cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Dziga Vertov's Soviet Toys: Commerce, Commercialization and Cartoons

AbstractDziga Vertov is often described as an avant-garde artist, a film poet and a documentary film-maker; only rarely is he described as an animator. Drawing on the definition of animation by Norman McLaren, this article suggests a possible re-examination of Vertov's early work in terms of animation history. If we allow that the essence of animation is what lies between the frames of the film, then we can see the parallels between animation and the ‘between-the-frame’ issues that occupied Vertov in his film theory, in his technique and in his film production. My argument concentrates on Vertov's early work in Kinopravda, and also his fully animated film, Soviet Toys (Sovetskie igrushki, 1924). This article considers Vertov's use of theory and techniques, which link Soviet Toys to Kinopravda as well as his use of political events in Soviet Toys inspired by the political cartoonist Viktor Deni. Examining Vertov's animated film provides a deeper understanding of Vertov's early work and also a more thorough...
Techniques for optimal compaction of pictures and maps

Abstract The representation of pictures and maps by piecewise linear surfaces is discussed, Three methods are compared: Run length encoding, description of regions by chain encoding of their boundaries, and description of regions by the vertices of polygonal approximations of their boundaries. The nature of the data determines which is the best method. However, run length encoding seems to be superior for pictures of high detail. Significant increase in compaction ratios is not achieved till one uses polygonal approximations of boundaries, if then. A mixture of the first and the third method can be used to offer an adaptive optimization of the representation.
Characteristics of Time-Optimal Commands for Flexible Structures with Limited Fuel Usage

A mathematical justi cation is provided for time-optimal and fuel-ef cient controllers based on analysis of the switching function for the control. That some symmetry properties of time-optimal commands, which are known to hold for undamped  exible structures, remain valid in the presence of fuel constraints is demonstrated. These properties, however, do not hold for robust time-optimal commandswith speci ed fuel.
The Literary Fantastic in African and English Literature

In her article "The Literary Fantastic in African and English Literature," Terri Ochiagha begins with pointing out that in his Introduction a la literature fantastique, Tzvetan Todorov proposed the theoretical frameworks he believed should be the basis of the identification and analysis of a literary work as fantastic. While Todorov's text is only one of the many treatises on the fantastic in literary scholarship, in most of these African prose is seldom a subject of exemplification or analysis. In the rare instances in which such texts are mentioned, they are often and hastily classified as magic realism. Ochiagha posits whether all African writings can be categorized under this concept and postulates that despite the overbearing influence of Western literature and scholarship, African texts should not be categorized by the "fantastic" imprint. Instead, Ochiagha argues for the inclusion of "other" literary texts in the genre of the literary fantastic with an approach that pays close attention to Western as well as Non-Western conventions in the production of this genre. To illustrate her postulates, Ochiagha focuses on Bronte's Wuthering Heights and Amadi's The Concubine. Terri Ochiagha, "The Literary Fantastic in African and English Literature" page 2 of 8 CLCWeb: Comparative Literature and Culture 10.4 (2008): Thematic issue New Studies on the Fantastic in Literature. Ed. Asuncion Lopez-Varela
Staff perceptions of successful management of severe behavioral problems in dementia special care units

Factors that promote successful management of persons with severe behavioral problems in special care units (SCUs) for dementia were evaluated. Using qualitative data from staff interviews conducted in 36 nursing home SCUs, the study examined the relationships among demographic and behavioral characteristics of 70 residents, management techniques of the staff, and family participation in the management of persons with severe behavioral problems. Problem behaviors were often managed successfully in SCUs, although unpredictable aggression was particularly difficult to control and was a common reason for discharge. Use of multiple non-pharmacological techniques was associated with a greater likelihood of successful management, and physical restraints were used as a last resort. SCU staff members also reported that large, physically aggressive men and residents with real or suspected psychiatric comorbidity were especially difficult to manage. Finally, family involvement and support were critical to resident success and often buffered against resident discharge.
Propagation of Electromagnetic Waves in a Slab With Negative Permittivity and Negative Permeability - Abstract

In this paper, we study the electromagnetic fields propagating through a slab which permittivity and permeability are simultaneously negative. We show that symmetry properties of the wave solution remove all ambiguity in the choice of the sign of the wave numbers inside the slab. Upon developing the Green's functions in terms of plane waves, growing "evanescent" waves in the direction of power flow are shown to exist inside the slab. As an illustration, the perfect imaging property of a slab where ∈1 = -∈0 and μ1 = -μ0 is verified.
Isolation of alveolar type II cells by centrifugal elutriation.

