cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Effect of calf management on carcass characteristics and palatability traits of veal calves

Abstract Objectives were to explore the feasibility of producing grain-fed veal. Fifteen Holstein bull calves and two Holstein beef cross females were fed milk only or were weaned by 28 d and fed concentrate. Milk-fed calves were reared in painted, metal-sided pens (1.2m × 1.8m) on rubber covered concrete (hosed daily); grain-fed calves were in outdoor movable pens (1.2 × 2.5m). Mean slaughter age was 127 d for both groups. Average birth weight, final BW, and average daily gains were 98, 98, and 97% as much for grain-fed as for milkfed calves. Total 127-d consumption was 1488kg of milk per milk-fed calf, with peak 14-d consumption of 19.9 kg/d, and consumption for grain-fed calves was 103kg of milk and 351kg of concentrate. Blood hemoglobin (10.75 g/dl) did not differ. All calves finished the experiment; scour incidence and medications (48 vs. 0) were much higher with milk feeding. Growth rate (d 28 to 127) was 1.1 kg/d for grain feeding compared with 1.0 kg/d (less than expected) for milk feeding. Hide was not removed until 24h when carcasses were evaluated for USDA grade factors. Milk feeding resulted in lower lean and overall maturity scores; lighter color; more flank fat streaking; greater fat thickness; more kidney, pelvic, and heart fat; lower Warner-Bratzler shear values of loin chops; and higher percentage graded as veal. Composition of longissimus muscle, cooking characteristics, and sensory panel attributes did not differ. Lean maturity and color were not related to shear values or sensory panel evaluations. Total pigment content was correlated positively with flavor intensity.
The nature of conflict in firm-client relations: A content analysis of public relations journal 1980–89

Abstract Determing the sources of conflict in public relations firm-client relations is the first step toward managing such conflict productively. A content analysis of firm-related articles in Public Relations Journal from 1980–1989 yielded a total of 45 conflict issues. The key issues recurring whether the conflict was attributed to the firm or the client were concerns over knowing each other's businesses, contributing to a consistent communication flow, finances, and “chemistry.” For the most part, conflict issues for public relations firms paralleled those for advertising firms as reported in the advertising agency literature. Exceptions were top ranking public relations firm issues related to research and billing and for clients, prompt payment. Advertising issues not directly found in the public relations literature included defensiveness, blame placing and the number of approval levels.
Myocardial protection of insulin and potassium in a porcine ischemia-reperfusion model.

Background We previously evaluated cardioprotective effects of glucose-insulin-potassium (GIK) in a porcine ischemia-reperfusion model; our results showed less myocardial pH decrease during ischemia and reperfusion and faster normalization of ATP and glucose during reperfusion. The proposed protective mechanism was facilitation of glucose transport for myocardial metabolism. The objective of this study was to assess the impact of insulin-potassium (IK) alone on myocardial metabolism. Methods Male swine received continuous infusion of IK (IK group, n = 10), GIK (GIK group, n = 10), or standard lactated Ringer's (LR) solution (controls, n = 10). Induction of 20 minutes of ischemia in the left anterior descending (LAD) artery distribution was followed by 20 minutes of reperfusion. Real-time biosensors recorded pH and glucose levels in ischemic and nonischemic beds. Myocardial biopsies in the distribution of the LAD assessed ATP levels. Groups were compared using the Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Whitney tests. Results Real-time data are presented as percent change from baseline. At less than 10 minutes of ischemia, the average pH change was less for the IK group than the LR group (0.03% ± 0.21% vs –2.06% ± 1.23%; P = .001), and the pH change in the IK group was similar to the GIK group. After 10 minutes of ischemia and during the first 10 minutes of reperfusion, the IK group experienced pH changes that were similar to the LR group. Biopsies after 20 minutes of ischemia and 20 minutes of reperfusion showed less of a decline in ATP levels for the IK group compared to the LR group. Glucose at all time points demonstrated no statistically significant differences. Conclusion IK infusion alone demonstrates cardioprotective effects during early ischemia; however, compared to GIK infusion after 20 minutes of ischemia and reperfusion, myocardial pH and glucose levels were not sustained. Although insulin may facilitate glucose transport during ischemia, additional glucose in combination with IK enhances myocardial protection during reperfusion. This finding suggests that GIK enhancement during acute ischemia-reperfusion may improve myocardial protection.
3D dictionary learning based iterative cone beam CT reconstruction

