cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Performance evaluation of QoS control scheme that uses back pressure traffic control

The spread of the Internet has given rise to strong demands for real-time services such as voice and streaming video. Since these services require guarantees that may include transmission rate, delay, and delay variance, the network, including the wireless access networks, must offer QoS (quality of service) guarantees. However, no radio access system fully supports QoS controls. IEEE 802.11e is one scheme that uses an access control mechanism for QoS support. The scheme is based on a distributed access control method, CSMA (carrier sense multiple access). Since it employs EDCA (enhanced distributed channel access) for priority differentiation, terminals with large traffic loads can throttle the throughput of priority terminals because EDCA is essentially decentralized control. This paper proposes a back pressure traffic control method that avoids this problem and supports QoS guarantees as well as describe its characteristics.
Texture Analysis: Representation and Matching

Texture has found many applications in computer vision. Examples where texture analysis methods are being used include: (i) classifying images and browsing images based on their texture; (ii) segmenting an input image into regions of homogeneous texture; (iii) extracting surface shape information from ‘texture gradient’; and (iv) synthesizing textures that resemble natural images for various computer graphics applications. Image texture is characterized by the gray value or color ‘pattern’ in a neighborhood surrounding the pixel. Different methods of texture analysis capture this gray-level pattern by extracting textural features in a localized input region. Practical texture-based image processing methods define texture in a manner that is most appropriate for achieving a given goal and ignore the issue whether the input image really contains any texture. This paper describes attempts to learn ‘optimal’ texture discrimination masks using neural networks.
Molecular characterization of Vibrio cholerae O1 strains by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis.

Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) was performed on 180 isolates of Vibrio cholerae serogroup O1 representing 6 different multilocus enzyme electrophoresis (MEE) types and 27 rRNA restriction fragment length polymorphism types (ribotypes). Isolates were digested with the restriction enzyme NotI and were separated into 63 patterns on the basis of differences in band arrangements. In general, strains which were different by MEE or ribotyping also had different PGFE patterns. PFGE identified individual strains within a single MEE type or ribotype; isolates with one PFGE pattern were less frequently distinguished by ribotyping. All V. cholerae O1 isolates tested from the Latin American epidemic were indistinguishable by their MEE, ribotype, or PFGE patterns. PFGE could further distinguish strains of this same ribotype isolated in Africa, Europe, the South Pacific, or Southeast Asia. Although both MEE and PFGE could identify the strain from the Latin American epidemic, PFGE was more rapid and less labor intensive. PFGE also distinguished nontoxigenic isolates endemic to the U.S. Gulf Coast from unrelated nontoxigenic isolates. In the present study PFGE was more discriminating than other previously described subtyping assays for V. cholerae O1 and appears to be a useful epidemiologic tool. Images
Elective stenting for intracranial stenosis under conscious sedation.

Background Elective stenting for intracranial stenosis is under study as an effective means of reducing stroke risk. At most institutions, these procedures are performed and monitored after the induction of general anesthesia. Objective To report our success with elective intracranial stenting and angioplasty performed in conscious patients after the administration of mild sedatives and local anesthetic agents. Methods We retrospectively evaluated data from 66 patients who underwent elective intracranial stenting for atherosclerosis. Sixty-one procedures were performed under local anesthesia with mild sedation; 3 were performed under general anesthesia, and 2 were converted from local to general anesthesia during the procedure. Intraprocedural neurological changes were monitored and led to reevaluation of technique, immediate reimaging, modifying the endovascular procedure itself, or possibly mandating conversion to general anesthesia. Results Thirty-nine anterior and 27 posterior circulation stenotic segments were treated. Angiographic success was achieved in 95.5% of patients with an overall reduction in stenosis of 75.5 to 22.3%. Percutaneous angioplasty and stenting were used in 58 cases; 8 patients were treated with stenting alone. Three patients (4.9%) developed neurological deficits mandating alteration or adjustment of endovascular technique or immediate postoperative management to avoid permanent sequelae. A total of 8 periprocedural complications occurred, 2 of which resulted in permanent neurological deficit. The overall mortality rate was 3.2%. Conclusions Stenting of intracranial atherosclerosis performed under conscious sedation is associated with complication rates and effectiveness similar to historical rates for general anesthesia. Conscious sedation confers the additional benefit of continuous neurological assessment during the procedure.
Osteopontin (OPN) isoforms, diabetes, obesity, and cancer; what is one got to do with the other? A new role for OPN.

