cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Categorical color projection for robot road following

This paper shows that categorical color developed in Yue Du (1994) is a good representation of color space for some robot vision tasks. The authors use SCARF as a test case to compare 'equivalent' RGB, categorical color, and intensity robot vision algorithms on a difficult robot road following task. SCARF uses a full three-dimensional representation of color space to formulate road and off-road colors. Performing categorical color or intensity projection, the authors can model the road and off-road colors as single dimensional probability density functions. This greatly reduces the time to process the color image. Moreover, the authors show that categorical color is a good representation in that it outperforms an equivalent intensity algorithm on the robot tasks. Categorical color, while it cannot outperform the original RGB algorithm, performs well enough to be used in this particular robot application. Its effectiveness is verified by many experiments on difficult road image sequences.
Non‐ST‐Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction: A Novel and Robust Approach for Early Detection of Patients at Risk

Non‐ST‐elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI) is lower on the severity spectrum of acute coronary syndromes than is myocardial infarction (MI), resulting from complete occlusion of a major coronary artery. As the name implies, it is a syndrome that does not exhibit the dramatic ST elevation
Speech Science Applications for Practicing Clinicians and Audiology or Speech-Language Pathology Students

The advent of widely available, free, and user-friendly speech analysis software in the late 1990s has made it possible to perform acoustic analyses in clinical and educational settings. However, d...
When is a serum iron really a serum iron? The status of serum iron measurements

Although serum iron determinations play an important role in the diagnostic process, the accuracy of routine methods is suspect. The poor performance of currently used methods is well documented in the quarterly College of American Pathologists survey reports. Compared with the 1990 method of the International Committee for Standardization in Haematology (ICSH), the 1978 ICSH Reference Method shows a +3.4% bias and the standard method of the National Committee for Clinical Laboratory Standards shows a -17.8% bias for iron results. All routine methods checked--DuPont aca, Abbott TDx, Kodak Ektachem (except one lot), BM/Hitachi 717, and Synermed--show a negative bias over the entire analytical range, a significant negative intercept, and extremely poor correlation with the 1990 ICSH method for iron values < 750 micrograms/L. Individual discrepancies of several hundred percent were observed. Imprecision of the methods is not the reason for these discrepancies. We question whether most routine methods measuring low iron concentrations provide results sufficiently reliable for confirmation of iron deficiency.
Shock tube investigation of hydrodynamic issues related to inertial confinement fusion

A shock tube investigation of two hydrodynamic issues related to inertial confinement fusion (ICF) is undertaken. ICF is a promising source of energy for the future. There has been a considerable increase in the interest in ICF with the development of the National Ignition Facility (NIF). However, much remains to be investigated before a useful yield is obtained from a fusion reaction for power generation. The physics involved in carrying out a fusion reaction combines hydrodynamics, plasma physics and radiation effects superimposed on each other, at extremely small scales, making the problem very complex. One such phenomenon occurring in the deuterium-tritium pellet implosion is the Richtmyer-Meshkov instability occuring at each layer of the fuel which results in the mixing of the ablator with the fuel. This causes dilution of the fuel and reduces the yield of the reaction. Another issue is the impulsive loading of ICF reactor cooling tubes due to the shock wave produced as a result of the fusion reaction. These tubes must withstand the impulse of the shock wave. A shock tube provides an ideal environment to study these issues at large geometric scales with the isolation of hydrodynamics from other effects. A new vertical, square shock tube has been designed specifically for the purpose of studying these fluid flow phenomena from a fundamental point of view. The shock tube is vertical, with a large square inner cross-section and is designed to allow for the release of a $M=5$ shock into air at atmospheric pressure. In this paper, we describe the new shock tube and related instrumentation in detail and present a few preliminary results on the Richtmyer-Meshkov instability and shock-cylinder interactions.
Relationship Between Birth Weight and Body Composition, Energy Metabolism, and Sympathetic Nervous System Activity Later in Life

Objective: Epidemiological studies suggest that high birth weight might be associated with an increased risk of obesity later in life. Programming of metabolic, endocrine, and/or autonomic pathways during intrauterine development has been proposed to explain this association. Research Methods and Procedures: To determine the relationship between birth weight and body composition and energy metabolism later in life, we measured fat mass and fat-free mass (hydrodensitometry or double-energy X-ray absorptiometry), 24-hour energy expenditure, sleeping metabolic rate, and 24-hour respiratory quotient (respiratory chamber) in 272 adult nondiabetic Pima Indians (161 males/111 females, age 25 ± 5 years, mean ± SD). In these subjects, birth weight varied over a wide range (2000 to 5000 g). Individuals known to be offspring of diabetic pregnancies were excluded. In 44 of the 272 subjects, muscle sympathetic nerve activity was assessed by microneurography. Results: Birth weight was positively correlated with adult height (r = 0.20, p < 0.001) and fat-free mass (r = 0.21, p < 0.001), but not with fat mass (r = 0.01, not significant). Sleeping metabolic rate, adjusted for age, sex, fat-free mass, and fat mass, was negatively related to birth weight (r = −0.13, p < 0.05), whereas adjusted 24-hour energy expenditure (r = 0.07, not significant) and 24-hour respiratory quotient (r = −0.09, not significant) were not. There was no relationship between birth weight and muscle sympathetic nerve activity (r = 0.12, not significant, n = 44). Discussion: In Pima Indians who are not offspring of diabetic pregnancies, high birth weight is associated with increased height and lean body mass, but not with increased adiposity later in life. Although high birth weight may be associated with relatively low resting energy expenditure, it is not associated with major abnormalities in 24-hour energy metabolism or with low muscle sympathetic nerve activity later in life.
Matching to successive samples: A multiple-unit memory task with rhesus monkeys

