cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Preparing children for MRI.

Acquiring quality data with minimal risk to the subject hasbeen a problem in pediatric MRI studies. Subject motionand non-adherence can easily confound scan acquisition.Indeed, fewer studies have been conducted in children andadolescents than in adults, in part as a result of theseconcerns [1]. The option of general anesthesia, though itincreases data quality, substantially increases the risk to thechild. The effect of sedation is not well understood and mayconfound data, especially brain chemistry as measured withMR spectroscopy. The question remains as to how tominimize risks while maximizing the quality of the data forresearch or clinical uses. The study by Hallowell et al. [2]provides an important answer to that question and adds to agrowing literature regarding strategies to improve scanquality and adherence in pediatric MRI studies [3, 4]. Oftenlack of adherence is due to anxiety and a lack of copingstrategies. The authors use a practice MRI intervention(PMRI) led by an educational play therapist (EPT) toincrease the coping skill set and familiarity of the child withregard to participating in an MR study. In their study,82.5% of the children achieved a pass at the PMRI session.During the clinical scan, images of diagnostic quality wereobtained from 90.8% of the children. Although the studyhad notable limitations, as acknowledged by the authors,such as a lack of a control group, they do not detract fromthe meritorious nature of this study. If widely implementedin pediatric MRI acquisitions, methods such as PMRI canimprove data quality and patient experience.References
The generalized matrix product and its applications

In this paper we develop the notion of a generalized matrix product that includes in its formulation the common matrix and vector products of linear algebra. After defining the generalized matrix product and investigating some of its properties, we provide some specific examples of its use in image processing.
Identified Employee Surveys: Potential Promise, Perils, and Professional Practice Guidelines

Over the years, employee opinion surveys have evolved in their use and how they are conducted. A major advancement has been the use of linkage analyses, whereby employee attitudes at a unit level are statistically related to other important organizational outcomes. A more recent development has been linkage analyses at the individual level and over time. In order to carry out these types of analyses, “identified surveys” must be used—surveys that retain identifying information on each survey respondent in order to link with other individual-level variables over time. The purpose of this article is to open up a discussion on identified surveys, describe under what circumstances they may be uniquely beneficial, and highlight potential concerns with them. We close with proposed guidelines for professional practice and recommend that our profession have a point of view on identified surveys for ourselves and to advise others.
Protein folding and the order/disorder paradox

Most proteins encoded by the nuclear genome are synthesized in the cytoplasm and fold into precise 3D structures. During synthesis, the nascent polypeptide begins to fold as it traverses the large subunit of the ribosome and is assisted by molecular chaperones in attaining its precise folded/highly ordered state efficiently and in a biologically relevant timescale. Proteins that are misfolded are culled, re-routed, and marked by mechanisms such as ubiquitinylation for degradation ensuring strict quality control (QC). In addition to the highly ordered "globular" proteins, emerging evidence indicates that a large fraction of the proteome also comprises the so-called "Intrinsically Disordered Proteins" (IDPs). IDPs are proteins that lack rigid 3D structures and instead, exist as dynamic ensembles. The dynamic structures in the IDPs have many similarities with "normal" globular proteins such as the native (ordered), and non-native (molten globule, pre-molten globule, and coil-like) states seen during folding of "normal" globular proteins. However, unlike the case of the nascent globular proteins, IDPs evade being detected as "misfolded" and degraded by the cell's QC system. We refer to this paradox as the order/disorder paradox and postulate that the IDPs capitalize on their intrinsic promiscuity and ability to undergo disorder-to-order transitions upon binding to biological targets (coupled folding and binding) to escape the cell's surveillance machinery. Understanding the mechanism by which the IDPs evade the quality check has wide implications from protein folding to disease biology since the aggregation of misfolded proteins underlies several debilitating illnesses such as many neurodegenerative diseases and cancer.
Peroxynitrite-mediated attenuation of α- and β-adrenoceptor agonist-induced vascular responses in vivo

Abstract Peroxynitrite is produced by vascular endothelial and smooth muscle cells in response to inflammation, induces vascular relaxation, and alters vascular responses to endothelial-derived relaxing factors. The present study examined the changes in mean arterial pressure and hindquarter, renal, and mesenteric vascular resistances produced by the systemic administration of (i) the catecholamines epinephrine or norepinephrine, (ii) the α 1 -adrenoceptor agonist phenylephrine, (iii) the β-adrenoceptor agonist isoproterenol or (iv) [Argδ] vasopressin in pentobarbital-anesthetized rats prior to and following the systemic administration of peroxynitrite. The systemic administration of peroxynitrite significantly inhibited (i) epinephrine-induced pressor and renal and mesenteric vasoconstrictor responses, (ii) norepinephrine-induced pressor and hindquarter, renal, and mesenteric vasoconstrictor responses, (iii) phenylephrine-induced hindquarter and mesenteric vasoconstrictor responses, and (iv) isoproterenol-induced depressor and hindquarter and renal vasodilator responses. In comparison, the systemic administration of peroxynitrite had no effect on arginine vasopressin-induced pressor or vasoconstrictor responses. These results demonstrate selective and consequential attenuation of the hemodynamic effects produced by α- and β-adrenoceptor agonists, suggesting that selective impairment of adrenoceptors by peroxynitrite may play a critical role in the hemodynamic dysfunction associated with inflammatory conditions.
Interleukin-1β Is a Negative Transcriptional Regulator of α1-Adrenergic Induced Gene Expression in Cultured Cardiac Myocytes

