cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Association of a mammographic parenchymal pattern (MPP) descriptor with breast cancer risk: a case-control study

We are investigating the feasibility of improving breast cancer risk prediction by computerized mammographic parenchymal pattern (MPP) analysis. A case-control study was conducted to investigate the association of the MPP measures with breast cancer risk. The case group included 168 contralateral CC-view mammograms of breast cancer patients dated at least one year prior to cancer diagnosis, and the control group included 522 CC-view mammograms from one breast of normal subjects. We extracted and compared four types of statistical texture feature spaces that included run length statistics and region size statistics (RLS/RSS) features, spatial gray level dependence (SGLD) features, gray level difference statistics (GLDS) features, and the feature space combining these three types of texture features. A linear discriminant analysis (LDA) classifier with stepwise feature selection was trained and tested with leave-one-case-out resampling to evaluate whether the breast parenchyma of future cancer patients could be distinguished from those of normal subjects in each feature space. The areas under ROC curves (Az) were 0.71, 0.72, 0.71 and 0.76 for the four feature spaces, respectively. The Az obtained from the combined feature space was significantly (p<0.05) higher than those from the individual feature spaces. Odd ratios (OR) were used to assess the association between breast cancer risk and four categories of MPP measures: <0.1 (C1), 0.1-0.15 (C2), 0.15-0.2 (C3), and >0.2 (C4) while patient age was treated as a confounding factor. The adjusted ORs of breast cancer for C2, C3 and C4 were 3.23, 7.77 and 25.43, respectively. The preliminary result indicated that our proposed computerized MPP measures were strongly associated with breast cancer risk.
Sustained Reentry in the Left Ventricle of Fibrillating Pig Hearts

It has been proposed that ventricular fibrillation (VF) is driven by sustained reentry. However, mapping studies have not detected such “mother rotors” in large mammalian hearts. We mapped VF from three 21×12 unipolar electrode arrays in 6 pigs. Two of the arrays were adjacent to each other on the left-ventricular epicardium. Electrode spacing was 2 mm. The third array consisted of 21 needles (0.5-mm diameter, 12 electrodes, 1-mm spacing) inserted in a row (2-mm spacing) between the epicardial arrays. A total of 88 5-second VF epochs were analyzed with automatic reentry detection algorithms. Although intramural reentry was sporadically present (29 total occurrences), it was always short-lived with a mean life span of 127±57 ms. However, in 3 of the 6 animals, sustained epicardial reentry (ie, reentry persisting for more than a few cycles) was consistently present, often lasting for several seconds. For each epoch, we computed indices characterizing (1) the relative duration of reentry on the two epicardia...
The solid-state thermal dissociation reactions of some dichlorobis(hydroxylamine)metal(II) complexes

The solid-state thermal dissociation reactions of the complexes, M(NH2OH)2- Cl2 (M = Co, Mn, Cd, Zn), were investigated. The thermal stability., determined from the reaction temperature, increased in the order: Zn<Cd<Mn<Co. Apparently, both the radius of the metal ion and the amount of d-orbital involvement in the bonding influence the thermal stability. The hydroxylamine is at least partially decomposed during the dissociation reaction.
Controling the rate of protein release from polyelectrolyte complexes.

Extended protein release from readily prepared, water-insoluble complexes with oppositely charged polyions is explored. Using hen egg-white lysozyme as a model, its sustained release from such complexes with a number of polyanions under physiological conditions has been demonstrated and rationalized. The rate of release varies orders of magnitude and is controlled by the nature of the polyanion (decreasing upon increase in its linear charge density, length, and hydrophobicity) and the complex particle size (the larger the particles, the slower the release).
Evaluating the Effectiveness of Mathematics, Science, and Technology Teacher Preparation Academies in Texas

The purpose of this mixed-methods study was to evaluate the efficacy of 14 Mathematics, Science and Technology Teacher Preparation (MSTTP) academies located across the state of Texas. The aim of the academies was to increase the number of highly qualified mathematics, science and technology teachers, while also improving the quality of certified teachers in these areas by focusing on seven established goals. A mixed-methods design was utilized to analyze both quantitative and qualitative data. The results revealed that the 14 MSTTP academies demonstrated three key strengths: focusing on strengthening content knowledge; developing professionally committed teachers; and providing funding for participants. Additionally, all 14 academies were charged with accomplishing seven goals; however, none of the academies fully implemented all of these goals. Specifically, all of the academies struggled to accomplish two goals: the integration of the areas of science, technology and mathematics; and the infusion of tec...
The selective regional stimulation by hemicholinium-3 of the formation of cerebral cytidine diphosphocholine in vivo.