The delayed matching-to-sample task was extended to a multiple-unit memory procedure for nonhuman primates by increasing the number of samples shown in succession prior to the matching test. Rhesus monkeys were capable of reconstructing the order of presentation of three successively presented samples. The task is seen as an animal analogue of human memory tasks.
Reduction of the PaCO2 set point during hyperthermic exercise in the sheep

In animals that rely on the respiratory system for both gas exchange and heat loss, exercise can generate conflict between chemoregulation and thermoregulation. We hypothesized that in panting animals, hypocapnia during hyperthermic exercise reflects a reduction in the arterial CO2 tension (Pa(CO2)) set point. To test this hypothesis, five sheep were subjected to tracheal insufflations of CO2 or air (control) at 3-4 L min(-1) in 3 min bouts at 5 min intervals over 31 min of exercise. During exercise, rectal temperature and minute ventilation (V(E)) rose continuously while Pa(CO2) fell from 35.4+/-3.1 to 18.6+/-2.9 Torr and 34.3+/-2.4 to 18.7+/-1.5 Torr in air and CO2 trials, respectively. Air insufflations did not affect V(E) or Pa(CO2). V(E) increased during CO2 insufflations via a shift to higher tidal volume and lower frequency. CO2 insufflations also increased Pa(CO2), although not above the pre-exercise level. Within 5 min after each CO2 insufflation, Pa(CO2) had decreased to match that following the equivalent air insufflation. These results are consistent with a reduced Pa(CO2) set point or an increased gain of the Pa(CO2) regulatory system during hyperthermic exercise. Either change in the control of Pa(CO2) could facilitate respiratory evaporative heat loss by mitigating homeostatic conflict.
Nanotechnology for regenerative medicine

Future biomaterials must simultaneously enhance tissue regeneration while minimizing immune responses and inhibiting infection. While the field of tissue engineering has promised to develop materials that can promote tissue regeneration for the entire body, such promises have not become reality. However, tissue engineering has experienced great progress due to the recent emergence of nanotechnology. Specifically, it has now been well established that increased tissue regeneration can be achieved on almost any surface by employing novel nano-textured surface features. Numerous studies have reported that nanotechnology accelerates various regenerative therapies, such as those for the bone, vascular, heart, cartilage, bladder and brain tissue. Various nano-structured polymers and metals (alloys) have been investigated for their bio (and cyto) compatibility properties. This review paper discusses several of the latest nanotechnology findings in regenerative medicine (also now called nanomedicine) as well as their relative levels of success.
Information infrastructure for systemic regulation

Purpose – The near‐collapse of the world's financial system in 2008 brought into focus significant limitations in the data and analysis tools available to mitigate potential risks across the financial system. It has raised calls to provide comprehensive data and adequate tools to identify and relieve systemic risk. In this paper, an infrastructure is proposed to address the need for a new information system in systemic regulation.Design/methodology/approach – The proposed infrastructure is developed using the Fed's Bank Holding Company Supervision Manual as a guideline. The model uses a data fusion approach that allows integration of inspection data, external data, and other regulatory data of different granularity. A proprietary application known as Decision Making Toolbox (DMT) is being developed with three‐tier architecture.Findings – The integrated all‐in‐one approach will enhance the efficiency, scope, and quality of studies applied to systemic regulation and will facilitate easy decision making for ...
Productivity of Educational Psychologists in Educational Psychology Journals, 1991–1996☆

The scholarly productivity of educational psychologists, indexed in terms of the number of papers published in professional journals in the field was the focus of this investigation. Five journals considered to be among the "core journals" in the field and, thus, those in which educational psychologists are likely to publish their scholarship were examined for the years 1991-1996. Both institutions (i.e., universities) and individuals were identified. The top-rated institution, in terms of educational psychology productivity, was the University of Maryland and the most prolific individual contributor to the journals was Herbert Marsh. The findings partially replicate several previous productivity studies in psychology and educational psychology. The most productive scholars in the field include both seasoned, established leaders in the discipline, as well as younger individuals who are making their mark. Copyright 1998 Academic Press.
Measurement of the polarimetric response of suspended gallium doped silicon nanowires

We describe an investigation of the polarimetric properties of suspended gallium doped silicon (Si:Ga) nanowires. Wire fabrication has been done with a combined gallium implantation (using a focused ion beam) and subsequent reactive ion and wet etches. A polarimetric microscope has been built and calibrated. Measurement of the polarimetric response shows a high reflectivity and strong retardance on reflection, with some samples showing low diattenuation, in contrast to conventional wire grid polarizers.
The Incomplete Liouville Multiple Integral and its Application

SYNOPTIC ABSTRACTThe incomplete Liouville multiple integral is defined as where . It is shown that this integral equals a single integral with products of incomplete beta functions as multiplicative constant. Several applications in statistics are established by introducing generalized Liouville distributions of types 1 and 2.
The effect of hexamethonium on gastric acid and pepsin response to pentagastrin, histamine and AHR-602.

