cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Abscisic acid or high osmoticum promote accumulation of long-chain fatty acids in developing embryos of Brassica napus

The effects of abscisic acid (ABA) and restricted water uptake on lipid synthesis by early cotyledon stage embryos of Brassica napus L. cv. Nugget were analyzed by comparing fatty acid content and composition of embryos developing in situ with that of embryos cultured on media for up to 3 days with or without ABA (0.1 μM, 1 μM or 10 μM) or sorbitol (0.69 M). Although embryo lipid content increased under all conditions tested, both high exogenous ABA and high osmoticum stimulated preferential accumulation of eicosenoic acid and erucic acids, the predominant fatty acid constituents of storage lipids. In addition, cultured embryos accumulated significantly less oleic acid and had higher levels of linoleic and linolenic acid than embryos which remained on the plant, irrespective of exogenous ABA levels. These observations suggest that ABA or osmotic conditions influence the distribution of fatty acids between the pathways leading to desaturation or elongation, but some other factor(s), not duplicated by the culture treatment, control the availability of substrate for these pathways.
Steganalysis in resized images

It is well known that the security of a given steganographic algorithm strongly depends on the statistical properties of the cover source. In this paper, we study how downsampling affects steganographic security. The secure payload no longer scales according to the square-root law because resizing changes the statistical properties of the cover source. We demonstrate this experimentally for various types of resizing algorithms and their settings and thoroughly interpret the results. Modeling digital images as Markov chains allows us to compute the Fisher information rate for the simplest resizing algorithm with the box kernel and derive the proper scaling of the secure payload with resizing. The theory fits experimental data, which indicates the existence of a new scaling law expressing the length of secure payload when the cover length is not modified by adding or removing pixels but, instead, by subsampling. Since both steganography and steganalysis is today commonly evaluated through controlled experiments on resized images (e.g., the BOSSbase), the effect of resizing on security is of utmost importance to practitioners.
Treatment of PL/J mice with the superantigen, staphylococcal enterotoxin B, prevents development of experimental allergic encephalomyelitis.

Abstract Experimental allergic encephalomyelitis (EAE), an antigen induced autoimmune disease, is mediated by Vβ8+ CD4+ T cells in PL/J mice after injection with the autoantigen, myelin basic protein (MBP). Recently the superantigen, staphylococcal enterotoxin B (SEB), has been shown to peripherally anergize and delete T cells in a Vβ specific manner. By treatment of PL/J mice with SEB, we have been able to protect PL/J mice from the development of EAE. Two-color FACS analysis of the spleens of SEB treated mice showed depletion of Vβ8+ CD4+ T cells. Consistent with this observation, spleen cells of SEB treated mice that did not show signs of EAE could not be stimulated in vitro with SEB but did respond to SEA. Thus, Vβ specific superantigens may prove to be a preventive therapy for autoimmune diseases mediated by Vβ specific T lymphocytes.
Earnings Management Through Effective Tax Rates: The Effects of Tax Planning Investment and the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002

Dhaliwal, Gleason, and Mills (DGM 2004) document that firms manage earnings through decreases in effective tax rates (ETRs) between the third and fourth quarters. We investigate how firms' investments in tax planning impact this association between ETR changes and earnings management incentives. We also study two additional questions related to this association. First, we examine the impact of firms' choices to purchase tax services from providers other than their auditors on their use of third-to-fourth-quarter ETR changes. Second, we explore whether the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (SOX) altered firms' propensity to engage in earnings management using changes in ETRs. For firms that would miss consensus earnings forecasts in the absence of ETR changes, higher tax service fees paid to auditors are associated with greater reductions in ETRs between the third and fourth quarters. Among firms that do not purchase tax services from their auditors, companies that would miss their earnings forecasts absent ETR changes also experience greater third-to-fourth-quarter reductions in ETRs than companies that would otherwise meet or beat these estimates. We find no statistically significant impact of the passage of SOX on the relation between tax fees paid to auditors and third-to-fourth-quarter decreases in ETRs for firms that would miss their earnings targets without managing tax expense. However, for firms not purchasing tax services from their auditors, a negative association exists between third-to-fourth-quarter ETR changes and missing income goals absent ETR changes in the pre-SOX period, but our tests fail to detect this relation in the post-SOX period.
Perceptual-Motor Attributes of Normal School Children: A Factor Analytic Study:

Summary.-The intercorrelations among items of the Purdue Perceptualmotor Survey, previously established by Roach and Kephart using a sample of 200 school children of average intelligence, were subjected to factorial analysis, which led to definition of 9 factors, of which 7 were defined by high loadings of a single subtest: I, Walking board; 11, Chalkboard; 111, Ocular pursuits; V, Rhythmic writing; VI, Form perception; VII, Obstacle course; VIII, Kraus-Weber. The quasi-singlet character of these factors in relation to subtests in the present study was contrasted with the pronounced associations becween subtesrs in an earlier factor analytic study of the Purdue Perceptual-motor Survey scores of mentally retarded persons. Four neurological dysfunction patterns of the mentally retarded were hypothesized: dysfunctions of A, postural dimensionality; B, shoulder-arm movement; C, laterality; and D, ocular control. In a recent study (Neeman, 1971b) seven factors of perceptual-motor attributes of the mentally retarded were defined: A, postural dimensionality; B, shoulder-arm movement factor; C, laterality; D, ocular control; E, intelligence; F, developmental factor; and G, cultural sex bias factor. The definition of such factors is useful in the construct validation of measures of perceptual-motor function and development, and is important in the design and evaluation of perceptual-motor training programs (Alley & Carr, 1968; Fisher, 1969; Maloney, Ball, & Edgar, 1970). The definition of associations among neurobehavioral parameters in relation to perceptual-motor dysfunctions requires a juxtaposition of comparable factorial structures from studies of a normal and a dysfunction group, as in the factor analytic study of Ayres (1965), who hypothesized five interpretable perceptual-motor dysfunction syndromes in school children of average intelligence: (a) developmental apraxia, distinguished by deficits in
Microscopic Selection Principle for a Diffusion-Reaction Equation

We consider a model of stochastically interacting particles on ℤ, where each site is assumed to be empty or occupied by at most one particle. Particles jump to each empty neighboring site with rateγ/2 and also create new particles with rate 1/2 at these sites. We show that as seen from the rightmost particle, this process has precisely one invariant distribution. The average velocity of this particle V(γ) then satisfiesγ−1/2V(γ)→\(\sqrt 2 \) asγ→∞. This limit corresponds to that of the macroscopic density obtained by rescaling lengths by a factorγ1/2 and lettingγ→∞. This density solves the reaction-diffusion equation\(u_t = \tfrac{1}{2}u_{xx} + u(1 - u)\), and under Heaviside initial data converges to a traveling wave moving at the same rate\(\sqrt 2 \).
Late Life Health Behavior Integrating Health Beliefs and Temporal Perspectives

This article outlines psychosocial model for studying health behavior in later adulthood. Fundamental elements from the Health Belief Model are integrated with concepts of temporal perspective, forming the basis of process-oriented stages which compose the proposed framework. Considerations relating to the older adult's family support network are incorporated at selected points in the decision-making process. Indications in theory and research suggest the potential feasibility of such an integration and its relevance for older adults. Provision for a focus upon long-term treatment of chronic conditions occurs through inclusion of feedback from successive contacts with the health care system. Special attention should be given to the perceived severity of a target condition, since actual or perceived time pressure to seek treatment may have significant impact on the complexity and scope of one's decision process.
Quantitative analysis of monovalent counterion binding to random-sequence, double-stranded DNA using the replacement ion method.

A variation of affinity capillary electrophoresis, called the replacement ion (RI) method, has been developed to measure the binding of monovalent cations to random sequence, double-stranded (ds) DNA. In this method, the ionic strength is kept constant by gradually replacing a non-binding ion in the solution with a binding ion and measuring the mobility of binding and non-binding analytes as a function of binding ion concentration. The method was validated by measuring the binding of Li+ ions to adenosine nucleotides; the apparent dissociation constants obtained by the RI method are comparable to literature values obtained by other methods. The binding of Tris+, NH4+, Li+, Na+, and K+ to dsDNA was then investigated. The apparent dissociation constants observed for counterion binding to a random-sequence 26-base pair (bp) oligomer ranged from 71 mM for Tris+ to 173 mM for Na+ and K+. Hence, positively charged Tris buffer ions will compete with other monovalent cations in Tris-buffered solutions. The bound ...
Medical and Health-Related Services More Than Treating Boo-Boos and Ouchies

School nurses are increasingly becoming an important part of public schools. Special educators and administrators should expect that the health services department will be involved in the special education process during identification, evaluation, and Individualized Education Program planning and implementation, especially for students who are medically involved. This article provides an overview of the role of the school nurse serving as an educational catalyst in the school, with particular emphasis on services for children with health and medical needs to ensure that the students may access an appropriate education in the school environment.
Renal cell osteopontin production is stimulated by calcium oxalate monohydrate crystals

Specific anions in tubular fluid, including uropontin (UP), the urinary form of human osteopontin (OPN), block adhesion to renal tubular cells of the most common crystal in kidney stones, calcium oxalate monohydrate (COM). In this study, monkey renal epithelial cells (BSC-1 line) in monolayer culture constitutively secreted UP into the culture medium. COM crystals added to the medium avidly bound previously secreted UP, reducing its concentration by 46% one hour later. However, the net UP content of cultures after a 24-hour exposure to COM crystals was increased by 18%. Northern blotting showed that the constitutively expressed gene encoding human OPN was maximally stimulated in BSC-1 cells after exposure to COM crystals for 12 hours. Two other calcium-containing crystals, hydroxyapatite and brushite, did not alter OPN gene expression or protein production. OPN mRNA expression was enhanced in canine renal epithelial cells (MDCK line) after exposure to COM crystals for six hours, whereas the constitutive expression of murine OPN mRNA by 3T3 fibroblasts was unchanged. In vivo this glycoprotein could defend the cell against adhesion of crystals in tubular fluid, and/or promote renal interstitial fibrosis in subjects with heavy crystalluria.
Association of blood pressure elevation and nocturnal dipping with brain atrophy, perfusion and functional measures in stroke and nonstroke individuals