Hemicholinium-3 was administered into the left ventricle of dogs and 4 hours later the left and right caudate nuclei, thalami, hippocampi and amygdala were dissected out. The specific activity of the enzyme CTP-phosphocholine cytidyltransferase (E.C.2.7.7.15) determined in homogenates of these brain structures was higher by about 40% in the left (ipsilateral) as compared to the right (contralateral) caudate nucleus, thalamus and hippocampus, while, conversely, it was about 70 % lower in the left than in the right amygdala.The selective regional effect of hemicholinium-3 on the synthesis of cerebral cytidine disphosphocholine in vivo was confirmed at the level of the microsomes, for its specific activity was markedly higher in the fraction derived from the left than in that isolated from the right caudate nucleus.
Improving Management Development Through Relapse Prevention Strategies

Estimates of relapse in management training efforts range as high as 90 per cent. Management trainers predict 40 per cent of training content is applied immediately after training and only 15 per cent is used 12 months later. These estimates suggest that managers acquire skills, implement them briefly and then fail to maintain them at work. In the face of limited management support for skill retention, training personnel must consider other options for skill retention that are trainee/trainer controlled. The “Relapse Prevention Model” is proposed as a methodology to enhance skill retention and as a data‐based diagnostic tool to alert individuals and organisations to circumstances that sabotage training efforts.
DNA damage response of cloned DNA β-polymerase promoter is blocked in mutant cell lines deficient in protein kinase A

Abstract DNA beta-polymerase (beta-pol), one of the recognized DNA polymerizing enzymes in vertebrates, has a role in 'very short patch' gap-filling synthesis during nucleotide excision DNA repair. In human and mouse, the enzyme is encoded by a single-copy gene located on the short arm of chromosome 8 near the centromere. In a series of studies, we have found that the cloned human beta-pol promoter is regulated by signals acting through the single ATF/CRE palindrome in the core promoter. These signals include transactivation by: adenovirus E1a/E1b proteins; activated p21ras; and in CHO cells, treatment with the DNA damaging agent MNNG. Hence, several types of stimulatory signals are mediated through the single ATF/CRE site, including DNA damage induction. To understand the mechanism of beta-pol promoter activation by MNNG in CHO cells, we asked whether induction of the cAMP/protein kinase A pathway can increase transcription of the cloned promoter in this system. Agents that increase cellular cAMP levels (8-BrcAMP; forskolin and IBMx) activated the beta-pol promoter fusion gene in transient expression experiments, and a mutation in the ATF/CRE palindrome blocked this response. Thus, the ATF/CRE site appears to be cAMP responsive in the CHO cell system. We found that the activation of the cloned beta-pol promoter by MNNG does not occur with two mutant CHO cell lines that are deficient in protein kinase A activity. Further, simultaneous treatment of wild-type CHO cells, with MNNG and to elevate cAMP, failed to result in an additive effect for activation of the beta-pol promoter. Thus, these effectors may act through a common pathway. These results suggest that the activation of the cloned beta-pol promoter in CHO cells following MNNG treatment is mediated through the cAMP/protein kinase A signal transduction pathway.
Frontal sinus size in Eskimo populations

The frontal sinuses of 143 Eskimo skulls from two sites in the Hudson Bay region of Canada were examined radiographically. No between-site or sex differences were noted in the size of the sinuses. On average, the sinuses are small and often bilaterally absent. The Canadian samples have smaller sinuses than reported for Alaskan Eskimos or American Indian groups.
On Multiple-Shaker Resonance Testing

3 Hearmon, R. F. S., "The Fundamental Frequency of Vibration of Rectangular Wood and Plywood Plates," Proceedings of the Physical Society, London, Vol. 58, 1946, pp. 78-92. 4 Tomotika, S., "On the Transverse Vibration of a Square Plate Clamped at Four Edges," Philosophical Magazine, Vol. 21, Ser. 7, No. 142, 1936, pp.745-760. 5 Hearmon, R. F. S., "The Frequency of Flexural Vibration of Rectangular Orthotropic Plates with Clamped or Supported Edges," Journal of Applied Mechanics, Vol. 26, Ser. E, No. 4, 1959, pp. 537-540. 6 Lekhnitski, S. T., Anisotropic Plates, American Iron and Steel Institute, New York, 1956. 7 Kanazawa, T. and Kawai, T., "On the Lateral Vibration of Anisotropic Rectangular Plates (Studied by the Integral Equations)," Proceedings of 2nd Japan National Congress for Applied Mechanics, 1952, pp.333-338. 8 Bolotin, V. V., "The Edge Effect in the Oscillations of Elastic Shells," Journal of Applied Mathematics and Mechanics, Vol. 24, No. 5, 1960, pp. 1257-1272. 9 Bolotin, V. V., Makaroff, B. P., Mishenkoff, G. V., and Shveiko, Yu. Yu., "Asymptotic Method of Investigating the Natural Frequency Spectrum of Elastic Plates," Rascheti na Prochnost, Vol. 6, Mashgiz, Moscow, 1960, pp. 231-253 (in Russian). 10 Bauer, L. and Reiss, E. L., "Flexural Vibrations of Clamped Orthotropic Plates," Journal of the Acoustical Society of America, Vol. 53, No. 5, 1973, pp. 1360-1364. 11 Maurizi, M. J. and Laura, P. A., "Vibration Analysis of Clamped, Rectangular Plates of Generalized Orthotropy," Journal of Sound and Vibration, Vol. 26, No. 3, 1973, pp. 299-305. 12 Warburton, C. B., The Dynamical Behavior of Structures, Pergamon Press, New York, 1964.
Parsing concurrent XML

