cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Measurement of Muscle Stiffness to Improve Stability of Haptic Human-Robot Interfaces

Haptic devices require physical contact between operator and machine, using force feedback and creating a coupled system. Human contact reduces stability due to the response of human operators to stiffen the arm to stabilize the system, leading to a less stable system. Controllers cannot account for this, as operator stiffness is not measurable. This research examined the decreased stability due to increased operator arm stiffness and designed a system to compensate by providing the controller with additional information about the environment. Operator arm stiffness was estimated by measuring muscle activity using EMGs, then the dynamic characteristics of an impedance controller were adjusted according. The design is discussed and experimentally validating, showing increased stability and higher performance. Based on the results, an advanced probabilistic model of operator actions is explored for its applicability to enhance the system. Such a system could be used in many applications, including force assisting devices in industrial facilities.Copyright © 2012 by ASME and General Motors
Rapid molecular weight estimates for low-density lipoproteins.

Abstract Molecular weight calculations from sedimentation velocity data require knowledge of shape, hydration, and density of the macromolecules. Reasonable values of shape and hydration for low-density serum lipoproteins are currently available. Uncertainty of calculated molecular weights resides mainly in uncertainty of lipoprotein density, especially if the density of the solution is close to that of the molecules. By the simple expedient of using high-density salt solutions (1.4–1.5 gm/ml) to float the lipoproteins, one can virtually eliminate the uncertainty in calculated molecular weight for a given uncertainty in lipoprotein density. This paper describes the high-salt flotation (HSF) technique for lowdensity lipoproteins and the calculation of molecular weights from such data.
Hyperspectral remote sensing of shallow water environments: a review

Near-shore coastal waters are important for our quality of life, but near-shore environments are under continuous stress due to human activities and natural events. Also, data on some navigational charts are often decades old. Many do not reveal changes due to recent strong storms or coastal evolution. As a result, the doubtful bathymetric data can make coastal navigation dangerous. Methods and techniques are also needed to monitor the properties of near-shore waters as well as the condition of benthic ecosystems such a seagrass beds. Traditional ship-borne surveys are slow and expensive, and there is no need to remeasure all coastal areas as environmental change is in general a slow process. It is more important to find and flag the places where significant changes may have occurred and then focus field programs in those regions. One practical method may be to use satellite sensors, which have been proven very useful for quickly providing important environmental information over large areas. Satellite sensors for ocean studies use the relationship between the spectral signals received at the sensor and the contents below the sea surface to detect oceanic properties such as chlorophyll concentration. The use of passive spectral data for bathymetry was first demonstrated in the late 1960s (Polcyn and Sattinger 1969). Using several different approaches, reasonable results were obtained with limited spectral channels (Polcyn et al. 1970, Lyzenga 1985, Clark et al. 1987). All of these approaches require some important assumptions, however. These assumptions are not always valid. There is a strong need for a method to analytically and simultaneously derive bottom depth and albedo and the optical properties of the water column relying simply on remotely sensed data.
Action of PBAN and related peptides on pheromone biosynthesis in isolated pheromone glands of the redbanded leafroller moth, Argyrotaenia velutinana

Abstract Isolated pheromone glands from the redbanded leafroller moth, Argyrotaenia velutinana , were utilized to demonstrate the action of pheromone biosynthesis activating neuropeptide (PBAN) and bursa pheromonotropic peptide plus several other related peptides on pheromone biosynthesis. All peptides belonging to the PBAN family and the bursa peptide stimulated pheromone biosynthesis as measured by pheromone titer and incorporation of radiolabeled acetate. These peptides required the presence of extracellular Ca 2+ for expression of full activity and several inorganic Ca 2+ channel blockers inhibited the stimulation of pheromone biosynthesis. The Ca 2+ ionophore A23187 alone stimulated pheromone biosynthesis as did a cAMP analogue. Stimulation by the cAMP analogue in the absence of extracellular Ca 2+ was observed. Maximum pheromone titers were observed in 16 hr gland incubations; however, 2–6 hr incubations were required if pheromone biosynthesis was measured by the incorporation of radiolabeled acetate. Radiolabeled glucose incorporation was not increased in the presence of PBAN. These results are discussed in the context of how the pheromone biosynthetic pathway is stimulated by these peptides.
Michel Chevalier and the Saint-Simonian legacy: Early roots of modern cross-national comparative communication research

Michel Chevalier (1806–1879) and Alexis de Tocqueville (1805–1859) were two French contemporaries who on separate assignments travelled through North America on behalf of their government and conse...
Predicting execution rates in the USA.

