environment connected by their RF communication links. However, the sensed information may be corrupted by the clutter (ambient noise and RF interference) that cause error in data association, and results in catastrophic effect on simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM). We propose a spatial-temporal algorithm using three-scan JPDA to set up the correlation between the observation and its originating radiated source, along with a statistic motion detector that detects the existence of moving clutter in validation gates. This method can be applied for real-time SLAM applications with less complexity comparing with other high-cost optimal Bayesian filter. Simulation is performed to verify the effectiveness of method.
An investigation of the patterns of self-efficacy, outcome expectation, outcome value, and performance across trials

Self-efficacy, Bandura's concept of a central cognitive mediating belief, has been widely researched and found to play an important role in the initiation, persistence, and achievement of a variety of behaviors. Self-efficacy can be viewed as one aspect of expectancy-value theory, but little research has been conducted to identify the relationship between measures of self-efficacy and outcome expectation across performance trials. This paper illustrates the importance of multiple trials in the investigation of self-efficacy, outcome expectation, outcome value, and performance. Using an item-writing task, subjects' self-efficacy, outcome expectations, and outcome value ratings were measured across a 10-week period. While self-efficacy was initially related to performance, in later trials it was past behavior that accounted for most of the explained variance in item-writing performance. It appears that investigating these variables across multiple trials is essential if a comprehensive view of the relationship between self-efficacy, outcome expectation, outcome value, and behavior is to be gained. Results and alterative explanations are discussed in light of both self-efficacy theory and cognitive information process.
Measurement-calibrated graph models for social network experiments

Access to realistic, complex graph datasets is critical to research on social networking systems and applications. Simulations on graph data provide critical evaluation of new systems and applications ranging from community detection to spam filtering and social web search. Due to the high time and resource costs of gathering real graph datasets through direct measurements, researchers are anonymizing and sharing a small number of valuable datasets with the community. However, performing experiments using shared real datasets faces three key disadvantages: concerns that graphs can be de-anonymized to reveal private information, increasing costs of distributing large datasets, and that a small number of available social graphs limits the statistical confidence in the results.The use of measurement-calibrated graph models is an attractive alternative to sharing datasets. Researchers can "fit" a graph model to a real social graph, extract a set of model parameters, and use them to generate multiple synthetic graphs statistically similar to the original graph. While numerous graph models have been proposed, it is unclear if they can produce synthetic graphs that accurately match the properties of the original graphs. In this paper, we explore the feasibility of measurement-calibrated synthetic graphs using six popular graph models and a variety of real social graphs gathered from the Facebook social network ranging from 30,000 to 3 million edges. We find that two models consistently produce synthetic graphs with common graph metric values similar to those of the original graphs. However, only one produces high fidelity results in our application-level benchmarks. While this shows that graph models can produce realistic synthetic graphs, it also highlights the fact that current graph metrics remain incomplete, and some applications expose graph properties that do not map to existing metrics.
"The lysis threshold": an erroneous and perhaps misleading concept?

The "lysis threshold" concept suggests that a lower limit of particle generation exists in total hip arthroplasty (THA) below which lysis will not occur or is tolerable. Although this concept is appealing at first, serious reservations arise with more detailed analysis. Five major points challenge this concept: (1) For many of the reports, the duration too short. Ten years is not the goal for most patients. (2) The definition of lysis is inadequate, listing only "balloon" lysis or endosteal erosion. (3) In most reports of 100 micro m/y, lysis does occur. (4) Plain radiographs are not adequate for detection of lysis. (5) Other factors can overwhelm the role of particle volume, such as patch-porous cementless femoral designs. These 5 observations seriously challenge the lysis threshold concept.
On resultative predicates and clauses: parallels between Korean and English

Abstract This paper looks at resultative constructions in Korean and English, and shows that their basic features follow from general properties of predication and argument saturation. In English and Korean, resultative events can be expressed either with a secondary predicate or subordinate clause. English (but not Korean) has a third type of resultative construction, the ‘ECM’ type, which occupies a sort of middle ground between predicative and clausal resultatives. Apparent differences between the two languages arise when English resultatives of one type are compared to Korean resultatives of the other type. But when the same types are compared across languages, the apparent differences disappear. The analysis is formulated in the framework of Head-Driven Phrase Structure Grammar (HPSG).
Biologically-active flavonoids from Gossypium arboreum

Abstract A new flavonol glycoside, gossypetin 8- O -rhamnoside, was isolated from flower petals of Gossypium arboreum along with quercetin 7- O -glucoside, quercetin 3- O -glucoside and quercetin 3′- O -glucoside. These compounds showed antibacterial activity against Pseudomonas maltophilia and Enterobacter cloacae .
Myocardial infarction in patients treated with Sippy and other high-milk diets. An autopsy study of fifteen hospitals in the U.S.A. and Great Britain.

