cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Comparative organization of the claustrum: what does structure tell us about function?

The claustrum is a subcortical nucleus present in all placental mammals. Many anatomical studies have shown that its inputs are predominantly from the cerebral cortex and its outputs are back to the cortex. This connectivity thus suggests that the claustrum serves to amplify or facilitate information processing in the cerebral cortex. The size and the complexity of the cerebral cortex change dramatically over evolution. Rodents are lissencephalic, with few cortical areas, while many primates have a greatly expanded cortex and many cortical areas. This evolutionary diversity in the cerebral cortex raises several questions about the claustrum. Does its volume expand in coordination with the expansion of cortex and does it acquire new functions related to the new cortical functions? We have examined the organization of the claustrum in animals with large brains, including great apes and cetaceans. Our data suggest that the claustrum is not always a continuous structure. In monkeys and gorillas there are a few isolated islands of cells near the main body of the nucleus. In cetaceans, however, there are many isolated cell islands. These data suggest constraints on the possible function of the claustrum. Some authors propose that the claustrum has a more global role in perception or consciousness that requires intraclaustral integration of information. These theories postulate mechanisms like gap junctions between claustral cells or a “syncytium” to mediate intraclaustral processing. The presence of discontinuities in the structure of the claustrum, present but minimal in primates, but dramatically clear in cetaceans, argues against the proposed mechanisms of intraclaustral processing of information. The best interpretation of function, then, is that each functional subdivision of the claustrum simply contributes to the function of its cortical partner.
The Effect of Analysis Errors on Some Predictions Made with the Spectral Vorticity Equation

Abstract A theoretical method of determining minimum variances was applied to predictions made with the barotropic vorticity equation written in spectral form. The theory was first tested on hypothetical data, and then three synoptic cases were examined. If we assume a particular frequency function, we may obtain probabilities from the variances. Because the theoretical variances are minimum variances, the probabilities that we obtain are maximum probabilities. This means that the actual probability that an error will be less than a particular amount should not be greater than the theoretically computed value. The Gaussian frequency function was used to obtain probabilities from the theoretical variances. The theoretical probabilities were compared with observed probabilities of errors in spectral components and components of kinetic energy. The observed and theoretical probabilities were approximately the same for the hypothetical case. The theoretical probabilities were definitely maximum probabilities ...
An infrared study of isomerization of cyclo-olefins over zinc oxide

Abstract Infrared studies of olefin hydrogenation and isomerization over zinc oxide have led successfully to greater understanding of the nature of adsorption and reaction mechanisms on metal oxide catalysts. Previous studies have shown that, for the simplest olefin, ethylene, the mode of adsorption is via a π-bonded species; hydrogenation occurs through a half-hydrogenated ethyl radical intermediate. In addition for propylene, two adsorbed species occur—a π-bonded complex and a π-allylic species. Hydrogenation occurs via the π-bonded complex, whereas isomerization of (deutero) propylenes proceeds through the π-allylic complex. The complexity of the system increases markedly as the complexity of the olefins increases. This paper describes the results of an extension of these studies to cyclo-olefin systems which include cyclobutene, methylenecyclobutane, and cyclopentene. For cyclopentene, infrared studies indicate that the dominant adsorbed species appear to be π-bonded species. For cyclobutene, studies suggest that apparently ring opening accompanies adsorption. Infrared evidence indicates a strong similarity between the adsorbed species and that from 1,3-butadiene. For methylenecyclobutane, exoendo isomerization leads to 1-methylcyclobutene with a common π-allylic intermediate. Volumetric and ir adsorption studies substantiate the results. For example, strong evidence exists for the presence of two π-bonded species which are precursors of the π-allylic intermediate from their respective directions. In addition, catalytic batch recycle reactor studies indicate the system has an apparent activation energy of 14.0 ± 1.0 kcal/mole.
Serum luteinizing hormone levels in Brangus cows following variable suckling intensity and administration of various levels of estrogen

Abstract Fifty Brangus cows were randomly allotted to suckled (S) or nonsuckled (NS) treatment groups on day 20 postpartum. Suckled cows were nursed at 6 hr intervals for 72 hours. Nonsuckled cows were separated from their calves for the entire 72 hours. At 24 hr after initial separation from calves, S and NS cows were given an I.M. challenge of 0, 0.5, 1.0, 2.0 or 4.0 mg estradiol-17β (E2) to induce a luteinizing hormone (LH) surge (five cows per treatment group). Blood samples were taken at the time of E2 injection and at 2 hr intervals until hr 48 post-injection. Blood serum was analyzed for LH content via radioimmunoassay. Suckled and NS cows manifesting an LH surge after receiving less than 4 mg E2 were 2 of 15 vs 9 of 15 (P Suckling impairs hypothalamic/pituitary response to low E2 challenge dose and elicits changes in timing parameters in response to high E2 dosage.
A METHOD OF OBTAINING PLATE CO-ORDINATES FROM THE MODEL CO-ORDINATES OF A PLOTTING INSTRUMENT