We recently reported that interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta) induces a novel form of cardiac myocyte hypertrophy characterized by an increase in protein content but an absence of the fetal program of skeletal alpha-actin or beta-myosin heavy chain (beta-MHC) gene expression (Palmer, J. N., Hartogensis, W. E., Patten, M., Fortuin, F. D., and Long, C. S. (1995) J. Clin. Invest. 95, 2555-2564). Because of the apparent disparity between this myocardial phenotype and that seen with other hypertrophic agents in culture, such as catecholamines, we investigated the effect of IL-1beta on alpha1-induced cardiomyocyte hypertrophy. Although there was no augmentation in total protein when IL-1beta and phenylephrine were given simultaneously, IL-1beta attenuated the increase in contractile protein mRNAs (skeletal alpha-actin and beta-MHC) in response to phenylephrine. Transient transfection studies with skeletal alpha-actin and beta-MHC promoter constructs linked to the chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (CAT)-reporter gene indicate that repression occurred at the level of gene transcription. In view of the previously reported activity of the zinc finger protein YY1 in the negative regulation of the skeletal alpha-actin promoter in cardiomyocytes (MacLellan, W. R., Lee, T. C., Schwartz, R. J., and Schneider, M. D. (1994) J. Biol. Chem. 269, 16754-16760), we investigated the potential role of this factor in the IL-1beta-mediated effects. Using transient transfection, we found that a mutation in the YY1 binding site of the skeletal alpha-actin promoter abolished the inhibitory effect of IL-1beta. We further found that the 127-base pair fragment of the skeletal alpha-actin promoter required for the IL-1beta effect is also required for inhibition by the overexpression of YY1 in the myocytes. Furthermore, increased levels of YY1 protein are found in IL-1beta treated myocytes. Taken together these results suggest that the repression of contractile protein gene transcription by IL-1beta may be due, at least in part, to activation of the negative transcription factor YY1.
Predictors of Physical Functional Disability at 5 to 6 Years after Heart Transplantation

Background Few reports were found in the literature that examined predictors of physical functional disability after heart transplantation. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to (1) describe physical functional disability, (2) identify differences in physical functional disability by demographic and clinical variables, and (3) identify predictors of physical functional disability at 5 to 6 years after heart transplantation. Methods A nonrandom sample of 311 patients (approximately 60 years of age, 78% male, and 90% Caucasian) who were 5 to 6 years post-heart transplantation were investigated. Patients completed 8 reliable and valid quality-of-life instruments via self-report. Data analyses included descriptive statistics, chi-square, independent t -tests, correlations, and stepwise multiple regression. Level of significance was set at p = 0.05. Results The level of physical functional disability was low at 5 to 6 years after heart transplantation, yet 59% of patients reported having physical disability. Women experienced more functional disability than men, and patients with comorbidities (i.e., diabetes mellitus and orthopedic problems) experienced more functional disability than patients without these comorbidities. At 5 to 6 years after heart transplantation, 70% of variance in physical functional disability was explained by activities of daily living, symptoms, comorbidities, psychologic status, and resource utilization variables. Conclusions At 5 to 6 years after heart transplantation, most patients experienced low levels of physical functional disability. Differences in physical functional disability were identified by both demographic characteristics and clinical variables. Predictors of physical functional disability included activities of daily living and symptoms, and clinical, psychologic, and resource utilization variables. Knowledge of factors related to physical disability long-term after heart transplantation provides direction for the development of strategies to assist patients to reduce their level of disability or function adequately despite their disability.
Life with a new baby: stressors, supports, and maternal experience.

The context in which mothers of new infants solve problems of infant care tasks includes day-to-day stressors and supports. Both may be a function of maternal experience in the form of parity or time since the infant's birth. Our short-term (90-day) longitudinal study explored the nature of the stressors and supports that mothers report in the infant's first three months, and examined their relationship to maternal experience. It was organized as six 15-day periods to explore change over time. The stressors and supports recorded in the daily log that 62 mothers kept were coded in seven classes structured by the mothers' own language. In addition, they were coded using a second scheme as either existential (conditions, activities, or events of being) or social. Supports were almost equivalent in mean frequency to stressors throughout the 90 days. Four of the seven classes were more likely to be reported as stressors than supports. For both stressors and supports, the existential type was more frequent than the social type. Although overall, stressors and supports decreased significantly across the six periods, three support classes (activities/plans, behavior of self and others, and conditions) and three stressor classes (tasks/responsibilities, conditions, and events) did not change significantly. For all six periods, the relationship of stressors and supports, over all classes, was strong and positive.
On the utility of transformed auxiliary variables in finite population inference 1