Purpose: This work is to develop a 3D dictionary learning based cone beam CT (CBCT) reconstruction algorithm on graphic processing units (GPU) to improve the quality of sparse-view CBCT reconstruction with high efficiency. Methods : A 3D dictionary containing 256 small volumes (atoms) of 3 × 3 × 3 was trained from a large number of blocks extracted from a high quality volume image. On the basis, we utilized cholesky decomposition based orthogonal matching pursuit algorithm to find the sparse representation of each block. To accelerate the time-consuming sparse coding in the 3D case, we implemented the sparse coding in a parallel fashion by taking advantage of the tremendous computational power of GPU. Conjugate gradient least square algorithm was adopted to minimize the data fidelity term. Evaluations are performed based on a head-neck patient case. FDK reconstruction with full dataset of 364 projections is used as the reference. We compared the proposed 3D dictionary learning based method with tight frame (TF) by performing reconstructions on a subset data of 121 projections. Results: Compared to TF based CBCT reconstruction that shows good overall performance, our experiments indicated that 3D dictionary learning based CBCT reconstruction is able to recover finer structures, remove more streaking artifacts and also induce less blocky artifacts. Conclusion : 3D dictionary learning based CBCT reconstruction algorithm is able to sense the structural information while suppress the noise, and hence to achieve high quality reconstruction under the case of sparse view. The GPU realization of the whole algorithm offers a significant efficiency enhancement, making this algorithm more feasible for potential clinical application. ------------------------------- Cite this article as: Bai T, Yan H, Shi F, Jia X, Lou Y, Xu Q, Jiang S, Mou X. 3D dictionary learning based iterative cone beam CT reconstruction. Int J Cancer Ther Oncol 2014; 2(2):020240. DOI: 10.14319/ijcto.0202.40
Acute renal failure in multiple myeloma

1. The clinical manifestations, laboratory data and renal histologic features of acute renal failure occurring in 14 patients with multiple myeloma are reviewed and contrasted with the data from 29 previously reported cases. 2. Whereas other reports have stressed the role of intravenous pyelography and dehydration in the development of acute renal failure in multiple myeloma, the most common etiologic factor in our experience was hypercalcemia (7 patients). Other factors included potentially nephrotoxic antibiotics (3 patients) and volume depletion (2 patients). Intravenous pyelography could be clearly implicated in ony one patient. 3. The unusually high incidence of Bence Jones proteinuria in these patients is consistent with the possibility that Bence Jones protein excretion is associated with an increased susceptibility to renal injury. This could be due to an adverse effect of Bence Jones proteins on the renal tubules or their tendency to precipitate in tubular lumina during periods of reduced tubular flow. 4. The prognosis of patients with multiple myeloma who develop acute renal failure is poor; only 5 of our 14 patients survived the early period of acutely impaired renal function, and 4 of these subsequently died within 2 months. Preventive measures particularly the prompt correction of hypercalcemia and volume depletion, are the most important aspects of patient management.
El Programa Dental de Atención Infantil (PADI) de Navarra y del País Vasco: logros y nuevas metas

This paper briefly analyses the results of the Infant Dental Care Program (PADI) of the Basque Country (1990) and Navarra (1991), aimed at children aged from 6 and 15 years. At the age 12, the lack of caries rose from 31% in 1988 to 57% in 1998 in the Basque Country, while it was 58% in Navarra (1997); the number of caries fell in Navarra by some 64% and by some 54% in the Basque Country, and the index of restoration was 81% in Navarra and 73% in the Basque Country (it was 17% in 1988). Emphasis is placed on the importance of a good evaluation of these programs and the opportunities that are opened up by the comparative analysis between Spanish autonomous communities for analysing the contribution of factors that are different, and for evaluating the impact of the programs on social inequalities in health. The results of the PADI exceed the initial aims of the Health Plans of Navarra (1991) and of the Basque Country (1990), and endorse the adoption of these programs by the Spanish autonomous communities. The development of these programs raises new objectives in dental health policy in Navarra and the Basque Country and, above all, makes it necessary to reflect on the need for Spain to include public dental health in its health policy and for the National Health System as a whole to include dental services within its services
Evidence from 23Na NMR studies for the existence of sodium-channels in the brush border membrane of the renal proximal tubule

Abstract A fast Na+-exchange is shown to be present in isolated renal brush border membranes. The lower limit of the rate constant for this process, calculated from the 23Na-NMR spectrum is 580 sec−1. The actual exchange rate may be higher. A fast 7Li exchange is also shown to be present in the isolated membrane vesicles. The characteristic overshoot of the Na+ dependent D-glucose cotransport and Na + H + antiport can be demonstrated. The fact that neither treatment with papain, nor lowering of the temperature to 5°C affected the 23Na-NMR spectra obtained in the renal brush border membrane vesicles is consistent with the possibility that the fast Na+-exchange occurs through a channel mechanism.
Polygons: Meister was right and Poinsot was wrong but prevailed

The definitions of the term “polygon” as given and used by Meister (1724–1788) in 1770 and by Poinsot (1777–1859) in 1810 are discussed. Since it is accepted that mathematicians are free to define concepts whichever way they like, the claim that one of them is right and the other wrong may appear strange. The following pages should justify the assertion of the title by pointing out some of the errors and inconsistencies in Poinsot’s work, and—more importantly—show the undesirable and harmful consequences resulting from it.
Influence of Presenting Electrocardiographic Findings on the Treatment and Outcomes of Patients With Non–ST-Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction

The influence of the presenting electrocardiographic (ECG) findings on the treatment and outcomes of patients with non–ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI) has not been studied in contemporary practice. We analyzed the clinical characteristics, in-hospital management, and in-hospital outcomes of patients with NSTEMI in the Acute Coronary Treatment and Intervention Outcomes Network Registry–Get With The Guidelines (ACTION Registry-GWTG) according to the presenting ECG findings. A total of 175,556 patients from 485 sites from January 2007 to September 2011 were stratified by the ECG findings on presentation: ST depression (n = 40,146, 22.9%), T-wave inversions (n = 24,627, 14%), transient ST-segment elevation (n = 5,050, 2.9%), and no ischemic changes (n = 105,733, 60.2%). Patients presenting with ST-segment depression were the oldest and had the greatest prevalence of major cardiac risk factors. Coronary angiography was performed most frequently in the transient ST-segment elevation group, followed by the T-wave inversion, ST-segment depression, and no ischemic changes groups. The angiogram revealed that patients with ST-segment depression had more left main, proximal left anterior descending, and 3-vessel coronary artery disease and underwent coronary artery bypass grafting most often. In contrast, patients with transient ST-segment elevation had 1-vessel CAD and underwent percutaneous coronary intervention the most. The unadjusted mortality was highest in the ST-segment depression group, followed by the no ischemic changes, transient ST-segment elevation, and T-wave inversion group. Adjusted mortality using the ACTION Registry-GWTG in-hospital mortality model with the no ischemic changes group as the reference showed that in-hospital mortality was similar in the transient ST-segment elevation (odds ratio 1.15, 95% confidence interval 0.97 to 1.37; p = 0.10), higher in the ST-segment depression group (odds ratio 1.46, 95% confidence interval 1.37 to 1.54; p
The inhibitory action of human plasma on dinitrophenol uncoupling of oxidative phosphorylation.

Abstract A factor from human plasma has been found and purified about 35-fold which will prevent the uncoupling action of dinitrophenol on the oxidative phosphorylation of rat liver mitochondria. This substance has the properties of a protein, but as yet has not been specifically identified. There appears to be more of this substance present in the plasma of normal individuals than in the plasma of patients with malignant disease.
Novel role of tyrosine kinase inhibition in the prevention of immune tolerance with immune modulated therapy in advanced malignancy

RESULTS: In breast cancer cell lines with a spectrum of genomic/ signaling aberrations, although the expression and phosphorylation of 4E-BP1 differed, eIF4E was ubiquitously expressed. eIF4E siRNA achieved upwards of 80% decrease in eIF4E levels. In ER/PR/ HER2( ) MDA-MB-468 cells, eIF4E knockdown decreased cell growth by 73% at 5 days (p .0035). Significant growth inhibition with eIF4E knockdown was also observed in MCF7 (ER , HER2 ), BT474 (ER , HER2 ) and SKBR3 (ER ,HER2 ) cells. Further, eIF4E knockdown led to an 86% decline (p .0001) in anchorage-dependent colony formation ability.
Neuronal migration disorders: from genetic diseases to developmental mechanisms

Neurons that constitute the cerebral cortex must migrate hundreds of cell-body distances from their place of birth, and through several anatomical boundaries, to reach their final position within the correct cortical layer. Human neurological conditions associated with abnormal neuronal migration, together with spontaneous and engineered mouse mutants, define at least four distinct steps in cortical neuronal migration. Many of the genes that control neuronal migration have strong genetic or biochemical links to the cytoskeleton, suggesting that the field of neuronal migration might be closing in on the underlying cytoskeletal events.
Improving access to relevant data on faults, errors and failures in real systems

In order to be able to test the effectiveness and verify proposed techniques for enhanced availability based on field data from systems it is important to have reliability data of the components and the information necessary to characterize or model the system. This includes inter alia the type and number of components, their protection and dependency relations as well the automatic recovery mechanisms built into the system. An important benefit of making system models and logs available to the research community in a standard format is that it opens up the possibility for creating tools to assess and optimize deployed as well as hypothetical system configurations. Specialized tools for on-line and off-line analysis and classification of reliability data also become viable. Availability modeling tools could be benchmarked against actual data. Depending on the usefulness of such tools and the level of adoption of standard models and formats in the industry a market for reliability data analysis tools could emerge over time. These tools could be used during the design, deployment and operation phases of a system in order to predict or enhance the availability of the services it provides
Strong influence of behavioral dynamics on the ability of testing and treating HIV to stop transmission

Choosing between strategies to control HIV transmission with antivirals requires understanding both the dynamics affecting those strategies' effectiveness and what causes those dynamics. Alternating episodes of high and low contact rates (episodic risk) interact with increased transmission probabilities during early infection to strongly influence HIV transmission dynamics. To elucidate the mechanics of this interaction and how these alter the effectiveness of universal test and treat (UT8T) strategies, we formulated a model of UT8T effects. Analysis of this model shows how and why changing the dynamics of episodic risk changes the fraction of early transmissions (FET) and the basic reproduction number (R0) and consequently causes UT8T to vary from easily eliminating transmission to having little effect. As the length of risk episodes varies from days to lifetimes, FET first increases, then falls. Endemic prevalence varies similarly. R0, in contrast, increases monotonically and is the major determinant of UT8T effects. At some levels of episodic risk, FET can be high, but eradication is easy because R0 is low. At others FET is lower, but a high R0 makes eradication impossible and control ineffective. Thus changes in individual risk over time must be measured and analyzed to plan effective control strategies with antivirals.
Using glomalin as an indicator for arbuscular mycorrhizal hyphal growth: an example from a tropical rain forest soil

