cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The organization of primary afferents in the subnucleus caudalis of the trigeminal: A light and electron microscopic study of degeneration

Summary The organization of primary afferents from the cranial and upper cervical root systems in the subnucleus caudalis and uppermost cervical dorsal horn has been investigated in cats. Following transection of a single or multiple sensory roots the distribution of primary fibers in the spinal tract and tract of Lissauer and of terminal knobs in the nucleus was studied by light and electron microscopic methods. A considerable proportion of the small myelinated fibers and most of the unmyelinated fibers in the spinal tract of V are not of dorsal root origin. Fibers of the trigeminal root reach the lower half of the C 2 segment in minimal numbers. The marginal zone receives primary axodendritic contacts on small dendrites and none of the knobs in the characteristic clusters are of primary origin. Marginal neuron somata do not appear to receive primary afferents. The marginal plexus has a large primary contingent and it is concluded that it serves as system for redistributing fibers in the tract on their way to the nucleus. The substantia gelatinosa contains numerous primary endings which are distributed in a patchy manner; the majority establish axodendritic synapses. A large proportion of these primary endings are postsynaptic to knobs which contain flattened vesicles and rarely spherical vesicles. Occasional primary endings are presynaptic to normal knobs which contain spherical vesicles. Primary endings on gelatinosa neurons are present though infrequent. In the nucleus proprius, small primary knobs synapse on medium and small caliber dendrites but not on neuron somata. Large endings showing pleomorphism of synaptic vesicles which may be indicative of a degenerative process were observed in synaptic contact with small and medium dendrites and with cell bodies. Both types of endings were seen to be postsynaptic to small knobs which contained either spherical or flattened vesicles. The functional significance of these obsevations is discussed.
A model describing the intravascular distribution of blood volume following a volume load

Abstract The intravascular distribution of added blood following a volume load is investigated using a two compartment model of the peripheral circulation. Initially the blood is distributed about equally to the two compartments. However, as a result of differences in the time constants for venous drainage of the two compartments, much of the volume initially delivered to the compartment with the short time constant is slowly redistributed to the long time constant compartment. The redistribution is complete in about 30 sec. The two compartment model satisfactorily explains transient changes in cardiac output following a volume load. Such changes have previously been ascribed to other mechanisms which require transient changes in mechanical properties of the peripheral circulation.
Earth Surface Recovery From Remotely Sensed Images

Conventional methods for the recovery of shape from shading assume homogeneity in the reflectance properties of the scene under analysis. However, imagery obtained from such sources as LANDSAT MSS or TM are usually comprised of regions of widely varying illumination characteristics. Given this, it follows that a single, non-partitioned approach to surface recovery from such images is almost always bound to fail. In this paper, we discuss a multifaceted approach to the problem of recovering surface features. We begin by classifying the image (through usual classificatory techniques) into distinct patches. For each of these surface types, a reflectance model is developed. This reflectance model is adjusted to coincide with the observed reflectance by the introduction of a reflectance remedy. This, in turn, leads to an image remedy equation. We then discuss an algorithm, which, under certain reasonable assumptions, will iteratively estimate the patch surface orientation, the reflectance remedy as well as the light source direction based on the equation developed.
THE MARGINALIZATION OF FAMILY THERAPY: A HISTORICAL AND CONTINUING PROBLEM

Family therapy, and marital and family problems, are mariginalized in the larger fields of mental and physical health care, which is a misfortune both for family therapy and for other mental health professions. The early family therapists, who had multidisciplinary backgrounds, attempted toestablish a new, nondisciplinary paradigm and also tried to expand the perspectives of the more traditional mental health disciplines. More recently, family therapists have exerted greater effortsto establish marriage and family therapy as a differentiated, autonomous profession. These alternatives each involve dilemmas for the family therapy field. The positive side of becoming a distinctive profession is greater internal strength and clear professional identy; the downside is the threat of increased marginalization in rlation to the other professions, a tendency toward intellectual isolation, and hence restricted opportunities for invigorating new challenges. Family therapy now needs to develop new modes of interchange, collaboration, and selective integration with otherhealth care professions. Such interchange will be beneficial both to family therapy and to other professions.
Myoclonic Twitching and Sleep-Dependent Plasticity in the Developing Sensorimotor System

Asbodiesgrowandchangethroughoutearlydevel- opment and across the lifespan, animals must develop, refine, and maintain accurate sensorimotor maps. Here, we review evidence that myoclonic twitches—brief and discrete contrac- tions of the muscles, occurring exclusively during REM (or active) sleep, that result in jerks of the limbs—help animals map their ever-changing bodies by activating skeletal muscles to produce corresponding sensory feedback or reafference. First, we highlight the spatiotemporal characteristics of twitches. Second, we review findings in infant rats regarding the multitude of brain areas that are activated by twitches during sleep. Third, we discuss evidence demonstrating that the sensorimotor processing of twitches is different from that of wake movements; this state-related difference in sensori- motor processing provides perhaps the strongest evidence yet that twitches are uniquely suited to drive certain aspects of sensorimotor development. Finally, we suggest that twitching may help inform our understanding of neurodevelopmental disorders, perhaps even providing opportunities for their early detection and treatment.
Post-miocene disconformities and paleoceanography in the Atlantic sector of the Southern Ocean

