cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
‘Looking’ better: Designing an at-home gaze training system for children with ASD

Attention and eye movement control are essential for gathering sensory information in our environment however, both attention redirection and eye movement control are atypical in individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Improvements in the accuracy and timing of attention redirection and saccadic eye movements could have corollary beneficial effects on social engagement. Here, we show pilot data indicating proof of concept for such training in a laboratory environment and review the logistics of delivering similar-quality, yet affordable, training at home. Finally, we review a novel method for demonstrating whether eye movement behavior that has been modified in a video game environment carries over to a natural social engagement.
Faculty Helpfulness to Students A Comparison of Compliance Techniques

A total of 154 randomly chosen faculty members at a large public university served as subjects in a study of compliance by professors to students' request for help. The door-in-the-face technique (large initial request, followed by a moderate request) elicited significantly more compliance than the foot-in-the-door technique (small initial request, followed by a moderate request) and the control technique (moderate request only). The foot-in-the-door technique was significantly less effective than the control technique. The results were viewed conceptually and pragmatically.
THE LACK OF CHEMICAL EQUILIBRIUM DOES NOT PRECLUDE THE USE OF CLASSICAL NUCLEATION THEORY IN CIRCUMSTELLAR OUTFLOWS

Classical nucleation theory (CNT) has been used in models of dust nucleation in circumstellar outflows around oxygen-rich asymptotic giant branch stars. One objection to the application of CNT to astrophysical systems of this sort is that an equilibrium distribution of clusters (assumed by CNT) is unlikely to exist in such conditions due to a low collision rate of condensable species. A model of silicate grain nucleation and growth was modified to evaluate the effect of a nucleation flux orders of magnitude below the equilibrium value. The results show that a lack of chemical equilibrium has only a small effect on the ultimate grain distribution.
Optimization of V-groove radiator configuration

In the design of spacecraft radiators intended to provide cryogenic cooling, it is important to minimize the space occupied by radiator shielding while satisfying the performance requirements. This study develops and tests the first step toward optimizing radiator shield configurations and examines the design of the highly effective V-groove radiator concept. This investigation, which makes use of a special purpose Monte Carlo/ray tracing computer program, directly identifies the two shield configuration which minimizes radiator footprint for a given temperature drop. Furthermore, multiple shield configurations may be analyzed through a combination of analysis and program statistics. The results presented demonstrate the sensitivity of intershield temperature drop to shield angle and/or offset and provide a comparison of angled and parallel shield configurations. Good agreement with experimental data is shown for a multiple shield configuration.
Benzophenone Triplet: a New Photochemical Probe of Biological Ligand-Receptor Interactions

PHOTO-GENERATED reagents for the covalent labelling of biological binding sites have recently been reviewed1. In principle, a photochemically activated functional group is incorporated into a biological ligand by synthesis. Photolysis of this functional group while the ligand is bound to its receptor covalently links ligand and receptor allowing subsequent precise chemical location of the binding site without danger of dissociating the ligand-receptor complex. A “photo-affinity probe”2 is inert until photolysis and can be directed to the receptor site of interest while still inert, unlike most chemical affinity probes which may react nonspecifically at other sites. Requirements for successful photo-affinity probes include chemical stability before photolysis, chemical inertness of the activated probe to reaction with water, and negligible loss of the activated probe to rearrangement or intramolecular reaction1. These requirements are well met by aromatic ketones such as benzophenone whose triplet state apparently does not react with water, does not rearrange or react intramolecularly, and is easily generated at long wavelengths (> 320 nm).
Nonlinear Modes of Liquid Drops as Solitary Waves

The nonlinear dynamic equations of the surface of a liquid drop are shown to be directly connected to Korteweg--de Vries (KdV) systems, giving traveling solutions that are cnoidal waves. They generate multiscale patterns ranging from small harmonic oscillations (linearized model), to nonlinear oscillations, up through solitary waves. These non-axis-symmetric localized shapes are also described by a KdV Hamiltonian system. Recently such ``rotons'' were observed experimentally when the shape oscillations of a droplet became nonlinear. The results apply to droplike systems from cluster formation to stellar models, including hyperdeformed nuclei and fission.
E-010 Prolonged Neurologic Deterioration Following Acetazolamide Testing in the Acute Phase Following Ischaemic Stroke

