cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
CoDe4D: Color-Depth Local Spatio-Temporal Features for Human Activity Recognition From RGB-D Videos

Human activity recognition has a variety of important real-world applications, such as video analysis, surveillance, and human-robot interaction. As a promising video representation method, local spatio-temporal (LST) features have received increasing attention from computer vision, machine learning, and robotics communities. However, approaches based on traditional LST features only use color information, which face several challenges, such as illumination changes and dynamic backgrounds. The recent availability of commercial color-depth cameras makes it much cheaper, faster, and easier to acquire depth information, which provides a potential to implement more discriminative and robust LST features. In this paper, we introduce the new 4-D color-depth (CoDe4D) LST feature that incorporates both intensity and depth information acquired from RGB-D cameras. Our feature detector constructs a saliency map through applying independent filters in $\boldsymbol {xyzt}$ dimension to represent texture, shape and pose variations, and selects its local maxima as interest points. Our multichannel orientation histogram descriptor applies a 4-D support region, which is adaptive to linear perspective view changes, on each interest point. Then, image gradients of color-depth patches within the support region are computed and quantized using a spherical coordinate-based method to form a final feature vector. We build a complete activity recognition system by combining our features with bag-of-features representations and support vector machines. To evaluate the performance of our CoDe4D LST features and the complete system, we conduct experiments using four benchmark color-depth human activity data sets, including UTK Action3-D, Berkeley MHAD, ACT $\boldsymbol {4^{2^{^{^{}}}}}$ , and MSR daily activity 3-D data sets. Experimental results demonstrate the promising representative power of our CoDe4D features, which obtain the state-of-the-art performance on activity recognition from RGB-D visual data.
Effects of features of gK+(A) on retrieval in auto-associative networks

Features of a voltage- and time-dependent potassium conductance, gK+(A), were incorporated into the neuronal response function of auto-associative, attractor neural networks. Simulations showed that an increase in the magnitude of gK+(A) decreased the rate of convergence to equilibria and could markedly change the probability that the final equilibrium state of the network would most highly correlate with a stationary stimulus embedded in noise. These results may provide a framework for evaluating the functional roles of the many agents which modulate gK+(A).
Glycolipids in Mammalian Epidermis: Structure and Function in the Water Barrier

In the epidermis of terrestrial vertebrates, lipid lamellae between the horny cells are thought to form a barrier to water loss. The lipids are extruded from living cells after assembly in lamellar granules. This assembly might be promoted by recently identified 1-(3'-O-acyl)-beta-D-glucosyl-N-(omega-hydroxyacyl)sphingosines, which have 30- and 32-carbon hydroxy acids as amides and linoleic acid esterified to glucose. Such a role for these molecules could explain the effects of essential fatty acid deficiency, in which the lamellar granules fail to assemble and the barrier to water diffusion is lost.
Experimental Divergences in the Visual Cognition of Birds and Mammals

The comparative analysis of visual cognition across classes of animals yields important information regarding underlying cognitive and neural mechanisms involved with this foundational aspect of behavior. Birds, and pigeons specifically, have been an important source and model for this comparison, especially in relation to mammals. During these investigations, an extensive number of experiments have found divergent results in how pigeons and humans process visual information. Four areas of these divergences are collected, reviewed, and analyzed. We examine the potential contribution and limitations of experimental, spatial, and attentional factors in the interpretation of these findings and their implications for mechanisms of visual cognition in birds and mammals. Recommendations are made to help advance these comparisons in service of understanding the general principles by which different classes and species generate representations of the visual world.
Parameter optimization of laser-doped selective emitters for applications in silicon solar cells

The use of selective emitters in p-n junction solar cells is a well-known way to increase cell efficiency by 0.4 - 0.5% (absolute) with the addition of a few processing steps. In a selective emitter, the region directly below the metal-contact fingers is more heavily doped than the shallow p-n junction. This allows for enhanced carrier collection by shielding minority carriers from the contacts, thereby lowering recombination at the metal-semiconductor interface. In contrast to earlier expensive techniques involving fine-line lithography, laser processing provides an ideal way to create these selective emitters because of its ability to locally heat and dope the surface of the cell without any external patterning steps. In this study, Q-switched lasers of wavelengths 1064, 532, and 355 nm are used at a range of pulse energies to create selective emitters on a p-type FZ silicon wafer with a thin n+ dopant film deposited on the top surface of the wafer. In addition to the Q-switched lasers, a 1070 nm continuous wave laser is also used and both the pulse energy and pulse duration are varied. To determine the effect of the n+ dopant film, the thickness of the film is also varied and processed with all of the lasers. The results from these lasers and the different dopant layers are characterized electrically through current-voltage measurements and compared to determine the optimal processing wavelength and energy for the selective emitters which maximize diode performance while minimizing crystal lattice damage and series resistance.
IU-EVAL: an electronic course evaluation system