Abstract The magnetostratigraphy and biostratigraphy of 166 Islas Orcadas piston cores in the Atlantic sector of the Southern Ocean reveal disconformities in the sedimentary record which are attributed to bottom-current erosion. The hiatus frequency as a function of water depth reveals both shallow erosion by Circumpolar Deep Water (CDW) and deep erosion by Antarctic Bottom Water (AABW). The post-Miocene history of erosion by both bottom-currents is delineated by analysis of areal and temporal fluctuations of hiatus frequency. Erosion by CDW caused disconformities on the Maud Rise, Astrid Ridge, Indian—Antarctic Ridge, Scotia Sea, and Islas Orcadas Rise. The shallow disconformities increased in frequency and size from ∼ 4.0 to 1.0 Ma with two periods of distinctly widespread disconformities from 5.5 to 4.5 Ma and 2.5 to 1.5 Ma; after 1.0 Ma the frequency and extent of the hiatuses decreased. Erosion by AABW caused disconformities in the Weddell Abyssal Plain, Argentine Basin, and through a narrow conduit in the South Sandwich Basin downstream from the Bullard Fracture Zone. The deep disconformities increased in frequency and size from 4.5 to 5.0 Ma, ∼ 3.5 to 4.0 Ma and from ∼ 1.0 to 2.5 Ma; after ∼ 1.5 Ma the frequency and extent of hiatuses decreased. Fluctuations in hiatus frequency are consistent with results of a similar study in the southeast Indian Ocean and may be correlated with paleoceanographic events. Southern Ocean cooling and possible re-establishment of the West Antarctic ice sheet and fringing ice-shelves at ∼ 4.3-3.5 Ma was accompanied by increased AABW and CDW activity. The formation (expansion?) of the Northern Hemisphere ice sheets at ∼ 2.5–3.0 Ma resulted in a decrease in AABW velocity and was accompanied by increased CDW activity. Both deep and shallow bottom-currents increased in velocity during the late Matuyama Chron (∼ 2.0–1.5 Ma) as a result of Antarctic cooling. After ∼ 1.0 Ma, however, the frequency and extent of shallow and deep hiatuses was reduced, and the modern extent of hiatuses is the lowest within the post-Miocene.
Molecular Mapping of SSRs for Pgm1 and C8b in the Vicinity of the Rat fatty Locus

Abstract Recessive mutations at the rat fatty locus ( fa, fa cp ), which produce obesity, insulin resistance, and diabetes, provide useful experimental models for similar phenotypes in humans. The molecular pathogenesis of the metabolic phenotype in animals segregating for fa is unknown and difficult to study once the confounding metabolic effects of obesity are present. Although various experimental methods distinguish preobese from lean rats (phenotypic markers and molecular markers genetically linked to fatty ), technical difficulties limit their utility. We report the identification of two (GT) n simple sequence repeats (SSRs) near the rat phosphoglucomutase gene (Pgm1) gene and two SSRs, (GA) n and (GT) n , near the rat complement component 8β gene (C8b). These SSRs map to an ∼4-cM interval flanking the fatty locus on rat chromosome 5. Use of these molecular markers in combination offers an improved method for early assessment of gene dosage for fa and hence for studying the fundamental molecular physiology underlying the derangements of metabolism and behavior resulting from mutations in this gene.
Aerial photography of the earth's surface; its procurement and use.

Some of the most important applications of the optical sciences are in the taking of aerial photographs of the earth’s surface and in the extraction of data from them. This article is intended to serve both as an introduction for the articles following it in this issue and as a summary of the factors that must be considered in the taking and interpretation of aerial photographs. Special emphasis is placed on the means by which photographic images of high quality can be obtained and viewed in order to facilitate the data extraction process A summary of the more important current applications of aerial photography in the earth sciences and life sciences also is provided.
Safety and efficacy of circumferential pulmonary vein catheter ablation of atrial fibrillation.