Abstract The action of hexamethonium on gastric acid and pepsin responses to various stimuli was compared in unanesthetized dogs with Heidenhain pouches and duodenal pouches with gastrojejunostomy, which divert gastric acid from the duodenum. Hexamethonium, when given subcutaneously, did not depress the acid response to pentagastrin. The acid and pepsin responses to histamine or AHR-602, the muscarinic ganglion-stimulating agent, were significantly depressed by hexamethonium. Prolonged intravenous administration of histamine alone produced a significant increase in pepsin output. The pepsin response had a characteristic latent period. It is concluded that the mechanism by which pentagastrin stimulates acid secretion is different from that of histamine or AHR-602.
778 9P TRISOMY CONFIRMED BY GENE DOSAGE EFFECT: REPORT OF 2 PATIENTS

Clinical features in patients with 9p duplication have been well delineated (de Grouchy 1977). This report is prompted by two patients seen in the Genetics Clinic at University of California Irvine Medical Center and University of California Los Angeles. Upon examination each patient demonstrated the following characteristics: brachycephaly, bulbous nose, worried facial expression, small deep-set eyes, short upper lip, down-turned mouth, large external ears, and varying degrees of mental retardation. The chromosomal karyotype in each patient revealed partial 9p duplication, one as a result of tandem duplication of 9p bands (p13→p24) and the second patient with an extra number 9 with deletion of the long arm distal to q13. Further study revealed both patients to have elevated galactose-1-phosphateuridyl-transferase (GALT) levels. These two patients demonstrate two significant observations: 1) the presence of minor dysmorphic features and varying mental retardation occurring with duplication of all or a segment of 9p; 2) the elevated levels of GALT certainly aided the interpretation of unusual chromosomal abnormalities.
Magnetic phase-dependent Raman scattering in EuSe and EuTe

Abstract We report here the first observation of symmetry-forbidden, first-order Raman scattering in the ferrimagnetic and antiferromagnetic phases of EuSe and in each of the magnetically ordered phases of EuTe. Of particular significance is the relation of these spectra to the magnetic phase diagrams and the similarity between spectra observed in the same magnetic phase for different europium chalcogenides.
Ra-Th disequilibria systematics: Timescale of carbonatite magma formation at Oldoinyo Lengai volcano, Tanzania

Abstract Carbonatite magma can form and erupt within 7 to 18 years, and the event seems associated with prior volcanic eruptions. This determination of magma age is possible because the carbonatite lava and ash which were erupted in 1960–1966 from Oldoinyo Lengai volcano, Tanzania, have the most extreme disequilibria between U and Th series nuclides yet measured in volcanic rocks. At the time of eruption: ( 228 Ra) ( 232 Th) ≈ 27 and ( 226 Ra) ( 230 Th) > 60 ; ( 238 U) ( 232 Th) > 10 , while ( 232 Th) ( 232 Th) = 1.0 ; and ( 210 Pb) ( 226 Ra) ≈ 0.3 . Three end-member models are presented which enable interpretation of these disequilibria. If the disequilibrium formed instantaneously, the event occurred about 7 years before initial eruption, and just before the last preceding but small eruption of Oldoinyo Lengai. If, instead, the disequilibrium formed continuously, the process must have begun 15 to 18 years before initial eruption, just after the last preceding major eruption. The disequilibria data confirm that the carbonatites are not fused trona, but do not distinguish between other genetic options (mantle fusion, selective assimilation, liquid immiscibility). However, the shortness of magma-formation time together with mass-balance considerations suggest formation due to the continuous exsolution of 2 to 20% of carbonatite from nephelinite which was itself Ra-enriched.
LIGAND STRUCTURE-DEPENDENT ACTIVATION OF ESTROGEN RECEPTOR α/Sp BY ESTROGENS AND XENOESTROGENS

This study investigated the effects of E2, diethylstilbestrol (DES), antiestrogens, the phytoestrogen resveratrol, and the xenoestrogens octylphenol (OP), nonylphenol (NP), endosulfan, kepone, 2,3,4,5-tetrachlorobiphenyl-4-ol (HO-PCB-Cl(4)), bisphenol-A (BPA), and 2,2-bis-(p-hydroxyphenyl)-1,1,1-trichloroethane (HPTE) on induction of luciferase activity in breast cancer cells transfected with a construct (pSp1(3)) containing three tandem GC-rich Sp binding sites linked to luciferase and wild-type or variant ERalpha. The results showed that induction of luciferase activity was highly structure-dependent in both MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cells. Moreover, RNA interference assays using small inhibitory RNAs for Sp1, Sp3 and Sp4 also demonstrated structure-dependent differences in activation of ERalpha/Sp1, ERalpha/Sp3 and ERalpha/Sp4. These results demonstrate for the first time that various structural classes of ER ligands differentially activate wild-type and variant ERalpha/Sp-dependent transactivation, selectively use different Sp proteins, and exhibit selective ER modulator (SERM)-like activity.
VEGF165 mediates formation of complexes containing VEGFR-2 and neuropilin-1 that enhance VEGF165-receptor binding.

