cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Mechanical properties of active polyacrylonitrile gels

The ability of some polymeric gels to shrink and swell with changes in their environment makes them of interest in many applications such as artificial muscles and drug delivery systems. While much work has been done to study the behavior and properties of these gels, little information is available regarding the full constitutive description of the mechanical and actuation properties. This work is focused on developing constitutive descriptions of the mechanical properties of such gels, and to determine how these properties change due to changes in the environment. Since these gels can undergo finite elastic deformations, uniaxial tests do not provide sufficient property information and a combination of loading conditions must be used. A biaxial testing system has been developed to test thin sheets of these films, and includes the ability to monitor and change the environmental conditions around the specimen. Initial tests were performed on latex to determine the quality of the testing apparatus. Preliminary results on a polyacrylonitrile gel are presented.© (1999) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Simulation of a thermally coupled metal-hydride hydrogen storage and fuel cell system

For the first time, the dynamic behavior of a thermally coupled hydrogen storage and fuel cell system was studied using experimentally validated models of a metal-hydride hydrogen storage system and a proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cell stack. Two specific situations were studied: in the first scenario, the fuel cell and metal hydride bed were thermally coupled; in the second scenario, they were thermally uncoupled. The results from these simulations clearly exposed unique and subtle behavior associated with thermally coupled systems that could not be easily gleaned from simulating each device alone, as revealed from studying the uncoupled case. The most important result exemplified the importance of providing waste (excess) energy from the PEM fuel cell to the metal hydride bed to facilitate the removal of hydrogen during a discharge process. A detailed parametric study is forthcoming.
Psychology, education and environment

Educational research is traditionally modelled on experimental psychology with its origins in the methods of pure science. The last decade has seen an accelerating interest on an ecological approach in both disciplines. To illustrate this, the author reports work by Barker and his co‐workers on “behaviour settings” and by Wiseman at the University of Manchester on the relationship between the social environment of the child and his educational progress. The failures and fallacies in educational planning resulting from a failure to adopt an environmentalist position are discussed and the work of Jensen on the genetic inheritance of intelligence is critically appraised. Finally, cultural identity and its importance in the education of disadvantaged groups such as the black and deaf populations is emphasized and discussed in detail.
Interactive parallel simulations with the Jane framework

Abstract Three important practical issues in fostering the widespread use of parallel simulation technology are the availability of graphical user interfaces, accessibility to parallel computing resources, and facilities for collaborating in the execution of simulations. The availability of sophisticated graphical interface development languages and environments, coupled with the advent of universal accessibility via the Internet, makes it easier to address these issues. As part of our projects in high-performance telecommunication network simulation and in distributed federated simulations, we are developing a simulator-neutral interactive simulation framework called Jane. Jane is intended to help users to remotely and collaboratively interact with parallel simulations over the Internet, and to help them view their own model-specific run-time animations. We document the architectural details of the Jane framework along with the issues and challenges that we faced in designing and implementing interactivity features in the framework, specifically in the context of our optimistic parallel simulator, GTW (Georgia Tech Time Warp), and the telecommunication modeling language, TeD.
Patterns of growth in wild bottlenose dolphins, Tursiops truncatus

The growth of bottlenose dolphins is described from observations made during a capture release programme that has operated in coastal waters of the eastern Gulf of Mexico from 1970 to the present. Measurements of standard length, girth and body mass were recorded from 47 female and 49 male dolphins, some captured as many as nine times. Ages were known from approximate birth dates or estimated from counts of dentinal growth layers. In all three measurements. females grew at a faster initial rate than males, but reached asymptotic size at an earlier age. This extended period of growth in males resulted in significant sexual dimorphism in length, girth and mass at physical maturity. The growth of both sexes was well described by three-parameter Gompertz models using either cross-sectional data or a mixture of longitudinal and cross-sectional data. There was considerable variation in size-at-age for both sexes in all year classes. Residuals of size measurements were used to derive measures of relative size for individual dolphins; most dolphins demonstrated little ontogenetic change in relative size. Body mass was adequately predicted by multiple regression equations that incorporated both length and girth as independent variables.
Individual Differences in Reactivity to Social Stress Predict Susceptibility and Resilience to a Depressive Phenotype: Role of Corticotropin-Releasing Factor

