cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Elastic fibers in scar tissue

The capacity of the skin to be stretched and to return to its resting position is correlated to the quantity and to the quality of the elastic fiber network. Although elastic fibers have been demonstrated in scars, the time course of their appearance in scars and their role in scar elasticity has not been elucidated. A study was therefore undertaken to evaluate the elastic fiber network in scars. The scars studied were from re-excision specimens following a biopsy performed for a benign or a malignant process. A total of 182 scars were evaluated in patients of different age groups. Miller's elastic tissue stain, considered to be superior to Verhoeff's van Giesen stain, was used. No elastic fibers were detected in any of 116 scars which were of less than 3 months' duration. In 66 scars present for over 3 months, a progressive increase in elastic fibers was present, first as focal and thin fibers, then as diffuse and thicker fibers. For scars of the same duration, a regional difference was noted in that scars from the back contained more and thicker elastic fibers than those from the cheek. When patients were stratified according to age, no appreciable difference was noted in the density of elastic fibers in both new and old scars between the different age groups. These results show that the synthesis of elastic tissue fibers in scars is a function of duration and site of the scar.
Polypropylene/polyethylene terephthalate blends compatibilized through functionalization

In attempts to improve the compatibility of polypropylene with polyethylene terephthalate, an acrylic acid functionalized polypropylene was evaluated as the blend component in polyblends containing 40 percent by weight polyethylene terephthalate and compared with an unmodified polypropylene. The preliminary experiments in a batch laboratory mixer were followed by compounding in a co-rotating twin-screw extruder. Additives such as magnesium acetate and p-toluenesulfonic acid were evaluated as catalysts for potential interchange or esterification reactions that could occur in the melt. The blends were characterized through scanning electron microscopy, infrared spectroscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, and for mechanical properties. The results show that the functionalized polypropylene promotes a fine dispersed phase morphology, improves processability and mechanical properties, and modifies the crystallization behavior of the polyester component. These effects are attributed to enhanced phase interactions resulting in reduced interfacial tension (calculated as a 4-fold decrease). The presence of the additives does not, in general, improve any further the blend morphology and properties, or its processability.
Modified PN code laser modulation technique for laser measurements

Pseudo-noise (PN) modulation techniques have been used to modulate lasers for time of flight measurements and for profiling atmospheric backscatter. Compared to mono-pulse techniques, PN code modulation allows timing and backscatter measurements to be made with much lower laser peak powers and higher duty cycles. We have developed a new modified version of PN code modulation for laser measurements in which the laser pulse width and position may also be varied within the PN code bit interval. These allow more degrees of freedom for optimizing laser measurements. We have demonstrated these in laboratory measurements using a 974 nm laser diode, return to zero (RZ) PN code modulation at various laser pulse duty cycles, and a photon counting receiver. The results show significant improvements in the receiver signal to noise ratio, sensitivity, and ranging precision for the lower duty cycle RZ PN codes.
Dissociations within human hippocampal subregions during encoding and retrieval of spatial information

Although the hippocampus is critical for the formation and retrieval of spatial memories, it is unclear how subregions are differentially involved in these processes. Previous high-resolution functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) studies have shown that CA2, CA3, and dentate gyrus (CA23DG) regions support the encoding of novel associations, whereas the subicular cortices support the retrieval of these learned associations. Whether these subregions are used in humans during encoding and retrieval of spatial information has yet to be explored. Using high-resolution fMRI (1.6 mm × 1.6-mm in-plane), we found that activity within the right CA23DG increased during encoding compared to retrieval. Conversely, right subicular activity increased during retrieval compared to encoding of spatial associations. These results are consistent with the previous studies illustrating dissociations within human hippocampal subregions and further suggest that these regions are similarly involved during the encoding and retrieval of spatial information.
Herbert Simon on organizational decision-making for long-term survival

This essay summarizes the Harry Camp Lectures of Herbert Simon as they pertain to organizational decision-making. Organizations struggle to survive in ways not unlike organisms in the natural world, whether by means of domination or adaptation — though with the profound advantage of making conscious decisions how to adapt, rather than trusting to trial-and-error. Unfortunately, many experts in decision-making advise organizations to adopt methods for optimization that are unrealistic, if not impossible, such that the objective of survival is actually threatened by such advice.
Cotton Genotype Response to Early-Season Cold Temperatures

