cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Biomedical diagnostic system for device coding

In the Biomedical Engineering field exist many issues with electronic medical devices repairing process especially when the problem is intermittent. In other words, the device works fine for some periods of time and it fails in other ones, which becomes challenge for biomedical departments to diagnose and fix the problems. When the device issues a constant and verifiable problem, technicians can rapidly proceed with the repairing of the unit, replacing bad components and performs the required tests before return the unit repaired to the customers. But, the most relevant issue, which is matter of this paper, is the event when a unit comes for repair with an intermittent problem issue stated. This is the case when, after a testing period of time, the failure is not verified in the biomedical workshop or in the lab, and then the biomedical device is returned to the customer (hospital, healthcare provider or medical center) with a diagnostic note stating “no problem found” (NPF). Once the returned unit is in the healthcare provider, it is available and ready for use; a doctor or practitioner request the unit for a medical procedure, and is when the intermittent problem show up again producing the obvious customer disgust. Then, the customer re-sends the unit to the repair center one more time for servicing, incurring a wasting of resources such as, labor time, shipping and handling costs, etc. and what is worst, bad customer satisfaction record. One of the solutions is be to have the biomedical device running continually for hours or maybe days and, at the same time one of the biomedical technician must be present until the issue be verified and confirm the problem; this is a no adequate solution, because mainly, it is so difficult to have a person at front of a device to monitor it by a long period of time. The other way is to do the same thing but in determined period of time, which could cause that the intermittent problem occurs exactly when the monitoring is missed and get a false NPF diagnostic again. Along this paper, we will describe our proposal with a valid solution to this problem, based on our experience in the biomedical engineering field and with the use of error codes which are internally generated for every biomedical device when they detect some type of failure. Our solution is developed to be used in a mobile device (Android technology) with the choice to be installed in other mobile technologies such as, iPhone, PDM, etc. Our solution to this problem is to provide a freely available database of medical devices, their error codes, what they mean, and how to fix the problems if there is one. This database will be populated with the data provided by the users, and will be approved by the administrator or moderator of the site to prevent malicious information. We believe that the benefits of having a global information source will be motivation for users of the site to take the time to add their knowledge when the site lacks it.
Pressure inactivation of tetrameric lactate dehydrogenase homologues of confamilial deep-living fishes.

The susceptibility to inactivation by hydrostatic pressure of the tetrameric (Fig. 1) muscletype (M4) lactate dehydrogenase homologues (LDH, EC 1.1.1.27;l-lactate: NAD+ oxidoreductase) from six confamilial macrourid fishes was compared at 4 °C. These marine teleost fishes occur over depths of 260 to 4815 m. The pressures necessary to half-inactivate the LDH homologues are related to the pressures which the enzymes are exposed to in vivo (Table 1); higher hydrostatic pressures are required to inactivate the LDH homologues of the deeper-occurring macrourids. The resistance of the LDH homologues to inactivation by pressure is affected by protein concentration (Fig. 3). After an hour of incubation at pressure, the percent remaining activity approaches an asymptotic value (Fig. 2). The inactivation of the macrourid LDH homologues by pressure was not fully reversible. Assuming that inactivation by pressure was due to dissociation of the native tetramer to monomers, apparent equilibrium constants (K eq) were calculated. Volume changes (ΔV) were calculated over the range of pressures for which plots inK eq versus pressure were linear (Fig. 4). The ΔV of dissociation values of the macrourid homologues range from −219 to −439 ml mol−1 (Table 1). Although the hydrostatic pressures required to inactivate the LDH homologues of the macrourid fishes are greater than those which the enzymes are exposed to in vivo, the pressure-stability of these enzymes may reflect the resistance of these enzymes to pressure-enhanced proteolysis in vivo.
Geometric reasoning for mill-turn machining process planning

Abstract An integrated system to support both product and manufacturing process design should be such that (1) the part design can be evaluated and redesigned based on manufacturability analysis and (2) the manufacturing processes can be selected efficiently and flexibly exploiting product information provided by part design representations. In this paper, we describe the feature-based geometric reasoning system for part modeling and process planning as applied to mill-turn machined parts. The feature recognition system based on convex decomposition and the mapping method to relate the negative feature volumes to machining process classes are applied to mill-turn parts. Also, the geometry-based machining precedence relations have been generated for various alternative machining feature decompositions. The above geometric information is input to mill-turn machining process planning to determine machining process sequences and assignment to multiple spindles and turrets.
Words and meaning: a cautionary tale for diabetes educators.