Alternative splicing of osteopontin (OPN) produces three isoforms: OPNa, OPNb, and OPNc. The aims of this study were to examine the expression profile of OPN isoforms in sera from patients with pancreatic lesions and to determine their correlation with the presence of comorbid systemic inflammatory conditions, such as diabetes and/or obesity. Sera from 90 patients undergoing pancreatic surgery and 29 healthy volunteers were analyzed. Seventeen patients were diabetics, 17 were obese, and 6 had both diabetes and obesity. In patients with pancreatic lesions, OPNb was expressed in 48 % of the patients’ sera, OPNc in 34 %, and both in 5 %. The presence of diabetes and/or obesity was associated with complete disappearance of OPNb and expression of only OPNc. OPNc presence was significantly associated with diabetes and obesity (OR = 7.06 [95 % CI 1.97–23.3]; p = 0.003). No OPNb or OPNc was detected in the normal sera. Overexpression of OPNb and OPNc isoforms in PDA cells significantly (p < 0.05) increased their activity in soft-agar colony formation and wound healing assays, induced the transcription of interleukin (IL)-6, and reduced tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), interferon gamma (IFN-γ), and IL-10. Our data show for the first time the significant association between serum OPNc and diabetes and/or obesity. Unraveling the functional role of OPN isoforms in systemic inflammation is essential to understanding their significance as therapeutic targets in diabetes and obesity, and during metastasis development in PDA.
Nonequilibrium effects in the /sup 139/La+/sup 40/Ar reaction at 10 MeV per nucleon observed in a study of neutron emission

Energy spectra of neutrons emitted in the damped reaction /sup 139/La+/sup 40/Ar at E/sub lab/ = 400 MeV were measured at eight angles in coincidence with projectile-like reaction fragments, using a time-of-flight technique. Apart from a small high-energy component, the angular and energy distributions of neutrons were found to be well described by assuming two sources moving at the velocities of the light and heavy reaction fragments emitting isotropically in their rest frames. The logarithmic slopes of the neutron energy spectra and the corresponding multiplicities of neutrons from the two sources suggest that the projectile-like fragment receives more than its equilibrium share of excitation energy for all values of total kinetic energy loss. Detailed statistical calculations indicate that the amount of excitation energy generated in each fragment is well described by the one-body nucleon exchange model. The high-energy component in the neutron energy spectra has properties that are consistent with preequilibrium neutron emission. Averaged over all energy losses greater than 20 MeV, this ''preequilibrium'' neutron multiplicity is approximately equal to 0.1. However, the intensity of this component increases as the impact parameter decreases.
Polarographic Analysis of Certain Fractions Obtained from the Urine of Patients with Malignancy and from Normal Individuals

SummaryThe ether, neutral, and phenolic fractions of the urine of normal individuals and of patients with carcinoma of the breast, cervix, gastrointestinal tract, and with various leukemias were analyzed polarographically. Reducible compounds were found in all the fractions. In the urine phenolic fraction the ratio (of the number of polarographically reducible compounds with an E1/2 more negative than—0.5 V vs SCE to that more positive than—0.5 V) was significantly different for male and female patients with gastrointestinal cancer as compared to normal persons of both sexes. There was no difference in this ratio between the neutral urine fraction of normal persons and cancer patients. The ether fraction of the urine of males with gastrointestinal cancer had a much higher ratio (number of compounds with an E1/2 more negative than—0.5 V vs SCE/number of compounds with E1/2 more positive than —0.5 V) than that of the same fraction of normal males. Finally a significant difference was found in the ratio (of ...
Efficient particle-pair filtering for acceleration of molecular dynamics simulation

The acceleration of molecular dynamics (MD) simulations using high performance reconfigurable computing (HPRC) has been much studied. Given the intense competition from multicore and GPUs, there has been a question whether MD on HPRC can be competitive. We concentrate here on the MD kernel computation: determining the short-range force between particle pairs. In particular, we present the first FPGA study on the filtering of particle pairs with nearly zero mutual force, a standard optimization in MD codes. There are several innovations, including a novel partitioning of the particle space, and new methods for filtering and mapping work onto the pipelines. As a consequence, highly efficient filtering can be implemented with only a small fraction of the FPGA's resources. Overall, we find that, for an Altera Stratix-III EP3ES260, 8 force pipelines running at 200MHz can fit on the FPGA, and that they can perform at 95% efficiency. This results in a 80-fold per core speed-up for the short-range force, which is likely to make FPGAs highly competitive for MD.
When informed consent meets the everyday.

Celada and colleagues (2011) have offered a comprehensive ethical analysis of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) 2006 recommendations (hereafter, refered to as CDC Recommenda...
Why do Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease target the same neurons?

The puzzle is to explain how cerebral involvement in the sporadic forms of Alzheimer's disease (AD) and Parkinson's disease (PD) can target the same population of vulnerable neurons. These neurons are poorly-myelinated projection neurons, lack of myelin being associated with high metabolic demand, high oxygen consumption, and high baseline oxidative stress. Yet the two diseases are clearly separable, with different intracellular markers, different risk factors, and different patterns of subcortical involvement. A theory is developed to show how two different pathophysiologies can preferentially affect the same neurons. In the case of AD, the hypothesis is as follows: the so-called vascular risk factors of AD, which include hypertension, diabetes, hyperlipidemia, and smoking, are all associated with increased systemic extracellular oxidative stress. High extracellular oxidative stress synergizes with high baseline intracellular oxidative stress to cause the disease. In the case of PD, mitochondrial failure associated with normal aging leads to diminished energy production and increased leakage of reactive oxygen species from mitochondria, a process which preferentially targets neurons with high baseline oxidative stress. In one case, the extra oxidative stress comes from outside the cell and, in the other case, it comes from inside the cell, i.e. from mitochondria. There is also evidence that neurofibrillary tangles are a protective mechanism against extracellular oxidative stress and that alpha-synuclein is a marker for mitochondrial failure. The basic pathophysiological difference is that AD is caused by oxidative stress alone, whereas PD is caused by oxidative stress plus failure of energy production.
Invariants of finite linear groups on relatively free algebras