Analysis of data from Cloninger, collected in 1977, showed that his set of variables provided a more powerful predictor of the homicide rates of the continental states in 1955–1959 than of the execution rates.
Cyclic GMP depresses hippocampal Ca2+ current through a mechanism independent of cGMP-dependent protein kinase

Abstract Cyclic GMP depresses Ba 2+ current through highvoltage-activated Ca 2+ channels (I Ca ∗ ) in acutely isolated hippocampal neurons. The effect is produced by intra-, but not extracellular, cGMP or by 5' GMP The membrane-permeant derivative, 8-Br-cGMP, produces a reversible suppression. The effect of 8-Br-cGMP is similar to phorbol ester-induced I Ca ∗ depression, except that I Ca ∗ depression due to 8-Br-cGMP is not blocked by protein kinase inhibitors H-8 or H-7, whereas phorbol ester effects are. The data suggest that cGMP depresses I Ca ∗ by a cGMP-kinase- and protein kinase C (PKC) independent mechanism. Cyclic AMP, which enhances I Ca ∗ and the cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase inhibitor, IBMX, both antagonize I Ca ∗ depression induced by 8-Br-cGMP, but not that due to phorbol esters. Cyclic IMP, a more potent activator of phosphodiesterase than of cGMP-dependent protein kinase, is also a powerful depressant of I Ca ∗ We conclude that cGMP-induced depression of I Ca ∗ . is mediated by activation of cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase with consequent reduction of intracellular cAMP.
Current Transport Modeling in an Amorphous Silicon Antifuse Structure

We have studied the transport mechanisms in thin film (≈2000 A) hydrogenated α-Si structures used as programmable antifuses in Field-Programmable-Gate-Arrays (FPGA) The antifuse was simulated using a back-to-back Schottky model for a metal/Si/metal thin film incorporating the thermionic-emission diffusion model for the metal-semiconductor contacts. The model predicts the current transport in the low voltage and high voltage regions. In the intermediate voltage range a linear field dependence of the barrier lowering is observed in the experimental results which leads to higher currents than predicted with the image force barrier lowering in the simulations. An important observation is that carrier multiplication is essential for breakdown which is evidence of impact ionization in α-Si. The permanent breakdown condition is modelled thermally, based on the steadystate solution to the heat equation.
Regulation of Astrocyte Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II Expression by ATP and Glutamate Involves Loss of Transcription Factor Binding to DNA

Abstract: Pretreatment of astrocytes with either glutamate or ATP, acting via specific receptors, suppresses subsequent cytokine-induced expression of type II nitric oxide synthase (NOS). This effect is downstream from the activation and translocation of nuclear factor (NF)-κB, as western blotting revealed no difference in accumulation of the p50 subunit in nuclear extracts from agonist-treated vs. nontreated cells. However, evidence from gel-shift assay suggests that the binding of nuclear protein from agonist-treated cells to NF-κB and activator protein-1 consensus oligonucleotides is markedly reduced. Selective inhibitors of protein kinases A and C could not restore either binding of transcription factors to DNA or type II NOS mRNA expression in agonist-pretreated cells. The modulation of proinflammatory cytokine-evoked type II NOS expression by ATP and glutamate may play an important role in CNS pathologies associated with stroke and trauma.
Effects of duodenal flow on interdigestive patterns of small bowel myoelectric activity

Factors regulating the conversion of the interdigestive migrating motor complex (MMC) to postprandial patterns of motility are not completely understood. This study assessed the effects of varying rates of nonnutrient duodenal flow on patterns of interdigestive motility before and after abdominal vagotomy. Six neurally intact dogs were prepared with serosal intestinal electrodes and a duodenal infusion catheter. After recovery, the dogs were studied by infusing an isosmolar, noncaloric, balanced electrolyte solution at rates of 0, 3, 6, 9, or 12 ml/min for 5 hours into the proximal duodenum. With increasing rates of duodenal infusion, the duration of phase I decreased progressively (P < 0.05), while the period of the MMC remained unchanged. The MMC was eventually inhibited at rates of 9 or 12 ml/min with establishment of a pattern of intermittent spike activity. These findings were similar in 3 of these dogs after transthoracic total abdominal vagotomy. Our findings suggest that increases in duodenal infusion rate, independent of caloric or nutrient content, modulate patterns of intestinal motility during the postprandial period; this effect does not appear to be vagally mediated.
Flight simulator visual-display delay compensation

A piloted aircraft can be viewed as a closed-loop man-machine control system. When a simulator pilot is performing a precision maneuver, a delay in the visual display of aircraft response to pilot-control input decreases the stability of the pilot-aircraft system. The less stable system is more difficult to control precisely. Pilot dynamic response and performance change as the pilot attempts to compensate for the decrease in system stability. The changes in pilot dynamic response and performance bias the simulation results by influencing the pilot's rating of the handling qualities of the simulated aircraft. The study reported here evaluated an approach to visual-display delay compensation. The objective of the compensation was to minimize delay-induced change in pilot performance and workload. The compensation was effective. Because the compensation design approach is based on well-established control-system design principles, prospects are favorable for successful application of the approach in other simulations.
Process Cost Comparison for Conventional and Near-Net-Shape Cermet Fabrication†