Presented is the problem of using transformed auxiliary variables in regression analysis of survey data. In constructing a regression estimator for the finite population mean, there is no asymptotic cost due to the estimation of transformation parameters under mild conditions. However, the effects of estimating transformed auxiliary variables on a model-based predictor are in general not negligible. For a regression equation, the effects on the estimation of regression coefficients may be severe.
Finite Element Modeling and Analysis of Magnetorheological Dampers

A magnetorheological fluid consists of a suspension of microscopic magnetizable particles in a non-magnetic carrier medium. In the absence of a magnetic field, the fluid behaves in a roughly Newtonian manner. When a magnetic field is produced in the same space, the microscopic particles suspended in the fluid become oriented and form chains along the magnetic flux lines, changing the fluid’s rheology. The orientation of these particle chains is crucial to producing the Bingham plastic behavior necessary for high strength-to-weight ratio magnetorheological dampers and actuators. This project uses COMSOL Multiphysics finite element software to examine the magnetic flux lines, field intensity, and non-Newtonian fluid flow within a magnetorheological damper. Several established and novel damper configurations are examined and modified to improve performance while minimizing power draw of the electromagnet.Copyright © 2011 by ASME
Hormonal modulation of amino acid neurotransmitter metabolism in the arcuate nucleus of the adult female rat: a novel action of estradiol.

Morphological plasticity in response to estradiol is a hallmark of astrocytes in the arcuate nucleus. The functional consequences of these morphological changes have remained relatively unexplored. Here we report that in the arcuate nucleus estradiol significantly increased the protein levels of the two enzymes in the glutamate-glutamine cycle, glutamine synthetase and glutaminase. We further demonstrate that these estradiol-mediated changes in the enzyme protein levels may underlie functional changes in neurotransmitter availability as: 1) total glutamate concentration in the arcuate nucleus was significantly increased and 2) microdialysis revealed a significant increase in extracellular glutamate levels after a synaptic challenge in the presence of estradiol. These data implicate the glutamate-glutamine cycle in the generation and/or maintenance of glutamate and suggest that the difference in extracellular glutamate between estradiol- and oil-treated animals may be related to an increased efficiency of ...
Investigation of copper-PTSM as a PET tracer for tumor blood flow

Copper-PTSM has been shown in previous studies to act as a fluid microsphere and to be useful in quantitating blood flow in brain, myocardium, and kidneys. In this study we have evaluated this agent as a PET tumor blood flow agent. 64Cu- or 67Cu-labeled Cu-PTSM was administered (i.v.) to Golden Syrian hamsters with colorectal carcinoma cell implants (GW39). One minute prior to sacrifice (10-60 min after Cu-PTSM was administered) 125I-iodoantipyrine (125I-IAP), an agent known to measure tumor blood flow, was administered intravenously by a 3-stage, 1 min ramp infusion. Following sacrifice, samples of tumor and brain were removed (within 40s) and the tumor and brain levels of Cu-PTSM and iodoantipyrine determined. Since the brain uptake of both Cu-PTSM and IAP is perfusion rate limited, the brain was used as a reference organ to normalize tumor levels of the two tracers. The plot of Cu-PTSM versus 125I-IAP tumor/brain ratios showed a good linear correlation (r value of 0.97), suggesting that Cu-PTSM could be used to quantify tumor blood flow. Since the mechanism of Cu-PTSM trapping is likely to be due to glutathione levels in the tissue, and because tumor tissue glutathione levels might vary, the temporal uptake of Cu-PTSM was investigated by PET imaging both the tumor-bearing hamsters and approximately 300 g Copenhagen rats bearing R3227 prostate tumors. The tumors were clearly visualized and the retained copper radioactivity in the tumor was constant over the 30 min imaging period.
Mutual-information-corrected tumor displacement using intraoperative ultrasound for brain shift compensation in image-guided neurosurgery

Intraoperative ultrasound (iUS) has emerged as a practical neuronavigational tool for brain shift compensation in image-guided tumor resection surgeries. The use of iUS is optimized when coregistered with preoperative magnetic resonance images (pMR) of the patient's head. However, the fiducial-based registration alone does not necessarily optimize the alignment of internal anatomical structures deep in the brain (e.g., tumor) between iUS and pMR. In this paper, we investigated and evaluated an image-based re-registration scheme to maximize the normalized mutual information (nMI) between iUS and pMR to improve tumor boundary alignment using the fiducial registration as a starting point for optimization. We show that this scheme significantly (p<<0.001) reduces tumor boundary misalignment pre-durotomy. The same technique was employed to measure tumor displacement post-durotomy, and the locally measured tumor displacement was assimilated into a biomechanical model to estimate whole-brain deformation. Our results demonstrate that the nMI re-registration pre-durotomy is critical for obtaining accurate measurement of tumor displacement, which significantly improved model response at the craniotomy when compared with stereopsis data acquired independently from the tumor registration. This automatic and computationally efficient (<2min) re-registration technique is feasible for routine clinical use in the operating room (OR).
Base Behavior behind Budding Breasts: Integrins and Mammary Stem Cell Activity