Course evaluations are an important instrument for assessing teaching effectiveness and maintaining the quality of our academic programs. At Indiana University South Bend students are given the opportunity to evaluate their courses at the end of each semester. The results are collected and analyzed by the corresponding academic units. The university dedicates a significant amount of monetary and human resources to conduct effective and confidential end-of-semester evaluations. In order to improve the speed, accuracy, anonymity, and privacy of course evaluations the authors have developed a web-based course evaluation system called IU-EVAL. To date, the system has been tested by approximately 23,500 students. In this paper we explore the motivations behind the development of IU-EVAL and discuss the lessons learned during the deployment and administration of the system. We will also share the results of our user survey.
Glucose oxidation and coenzymes in cell-free rat heart homogenates☆

Abstract The oxidation of glucose by cell-free homogenates of rat heart was studied. Glucose, mannose, and fructose were oxidized at equal rates at high substrate concentrations. At lower concentrations, glucose and mannose were oxidized at a higher rate than fructose. Glycolysis and oxidation of the pyruvate formed was the main pathway of glucose oxidation. In the presence of a high diphosphopyridine nucleotide (DPN) concentration, glucose oxidation proceeded rapidly, after an initial lag period, during which adenylic acid (AMP) was formed from DPN. At low concentrations of DPN the additions of nicotinamide and AMP were necessary for activity. Under appropriate conditions the concentrations of DPN or AMP could be demonstrated to be rate-limiting for the oxidation of glucose. DPN and AMP were found to be extensively degraded by the heart homogenate. The end product of AMP breakdown was identified as hypoxanthine. The degradation of DPN and of AMP was much faster in the absence of respiration than in the presence of rapid glucose oxidation.
Clinical and histologic evaluation of commercially prepared radiopaque denture material

Abstract Four commercial radiopaque denture acrylic resins were evaluated. Clinical, histologic, and radiographic changes were evaluated in 27 edentulous patients. In each patient, one denture was made of a regular acrylic resin denture base material, and the opposing denture was made of a developmental radiopaque denture base material. The results of this study indicate that developmental material B (which contains barium fluoride) was histologically acceptable and that no instances of clinical toxicity were reported. However, five of the test dentures developed a dark stain around the necks of their porcelain teeth. This was not consistent, and the dentures were clinically acceptable in all other respects. Further study is recommended to eliminate this stain reaction.
FTIR: fundamentals and applications in the analysis of dilute vehicle exhaust

FTIR spectroscopy has been shown to be a valuable tool in the analysis of complex gas phase mixtures, such a dilute vehicle exhaust. Regulated and non-regulated vehicle emissions have been routinely sampled and analyzed using prototype instrumentation developed in this laboratory, and in several other laboratories over the last decade. More recently, commercial versions of these FTIR analyzers have become available through several manufacturers. This paper reviews the data acquisition and processing techniques utilized by the FTIR analyzer developed in this laboratory. The statistical detection limits for 22 of the components analyzed by the system are presented. In addition, the linearity of the carbon monoxide (CO) analysis is demonstrated over several orders of magnitude. Experiments designed to study the effects of environmental parameters on the accuracy and the sensitivity of the system are also described.© (1991) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Metabolism of benzidine and benzidine-congener based dyes by human, monkey and rat intestinal bacteria

Summary Anaerobic bacterial suspensions isolated from human, monkey and rat feces and intestinal contents metabolized a benzidine-based azo dye, Direct Black 38, a 3,3′-dimethylbenzidine-based dye, Direct Red 2 and a 3,3′-dimethoxybenzidine-based dye, Direct Blue 15 to their respective free amines. Azo reduction of Direct Black 38, Direct Red 2 and Direct Blue 15 by anaerobic intestinal bacteria was measured spectrophotometrically. Benzidine, 3,3-dimethylbenzidine and 3,3′-dimethoxybenzidine formed from the azo dyes by intestinal bacteria were isolated and identified by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. The results suggest that anaerobic intestinal bacteria may play a significant role in the metabolism of dyes derived from benzidine or its congeners and in the etiology of urinary bladder cancer.
Biological activity of a residual form of streptomycin against Eberthella typhosa.

SummaryThe sensitivity of E. typhosa to a residual fraction of streptomycin obtained during the purification process is at least 2 to 5 times greater than to the crystalline CaCl2 double salt of streptomycin. By the Oxford cup plate method, the E. typhosa-Be. subtilis (or E. colt) differential ratio of this material is approximately 2.0-3.0. This residual streptomycin is active in vivo as well as in vitro. Its activity in vivo is not as great, however, as might be anticipated from the in vitro results.
Reflection electron microscopy (REM) of fcc metals

Abstract Reflection Electron Microscopy (REM) using diffracted beams from bulk specimens is shown to be possible with commercial electron microscopes. Surface images have been recorded from single crystal Au and Pt(111) surfaces. These images reveal growth steps, dislocations, slip traces, and other features. Geometrical restoration has been made of foreshortened images, and analysis of image contrast shows the importance of out-of-focus phase contrast and the diffraction contrast from strain fields.
A bounded dynamic programming solution to the batching problem in mixed-model just-in-time manufacturing systems

