cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Cosmological constraints on the very low frequency gravitational-wave background

The curl modes of cosmic microwave background polarization allow one to indirectly constrain the primordial background of gravitational waves with frequencies around 10^(-18) to 10^(-16) Hz. The proposed high precision timing observations of a large sample of millisecond pulsars with the pulsar timing array or with the square kilometer array can either detect or constrain the stochastic gravitational-wave background at frequencies greater than roughly 0.1 yr^(-1). While existing techniques are limited to either observe or constrain the gravitational-wave background across six or more orders of magnitude between 10^(-16) and 10^(-10) Hz, we suggest that the anisotropy pattern of time variation of the redshift related to a sample of high-redshift objects can be used to study the background around a frequency of 10^(-12) Hz. Useful observations to detect an anisotropy signal in the global redshift change include spectroscopic observations of the Ly-alpha forest in absorption towards a sample of quasars, redshifted 21 cm line observations either in absorption or emission towards a sample of neutral HI regions before or during reionization, and high-frequency (0.1 to 1 Hz) gravitational-wave analysis of a sample of neutron star-neutron star binaries detected with gravitational-wave instruments such as the Decihertz Interferometer Gravitational Wave Observatory (DECIGO). For reasonable observations expected in the future involving extragalactic sources, we find limits at the level of Omega(GW)< 10^(-6) at a frequency around 10^(-12) Hz while the ultimate limit is likely to be around Omega(GW)< 10^(-11). On the other hand, if there is a background of gravitational waves at 10^(-12) Hz with an amplitude larger than this limit, its presence will be visible as a measurable anisotropy in the time-evolving redshift of extragalactic sources.
A neutronics analysis of long-life, sectored compact reactor concepts for lunar surface power

Abstract Neutronics analysis is performed of low temperature (≤900 K) Sectored Compact Reactor (SCoRe-N x ) concepts for operational lives >20 years. They are cooled with circulating liquid Nak-78. The reactor vessel and the UN fuel pins cladding are made of stainless steel. The power systems with the SCoRe-N x concepts have no moving parts and employ SiGe thermoelectric elements for converting the reactor’s thermal power to electricity at a load voltage >300 VDC. Separate SiGe elements power the electromagnetic pumps that circulate the liquid NaK-78 in the reactor and 6 pairs of primary and secondary loops. Analysis confirmed that the submerged bare reactors in wet sand and flooded with seawater, in the unlikely event of a postulated launch abort accident, are sufficiently subcritical. Results show that the SCoRe-N 5 -S concept is capable of operating for 62 full power years at 200 kW th , while requiring 75% of the control drums to shutdown the reactor at BOL. With only 50% of the control drums required at BOL to shutdown the reactor, its operational life decreases to 39 full power years.
Stimulus-Frequency Otoacoustic Emission Suppression Tuning in Humans: Comparison to Behavioral Tuning

As shown by the work of Kemp and Chum in 1980, stimulus-frequency otoacoustic emission suppression tuning curves (SFOAE STCs) have potential to objectively estimate behaviorally measured tuning curves. To date, this potential has not been tested. This study aims to do so by comparing SFOAE STCs and behavioral measures of tuning (simultaneous masking psychophysical tuning curves, PTCs) in 10 normal-hearing listeners for frequency ranges centered around 1,000 and 4,000 Hz at low probe levels. Additionally, SFOAE STCs were collected for varying conditions (probe level and suppression criterion) to identify the optimal parameters for comparison with behavioral data and to evaluate how these conditions affect the features of SFOAE STCs. SFOAE STCs qualitatively resembled PTCs: they demonstrated band-pass characteristics and asymmetric shapes with steeper high-frequency sides than low, but unlike PTCs they were consistently tuned to frequencies just above the probe frequency. When averaged across subjects the shapes of SFOAE STCs and PTCs showed agreement for most recording conditions, suggesting that PTCs are predominantly shaped by the frequency-selective filtering and suppressive effects of the cochlea. Individual SFOAE STCs often demonstrated irregular shapes (e.g., “double-tips”), particularly for the 1,000-Hz probe, which were not observed for the same subject’s PTC. These results show the limited utility of SFOAE STCs to assess tuning in an individual. The irregularly shaped SFOAE STCs may be attributed to contributions from SFOAE sources distributed over a region of the basilar membrane extending beyond the probe characteristic place, as suggested by a repeatable pattern of SFOAE residual phase shifts observed in individual data.
Deep learning for robust feature generation in audiovisual emotion recognition

Automatic emotion recognition systems predict high-level affective content from low-level human-centered signal cues. These systems have seen great improvements in classification accuracy, due in part to advances in feature selection methods. However, many of these feature selection methods capture only linear relationships between features or alternatively require the use of labeled data. In this paper we focus on deep learning techniques, which can overcome these limitations by explicitly capturing complex non-linear feature interactions in multimodal data. We propose and evaluate a suite of Deep Belief Network models, and demonstrate that these models show improvement in emotion classification performance over baselines that do not employ deep learning. This suggests that the learned high-order non-linear relationships are effective for emotion recognition.
Antibody Titers to Hepatitis B Surface Antigen Among Vaccinated Emergency Physicians: Three Years’ Experience With a Wellness Booth☆☆☆★★★♢