Background Acetazolamide induces cerebral vasodilatation and may be used to measure cerebrovascular reserve in patients with cerebral arteriopathy. While acetazolamide is known to induce transient neurologic deficits as a result of “steal phenomenon,” prolonged deficits have rarely been described. Methods Retrospective, single-centre case review from 2011 to 2012. Results We describe 3 patients ages 41, 60 and 65 years (2 women; 1 man) who developed prolonged neurological deterioration following administration of acetazolamide in the acute phase following presentation for evaluation of cerebrovascular reserve. Two patients presented with hemispheric ischaemic symptoms; one presented with headache and parietal convexity subarachnoid haemorrhage. One patient had extensive intracranial vascular disease consistent with a moyamoya-like syndrome with left middle cerebral artery (MCA) occlusion and severe left supraclinoid internal carotid artery (ICA) stenosis. Another had 50% left MCA stenosis as well as > 70% stenosis of the left ICA. She failed medical therapy, L CAS, L MCA angioplasty, and left EC-IC bypass. A third patient had occlusion of the right ICA and severe left ICA stenosis. In every case, acetazolamide challenge was carried out in the acute phase following presentation. All three patients developed significant prolonged worsening of neurologic deficits following the administration of acetazolamide (1 g). Patients received aggressive intravenous hydration. Two of the patients regained pre-acetazolamide neurological status within 18 hours. The third patient recovered several days after emergency left carotid artery stenting. Imaging studies (CT in 2 cases; MRI in 1) did not reveal interval haemorrhage or additional ischaemic changes in any case. Conclusion Administration of acetazolamide has the potential to induce decline in neurological function after administration in the acute phase and may be persistent for several hours or days. A steal phenomenon is a possible mechanism. The combination of severe extracranial and intracranial vascular disease may predispose to prolonged deficits and may be a contraindication to diagnostic use of acetazolamide. Disclosures R. Tawk: None. B. Eidelman: None. R. Hanel: None. J. Meschia: None. K. Barrett: None.
Near ballistic electron transport in GaAs devices at 77°K

The effect of collisions on near ballistic electron transport in short GaAs terminal devices at 77°K is analyzed in the frame of the model based on the equations of momentum and energy balance where momentum and energy relaxation times are fit to agree with the results of Monte Carlo calculation for static constant electric fields. Solving the equations by the iteration technique yields the criterion of the ballistic transport (L(μm) ⪡ 0.44 μ (m2/V.s) V12(v) for GaAs at low voltages). The computer solution is used to obtain current-voltage characteristics, field, energy, velocity and voltage distributions for GaAs devices at 77°K. The results of the calculation show that the ballistic effects are dominant at 77°K even at relatively high doping levels (such as 1016 cm−3) for short devices (∼ 0.2 μm long). These effects lead to a higher electron velocity at low voltages and could be utilized in building high speed GaAs integrated circuits.
Kinetic Profiling of Green Liquor-Modified Kraft Pulping

The kinetic features of the process of delignification in green liquor (GL) pretreatment kraft pulping were investigated in this study. GL pretreatment can accelerate pulping by providing a faster delignification rate at the onset of the bulk delignification stage of pulping. In addition, GL pretreatment increases the efficiency of the chemical reactions occurring during the pulping process. A good correlation between chemical performance and lignin removal was established for the GL-modified pulping process. The pulping chemicals were mainly consumed during bulk delignification, and the relative efficiency of reaction for the hydrosulfide and hydroxide anions for delignification were 2 and 1.6 times higher, respectively, as compared to conventional kraft pulping.
Modification of Abel inversion technique for line width calculation

Abstract A modified Abel inversion technique is described for a line width calculation, based on the relationship between the lateral and radial line profile in a cylindrical light source. The technique is examined with a simulated radial emission profile and line width. The errors introduced in the improved technique also are discussed.
Epilepsy in the developing brain: lessons from the laboratory and clinic.

Summary: Children with epilepsy present unique challenges to the clinician. In addition to having differences in clinical and EEG phenomena, children differ from adults in regard to etiological factors, response to antiepileptic drugs (AEDs), and outcome. It is now recognized that the immature brain also differs from the mature brain in the basic mechanisms of epileptogenesis and propagation of seizures. The immature brain is more prone to seizures due to an imbalance between excitation and inhibition. γ-Aminobutyric acid (GABA), the major CNS inhibitory neurotransmitter in the mature brain, can lead to depolarization in the hippocampal CA3 region in very young rats. There are also age-related differences in response to GABA agonists and antagonists in the substantia nigra, a structure important in the propagation of seizures. These age-related differences in response to GABAergic agents provide further evidence that the pathophysiology of seizures in the immature brain differs from that in the mature brain. Although prolonged seizures can cause brain damage at any age, the extent of brain damage after prolonged seizures is highly age dependent. Far less histological damage and fewer disturbances in cognition result from prolonged seizures in the immature brain than from seizures of similar duration and intensity in mature animals. However, detrimental effects of AEDs may be greater in the immature brain, than in the mature brain. These lessons from the animal laboratory raise questions about the appropriateness of current therapeutic approaches to childhood seizure disorders.
Electron Microscopic Studies of Biological Reactions. I. Reduction of Potassium Tellurite by Corynebacterium diphtheriae.