A study has been made of the incidence of myocardial infarcts among 3 groups of autopsied patients who were matched for age, sex, race, and place and period of death: (1) patients with peptic ulcers who had been treated with a Sippy diet or milk products, (2) patients with peptic ulcers who were not known to have been so treated, (3) a group consisting of non-ulcer patients matched with the other 2 groups. In the U.S.A. the incidence of myocardial infarcts was more than twice as high in the ulcer patients treated with Sippy diet than it was in either of the other 2 groups. The differences in each case were statistically highly significant. There was no significant difference in the incidence of myocardial infarcts between the ulcer patients not treated with the Sippy diet and the non-ulcer controls. Differences and similarities of the same degree were noted among corresponding groups from Great Britain. It is tempting to think that the high incidence of myocardial infarcts among the Sippy-treated patients...
Ultrastructural cytochemistry of hepatic lysosomes and their protein components is selectively revealed by the ninhydrin-dimethyl sulfoxide-thiocarbohydrazide-silver proteinate reaction

Proteins in lysosomal membranes, lysosomes and within the transtubular network are readily accessible for electron microscopic analysis by a new three-step method. Oxidative deamination of tissue-bound amino acids by ninhydrin in aqueous dimethyl sulfoxide and the concomitant formation of corresponding carbonyl groups comprise the first step. The addition reaction of thiocarbohydrazide to tissue-bound carbonyl groups comprises the second step, while the reduction of silver proteinate by tissue-bound thiocarbohydrazones is the final step of this sequential method. Glutaraldehyde-fixed and osmified ultrathin sections of rat liver embedded in LR White were oxidatively deaminated for 24 h by 1% w/v ninhydrin in aqueous 75% v/v dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO). They were then incubated for 40 min in aqueous 1% w/v thiocarbohydrazide (TCH) and stained for 30 min at 50 degrees C with silver proteinate (SP). The ninhydrin-dimethyl sulfoxide-thiocarbohydrazide-silver proteinate (N-DMSO-TCH-SP) reaction proved to be chemically specific and highly selective for ultrastructural resolution of the internal structure of lysosomes and their protein components. We conclude that the N-DMSO-TCH-SP reaction is the method of choice for cytochemical elucidation of the protein ultrastructure of lysosomes and their enzymatic aggregates.
‘Chords of Freedom’: Commemoration, Ritual and British Transatlantic Slavery

J. R. Oldfield Manchester: Manchester University Press, 2007 193 pp., ISBN: 10: 0719066654 In the wake of Britain's abundant recent commemorations of the slave trade and its abolition, ‘Chords of F...
Correction: Programmable microfluidic synthesis of spectrally encoded microspheres.

Correction for ‘Programmable microfluidic synthesis of spectrally encoded microspheres' by R. E. Gerver et al., Lab Chip, 2012, 12, 4716–4723.
Hospital capacity, capability, and emergency preparedness

Disasters often result in shifts in hospital capacity utilization. Emergency preparedness plans must recognize capacity at the service-line level. This information can provide an additional level of detail to better design response activities and develop cost-effective disaster response plans. We model a possible preparedness plan for Florida hospitals in the case of a major disaster. We model a hurricane event because, in addition to its similarity to other disasters, it provides enough warning for substantive preparation activities. Following Johansen, we measure capacity in a frontier setting using data envelopment analysis. We also use a criterion of economic capability to ensure that a Pareto Optimal situation can be maintained. Information on hospital capacity, patient characteristics of inpatient discharges, and financial performance was merged to perform this study. Our findings suggest there is not enough excess capacity for some specialized services in Florida. However, possible evacuation policies can still be derived from our findings satisfying medical and economic capabilities.
The Effects of Erythromycin on Theophylline Elimination in Normal Males