Centrifugal elutriation (counterflow centrifugation) was used to develop a reproducible method for obtaining a nearly pure population of isolated alveolar type II cells. Lung was dissociated into individual cells with recrystallized trypsin, and the type II cells were partially purified by centrifugation on a discontinuous density gradient. The alveolar type II cells were finally purified by centrifugal elutriation. Cells were collected from the elutriator rotor by stepwise increases in flow rates. Cells obtained at flow rates of 7 and 14 ml per min were lymphocytes, other small cells, a few type II cells and cell debris; cells collected at flow rates of 18 and 22 ml per min were mainly type II cells; and cells collected at flow rates of 28, 34 and 43 ml per min were macrophages, some type II cells, other lung cells and cell aggregates. At flow rates of 18 and 22 ml per min, 1.9±1.0×106 cells per rat lung (mean±S.D.,n=30) were recovered of which 86±6% were type II cells. At these flow rates, 94% of the cells excluded the vital dye erythrosin B from their cytoplasm. They consumed oxygen at a rate of 101±21 nmol per hr·106 cells (mean±S.D.,n=4), and their oxygen consumption increased only 10% after 10mm sodium succinate was added. The cells incorporated [14C]leucine into protein and lipid for 4 hr. Electron micrographs of the cells collected at flow rates of 18 and 22 ml per min show a high percentage of morphologically intact alveolar type II cells. We conclude that centrifugal elutriation is a reproducible method for obtaining nearly pure, metabolically active alveolar type II cells.
Novel effect of aromatic compounds on the iron-dependent expression of the Escherichia coli K12 manganese superoxide dismutase (sodA) gene.

InEscherichia coli, the superoxide dismutase genes (sodA andsodB) sense the availability of Fe through the action of thefur locus [E. C. Niederhoffer, C. M. Naranjo, K. L. Bradley, J. A. Fee (1990) Control ofEscherichia coli superoxide dismutases (sodA andsodB) genes by the ferric uptake regulation (fur) locus,J. Bacteriol. 172, 1930–1938]. Previous work from other laboratories has shown that a variety of metal chelators and of redox-active aromatic compounds can dramatically induce expression ofsodA. Here we show that non-redox-active, non-metal-chelating aromatic compounds also enhance expression of a chromosomalsodA gene fusion and that these effects are strongly modulated by the Fur phenotype (Fur±) and by the availability of iron in the culture medium. The compounds studied were ethidium bromide, hemin, 2,2′-bipyridine, 1,10-phenantroline, 4,7-phenantroline, rhodamine B1, rhodamine 6G, and, for comparison to previous studies, Paraquat.
Cost of fairness in disease spread control

This article studies the cost of fairness in designing controls (allocating resources) to mitigate disease spread, in the context of canonical network models for spread. Specifically, the performance of an optimal design in terms of the reduction in spread rate is compared with that of a fair one: an algebraic bound on the difference in performance (or cost of fairness) is obtained, and this bound is further characterized in the case that the spread topology is specially structured (e.g., a regular or random graph).
Nifedipine, but not propranolol, improves left ventricular systolic and diastolic function in patients with hypertension

The effects of nifedipine and propranolol on cardiac function both at rest and at peak exercise were compared in 22 hypertensive patients whose diastolic blood pressures remained in excess of 95 mm Hg despite diuretic therapy. In this double-blind, placebo-controlled study, left ventricular systolic and diastolic function at rest and at peak exercise during bicycle ergometry was assessed by first-pass radionuclide angiography using the Baird Scinticor before and after treatment with either nifedipine or propranolol. Both agents effectively reduced blood pressure in the supine and upright positions and at peak exercise. Nifedipine was associated with a significant increase in cardiac output and stroke volume at rest and at peak exercise, while propranolol decreased cardiac output at rest and at peak exercise. Systemic vascular resistance decreased with nifedipine treatment at rest and at peak exercise, but increased significantly with propranolol. Nifedipine increased ejection fraction in patients at rest and also increased maximal oxygen consumption at peak exercise, while propranolol decreased maximal oxygen consumption at peak exercise. At rest and at peak exercise, nifedipine increased peak filling rate, but time to peak filling rate was not affected by either drug. The fraction of total diastolic filling at the midpoint of diastole was significantly increased by nifedipine therapy at rest but was not affected by propranolol therapy. Nifedipine significantly decreased atrial filling volume while propranolol had no effect. Propranolol therapy did not result in any improvement in left ventricular function. In contrast, nifedipine improved left ventricular systolic and diastolic function at rest and peak exercise. Future selection of an antihypertensive agent should include consideration of the impact of therapy on left ventricular function.
A Converging Wall-Jet Instrument for Ion Selective Electrode Dynamic Response Studies

Abstract Ion selective electrodes are used to conduct real-time measurements of gaseous thermal degradation products from halon replacement experiments. Response characteristics of these ion selective electrodes are needed to address potential interferences and surface poisoning experienced under field conditions. The design and the fabrication of an in situ, converging wall-jet instrument for the measurement of the dynamic responses of ion selective electrodes are described. Various time delays associated with the generation and detection of ion activity steps have been quantitatively determined. Dynamic response measurements for iodide steps on a Corning iodide/cyanide ion selective electrode are comparable to those obtained on the best of the earlier instrument designs, the in situ, switched wall-jet instrument. The advantages of the converging wall-jet instrument over the switched wall-jet instrument are identified.
Pendulum Heart in Congenital Absence of the Pericardium