Summary(1) Typical polar granules appear as dense spherical masses, or possibly plates, in electron micrographs of unstained preparations of C. diphtheriae grown on blood infusion agar. (2) In addition to polar granules, needle-like crystals appear in electron micrographs of unstained preparations of C. diphtheriae cells grown on potassium tellurite chocolate agar. (3) The needle-like crystals, as well as the black color, of cell masses of C. diphtheriae grown on potassium tellurite chocolate agar disappear upon the addition of small amounts of bromine water. It is inferred, therefore, that the black color is due to the tellurium metal which occurs in the form of needles. (4) It is to be further inferred that the tellurite ion is able to diffuse through the cell wall and is reduced with the precipitation of tellurium metal within the cell boundaries. (5) With the aid of the electron microscope it is now possible to obtain pictorial records of the location of sites of certain chemical reactions incident to...
Energy-aware dynamic reconfiguration algorithms for real-time multitasking systems

System optimization techniques based on dynamic reconfiguration are widely adopted for energy conservation. While dynamic voltage scaling (DVS) techniques have been extensively studied for processor energy conservation, dynamic cache reconfiguration (DCR) for reducing cache energy consumption in multitasking systems is still in its infancy. In this paper, we propose a general and flexible algorithm for energy optimization based on dynamic reconfiguration in multitasking systems. Our algorithm is flexibly parameterized and can be used to provide tradeoffs between running time and solution quality. Furthermore, it can easily incorporate variable reconfiguration overhead. Experimental results show that our technique can generate near-optimal solutions with significantly low running time and memory requirements.
The Force of Face-to-Face Diplomacy: Mirror Neurons and the Problem of Intentions.

Face-to-face diplomacy has long been the lynchpin of international politics, yet it has largely been dismissed as irrelevant in theories of cooperation and conflict�as �cheap talk� because leaders have incentives to dissemble. However, diplomats and leaders have argued for years that there is often no substitute for personally meeting a counterpart to hash out an agreement. This article argues that face-to-face diplomacy provides a signaling mechanism that increases the likelihood of cooperation. Face-to-face meetings allow individuals to transmit information and empathize with each other, thereby reducing uncertainty, even when they have strong incentives to distrust the other. The human brain has discrete architecture and processes devoted to parsing others' intentions via cues in face-to-face interaction. These processes enable actors to directly access the intentions of others with a higher degree of certainty than economic and game-theoretic models of bargaining predict.
Reversible redox energy coupling in electron transfer chains

Reversibility is a common theme in respiratory and photosynthetic systems that couple electron transfer with a transmembrane proton gradient driving ATP production. This includes the intensely studied cytochrome bc1, which catalyses electron transfer between quinone and cytochrome c. To understand how efficient reversible energy coupling works, here we have progressively inactivated individual cofactors comprising cytochrome bc1. We have resolved millisecond reversibility in all electron-tunnelling steps and coupled proton exchanges, including charge-separating hydroquinone-quinone catalysis at the Q(o) site, which shows that redox equilibria are relevant on a catalytic timescale. Such rapid reversibility renders popular models based on a semiquinone in Q(o) site catalysis prone to short-circuit failure. Two mechanisms allow reversible function and safely relegate short-circuits to long-distance electron tunnelling on a timescale of seconds: conformational gating of semiquinone for both forward and reverse electron transfer, or concerted two-electron quinone redox chemistry that avoids the semiquinone intermediate altogether.
Recognizing melodies: A dynamic interpretation

Two experiments explore hypotheses about rhythm and contour in recognition of simple pitch strings (melodies). Target melodies that differed with respect to pitch relationships (interval and contour pitch differences) and rhythm, were presented to ordinary listeners who were told to learn the melodies (Phase I). In a subsequent recognition test (Phase II), listeners had to recognize these same target melodies although they were transposed to a different musical key. In recognition, target melodies appeared in the original rhythm or in new rhythms that simulated some pause properties of the original rhythm. Target melodies were interspersed with decoy melodies that either preserved the pitch contour of targets or did not; all appeared in the original rhythm and in new rhythms. Results indicated that a new rhythmic context lowered recognizability of target melodies, and that decoys were most confusing when they possessed the same “dynamic shape” (contour-plus-rhythm) as targets (Experiment 1). Also, target ...
Structural properties of the supraspinatus tendon in two joint positions

The supraspinatus tendon is frequently involved in rotator cuff tears. It has been suggested that joint position affects the structural mechanics of the tendon–bone complex. The purpose of this study was to determine regional variations in structural properties of the supraspinatus tendon in two glenohumeral positions. Supraspinatus tendons from 17 fresh frozen cadavers were divided into three strips of equal width and tested with a material-testing machine. The arm orientation was either in hanging position or 60 degrees glenohumeral abduction corresponding to 90 degrees arm abduction assuming 30 degrees scapular rotation. Tensile force, tendon elongation and failure mode were recorded. Overall, there was no significant difference in structural properties between hanging arm position and 60 degrees of glenohumeral abduction (p>0.05). However, the mean ultimate load (385 N, SD 56 N) and mean ultimate stress (14 MPa, SD 3 MPa) of the anterior tendon section with the arm in glenohumeral abduction were lower in 60 degrees abduction than in the hanging arm position (611 N, SD 276 N; 24 MPa, SD 10 MPa). In hanging arm position, the anterior tendon portion had a significantly greater ultimate load and stiffness than the middle and posterior portions (p<0.05). The regional variation in structural properties substantiates the clinical finding that rotator cuff ruptures easily extend posteriorly. Our study suggests that glenohumeral abduction reduces the failure strength of the supraspinatus tendon, specifically of its anterior portion. In our study, the maximum load of the anterior portion was substantially higher than predicted maximum loads transmitted physiologically through the entire tendon.
Lithostratigraphic controls on bedding-plane fractures and the potential for discrete groundwater flow through a siliciclastic sandstone aquifer, southern Wisconsin