Identifying cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) genotypes that are less sensitive to cool temperatures may improve productivity in areas where late-spring cold fronts are common. Our objectives were to compare commercially available genotypes for relative cold tolerance and to determine whether seedling growth response to cool temperature in a controlled environment was a valid predictor of field performance. Four genotypes, 'DPL 20 (early maturity), 'DPL 50' (mid), 'DPL 5690' (late), and'DPL Acala 90' (late), were studied. Cotyledon area, root and shoot length, and root and shoot fresh weight were measured after 4-d-old seedlings were exposed to temperatures of 15, 20, 25, and 30°C for 6 d. The four genotypes were also evaluated in the field in 1991 and 1992 by planting in mid-April, early-May, and mid-May near Florence, SC. Root length was the only seedling trait for which the temperature response was genotype dependent. Root length of DPL 5690 and DPL Acala 90 was the same at all assay temperatures (mean = 4.3 cm). For DPL 20, root length was 9.3 cm at 15 and 20°C, 11.8 cm at 25°C, and 14.3 cm at 30°C. DPL 50 root length was 8.7 cm at 30°C and averaged 6.4 cm at the other three temperature treatments. In the field, when DPL 20 emerged faster than the two late-maturity genotypes at planting dates that were followed by cold temperatures, it had lower lint yield. The results suggest that measuring the amount of seedling root length inhibition (rather than relative growth differences) caused by suboptimal temperatures may be useful for determining cold sensitivity in cotton.
Since the eruption of Mt. St. Helens, has anyone beaten you up? Improving the accuracy of retrospective reports with landmark events

When people are questioned about past experiences, it is common for eventsto be reported as happening more recently than they actually did. One technique for reducing the instances of this “forward telescoping” is tested in the current research: It involves the provision of landmark events that can clearly mark the beginning of the reference period. Such atechnique was shown to reduce the telescoping problem in five experiments, involving 1, 694 subjects. The landmark event used in two of the studies was the first major eruption of Mt. St. Helens, and use of this event was shown to significantly reduce the incidence of forward telescoping of crime victimizations. Asking subjects to provide their own personal landmarks had similar beneficial effects. Finally, a more usual public landmark event, New Year’s day, substantially reduced forward telescoping. At least part, but not all, of the benefit of landmark events appears to be due to their being dated rather precisely.
Adonis, the Syrian Crisis, and the Question of Pluralism in the Levant

This essay highlights Syrian thinker Adonis' intellectual and ideological journey from his youthful support of Syrian nationalism to his embrace of an encompassing Arab national identity, while outlining his personal history. Recently, Adonis has expressed his commitment to fostering pluralism across the Middle East. This endorsement of a more pluralist setting invokes the concept of the Levant, a political and cultural idea probed in this article. Levantinism and its practical applications in Lebanon, Egypt, and Israel reveal what may be the true spirit of the Middle East: a multilayered crucible of identities, supplanting the notion of an exclusivist Arab identity.
Clarifying Concepts: Cultural Humility or Competency

Cultural competency in the delivery of health care to diverse population groups has become an urgent need in the United States. Yet, despite the incorporation of cultural competency education into nursing curricula, inequities in health care remain. The purpose of this mixed-method study was to identify if differences in perceptions of cultural competence were present in senior nursing students (N = 11) before and after cultural immersion experiences on an Indian reservation. Preimmersion results revealed that the majority considered themselves culturally competent, whereas after immersion, there was a downward shift in scores. Triangulation of the quantitative results alongside a hermeneutic phenomenological analysis of the students' reflective journals revealed a paradox. Students perceived themselves as culturally competent, yet their journals demonstrated many negative stereotypes. Three common themes emerged: seeing with closed eyes, seeing through a fused horizon, and disruption to reshaping. These combined results revealed the misperceptions regarding the concept of cultural competency. Efforts must be made in nursing education to teach students the importance of adopting an ethic of cultural humility, where we emphasize attentive listening and openness to other cultures, and stress the importance of self-reflection and self-critique in our interactions with others.
Dynamics of single-wall carbon nanotube synthesis by laser vaporization

The key spatial and temporal scales for single-wall carbon nanotube (SWNT) synthesis by laser vaporization at high temperatures are investigated with laser-induced luminescence imaging and spectroscopy. Graphite/(Ni, Co) targets are ablated under typical synthesis conditions with a Nd:YAG laser at 1000 °C in a 2-in. quartz tube reactor in flowing 500-Torr Ar. The plume of ejected material is followed for several seconds after ablation using combined imaging and spectroscopy of Co atoms, C2 and C3 molecules, and clusters. The ablation plume expands in stages during the first 200 μs after ablation and displays a self-focusing behavior. Interaction of the plume with the background gas forms a vortex ring which segregates and confines the vaporized material within a ∼1-cm3 volume for several seconds. Using time-resolved spectroscopy and spectroscopic imaging, the time for conversion of atomic and molecular species to clusters was measured for both carbon (200 μs) and cobalt (2 ms) at 1000 °C. This rapid conversion of carbon to nanoparticles, combined with transmission electron microscopy analysis of the collected deposits, indicate that nanotube growth occurs over several seconds in a plume of mixed nanoparticles. By adjusting the time spent by the plume within the high-temperature zone using these in situ diagnostics, single-walled nanotubes of controlled (∼100 nm) length were grown and the first estimate of a growth rate on single laser shots (0.2 μm/s) was obtained.
Spatial pattern classification for optical agricultural remote sensing