In analytical methods of photogrammetry, plate co-ordinates are obtained from stereocomparator and monocomparator observations. These specialist instruments are too costly an investment for small organisations. The paper describes a method of obtaining plate co-ordinates from model co-ordinates and gives the results of a test experiment. Resume Dans les methodes analytiques de photogrammetrie les coordonnees photographiques s'obtiennent an moyen du stereocomparateur on du monocomparateur. Ces appareils specialises se revelent trop onereux pour les petites entreprises. La communication decrit par quelle methode ľauteur deduit les coordonnees photographiques ďapres les coordonnees des points du modele. Zusammenfassung Bei den analytischen Verfahren der Photogrammetrie werden die Bildkoordinaten mit Hilfe von Stereo- oder Monokomparatoren gemessen. Diese speziellen Gerate sind fur kleine Organisationen eine zu aufwendige Investition. Im Artikel wird die Berechnung von Bild- aus Modellkoordinaten beschrieben, und es werden die Ergebnisse eines Test- Versuchs angegeben.
A computer algorithm to impute interrupted heart rate data for the spectral analysis of heart rate variability: the ARIC study

The shorter term beat-to-beat heart rate data collected from the general population are often interrupted by artifacts, and an arbitrary exclusion of such individuals from analysis may significantly reduce the sample size and/or introduce selection bias. A computer algorithm was developed to label as artifacts any data points outside the upper and lower limits generated by a 5-beat moving average +/- 25% (or set manually by an operator using a mouse) and to impute beat-to-beat heart rate throughout an artifact period to preserve the timing relationships of the adjacent, uncorrupted heart rate data. The algorithm applies Fast Fourier Transformation to the smoothed data to estimate low-frequency (LF; 0.025-0.15 Hz) and high-frequency (HF; 0.16-0.35 Hz) spectral powers and the HF/LF ratio as conventional indices of sympathetic, vagal, and vagal-sympathetic balance components, respectively. We applied this algorithm to resting, supine, 2-min beat-to-beat heart rate data collected in the population-based Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities study to assess the performance (success rate) of the algorithm (N = 526) and the inter-and intra-data-operator repeatability of using this computer algorithm (N = 108). Eighty-eight percent (88%) of the records could be smoothed by the computer-generated limits, an additional 4.8% by manually set limits, and 7.4% of the data could not be processed due to a large number of artifacts in the beginning or the end of the records. For the repeatability study, 108 records were selected at random, and two trained data operators applied this algorithm to the same records twice within a 6-month interval of each process (blinded to each other's results and their own prior results). The inter-data-operator reliability coefficients were 0.86, 0.92, and 0.90 for the HF, LF, and HF/LF components, respectively. The average intra-data-operator reliability coefficients were 0.99, 0.99, and 0.98 for the HF, LF, and HF/LF components, respectively. These results indicate that this computer algorithm is efficient and highly repeatable in processing short-term beat-to-beat heart rate data collected from the general population, given that the data operators are trained according to standardized protocol.
Assessment of minimum stream corridor width for biological conservation: Species richness and distribution along mid-order streams in Vermont, USA

Abstract Bird, mammal and vascular plant species were censused in 200-m long plots at varying distances from six midorder streams in Vermont, USA to determine how wide corridors need to be to conserve biological richness. Use of stream corridors by most mammal species occurred below or just above the annual high water mark (HWM). Distribution of plant and bird species within corridors was more variable, however, and differed from stream to stream. For example, to include 90% of the streamside plant species, minimum corridor widths ranged from 10 to 30 m above HWM, depending on the stream. Minimum corridor widths of 75–175 m were needed to include 90% of the bird species. Thus, no standard minimum corridor width for conserving species was identified. Virtually all annual, biennial, non-native and ruderal (weedy) plant species were restricted to the streamside of HWM, suggesting that annually flooded zones may serve as refugia and travel corridors for these groups. No analagous relationships were identified for birds or mammals. In summary, distribution of species along streams varied greatly by taxon, stream, and location of the high water mark. Use of a standard corridor width to conserve species is a very poor substitute for individual, streamspecific assessments of species distributions.
Total Reflection: A New Evaluation of the Goos–Hänchen Shift

Several different expressions for the Goos–Hanchen shift have been given in the literature. By looking at the problem from the point of view of the conservation of energy, new and more accurate expressions can be derived. For light waves, classical optics is used; for waves associated with particles, a quantum-mechanical approach is used. A comparison is made of the results of the present work with the earlier theories.
Research on Unstructured Data Security Exchange of Behavior Trusted in Smart Grid

In order to solve the security problem of data’s exchange and sharing among every information island, as well as between power enterprises and power customers, we propose data security exchange of user behavior trusted: recording the data’s essential attribute and user operation in clients; data transmission can be achieved by unified security exchange protocol; servers filter data according to data’s essential attribute, user operation and configure policy, by association analysis of customers’ abnormal behavior, and check user behavior trusted. By means of analysis, data exchange of user behavior trusted can ensure data’s security exchange from data transmission, data security and user behavior trusted three aspects in heterogeneous environment.
Children, promises, and behavior therapy