Previous social stress exposure is a common risk factor for affective disorders. However, factors that determine vulnerability or resiliency to social stress-induced psychopathologies remain unclear. Using a rodent model of social stress, the present study was designed to identify putative neurobiological substrates that contribute to social stress-induced psychopathology and factors that influence or predict vulnerability. The resident-intruder model of defeat was used as a social stressor in adult male Sprague Dawley rats. The average latency to assume a subordinate posture (signaling defeat) over seven daily defeat exposures was calculated and examined with respect to endpoints of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal activity, components of the corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) system, and behaviors that are relevant to human depression. In the present studies, a bimodal distribution emerged in an otherwise homogeneous population of Sprague Dawley rats such that 42% of rats exhibited short defeat latencies ( 300 sec). These two phenotypes were associated with distinct endocrine and behavioral profiles as well as differences in components of the CRF system. Notably, the short-latency subpopulation exhibited hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal dysregulation and behavior similar to that observed in melancholic depression. Examination of components of the CRF system suggested that proactive behavior in resisting defeat exhibited by long-latency rats was associated with decreased efficacy of CRF. Together, these data suggest that inherent differences in stress reactivity, perhaps as a result of differences in CRF regulation, may predict long-term consequences of social stress and vulnerability to depressive-like symptoms.
The effect of corporate diversification and business unit strategy on the presence of slack in business unit budgets

This study examines how two important situational factors (corporate diversification and business unit strategy) and two elements of a firm’s administrative system (accounting‐based budgetary controls and associated incentives) affect the presence of slack in business unit budgets in diversified firms. The relationships among these variables are established by building on theories from organizational economics, the information‐processing view of organizations, and organizational behavior. Data are collected from 37 firms and 153 business units within these firms. The main results indicate: that corporate diversification is positively associated with slack in business unit budgets; and that tight budgetary controls and high‐powered incentives effectively curtail such slack. However, diversification does not seem to drive corporate managers to rely more on these systems to reduce higher budgetary slack associated with diversification. This suggests: that diversified firms employ a conscious strategy of slack at the business unit level to reduce information‐processing needs at the top; or that the design of the internal management control system is a function of factors other than corporate diversification. With respect to the latter explanation, the results indicate that business units that pursue a differentiation strategy receive less tight budgetary controls, which leaves them with the necessary slack to effectively pursue the critical success factors on which their strategies are built.
Low level lead exposure increases sensitivity to the stimulus properties of dopamine D1 and D2 agonists

To examine the impact of Pb exposure on dopaminergic (DA) function, weanling rats were chronically exposed to 0, 50 or 250 ppm Pb acetate in drinking water. At 3 months of age, the rats were trained to discriminate the stimulus properties of either the D1 agonist SKF38393 (3.0 mg/kg i.p.; D1/sal) or the D2 agonist quinpirole (0.05 mg/kg i.p., D2/sal) from saline using a standard two-lever operant food-reinforced drug discrimination paradigm. Lead-exposed rats learned the discriminations faster than respective controls. Moreover, they exhibited greater levels of drug lever responding to lower doses of the training drugs (D1/sal and D2/sal), and to selected doses of other direct and indirect DA agonists (D2/sal only), including apomorphine, cocaine and (+)-amphetamine, and less blockade of drug lever responding by haloperidol (D2/sal). Taken together, these findings are consistent with a generalized DA supersensitivity. There were no differential Pb effects when non-DA compounds including morphine, pentobarbital and MK-801 were substituted for the training drugs, indicating the selectivity of the DA effects in the context of these experiments, and the improbability of a non-specific behavioral causation. Pb-exposed rats in the D2/sal group also showed a pronounced enhancement of drug lever responding when NMDA was substituted for quinpirole, suggesting the possibility of a Pb-induced NMDA supersensitivity as well.
Cell Complexities in Hyperplane Arrangements

We derive improved bounds on the complexity, i.e., the total number of faces of all dimensions, of many cells in arrangements of hyperplanes in higher dimensions, and use these bounds to obtain a very simple proof of an earlier bound, due to Aronov, Matousek, and Sharir, on the sum of squares of cell complexities in such an arrangement.
Molecular Basis for ADP-induced Platelet Activation II. THE P2Y1 RECEPTOR MEDIATES ADP-INDUCED INTRACELLULAR CALCIUM MOBILIZATION AND SHAPE CHANGE IN PLATELETS

Abstract ADP is an important platelet agonist causing shape change from smooth discoid shape to spiculated spheres and platelet aggregation. However, the molecular mechanisms involved in ADP-induced platelet activation have not been elucidated. We demonstrated earlier the existence of two distinct ADP receptors on platelets, one coupled to phospholipase C, P2TPLC, and the other to inhibition of adenylyl cyclase, P2TAC (Daniel, J. L., Dangelmaier, C., Jin, J., Ashby, B., Smith, J. B., and Kunapuli, S. P. (1998)J. Biol. Chem. 273, 2024–2029), in addition to the previously described P2X1 receptor. Here we report the cloning of a cDNA clone encoding the P2Y1 receptor from a human platelet cDNA library by homology screening with radiolabeled P2Y1-P2Y6 receptor cDNAs. ADP or 2-methyl(thio)-ADP-induced intracellular calcium increases were inhibited by the P2Y1 receptor-specific antagonists, adenosine 3′-phosphate 5′-phosphosulfate (A3P5PS), adenosine 3′-phosphate 5′-phosphate (A3P5P), and adenosine 2′-phosphate 5′-phosphate (A2P5P), in a concentration-dependent manner, but not by ARL 66096 or α,β-MeATP. A3P5PS, A3P5P, and A2P5P also inhibited the shape change of aspirinated platelets induced by 10 μm ADP or 3 μm 2-methyl(thio)-ADP in a concentration-dependent manner, with complete inhibition occurring at 300 μm. On the other hand ARL 66096 (100 nm), a potent P2TAC antagonist and α,β-methylene-ATP (40 μm), a P2X1 receptor agonist, had no effect on ADP-induced platelet shape change. On the contrary, ADP-induced inhibition of adenylyl cyclase was blocked by ARL 66096, but not by α,β-MeATP or the P2Y1 receptor-specific antagonists, A3P5PS, A3P5P, or A2P5P. These results demonstrate the role of the P2Y1 receptor in ADP-induced platelet shape change and calcium mobilization and support the idea that several P2 receptors are involved in the regulation of different aspects of platelet stimulus-response coupling.
Transanal treatment of rectal cancer: Ablative methods and open resection