The authors developed a Diabetes Attitude Survey (DAS) to measure the attitudes of health care profes sionals toward diabetes. After examining the results of an initial survey using the DAS, the authors felt that it would be useful to know something about the attitudes of patients regarding these same diabetes-related issues. The DAS was reworded to eliminate technical terms and to make it appropriate for patients with diabetes. To assess the impact of these wording changes, both versions of the DAS were sent to a sample ofphysicians, nurses, and dietitians. The wording changes produced changes in scores on the majority of the items that had been modified. The paper discusses some of the reasons for the changed scores and the impact of modifying the wording of assessment and evaluation instruments.
Hybridization, hybrid fitness and the evolution of adaptations

Abstract This review focuses on two related outcomes of hybridization sensu lato (i.e. findings from both natural and experimental hybrids are discussed): (1) the production of hybrid genotypes with various fitnesses, and (2) the origin/transfer of adaptations in the Louisiana Iris species complex. Since effects on fitness, and the origin or transfer of adaptations, are of fundamental evolutionary importance, the examples discussed in this review reflect some of the most significant phenomena deriving from the transfer of genetic material via natural hybridization.
Bayesian Versus Maximum Quasi-Likelihood Methods for Sire Evaluation with Categorical Data

Abstract Binary variables arising from an underlying normal distribution with a fixed threshold were simulated in a two-stage selection scheme with a sire model. The model had herd-year-seasons and groups as fixed effects and sires as random variables; a heritability of .25 was used in the simulation. The "best" 20% of the sires were allowed to have additional progeny in the second stage. The criteria used to select these sires were breeding values predicted with a Bayesian procedure or with a maximum quasi-likelihood approach. Heritability was estimated from the data used to compute the sire evaluations. The two methods were compared in terms of empirical sampling bias, variance, and mean squared error of estimates of fixed effects and of heritability. The ability of selection based on the two methods to elicit genetic change was studied in terms of realized response to sire selection. Under the conditions examined, the maximum quasi-likelihood procedure had a larger mean squared error of estimates of heritability and of differences between genetic groups. Heritability estimates were biased upwardly by both methods. Differences between true transmitting abilities of bulls selected by each of the methods were negligible. It appears that sire evaluations for categorical data obtained with the Bayesian method are not improved upon by maximum quasi-likelihood.
Evidence for lipoic acid mediated NADH and acetyl-CoA stimulation of liver and kidney pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase.

Summary The following observations indicate that stimulation of liver and kidney pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase activities are mediated through the reduction and acetylation of the lipoyl moiety of the dihydrolipoyl transacetylase: a) NADH or dithiothreitol, which can reduce lipoate, stimulates kinase activity; b) dithiothreitol or nonstimulating levels of NADH are required for acetyl-CoA stimulation; c) arsenite can prevent both NADH and acetyl-CoA stimulation; d) 0.025 mM free dihydrolipoamide stimulates kinase activity; e) NAD + inhibits kinase activity in the presence, but not in the absence, of dithiothreitol and reverses NADH stimulation; f) pyruvate, in the presence of thiamine pyrophosphate, stimulates kinase activity and NADH plus arsenite prevents this stimulation.
Model Based Damage Detection in an Automotive Exhaust Hanger Component

The field of health monitoring of structures may have possible benefits for many industries. In this work, we analyze damage induced in an automotive exhaust hanger component. Damage in this system is defined as a crack development and propagation at a specific location. It is proposed and demonstrated in this work that a selected group of modal frequencies and their collective behavior is a suitable measure of tracking the damage. It is also shown in this work, via experimental and computational observations, that the second moment of inertia is very sensitive to the damage induced. Future work will include developing a predictive model for damage in this automotive exhaust system component.Copyright © 2005 by ASME
Family cognitive behavioral therapy for children and adolescents with clinical anxiety disorders.

ABSTRACT Objective A family cognitive-behavioral therapy for children and adolescents ages 8 to 18 years with clinical anxiety disorders was developed and evaluated. Method Seventeen families were measured before and after waitlist, after treatment, and at 3-month and 1-year follow-up. Results No children changed their diagnostic status during waitlist, whereas of the treated children, 41% were free of their primary anxiety disorder posttest, 57% at 3-month follow-up, and 71% at 1-year follow-up. Effect sizes of improvement were large for children's fears, dysfunctional beliefs, and interpretations of ambiguous situations and medium for children's internalizing and externalizing symptoms. Interestingly, fathers but not mothers reported less anxiety themselves after treatment. Large improvements were observed on parents' dysfunctional beliefs about their child's anxiety and their role as a parent. Finally, some improvements occurred in family and rearing variables. Conclusions Family cognitive-behavioral therapy seems effective for clinically anxious children and their families.
Scientific Progress and the Fregean Legacy