Summary In a recent Nature Cell Biology paper, Taddei et al. (2008) reveal that deletion of β1 integrin from K5-expressing mammary epithelial basal cells specifically attenuates ductal stem cell activity, without dramatically altering the basal cell layer, or morphogenesis overall.
The Role of Carbonium Ions in Color Reception

It is a fundamental property of conjugated systems to accept a proton or Lewis acid and form a stable carbonium ion. Polyenes that are protonated or add Lewis acids in this manner undergo substantial red shifts. For example, vitamin A1 acetate absorbs at 350 mµ in neutral and at 650 mµ in acidic benzene solution. The fundamental basis for absorption of polyene systems was described in detail in quantum mechanical terms. Applying the carbonium ion treatment to the visual chromophores retinal1 and retinal2 gives a very satisfactory explanation why these polyenes can be made to absorb in the visual region. Furthermore, by proper placement of the Lewis acid several absorption maxima can be gained from the carbonium ions which result. This treatment can be applied to explain experimental results. Individual cones from the frog are now known to absorb at 455, 537, and 625 mµ. If the value for the green cone (537 mµ) is used to calculate the Vo value in Kuhn's equation, the other two wave lengths may then be calculated. The calculated values are 460 and 600 mµ; this is in good agreement with the results from experiment.
Clinical imaging in regenerative medicine

Clinical imaging is indispensable in cell therapy to monitor tissue repair and the fate of transplanted cells.
Late-Quaternary sea level changes, Umnak Island, Aleutians—Their effects on ancient Aleuts and their causes

Abstract Late-Quaternary sea level changes in the eastern Aleutian Islands are of paramount importance in the reconstruction of the migrations and environment of the ancient Aleuts. A radiocarbon-dated ash stratigraphy provides the chronology into which geomorphic events can be fitted. These provide evidence for the sea level changes. Deployment of beach material and coastal configuration intimate that sea level was about 2–3 m above the present level about 8250 radiocarbon yr BP. Beach deposits suggest that sea level remained high until about 3000 radiocarbon y.a. when it gradually dropped to its present position. It is concluded that the ancient Aleuts that settled Anangula about 8400 y.a. used boats; all major passes in the eastern Aleutians were flooded, and did not have winter ice. Those ancient Aleuts did not have available the major year-around food resources of the present strandflats as they were cut during the high sea level stand 8250–3000 yr BP. The ancient Aleuts must have been marine oriented, for land-based food resources would have been limited. The cause of relative sea level changes on Umnak Island is considered indeterminate with present data. Eustatic, glacial isostatic, water isostatic, tectonic, and volcanic causes are considered the main possible controls in combinations such that a basic eustatic sea level curve and likely a glacial-water isostatic curve must be common to any solution. Representative solutions are given to illustrate some of the problems.
Human Computation in Visualization: Using Purpose Driven Games for Robust Evaluation of Visualization Algorithms

Due to the inherent characteristics of the visualization process, most of the problems in this field have strong ties with human cognition and perception. This makes the human brain and sensory system the only truly appropriate evaluation platform for evaluating and fine-tuning a new visualization method or paradigm. However, getting humans to volunteer for these purposes has always been a significant obstacle, and thus this phase of the development process has traditionally formed a bottleneck, slowing down progress in visualization research. We propose to take advantage of the newly emerging field of Human Computation (HC) to overcome these challenges. HC promotes the idea that rather than considering humans as users of the computational system, they can be made part of a hybrid computational loop consisting of traditional computation resources and the human brain and sensory system. This approach is particularly successful in cases where part of the computational problem is considered intractable using known computer algorithms but is trivial to common sense human knowledge. In this paper, we focus on HC from the perspective of solving visualization problems and also outline a framework by which humans can be easily seduced to volunteer their HC resources. We introduce a purpose-driven game titled “Disguise” which serves as a prototypical example for how the evaluation of visualization algorithms can be mapped into a fun and addicting activity, allowing this task to be accomplished in an extensive yet cost effective way. Finally, we sketch out a framework that transcends from the pure evaluation of existing visualization methods to the design of a new one.
TH1 and TH2 cell antigen receptors in experimental leishmaniasis

The complexity and chronicity of parasitic infections have obscured the identification of biologically relevant antigens. Analysis of the T cell receptor repertoire used by mice infected with Leishmania major revealed the expansion of a restricted population of CD4+ cells. These cells expressed the V alpha 8-J alpha TA72, V beta 4 heterodimer in both progressive infection and protective immunity and across several major histocompatibility haplotypes. Thus, the same immunodominant parasite epitope drives the disparate outcomes of this infectious process, suggesting that candidate vaccine antigens selected by screening of immune individuals may be capable of exacerbating disease in genetically susceptible individuals.
Receding horizon stochastic control algorithms for sensor management