Abstract It is shown that if G is a finite group of degree preserving automorphisms of R, the ring of n×n generic matrices over a field of characteristic zero generated by d > 1 elements, then the fixed ring RG can never be generated by d elements unless n = 1 and G is a quasireflection group. As a consequence, for n > 1, RG is never a generic matrix ring.
Genetically programmed B lymphocytes are highly efficient in inducing anti-virus protective immunity mediated by central memory CD8 T cells.

Abstract The hallmarks of specific T cell immunity include proliferative expansion, acquisition of effector function and memory T cell formation. Here, we used priming with B lymphocytes transgenic for the dominant epitope (NP 366–374 ) of the influenza virus nucleoprotein, to study the characteristics of the CD8 T cell memory response in C57Bl/6 mice and elucidate which subset of CD8 T cells memory mediates protection from disease. We found that (i) the size of the memory CTL response is independent of the priming dose and is similar to that induced by the live virus, (ii) priming with a low dose (3 × 10 2 cells/inoculum) of transgenic B lymphocytes confers a protective memory CTL response, and (iii) protection from disease is mediated by central memory (T CM ) CD8 T cells.
Assessing shape differences in populations of shapes using the complex watson shape distribution

Abstract This paper presents a novel Bayesian method based on the complex Watson shape distribution that is used in detecting shape differences between the second thoracic vertebrae for two groups of mice, small and large, categorized according to their body weight. Considering the data provided in Johnson et al. (1988), we provide Bayesian methods of estimation as well as highest posterior density (HPD) estimates for modal vertebrae shapes within each group. Finally, we present a classification procedure that can be used in any shape classification experiment, and apply it for categorizing new vertebrae shapes in small or large groups.
Surfactant–DNA interactions at the liquid crystal–aqueous interface

The presence of single-stranded (ssDNA) vs. double-stranded (dsDNA) DNA at a surfactant-laden aqueous–nematic liquid crystal (LC) interface results in distinctly different orientations of the LC molecular axis; this is of practical interest as a method to detect DNA hybridization. Results presented here provide new insights into the molecular-level mechanisms of these phenomena. The adsorption of ssDNA to a cationic surfactant-laden aqueous–LC interface caused LC reorientation, leading to coexistence between homeotropic and planar (birefringent) oriented regions. Fluorescence microscopy revealed that ssDNA preferentially partitioned into the birefingent regions, presumably causing a decreased surface coverage of surfactant and the resultant planar LC orientation. Both electrostatic and hydrophobic effects were found to be critical to inducing LC reorientation. In particular, insufficient ssDNA adsorption occurred in the absence of a cationic surfactant (e.g. with no surfactant or with a non-ionic surfactant), demonstrating the importance of electrostatic interactions with the polyanionic ssDNA. Even in the presence of a cationic surfactant, however, polyanions without hydrophobic side-group moieties (poly[acrylic acid] and dsDNA) caused no LC reorientation, while polyanions with hydrophobic side groups (polystyrene sulfonate and ssDNA) initiated the desired LC reorientation. These observations are consistent with the fact that interfacial hybridization of adsorbed probe ssDNA to complementary target ssDNA caused a reorientation from planar back to homeotropic. We propose that ssDNA forms an electrostatic interfacial complex with cationic surfactant where the hydrophobic nucleobases associate directly with the LC phase, effectively competing with surfactant molecules for interfacial sites. Upon hybridization, the hydrophobic character of the ssDNA is lost and the nucleobases no longer associate directly with the LC phase, allowing the surfactant molecules to pack more closely at the interface.
Thermal inactivation study of glutathione peroxidase and glutathione reductase activities in lenses of primates and non-primates.

Heat lability studies of glutathione peroxidase and glutathione reductase activities were conducted on rabbit, sheep, rat, human, galago, cat and rhesus monkey lens supernatants. These species represent five mammalian orders. Incubation periods were 10.0 minutes in duration, with temperatures ranging from 25-100° C (depending on which enzyme was being investigated). Results obtained for glutathione peroxidase activity demonstrated nearly identical heat lability profiles for human and rhesus monkey lenses. Both species were extremely labile to heat, losing activity at 30° C and becoming totally inactive at temperatures of 50° C (rhesus monkey) and 55° C (human). Their profiles were very dissimilar to those of the other five species investigated, providing evidence for the existence of an evolutionary break. Glutathione reductase activity was extremely stable under conditions of highly elevated temperature for all seven species investigated. The human lens enzyme, the most stable of the species, maintained ...
Effect of maximal exercise testing on serum cholesterol in healthy subjects undergoing exercise training and on beta-adrenergic blockade.