Twentieth century philosophy of science has been dominated by a view of language with a strong prejudice against psychology, even while empirical psychology has moved away from the nineteenth century philosophical psychology against which the prejudice was originally directed. This legacy is shown to dominate even in recent Kripke-inspired efforts toward new theories of meaning. Its influence is argued to undermine prospects for making sense of such phenomena as scientific progress. Avoiding this consequence requires that we pursue a psychologically informed theory of meaning.
Evaluation of malware phylogeny modelling systems using automated variant generation

A malware phylogeny model is an estimation of the derivation relationships between a set of malware samples. Systems that construct phylogeny models are expected to be useful for malware analysts. While several such systems have been proposed, little is known about the consistency of their results on different data sets, about their generalizability across different types of malware evolution. This paper explores these issues using two artificial malware history generators: systems that simulate malware evolution according to different evolution models. A quantitative study was conducted using two phylogeny model construction systems and multiple samples of artificial evolution. High variability was found in the quality of their results on different data sets, and the systems were shown to be sensitive to the characteristics of evolution in the data sets. The results call into question the adequacy of evaluations typical in the field, raise pragmatic concerns about tool choice for malware analysts, and underscore the important role that model-based simulation is expected to play in evaluating and selecting suitable malware phylogeny construction systems.
General Predictive Syntheses of Cubic, Hexagonal, and Lamellar Silica and Titania Mesostructured Thin Films§

Well-ordered mesostructured silica and titania films were prepared using poly(ethylene oxide)−poly(propylene oxide)−poly(ethylene oxide) triblock copolymer species (Pluronic P123) as the structure-directing agents. By varying the volume ratio between the copolymer and inorganic components of the precursor solution, silica and titania thin films with cubic, 2D hexagonal, and lamellar mesostructures were prepared. The regions over which the three phases were obtained correspond well with those of the water−block copolymer binary phase diagram when considered in terms of the volume fraction of copolymer incorporated. In particular, a cubic mesostructure with crystalline TiO2 (anatase) in the walls, stable to 400 °C, was synthesized.
Index Funds, Financialization, and Commodity Futures Markets

Some market participants and policy-makers believe that index fund investment was a major driver of the 2007-2008 spike in commodity futures prices. One group of empirical studies does find evidence that commodity index investment had an impact on the level of futures prices. However, the data and methods used in these studies are subject to criticisms that limit the confidence one can place in their results. Moreover, another group of studies provides no systematic evidence of a relationship between positions of index funds and the level of commodity futures prices. The lack of a direct empirical link between index fund trading and commodity futures prices casts considerable doubt on the belief that index funds fueled a price bubble. Copyright 2011, Oxford University Press.
A generalization of sampling without replacement from a finite universe.

Abstract This paper presents a general technique for the treatment of samples drawn without replacement from finite universes when unequal selection probabilities are used. Two sampling schemes are discussed in connection with the problem of determining optimum selection probabilities according to the information available in a supplementary variable. Admittedly, these two schemes have limited application. They should prove useful, however, for the first stage of sampling with multi-stage designs, since both permit unbiased estimation of the sampling variance without resorting to additional assumptions. * Journal Paper No. J2139 of the Iowa Agricultural Experiment Station, Ames, Iowa, Project 1005. Presented to the Institute of Mathematical Statistics, March 17, 1951.
The influence of aging and hypertension on cerebral autoregulation

Cerebral autoregulation was tested here in 3- and 18-month-old spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) and Wistar Kyoto controls (WKY). Cerebral blood flow (CBF) was measured in each rat using radioactive micropheres under unanesthetized control conditions and after hypotension induced by ganglionic blockade. Under control conditions there was no significant difference in CBF between SHR and WKY. During drug induced hypotension CBF decreased significantly in all except 3 month WKY. CBF was decreased significantly more in 18 month SHR after ganglionic blockade compared to other test groups. These results indicate an influence of both age and hypertension in altering the ability of the cerebrovasculature to autoregulate.
Closing the assessment loop using pre‐ and post‐assessment

Purpose – The purpose of this study was to determine what skills students already possessed as entering first‐year students, in order to define appropriate goals and objectives for library instruction sessions occurring in the first‐year writing and critical thinking course.Design/methodology/approach – A pre‐test was administered during the first two weeks of the fall 2008 semester. After one‐shot library instruction, students took a post‐test during the final exam period of the fall 2008 semester. Librarians worked collaboratively to evaluate the results of the assessment and determine the implications for the session goals and objectives.Findings – The original goals and objectives for the library instruction sessions were out of sync with student skills. Assessment also revealed that the original goals and objectives were out of sync with librarian priorities. The results of the assessment were used to refine the goals and objectives through a collaborative process.Practical implications – Instruction...
Temperature dependent BRDF facility