Background Although both blood pressure elevation and lower nocturnal dipping increase vascular risk, it is not known whether either or both are also associated with brain atrophy, cerebral perfusion, and functional status. Methods We investigated the association of elevated blood pressure and nocturnal dipping based on 24-h ambulatory recordings with brain atrophy and perfusion and functional status in 80 older adults with and without stroke (age 66.4 +/- 0.8 years, 51% women, 16% nonwhite, 46% prior ischemic stroke, 55% hypertension). Anatomical and three-dimensional continuous arterial spin labeling (CASL) brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) measuring volumes and perfusion and 24-h ambulatory blood pressure readings were completed. Results Nocturnal dipping of lesser magnitude in systolic (nonstroke: P = 0.03; stroke: P = 0.005) and pulse pressure (PP; nonstroke: P = 0.002; stroke: P = 0.01) was associated with greater brain atrophy, affecting preferentially the fronto-parietal regions. Dipping of lesser magnitude in systolic blood pressure (SBP; nonstroke: P = 0.01; stroke: P = 0.03) and greater brain atrophy (nonstroke: P = 0.04; stroke: P = 0.05) were also associated with slower gait speed and worse functional outcome after stroke. Higher 24-h blood pressure averages were associated with lower cerebral perfusion but not atrophy in those with and without stroke. Conclusions In those with and without stroke, dipping of lesser magnitude in systolic and PP is associated with brain atrophy and worse functional status. Nocturnal dipping, in addition to elevated blood pressure, should be considered as an additional important target in the clinical evaluation of those at risk for cerebrovascular disease or functional loss.
Use of Multinational Data to Improve National Evaluations of Holstein Bulls

The usefulness of multinational data for the improvement of national estimates of genetic merit of Holstein bulls was assessed. For 222 bulls, combined US-Canadian evaluations and evaluations from the US only from January 1993 for milk, fat, and protein yields were compared with their US only evaluations from August 1997. The correlations between the 1993 and 1997 evaluations and the standard deviations of differences in evaluations from added data favored the evaluations from the US only because of a part-whole relationship; often 1997 data were largely from US only data from 1993. However, the results for 35 bulls with reliability increases of >5% indicated that combining US and Canadian evaluations improved the prediction of future evaluations. The value of foreign data also was assessed from national and international evaluations on the scales of Canada, Germany, and the US. The changes from 1996 national evaluations to either 1996 international evaluations or 1997 national evaluations were compared to determine whether adding international data at the earlier time could provide a useful prediction of subsequent change in national evaluations. Although the degree of agreement among differences from added national and international data varied, international evaluations did provide useful information beyond the more limited national data available at the same time.
Cotton Insect Research at Tallulah, Louisiana

The Tallulah laboratory, often called the Delta Laboratory, Southern Field Crop Insect Investigations Bureau of Entomology, U. S. Department of Agriculture, was established on July 1, 1909, or thereabouts, with R. A. Cushman in charge. He remained in charge until November 1910 and was succeeded by G. D. Smith, who held the position until the spring of 1915, at which time he was succeeded by B. R. Coad. The cotton insect investigations at Tallulah were in the Division of Southern Field Crop Insect Investigations and were directed by W. D. Hunter from 19091 to 1925. Shortly after Dr. Hunter's death on October 13, 1925, the Division of Cotton Insect Investigations was created With B. R. Coad in charge. Headquarters for the Division was at Tallulah. L. O. Howard was Chief of the Bureau of Entomology when the laboratory was established. B. R. Coad remained in charge of the Division of Cotton Insect Investigations until January 27, 1931, and was succeeded by F. C. Bishopp. Dr. Bishopp remained in charge until June 20, 1931, at which time he was succeeded by R. W. Harned. The division headquarters was moved from Tallulah to Washington, D. C., in January 1931 and the writer was placed in charge of the laboratory at Tallulah.
"Pull down thy vanity": a discussion of "the analyst's hatred of analysis"

(2013). “Pull Down Thy Vanity”: a Discussion of “The Analyst’s Hatred of Analysis”. The Psychoanalytic Quarterly: Vol. 82, No. 1, pp. 133-140.
Size-Exclusion Chromatography in the Measurement of Concentration and Molecular Weight of Some EOR Polymers

Procedures that involve the use of size exclusion chromatography (SEC) for the measurement of concentration and weight-averaged molecular weight, M-bar/sub w/, of some EOR polymers were developed and found to give improved detectability, accuracy, and/or efficiency. The separation of polymer from low-molecular-weight impurities by size allows unambiguous detection of polymer properties such as concentration and M-bar/sub w/. A combination of an SEC column of a pore size small enough to exclude the polymer totally and a mobile phase of ionic strength of 1.5 was found suitable for the separation of polyacrylamide, partially hydrolyzed polyacrylamide, cationic polyacrylamide derivative, and xanthan polysaccharide from impurities. Concentration detection of the separated polymer sample with a variable-wavelength ultraviolet (UV) detector was found to give superior detectability over detection by refractive index difference. A wavelength of 214 nm (2,140 A) was used for the detection of these polymers on the basis of the spectra of samples purified by dialysis. With the active polymer assay determined by reprecipitation into a nonsolvent, the detection limit by UV was determined to be <0.1 ..mu..g/cm/sup 3/ for polyacrylamide and a cationic polyacrylamide derivative, <0.2 ..mu..g/cm/sup 3/ for partially hydrolyzed polyacrylamide, and <0.7 ..mu..g/cm/sup 3/ for a xanthan polysaccharide. The linearmore » calibration range was up to 500 ..mu..g/cm/sup 3/. The precision of the concentration measurement was better than 4% for polyacrylamide and its derivative and 5% for polysaccharide at a 95% confidence level.« less
Quantitative autoradiography of sodium-dependent [3H]d-aspartate binding sites in rat brain