Co-expression of NRP1 and (VEGFR-2) KDR on the surface of endothelial cells (EC) enhances VEGF165 binding to KDR and EC chemotaxis in response to VEGF165. Overexpression of NRP1 by prostate tumor cells in vivo results in increased tumor angiogenesis and growth. We investigated the molecular mechanisms underlying NRP1-mediated angiogenesis by analyzing the association of NRP1 and KDR. An intracellular complex containing NRP1 and KDR was immunoprecipitated from EC by anti-NRP1 antibodies only in the presence of VEGF165. In contrast, VEGF121, which does not bind to NRP1, did not support complex formation. Complexes containing VEGF165, NRP1, and KDR were also formed in an intercellular fashion by co-culture of EC expressing KDR only, with cells expressing NRP1 only, for example, breast carcinoma cells. VEGF165 also mediated the binding of a soluble NRP1 dimer to cells expressing KDR only, confirming the formation of such complexes. Furthermore, the formation of complexes containing KDR and NRP1 markedly increased 125I-VEGF165 binding to KDR. Our results suggest that formation of a ternary complex of VEGF165, KDR, and NRP1 potentiates VEGF165 binding to KDR. These complexes are formed on the surface of EC and in a juxtacrine manner via association of tumor cell NRP1 and EC KDR.
Aqueous aerosol may build up an elevated upper tropospheric ice supersaturation and form mixed-phase particles after freezing.

Observations often reveal large clear-sky upper tropospheric ice supersaturation, Si, which sometimes reaches 100%. However, a water activity criterion (Nature 2000, 406, 611) does not allow the buildup of large Si by cooled aqueous aerosol. According to the criterion, Si produced by aqueous aerosol increases from ∼52% at 220 K to only ∼67% at 185 K. The nature of the formation of large upper tropospheric Si remains unclear. Here we present the results of the study of micrometer-scaled three-, four-, and five-component droplets containing different weight fractions of H2O, H2SO4, HNO3, (NH4)2SO4, (NH4)HSO4, NH4NO3, and (NH4)3H(SO4)2. The study was performed between 133 and 278 K at cooling rates of 3, 0.1, and 0.05 K/min using differential scanning calorimetery. We find that complex phase transformations, which include one, two, and three freezing and melting events, glass transition on cooling, and devitrification and crystallization−freezing on warming, can occur during the cooling and warming of drople...
Highlights for the Management of a Child with Hypertension

Over the past several decades, childhood hypertension has undergone a considerable conceptual change, as hypertension is a predictor of future development of cardiovascular disease in adults. Childhood hypertension has distinctive features that distinguish it from hypertension in adults. Pediatric hypertension is often secondary. It is widely believed that therapeutic intervention at an early age favorably modifies the long-term outcome of hypertension. Despite its significance as a cause for morbidity, childhood hypertension is underdiagnosed and less studied with many basic issues remaining contentious.
DISTRIBUTION OF EDAPHIC DIATOMS IN A MISSISSIPPI SALT MARSH: A CANONICAL CORRELATION ANALYSIS1

A canonical correlation analysis was performed to examine the degree to which edaphic diatom distribution in Graveline Bay Marsh, Mississippi could be related to environmental factors. It was possible to collapse the complex data base into two interpretable, orthogonal dimensions and to identify five distinct diatom communities. Diatom distribution on the marsh was primarily regulated by elevation and height of the overstory spermatophyte canopy. Although redundancy in the species data given the environmental data was relatively low (23% for the first two canonical variables), similar values were obtained for studies of benthic and planktonic diatoms in Yaquina Estuary, Oregon. The present study represents the first application of multivariate statistics to the study of salt marsh diatoms and demonstrates its usefulness in an environment where gradients are difficult to perceive.
Probing the Acyl-Binding Pocket of Aminoacylase-1‡

The aminoacylase-1/metallopeptidase 20 (Acy1/M20) family features several l-aminoacylases useful in biocatalysis. Mammalian Acy1, in particular, has been applied in racemic resolution and reverse hydrolysis. Despite recent advances in our understanding of the active site architecture and functioning, determinants of Acy1 substrate specificity have remained uncharted. Comparison to bacterial homologues points to a sterically more restricted acyl-binding pocket for Acy1. Here we sought to map characteristics of the acyl-binding pocket of human and porcine Acy1. Toward this end, we determined Michaelis constants for an analogue series of aliphatic N-acyl-l-methionine substrates and translated the values into three-dimensional quantitative structure–activity relationship models employing the minimal topological difference-partial least square method. The QSAR models for the two enzymes suggest overall similar binding pockets in the acetyl-binding portion and indicate a general preference for straight-chain ac...
QUANTUM MECHANICS AND PATTERN RECOGNITION

It has long been known that the Schrodinger equation provides a description of a certain kind of statistical Markov process. We show here that as a consequence, one can view quantum mechanics as an extension of the Helmholtz machine approach to pattern recognition. Not only does this observation throw new light on the relationship between quantum mechanics and computing theory, but it suggests that mathematical techniques developed for inverse scattering problems might provide an alternative to conventional pattern recognition algorithms.
Identification of single-particle states in the fission transition nucleus 235U☆

Abstract Fission fragment angular distributions are reported for the fission of 234 U induced with monoenergetic neutrons of energies 200, 300, 400, 500, 600, 700 and 843 keV. Tentative assignments of quantum numbers ( K , π ) are made for four low-energy single particle (Nilsson) states in the very deformed 235 U transition nucleus.
Physiological responses to increased dietary cholesterol: the case of the egg man.

