cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Inhibition of dopamine release with simultaneous chemosensory excitation by hypercapnia with and without [Ca2+]0 in the cat carotid body

Abstract The hypothesis that dopamine (DA) overflow corresponds to carotid sinus nerve (CSN) discharge during hypercapnia and is dependent on [Ca 2+ ] 0 was tested. We simultaneously measured the time course of DA overflow and CSN discharge of the cat carotid body, perfused/superfused in vitro at 37°C at decreasing [Ca 2+ ] 0 , during transition from normocapnia (P CO 2 ∼30–35 Torr) to hypercapnia (P CO 2 ∼60–65 Torr). In the presence of normal [Ca 2+ ] 0 , hypercapnia instantaneously increased nerve discharge to peak levels followed by a decrease to steady states which were above the basal rate of activity. CSN discharge rate did not differ at decreasing [Ca 2+ ] 0 between 2.2 and 1.0 mM, and it began to decline at 0.1 mM [Ca 2+ ] 0 , culminating to zero level in most cases, at zero [Ca 2+ ] 0 . DA overflow increased slightly during hypercapnic peak CSN activity. Thereafter it declined to steady state levels below those of normocapnic conditions. Decreases in steady state DA levels were significantly less at 0 mM [Ca 2+ ] 0 compared to the higher calcium concentrations (0.1, 1.0 and 2.2 mM). Overall, steady state CSN activity and DA overflow were inversely related. Thus, DA release cannot have excitatory implications for carotid chemoreceptors during hypercapnia in the cat.
L1′ ordering: Evidence of L10–L12 hybridization in strained Fe38.5Pd61.5 epitaxial films

Abstract The existence of an L10–L12 hybrid ordered phase for face-centered cubic (fcc) crystal symmetry was first theorized by William Shockley in 1938, but has not been verifiably observed to date. Ordered magnetic thin films of Fe38.5Pd61.5, the expected L10–L12 eutectoid composition, grown epitaxially on MgO(0 0 1) substrates by pulsed laser deposition, are shown to exhibit the first empirical confirmation of L1′ type ordering. A formal treatment of L1′ ordering requiring the definition of two independent ordering parameters is discussed in conjunction with the crystallographic and magnetic characterization of the Fe38.5Pd61.5 thin films. Two theories regarding origination of the unique metastable ordering behavior induced by the non-equilibrium strain conditions are proposed.
Intercomparison of selected semi-empirical and fundamental parameter interelement correction methods in x-ray spectrometry

Fundamental parameter interelement correction methods such as NRLXF are finding increased use in quantitative x-ray spectrometry. The purpose of this work was to compare the results obtained with each of the three options in NRLXRF, namely empirical, full, and theoretical, with a semiempirical model such as Rasberry-Heinrich and an NBS fundamental parameter method to check for consistency. Well characterized alloys were chosen for making the intercomparison.
Advances in Small Bowel Imaging

The small intestine has been difficult to examine by traditional endoscopic and radiologic techniques. Within the past 10 years, advances have led to an explosion of technologies that facilitate examination of the entire small intestine. Wireless video capsule endoscopy, deep enteroscopy using balloon-assisted or spiral techniques, computer tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance (MR) enterography have facilitated the diagnosis, monitoring, and management of patients with small intestinal diseases. These technologies are complementary, each with its advantages and limitations. Capsule endoscopy provides a detailed view of the mucosal surface and has excellent patient acceptance, but does not allow therapeutics. Deep enteroscopy allows careful inspection of the mucosa and therapeutics, but is time consuming and invasive. Enterography (CT or MR) allows examination of the small bowel wall and surrounding structures. The initial best test for detecting small intestinal disease depends on clinical presentation and an astute differential diagnosis.
Ethnobotany of the Chinantec Indians, Oaxaca, Mexico

This report represents the greater part of data collected over a six-month period in the Chinantec-speaking municipio of San Pedro Sochiapam, Oaxaca. The main subject of the research was whether observed and discussed cultural patterns could be checked and recorded against an ethnobotanical and taxonomical system, arriving at an adequate statement of the actual relations within an ecological system from the ethnobotanical data. There are more than 2,000 vascular species of plants in the area. Repeated interviews with native informants suggest that more than 1,000 are known by Chinantec names. For the purposes of this report, I have taken a sample of about 40% of the data collected by using 100 Chinantec name specifics with high cultural significance. To determine how important plants are to the Chinantec and to determine to what extent their knowledge of plants has been influenced by their primitive sedentary life, a corpus of over 300 plants, 100 of high cultural significance, was recorded, along with plant significance data. Plant significance data comprises: Chinantec name specific; etymology of the name; the plants function and usage; part utilized and the exact manner the flora is treated, identified, and grouped taxonomically by members of the community. Also the relative importance of each plant was part of the questionnaire framework. Although the geographic area investigated was relatively small in comparison with the total Chinantec-speaking area, a greater degree of accuracy was attained by using informants from three neighboring communities: San Pedro, San Juan Zautla and Nueva Rancho. Thus, the data could be checked and corrected by comparing the three sources of information. This was also a con-
A surface Cauchy-Born model for nanoscale materials