Abstract In vitro autoradiography was employed to localize and quantify Na-dependent [ 3 H] d -aspartate binding sites in rat brain. LKB autoradiograms revealed a 15-fold variation in the concentration of [ 3 H] d -aspartate binding sites among 40 brain regions. These results indicate that high-affinity uptakes sites for aspartic and/or glutamic acid are present ubiquitously, though not uniformlly, throughout the rat brain.
Toward an ultra-high resolution community climate system model for the BlueGene platform

Global climate models need to simulate several small, regional-scale processes which affect the global circulation in order to accurately simulate the climate. This is particularly important in the ocean where small scale features such as oceanic eddies are currently represented with adhoc parameterizations. There is also a need for higher resolution to provide climate predictions at small, regional scales. New high-performance computing platforms such as the IBM BlueGene can provide the necessary computational power to perform ultra-high resolution climate model integrations. We have begun to investigate the scaling of the individual components of the Community Climate System Model to prepare it for integrations on BlueGene and similar platforms. Our investigations show that it is possible to successfully utilize (32K) processors. We describe the scalability of five models: the Parallel Ocean Program (POP), the Community Ice CodE (CICE), the Community Land Model (CLM), and the new CCSM sequential coupler (CPL7) which are components of the next generation Community Climate System Model (CCSM); as well as the High-Order Method Modeling Environment (HOMME) which is a dynamical core currently being evaluated within the Community Atmospheric Model. For our studies we concentrate on 1/10° resolution for CICE, POP, and CLM models and 1/4° resolution for HOMME. The ability to simulate high resolutions on the massively parallel petascale systems that will dominate high-performance computing for the foreseeable future is essential to the advancement of climate science.
Measurement of very short time lags

THE time lag of electrical breakdown of various air gaps and solid insulations is of particular importance in co-ordination1 of insulation for transient lightning surges. Generally, time lag of breakdown is in part a function of chance ionization conditions in the breakdown path and therefore the measurements become often of a statistical nature.2 Thus, where a large number of measurements are to be made, a direct method giving immediate readings free from the delays of photographic development would be a valuable auxiliary to cathode-ray oscillography.
Operational satellite products for global change: Current research and development activities

Abstract By virtue of their global coverage, versatile instrumentation, and commitment to long-term observations, the polar orbiting operational meteorological satellites can play a major role in the observing system required for the global change research program. Research and development activities to extract climatically significant variables from the satellite radiance observations during real-time processing are reviewed. These include efforts to improve exiting global products, such as sea surface temperature, vegetation index, planetary radiation budget, snow cover and sea ice, atmospheric soundings, and ozone, as well as development of new products, including cloud amount and height, precipitation, atmospheric aerosols, and surface radiation budget. Particular emphasis is placed on the science behind these remote sensing R&D activities and the results being obtained.
Effect of spatial inhomogeneities on the rate of homogeneous nucleation in systems with aerosol particles

The presence of growing particles in a system leads to spatial inhomogeneities in the vapor concentration. The effect of these spatial variations on the rate of formation of new particles by homogeneous nucleation is examined theoretically using a cell model. Results indicate that the presence of these inhomogeneities in systems both with and without initial aerosol has generally little effect on the final number concentration of particles following a nucleation "event."
High‐resolution variable flip angle 3D MR imaging of trabecular microstructure in vivo

Two conceptually related variable-flip-angle 3D spin-echo pulse sequences were designed for imaging at voxel sizes of 2-5 x 10(-3) mm3 corresponding to pixel areas of less than 100 x 100 microns2 and section thicknesses on the order of 300-400 microns on a conventional 1.5 T MR imaging system equipped with 1 G/cm imaging field gradients, providing 12 sections in 10 min imaging time. The pulse sequences make use of the concept of restoring longitudinal magnetization inverted by the 180 degrees phase reversal pulse and are derivatives of pulse sequences previously dubbed "FATE" and "RASEE." It is shown that even in the small-voxel regime (< 10(-2) mm3 voxel size) and at echo times on the order of 10 ms, gradient echo images are sensitive to intrinsic fields causing artifactual boundary effects, including signal loss from intravoxel phase scrambling and spatial mismapping. At this resolution the variable flip-angle spin-echo pulse sequences are demonstrated to be better suited for imaging magnetically heterogeneous systems such as trabecular bone microstructure in vivo. These pulse sequences are found to be substantially less sensitive to distortions from magnetic dipole fields occurring at the boundaries of two phases of different magnetic permeability.
Mathematical models for saltwater intrusion in coastal aquifers