Abstract In accord with public interest in serum cholesterol levels, various medical centers and volunteer health agencies are involved in "screening activities" to detect hypercholesterolemia in the general population. The American Heart Association has recently published a position statement 1 for such screening emphasizing the importance of properly standardized testing procedures and physician supervision. Because of the frequent use of exercise testing and blood lipid analyses, this study was designed to evaluate the effect of acute, exhaustive exercise by a graded, treadmill exercise test on the level of serum cholesterol in healthy subjects both in the trained and untrained state, and with and without β-adrenergic blockade.
Root metabolism in the black mangrove (Avicennia germinans (L.) L): Response to hypoxia☆

Abstract Oxygen concentrations in the roots of Avicennia germinans (L.) L decreased from 16 to less than 2% within 1 hr after exposure to hypoxic conditions and were still low when the experiment was terminated after 96 hr. The intact roots responded metabolically by increasing the capacity for alcoholic fermentation (as indicated by significant increases in alcohol dehydrogenase activity). Ethanol, the potentially toxic product of alcoholic fermentation, was low in control and hypoxic roots, but may have diffused from the roots into the surrounding hydroponic solution during the course of the experiment. Although no change in PEP carboxylase activity occurred, increased activity of malate dehydrogenase in combination with low malic enzyme activity may have caused the relatively greater accumulation of malate in the hypoxic roots. The adaptive significance of malate accumulation in A. germinans could not be determined from the data, however. Alanine concentrations also increased in the hypoxic roots. Lactate, however, did not accumulate even though lactate dehydrogenase activity increased significantly. Although root adenine nucleotide concentrations and the adenylate energy charge (AEC) ratio in the hypoxic roots were significantly lower than those of the aerobic controls, the AEC of the hypoxic roots was still relatively high (0.69) after 4 days of the treatment, possibly due to the anaerobic generation of ATP via alcoholic fermentation. Metabolic adaptations in A. germinans seedlings may be as important as internal oxygen diffusion in allowing this species to tolerate flooded soil conditions.
Socialization and processing effects on comprehension of credit card advertisement disclosures

Disclosures in credit card advertisements have become a serious concern for consumers (Wang, 2009a, 2011a). Without understanding the disclosures in credit card advertisements fully, a card user may misuse a credit card after he or she applies and receives the card. In the United Kingdom, the average consumer carries US$6421 in credit card debt (CreditAction, 2010; Wang, 2011a). In Australia, there is currently $41.8 billion worth of outstanding credit card debt, and in the United States, $2596 billion was owed on credit cards in 2008 (Harrison and Gray, 2010; Wang, 2011a). In the United States, the average credit card debt for each household is $16 007 (Federal Reserve, 2010; Wang, 2011a), and the average American consumer carries $3752 in credit card debt (Index Credit Cards, 2010; Wang, 2011a). These findings further indicate the issues regarding mismanagement of credit card debt.
Conformational Change of HIV Nef upon Insertion into Lipid Membranes Resolved by Neutron Reflectivity

Nef is one of several HIV-1 accessory proteins and directly contributes to AIDS progression. Nef has no catalytic activity but instead realizes its functions by interacting with cellular proteins. Nef is myristoylated on the N-terminus, associates with membranes, and undergoes a transition from a solution conformation to a membrane-associated conformation. It has been hypothesized that conformational rearrangement enables membrane-associated Nef to interact with cellular proteins. Despite its obvious disease importance, there is little or no direct information about the conformation of membrane-bound Nef. In this work we used neutron reflection to reveal details of the conformation of membrane-bound Nef. The conformation of myristoylated Nef was studied upon binding to Langmuir monolayers of negatively-charged lipids. By adjusting the surface pressure, the extent of insertion of the myristate group could be controlled. At sufficiently high surface pressure such that the myristate group did not insert, adsorbed Nef was in a condensed state with the core domain directly against the lipid headgroups. At lower surface pressure such that the myristate group inserted into the membrane, adsorbed Nef was found to be in an extended state with the core domain displaced ∼ 70 A from the lipid headgroups. Thus, insertion of the myristate group triggers a conformational transition to an open configuration. This has important ramifications for the ability of Nef to interact with host proteins.
CINE-PHOTOMICROGRAPHY OF LOW TEMPERATURE EFFECTS ON CYTOPLASMIC STREAMING, NUCLEOLAR ACTIVITY AND MITOSIS IN SINGLE TOBACCO CELLS IN MICROCULTURE