The effects of three erythromycin preparations on theophylline elimination kinetics were examined in 23 male subjects. Subjects received 6 mg/kg of the theophylline elixir orally and elimination kinetics were determined. The population was then randomized to receive either a lactose placebo, erythromycin base, erythromycin stearate, or erythromycin ethylsuccinate. Each 250-mg preparation was given four times a day for six days. On day seven, a repeat kinetic study was performed. The mean theophylline half-life of controls was 7.8 +/- 2.6 hours. The half-life increased significantly in all erythromycin treatment groups. The increase for the base, stearate, and ethylsuccinate groups was 51.7, 21.3, and 60.3 per cent, respectively. The total body theophylline clearance decreased significantly in all treatment groups. This was not associated with biochemical evidence of hepatitis. Three of four smokers who received erythromycin manifested no increase in theophylline half-life, in contrast to one of 13 nonsmokers. There was no difference in the percentage theophylline bound to serum protein for any of the erythromycin treatment groups or controls as determined by ultracentrifugation.
Preliminary measurements of plasma fluctuations in an 8-cm mercury ion thruster

The rms magnitude, spectra, and cross correlations for the fluctuations in the beam current, the neutralizer keeper current, and the discharge current and voltage were measured for an 8-cm diameter, dished grid ion thruster for a beam current of 72 milliamps. The ratio of the rms magnitude of the fluctuations to the time-mean neutralizer keeper current was found to depend significantly on the neutralizer time-mean keeper current, the flow rate, and keeper hold diameter. The maxima of the spectra of the beam current fluctuations did not depend on the discharge fluctuations. It was found that: (1) the discharge current fluctuations do not directly contribute to the beam current fluctuations; and (2) the neutralizer contributions to the beam fluctuations are small (for good neutralizer-to-beam coupling) but not negligible and appear mostly in the higher frequency range measured.
Phylogenetic relationships among middle American pocket gophers (genus Orthogeomys) based on mitochondrial DNA sequences.

Abstract Relationships among members representing each of the three subgenera of the Middle American rodent genus Orthogeomys (Rodentia: Geomyidae) were studied by comparing DNA sequence data from two regions of the mitochondrial genome. Results from 527 by from the 16 S rDNA region and a 402-bp fragment of the cytochrome b gene indicate that the three subgenera are well differentiated genetically, with the subgenus Orthogeomys being distantly related to Macrogeomys and Heterogeomys , and Macrogeomys appearing as the most derived. Within the subgenus Macrogeomys , O. heterodus and O. cherriei form a distinct clade, as do O. dariensis and O. cavator . As with previous protein-electrophoretic studies, the placement of O. underwoodi could not be determined definitively within the subgenus Macrogeomys . We interpret our inability to determine phylogenetic relationships among these three clades as evidence for a rapid phyletic radiation within this subgenus. Sequence divergence estimates indicate that the Macrogeomys radiation took place following the time of completion of the Panamanian land bridge (1.9–2.9 mya). Additionally, the near identity of sequences of a newly described species, O. thaeleri , with those of O. dariensis (percentage sequence divergence = 0.3%) suggests that the two may be conspecific.
Can quantum gravitational forces stop gravitational collapse

We consider, in lowest order of the gravitational coupling constant G, the gravitational potential between two neutrons. As we have previously pointed out [1],the quantum (including spin) contributions to the gravitational field dominate for distances smaller than the Compton wavelength of the neutron. At such distances the gravitational force between two neutrons may be repulsive. In particular, the gravitational forces which are analogous to the familiar Darwin and Fermi forces of quantum electrodynamics are capable of stopping gravitational collapse. Our discussion is within the framework of Einstein's theory, but on a microscopic level. We conclude that gravitational collapse may be halted without the necessity of extending Einstein's theory a la Cartan or otherwise.
Efficacy analysis of the power-law detector for non-Rayleigh distributed reverberation in active sonar systems

