cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
On-Line Schemes For Computing Rotation Angles For SVDS

Two floating-point radix-2 schemes using on-line arithmetic for implementing the direct two-angle method for SVDs are presented. The first scheme is an on-line variant of the cosine/sine approach and is the fastest of the schemes considered: it performs the 2x2 SVD step in about 2n clock cycles. However, it requires a relatively large number of modules; this number is reduced when some modules are reused, resulting in a time of 3n clock cycles. The number of modules of this on-line version is still larger than that of the conventional one, but this is compensated by the smaller number of bit-slices per module and by the digit-serial communication among modules. The corresponding speed-up ratios are of 5 and 3 with respect to a conventional arithmetic implementation. The second scheme uses an on-line CORDIC approach and performs the 2x2 SVD in about 7n clock cycles and is advantageous because it is more time-area efficient. It results in a speed-up of about 2.5 with respect to the conventional CORDIC implementation.
C2-4: Implementing an Evidence-based Breast Cancer Support Tool for Newly Diagnosed Breast Cancer Patients as Standard Care at Two Institutions

Background/Aims While many women turn to the Internet to obtain information, it is unlikely that unstructured internet use provides optimal benefit to women newly diagnosed with breast cancer, due to uneven quality, conflicting claims, redundancy, and search engine idiosyncrasies which may make finding desired information more difficult. To answer the need for information and support, an Interactive Cancer Communication System (“CHESS”) was developed, validated in several randomized trials, and is now being implemented to provide access to integrated information for decision-making, behavior change, and emotional support. We implemented a program to offer CHESS to all newly-diagnosed breast cancer patients as part of standard care (not as part of a research study) at two Denver healthcare systems: Kaiser Permanente Colorado (KPCO), and Exempla Health Care (EHC), which serves a larger proportion of minorities and those without insurance.
Synthesis of discrete-time nonlinear feedforward/feedback controllers

This work concerns the synthesis of discrete-time feedforward/feedback control systems for general nonlinear processes with stable zero dynamics. Depending on the process under consideration, the derived feedforward/feedback controllers can completely eliminate the effect of measurable disturbances and produce a prespecified linear response with respect to a reference input, or provide integral-square error optimal response to step changes in the disturbances and a prespecified linear response with respect to a reference input. In either case, the developed feedforward/feedback controllers allow for the asymptotic rejection of unmeasurable disturbances. These controllers are derived within the globally linearizing control frame-work, first under full state information and then in the absence of state measurements. The internal stability of the closed-loop system is addressed. The derived controllers are interpreted from a model-predictive point of view, and their connections with the feedforward internal model control and the model algorithmic control are established. The theoretical results are illustrated through a continuous stirred-tank reactor example.
Use of Kalman Filtering for Data Resolution Enhancement

A method for using Kalman filtering techniques for improving data resolution is presented. The method uses a Taylor series process model which allows one to treat data from a variety of sources. Smoothing can also be included. The potential utility of the method lies in being able to trade off sensor cost versus computer processing. In some cases crude sensors coupled with the estimation techniques may yield as accurate data as would be obtained using more sophisticated sensors.
CXLEngine: a comprehensive XML loosely structured search engine

We proposed previously in [9] an XML semantic search engine called OOXSearch, which answers loosely structured queries. It takes into account the semantic relationships between data elements based on their contexts. The context of a data element is determined by its parent element. The framework of OOXSearch treats each parent-children set of elements as a single unified entity. OOXSearch works well for all types of XML trees, except when the tree contains a parent that has a child interior element, whose type is the same as the type of its parent (e.g. the parent is "professor and its child interior element is "student" - both professor and student belong to the "person" type). In this paper, we propose an XML search engine called CXLEngine, which is an improvement over OOXSearch. It adopts all the techniques of OOXSearch in addition to new techniques that handle the types of XML trees described above, which OOXSearch does not handle well. We evaluated CXLEngine by comparing it experimentally with OOXSearch and with two other proposed systems, XSEarch [5] and Schema-Free XQuery [8]. The results showed marked improvement.
Water permeability of an ovarian antral follicle is predominantly transcellular and mediated by aquaporins.