We describe a new method for computing approximations to the marginal probability mass function of the random variables in a Markov random field (MRF). When applied to the a posteriori MRF, this yields approximations to the conditional marginal probability mass function, which is the key quantity in a Bayesian classifier. We apply these ideas to an optical agricultural remote sensing problem where they outperform the pixel-by-pixel ML classifier by 38%.
Computational biology: toward deciphering gene regulatory information in mammalian genomes

Computational biology is a rapidly evolving area where methodologies from computer science, mathematics, and statistics are applied to address fundamental problems in biology. The study of gene regulatory information is a central problem in current computational biology. This article reviews recent development of statistical methods related to this field. Starting from microarray gene selection, we examine methods for finding transcription factor binding motifs and cis-regulatory modules in coregulated genes, and methods for utilizing information from cross-species comparisons and ChIP-chip experiments. The ultimate understanding of cis-regulatory logic in mammalian genomes may require the integration of information collected from all these steps.
Endoscopic mucosal resection: not your father's polypectomy anymore.

Endoscopic mucosal resection (EMR) is a continuously evolving technique that has revolutionized the diagnosis, staging, and treatment of superficial neoplasms throughout the digestive tract. As a minimally invasive technique, it offers an alternative to operative resection and mucosal ablation. For neoplasms limited to the mucosa, EMR compares equivalently with operative resection for R0 status (no residual neoplasia) and favorably for morbidity and mortality. In contrast with mucosal ablation, EMR delivers a more precise and predictable depth of tissue effect and, most important, provides the resected specimen for histopathologic analysis. EMR was pioneered in Eastern Asia as a technique for resection of early gastric cancers. Incrementally, the tools and techniques for EMR have evolved to be employed around the globe for eradication of superficial lesions throughout the esophagus, stomach, small bowel, and colon. Owing to improvements in endoscopic detection and recognition, more sessile, flat, depressed, and even subepithelial lesions are being identified for which endoscopic resection is being adopted. Moreover, the implementation of surveillance strategies for various gastrointestinal conditions, such as Barrett’s esophagus, has fostered image guided detection and eradication of premalignant and early malignant lesions, incorporating EMR for diagnosis, staging, and therapy. This review focuses on the techniques, applications, and limitations of EMR for lesions throughout the digestive tract.
The Urologist's Role in the Management of Spina Bifida: A Continuum of Care

Caring for the child with spina bifida necessitates lifelong care by a coordinated team of health care providers, and the urologist plays a vital role in this team. The most important management goal of the urologist is the early establishment and consistent maintenance of a lower pressure urinary reservoir. Ensuring social continence along with its attendant social independence provides some of the greatest management challenges. In those patients who fail medical therapy, surgeons, caregivers, and patients must understand the scope of lower urinary tract reconstruction, the need for strict compliance, and the possibility of future surgery. In this article, we review the recent advances in spina bifida management.
Major improvements in biolistic transformation of suspension-cultured tobacco cells

Suspension cultures of the NT1 line ofNicotiana tabacum L. were used as a model system to study plant biolistic transformation, because of their uniformity, rapid growth, and ease of handling. The β-glucuronidase gene and the neomycin phosphotransferase genes were used to assay transient and stable transformation. Numerous factors were studied and optimized, such that the frequency of transformation was increased roughly 60-fold for transient transformants and 20-fold for stable transformants. Both biological parameters (the promoter used to drive gene expression, osmotic preconditioning and posbombardment handling of the cells) and physical parameters of the bombardment process (particle acceleration device and accelerator parameters) were tested. The factors that increased transformation rates the most were promoter strength, use of a helium-driven particle accelerator, and osmotic preconditioning of the cells.
Predicting Student Achievement in University-Level Business and Economics Classes: Peer Observation of Classroom Instruction and Student Ratings of Teaching Effectiveness

We examine the validity of peer observation of classroom instruction for purposes of faculty evaluation. Using both a multi-section course sample and a sample of different courses across a university's School of Business and Economics we find that the results of annual classroom observations of faculty teaching are significantly and positively correlated with student learning outcome assessment measures. This finding supports the validity of classroom observation as an assessment of teaching effectiveness. The research also indicates that student ratings of teaching effectiveness (SETEs) were less effective at measuring student learning than annual classroom observations by peers.
Evaluation of paracoagulation tests by plasma fibrinogen chromatography

Abstract Performance of ethanol gelation test (EG test) and of a diluted protamine sulfate test (DPS test), was assessed by quantitative plasma fibrinogen chromatography by testing a large series of unrelated plasma samples. The relationship between paracoagulation tests and chromatographic findings was highly significant (p
Investigation of coatings at high temperature for use in turbomachinery

Abstract Aircraft gas turbines, steam turbines and coal utilization turbines operating under particulate flows are exposed to erosion and performance deterioration. Almost all advanced aircraft turbines today are manufactured with a protective coating on the blades. The particulates in the steam turbines are produced in the boiler from exfoliated oxide scales and carried in the steam to the turbine. In coal utilization turbines, the particulates are by-products of the combustion process. There are many problem areas which need future research to be able to produce better and more durable high-temperature coatings. However, this paper will present only some of the work done at the University of Cincinnati on erosion testing at high temperatures and velocities for different materials and coatings. The testings have been performed with a special high-temperature erosion wind tunnel which simulates the aerodynamic conditions on the blades.
Dielectric Properties of Fluid-Saturated Bone