Abstract Study Objective: To determine antibody titers to hepatitis B surface antigen (anti-HBsAg) among previously vaccinated emergency physicians and to assess the degree of compliance with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) postvaccination guidelines. Methods: A descriptive analysis was performed of anti-HBsAg titer determinations and vaccination surveys among a self-selected group of emergency physicians attending the annual scientific assembly of the American College of Emergency Physicians in 1995, 1996, or 1997. Results: Of 943 participants, titer levels were found to be protective in 768 (81%), borderline in 45 (5%), and nonreactive in 130 (14%). A total of 337 participants (36%) had not obtained postvaccination titer determinations, as advised by the CDC. More than 50% reported an occupational exposure to blood products within the previous 2 years. Conclusion: Despite their high risk for exposure to blood products, many previously vaccinated emergency physicians were not in compliance with CDC postvaccination guidelines. [Goldberg R, Thomas H, Kuhn G, Moradzadeh D, Mody T, Boss RW, Goodman E: Antibody titers to hepatitis B surface antigen among vaccinated emergency physicians: Three years' experience with a wellness booth. Ann Emerg Med February 1999;33:156-159.]
Excitation-energy dependent strength-function analysis of hot GDR experiments

Abstract Complete statistical model calculations including temperature- and spin-dependent theoretical strength functions of the Giant Dipole Resonance (GDR) have been performed for the decay of excited 120 Sn. Previous analyses of GDR data with theoretical models compared the centroid and FWHM of the theoretical strength functions with the extracted GDR parameters. In the new approach presented, the entire shape of the strength functions is considered and the theoretical spectra obtained can be directly compared with the experiment.
Intestinal coinfection with numerous Giardia trophozoites and Vibrio cholerae in hospitalized children with watery diarrhea

During the recent cholera epidemic which affected Peru and other Latin American countries, fresh stool samples of 100 hospitalized children were assessed February through April 1991. The children had been admitted because of profuse watery diarrhea. The microbiologic study of wet mount preparations showed curved bacteria suspicious for cholera agent and confirmed afterward to be Vibrio cholerae 01 scrotype Inaba. In 30% of such cases, besides the curved bacteria, a strikingly large number of trophozoites of Giardia intestinalis were observed. The same samples studied by permanent stains confirmed the presence of Giardia trophozoites. To our knowledge, the association of Giardia with serious epidemic cholera infection has not been previously described. All patients were admitted because of severe dehydration requiring intravenous fluid replacement, which might suggest a synergistic role for the above-noted coinfection. Adequately designed case-control studies are needed to ascertain the frequency and the pathophysiologic and clinical significance of such an unusual association.
Fast lithium ion conducting solid state thin-film electrolytes based on lithium thio-germanate materials

Abstract In this study, lithium thio-germanate thin-film electrolytes for lithium rechargeable batteries have been successfully prepared by radio-frequency (RF) magnetron sputtering deposition in Ar gas atmospheres. The targets for RF sputtering were prepared by melting, milling and pressing the appropriate amounts of the starting materials in the nLi2S + GeS2, n = 1–4, binary system. 2 mm wide × 18 mm long Au electrodes with a parallel configuration of 2 mm spacing were sputtered to ∼100 nm thick at a sputtering rate at ∼5 nm min−1 on Al2O3 single crystal substrates. Thin-film electrolytes were grown on this electrode assembly at 50 W power and 25 mtorr in Ar gas pressure. The ionic conductivities of the thin-film electrolytes were measured from −25 °C to 100 °C with 25 °C increments over the frequency range 0.1 Hz–1 MHz. The d.c. ionic conductivities determined from complex plane plots of the impedance of the Li2GeS3, Li4GeS4, Li6GeS5, and Li8GeS6 amorphous thin films at 25 °C were found to be 1.1 × 10−4 S cm−1, 7.5 × 10−4 S cm−1, 1.7 × 10−3 S cm−1, and 7.0 × 10−5 S cm−1, respectively. As the Li2S content in the thin film increases, the ionic conductivities of the thin films increase from n = 1 to n = 3. However, for the n = 4 Li8GeS6 thin film, the ionic conductivity decreased and the activation energy increased. The maximum in the conductivity for the n = 3 film is among the highest ever reported for an amorphous solid state Li+ ion conductor.
Linear Rheological Response of a Series of Densely Branched Brush Polymers

We have examined the linear rheological responses of a series of well-defined, dense, regularly branched brush polymers. These narrow molecular weight distribution brush polymers had polynorobornene backbones with degrees of polymerization (DP) of 200, 400, and 800 and polylactide side chains with molecular weight of 1.4 kDa, 4.4 kDa, and 8.7 kDa. The master curves for these brush polymers were obtained by time temperature superposition (TTS) of the dynamic moduli over the range from the glassy region to the terminal flow region. Similar to other long chain branched polymers, these densely branched brush polymers show a sequence of relaxation. Subsequent to the glassy relaxation, two different relaxation processes can be observed for samples with the high molecular weight (4.4 and 8.7 kDa) side chains, corresponding to the relaxation of the side chains and the brush polymer backbone. Influenced by the large volume fraction of high molecular weight side chains, these brush polymers are unentangled. The low...
Practical infection control for the 1990s: Applying science to government regulations

Dr. Molinari examines the science behind infection control guidelines. Optimal infection control is achieved more by understanding infectious diseases than by meeting federal and state regulations. A basic review of microbial transmission, aseptic technique and universal precautions provides a better understanding of the rationale behind recommended procedures.
Ultrastructure of remyelination of peripheral nerves in Landry-Guillain-Barré syndrome.