Glomalin concentrations of extra-radical arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) hyphae were estimated by deploying hyphal in-growth cores ;containing glomalin-free sand in field soils in a tropical forest and in pot cultures. In field soils, glomalin was 0.044 +/- 0.013 mug m(-1) hyphae. In pot cultures glomalin concentrations were lower (range 0.0068-0.036 mug m(-1)), and varied significantly among species. Using this technique, preliminary estimates of extraradical AM hyphal production on Inceptisols were 1.91 Mg ha(-1) yr(-1) and on Oxisol were 1.47 Mg ha(-1) yr(-1), but they could range between 0.9-5.7 Mg ha(-1) yr(-1). These rates of hyphal production are approximately 10% (range 5-33%) of estimated above ground primary production of the forest. (C) 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Untangling the Dynamics of Judicial Decision Making and Inmates’ Free Exercise Claims

The federal courts have played a central role in establishing important rights for inmates, including the Free Exercise of religion. However, there is little empirical research on the nexus between court decision making, inmates’ Free Exercise claims, and correctional policies/practices. This research is an attempt to understand this decision-making dynamic by using a sample of 330 federal cases from 2000 to 2007 to examine legal and nonlegal factors that are suspected to affect Free Exercise claims. Importantly, security concerns and legal precedents are among the strongest predictors of whether courts will find in favor of inmates who make Free Exercise claims.
Investigation of in situ weathering of quartz diorite bedrock in the Rio Icacos basin, Luquillo Experimental Forest, Puerto Rico

Abstract The Rio Icacos basin, in Puerto Rico, is the site of the highest measured chemical solute fluxes for a catchment on granodiorite; this is partly attributable to high annual rainfall (4300 mm), high average temperature (23 °C), and moderate relief. The bulk of these fluxes is contributed by dissolution of plagioclase and amphiboles in zones of partially weathered rock (0.5–1.5 m thick) underlying saprolite. These zones are characterized by systems of onion-skin “rindlets” (each 3–10 cm thick) in which porosity development is dominated by weathering of plagioclase to kaolinite. Fe-bearing aluminosilicate minerals hornblende, augite, and biotite persist in the weathered rock after plagioclase has weathered to completion, but hornblende and augite disappear between the porous rindlet systems and saprolite. A new watershed-scale solute mass balance corroborates earlier studies and yields an overall reaction stoichiometry that closely resembles complete weathering of the rock (except quartz and biotite) to kaolinite and Fe3+ oxides. Our findings indicate that steady-state assumptions are reasonable and useful in studying weathering at this site. Estimated steady-state sediment yields (based on net solute fluxes and average bedrock composition) of 3.24×10−9 to 3.60×10−9 kg m−2 s−1 are smaller than measured values, indicating that sediment generation is currently accelerated with respect to steady-state; however, sediment generation has recently been closer to steady-state. Since weathering within the rindlet systems occurs on multiple fronts moving upward and downward, two new steady-state conceptual models are developed to account for (1) multiple parallel weathering fronts, and (2) differential rates of advance of weathering fronts due to porosity development. Based on these models, in situ weathering rates for plagioclase at two sample locations of 2.7×10−15 and 5.0×10−15 mol Na g−1 s−1 are calculated, values comparable to BET surface area normalized rates of 2.7×10−16 to 5.0×10−15 mol Na m−2 s−1.
A Simple Inulin Assay for Renal Clearance Determination Using an Immobilized β-Fructofuranosidase

Current hospital practice for testing renal function is to use the creatinine clearance test. Inulin clearance, an inherently more accurate procedure, currently is only carried out by specialized laboratories because there is not a simple biochemical assay for inulin, that is, an assay that could be carried out by any laboratory without special facilities. We have developed a simple enzymatic assay system for measuring inulin in plasma and urine. The procedure uses a beta-fructofuranosidase immobilized on Concanavalin A to convert inulin to fructose. Fructose is then measured by measuring the NADH----NAD conversion produced when fructose is converted to sorbitol by the enzyme sorbitol dehydrogenase. Kinetic parameters, binding capacities, and operating conditions for the immobilized beta-fructofuranosidase were determined as well as general operating parameters for the complete assay system. This system offers the potential for replacing the creatinine clearance test as the assay of choice for renal function.
Topical Mosquito Repellents IV: Alicyclic, Bicyclic, and Unsaturated Acetals, Aminoacetals, and Carboxamide Acetals

A number of acetals, aminoacetals, carboxamide acetals, and aromatic esters were synthesized and evaluated for topical repellency on human skin against Aedes aegypti mosquitoes. The aminoacetals exhibited the highest degrees of repellency, but none of the compounds rivaled N,N‐diethyl‐m‐toluamide in terms of duration of protection. Repellency was related to volatility, and it is concluded that useful repellency is associated with a volatility range corresponding to a boiling point of 100–150°/0.5 mm. Two benzylic ethers were also examined and one of these was comparable to N,N‐diethyl‐m‐toluamide in duration of topical repellency.
Einstein's impact on optics at the frontier

