cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Nicotine reinforcement in never-smokers

Rationale Global tobacco-related mortality dwarfs that of all other drugs. Nicotine is believed to be the primary agent responsible for tobacco use and addiction. However, nicotine is a relatively weak and inconsistent reinforcer in nonhumans and nicotine reinforcement has not been demonstrated in never-smokers.
Pickup ion measurements by MAVEN: A diagnostic of photochemical oxygen escape from Mars

A key process populating the oxygen exosphere at Mars is the dissociative recombination of ionospheric O2+, which produces fast oxygen atoms, some of which have speeds exceeding the escape speed and thus contribute to atmospheric loss. Theoretical studies of this escape process have been carried out and predictions made of the loss rate; however, directly measuring the escaping neutral oxygen is difficult but essential. This paper describes how energetic pickup ion measurements to be made near Mars by the SEP (Solar Energetic Particle) instrument on board the MAVEN (Mars Atmosphere and Volatile EvolutioN) spacecraft can be used to constrain models of photochemical oxygen escape. In certain solar wind conditions, neutral oxygen atoms in the distant Martian exosphere that are ionized and picked up by the solar wind can reach energies high enough to be detected near Mars by SEP.
Postmodern Stress Disorder (PMSD): A Possible New Disorder

The murder of cardiovascular surgeon, Michael Davidson, MD, suggests the existence of a new disorder, postmodern stress disorder. This disorder is characterized by repetitive exposure to digital images of violence in a variety of electronic media, including films, television, video games, music videos, and other online sources. This disorder appears to be a variant of posttraumatic stress disorder, and shares with it excessive stimulation of the amygdala and loss of the normal inhibitory inputs from the orbitofrontal cingulate cortical gyrus. In postmodern stress disorder, repetitive digital microtraumas appear to have an effect similar to that of macrotraumas of warfare or civilian assaults. Other elements of the disorder include the development of fixed ideas of bullying or public shaming, access to weapons, and loss of impulse control. This syndrome could explain a number of previously inexplicable murders/suicides. Violence against health care professionals is a profound concern for the medical profession, as are assaults on nonclinicians. The recommendation is made to change forensic procedures to include obtaining historic information concerning the use of digital media during investigations of violent crimes and murders so that the disorder may be further characterized. Gaining an understanding of this disorder will require a multidisciplinary approach to this life-threatening public health problem. Research should also focus on the development and evaluation of possible antidotes to postmodern toxicities.
Stability Theory, Nonlinear

The sections in this article are 1 Steady-State Behavior 2 Stability of Equilibrium Points 3 Bifurcation Theory 4 Further Reading
Soy Protein Concentrate and Isolated Soy Protein Similarly Lower Blood Serum Cholesterol but Differently Affect Thyroid Hormones in Hamsters

There is a wide variation in the hypocholesterolemic response to ingestion of soy protein in humans. One possible explanation is that the different soy protein preparations used contain different spectra of biologically active components. This could affect a number of indices including thyroid hormone status. An increased level of thyroxine has been proposed as an underlying mechanism of the hypocholesterolemic effect of soy protein. The objective of this study was to determine if serum cholesterol and thyroid hormone concentrations differed because of feeding soy protein from different sources. Twenty-nine male weanling golden Syrian hamsters were fed rations containing 25 g/100 g protein from either isolated soy protein (ISP), soy protein concentrate (SPC) or casein for 35 d. Serum total cholesterol concentrations were lower in hamsters fed ISP and SPC compared with those fed casein (P < 0.05). No differences in cholesterol concentrations were observed in lipoprotein fractions. Serum thyroxine and free thyroxine were greater only in hamsters fed ISP than in those fed casein (P < 0.05), whereas triiodothyronine concentrations were higher in casein-fed than in SPC-fed hamsters (P < 0.05). Results indicate that protein from ISP and SPC are both effective in lowering blood cholesterol concentrations, whereas only ISP increases thyroxine concentrations. Therefore, it appears unlikely that modulation of thyroid hormone status is responsible for the cholesterol-lowering effect of soy protein.
Incorporating biotic factors in species distribution modeling: are interactions with soil microbes important?

It is increasingly recognized that species distributions are driven by both abiotic factors and biotic interactions. Despite much recent work incorporating competition, predation, and mutualism into species distribution models (SDMs), the focus has been confined to aboveground macroscopic interactions. Biotic interactions between plants and soil microbial communities are understudied as potentially important drivers of plant distributions. Some soil bacteria promote plant growth by cycling nutrients, while others are pathogenic; thus they have a high potential for influencing plant occurrence. We investigated the influence of soil bacterial clades on the distributions of bryophytes and 12 vascular plant species in a high elevation talus-field ecosystem in the Rocky Mountain Front Range, Colorado, USA. We used an information-theoretic criterion (AICc) modeling approach to compare SDMs with the following different sets of predictors: abiotic variables, abiotic variables and other plant abundances, abiotic variables and soil bacteria clade relative abundances, and a full model with abiotic factors, plant abundances, and bacteria relative abundances. We predicted that bacteria would influence plant distributions both positively and negatively, and that these interactions would improve prediction of plant species distributions. We found that inclusion of either plant or bacteria biotic predictors generally improved the fit, deviance explained, and predictive power of the SDMs, and for the majority of the species, adding information on both other plants and bacteria yielded the best model. Interactions between the modeled species and biotic predictors were both positive and negative, suggesting the presence of competition, parasitism, and facilitation. While our results indicate that plant–plant co-occurrences are a stronger driver of plant distributions than plant–bacteria co-occurrences, they also show that bacteria can explain parts of plant distributions that remain unexplained by abiotic and plant predictors. Our results provide further support for including biotic factors in SDMs, and suggest that belowground factors be considered as well.
The unfolded protein response is required for dendrite morphogenesis