Abstract The batch production smoothing problem (BPSP) aims at finding appropriate batch sizes for a variety of products and sequencing the batches in such a way that their appearances are uniformly dispersed over the planning horizon. Extending the previous research work on the BPSP, this paper introduces a bounded dynamic programming (BDP) approach. Computational experiments prove that the BDP approach reduces the computational time needed to solve the problem significantly and allows larger-size problems to be solved within practical times.
Transport processes in an inertial confinement fusion reactor

Abstract The quasi one-dimensional method previously developed for calculating a transient, compressible, viscous flow through a complex array of tubes or jets was extended to include heat and mass exchange between the fluid and the jets. The application was again the impulsive crossflow of a lithium plasma through a close-packed annular arrangement of liquid jets, a problem that arises in the deisgn of inertial confinement fusion reactors. It was found that the peak hoop stress in the first wall of the reactor may derive from the direct impact of the plasma, rather than from the subsequent impact of the jets or fragments thereof. Depending on conditions in the cavity, the peak wall stress was calculated to be up to 4 times less when heat and mass transfer were accounted for. The sensitivity of the design to key parameters was established.
SHIFTING REALITIES IN HIGHER EDUCATION: TODAY'S BUSINESS MODEL THREATENS OUR ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE

ABSTRACT American institutions of higher education have an excellent reputation throughout the world as first rate academic centers that do an exceptional job of preparing young citizens for their future roles of leadership in business, government and our society. Colleges and universities are expected to develop young learners by teaching them knowledge, skills and above all, the ability to engage in critical thinking. This article opines that our universities' outstanding reputations are challenged by the unique pressures upon administrators, faculty, and students to prepare those in our classes for their careers. This treating of the student body as customers has lessened the rigor of the curricula and teaching methods. The authors present several recommendations for improvement of our liberal arts schools in today's rapidly changing world community.
Hyperfine Structure as a Test of a Linear Wave Equation in the Two-Body Problem

The proper treatment of the two-body problem is not known. Dirac's relativistic considerations, so successful in the problem of one electron, have been applied by Breit to the two-electron problem. Energy terms appear of which the physical reality is very doubtful. Here a very similar application is made to the problem of a nucleus and an electron, because of the failure of previous treatments of this problem to agree with measurements of hyperfine structure. The doubtful terms do not bring about agreement, so their reality remains improbable. The present state of the theory suggests that the proper interactions have not yet been introduced in the problem of hyperfine structure.
Transnational ethnic identity

As the reality of our global village continues to unfold, traditional socially constructed ethnic categories often reveal themselves as little more than racist and classist divisions that marginalize large portions of the world's population. Identity differences among foreign born and American born women demonstrate the inadequacies of such labels. For instance, what does it mean to be “Asian American?”. Consider, for example, the following case study of Filipina women, three of whom were born in the Philippines (whose pseudonyms are: Tricia, Annette and Maria) and three of whom were American born (Bernadette, Athena and Precious, also pseudonyms). The personal accounts of these women show that intra‐group diversity renders the racial category “Asian American” incomplete at best. As the interview results with these women indicate, migration informs identity within the global context.
Wind and melt driven circulation in a marginal sea ice edge frontal system: a numerical model

Abstract A seasonal ice edge zone is a unique frontal system with an air-ice-sea interface. This paper is a report on the numerical results from a quasi-three dimensional, time dependent, non-linear numerical model of circulation at a continental shelf-seasonal ice edge zone. The purpose of the experiments is to model the hydrography and circulation, including upwelling, baroclinic geostrophic flow, and inertial oscillations, at the ice edge with emphasis on examining the driving forces of wind and melting ice. It is suggested that the non-linear acceleration terms and vertical density diffusion terms are negligible and that the horizontal density diffusion terms are of secondary importance within the time and space scales of the experiments. The vertical eddy viscosity terms are important in a spin-up time scale and for Ekman transport and a bottom Ekman layer. The effects of the horizontal eddy viscosity terms are observable (a long-ice jet is diffused away from the ice edge) by the end (72 h) of the model runs. Model results are compared with available oceanographic and meteorological data for verification. The observed and modeled features of melt water induced water column stability, frontal structure, and ice edge upwelling are briefly discussed relative to observed ice edge primary production. Because the model is relatively general in nature, it is readily applicable to other seasonal or marginal ice edge zones in either hemisphere.
Nucleotide sequence of a second alpha giardin gene and molecular analysis of the alpha giardin genes and transcripts in Giardia lamblia