Objectives The purpose of this study was to report the safety, efficacy, and predictors of recurrence of circumferential pulmonary vein (PV) catheter ablation in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). Background Circumferential PV ablation has been described as an alternate ablation strategy for AF. Methods Seventy consecutive patients (age 56 ± 10 years) with symptomatic drug refractory paroxysmal (n = 21), persistent (n = 22), and permanent (n = 27) AF underwent catheter ablation. The catheter ablation procedure was performed by creating circular lesions encircling right- and left-side PV ostia guided by an electroanatomic (CARTO) mapping system. Linear ablation lesions also were created in the cavotricuspid isthmus, the mitral isthmus, and in the posterior left atrium. In 42 patients (60%), additions linear lesions were created between superior and inferior PVs in a "figure-of-eight" fashion. Results At 6 ± 2.5 months of follow-up, 53 patients (76%) were AF free, including 39 patients (56%) not taking and 14 patients (20%) taking antiarrhythmic drugs. Among various variables, only early recurrence of AF was a predictor of long-term recurrence. Significant complications included one pericardial tamponade, one stroke, and two PV occlusions. Both patients with PV occlusion received radiofrequency delivery in a figure-of-eight fashion. Conclusions Circumferential PV catheter ablation of AF is associated with moderate efficacy and risk of complications. The absence of a difference in efficacy combined with the risk of PV stenosis associated with figure-of-eight lesion lead us to conclude that the figure-of-eight lesion should not be a routine component of circumferential PV AF ablation procedures.
Continuous Culture of Normal Human Leucocytes from Peripheral Blood

THE modification of the techniques of Moorehead et al.1 for the culture of human leucocytes from peripheral blood has made possible numerous investigations of chromosomes from a variety of material and after a variety of treatments. These techniques have also stimulated work on lymphocyte response to antigens such as phytohaemag-glutinin (PHA)2 which has been shown to be an absolute requirement for the initiation of these short term cultures3.
Neural cell adhesion molecule regulates cell contact-mediated changes in choline acetyltransferase activity of embryonic chick sympathetic neurons

E10 chick sympathetic ganglion cells display a cell contact-dependent rise in choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) specific activity over the first several days in culture. This effect can be mimicked by addition of crude membrane fractions prepared from E10 retina and adult chicken brain, but not by those from E10 brain. The effects of both cell-cell and membrane-cell contact are inhibited by the addition of anti-NCAM Fab fragments. The membranes capable of increasing ChAT and those which are ineffective all contain NCAM, however their relative levels of NCAM polysialic acid differ. Whereas membranes with high polysialic acid NCAM are ineffective, selective enzymatic removal of polysialic acid renders them capable of producing an increase in ChAT. The inhibition of NCAM-mediated adhesion produced by Fab fragments can be compensated for by addition of wheat germ agglutinin, but only with membranes whose NCAM has low levels of polysialic acid. Taken together, these data suggest that NCAM can regulate cell contact-mediated increases in ChAT activity. We propose that NCAM-mediated adhesion promotes contact between cell membranes to allow the transmission of an otherwise NCAM-independent signal. In addition, NCAM's polysialic acid moiety appears to influence the ability of cells to transmit this signal, even in the presence of an alternative adhesion mechanism.
Extrinsic curvature and the Einstein constraints

The Einstein initial-value equations in the extrinsic curvature (Hamiltonian) representation and conformal thin sandwich (Lagrangian) representation are brought into complete conformity by the use of a decomposition of symmetric tensors which involves a weight function. In stationary spacetimes, there is a natural choice of the weight function such that the transverse traceless part of the extrinsic curvature (or canonical momentum) vanishes.
Virtual exercise environment for promoting active lifestyle for people with lower body disabilities

This paper presents the development and evaluation of the use of virtual reality technology, together with appropriately adapted exercise through an augmented reality interface, to create Virtual Exercise Environments (VEEs). These environments allow persons with lower body disabilities to exercise and train just like what people do in real world. This paper presents our current research on VEE to facilitate participation and adherence using a VEE as a prototype, using common-off-the-shelf hardware components. The major aim of this paper is to make exercise more enjoyable and less repetitious for people with lower body disabilities. Responses of 26 participants is presented and analyzed. Based on the responses, people with lower body disabilities showed higher satisfaction with every aspect of the environment than people without disabilities, from which we can conclude that our VEE is more suitable for people with lower body disabilities.
Morphology of abalone spermatozoa before and after the acrosome reaction

Spermatozoa of the red abalone, Haliotis rufescens, consist of a bullet-shaped acrosome granule (2.5 × 1.1 μm), a nucleus (4.2 × 1.0 μm), a midpiece (0.75 × 1.3 μm) consisting of five mitochondria, a pair of centrioles and a series of vesicles, and a flagellum (45 × 0.25 μm). The large acrosome granule contains two distinct components: (1) an ovoid electron-dense body in the anterior apex of the granule (approximately 0.9 × 1.0 μm), and (2) a less dense, homogeneous material at the granule posterior. A bundle of preformed actin filaments (about 2.4 μm in length) protrude from the anteriorly located nuclear fossa into the acrosomal fossa located at the posterior of the acrosome granule. The acrosome reaction of Haliotis sperm can be triggered by 30 mM Ca2+ in the sea water, the ionophore A23187, or the aging of sperm. Upon reaction, the acrosome granule releases water-soluble components (thought to be the less electron-dense, posterior material of the granule, leaving a ghost-like empty sac with a wall approximately 0.03 μm in thickness. The extension of the actin-cored acrosome process occurs immediately after the exocytosis of the acrosome granule. The process (7 μm in length × 0.2 μm in width) extends through the sheath-like ghost of the acrosome granule. The inner surface of the ghost is studded with globules (about 0.04 μm diameter). The outer surface of the acrosome process is coated with dense material which may function in sperm-egg adhesion. Abalone sperm are of the “primitive” type of sperm morphology.
The Pan-African Brotherhood of Langston Hughes and Nnamdi Azikiwe