Conservative surgical techniques are an alternative to radical surgery for selected patients with rectal carcinoma. The goals of conservative management are to select patients with low risk for nodal metastases and achieve local tumor control while preserving anal sphincter function. Patient selection is critical to achieve this outcome because properly selected patients can obtain results comparable to radical surgery. Selection is based on preoperative histologic characteristics and endorectal ultrasonography. Predictors of pelvic lymph node metastasis risk include tumor grade, depth of penetration, mucinous features, and vascular and lymphatic invasion. Endorectal ultrasound (ERUS) is important in accurately staging the lesion by identifying both depth of invasion and presumptive nodal status. The options for local therapy reviewed include techniques of full-thickness local excision and ablative procedures including endocavitary irradiation, electrocoagulation, and laser therapy. The techniques of full-thickness transanal excision and endocavitary irradiation are described with results from the University of Minnesota experience.
TOWARD AUTOMATED GENERATION OF CHINESE CLASSIC POETRY

The forms of Chinese classic poetry have been developed through thousands of years of history and are still current in today's poetry society. A re-classification of the rhyming words, however, is necessary to keep the classic poetry up to date in the new settings of modern Chinese language. To ease the transition process, computing technology is used to help the readers as well as poetry writers to check the compliance of poems in accordance with the forms and to compose poems without the effort to learn the old grouping of rhyming words. A piece of software has been developed in a faculty/student research project at the University of Houston-Downtown to verify this idea. This software, called Chinese classic poetry wizard, provides the functionality of checking metrical forms and rhyming schemes. It also allows users to edit rhyme dictionaries and metrical forms. The new rhyming scheme proposed in this paper should rationalize the composition rules of classic Chinese poetry in the modern society; and the poem composition wizard will provide a handy tool for poem composition. This work will help revive Chinese classic poetry in modern society and, in a sequel, contribute to the current campaign of advocating Chinese traditional teachings.
SPECIFICITY OF PASSIVELY TRANSFERRED DELAYED HYPERSENSITIVITY.

Guinea pigs were injected intravenously with lymphoid cells sensitized to tubercle bacilli (TBC cells) and with lymphoid cells sensitized by contact to a simple chemical, dinitrofluorobenzene (DNFB cells). In each transfer, either the TBC cells or the DNFB cells were labeled with H3-thymidine. Immediately after transfusion, each recipient was skin tested with PPD and DNFB. 24 hours later these lesions were removed for determination of total radioactivity and for autoradiographic analysis. When TBC cells labeled with H3-thymidine were transferred with DNFB cells without an isotopic marker, the total radioactivity and the concentration per gram of skin lesion were greater in the PPD test sites. In the reciprocal arrangement, when DNFB cells labeled with H3-thymidine were transfused with TBC cells without an isotopic tag, the total radioactivity and the concentration per gram of skin lesion were greater in the DNFB test site. Similar results were obtained in guinea pigs which were actively immunized by tubercle bacilli and passively by transfer of DNFB cells. Autoradiographic analysis of test sites from guinea pigs passively transferred with both types of sensitized cells confirmed these findings. By calculation, only a very small number of transferred sensitized cells reached the specific test lesion. Most of the cellular infiltrate was derived from the responding host. The specificity of the reaction of delayed hypersensitivity was apparently achieved by retention of the sensitized cells after they had arrived by chance at the specific antigen depot and was not due to a non-specific stickiness of sensitized or inflamed lymphoid cells.
An intra-tile cache set balancing scheme

This poster describes an intra-tile cache set balancing strategy that exploits the demand imbalance across sets within the same L2 cache bank. This strategy retains some fraction of the working set at underutilized sets so as to satisfy far-flung reuses. It adapts to phase changes in programs and promotes a very flexible sharing among cache sets referred to as many-from-many sharing. Simulation results using a full system simulator demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed scheme and show that it compares favorably with related cache designs on a 16-way tiled CMP platform.
Compliance Employing a Combined Foot-in-the-Door and Door-in-the-Face Procedure

Abstract The foot-in-the-door procedure increases compliance for a desired target request by making an easier first request. In the door-in-the-face procedure, compliance is increased by first making an extremely hard request and following this with a target request, the one actually desired. The current study combined both of these procedures and formulated a new compliance technique consisting of two initial requests to precede the target request. Three hundred and eighty subjects selected at random from the telephone directory were called to test the new compliance procedure. The results showed that compliance was significantly greater for the new combination method when compared with both other methods. The theoretical model developed to devise and explain the new method also received support.
Theoretical and experimental studies of biotin analogues that bind almost as tightly to streptavidin as biotin.