Ultrastructural study of peripheral nerves in a case of Landry-Guillain-Barre syndrome dying during early recovery phase reveals characteristic findings which are inter preted as being regenerative changes. Layers of compact vesicles and tubules are seen around each axon and coalescence of these vesicles appears to be followed by formation of myelin lamella. There is suggestive evidence that the vesicles may be produced by the endoplasmic reticulum of the axon.
Rural electrification and fertility change

This article addresses the possible linkage between the spread of electrification in rural areas and subsequent declines in human fertility. Evidence from nine studies in six countries is reviewed and compared. The conclusion from this review is that there is, in fact, some link and that the higher the level of rural electrification the higher is contraceptive prevalence and the lower is the level of fertility. This link appears puzzling at first glance, but the article proposes a conceptual and theoretical framework for interpreting these results and fitting them into accepted theories of fertility. Finally, some important policy implications are discussed and future directions for research indicated.
Endophthalmitis after pars plana vitrectomy: Incidence, causative organisms, and visual acuity outcomes.

Purpose To investigate the incidence, causative organisms, and visual acuity outcomes associated with endophthalmitis after pars plana vitrectomy. Design Retrospective, noncomparative, consecutive case series. Methods The medical records were reviewed of all patients who developed acute-onset postoperative endophthalmitis (within 6 weeks of surgery) after pars plana vitrectomy at Bascom Palmer Eye Institute between January 1, 1984 and December 31, 2003. Results During the 20-year study interval, the overall incidence rate of postvitrectomy endophthalmitis was 0.039% (6/15,326). Cultured organisms were Staphylococcus aureus (n = 3), Proteus mirabilus (n = 1), and Staphylococcus epidermidis / Pseudomonas aeruginosa (n = 1); one case was culture-negative. Visual acuity after treatment for endophthalmitis ranged from 2/200 to no light perception, with a final vision of light perception or no light perception in four of six (67%) eyes. Conclusion The incidence of endophthalmitis after pars plana vitrectomy is low but the visual acuity outcomes after treatment are generally poor.
PROTON-PROTON SCATTERING FROM 1.4 TO 2.4 Mev

Differential cross sections for the scattering of protons by protons have been measured at energies of 1.397, 1.855, and 2.425 Mev over an angular range from 12\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{} to 90\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{} in the center-of-mass system. Total uncertainties vary from about \ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.1% at large angles to \ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.3% at the smallest angles. A thorough investigation of sources of error has yielded cross-section values in disagreement with previously published values. A simple phase-shift analysis has been made. Without the inclusion of vacuum polarization contributions, a satisfactory fit is not obtained with only $S$-wave and effective nuclear $P$-wave phase shifts. With their inclusion, the data are fitted well by pure $S$-wave nuclear scattering. An upper limit on the magnitude of the effective nuclear $P$-wave phase shift is estimated at about 0.02\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{} at these energies.
Inactivated tumor suppressor Rb by nitric oxide promotes mitosis in human breast cancer cells

Inactivation of tumor suppressor protein retinoblastoma (Rb) is important mechanism for the G1/S transition during cell cycle progression. Human breast cancer cells T47D release great amount of nitric oxide (NO), but its relation to tumor suppressor Rb is unknown. In this study, it is shown that NO induces phosphorylation and inactivation of Rb tumor suppressor protein, increasing G2/M phase and cell proliferation of breast cancer cells T47D. NO did not induce changes in p53 ser-15 phosphorylation, the most phosphorylated site of p53 during its activation. These data indicate that NO induces cell proliferation through the Rb pathway. NO phosphorylates and inactivates tumor suppressor protein Rb inducing mitosis by the p53 independent pathway in breast cancer cell. © 2004 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
CXCR7 controls competition for recruitment of β-arrestin 2 in cells expressing both CXCR4 and CXCR7.