The increasing use of smart sensors that can dynamically adapt their observations has created a need for algorithms to control the information acquisition process. While such problems can usually be formulated as stochastic control problems, the resulting optimization problems are complex and difficult to solve in real-time applications. In this paper, we consider sensor management problems for sensors that are trying to find and classify objects. We propose alternative approaches for sensor management based on receding horizon control using a stochastic control approximation to the sensor management problem. This approximation can be solved using combinations of linear programming and stochastic control techniques for partially observed Markov decision problems in a hierarchical manner. We explore the performance of our proposed receding horizon algorithms in simulations using heterogeneous sensors, and show that their performance is close to that of a theoretical lower bound. Our results also suggest that a modest horizon is sufficient to achieve nearoptimal performance.
Intraperitoneal chemotherapy catheter placement using percutaneous technique in patients without ascites

Purpose The addition of intraperitoneal chemotherapy (IP) to intravenous chemotherapy (IV) for the treatment of advanced ovarian cancer has demonstrated improved survival in comparison to IV chemotherapy alone. Traditionally, IP catheters where placed surgically with reported complications in 9.6% to 34% of patients. We seek to review the outcomes of using a percutaneous IP catheter placement technique in patients without ascites. Materials and Methods IP catheter placement was carried out while undergoing conscious sedation. Ultrasound guidance was initially used to access the peritoneal cavity over the right lobe of the liver. A 5 Fr catheter was placed into the IP cavity and the abdomen was distended with carbon dioxide. Under fluoroscopic guidance, the abdominal right upper quadrant was accessed at the site of the accumulation of gas, thus avoiding potential injury to bowel. A 14.3 Fr multi side-holed catheter was then placed into the pelvis with the port reservoir tunneled over the anterior chest wall subcutaneous tissues. We retrospectively reviewed all patients who received percutaneous IP catheter placement from 12/2008 through 8/2012. Results Twenty-three patients underwent percutaneous IP catheter placement. One patient (4.3%) had an intra-procedural complication although the catheter was ultimately placed. Fourteen patients (60.8%) completed IP chemotherapy. Four patients (17.4%) continue to receive IP chemotherapy. One catheter (4.3%) was removed due to a catheter related infection. Four patients (17.3%) had their catheters removed for reasons unrelated to the IP catheter: two due to side effects from chemotherapy, one due to sepsis caused by perforated diverticulitis that was felt to be unrelated to the IP catheter by the surgeon who preformed the exploratory laparotomy, and the last due to sepsis from an infected IV catheter which did not involve the IP catheter. Conclusion Percutaneous placement of IP catheters in patients without ascites using carbon dioxide insufflation has a high technical success rate with low risk of catheter-related complications. This procedure offers a viable alternative to traditional surgical placement.
Rapamycin-induced apoptosis is p53-independent in human prostate carcinoma PC-3 cells

We have investigated the mechanisms of rapamycin-induced growth inhibition and apoptosis in the PC-3 prostate carcinoma cell line. Rapamycin induced apoptosis as well as the expression of p21(waf1) mRNA and protein, independent of p53. Rapamycin treatment also resulted in: a decrease in cdk2 kinase activity; an increase in hypophosphorylated retinoblastoma protein (pRb); a dephosphorylation of p70 S6 kinase; and, growth-arrest in G(1)-phase of cell cycle. These data suggest that rapamycin-induced growth arrest and apoptosis occur through the p53-independent induction of p21(waf1). Since this induction occurred soon after rapamycin treatment, possibly, the early induction of p21(waf1) and G(1)-arrest are important components of the mechanism by which rapamycin induces apoptosis in PC-3 cells.
NK and K cell characteristics of human lymphocytes enriched for subpopulations isolated from NK tumor cell conjugates

Abstract The incubation of human peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL) with the natural killer (NK)-sensitive MOLT-4 cell line results in PBL-target cell conjugate formation by certain lymphocyte subpopulations. Following velocity sedimentation, the PBL depleted of these conjugate-forming subpopulations are markedly diminished in the ability to mediate either antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC) or NK activity. The immediate testing of highly pure PBL subpopulations isolated from the NK target conjugates does not reveal the expected recovery of augmented ADCC or NK levels. Following in vitro incubation, however, the PBL NK target-binding subpopulations do manifest augmented levels of both NK and ADCC, whereas the depleted PBL continue to display diminished NK and ADCC levels. In addition, the degree of augmented NK and ADCC levels recovered by the NK target-binding PBL subpopulations appears dependent on both the time and the temperature of in vitro incubation. Moreover, the ADCC recovery patterns are identical to those observed for NK activity regardless of the time and temperature of in vitro incubation. These results directly demonstrate that the PBL subpopulations isolated from certain NK target cells are functionally enriched in the ability to mediate from ADCC and NK activity.
Phase behavior of reservoir fluids. III : Molecular lumping and characterization