A B S T R A C T Living, unstained, single tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum X N. glutinosa) cells (clone H-196) were grown in microcultures in liquid medium containing sucrose, mineral salts, coconut milk and 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid. Time-lapse motion pictures were taken through interference and phase microscopes. The movement of cytoplasm and cell organelles gradually slowed and ultimately completely ceased as the cell was cooled by dry ice. The cessation of the movement of cell organelles took place between 5 and -7C. The typical cytoplasmic morphology was lost as the movement slowed. The cytoplasmic strands thinned out and numerous small vacuoles formed. During rewarming of the cell to room temperature, the vacuoles were replaced by numerous small globular masses of cytoplasm which reorganized into cytoplasmic strands. The normal movement of cytoplasmic strands and cell organelles was resumed. A number of small nucleolar vacuoles at room temperature gradually expanded and coalesced to form a large central vacuole which underwent further expansion and then contracted rapidly. Four different concentric zones were visible across the nucleolar region. A white, highly reflecting, glossy substance appeared on the surface of the expanding vacuole. The position of the nucleus during contraction and expansion was never stationary. Some nucleolar vacuoles remained open for an indefinite period of time when the cell was cooled to 5C. No change was noticed during cooling, but during rewarming to room temperature, the nucleolar vacuole was partially closed. The pumping action of the nucleolar vacuole suggested important exchanges of metabolites between the nucleolus and the cytoplasm. A single cell of tobacco did not divide at - IC, but mitosis proceeded upon cooling the cell to - 12-15C for a brief period. Different phases of mitosis, specifically formation of the cell plate, cell wall, and separation of nuclei, were delayed by low temperature treatment. THE EFFECTS of low temperature are of vital,
Geographic variations of dental caries in Oregon. III. A consideration of the influence of some environmental factors on the caries experience of native born and reared school children in two regions

Abstract An investigation into some environmental factors for an explanation of the differences in caries experience noted among native born and reared school children in four counties of Oregon produced the following results: The fluoride concentrations in the communal waters analyzed in each county were found to be negligible. Calculations of total hardness showed that, in general, the drinking waters of the four counties are classified as “soft.” A retroactive investigation of the public water supplies under consideration revealed that, with the exception of a few small communities, no changes which may have altered significantly the present composition of the waters were made during the lifetime of the subjects examined. Availability of dental services in the two geographic regions does not seem to have influenced the caries experience of the subjects. The amount of sunshine in the two regions of the state and the dental caries experience of the subject population examined there were found to be inversely related. Since this observation is based on the quantity and not on the quality of the sunlight, the evidence presented is not considered entirely conclusive. A study of the ultraviolet component of sunlight in the two regions is recommended. An investigation of the current food intake of the subjects at the time of the dental examination did not show appreciable differences in the amount of candy bars and carbonated beverages consumed.
Bronchiectasis following Heroin-Induced Pulmonary Edema: Rapid Clearing of Pulmonary Infiltrates

We observed a patient who developed diffuse bronchiectasis subsequent to heroin-induced pulmonary edema. Unlike the previously reported cases, there was rapid clearing of pulmonary infiltrates and little evidence of severe aspiration. The development of bronchiectasis was attributed to a bronchial infection subsequent to clearing of the pulmonary edema. Physiologic dysfunction was characterized by marked obstruction, pulmonary hypertension, and mild hypoxemia.
A soft X-ray halo around SU UMa

The dwarf nova SU UMa was observed with the imaging proportional counter (IPC) detector on the Einstein X-ray Observatory on 4 October 1979 at 4 h UT for about 3,000 s. An X-ray source was detected at the position of the star. It had a flux of 1.3 x 10 to -11th erg/sq cm s (0.6 counts per s) in the 0.1-4.5 keV energy range of the IPC, assuming a spectral temperature of about 10 keV. In addition, several areas of weaker emission were observed which form a ring that is symmetrically disposed about the position of the dwarf nova. This latter emission is detected only at energies below 0.7 keV; the possibility that it arises in material that has been ejected from the star in a nova-like event is discussed.
Psychosocial functioning in patients with treatment resistant depression.

Abstract Background. – Depression is a disorder that causes disability, with a profound adverse impact on all areas of psychosocial functioning. This is particularly true for those with treatment resistant depression (TRD). However, to date, no systematic assessments of psychosocial functioning for patients with TRD have been conducted. Methods. – In the present study, we used the Longitudinal Interval Follow-up Evaluation (LIFE) scale to measure psychosocial functioning in 92 patients with TRD. These patients met formal criteria for TRD and were part of a clinical trial examining the efficacy of lithium augmentation of nortriptyline. Results. – Clinicians rated this sample of patients as experiencing mild to moderate impairment in work-related activities, good to fair interpersonal relations, poor level of involvement in recreational activities, and mild impairment of ability to enjoy sexual activity. Patients and clinicians rated global social adjustment as poor. Conclusions. – Patients with formally defined TRD experience significant impairment in psychosocial functioning. In this sample a tendency existed for both clinicians and patients to assign more severely impaired global ratings when compared with ratings for specific functional areas.
Children as Citizens

SUMMARY This article makes the case for a definition of citizenship that emphasizes the civic participation activities of young people rather than an age at which they receive formal recognition as citizens. It provides a conceptual framework and some of the arguments which favor a definition of this type, and draws upon examples from the youth service, service-learning, and youth in decision-making fields from the United States and other countries, which support the notion that children are not “citizens in the making” but instead social agents who already participate in building strong and democratic communities.
Normal variations of the position of the eye in the orbit.