The dielectric relaxation of bovine femoral compact bone specimens in vitro, saturated with 0.9 percent NaCI solution is determined by applying a constant current pulse and measuring the change in voltage with time. For specimens in which the current is in the plane perpendicular to the length of the whole bone and along the radial direction (radial specimens), the relaxation is confined to the time domain, t50 ?s; for longitudinal specimens, the relaxation, if any, would be for t1 ?s. The long-time resistivity of the latter is ?45 to 48 ?m; for the radial specimens, it is ?3 to 4 times greater. The resistivity of the fluid is 0.72 ?m. The results indicate that the dielectric behavior of fluid-saturated compact bone in vitro, and, hence, possibly also of in vivo bone, is determined mostly by the fluid-fllled pores. This has implications that contradict some of the commonly accepted views on the electromechanical effect in bone.
Occurrence of Asthma, Nonspecific Bronchial Hyperresponsiveness and Atopy: Insights from Cross-sectional Epidemiologic Studies

Data from various different types of cross-sectional studies are reviewed in order to examine hypotheses about the etiology of asthma and to more precisely define its relationship with nonspecific bronchial hyperreactivity (NSBH). Although cross-sectional studies have not clarified the precise etiologic links, they have established that NSBH and atopy are linked to the occurrence of asthma and to each other. In children, evidence supports the hypothesis both that atopy is a cause of asthma and that atopic diathesis is the most frequent trigger for NSHB. In adults, the associations are more complex, although in a small subset findings are similar to those in children. It is concluded that further general population-based or clinical epidemiologic cross-sectional studies based on questionnaires will contribute little more to explaining these associations. Criteria are presented for the further application of case-control studies to maximize their use in examining hypotheses of asthma etiology.
"Constant-loss" relaxation response in crystals and glasses

Nowick and his associates have stated that many ionic crystals and glasses exhibit a loss per cycle which is independent of frequency over an appreciable range and have suggested that such behavior constitutes a “new universality”. Furthermore, much such data seem to approach an asymptotic, nearly temperature-independent ac loss at sufficiently low temperatures. In order to further evaluate these conclusions, small-signal ac relaxation data for a CaTiO3:30% Al3+ ceramic material are analyzed in detail and the results compared to those published by Nowick and associates for the same material. It is found that a plausible conducting-system dispersion model based on the effective-medium approximation for hopping charges yields results globally similar to, but somewhat different in detail from, those of Nowick et al. But a response model which includes both such conducting-system response and dielectric-system dispersion well fits the data over a wide temperature range. To do so, it requires the presence of a non-zero high-frequency-limiting resistivity probably arising from localized charge motion. No constant-loss individual dispersions appear in the model, but it nevertheless yields approximately constant loss over a limited frequency range at low temperatures. It suggests that asymptotic behavior is associated with the nearly temperature-independent dielectric-dispersion contribution to the response at low temperatures, and it does not verify the Nowick conclusion that the slope of the ac conductivity approaches a constant value near 0.6 at high temperatures.
Low-frequency hydrogen-configuration fluctuations in niobium

Low-frequency resistance fluctuations in niobium films were found to have not only noise from long-range hydrogen diffusion, but also 1/f noise associated with hydrogen. The noise statistics of this component often were not consistent with fluctuations of scattering cross sections from single hydrogen atoms or from small groups of hydrogen atoms. Some inhomogeneities of hydrogen concentration on a scale of roughly 10 nm seem to be required.
Tree Network Location Problems With Minimum Separations

Abstract We consider the problem of characterizing feasible locations for identical facilities in a tree network when lower bound constraints are imposed on distances between the facilities as well as between each fixed point and the facilities. We first eliminate from the network some fixed points whose associated constraints, are redundant, and then develop a sequential procedure for locating the maximum number of facilities. We relate this maximum number to the consistency of the distance constraints; the resulting information is relevant in solving a certain class of location problems on tree networks. Handled by the Facilities Design/Location Analysis Department.
Designing a Control for a Behavioral Group Therapy

To evaluate whether the specific techniques of a newly developed behavioral therapy exceed the effects of its common factors (e.g., therapeutic alliance), an ideal comparison control must omit the unique ingredients of the active treatment while possessing the common factors in equal measure. Reviews of the controlled-trial psychotherapy research literature show that such systematic matching is not a common practice. Addressing this gap between theory and practice, we delineate 7 steps for designing a credible control for a recently developed behavioral therapy adapted for binge eating disorder--dialectical behavior therapy (DBT). Our detailed description of matching the common factors to the extent possible and specifically measuring these offers a useful research design template for investigators of controlled behavioral treatment trials.
On-column preconcentration of glutathione and glutathione disulfide using pH-mediated base stacking for the analysis of microdialysis samples by capillary electrophoresis