Precise patterning of dendritic fields is essential for the formation and function of neuronal circuits. During development, dendrites acquire their morphology by exuberant branching. How neurons cope with the increased load of protein production required for this rapid growth is poorly understood. Here we show that the physiological unfolded protein response (UPR) is induced in the highly branched Caenorhabditis elegans sensory neuron PVD during dendrite morphogenesis. Perturbation of the IRE1 arm of the UPR pathway causes loss of dendritic branches, a phenotype that can be rescued by overexpression of the ER chaperone HSP-4 (a homolog of mammalian BiP/ grp78). Surprisingly, a single transmembrane leucine-rich repeat protein, DMA-1, plays a major role in the induction of the UPR and the dendritic phenotype in the UPR mutants. These findings reveal a significant role for the physiological UPR in the maintenance of ER homeostasis during morphogenesis of large dendritic arbors. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.06963.001
The Oct-2 POU Domain Gene in the Neuroendocrine Brain: A Transcriptional Regulator of Mammalian Puberty

POU homeodomain genes are transcriptional regulators that control development of the mammalian forebrain. Although they are mostly active during embryonic life, some of them remain expressed in the postnatal hypothalamus, suggesting their involvement in regulating differentiated functions of the neuroendocrine brain. We show here that Oct-2, a POU domain gene originally described in cells of the immune system, is one of the controlling components of the cell-cell signaling process underlying the hypothalamic regulation of female puberty. Lesions of the anterior hypothalamus cause sexual precocity and recapitulate some of the events leading to the normal initiation of puberty. Prominent among these events is an increased astrocytic expression of the gene encoding transforming growth factor-alpha (TGF alpha), a tropic polypeptide involved in the stimulatory control of LHRH secretion. The present study shows that such lesions result in the rapid and selective increase in Oct-2 transcripts in TGF alpha-containing astrocytes surrounding the lesion site. In both lesion-induced and normal puberty, there is a preferential increase in hypothalamic expression of the Oct-2a and Oct-2c alternatively spliced messenger RNA forms of the Oct-2 gene, with an increase in 2a messenger RNA levels preceding that in 2c and antedating the peripubertal activation of gonadal steroid secretion. Both Oct-2a and 2c trans-activate the TGF alpha gene via recognition motifs contained in the TGF alpha gene promoter. Inhibition of Oct-2 synthesis reduces TGF alpha expression in astroglial cells and delays the initiation of puberty. These results suggest that the Oct-2 gene is one of the upstream components of the glia to neuron signaling process that controls the onset of female puberty in mammals.
Ralph Sarkonak.Claude Simon: Les Carrefours du texte. Toronto: Paratexte (Trinity College, Toronto, Ont., Canada M5S 1H8), 1986. 195pp

(1988). Ralph Sarkonak. Claude Simon: Les Carrefours du texte. Toronto: Paratexte (Trinity College, Toronto, Ont., Canada M5S 1H8), 1986. 195pp. Romance Quarterly: Vol. 35, No. 4, pp. 490-491.
Schizophrenia with childhood onset: a phenomenological study of 38 cases.

Abstract Thirty-eight hospitalized children, ages 5.7 to 11.11 years, diagnosed with schizophrenic disorder by DSM-III criteria, are characterized regarding age, sex, race, socioeconomic status, pre- and perinatal complications, electroencephalogram, intelligence quotient, and family history of major psychiatric disorder. Clinical course, including age at onset of general and psychotic psychiatric symptoms and initial diagnosis of schizophrenic disorder, presence of DSM-III symptoms, hospital course, and response to antipsychotics are reviewed.
Trace element profiles, notably Hg, from a preliminary study of the Apollo 15 deep-drill core

The possible thermal gradient near the surface during a lunation is considered together with the heat flow from the interior, the physical process of Hg migration, the results from core and trench samples from previous missions, and other temperature sensitive phenomena that may help understand the processes. U, Os, and Ru concentrations in the deep drill core samples are of potential interest and are summarized in a table. The Os tends to parallel the Hg profile with depth.
Does gall diameter affect the parasitism rate of Asphondylia borrichiae (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae)?