Abstract Photoradiographic measurements of projected corneal and nasion pituitary distances in Swedish adults and in white and black adults in the United States were transformed to true measurements. A new photographic method to compute nose-corneal distance was developed and compared to the photoradiographic and Hertel measurements. A new photographic method was developed to record interpupillary distance more accurately than earlier methods. A highly significant difference in eye position between white and black people was found. Variations in normal eye position in the same individual were studied in 39 subjects. Normal eye position was found to vary in an anterior-posterior direction, with an average variation of 1.5 to 2 mm (range, 0–3.7 mm). The interpupillary distance was found to be very stable. A difference of at least 2 mm, and perhaps 3 to 4 mm in exophthalmometric measurements is necessary to detect a pathological difference.
A Case for Contextual Intelligence

In this perspective, I make a case for entrepreneurs and academics alike to focus on what I have referred to elsewhere as Contextual Intelligence, the ability to understand the limits of our knowledge, and to adapt that knowledge to a context different from the one in which it was developed. As befits this special issue on India, my work was originally motivated by the observation that some patterns, derived from analysis and introspection of data from a small sample of (typically OECD) countries were being presented as being valid ‘out of sample’, that is, applicable more universally, but these did not accord with my own intuition, largely shaped by Indian examples. I review how confronting such anomalies led to the articulation of the idea of institutional voids. This framework helps understand enduring differences in how economies are structured, and in the nature of the entrepreneurial opportunities and pitfalls they present. Superimpose on such enduring but underestimated differences the idea that mental models often persist unaltered, and the case for contextual intelligence becomes clear.
Two ancient bacterial endosymbionts have coevolved with the planthoppers (Insecta: Hemiptera: Fulgoroidea)

Members of the hemipteran suborder Auchenorrhyncha (commonly known as planthoppers, tree- and leafhoppers, spittlebugs, and cicadas) are unusual among insects known to harbor endosymbiotic bacteria in that they are associated with diverse assemblages of bacterial endosymbionts. Early light microscopic surveys of species representing the two major lineages of Auchenorrhyncha (the planthopper superfamily Fulgoroidea; and Cicadomorpha, comprising Membracoidea [tree- and leafhoppers], Cercopoidea [spittlebugs], and Cicadoidea [cicadas]), found that most examined species harbored at least two morphologically distinct bacterial endosymbionts, and some harbored as many as six. Recent investigations using molecular techniques have identified multiple obligate bacterial endosymbionts in Cicadomorpha; however, much less is known about endosymbionts of Fulgoroidea. In this study, we present the initial findings of an ongoing PCR-based survey (sequencing 16S rDNA) of planthopper-associated bacteria to document endosymbionts with a long-term history of codiversification with their fulgoroid hosts. Results of PCR surveys and phylogenetic analyses of 16S rDNA recovered a monophyletic clade of Betaproteobacteria associated with planthoppers; this clade included Vidania fulgoroideae, a recently described bacterium identified in exemplars of the planthopper family Cixiidae. We surveyed 77 planthopper species representing 18 fulgoroid families, and detected Vidania in 40 species (representing 13 families). Further, we detected the Sulcia endosymbiont (identified as an obligate endosymbiont of Auchenorrhyncha in previous studies) in 30 of the 40 species harboring Vidania. Concordance of the Vidania phylogeny with the phylogeny of the planthopper hosts (reconstructed based on sequence data from five genes generated from the same insect specimens from which the bacterial sequences were obtained) was supported by statistical tests of codiversification. Codiversification tests also supported concordance of the Sulcia phylogeny with the phylogeny of the planthopper hosts, as well as concordance of planthopper-associated Vidania and Sulcia phylogenies. Our results indicate that the Betaproteobacterium Vidania is an ancient endosymbiont that infected the common ancestor of Fulgoroidea at least 130 million years ago. Comparison of our findings with the early light-microscopic surveys conducted by Muller suggests that Vidania is Muller’s x-symbiont, which he hypothesized to have codiversified with most lineages of planthoppers and with the Sulcia endosymbiont.
Clearance Constants in Physiologically Based Pharmacokinetic Models

Abstract The intrinsic clearance of an organ is usually approximated by the apparent clearance from that organ in the development of a physiologically based pharmacokinetic model. In this study, the exact relationship between the two clearances was derived find analyzed. When the extraction ratio of the drug was small ( 0.2), serious errors could be made by using the approximation. These errors could be as much as 50% reduction in the estimated extraction ratio and as much as an order‐of‐magnitude difference in the intrinsic clearance.
Characteristics in Diverse Wear Tolerant Genotypes of Kentucky Bluegrass

Evaluations of Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis L.) wear tolerance have been conducted; however, studies investigating wear mechanisms within this species is limited. This information would be valuable in selecting wear tolerant genotypes. The objective of this study was to identify anatomical and morphological characteristics in diverse wear tolerant Kentucky bluegrasses. Wear treatments were applied to the 2000 National Turfgrass Evaluation Program (NTEP) Kentucky bluegrass field plots in the fall of 2002 at the University of Massachusetts Joseph Troll Turf Research Center at South Deerfield, MA. Wear treatments were applied to 173 genotypes with a differential slip-wear apparatus, and plots were visually rated for wear injury. The 10 most wear tolerant (TOL) and intolerant (INTOL) genotypes were selected for further evaluation. Twelve characteristics were measured in 2003 and 2004 comparing TOL and INTOL genotypes in field plots and as greenhouse grown spaced-plants. Characteristics included tiller density, shoot fresh weight and dry weight, shoot water content, leaf turgidity, number of leaves per shoot, leaf width, leaf strength, leaf angle, and leaf cell wall constituents [total cell wall content (TCW), hemicellulose, and lignocellulose]. Not all differences observed in the greenhouse were present in field plots. Significant differences were found between genotypes and TOL and INTOL groupings. No significant interaction with year was detected. Tolerant genotypes were associated with a more vertical leaf angle, greater TCW and lignocellulose content, and a lower shoot moisture content and leaf turgidity. Leaf angle was the single most important attribute separating wear TOL and INTOL genotypes. Biological explanation for the relationship between leaf orientation and wear tolerance is proposed. These characteristics may be useful as potential selection criteria for breeding to improve wear tolerance within this species.
Two-dimensional free-space beam steering with an optical phased array on silicon-on-insulator