Abstract The giardins are a group of proteins with relative molecular masses ( M r s) between 29 000 and 38 000 that are specific to the ventral disk of the intestinal protozoan parasite Giardia lamblia . We previously have characterized α-giardin, renamed here α-1-giardin, as a novel 33-kDa protein located on the edges of the disk microribbons [5]. Southern blot analysis of G. lamblia genomic DNA, followed by cloning and sequencing, revealed the existence of a related gene that we have called α-2-giardin. Sequence comparison of the α-giardin genes reveals 81% identity at the nucleotide level and 77% at the predicted amino acid level. The predicted α-giardins have similar ( M r s) of approximately 33 900 and are very rich in α-helix conformations. Each gene is present in single copy and, like many other known Giardia coding sequences, exhibits a strong preference for cytidine and guanosine in the third base position of each codon. Chromosome hybridization analysis indicates that both genes are either on the same chromosome or on chromosomes with similar mobility. Experiments utilizing primer extension and RNA sequencing provide evidence that both genes are transcribed. The stable transcripts have extremely short leader regions of only 3 nucleotides, and the downstream sequence of the α-2-giardin gene reveals that the sequence AGTPuAA remains a consistent element within G. lamblia protein-encoding genes.
Numerical inversion of Laplace transforms with application to percentage labeled mitoses experiments.

Abstract An improved version of an algorithm due to Dubner and Abate (4), for the numerical inversion of Laplace transforms is applied to the estimation of parameters from percentage labeled mitoses (PLM) experiments. An underlying model elaborated by Trucco and Brockwell (1) is assumed, which leads to an explicit expression for the Laplace transform of the PLM curve. The inversion technique of Dubner and Abate is both quick and accurate and can be used with existing optimization techniques to estimate the parameters characterizing the distribution of time in cell phases.
Assessment of density functional theory methods for the computation of heats of formation and ionization potentials of systems containing third row transition metals.

The performance of several different density functional theory (DFT) methods, including GGA, hybrid-GGA, meta-GGA, and hybrid-meta-GGA methods, have been assessed in terms of their ability to accur...
Does predation contribute to tree diversity

Seed and seedling predation may differentially affect competitively superior tree species to increase the relative recruitment success of poor competitors and contribute to the coexistence of tree species. We examined the effect of seed and seedling predation on the seedling recruitment of three tree species, Acer rubrum (red maple), Liriodendron tulipifera (yellow poplar), and Quercus rubra (northern red oak), over three years by manipulating seed and seedling exposure to predators under contrasting microsite conditions of shrub cover, leaf litter, and overstory canopy. Species rankings of seedling emergence were constant across microsites, regardless of exposure to seed predators, but varied across years. A. rubrum had the highest emergence probabilities across microsites in 1997, but Q. rubra had the highest emergence probabilities in 1999. Predators decreased seedling survival uniformly across species, but did not affect relative growth rates (RGRs). Q. rubra had the highest seedling survivorship across microsites, while L. tulipifera had the highest RGRs. Our results suggest that annual variability in recruitment success contributes more to seedling diversity than differential predation across microsites. We synthesized our results from separate seedling emergence and survival experiments to project seedling bank composition. With equal fecundity assumed across species, Q. rubra dominated the seedling bank, capturing 90% of the regeneration sites on average, followed by A. rubrum (8% of sites) and L. tulipifera (2% of sites). When seed abundance was weighted by species-specific fecundity, seedling bank composition was more diverse; L. tulipifera captured 62% of the regeneration sites, followed by A. rubrum (21% of sites) and Q. rubra (17% of sites). Tradeoffs between seedling performance and fecundity may promote the diversity of seedling regeneration by increasing the probability of inferior competitors capturing regeneration sites.
Dialysis patient attitudes toward financial incentives for kidney donation

Offering financial incentives to families of brain-dead individuals has been proposed as a way to increase the supply of organs for transplantation. However, such incentives may lead to weakening of altruism and exploitation of poor families. We investigated dialysis patient attitudes toward the potential benefits and problems of incentives. Using a structured questionnaire, we interviewed 60 randomly selected patients at three chronic hemodialysis units. Subjects were asked to make an explicit trade-off between maintaining altruism versus increasing the supply of kidneys. They were also asked to make a trade-off between protecting poor families versus increasing the supply of kidneys. In addition, we asked subjects how they thought incentives would affect donation by different types of families. We found that 37% of all subjects placed more emphasis on maintaining altruism, 42% placed more emphasis on increasing the supply of kidneys, and 22% placed an equal emphasis on maintaining altruism and on increasing the supply of kidneys. Similarly, 35% of all subjects placed more emphasis on protecting poor families, 33% placed more emphasis on increasing the supply of kidneys, and 32% placed an equal emphasis on protecting poor families and on increasing the supply of kidneys. Subjects thought financial incentives would greatly increase donation by poor families while having little impact on rich families. In conclusion, even though dialysis patients are likely to benefit from increasing the supply of kidneys, many of them want to maintain altruism and protect poor families even if that means fewer kidneys. These concerns should be addressed in proposals to modify the transplant system.
Modeling effects of toxin exposure in fish on long-term population size, with an application to selenium toxicity in bluegill (Lepomis macrochirus)