Concurrent markup hierarchies appear often in document-centric XML documents, as a result of different XML elements having overlapping scopes. They require significantly different approach to management and maintenance. Management of XML documents composed of concurrent markup has been mostly studied by the document processing community and has attracted attention of computer scientists only recently. In this paper we discuss the architecture of an XML parser for concurrent XML. This parser uses a GODDAG data structure in place of traditional DOM Tree to store concurrent markup on top of the document content and provides a DOM-like API that allows software developers of tools working with concurrent XML documents to use it instead of parsing each individual component with a traditional DOM XML parser. The paper describes the architecture of the parser, data structures and algorithms used and the DOM-like API.
Fluorometric characterization of dissolved and particulate matter in Arctic sea ice

Fluorescence spectroscopy has been used to characterize and assess the vertical distribution of dissolved (DOM) and particulate matter (POM) entrapped in sea ice. Fluorescence excitation- emission of bulk particulates, performed on first-year ice and multi-year flow ice, indicated that microalgae present in different layers of the first year ice resembled typical water column phytoplankton spectra, where those in the multi-year ice samples resembled detrital spectra. Fluorescence analysis also indicated that DOM present in sea ice can be characterized by their excitation-emission in unconcentrated samples. Maximal values for DOM fluorescence were observed at shorter excitation wavelengths (250 nm - 300 nm), with an emission centered between 390 - 425 nm.© (1994) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Culture, social relationships and self-perceptions of Pentecostal women

EnglishWomen dominate Pentecostal worship internationally and are particularly affected by the religious, social and economic consequences of the Pentecostal movement. Drawing from cross-cultural e...
Competitive inhibition of phospholipase A2 in vesicles

Kinetic studies with phospholipase A2 are complicated by the fact that binding of the enzyme to the interface precedes catalytic turnover. This difficulty can be overcome by monitoring interfacial catalysis in the scooting mode where the enzyme does not leave the interface. The kinetics of inhibition by transition-state analogues shows that specific competitive inhibition is the result of competition between inhibitor and substrate for the binding to the active site of the enzyme in the interface. Several lipophilic compounds, including alkanols, substituted butyrophenones, aristolochic acid, and mepacrine apparently reduce the rate of lipolysis by promoting the desorption of phospholipase A2 from the interface.
Implementation of a computationally efficient least-squares algorithm for highly under-determined three-dimensional diffuse optical tomography problems.

Three-dimensional (3D) diffuse optical tomography is known to be a nonlinear, ill-posed and sometimes under-determined problem, where regularization is added to the minimization to allow convergence to a unique solution. In this work, a generalized least-squares (GLS) minimization method was implemented, which employs weight matrices for both data-model misfit and optical properties to include their variances and covariances, using a computationally efficient scheme. This allows inversion of a matrix that is of a dimension dictated by the number of measurements, instead of by the number of imaging parameters. This increases the computation speed up to four times per iteration in most of the under-determined 3D imaging problems. An analytic derivation, using the Sherman–Morrison–Woodbury identity, is shown for this efficient alternative form and it is proven to be equivalent, not only analytically, but also numerically. Equivalent alternative forms for other minimization methods, like Levenberg–Marquardt (LM) and Tikhonov, are also derived. Three-dimensional reconstruction results indicate that the poor recovery of quantitatively accurate values in 3D optical images can also be a characteristic of the reconstruction algorithm, along with the target size. Interestingly, usage of GLS reconstruction methods reduces error in the periphery of the image, as expected, and improves by 20% the ability to quantify local interior regions in terms of the recovered optical contrast, as compared to LM methods. Characterization of detector photomultiplier tubes noise has enabled the use of the GLS method for reconstructing experimental data and showed a promise for better quantification of target in 3D optical imaging. Use of these new alternative forms becomes effective when the ratio of the number of imaging property parameters exceeds the number of measurements by a factor greater than 2.
Early growth inhibition is followed by increased metastatic disease with vitamin D (calcitriol) treatment in the TRAMP model of prostate cancer.