Flow of freshwater and saltwater intrusion in coastal aquifers has drawn the attention of many investigators. Several laboratory, as well as mathematical models have been developed to study the pattern of flow of groundwater in coastal aquifers. Mathematical models have wider range of application and are the concern of this paper. Due to the complex nature of the problem, each of these mathematical models are based on certain simplifying assumptions and approximations. This paper presents a critical review of various methods of solution which have been proposed. The validity of the results abtained and the limitations of these models are also discussed.
Stability of Bovine Adrenal Medulla Cells in Culture

The functional stability of primary cultures of adrenal medulla cells was investigated. Isolated cells were prepared by treatment of bovine adrenal glands with collagenase followed by purification on Percoll density gradients and were maintained in Dulbecco's medium containing 10% fetal calf serum. Within 12 h after plating on plastic culture dishes, the cells became firmly attached and exhibited good survival for periods of time up to 3 weeks, as indicated by their morphology using light and electron microscopy, by maintenance of their content of catecholamines, tyrosine hydroxylase, dopamine-beta-hydroxylase, and phenylethanolamine N-methyltransferase, and their ability to respond to secretagogues. During the first 10 days to 2 weeks in culture there was little or no change in any of these parameters. During the 3rd week there were progressive losses of catecholamine and enzyme activities and increased vacuolization of medullary cells. The cells synthesized protein and RNA with no apparent loss in activities over the period studied, but did not incorporate [3H]thymidine into PCA-precipitable material. The cells responded to secretagogues and secretory antagonists similarly to isolated perfused adrenal glands. The studies described here demonstrate that primary cultures of adrenal medulla cells provide an excellent experimental system for obtaining more detailed information on stimulus-secretion coupling and other functional aspects of the adrenal medulla.
Augmentative communication and empowerment supports: A look at outcomes

Augmentative Communication and Empowerment Supports (ACES), a unique approach to augmentative communication mastery and empowerment for adults with significant physical and speech disabilities, is described. In addition, the results of a questionnaire developed to measure participants' outcomes are reported for those participants who attended ACES between 1990 and 1992. After a 2-week immersion program and 1 year of follow-up training and supports, most of the 17 adults who responded to a questionnaire reported that learning to use a communication device had substantially helped them in many of the major life activities such as communication, maintaining a source of income, and acquiring new skills. The scope of communication was quite broad, including communicating with unfamiliar people, in a group; on the telephone; writing; giving formal presentations; and engaging in a wide range of advocacy. Based on this data, “best practices” in augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) are described as wel...
Computational models of neural auditory processing

Explicit neuron firing models are investigated for use in computational modeling of auditory processing. Models for primary auditory neurons are driven by the receptor signal from a hair cell model, which is driven in turn by a filtering model of basilar membrane motion. The output of the primary auditory neuron model is a times-of-firing representation of neural signals. Certain types of processing, such as auto-correlation and cross-correlation, are very simple with this representation, not requiring multiplication. The neuron model used is a leaky-integrate-to-threshold model with a refractory period. Several neurons are modeled at each hair cell, or filter channel. It is found in experiments with these models that the detailed time-of-firing information contains most of the cues of speech formants, pitch, direction, etc. The more conventionally studied firing rate vs. place representation misses important aspects of these cues. Models of pitch perception, binaural directional perception, and sound separation are being based on the cochlear and neural models. The models are all implemented as computational algorithms, and are used in support of related speech recognition and hearing research.
Anti-aliased three-dimensional cone-beam reconstruction of low-contrast objects with algebraic methods

Examines the use of the algebraic reconstruction technique (ART) and related techniques to reconstruct 3-D objects from a relatively sparse set of cone-beam projections. Although ART has been widely used for cone-beam reconstruction of high-contrast objects, e.g., in computed angiography, the work presented here explores the more challenging low-contrast case which represents a little-investigated scenario for ART. Preliminary experiments indicate that for cone angles greater than 20/spl deg/, traditional ART produces reconstructions with strong aliasing artifacts. These artifacts are in addition to the usual off-midplane inaccuracies of cone-beam tomography with planar orbits. The authors find that the source of these artifacts is the nonuniform reconstruction grid sampling and correction by the cone-beam rays during the ART projection-backprojection procedure. A new method to compute the weights of the reconstruction matrix is devised, which replaces the usual constant-size interpolation filter by one whose size and amplitude is dependent on the source-voxel distance. This enables the generation of reconstructions free of cone-beam aliasing artifacts, at only little extra cost. An alternative analysis reveals that simultaneous ART (SART) also produces reconstructions without aliasing artifacts, however, at greater computational cost. Finally, the authors thoroughly investigate the influence of various ART parameters, such as volume initialization, relaxation coefficient /spl lambda/, correction scheme, number of iterations, and noise in the projection data on reconstruction quality. The authors find that ART typically requires only 3 iterations to render satisfactory reconstruction results.
Cocaine and Cocaethylene Binding to Human Liver