We present an energy-based continuum model for the analysis of nanoscale materials where surface effects are expected to contribute significantly to the mechanical response. The approach adopts principles utilized in Cauchy–Born constitutive modelling in that the strain energy density of the continuum is derived from an underlying crystal structure and interatomic potential. The key to the success of the proposed method lies in decomposing the potential energy of the material into bulk (volumetric) and surface area components. In doing so, the method naturally satisfies a variational formulation in which the bulk volume and surface area contribute independently to the overall system energy. Because the surface area to volume ratio increases as the length scale of a body decreases, the variational form naturally allows the surface energy to become important at small length scales; this feature allows the accurate representation of size and surface effects on the mechanical response. Finite element simulations utilizing the proposed approach are compared against fully atomistic simulations for verification and validation. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Surgical repair of rectovaginal fistulas in patients with Crohn's disease : transvaginal approach

The surgical management of rectovaginal fistulas complicating Crohn's disease has been associated with unacceptably high failure rates. We sought to modify the available surgical techniques to provide a solution to this challenging problem. Between December 1983 and January 1990, 14 patients with Crohn's disease underwent repair of a rectovaginal fistula. A modified transvaginal approach was employed by the authors. A diverting loop ileostomy was performed on all patients, either as the initial step in the staged management of intractable perianal disease or concurrent with the repair of the rectovaginal fistula. The fistula was completely eradicated in 13 of the 14 women and did not recur during the mean follow-up period of 55.0 months (range, 3-77 months). Intestinal continuity was reestablished in these 13 patients within 6 months after the initial fistula repair. One patient with a very low-lying fistula constituted our only failure. We have found the transvaginal method preferable to the transanal approach because of the relative ease in raising the vaginal flap as compared with a flap of fibrotic and inflamed anorectal mucosa. On the basis of this study, we conclude that a modified transvaginal approach is an effective method for repair of rectovaginal fistulas secondary to Crohn's disease.
Dancing Around Infertility: The Use of Metaphors in a Complex Medical Situation

People use metaphors to cognitively frame their experiences as well as to explain those experiences to others, especially in complex medical situations. However, previous research has not fully explored the extent to which metaphors may be helpful or harmful to achieving well-being. This investigation fills this gap by identifying and explaining metaphor use in the context of infertility. Guided by self-determination theory, in-depth interviews were conducted with 22 women and men who had experienced an inability to conceive a child. Analysis of participant narratives yielded 10 prominent metaphors that reflect how participants’ need for competence, autonomy, and relatedness were (and were not) met during their infertility experience. Results indicate that cognitively framing the infertility experience using certain metaphors is more likely to enhance personal and relational well-being, while others may be more harmful. Suggestions for communication with doctors, partners, families, and friends are discussed.
Hemicyclops columnaris sp.n. (Copepoda, Poecilostomatoida, Clausidiidae) Associated with a Coral in Panama (Pacific Side)

Hemicyclops columnaris sp.n. is described from the scleractinian coral Porites lobata Dana on the Pacific coast of Panama. The new species may be distinguished from its 23 congeners by a combination of the body size and the shape of the genital segment in the female. Although certain members of the genus Hemicyclops are associated with crustaceans, polychaetes and other marine invertebrates, this is the first record of a species of this genus from a hard coral.
Final Report: Subcommittee on Transmission and Transmission Paths

This is a report by the Subcommittee on Transmission and Transmission Paths of the Ad Hoc Committee for Color Television study, established by the Joint Committee for Intersociety Coordinators (JCIC). It presents an objective analysis, based on tests made in Chicago, of video transmission characteristics related to color performance. The study finds significant departures from perfect performance in this segment of the overall system, makes recommendations for tighter tolerances on several current FCC signal specifications, and suggests the addition of other characteristics not now specified.
Ultrastrong and Stiff Layered Polymer Nanocomposites

Nanoscale building blocks are individually exceptionally strong because they are close to ideal, defect-free materials. It is, however, difficult to retain the ideal properties in macroscale composites. Bottom-up assembly of a clay/polymer nanocomposite allowed for the preparation of a homogeneous, optically transparent material with planar orientation of the alumosilicate nanosheets. The stiffness and tensile strength of these multilayer composites are one order of magnitude greater than those of analogous nanocomposites at a processing temperature that is much lower than those of ceramic or polymer materials with similar characteristics. A high level of ordering of the nanoscale building blocks, combined with dense covalent and hydrogen bonding and stiffening of the polymer chains, leads to highly effective load transfer between nanosheets and the polymer.
Meridional circulation and mixing associated with the decay of warm-core ring 82B