Non-Rayleigh reverberation in active sonar systems causes an increase in the number of false alarms when detection algorithms are designed under the assumption that the reverberation is actually Rayleigh distributed. Many models have been used to represent non-Rayleigh reverberation and then build appropriate detectors including the Rayleigh mixture model, K-distribution, and McDaniel's model. The detectors for these models de-emphasize the tails of the distribution. Thus, a natural non-parametric alternative would be to use a power-law non-linearity with a power less than one. In this paper the efficacy is used to evaluate the power-law detector for the above reverberation models with a non-fluctuating target. For the K-distribution and McDaniel's model, it was seen that the power-law can achieve the same efficacy as the locally optimal non-linearity with a simpler implementation. However, choosing the optimal power-law requires modeling the reverberation with McDaniel's model and a numerical optimization, the former of which can result in mismatch errors if there is not a good fit with the observed reverberation. Thus, a different technique is considered in which the power is chosen so that the transformed data have the same higher order moment measure (skewness, kurtosis, or scintillation index) as the Rayleigh distribution. It wag seen that matching kurtosis resulted in the best average performance, but also the highest variability when the higher order moments must be estimated from auxiliary data. Matching the scintillation index provided the worst average performance, but the least variability, and matching the skewness was in between these extremes in terms of both average performance and variability.
Secure information integration with a semantic web-based framework

In this paper we describe the design and implementation of a semantic web based framework for secure information integration. In particular, we have evaluated Amazon's Simple Storage Service's ability to provide storage support for large-scale semantic data used by a semantic web-based framework called Blackbook. We describe cryptographic techniques for enforcing the protection of published data on Amazon S3. We also explore access control issues associated with such services and provide a solution using Sun's implementation of eXtensible Access Control Markup Language (XACML).
Vapor lubrication of thin film disks

A novel solvent-free coating process is described whereby hysteretic surface adsorption is used to provide uniform coatings of liquid perfluoropolyether lubricants onto thin film disks. The essence of the coating process is to place disks and lubricant in a closed atmosphere over at 170/spl deg/C for one hour. It is observed that the resultant lubricant thickness on the disk surface is near 10 /spl Aring/ and that the resultant lubricant thickness on the disk surface is only weakly dependent upon the coating oven exposure time and temperature. The contact stop/start performance of the disks is equivalent to those lubricated by dipping. >
CoreRacer: a practical memory race recorder for multicore x86 TSO processors

Shared memory multiprocessors are difficult to program because of the non-deterministic ways in which the memory operations from different threads interleave. To address this issue, many hardware-based memory race recorders have been proposed that efficiently log an ordering of the shared memory interleavings between threads for deterministic replay. These approaches are challenging to integrate into current processors because they change the cache subsystem or the coherence protocol, and they mostly support a sequentially consistent memory model. In this paper, we describe CoreRacer, a chunk-based memory race recorder architecture for multicore x86 TSO processors. CoreRacer does not modify the cache subsystem and yet it still integrates into the x86 TSO memory model. We show that by leveraging a specific x86 feature, the invariant timestamp, CoreRacer maintains ordering among chunks without piggybacking on cache coherence messages. We provide a detailed implementation and evaluation of CoreRacer on a cycle-accurate x86 simulator. We show that its integration cost into x86 is minimal and its overhead has negligible effect on performance.
E(FG)2: a new fixed-grid shape optimization method based on the element-free galerkin mesh-free analysis

We propose a shape optimization method over a fixed grid. Nodes at the intersection with the fixed grid lines track the domain’s boundary. These “floating” boundary nodes are the only ones that can move/appear/disappear in the optimization process. The element-free Galerkin (EFG) method, used for the analysis problem, provides a simple way to create these nodes. The fixed grid (FG) defines integration cells for EFG method. We project the physical domain onto the FG and numerical integration is performed over partially cut cells. The integration procedure converges quadratically. The performance of the method is shown with examples from shape optimization of thermal systems involving large shape changes between iterations. The method is applicable, without change, to shape optimization problems in elasticity, etc. and appears to eliminate non-differentiability of the objective noticed in finite element method (FEM)-based fictitious domain shape optimization methods. We give arguments to support this statement. A mathematical proof is needed.
A Feld Study of Couples Recovering from Alcoholism

Effective recovery from alcoholism demands commitment from both partners in a marriage. The focus of this qualitative study was to learn how couples progressed through recovery and how they achieved their goals conjointly. The Model of Recovering Alcoholics' Behavior Stages and Goal Setting was used as the theoretical base. Twenty-eight couples participated in the study. The author used analytic fieldwork to learn if spouses of alcoholics conformed to the same stages as indicated by the model and to learn the interactive effects of alcoholics' and spouses' stages. As a result, the author developed the Model of Alcoholic Spouses' Behavior Stages and Goal Setting. The research has implications for planning nursing care, determining when to intervene individually versus conjointly, and identifying indicators of relapse.
Oxygen Effect and Redistribution in Cobalt Silicide Formation