Abstract Uniform lumping is often adequate for predicting vapor-liquid equilibria in petroleum-derived distillates that are Gaussian-distributed. However, for non-Gaussian, asymmetrically distributed systems, such as Gamma-distributed fractions, resids, and resid-containing oils and bitumens, nonuniform lumping is found to be more efficient. For example, a log-type lumping, that is fine near the light end but coarse near the heavy end, is found to be very efficient for predicting the solubility of heavy oils in supercritical components. One of the benchmarks used in this work to compare efficiency of various lumping approaches is a continuous thermodynamic model of phase equilibria. A typical minimum number of distillable lumps is found to vary from six to eight for real vapor-liquid equilibrium systems studied in this work. A practical yet conservative method is to use eight GCD lumps, and to test for at least two lumps in the overhead light end.
Automated target recognition using passive radar and coordinated flight models

Rather than emitting pulses, passive radar systems rely on illuminators of opportunity, such as TV and FM radio, to illuminate potential targets. These systems are particularly attractive since they allow receivers to operate without emitting energy, rendering them covert. Many existing passive radar systems estimate the locations and velocities of targets. This paper focuses on adding an automatic target recognition (ATR) component to such systems. Our approach to ATR compares the Radar Cross Section (RCS) of targets detected by a passive radar system to the simulated RCS of known targets. To make the comparison as accurate as possible, the received signal model accounts for aircraft position and orientation, propagation losses, and antenna gain patterns. The estimated positions become inputs for an algorithm that uses a coordinated flight model to compute probable aircraft orientation angles. The Fast Illinois Solver Code (FISC) simulates the RCS of several potential target classes as they execute the estimated maneuvers. The RCS is then scaled by the Advanced Refractive Effects Prediction System (AREPS) code to account for propagation losses that occur as functions of altitude and range. The Numerical Electromagnetic Code (NEC2) computes the antenna gain pattern, so that the RCS can be further scaled. The Rician model compares the RCS of the illuminated aircraft with those of the potential targets. This comparison results in target identification.
Differential games of survival

Etude des jeux differentiels de survie en utilisant les notions de strategie et de recompense introduites dans les jeux differentiels de duree determinee et dans les jeux differentiels generalises de poursuite-evasion
Variation in influenza viruses; a study of heat stability of the red cell agglutinating factor.

SummaryA report has been made of the observation of variation among different strains and different lines of the same strain of influenza virus with respect to the heat-stability of the hemagglutinating property. Certain theoretical and practical implications of this observation have been discussed.
Quantitative solution of omega-regular games

We consider two-player games played for an infinite number of rounds, with ω-regular winning conditions. The games may be concurrent, in that the players choose their moves simultaneously and independently, and probabilistic, in that the moves determine a probability distribution for the successor state. We introduce quantitative game µ-calculus, and we show that the maximal probability of winning such games can be expressed as the fixpoint formulas in this calculus. We develop the arguments both for deterministic and for probabilistic concurrent games; as a special case, we solve probabilistic turn-based games with ω-regular winning conditions, which was also open. We also characterize the optimality, and the memory requirements, of the winning strategies. In particular, we show that while memoryless strategies suffice for winning games with safety and reachability conditions, Buchi conditions require the use of strategies with infinite memory. The existence of optimal strategies, as opposed to e-optimal, is only guaranteed in games with safety winning conditions.
Effects of the wasp venom peptide, mastoparan, on a phosphoinositide-specific phospholipase C purified from rabbit brain membranes.

The wasp venom peptide, mastoparan (Ile-Asn-Leu-Lys-Ala-Leu-Ala-Ala-Leu-Ala-Lys-Lys-Ile-LeuNH 2 ), activated phosphatidylinositol 4,5-biphosphate (PIP 2 ) hydrolysis as catalyzed by a phosphoinositide-specific phosphalipase C (PLC-I m ) purified from rabbit brain membranes. This activation was found when the molar ratio of mastoparan to PIP 2 was less than 1 and when the concentration of PIP 2 exceeded 10 μM. PIP 2 breakdown was inhibited at both high and low substrate concentrations if the molar ratio of mastoparan to PIP 2 was greater than 1. The stimulatory effect of mastoparan correlated with its ability to restrict aggregation of PIP 2 into higher order structures (liposomes or mixed deoxycholate/phospholipid micelles) as the concentration of PIP 2 was increased to 10 μM or greater. Mastoparan stimulation of PIP 2 breakdown required the presence of a higher calcium concentration than was necessary for detection of enzyme activity. Both the stimulatory and inhibitory effects of mastoparan on PIP 2 hydrolysis were lost if 2.5 mM deoxycholate was present in the assays. Hydrolysis of phosphatidylinositol (PI) by PLC-I m was inhibited at all concentrations of mastoparan tested. These results show that both PIP 2 and PI are suitable substrates for PLC-I m , depending on the physical characteristics of their aggregates in aqueous suspension. An amphiphilic α-helix-forming peptide such as mastoparan may modulate phospholipase C activity due to the peptide's interaction with phospholipid substrates.
Sidewall effects in the smoothing of an initial discontinuity of concentration