Tungsten carbide-cobalt (WC-Co) is a widely used cermet that is generally fabricated into bulk parts via conventional powder metallurgy (P/M) methods. Because this material (and other cermets) is very hard and wear resistant, diamond grinding is generally required to fabricate complex parts. As an alternative, studies have shown the Laser Engineering Net Shaping (LENS) process to be a technically feasible method, allowing for fabrication of near-net-shape parts. The economic trade-offs, however, have not been previously characterized. In this work, technical cost modeling (TCM) is applied to compare the costs of fabricating WC-Co parts with the P/M process to those of the LENS process. Cost drivers are identified and sensitivity analysis is conducted. Results reveal that the uncertainty in functional unit has a significant effect on relative process costs, and the cost is sensitive to order size only if less than ten parts are produced. It is concluded that the LENS process is economically preferable if part size is small or part shape is complex. The P/M process is more suitable to produce large parts in simple shapes.
Central Line Occlusion With Three-in-One Nutrition Admixtures Administered at Home

The use of single-container parenteral nutrition admixtures can be cost effective and can simplify home administration. Three-in-one admixtures (dextrose, amino acids, lipid emulsion, and other additives in a single bag) were in use when a marked increase in catheter occlusions was seen in the pediatric home parenteral nutrition population. Insoluble laminar deposits were found in the removed catheters. In all subsequently placed catheters, separate (SPLIT) infusions of lipid and parenteral nutrition solution were used rather than three-in-one admixtures. This was associated with an obvious decrease in catheter occlusions. Catheter life-span was retrospectively determined for 15 catheters of identical size and style that were used in eight patients who had received either infusions of three-in-one admixtures or SPLIT infusions. Life table survival analysis revealed a median survival time of 70 days for the three-in-one group (n = 8) and 290 days for the SPLIT group (n = 7). Survival distributions for the ...
The effect of an orally active leukotriene (LT) D4 antagonist WY-48, 252 on LTD4 and antigen-induced bronchoconstructions in allergic sheep

Abstract In this study we examined the effects of a new orally active leukotriene (LT) D4 receptor antagonist, WY-48,252 (1,1,1-trifluoro-N-[3-(2-quinolinylmethoxy)phenyl] methanesulfonamide), on LTD4-induced bronchoconstriction and antigen-induced early and late responses in allergic sheep. For all studies WY-48,252 10 mg/kg, was administered via intragastric tube 1 h prior to airway challenge. In seven sheep, airway challenge with LTD4 [delivered dose mean ±SE, 53±2 ug] resulted in an immediate increase in SRL to 600±18% over baseline. When these same sheep were treated with WY-48,252, airway challenge with LTD4 (delivered dose, 61±5 ug) resulted in only a 220±50% increase in SRL (p Ascaris suum antigen resulted in immediate and late (i.e. 6–8 h) increases in SRL of 499% and 138% over baseline (both responses, p
An investigation of moral judgement in frontotemporal dementia.

Objective:To investigate the basis of disturbed moral judgment in patients with frontotemporal dementia (FTD).Background:FTD is characterized by difficulty in modulating social behavior. Patients lack social propriety and may perform sociopathic acts. In addition, FTD patients often lack empathy for
Neural network approach to rapid thin film characterization

A novel approach for thin film thickness and optical constant extraction from spectral reflectance data is presented here. This methodology combines the global minimization abilities of Adaptive Simulated Annealing with the high computational efficiency of Neural Networks to solve complex characterization problems in real time. The optical constants of many thin films such as Polysilicon are a function of the processing conditions and hence the real time measurement of these parameters could possibly be used in real time or run to run process control applications.
Development of a Measure of Nurses' Aids Attitudes and Conservative Views

The literature concerning measurement of nurses' attitudes toward AIDS was reviewed. A short scale to measure nurses' attitudes toward AIDS was developed and evaluated. The instrument has three subscales on (a) willingness to care for those who are HIV positive, homosexuals, and intravenous drug users as patients, (b) attitudes toward homosexuals and intravenous drug users, and (c) general conservative views on religious, political, and family issues. The three subscales were supported by results of a factor analysis. Coefficient alpha ranged from .69 to .92.
The linguistic aestheticization of food: a cross-cultural look at food commercials in Japan, Korea, and the United States

Drawing on the dual notion of taste, this article presents a cross-cultural/cross-linguistic analysis of taste terms in food commercials from Japan, Korea, and the United States. From the point of view of taste as it pertains to sensory perception, the study examines the semantic characteristics of taste-related descriptors used in the commercial copy from the three languages/countries under investigation. The analysis centers on the concepts of deliciousness and tastiness in Japanese, Korean, and English and other descriptors used to linguistically aestheticize the food products being advertised. The focus here is on the degree of specificity of the taste terms and on the domains of sensory perception that they invoke. From the point of view of taste as aesthetic preference, the study pinpoints nuanced differences in linguistic and cultural variations with respect to how taste descriptors pattern across each language/culture. It is shown that the taste terms in the Japanese corpus tend to be less descriptively precise and include fewer synaesthetically derived descriptors than those in the U.S. and Korean corpora. The results provide preliminary evidence to support a dismantling of popular and scholarly myths which boldly and broadly dichotomize East vs. West.
A robust high-order compact method for large eddy simulation