A 20-year-old man with pectus excavatum status after GORE-TEX mesh placement presented because of symptomatic dyspnea on exertion and stabbing chest pain. On physical examination, mild residual pectus excavatum and laterally displaced apical impulse were observed, with otherwise normal physical examination results. An ECG showed right axis deviation with incomplete right bundle branch block and poor R wave progression in the precordial leads (Figure 1A). Chest x-ray showed leftward position of the heart and flattening and elongation of the left heart border. A lucent area between the aorta and pulmonary artery secondary to lung interposition was noticed (Figure 1B). Figure 1. A, ECG showing right axis deviation with incomplete right bundle branch block and poor R wave progression in the precordial leads. B, Chest radiograph showing leftward position of the heart, flattening and elongation of left heart border (“Snoopy sign”), and a lucent area between the aorta and pulmonary artery secondary to lung interposition (white arrow). The patient was referred for stress echocardiography for …
Comparison of minimum spanning tree reordering with bias-adjusted reordering for lossless compression of 3D ultraspectral sounder data

The ultraspectral sounder data features strong correlations in disjoint spectral regions due to the same type of absorbing gases. This paper compares the compression performance of two robust data preprocessing schemes, namely Bias-Adjusted reordering (BAR) and Minimum Spanning Tree (MST) reordering, in the context of entropy coding. Both schemes can take advantage of the strong correlations for achieving higher compression gains. The compression methods consist of the BAR or MST preprocessing schemes followed by linear prediction with context-free or context-based arithmetic coding (AC). Compression experiments on the NASA AIRS ultraspectral sounder data set show that MST without bias-adjustment produces lower compression ratios than BAR and bias-adjusted MST for both context-free and context-based AC. Biasadjusted MST outperforms BAR for context-free arithmetic coding, whereas BAR outperforms MST for context-based arithmetic coding. BAR with context-based AC yields the highest average compression ratios in comparison to MST with context-free or context-based AC.
Deoxygenation of biomass-derived feedstocks: hurdles and opportunities.

A funda-mental challenge in the conversion of biomass into tailor-made fuels is the high oxygen content of saccharides, themajor component of cellulose.Polyols are a suitable feedstock for the selective transforma-tion of biomass into chemicals. They can be produced by hy-drogenation of sugars and cellulose; however, cellulose gener-ally exhibits poor solubility in organic solvents. In addition thechemical manipulation of polyols remains difficult due to ther-mal instability. Thus, efficient deoxygenation reactions ofsugars and sugar derivatives are essential. Current biomassconversion methods are dominated by high-temperature py-rolysis,
Measurement of the H3+ destruction rate due to ambipolar diffusion in an AC positive column discharge

Abstract We have developed a method to observe the destruction rate of H3+ in the positive column, which is limited by ambipolar diffusion. This method is based on the competition between the ambipolar diffusion rate and destruction rate by added impurities. The decrease of a velocity modulated H3+ absorption signal was studied when small amounts of CH4, N2, and CO were added to a pure hydrogen AC positive column discharge. The destruction rate constant of H3+ due to ambipolar diffusion was then obtained using a steady-state model and previously reported ion-neutral reaction rate constants.
The separation and identification of fractions of nonmyelinated axons from the cerebellum of the cat.

Fractionation of the cat cerebellum has revealed that the parallel fibers of the cerebellar cortex break into two types of fragments which can be recognized in thin sections and in suspensions of negatively stained material. Fragmented material correlates well with electron micrographs of parallel fibers in situ. Parallel fiber axons and their bulbous presynaptic expansions sediment mainly into two subfractions. One unique layer consists of the intersynaptic tubular pieces of parallel fiber axons. Another layer is enriched in the synaptic portions which make contact with Purkinje spines. The possible contaminants of these fractions are discussed. These fractions may permit analysis of the chemical organization of conducting vis a vis synaptic membranes from a known anatomical source.
Information acquisition and fusion in the Mobile Perception Laboratory

The University of Massachusetts Mobile perception Laboratory (MPL) is an autonomous outdoor vehicle, similar to CMU's NAVLAB II, that was built by UMass as an experimental testbed for high-level computer vision. Our goal in developing MPL is the integration of many of the vision algorithms developed over the past decade, at UMass and elsewhere, into a system which is capable of exhibiting useful goal-oriented autonomous navigation in real- world scenarios. To accomplish such high-level tasks, MPL has to acquire many types of information about its environment, not all of it image related. Rather than performing sensor level fusion of the image data, we have focused on the types of information required and the representations needed to express them. The problem, as we see it, is to integrate the information needed for a specific task (using task-specific and general constraints) by combining the appropriate representations at the appropriate time, whether they are derived from different sensors or from different interpretation techniques applied to a single sensor. We refer to this task as information fusion, rather than sensor fusion.
An efficient, direct finite difference method for computing sound propagation in arbitrarily shaped two-dimensional and axisymmetric ducts without flow