Abstract Observations of a warm-core ring are used to formulate a model for diagnosing the physics of a ring change over a 2-month period. About 30 hydrographic casts and acoustic doppler current measurements are used to generate estimates of an equivalent radially symmetric ring with radial contrasts of stratification, temperature, salinity, azimuthal velocity, angular momentum and potential vorticity. A series of related models is inverted for the ring circulation and mixing coefficients. The circulation is insensitive to the model details, is well resolved, and is a radial outflow and upwelling. Eddy coefficients are only partially resolved; determining the mixing with any degree of confidence appears to require a much more elaborate data set than the one available.
Assessment of eating disorders in adolescents with anorexia nervosa: self-report questionnaire versus interview

Objective To compare the Eating Disorder Examination (EDE) with the self-report version (EDE-Q) in a population of adolescents with anorexia nervosa. Method Twenty-eight adolescent women meeting criteria for anorexia nervosa were assessed using both measures. The self-report version (EDE-Q) was given both before and (Time 1) after (Time 2) administration of the interview-based version (EDE). Results The results comparing the EDE with the EDE-Q at Time 1 were consistent with previous studies. Specifically, high correlations were generated on each of the four subscales (Dietary Restraint, Eating Concern, Shape Concern, Weight Concern) where the EDE-Q consistently overestimated the EDE. However, significant differences between the two measures were found on all subscales except Dietary Restraint. Agreement was best for the Weight Concern subscale and worst for the Eating Concern subscales. Comparing the EDE with the EDE-Q at Time 2, agreement improved for all subscales whereas significant differences were found on only two of the four subscales (Eating Concern and Shape Concern). Discussion Adolescents with anorexia nervosa report information on the EDE-Q as well as any of the other populations that have been studied. The results suggest that providing information to participants before they complete the self-report measure could improve scores on the EDE-Q. © 2002 by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Eat Disord 33: 45–54, 2003.
Methods for providing therapeutic agents to treat damaged spiral ganglion neurons

Sensorineural hearing loss, characterized by damage to sensory hair cells and/or associated nerve fibers is a leading cause of hearing disorders throughout the world. To date, treatment options are limited and there is no cure for damaged inner ear cells. Because the inner ear is a tiny organ housed in bone deep within the skull, access to the inner ear is limited, making delivery of therapeutic agents difficult. In recent years scientists have investigated a number of growth factors that have the potential to regulate survival or recovery of auditory neurons. Coinciding with the focus on molecules that may restore function are efforts to develop novel delivery methods. Researchers have been investigating the use of mini osmotic pumps, viral vectors and stem cells as a means of providing direct application of growth factors to the inner ear. This review summarizes recent findings regarding the molecules that may be useful for restoring damaged spiral ganglion neurons, as well as the advantages and disadvantages of various delivery systems.
ISOTOPE HYDROLOGY OF VOLUMINOUS COLD SPRINGS IN FRACTURED ROCK FROM AN ACTIVE VOLCANIC REGION, NORTHEASTERN CALIFORNIA

The more than 1550 km2 (600 mi2) Hat Creek Basin in northeastern California is host to several first magnitude cold springs that emanate from Quaternary basaltic rocks with individual discharge rates ranging from 1.7 to 8.5 m3 s−1 (60–300 ft3 s−1). Stable isotope (δ18O, δD, δ13C) and 14C measurements of surface and groundwater samples were used to identify recharge areas, and to evaluate aquifer residence times and flow paths. Recharge locations were constrained from the regional decrement in meteoric water δ18O values as a function of elevation, determined to be −0.23‰ per 100 m for small springs and creek waters collected along the western Cascade slope of this region. In general, the large-volume springs are lower in (δ18O than surrounding meteoric waters, and are inferred to originate in high-elevation, high-precipitation regions up to 50 km away from their discharge points. Large spring 14C abundances range from 99 to 41 % modern carbon (pmc), and most show evidence of interaction with three distinct carbon isotope reservoirs. These reservoirs are tentatively identified as (1) soil CO2 gas equilibrated under open system conditions with groundwater in the recharge zone [δ13CDIC ≈ −18‰, 14C > 100 pmc], (2) dissolved carbon equilibrated with atmospheric CO2 gas [δ13CDIC ≈ +1‰, 14C > 100 pmc], and (3) dissolved carbon derived from volcanic CO2 gas emissions [δ13CDIC≈0‰, 14C=0 pmc]. Many regional waters show a decrease in 14C abundance with increasing δ13C values, a pattern indicative of interaction with dead carbon originating from volcanic CO2 gas. Several lines of evidence suggest that actual groundwater residence times are too short (⩽ 200 years) to apply radiocarbon dating corrections. In particular, water temperatures measured at springs show that deep groundwater circulation does not occur, which implies an insufficient aquifer volume to account for both the high discharge rates and long residence times suggested by 14C apparent ages. The large springs also exhibit rapid decreases in flow during periods of drought that suggests a high level of aquifer interconnectivity to the recharge area. The estimated amount of volcanic CO2 dissolved in surface and groundwater originating from the Lassen highlands is consistent with the conversion of approximately 10% of the geothermal CO2 flux into dissolved inorganic carbon.
Triterpenoid constituents in the outer bark of Betula alleghaniensis (yellow birch)