Capillary electrophoresis (CE) has become a useful analytical tool for the analysis of microdialysis samples. However, CE with UV detection (CE-UV) does not provide detection limits sufficient to quantify glutathione (GSH) and glutathione disulfide (GSSG) in biological samples such as liver microdialysates, because of the small optical path length in the capillary. To overcome this limitation, an on-column preconcentration technique, pH-mediated base stacking, was used in this study to improve the sensitivity of CE-UV. This stacking technique allowed large volumes of high ionic strength sample injection without deterioration of the separation efficiency and resolution. A 26-fold increase in sensitivity was achieved for both GSH and GSSG using the pH-mediated base stacking, relative to normal injection without stacking. The limit of detection for GSH and GSSG was found to be 0.75 microM (S/N=6) and 0.25 microM (S/N=6), respectively. The developed method was used to analyze GSH and GSSG in liver microdialysates of anesthetized Sprague Dawley male rats. The basal concentrations of GSH and GSSG in the liver microdialysates of male rats were found to be 4.73+/-2.08 microM (n=7) and 5.52+/-3.66 microM (n=7), respectively.
Acoustically focused adaptive sampling and on-board routing for marine rapid environmental assessment

Abstract Variabilities in the coastal ocean environment span a wide range of spatial and temporal scales. From an acoustic viewpoint, the limited oceanographic measurements and today's ocean computational capabilities are not always able to provide oceanic-acoustic predictions in high-resolution and with enough accuracy. Adaptive Rapid Environmental Assessment (AREA) is an adaptive sampling concept being developed in connection with the emergence of Autonomous Ocean Sampling Networks and interdisciplinary ensemble predictions and adaptive sampling via Error Subspace Statistical Estimation (ESSE). By adaptively and optimally deploying in situ sampling resources and assimilating these data into coupled nested ocean and acoustic models, AREA can dramatically improve the estimation of ocean fields that matter for acoustic predictions. These concepts are outlined and a methodology is developed and illustrated based on the Focused Acoustic Forecasting-05 (FAF05) exercise in the northern Tyrrhenian sea. The methodology first couples the data-assimilative environmental and acoustic propagation ensemble modeling. An adaptive sampling plan is then predicted, using the uncertainty of the acoustic predictions as input to an optimization scheme which finds the parameter values of autonomous sampling behaviors that optimally reduce this forecast of the acoustic uncertainty. To compute this reduction, the expected statistics of unknown data to be sampled by different candidate sampling behaviors are assimilated. The predicted-optimal parameter values are then fed to the sampling vehicles. A second adaptation of these parameters is ultimately carried out in the water by the sampling vehicles using onboard routing, in response to the real ocean data that they acquire. The autonomy architecture and algorithms used to implement this methodology are also described. Results from a number of real-time AREA simulations using data collected during the Focused Acoustic Forecasting (FAF05) exercise are presented and discussed for the case of a single Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV). For FAF05, the main AREA–ESSE application was the optimal tracking of the ocean thermocline based on ocean-acoustic ensemble prediction, adaptive sampling plans for vertical Yo-Yo behaviors and subsequent onboard Yo-Yo routing.
On the efficiency of control procedures for computer communication networks

The last decade has seen an explosive growth in the area of computer communications and, in particular, computer networking. Similar to the early stages of the development of time sharing systems, the first studies in this new area concentrated on demonstrating the feasibility and building a theoretical foundation [CHU 69, DAVI 68, SCAN 68, HEAR 70, FRAN 70, KLEI 70, CARR 70]. While many theoretical questions remain unresolved [CHOU 74, KLEI 74a, OPDE 74a], the feasibility of these systems has clearly been established. The interest has recently shifted toward efficient and secure implementations of computer communication systems. In this paper we will comment on the efficiency of control procedures and report on the experience which we have gained with the operation of the ARPANET.
Discussion of “multivariate functional outlier detection”

In our comments we provide two possible modifications of the “centrality-stability plot (CSP)” proposed by Hubert, Rousseeuw and Segaert, which may, in some cases, make the plot more informative in flagging functional outliers.
On maximum likelihood estimation of cell probabilities in 2 × k contingency tables under negative dependence restrictions with various sampling schemes

It is well known that dependence concepts are related to concepts of various types of stochastic orderings. Using estimation techniques developed for order restricted statistical inference we find maximum likelihood estimates of cell probabilities of 2 × k contingency table under negative dependence restrictions. Four types of sampling schemes, namely single multinomial, product multinomial, binomial and Poisson models, are considered.
Freezing of liquids on sudden exposure to vacuum