. 1. Fertilized field plots of Borrichia frutescens (L.) de Candolle produced plants with a higher apical-leaf nitrogen content than control plots. 2. Gall frequency of the cecidomyiid Asphondylia borrichiae Rossi & Strong on stems of B.frutescens, increased significantly on fertilized plots after approximately 3 months. 3. Fertilizer treatment did not result in changes in stem density but did tend to increase proportion of stems flowering and overall plant size. Galls are not normally found on flowering stems. 4. Galls grew at a faster rate and to a larger final size on fertilized plots. 5. On three sampling dates, per cent parasitism of galls was the same on fertilized and control plots; therefore, this study does not support the galldiameter hypothesis.
A fluid theory for the deep structure of dip-slip fault zones

Abstract There is considerable evidence that over long periods of time or at temperatures close to melting the crystalline mantle of the earth behaves as a fluid. Such behavior is explained by diffusion creep which gives a Newtonian viscosity. In this paper a one-dimensional fluid model is presented for the deep structure of dip-slip fault zones in island arc areas where the oceanic crust appears to be moving downwards under the adjacent continents. A strongly temperature dependent viscosity confines velocity gradients to a narrow fault zone; within this zone viscous dissipation locally heats the fluid and reduces its viscosity. Given the slip velocity across the fault zone the temperature and rates of heat production predicted are in good agreement with observations; the heat production due to viscous heating explains the volcanic activity and high surface heat flux associated with island arc areas. Taking a reasonable value for the shear stress associated with the fault zone the predicted dimensions of the fault zone and heat flux away from the fault zone are in reasonable agreement with observation.
Catalyzed thermal decompositon of H2SO4 and production of HBr by the reaction of SO2 with Br2 and H2O

Abstract Decomposition of H2SO4 and production of HBr have been studied as a part of the research and development of the thermochemical hydrogen production from water. The catalytic activities of various metals and metal oxides on a porous alumina support were studied for the thermal decomposition of sulfuric acid in a fixed bed reactor. A Pt-Al2O3 catalyst gave a conversion of SO3 close to the equilibrium at temperatures from 1073 to 1173 K and at a space velocity below 10 000 h−1. It was also found that metal oxide catalysts such as CuO and Fe2O3 were as active as the Pt catalyst. To prepare SO2-free HBr gas by the reaction between SO2, Br2 and H2O, vapor-liquid equilibrium determinations for SO2/Br2/HBr/H2SO4/H2O system were carried out at 298 K under atmospheric pressure. The unconverted SO2 can be effectively removed by contacting the effluent gases with a HBr saturated aqueous solution containing an excess of Br2.
"Insightful" string-pulling in Grey parrots (Psittacus erithacus) is affected by vocal competence.

Four Grey parrots (Psittacus erithacus) were tested on their ability to obtain an item suspended from a string such that mutiple, repeated, coordinated beak–foot actions were required for success (e.g., Heinrich 1995). Those birds with little training in referential English requests (e.g. “I want X”) succeeded, whereas birds who could request the suspended item failed to obtain the object but engaged in repeated requesting.
Performance Prediction for Exponential Language Models

We investigate the task of performance prediction for language models belonging to the exponential family. First, we attempt to empirically discover a formula for predicting test set cross-entropy for n-gram language models. We build models over varying domains, data set sizes, and n-gram orders, and perform linear regression to see whether we can model test set performance as a simple function of training set performance and various model statistics. Remarkably, we find a simple relationship that predicts test set performance with a correlation of 0.9997. We analyze why this relationship holds and show that it holds for other exponential language models as well, including class-based models and minimum discrimination information models. Finally, we discuss how this relationship can be applied to improve language model performance.
Collocation of Macrophages and Mechanical Stress in Human Coronary Atherosclerotic Plaque

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death in the United States. One of the primary causes of CVD is atherosclerosis, a progressive disease that begins with the deposition of lipid on arterial walls to form plaque. Over time, some plaques progress to an unstable configuration that is vulnerable to rupture, while others remodel to more stable configurations. The factors directing plaque progression toward instability are poorly understood.Copyright © 2007 by ASME
Reciprocal Diffraction Relations between Circular and Elliptical Plates

Diffraction Patterns inside Elliptical Shadows Due to a Point Source of Light.\char22{}When a circular disc with its plane originally tangent to the light wave is rotated about an axis in its plane, the Arago spot changes to a figure with four cusps which move out along the axes of the elliptical shadow, two approaching the foci as limits and the other two going outside the shadow. These changes are shown by a set of photographs obtained with a disc 1.6 cm. diameter placed 2 meters from a pinhole 0.3 mm. in diameter and 5 meters from the photographic plate. The diffraction pattern was found to depend only on the ellipticity of the shadow whether produced by an ellipse or by an inclined disc. Each quadrant of the diffraction pattern was found to be associated with the quadrant of the shadow adjacent to it but on the opposite side of the major axis. Careful measurements of the photographs proves that in each case the diffraction pattern is the evolute of the geometrical shadow. The effect is as though each element of the edge of the shadow contributed a spot along its normal, the result being a caustic curve of diffraction.
Auditory thresholds in monkeys asphyxiated at birth

Abstract Thresholds to pure-tone stimuli were determined in eight normal monkeys and six monkeys that had been asphyxiated at the time of birth, using a two-way avoidance paradigm. Asphyxiated animals had elevated thresholds at each of the frequencies tested, 0.5, 1, 2, 4, and 8 kHz.
Conflicting figure--ground and depth information reduces moving phantom visibility.