An efficient, direct finite difference method is presented for computing sound propagation in non-stepped two-dimensional and axisymmetric ducts of arbitrarily varying cross section without mean flow. The method is not restricted by axial variation of acoustic impedance of the duct wall linings. The non-uniform two-dimensional or axisymmetric duct is conformally mapped numerically into a rectangular or cylindrical computational domain using a new procedure based on a method of fast direct solution of the Cauchy-Riemann equations. The resulting Helmholtz equation in the computational domain is separable. The solution to the governing equation and boundary conditions is expressed as a linear combination of fundamental solutions. The fundamental solutions are computed only once for each duct shape by means of the fast direct cyclic reduction method for the discrete solution of separable elliptic equations. Numerical results for several examples are presented to show the applicability and efficiency of the method.
Pain and suffering.

It is suffering, not pain, that brings patients into doctor's offices in hopes of finding relief. Astounding developments in our understanding of the mechanisms of nociception should not cause us to lose sight of our patients' goals. Chronic pain is far more than a sensory process. We must maintain the biopsychosocial model of chronic pain if we are to provide effective health care to our patients. Understanding the components of pain facilitates this goal. Suffering is an emergent property of the human brain and is dependent upon consciousness. It too is worthy of study by scientists and of concern to clinicians.
Knowledge management and advanced nursing education

Abstract Knowledge management is not a new term in the business literature, but for most graduate nursing programs and practice sites, this concept/educational approach is foreign. As schools of nursing move closer to a business model, it is necessary to embrace some of the strategies our industrial partners are using. What is knowledge management? Is it an innovative educational approach that nurse educators should consider, or is it just another fad in business that nurses can ignore? This article will address these questions and offer the hypothesis that knowledge management is the wave of the future in nursing education to facilitate transition into the 21st century. Knowledge management is an approach that prepares the advanced practice nurse for the ever-changing health care environment in which care is rendered. It is a tool that will help a nurse to work more smartly, efficiently, and cost-effectively. Competency-based curriculum will be linked with knowledge management, as the emphasis today is on outcomes of our educational programs. Copyright © 2001 by W.B. Saunders Company
Alcohol interaction with high entropy states of macromolecules: critical temperature hypothesis for anesthesia cutoff.

Abstract Nerve excitation generates heat and decreases the entropy (review by Ritchie and Keynes (1985) Q. Rev. Biophys. 18, 451–476). The data suggest the existence of at least two thermodynamically identifiable states: resting and excited, with a thermotropic transition between the two. We envision that nerve excitation is a transition between the two states of the excitation machinery consisting of proteins and lipids, rather than the sodium channel protein alone. Presumably, both proteins and lipids change their conformation at excitation. We proposed et al. (1991) Ann. N.Y. Acad. Sci. 625, 315–317) that anesthesia occurs when compounds have a higher affinity to the resting state than to the excited state of excitable membranes, and that there is a critical temperature above with the affinity to the excited state becomes greater than to the resting state. When the temperature exceeds this critical level, compounds lose their anesthetic potency. We used thermotropic phase-transition of macromolecules as a model for the excitation process. Anesthetic alcohols decreased the main transition temperature of dipalmitoypphosphatidyl-choline (DPPC) membranes and also the temperature of the α-helix to β-sheet transition of poly( l -lysine). The affinity of alcohols to the high- and low-temperature states to the DPPC membranes were separately estimated. The difference in the affinity of n-alcohols to the liquid (high-temperature) and solid (low-temperature) states correlated with their anesthetic potency. It is not the total number of bound anesthetic molecules that determines the anesthesia, rather, the difference in the affinity between the higher and lower entropy states determine the effects. The critical temperatures of the long-chain alcohols were found to be lower than those of the short-chain alcohols. Cutoff occurs when the critical temperature of long-chain alcohols is below the physiological temperature, such that the anesthetic potency is not manifested in the experimental temperature range.
Epidemiologic studies on dietary fats and coronary heart disease

The results of large prospective epidemiologic investigations support the hypothesis that coronary disease risk depends on the quality rather than quantity of dietary fat. Whereas saturated fat and cholesterol appear to increase the risk of coronary heart disease (CHD) as predicted by their effects on blood lipids, strong evidence has emerged that the deleterious effects of trans unsaturated fatty acids (trans fatty acids) extend beyond those predicted by their well-known adverse influence on the ratio of low-density lipoprotein to high-density lipoprotein cholesterol. On the other hand, increased consumption of the polyunsaturated fats, linoleic acid and linolenic acid, appears to reduce the risk of CHD.
A Factor Analysis of Visual Evoked Responses