An 88-yr-old man carrying the tentative diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease had a documented history of ingesting 20 to 30 eggs/day for approximately 15 yr. His psychiatrist characterized his eating habits as a compulsive disorder:“Eating these eggs ruins my life, but I can't help it.” He is in excellent health. His weight is constant at 82 to 86 kg (height 1.87 m). Apparently, he had a mild episode of angina. Otherwise, no significant history of stroke, heart disease or gallbladder disease was seen. His serum cholesterol levels have ranged between 150 and 200 mg/dl.
Blinded comparison of maxillary sinus radiography and ultrasound for diagnosis of sinusitis.

Abstract The correlation of Waters view radiographs and A-mode ultrasound for diagnosing sinusitis was evaluated in 75 subjects with allergic rhinitis who presented with signs and symptoms suggesting sinus disease. All patients had Waters view radiographs, which were read by a radiologist (E. G.) who was not provided with historical information. Ultrasound tracings were obtained by registered nurses who were trained to perform this procedure. Tracings were interpreted by two representatives of American Electromedics Corporation, the manufacturer of the Echosine ultrasound machine used in this study. Most common symptoms among the patients were cough and rhinorrhea. The complaint of headache correlated negatively ( p = 0.001) with an abnormal radiograph, whereas physical findings of copious and purulent rhinorrhea correlated positively ( p = 0.05 and 0.001, respectively). Middle ear abnormalities on examination and tympanometry were more common in those with abnormal radiographs, p p
Respiratory variation of left ventricular ejection time in patients with pericardial effusion.

Abstract Left ventricular ejection times were measured by external carotid pulse tracing in 2 patients with pericardial effusion who had at most only an equivocal paradoxical pulse. Both patients demonstrated a 50 msec variation of ejection time with respiration at a constant heart rate. None of 10 control patients had variation in ejection time of more than 10 msec. These observations confirm the original observations of Weissler et al., who noted variations in left ventricular ejection time in a patient with pericardial effusion; the findings also indicate that such changes may be present when there is no significant paradox during intraarterial pressure recording.
Freeze tolerance in larvae of the winter-active Diamesa mendotae Muttkowski (Diptera: Chironomidae): a contrast to adult strategy for survival at low temperatures

The winter-active Diamesa mendotae Muttkowski (Diptera: Chironomidae) is freeze intolerant in the adult stage with a low mean supercooling point (SCP) of ~−20 °C. However, cold-hardiness strategies for immatures of this species are unknown. In this study, we measured SCP values for D. mendotae larvae, pupae and adults using surface-contact thermometry. In addition, the lower lethal temperature (LLT) was determined for the larval stage. The mean SCPs for larvae (−7.4 °C) and pupae (−9.1 °C) were relatively high compared to adults (−19.7 °C). Our results indicate that the larvae of D. mendotae are freeze tolerant with a LLT99 (−25.4 °C), ~−10 °C lower than their minimum SCP (−15.6 °C). Freeze tolerance in these larvae may be a strategy to provide protection from short-term exposures to ice crystals or to permit diapause within frozen substrates. The change in cold-hardiness strategy from freeze tolerant to freeze intolerant between the larval and adult stages of this species is likely a result of the different habitats occupied by these two life stages.
Growth by selective area epitaxy on patterned substrates and characterization of GaInAs/InP nanostructures

Abstract GaInAs/InP multilayer structures have been grown by chemical beam epitaxy in windows opened in Si0 2 masks deposited on (001) InP substrates. The windows were narrow lines of width varying between 20 and 2μm, oriented along the [011_] direction. The growth conditions, substrate temperature and V/III ratio were adjusted to minimize the growth on the masked areas and to create (111) facets along the mesa. The samples were studied using a field emission scanning electron microscope and by low temperature photoluminescence. The diffusion of In and Ga species from the (111) planes towards (100) observed for the growth of InP and GaInAs enhances the growth rate on the (100) plane and changes the composition of the ternary layer. This gives rise to a red shift of the photoluminescence spectra from the GaInAs layers that depends on the initial width of the line. This diffusion can be used to design crescent quantum wires or nanodevices whose band gap varies with the width of the line.
The influence of temperature changes on the electrocortical responses to acoustic and nociceptive stimuli in the cat.