Abstract The seminal contributions made by Einstein a century ago have enabled a new frontier area of science, called high-field science. This research involves the physics of the interactions of matter with electromagnetic fields at its highest levels ever achieved in the laboratory. Besides being of fundamental importance to physics research, the discoveries being made in this area are also leading to a new generation of compact and ultrashort-duration particle accelerators and X-ray light sources, with applications ranging from nuclear fusion to cancer therapy.
Feature Factory: Crowd Sourced Feature Discovery

We examine the process of engineering features for developing models that improve our understanding of learners' online behavior in MOOCs. Because feature engineering relies so heavily on human insight, we engage the crowd for feature proposals and guidance on how to operationalize them. When we examined our crowd-sourced features in the context of predicting stopout, not only were they impressively nuanced, but they also integrated more than one interaction mode between the learner and platform and described how the learner was relatively performing.
Group Visits: Promoting Adherence to Diabetes Guidelines

BACKGROUND Current diabetes management guidelines offer blueprints for providers, yet type 2 diabetes control is often poor in disadvantaged populations. The group visit is a new treatment modality originating in managed care for efficient service delivery to patients with chronic health problems. Group visits offer promise for delivering care to diabetic patients, as visits are lengthier and can be more frequent, more organized, and more educational.
Real-time, on-line characterization of diesel generator air toxic emissions by resonance-enhanced multiphoton ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry.

The laser-based resonance-enhanced multiphoton ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (REMPI-TOFMS) technique has been applied to the exhaust gas stream of a diesel generator to measure, in real time, concentration levels of aromatic air toxics. Volatile organic compounds, as well as several polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons were detected in the concentration range of 10−200 ppb in the steady-state diesel generator exhaust. The results were verified and compared with conventional extractive sampling and analytical techniques using gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS). The high isomer selectivity of the REMPI-TOFMS instrument provided data for individual xylene isomers that are otherwise (partially) coeluting in standard GC/MS analyses. Good agreement was observed between results for volatile and semivolatile organic compounds obtained with REMPI-TOFMS and conventional extractive sampling. Transient events, such as cold start-ups of the diesel generator, resulted in sharp (less than 15 s) peak ...
Antigens with application toward immunecontrol of blood-feeding parasitic nematodes

Summary This review considers progress toward immune control of nematode parasites that feed on mammalian host blood. Approaches to identify relevant parasite antigens include use of irradiated larvae, somatic antigens, metabolites, enzymes and gut antigens. Because significant immune protection has more recently been achieved using gut antigens of the blood-feeding parasite Haemonchus contortus , these antigens are considered in greater detail. Issues discussed are implications of gut antigens in immune control, potential mechanisms involved in this immunity, biochemical characteristics of gut antigens and potential application of gut antigens to immune control of other blood-feeding nematodes.
Glycyl-glutamine in nucleus accumbens reduces ethanol intake in alcohol preferring (P) rats.

Abstract Opioid peptides and glycyl-glutamine (Gly-Gln) have been implicated in the control of ethanol consumption. A recognized β-endorphin cleavage product, Gly-Gln, inhibits voluntary alcohol consumption when microinjected into the nucleus accumbens (AcbSh) of P rats. To evaluate the site-specific efficacy of Gly-Gln on ethanol consumption following AcbSh application, ethanol preferring (P) rats were allowed to establish individual baseline ethanol/water consumption utilizing a voluntary self-administration paradigm. Subsequent to baseline ethanol consumption being established, bilateral guide cannulae were stereotaxically implanted +1 mm dorsal to the AcbSh for subsequent Gly-Gln (100 nmol/μl) or saline vehicle (1 μl) injections. Alcohol intake, body weight, and water intake were measured at 24 h post-injection intervals. Unilateral Gly-Gln injections reduced ethanol consumption 35.6% (P
Kinetics of heterogeneous cellulose reactions. I. Cyanoethylation of cotton cellulose

Sakurada's equation and fundamental kinetic laws were applied to the heterogeneous cyanoethylation of cellulose, performed by reacting fiber with liquid acrylonitrile, with sodium hydroxide as the catalyst. The data fit Sakurada's equation better at higher temperatures; deviation occurs at the initial stage, and the rate of reaction falls abruptly at a later stage. The degree of substitution at which the abrupt rate change occurred decreased as the temperature increased from 31 to 60°C. and also as the crystallinity of the fiber decreased. Diluting the reagent with different solvents decreased the rate of reaction and changed its transition points, but did not change the essential nature of the reaction, each segment of which fits Sakurada's equation very well. A uniform distribution of the catalyst (sodium hydroxide) throughout the fiber was attempted, and then the reaction was studied at 50°C. Diffractograms of the samples provided further evidence that the position of the rate change is associated with the change of cellulose (I) crystalline structure. Approximate energy of activation has been calculated, from the specific rate constants, between 31 and 40°C. as 10.6 kcal. and between 45 and 50°C. as 16.7 kcal. At other temperatures the determination was handicapped, due to temperature dependence of the order of reaction. An empirical relation between the constants of Sakurada's equation and the reaction temperature has been sought and correlated with the Arrhenius equation. Energies of activation, determined from this relationship, have been found to be very close to the above values. The change of order of reaction with temperature suggests that the reaction is affected by diffusion and the mechanism is interpreted as a diffusion-controlled reaction where hydrogen bonds play a significant role in diffusion.
Functional alterations in rat liver polysomes associated with starvation and refeeding.