The African American Langston Hughes (1902–1967) and the Nigerian Nnamdi Azikiwe (1904–1996) were alumni of Lincoln University, transatlantic culture warriors, and literary collaborators. In their friendship of thirty years, the two leaders of twentieth century black discourse shared more in common than there had ever been in relationships between African and African American elites. Surprisingly, very little attention has been paid to the meeting of two great minds who individually and collectively stirred the imagination of their successors across Africa and the black Diaspora. By excavating the influences and unusual similarities in their childhood and adult experiences and by a close reading of their poetry, this paper examines the cultural kinship as well as the shared vision of social justice between Hughes and Zik.
First-order and super bounding surfaces in eolian sequences. Bounding surfaces revisited

Abstract Extensive bounding surfaces in eolian sequences form with bedform migration (first-order bounding surfaces) and hiatuses in erg development (super bounding surfaces). First-order bounding surfaces represent the floors of interdune areas between simple or compound-complex dunes (draas), and form by ordinary migration of bedforms and interdune areas within a single erg. In contrast, super surfaces represent the truncation of ergs, or portions of ergs, and are a measure of how ergs respond to changing conditions and external events. Ergs are dynamic systems whose initiation, location, evolution and termination are a function of climate, sea level, basin configuration, sediment supply, and sandflow patterns; the latter are in turn determined by regional and local winds, pressure gradients and topography. As the overall conditions for erg development in an area change from favorable to unfavorable, ergs respond relatively rapidly or with a very long lag time. This response is evidenced by three broad categories of super surfaces. These categories are: (1) surfaces originated by regional termination of ergs because of climatic causes; (2) surfaces formed by erg contraction because of changes in sea level or tectonic setting; and (3) surfaces formed by the migration of ergs. Super surfaces can represent deflation of ergs and erg deposits to the water table, to an armored lag, to a point where a protective mantle of vegetation occurs, or to a point where renewed deposition of any sort begins. Features associated with super surfaces include root structures, paleosols, evaporites, polygonal fractures, preferential cementation, lag surfaces, zibars and granule ripples, and the surface may be planar, irregular, or show degraded dune topography. Super bounding surfaces allow the recognition of genetic units within thick and laterally extensive eolian sequences, and represent tools for correlating within (and possibly between) eolian bodies. The potential exists for relating the cause of super-surface development to specific geological events. Work thus far has recognized super surfaces largely in Pennsylvanian-Permian eolian units that are coastal and associated with glacial cycles. This in part may reflect ease in recognition, and identification of less obvious super surfaces in thick, inland erg sequences may ultimately show that these sequences also consist of diachronous, unrelated erg deposits.
Numerical Control Machining and the Issue of Deskilling: An Empirical View

Empirical research and analytic thinking about the effects of numerical control (NC) machining on the skills of machinists present a mixed view of the issue. Some researchers and analysts report th...
Expression of the protein kinase p-68 recognized by the monoclonal antibody TJ4C4 in human lung neoplasms.

P68 is a protein kinase expressed by eukaryotic cells, which is inducible by alpha interferon, and is believed to be an important factor in the regulation of viral and cellular protein synthesis. We have previously reported on a monoclonal antibody, TJ4C4, which is able to specifically detect p68 in formalin-fixed, paraffinembedded tissue. Because of its important role in regulating cellular protein synthesis, we hypothesized that p68 expression would vary among lung neoplasms with level of differentiation and degree of biosynthetic activity. A total of 246 untreated primary pulmonary and pleural neoplasms were studied. The frequency and relative intensity of p68 expression was determined by light microscopic evaluation of ABC immunoperoxidase stained specimens. All categories of tumors studied demonstrated a spectrum of p68 expression. Expression of p68 correlated well with degree of differentiation in squamous cell carcinomas (SQCC) and acinar adenocarcinomas (AAC). Papillary adenocarcinoma (PAC) and bronchioalveolar carcinoma (BAC) expressed low levels of p68, despite their well differentiated appearance. Expression of the antigen in large cell carcinoma (LCC) was higher than that seen in either poorly differentiated AAC or SQCC. Neuroendocrine tumors generally showed low levels of p68 expression with the intermediate variant of small cell carcinoma expressing higher levels of p68 than the classic “oat cell” form (SCC). Carcinoid tumors expressed higher levels of p68 than did atypical carcinoid tumors. Mesotheliomas showed weak expression of p68, limited primarily to areas of glandular differentiation in the epithelioid form. Differential expression of p68 by lung and pleural neoplasms points to biologic differences among these tumors, serves as a good biological marker for cellular differentiation, and may provide clinically relevant information about individual tumor subtypes.
Bone mineral density in African–American women with symptomatic uterine leiomyoma.