Abstract Outcrop-analog studies of the Upper Cambrian Tunnel City Group sandstones in southern Wisconsin show the utility of lithostratigraphic information in hydrostratigraphic studies of siliciclastic sandstone aquifers. Recent work supports the lateral continuity of discrete groundwater flow through these sandstones. Lithologic description of the Reno Member of the Lone Rock Formation (Tunnel City Group) in outcrop and core reveals repeating sequences of three dominant lithofacies, including flat-pebble intraclast conglomerate with a glauconite-rich matrix; glauconitic and feldspathic subquartzose sandstone with horizontal-planar, low-angle, and hummocky lamination; and feldspathic subquartzose sandstone with dolomite-filled burrows. The vertically stacked Reno Member sequences have been interpreted as having a storm-related origin, and they are laterally continuous on the scale of an outcrop. Horizontal fracture locations correlate with bedding planes at contacts between lithofacies. They are most commonly associated with the base of the flat-pebble intraclast conglomerate or with partings along laminae and erosional surfaces in the laminated subquartzose sandstone lithofacies. Sequences show upward increases in natural gamma radiation due to increasing potassium feldspar content. The incorporation of the detailed lithostratigraphic information allows a more accurate interpretation of borehole natural gamma logs where the rocks are buried and saturated and clarifies the role of sedimentary structures in the distribution of features that might promote discrete flow through these rocks.
Molecular properties from pseudo-wavefunctions

Abstract A prescription is given for determining the expectation values for pseudo-potential wavefunctions. This prescription includes direct core contributions to the properties and accounts for the valence and virtual orbital non-orthogonality to core orbitais. Results for MgF show agreement, in most cases, of 5% or better with all-electron values
Response inhibition and response selection: Two sides of the same coin

Response inhibition refers to the suppression of actions that are inappropriate in a given context and that interfere with goal-driven behavior. Studies using a range of methodological approaches have implicated executive control processes mediated by frontal-subcortical circuits as being critical to response inhibition; however, localization within the frontal lobe has been inconsistent. In this review, we present evidence from behavioral, lesion, neuroimaging, electrophysiology, and neurological population studies. The findings lay the foundation for a construct in which response inhibition is akin to response selection, such that pre-SMA circuits are critical to selection of appropriate behavior, including both selecting to engage appropriate motor responses and selecting to withhold (inhibit) inappropriate motor responses. Recruitment of additional prefrontal and posterior cortical circuits, necessary to guide response selection, varies depending on the cognitive and behavioral demands of the task.
Rapid Heat Production Associated with Excitation of Electric Organs of the Electric Eel

By constructing a new type of thermal detector, rapid production of heat was demonstrated during the rising phase of the action potential of the eel electric organs evoked by direct electric stimulation. Following the indirect (synapse-mediated) action potential of the organs, the existence of very large and variable production of heat of unknown origin was revealed.
Closed-loop analysis and control of a non-inverting buck-boost converter

In this article, a cascade controller is designed and analysed for a non-inverting buck–boost converter. The fast inner current loop uses sliding mode control. The slow outer voltage loop uses the proportional–integral (PI) control. Stability analysis and selection of PI gains are based on the nonlinear closed-loop error dynamics incorporating both the inner and outer loop controllers. The closed-loop system is proven to have a nonminimum phase structure. The voltage transient due to step changes of input voltage or resistance is predictable. The operating range of the reference voltage is discussed. The controller is validated by a simulation circuit. The simulation results show that the reference output voltage is well-tracked under system uncertainties or disturbances, confirming the validity of the proposed controller.
Analysis of viscous flow due to a stretching sheet with surface slip and suction

Abstract The viscous flow due to a stretching sheet with slip and suction is studied. The Navier–Stokes equations admit exact similarity solutions. For two-dimensional stretching a closed-form solution is found and uniqueness is proved. For axisymmetric stretching both existence and uniqueness are shown. The boundary value problem is then integrated numerically.
Succinylcholine-induced hyperkalemia in acquired pathologic states: etiologic factors and molecular mechanisms.