Chemokine CXCL12 promotes growth and metastasis of more than 20 different human cancers, as well as pathogenesis of other common diseases. CXCL12 binds two different receptors, CXCR4 and CXCR7, both of which recruit and signal through the cytosolic adapter protein β-arrestin 2. Differences in CXCL12-dependent recruitment of β-arrestin 2 in cells expressing one or both receptors remain poorly defined. To quantitatively investigate parameters controlling association of β-arrestin 2 with CXCR4 or CXCR7 in cells co-expressing both receptors, we used a systems biology approach combining real-time, multi-spectral luciferase complementation imaging with computational modeling. Cells expressing only CXCR4 maintain low basal association with β-arrestin 2, and CXCL12 induces a rapid, transient increase in this interaction. In contrast, cells expressing only CXCR7 have higher basal association with β-arrestin 2 and exhibit more gradual, prolonged recruitment of β-arrestin 2 in response to CXCL12. We developed and fit a data-driven computational model for association of either CXCR4 or CXCR7 with β-arrestin 2 in cells expressing only one type of receptor. We then experimentally validated model predictions that co-expression of CXCR4 and CXCR7 on the same cell substantially decreases both the magnitude and duration of CXCL12-regulated recruitment of β-arrestin 2 to CXCR4. Co-expression of both receptors on the same cell only minimally alters recruitment of β-arrestin 2 to CXCR7. In silico experiments also identified β-arrestin 2 as a limiting factor in cells expressing both receptors, establishing that CXCR7 wins the “competition” with CXCR4 for CXCL12 and recruitment of β-arrestin 2. These results reveal how competition for β-arrestin 2 controls integrated responses to CXCL12 in cells expressing both CXCR4 and CXCR7. These results advance understanding of normal and pathologic functions of CXCL12, which is critical for developing effective strategies to target these pathways therapeutically.
Do laboratory species protect endangered species? Interspecies variation in responses to 17β-estradiol, a model endocrine active compound.

Although the effects of estrogens on model laboratory species are well documented, their utility as surrogates for other species, including those listed as endangered, are less clear. Traditionally, conservation policies are evaluated based on model organism responses but are intended to protect all species in an environment. We tested the hypothesis that the endangered Rio Grande silvery minnow (Hybognathus amarus) is more vulnerable to endocrine disruption—as assessed through its larval predator-escape performance, survival, juvenile sex ratios, and whole-body vitellogenin concentration—than the commonly used toxicological model species fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas) and the bluegill sunfish (Lepomis macrochirus). Fish were exposed concurrently for 21 days to the model endocrine active compound (EAC) 17s-estradiol (E2) at 10 ng E2/L and 30 ng E2/L in a flow-through system using reconstituted water that simulated the physicochemical conditions of the Middle Rio Grande in New Mexico, USA. No significant differences were observed between the fathead and silvery minnow in larval predator-escape response or juvenile sex ratio. Rio Grande silvery minnow survival decreased significantly at day 14 compared with the other two species; by day 21, both cyprinid species (silvery minnow and fathead minnow) exhibited a significant decrease in survival compared with bluegill sunfish, a member of the family Centrarchidae. Male Rio Grande silvery minnow showed a significant increase in whole-body vitellogenin concentration in the 10 ng/L treatment, whereas fathead minnow and bluegill sunfish showed no significant increases in vitellogenin concentrations across treatments. Our study showed response differences to estrogen exposures between the two cyprinid species and further divergence in responses between the families Cyprinidae and Centrarchidae. These results suggest that commonly used laboratory model organisms may be less sensitive to EACs than the endangered Rio Grande silvery minnow. However, this study supports the continued use of surrogate species for the beneficial implementation of water-quality regulations for the protection of threatened and endangered species if phylogenetic relationships are taken into consideration.
Requirement of U12 snRNA for in vivo splicing of a minor class of eukaryotic nuclear pre-mRNA introns.

A conserved sequence element in a minor class of eukaryotic pre-messenger RNA (pre-mRNA) introns was previously proposed to base pair with a complementary sequence in the U12 small nuclear RNA (snRNA) in a manner analogous to the pairing of U2 snRNA with the branch site sequence of the major class of introns. Here, mutations generated in this conserved sequence element block the splicing of a member of this minor intron class in vivo. This block was relieved by coexpression of a U12 snRNA containing compensatory mutations that restore the proposed base pairing interaction. These results show that this minor class of pre-mRNA introns is a distinct class existing alongside the major class of introns in animal genomes, and these results also establish an in vivo function for U12 snRNA.
Dissection of malonyl-Coenzyme A decarboxylation from polyketide formation in the reaction mechanism of a plant polyketide synthase

Chalcone synthase (CHS) catalyzes formation of the phenylpropanoid chalcone from one p-coumaroyl-CoA and three malonyl-coenzyme A (CoA) thioesters. The three-dimensional structure of CHS [Ferrer, J.-L., Jez, J. M., Bowman, M. E., Dixon, R. A., and Noel, J. P. (1999) Nat. Struct. Biol. 6, 775−784] suggests that four residues (Cys164, Phe215, His303, and Asn336) participate in the multiple decarboxylation and condensation reactions catalyzed by this enzyme. Here, we functionally characterize 16 point mutants of these residues for chalcone production, malonyl-CoA decarboxylation, and the ability to bind CoA and acetyl-CoA. Our results confirm Cys164's role as the active-site nucleophile in polyketide formation and elucidate the importance of His303 and Asn336 in the malonyl-CoA decarboxylation reaction. We suggest that Phe215 may help orient substrates at the active site during elongation of the polyketide intermediate. To better understand the structure−function relationships in some of these mutants, we al...
FUNDAMENTAL EQUATIONS FOR STATISTICAL SUBMANIFOLDS WITH APPLICATIONS TO THE BARTLETT CORRECTION