Abstract A primary goal in ecotoxicology is the prediction of population-level effects of contaminant exposure based on individual-level response. Assessment of toxicity at the population level has predominately focused on the population growth rate (PGR), but the PGR may not be a relevant toxicological endpoint for populations at equilibrium. Equilibrium population size may be a more meaningful endpoint than the PGR because a population with smaller equilibrium size is more susceptible to the negative effects of environmental variability. We address the individual-to-population extrapolation problem with modeling utilizing classical mathematical theory. We developed and analyzed a general model applicable to many freshwater fish species, that includes density-dependent juvenile survival and additional juvenile mortality due to toxicity exposure, and we quantified effect on equilibrium population size as a means of assessing toxicity. Individual-level effects are typically greater than population-level effects until the individual effect is large, due to compensatory density-dependent relationships. These effects are sensitive to the recruitment potential of a population, in particular the low-density first-year survival rate S b . Assuming high S b could result in underestimating effects of population-level toxicity. The equilibrium size depends directly on S b , the reproductive potential, the toxin concentration at which mean mortality is 50% ( LC 50 ), and the rate at which individual mortality increases with increasing toxin concentration. More experimental data are needed to decrease the uncertainty in estimating these parameters. We then used existing data for selenium toxicity in bluegill sunfish to parameterize a simulation version of the model as an example to assess the effects of environmental stochasticity on toxicity response. Effects of environmental variability resulted in simulated extinctions at much lower toxin concentrations than predicted deterministically.
Autonomous high dynamic range phase unwrapping

Image based wavefront sensing methods such as Adaptive Modified Gerchberg-Saxton Phase Retrieval1 (MGS) require a matrix of a-priori phase knowledge to avoid high dynamic range "phase wrapping" during estimation. Previous unwrapping methods have met with limited success or have required some degree of expert intervention. We have succeeded in developing a method and algorithm for automatically unwrapping the phase estimate to generate "prior phase knowledge". By utilizing first-round wavefront sensing results and image processing techniques, the algorithm is able to create sufficient a-priori phase information to feed back to the phase retrieval software. The autonomous phase unwrapping algorithm utilizes edge detection, morphological processing, and spatial filtering, and is able to perform well on a variety of phase wrapping anomalies for both monolithic and segmented optical systems.
Rigorous charge conservation for local electromagnetic field solvers

Abstract In this paper we present a rigorous method for finding the electric field in two-and-one-half and three dimensional electromagnetic plasma simulations without resorting to computationally expensive transforms. A finite grid interpretation of the divergence equation ∇· J = -ϖρ/ϖt is offered which allows the current density and thus new local electric and magnetic field strengths to be determined directly from knowledge of charge motion.
Optical wavelet processor for wavelets defined in the time domain

In this paper, we present an optical implementation for 1D wavelet processing which is able to represent wavelets defined in the time domain and deliver complex coefficients. The system is the combination of our previously reported Smartt interferometry based wavelet processor and a modified version of VanderLugt filter. Haar wavelet, which requires complex representation in the frequency domain, was used to demonstrate the system operation.© (1993) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Help-giving and morality

A model for the counselor's definition of help is presented as an aid to the exploration of questions of morality. Morality as a professional issue raises questions of counselor control as it relates to the meaning of help.
Awareness of Both Type 1 and 2 Errors in Climate Science and Assessment

Treatment of error and uncertainty is an essential component of science and is crucial in policy-relevant disciplines, such as climate science. We posit here that awareness of both “false positive” and “false negative” errors is particularly critical in climate science and assessments, such as those of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Scientific and assessment practices likely focus more attention to avoiding false positives, which could lead to higher prevalence of false-negative errors. We explore here the treatment of error avoidance in two prominent case studies regarding sea level rise and Himalayan glacier melt as presented in the Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. While different decision rules are necessarily appropriate for different circumstances, we highlight that false-negative errors also have consequences, including impaired communication of the risks of climate change. We present recommendations for better accounting for both types of er...
Comparison of the auditory and visual privacy of emergency department treatment areas with curtains versus those with solid walls.

Abstract Study Objective: The design and function of emergency departments may allow breaches of privacy that could adversely affect patient satisfaction and medical care. We sought to determine whether patients perceive less privacy in ED treatment areas with curtains than in rooms with solid walls. Methods: Patients 18 years and older at a university hospital ED who received care in a room with solid walls and a door, a curtained area next to the nurses' station, or a curtained area away from the nurses' station were surveyed. Patients responded on a 5-point Likert scale to 11 questions regarding privacy. Differences between areas were determined by using the Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Whitney tests and were considered significant at P values of less than.05. Results: Structured interviews were conducted with 108 ED patients. Responses from those in the curtained areas were similar. Compared with those in the rooms with walls, these patients more often believed that they could overhear others and that others could hear them, view them, hear personal information, and view personal parts of their bodies ( P ≤.04 for all). They also perceived a lower overall sense of privacy ( P Conclusion: Patients perceive significantly less auditory and visual privacy in ED treatment areas with curtains compared with a room with solid walls. Consideration of these findings in current practice and in future ED design and construction is suggested. [Barlas D, Sama AE, Ward MF, Lesser ML. Comparison of the auditory and visual privacy of emergency department treatment areas with curtains versus those with solid walls. Ann Emerg Med. August 2001;38:135-139.]
Diagnosis of Circumferential Dissection of the Ascending Aorta by Transesophageal Echocardiography