Applications involving space based instrumentation and aerodynamically heated surfaces often require knowledge of the bi-directional reflectance distribution function (BRDF) of an exposed surface at high temperature. Addressing this need, the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (JHU/APL) developed a BRDF facility that features a multiple–port vacuum chamber, multiple laser sources covering the spectral range from the longwave infrared to the ultraviolet, imaging pyrometry and laser heated samples. Laser heating eliminates stray light that would otherwise be seen from a furnace and requires minimal sample support structure, allowing low thermal conduction loss to be obtained, which is especially important at high temperatures. The goal is to measure the BRDF of ceramic-coated surfaces at temperatures in excess of 1000°C in a low background environment. Most ceramic samples are near blackbody in the longwave infrared, thus pyrometry using a LWIR camera can be very effective and accurate.
Classical conditioning of the rabbit's nictitating membrane response to a piezoceramic vibrotactile CS

The present paper reports the development of a transducer system for delivery of a noiseless vibrotactile stimulus that was successfully employed as a conditioned stimulus in classical conditioning of the rabbit’s nictitating membrane response (NMR). In addition, the postasymptotic determination of the relationship between the amplitude and frequency of vibrotactile stimulation and the frequency of conditioned NMRs were found to be monotonically increasing functions. Accordingly, the vibrotactile transducer appears to provide a tractable CS that can be used by itself or in conjunction with visual and auditory stimuli to study a range of issues in animal learning.
Electronic Structure Calculation of the Structures and Energies of the Three Pure Polymorphic Forms of Crystalline HMX

The molecular structures and energetic stabilities of the three pure polymorphic forms of crystalline HMX were calculated using a first-principles electronic-structure method. The computations were performed using the local density approximation in conjunction with localized “fireball” orbitals and a minimal basis set. Optimized cell parameters and molecular geometries were obtained, subject only to preservation of the experimental lattice angles and relative lattice lengths. The latter constraint was removed in some calculations for β-HMX. Within these constraints, the comparison between theory and experiment is found to be good. The structures, relative energies of the polymorphs, and bulk moduli are in general agreement with the available experimental data.
LISREL growth model on direct and indirect effects using cross-country data

Abstract Many papers have analyzed the factors affecting economic growth. However, these have concentrated on direct effects and ignored indirect effects through other variables in the model. This study investigates direct and indirect effects of various factors on growth with a causal growth model using LISREL (LInear Structural RELations) for a sample of 105 countries over the period of 1975–2002. Results suggest that ignoring the indirect effects of productivity growth, geography and economic development on economic growth may lead to a considerable underestimation of their ‘true’ total effects on growth. While the importance of the indirect effects of productivity growth and geography relative to their direct effects changes with the estimated model, the relative importance of the indirect effect of economic development on growth is found to be robust to different model specifications.
Erosion and physical transport via overland flow of arsenic and lead bound to silt-sized particles

Understanding of the transport mechanisms of contaminated soils and sediment is essential for the sustainable management of contaminated lands. In New England and elsewhere, vast areas of agricultural lands are contaminated by the historical application of lead-arsenate pesticides. Left undisturbed the physical and chemical mobility of As and Pb in these soils is limited due to their strong affinity for adsorption onto solid phases. However, soil disturbance promotes erosion and overland flow during intense rainstorms. Here we investigate the event-scale transport of disturbed As and Pb contaminated soils through measurement of concentrations of As and Pb in suspended sediment and changes in Pb isotopic ratios in overland flow. Investigation of several rain events shows that where land disturbance has occurred, physical transport of silt-sized particles and aggregates is the primary transport vector of As and Pb derived from pesticide-contaminated soil. Although both As and Pb are associated with similarly-sized particles, we find that solid-phase As is more effectively mobilized and transported than Pb. Our results demonstrate that anthropogenic land disturbance of historical lands contaminated with lead-arsenate pesticides may redistribute, through physical transport, significant amounts of As, and lesser amounts of Pb, to riparian and stream sediments, where they are potentially more bioavailable.
Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB) and dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDE) air concentrations in the Lake Ontario region: trends and potential sources.

Abstract Airborne particle and gas samples were collected approx every 12 days from April 2002 to June 2006 at the Sterling Nature Center located near the southeast corner of Lake Ontario. These samples were analyzed for polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDE). Clausius-Clapeyron (C–C) regression analyses of PCBs and DDE yielded moderate correlations ( r 2 = 0.54, p r 2 = 0.74, p
88‐Element solution to Schneiders' pyramid hex‐meshing problem

This paper presents a solution to a hex-meshing problem known as Schneiders' problem, which was introduced by Robert Schneiders in 1996. Consider a pyramid enclosed by a square and four equilateral triangles. The exterior of the pyramid can be subdivided into an all-quadrilateral mesh by (1) inserting a node at the middle of each edge and at the center of each face and (2) connecting a node inserted at the center of the face with the nodes inserted on the edges of the face. The goal of Schneiders' problem is to find an all-hex mesh that conforms to this quadrilateral mesh. The solution should consist of as few elements as possible, and as well-shaped elements as possible. Since a solution to this problem could contribute to a fully automatic unstructured all-hex mesh generation scheme, the problem has been studied for years. However, no practically usable solution has been found. The smallest known solution has been a hexahedral mesh consisting of 118 elements. This paper presents a new solution to the problem that consists of 88 elements. All elements included in the mesh are positive, and no two neighboring elements share more than one face. Although it is unknown whether 88-element solution is the smallest possible solution, it is one step advance from the previously known 118-element solution. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Building Teacher-Scientist Partnerships: Teaching about Energy through Inquiry.