Abstract In cats anesthetized with Dial, the electrocortical response to nociceptive and acoustic stimuli was recorded at different body temperature levels between 38°C and 25°C. In 20 experiments it was shown that the generalized cortical “arousal” as produced by nociceptive stimulation (dipping of the tail into hot water) is reduced, and eventually abolished as the body temperature of the animal is gradually lowered, and reappears if control conditions are established. In contradistinction, the acoustically evoked potentials in the auditory area persist throughout the temperature range used in this investigation; these evoked potentials may be even more pronounced and may be recorded from larger areas at low temperatures than they are at control temperature. Thus if temperature is gradually lowered the nociceptive effect and the acoustically evoked potentials reveal a pattern which is similar to that observed if the depth of the anesthesia is increased. It is concluded that the multisynaptic “activating system” which is involved in the production of the generalized cortical response to nociception is very sensitive to low temperatures and anesthesia whereas these factors hardly influence the oligosynaptic pathways involved in the transmission of the acoustic potentials.
Solid-Liquid Interfacial Premelting

We report the observation of a premelting transition at chemically sharp solid-liquid interfaces using molecular-dynamics simulations. The transition is observed in the solid-Al---liquid-Pb system and involves the formation of a liquid interfacial film of Al with a width that grows logarithmically as the bulk melting temperature is approached from below, consistent with current theories of premelting. The premelting behavior leads to a sharp change in the temperature dependence of the diffusion coefficient in the interfacial region and could have important consequences for phenomena such as particle coalescence and shape equilibration, which are governed by interfacial kinetic processes.
Seasonal influences on freshwater fisheries sampling data

Abstract Fisheries managers often assess fish populations using catch per unit effort (CPUE), size and age structure, growth, and condition. For many freshwater fishes and common sampling gears, CPUE, size and age structure, and condition are highest in the spring and fall, while growth commonly is fastest during the summer growing season. However, there are exceptions to these general trends, especially in populations with erratic recruitment, growth, or mortality. At the least, CPUE, size and age structure, growth, and condition of fish should be expected to change with season, given the effects of variable recruitment, growth, and mortality. However, if recruitment, growth, and mortality are relatively stable, seasonal changes in sampling data occur due to changes in fish behavior caused by many factors (e.g., changes in temperature, turbidity, food availability, photoperiod, etc.). However, these patterns of change through the seasons should not necessarily be assumed to be the same for all fish speci...
Etnia, cultura y sociedad: apuntes sobre el origen y desarrollo de la novela chicana

El presente articulo intenta dar una vision historica de lo que se conoce en medios academicos estadounidenses como "novela chicana". Partiendo de ciertos postulados etnicos, sociales, culturales y linguisticos, este discurso poco a poco llego a ser reconocido por el canon ficticio oficial determinado para la literatura norteamericana. En este proceso de reconocimiento, la critica literaria jugo un papel de gran importancia al encontrar en dicha ficcion determinados parametros literarios universales.
Application of Classification Models to Pharyngeal High-Resolution Manometry

Purpose The authors present 3 methods of performing pattern recognition on spatiotemporal plots produced by pharyngeal high-resolution manometry (HRM). Method Classification models, including the a...
An enriched preparation of basal-lateral plasma membranes from gastric glandular cells.

A procedure is described for the preparation of a membrane fraction enriched in basal-lateral plasma membranes from gastric mucosa. Gastric glands isolated from rabbit were employed as starting material, greatly reducing contamination from nonglandular cell types. The distribution of cellular components during the fractionation procedure was monitored with specific marker enzymes. (Na++K+)-ATPase, ouabain-sensitive K+-stimulatedp-nitrophenyl-phosphatase and histamine-stimulated adenylate cyclase were used as markers for basal-lateral membranes. These three markers were similarly distributed during both differential and equilibrium density gradient centrifugation. The enriched membrane fraction contained more than 30% of the total initial activities of the three basal-lateral membrane markers which were purified better than 11-fold with respect to protein. (Na++K+)-ATPase activity was resolved from the activities of acid phosphatase, pepsin, Mg2+-ATPase, cytochromec oxidase, NADPH-cytochromec reductase, glucose-6-phosphatase, (K++H+)-ATPase, DNA and RNA.
National sovereignty and ciceronian political thought: Aeneas silvius piccolomini and the ideal of universal empire in fifteenth-century Europe

It is arguable that the fifteenth century constituted a watershed in the long history of the emergence of nationhood as a feature of European political thought. Renaissance authors commonly glorified the special qualities and virtues of particular city-states and kingdoms; the study of European politics in a self-consciously comparative manner fashionable
Differential geometric techniques for invariant feature set representation

The analysis of simple elliptical image structures is accomplished by casting the image as a 3D surface so that the mathematics of surface analysis can be explained. Segmentation is performed by computing surface characteristics using differential geometry and classifying image regions based on local surface measures. The segmented image regions are classified by fitting a generalized conic section to the region boundary. A least squares method minimizes the total error between the segmented image and the ideal conic. Further image manipulations force this conic to be an ellipse for this application. The image analysis paradigm is tested with bubble images where each bubble region is assumed to have an elliptical shape.© (1996) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Schur functions and the invariant polynomials characterizing U(n) tensor operators