As Peterson (1997) observes, children are in a unique position. They represent a diverse and complex population that, at times, has been undervalued by the mainstream of psychology. Thus, child behavior therapy has often lagged behind developments in the adult area. However, somewhat ironically, the unique characteristics of children as a population may also serve as an advantage for the development of increasingly sophisticated behavioral techniques. Capitalizing on these unique qualities may be one important step toward fulfilling behavior therapy's promise.
Nonlinear perturbations of linear equations in Rn

Abstract The main goal of this note is to prove an existence theorem for the semilinear equation (0.1) A x = λ x + g ( x ) , x ∈ R n , for the case in which A is a symmetric, n × n matrix with real entries, the vector field g : R n → R n is a bounded continuous function, and λ is a simple eigenvalue of the matrix A. In particular, let u denote an eigenvector of A corresponding to λ with ‖ u ‖ = 1 , and assume that the real valued functions p + ( ω , u ) = lim r → ∞ 〈 g ( r ω ) , u 〉 , for all ω ∈ S 1 , and p − ( ω , u ) = lim r → − ∞ 〈 g ( r ω ) , u 〉 , for all ω ∈ S 1 , where 〈 ⋅ , ⋅ 〉 denotes the Euclidean inner product in R n , are defined on the unit sphere S 1 = ∂ B 1 ( 0 ) , where B 1 ( 0 ) denotes the open unit ball in R n . The main theorem in this work states that if p + ( ⋅ , u ) and p − ( ⋅ , u ) are continuous in a neighborhood of the point u in S 1 , and p + ( u , u ) 0 p − ( u , u ) , then the equation in (0.1) has at least one solution.
LOGNORMAL DISTRIBUTIONS FOR SKIN AREA AS A FUNCTION OF BODY WEIGHT

This paper reanalyzes the dataset cited by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in its Exposure Factors Handbook that contains measurements of skin area, height, and body weight for 401 people spanning all stages of development. The reanalysis shows that a univariate model for total skin area as a function of body weight gives useful and practical results with little or no loss of reliability as compared to the Agency's bivariate model. This new result leads to a new method to develop Lognormal distributions for total skin area as a function of body weight alone.
Planning for disasters and responding to catastrophes: error of the third type in disaster policy and planning

This paper states that the public increasingly expects better public sector leadership before, during and after catastrophic disasters than it has seen in the past. The massive numbers of public, non-profit and private organisations involved in catastrophic disasters require extensive ability to have horizontal, as well as vertical, communication, coordination and decision-making capabilities. High performance in response to catastrophic disasters requires an ability to assess and adapt capacity rapidly, restore or enhance disrupted or inadequate communications, utilise uncharacteristically flexible decision making and expand coordination and trust of emergency response organisations. These requirements are superimposed on conventional bureaucratic systems that rely on relatively rigid plans, exact decision protocols and formal relationships that assume uninterrupted communications. Yet, policy makers and policy analysts frequently focus on certain aspects of disaster managements after a significant disaster and commit error of the third type. This paper suggests investing in building bottom-up community capacity in a networked environment.
Exercise and bone mineral density in men: a meta-analysis.

The purpose of this study was to use the meta-analytic approach to examine the effects of exercise on bone mineral density (BMD) in men. A total of 26 effect sizes (ES) representing 225 subjects fr...
Threat-driven modeling and verification of secure software using aspect-oriented Petri nets

Design-level vulnerabilities are a major source of security risks in software. To improve trustworthiness of software design, this paper presents a formal threat-driven approach, which explores explicit behaviors of security threats as the mediator between security goals and applications of security features. Security threats are potential attacks, i.e., misuses and anomalies that violate the security goals of systems' intended functions. Security threats suggest what, where, and how security features for threat mitigation should be applied. To specify the intended functions, security threats, and threat mitigations of a security design as a whole, we exploit aspect-oriented Petri nets as a unified formalism. Intended functions and security threats are modeled by Petri nets, whereas threat mitigations are modeled by Petri net-based aspects due to the incremental and crosscutting nature of security features. The unified formalism facilitates verifying correctness of security threats against intended functions and verifying absence of security threats from integrated functions and threat mitigations. As a result, our approach can make software design provably secured from anticipated security threats and, thus, reduce significant design-level vulnerabilities. We demonstrate our approach through a systematic case study on the threat-driven modeling and verification of a real-world shopping cart application.
A Rapid Assay for Urinary Porphyrins by Thin-Layer Chromatography