This study evaluated the effectiveness of teacher-scientist partnerships for increasing the use. of inquiry in precollege classrooms. It assessed the influence of the Teaching About Energy Through Inquiry Institutes for middle and high school teachers and energy scientists on participants' attitudes about science and science education, use of inquiry instructional techniques, and student attitudes about their classroom environments. Participant surveys, institute and classroom observations, lesson plans, and interviews indicated increased appreciation for inquiry, greater confidence in teaching using inquiry, and greater use of inquiry in the classroom. Student surveys and classroom observations pointed to higher levels of student satisfaction and less friction among classmates during inquiry-based investigations implemented after the institutes. Moreover, scientist partners reported increased familiarity with principles of science education and best teaching practice, which are essential skills and knowledge for disseminating results of scientific research to nonscientific audiences, as well as their own students. These results suggest that collaborations between teachers and research scientists can positively affect the environment for learning science in precollege and college classes. Successful collaborations are most likely to occur when equal status for teachers and scientists in the partnership is stressed and partners have the opportunity to explore inquiry-based curricula together.
Rank tests in heteroscedastic multi-way HANOVA

This article develops rank tests for the nonparametric main factor effects and interactions in multi-way high-dimensional analysis of variance when the cell distributions are completely unspecified. The design can be balanced or unbalanced with the cell sample sizes fixed or tending to infinity. An arbitrary number of factors and all types of ordinal data are allowed. This extends the use of rank methods to the Neymann–Scott and triangular array problems. The asymptotic distribution of the rank statistics is obtained by showing their asymptotic equivalence to corresponding expressions based on the asymptotic rank transform. Compared with test procedures based on the original observations, the proposed rank procedures are free of moment conditions, converge to their limiting distribution faster, and have better power when the underlying distributions are heavy tailed or skewed. These advantages are demonstrated by simulations and an application to a real data set.
Numerical modelling and validation of the air flow maldistribution in the cooling duct of a horizontal display cabinet

Abstract Air maldistribution strongly affects the performance of Open Refrigerated Display Cabinets (ORDC). Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) can be a useful approach to model both causes and effects of air-side maldistributions. One of the main drawbacks is the complexity of the resulting model and the high computational costs. In this paper, a numerical model of the air channel of an ORDC is presented and validated. The numerical set up was oriented to reduce the computational load, while maintaining a good agreement with experimental PIV data. Results highlighted the great importance of the correct set up of the inlet boundary and of the evaporator volume description. In addition, the modelling of the flow transition from turbulent to laminar inside the evaporator volume was proven to be critical to obtain a correct wake description downstream the evaporator.
The role of corneal crystallins in the cellular defense mechanisms against oxidative stress

Abstract The refracton hypothesis describes the lens and cornea together as a functional unit that provides the proper ocular transparent and refractive properties for the basis of normal vision. Similarities between the lens and corneal crystallins also suggest that both elements of the refracton may also contribute to the antioxidant defenses of the entire eye. The cornea is the primary physical barrier against environmental assault to the eye and functions as a dominant filter of UV radiation. It is routinely exposed to reactive oxygen species (ROS)-generating UV light and molecular O2 making it a target vulnerable to UV-induced damage. The cornea is equipped with several defensive mechanisms to counteract the deleterious effects of UV-induced oxidative damage. These comprise both non-enzymatic elements that include proteins and low molecular weight compounds (ferritin, glutathione, NAD(P)H, ascorbate and α-tocopherol) as well as various enzymes (catalase, glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, glutathione peroxidase, glutathione reductase, and superoxide dismutase). Several proteins accumulate in the cornea at unusually high concentrations and have been classified as corneal crystallins based on the analogy of these proteins with the abundant taxon-specific lens crystallins. In addition to performing a structural role related to ocular transparency, corneal crystallins may also contribute to the corneal antioxidant systems through a variety of mechanisms including the direct scavenging of free radicals, the production of NAD(P)H, the metabolism and/or detoxification of toxic compounds (i.e. reactive aldehydes), and the direct absorption of UV radiation. In this review, we extend the discussion of the antioxidant defenses of the cornea to include these highly expressed corneal crystallins and address their specific capacities to minimize oxidative damage.
Ninety patients with nonalcoholic steatohepatitis: insulin resistance, familial tendency, and severity of disease