Abstract Yellow birch, Betula alleghaniensis, is a dark-barked birch species that is widely utilized in the northeastern region of the United States for pulp and solid wood products. Currently, the bark is used only as a low value fuel source. In this study, the triterpenoid composition of the outer bark of B. alleghaniensis was investigated in order to evaluate potential for use as a resource for specialty chemicals. Seventeen triterpenoids, including four new compounds, were isolated and identified. Previously known compounds included lupeol, lupenone, betulone, betulin, betulonic acid, lupenyl formate, lup-20(29)-ene-30-ol-3-one, lup-20(29)-ene-3β,30-diol, lup-20(29)-ene-28-ol-30-al, 29-norlupan-3β-ol-20-one, lupan-20-ol-3-one, lupan-3β,20-diol, and lupan-3β-ol-29-oic acid. The four new compounds isolated from yellow birch were lup-20(29)-ene-28-ol-3-one-30-al, 29-norlupan-3,20-dione, 29-norlupan-28-ol-3,20-dione, and lupan-20,28-diol-3-one.
Effect of Loudspeaker Position on Differences between Earphone and Free-Field Thresholds (MAP and MAF)

Free-field and earphone measurements were obtained from eight practiced listeners under monaural and binaural conditions to assess the hypothesis that a major source of the disparity between minimu...
Measurement and prediction of the pressure difference through a two-phase liquid-metal MHD generator

electrode spacing; magnetic flux density (integral average); average hydraulic diameter, 2aw/(a + w) distance between first and last pressure transducers ; mass flow rate of nitrogen ; mass flow rate of sodium ; Hartmann number, Bd,,J(uljp,) ; absolute pressure; internal resistance, a/lwu,(single-phase); liquid-metal shunt layer resistance, a/21&,; conducting wall resistance, u/21tu,,, ; Reynolds number, p,u,d,/p, ; conducting wall thickness; temperature; average liquid velocity, ti,/p,aw ; average spacing between ‘insulating’ walls ; average void fraction ; liquid-metal shunt layer thickness; pressure difference between first and last transducers ; resistance coefficient (friction factor), (Ap/l) (2U&); normalized resistance coefficient, i.,W -i.,&, = 0 ; absolute viscosity of liquid; density of liquid ; electrical conductivity of liquid; electrical conductivity of stainless steel; conductivity ratio, 2tu,,,/wu, (single-phase).
A posteriori error estimation for reduced-basis approximation of parametrized elliptic coercive partial differential equations : “convex inverse” bound conditioners

We present a technique for the rapid and reliable prediction of linear-functional outputs of elliptic coercive partial differential equations with affine parameter dependence. The essential components are (i ) (provably) rapidly convergent global reduced-basis approximations – Galerkin projection onto a space W N spanned by solutions of the governing partial differential equation at N selected points in parameter space; (ii ) a posteriori error estimation – relaxations of the error-residual equation that provide inexpensive bounds for the error in the outputs of interest; and ( iii ) off-line/on-line computational procedures – methods which decouple the generation and projection stages of the approximation process. The operation count for the on-line stage – in which, given a new parameter value, we calculate the output of interest and associated error bound – depends only on N (typically very small) and the parametric complexity of the problem; the method is thus ideally suited for the repeated and rapid evaluations required in the context of parameter estimation, design, optimization, and real-time control. In our earlier work we develop a rigorous a posteriori error bound framework for reduced-basis approximations of elliptic coercive equations. The resulting error estimates are, in some cases, quite sharp: the ratio of the estimated error in the output to the true error in the output, or effectivity , is close to (but always greater than) unity. However, in other cases, the necessary “bound conditioners” – in essence, operator preconditioners that (i ) satisfy an additional spectral “bound” requirement, and (ii ) admit the reduced-basis off-line/on-line computational stratagem – either can not be found, or yield unacceptably large effectivities. In this paper we introduce a new class of improved bound conditioners: the critical innovation is the direct approximation of the parametric dependence of the inverse of the operator (rather than the operator itself); we thereby accommodate higher-order (e.g. , piecewise linear) effectivity constructions while simultaneously preserving on-line efficiency. Simple convex analysis and elementary approximation theory suffice to prove the necessary bounding and convergence properties.
Factoring distance matrix polynomials

Abstract In this paper we prove that a vertex-centered automorphism of a tree gives a proper factor of the characteristic polynomial of its distance or adjacency matrix. We also show that the characteristic polynomial of the distance matrix of any graph always has a factor of degree equal to the number of vertex orbits of the graph. These results are applied to full k-ary trees and some other problems.
An extended Minimum Description Length (MDL) penalty function for binomial proportions

Abstract This article extends the Minimum Description Length (MDL) penalty function B 2 ( n ) suggested by P.G. Bryant and O.I. Cordero-Brana [Model selection using the minimum description length principle, The American Statistician 54 (2000) 257–268] to cover an arbitrary range of possible parameter values, and provides approximations for large sample sizes. The results are illustrated using data from a recent clinical trial (The Women’s Health Initiative).
A Distributed Merge-and-Split Mechanism for Dynamic Virtual Organization Formation in Grids