Ovarian folliculogenesis is characterized, in part, by the formation and expansion of the fluid-filled antrum. Development of this cavity requires water influx, which may occur by transcellular or pericellular transport mechanisms. To assess the contribution of these mechanisms to the water permeability of an antral follicle, the rate of 3 H2O and 14 C-inulin (a complex sugar restricted to the extracellular compartment) uptake into isolated follicles was determined. The rate of H2O movement was 3.5-fold greater than that of inulin, suggesting that water enters a follicle primarily by transcellular pathways. Preincubation of the follicles with 50 M HgCl2 [a nonspecific aquaporin (Aqp) inhibitor] decreased H2O movement to levels seen with inulin, indicating that transcellular water movement is mediated through Aqp. To demonstrate the functional presence of Aqp in granulosa cells, we show that swelling in response to a hypotonic insult is attenuated by preincubation with 50 M HgCl2. Flow cytometry demonstrated the presence of Aqps-7, -8, and -9, thus identifying candidate Aqp potentially mediating water movement into antral follicles. These results suggest that water permeability of antral follicles occurs primarily through transcellular mechanisms, which may be mediated by Aqps -7, -8, and/or -9 in granulosa cells. (Endocrinology 143: 2905–2912, 2002)
Carcinoma of the Hepatic Duct with the Report of an Additional Case

The caustic comment of that eminently practical surgeon, John Chalmers DaCosta, to the effect that a very fair number of surgical sea serpents are discovered every year, would seem to be enough to deter even the boldest of medical men from reporting a single case of anything, however unusual he might personally feel it to be. On the other hand, when one may reasonably assume that the single case has been seen not because of lack of experience in clinical medicine but because of the admitted rarity of the disease, then the situation is somewhat different. That is the present status of carcinoma of all the biliary ducts, and particularly of carcinoma of the hepatic duct. Vernon David's experience in operating on two patients with the last-named disease within less than two years is as unusual as is his astuteness in diagnosing the second case at operation because he recalled so vividly the post-mortem findings in the first case. Carcinoma of the bile ducts has been recognized as a clinical entity for more than half a century, and carcinoma of the hepatic duct was described by Schueppel as early as 1878, but the number of reported cases is still well under fifty. While we have not attempted a thorough search of the literature, which was brought up to date by Wylegschanin in 1927 with the review of 35 collected cases, including one of his own, we have noted since, in addition to the two cases reported by Vernon David, single cases reported by Vander Veer and Nelms, and by Milles and Koucky.1 The rarity of any disease is, of course, a comparative matter; many cases are never reported, many are never recognized at all; but even granting those facts, carcinoma of the hepatic duct is not a frequent condition, and for that reason it has seemed to us proper to report the following case, not only to add to the number of those already on record, but also to point out certain features in which it rather differs from the classic description of the disease.
Age-related changes in adenylyl cyclase activity in rat aorta membranes

Blood vessels from aged animals and humans have impaired relaxation and cAMP production to beta-adrenergic stimulation. Direct activators of adenylyl cyclase (AC) such as forskolin are not affected. We hypothesized that analogous findings would occur in membrane preparations. Aortic media membrane preparations from Fischer 344 rats of four age groups (6 weeks to 24 months) were studied. Basal AC activity increased significantly with age. Forskolin-stimulated activity compared to basal tended to be greater in the 6-week and 6-month preparations compared to the 12- and 24-month preparations. AC activity was assessed in the presence of the G protein activators (GTP, GppNHp, NaF). There was no age-related decrease in responsiveness. The receptor agonists isoproterenol (beta-adrenergic), and PGE-1 (prostaglandin), were studied. There was no significant age-related change in responsiveness over basal activity to either of these agonists. There was a slight, but significant increase in the isoproterenol responsiveness over GTP responsiveness in the 6-week-old animals which also approached significance in the 6-month-old animals, but was not seen in the 12- and 24-month-old animals. These data suggest that using a membrane system to assess age-related changes in beta-adrenergic responsiveness in vascular smooth muscle does not retain the robust differences seen in whole vessels.
Self-administration of cocaine, alfentanil, and nalbuphine under progressive-ratio schedules: consumer demand and labor supply analyses of relative reinforcing effectiveness.