The active metabolite of vitamin D3, 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 (calcitriol) has antiproliferative effects in non-aggressive prostate cancer, however, its effects in more aggressive model systems are still unclear. In these studies, effects of calcitriol and a less-calcemic vitamin D analog, QW-1624F2-2 (QW), were tested in vivo, using the aggressive autochthonous transgenic adenocarcinoma of mouse prostate (TRAMP) model. To study prevention of androgen-stimulated prostate cancer, vehicle, calcitriol (20 µg/kg), or QW (50 µg/kg) were administered to 4 week-old TRAMP mice intraperitoneal (i.p.) 3×/week on a MWF schedule for 14 weeks. Calcitriol and QW slowed progression of prostate cancer as indicated by reduced urogenital tract (p = 0.0022, calcitriol; p = 0.0009, QW) and prostate weights (p = 0.0178, calcitriol; p = 0.0086, QW). However, only calcitriol increased expression of the pro-differentiation marker, cadherin 1 (p = 0.0086), and reduced tumor proliferation (p = 0.0467). By contrast, neither vitamin D analog had any effect on castration resistant prostate cancer in mice treated pre- or post-castration. Interestingly, although vitamin D showed inhibitory activity against primary tumors in hormone-intact mice, distant organ metastases seemed to be enhanced following treatment (p = 0.0823). Therefore, TRAMP mice were treated long-term with calcitriol to further examine effects on metastasis. Calcitriol significantly increased the number of distant organ metastases when mice were treated from 4 weeks-of-age until development of palpable tumors (20–25 weeks-of-age)(p = 0.0003). Overall, data suggest that early intervention with vitamin D in TRAMP slowed androgen-stimulated tumor progression, but prolonged treatment resulted in development of a resistant and more aggressive disease associated with increased distant organ metastasis.
Muscle Quality of Yellowfin Tuna (Thunnus albacares) Steaks After Treatment with Carbon Monoxide Gases and Filtered Wood Smoke

ABSTRACT Treating seafood with carbon monoxide (CO) and various filtered wood smokes (FS) containing carbon monoxide has become a common practice in the industry, particularly for seafood intended for the frozen market. Tuna is one of the most common fish species treated with this process. Various quality improvement claims have been made for these treatments, which require investigation. Yellowfin tuna steaks were subjected to various CO treatments (4% CO, 18% CO and 100% CO) and FS treatment (which contained 18% CO) for 48 h, followed by 30 days of freezing and subsequent cold storage (4°C) after thawing. Muscle quality was evaluated after treatment. The FS, 18% CO and 100% CO treatments led to reductions in formation of secondary lipid oxidation products (TBARS) during freezing and subsequent cold storage, possibly due to increased stability of heme proteins. Textural studies using Instron compression tests on tuna steaks did not indicate significant differences (p > 0.05) between the CO or FS treatmen...
Cloud-State-Dependent Sampling in AIRS Observations Based onCloudSatCloud Classification

AbstractThe precision, accuracy, and potential sampling biases of temperature T and water vapor q vertical profiles obtained by satellite infrared sounding instruments are highly cloud-state dependent and poorly quantified. The authors describe progress toward a comprehensive T and q climatology derived from the Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS) suite that is a function of cloud state based on collocated CloudSat observations. The AIRS sampling rates, biases, and center root-mean-square differences (CRMSD) are determined through comparisons of pixel-scale collocated ECMWF model analysis data. The results show that AIRS provides a realistic representation of most meteorological regimes in most geographical regions, including those dominated by high thin cirrus and shallow boundary layer clouds. The mean AIRS observational biases relative to the ECMWF analysis between the surface and 200 hPa are within ±1 K in T and from −1 to +0.5 g kg−1 in q. Biases because of cloud-state-dependent sampling dominate the...
Identification of 2′-[3-(Dimethylamino)-propoxy]cinnamanilide N′-Oxide by Mass Spectral Thermolysis

Abstract Sir: The occurrence of N -oxides as natural products or as metabolites of pharmacologically active compounds was reviewed previously (1). The only mass spectral studies of N -oxides have been those of aromatic N -oxides that usually exhibit the M + —16 ion, instead of the M + , as the highest mass ion (2). Mass spectrometry was used to elucidate the structures of some thiopropyldimethylamino- N -oxide metabolites (3). In this report, these observations are extended to the thermolysis of 2′-[3-(dimethylamino)propoxy]cinnamanilide N ′-oxide (I).
An Experimental Attack on some Problems of Physiological Genetics

SINCE 1937, experimental work with Drosophila melanogaster on two problems of physiological genetics has been in progress in this laboratory.
Numerical methods for viscous and nonviscous wave equations

This article is concerned with accurate and efficient numerical methods for solving viscous and nonviscous wave equations. A three-level second-order implicit algorithm is considered without introducing auxiliary variables. As a perturbation of the algorithm, a locally one-dimensional (LOD) procedure which has a splitting error not larger than the truncation error is suggested to solve problems of diagonal diffusion tensors in cubic domains efficiently. Both the three-level algorithm and its LOD procedure are proved to be unconditionally stable. An error analysis is provided for the numerical solution of viscous waves. Numerical results are presented to show the accuracy and efficiency of the new algorithms for the propagation of acoustic waves and of microscale heat transfer.
Incentives and Computing Systems for Team-Based Organizations

Facing increasingly complex tasks involving coordination, communication and interactions among multiple decision makers, organizations are undergoing a transition, experimenting with new forms such as the team-based structure, and investing heavily in network-based computing to support team activities. We take the position that for the new form to succeed, and for computing investments to pay off, the organizational designer must consider complementarity effects between incentives, IS design, and organizational and task characteristics. Since these factors impact group performance through complex interactions, a change in one factor necessitates changes in others. We develop a stylized, analytical model of group/team interactions involving computing support, and study the impact of various design factors and their interactions on group productivity. Key research issues include the choice of a team/group reward structure, the impact of team composition and computing system features on the overall payoff, incentives for monitoring peers and their effect on group output, the time allocation of group members between peer monitoring and task effort, and the effect of task interdependence on monitoring incentives. The theoretical model provides a set of propositions showing how interactions between the chosen reward system, system design features and organizational factors determine members' behavior e.g., the extent of free riding and shirking and subsequently the organizational payoff. These results provide broad qualitative implications for designing incentive schemes and information systems for appropriating maximum organizational value in team-based environments.
High-frequency asymptotic expansions for certain prolate spheroidal wave functions