Abstract Microsomes and ribosomes from the livers of rats starved for one week incorporate amino acids less actively than preparations from the livers of rats that have been starved for the same period and then re-fed for ten or fifteen hours. In both starved and starved-re-fed preparations essentially all of the incorporation is on polysomes. Heavy polysomes from the same region of the sucrose gradient retain incorporation differences similar to those observed with cruder preparations. It is concluded that the difference in activity of the microsomes is at least in part an intrinsic property of the polysome itself.
Lesions of the entorhinal cortex or fornix disrupt the context-dependence of fear extinction in rats

Recent studies have shown that the hippocampus is critical for the context-dependent expression of extinguished fear memories. Here we used Pavlovian fear conditioning in rats to explore whether the entorhinal cortex and fornix, which are the major cortical and subcortical interfaces of the hippocampus, are also involved in the context-dependence of extinction. After pairing an auditory conditional stimulus (CS) with an aversive footshock (unconditional stimulus or US) in one context, rats received an extinction session in which the CS was presented without the US in another context. Conditional fear to the CS was then tested in either the extinction context or a third familiar context; freezing behavior served as the index of fear. Sham-operated rats exhibited little conditional freezing to the CS in the extinction context, but showed a robust renewal of fear when tested outside of the extinction context. In contrast, rats with neurotoxic lesions in the entorhinal cortex or electrolytic lesions in the fornix did not exhibit a renewal of fear when tested outside the extinction context. Impairments in freezing behavior to the auditory CS were not able to account for the observed results, insofar as rats with either entorhinal cortex or fornix lesions exhibited normal freezing behavior during the conditioning session. Thus, contextual memory retrieval requires not only the hippocampus proper, but also its cortical and subcortical interfaces.
Low-Q inelastic scattering with eV neutrons☆

Abstract A prototype low- Q inelastic spectrometer which uses neutrons in the eV range has been developed for condensed matter studies at the Los Alamos pulse spallation source. The spectrometer uses a filtered-beam technique based on the 1.056 eV 240 Pu absorption resonance to define the energy of the scattered neutron beam and standard time-of-flight techniques to determine the incident energy. This method attains higher than customary neutron energy transfers while keeping the scattering vector Q small enough that one may observe, for example, magnetic scattering. The spectrometer is described, its parameters are given and preliminary results on the simple harmonic oscillator system ZrH 2 and the rare earth intermetallic compound HoFe 2 are reported.
Performance trade-offs for a surface micromachined microengine

An electromechanical model of Sandia`s microengine is developed and applied to quantify critical performance tradeoffs. This is done by determining how forces impact the mechanical response of the engine to different electrical drive signals. To validate the theoretical results, model-based drive signals are used to operate actual engines, where controlled operation is achieved for the following cases: (1) spring forces are dominant, (2) frictional forces are dominant, (3) linear inertial forces are dominant, (4) viscous damping forces are dominant, and (5) inertial load forces are dominant. Significant improvements in engine performance are experimentally demonstrated in the following areas: positional control, start/stop endurance, constant speed endurance, friction load reduction, and rapid actuation of inertial loads.
Gas Exchange Differences and Comparative Anatomy among Cotton Leaf-type Isolines

Photosynthesis rate could be a selection criterion for plant breeders, especially if lines with superior photosynthesis could be identified and coupled with those lines with suitable partitioning of photosynthate between reproductive and vegetative growth. Establishing why certain lines may differ in photosynthetic rate could provide additional tools for selection. Photosynthesis and leaf anatomy of the youngest fully expanded leaf in field plots of the super okra, okra, and normal leaftype isolines of the cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) genotype ‘MD 65− 11’, which differ in leaf size and degree of Iobing, were compared with the normal leaf genotype ‘DPL 50’. Super okra and okra averaged 24 and 22% greater leaf CO₂-exchange rates (CER), respectively, than the normal leaf isoline in both 1989 and 1990. These differences were associated primarily with greater specific leaf weight (SLW) and leaf chlorophyll concentration of the super okra and okra leaf types. Water use efficiency [WUEg = CER/leaf stomatal conductance (gₛ)] was and 40% greater for super okra and okra, respectively, during 1990 compared to normal leaf. Leaves of the super okra and okra isolines were 42% thicker than normal leaf which contributed to this greater SLW. The relative tissue percentage of various cell types and mesophyil surface area per unit leaf volume did not differ among genotypes. Rubisco concentrations per unit stroma area were similar among chloroplasts of the different genotypes. Genotypic differences in CER are likely due to a greater concentration of photosynthetic apparatus per unit leaf area caused by leaf thickness differences, however the possibility of differences in the rate of dark respiration or photores piration cannot be discounted.
Nanoparticle layers assembled through DNA hybridization: Characterization and optimization