We model the Virtual Organization (VO) formation problem in grids using concepts from coalitional game theory and design a distributed mechanism for solving it. The proposed distributed mechanism enables the formation of VOs guaranteeing the maximum profit for their participating Grid Service Providers (GSPs). We show that the proposed mechanism produces stable VOs, that is, the GSPs do not have incentives to break away from the current VO and join some other VO. We perform extensive simulation experiments using real workload traces to characterize the properties of the proposed distributed mechanism. The results show that the proposed distributed mechanism not only produces VOs that are stable yielding high revenue for the participating GSPs, but also decides the structure of the VOs in a reasonable amount of time.
Detection of cleavage products from an in vivo transcribed cis hairpin ribozyme in turnips using the CaMV plant virus

Abstract In order to examine ribozyme (Rz) activity in vivo, we have adapted a virus to deliver Rz to plants. DNA fragments that code for both active and mutant cis -hairpin Rz were cloned into the double-stranded DNA plant virus, cauliflower mosaic virus (CaMV). These Rz constructs successfully infected Brassica campestris rapa (turnip). The plants that were infected with the active-Rz construct showed, on average, a one-week delay in the appearance of viral symptoms, when compared to the mutant-Rz control. Since CaMV replicates through reverse transcription of a full-length RNA intermediate, Rz cloned into the CaMV DNA should be transcribed within this viral RNA. If these Rz constructs cleave, the amount of intact virus RNA should be reduced, resulting in attenuated viral symptoms. In addition, lysate RNase protection assays showed fragments corresponding to the sizes of both the 5′ and 3′ cis cleavage products in the active Rz tissue. No cleavage products were observed from plant tissue infected with the mutant Rz. Both the attenuated systemic viral symptoms, and the cleavage products from the protection assay strongly support in vivo transcription and cleavage of this hairpin Rz. This is the first report of an in vivo transcribed Rz showing cleaved products by direct RNA analysis (non-PCR) in plants or animals.
Enhancement of biophysical activity of lung surfactant extracts and phospholipid-apoprotein mixtures by surfactant protein A

The effects of surfactant protein (SP)-A on the dynamic surface tension lowering and resistance to inhibition of dispersions of calf lung surfactant extract (CLSE) and mixtures of synthetic phospholipids combined with SP-B,C hydrophobic apoproteins were studied at 37 degrees C and rapid cycling rate (20 cycles/min). Addition of SP-A to CLSE, which already contains SP-B and -C, gave a slight improvement in the time course of surface tension lowering on an oscillating bubble apparatus in the absence of inhibitory protein molecules such as albumin or hemoglobin. However, when these proteins were present at concentrations of 10-50 mg/ml, SP-A substantially improved the resistance of CLSE to their inhibitory effects. The beneficial effect of SP-A required the presence of Ca2+ ions, and disappeared when EDTA was substituted for this divalent cation in the subphase. The effect was also retained when SP-A was heated to 50 degrees C prior to addition to CLSE, but was abolished by heating SP-A to 99 degrees C. Additional studies showed that similar improvements in resistance to inhibition were found when SP-A was added to synthetic mixtures of dipalmitoyl phosphatidylcholine (DPPC):egg phosphatidylglycerol (PG) (80:20 by weight) reconstituted with 1% SP-B or SP-B and -C, but not to phospholipid mixtures containing only SP-C. The requirements for SP-B and calcium for the beneficial effects of SP-A on surface activity suggest that the formation of ordered, larger phospholipid-apoprotein aggregates may be involved in the process. The finding that SP-A enhances the ability of CLSE and other surfactant mixtures containing SP-B to resist inhibition is an advantage that will need to be weighed against other factors such as increased antigenicity and heat sensitivity in therapeutic applications in surfactant replacement therapy.
Lensfree super-resolution holographic microscopy using wetting films on a chip

We investigate the use of wetting films to significantly improve the imaging performance of lensfree pixel super-resolution on-chip microscopy, achieving < 1 µm spatial resolution over a large imaging area of ~24 mm(2). Formation of an ultra-thin wetting film over the specimen effectively creates a micro-lens effect over each object, which significantly improves the signal-to-noise-ratio and therefore the resolution of our lensfree images. We validate the performance of this approach through lensfree on-chip imaging of various objects having fine morphological features (with dimensions of e.g., ≤0.5 µm) such as Escherichia coli (E. coli), human sperm, Giardia lamblia trophozoites, polystyrene micro beads as well as red blood cells. These results are especially important for the development of highly sensitive field-portable microscopic analysis tools for resource limited settings.
Control of oscillatory distributed parameter systems: An overview