Prolate Spheroidal Wave Functions (PSWFs) are a well-studied subject with applications in signal processing, wave propagation, antenna theory, etc. Originally introduced in the context of separation of variables for certain partial differential equations, PSWFs became an important tool for the analysis of band-limited functions after the famous series of articles by Slepian et al. The popularity of PSWFs seems likely to increase in the near future, as band-limited functions become a numerical (as well as an analytical) tool.
Measurement error and changes in personal constructs

Personal construct psychologists have suggested various psychological functions explain differences in the stability of constructs. Among these functions are constellatory and loose construction. This paper argues that measurement error is a more parsimonious explanation of the differences in construct stability reported in these studies.
Comparison of two-dimensional echocardiographic and angiographic findings in arrhythmogenic right ventricular dysplasia☆

Abstract Comparison of 2-dimensional (2-D) echocardlographic and right ventricular (RV) angiographic findings was performed in 10 patients with arrhythmogenic RV dysplasia. Diagnosis was based on accepted electrocardiographic and angiographic criteria. Nine patients underwent invasive electrophysiologic study, which confirmed RV source of ventricular tachycardia (VT) In 7. Biopsy findings of RV dysplasla were available in 3 patients. Two-dimensional echocardiography and angiography corresponded closely when diffuse RV enlargement and hypoldnesla were present. Such diffuse findings were not invariably present. Localized abnormalities consisting of bulging or sacculation of the RV wall were noted by both techniques, even in the absence of diffuse changes. Echocardiographic evidence of localized disease predicted the presence of similar lesions at angiography, but agreement as to specific location was poor. Subjectivity In interpreting subtle RV abnormalities by either technique and the inherent differences in information provided by the 2 methods probably account for the inconsistencies. In the patient with suspected arrhythmogenic RV dysplasia, 2-D echocardiographic evidence of diffuse RV enlargement, otherwise unexplained, strongly supports the diagnosis and angiography may be avoided. Isolated local changes seen by echocardiography should increase suspicion of RV dysplasia, but complementary angiographic study is warranted.
Whether “Malevolent” or “Negative,” Creativity Is Relevant to Terrorism Prevention: Lessons From 9/11 and Hazardous Material Trucking

Cropley, Kaufman, and Cropley (this issue) make an important contribution in arguing for the value of creativity for terrorism prevention. Their message will be, though, somewhat more novel for scientific researchers and theorists than for the intelligence and security communities. It also leaves out many concepts and techniques, from the Psychology of Creativity literature, which are relevant to the theme of preventing terrorism. In this article, we give some attention to examining the constructs and analyses presented by Cropley et al. Most of our effort is, however, devoted to using Cropley et al.'s ideas as the starting point for a more detailed discussion of applying cognitive psychology, social psychology, organizational psychology, and security-profession ideas to creatively anticipating potential creative terrorism attacks, and devising creative counter-measures against such attacks. To illustrate the potential application of the Psychology of Creativity to terrorism, results are presented of a pi...
Symposium Introduction: Eric Katz's Nature as Subject

Can and should we distinguish between nature and culture? The question has become a perennial one in environmental ethics, as well as in allied fields in environmental history, sociology, and politics. And just when we think it is settled as many did after William Cronon's famous deconstruction of wilderness in 1995 and it feels safe to go back into the metaphysical waters of environmental philosophy, such issues pop up again to send us running. What follows extends this debate in the context of Eric Katz's well-
Hyperglycemia alters perception of rectal distention and blunts the rectoanal inhibitory reflex in healthy volunteers

Abstract Background/Aims: Acute hyperglycemia has been shown to alter gastrointestinal motility. The effects of hyperglycemia on rectal afferent neural and anal sphincter function were studied. Methods: Perception of rectal balloon distention, pressure-volume relationships, volumes necessary to induce reflex internal anal sphincter relaxation, resting anal sphincter pressure, and maximal anal sphincter squeeze pressure were measured under basal, hyperglycemic clamp, and euglycemic, hyperinsulinemic clamp conditions in 9 healthy volunteers. Results: Hyperglycemic clamping (258 ± 14 mg/dL) significantly blunted threshold perception and the urge to defecate in response to rectal distention without altering perception of maximally tolerated distention. In contrast, euglycemic, hyperinsulinemic clamping had no effect on perception of rectal distention. Rectal pressure-volume relationships after hyperglycemic clamping were unchanged compared with basal conditions. Hyperglycemic clamping caused a significant increase in the distention necessary to induce the rectoanal inhibitory reflex. This effect was not observed under euglycemic, hyperinsulinemic clamp conditions. Hyperglycemia did not significantly affect resting internal anal sphincter pressure or maximal external anal sphincter squeeze pressure. Conclusions: Acute hyperglycemia but not secondary hyperinsulinemia reduces sensation of rectal distention and blunts the onset of the rectoanal inhibitory reflex, suggesting effects both on visceral afferents projecting to the cortex and intrinsic afferents mediating local reflex activity.
Insights into providing dynamic adaptation of operating system policies