Evaporative cooling and freezing of liquids in a vacuum is analyzed. Preliminary consideration of the mechanism of the process resulted in a complex mathematical model. Therefore, it was necessary to make a number of simplifying assumptions to establish material and energy balances which were used, along with the kinetic theory of gases, as a basis for calculations. Results given for several cryogens and water indicate the effects of initial temperature, drop diameter, and ambient pressure on the time required for cooling to the triple point and subsequent freezing.
Establishment and characterization of a bovine mammary epithelial cell line with unique properties

Clonal cell lines (BME-UV) were established from primary epithelial cells by stable transfection with a plasmid, carrying the sequence of the simian virus 40 early region mutant tsA58, encoding the thermolabile large T antigen. The BME-UV cells have undergone more than 300 population doublings and produce intranuclear large T antigen. At low confluency, growing islands of cells are apparent exhibiting the characteristic cobblestone morphology of epithelial cells. The BME-UV cells expressed functional markers such as microvilli and desmosomes and biochemical markers of mammary epithelial cells such as a repertoire of cytokeratins. The BME-UV cells are capable of synthesizing low levels of α-lactalbumin and α8l (50 ng/ml of medium/24 h). One of the cell lines, BME-UV1 showed enhanced proliferation in the presence of epidermal growth factor (EGF) and insulinlike growth factor I (IGF-I). The BME-UV1 cell line is the only known bovine mammary epithelial cell line responsive to EGF. The BME-UV cells grown on collagen at low confluency are capable of developing very long projections that most likely allow for communication between cells at a distance from each other. The BME-UV cells may become a valid model system to examine bovine mammary epithelial proliferation and differentiation and cell-to-cell communication.
Image appearance modeling and high-dynamic-range image rendering

Recently, the field of color appearance modeling has been extended further into the spatial and temporal domains through efforts known as image appearance modeling. Image appearance models have applications in rendering and visualization of image data, cross-media image and video reproduction, and image quality specification. This presentation provides an overview of one such model, iCAM, illustrates several examples of its application, and reviews a psychophysical experiment aimed at evaluating iCAM and other algorithms for tone mapping of high-dynamic-range (HDR) images. Initial psychophysical results for HDR image rendering indicates that the Durand and Dorsey [2002] algorithm produces the most preferred results in a general sense. A full technical report on this work can be found at . Example iCAM code and further references can be found at .
Carbohydrate-Protein Intake and Recovery from Endurance Exercise: Is Chocolate Milk the Answer?

Postexercise carbohydrate intake has been shown to augment recovery from heavy aerobic exercise. The effects of carbohydrate and protein coingestion (CHO + Pro) have been investigated more recently, including the potential influences of chocolate milk. Some studies report that CHO + Pro beverages (including chocolate milk) enhance subsequent exercise performance versus carbohydrate beverages, although others have reported no positive effects. The putative efficacy of CHO + Pro could be due to influences on glycogen resynthesis, protein turnover, rehydration, attenuations in muscle disruption, or perhaps a combination of these factors. However, there are inconsistencies in the literature regarding the effects of CHO + Pro on these factors, and the mechanisms explaining potential influences of CHO + Pro are not defined clearly. Further research is required to address these limitations, but present evidence suggests that CHO + Pro beverages may positively influence recovery under some exercise conditions, and chocolate milk is likely a good recovery beverage for lactose-tolerant endurance athletes.
New results on a two-dimensional electron gas in a tilted magnetic field

It is found that phase shifts in the conductance oscillations of a two-dimensional (2D) electron gas in a tilted magnetic field may result from the correction to the electron energy levels due to the parallel component of the magnetic field. Such phase shifts are observed in a GaAs/${\mathrm{Ga}}_{0.7}$${\mathrm{Al}}_{0.3}$As heterojunction. From the size of the shifts, one can calculate the standard deviation in the position of the electron, normal to the 2D plane. The effective width of the electronic wave function determined in this way is 70 A\r{}.
Instability of Equivalent-Barotropic Riders

Abstract It is shown, by the integration of numerical initial-value problems, that modon-with-rider solutions to the equivalent barotropic equation are unstable in the parametric range relevant to Gulf Stream rings. The fastest growing mode is found to have azimuthal wavenumber 2.
Clickage: towards bridging semantic and intent gaps via mining click logs of search engines

The semantic gap between low-level visual features and high-level semantics has been investigated for decades but still remains a big challenge in multimedia. When "search" became one of the most frequently used applications, "intent gap", the gap between query expressions and users' search intents, emerged. Researchers have been focusing on three approaches to bridge the semantic and intent gaps: 1) developing more representative features, 2) exploiting better learning approaches or statistical models to represent the semantics, and 3) collecting more training data with better quality. However, it remains a challenge to close the gaps. In this paper, we argue that the massive amount of click data from commercial search engines provides a data set that is unique in the bridging of the semantic and intent gap. Search engines generate millions of click data (a.k.a. image-query pairs), which provide almost "unlimited" yet strong connections between semantics and images, as well as connections between users' intents and queries. To study the intrinsic properties of click data and to investigate how to effectively leverage this huge amount of data to bridge semantic and intent gap is a promising direction to advance multimedia research. In the past, the primary obstacle is that there is no such dataset available to the public research community. This changes as Microsoft has released a new large-scale real-world image click data to public. This paper presents preliminary studies on the power of large-scale click data with a variety of experiments, such as building large-scale concept detectors, tag processing, search, definitive tag detection, intent analysis, etc., with the goal to inspire deeper researches based on this dataset.
East India Company's 1783 Balance of Accounts