A procedure has been developedfor the assayof urinary porphyrins.Total porphyrins are extracted from acidified urine into n-butanol. The fluorescenceof this solution under ultraviolet illumination gives a preliminary indication of abnormal levels of porphyrins. They are then separated and identified by thin-layer chromatography. Uroporphyrin and coproporphyrincan be qualitatively estimated by visual inspection or accurately quantitated. For quantitation, the section of silica gel containing each porphyrin is scraped from the plate, suspendedin glycerol solution, and the fluorescence measureddirectly without elution of the porphyrinsfrom the silica gel. This assay, which yields either qualitative or quantitative information, is suitable as a diagnosticprocedure in the clinical laboratory. A DIFFERENTIAL DIAGNOSIS of tile porphyrias, inborn imperfections of metabolism with defects in porphyrin biosynthesis, requires knowledge of the uroporphyrin and coproporphyrin content of urine (1, 2). Certain other diagnoses, e.g., lead poisoning, are also aided by au indication of abnormal porphyrin excretion. Numerous methods have been developed for the quantitative assay of porpliyrms, but new methods or modifications continue to apl)ear, attesting to the continuing need for improvement. Porphyrin analyses and tile underlying cheniistry involved have been reviewed and (uscussed by Schwartz et at. (3) and Falk (4). The most frequently used procedures for urinary porphyrin assays are 1)ased upon solvent extraction and separation of uroporphyrin and coproporpilyrin, with subsequent measurement of the porphyrin in hydrochloric acid solution by fluorometry or spectrophotometry. The commoii extraction procedures and the instrumentation employed have recently been oval
Experimental brain hyperthermia: techniques for heat delivery and thermometry.

Abstract An experimental canine brain model was developed to assess the effects of hyperthermia for a range of time and temperature endpoints, delivered within a specified distance of an interstitial microwave antenna in normal brain. The target temperature location was defined radially at 5.0 or 7.5 mm from the microwave source at the longitudinal location of maximum heating along the antenna in the left cerebral cortex. Temperatures were measured with fiberoptic probes in a coronal plane at this location in an orthogonal catheter at 1.0 mm intervals. Six antennas were evaluated, including dipole, modified dipole, and four shorted helical antennas with coil lengths from 0.5 to 3.9 cm. Antenna performance evaluated in tissue equivalent phantom by adjusting frequency at a fixed insertion depth of 7.8 cm or adjusting insertion depth at 915 MHz showed dipoles to be much more sensitive to insertion depth and frequency change than helical antennas. Specific absorption rate (SAR) was measured in a brain/skull phantom and isoSAR contours were plotted. In vivo temperature studies were also used to evaluate antenna performance in large and small canine brain tissues. A helical antenna with a 2.0 cm coil length driven at 915 MHz was chosen for the beagle experiments because of tip heating characteristics, well-localized heating along the coil length, and heating pattern appropriate to the smaller beagle cranial vault. Verification of lesion dimensions in 3-D D was obtained by orthogonal MRI scans and histology to document the desired heat effect, which was to obtain an imagable lesion with well-defined blood-brain-barrier breakdown and necrotic zones. The desired lesion size was between 1.5 to 2.5 cm diameter radially, in the coronal plane with the greatest diameter.
Clinical Pearl: Proximal white subungual onychomycosis in AIDS

(Fig. I). Trauma to the nail unit may precipitate infection. The clinical result is a white hue under the proximal nail plate, in the area of the lunula. The distal nail unit generally remains normal, except in long-standing disease. Unlike the crumbly nail plate surface in white superficial onychomycosis, the nail plate in a patient with PWSO is smooth and intact (Fig. 2). With nail growth, the white areas can extend distally from the lunula. Proximal white subungual disease usually is
Bimodal root diameter distributions in Serengeti grasses exhibit plasticity in response to defoliation and soil texture: implications for nitrogen uptake

Summary 1The effects of soil texture (low or high sand) and defoliation (clipped or unclipped) on root diameter distributions and nitrogen uptake were studied in the Serengeti grasses Digitaria macroblephara (Hack.) Stapf and Themeda triandra Forssk. in glasshouse cultures. 2At the end of the experiment, plants were harvested and images of the washed roots were digitized using a scanner. Root size distributions were distinctly bimodal and were described with pairs of lognormal distributions with six parameters used as variables in subsequent analyses. To investigate N uptake, a nitrate solution containing 15N was added to the soil 5 days before final harvest. 3In both grasses, root diameter distributions were more responsive to defoliation than to soil texture. However, the two species diverged strongly in their investment in fine roots in the more sandy soils. 4For each species, linear relationships were found among root biomass, root surface area and specific root length, which suggests that variation in root architecture is genetically constrained in each species. Plasticity emerged because the soil texture and defoliation experienced by an individual determined the specific architecture that it expressed within these linear relationships. 5Root parameters obtained from the experiment and previously published root biomass and enzyme activities were used to predict 15N uptake of the two grasses. Root diameter distribution and enzyme activities were important predictors of N uptake in the fast-growing grazing tolerant D. macroblephara, whereas root system size and root diameter distribution predicted N uptake in the slower growing, taller-statured T. triandra. 6The differential responses of these grasses to variation in soils and defoliation are consistent with the hypothesis that habitat heterogeneity and herbivory interact to influence species coexistence in plant communities of African savannas.
Modelling of glitch measurement to determine instability issues in magnetoresistive devices