We present a high-order compact method for large eddy simulation (LES) of compressible turbulent flows: Numerical solution of Navier-Stokes equations with high-order compact methods has been limited by numerical instabilities caused by ill-resolved features of the flow. This problem is alleviated by a staggered arrangement of conserved variables. Simulations of decaying isotropic turbulence at high Reynolds numbers demonstrate the superiority of the present method over the collocated method. Furthermore, the present method is applicable to the conservative form of the governing equations, thereby allowing total energy conservation, a property usually sacrificed in LES with the collocated method. Boundary schemes that extend the present methodology to non-periodic domains are also presented.
Effect of CO 2 Pressure on the Reaction with CaO

The effect of temperature and CO2 pressure on the kinetics of the reaction CaO + CO2°CaCO3 was studied. The reaction rapidly becomes diffusion-controlled as CaCO3 builds up on the surface of CaO. The pressure dependence of the diffusion-controlled reaction approximated that expected for a Langmuir adsorption isotherm. Temperature affected the extent of CO2 adsorption through θ, the fraction of surface sites covered, as well as the diffusion coefficient, D. The relation Rate =θKD describes the reaction where K is a constant containing geometrical factors, etc. The diffusion activation energy equals 29±6 kcal/mol.
A cover-based method to assess forest characteristics using inventory data and GIS

In most forest inventory data, it is not feasible to estimate the canopy coverage of trees having certain characteristics due to the lack of information on crown size. In this study, data from the Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) program were used to assign crown sizes to individual trees using published crown width models. This process effectively links trees to crown area such that estimates of canopy cover and changes therein can be made using domains that include tree-level attributes (e.g., dbh, total height, etc.). Advantages of implementing this approach are (1) estimation can proceed as with any other estimate of area derived from forest inventory data, and (2) canopy cover estimates provide different information than classical indicators such as number of trees. A disadvantage is the need to dissolve overlapping crowns after the tree-level domain is selected. Examples related to forest health, wildlife habitat, and old growth attributes are provided to illustrate applications of the method.
PSITTACOSIS : I. EXPERIMENTALLY INDUCED INFECTIONS IN PARROTS.

1. The virus of psittacosis is present in the nasal secretions, feces, blood, spleen, and liver of an infected parrot. 2. Parrots are susceptible to intraoral, intranasal, or intramuscular inoculations of the virus. 3. The most constant pathological changes produced by psittacosis in parrots occur in the spleen and liver. The lesions exhibited in the latter organ consist of areas of necrotic liver cells and damage to bile ducts. In no instance, in our experience, were lesions observed in a parrot's lungs comparable to those found in the lungs of men. 4. "Minute bodies" similar to those described by Levinthal and others were found in many, but not in all of the infected birds. 5. Parrots that have recovered from one attack of psittacosis exhibit an active immunity against reinfection.
On an optimal stopping problem of Gusein-Zade

Abstract We study the problem of selecting one of the r best of n rankable individuals arriving in random order, in which selection must be made with a stopping rule based only on the relative ranks of the successive arrivals. For each r up to r=25, we give the limiting (as n→∞) optimal risk (probability of not selecting one of the r best) and the limiting optimal proportion of individuals to let go by before being willing to stop. (The complete limiting form of the optimal stopping rule is presented for each r up to r=10, and for r=15, 20 and 25.) We show that, for large n and r, the optical risk is approximately (1−t ∗ ) r , where t ∗ ≈0.2834 is obtained as the roof of a function which is the solution to a certain differential equation. The optimal stopping rule τr,n lets approximately t∗n arrivals go by and then stops ‘almost immediately’, in the sense that τ r,n n →t ∗ in probability as n→∞, r→∞
4D reconstructions from low-count SPECT data using deformable models with smooth interior intensity variations

The Bayes Inference Engine (BIE) has been used to perform a 4D reconstruction of a first-pass radiotracer bolus distribution inside a CardioWest Total Artificial Heart, imaged with the University of Arizona's FastSPECT system. The BIE estimates parameter values that define the 3D model of the radiotracer distribution at each of 41 times spanning about two seconds. The 3D models have two components: a closed surface, composed of bi-quadratic Bezier triangular surface patches, that defines the interface between the part of the blood pool that contains radiotracer and the part that contains no radiotracer, and smooth voxel-to-voxel variations in intensity within the closed surface. Ideally, the surface estimates the ventricular wall location where the bolus is infused throughout the part of the blood pool contained by the right ventricle. The voxel-to-voxel variations are needed to model an inhomogeneously-mixed bolus. Maximum a posterior (MAP) estimates of the Bezier control points and voxel values are obtained for each time frame. We show new reconstructions using the Bezier surface models, and discuss estimates of ventricular volume as a function of time, ejection fraction, and wall motion. The computation time for our reconstruction process, which directly estimates complex 3D model parameters from the raw data, is performed in a time that is competitive with more traditional voxel-based methods (ML-EM, e.g.).© (2000) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Dendritic organization of phrenic motoneurons in the adult rat.