Many applications of Amari's dual geometries involve one or more submanifolds imbedded in a supermanifold. In the differential geometry literature, there is a set of equations that describe relationships between invariant quantities on the submanifold and supermanifold when the Riemannian connection is used. We extend these equations to statistical manifolds, manifolds on which a pair of dual connections is defined. The invariant quantities found in these equations include the mean curvature and the statistical curvature which are used in statistical calculations involving such topics as information loss and efficiency. As an application of one of these equations, the Bartlett correction is interpreted in terms of curvatures and other invariant quantities.
A Shannon-McMillan theorem for motley names

The Shannon-McMillan theorem tells us the number of “typical” outcomes of an experiment in which one observes some discrete-valued function of an ergodic dynamical system for many time-steps; it also tells us that most such outcomes are roughly equally likely. Here it is shown that the same uniformity holds when several different measurements are made on the system over the course of time, provided that each sort of measurement is made many times in direct succession.
Modeling the Closed-Loop Interaction between the Grid and a Multifunctional Electric Vehicle Charging Station Integrated with an Active Power Filter

A high power EV charging station integrated with active power filter (APF) functionality reduces the grid infrastructure cost and improves grid performance. However, the EV charging station's closed control loop is nonlinear because of the interaction of the EV charging station with the grid's impedance. This issue will be investigated in this paper. The paper shows how to transform the problem into a linear, time-invariant (LTI) one. This paper also proposes a method to model the closed-loop EV charging and APF function. This will allow a comprehensive, LTI analysis of the dynamic impact of the charging station to the grid. Furthermore, the conditions of some assumptions are identified, analyzed and validated.
Social determinants of health in epilepsy

Social factors have been identified as key drivers of epilepsy care, outcomes, and disparities, but there is a limited understanding of what these factors are and how they translate into disparities. This targeted review provides an overview of the social determinants of health framework and applies this perspective to the literature about social and psychosocial factors in epilepsy; a social determinants of health--epilepsy model is proposed. The key social determinants of health in epilepsy include socioeconomic status, race/ethnicity, age, and gender. For example, low socioeconomic status and minority status have been associated with a higher risk of epilepsy, more hospitalizations and emergency room visits (versus neurology services), antiepileptic drug nonadherence, and a lower rate of epilepsy surgery. Such differences in care/treatment and outcomes translate into health disparities, many of which are considered unjust (inequitable) and modifiable through social action. Other social determinants of health include structural and sociocultural contextual conditions (e.g., health economy, policy, and social stigma/discrimination) and mediating mechanisms including material (e.g., housing), behavioral/biological (e.g., adherence), psychosocial (e.g., perceived stigma), and health system (e.g., access) factors. There are complex relationships among social determinants of health in epilepsy, which remain poorly understood and hamper efforts to address and eliminate disparities in epilepsy care and outcomes. Further empirical work grounded in sound theory and robust methodologies is needed to identify points of intervention and design effective and socially acceptable solutions to any pervasive disparities in epilepsy.
Patterning Graphene through the Self-Assembled Templates: Toward Periodic Two-Dimensional Graphene Nanostructures with Semiconductor Properties

Periodic graphene nanostructures are fabricated via patterning graphene through the self-assembled monolayers of monodisperse colloidal microspheres. The resulting structures exhibit promising electronic properties featuring high conductivities and ON−OFF ratios up to 10. The apparent advantages of the presented method are the possibilities of fabricating periodic graphene nanostructures with different periodicities, ranging from ∼100 nm to several μm, and also varying the periodicity and the neck width independently. The use of the presented method yields graphene nanostructures with variable electronic properties.
High-Performance Liquid Chromatographic Assay with Ultraviolet Detection for the Analysis of BW 1370U87 and Its Two Major Metabolites in Human Plasma

Abstract A sensitive and selective high performance liquid chromatographic assay with UV detection was developed for the analysis of BW 1370U87, a novel MAO-A inhibitor, and its major metabolites, BW 183U88 and BW 1003U88 in human plasma. The compounds were isolated from plasma by liquid extraction with methyl-t-butyl ether. The extracts were chromatographed on a LiChrospher 100 RP-8 column (4.6 mm × 25 cm) using a gradient elution with a mobile phase consisting of acetonitrile-water containing 0.025% phosphoric acid (25:75, v/v, initial conditions increasing to 40:60, v/v, over 25 min). The compounds were detected at 226 nm with a lower limit of quantitation of 10 ng/ml. The accuracy and precision of the assay, expressed as the percent deviation of measured values from true values and the percent coefficient of variation, respectively, were < 8%, at all concentrations. The assay has been successfully applied to the analysis of samples from a clinical pharmacokinetic study in man.
COUNTERACTION OF THE INHIBITING EFFECTS OF VARIOUS SUBSTANCES ON NITELLA

When living cells of Nitella are first exposed to (1) phosphate buffer mixture, or (2) phosphoric acid, or (3) hydrochloric acid, or (4) sodium chloride, or (5) sodium borate, and are then placed in a solution of brilliant cresyl blue made up with a borate buffer mixture at pH 7.85, the rate of penetration of the dye into the vacuole is decreased as compared with the rate in the case of cells transferred directly from tap water to the same dye solution. When cells exposed to any one of these solutions are placed in the dye solution made up with phosphate buffer solution at pH 7.85, the rate of penetration of dye into the vacuole is the same as the rate in the case of cells transferred from the tap water to the same dye solution. It is probable that this removal of the inhibiting effect is due primarily to the presence of certain concentration of sodium and potassium ions in the phosphate buffer solution. If a sufficient concentration of sodium ions is added to the dye made up with a borate buffer mixture the inhibiting effect is removed just as it is in the case of the dye made up with the phosphate buffer mixture. The inhibiting effect of some of these substances is found to be removed by the dye containing a sufficient concentration of bivalent cations, or by washing the cells with salts of bivalent cations. The inhibiting effect and its removal are discussed from a theoretical standpoint.
ROSE CURVE MODEL AND AN ANALYTICAL SOLUTION FOR ESTIMATING ITS PARAMETERS