Moving phantom visibility was measured in two experiments where the global figure-ground and depth relations within phantom-inducing patterns were manipulated. The local inducing environment where the illusion occurred was identical for all patterns. Phantom visibility was significantly reduced when occlusion cues specified the phantom-inducing parts of a pattern as ground. These results suggest conflicting figure – ground and depth information interferes with the representation and perception of phantoms as figure regions.
Operation of Trapatt Oscillators under Transient Ionizing Radiation Conditions

The performance of complementary (n+pp+) silicon TRAPATT diodes has been measured under transient ionizing radiation conditions in both evacuated and airfilled coaxial cavities. Twenty-five watt pulsed, 2.5 GHz oscillators were exposed to 100 nanosecond pulses of 10 MeV electrons at dose rates between 2 × 107 and 4 × 109 rads/sec. The RF power is unaffected below a critical dose rate, which is typically between 8 × 107 and 2 × 108 rads/sec. Above this critical dose rate the RF power is almost quenched entirely during the radiation pulse, but recovers to the original level within 50 nanoseconds afterwards for all dose rates used. Rapid recovery of original RF power levels occurred when the radiation pulse occurred at the initiation of the 300 nanosecond RF TRAPATT pulse, in the middle of the TRAPATT pulse, or during the decay of the TRAPATT pulse. The RF power during the radiation pulse is in agreement with a first order model of TRAPATT operation, in which the principal effect of the radiation pulse is a reduction in mobile charge generated by the avalanche shock front. The decreased mobile charge reduces the time required to remove the trapped plasma and the time necessary for recovery of the diode voltage, thereby decreasing TRAPATT power.
Capturing and reusing human attention in corporate decision making

Decision making in the corporate environment involves gathering, organizing, de-conflicting, and using fine-grained information from diverse sources and formats to evaluate scenarios and choose courses of action. Though the pertinent information is readily available, and is of human-manageable scale, it is typically not integrated and ready for use. Tools for organizing this information are scarce, in part because the desired structure is often not pre-defined or available in an existing ontology. We believe that superimposed information constructs can provide the means for gathering the necessary information in an on-demand structure, and preserving invested human attention as metadata represented by this structure. In this paper, we introduce a construct called a manifestation, along with the notion of collections of manifestations, to support entity-centric decisions based on the requirements and constraints of a corporate decision making environment.
Least squares adaptive polynomials

A concept of adaptive least squares polynomials is introduced for modelling time series data. A recursion algorithm for updating coefficients of the adaptive polynomial (of a fixed degree) is derived. This concept assumes that the weights w are such that i) the importance of the data values, in terms of their weights, relative to each other stays fixed, and that ii) they satisfy the update property, i.e., the polynomial does not change if a new data value is a polynomial extrapolate. Closed form results are provided for exponential weights as a special case as they are shown to possess the update property when used with polynomials. The concept of adaptive polynomials is similar to the linear adaptive prediction provided by the Kalman filter or the Least Mean Square algorithm of Widrow and Hoff. They can be useful in interpolating, tracking and analyzing nonstationary data.
Effects of Chemical Additions on the Hydration Rate of Fired Quicklime (CaO)

The effects of various oxide additions to specially prepared lime briquettes fired to 1625° and 1750°C. for 1- and 4-hour periods are described as rates of hydration of the final product. The tests indicated that Fe2O3 was most effective in the reduction of the hydration rate. The method of incorporating the additive also controlled this rate. The studies included 1% increments up to a total of 5% of the following materials: Fe2O3, Cr2O3, V2O5, MnO2, CoO, TiO2, NiO, and Ca(PO3)2. Other oxides used without any noticeable effects were MgO, ZnO, Tho2, ZrO2, and SnO2.
Response of the host vascular system to immunocompetent lymphocytes: effect of preimmunization of donor or host animals.

SummaryWe have previously shown that immunocompetent lymphocytes can induce angiogenesis following intradermal inoculation into allogeneic or semi-allogeneic host animals. Experiments are described demonstrating that preimmunization of donor animals leads to a specific increase in angiogenesis-inducing capacity of effector spleen cells, while preimmunization of host animals results in a selective, specific reduction in lymphocyte-induced vascular changes.The results are discussed in terms of the increasing evidence that lymphocyte-induced angiogenesis is mediated by soluble factors (lymphokines) released following lymphocyte activation.
The influence of static and RF field heterogeneity on T1rho cardiovascular MRI