The binding of cocaine (COC) and cocaethylene (CE) to whole human liver homogenates in vitro was studied by equilibrium dialysis. Drugs were measured by high-pressure liquid chromatography. Up to 32% of COC and up to 43% of CE were bound. Scatchard analysis suggested a high-affinity, low-capacity binder for both COC (K a , 4.69 ×10 4 L/mol; B o , 1.08 × 10 -5 mol/L) and CE (K a , 4.38 × 10 4 L/mol; B o , 1.54 × 10 -5 mol/L). In addition, low-affinity, high-capacity binders for COC (K a , 2.93 × 10 3 L/mol; B o , 1.32 × 10 -4 mol/L) and CE (K a , 6.50 × 10 3 L/mol; B o , 1.11 × 10 -4 mol/L) were noted. Finally, for both compounds, very low-affinity, high-capacity binding, which was likely nonspecific in nature, was defined as follows: COC, K a , 8.00 × 10 2 L/mol; B o , 5.45 × 10 -4 mol/L and CE, K a , 2.10 × 10 3 L/mol; B o , 3.71 × 10 -4 mol/L. The binding profiles of COC and CE in liver were compared with those in human serum and placenta studied previously by this laboratory.
Visual Control of Action Without Retinal Optic Flow

In everyday life, the optic flow associated with the performance of complex actions, like walking through a field of obstacles and catching a ball, entails retinal flow with motion energy (first-order motion). We report the results of four complex action tasks performed in virtual environments without any retinal motion energy. Specifically, we used dynamic random-dot stereograms with single-frame lifetimes (cyclopean stimuli) such that in neither eye was there retinal motion energy or other monocular information about the actions being performed. Performance on the four tasks with the cyclopean stimuli was comparable to performance with luminance stimuli, which do provide retinal optic flow. The near equivalence of the two types of stimuli indicates that if optic flow is involved in the control of action, it is not tied to first-order retinal motion.
A method for noninvasive longitudinal measurements of [Ca2+] in arterioles of hypertensive optical biosensor mice

We used two-photon (2-p) Forster resonance energy transfer (FRET) microscopy to provide serial, noninvasive measurements of [Ca2+] in arterioles of living “biosensor” mice. These express a genetically encoded Ca2+ indicator (GECI), either FRET-based exMLCK or intensity-based GCaMP2. The FRET ratios, Rmin and Rmax, required for in vivo Ca2+ calibration of exMLCK were obtained in isolated arteries. For in vivo experiments, mice were anesthetized (1.5% isoflurane), and arterioles within a depilated ear were visualized through the intact skin (i.e., noninvasively), by 2-p excitation of exMLCK (at 820 nm) or GCaMP2 (at 920 nm). Spontaneous or agonist-evoked [Ca2+] transients in arteriolar smooth muscle cells were imaged (at 2 Hz) with both exMLCK and GCaMP2. To examine changes in arteriolar [Ca2+] that might accompany hypertension, five exMLCK mice were implanted with telemetric blood pressure transducers and osmotic minipumps containing ANG II (350 ng·kg−1·min−1) and fed a high (6%)-salt diet for 9 days. [Ca2+] was measured every other day in five smooth muscle cells of two to three arterioles in each animal. Prior to ANG II/salt, [Ca2+] was 246 ± 42 nM. [Ca2+] increased transiently to 599 nM on day 2 after beginning ANG II/salt, then remained elevated at 331 ± 42 nM for 4 more days, before returning to 265 ± 47 nM 6 days after removal of ANG II/salt. In summary, two-photon excitation of exMLCK and GCaMP2 provides a method for noninvasive, longitudinal quantification of [Ca2+] dynamics and vascular structure in individual arterioles of a particular animal over an extended period of time, a capability that should enhance future studies of hypertension and vascular function.
Congenital coronary artery anomalies for the pathologist.

Congenital coronary artery anomalies are rare. Pathologists are exposed to those in mainly two settings; in association with sudden death and usually extreme exercise in young adults, and in association with complex congenital heart disease in the pediatric and perinatal population. Pediatric pathologists, other pathologists and pathologists’ assistants performing pediatric or forensic autopsies therefore need to be familiar with coronary artery anomalies.
RNA Synthesis in a Cage—Structural Studies of Reovirus Polymerase λ3

The reovirus polymerase and those of other dsRNA viruses function within the confines of a protein capsid to transcribe the tightly packed dsRNA genome segments. The crystal structure of the reovirus polymerase, lambda3, determined at 2.5 A resolution, shows a fingers-palm-thumb core, similar to those of other viral polymerases, surrounded by major N- and C-terminal elaborations, which create a cage-like structure, with four channels leading to the catalytic site. This "caged" polymerase has allowed us to visualize the results of several rounds of RNA polymerization directly in the crystals. A 5' cap binding site on the surface of lambda3 suggests a template retention mechanism by which attachment of the 5' end of the plus-sense strand facilitates insertion of the 3' end of the minus-sense strand into the template channel.
Keeping Friends Close and Enemies Closer: Classical Realist Statecraft and Economic Exchange in U.S. Interwar Strategy