The velocity field of a binary mixture of incompressible miscible liquids is non-solenoidal when the densities of the two liquids are different. If the mixture density is linear in the volume fraction, as in the case of simple (ideal) mixtures or very nearly for glycerin and water, then the velocity can be decomposed into a solenoidal and an expansion part. In the context of this theory, we derive a new solution which describes the smoothing of an initial plane discontinuity in concentration across a channel bounded by sidewalls. The requirement that the velocity vanishes on the sidewall introduces a different initial discontinuity not present in the solenoidal theory. The problem may be reduced to a partial differential equation in two similarity variables, one for the smoothing of a concentration discontinuity without sidewalls and the other for the smoothing the velocity discontinuity at the sidewall. The similarity equations are solved explicitly in a special case.
FINE STRUCTURAL OBSERVATIONS ON UNTREATED AND ACTH TREATED ADRENOCORTICAL CELLS OF THE ZONA RETICULARIS OF SYRIAN HAMSTERS.

The fine structure of the zona reticularis of adult Syrian hamsters was studied and compared with that of hamsters given subcutaneous injections of ACTH (10 units daily) for three days. The general ultrastructural features of the cells of the reticularis were described. The major emphasis however, was placed upon the mitochondria which underwent alterations following ACTH injections. Untreated hamsters exhibited elongated mitochondria, attenuated in their middle parts, which formed wrappings around structures, frequently other mitochondria. The tubular cristae of the majority of the mitochondria projected only part of the way into the matrix so that the interior were relatively free of tubules. In many cases the tubules were arranged parallel with the surface so that the mitochondria appeared to be surrounded by numerous membranes. The animals treated with ACTH very rarely showed elongated, attenuated mitochondria: The mitochondria were more nearly equal in size compared with those of untreated animals and the tubular cristae occupied the majority of the interior of the mitochondria. The possible relationship between the mitochondrial changes and increased steroid synthesis was discussed.
Dual functions of ribosome recycling factor in protein biosynthesis: disassembling the termination complex and preventing translational errors

We summarize in this communication the data supporting the two functions of ribosome recycling factor (RRF, originally called ribosome releasing factor). The first described role involves the disassembly of the termination complex which consists of mRNA, tRNA and the ribosome bound to the mRNA at the termination codon. This process is catalyzed by two factors, elongation factor G (EF-G) and RRF. RRF stimulated protein synthesis as much as eight-fold in the in vitro lysozyme synthesis system, when ribosomes were limiting. In the absence of RRF, ribosomes remain mRNA-bound at the termination codon and translate downstream codons. In the in vitro system, the site of reinitiation is the triplet codon 3' to the termination codon. RRF is an essential protein for bacterial life. Temperature sensitive (ts) RRF mutants were isolated and in vivo translational reinitiation due to inactivation of ts RRF was demonstrated using the beta-galactosidase reporter gene placed downstream from the termination codon. A second function of RRF involves preventing errors in translation. In polyphenylalanine synthesis programmed by polyuridylic acid, misincorporation of isoleucine, leucine or a mixture of amino acids was stimulated upto 17-fold when RRF was omitted from the in vitro system. RRF did not influence the large error (10-fold increase) induced by streptomycin. This means that RRF participates not only in the disassembly of the termination complex but also in peptide elongation. Extending this concept and its conventional role for releasing ribosomes from mRNA, involvement of RRF in the reinitiation in the 3A' system (a construct using S aureus protein A, a collaborative work with Dr Isaksson), in programmed frame shifting, in trans-translation with 10Sa RNA (collaborative work with Dr Muto), and in the reinitiation downstream from the ORF A of the IS 3 (insertion sequence of a transposon, collaborative work with Dr Sekine) are discussed on the basis of preliminary data to be published elsewhere. Finally, we review the known RRF sequences from various organisms including eukaryotes and discuss the possible mechanism for disassembly of the eukaryotic termination complex.
Automated detection of mass lesions in dedicated breast CT: A preliminary study

Purpose: To develop an automated method to detect breast masses on dedicated breast CT (BCT) volumes and to conduct a preliminary evaluation of its performance. This method can be used in a computer-aided detection (CADe) system for noncontrast enhanced BCT. Methods: The database included patient images, which were acquired under an IRB-approved protocol. The database in this study consisted of 132 cases. 50 cases contained 58 malignant masses, and 23 cases contained 24 benign masses. 59 cases did not contain any biopsy-proven lesions. Each case consisted of an unenhanced CT volume of a single breast. First, each breast was segmented into adipose and glandular tissues using a fuzzy c-means clustering algorithm. The glandular breast regions were then sampled at a resolution of 2 mm. At each sampling step, a 3.5-cm3 volume-of-interest was subjected to constrained region segmentation and 17 characteristic features were extracted, yielding 17 corresponding feature volumes. Four features were selected using step-wise feature selection and merged with linear discriminant analysis trained in the task of distinguishing between normal breast glandular regions and masses. Detection performance was measured using free-response receiver operating characteristic analysis (FROC) with leave-one-case-out evaluation. Results: The feature selection stage selected features that characterized the shape and margin strength of the segmented region. CADe sensitivity per case was 84% (std = 4.2%) at 2.6 (std = 0.06) false positives per volume, or 6 × 10−3 per slice (at an average of 424 slices per volume in this data set). Conclusions: This preliminary study demonstrates the feasibility of our approach for CADe for BCT.
In-Plane Scattering In LiNbO 3 Waveguides