In this short paper, we introduce a parameterized shape model, rose curve model. An analytical solution for estimating rose curve parameters from a binary silhouette or a probability map is derived. This analytical method finds the global optimum directly and therefore is fast and reliable. Two similarity invariant shape features, which measures the concavity and circular frequency of the shape can be derived from the six parameters of the rose curve. We apply the rose curve model to approximately segmenting flower images, primarily for testing the analytic parameter estimation method. Experiments on a database of 180 flower images from 30 species show that the rose curve is an excellent shape model for many flower species and the analytical parameter estimation method locates the flower regions well.
Active shape models for effective iris segmentation

Iris recognition has been demonstrated to be an efficient technology for doing personal identification. Performance of iris recognition system depends on the isolation of the iris region from rest of the eye image. In this work, effective use of active shape models (ASMs) for doing iris segmentation is demonstrated. A method for building flexible model by learning patterns of iris invariability from a well organized training set is described. The specific approach taken in the work sacrifices generality, in order to accommodate better iris segmentation. The algorithm was initially applied on the on-angle, noise free CASIA data base and then was extended to the off-axis iris images collected at WVU eye center. A direct comparison with canny iris segmentation in terms of error rates, demonstrate effectiveness of ASM segmentation. For the selected threshold value of 0.4, FAR and FRR values were 0.13% and 0.09% using canny detectors and 0% each using the proposed ASM based method.
A coupled theory of fluid permeation and large deformations for elastomeric materials

Abstract An elastomeric gel is a cross-linked polymer network swollen with a solvent (fluid). A continuum-mechanical theory to describe the various coupled aspects of fluid permeation and large deformations (e.g., swelling and squeezing) of elastomeric gels is formulated. The basic mechanical force balance laws and the balance law for the fluid content are reviewed, and the constitutive theory that we develop is consistent with modern treatments of continuum thermodynamics, and material frame-indifference. In discussing special constitutive equations we limit our attention to isotropic materials, and consider a model for the free energy based on a Flory–Huggins model for the free energy change due to mixing of the fluid with the polymer network, coupled with a non-Gaussian statistical–mechanical model for the change in configurational entropy—a model which accounts for the limited extensibility of polymer chains. As representative examples of application of the theory, we study (a) three-dimensional swelling-equilibrium of an elastomeric gel in an unconstrained, stress-free state; and (b) the following one-dimensional transient problems: (i) free-swelling of a gel; (ii) consolidation of an already swollen gel; and (iii) pressure-difference-driven diffusion of organic solvents across elastomeric membranes.
Analytical methodology for determination of organic aerosol functional group distributions.

Secondary organic aerosol (SOA) particles result from the condensation of oxidized volatile organic compounds (VOC) and consist of a complex mixture that is not conducive to complete compositional analysis. We present a simple methodology for determining the quantities of aldehydes and ketones, alcohols, and carboxylic acids in such samples via derivatization and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with ultraviolet–visible absorption detection and tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS). Useful concentration ranges are presented with an examination of the specificity of these compounds in multiply substituted systems. Such data are valuable in modeling the formation of laboratory-generated aerosols and in identifying point sources of field-collected aerosol samples. Calibration curves on standard samples, MS/MS transitions, including collisionally induced dissociation (CID) products, and a quantitative examination of the specificity of the derivatization reagents toward multiple functional groups are p...
Endoscopic intranasal dacryocystorhinostomy results in four patients.

• Dacryocystorhinostomy is commonly performed through an external incision. Several transnasal approaches were described earlier in this century but they failed to gain popularity probably because of the difficult exposure. The recent development of nasal endoscopes has greatly improved intranasal visualization. A prior cadaver study demonstrated the feasibility of a transnasal approach. This study presents early results on four patients. ( Arch Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg . 1990;116:1061)
Allopurinol can act as an electron transfer agent. Is this relevant during reperfusion injury

The xanthine oxidase inhibitor allopurinol markedly enhances myocardial function and decreases ventricular irritability during myocardial reperfusion. In the present report, we have evaluated the molecular mechanism of allopurinol action. First, allopurinol was shown to be a weak radical scavenger. Second, allopurinol was found to act as an electron transfer agent from ferrous iron to ferric cytochrome c. The results suggest that the beneficial effect of allopurinol might partially result from its facilitated electron transport during reperfusion when the lipid components of the chain can be expected to be disordered.
Dynamics of capillary fluid exchange: A nonlinear computer simulation