Abstract OBJECTIVE: Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is a common but poorly understood liver disease. Our aim was to study a large group of patients referred for Hepatology consultation to further characterize this disorder, in particular its demographics and range of severity. We also sought to better understand its etiology and its relationship to the insulin resistance syndrome, known as the metabolic syndrome or syndrome X. METHODS: Retrospective review of 90 patients seen over a 4-yr period. RESULTS: Ninety patients aged 14–70 with NASH seen at the Liver Clinics at either the University of Tennessee or the Medical University of South Carolina. Eleven had complications of portal hypertension and seven of these had undergone or were awaiting transplantation. NASH was seen in nine families either in siblings or in subsequent generations. Diabetes or insulin resistance were present in almost all in this cohort of patients with NASH. Diabetes, hyperlipidemia, hypertension, and atherosclerotic disease, the components of syndrome X, were common in this population. CONCLUSION: NASH affects males and females equally, and presents over a wide age range. Despite its usually benign course, 28% of patients had cirrhosis and almost half of those had complications of portal hypertension, necessitating liver transplantation. Obesity was common in affected patients and cirrhosis was more common in the morbidly obese. Familial clustering was common, with 18% of patients having a similarly affected first degree relative. The clinical features that define syndrome X (diabetes, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and atherosclerotic disease) are common in affected patients. Studies of glucose tolerance demonstrated unsuspected diabetes in six, and insulin resistance (the hallmark of syndrome X) in 85% of those tested. We hypothesize that NASH is a disorder of genetic etiology and is the hepatic manifestation of syndrome X, the insulin resistance syndrome.
A Graph-Theoretic Approach for Timing Analysis and its Implementation

This paper presents a graph-theoretic algorithm for safety analysis of a class of timing properties in real-time systems which are expressible in a subset of real time logic (RTL) formulas. Our procedure is in three parts: the first part constructs a graph representing the system specification and the negation of the safety assertion. The second part detects positive cycles in the graph using a node removal operation. The third part determines the consistency of the safety assertion with respect to the system specification based on the positive cycles detected. The implementation and an application of this procedure will also be described.
Ibuprofen metabolite profiling using a combination of SPE/column-trapping and HPLC–micro-coil NMR

Solid-phase extraction and column-trapping preconcentration are combined to enhance HPLC-nuclear magnetic resonance (HPLC-NMR) and applied to metabolite profiling in biological samples. Combining the two signal enhancement techniques improved the NMR signal substantially such that we were able to identify 2-hydroxyibuprofen, carboxyibuprofen, and unmetabolized ibuprofen molecules from a small urine sample after a therapeutic dose of ibuprofen. The hyphenated SPE/column-trapping method resulted in an excellent overall signal enhancement of up to 90-fold.
Susceptibility of avian species to North American H13 low pathogenic avian influenza viruses

Gulls are widely recognized reservoirs for low pathogenic avian influenza (LPAI) viruses; however, the subtypes maintained in these populations and/or the transmission mechanisms involved are poorly understood. Although, a wide diversity of influenza viruses have been isolated from gulls, two hemagglutinin subtypes (H13 and H16) are rarely detected in other avian groups, and existing surveillance data suggests they are maintained almost exclusively within gull populations. In order to evaluate the host range of these gull-adapted influenza subtypes and to characterize viral infection in the gull host, we conducted a series of challenge experiments, with multiple North American strains of H13 LPAI virus in ring-billed gulls (Larus delawarensis), mallards (Anas platyrhynchos), chickens (Gallus domesticus), and turkeys (Meleagris gallopavo). The susceptibility to H13 LPAI viruses varied between species and viral strain. Gulls were highly susceptible to H13 LPAI virus infection and excreted virus via the oropharynx and cloaca for several days. The quantity and duration of shedding was similar between the two routes. Turkeys and ducks were resistant to infection with most strains of H13 LPAI virus, but low numbers of inoculated birds were infected after challenge with specific viral strains. Chickens were refractory to infection with all strains of H13 LPAI virus they were challenged with. The experimental results presented herein are consistent with existing surveillance data on H13 LPAI viruses in birds, and indicate that influenza viruses of the H13 subtype are strongly host-adapted to gulls, but rare spill-over into aberrant hosts (i.e., turkeys and ducks) can occur.
Digital converter system for electroencephalographic records made up from laboratory instruments

Abstract A method is described for the conversion of EEG records to digital form by the use of standard laboratory instruments and a photo-cell scanner. The converter scans the EEG trace, measures the height of the trace at 0.6 mm intervals and records the digital values as printed three digit numbers.
The ecological host range of an intentionally introduced herbivore: A comparison of predicted versus actual host use