Objective: Uterine leiomyoma is associated with increased BMD in Caucasian women and is largely attributed to the state of hyperestrogenemia associated with disease. This relationship, however, has not been previously described in African–American women. We aim to assess BMD in African–American women with symptomatic uterine leiomyoma. Design: Case–control study. Materials & methods: 29 African–American women with uterine leiomyoma signed an Institutional Review Board (IRB) approved consent form at a reproductive clinic of an inner city hospital in Brooklyn, NY, USA. BMD and T-score of lumbar spine was compared with a controlled group matched for age, race and BMI. BMD of lumbar spine was measured using Hologic QDR 4200 in both groups. Data are presented as mean ± SEM. Results: For the entire study population the mean age (years) was 42.07 ± 1.15, and the BMI (kg/m2) was 29.37 ± 0.93 in patients with uterine leiomyoma and 30.07 ± 1.06 for the control group (p = 0.07). There was a significant difference in...
CINNIC, a new computational algorithm for the modeling of early visual contour integration in humans

Abstract In order to gain a better understanding of visual saliency, we have developed algorithm which simulates the phenomenon of contour integration for the purpose of visual saliency. The model developed consists of the classical butterfly pattern of connection between orientation selective neurons in the primary visual cortex. In addition, we also add a local group suppression gain control to eliminate extraneous noise and a fast plasticity term which helps to account for closure effect often observed in humans exposed to closed contour maps. Results from real world images suggest that our algorithm is effective at picking out reasonable contours from a scene. The results improved with the introduction of both the fast plasticity and group suppression. An addition of multi-scale analysis has also increased the effectiveness as well.
The Effects of Directed Art Activities on the Behavior of Young Children with Disabilities: A Multi-Element Baseline Analysis

AbstractThe effects of directed art activities on the behavior of two preschool children and one kindergarten child with disabilities in a rural classroom were examined. A multi-element baseline design across participants was used to compare directed art activities with typical preschool art activities. The behaviors measured were aggression, eye contact, and social initiation. Each art activity directed by the teacher focused on an affective concept such as anger or happiness. The control condition used the same art materials as the directed art activity, and the children chose how they would use the materials. The results indicated that the directed art activity had a larger effect than the control condition on the social behavior of two children, while the control condition generated little effect. Neither art activity had a measurable effect on the targeted behavior of the third child. Implications for use by preschool and other teachers were suggested.
Automation and robotics and related technology issues for Space Station customer servicing

Several flight servicing support elements are discussed within the context of the Space Station. Particular attention is given to the servicing facility, the mobile servicing center, and the flight telerobotic servicer (FTS). The role that automation and robotics can play in the design and operation of each of these elements is discussed. It is noted that the FTS, which is currently being developed by NASA, will evolve to increasing levels of autonomy to allow for the virtual elimination of routine EVA. Some of the features of the FTS will probably be: dual manipulator arms having reach and dexterity roughly equivalent to that of an EVA-suited astronaut, force reflection capability allowing efficient teleoperation, and capability of operating from a variety of support systems.
An experimental printed circuit board drilling system automated by pattern recognition

Abstract The two-dimensional image processing necessary for closed-loop control of automated printed circuit board drilling and a mechanical prototype capable of drilling simulated printed-circuit boards are described. A single closed-loop correction of position permits correction of errors introduced by vidicon camera positional nonlinearity, noise, irregular lighting, inaccuracy of transformational constants, and mechanical slippage. These errors are corrected to an acceptable degree and in a short enough time that automatic drilling may present a challenge to manual drilling labor costs.
Tolerability of β-Blockers in Outpatients with Refractory Heart Failure Who Were Receiving Continuous Milrinone