Abstract The dendritic organization of the phrenic nucleus as a whole was studied after injections of the B-subunit of cholera toxin conjugated to horseradish peroxidase were made into the diaphragm of adult rats. Transverse, sagittal, and horizontal sections through the phrenic nucleus (C3–C5) were incubated according to a modified tetramethylbenzidine HRP technique. The conjugated form of HRP used in this study has a special affinity for the GM1 ganglioside receptors on neuronal cell surfaces. As a result, extensive labeling of the terminal dendritic fields of a large number of phrenic motoneurons occurred simultaneously. The results showed that the majority of the dendrites of phrenic motoneurons were tightly organized rostrocaudally and confined to the boundaries of the column made up of the phrenic cell bodies. In addition, analysis of transverse and horizontal sections revealed dendritic bundles radiating at right angles to the long axis of the cell column in the following directions: (i) dorsolateral into the dorsal half of the lateral funiculus, (ii) lateral into the lateral funiculus, (iii) ventromedial into the lateral half of the anterior funiculus, (iv) ventrolateral into the ventral half of the lateral funiculus, and (v) dorsal into the intermediate gray matter. Some dendritic bundles were measured as far as 900 μm from phrenic cell bodies into the white matter. The horizontal sections also showed that there was a periodicity in the arrangement of the dendritic fascicles in that they were separated by distances ranging from 180 to 250 μm. From the analysis of phrenic dendritic distribution the present results suggest that the majority of synaptic imput to phrenic motoneurons occurs within the column of the phrenic cell bodies. In addition, there is evidence to suggest that a synaptic imput may also occur directly on distal phrenic dendrites in the lateral and ventral funiculi of the spinal cord white matter.
The impact of behavioral intervention on family interactions at mealtime in pediatric cystic fibrosis

The current study evaluated the impact of a behavioral intervention (Be In Charge!), targeting caloric intake and weight gain in children with CF, on family interactions at mealtime. Forty-five families of children with cystic fibrosis (CF), ages 4 to 12 years, were randomized to Be In Charge! or nutrition education and assessed using the McMaster Mealtime Family Interaction Coding System. No differences were found in family functioning between the two interventions pre- to posttreatment or 1-year follow-up, except for Affect Management. A significantly greater percentage of families receiving Be In Charge! demonstrated improvement in Affect Management from pretreatment to 1-year follow-up. Implications for developing the next generation of behavioral interventions are discussed.
Atomic oxygen adsorption on 3.125 at.% Ga stabilized δ-Pu (1 1 1) surface

Abstract All-electron density functional theory was used to investigate atomic oxygen adsorption on a gallium stabilized δ-plutonium (1 1 1) surface. High symmetry on-surface and interstitial adsorption sites, along with local environment (as determined by the absence or presence of gallium) were explored. The calculations comprised full structural relaxations. Spin–orbit-coupling was also taken into account to assess the complexity of absorbate–substrate interactions. We observed that O adsorbate prefers to bind strongly to a gallium deficient environment, with the most stable site being the threefold hollow fcc site and associated chemisorption energy of −5.06 eV. The binding energies were least favored when gallium is a nearest neighbor to the O adsorbate, suggesting that the presence of gallium in a plutonium matrix tends to slow down the oxide layer growth. Although the oxygen coordination is the highest in the interstitial sites, the adsorption energy is less favored compared to on-surface adsorption, implying that the diffusion of oxygen from the surface layer into the subsurface layers is an activated process. The adsorption process induced non-trivial deformations of the surface. Additionally, some delocalization of the plutonium 5f and 6d partial electron density of states (PDOS) at the Fermi energy was observed. Further analysis in the PDOS indicated that gallium tends to suppress hybridization between the plutonium 5f and oxygen 2p orbitals, while the 6d orbitals hybridized with oxygen 2p orbitals.
Chance and statistical significance in protein and DNA sequence analysis

Statistical approaches help in the determination of significant configurations in protein and nucleic acid sequence data. Three recent statistical methods are discussed: (i) score-based sequence analysis that provides a means for characterizing anomalies in local sequence text and for evaluating sequence comparisons; (ii) quantile distributions of amino acid usage that reveal general compositional biases in proteins and evolutionary relations; and (iii) r-scan statistics that can be applied to the analysis of spacings of sequence markers.
‘Berlusconi's Italy’: the media between structure and agency