The following gives an overview of the session on Control of Oscillatory Distributed Parameter Systems. It defines the unifying theme of the session and indicates the principal issues to be covered. The topic of this session is feedback control of highly oscillatory distributed parameter systems (DPS). These dynamical systems, sometimes loosely called "hyperbolic", are described by systems of partial differential equations whose solutions are oscillatory and have very low damping, i.e. the system are energy conserving or at best very mildly dissipative. Practical examples of these systems occur in application areas such as plasma dynamics and mechanically flexible structures, e.g. bridges, tall buildings, and large aerospace structures among others. As society demands of its engineering systems higher performance levels and more stringent constraints, feedback control becomes a necessity for the satisfaction of these requirements.
Participation of the dorsomedial hypothalamic nucleus in the “feeding center” and water intake circuitry of the weanling rat

Precise electrolytic lesions were placed in the dorsomedial (DMNL) and ventromedial (VMNL) hypothalamic nuclei of weanling rats to study the effect on food and water intake, body weight and length and body composition. Lesions in the DMN consistently resulted in hypophagia, hypodipsia and decreased ponderal and linear growth, both when compared with VMNL rats and with sham-operated controls. The DMNL rats contained more carcass water and lean body mass but less fat than the VMNL rats. The lesion effect persisted in the DMNL rats even after placement of minute lesions of 2.5 mC, while such lesions failed to elicit the changes found with larger lesions in the VMNL rats. The data show that the DMN, at least in the weanling rat, appear to be part of the “feeding center” and water intake circuitry. They also show the minuteness of the area involved and its sharp functional and anatomical delineation from the VMN.
Prenatal ethanol reduces the activity of adult midbrain dopamine neurons.

Background : Prenatal ethanol exposure has been demonstrated to reduce dopamine (DA) neurotransmission in the forebrain area, which could be contributed by altered electrical activity in midbrain DA neurons. This hypothesis was tested in the present study. Methods : The effects of prenatal ethanol exposure on the spontaneous activity of DA neurons in the substantia nigra and ventral tegmental area were investigated with extracellular single-unit recording techniques in adult male rats. Pregnant rats were administered single daily doses of 0, 3, or 5 g/kg ethanol via intragastric intubation from gestation day 8 through 20. An additional control group did not receive the intubation procedure. Results : Prenatal ethanol treatment significantly reduced the number of spontaneously active DA neurons in the substantia nigra and ventral tegrnental area in 3- to 5-month-old male offspring. The firing rate and firing pattern of the remaining spontaneously active DA neurons were not altered. There were no differences in the spontaneous activity of DA neurons between the nonintubated and 0 g/kg control groups, indicating possible intubation-induced stress did not influence the activity of DA neurons in adult offspring. Similar prenatal ethanol effects were also determined from older animals (14–16 months old), suggesting that the reduction in the spontaneous activity of DA neurons is a persistent phenomenon in adulthood after prenatal ethanol exposure. Furthermore, the reduction in the number of spontaneously active DA neurons was not the result of a loss in DA neurons per se, as revealed by the results of tyrosine hydroxylase immunohistochemistry. The prenatal ethanol exposure-induced reduction in DA neuronal activity may result from depolarization inactivation, because systemically administered apomorphine (20 μg) increased the spontaneous activity of DA neurons. Conclusions : Prenatal ethanol exposure induced a long-lasting reduction in the activity of midbrain DA neurons in adult animals. The effect was not the result of cell loss but possible changes in the electrical properties of DA neurons. The decreased electrical activity in midbrain DA neurons could contribute to the prenatal ethanol exposure-induced reduction in DA content and metabolites observed in previous studies and the attention/hyperactivity problems reported in children with fetal alcohol effects/fetal alcohol syndrome.
Ventricular fibrillation following autologous intramyocardial cell therapy for inherited cardiomyopathy.

Abstract A 41-year-old male with cardiomyopathy from an inherited β myosin heavy-chain mutation underwent treatment for heart failure with intramyocardial cell transplantation. He received direct injections into his heart of autologous precursor cells isolated from his blood. He immediately suffered ventricular fibrillation. Although he was resuscitated, he experienced a prolonged downward course that prohibited his undergoing transplantation. His autopsy revealed marked fibrosis throughout the myocardium with areas of mononuclear cell infiltrate. This case highlights the potential adverse effects associated with intramyocardial therapy in the cardiomyopathic heart.
Interferon-α Is the Primary Plasma Type-I IFN in HIV-1 Infection and Correlates with Immune Activation and Disease Markers