A theoretical study of the commonly used measurements in the time domain to investigate instability in magnetoresistive (MR) devices and sensors is conducted. This is based on a simple model for devices considered to be noise systems having instability that is accounted for by random telegraph noise and additional Gaussian baseline noise. The efficiency, sensitivity and limitation of the measurements for given instability phenomena and properties are the main focus of the analysis. The methodology and principle of the study could serve as a guideline for further efforts towards optimising instability measurements and better understanding instability issues in MR devices.
Characteristics of monozygotic twins discordant for bulimia nervosa

Objective We studied monozygotic (MZ) twins who were discordant for bulimia nervosa in order to identify environmental factors that could have contributed to the expression of bulimia nervosa in only one member of these genetically identical twin pairs. Method Female twin pairs from the Virginia Twin Registry were identified. One twin met DSM-III-R criteria for bulimia nervosa (excluding the frequency and duration criterion) and the co-twin either reported some symptoms of bulimia nervosa but never met full diagnostic criteria (n = 20 pairs) or reported no symptoms of bulimia nervosa (n = 10). We compared the twins on demographic, developmental, personality, and psychiatric dimensions using self- and maternal report. Results Affected twins were more likely to report lifetime generalized anxiety disorder and were described by their mothers as more anxious and fearful as children. They also had significantly lower mastery, optimism, and self-esteem, and significantly greater obsessive and compulsive symptoms than their unaffected co-twins. Affected twins recalled greater discord in their families but viewed their parents as more warm toward them than toward their unaffected co-twin. Discussion Given that MZ twins are genetically identical and share a common family background, differences between them must be attributable to unique environmental factors. Although it is difficult to disentangle predisposing risk factors from sequelae of psychiatric illness in a retrospective co-twin control design, the affected twins were perceived to have been more anxious as children by their mothers—possibly reflecting a predisposing trait. More extensive interviews are required to determine the nature of environmental events that contribute to the expression of the observed personality, behavioral, anxious, and eating-related traits in the affected twins.© 2000 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Int J Eat Disord 29: 1–10, 2001.
A Multilevel Investigation of Individual- and Unit-Level Human Capital Complementarities

Human capital theory has recently expanded to include multilevel analysis by conceptualizing the unit-level human capital resource. At the same time, the value of complementary resources has been theorized to provide competitive advantages for firms. Thus, human capital at one level in the firm may impact the performance of human capital at another level in the firm if the resources are complementary. Through a multilevel analysis performed using hierarchical linear modeling of Major League Baseball data, we show that the relationship between individual human capital and individual performance is impacted by complementary functional and managerial unit-level human capital resources. As such, this paper contributes to the understanding of how complementary multilevel human capital resources relate to performance outcomes. Implications of our findings include support for the notion that more is not always better when it comes to high-quality human capital and that unit-level human capital plays an important...
The origin of fluvial valleys and early geologic history, Aeolis Quadrangle, Mars

A valley genesis model of the southern Aeolis Quadrangle, eastern Mars, is proposed. In response to widespread effusive volcanism in interstratified, ice-reach terrains, local subsidence occurred along fractures/faults, and produced scarps that intersected local aquifers. Heated spring discharges issuing from these scarps may have carved the valleys through a combination of downvalley water, ice, and debris flows, and headward erosion along stratal discontinuities and individual conduit faults and fractures. Fifty-six asymmetric scarps or ridges that are probable thrust faults are mapped. The faults exhibit an orientation vector mean of N 63 deg W +/- 11 deg and they transect the lava plains and the older plateau sequence units. The vector mean for the 264 valleys mapped is N 48 deg W +/- 12 deg, with a larger dispersion about the mean. The similar orientations displayed by thrust faults and valley axes suggest that valley locations are partly controlled by preexisting thrust faults and fracture systems.
The Future of Urban Sustainability

The explosive growth of cities since the beginning of twentieth century is leading to concerns about their sustainability and way of life, and their impact on the sustainability of our global resou...
Effects of stable flies (Diptera: Muscidae) on weight gains of grazing yearling cattle.

Differences in weight gains caused by stable flies, Stomoxys calcitrans (L.), on grazing yearling steer/calves averaged 0.2 kg per steer in a 3-yr study on canyon range pastures in West Central Nebraska. Stable fly numbers averaged 0.85 per front leg on treated calves and 3.64 per front leg on control calves. In 2 of the 3 yr after the grazing trials were completed, the calves were placed in a feedlot and fed a finishing ration. Compensatory gain did not occur in the feedlot after the stable fly stress was removed.
LKB1 knockout mouse develops spontaneous atrial fibrillation and provides mechanistic insights into human disease process.