The DAiSES research project, initiated in September 2004, has allowed us to understand the potential value of and challenges associated with providing dynamic OS policy adaptation. During this period the project has had two major research foci, investigation of process scheduling as a possible target of adaptation and dynamic adaptation of I/O scheduling. The paper revisits the DAiSES methodology, elucidating it in terms of these two adaptation targets. It abstracts the challenges in dynamic adaptation of stateless systems and provides solutions to these challenges, exemplifying them in the context of I/O schedulers.
Rocket-borne observations of the zodiacal light in the near-infrared wavelengths.

Abstract Our recent rocket-borne observations have provided valuable information on the near-infrared feature of the zodiacal light at high ecliptic latitude and large solar elongation. The observed spectra at λ
Strategy implementation versus middle management self-interest

This article suggests that middle managers with low or negative commitment to the strategies formulated by senior management create significant obstacles to effective implementation.
“Don’t try this at home”: Toddlers’ imitation of new skills from people on video

Imitation of people on educational television is a potential way for very young children to learn new skills. Although toddlers in previous studies exhibited a "video deficit" in learning, 24-month-olds in Study 1 successfully reproduced behaviors modeled by a person who was on video as well as they did those modeled by a person who was present in the room (even after a 24-h delay). Neither displaced filming context nor cuts between actions affected toddlers' imitation from video. Shortening the demonstration in Study 2 affected imitation in the video condition but not in the live condition. In Study 3, 24-month-olds who viewed the original longer videos on their family TV screens (with which they had a viewing history) imitated significantly less than those who viewed the videos on the laboratory monitor. Imitation of a live modeler was the same across settings (home or lab). Implications for toddlers' judgments of reliable information sources and for the design of educational television programs are discussed.
A study of the effects of phosphorus on the kinetics and mechanism of the order-disorder transformation in an Ni2Cr alloy

Three Ni2Cr alloys, with phosphorus (P) contents of 0.002, 0.017 and 0.078 wt % were prepared as cast slabs, which were then thermomechanically treated to a final thickness of 0.38mm, after which they were solution annealed at 900° C for 1 h and water quenched. The isothermal order-disorder transformations of the Ni2Cr alloys were investigated in specimens aged at temperatures between 425 and 550° C, for times ranging from 2 h to 70 days, by surface hardness measurements and microstructural studies. From the surface hardness data, time-temperature-transformation (TTT) curves were constructed for each of the three alloys of different phosphorus content. It was found that increasing the amount of phosphorus greatly reduced the time required to start and complete the order transformation. However, it was found that the effect of phosphorus content on the rate of transformation was significantly reduced at ageing temperatures above 500° C. The results are discussed in terms of models for nucleation and growth of ordered phases.
Self-administered ethanol as a discriminative stimulus in rats

Abstract The neurochemical and behavioral effects produced by drugs can differ based on whether self-administered or experimenter-administered. In addition, self-administered drugs, particularly those taken orally or by inhalation, have peripheral stimulus effects that are not present following experimenter administration. One drug with highly prominent peripheral stimulus effects when taken orally is ethanol. The purpose of the present experiment was to examine whether orally self-administered (SA) ethanol would serve as a discriminative stimulus and to determine if the peripheral effects of ethanol play a major role in the discriminative stimulus of orally SA ethanol. Twelve Long-Evans rats were trained to orally self-administer 750 mg/kg of 10% (w/v) ethanol and then discriminate that dose of ethanol from SA water. Six of twelve rats were successfully trained to discriminate oral SA ethanol from water. Intraperitoneal experimenter-administered and orally SA ethanol doses of 100–1320 mg/kg were tested for substitution. SA and i.p. ethanol doses of 750, 1000, and 1320 mg/kg fully substituted for the SA training dose. SA doses of 100, 320 and 560 mg/kg partially substituted for the SA ethanol training dose, whereas the 100 and 320 mg/kg i.p. ethanol doses did not substitute for SA ethanol. The ED 50 values for SA and i.p. ethanol were not significantly different from one another. The results indicate that SA ethanol can serve as a discriminative stimulus in rats and that i.p. ethanol can substitute for SA ethanol. In addition, the results also show that the discriminative stimulus effects of SA ethanol are primarily mediated by CNS drug effects.
Anisotropic scattering in photorefractive crystals