This article addresses the relationship between economic exchange and grand strategy and explains why rival states exchange with each other. The theoretical debate among realists is defined, while a novel, yet classical, realist exchange theory is proffered and evaluated against the record of U.S.-Japanese exchange, 1918–41. In this particular case, the origins of Japan's oil dependency on the United States are detailed for the first time as is the U.S. policy toward Britain and the Netherlands that created this dependency. The article finds U.S. strategic coordination of Japan's economic vulnerabilities and their use advanced U.S. grand strategy leading into WWII. The article concludes that the July 1941 U.S. oil embargo against Japan was purposeful and the product of a larger policy arc from the early post-WWI period.
In vivo analyses of cytoplasmic transport and cytoskeletal organization during Drosophila oogenesis: characterization of a multi-step anterior localization pathway

Anterior patterning of the Drosophila embryo depends on localization of bicoid (bcd) mRNA to the anterior pole of the developing oocyte, and bcd mRNA localization requires both the exuperantia (exu) gene and an intact microtubule cytoskeleton. To gain insight into the mechanism of anterior patterning, we have used time lapse laser scanning confocal microscopy to analyze transport of particles containing a Green Fluorescent Protein-Exu fusion (GFP-Exu), and to directly image microtubule organization in vivo. Our observations indicate that microtubules are required for three forms of particle movement within the nurse cells, while transport through the ring canals linking the nurse cells and oocyte appears to be independent of both microtubules and actin filaments. As particles enter the oocyte, a final microtubule-dependent step directs movement to the oocyte cortex. However, our observations and previous studies suggest that the polarity of the oocyte microtubule network is not in itself sufficient to generate anterior asymmetry, and that additional factors are required to restrict morphogens to the anterior pole. Based on these observations, we propose a multi-step anterior localization pathway.
Multiscale solute transport upscaling for a three‐dimensional hierarchical porous medium

A laboratory-generated hierarchical, fully heterogeneous aquifer model (FHM) provides a reference for developing and testing an upscaling approach that integrates large-scale connectivity mapping with flow and transport modeling. Based on the FHM, three hydrostratigraphic models (HSMs) that capture lithological (static) connectivity at different resolutions are created, each corresponding to a sedimentary hierarchy. Under increasing system lnK variances (0.1, 1.0, 4.5), flow upscaling is first conducted to calculate equivalent hydraulic conductivity for individual connectivity (or unit) of the HSMs. Given the computed flow fields, an instantaneous, conservative tracer test is simulated by all models. For the HSMs, two upscaling formulations are tested based on the advection-dispersion equation (ADE), implementing space versus time-dependent macrodispersivity. Comparing flow and transport predictions of the HSMs against those of the reference model, HSMs capturing connectivity at increasing resolutions are more accurate, although upscaling errors increase with system variance. Results suggest: (1) by explicitly modeling connectivity, an enhanced degree of freedom in representing dispersion can improve the ADE-based upscaled models by capturing non-Fickian transport of the FHM; (2) when connectivity is sufficiently resolved, the type of data conditioning used to model transport becomes less critical. Data conditioning, however, is influenced by the prediction goal; (3) when aquifer is weakly-to-moderately heterogeneous, the upscaled models adequately capture the transport simulation of the FHM, despite the existence of hierarchical heterogeneity at smaller scales. When aquifer is strongly heterogeneous, the upscaled models become less accurate because lithological connectivity cannot adequately capture preferential flows; (4) three-dimensional transport connectivities of the hierarchical aquifer differ quantitatively from those analyzed for two-dimensional systems.
Primary Nucleation in Polymer Crystallization

Isothermal crystallization of a low- molecular- weight polyethylene oxide) from both isotropic and structured melts at low undercoolings has been investigated via simultaneous measurements of small angle and wide angle X ray scatterings (SAXS and WAXS). An evolution of the SAXS pattern was observed prior to the appearance of crystallinity determined through WAXS. A possible interpretation of the experimental observation is provisted through the nucleation concept: primary nuclei exist in the melt due to localized large- amplitude density fluctuations in the isotropic medium.
The Effect of Neurocatin on Protein Phosphorylation in Striatal Synaptosomes from Rat Brain

: Neurocatin, a neuroregulatory factor isolated from mammalian brain, is a powerful affector of protein phosphorylation in rat striatal synaptosomes. Two major synaptosomal phosphoproteins of ∼80 and ∼60 kDa, possibly synapsin I and tyrosine hydroxylase, were especially sensitive to neurocatin. Immunoprecipitation experiments confirmed that the 60-kDa protein is the enzyme tyrosine hydroxylase. At low concentrations of neurocatin (to ∼7.5 ng/100 μl of suspension), incorporation of 32P orthophosphate into these proteins increased with increasing neurocatin concentration. At 7.5 ng of neurocatin, incorporation of the label into the two proteins increased by 22 and 26%, respectively. Concentrations of neurocatin >7.5 ng/100 μl caused progressive decrease in incorporation of 32P into many synaptosomal proteins; by a concentration of neurocatin of ∼45 ng/100 μ/l, the level of 32P incorporation into many proteins was ≤70% of control. The effects of neurocatin on synaptosomal protein phosphorylation were also dependent on the time of incubation. At a constant concentration of ∼7.5 ng/100 μl of neurocatin, increased incorporation of 32P into many proteins was measurable within 0.5 min and was maximal by 1 min. Incubation times >2.0 min, showed progressive decrease in 32P incorporation. Removing extrasynaptosomal Ca2+ with EGTA attenuated the increased 32P incorporation induced by low neurocatin concentrations, suggesting that calcium plays a role in neurocatin-induced phosphorylation of rat striatal synaptosomal proteins. The reduced incorporation of label induced by high neurocatin concentrations, however, was not calcium dependent. The effects of neurocatin on the level of 32P incorporation into proteins were observed only in intact synaptosomes, consistent with this compound acting through receptors on the plasma membrane.
Measuring the Load-Carrying Capability of IPMC Microgripper Fingers