We demonstrate a 16-channel, independently tuned waveguide surface grating optical phased array in silicon for two dimensional beam steering with a total field of view of 20° x 14°, beam width of 0.6° x 1.6°, and full-window background peak suppression of 10 dB.
Calcium binding and conformational properties of calmodulin complexed With PEP-19

PEP-19 is an IQ calmodulin (CaM) binding motif that inhibits apoptosis and protects cells against Ca2+ toxicity. We showed that PEP-19 interacts predominantly with the C-domain of CaM, and that it greatly increases the kon and koff rates of Ca2+ binding, but has little effect on KCa. Here we used solution NMR to characterize the calcium binding and conformational properties of the Ca2+-CaM-PEP-19 complex. Both 3JHNHA and 1H, 15N NOESY-HSQC experiments show the overall secondary structure of Ca2+-CaM is not greatly affected upon binding PEP-19. 15N backbone dynamics suggests that the Ca2+-CaM-PEP-19 complex shows large-scale dynamics. Most residues in the C domain of CaM that experience significant chemical exchange on μs to ms timescale form a hydrophobic patch to interact with PEP-19.We used a C-term fragment of CaM, CaM(76–148), which binds two Ca2+ ions, to determine the effect of PEP-19 on cooperative Ca2+ binding. Highly cooperative Ca2+ binding was seen in the absence of PEP-19, giving two sets of peaks in the 1H-15N HSQC spectra at substoichiometric levels of Ca2+, corresponding to apo and 2-Ca2+ bound forms of CaM(76–148). However, in the presence of PEP-19, cooperativity was largely lost and most residues in CaM(76–148) showed line broadening, and spitting into multiple peaks at low Ca2+ levels. Amide markers in the Ca2+ binding loops showed sequential Ca2+-binding first to site IV and then to site III. Furthermore, 1Hα, 13Cα chemical shift perturbations indicate that the β-strand in Ca2+ binding loop III shifts toward the random coil direction in the presence of PEP-19. This indicates that loss of cooperativity and increased in koff and kon rates induced by PEP-19 is caused by destabilizing the antiparallel β-sheet formed between Ca2+ binding sites III and IV in the C-domain of CaM.
The Warn Notice Toolbox: Open-source geovisualization of large layoff events data

Developed using the Python object-oriented scripting language, Warn Notice Toolbox is an open-source package designed for the exploratory visualization of unemployment events recorded by the PDF files of warn-notices. The goal is the visual representation of large-scale collections of both non-numerical and numerical information in a GIS environment. This article presents an outline of the design and structure of Warn Notice Toolbox, its implementation, functionality, and future plans. A group of its visualization capabilities are also illustrated, which highlight the power and flexibility of the toolbox through a case study of downloaded WARN Notices from 1996 to 2010. These notices are provided by employers to the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services, Bureau of WIA, Rapid Response Section. This toolbox demonstrates its potentials by identifying the patterns and trends of economic downturn in Ohio.
α-Galactosidases of Vigna unguiculata

Abstract Three forms of α-galactosidase, I, II 1 and II 2 , were isolated from dormant cowpeas by means of gel filtration and ion exchange chromatography. Enzymes I, II 1 and II 2 exhibited optimum activity at pH 5.0, 5.9 and 5.3, respectively. The activation energies for the hydrolysis of p -nitrophenyl α- d -galactoside (PNPG) were 5.1, 3.5 and 3.3 kcal/mol for enzymes I, II 1 and II 2 , respectively. The M r s were ca 111 000, 29 000 and 30 000, respectively. Two column chromatographic separations and SDS- PAGE indicated that enzyme I is a tetramer of enzyme II 2 . The K m and V max values of the three enzymes were different for one artificial and two natural substrates. The enzymes also differed in their stabilities during storage for 24 hr at four different temperatures and various pH values.
A note on the total mass of comets in the solar system

The assumption that the very low albedo determined for Halley's comet is typical of all short period comets, taken together with the assumption that the average sizes of long and short-period comets are approximately equal, leads to an increase in the total mass of comets in the solar system by almost two orders of magnitude. If gravitational ejection from the Uranus-Neptune zone during the later phases of planet formation is indeed responsible for the classical Oort cloud between 0.0001 and 0.00001 AU, then the mass of comets in this transplanetary region during cosmogonic times has to exceed the combined masses of Uranus and Neptune by over an order of magnitude. Furthermore, if the recent arguments for as many as 10 to the 14th comets in an 'inner' Oort cloud between about 40 and 10,000 AU are valid, then the total mass of comets in the solar system approaches 2 percent of a solar mass.
Small RNAs in viral infection and host defense