A well-defined ring of anisotropically scattered light is observed when a linearly polarized laser beam is incident upon a birefringent photorefractive crystal such as BaTiO3, LiNbO3, and LiTaO3. An analysis is presented that accurately predicts the cone angle, polarization, and the location of the discontinuities in these rings. Unlike the photovoltaic model proposed recently by others, the analysis presented herein is based on the standard photorefractive theory and is independent of the photovoltaic activity of the crystal. The analysis also illustrates the strict phase matching and electro-optic tensor symmetry constraints that must be satisfied in order to observe beam coupling and normal and anisotropic self-diffraction. Preliminary experimental results are presented for BaTiO3 and LiNbO3 and are found to be in excellent agreement with standard photorefractive theory.
Lipid Magnetic Resonance Imaging Contrast Agent Interactions: A Spin-Labeling and a Multifrequency EPR Study

The interactions of two lipophilic magnetic resonance imaging paramagnetic contrast agents, gadolinium complexes of 1,4,7,10-tetraazacyclododecane-N-(n-pentyl)-N‘,N‘‘,N‘‘‘-triacetic acid (Gd-DOTAP) and 3,6,9-triaza-3,6,9-tris(carboxymethyl)-4-(4-ethoxybenzyl)undecandicarboxylic acid (Gd-EOB-DTPA), with model multilamellar liposomes prepared from 1,2-dimyristoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DMPC) were assessed in three sets of EPR experiments. The first two experiments were carried out with phospholipids selectively labeled with a series of spin-labeled doxyl stearic acids. By means of counting the collisions of molecular oxygen with a spin-labeled site, local oxygen permeability across the bilayer was measured with the contrast agents present and compared with control experiments in which contrast agents were absent. The maximum increase of 6.5 ± 0.3% for oxygen permeability at 20 mM Gd-DOTAP concentration was observed at 30.8 °C for the label located at the twelfth carbon position of the acyl chain. This...
Direct‐Fourier reconstruction in tomography and synthetic aperture radar

We investigate the use of direct-Fourier (DF) image reconstruction in computed tomography and synthetic aperture radar (SAR). One of our aims is to determine why the convolution-backprojection (CBP) method is favored over DF methods in tomography, while DF methods are virtually always used in SAR. We show that the CBP algorithm is equivalent to DF reconstruction using a Jacobian-weighted two-dimensional periodic sinc-kernel interpolator. This interpolation is not optimal in any sense, which suggests that DF algorithms using optimal interpolators may surpass CBP in image quality. We consider use of two types of DF interpolation: a windowed sinc kernel, and the least-squares optimal Yen interpolator. Simulations show that reconstructions using the Yen interpolator do not possess the expected visual quality, because of regularization needed to preserve numerical stability. Next, we show that with a concentric-squares sampling scheme, DF interpolation can be performed accurately and efficiently, producing imagery that is superior to that obtainable by other algorithms. In the case of SAR, we show that the DF method performs very well with interpolators of low complexity. We also study DF reconstruction in SAR for trapezoidal grids. We conclude that the success of the DF method in SAR imaging is due to the nearly Cartesian shape of the sampling grid. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Int J Imaging Syst Technol, 9, 1–13, 1998
Quantitative mechanistic studies in simultaneous fluid flow and intestinal absorption using steroids as model solutes

The interplay of flow-rate, aqueous boundary layer and membrane permeability coefficients, solute lipophilicity and intestinal length has been quantitatively determined for the in situ situation of bulk fluid flow and concurrent steady-state absorption of steroids in the small intestines of the rat. Seven steroids ranging in 3 orders of magnitude in n-octanol/water partition coefficients were used. The results followed the physical model predictions described by: C(l)C(0)=exp−2πγlQ·Paq1+PaqPm where ClC(0) is the fraction of steroid remaining in the intestinal lumen of length l, r is the effective lumenal radius, Q is the flow-rate, Paq and Pm are the respective aqueous boundary layer and membrane permeability coefficients. The log fraction of steroids remaining in the lumen was linear with intestinal length at various flow rates. The fraction absorbed increased with slower flow-rates at any given length due to the longer residence time. The fraction of steroid absorbed vs log partition coefficient profiles as a function of flow-rate were significantly sigmoidal. The absorption rates of progesterone were aqueous boundary layer-controlled and the less lipophilic hydrocortisone were membrane-controlled. It is significant that the permeability of the aqueous boundary layer is proportional to Q0.44.
Identification of specific relaxin-binding cells in the cervix, mammary glands, nipples, small intestine, and skin of pregnant pigs.