In this article, I explore the conditions of the media in Italy by taking into consideration a variety of elements: the context of media legislation and media concentration that have favoured the interests of Silvio Berlusconi, and the role of progressive agency (media professionals, citizens' groups) as they worked within those constraints to keep alive the flames of democracy during the ‘Berlusconi era’. This perspective is intended to provide an alternative interpretation to what has become the prevailing view of contemporary Italy: an ‘abnormal’ country; the ‘Sick Man of Europe’; worse yet: a country of ‘servants’. The framework of analysis includes the influence of the media-magnate-turned-politician on media legislation and the television sector, but also evaluates the important roles that media professionals and citizens have played to improve pluralism. The article argues that despite extreme levels of media concentration and an unprecedented conflict of interests, a commitment to engage in politi...
Familial hypercholesterolemia: A challenge of diagnosis and therapy

People with familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) have dramatically high levels of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), which can lead to accelerated atherosclerosis and, if untreated, early cardiovascular death. Although the heterozygous form of FH is often unrecognized, detecting it early can enable risk reduction before premature coronary heart disease occurs.
Beside the point: Mothers’ head nodding and shaking gestures during parent–child play

Understanding the context for children's social learning and language acquisition requires consideration of caregivers' multi-modal (speech, gesture) messages. Though young children can interpret both manual and head gestures, little research has examined the communicative input that children receive via parents' head gestures. We longitudinally examined the frequency and communicative functions of mothers' head nodding and head shaking gestures during laboratory play sessions for 32 mother-child dyads, when the children were 14, 20, and 30 months of age. The majority of mothers produced head nods more frequently than head shakes. Both gestures contributed to mothers' verbal attempts at behavior regulation and dialog. Mothers' head nods primarily conveyed agreement with, and attentiveness to, children's utterances, and accompanied affirmative statements and yes/no questions. Mothers' head shakes primarily conveyed prohibitions and statements with negations. Changes over time appeared to reflect corresponding developmental changes in social and communicative dimensions of caregiver-child interaction. Directions for future research are discussed regarding the role of head gesture input in socialization and in supporting language development.
The Growing Crisis: Scholarly Publishing Pressures Facing Health Sciences Libraries

ABSTRACT Health sciences librarians work within a complex environment, one that quickly adopted access to electronic resources. The open access movement evolved as an alternative to traditional publishing as prices for STM e-journals steadily increased, but it also raised issues and concerns for authors within the more traditional biomedical culture. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) Public Access policy provided an opportunity to support researchers’ compliance with the policy, while advocating for open access and author rights. As an outgrowth of the NIH policy, health sciences libraries have promoted open access through a variety of activities within their academic health centers.
Nanoscale materials: a new season.

To date, nanoparticles and their simple assemblies have attracted interest from many branches of science. The next step entails building complex structures with these particles in the way that atoms and molecules are put together in nature. Materials scientists may soon find a whole new set of building blocks in their toolbox.
Optical Properties of Zinc Fluoride Phosphors

When activated with manganese alone, zinc fluoride emits an orange fluorescence under excitation by 2537A whose brightness is very weak because its peak excitation lies at 2200A. Other activators, cerium, tungsten, and titanium, shift the peak excitation to 2500–2600A and produce a higher absorption in the range 2000–2600A. The emission of tungsten and titanium lies mainly in the visible; that of cerium consists of a series of bands in the ultraviolet.Combinations of these elements with manganese produce greater fluorescence brightness. With tungsten or titanium, the normal orange emission of manganese is increased manifold with no change in the spectral distribution nor in the unique exponential decay of its afterglow except that the decay is raised to a higher brightness level. With cerium, the individual emission of each activator persists, with no reduction in intensity of the ultraviolet cerium bands and with only a slight increase in the intensity of the manganese band.As explanation of this apparent discrepancy, evidence was found that only tungsten and titanium are present in the same phase as manganese, namely, zinc fluoride. Cerium combines to form a separate phase, an aggregate of zinc and cerium fluorides.
Reduction and non-linear controllability of symmetric distributed systems

This paper considers the ‘reduction’ problem for distributed control systems. In particular, we consider controllability of systems containing multiple instances of diffeomorphic components where the overall system dynamics is invariant with respect to a discrete group action. A subclass of such systems are systems with a set of identical components where the overall system dynamics are invariant with respect to physically interchanging these components. The main result is a proposition which shows that for an equivalence class of symmetric systems of this type, controllability of the entire class of systems can be determined by analysing the member of the equivalence class with the smallest state space. The reduction methods developed are illustrated by considering the controllability of a team of mobile robots and a platoon of underwater vehicles.
Identification of a mouse germ cell-less homologue with conserved activity in Drosophila.