Background Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a complex disease process, and the molecular mechanisms underlying initiation and progression of the disease are unclear. Consequently, AF has been difficult to model. In this study, we have presented a novel transgenic mouse model of AF that mimics human disease and characterized the mechanisms of atrial electroanatomical remodeling in the genesis of AF. Methods and Results Cardiac‐specific liver kinase B1 (LKB1) knockout (KO) mice were generated, and 47% aged 4 weeks and 95% aged 12 weeks developed spontaneous AF from sinus rhythm by demonstrating paroxysmal and persistent stages of the disease. Electrocardiographic characteristics of sinus rhythm were similar in KO and wild‐type mice. Atrioventricular block and atrial flutter were common in KO mice. Heart rate was slower with persistent AF. In parallel with AF, KO mice developed progressive biatrial enlargement with inflammation, heterogeneous fibrosis, and loss of cardiomyocyte population with apoptosis and necrosis. Atrial tissue was infiltrated with inflammatory cells. C‐reactive protein, interleukin 6, and tumor necrosis factor α were significantly elevated in serum. KO atria demonstrated elevated reactive oxygen species and decreased AMP‐activated protein kinase activity. Cardiomyocyte and myofibrillar ultrastructure were disrupted. Intercellular matrix and gap junction were interrupted. Connexins 40 and 43 were reduced. Persistent AF caused left ventricular dysfunction and heart failure. Survival and exercise capacity were worse in KO mice. Conclusions LKB1 KO mice develop spontaneous AF from sinus rhythm and progress into persistent AF by replicating the human AF disease process. Progressive inflammatory atrial cardiomyopathy is the genesis of AF, through mechanistic electrical and structural remodeling.
Human stem cell neuronal differentiation on silk-carbon nanotube composite

Human embryonic stem cells [hESCs] are able to differentiate into specific lineages corresponding to regulated spatial and temporal signals. This unique attribute holds great promise for regenerative medicine and cell-based therapy for many human diseases such as spinal cord injury [SCI] and multiple sclerosis [MS]. Carbon nanotubes [CNTs] have been successfully used to promote neuronal differentiation, and silk has been widely applied in tissue engineering. This study aims to build silk-CNT composite scaffolds for improved neuron differentiation efficiency from hESCs. Two neuronal markers (β-III tubulin and nestin) were utilized to determine the hESC neuronal lineage differentiation. In addition, axonal lengths were measured to evaluate the progress of neuronal development. The results demonstrated that cells on silk-CNT scaffolds have a higher β-III tubulin and nestin expression, suggesting augmented neuronal differentiation. In addition, longer axons with higher density were found to associate with silk-CNT scaffolds. Our silk-CNT-based composite scaffolds can promote neuronal differentiation of hESCs. The silk-CNT composite scaffolds developed here can serve as efficient supporting matrices for stem cell-derived neuronal transplants, offering a promising opportunity for nerve repair treatments for SCI and MS patients.
Stimulus properties influencing the responses of inferior colliculus neurons to amplitude-modulated sounds

Abstract The temporal pattern of the responses of neurons in the inferior colliculus of the anesthetized rat were studied using continuous tone or noise carrier signals, amplitude modulated by pseudorandom noise. Period histograms of the responses, cross-correlated with the pseudorandom noise, gave an estimate of the unit's impulse responses to modulation. The amplitude-modulation rate transfer function (MTF) was obtained by Fourier transforming the correlograms. At sound levels within approximately 15 dB of the unit threshold, the MTFs were near lowpass functions between 6 and 200 Hz but became more bandpass-like as the intensity was increased. There was a steep decline in the response to modulation at modulation frequencies above 200 Hz for all stimulus intensities. For the bandpass-type MTFs the greatest modulation of the discharge pattern occurred at modulation frequencies between 10 and 200 Hz with a maximum in the distribution of MTF peak values between 100 and 120 Hz. There was no consistent relationship with characteristic frequency of either the position of the MTF peak or the high-frequency cutoff of the MTF. The cross-correlograms obtained at high stimulus intensities (30–60 dB above threshold) often showed a negative peak, representing a decrease in the probability of firing in response to intensity increments in the stimulus, and denoting a nonmonotonic rate-intensity function. The MTFs for units responding to amplitude-modulated broadband noise were often flatter in the low frequency region than those generated with tone carriers at corresponding intensities. For some units addition of a broadband noise background to the modulated tone changed the response characteristic of the MTF from bandpass to lowpass and shifted the MTF peak to a lower modulation frequency. The results demonstrate that although neurons in the inferior colliculus are selectively sensitive to the modulation frequency of dynamic stimuli, the response characteristics are not invariant, but instead are closely dependent on the conditions under which the modulation is presented.
Multi-zone modelling of partially premixed low-temperature combustion in pilot-ignited natural-gas engines