An underlying assumption of weed biological control asserts that laboratory-based host specificity testing accurately predicts the realized host range of herbivorous arthropods. We tested this assumption by comparing predicted host specificity with the realized host range of the introduced weevil Oxyops vitiosa (Pascoe). Laboratory host specificity tests showed that the weevil can complete its development on only a small group of species in the Melaleuca genus, including the target host Melaleuca quinquenervia (Cav.) Blake. Three years after its release, adult weevils readily emigrated from the surrounding M. quinquenervia trees into replicated common gardens but only a small proportion occurred within the canopies of non-Melaleuca species. Adults remained within the canopies of Melaleuca congeners longer than non-Melaleuca and the former recruited 98% of all individuals dispersing from neighboring test plant species. Oviposition was predicted to occur on seven of the 19 species planted in the common gardens but was realized on only four exotic species. Consistent with the prerelease assessments, larvae were observed on four plant species but larval development was limited to Melaleuca congeners. These results lend support to the premise that risk assessments based on physiological host ranges, as characterized by laboratory testing, are conservative when compared to the realized ecological host ranges that occur under field conditions. We conclude that the ecological host range of O. vitiosa is highly restricted and there will be no colonization of species other than the target weed in the adventive range.
A New Method for Measurement of Proton Beam Energies

The absolute energy of an ion beam can be measured with the help of an electrostatic, a 180° magnetic or a velocity analyzer. Most commonly a 90° magnetic analyzer is used as a relative instrument that must be calibrated using the energies of certain known resonances or threshold energies. The deduced calibration parameters relate the proton beam energies to the field strength of the 90° magnetic analyzer. However, these parameters can change significantly with time and are critically dependent on the settings of the energy-defining input and output slits and the stabilizer of the accelerator. At any given time, a precise beam energy measurement requires one therefore to check the calibration parameters, a lengthy and inconvenient procedure. The present report describes a method which avoids these inconveniences and which determines the proton beam energy in a relatively short running period directly at any given value of interest to a precision of the order of 0.4 keV, using a Ge (Li) detector. This precision is well comparable with other techniques mentioned above.
BOC manufacture of telecommunications equipment: An assessment of benefits and competitive risks

Allowing BOCs to manufacture telecommunications equipment should benefit consumers of telecommunications services because it is likely to result in new and improved products and more efficient production of equipment and services. The sources of these benefits are the technical know-how, knowledge of customer needs, and financial resources the BOCs would bring to the design, development and production of telecommunications equipment. The risks of anticompetitive or inefficient behavior by BOCs, further diminished by various forms of incentive regulation adopted since 1984, are insufficient to offset the likely benefits of removing the manufacturing ban.
Listeria monocytogenes Exploits Normal Host Cell Processes to Spread from Cell to Cell

The bacterial pathogen, Listeria monocytogenes, grows in the cytoplasm of host cells and spreads intercellularly using a form of actin-based motility mediated by the bacterial protein ActA. Tightly adherent monolayers of MDCK cells that constitutively express GFP-actin were infected with L. monocytogenes, and intercellular spread of bacteria was observed by video microscopy. The probability of formation of membrane-bound protrusions containing bacteria decreased with host cell monolayer age and the establishment of extensive cell-cell contacts. After their extension into a recipient cell, intercellular membrane-bound protrusions underwent a period of bacterium-dependent fitful movement, followed by their collapse into a vacuole and rapid vacuolar lysis. Actin filaments in protrusions exhibited decreased turnover rates compared with bacterially associated cytoplasmic actin comet tails. Recovery of motility in the recipient cell required 1–2 bacterial generations. This delay may be explained by acid-dependent cleavage of ActA by the bacterial metalloprotease, Mpl. Importantly, we have observed that low levels of endocytosis of neighboring MDCK cell surface fragments occurs in the absence of bacteria, implying that intercellular spread of bacteria may exploit an endogenous process of paracytophagy.
Relaxin, oxytocin, and prostaglandin effects on progesterone secretion from bovine luteal cells during different stages of gestation