Drosophila Germ cell-less (Gcl) has previously been shown to be important in early events during the formation of pole cells, which are the germ cell precursors in the fly. We have isolated a 524 amino acid mouse gene with 32% identity and 49% similarity to Drosophila gcl, termed mgcl-1. Like Drosophila Gcl, mGcl-1 localizes to the nuclear envelope. Ectopic expression of mgcl-1 in Drosophila rescues the gcl-null phenotype, indicating that mGcl-1 is a functional homologue of Gcl. mgcl-1 maps to chromosome 6 at 47.3 cM, and is expressed at low levels at all embryonic stages examined from 8.5 to 18.5 d.p.c. as well as in many adult tissues. Different from Drosophila gcl, mgcl-1 is not highly expressed at the time the primordial germ cells appear in the mouse, but high mgcl-1 expression is found in selected mouse adult male germ cells. The differences in these expression patterns in light of conserved activity between the two genes is discussed.
Green: a customizable UML class diagram plug-in for eclipse

This demonstration presents an overview of a customizable round-tripping UML class diagram plug-in for Eclipse called Green. While this tool was developed primarily with students and instructors in introductory OO computer science courses in mind, its extensible architecture makes it potentially useful to others.Green is a flexible tool: each binary class relationship is implemented as a separate plug-in to the basic tool. The set of relationships supported is therefore easily tailored to the needs of the user. More importantly, the semantics of the relationships can be defined to suit the user. The tool can therefore grow with a student/developer as their needs change.
The performance evaluation of existing suppliers using data envelopment analysis

For any supply chain management activity to operate effectively, there must be some method of monitoring supplier performance and the metrics in place to provide visibility of performance. Many different methods have been developed over the years to aid in this effort. In the literature, there are numerous examples for the application of various decision tools to aid in the selection of new suppliers or the evaluation of multiple suppliers of the same commodity. This study is an attempt to evaluate and score a focal company's existing suppliers of various commodities. The goal is to rate the suppliers comparatively using common measurable characteristics. An anonymous midsize manufacturing company in the aerospace industry has provided a full year of historical data on its 30 largest Tier 1 suppliers to aid this work. This study applies Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) to the supplier data and results in the comparative rankings of supplier performance.
A comparison of antibody concentration measured by mouse protection assay and radioimmunoassay in sera from patients at high risk of developing pneumococcal disease.

The radioimmunoassay (RIA) of pneumococcal capsular polysaccharide antibodies is dependent on the association of radiolabeled antigen and pneumococcal antibody. However, it is not known whether the ability of the antibody to complex with antigen correlates with in vivo protection against infection. A method for evaluating protective ability of antibody vis-a-vis binding ability is to passively transfer a measured quantity of antibody into recipient mice followed by a lethal challenge with virulent pneumococci. Protection against a fatal outcome is then correlated with the amount of antibody (as measured by RIA) passively transferred. This comparison of quantitation by RIA and biological protection in mice was performed on 30 sera from humans. The sera were obtained from vaccinated healthy persons and vaccinated persons at high risk of developing pneumococcal infection, including people with nephrotic syndrome, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and various forms of cancer. The results of these studies indicate that antibody as measured by RIA correlates with protective antibody against pneumococcal infection. These studies were conducted on pneumococcal serotype 3.
Theory of High Frequency Gas Discharges. IV. Note on the Similarity Principle

The similarity principle of Steenbeck is derived from the differential equation for the electron distribution function and is extended to cover h.f. discharges. Possible applications and its limitations are discussed.
Maritime security laboratory for maritime security research

Stevens Institute of Technology has established a new Maritime Security Laboratory (MSL) to facilitate advances in methods and technologies relevant to maritime security. MSL is designed to enable system-level experiments and data-driven modeling in the complex environment of an urban tidal estuary. The initial focus of the laboratory is on the threats posed by divers and small craft with hostile intent. The laboratory is, however, evolvable to future threats as yet unidentified. Initially, the laboratory utilizes acoustic, environmental, and video sensors deployed in and around the Hudson River estuary. Experimental data associated with boats and SCUBA divers are collected on a computer deployed on board a boat specifically designed and equipped for these experiments and are remotely transferred to a Visualization Center on campus. Early experiments utilizing this laboratory have gathered data to characterize the relevant parameters of the estuary, acoustic signals produced by divers, and water and air traffic. Hydrophones were deployed to collect data to enable the development of passive acoustic methodologies for maximizing SCUBA diver detection distance. Initial results involving characteristics of the estuary, acoustic signatures of divers, ambient acoustic noise in an urban estuary, and transmission loss of acoustic signals in a wide frequency band are presented. These results can also be used for the characterization of abnormal traffic and improvement of underwater communication in a shallow water estuary.
Impact of dry eye disease and treatment on quality of life.