A 28-year-old woman with Marian's syndrome presented with chest pain; transesophageal echocardiography showed circumferential dissection of the ascending aorta. Both aortic angiography with digital subtraction and computed tomography scanning with contrast were negative for dissection. Circumferential dissection of the ascending aorta was confirmed by surgery at which time replacement of the aorta and aortic valve were performed. Transesophageal echocardiography may become the most practical and reliable procedure for the diagnosis of aortic dissection.
On the Crossing Rule

Abstract : The paper gives conditions on a family of matrices which guarantee that some matrix in the family will have a multiple eigenvalue. In particular, the main theorem states exactly which dimensions admit k dimensional subspaces of matrices for which all nonzero elements have distinct eigenvalues. This question arises naturally in the theory of first order hyperbolic systems of partial differential equations; the main theorem, in this context, tells exactly for which integers n an n x n system in k space variables may be strictly hyperbolic. (Author)
AXENIC CULTURE OF TETRATRICHOMONAS GALLINARUM: GROWTH AND ANAEROBIC UTILIZATION OF CARBOHYDRATES AND RELATED COMPOUNDS.

Abstract Tetratrichomonas gallinarum was grown in Diamond's medium and in a medium containing gastric mucin, trypticase, yeast extract, dextrose or any utilizable sugar, ascorbic acid, cystine, and agar. The flagellate multiplied uniformly between 33 ° and 44 °C, the optimum temperature being 40 °. The growth rate was controlled by the temperature of incubation and the pH of the medium. The flagellate utilized dextrine, fructose, galactose, dextrose, inulin, lactose, maltose, raffinose, soluble starch, and sucrose. The flagellate is a different biochemical strain from that reported by Lindblom.
Evaluating Computer-Assisted Career Guidance Systems: Synthesis and Implications

It was our hope that by making the task of examining the features and costs of CACG systems less arduous, professionals would be bettermotivated and morecapable of dealing with the complex evaluative issues that truly differentiate the effectiveness of CACG systems in specific settings. The eventual effectiveness of this feature-cost analysis, therefore, can be measured by the extent to which professionals commit the time and energy to move beyond basic surface-level evaluations to more theory-based, context-specific summative evaluations of CACG system performance. The ultimate beneficiaries of such an effort would be the millions of individuals each year who seek assistance in making career choices.
Prefrontal and striatal fMRI response predicts adherence to injectable extended-release naltrexone in opioid dependence

s / Drug and Alcohol Dependence 146 (2015) e118–e201 e167 Prefrontal and striatal fMRI response predicts adherence to injectable extended-release naltrexone in opioid dependence Daniel Langleben, Emily Dowd, Kanchana Jagannathan, Jesse Suh, Kyle M. Kampman, An-Li Wang, Charles P. O’Brien, Anna R. Childress Psychiatry, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia,
Family therapy and communion

There has been a shift of healing authority in our culture from priestly practitioners to scientific and medical practitioners. As part of this change the care and healing of stressed or broken families is now seen as the responsibility of the family therapist. A consequence of this has been some role confusion on the part of the clergy and therapists. A comparison of the symbolic complex of belief and value systems used in MacGregor's team-family method of family therapy and Joseph Haroutunian's theology of the church shows four striking similarities. The implications of these similarities for the continued confusion or clarity of the roles of priest and therapist are noted.
Flexible Lightweight Cable-Spring Support System for ETFE Cushions Spanning between Buildings

AbstractA cable-spring truss system for supporting ethylene tetrafluoroethylene (ETFE) cushions spanning between buildings to create atria is described. The truss system uses cables together with springs encased in telescoping tubes. The system is remarkably lightweight. The springs provide the system with flexibility to accommodate differential displacements of the supporting buildings under wind and seismic loading. Design equations are developed for the springs, tubes, and cables. A design example is investigated, and the flexibility is compared to that of an equivalent cable-strut support system.
Detection of mycelium and oospores of Phytophthora megasperma forma specialis glycinea by vital stains in soil.