Lethal hyperkalemic response to succinylcholine continues to be reported, but the molecular mechanisms for the hyperkalemia have not been completely elucidated. In the normal innervated mature muscle, the acetylcholine receptors (AChRs) are located only in the junctional area. In certain pathologic states, including upper or lower motor denervation, chemical denervation by muscle relaxants, drugs, or toxins, immobilization, infection, direct muscle trauma, muscle tumor, or muscle inflammation, and/or burn injury, there is up-regulation (increase) of AChRs spreading throughout the muscle membrane, with the additional expression of two new isoforms of AChRs. The depolarization of these AChRs that are spread throughout the muscle membrane by succinylcholine and its metabolites leads to potassium efflux from the muscle, leading to hyperkalemia. The nicotinic (neuronal) 7 acetylcholine receptors, recently described to be expressed in muscle also, can be depolarized not only by acetylcholine and succinylcholine but also by choline, persistently, and possibly play a critical role in the hyperkalemic response to succinylcholine in patients with upregulated AChRs.
An architecture a day keeps the hacker away

System security as it is practiced today is a losing battle. In this paper, we outline a possible comprehensive solution for binary-based attacks, using virtual machines, machine descriptions, and randomization to achieve broad heterogeneity at the machine level. This heterogeneity increases the "cost" of broad-based binary attacks to a sufficiently high level that they cease to become feasible. The convergence of several recent technologies appears to make our approach achievable at a reasonable cost, with only moderate run-time overhead.
Molecular Correlates of Primate Nuclear Transfer Failures

Somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) ([1][1]) in nonhuman primates could accelerate medical research by contributing identical animals for research and clarifying embryonic stem cell potentials ([2][2]). Although rhesus embryos begin development after embryonic cell nuclear transfer (ECNT) ([3–5][
Things Fall Apart: Disaster, Infrastructure, and Risk

L'ouragan Katrina deferla le 29 aout 2005 sur les cotes de la Louisiane aux Etats-Unis. Les consequences de cette catastrophe naturelle sur la ville de La Nouvelle-Orleans furent desatreuses : innodations, pillages... Les articles de ce dossier analysent en detail la resposabilite des differents acteurs dans la gestion de cette crise et l'envisagent sous un angle historique et philosophique. Les articles sont les suivants : Things Fall Apart : Disaster, Infrastructure, and Risk ; Hurricane Stories, from Within ; Environmental Justice and Expert Knowledge in the Wake of Disaster ; The Day after the Hurricane': Infrastructure, Order, and the New Orleans Police Department's Response to Hurricane Katrina ; Distributing Risks and responsibilities : Flood Hazard Mitigation in New Orleans ; Stewardship Politics and the Control of Wild Weather : levees, Seawalls, and State Building in the 17th Century france ; Situation Normal? Repairing a Risky Ecology ; American and Dutch Coastal Engineering : Differences in Risk Conception and Differences in Technological Culture ; Overflow and Containment in the Aftermath of Disaster
A new tool for determination of the stage of polymerization of thermosetting polymers

Studies of the change of attenuation and velocity of longitudinal ultrasonic waves with proceeding polymerization of thermosetting plastics have revealed that this new technique may permit rapid determination of the stage of polymerization under various conditions. The ultrasonic equipment used for these tests is described in detail. On the basis of results so far obtained, future possibilities for the application of this new technique in studying polymerization reactions are outlined.
Local Dynamic Stability Associated with Load Carrying

Objectives: Load carrying tasks are recognized as one of the primary occupational factors leading to slip and fall injuries. Nevertheless, the mechanisms associated with load carrying and walking stability remain illusive. The objective of the current study was to apply local dynamic stability measure in walking while carrying a load, and to investigate the possible adaptive gait stability changes. Methods: Current study involved 25 young adults in a biomechanics research laboratory. One tri-axial accelerometer was used to measure three-dimensional low back acceleration during continuous treadmill walking. Local dynamic stability was quantified by the maximum Lyapunov exponent (maxLE) from a nonlinear dynamics approach. Results: Long term maxLE was found to be significant higher under load condition than no-load condition in all three reference axes, indicating the declined local dynamic stability associated with load carrying. Conclusion: Current study confirmed the sensitivity of local dynamic stability measure in load carrying situation. It was concluded that load carrying tasks were associated with declined local dynamic stability, which may result in increased risk of fall accident. This finding has implications in preventing fall accidents associated with occupational load carrying.
Neuropsychological assessment of the orbital and ventromedial prefrontal cortex

Assessment of the functions of the orbitofrontal cortex and ventromedial prefrontal cortex has proven to be a unique challenge for neuropsychologists. Orbitomedial damage occurs in a range of disorders including traumatic brain injury, ruptured aneurysms, surgical resection, and frontotemporal dementia. We review the effects of orbitomedial damage on a range of neuropsychological tasks, including tasks measuring object alternation and reversal learning, decision-making (gambling), facial emotion recognition, theory of mind, olfactory recognition, autobiographical memory and behavioral rating measures. At present, there is no singular gold standard measure of orbitomedial dysfunction, and assessment requires an integrative approach that reflects the heterogeneity of the region. The heterogeneous neuropsychological deficits arising from orbitomedial damage are difficult to ascribe to a unitary function or process, but appear to reflect a set of processes necessary for monitoring and adapting to changing reinforcement contingencies.
The Selection of M3-Restricted T Cells Is Dependent on M3 Expression and Presentation of N-Formylated Peptides in the Thymus