We have used a newly developed qualitative computational approach, PROFEC (Pictorial Representation of Free Energy Changes), to visualize the areas of the ligand biotin where modifications of its structure might lead to tighter binding to the protein streptavidin. The PROFEC analysis, which includes protein flexibility and ligand solvation/desolvation, led to the suggestion that the pro-9R hydrogen atom of biotin, which is in α-position to the CO2- group, might be changed to a larger group and lead to better binding with streptavidin and avidin. Free energy calculations supported this suggestion and predicted that the methyl analogue should bind ≈3 kcal/mol more tightly to streptavidin, with this difference coming exclusively from the relative desolvation free energy of the ligand. The PROFEC analysis further suggested little or no improvement for changing the pro-9S hydrogen atom to a methyl group, and great reduction in changing the ureido N−H groups to N−CH3. Stimulated by these results, we synthesized...
Scaling percolation in thin porous layers

Percolation in porous media is a complex process that depends on the flow rate, material, and fluids properties as well as the boundary conditions. Traditional methods of characterizing percolation rely upon visual observation of a flow pattern or a pressure-saturation relation valid only in the limit of no flow. In this paper, the dynamics of fluid percolation in thin porous media is approached through a new scaling. This new scaling in conjunction with the capillary number and the viscosity ratio has resulted in a linear non-dimensional correlation of the percolation pressure and wetted area in time unique to each porous media. The effect of different percolation flow patterns on the dynamic pressure-saturation relation can be condensed into a linear correlation using this scaling. The general trend and implications of the scaling have been analyzed using an analytical model of a fluid percolating between two parallel plates and by experimental testing on thin porous media. Cathode porous transport laye...
1,5-Asymmetric induction during nucleophilic additions to arene­tricarbonyl­chromium complexes: tri­carbonyl­(η6-1-methyl-4-{spiro­[(1R,2S)-1,7,7-trimethyl­bicyclo­[2.2.1]heptane-3,2′-1,3-dioxolan]-2-yl­oxy}benzene)­chromium

The tricarbonyl­chromium unit bound to the arene ring of the chiral title complex, [Cr(C19H26O3)(CO)3], is rotated by ca 25° in agreement with the proposed mechanism for 1,5-asymmetric induction of nucleophilic attack.
Addressing Individual Client Needs in Manualized Treatment: Case Comparisons

One consequence of the evidence-based practice movement is the proliferation of manualized interventions. Clinicians voice a number of concerns about the use of treatment manuals. These include concerns that manuals impede the therapeutic relationship and discourage flexibility in addressing the individual needs of clients. One manualized intervention called parent—child interaction therapy (PCIT) has shown exceptional promise in the treatment of child behavioral problems. PCIT is a parent-mediated behavioral intervention aimed at reducing externalizing behaviors in children by changing parenting practices. The manual includes session scripts for clinicians, a proscribed sequence of intervention activities, and checklists for clinicians and parents to document that intervention is completed in the prescribed manner. Three cases are presented in which clients vary by personal characteristics and individual needs. Case descriptions reveal how this manualized intervention was adapted successfully to address ...
Structural integrity of bonded joints

Evaluation of the adhesive strength of a bonded joint is of paramount importance in aeronautical engineering and also in the space applications in the rocket science area. From mathematical point of view it is not a simple problem, since it involves mechanics of fracture applied not to a single solid body, but to two bodies with dissimilar material moduli and other properties common in the theory of continua, such as Poisson ratio, shear modulus and the inherent cohesive strength. To address the task of evaluation of the adhesive strength an energy approach analogous to that of Griffith (1921) has been applied. Certain specific examples pertaining to various geometrical configurations have been considered and the closed form solutions have been found. The fundamental assumption of this work is the idea that although the energy approach to fracture may not be exact, yet it provides a valuable physical insight and an excellent approximation for the exact solutions to problems, which are not usually susceptible to rigorous mathematical treatment.
ICV-CRH potently affects behavior without altering antinociceptive responding.