The goal of this work is to develop a microgripper using ionic polymer metal composite (IPMC), an electroactive material, and to understand the relationship between finger shape and load-carrying capability. This microgripper supports manipulation of rigid and flexible objects in wet and dry environments. The paper first describes the design of the microgripper, which consists of a "pincher" mechanism that holds the IPMC fingers. Two finger shapes are considered. The first shape, denoted as "straight" fingers, is tested for load-carrying capability by picking up pre-weighed micro-balls of solder. Since IPMC is a compliant material, it was expected that shorter length fingers would carry more load. We found experimentally a linear relationship between finger length and load-carrying capability. The second finger shape is tapered. This finger shape was compared with the straight fingers by measuring the load-carrying performance of several different sizes of each finger shape. It was found that shape has a relatively minor effect. The load-carrying capability was found to be related primarily to the area of the finger. Thus, the microgripper finger shape should be chosen based on the ease of manufacturing. In terms of total strength, it was noted that the microgripper carried loads that exceed the weight of the fingers by a factor of seven.
Finescale Vertical Structure and Dynamics of Some Dryline Boundaries Observed in IHOP

Abstract Several radar fine lines, all with a humidity contrast, were sampled in the central Great Plains during the 2002 International H2O Project (IHOP). This study primarily uses aircraft and airborne millimeter-wave radar observations to dynamically interpret the presence and vertical structure of these fine lines as they formed within the well-developed convective boundary layer. In all cases the fine line represents a boundary layer convergence zone. This convergence sustains a sharp contrast in humidity, and usually in potential temperature, across the fine line. The key question addressed herein is whether, at the scale examined here (∼10 km), the airmass contrast itself, in particular the horizontal density (virtual potential temperature) difference and resulting solenoidal circulation, is responsible for the sustained convergence and the radar fine line. For the 10 cases examined herein, the answer is affirmative.
On supporting mission-critical multimedia applications

Mission-critical multimedia applications such as advanced command and control are dynamic and criticality-driven. Taking into consideration the application criticality as well as media quality-of-service (QoS) and timing requirements, we develop a multiresource management system that enables criticality-based resource preemption and QoS-based dynamic resource negotiation and adaptation. Our performance study indicates that our approximation solution is near optimal and that it outperforms a criticality-cognitive baseline algorithm. We also show that the dynamic QoS adjustment technique largely improves the quality of service for video streams. The criticality and QoS-based multiresource management system is part of the Presto multimedia system environment prototyped at Honeywell for mission-critical applications.
Ionic and potential changes of the endolymphatic sac induced by endolymph volume changes.

Abstract The endolymphatic sac (ES) is believed to be the locus for endolymph volume regulation in the inner ear. It has recently been shown that induced endolymph volume changes in the cochlea result in anatomical changes in the ES, suggesting that function of the sac varies according to endolymph volume status. In the present study we have recorded luminal concentrations of K + and Na + from the ES and the endolymphatic sac potential (ESP) during cochlear endolymph volume changes. ES recordings were made by an extradural approach, thereby preserving normal cerebrospinal fluid resting pressure. Cochlear endolymph volume changes were generated by performing injections or withdrawals through a pipette inserted into endolymph by a round window approach. The pre-treatment concentrations of K + and Na + in the ES were found to be 8.4 mM (S.D. 3.3, n =8) and 128.6 mM (S.D. 18.4, n =10) respectively, and the mean ESP was 14.4 mV (S.D. 5.2, n =18). Endolymphatic injections were found to produce a sustained increase in the K + content of the ES by an average of 19.9 mM and to decrease Na + by 30.7 mM measured 50 min after the start of injection. The time for K + increase to occur was found to correlate with the injected volume, with larger injected volumes producing a more rapid increase. Endolymphatic withdrawals were found to induce a slow decline in endolymphatic K + by an average of 3.4 mM measured at 50 min after withdrawal, although no significant change of Na + was detected. Volume-induced ESP changes were highly variable. Injections produced a small increase in the mean ESP and withdrawals produced a small decrease but neither change was statistically significant and some animals showed potential changes in the opposite direction. These data show that a change in cochlear endolymph volume status results in a physiologic response of the ES which is sustained for a considerable period. If the ES plays a part in the restoration of normal endolymph volume, this process appears to proceed slowly, based on the prolonged time courses of ionic changes observed.