Eight different vital stains were tested on mycelium and oospores of Phytophthora megasperma f. sp. glycinea race 1. Acridine orange, fluorescein diacetate, neutral red, and tetrazolium bromide differentiated living from dead mycelium in vitro and on membrane filters in soil. Fluorescein diacetate and tetrazolium bromide also differentiated living from dead mycelium added directly to soil. Mycelium buried in soil or on the surface of soil with a moisture content adjusted to -0.1 bars matric potential at 24 C for 8 da failed to stain. Fluorescein diacetate and tetrazolium bromide selectively stained living oospores in vitro, on membrane filters incubated in soil, or directly added to soil. Oospore viability was measured best by tetrazolium bromide. Oospores on membrane filters were buried in soil adjusted to 0 bars at 24 C. After 12 wk, tetrazolium bromide stained at least 90% of the oospores. Microscopic observation and detection of fungal propagules in soil may be enhanced by the use of stains (3, 6, 8-12). Very few studies of fungi in soil have employed stains that determine viability of fungi in soil. Previously, most studies have used fluorescent brightener stains to follow growth, morphological development and survival (11). However, fluorescent brightener stains do not measure adequately the viability of dormant fungal structures. Two vital stains, fluorescein diacetate and tetrazolium bromide, may be more appropriate for determining the viability of dormant fungal structures such as oospores. Fluorescein diacetate has been tested on Phytophthora mycelium in vitro and in soil by Soderstrom (8) but oospores were not included in the study. Ribeiro (6) has stained Phytophthora oospores with tetrazolium bromide only in an in vitro system. Consequently, this study examined several stains for the ability to enhance observation of mycelium and oospores of Phytophthora megasperma f. sp. glycinea in soil. Also, the staining results were examined to ascertain if activated oospores can be distinguished from dormant oospores on membrane filters incubated in soil.
GABA A and GABA C receptor antagonists increase retinal cyclic GMP levels through nitric oxide synthase

The nitric oxide (NO)/cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP) signal transduction pathway plays a role in every retinal cell type. Previous studies have shown that excitatory glutamatergic synaptic pathways can increase cGMP-like immunoreactivity (cGMP-LI) in retina through stimulation of NO production, but little is known about the role of synaptic inhibition in the modulation of cGMP-LI. Gamma-amino-n-butyric acid (GABA) plays critical roles in modulating excitatory synaptic pathways in the retina. Therefore, we used GABA receptor antagonists to explore the role of GABAergic inhibitory synaptic pathways on the modulation of the NO/cGMP signal-transduction system. Cyclic GMP immunocytochemistry was used to investigate the effects of the GABA receptor antagonists bicuculline, picrotoxin, and (1,2,5,6-tetrahyropyridin-4-yl) methylphosphinic acid (TPMPA) on levels of cGMP-LI. Cyclic GMP-LI was strongly increased in response to the GABA(A) receptor antagonist bicuculline, while the GABA(C) receptor antagonist TPMPA had little effect on cGMP-LI. The GABA(A)/GABA(C) receptor antagonist, picrotoxin, caused a moderate increase in cGMP-LI, which was mimicked by the combination of bicuculline and TPMPA. The nitric oxide synthase inhibitor, S-methyl-L-thiocitrulline (SMTC), blocked the increased cGMP-LI in response to stimulation with either bicuculline or picrotoxin. Treatments with either of the glutamate receptor antagonists (5R,10S)-(+)-5-methyl-10,11-dihydro-5H-dibenzo[a,d]cyclohepten-5,10-imine (MK-801) or 6-cyano-7-nitroquinoxaline-2,3-dione (CNQX) partially blocked the increases in cGMP-LI seen in response to bicuculline, but a combination of MK-801 and CNQX completely eliminated these increases. These results suggest that inhibitory synaptic pathways involving both types of GABA receptors work through excitatory glutamatergic receptors to regulate the NO/cGMP signal-transduction pathway in retina.
Lateral Displacement of the Head: A Sign of Decreased Right Ventricular Performance

Lateral head movements were observed in eight patients with severe right ventricular failure. These motions, easily detectable from a distance, occurred in patients with elevated right atrial “a” waves. These movements appear to be related to a forceful right atrial contraction and reflect a decrease in right ventricular compliance.
Bacterial Colonization and the Expression of Inducible Nitric Oxide Synthase in Murine Wounds

The expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) in two different murine wound models was investigated. Animals were subjected to either full-thickness linear skin incision with subcutaneous implantation of sterile polyvinyl alcohol sponges, or to 1.5 × 1.5-cm dorsal skin excision. Reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction detected iNOS mRNA in all cell samples retrieved from the sponges. Immunoblotting of lysates of inflammatory cells harvested from the sponges failed to detect iNOS protein, and immunohistochemistry of the incisional wound was mildly positive. Inflammatory cells of excisional wounds stained strongly positive for iNOS. Cutaneous wounds were found to be colonized with Staphylococcus aureus. The detection of iNOS in cells from sponges inoculated in vivo with heat-killed bacteria and the reduction of immunohistochemical signal for iNOS in excisional wounds of animals treated with antibiotics support a role of bacteria in the induction of iNOS in wounds. The expression of iNOS in excisional wounds requires interferon-γ and functional lymphocytes because interferon-γ knockout and SCID-Beige mice exhibited attenuated iNOS staining in excisional wounds. The expression of iNOS in the inflammatory cells of murine wounds is a response to bacterial colonization and not part of the normal repair process elicited by sterile tissue injury.
Estrogen Receptor-beta Mediates the Protective Effects of Aromatase Induction in the MMTV-Her-2/neu x Aromatase Double Transgenic Mice