Type-I interferon (IFN-I) has been increasingly implicated in HIV-1 pathogenesis. Various studies have shown elevated IFN-I and an IFN-I-induced gene and protein expression signature in HIV-1 infection, yet the elevated IFN-I species has not been conclusively identified, its source remains obscure and its role in driving HIV-1 pathogenesis is controversial. We assessed IFN-I species in plasma by ELISAs and bioassay, and we investigated potential sources of IFN-I in blood and lymph node tissue by qRT-PCR. Furthermore, we measured the effect of therapeutic administration of IFNα in HCV-infected subjects to model the effect of IFNα on chronic immune activation. IFN-I bioactivity was significantly increased in plasma of untreated HIV-1-infected subjects relative to uninfected subjects (p = 0.012), and IFNα was the predominant IFN-I subtype correlating with IFN-I bioactivity (r = 0.658, p<0.001). IFNα was not detectable in plasma of subjects receiving anti-retroviral therapy. Elevated expression of IFNα mRNA was limited to lymph node tissue cells, suggesting that peripheral blood leukocytes are not a major source of IFNα in untreated chronic HIV-1 infection. Plasma IFN-I levels correlated inversely with CD4 T cell count (p = 0.003) and positively with levels of plasma HIV-1 RNA and CD38 expression on CD8 T cells (p = 0.009). In hepatitis C virus-infected subjects, treatment with IFN-I and ribavirin increased expression of CD38 on CD8 T cells (p = 0.003). These studies identify IFNα derived from lymph nodes, rather than blood leukocytes, as a possible source of the IFN-I signature that contributes to immune activation in HIV-1 infection.
Exciton spin dynamics in quantum wells.

A theory of exciton spin dynamics is given in terms of the exchange spin-flip mechanism taking full account of the confinement of the quantum well. Exciton spin relaxation belongs to the motional narrowing class, with a characteristic inverse proportionality to the momentum scattering time of the exciton center of mass. Analysis of the time dependence of optical intensities of both circular polarizations, including competing relaxation mechanics from exciton exchange and from single-particle spin flip into optically inactive states, leads to characteristic shapes reflecting their relative importance. The calculated well-width dependence from our theory of the exciton spin relaxation leads to polarization intensities in good agreement with measurement. Theoretical electric and magnetic field dependences have yet to be tested against experiment.
Importance point projection for GPU-based final gathering

We present a practical importance-driven method for GPU-based final gathering. We take as input a point cloud representing directly illuminated scene geometry; we then project and splat the points to microbuffers, which store each shading pixel's occluded radiance field. We select points for projection based on importance, defined as each point's estimated contribution to a shading pixel. For each selected point, we calculate its splat size adaptively based on its importance value. The main advantage of our method is that it's simple and fast, and provides the capability to incorporate additional importance factors such as glossy reflection paths. We also introduce an image-space adaptive sampling method, which combines adaptive image subdivision with joint bilateral upsampling to robustly preserve fine details. We have implemented our algorithm on the GPU, providing high-quality rendering for dynamic scenes at near interactive rates.
Computing experiences of young adults: An empirical analysis

The High School Beyond study provides the data for an analysis of the computing experiences of young adults. Five types of computing experiences-general, personal and recreational, job, general educational and high school computer usage are examined with respect to selected socio-economic and demographic characteristics. The results suggest that computing experience is related to gender, race, SES, father's education and family income. When controlling for gender, several relationships are modified. The world is entering a new period. The wealth of nations, which depended upon land, labor, and capital during its agricultural and industrial phases — depended upon natural resources, the accumulation of money and even upon weaponry — will come in the future to depend upon information, knowledge and intelligence (Feigenbaum and McCordick, 1983; 14).
Pattern recognition programs with level adaptation

This paper describes different types of patterning which exist in such diverse types of data as speech, text, and pictorial scenes. Several programs which process such data are discussed in terms of contextual, syntactic, semantic, and problem-domain dependent factors. Each of these factors constitutes a potential level of computer processing. By introducing different processing levels each having certain special characteristics (success on some data, inability to resolve other data) we isolate a general technique for producing a level adaptive program system.
Swash and swash mark

The time interval between swashes was found to be longer for gentle marine beaches than for steep ones owing to differing effectiveness of the beaches as wave filters. This relationship offers a possible means of determining the angle of beach slope from aerial reconnaissance. Swashes that cross the outcrop of the beach water table leave swash marks that are farther apart on gentle beaches than on steep ones. Three factors that control this spacing are the interference of swash on the beach, the width of beach exposed per unit time of tide fall, and the permeability of the beach.
Dynamic Noun Generalization: Moment-to-Moment Interactions Shape Children's Naming Biases.

Recent research on early word learning suggests that children's behavior when-generalizing novel nouns integrates their prior vocabulary knowledge with the specifics of the task. This study examines how these factors interact on the moment-to-moment time scale of the training children receive and the sequence of stimuli they are shown. In ***1 condition, we used a combination of training and stimulus factors predicted to produce a bias to generalize nouns by shape similarity. We then reduced this shape bias and amplified a bias to generalize nouns by material similarity via manipulations of training and stimuli across 3 other conditions. Additional analyses suggest that children's generalizations on individual trials are influenced by what they have seen and done on previous trials. These results highlight the importance of the task and stimuli in bringing children's prior knowledge to bear in early word learning.
Understanding early experience and development: The relevance of stages of inquiry☆