Abstract To explore the hypothesized integrative function of corticotropin releasing hormone (CRH) in the stress response, stress-related behaviors including antinociception were studied in rats after either intracerebroventricular (ICV) or peripheral administration of CRH. The effects of low-dose (0.3 ωg) and high-dose (3.0 ωg) ICVCRH were compared to those of vehicle, employing a within- S design. The two doses yielded comparable behavioral changes suggestive of increased arousal and stress. These changes were characterized by significant increases in grooming, walking, burrowing, self-gnawing, and pica, and decreases in rearing and sleeping. None of these effects of ICVCRH were obtained with peripheral administration of the same doses. The hot-plate test of analgesia failed to show a significant effect of ICVCRH or peripherally administered CRH. A between- S experiment incorporating both the tail-flick and the hot-plate tests of analgesia compared ICVCRH (3.0 ωg) with vehicle. ICVCRH did not affect antinociceptive responding in either of these tests. In contrast, ICV morphine (10 ωg) yielded potent analgesia in both tests. Thus, with doses of ICVCRH yielding clear evidence of stress-related behavior, no evidence of analgesia was obtained. These findings question the possible role of central CRH systems in antinociceptive processes.
Correlates and Consequences of Body Size in Nectar-Feeding Birds

synopsis. Nectar-feeding birds are among the smallest birds and the largest pollinators. Energetic costs of maintenance, temperature regulation, foraging and reproduction increase in direct proportion to body mass raised to fractional exponents, which may vary from 0.5 to 1.0; overall costs probably vary with an exponent of 0.75. Avian nectarivores acquire most of their energy from flower nectar; in so doing they compete with other nectar feeders and pollinate plants. Larger pollinators are more reliable and move pollen greater distances, but to attract them plants must secrete more nectar and protect it from utilization by smaller animals. Minimum body size of avian nectarivores (2g) appears to reflect both competition with insects and the limited capacity of the smallest birds to acquire and store energy relative to the demands of fasting, temperature regulation, and reproduction. Hummingbirds have attained significantly smaller size than other nectar feeding birds because lower metabolic rates and use of hypothermic torpor reduce their energy expenditure relative to income. Maximum body size of avian nectarivores (approximately 80g) apparently reflects the upper limit of plant energy expenditure for reliable, long distance pollination. Between these limits, size variation reflects divergence to reduce interspecific competition and coevolution with plants to promote specificity.
Orientation of membrane probes in giant unilamellar vesicles

Many biological processes are accompanied by changes in the orientation of membrane-embedded molecules. Fluorescence polarization microscopy (FPM) is an optical technique that can be used to determine how the transition dipole of a fluorophore is oriented with respect to the membrane and therefore may detect these changes. The FPM experimental setup is essentially an anisotropy measurement executed on a microscope. A linear polarizer is placed in both the excitation and emission light paths of an inverted microscope, and images are taken with the polarizers parallel or orthogonal. Intensity measurements are recorded at regions on the sample and compared with theoretical predictions to validate a model of dye orientation. We have applied FPM to determine the orientation of 1,2-Dioleoyl-sn-Glycero-3-Phosphoethanolamine-N-(Lissamine Rhodamine B Sulfonyl) (PE-rhodamine) in pure 1-Stearoyl-2-Oleoyl-sn-Glycero-3-Phosphocholine (SOPC) giant unilamellar vesicles (GUVs). Vesicles are widely used as model membranes, and GUVs are particularly useful as cellular models because of their large diameter size (~10-40 μm). A model for membrane dye orientation follows theory developed previously and indicates that PE-rhodamine molecules orient at ~31° with respect to the membrane. A computational routine was developed to minimize deviations between predicted and experimental results. We have also applied FPM to study the orientation of 1,1'-dioctadecyl-3,3,3',3'-tetramethylindocarbocyanine perchlorate (DiI) in GUVs. Preliminary results indicate that DiI is oriented at ~23°.
The changing health of our planet: Observing the Earth from space

It has become fashionable—even mandatory— in geophysical circles to think of Planet Earth as one interacting system and one that definitely includes the biosphere consisting of all living things. Of course, the founders of the American Geophysical Union must have subscribed in principle to that concept or they would not have created our multidisciplinary Union, but many universities still cling to those disciplinary pigeonholes. Old habits are hard to throw off, and it is often an extra effort to work at the interfaces between disciplines [Roederer, 1985]. It has been the intense interest in the theory of climate, and the causes of climate change especially, that has spurred earth scientists to work more closely together during the past decade or more. It is clear that our climate models must take into account the atmosphere, the oceans, the cryosphere, the biosphere, the solid earth, and the sun (now recognized as a slightly variable star). It is this realization that has led to the move to organize a new international program, the International Geosphere/Biosphere Program (IGBP), sometimes referred to as “Global Change,” for short [Malone and Roederer, 1985].
Knife wound to the posterior fossa in a child.

Background Knife wounds to the posterior fossa are a rare occurrence, especially in children. We report an 8-year-old girl who sustained a penetrating knife injury through the occipital bone into the posterior fossa. On presentation, the large knife blade was firmly embedded in her head.
MESO MYTHS : WHAT DRIVES ASSEMBLY OF HELICAL VERSUS MESO-M2L3 CLUSTERS?