The hybridization of nanoparticle-labeled DNA targets to surface-attached DNA probes has been investigated. Scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) and Raman and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy were used to elucidate surface morphology, coverage, and the presence of aggregates. The factors that affect surface coverage, such as probe density, labeled target concentration, and particle size, were systematically investigated by STM in order to determine the best set of experimental conditions allowing the formation of dense monolayers with a minimal number of surface defects for both 5(′1) nm and 10(′2) nm gold nanoparticle labels on the target strand. Grazing-angle FTIR spectroscopy demonstrates that DNA is largely oriented once the labeled targets hybridized to the probes. Raman microscopy was used to probe the surface for the presence of large aggregates that would give rise to large scattering signals. Both STM and optical experiments provide evidence that dense surface layers can be formed without extensive aggregation. Nonselective binding was shown to be a function of the target concentration and nanoparticle size. Propensity for both aggregation and nonspecific binding is greater for 10(′2) nm than for 5(′1) nm gold nanoparticles.
Usefulness of adjusting for clinical covariates to improve the ability of B-type natriuretic peptide to distinguish cardiac from noncardiac dyspnea.

Certain clinical characteristics affect brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) levels independently of clinical heart failure (HF). However, it is unclear how to adjust the diagnostic cutoffs of BNP for these variables. We hypothesized that adjusting for important covariates would improve the diagnostic accuracy of BNP for HF in the emergency room setting. We included patients presenting with dyspnea at the Salt Lake City Veterans Affairs Medical Center. Physicians unaware of the BNP values adjudicated the outcome as dyspnea due to HF or noncardiac dyspnea. Subgroup analyses and logistic regression analysis were used to adjust the BNP cutoffs. The mean age of the study population (n = 335) was 72 ± 11 years. A BNP of 100 pg/ml had a sensitivity of 91%, and a BNP of 400 pg/ml had a specificity of 92%. The covariates age, history of atrial fibrillation, creatinine, and body mass index affected BNP levels independently of HF. The subgroup-specific BNP cutoff that maintained 91% sensitivity was 184 pg/ml for patients ≥75 years, 150 pg/ml for those with atrial fibrillation, and 449 pg/ml for patients with a creatinine ≥2 mg/dl. These subgroup-specific cutoffs improved specificity compared to a cutoff of 100 pg/ml. The regression model that adjusted BNP improved the reclassification of patients as having cardiac or noncardiac dyspnea compared to the conventional BNP cutoffs. Of the patients without HF, 11% were correctly reclassified as having noncardiac dyspnea (p = 0.003). In conclusion, adjusting BNP levels for clinical covariates improves its diagnostic performance.
A novel technique for solving EMI/EMC problem between large antennas mounted on complex platforms

The EMI/EMC problem that affects the co-siting of antennas mounted on complex platforms is a very challenging one, especially when the body on which the antennas are mounted is large - as are the antennas themselves - and the separation distance between them is also many wavelengths in dimension. The objective of this paper is to present a novel technique for handling such large problems. Some examples of such problems are shown that display phased arrays and other antennas mounted on ships and airplane structures. One obvious approach to handling a problem with many degrees of freedom (DOFs) is to simulate it on a large parallel machine, e.g., a Beowulf cluster. Through such parallel processing helps expand the range of problem sizes that can be solved directly, many real-world problems still remain beyond our reach, often forcing us to make unreasonable approximations that cannot be fully justified. To address such coupling problems between arrays, we have developed a technique that modifies the parallel FDTD algorithm (the FDTD is chosen because it is a general-purpose code well-suited for analyzing complex and inhomogeneous structures) in a manner that enables the solving of the original problem in several successive steps, circumventing the need to deal with it in a single simulation, which would be prohibitive to carry out when the problem size is very large.
Using evoked potentials to match interaural electrode pairs with bilateral cochlear implants.

Bilateral cochlear implantation seeks to restore the advantages of binaural hearing to the profoundly deaf by providing binaural cues normally important for accurate sound localization and speech reception in noise. Psychophysical observations suggest that a key issue for the implementation of a successful binaural prosthesis is the ability to match the cochlear positions of stimulation channels in each ear. We used a cat model of bilateral cochlear implants with eight-electrode arrays implanted in each cochlea to develop and test a noninvasive method based on evoked potentials for matching interaural electrodes. The arrays allowed the cochlear location of stimulation to be independently varied in each ear. The binaural interaction component (BIC) of the electrically evoked auditory brainstem response (EABR) was used as an assay of binaural processing. BIC amplitude peaked for interaural electrode pairs at the same relative cochlear position and dropped with increasing cochlear separation in either direction. To test the hypothesis that BIC amplitude peaks when electrodes from the two sides activate maximally overlapping neural populations, we measured multiunit neural activity along the tonotopic gradient of the inferior colliculus (IC) with 16-channel recording probes and determined the spatial pattern of IC activation for each stimulating electrode. We found that the interaural electrode pairings that produced the best aligned IC activation patterns were also those that yielded maximum BIC amplitude. These results suggest that EABR measurements may provide a method for assigning frequency–channel mappings in bilateral implant recipients, such as pediatric patients, for which psychophysical measures of pitch ranking or binaural fusion are unavailable.
Mapping of radial glia and of a new cell type in adult canary brain