A description of the ‘Balance of Accounts’ or financial statements of the East India Company for presentation at a meeting of stockholders on 3 December 1783. The statement is unusual because it superseded an earlier, traditional statement and was arranged as a long report rather than the customary T-account form.
The Kinetochore in Eurybrachis apicalis (Hornoptera Auchenorrhyncha)

Evidence from irradiation experiments in Eurybrachis apicalis (Homoptera: Auchenorrhyncha: Eurybrachidae) leads to the conclusion that in this species, the chromosomes are monocentric. Chromosome fragments produced by X-ray irradiation do not segregate to the poles either in mitotis or meiosis, and are left behind and lost in the cytoplasm. It is probable, however, that a variety of conditions prevail in the Hemiptera, and both localized and ‘diffuse’ kinetochore activity occurs in members of the group.
Platelets and platelet-like particles mediate intercellular RNA transfer

The role of platelets in hemostasis and thrombosis is clearly established; however, the mechanisms by which platelets mediate inflammatory and immune pathways are less well understood. Platelets interact and modulate the function of blood and vascular cells by releasing bioactive molecules. Although the platelet is anucleate, it contains transcripts that may mirror disease. Platelet mRNA is only associated with low-level protein translation; however, platelets have a unique membrane structure allowing for the passage of small molecules, leading to the possibility that its cytoplasmic RNA may be passed to nucleated cells. To examine this question, platelet-like particles with labeled RNA were cocultured with vascular cells. Coculture of platelet-like particles with activated THP-1, monocytic, and endothelial cells led to visual and functional RNA transfer. Posttransfer microarray gene expression analysis of THP-1 cells showed an increase in HBG1/HBG2 and HBA1/HBA2 expression that was directly related to the transfer. Infusion of wild-type platelets into a TLR2-deficient mouse model established in vivo confirmation of select platelet RNA transfer to leukocytes. By specifically transferring green fluorescent protein, we also observed external RNA was functional in the recipient cells. The observation that platelets possess the capacity to transfer cytosolic RNA suggests a new function for platelets in the regulation of vascular homeostasis.
Metabolism of diphenyloxazole (PPO) by mouse liver microsomes.

Abstract 2, 5-Diphenyloxazole (PPO) is an inducer and inhibitor of aryl hydrocarbon hydroxylase. We report that PPO is itself metabolized to an alkali-extractable metabolite with intense fluorescence. The fluorescence spectra of excitation and emission indicate peaks at 345 nm and 510 nm, respectively. The reaction is linear with respect to time and enzyme concentration. NADPH is required for activity and the reaction is inhibited by carbon monoxide and 7, 8-benzoflavone but not by SKF-525A or hexobarbital. The intensity of fluorescence produced is similar to that of benzo (a) pyrene. PPO may be a useful model compound in studies of drug metabolism by the mixed function oxidase.
Phospholipid requirement of Ca2+-stimulated, Mg2+-dependent ATP hydrolysis in rat brain synaptic membranes.

The phospholipid requirement for Ca2+-stimulated, Mg2+-dependent ATP hydrolysis (Ca2+/Mg2+-ATPase) and Mg2+-stimulated ATP hydrolysis (Mg2+-ATPase) in rat brain synaptosomal membranes was studied employing partial delipidation of the membranes with phospholipase A2 (Hog pancreas), phospholipase C (Bacillus cereus) and phospholipase D (cabbage). Treatment with phospholipase A2 caused an increase in the activities of both Ca2+/Mg2+-ATPase and Mg2+-ATPase whereas with phospholipase C treatment both the enzyme activities were inhibited. Phospholipase D treatment had no effect on Ca2+/Mg2+-ATPase but Mg2+-ATPase activity was inhibited. Inhibition of Mg2+-ATPase activity after phospholipase C treatment was relieved with the addition of phosphatidylinositol-4,5-bisphosphate (PIP2) and to a lesser extent with phosphatidylinositol-4-phosphate (PIP) and phosphatidylcholine (PC). Phosphatidylserine (PS), phosphatidic acid (PA), PIP and PIP2 brought about the reactivation of Ca2+/Mg2+-ATPase. Phosphatidylinositol (PI) and PA inhibited Mg2+-ATPase activity.Kms for Ca2+ (0.47 μM) and Mg2+ (60 μM) of the enzyme were found to be unaffected after treatment with the phospholipases.
Phosphorylation of tyrosine 256 facilitates nuclear import of atypical protein kinase C