Detailed results from a multi-zone phenomenological simulation of partially pre- mixed advanced-injection low-pilot-ignited natural-gas low-temperature combustion are presented with a focus on early injection timings (the beginning of (pilot) injection (BOI)) and very small diesel quantities (2-3 per cent of total fuel energy). Combining several aspects of diesel and spark ignition engine combustion models, the closed-cycle simulation accounted for diesel autoignition, diesel spray combustion, and natural-gas combustion by premixed turbulent flame propagation. The cylinder contents were divided into an unburned zone, several pilot fuel zones (or 'packets') that modelled diesel evaporation and ignition, a flame zone for natural-gas combustion, and a burned zone. The simulation predicted the onset of ignition, cylinder pressures, and heat release rate profiles satisfactorily over a wide range of BOIs (20-60u before top dead centre (before TDC)) but especially well at early BOIs. Strong coupling was observed between pilot spray combustion in the packets and premixed turbulent combustion in the flame zone and, therefore, the number of ignition centres (packets) profoundly affected flame combustion. The highest local peak temperatures (greater than 2000 K) were observed in the packets, while the flame zone was much cooler (about 1650 K), indicating that pilot diesel spray combustion is probably the dominant source of engine-out emissions of nitrogen oxide (NOx). Further, the 60u before TDC BOI yielded the lowest average peak packet temperatures (about 1720 K) compared with the 20u before TDC BOI (about 2480 K) and 40u before TDC BOI (about 2700 K). These trends support experimental NOx trends, which showed the lowest NOx emissions for the 60u ,2 0u, and 40u before TDC BOIs in that order. Parametric studies showed that increasing the intake charge temperature, pilot quantity, and natural-gas equivalence ratio all led to higher peak heat release rates and hotter packets but the pilot quantity and intake temperature affected the potential for NOx formation to a greater extent.
Carbon Contamination at Silver Surfaces: Surface Preparation Procedures Evaluated by Raman Spectroscopy and X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy

The quantity and chemical nature of carbonaceous impurities remaining on polycrystalline Ag surfaces after preparation depend on the protocol used for cleaning. The effectiveness of several preparation protocols was investigated in this study: mechanical polishing with successively finer grades of alumina, Ar+ sputtering, chemical polishing, and chemical polishing followed by Tl underpotential deposition. The impurities detected on polycrystalline Ag surfaces subjected to these preparation procedures are carbon, oxygen, and aluminum, and these are qualitatively and quantitatively identified with X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. With Raman spectroscopy, these carbonaceous impurities are qualitatively identified as graphite, hydrocarbon, and cyanide species, the last of these being present only on the chemically polished surfaces.
Quantifying Human Calcium Absorption Using Pharmacokinetic Methods

Calcium absorption was measured simultaneously by tracer and pharmacokinetic methods in 12 men. The purpose of the study was to calibrate the area under the curve (AUC) for absorptive calcemia to permit comparison or pooling of pharmacokinetic data with tracer-derived estimates. Each subject was studied twice during intake of 500 mg calcium loads (as the carbonate salt), once without excipients, and once with a binder that impeded dissolution of the salt, reducing its absorbability and thereby providing a broad range of absorption values over which to calibrate the method. Various time periods were evaluated, with the best prediction being given by the AUC for the increment in serum calcium calculated over 9 h (AUC(9)). For net absorbed calcium (mmol) the relationship was given by 4.358 x AUC(9) +/- 0.820. The empirical regression coefficient was significant and the error of the estimate (0.820 mmol) acceptably small.
High-resolution IR spectroscopic surveys for protoplanetary systems with silicon immersion gratings

The breakthrough of silicon immersion grating technology at Penn State has the ability to revolutionize high-resolution infrared spectroscopy at large ground-based telescopes. Fabrication of high quality silicon grisms and immersion gratings up to 2 inches in dimension has become a routine process thanks to newly developed techniques. Silicon immersion gratings with etched dimensions of ~ 4 inches are being developed at Penn State. This immersion grating will be able to provide diffraction-limited spectral resolution of R = 300,000 at 2.2 micron, or 130,000 at 4.6 micron. To take full advantage of this high dispersing device for high resolution IR spectroscopy at high efficiency, high order adaptive optics is required to fully correct wavefronts distorted by atmospheric turbulence, to reach Strehl ratio of at least ~50%. IR spectroscopy with R > 100,000 opens up new possibilities in investigating the total mass and location of protoplanets through observing absorption lines from the CO fundamental bands at 4.6 microns and other molecular bands formed in the dynamic gaps created by protoplanets. It can also be used to study the density, temperature and composition of the environment where planets form. Large aperture telescopes with low thermal background are essential for ground-based observations to have enough sensitivity for observing thousands of nearby T Tauri stars to study planet formation. The results of protoplanet mass and location distribution will be compared to those of planets obtained from Doppler radial velocity surveys to investigate whether orbital migration and dynamical scattering play a significant role in planet formation and evolution. Future perspectives for developing silicon immersion gratings with sizes larger than 4 inches will also be discussed.
Clinical and Subclinical Ophthalmic Findings with Retinol Deficiency

Background: Patients at risk for retinol deficiency in developed countries include those with hepatic dysfunction and malabsorption states. Symptoms of retinol deficiency may go unrecognized or unreported. Methods: The authors describe 15 patients with hepatic dysfunction, two of whom had procedures that would predispose to malabsorption and were ophthalmologically symptomatic of retinol depletion. The other 13 patients were ophthalmologically asymptomatic liver transplant candidates examined prospectively for subdinical evidence of retinol deficiency. Combined laboratory analysis, Schirmer's testing, conjunctival impression cytology, and electroretinography were performed. Results: Twelve of 15 patients had serum retinol levels below the lower limit of normal. Aqueous tear production was reduced in 7 of 14 patients. Abnormal conjunctival morphology was noted in 6 of 12 patients. Electroretinograms were abnormal in the two patients who were visually symptomatic and in seven of nine patients who were ophthalmologically asymptomatic. Conclusion: Subclinical, physiologically significant retinol deficiency may be a frequent and unrecognized problem among patients with hepatic dysfunction.
Transparency in Nursing Leadership A Chosen Ethic