Study Objective. To investigate the dosing, tolerability, and outcomes associated with the use of concomitant β-blockers and inotropic therapy in patients with refractory heart failure during the first 6 months of their therapy. Design. Retrospective review. Setting. University-based, tertiary care heart failure and transplant center. Patients. Sixteen inotrope-dependent outpatients with end-stage refractory heart failure who were receiving continuous intravenous milrinone. Of these patients, 12 also received an oral β-blocker; the remaining four patients who did not receive β-blockers served as the comparator group. Measurements and Main Results. For each patient, the initial and final study drug doses of continuous intravenous milrinone and oral β-blocker treatment, when applicable, were recorded over the 6-month period. Mean heart rate, blood pressure, ejection fraction, and oxygen consumption were measured, and 95% confidence intervals were calculated. Serum sodium and creatinine concentrations, as well as the creatinine clearance, were measured. In the 12 patients who received concomitant milrinone and β-blockers, the mean baseline ejection fraction was approximately 18%, and they received milrinone for 18.6 weeks. Seven patients received carvedilol for 16.1 weeks, and five received metoprolol tartrate for 17.6 weeks. Dosages of the β-blockers were titrated. Final daily doses were carvedilol 42.8 mg (95% confidence interval 20.3–65.4) and metoprolol 42.5 mg (95% confidence interval 28.0–57.2). Patients continued to receive other standard oral drug therapy for heart failure. One patient discontinued metoprolol and one discontinued carvedilol because of hypotension and/or worsening heart failure. Cardiac adverse events in the concomitant milrinone plus β-blocker group were heart failure requiring hospitalization in 10 patients and ventricular arrhythmias in one. Conclusion. Inotrope-dependent patients with refractory end-stage heart failure tolerated continuous intravenous milrinone plus β-blockers in addition to diuretics and vasodilators for the 6-month observation period. β-Blocker dosages were titrated, and three patients achieved the target β-blocker dosage established for stage A-C heart failure. Additional studies are needed to determine the optimal selection and dosing of drug combinations in this population.
UM PROJETO INTERDISCIPLINAR NO CURSO DE ENGENHARIA DE CONTROLE E AUTOMAÇÃO

DOI: 10.14684/intertech.13.2014.247-251 This paper aims to report the academic experience of the teachers of the Course Control Engineering and Automation in interdisciplinary activities. Awaken the student to the process of learning theoretical and practical characteristic of professional reality. Create a culture of "learning to learn". Teaching activities involving the disciplines of electrical circuits and electronics led to technical debates, discussions, exercises, labs and presentations of practical applications. The results are breaks barriers between disciplines and construction of the link between knowledge of various areas of engineering. Consolidating learning in projects with practical applications, both in academia and in professional activities for the future engineer. This experience reflected in subsequent periods of the course, as the student begins to manipulate information fragmented to transform them into new knowledge, reflecting the maturity to integrate information from each discipline. Index Terms - Engineering Education, Interdisciplinarity, Project Practice.
Use of complementary and alternative medicine among women with gynecologic cancers.

Abstract Objective. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence and types of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) usage by women with gynecologic cancer in an outpatient midwestern university practice. Methods. Any patient with a gynecologic cancer seen in the outpatient clinic of the gynecologic oncology division at Washington University over a 3-month period was eligible, excluding those patients with a new cancer diagnosis. Subjects completed a questionnaire anonymously. Two by two comparisons were made using the Fisher exact test and P was considered significant at P Results. Nearly half (49.6%) of 113 respondents had used CAM since being diagnosed with cancer. Characteristics significantly associated with CAM use include annual income greater than $30,000, cancer site of origin other than the cervix, and use of CAM prior to cancer diagnosis. Users with annual incomes greater than $30,000 were significantly more likely to use CAM in the "other" category that included acupuncture, reflexology, and electromagnetic therapy. Fewer than 25% of CAM users received information regarding CAM from a physician, nurse, or practitioner of CAM. Women used CAM in hopes of achieving a wide range of potential benefits including both improved well-being and anti-cancer effects. The most common actual benefit these women perceived was an improvement in psychosocial well-being, including increased hope or optimism. Conclusions. American patients with gynecologic cancer frequently use CAM in addition to standard medical therapy. Oncologists caring for women with gynecologic cancer should initiate a dialogue about usage of CAM, discussing the potential adverse effects of CAM and the patient's therapeutic goals.
Self-assembled liquid-crystalline gels designed from the bottom up.

Liquid crystals are often combined with polymers to influence the liquid crystals' orientation and mechanical properties, but at the expense of reorientation speed or uniformity of alignment. We introduce a new method to create self-assembled nematic liquid-crystal gels using an ABA triblock copolymer with a side-group liquid-crystalline midblock and liquid-crystal-phobic endblocks. In contrast to in situ polymerized networks, these physical gels are homogeneous systems with a solubilized polymer network giving them exceptional optical uniformity and well-defined crosslink density. Furthermore, the unusually high-molecular-weight polymers used allow gels to form at lower concentrations than previously accessible. This enables these gels to be aligned by surface anchoring, shear, or magnetic fields. The high content of small-molecule liquid crystal (≥95%) allows access to a regime of fast reorientation dynamics.
Arab Politics and the Rise of Palestinian Nationalism

In the past, analyses of the development of Palestinian nationalism have tended to overemphasize the role played by Zionism and underrate the internal Arab factors that led to the rise, not only of Palestinian nationalism, but of other local Arab nationalisms as well. In the case of Arab writers, those who embraced nationalism-whether its local (wataniyyah) or pan-Arab (qawmiyyah) variety-were inclined to blame the problems and contradictions of the Arab national movements on the forces of European imperialism. They tended to regard the political forces that emerged in the Arab lands east of Suez after the dismemberment of the Ottoman Empire as the result of a struggle with an alien power or movement. On the other hand, Zionist writers, preoccupied as they were with the local Palestinian scene, often overlooked the larger Arab arena in which Palestinian politics evolved. 1 Such interpretations do not stand up to a close examination of the evidence. The political entities that struggled for independence in the territories east of Suez after World War I were new creations, fashioned from the debris of the Ottoman Empire by the statesmen of foreign, colonial powers. After the final defeat of the Ottoman Empire, the old order of political allegiance to the dynastic sovereign of the Islamic state was
Heat transfer through convection in a quasi-one-dimensional magnetic fluid