18O was implanted in the Si substrate or in the Co overlayer to study the effect of oxygen and its redistribution during Co silicides formation. Implanted and unimplanted samples were annealed in vacuum at 450°C for different durations. Over the investigated dose range of 0.5 to 2 × 101618O/cm2 in the Co film, the phases formed upon annealing are Co2Si and CoSi, as for the unimplanted samples. The kinetics of the silicide growth is changed little by the presence of oxygen in the Co film. Oxygen accumulates at the Co2Si/Co interface. When the oxygen is implanted in the Si substrate, the higher the oxygen dose is, the slower (faster) the growth rate of CoSi(Co2Si) becomes. Below 1 × 1016 O/cm2, both phases (i.e. CoSi and Co2Si) still form; above 2 × 1016 O/cm2, only Co2Si forms. When two phases form, the oxygen moves deep into the Si substrate; when only Co2Si forms, the oxygen moves toward the surface.
Partition Based SoC Test Scheduling with Thermal and Power Constraints under Deep Submicron Technologies

For core-based System-on-Chip (SoC) testing, conventional power-constrained test scheduling methods do not guarantee a thermal-safe solution. Also, most of the test scheduling schemes make poor assumptions about power consumption. In deep submicron era, leakage power and wake-up power consumption can not be neglected. In this paper, we propose a partition based thermal-aware test scheduling algorithm with more realistic assumptions of recent SoCs. In our test scheduling algorithm, each test is partitioned and the earliest starting time of each partition is searched. To reduce the execution time of thermal simulation, we also exploit superposition principle to compute the power and thermal profile rapidly and accurately. We apply our test scheduling algorithm to ITC’02 SoC benchmarks and the results show improvements in the total test time over scheduling schemes without partitioning.
High-throughput biology in the time domain: Improving temporal resolution of single-molecule sensors

The rise of single-molecule sensors is leading to important changes in the design of high-throughput biotechnology platforms, as they migrate from slow but high-accuracy methods to faster and noisier techniques. These developments place new demands on electronic instrumentation to keep up with the fast asynchronous signals produced by these systems. We will review some of the recent developments in this area, and present examples from our work developing new electronic single-molecule sensing platforms.
Abnormal verbal event related potentials in mild cognitive impairment and incipient Alzheimer's disease

Background: It has been reported that patients with amnesia have a reduced effect of word repetition upon the late positive component of the event related potential (ERP), which peaks at around 600 ms after word onset. Objective: To study a word repetition ERP paradigm in subjects with mild cognitive impairment. Subjects: 14 patients with mild cognitive impairment (mean mini-mental state examination score = 27); 14 normal elderly controls. Methods: Auditory category statements were each followed by a single visual target word (50% “congruous” category exemplars, 50% “incongruous”) while ERPs were recorded. N400 (an ERP component elicited by semantically “incongruous” words) and LPC amplitude data were submitted to analysis of variance. Results: The latency of the N400 was slower in mild cognitive impairment. In normal controls, the ERPs to “congruous” targets showed a late positive component to new words, which was greatly diminished with repetition. This repetition effect in normal subjects started before 300 ms at right frontal sites, and peaked at ∼600 ms post-stimulus over posterior sites. In contrast, the group with mild cognitive impairment had a reduced repetition effect (p r ≤ 0.73) with several verbal memory measures. Conclusions: The congruous word repetition ERP effect appears sensitive to the memory impairment in mild cognitive impairment and could have value in predicting incipient Alzheimer9s disease.
An interactive internet-based intervention for women at risk of eating disorders: a pilot study.