Both a triple helix as well as a meso complex are formed by the Ga(III) and Al(III) complexes with a bis-bidentate bis-hydroxypyridinone ligand H(2)L. The two forms are in equilibrium in solution, though formation of the helical structure in the presence of water, which as guest molecule finds sufficient space in the cavity of the helix, is favored (the structure of the helical H(2)O subset[Al(2)L(3)] complex is shown).
Effects of protein source and co-culture on bovine embryo development in synthetic oviductal fluid medium.

Abstract Experiment 1 compared the development of 2- to 4-cell bovine embryos cultured in synthetic oviductal fluid with 20% fetal calf serum or 3.2% BSA and in the presence of oviductal cells, cumulus cells, or medium alone. More embryos developed in medium with serum, regardless of culture method (P = 0.063). Oviductal cell co-culture resulted in more embryos developing to at least the morula stage (P ≤ 0.066). The number of blastocysts was increased by the use of serum instead of BSA in cumulus cell co-culture medium (P
Actions of esters of testosterone, dihydrotestosterone, or estradiol on sexual behavior in castrated male guinea pigs.

Abstract Prepuberally castrated male guinea pigs were treated in adulthood with estradiol benzoate, testosterone propionate, dihydrotestosterone propionate or corn oil (vehicle control). Both corn oil and estradiol benzoate were ineffective in augmenting or inducing any aspect of adult male sexual behavior. Dihydrotestosterone propionate and testosterone propionate were both effective in establishing the complete male sexual behavior pattern, although they differed in the manner in which they affected specific components. For example, males treated with testosterone propionate showed more non-intromissive but not more intromissive mounts than males treated with dihydrotestosterone propionate. In addition, the average frequency of thrusts per intromission was greater for males treated with dihydrotestosterone propionate than for males treated with testosterone propionate.
Transmission of West Nile Virus by Culex quinquefasciatus Say Infected with Culex Flavivirus Izabal

Background The natural history and potential impact of mosquito-specific flaviviruses on the transmission efficiency of West Nile virus (WNV) is unknown. The objective of this study was to determine whether or not prior infection with Culex flavivirus (CxFV) Izabal altered the vector competence of Cx. quinquefasciatus Say for transmission of a co-circulating strain of West Nile virus (WNV) from Guatemala.
Ionization Mechanism of Positive-Ion Direct Analysis in Real Time: A Transient Microenvironment Concept

A transient microenvironment mechanism (TMEM) is proposed to address matrix effects for direct analysis in real time (DART). When the DART gas stream is in contact with the sample, a transient microenvironment (TME), which can shield analytes from direct ionization, may be generated through the desorption of the matrix containing the analyte. The DART gas stream can directly ionize the matrix molecules, but the analytes will be ionized primarily through gas-phase ion/molecule reactions with the matrix ions. Experimental results showed that as little as 10 nL of liquid or 10 microg of solid was able to generate an efficient TME. Generated TMEs were able to control the ionization of an analyte below an analyte-to-matrix ratio that was dependent on the DART temperature and the boiling points of the analyte and matrix. TMEs generated by common solvents were studied in detail. The ionization of both polar and nonpolar compounds, present in a solvent or another analyte below a ratio of 1:100, were found to be mainly controlled by the generated TMEs at a DART temperature of 300 degrees C.
The properties of a dolomite bed of a range of particle sizes and shapes at minimum fluidization

The results of a series of fluidization experiments performed in a 0.1524 m-dia, fluidized bed reactor (normally used as a combustor) in the temperature and pressure ranges of 294 to 700/sup 0/K and 180 to 835 kPa are reported. In particular the bed voidage at minimum fluidization, the mean sphericity of the particles, and the minimum fluidization velocities were determined. These results are correlated on the basis of the Ergun relation. Other methods available in the literature and often employed for predicting the minimum fluidization velocity of a bed of single-size spherical particles are briefly referred to for their applicability to a bed of a range of particle sizes and shapes. Knowledge of the minimum fluidization velocity facilitates the modeling of the reaction kinetics of a fluidized-bed reactor since it permits the determination of the gas in the bubble phase as an excess over that required for minimum fluidization.
Analysis of SIP-based mobility management in 4G wireless networks

Providing seamless mobility support is one of the most challenging problems towards the system integration of fourth generation (4G) wireless networks. Because of the transparency to the lower layer characteristics, application-layer mobility management protocol like the Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) has been considered as the right candidate for handling mobility in the heterogeneous 4G wireless networks. SIP is capable of providing support for not only terminal mobility but also for session mobility, personal mobility and service mobility. However, the performance of SIP, operating at the highest layer of the protocol stack, is only as good as the performance of the underlying transport layers in such a heterogeneous environment. In this paper we analyze the handoff performance of SIP in a IP-based 4G network with Universal Mobile Telecommunication System (UMTS) and Wireless LAN (WLAN) access networks. Analytical results show that the handoff to a UMTS access network introduces a minimum delay of 1.4048 s for 128kbps channel, while for handoff to a WLAN access network the minimum delay is 0.2 ms. In the former case the minimum delay is unacceptable for streaming multimedia traffic and requires the deployment of soft-handoff techniques in order to reduce the handoff delay to a desirable maximum limit of 100 ms.
Aerodynamic Investigation of the Performance of a Two Stage Axial Turbine at Design and Off-Design Conditions