A magnetic fluid consists of magnetic nanoparticles suspended in nonmagnetic solvent. The buoyancy-induced natural convection is observed in a quasi-one-dimensional magnetic fluid in a horizontal temperature gradient. The local temperatures across the sample were measured by eight thermal sensors in the sample cell in both zero field and as a function of applied field, which is perpendicular to the gravity. In applied magnetic field and field gradient, it was found that when the field gradient is anti-parallel to the temperature gradient the temperature difference across the whole sample, ∆T, increases with increasing field and field gradient, indicating the slowing down of the convective heat transfer. ΔT decreases for field gradient parallel to the temperature gradient, suggesting the speeding up the heat transfer process. We will discuss the possible mechanism for these phenomena. The potential applications in controlling heat transfer in fluids with applied fields will be discussed.
Precision Wavelength and Isotopic Shift Measurements of Germanium Arc Lines

The employment of an atomic beam light source and of interferometric equipment made it possible to obtain information about the line structure and precision wavelength of eight Ge I lines arising from transitions between the lowest even and odd energy levels of germanium. Despite the high resolving power employed, it was impossible to observe line splittings. By comparing the total width of the lines with that expected from the beam data one can estimate that the isotope shift between consecutive even Ge isotopes is smaller than 0.005 ${\mathrm{cm}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}$. The wavelength of the center of gravity of the different lines however, could be determined within \ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.00004 A. This limit of error is in agreement with the wave number deviations obtained by the application of the Ritz combination principle.
The mall as bazaar: How kiosks influence consumer shopping behaviour

The addition of kiosks (e.g. pushcarts, stalls, etc.) to malls has changed the mall environment. However, no research to our knowledge has been conducted to determine if that change has been received positively or negatively by shoppers. Our study investigates how kiosks and kiosk salespeople affect consumers' emotional responses and shopping behaviours towards the mall. Using a between-subjects design, we found that the very presence of kiosks negatively affects shoppers' perceptions of the mall environment. Whether a kiosk salesperson was aggressive or passive had virtually the same effect upon shoppers. Similarly, passive kiosk salespeople and the absence of kiosks resulted in relatively the same level of arousal on shoppers, while aggressive salespeople caused a higher level of arousal than either of the other two conditions. This contributes to the extant literature on retail atmospherics and perceptions of retail salesperson behaviours.
Parameterized Kernel Principal Component Analysis: Theory and applications to supervised and unsupervised image alignment

Parameterized appearance models (PAMs) (e.g. eigen-tracking, active appearance models, morphable models) use principal component analysis (PCA) to model the shape and appearance of objects in images. Given a new image with an unknown appearance/shape configuration, PAMs can detect and track the object by optimizing the modelpsilas parameters that best match the image. While PAMs have numerous advantages for image registration relative to alternative approaches, they suffer from two major limitations: First, PCA cannot model non-linear structure in the data. Second, learning PAMs requires precise manually labeled training data. This paper proposes parameterized kernel principal component analysis (PKPCA), an extension of PAMs that uses Kernel PCA (KPCA) for learning a non-linear appearance model invariant to rigid and/or non-rigid deformations. We demonstrate improved performance in supervised and unsupervised image registration, and present a novel application to improve the quality of manual landmarks in faces. In addition, we suggest a clean and effective matrix formulation for PKPCA.
New theory of radiative energy transfer in free electromagnetic fields

A new theory of radiative energy transfer in free, statistically stationary electromagnetic fields is presented. It provides a model for energy transport that is rigorous within the framework of the stochastic theory of the classical field as well as within the framework of the theory of the quantized field. Unlike the usual phenomenological model of radiative energy transfer that centers around a single scalar quantity (the specific intensity of radiation), our theory brings into evidence the need for characterizing the energy transport by means of two (related) quantities: a scalar and a vector that may be identified, in a well-defined sense, with "angular components" of the average electromagnetic energy density and of the average Poynting vector, respectively. Both of them are defined in terms of invariants of certain new electromagnetic correlation tensors. In the special case when the field is statistically homogeneous our model reduces to the usual one and our angular component of the average electromagnetic energy density, when multiplied by the vacuum speed of light, then acquires all the properties of the specific intensity of radiation. When the field is not statistically homogeneous our model reduces in good approximation to the usual phenomenological one, provided that the angular correlations between plane wave modes of the field extend over a sufficiently small solid angle of directions about the direction of propagation of each mode. It is tentatively suggested that, when suitably normalized, our angular component of the average electromagnetic energy density may be interpreted as a quasiprobability (general quantum-mechanical phase-space distribution function, such as Wigner's) for the position and the momentum of a photon.
Hadronic remnants in W and Z production