We give a direct formulation of the invariant polynomials "@mG"q^(^n^)(, @D"i,;, x"i","i" "+" "1,) characterizing U(n) tensor operators in terms of the symmetric functions S"@l known as Schur functions. To this end, we show after the change of variables @D"i = @c"i - @d"i and x"i"," "i" "+" "1 = @d"i - @d"i" "+" "1 that"@mG"q^(^n^)(,@D"i;, x"i"," "i" "+" "1,) becomes an integral linear combination of products of Schur functions S"@a(, @c"i,) . S"@b(, @d"i,) in the variables {@c"1,..., @c"n} and {@d"1,..., @d"n}, respectively. That is, we give a direct proof that "@mG"q^(^n^)(,@D"i,;, x"i"," "i" "+" "1,) is a bisymmetric polynomial with integer coefficients in the variables {@c"1,..., @c"n} and {@d"1,..., @d"n}. By making further use of basic properties of Schur functions such as the Littlewood-Richardson rule, we prove several remarkable new symmetries for the yet more general bisymmetric polynomials "@m^mG"q^(^n^)(@c"1,..., @c"n; @d"1,..., @d"m). These new symmetries enable us to give an explicit formula for both "@m^mG"1^(^n^)(@c; @d) and "1G"2^(^n^)(@c; @d). In addition, we describe both algebraic and numerical integration methods for deriving general polynomial formulas for "@m^mG"q^(^n^)(@c; @d).
Identification of a peptidase which processes atrial natriuretic factor precursor to its active form with 28 amino acid residues in particulate fractions of rat atrial homogenate

Abstract With the objective of identifying specific peptidase responsible for the processing of atrial natriuretic factor precursor pro-ANF to the circulating active form ANF(99–126), a fluorometric assay method was devised using synthetic fluorogenic substrate Boc-Ala-Gly-Pro-Arg-MCA(methylcoumarinamide) which contains the amino acid sequence immediately adjacent to the arginyl peptide bond which is cleaved in the natural processing of pro-ANF. A protease which selectively cleaves this bond and produces the natural circulating peptide was identified in the particulate fraction of rat atrial homogenate and was solubilized by 1.6 M KCl. It was partially purified by affinity chromatography heparin-agarose column and was shown to be a serine protease. Its reaction product with natural pro-ANF was identified as ANF(99–126) containing 28 amino acid residues.
Ion angular distributions in electron stimulated desorption: Adsorption of O2 and H2 on W (100)

The angular distributions of ions liberated by electron stimulated desorption (ESD) of H+ and O+ from adsorbed layers of oxygen and hydrogen on the (100) surface of tungsten have been examined. The resultant patterns of ion emission are observed visually in a display-type apparatus. Two types of ESD angular distribution patterns are observed: (1) hazy patterns with ill-defined boundaries, and (2) patterns in which the ions are liberated in well-defined cones of emission whose directions are correlated with the symmetry of the underlying substrate. These latter patterns are postulated to arise from ESD from a directionally-bonded adsorbate in which the direction of the ground state adsorbate-substrate bond may be preserved in ion desorption.
THE IDEA OF AN ANTHROPOLOGY OF CHRISTIANITY

The writings of Talal Asad offer a consistent and singular reflection on the anthropological function of concepts. In a variety of manners, the use and mention of a concept identifies the practice of a collective speaker before it testifies to a designated object, real or imagined. The Christian baggage of the concept of ‘religion’, indeed, the Christianity of the subject of religion, however, is at once affirmed and denied by Talal Asad. Is Christianity a religion? Does the concept of religion teach us something about Christianity? This essay attends to Asad's body of work and seeks to show that the idea of an anthropology of Christianity – much more than an anthropology of religion (which Asad shows to be a reductive endeavour), and different from an anthropology of Islam – remains both urgent and elusive.
VT study disassociates C4BP from protein S

In this issue of Blood , Buil and colleagues combine data from genome-wide associations, a case-control study, and expression and plasma analyses to implicate unbound C4BP, but not protein S, as a risk factor for venous thrombosis (see figure). Their study provides a new basic research direction into the functions of unbound C4BP not involving protein S.
Relationship of Bone Metabolism Biomarkers and Periodontal Disease: The Osteoporotic Fractures in Men (MrOS) Study.

Context: Periodontitis is an inflammatory disease of tooth-supporting tissue leading to bone destruction and tooth loss. Periodontitis affects almost 50% of adults greater than 30 years of age. Objective: This study evaluated the association between biomarkers linked to bone formation and resorption with the occurrence and progression of periodontal disease in older men (≥65 y). Design: The Osteoporotic Fractures in Men (MrOS) study is a prospective, observational study among men 65 years of age and older. Setting: This ancillary study, Oral and Skeletal Bone Loss in Older Men, was conducted at two of the six MrOS study sites (Birmingham, AL and Portland, OR). Patients: Patients underwent medical and dental evaluation. Diagnoses of periodontitis were based on clinical attachment loss, pocket depth, calculus, plaque, and bleeding on a random half-mouth. Bone metabolism biomarkers included serum levels of calcium, phosphate (Pi), alkaline phosphatase, albumin, carboxy-terminal collagen crosslinks (CTX), N-t...
Effects of decision criterion on response latencies of binary decisions