A factor analysis was performed on 19 visual evoked response (VER) variables and age, in order to identify patterns of relationships among the variables. The analysis resulted in a 7-factor Varimax solution. Subjects were 98 kindergarten children (50 girls and 48 boys) in upper-middle socio-economic class. Mean IQ was 119.5; mean age, 67.16 mo. The five cortical measures of amplitude, latency, correlation, complexity, and linearity, the latter two of which had not been previously measured, were recorded from three scalp locations in response to three types of visual stimulation. Four factors (amplitude, linearity, and two latency factors-one for each of two stimulus conditions) were obtained which showed significant loadings only within a given cortical measure. Three factors (one for each of the stimulus conditions) were obtained which showed significant loadings across different cortical measures. Examination of the correlation matrix, as well as the orthogonal (independent) factor solution, supported the main hypothesis that the VER is a multidimensional domain. Specifically, different stimulus conditions and/or different cortical measures of VER often produced variables which were uncorrelated across subjects.
Non-Mendelian segregation and variable penetrance of colour genes in the polymorphic butterfly Danaus chrysippus (L.)

Non-Mendelian segregation involving three colour gene loci in the butterfly Danaus chrysippus is reported. In each of the four affected broods, two of the four phenotypes expected in the progeny were absent in both sexes. Operation of a system of balanced recessive lethals is ruled out by the low egg–adult mortality recorded. All gametes were produced in expected ratios and were viable. The results are interpreted to be consistent with an inherited prezygotic incompatibility mechanism which operates at the time of fertilization. Variable penetrance of the recessive a and c alleles in heterozygotes is significantly influenced, in the former case by sex, and in the latter by epistatic interactions with colour genes at the A and B loci. The combination of non-Mendelian segregation, variable incomplete dominance and epistatic interactions with other colour genes and sex supports the hypothesis, hitherto based largely on biogeographical evidence, that the polymorphic D. chrysippus population at Dar es Salaam, Tanzania may have a hybrid origin.
Clinical characteristics and long-term outcome of young hairy cell leukemia patients treated with cladribine: a single-institution series

Hairy cell leukemia (HCL) is a rare, indolent B-cell disorder in which single courses of cladribine induce high rates of complete responses. We report on 88 young HCL patients (≤40 years of age at diagnosis) treated with cladribine from the Scripps Clinic HCL Database, of whom 83 were evaluable for response. Seventy-three patients (88%) achieved an initial complete response and 10 (12%) a partial response, with a median response duration of 57 months. Forty-eight patients (58%) relapsed, with a median time to first relapse for all responders of 54 months. Eight patients developed 11 second primary malignancies with an excess frequency of 1.60 (95% confidence interval, 0.80-2.89). Thirteen (15%) patients died with a mortality ratio compared with age-matched normals of 1.85 (95% confidence interval, 1.07-3.18). Median overall survival for all patients following the first cladribine course was 231 months, and 251 months from diagnosis. Single courses of cladribine induce high rates of complete and durable responses in the majority of young HCL patients and are therefore recommended for HCL patients regardless of age.
The Treatment of Postperfusion Bleeding Using ε-Aminocaproic Acid, Cryoprecipitate, Fresh-Frozen Plasma, and Protamine Sulfate

Abstract The evaluation of excessive hemorrhage was carried out in 774 patients after cardiopulmonary bypass. Excessive hemorrhage was defined in any adult patient as chest tube drainage of more than 600 ml within the first eight hours after operation. Using the prothrombin time, partial thromboplastin time, fibrinogen level, and tri-F titer tests, it was possible to differentiate medical from surgical bleeding. Hyperfibrinolytic bleeding was the most frequently identifiable coagulation disorder and occurred in 159 patients (20%). All these patients were successfully treated with Amicar (e-aminocaproic acid) alone, or with Amicar supplemented with cryoprecipitate or fresh-frozen plasma. Three patients (0.4%) were noted to have residual heparin and required additional protamine sulfate. Five patients (0.6%) had normal coagulation studies and required immediate reexploration. The overall blood consumption per patient was 2.1 units of packed cells. Whole blood and platelets were not used.
Wood used by Stradivari and Guarneri

Whether or not the great Italian violin-makers used wood that had been chemically processed in order to preserve it and enhance the instrument's sound quality has long been a contentious issue. Here we use nuclear magnetic resonance and infrared spectroscopy to analyse organic matter in wood taken from antique instruments made by Stradivari and Guarneri del Gesu. Our results indicate that the wood used by the masters could indeed have been chemically treated, a technique that may inspire an approach to violin making that is more chemistry-based.
Serum cholinesterase activities and inhibition profiles of nonhuman primates