Abstract Over the past 50 years the study of the relationship of the early environment to human development has undergone a systematic shift. Initially, studies were designed to answer the question: Is the environment relevant to development? A later, second stage of inquiry was characterized by studies attempting to specify what aspects of the environment were most relevant for development. Currently, a third stage of inquiry is emerging, characterized by the question: Which aspects of the environment are relevant for which aspects of development, at which ages, for which individuals? For researchers interested in environmental influences there are two major implications of this most recent shift in stages of inquiry. First, procedures utilized to investigate questions in earlier stages of inquiry are unsatisfactory for investigating questions raised in later stages of inquiry. Second, the emergence of a new stage of inquiry necessitates a shift in the types of questions researchers should be asking when investigating the nature and impact of early environmental influences.
Density and distribution of fabrication flaws in the Shoreham reactor vessel

The Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) has been conducting a multi-year program for the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research on the effectiveness of NDE for inspection of nuclear power plants. One task of this program concerns the development of generic flaw density and distribution functions for fabrication flaws in reactor pressure vessels. Reactor pressure vessel material from the cancelled Shoreham nuclear power plant was obtained as a part of a joint program between the NRC, Baltimore Gas and Electric and the Electric Power Research Institute. PNNL has conducted NDE inspections of this material and has estimated the density and distributions of fabrication flaws in this material. This paper discusses these inspections and the results of analyzing this inspection data. More than 4,000 fabrication flaws were detected and are described in this paper.
The effect of reward structures on allocating shared staff resources among interdependent software projects: an experimental investigation

Organizational theorists have long proposed the use of organizational reward structures to enhance coordination between interdependent projects. In practice, however, the structuring of reward schemes has been problematic, leading in many cases to dysfunctional behavior. The purpose of the reported research is to investigate the impact of different reward structures on the allocation of shared staff resources among interdependent software projects. The research question was explored in the context of a role-playing project simulation game. Experimental dyads played the roles of managers on two concurrent software projects sharing a limited staff resource. Two reward structures were tested, one that rewarded subjects for maximizing their own outcome (an "individualistic orientation") and the other rewarded subjects for maximizing joint outcome (a "cooperative orientation"). The results suggest that reward structures lead to greater interaction and to more effective strategies for utilizing the organization's staff resource, but they do not lead to less self-interested behavior. The findings of the current study extend the literature on reward structures beyond group performance on physical tasks to dynamic decision making. >
Investigation of lesion detection in MAP reconstruction with non-Gaussian priors

Statistical image reconstruction methods based on maximum a posteriori (MAP) principle have been developed for emission tomography. The prior distribution of the unknown image plays an important role in MAP reconstruction. The most commonly used prior is the Gaussian prior, whose logarithm has a quadratic form. Gaussian priors are relatively easy to analyze. It has been shown that the effect of a Gaussian prior can be approximated by linear-filtering a maximum likelihood (ML) reconstruction. As a result, sharp edges in reconstructed images are not preserved. To preserve sharp transitions, non-Gaussian priors have been proposed. In this paper, we study the effect of non-Gaussian priors on lesion detection and region of interest quantification in MAP reconstructions using computer simulation. We compare three representative priors - Gaussian prior, Huber prior, and Geman-McClure prior. The results show that for detection and quantification of small lesions, using non-Gaussian priors is not beneficial.
Separation of individual operation signals from mixed sensor measurements

Sensor system measurements are generally mixed signals measured from multiple independent/dependent operations embedded in a complex system. In this article, a novel method is developed to separate the source signals of individual operations from the mixed sensor measurements by integrating the independent component analysis method and the Sparse Component Analysis (SCA) method. The proposed method can efficiently estimate the source signals that include both independent signals and dependent signals that have some dominant components in the time or some linear transform domains (e.g., frequency domain, time/frequency domain, or wavelet domain). In addition, an SCA method is also developed in this article that can automatically identify the dominant components in multiple linear transform domains. A case study of a forging process is conducted to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed methods.
The effect of three variables on adsorption of rabbit IgG to colloidal gold

The purpose of this investigation was to (a) begin to evaluate the coagulation curve as a means of selecting the minimal quantity of IgG required to stabilize colloidal gold (Au); (b) determine the effect of the quantity of IgG added, the pH of adsorption, and the isoelectric point (pI) range of the IgG on the quantity of IgG bound and the stability of the IgG-Au complex with respect to desorption; and (c) discuss these results with respect to current theory on the effect of pH on adsorption of IgG to surfaces. No absolute minimal value required to prevent coagulation could be determined despite the high reproducibility of the values obtained; approximate values were selected. Each variable had an effect on the quantity of IgG bound: as the quantity of IgG added increased, the quantity bound increased; as the pH of adsorption became more alkaline, the quantity bound decreased; and as the pI range of the IgG became more alkaline, the quantity bound increased. IgG-Au complexes with a variable number of bound IgG molecules, depending on the three variables selected, can be produced. Production of IgG-Au composed of uniform numbers of IgG is discussed. A modification of the current theory on the effect of pH on adsorption of IgG is proposed.
The Promotion of V Region Hypermutation

Higher organisms have evolved unusual molecular and genetic mechanisms to generate high affinity and highly specific antibodies to a seemingly infinite number of foreign antigens (([1][1])). Even though a highly diverse germline encoded antibody repertoire is created, most of the antibodies have low