To determine the effects of relaxin, oxytocin, and prostaglandin F2 alpha on progesterone secretion, bovine luteal cells from different stages of gestation were dispersed in Medium 199 with 200 units/ml penicillin, 1.0% kanamycin, 0.5% bovine serum albumin, and 400 units/ml collagenase. Cells (10(5) were cultured in 400 microliters of Dulbecco's modified Eagle's medium and Ham's F-12 medium containing fetal bovine serum and antibiotics, in Falcon multiwell plates, in a humidified environment of 95% O2 and 5% CO2 at 37 degrees C. Cells were cultured for 24 hr without treatment and thereafter with medium-hormone replacement every 24 hr. Progesterone was quantified from unextracted media by radioimmunoassay. Basal progesterone secretion after 24 hr was 1.81 +/- 0.14, 1.76 +/- 0.17, 0.54 +/- 0.49, and 0.57 +/- 0.21 pg/ml per viable luteal cell from 145-, 165-, 185-, and 240-day-old corpora lutea, respectively. Basal progesterone secretion increased (P less than 0.05) with time in culture. Relaxin induced a dose-dependent (greater than 100 ng/ml) increase in progesterone release, compared with the controls. Oxytocin and prostaglandin F2 alpha induced greater release (P less than 0.05) of progesterone than relaxin at all stages of gestation, but progesterone release was dependent on the stage of gestation and the duration in culture. Luteinizing hormone (100 ng/ml) stimulated whereas 17 beta-estradiol (50 ng/ml) inhibited progesterone secretion by luteal cells at all stages of gestation examined. Relaxin obliterated the prostaglandin- and oxytocin-induced progesterone secretion by bovine luteal cells from 145 to 214 days of gestation. Thus, relaxin, cloprostenol, and oxytocin regulate progesterone production by cultured bovine luteal cells, but hormone secretion was dependent on the stage of gestation.
The proteins of mutants of TMV: composition and structure of chemically evoked mutants of TMV RNA.

Data concerning the amino acid composition and the location of amino acid exchanges, if any, in 55 chemically evoked mutants of TMV and in 35 progeny isolates are reported. The relation of these amino acid replacement data to the problem of the code relating nucleotide to amino acid sequences is discussed.
Glutamate receptor blockade alters the development of intracortical connections in rat barrel cortex.

We tested the hypothesis that glutamate receptor mediated activity is required for the postnatal development of intracortical connections in layers II/III of rodent barrel cortex. To block glutamate receptors, a slow release polymer (elvax) loaded with a glutamate receptor antagonist (D-AP5) was targeted subdurally over the future rat barrel cortex on P0 (day of birth). On P14-16 biotinylated dextran amine (BDA) was injected under the elvax into all layers to label neurons retrogradely. A BDA injection was made stereotactically at the mirror site of the untreated hemisphere of each animal. The animals survived to P22-24. Injection sites and retrogradely labeled cell bodies were identified in tangential sections in relation to the barrel map. D-AP5 treated and untreated hemispheres were matched according to the location of the injection site in the barrel map. Glutamate receptor blockade did not prevent the growth of intrinsic projections, but altered their organization. The normal row-like asymmetry of connections in untreated hemispheres was lacking in the D-AP5 treated cortex (ANOVA, p =0.02). Cortical activity mediated through glutamate receptors contributes to the correct development of connections between barrel columns in layers II/III.
Noninvasive measures of bone bending rigidity in the monkey (M. nemestrina).

The in vivo bending rigidity and bone mineral content of monkey ulnae and tibiae were measured. Bending rigidity in the anteroposterior plane was measured by an impedance probe technique. Forced vibrations of the bones were induced with an electromechanical shaker, and force and velocity at the driving point were determined. The responses over the range of 100–250 Hz were utilized to compute the bending rigidity. Bone mineral content in the cross section was determined by a photon absorption technique. Seventeen male monkeys (Macaca nemestrina) weighing 6–14 kg were evaluated. Repeatability of the rigidity measures was 4%. Bone mineral content was measured with a precision of 3.5%. Bending rigidity was correlated with the mineral content of the cross section,r=0.899. Two monkeys were evaluated during prolonged hypodynamic restraint. Restraint produced regional losses of bone most obviously in the proximal tibia. Local bone mineral content declines 17 to 24% and the average bending rigidity declines 12 to 22%. Changes in bones leading to a reduction in mineral content and stiffness are discussed.
The effect of limbic and extralimbic electrical stimulations upon prolactin secretion in humans

The effect that extra-hypothalamic regions of the brain have upon prolactin secretion in humans was evaluated by performing electrical stimulations. Thirty-nine stimulations were performed, 22 to basolateral amygdala, 12 to hippocampus and 5 to orbitofrontal, supplementary motor and cingulate cortex. Only two stimulations causing high-frequency widespread limbic afterdischarges were followed by significant prolactin elevation. Four low-frequency afterdischarges involving amygdala and anterior hippocampus, one amygdala stimulus-dependent discharge and 19 amygdala, 8 hippocampal and 5 frontal sub-afterdischarge threshold stimulations had no prolactin elevation. These results fail to replicate earlier studies. We suggest that there is no evidence that the amygdala regulates serum prolactin within physiologic ranges, but that the regulation of prolactin may depend primarily upon other sub-cortical structures.