The major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class Ib molecule H2-M3 binds N -formylated peptides from mitochondria and bacteria. To explore the role of M3 expression and peptide supply in positive and negative selection, we generated transgenic mice expressing an M3-restricted TCR-α/β from a CD8+ T cell hybridoma (D7) specific for a listerial peptide (LemA). Development of M3-restricted transgenic T cells is impaired in both β2-microglobulin–deficient and transporter associated with antigen processing (TAP)-deficient mice, but is not diminished by changes in the H-2 haplotype. Maturation of M3/LemA-specific CD8+ single positive cells in fetal thymic organ culture was sensitive to M3 expression levels as determined by antibody blocking and use of the castaneus mutant allele of M3. Positive selection was rescued in TAP−/− lobes by nonagonist mitochondrial and bacterial peptides, whereas LemA and a partial agonist variant caused negative selection. Thus, M3-restricted CD8+ T cells are positively and negatively selected by M3, with no contribution from the more abundant class Ia molecules. These results demonstrate that class Ib molecules can function in thymic education like class Ia molecules, despite limited ligand diversity and low levels of expression.
IL-23-dependent IL-17 production is essential in neutrophil recruitment and activity in mouse lung defense against respiratory Mycoplasma pneumoniae infection.

IL-23 induces IL-17 production in activated CD4+ T cells and participates in host defense against many encapsulated bacteria. However, whether IL-23/IL-17 axis contributes to a Mycoplasma pneumoniae (Mp)-induced lung inflammation (e.g., neutrophils) has not been addressed. Using an acute respiratory Mp infection murine model, we found significantly up-regulated lung IL-23p19 mRNA in the early phase of infection (4 h), and alveolar macrophages were an important cell source of Mp-induced IL-23. We further showed that Mp significantly increased IL-17 protein levels in bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL). Lung gene expression of IL-17, IL-17C and IL-17F was also markedly up-regulated by Mp in vivo. IL-17 and IL-17F were found to be derived mainly from lung CD4+ T cells, and were increased upon IL-23 stimulation in vitro. In vivo blocking of IL-23p19 alone or in combination with IL-23/IL-12p40 resulted in a significant reduction of Mp-induced IL-17 protein and IL-17/IL-17F mRNA expression, which was accompanied by a trend toward reduced lung neutrophil recruitment, BAL neutrophil activity, and Mp clearance. However, IL-23 neutralization had no effect on Mp-induced lung IL-17C mRNA expression. These results demonstrate that IL-17/IL-17F production is IL-23-dependent in an acute Mp infection, and contributes to neutrophil recruitment and activity in lung defense against the infection.
Contribution based priority assessment in a web-based intelligent argumentation network for collaborative software development

Decision making is an important aspect in a collaborative software development process which involves a complex process of conflict resolution. The priority of the participants plays a vital role in conflict resolution as the decision making process involves many participants from multiple perspectives. The priority assessment methods used in the process so far are usually static in nature, i.e., the priorities of the participants remain constant throughout the decision making process. In order to make the collaborative system more close to real world scenarios, we incorporate dynamic priority assessment into a web-based collaborative system based on intelligent computational argumentation, which was developed in our previous research work. We evaluate priorities dynamically for each cycle of the decision process based on the contribution of each participant. The contribution is assessed based on impact of each participant's arguments on the winning design alternative. More successful participants have higher priorities in argumentations during collaboration.
Pteridine salvage throughout the Leishmania infectious cycle: implications for antifolate chemotherapy.

Protozoan parasites of the trypanosomatid genus Leishmania are pteridine auxotrophs, and have evolved an elaborate and versatile pteridine salvage network capable of accumulating and reducing pteridines. This includes biopterin and folate transporters (BT1 and FT1), pteridine reductase (PTR1), and dihydrofolate reductase‐thymidylate synthase (DHFR-TS). Notably, PTR1 is a novel alternative pteridine reductase whose activity is resistant to inhibition by standard antifolates. In cultured promastigote parasites, PTR1 can function as a metabolic by-pass under conditions of DHFR inhibition and thus reduce the efficacy of chemotherapy. To test whether pteridine salvage occurred in the infectious stage of the parasite, we examined several pathogenic species of Leishmania and the disease-causing amastigote stage that resides within human macrophages. To accomplish this we developed a new sensitive HPLC-based assay for PTR1 activity. These studies established the existence of the pteridine salvage pathway throughout the infectious cycle of Leishmania, including amastigotes. In general, activities were not well correlated with RNA transcript levels, suggesting the occurrence of at least two different modes of post-transcriptional regulation. Thus, pteridine salvage by amastigotes may account for the clinical inefficacy of antifolates against leishmaniasis, and ultimately provide insights into how this may be overcome in the future. © 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.
Observations of interactions between interplanetary and geomagnetic fields