Abstract A nonlinear computer simulation program has been employed to analyze capillary fluid balance during a variety of perturbations, such as changes in arterial or venous pressures, plasma oncotic pressure, interstitial mucopolysaccharide content, and lymphatic obstruction. The results indicate that normally tissue colloid osmotic pressures of 9.3 mm Hg are required for an equilibrium of filtration and reabsorption, equivalent to an interstitial plasma protein concentration of 3.4%. Dilution of this extravascular protein pool forms a first line of defense against edema formation. Washout of interstitial protein during hypoproteinemia may serve as an effective form of autotransfusion. Simulation of five different types of edema revealed significant differences in interstitial fluid distribution and protein content. Comparison of the simulation program with a large number of physiological and clinical studies yielded good agreement, supporting the validity of the simulation program.
Network-level analysis of cortical thickness of the epileptic brain

Abstract Temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) characterized by an epileptogenic focus in the medial temporal lobe is the most common form of focal epilepsy. However, the seizures are not confined to the temporal lobe but can spread to other, anatomically connected brain regions where they can cause similar structural abnormalities as observed in the focus. The aim of this study was to derive whole-brain networks from volumetric data and obtain network-centric measures, which can capture cortical thinning characteristic of TLE and can be used for classifying a given MRI into TLE or normal, and to obtain additional summary statistics that relate to the extent and spread of the disease. T1-weighted whole-brain images were acquired on a 4-T magnet in 13 patients with TLE with mesial temporal lobe sclerosis (TLE–MTS), 14 patients with TLE with normal MRI (TLE-no), and 30 controls. Mean cortical thickness and curvature measurements were obtained using the FreeSurfer software. These values were used to derive a graph, or network, for each subject. The nodes of the graph are brain regions, and edges represent disease progression paths. We show how to obtain summary statistics like mean, median, and variance defined for these networks and to perform exploratory analyses like correlation and classification. Our results indicate that the proposed network approach can improve accuracy of classifying subjects into two groups (control and TLE) from 78% for non-network classifiers to 93% using the proposed approach. We also obtain network “peakiness” values using statistical measures like entropy and complexity—this appears to be a good characterizer of the disease and may have utility in surgical planning.
NHEJ and its backup pathways in chromosomal translocations

Two recent papers break major new ground on the issues of NHEJ, backup pathways for NHEJ and how these relate to the chromosomal translocation process.
Toward multifunctional optical integration: an adaptive lithographic method for patterning optical structures

A new method of interconnecting various optoelectronic components is discussed. Offset error up to 25 microns can be corrected to achieve single mode alignment accuracies. Several planar optical devices were photocomposed using the adaptive photolithographic method and these have been shown to perform with the desired characteristics.
Electron holes as a common feature of double‐layer‐Driven plasma waves

Using a Vlasov code for simulating fully nonlinear behavior of a plasma driven by an applied potential drop, it is shown that fast solitary potential pulses in the form of electron holes are a common feature of the high potential side of a strong double layer. Temporal and spatial features of the electron holes seen in the simulations are compared against the measurements from FAST. The evolution of the electron beam accelerated by a double layer and that of the plasma on its high potential side generate the suitable conditions for nearly continuously creating fast moving electron holes.
Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection Is More Efficient than In Vitro Fertilization for Generating Mouse Embryos from Cryopreserved Spermatozoa

Efficient and dependable mouse cryopreservation methods are urgently needed because the production of mice with transgenes and disrupted and mutant genes is now commonplace. Preservation of these unique genomes provides an essential safeguard for future research. Unfortunately, mouse spermatozoa appear more vulnerable to freezing than other species, e.g., bovine and human. In this study, we examined the efficiency of intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) and in vitro fertilization (IVF) in generating embryos from mouse spermatozoa frozen with 18% raffinose and 3% skim milk for cryoprotection. A comparison was made between the inbred strain C57BL/6J, commonly used in mutagenic and transgenic studies, and a hybrid strain B6D2F1 (C57BL/6J 3 DBA/2J). C57BL/6J spermatozoa are known to be more sensitive to freezing than B6D2F1. Fertilization of oocytes after IVF was significantly lower with C57BL/6J spermatozoa when compared with B6D2F1 spermatozoa for both fresh and frozen spermatozoa (fresh, 89 vs. 55%; frozen, 56 vs. 9%). Freezing also reduced the fertility of B6D2F1 spermatozoa (89 vs. 56%). Fertilization improved dramatically after ICSI with fresh and frozen C57BL/6J spermatozoa (90 and 85%) and also with frozen B6D2F1 spermatozoa (87%). The development of two-cell embryos to the blastocyst stage was lower for C57BL/6J than B6D2F1 (42‐61% and 84‐98%) in all treatments but similar for embryos within each strain. The normality of chromosomes from fresh and frozen spermatozoa was assessed in oocytes prior to first cleavage. The majority of oocytes had normal chromosomes after IVF (98‐100%) and ICSI (87‐95%), indicating that chromosomal abnormalities were not responsible for the poorer development in vitro of C57BL/6J embryos. In conclusion, our data show that ICSI is a more efficient and effective technique than IVF for generating embryos from frozen spermatozoa. More important, ICSI is especially valuable for strains where IVF with fresh spermatozoa produces few or no embryos.
Soft Pneumatic Artificial Muscles With Low Threshold Pressures for a Cardiac Compression Device