Frontal and coronal sections of adult male and female canary brain were stained with a monoclonal antibody to vimentin using an immunoperoxidase technique; some sections were counterstained with cresyl violet. The position of radial glia cells was mapped using a computer-linked microscope. The telencephalon was found to have a rich set of radial glia. The long processes of these radial glia showed a mediolateral orientation, and were much more abundant in some parts of the telencephalon (e.g., hyperstriatum, caudal neostriatum, and lobus parolfactorius) than in others (e.g., anterior neostriatum, archistriatum, and septum), which had few or no radial glia fibers. A small, elongated cell type not previously described in adult avian brain was frequently seen to be associated with the long processes of the radial glia, oriented in the same direction and often in close apposition. The position of these cells was also systematically mapped, and they were found to be virtually absent outside of the telencephalon. The relation between radial glia fibers and the small, elongated cells was most commonly seen close to the lateral ventricle of the forebrain, where the radial glia cells have their cell bodies. The above observations suggest that there may be a functional relation between radial glia and the small, elongated cells. We hypothesize that the latter cells are young migrating neurons. This hypothesis is tested in a separate publication (A. Alvarez-Buylla and F. Nottebohm, unpublished observations).
A narrative literature review on the health of migrant farm worker children in the USA

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to provide a comprehensive narrative review of the literature on migrant farm worker child and adolescent health. It highlights current health issues and suggests methods to improve research and clinical practices with this underserved and vulnerable population. Design/methodology/approach – The methodology for this narrative review included a search of articles published between 2000 and 2012. From the primary search, 76 articles met the search criteria. A secondary search revealed three additional articles. Findings – The various methodologies used in the current literature have limited rigorous analysis of the health of pediatric migrant populations. The findings highlight the complex factors that influence migrant pediatric health. Despite the many challenges migrant farm worker children and their families face, they exhibit enormous resilience and strengths that may help counterbalance these challenges. Study categories that emerged from the analysis include hea...
Study of turbulent fluctuations driven by the electron temperature gradient in the National Spherical Torus Experiment

Various theories and numerical simulations support the conjecture that the ubiquitous problem of anomalous electron transport in tokamaks may arise from a short-scale turbulence driven by the electron temperature gradient. To check whether this turbulence is present in plasmas of the National Spherical Torus Experiment (NSTX), measurements of turbulent fluctuations were performed with coherent scattering of electromagnetic waves. Results from plasmas heated by high harmonic fast waves (HHFW) show the existence of density fluctuations in the range of wave numbers k⊥ρe=0.1-0.4, corresponding to a turbulence scale length of the order of the collisionless skin depth. Experimental observations and agreement with numerical results from the linear gyro-kinetic GS2 code indicate that the observed turbulence is driven by the electron temperature gradient. These turbulent fluctuations were not observed at the location of an internal transport barrier driven by a negative magnetic shear.
Imirok: Real-time imitative robotic arm control for home robot applications

Training home robots to behave like human can help people with their daily chores and repetitive tasks. In this paper, we present Imirok, a system to remotely control robotic arms by user motion using low-cost, off-the-shelf mobile devices and webcam. The motion tracking algorithm detects user motion in real time, without classifier training or predefined action sets. Experimental results show that the system achieves 90% precision and recall rate on motion detection with blank background, and is robust under the change of cluttered background and user-to-camera distance.
Speaking and Hearing Clearly: Talker and Listener Factors in Speaking Style Changes

This article provides an overview of the research concerning the nature of the distinct, listener-oriented speaking style called ‘clear speech’ and its effect on intelligibility for various listener populations. We review major findings that identify talker, listener and signal characteristics that contribute to the characteristically high intelligibility of clear speech. Understanding the interplay of these factors sheds light on the interaction between higher level cognitive and lower-level sensory and perceptual factors that affect language processing. Clear speech research is, thus, relevant for both its theoretical insights and practical applications. Throughout the review, we highlight open questions and promising future directions.
Optimized low-density parity-check codes for partial response channels

We optimize irregular low-density parity-check (LDPC) codes to closely approach the independent and uniformly distributed (i.u.d.) capacities of partial response channels. In our approach, we use the degree sequences optimization method for memoryless channels proposed by Richardson, Shokrollahi, and Urbanke and appropriately modify it for channels with memory. With this optimization algorithm we construct codes whose noise tolerance thresholds are within 0.15 dB of the i.u.d. channel capacities. Our simulation results show that irregular LDPC codes with block lengths 10/sup 6/ bits yield bit error rates 10/sup -6/ at signal-to-noise ratios 0.22 dB away from the channel capacities.