It is proposed that in p-barp..-->..(W/sup + -/ or Z)+hadrons, the remaining hadrons should behave on the whole like products of e/sup +/e/sup -/ annihilations at a squared c.m. energy s = s(1-x/sub 1/)(1-x/sub 2/), where x/sub 1/x/sub 2/ = (M/sub WorZ/)/sup 2//s, x/sub 1/-x/sub 2/ = p/sub WorZ//p/sub beam/. This allows one to anticipate gross features of e/sup +/e/sup -/..-->..hadrons up to c.m. energies of ..sqrt..s -M/sub W/orZ (up to 450 or 460 GeV for the present CERN collider, and up to nearly 1 TeV at the Fermilab Tevatron).
A new universal right-hand rule

The introduction of students to magnetic fields and to electromagnetic-mechanical reactions should be concurrent with the arbitrary definitions of co-ordinates for the directed physical quantities. This conserves the time and energy of the instructor and students alike. The single new rule described supersedes both of Fleming's hand rules (dated 1885). It substantially reduces errors in applications, for students need remember only which is their right hand!
Localization of sodium channels in axon hillocks and initial segments of retinal ganglion cells

Affinity-purified antibodies against the sodium channel from rat brain were employed to localize sodium channels in the retina by immunocytochemical procedures. In rat retina, intense staining was observed in the ganglion cell axon layer and light staining was detected in fibers of the inner plexiform layer. In frog retina, only the ganglion cell axon layer was stained. Examination at higher magnification revealed that axon hillocks and initial segments of ganglion cells had a high density of immunoreactive sodium channels, whereas the cell bodies were devoid of stain. The sharply defined region of high sodium channel density at the axon hillock is likely to be responsible for the low threshold for action potential initiation in this region of vertebrate central neurons.
Statistical signal processing for detection of buried land mines using quadrupole resonance

Quadrupole resonance (QR) is a technique that discriminates mines from clutter by exploiting unique properties of explosives, rather than the attributes of the mine that exist in many forms of anthropic clutter. After exciting the explosive with a properly designed electromagnetic-induction (EMI) system, one attempts to sense late-time spin echoes, which are characterized by radiation at particular frequencies. It is this narrow-band radiation that indicates the present of explosives, since this effect is not seen in most clutter, both natural and anthropic. However, explosives detection via QR is complicated by several practical issues. First, the late-time radiation is often very weak, particularly for TNT, and therefore the signal- to-noise ratio must be high for extracting the QR response. Further, the frequency at which the radiation occurs is often a strong function of the background environment, and therefore in practice the QR radiation frequency is not known a priori. Also, at frequencies of interest, there is a significant amount of background radiation, which induces radio frequency interference (RFI). In addition, the response properties of the system are sensitive to the height of the sensor above the ground, and the QR sensor effectively becomes 'de-tuned'. Finally, present QR systems cannot detect the explosive in metal-cased mines, thus the system and associated signal processing must be extended to also operate as a metal detector. Previously, we have shown that adaptive noise cancellation techniques, in particular, the least-mean-square algorithm, provide an effective means of RFI mitigation and can dramatically improve QR detection. In this paper we discuss several signal processing tools we have developed to further enhance the utility of QR explosives detection. In particular, with regard to the uncertainties concerning the background environment and sensor height, we explore statistical signal processing strategies to rigorously account for the inherent variability in these parameters.
Coparticipant effects on subjects' decisions to consent for risk-involving research.

Abstract This experiment tested the effect of coparticipants' consent decisions on Ss' decisions to consent or refuse consent for an experiment which involved risk of moderate electric shock. Females accompanied by one or two confederates who refused consent were more likely to refuse consent than females administered consent procedures alone or accompanied by one or two confederates who consented. Males were significantly less influenced by coparticipants than were females. Females believed that the research presented more physical risk to them than did males, and those refusing consent reported more concern about the experiment than did females who consented.
Observations of Three Suspected Cataclysmic Variables

ABSTRACT We have obtained photometric and spectroscopic observations of the suspected cataclysmic variable stars VW Tucanae, Phe 1, and Scl 2. VW Tuc and Phe 1 are confirmed as cataclysmic variables (CVs). VW Tuc has the spectrum of a “normal,” disk‐accreting CV. Phe 1 is a double‐lined spectroscopic binary that may have a short orbital period—a time‐resolved spectroscopic study of the kinematics in this system could have important implications to the understanding of CV structure and evolution. Scl 2 appears to be a non‐CV composed of a late‐type dwarf emission (dMe) star with a (noninteracting) white dwarf or hot subdwarf companion.