The effects of decision criterion on response latencies of binary decisions were examined. The stimuli comprised two, partly overlapping, “normal” distributions of either two-digit numbers or tonal frequencies. Individual stimuli were randomly sampled from the distributions, and subjects had to decide from which distribution the stimulus was sampled. The decision goal was to maximize the expected gain using three different payoff matrices. Decision latencies with and without prior knowledge of optimal decision criteria were measured. In a control task, subjects were asked only to label stimuli as being either above or below the optimal criteria (without regard for a posteriori probabilities or expected gain). The relation between criterion and latency was examined by means of a trial-by-trial analysis of the stimuli and the responses. Response latency was inversely related both to the distance between the stimulus and the decision criterion and to the probability of the response elicited by the stimulus. Response latencies showed a maximum at the criterion in all conditions. These results were obtained with different stimulus modalities (tones or numbers), different discriminability levels within the auditory modality, and ifferent decision tasks. It is proposed that the decision criterion is the primary determinant of response latencies of binary decisions.
Reproductive success of the black vine weevil, Otiorhynchus sulcatus (F.), fed different foliar diets and evaluation of techniques for predicting fecundity.

Reproductive success of the black vine weevil, Otiorhynchus sulcatus (F.), fed different foliar diets was compared to evaluate suitability of known and potential hosts for adults. Foliar diets, arranged in order of decreasing fecundity, were Taxus cuspidata Sieb. and Zucco., T. canadensis Marsh., Kalmia latifolia L., and Cornus florida L. Fecundity and length of preoviposition period were negatively correlated, indicating that the latter could be used to forecast potential fecundity. Weight gain of adults during the preoviposition period, foliar N content, and changes in water content of foliage fed to weevils varied significantly between some of the diets but were not consistently correlated with egg production. Possible reasons for differential fecundity and for general absence of weevils from northeastern forests are discussed.
Impairment of the Transcriptional Responses to Oxidative Stress in the Heart of Aged C57BL/6 Mice

To investigate the transcriptional response to oxidative stress in the heart and how it changes with age, we examined the cardiac gene expression profiles of young (5 months old), middle-aged (15 months old), and old (25 months old) C57BL/6 mice treated with a single intraperitoneal injection of paraquat (50 mg/kg). Mice were killed at 0, 1, 3, 5, and 7 hours after paraquat treatment, and the gene expression profile was obtained with high-density oligonucleotide microarrays. Of 9,977 genes represented on the microarray, 249 transcripts in the young mice, 298 transcripts in the middle-aged mice, and 256 transcripts in the old mice displayed a significant change in mRNA levels (ANOVA, P <.01). Among these, a total of 55 transcripts were determined to be paraquat responsive for all age groups. Genes commonly induced in all age groups include those associated with stress, inflammatory, immune, and growth factor responses. Interestingly, only young mice displayed a significant increase in expression of all three isoforms of GADD45, a DNA damage-responsive gene. Additionally, the number of immediate early genes found to be induced by paraquat was considerably higher in the younger animals. These results demonstrate that, at the transcriptional level, there is an age-related impairment of specific inducible pathways in the response to oxidative stress in the mouse heart.
Multilook SAR from measurements partitioned based on synthetic sensor parameters

The balance between spatial resolution and the speckle in multilook SAR imaging may be improved by intelligently partitioning measurements of a sparsely populated, nonuniform, three-dimensional receiver array. This paper presents an approach to partitioning measurements from a single transmitter and multiple coherenet receivers using previously developed two-dimensional synthetic sensor locations based on eigen analysis of first-order Taylor expansions of the sensor measurement parameters. The approach is general and is demonstrated using simulated data for a nonuniformly-spaced two-dimensional sidelooking array and low time-bandwidth product.
AT1 receptor blockade for the prevention of cardiovascular events after myocardial infarction.

Myocardial infarction is associated with high morbidity and mortality. Multiple therapeutic modalities have been shown to be effective in reducing adverse postmyocardial infarction outcomes. The most prominent drugs that have been used in this group of patients are those that oppose the effects of the renin–angiotensin–aldosterone system. These drugs include β-blockers, angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, angiotensin receptor blockers and aldosterone blockers. Following initial success with angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors in reducing mortality and cardiac remodeling in postmyocardial infarction patients, recent focus has been on adjunctive or alternative use of angiotensin II-receptor antagonists. Multiple large-scale, randomized trials have been conducted in order to compare angiotensin II-receptor antagonists with a combination of angiotensin II-receptor antagonists and angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, and with angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors alone in postmyocardial infa...
Model Based Definition

In September 2007, the Engineering Directorate at the Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) created the Design System Focus Team (DSFT). MSFC was responsible for the in-house design and development of the Ares 1 Upper Stage and the Engineering Directorate was preparing to deploy a new electronic Configuration Management and Data Management System with the Design Data Management System (DDMS) based upon a Commercial Off The Shelf (COTS) Product Data Management (PDM) System. The DSFT was to establish standardized CAD practices and a new data life cycle for design data. Of special interest here, the design teams were to implement Model Based Definition (MBD) in support of the Upper Stage manufacturing contract. It is noted that this MBD does use partially dimensioned drawings for auxiliary information to the model. The design data lifecycle implemented several new release states to be used prior to formal release that allowed the models to move through a flow of progressive maturity. The DSFT identified some 17 Lessons Learned as outcomes of the standards development, pathfinder deployments and initial application to the Upper Stage design completion. Some of the high value examples are reviewed.