Background Spin lock or T1rho MRI methods may be very useful for assessing myocardial disease. Recently, we reported that there is significant low field relaxation dispersion in myocardial and fibrotic scar tissue during in vivo T1rho MRI, contributing to contrast enhancement compared to spin echo (T2) MRI. However, we also observed that differences in magnetic field susceptibility between the heart and lung organs and poor RF penetration and field homogeneity in large patients and at 3 T contribute to T1rho quantification errors. Our goal was to determine the influence of static (B0 )a nd RF (B1) heterogeneity on in vivo myocardial T1rho quantification. Methods We performed simulations and experiments to explore how B0 and B1 field heterogeneity influences T1rho MRI. Tilted rotating frame (TRF) Bloch simulations were performed for a rotary-echo spin lock, varying field heterogeneity and spin lock duration (TSL = 2-50 ms, B1 = 60-140% nominal spin lock, and ΔB0 = -2-2 ppm at 1.5 T) with random Gaussian noise (s =1 -20% of initial magnetization). Phantom experiments were performed using a homogeneous H2O cylinder (MnCl2 = 0.016%). In vivo experiments were performed in Yorkshire swine (n = 5). Simulated phantom and in vivo images were derived from B0 and B1 maps using the TRF Bloch simulations and were correlated with experimental images at the same spin lock duration. Results We investigated the effect of field heterogeneity on measured T1rho relaxation times in simulations, phantom experiments and in vivo. T1rho artifacts were characterized by banding artifacts resulting from incomplete longitudinal restoration of the T1rho-prepared magnetization, leading to RF field heterogeneity and rotation about the effective field during the spin lock pulse. These artifacts were most prominent at the LV posterolateral wall where significant static field heterogeneity (± 200 Hz) could result in nutation about an effective field oriented away from the idealized spin lock axis. In vivo results correlated well with simulations and phantoms experiments. Measured T1rho relaxation times in the three identical compartments were constant in the homogeneous B0 field and in the 50 mT/m field gradient in which the B0 field was less than 50 Hz off-resonance. Noticeable variations were observed at 100 Hz off-resonance (100 mT/m gradient). The B0 field in vivo is much less homogeneous than that for the phantom; therefore the T1rho images show much more complex patterns (Figure 1C). Mean B0 and B1 field over the left ventricle in the short axis view of the pig heart in vivo are in ranged -85.14 to 34.7 Hz and 244.30 to 361.87 Hz respectively with 95% confidence interval. Conclusions Spin lock artifacts were the result of static field heterogeneity predominantly confined to the left ventricular posterolateral wall. Static field heterogeneity should be reduced to less than 10% of the spin lock field amplitude to minimize T1rho quantification errors.
Electron beam excitation of vacuum ultra-violet lasers

Abstract Since the hydrogen laser near 160 nm was reported in 1970, there has been dramatic progress in the development of sources of coherent light in the vacuum ultra-violet (V.U.V.). This review will discuss recent experimental work and relevant basic physical principles of V.U.V. lasers. It is a consequence of the requirement for high-power excitation that high-current relativistic electron beams have been utilized most successfully for pumping V.U.V. lasers. Thus there is a significant interest in elucidating the kinetic details of the formation and decay of the excited species from which laser action has been observed. The hydrogen, carbon monoxide and noble gas molecular dissociation lasers are described in terms of the experimental configurations employed and their kinetic spectroscopy. The maximum power levels reported are ⩾10 2 kW cm −2 in Lyman band of hydrogen (6) , 4·8 kW cm −2 in the Werner band of deuterium (11) , at 90 K, 15 W cm −2 in carbon monoxide (27) and 60 MW cm −2 in xenon (39) . Details of the recently developed high-power, tunable xenon laser (61) are also presented. An account of coherent radiation in the V.U.V. obtained through harmonic generation is included as an integral part of the future potential of V.U.V. spectroscopy. It is hoped that this review will stimulate further investigation of the photophysical properties of present and future laser systems excited by ionizing radiation.
Beyond the Classroom: An Exploratory Study of Out-Of-Class Learning in Sociology

In this article, we report on a study about the experiences of graduating sociology majors with out-of-class learning opportunities (OOCLO). Research questions included the following: (1) What is the nature of participation in out-of-class learning for our sociology majors? (2) What barriers do students see to engaging in such experiences? (3) What supports for involvement do students recognize? (4) What are students' overall attitudes about OOCLO? (5) What variables are associated with participation in OOCLO? All students from one medium-sized, public, Midwestern university who were enrolled in the required sociology senior experience course in one academic year were given the self-administered questionnaire. Results indicate most students participate most frequently in OOCLO that involve low student initiative, effort, and commitment. Lack of time is reported as a critical barrier to participation. Factors viewed as key supports for participation include convenient/spare time, useful and interesting act...
Size of Corneal Topographic Effective Optical Zone: Comparison of Standard and Customized Myopic Laser In Situ Keratomileusis