Magnetospheric effects associated with variations of the north-south component of the interplanetary magnetic field are examined in light of recent recent experimental and theoretical results. Although the occurrence of magnetospheric substorms is statistically related to periods of southward interplanetary magnetic field, the details of the interaction are not understood. In particular, attempts to separate effects resulting directly from the interaction between the interplanetary and geomagnetic fields from those associated with substorms have produced conflicting results. The transfer of magnetic flux from the dayside to the nightside magnetosphere is evidenced by equatorward motion of the polar cusp and increases of the magnetic energy density in the lobes of the geomagnetic tail. The formation of a macroscopic X-type neutral line at tail distances less than 35 R sub E appears to be a substorm phenomenon.
1 volt, 1 GHz nems switches

It is generally accepted that electromechanical switches have superior off-to-on resistance ratios, very low leakage currents, and sub-threshold slope better than 0.1 mV/decade. It is also well-known that these switches tend to have large foot-print, large turn on voltages, low speeds (at best 0.1 0.01 µs switching time) and are relatively unreliable and fail due to contact resistance variations, particulates, fatigue, and stiction. Here we present a class of nano-electromechanical switches with ∼ 1 V turn-on voltage, very high speed of <1 ns, and very small footprint of around 1 µm2.
Embryo transplanted calves: the pulmonary hypertensive trait is genetically transmitted.

SummaryThe superovulation and embryo transplantation techniques were used to obtain four sibling calves from four different mother cows. The semen and ova were obtained from one bull and one cow, respectively, known to have susceptible pulmonary hypertension when exposed to low-pressure environments. The recipient mothers were healthy ordinary cows purchased at high terrestrial elevations, thus, supposed to be resistant to high-altitude-induced pulmonary hypertension. Both cows and calves, 5 month of age, were tested for pulmonary hypertension in a hypobaric chamber at 4500 m simulated altitude (PB = 430 torr) for 2 hr. The increase in pulmonary arterial pressure at high altitude in the calves (40 ± 5 torr) was much greater than that in the cows (10 ± 3 torr), demonstrating that they were susceptible and resistant cattle, respectively, to high-altitude-induced pulmonary hypertension. Therefore, susceptible calves were obtained from resistant cows. This study supports the hypothesis that pulmonary vascular...
Incorporating illumination constraints in deformable models

We present a method for the integration of illumination constraints within a deformable model framework. These constraints are incorporated as nonlinear holonomic constraints in the Lagrange equations of motion governing the deformation of the model. For improved numerical performance we employ the Baumgarte stabilization method. Our methodology is general and can be used for a broad range of illumination constraints. This approach avoids commonly used approximations in shape from shading, such as linearization, and the use of partial differential equations, which require initial boundary conditions. Furthermore, global and local parameterizations of the deformable models allow an improved estimation of shape from shading. We demonstrate this improvement over previously used approaches through a series of experiments on standardized sets of real and synthetic data.
Sacrococcygeal Teratoma Masquerading as Congenital Hemangioma

Sacrococcygeal teratoma (SCT) is a rare tumor, present in approximately one in 40,000 live births. A small proportion of SCT have malignant potential, so prompt recognition and surgical resection are necessary. We report two cases of SCT initially misdiagnosed as hemangiomas because of their cutaneous appearance and in particular vascular stains overlying soft tissue mass. These two cases emphasize that SCT should be considered in the differential diagnosis of hemangiomas and in particular of congenital hemangiomas.
NKT Cells in Tumor Immunity: Opposing Subsets Define a New Immunoregulatory Axis

NKT cells are true Ag-specific T cells that also have innate properties and form a bridge between the innate and adaptive immune systems. Distinct NKT cell subsets play positive and negative regulatory roles and define a new immunoregulatory axis with broad implications for tumor immunity and other immunological and disease settings.
Specialization for energy efficiency using agile development

Designing hardware specialized for a target application domain dramatically improves energy efficiency. However, the design of specialized hardware is hampered by high cost, dominated by the effort needed to design, validate, and verify the custom integrated circuit. An agile design approach, discussed here, relies on hardware generators coupled with rapid design of iterative prototypes and open source to reduce the cost of hardware specialization.
Nuclear factor-κB augments β2-adrenergic receptor expression in human airway epithelial cells

Interleukin (IL)-1β increases β2-adrenergic receptor (β2-AR) mRNA and density by protein kinase C (PKC)-dependent mechanisms in human airway epithelial cells. The present study examined the role of...
EFFECTS OF VIEWING DISTANCE ON THE RESPONSES OF HORIZONTAL CANAL-RELATED SECONDARY VESTIBULAR NEURONS DURING ANGULAR HEAD ROTATION