Small RNAs are the key mediators of RNA silencing and related pathways in plants and other eukaryotic organisms. Silencing pathways couple the destruction of double-stranded RNA with the use of the resulting small RNAs to target other nucleic acid molecules that contain the complementary sequence. This discovery has revolutionized our ideas about host defense and genetic regulatory mechanisms in eukaryotes. Small RNAs can direct the degradation of mRNAs and single-stranded viral RNAs, the modification of DNA and histones, and the inhibition of translation. Viruses might even use small RNAs to do some targeting of their own to manipulate host gene expression. This review highlights the current understanding and new insights concerning the roles of small RNAs in virus infection and host defense in plants.
Visualization of two-phase refrigerant and refrigerant-oil flow in a microchannel

Visualizations of adiabatic two-phase refrigerant flow in a glass channel of diameter 0.5 mm have been made for three refrigerants: R134a, Propane (R290), and Ammonia (R717), representing a wide span of fluid properties, which covers most of the refrigerants commercially in use. In these visualizations four flow regimes were observed: bubble-slug, slug, slug-annular, and annular. These flow regimes were compared to various flow maps, including some developed for small channels. Flow visualizations were also made with mixtures of R134a and 68-weight POE oil at oil circulation rates of approximately 0.5, 1.5 and 3 percent. This is of interest when considering refrigeration systems, which have a small percentage of oil in circulation that travels through system and through the heat exchangers. When the refrigerant is in a liquid state, this presents little variation in fluid properties, because the concentration is so small. However, when the refrigerant is partly vapor, the oil concentration in the remaining liquid can have significant effect on the fluid properties. In addition, the saturation temperature and pressure of the oil-refrigerant mixture changes with concentration, where a single-phase vapor is never observed in flows of oil-refrigerant mixtures, even at temperatures exceeding the saturation temperature of the pure mixture. This effect is known as “apparent superheat”.Copyright © 2007 by ASME
Infrared optical response of geometric diode rectenna solar cells

Optical rectennas, consisting of micron-size antennas coupled to high speed diodes, operate by collecting electromagnetic radiation and converting the high frequency AC field to DC power. We report the demonstration of optical rectennas operating at a wavelength of 10.6 µm. The diode is a graphene device that relies on geometric asymmetry to provide rectification. It is coupled to a metal bowtie antenna 5.1 µm in length. The planar configuration of the diode gives it an extremely low capacitance, making it more suitable for high frequency operation than metal-insulator-metal (MIM) diodes. The theoretical efficiency limit of such devices exceeds the Shockley-Queisser limit, making them suitable for broadband optical operation, and in specific, for thermophotovoltaics.
Eighth nerve activation of cat pontine reticular neurons which project in or near the ascending medial longitudinal fasciculus.

Abstract One class of neurons in the nucleus reticularis pontis caudalis (NRPC) was antidromically identified by weak shocks to project an ascending axon into the region of the ipsilateral medial longitudinal fasciculus (iMLF); these are called NRPC-iMLF neurons. Some were excited orthodromically at monosynaptic or longer latencies by shocks to the region of the contralateral medial vestibular nucleus (cMVN). Some were excited at disynaptic or longer latencies by shocks to the ipsilateral (18) or contralateral (c8) 8th nerve. Many showed convergence from several inputs. These NRPC-iMLF neurons are hypothesized to participate in vestibuloocular or other vestibular functions.
HORMONAL THERAPY IN DERMATOLOGY

In this article, the hormonal therapies discussed primarily are those used in the androgen-mediated diseases acne, hirsutism, and androgenetic alopecia. The most widely used class of hormones in dermatology, corticosteroids, is not discussed except within the realm of androgen-mediated disease. Not all treatments discussed are actual hormones; many therapies act to modify or attenuate the effects of naturally occurring hormones. Although some of the treatments discussed are approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for dermatologic indications, many are off-label uses, which have been discovered after the drug has been marketed.
let-60, a gene that specifies cell fates during C. elegans vulval induction, encodes a ras protein

Genetic analysis previously suggested that the let-60 gene controls the switch between vulval and hypodermal cell fates during C. elegans vulval induction. We have cloned the let-60 gene, and shown that it encodes a gene product identical in 84% of its first 164 amino acids to ras gene products from other vertebrate and invertebrate species. This conservation suggests that the let-60 product contains all the biochemical functions of ras proteins. Extrachromosomal arrays of let-60 ras DNA cause cell-type misspecification (extra vulval fates) phenotypically opposite to that caused by let-60 ras loss-of-function mutations (no vulval fates), and suppress the vulvaless phenotype of mutations in two other genes necessary for vulval induction. Thus, the level and pattern of let-60 ras expression may be under strict regulation; increase in let-60 ras activity bypasses or reduces the need for upstream genes in the vulval induction pathway.