Breast cancers amplified for the tyrosine kinase receptor Her-2/neu constitute ~30% of advanced breast cancer cases, and are characterized by hormone independence and aggressive growth, implicating this pathway in breast oncogenesis. The induction of Her-2/neu leads to tumor development in 60% of transgenic mice. We have previously examined the effects of estrogen in the MMTV-Her-2/neu background by generating the MMTV-Her-2/neu x aromatase double transgenic mouse strain. MMTV-Her-2/neu x aromatase mice developed fewer mammary tumors than the Her-2/neu parental strain. Our present data show the induction of several estrogen-related genes, including the tumor suppressors BRCA1 and p53, and a decrease in several angiogenic factors. The phosphorylated forms of MAPK p42/44 and AKT were lower in the MMTV-Her-2/neu x aromatase double transgenic mice compared to the MMTV-Her-2/neu parental strain; conversely, phospho-p38 levels were higher in the double transgenic strain. The ERβ-selective antagonist THC reversed these changes. The regulation of these factors by ERβ was confirmed in clones of MCF7 breast cancer cells overexpressing Her-2/neu in combination with ERβ, suggesting that ERβ may play a direct role in regulating MAPK and AKT pathways. In summary, the data suggest that ERβ may play a major role in decreasing tumorigenesis and that it may affect breast cancer cell proliferation and survival by altering MAPK and AKT activation as well as modulation of tumor suppressor and angiogenesis factors. Treatment with selective ERβ agonist may provide therapeutic advantages for the treatment and prevention of breast cancer.
Non-destructive characterization and alignment of aerodynamically focused particle beams using single particle charge detection

Abstract We describe the first experimental measurements of aerodynamically focused particle beams using single particle image-charge detection. An aerodynamic lens produces particle beams, which at times is not aligned with the bore of the lens, thus complicating the process of aligning a particle beam with the focus of a laser beam. A key result of this work is the development of a non-optical technique for aiming a beam of particles in vacuum into the focus of a laser beam. In the present application, the laser beam is fixed in space by the geometry of a large stationary vacuum system and it is necessary to blindly aim a narrowly focused particle beam across the laser beam. Our aiming device is based on the non-destructive detection of electrically charged particles as they pass through a small metal tube that picks up the image charge of the transiting particle. Individual electrosprayed particles larger than 70 nm produce an electrical pulse that can be thresholded and counted. The duration of the detector signal provides a way to measure particle velocity and the amplitude of the signal is proportional to particle charge. The rate of particle injection into vacuum, single particle velocity and charge and particle beam shape and position can be measured with the charge detector. We show data for aiming and focusing electrosprayed polystyrene latex spheres ranging in size from 70 to 190 nm. Particle injection rates as high as 3000 per second and particle beam diameters as small as 250 μ m were achieved by using the charge detector to optimize the performance of the aerodynamic lens to focus the particles before they entered. We also describe how this detector and injector system will be implemented for real-time particle analysis for aerosol mass spectrometry and single particle X-ray diffractive imaging.
The role and regulation of programmed cell death in plant–pathogen interactions

It is commonly known that animal pathogens often target and suppress programmed cell death (pcd) pathway components to manipulate their hosts. In contrast, plant pathogens often trigger pcd. In cases in which plant pcd accompanies disease resistance, an event called the hypersensitive response, the plant surveillance system has learned to detect pathogen-secreted molecules in order to mount a defence response. In plants without genetic disease resistance, these secreted molecules serve as virulence factors that act through largely unknown mechanisms. Recent studies suggest that plant bacterial pathogens also secrete antiapoptotic proteins to promote their virulence. In contrast, a number of fungal pathogens secrete pcd-promoting molecules that are critical virulence factors. Here, we review recent progress in determining the role and regulation of plant pcd responses that accompany both resistance and susceptible interactions. We also review progress in discerning the mechanisms by which plant pcd occurs during these different interactions.
Energy Transfer from N2(v) to ClN3 and a Kinetic Model for the Chain Decomposition of Chlorine Azide

A number of experiments have been performed in an effort to better understand the photoinitiated chain decomposition of ClN3. Discharge-flow methods were used to determine the rate of energy exchange between vibrationally excited N2 (a likely chain carrier) and ClN3. The rate constant for energy transfer from N2(v=1) to ClN3 was found to be (2.0 ± 1.0) × 10-13 cm3 s-1 at 300 K. This process is thought to excite the ν2 mode in ClN3 with the release of 281 cm-1 of excess energy. Experiments were also performed in which the decomposition of ClN3 was initiated by photolysis with a pulsed KrF laser at 249 nm, with subsequent observation of the time dependence of the densities of ClN3, electronically excited NCl(a1Δ), and vibrationally excited ClN3(ν2). A kinetic model for the ClN3 decomposition was assembled based on reactions with NCl(a1Δ) and N2(ν).