Objective The Internet serves as a potentially effective method of treatment delivery through widespread education and interaction via synchronous Internet relay chat (IRC). The current study explores the feasibility of IRC in the delivery of an eating disorders prevention intervention. Method This small pilot study describes the delivery of an efficacious eating disorder treatment using a novel medium. The on-line sessions are based on cognitive-behavioral treatment and are facilitated by a moderator. In addition to feasibility, preliminary evidence of acceptability and efficacy for an on-line intervention with college-aged women is reported. Results Results indicate that IRC is an acceptable and feasible format for treatment delivery. In addition, descriptive and qualitative data suggest that this method of treatment delivery is potentially effective. Discussion This pilot study provides increased knowledge of the viability of treatment delivery over the Internet, specifically, a psychoeducational IRC for eating disorder prevention. © 2001 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Int J Eat Disord 30: 129–137, 2001.
Acute effects of fine particulate air pollution on ST segment height: A longitudinal study

Background: The mechanisms for the relationship between particulate air pollution and cardiac disease are not fully understood. Air pollution-induced myocardial ischemia is one of the potentially important mechanisms. Methods: We investigate the acute effects and the time course of fine particulate pollution (PM2.5) on myocardium ischemic injury as assessed by ST-segment height in a community-based sample of 106 healthy non-smokers. Twenty-four hour beat-to-beat electrocardiogram (ECG) data were obtained using a high resolution 12-lead Holter ECG system. After visually identifying and removing all the artifacts and arrhythmic beats, we calculated beat-tobeat ST-height from ten leads (inferior leads II, III, and aVF; anterior leads V3 and V4; septal leads V1 and V2; lateral leads I, V5, and V6,). Individual-level 24-hour real-time PM2.5 concentration was obtained by a continuous personal PM2.5 monitor. We then calculated, on a 30-minute basis, the corresponding time-of-the-day specific average exposure to PM2.5 for each participant. Distributed lag models under a linear mixed-effects models framework were used to assess the regression coefficients between 30-minute PM2.5 and ST-height measures from each lead; i.e., one lag indicates a 30-minute separation between the exposure and outcome. Results: The mean (SD) age was 56 (7.6) years, with 41% male and 74% white. The mean (SD) PM2.5 exposure was 14 (22) μg/m 3 . All inferior leads (II, III, and aVF) and two out of three lateral leads (I and V6), showed a significant association between higher PM2.5 levels and higher ST-height. Most of the adverse effects occurred within two hours after PM2.5 exposure. The multivariable adjusted regression coefficients b (95% CI) of the cumulative effect due to a 10 μg/m 3 increase in Lag 0-4 PM2.5 on ST-I, II, III, aVF and ST-V6 were 0.29 (0.01-0.56) μV, 0.79 (0.20-1.39) μV, 0.52 (0.01-1.05) μV, 0.65 (0.11-1.19) μV, and 0.58 (0.07-1.09) μV, respectively, with all p < 0.05. Conclusions: Increased PM2.5 concentration is associated with immediate increase in ST-segment height in inferior and lateral leads, generally within two hours. Such an acute effect of PM2.5 may contribute to increased potential for regional myocardial ischemic injury among healthy individuals.
Biodegradable Nanospheres: Therapeutic Applications

Drug delivery has become an integral part of drug development because it can significantly enhance the therapeutic efficacy of drugs . Furthermore, newer drugs prepared by recombinant technology, though comparatively more potent and specific in their pharmacologic action, require efficient drug delivery systems. These drugs are either unstable in the biological environments 2 or are unable to cross the biological barriers effectively . Our research is focused on biodegradable nanospheres as a drug carrier system. Nanospheres are submicron size colloidal particles with a therapeutic agent either entrapped in the polymer matrix or bound on to the surface. Nanocapsules consist of a drug core with a coating of a polymer film (Fig.l). The drug in the core of the nanocapsules is released by diffusion through the polymer coat . In our studies, we have mainly used polylactic polyglycolic acid co-polymer (PLGA); a FDA approved biodegradable and biocompatible polymer to formulate nanospheres. The nanospheres were typically 100 to 150 nanometer in diameter with the drug entrapped into the nanosphere polymer matrix 5, . Nanospheres as a drug delivery system could provide many advantages. Since nanospheres are submicron in size, they could be taken up more efficiently by the cells than the larger size particles. Furthermore, nanospheres could cross the cell membrane barriers by transcytosis. Drug molecules such as proteins and peptides and also DNA, which have a larger
State of the Art in Automation of Earthmoving, 2002

A recent trend towards greater automation of earthmoving machines, such as backhoes, loaders, and dozers, reflects a larger movement in the construction industry to improve productivity, efficiency, and safety. This paper reviews related work in various disciplines drawn upon by researchers—soil mechanics, computer graphics, kinematic and dynamical modeling, optimization, control, and decision theory. A taxonomy is suggested into which various automated systems reported in the literature, can be classified.