This paper describes numerical aerodynamic investigations of a two-stage, high pressure axial turbine at design and off-design operating conditions. The flow field in a high pressure turbine is highly complex due to unsteadiness of the flow and the various effects of blade row interaction. Blade loss mechanisms generally include primary and secondary loss mechanisms. Examples of primary loss mechanisms include boundary layer losses, shock losses and mixing losses, whereas examples of secondary losses include tip leakage losses and end wall losses which both create secondary flow characteristics. Although modern numerical analysis techniques have provided good understanding of the flow field, it is still difficult to accurately predict impact due to the aforementioned loss effects. This is generally due to errors predicting in boundary layers, transition as well as false entropy generation due to numerical dissipation. When a turbine is operated at off-design conditions the primary and secondary loss effects are further increased and create further reductions in engine efficiency. In this study a numerical model of the two-stage axial turbine was constructed and run under boundary conditions designed to mimic the operating conditions applied during engine operation. The shear stress transport (SST) turbulence model was selected for its versatility in turbomachinery applications. A comparison was made between both experimentally measured efficiencies and numerically predicted efficiencies.Copyright © 2011 by ASME
Performance comparison between carbon nanotube and copper interconnects for gigascale integration (GSI)

Physical models are used to determine the ultimate potential performance of carbon nanotube interconnects and compare them with minimum-size copper wires implemented at various technology generations. Results offer important guidance regarding the nature of carbon nanotube technology development needed for improving interconnect performance. Since wave propagation is slow in a single nanotube, nanotube bundles with larger wave speeds must be used. At the 45-nm node (year 2010), the performance enhancement that can be achieved by using nanotube bundles is negligible, and at the 22-nm node (year 2016) it can be as large as 80%.
Adaptive multi-input multi-output fading channel equalization using Kalman estimation

This paper addresses the problem of adaptive channel tracking and equalization for multi-input multi-output (MIMO) time-variant frequency-selective channels. A finite-length minimum-mean-squared-error decision-feedback equalizer (MMSE-DFE) performs the equalization task, while a Kalman filter tracks the MIMO channel, which models the corrupting effects of inter-symbol interference (ISI), inter-user interference (IUI), and noise. The Kalman tracking is aided by previous hard decisions produced by the DFE, with a decision delay /spl Delta/>0, which causes the Kalman filter to track the channel with a delay. A channel prediction module bridges the time gap between the channel estimates produced by the Kalman filter and those needed for the DFE adaptation. The proposed algorithm offers good tracking behavior for multi-user fading ISI channels at the expense of higher complexity.
Converging technologies to enable induced pluripotent stem cells in drug discovery.

to differentiate into the three germ layers via embroid body or teratoma ana lysis. Clearly, iPS cell lines generated using different systems (or the same viral systems that result in differing patterns of genomic integration) can perform with equal efficiency and effect in these standard assays. However, for both disease models and cell therapy, the true test of an iPS cell line is its potential to differentiate into specific lineages and maintain stable progenitor or postmitotic status. Recent studies have demonstrated significant differences between iPS cell clones generated using the same viral systems, with a large percentage of clones forming tumors in rodents when transplanted as differentiated neurospheres [2]. The tumorigenic potential of clones was seen to be dependent on the starting cell type, suggesting that this may play a role in the ‘quality’ of an iPS cell clone and its differentiated product. However, there is a clear risk that the use of integrating viral systems for the generation of iPS cells may lead to insertional mutagenesis or exongenous transgene reactivation. One partial solution to this problem is the use of nuclease-directed recombination of factors to ‘safe-harbor’ sites of the genome. A more complete solution is to remove the virus or use nonintegrating, minimally invasive methods of reprogramming. Both genetic and nongenetic technologies may fit the description of minimally invasive reprogramming, and methods using excisable cre/lox vector [3], piggyBac transposon system [4], adenoviral vectors [5], episomal plasmids [6] and cellpenetrating proteins [7] have all been described. Although it has yet to be determined which of these reprogramming methods is best for in vitro applications, prescreening for iPS cell-derived lineage stability would be a prerequisite for commercial drug screening efforts. Clearly, in vivo clinical applications of the techno logy would necessitate minimally invasive reprogramming Induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells are similar to embryonic stem cells (ESCs) in their potential to differentiate into many cell types. The significant advantage of iPS cells is the ability to create pluripotent lines from any genetic background, including disease states. The ability to efficiently create and differentiate iPS cells to reproducibly recapitulate human physiology will have a significant impact on disease research, drug discovery, toxicity testing and, ultimately, cell therapy. Since its first demonstration, somatic cell reprogramming has evolved from a niche expertise performed by a few pioneering laboratories to a common technique used by researchers working in a multitude of fields [1]. While many methods of reprogramming have been developed, the use of integrating retroviral or lentiviral systems remains the most commonly used technique. However, to advance the commercial and clinical applications, some major questions in the field are:
Poster: Say it to see it: A speech based immersive model retrieval system