Experimental observations of the in-plane scattered energy distribution in Ti-diffused LiNb03 waveguides have been performed with a view toward determining and subsequently eliminating sources of scattering in this material. Results suggest that scattering from refractive-index variations is more important than scattering from surface roughness in commercial samples. However, scattering from contaminants at or near the surface exists and can be reduced by using less Ti diffusant and/or by polishing the finished waveguide. Variations in scattering as a function of propagation direction and mode polarization suggest that the scattering centers are anisotropic with regard to either their refractive index, their shape or both. Diagnostic experiments to ascertain the nature of these scatterers, including electrooptic, photorefractive, and thermal studies, are described.© (1979) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Beyond speedup: PADS, the IILA and web-based simulation

This year's installment of the PADS "community assessment" looks at previous assessments and considers some current directions in distributed simulation and their possible relationship to PADS.
Computationally efficient FBP-type direct segmentation of synthetic aperture radar images

We consider a monostatic synthetic aperture radar system traversing an arbitrary trajectory on a non-flat topography. We present a novel edge detection method applicable directly to SAR received signal. Our method first filters the received data, and then backprojects. The filter is designed to detect the edges of the scene in different directions at each pixel reconstructed. The method is computationally efficient and may be implemented with the computational complexity of the fast-backprojection algorithms. We present numerical experiments to demonstrate the performance of our method.
Beneficial effect and economic importance of using all colostrum produced in calf raising.

Summary Seventy-six calves, born in The Ohio State University dairy herd, were divided into comparable groups at birth. For the first 3 days all calves received colostrum from their dams. After 3 days, the calves in both groups were fed and managed similarly, except that for calves in Group I, colostrum, whenever available, replaced part or all of the regular ration of Holstein milk. The amounts of either milk or colostrum fed were determined by the body weights of the calves. Calves in Group I maintained higher levels of blood plasma vitamin A and carotene, made more rapid weight gains, especially during the first 6 weeks, and exhibited a superior physical appearance. Abrupt changes in the amounts of colostrum fed, which in some instances varied from no colostrum to all colostrum, did not create any special management problems. The calves did not scour from colostrum feeding. Complete utilization of all colostrum for calf feeding is important from an economic standpoint. Only 30 per cent of the colostrum produced in The Ohio State University dairy herd during the calendar year was used in feeding calves during the first 3 days. The balance, which exceeded 4,000lb., was used to replace an equal amount of marketable milk in the feeding of calves in Group I. The general practice of using all the colostrum produced in the raising of calves would result in a substantial saving of marketable milk.
Development of class models for model-based automatic target recognition

Fundamental to the model-based paradigm of an Automatic Target Recognition (ATR) system is an accurate representation (a model) of the physical objects to be recognized. Detailed CAD models of targets of interest can be created using photographs, blueprints, and other intelligence sources. When created this way, the target CAD models are necessarily specific to a particular realization of the vehicle (namely, the serial number of the vehicle from which the CAD model was validated). Under realistic battlefield conditions, variations across targets of the same type (i.e. T72) may be quite drastic and may manifest themselves as significant differences in the sensor signatures. Given this variability between targets of the same type, the example CAD model, or 'exemplar' model, may not provide an adequate representation of the vehicle across the entire class. This paper discusses the development of class models for use in a model-based ATR for synthetic aperture radar (SAR). It documents the propagation of variability information into feature uncertainty, and comments on the performance of class models in the Moving and Stationary Target Acquisition and Recognition (MSTAR) model- based ATR system.© (1999) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Transcriptional regulation by a naturally occurring truncated rat estrogen receptor (ER), truncated ER product-1 (TERP-1)

Truncated estrogen receptor product-1 (TERP-1) is a naturally occurring rat estrogen receptor (ER) variant transcribed from a unique start site and containing a unique 5′-untranslated region fused to exons 5–8 of ERα. TERP-1 is detected only in the pituitary, and TERP-1 mRNA levels are highly regulated during the estrous cycle, exceeding those of the full-length ERα on proestrus. These data suggest that TERP-1 may play a role in estrogen- regulated feedback in the pituitary. We examined the ability of TERP-1 to modulate gene transcription in transiently transfected ER-negative (Cos-1) and ER-positive pituitary (αT3 and GH3) cell lines. In Cos-1 cells transiently cotransfected with TERP-1 and either ERα or ERβ, low levels of TERP-1 (ratios of 1:1 with ER) transcription was inhibited. TERP-1 also had a biphasic actio...