Purpose To investigate the corneal topographic effective optical zone (EOZ) in eyes after wavefront-guided myopic laser in situ keratomileusis (LASIK) and to compare them with the EOZ after standard LASIK. Design Retrospective, case-control study. Methods We evaluated the corneal topographic maps of 41 eyes of 25 consecutive patients who had CustomVue LASIK (CV LASIK) and 41 eyes of 23 patients who had standard LASIK with correction up to − 7 diopters using the VISX Star S4 laser (VISX Inc, Santa Clara, California, USA). On the refractive map of the Humphrey Topography System, we defined the EOZ as the area outlined by a change of corneal power of 0.5 diopters from the power at the center of the pupil. We analyzed the differences in EOZs of the two ablation patterns and the correlation between EOZ and magnitude of refractive correction. Results The mean postoperative EOZs were 17.9 ± 3.7 mm 2 and 11.4 ± 3.4 mm 2 after CV and standard LASIK, representing 60% and 40% of the laser-programmed optical zones, respectively (both P P > .05). In eyes with spherical correction (cylinder ≤0.25 diopters), CV LASIK increased the preoperative EOZ by 3.8 ± 5.6 mm 2 ( P = .018), whereas standard LASIK decreased EOZ by 4.5 ± 5.2 mm 2 ( P = .005). Conclusion CV LASIK created larger corneal topographic EOZs than standard ablation. In eyes with spherical correction, the preoperative EOZ was expanded by CV LASIK and reduced by standard LASIK.
Structure and stability of duplex DNA containing the 3-(deoxyguanosin-N2-yl)-2-acetylaminofluorene (dG(N2)-AAF) lesion: a bulky adduct that persists in cellular DNA.

The carcinogenic environmental pollutant 2-nitrofluorene produces several DNA adducts including the minor 3-(deoxyguanosin-N2-yl)-2-acetylaminofluorene (dG(N2)-AAF) lesion, which persists for long times in rat tissue DNA after discontinuation of carcinogen administration. Here, we present the solution structure of a dG(N2)-AAF duplex as determined by NMR spectroscopy and restrained molecular dynamics. The data establish a regular right-handed conformation with Watson−Crick base pair alignments throughout the duplex. The AAF moiety resides in the minor grove of the helix with its long axis directed toward the 5‘-end of the modified strand. Restrained molecular dynamics shows that the duplex structure adjusts to the AAF lesion, reducing its exposure to water molecules. Analysis of UV melting profiles shows that the presence of dG(N2)-AAF increases the thermal and thermodynamic stability of duplex DNA, an effect that is driven by a favorable entropy. The structure and stability of the dG(N2)-AAF duplex have ...
Effects of Swirl and Skew Upon Supersonic Wall Jet in Crossflow

The results of an experimental investigation of the effects of swirl and skew on the mixing of a supersonic light gas jet injected from a e at wall into a supersonic airstream are presented. Tests were at nominally equal injectant masse owrate, totalpressure,andinjectornozzleexitstaticpressure. Data includesurveysofcross-sectionalplanes of the e ow for several different cases of swirl and skew using cone static pressure, pitot, stagnation temperature, and gas sampling probes (with gas analysis system ). The results are analyzed to determine mixing efe ciency and lateral motions of the center of the injectant plume. The effect of combined swirl and skew on injectant mixing is to slightly increase mixing in the near e eld of injection, but there is little effect of either swirl or skew on mixing far downstream. Both swirl and skew slightly reduce penetration.
1.55-μm long-span fiber optic distributed temperature sensor

Distributed temperature sensors which utilize Raman scattering effects in optical fibers have been widely developed and used in actual applications [1] [2]. Possible applications include temperature monitoring for power cables or pipe lines. It is highly desirable to expand measurable distance with maintaining measurement accuracy.
Ultrasonic propagation and damage sensing in a bonded PMC/SiC-Foam

The nondestructive evaluation of hybrid material systems is a challenging problem, where very different materials are often combined to enhance performance. In the present application, the bondline integrity of a sandwich structure is of interest, where two polymer matrix composite (PMC) facesheets are bonded to an insulating silicon carbide (SiC) foam interior. The propagation of ultrasound within the PMC-SiC Foam sandwich structure was studied using bonded PZT ultrasound sensing and scanning laser vibrometry, where wave propagation and scattering processes were evaluated for damaged and non-damaged SiC foam cases. The material system included two, 1-millimeter thick PMC facesheets bonded to a 14-millimeter thick SiC foam, where the sample had been subjected to a 4-point bend experiment, which generated a localized 45-degree crack in the SiC foam and a fracture of the PMC-SiC foam interface. The scanning laser vibrometry measurements were taken along the side profile of the layered material system, which permitted the visualization and study of propagating elastic wave energy through the thickness of the PMC-SiC-foam material system.
Optical cryptographic system employing multiple reference-based joint transform correlation technique

An optical joint transform correlation-based cryptographic system is a used to feed multiple phase-shifted encryption keys into four parallel channels along with a to-be-encrypted signal in the form of an image. The resulting joint power spectra (JPS) signals are phase-shifted and then combined to yield a modified JPS signal. Inverse Fourier transformation of the modified JPS signal yields the secured encrypted image. For decryption purpose, the received encrypted signal is first Fourier transformed and multiplied by the encryption key used in encryption. The derived signal is then inverse Fourier transformed to generate the output signal. The proposed system offers a nonlinear encryption without the involvement of any complex mathematical operation on the encryption key otherwise required in similar encryption techniques and is invariant to noise. Computer simulation results are presented to show the effectiveness of the proposed scheme with binary, as well as gray images in both noise-free and noisy environment.
Potential applications for RNAi to probe pathogenesis and develop new treatments for ocular disorders.