In this paper, we present the design, fabrication and characterization of fully soft pneumatic artificial muscles (PAMs) with low threshold pressures that are intended for direct cardiac compression (DCC). McKibben type PAMs typically have a threshold pressure of at least 100 kPa and require rigid end fittings which may damage soft tissue and cause local stress concentrations, and thus failure points in the actuator. The actuator design we present is a variant on the McKibben PAM with the following key differences: the nylon mesh is embedded in the elastomeric tube, and closure of the end of the tube is achieved without rigid ends. The actuators were tested to investigate the effects of mesh geometry and elastomer material on force output, contraction, and rise time. Lower initial mean braid angles and softer elastomer materials provided the best force, contraction, and rise times; Up to 50 N of force, 24% contraction, and response times of 0.05 s were achieved at 100 kPa. The actuators exhibited low threshold pressures (<5 kPa) and high rupture pressures (138 kPa – 720 kPa) which suggest safe operation for the DCC application. These results demonstrate that the actuators can achieve forces, displacements, and rise times suitable to assist with cardiac function.
Che Guevara on Guerrilla Warfare: Doctrine, Practice and Evaluation*

Most theories of revolution seem to agree that certain preconditions must be met if a revolutionary situation is to arise. The peculiar contribution of Ernesto Che Guevara to understanding revolutions is that according to him such preconditions can be created [1: 4]. Few men in the world today would be better qualified than Guevara to sustain such theory with empirical evidence from his own participation in revolutions. After his experience in Guatemala, Cuba, the Congo and, perhaps, other parts of the world, Guevara was considered, by friends and enemies alike, as one of the world's top-ranking guerrilla fighters of the twentieth century. By the time he started a new daring experiment in Bolivia he was reckoned as one of the most articulate theorists in the field. The death of Guevara in the mountains of Bolivia on October 9,1967, brought commotion and mixed feelings to his enemies and admirers the world over. His enemies were exultant, first because the dreaded Guevara was dead, and second because his death was ‘clear evidence’ that his theories were wrong. His admirers were sad because he was dead, but were also elated because the puzzle of his disappearance had been unraveled and because his death at the hands of Bolivian rangers trained by a U.S. military mission, far from being ‘evidence’ that his theories were wrong, was ‘evidence’ that they were right.
Modulation of AUUUA Response Element Binding by Heterogeneous Nuclear Ribonucleoprotein A1 in Human T Lymphocytes THE ROLES OF CYTOPLASMIC LOCATION, TRANSCRIPTION, AND PHOSPHORYLATION

The heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein A1 (hnRNP A1) shuttles between the cytoplasm and nucleus and plays important roles in RNA metabolism. Whereas nuclear hnRNP A1 has been shown to bind intronic sequences and modulate splicing, cytoplasmic hnRNP A1 is associated with poly(A)+ RNA, indicating different RNA ligand specificity. Previous studies indicated that cytoplasmic hnRNP A1 is capable of high-affinity binding of reiterated AUUUA sequences (ARE) that have been shown to modulate mRNA turnover and translation. Through a combination of two-dimensional gel and proteolysis studies, we establish hnRNP A1 (or structurally related proteins that are post-translationally regulated in an identical manner) as the dominant cytoplasmic protein in human T lymphocytes capable of interacting with the ARE contained within the context of full-length granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor mRNA. We additionally demonstrate that cytoplasmic hnRNP A1 preferentially binds ARE relative to pre-mRNAs in both cross-linking and mobility shift experiments. RNA polymerase II inhibition increased the binding of ARE (AUBP activity) and poly(U)-Sepharose by cytoplasmic hnRNP A1, while nuclear hnRNP A1 binding was unaffected. Nuclear and cytoplasmic hnRNP A1 could be distinguished by the differential sensitivity of their RNA binding to diamide and N-ethylmaleimide. The increase in AUBP activity of cytoplasmic hnRNP A1 following RNA polymerase II inhibition correlated with serine-threonine dephosphorylation, as determined by inhibitor and metabolic labeling studies. Thus, cytoplasmic and nuclear hnRNP A1 exhibit different RNA binding profiles, perhaps transduced through serine-threonine phosphorylation. These findings are relevant to the specific ability of hnRNP A1 to serve distinct roles in post-transcriptional regulation of gene expression in both the nucleus and cytoplasm.
Ethnic Classification in Global Perspective: A Cross-National Survey of the 2000 Census Round

Academic interest in official systems of racial and ethnic classification has grown in recent years, but most research on such census categories has been limited to small case studies or regional surveys. In contrast, this article analyzes a uniquely global data set compiled by the United Nations Statistical Division to survey the approaches to ethnic enumeration taken in 141 countries. The motives for this analysis combine theoretical, applied, and policy objectives. I find that 63% of the national censuses studied incorporate some form of ethnic enumeration, but their question and answer formats vary along several dimensions that betray diverse conceptualizations of ethnicity (for example, as “race” or “nationality”). Moreover, these formats follow notably regional patterns. Nonetheless, the variety of approaches can be grouped into a basic taxonomy of ethnic classification approaches, suggesting greater commonality in worldwide manifestations of the ethnicity concept than some have recognized.