Herein, we employed a combined approach of molecular modeling and site-directed mutagenesis to address the role of tyrosine phosphorylation in transport of atypical protein kinase C (aPKC) into the nucleus. Computer modeling of the three-dimensional structure of the aPKC catalytic core, reveals that tyrosine 256 (Tyr256) is located at the lip of the activation loop and is conserved among members of the aPKC family, iota/lambda and zeta. Based on these findings, we examined whether tyrosine phosphorylation of aPKC on the activation lip may facilitate nuclear import. An antiserum was generated that selectively recognizes the phosphorylated Tyr256 residue in aPKC. By isolating nuclei of PC12 cells and immunoprecipitating aPKC with Ab-PY256, we observed that Tyr256 is rapidly phosphorylated upon NGF treatment prior to entry of aPKC into the nucleus. aPKC was observed to exclusively bind to importin-beta. The interaction between importin-beta and aPKC was enhanced upon tyrosine phosphorylation of aPKC and binding was abrogated when Tyr256 was mutated to phenylalanine. We propose that phosphorylation of aPKC at Tyr256 induces a conformation, whereby, the arginine-rich NLS is exposed, which then binds importin-beta leading to import of aPKC into the nucleus. Altogether, these findings document a novel role for the tyrosine phosphorylation in regulating import of atypical PKC into the nucleus.
Detection by CO-FTIR of incipient metal-support interaction in Rh/SiO2 and Pd/TiO2

Abstract FTIR data of CO adsorbed on Pd/TiO2 and Rh/SiO2 show that after mild reduction the intensity ratio of the bands due to bridging (B) and linear (L) CO depends on the metal dispersion D. The B/L=f(D) curve for Pd/TiO2is virtually identical with that reported previously for Pd/SiO2. Reduction at much higher temperature induces strong metal—support interaction, “SMSI”, evidenced by B/L=f(D) points below the original curve. In the case of Rh/SiO2 reduced at high temperature, additional bands appear that are conventionally ascribed to Rh+ (CO)2. Oxidation of samples in their SMSI state, followed by reduction at lower temperature brings the metals back towards their “non-SMSI state”, but for Rh/SiO2 the B/L=f(D) points show that reversibility is incomplete.
The Western Tussock Moth, Hemerocampa vetusta (Bdv.), on Citrus in Southern California

Larvae of the western tussock moth, Hemerocampa vetusta (Bdv.), caused economic losses in 10,000 acres of oranges during the springs of 1956 and 1957 in parts of southern California. Population levels were as high as 1,000 larvae per tree. The larvae may destroy the new spring flush of growth, the newly set fruit, and scar maturing oranges so that the fruit drops or the grade is lowered. This moth has one generation a year. The wingless females lay their eggs on the trees in masses from May to July; the eggs hatch during March and April of the following year. The average length of life cycle is 75 days. A population level of 100 caterpillars per orange tree, or an average of one egg mass per tree, is considered the economic level. Six parasite species, one hyperparasite, and two predator species were collected during the years 1956 and 1957 and were observed to reduce the population approximately 50% in some groves. Chemical control studies showed that parathion, TDE (DDD), DDT, Dilan, Guthion, Sevin ( N -methyl-1-naphthyl carbamate), methyl parathion, and Phosdrin gave excellent control; nine other pesticides did not provide adequate control. Parathion, TDE, and DDT are now registered for use on citrus and are recommended for control of the western tussock moth when applied as complete foliage sprays at the rate of 2, 5, and 5 pounds, respectively, of actual toxicant per acre.
A Model of Voltage Gating Developed Using the KvAP Channel Crystal Structure

Having inspected the crystal structure of the complete KvAP channel protein, we suspect that the voltage-sensing domain is too distorted to provide reliable information about its native tertiary structure or its interactions with the central pore-forming domain. On the other hand, a second crystal structure of the isolated voltage-sensing domain may well correspond to a native open conformation. We also observe that the paddle model of gating developed from these two structures is inconsistent with many experimental results, and suspect it to be energetically unrealistic. Here we show that the isolated voltage-sensing domain crystal structure can be docked onto the pore domain portion of the full-length KvAP crystal structure in an energetically favorable way to create a model of the open conformation. Using this as a starting point, we have developed rather conventional models of resting and transition conformations based on the helical screw mechanism for the transition from the open to the resting conformation. Our models are consistent with both theoretical considerations and experimental results.
Slime Mold Inspired Protocol for Wireless Sensor Networks

The phenomenon of self-organization is pervasive in nature,where biological organisms efficiently self-organize unreliable and dynamically changing components to develop a wide diversity of functions. In addition, these biological organisms enjoy the desirable properties of robustness to the failure of individual components, adaptivity to changing conditions, and the lack of reliance on explicit central coordination. In this work, we seek inspiration from the study of the tubular network formation behavior of slime mold to design a localized protocol to connect sensors to sink(s) that balances efficiency and robustness in wireless sensor networks (WSN). Extensive simulations have been conducted to validate the effectiveness of the protocol, as well as the efficiency and robustness of the resulting network connectivity.