The eye is a relatively isolated tissue compartment, which provides advantages for utilization of small interfering RNA (siRNA). Feasibility of using siRNA for treatment of choroidal neovascularization has been demonstrated using siRNA directed against vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) or VEGF receptor 1 (VEGFR1), and both of these approaches are being tested in clinical trials. The results with VEGFR1 siRNA show that VEGFR1 is proangiogenic in the eye and is not a decoy receptor as it is in developmental angiogenesis. Topical delivery of siRNAs directed against VEGF or its receptors has also been shown to suppress corneal neovascularization. Signaling through transforming growth factor-β receptor 2 (TGFβR2) has been implicated in excessive ocular scarring and TGFβR2 siRNA has shown benefit in a model relevant to excessive scarring after glaucoma filtration surgery. RNAi has been used to identify genes that promote apoptosis or oxidative damage in retinal cells and could be the basis of new treatments for glaucoma or photoreceptor degenerations. In cultured cells derived from ocular tissues, siRNA has become a valuable tool to explore the potential role of various genes in ocular disease processes. Based upon this early experience in vivo and in vitro, it appears that siRNAs may be valuable to help define the pathogenesis and develop new treatments for several ocular diseases.
Constrained modeling for spectroscopic measurement of bi-exponential spin-lattice relaxation of water in vivo.

Abstract The 1 H NMR water signal from spectroscopic voxels localized in gray matter contains contributions from tissue and cerebral spinal fluid (CSF). A typically weak CSF signal at short echo times makes separating the tissue and CSF spin-lattice relaxation times (T 1 ) difficult, often yielding poor precision in a bi-exponential relaxation model. Simulations show that reducing the variables in the T 1 model by using known signal intensity values significantly improves the precision of the T 1 measurement. The method was validated on studies on eight healthy subjects (four males and four females, mean age 21 ± 2 years) through a total of twenty-four spectroscopic relaxation studies. Each study included both T 1 and spin-spin relaxation (T 2 ) experiments. All volumes were localized along the Sylvian fissure using a stimulated echo localization technique with a mixing time of 10 ms. The T 2 experiment consisted of 16 stimulated echo acquisitions ranging from a minimum echo time (TE) of 20 ms to a maximum of 1000 ms, with a repetition time of 12 s. All T 1 experiments consisted of 16 stimulated echo acquisition, using a homospoil saturation recovery technique with a minimum recovery time of 50 ms and a maximum 12 s. The results of the T 2 measurements provided the signal intensity values used in the bi-exponential T 1 model. The mean T 1 values when the signal intensities were constrained by the T 2 results were 1055.4 ms ± 7.4% for tissue and 5393.5 ms ± 59% for CSF. When the signal intensities remained free variables in the model, the mean T 1 values were 1085 ms ± 19.4% and 5038.8 ms ± 113.0% for tissue and CSF, respectively. The resulting improvement in precision allows the water tissue T 1 value to be included in the spectroscopic characterization of brain tissue.
Continuity and Change in Cognitive Ability Profile

This paper focuses on continuity and change in cognitive ability profile, as represented by the pattern of subtest scores obtained on the Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence (WPPSI) and Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (WISC) during middle childhood. A large number of twins have been tested annually in a longitudinal study, and their scores were evaluated for age-to-age consistency and for withinpair concordance. The following questions were addressed: (1) Does each child display a consistent pattern of subtest scores from age to age? (2) How can genuine transformations in the cognitive profile be separated from measurement error? (3) Do twins match one another for cognitive profile and for systematic changes over ages? The results showed that Verbal IQ scores and Performance IQ scores were more reliable than subtest scores, and the systematic effects of age-to-age consistency and twin concordance were more strongly represented in the V-IQ and P-IQ scores. Within the limits of subtest reliability, however, the cognitive profile was consistently reproduced over ages and was displayed in common by monozygotic (MZ) twins. Some systematic changes in the cognitive profile were detected over longer intervals from childhood to adolescence. Genetic influences were apparent for both continuity and change, although continuity played the more prominent role. The results also confirmed that a high test-retest reliability was a prime requisite for extracting the systematic variance attributable to continuity and change in cognitive ability profile.
Effect of feeding schedule on apparent energy and amino acid digestibility by growing pigs

Abstract An experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of feeding schedule on dry matter (DM), gross energy (GE), crude protein (CP), and amino acid (AA) digestibility by growing pigs. Six growing castrates (initial body weight: 40.5 ± 2.25 kg) were equipped with a T-cannula in the distal ileum and allotted to a repeated 3 × 3 Latin square design with three animals and three periods in each square. A maize–soybean meal based diet (181 g CP/kg) was formulated and fed to the pigs in three different feeding schedules; i.e. , one meal per day, two meals per day, or free access to feed. Pigs fed one or two meals per day were allotted a daily amount of feed equivalent to three times the maintenance energy requirement. Fecal and ileal samples were collected from all pigs in each period. The coefficients of ileal apparent digestibility (CIAD) for DM, GE, CP, and AA were calculated as were the coefficients of total tract apparent digestibility (CTTAD) of DM and GE. Results of the experiment showed that there were no differences in the CIAD for DM, GE, or for any of the AA among the three feeding schedules. In contrast, pigs given free access to the diet had lower (P versus 14.83 MJ/kg and 15.13 MJ/kg). It is concluded that the feeding schedule does not influence the CIAD for DM, GE, CP, or AA by pigs. Therefore, any of the three feeding schedules that were used in the current experiment may be used in experiments aimed at measuring CIAD in pigs. However, if the CTTAD of DM and GE are measured, it is recommended that pigs are given free access to feed.
A Review of Developmental Networks Incorporating a Mutuality Perspective