We previously demonstrated that relaxin promotes growth and softening of the cervix and development of the mammary glands in the pregnant pig. An important aspect of understanding relaxin's mechanism of action in these tissues is to identify the specific cell type(s) that contains relaxin receptors, that is, to identify those cells that initiate relaxin's effects. The objective of the present study was to identify relaxin-binding cells in tissues known to respond to relaxin (cervix and mammary gland) as well as in tissues suspected of being responsive to relaxin (nipple, small intestine, and skin) in the pregnant pig. To accomplish that objective we developed an in vitro modification of an immunohistochemical technique recently developed for identification of relaxin-binding cells. Two groups of pregnant gilts were used: intact control (group C) and ovariectomized progesterone-treated (group OP). Group OP was ovariectomized on Day 40 of gestation (Day 40) and treated with progesterone (50 mg/2 ml corn oil i.m., twice daily) until Day 110 to maintain pregnancy. On Day 110, tissues from both groups were removed, cut into cubes (2-3 cm3), frozen in liquid nitrogen, and cryosectioned (8 microns). Specific cell types that bind relaxin were identified by sequential application of a biotinylated relaxin probe, antibiotin immunoglobulin G conjugated to 1 nm colloidal gold, and silver for signal amplification. The study demonstrates for the first time that relaxin binds with specificity to 1) blood vessels (cervix, mammary glands, nipples, small intestine); 2) smooth muscles in small intestine (circular, longitudinal, muscularis mucosa); and 3) skin from sites other than the mammary nipples (back, ear, thigh, leg). In addition, consistent with previous findings in the rat, prominent labeling was observed in epithelial cells in the cervix, mammary glands, and nipples; in smooth muscle cells in the cervix and mammary nipples; and in the skin of the nipples. There were no apparent differences in relaxin binding between group C and group OP. We conclude that the specific relaxin-binding cells in the cervix, mammary glands, nipples, small intestine, and skin of the pregnant pig probably contain relaxin receptors and, therefore, mediate relaxin's effects in these tissues.
Wireless Video Transmission: A Distortion-Optimal Approach

We identify an analytical expression for the distortion of a scalable video bitstream. Relying on the distortion expression, we propose a low complexity distortion-optimal unequal error protection (UEP) method for the transmission of such video bitstream over wireless tandem channels. Utilizing a one-dimensional forward error correction (FEC) coding scheme, our proposed transmission method protects the bitstream against both bit errors caused by fading and packet erasures caused by network buffering. Our coding scheme also leverages symbol interleaving to better cope with the temporally correlated loss observed over the tandem channels of interest. We evaluate the performance of our proposed scheme by comparing its results against those of UEP product codes as well as those of optimized version of equal error protection (EEP). For a variety of choices of fixed packet sizes, available budgets, and channel conditions, we illustrate the performance advantage of our scheme over other schemes. Our experiments also show that our scheme works more efficiently for channels with a higher probability of bit errors than those with a lower probability of bit errors.
Strategies and techniques for the reduction of sexual anxiety

In this paper 14 anxiety-reduction techniques are discussed: use of bibliotherapy, use of audiovisual materials, in vivo desensitization via written, programmed exercises; self-exploration/masturbation training; orgasmic reconditioning; simulated orgasm experiences; implosion techniques; sex word desensitization; sexual assertion training; therapist modeling/self-disclosure; systematic desensitization; and cue-controlled relaxation. The sex therapist can integrate these techniques into the sex therapy contract with individuals or couples and use them either singly or in a sequential multiple technique format to reduce sexual anxiety.
Hemodynamic Data and Survival in Children With Pulmonary Hypertension

Abstract Objectives. Using data from a multi-institutional data base, we sought to determine whether hemodynamic data predict duration of survival in children with primary or secondary pulmonary hypertension. Background. Lung transplantation is a therapeutic option for children with pulmonary hypertension. Appropriate timing of lung transplantation requires reliable methods of predicting duration of survival in potential candidates. Methods. A regional data base was used to obtain cardiac catheterization data on 50 children with mean pulmonary artery pressure (mPAP) >25 mm Hg and indexed pulmonary resistance (Rp) >4.5 Wood units. Data on survival were obtained from the participating centers. Results. There were 15 patients without congenital heart disease (group 1) and 35 patients with congenital heart disease (group 2) for analysis. Actuarial survival at 1, 2 and 5 years was 86%, 69% and 69% in group 1 and 88%, 88% and 77% in group 2, respectively (p = NS). Hemodynamic variables that predicted survival on univariate analysis were mean right atrial pressure (mRAP) (p Conclusions. Hemodynamic variables can predict survival in children with pulmonary hypertension in the presence or absence of congenital heart defects. This information can be used to determine the optimal timing of listing for lung transplantation.
CPG STIMULATES PROTECTIVE IMMUNITY IN BALB/CJ MICE INFECTED WITH LARVAL TAENIA CRASSICEPS

Abstract Balb/cJ mice infected in the peritoneal cavity with larval Taenia crassiceps fail to mount a protective immune response. In mice, inflammatory immune responses are believed to control larval reproduction, whereas antibody-mediated responses are believed to be permissive. In the present study, mice were treated with CpG-oligodeoxynucleotides (CpG) to determine whether stimulation of the innate inflammatory response would confer increased resistance to larval growth. Female mice treated with CpG displayed a decrease in mean parasite burden by 54%, while male mice displayed a 73% reduction. Moreover, 5 of 12 CpG-treated male mice completely eliminated all larvae by 9 wk post-infection. In contrast, no female animals were found to be infection free. CpG treatment induced an increase in the transcript levels of tumor necrosis factor-α and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) from splenocytes and resulted in elevated levels of the proinflammatory molecules monocyte chemotactic protein (MCP)-1, MCP-3,...
Hawaii Under the Rising Sun: Japan's Plans for Conquest After Pearl Harbor

In this text, John J. Stephan shatters several historical illusions that have almost come to be accepted as facts, highlighting the ambiguous nature of history.