Purpose of review Recent increased awareness of dry eye disease (DED) by both clinicians and patients has been accompanied by improved recognition that it is a chronic disorder often requiring long-term management. DED, frequently associated with symptoms of discomfort and visual disturbance, also impairs quality of life (QoL), including aspects of physical, social, and psychological functioning. This review summarizes the available research on the impact of DED and its treatment on measures of QoL. Recent findings A relative dearth of data supporting the effectiveness of DED treatments as assessed by QoL measures exists. Both cyclosporine ophthalmic emulsion 0.05% and hydroxypropyl cellulose ophthalmic inserts have been associated with improvements in Ocular Surface Disease Index scores, a disease-specific measure of QoL, and with enhancement of patients' ratings regarding their ability to perform activities of daily living. Summary Because there is a lack of concordance between symptoms and diagnostic measures of DED, QoL measures provide clinicians a valuable tool for assessing the burden of disease as well as response to treatment. Such measures should be employed in clinical practice and in future trials of treatment modalities.
Phylogeny of natural cytotoxicity: Cytotoxic activity of coelomocytes of the purple sea urchin, Arbacia punctulata

Coelomocyte-mediated nonspecific cell cytotoxic activity against human and mu- rine target cells by the purple sea urchin Arbacia punctulata was investigated in vitro. Cytotoxic activity toward target cells was shown to be mediated by different coelomocyte populations iso- lated by discontinuous density gradient centrifugation. The population of phagocytic amebocytes showed the strongest cytotoxic activity and the highest binding to human NK markers by cytometry analysis. Our immunophenotypic studies showed that A. punctulata phagocytic amebocytes are CD14 + , CD56 + , CD158b + , CD3 - , CD4 - , CD8 - , and CD16 - . The cytotoxic activity was independent of experimental incubation temperatures, required viable effector cells, and required cell-cell contact between the effector and target cells. Sodium azide significantly decreased coelomocyte cytotoxic- ity, indicating that cytotoxicity is metabolically dependent, and EDTA reduction of cytotoxic activ- ity is consistent with the involvement of divalent cations in the cytotoxic process. These data describe a population of sea urchin coelomocytes (the phagocytic amebocyte) that are CD14 + , CD56 + , and CD158b + , with cytotoxic activities. J. Exp. Zool. 290:741-750, 2001. © 2001 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Nanoscratch behavior of dendrimer-mediated Ti thin films

Ramped load nanoscratch behaviors of titanium thin films with and without dendrimer mediation were extensively studied. By combining in situ investigation of scratch surface profiles and coefficients of friction curves, with ex situ microscopic (OM, AFM) and spectroscopic (AES) examinations of scratch tracks, different scratch failure modes were identified. An adhesive failure was found in the dendrimer-mediated films, whereas a cohesive failure was in the dendrimer-free samples.
Quality of life with an implanted left ventricular assist device.

Abstract Background . With the increasing use of left ventricular assist devices (LVADs) for longer-term support of patients awaiting cardiac transplantation, we must now consider whether to use these devices as alternatives to medical therapy when biologic hearts are needed but not forthcoming. This expansion of use depends as much on quality of life as it does on survival. To draw an inference about long-term quality of life with implanted LVADs, we studied "bridged" patients at our institution. Methods . We elicited, by standard gamble, the utilities (preferences) of bridged patients at three points in their care: before LVAD implantation, during LVAD support, and after cardiac transplantation. Results . Utility was 0.548 (±0.276) before implantation, 0.809 (±0.136) during LVAD support, and 0.964 (±0.089) after transplantation. For patients interviewed during all three states of health, the utilities were significantly different ( p = 0.0009 by analysis of variance). Conclusions . The quality of life with an LVAD was substantially better than with medical therapy, on par with renal transplantation (as established by others), and not as good as after cardiac transplantation. These results portend an acceptable quality of life for long-term use of LVADs for patients with end-stage heart failure and contribute to the growing body of evidence supporting a clinical trial to test this new use.
Thermophoretic Collection and Analysis of Submicrometer Ag Particles Emitted from a Graphite Tube-Type Electrothermal Vaporizer

Using thermophoretic collection with a cooled Cu probe, particles generated in an electrothermal vaporizer (ETV) from a AgNO3 solution sample have been collected and analyzed using transmission ele...
A partnership of two U.S. research networks to improve public health.

Strategic collaborations are essential in moving public health research and practice forward1, particularly in light of escalating fiscal and environmental challenges facing the public health community. This commentary provides background and context for an emerging partnership between two national networks, Prevention Research Centers (PRCs) and Public Health Practice-Based Research Networks (PBRNs), to impact public health practice. Supported by CDC, PRCs are celebrating over 25 years of transdisciplinary applied prevention research grounded in community and stakeholder engagement. Public Health PBRNs, funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, conduct innovative public health services and systems research with public health agencies and community partners to improve public health decision-making. By utilizing each of the networks’ respective strengths and resources, collaborative ventures between PRCs and Public Health PBRNs can enhance the translation of applied prevention research to evidence-based practice and empirically investigate novel public health practices developed in the field. Three current PRC-Public Health PBRNs projects are highlighted and future research directions are discussed. Improving the interconnectedness of prevention research and public health practice is essential to improve the health of the Nation.