During the past decade, mentoring research has broadened from its traditional dyadic perspective to examine the support provided by a “developmental network.” This article reviews the literature on developmental networks—groups of people who take an active interest in and action toward advancing a protege’s career. Building on positive organizational scholarship (POS) research on high-quality connections and relationships, the authors propose that a “mutuality perspective,” or taking the viewpoints of all members of the developmental network into account, is a notable gap in developmental network research. They apply this perspective to developmental networks research and discuss implications and avenues for future inquiry. As part of their review, the authors clarify the boundaries of the developmental network construct. They also identify and discuss four research streams that encompass extant studies of developmental networks. This article extends previous reviews of the broad field of dyadic mentoring...
Differential turnover of syntaxin and SNAP‐25 during synaptogenesis in cultured cerebellar granule neurons

In order to investigate the molecular mechanism underlying synaptogenesis, we examined the dynamics and stability of syntaxin 1A and SNAP-25 in cultured cerebellar granule cells. In neurons cultured for less than 5 days in vitro (DIV), syntaxin was highly expressed with a half-life of >48 hours. SNAP-25 was also expressed at 5 DIV, but at a lower level and with a much shorter half-life of 16 hours. As the neurons matured and established synpatic connections, the expression of both proteins increased steadily, with the more rapid increase between 5 DIV and 8 DIV associated with SNAP-25. The half-life of syntaxin was slightly increased in the mature neurons. SNAP-25, however, showed an increased half-life of about 35 hours. These results suggested that the dynamics and stability of the t-SNAREs are differentially modulated during synaptogenesis, which may be important in establishing and maintaining synaptic connections.
Solvent suppression in proton NMR by the use of oxygen-17-enriched water

Abstract The use of oxygen-l7-enriched water as a relaxation agent provides a convenient means to suppress the water peak in proton NMR spectra. Results of using oxygen-I7-enriched water to study the proton NMR of an aqueous solution of angiotensin 11 acetate are presented. The Carr-Purcell-Meiboom-Gill (CPMG) sequence is used to attenuate the water peak, and all solute peaks are observed without interference. For 2D experiments, the CPMG spin-echo train is inserted after the first 90° pulse, and excellent 2D COSY, NOESY, and ROESY spectra have been obtained. A comparison of various water-suppression methods and the advantages of using oxygen-l7-enriched water as a relaxation agent are discussed.
Two-photon photoionization of the Ca 4s3d 1 D 2 level in an optical dipole trap

We report an optical dipole trap for calcium. The trap is created by focusing a $488\text{\ensuremath{-}}\mathrm{nm}$ argon-ion laser beam into a calcium magneto-optical trap. The argon-ion laser photoionizes atoms in the trap because of a near-resonance with the $4s4f\phantom{\rule{0.2em}{0ex}}^{1}F_{3}$ level. By measuring the dipole-trap decay rate as a function of argon-ion laser intensity, we determine the $^{1}F_{3}$ photoionization cross section at our wavelength to be approximately $230\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}\mathrm{Mb}$.
Pharmacokinetics of the newer antidepressants: Clinical relevance

The newer antidepressants are a diverse group of compounds with distinct pharmacokinetic properties. The selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs)--paroxetine, sertraline, and fluvoxamine--have elimination half-lives of 15-26 hours. The extended half-life of fluoxetine (4-6 days) and its active metabolite, norfluoxetine (4-16 days), results in an extended time to steady-state and a prolonged washout period when dosing is discontinued. The SSRIs are administered as a single daily dose. Venlafaxine and nefazodone have short half-lives, 2-5 hours, and are dosed > or = 2 times daily. The newer antidepressants are all highly cleared from the body through hepatic metabolism. The biotransformation of all the drugs except paroxetine and fluvoxamine results in the formation of pharmacologically active metabolites. The newer antidepressants display a broad variability similar to the tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs) in steady-state drug concentrations. Due largely to a safer toxicity profile, the variability in clearance is of lesser importance with the newer antidepressants than with the TCAs. No useable concentration versus therapeutic effect relationship has been found with the newer drugs, and widely varying concentrations appear to have little relationship to adverse effects. Knowledge of kinetic characteristics is important for designing dosage regimens and avoiding potentially serious drug-drug interactions that are mediated through inhibition of specific hepatic cytochrome P450 enzyme pathways. Each of the SSRIs inhibits at least one cytochrome P450 enzyme, and all of the SSRIs increase serum concentrations of concomitantly administered TCAs.
Ergonomics International News and Information—May 1987

(1987). Ergonomics International News and Information—May 1987. Ergonomics: Vol. 30, No. 5, pp. 857-869.