Virtual spaces have proven to be a valuable means to visualize and inspect 3D environments. Unfortunately, adding objects to 3D scenes while inside of an immersive environment is often difficult as the means used to acquire models from repositories are built for standard computer interfaces and are generally not available during a users session. We develop a novel interface for the insertion of models into a virtual scene through the use of voice, 3D visuals, and a 3D input device. Our interface seamlessly communicates with external model repositories (Trimble 3D Warehouse) enabling models to be acquired and inserted in the scene during a user's virtual session. We see the benefits of our pipeline and interface in the fields of design, architecture, and simulation.
Dynamical response of the Arctic atmospheric boundary layer process to uncertainties in sea-ice concentration

[1] Impact of sea-ice concentration (SIC) on the Arctic atmospheric boundary layer (ABL) is investigated using a polar-optimized version of the Weather Research and Forecasting (Polar WRF) model forced with SIC conditions during three different years. We present a detailed comparison of the simulations with historical ship and ice station based data focusing on September. Our analysis shows that Polar WRF provides a reasonable representation of the observed ABL evolution provided that SIC uncertainties are small. Lower skill is obtained, however, with elevated SIC uncertainties associated with incorrect seasonal evolution of sea ice and misrepresentation of ice thickness near the marginal ice zone (MIZ). The result underscores the importance of accurate representation of ice conditions for skillful simulation of the Arctic ABL. Further, two dynamically distinctive effects of sea ice on the surface wind were found, which act on different spatial scales. Reduced SIC lowers ABL stability, thereby increasing surface-wind (W10) speeds. The spatial scale of this response is comparable to the basin scale of the SIC difference. In contrast, near-surface geostrophic wind (Wg) shows a strong response in the MIZ, where a good spatial correspondence exists among the Laplacian of the sea level pressure (SLP), the surface-wind convergence, and the vertical motion within the ABL. This indicates that SIC affects Wg through variation in SLP but on a much narrower scale. Larger-amplitude and broader-scale response in W10 implies that surface-wind stress derived from Wg to drive ice-ocean models may not fully reflect the effect of SIC changes.
Antivascular Endothelial Growth Factor Agents and Their Development: Therapeutic Implications in Ocular Diseases

Purpose To provide an overview of angiogenesis and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and discusses the development approach, safety, and efficacy results of current and emerging anti-VEGF therapies for ocular diseases. Design Analysis of literature and current clinical trials of antiangiogenic agents for age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Methods Literature review. Results There are several novel antiangiogenic molecules that target vascular endothelial growth factor and are being used in the management of AMD. Large scale, Phase III trials have shown promising results in improving vision in this devastating disease. Conclusions Therapies that target VEGF have shown tremendous promise as treatments for AMD.
That's What She Said: Double Entendre Identification

Humor identification is a hard natural language understanding problem. We identify a subproblem --- the "that's what she said" problem --- with two distinguishing characteristics: (1) use of nouns that are euphemisms for sexually explicit nouns and (2) structure common in the erotic domain. We address this problem in a classification approach that includes features that model those two characteristics. Experiments on web data demonstrate that our approach improves precision by 12% over baseline techniques that use only word-based features.
Peer acceptance and rejection through the eyes of youth: pupillary, eyetracking and ecological data from the Chatroom Interact task

We developed an ecologically valid virtual peer interaction paradigmthe Chatroom Interact Task in which 60 pre-adolescents and adolescents (ages 9-17 years) were led to believe that they were interacting with other youth in a simulated internet chatroom. Youth received rejection and acceptance feedback from virtual peers. Findings revealed increased pupil dilation, an index of increased activity in cognitive and affective processing regions of the brain, to rejection compared to acceptance trials, which was greater for older youth. Data from a cell-phone Ecological Momentary Assessment (EMA) protocol completed following the task indicated that increased pupillary reactivity to rejection trials was associated with lower feelings of social connected- ness with peers in daily life. Eyetracking analyses revealed attentional biases toward acceptance feedback and away from rejection feedback. Biases toward acceptance feedback were stronger for older youth. Avoidance of rejection feedback was strongest among youth with increased pupillary reactivity to rejection, even in the seconds leading up to and following rejection feedback. These findings suggest that adolescents are sensitive to rejection feedback and seek to anticipate and avoid attending to rejection stimuli. Furthermore, the salience of social rejection and acceptance feedback appears to increase during adolescence.