Serum cholinesterase activities and inhibition profiles of 169 chimpanzees, 15 gorillas, 26 orangutans, seven gibbons, and 12 rhesus monkeys were determined. Mean values of activities against benzoylcholine (μmols/min/ml) and dibucaine, fluoride, and Ro 2-0683 numbers (percentage inhibition of benzoylcholine hydrolysis) are: chimpanzee, 2.276, 80, 64, and 97; gorilla, 9.403, 82, 71, and 96; orangutan, 0.747, 94, 6, and 98; gibbon, 0.071, 89, 7, and 94; and rhesus monkey, 0.859, 95, 10, and 99, respectively. Sernylan numbers were determined of the last 100 chimpanzee serums collected and of each of the gorilla, orangutan, gibbon, and rhesus monkey serums. Mean values of Sernylan numbers are: chimpanzee, 80; gorilla, 81; orangutan, 95; gibbon, 94; and rhesus monkey, 96. The chimpanzee and the gorilla have dibucaine, fluoride, Ro 2-0683, and Sernylan numbers within the range found in men who are homozygotes for the usual cholinesterase (genotype E1uE1u). No cholinesterase variant was found in any chimpanzee or gorilla. The orangutan, gibbon, and rhesus monkey have inhibition profiles that resemble one another, with higher dibucaine and Sernylan numbers and much lower fluoride numbers than the chimpanzee or the gorilla. The results of the inhibition tests suggest that the African apes, chimpanzee and gorilla, are related more closely to man than are the Asian apes, orangutan and gibbon.
The Development of Auditory Feedback Monitoring: II. Delayed Auditory Feedback Studies on the Speech of Children Between Two and Three Years of Age

Two experiments were conducted to determine whether the auditory feedback monitoring system for speech is operative in children between two and three years of age. The procedure involved a 200 msec...
Soil-washing design methodology for a lead-contaminated sandy-soil

Soils located near high traffic roadways, particularly where renovations have taken place, typically exhibit elevated levels of trace metals in the upper soil horizon. Regulators are currently seeking an efficient method of site characterization and treatment system design which will lend itself to timely and environmentally efficacious clean-up. The soil investigated in this study was a silty sand collected near a bridge abutment for a major interstate highway. The soil had a total lead content of 1392 mg/kg. In addition, the soil contained a considerable fraction of organic carbon (approximately 6.3%). A sequential chemical extraction indicated that a fraction of contaminants were in labile soil phases and thus amenable to chemical extraction (soil-washing). A soil washing design methodology is presented based on surface chemistry and equilibrium stage operation. In this work, a double layer surface complexation model was used to describe equilibrium sorption behavior and a preliminary design of an ex-situ counter-current equilibrium stage extraction process is presented. Model calibration was conducted using sorption data obtained from a 1:40 solid to liquid ratio (s/l), adsorption edge. Model validation was accomplished with batch titration data and a 1:20 s/l, adsorption edge. The model accurately predicted leachable lead concentrations over a wide pH range. The required number of ideal equilibrium stages was highly sensitive to pH.
A summary of the characterization study of slush hydrogen

Abstract A programme to study the characteristics of slush hydrogen preparation, storage, transfer, and instrumentation is continuing at the Cryogenics Division of the National Bureau of Standards. Slush preparation by intermittent vacuum pumping was developed. Slush was aged 100 hours during which time solid particle size and structure were observed. The solid particle structure changes dramatically during aging, even though the particle size changes insignificantly. Slush with over 0·5 solid content can be transferred and pumped with losses similar to losses in triple-point liquid hydrogen if Reynolds numbers are high. Transfer losses in a smooth pipe were 10% less with slush of 0·3 solid content than with triple-point liquid when the Reynolds number was 7 x 10 5 or greater. Slush density and mass flow instrumentation are being investigated. Although some special techniques are required for handling slush hydrogen, it has the characteristics of a simple cryogenic fluid for most applications.
HISTORICAL CO2 GROWTH ENHANCEMENT DECLINES WITH AGE IN QUERCUS AND PINUS

Despite experimental evidence showing that elevated C02 levels increase growth in most plants, the isolation of a signal consistent with anthropogenically caused increases in atmospheric C02 from the dendrochronological record has shown mixed results. Our extensive sets of tree ring data from the Ozark Mountains in Missouri showed that since 1850, Quercus velutina Lam., Quercus cocc?nea Muench., and Pinus echinata Mill, trees increased in stem growth coincidently with increases in atmospheric C02. Those long-term increases in radial growth appear unrelated to historical disturbance levels for the region, to long-term changes in relevant climatic variables, or to productivity of sites sampled for the purpose of creating a time sequence of tree ring growth. It is still unclear what the potential role of nitrogen deposition might have been for tree growth. We cross-dated a large number of increment cores and aligned the ring width data by pith date for accurate age constant assessments of growth over the past 150 years. Thus, we circumvented changes in growth trend associated with differences in physiological functioning during development, as well as the need for statistical detrending that removes an unknown degree of long-term environmental signal, the so called segment length curse that applies to standard dendrochronological investigations. When the positive relationship between C02 and ring width was examined at different ages, an ontogenetic decline in the rate of growth stimulation was found. Specifically, both the pooled Quercus spp. and P. echinata were characterized by a negative exponential pattern of response over a developmental sequence through age 50. Further knowledge of an intrinsic decline in C02 sensitivity with tree age or size such as this may be important for increased accuracy in estimating terrestrial carbon stocks across successional landscapes.
Mating call selectivity in the thalamus and midbrain of the leopard frog (Rana p. pipiens): Single and multiunit analyses