The concept of transparency has been viewed as an essential leadership attribute or element in healthcare organizational structures and processes. While viewed as something that is desired and valued, there is a lack of nursing disciplinary literature that defines the concept and its possible meanings. This column provides a beginning definition of transparency from the humanbecoming nursing theoretical perspective and launches a discussion with potential ethical implications for leadership in nursing practice and education.
SBS remote and spatially-resolved monitoring of the state of polarization in optical fibers

A new technique is demonstrated that allows remote monitoring of the distributed state of polarization along a fiber. The technique is based on the stimulated Brillouin Scattering of a pulsed pump and a cw probe
JOB-CONTENT PERCEPTIONS, PERFORMANCE-REWARD EXPECTANCIES, AND ABSENTEEISM AMONG LOW-WAGE PUBLIC-SECTOR CLERICAL EMPLOYEES

This study explored relations of job-content perceptions (i.e., skill variety and task significance), and performance–reward expectancies, with absenteeism among 134 low-wage public-sector clerical employees. Results indicated that those employees who perceived limited performance–reward expectancies (i.e., lower instrumentality), and who considered their jobs to be either higher on skill variety or task significance, were likely to be absent more often. Moreover, the link between skill variety and absenteeism was moderated by instrumentality in a manner suggesting that respondents may have utilized absenteeism as a means of compensating for perceived workplace contributions not extrinsically rewarded. These findings further suggest that employees in occupational settings for which performance-related extrinsic rewards are less available may not respond to favorable job-content perceptions in the positive manner generally predicted by job characteristics theory.
DOES STANDING WATER AND PREDATOR PRESENCE STRUCTURE A WETLAND TERRESTRIAL MOLLUSC COMMUNITY

Impacts of co-occurring biotic and abiotic environmental variables on terrestrial mollusc communities have rarely been studied. In wetlands, terrestrial molluscs can drown or become stranded by rising water levels and they are often prey for predaceous beetles and small mammals. I used coverboard traps over a three year period to study the biotic and abiotic gradients that may structure a wetland prairie terrestrial mollusc community in western Oregon, USA. A non-metric multidimensional scaling (NMDS) ordination indicated that shrews (Sorex vagrans) and predaceous beetles were the primary gradients associated with the terrestrial mollusc community. Snails were associated with the presence of shrews, slugs were allied with predaceous beetles, and the vectors representing the shrew and predaceous beetle gradients were opposed, suggesting that beetles preyed upon snails while the shrews consumed both beetles and slugs. These hypothesized predator-prey relationships among molluscs, shrews, and beetles coincide with studies of Sorex gut contents and predaceous carabid beetle life history. The mollusc community was not associated with the water cover gradient in the NMDS ordination, but small mammal burrows and predaceous beetles were found in greater abundance in unflooded mound habitats. This suggests that standing water may temporally concentrate both predators and prey in a shared unflooded environment during the rainy season. The high metabolic demands of shrews and an apparent preference for both beetle and molluscan prey suggest that shrews may exert a strong top-down effect on invertebrate communities.
On the possibility of predicting gaze aversion to improve video-chat efficiency

A possible way to make video chat more efficient is to only send video frames that are likely to be looked at by the remote participant. Gaze in dialog is intimately tied to dialog states and behaviors, so prediction of such times should be possible. To investigate, we collected data on both participants in 6 video-chat sessions, totalling 65 minutes, and created a model to predict whether a participant will be looking at the screen 300 milliseconds in the future, based on prosodic and gaze information available at the other side. A simple predictor had a precision of 42% at the equal error rate. While this is probably not good enough to be useful, improved performance should be readily achievable.
Tests and analysis on the delamination fatigue growth in glass/epoxy composite plates

In this study experimental and analytical results on mode dependence of delamination growth under cyclic compressive loads are presented. Analytical simulations and experimental tests on crossply Glass/Epoxy specimens were carried out. The effect of delamination position in the specimen and initial compressive strain are considered to determine the trends on mode mixity and energy release rates. A comparison in the fatigue delamination trends between Glass/Epoxy and Graphite/Epoxy is studied. The analysis is based on the initial post-buckling solution proposed by Kardomateas. This model does not impose any restrictive assumptions on the relative thickness of the delaminated and the base plates. The outcome of this study clearly indicates the effect of the applied strain, the initial delamination length, and the position of the delamination in the growth rate of the interlayer crack. Additionally, the trends obtained for the mode mixity, and the energy release rate versus the delamination growth are found to be similar in both materials.