Effects of viewing distance on the responses of horizontal canal-related secondary vestibular neurons during angular head rotation. The eye movements generated by the horizontal canal-related angular vestibuloocular reflex (AVOR) depend on the distance of the image from the head and the axis of head rotation. The effects of viewing distance on the responses of 105 horizontal canal-related central vestibular neurons were examined in two squirrel monkeys that were trained to fixate small, earth-stationary targets at different distances (10 and 150 cm) from their eyes. The majority of these cells (77/105) were identified as secondary vestibular neurons by synaptic activation following electrical stimulation of the vestibular nerve. All of the viewing distance-sensitive units were also sensitive to eye movements in the absence of head movements. Some classes of eye movement-related vestibular units were more sensitive to viewing distance than others. For example, the average increase in rotational gain (discharge rate/head velocity) of position-vestibular-pause units was 20%, whereas the gain increase of eye-head-velocity units was 44%. The concomitant change in gain of the AVOR was 11%. Near viewing responses of units phase lagged the responses they generated during far target viewing by 6-25 degrees. A similar phase lag was not observed in either the near AVOR eye movements or in the firing behavior of burst-position units in the vestibular nuclei whose firing behavior was only related to eye movements. The viewing distance-related increase in the evoked eye movements and in the rotational gain of all unit classes declined progressively as stimulus frequency increased from 0.7 to 4.0 Hz. When monkeys canceled their VOR by fixating head-stationary targets, the responses recorded during near and far target viewing were comparable. However, the viewing distance-related response changes exhibited by central units were not directly attributable to the eye movement signals they generated. Subtraction of static eye position signals reduced, but did not abolish viewing distance gain changes in most units. Smooth pursuit eye velocity sensitivity and viewing distance sensitivity were not well correlated. We conclude that the central premotor pathways that mediate the AVOR also mediate viewing distance-related changes in the reflex. Because irregular vestibular nerve afferents are necessary for viewing distance-related gain changes in the AVOR, we suggest that a central estimate of viewing distance is used to parametrically modify vestibular afferent inputs to secondary vestibuloocular reflex pathways.
Knowledge Modeling in the Health Care Domain: Capturing Semantics to Bridge the Gap Between Complex Data Models and Object Models

This article contains a description of a knowledge elicitation effort and representation pertaining to the modeling of conceptual knowledge in the health care field. The project has the goal of building a conceptual model of data in the Military Health System Data Repository, a large DoD/VA aggregation of databases that can be used in the implementation of software. The goal is to create a just-in-time conceptual model of the data to facilitate software development and foster software developer understanding of the domain.
An Editing Checklist

This article poses questions to ask yourself when editing your own work and the work of others.
Commercial Bank Stock Repurchases: Results and Policy Implications

Banking regulators should be concerned that banks may be circumventing their dividend restrictions by engaging in stock repurchases. We analyze open market repurchase announcements of commercial bank holding companies from July 1993 to February 1994. An event study method is augmented with a modified switching regression method that is applied to cross-sectional data. The switching regression method allows the data to choose the event window. Both methods yields similar results. Banking industry characteristics support an excess equity and under-leveraged motivation.
Gas-induced osmosis as a factor influencing the distribution of body water.

1. Two methods have been used to determine whether differences in gas concentrations between adjacent regions of tissue can induce osmosis. 2. In a steady-state experiment water has been shown to move in the direction of increasing gas concentration across gross sections of excised tissues such as bladder and peritoneum. 3. In a second experiment it was found that more water was retained in subcutaneous pockets of saline saturated with a soluble gas (nitrous oxide or ethylene) than was retained in a control pocket saturated with nitrogen and simultaneously monitored in the same rabbit. 4. A value of the reflexion coefficient for nitrous oxide has been estimated from the results of the experiments with the gross tissue sections and shown to be compatible with those known for non-gaseous solutes by extrapolation with respect to molecular size. 5. The significance of possible osmotic effects due to transient gas concentration gradients are discussed in connection with dry joints, aseptic bone necrosis in caisson workers and inert gas narcosis, the approach offering a quantitative correlation of narcotic potency by a simple physical mechanism. 6. The steady-state gas concentration gradients which arise in tissue as a result of metabolism are suggested as a third driving force in homeostasis but, unless larger reflexion coefficients can be demonstrated, this effect would only appear to be significant for inspired oxygen partial pressures appreciably greater than normal.
Effects of Population Redistribution on Greenhouse Gas Emissions A Case Study of South Korea

The objective of this research was to analyze how population dynamics affect greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. We assessed the effects of population redistribution resulting from the South Korean government’s decentralization efforts on GHG emissions. Simulation results suggest that the direction of change in total GHG emissions depends on the share of the population redistributed from higher to lower population density regions. If the entire redistributed population of 877,000 persons expected from the government’s decentralization project were from the Seoul Area, annual carbon dioxide emission (CO2e) would increase by 1.72 percent to 2.25 percent compared to benchmark levels. Alternatively, more balanced migration between higher and lower population density regions, that is, 65 percent of the 877,000 persons from higher-density locations to lower-density destinations and 35 percent from lower-density to higher-density regions, decreases CO2e by 1.68 percent to 2.50 percent.