1. A single and multiunit survey was made of the tuning properties of auditory neurons in the rostral midbrain and caudal thalamus of the northern leopard frog,Rana p. pipiens. Lesions of the recording sites revealed auditory neurons were located in the rostrolateral torus semicircularis, pretectal gray, pretectal central gray, optic tectum, and posterocentral and posterolateral thalamic nuclei. 2. Single unit analysis of 36 auditory neurons revealed that 10 responded only to specific tone combinations, or responded to single low frequency tones at high intensities (typically greater than 90 dB SPL) but their excitatory thresholds could be decreased as much as 40 dB with the addition of specific tones. All such neurons were similar in that they preferred combinations of low ( 1,200 Hz) frequency tones. They were inhibited or not excited by intermediate frequency tones. 3. The majority of neurons responded to single tones and their excitatory thresholds were not decreased by multiple tone stimulation. They were typically broadly tuned, and in some cases displayed bimodal or trimodal excitatory tuning curves. Some could be inhibited by high intensity tones near the center of their excitatory frequency range. Others were totally unresponsive to these intermediate frequencies, resulting in two discontinuous excitatory tuning curves. 4. The multiunit survey at 26 recording sites examined responses to various single and multiple tone stimuli composed of 300, 750 and 1,750 Hz tones representing the low, mid and high frequency ranges of the three receptor populations. There was considerable variation in the relative excitatory capacities of these stimuli between recording sites. The trend which emerged was that (1) tone combinations were more effective than single tones, (2) combining tones often produced a non-linear summation of the responses to individual tones, (3) the 300+1,750 Hz stimulus (i.e., the low and high frequency combination) was always among the most excitatory stimuli, and (4) the addition of mid frequency tones often reduced the excitatory capacity of a stimulus. 5. A previous evoked potential study of the caudal thalamus (Mudry et al. 1977) reported a non-linear summation of the potential when frequencies within the response ranges of the amphibian (low and mid frequencies) and basilar papillae (high frequencies) were combined. Present single and multiunit analyses extend these results, and suggest that these regions of the anuran auditory system show a particular preference for tone combinations which approximate the spectral energy distribution of the species mating call.
Characterization of the transcripts encoding two isoforms of human microtubule-associated protein-2 (MAP-2)

Through the isolation of a series of overlapping clones from human fetal and adult cDNA libraries, we have generated the complete cDNA sequences encoding human high- and low-molecular-weight microtubule-associated protein-2 (MAP-2) which have strong sequence homology with rodent MAP-2.
The effects of thyrotropin-releasing hormone on cyclic AMP accumulation in rabbit cerebral cortical tissue in the presence and absence of CNS depressants

Abstract The in vitro effects of thyrotropin-releasing hormone on cAMP accumulation in cortical brain slices from rabbits is reported. Incubation of cortical tissue at three concentrations of thyrotropin-releasing hormone (1,2,5nM) had no discernible effects on baseline cAMP levels. When cortical tissue was incubated in the presence of pentobarbital (.5mM) or if cortical tissue was taken from animals pretreated with α-methyl-p-tyrosine (α-MPT), the baseline cAMP accumulation was depressed. This depression could be eliminated by the addition of TRH to the incubation media. Where cortical tissue from atropine-pretreated animals was used or when atropine was added to the incubation media, there was an increase in baseline cAMP accumulation which was unaffected by addition of TRH. These results show that TRH can modify cAMP accumulation in mammalian cortical brain tissue but this ability may only become evident in situations where normal cAMP concentration has been depressed.
Reducing Computing Time for Synchronous Binary Division

The computing time for binary division is shortened by performing division, radix 2p on the binary operands, where p is a positive integer. Each quotient digit radix 2p is computed in almost the same time required to determine a binary quotient digit. Therefore, computing time is reduced by approximately the factor p over conventional binary division. The method is most useful for synchronous machines but can be applied to either serial or parallel operation. The theory of nonrestoring division in any integral radix r is discussed. Each quotient digit is considered as the sum of two recursive variables ak and bk, whose values depend on the divisor multiplier and relative signs of the partial remainders. The divisor multiplier is limited to odd integers in order to determine the quotient digit unambiguously. Using ak and bk, a single recursive equation combining all sign conditions is derived. This permits the derivation of the correct round-off procedure and shows that binary nonrestoring division is a particular case of nonrestoring division, radix r. An arrangement of components for a serial computer and a sample division for radix four are given.
Characterizing stability of "click" modified glass surfaces to common microfabrication conditions and aqueous electrolyte solutions.

Microfluidic and nanofluidic systems are dominated by fluid–wall interactions due to enormous surface-area-to-volume ratios in these devices. Therefore, strategies to control wall properties in a reliable and repeatable manner can be important for device operation. Chemical modification of surfaces provides one such method. However, the stability of the surface adhered layers under fabrication and likely device operating conditions have not been evaluated in depth. This paper presents the stability analysis of three surface layers used in the ‘click’ chemistry methodology for surface modification. The three surface layers have bromo, amine, and methyl termination on glass surfaces. All three surface groups are exposed to various wet and dry conditions including acid, base, solvent, electrolyte buffer solutions, oxidative plasmas, UV light, and thermal processing conditions. Contact angle measurements, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and atomic force microscopy were used to quantify the stability of the adhered surface layers. The data show that the brominated surface was stable to most test conditions, while both the amine and methyl surface layers were stable to a narrower set of test conditions.
Ethnic Diversity and Perceptions of Safety in Urban Middle Schools

Students' perceptions of their safety and vulnerability were investigated in 11 public middle schools (more than 70 sixth-grade classrooms) that varied in ethnic diversity. Results of hierarchical linear modeling analyses indicate that higher classroom diversity is associated with feelings of safety and social satisfaction. African American (n = 511) and Latino (n = 910) students felt safer in school, were less harassed by peers, felt less lonely, and had higher self-worth the more ethnically diverse their classrooms were, even when controlling for classroom differences in academic engagement. Results at the school level were similar to those at the classroom level; higher ethnic diversity was associated with lower levels of self-reported vulnerability (but no difference in self-worth) in both fall and spring of sixth grade. In the spirit of Brown v. Board of Education, the current findings offer new empirical evidence for the psychological benefits of multiethnic schools.
Sex-specific effects of dual ET-1/ANG II receptor (Dear) variants in Dahl salt-sensitive/resistant hypertension rat model

Essential (polygenic) hypertension is a complex genetic disorder that remains a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease despite clinical advances, reiterating the need to elucidate molecular genetic mechanisms. Elucidation of susceptibility genes remains a challenge, however. Blood pressure (BP) regulatory pathways through angiotensin II (ANG II) and endothelin-1 (ET-1) receptor systems comprise a priori candidate susceptibility pathways. Here we report that the dual ET-1/ANG II receptor gene (Dear) is structurally and functionally distinct between Dahl salt-sensitive, hypertensive (S) and salt-resistant, normotensive (R) rats. The Dahl S S44/M74 variant is identical to the previously reported Dear cDNA with equivalent affinities for both ET-1 and ANG II, in contrast to Dahl R S44P/M74T variant, which exhibits absent ANG II binding but effective ET-1 binding. The S44P substitution localizes to the ANG II-binding domain predicted by the molecular recognition theory, providing compelling support of thi...
STOCHASTIC ORDERINGS INDUCED BY STAR-SHAPED FUNCTIONS

The non-decreasing functions whicl are star-shaped and supported above at each point of a non-empty closed proper subset of the real line induce an ordering, on the class of distribution functions with finite first moments, that is strictly weaker than first degree stochastic dominance and strictly stronger than second degree stochastic dominance. Several characterizations of this ordering are developed, both joint distribution criteria and those involving only marginals. Tle latter are deduced from a decomposition theorem, which reduces the problem to consideration of certain functions which are star-shaped on the complement of an open interval.
Computation of the flow between a rotating and a stationary disk

A numerical exploration of multiple-cell solutions for the flow between a rotating and a stationary disk is carried out systematically by the continuation method. The paper confirms and extends the work of Mellor, Chapple & Stokes. The results include the discovery of one-, two-, three- and five-cell solution regions which have not been reported before.
Type Iγ661 Phosphatidylinositol Phosphate Kinase Directly Interacts with AP2 and Regulates Endocytosis

Clathrin-coated vesicles mediate sorting and intracellular transport of membrane-bound proteins. The formation of these coats is initiated by the assembly of adaptor proteins (AP), which specifically bind to membrane cargo proteins via recognition of endocytic sorting motifs. The lipid signaling molecule phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate (PI(4,5)P2) is critical for this process, as it serves as both a targeting and regulatory factor. PI(4,5)P2 is synthesized by type I phosphatidylinositol phosphate kinases (PIPKI). We have discovered a direct interaction between the μ2-subunit of the AP2 complex and PIPKIγ661 via a yeast two-hybrid screen. This interaction was confirmed using both the μ2-subunit in glutathione S-transferase pulldowns and via coimmunoprecipitation of endogenous PIPKIγ661 with the AP2 complex from HEK293 cells. The interaction is mediated, in vivo, by a tyrosine-based motif in the 26-amino acid tail of PIPKIγ661. Because AP2 regulates endocytosis of transferrin receptor from the plasma membrane, we also examined a role for PIPKIγ661 using a flow cytometry endocytosis assay. We observed that stable expression of wild type PIPKIγ661 in Madin-Darby canine kidney cells enhanced transferrin uptake, whereas stable expression of kinase-dead PIPKIγ661 had an inhibitory effect. Neither condition affected the overall cellular level of PI(4,5)P2. RNA interference-based knockdown of PIPKIγ661 in HeLa cells also had an inhibitory effect on transferrin endocytosis using the same assay system. Collectively, this evidence implies an important role for PIPKIγ661 in the AP2-mediated endocytosis of transferrin.