Progressive-ratio (PR) schedules of intravenous (IV) drug self-administration are useful for establishing the relationships between reinforcing effectiveness and pharmacological actions of abused drugs. The authors compared the reinforcing effects of the high-efficacy opioid alfentanil, the low-efficacy opioid nalbuphine, and cocaine using a PR schedule of IV drug injection in rhesus monkeys in which the response requirement increased during the experimental session and the initial response requirement (IRR) was varied. Analyses based on either consumer demand or labor supply models of behavioral economics revealed that the relative reinforcing effectiveness of cocaine and alfentanil was greater than that of nalbuphine. These results suggest that PR schedules with varying IRRs can provide meaningful estimates of the relative reinforcing effectiveness of abused drugs. A fundamental consideration for understanding mechanisms of action underlying the addictive properties of drugs is development of an objective means for evaluating their effectiveness as reinforcers. Progressive-ratio (PR) schedules of intravenous (IV) drug self-administration have been used increasingly to investigate the relationships between reinforcing effectiveness and specific pharmacological mechanisms of psychoactive drugs (see reviews by Rowlett, 2000; Stafford, LeSage, & Glowa, 1998). For example, Weed, Paul, Dwoskin, Moore, and Woolverton (1997) examined the relationship between maximum response output (break point, or BP) maintained by dopamine D1 receptor agonists under a PR schedule and the ability of these drugs to stimulate cAMP production, an established in vitro assay of intrinsic efficacy of D1 receptor ligands. In their study, D1 agonists with the highest BPs were also the most effective in stimulating cAMP, supporting the view that PR schedules provide a useful technique for establishing functional relationships between reinforcer effectiveness and intrinsic efficacy. Considerable research has focused on identifying receptor mechanisms underlying the addictive and therapeutic effects of opioid receptor agonists (Dykstra, Preston, & Bigelow, 1997; Woods, Winger, & France, 1992). A welldocumented observation is that mu agonists with compara
Genetic based LBP feature extraction and selection for facial recognition

This paper presents a novel approach to LBP feature extraction. Unlike other LBP feature extraction methods, we evolve the number, position, and the size of the areas of feature extraction. The approach described in this paper also attempts to minimize the number of areas as well as the size in an effort to reduce the total number of features needed for LBP-based face recognition. In addition to reducing the number of features by 63%, our approach also increases recognition accuracy from an average of 99.04% to 99.84%.
Identification of dispersed platinum on γ-alumina by laser-Raman spectroscopy

Abstract Laser-Raman spectroscopy (LRS) is applied to identify highly dispersed Pt on γ-alumina. Under conditions favorable for dispersed Pt three peaks are observed at about 125,335 and 590 cm−1. Indications are that dispersed Pt coexists with particulate Pt even at concentrations as high as 30wt%Pt γ−Al 2 O 3 . The method can be used to study sintering and redispersion of Pt as a function of temperature and gas-phase composition.
Activity outcome expectancies and intrinsic activity values as predictors of several motivation indexes for technical-professionals☆

Abstract The relative usefulness of Expectancy × Valence and Intrinsic Activity Value as predictors of motivation to perform specific job-related activities was examined. Three indexes of motivation were introduced into regression equations as the dependent variables. They included desired effort and actual effort as perceived by the employees and performance as observed by their superiors. The results showed that Intrinsic Activity Value was a much more useful predictor across all three motivation indexes. Moreover, as predicted, there were progressively weaker relationships between the predictors and desired effort, actual effort, and performance in that order. A measure of rational-irrational predisposition was found to moderate the relationship between Expectancy × Valence and effort while external job demands moderated the relationship between desired and actual effort. The number of complex relationships which must be considered in order to adequately predict work motivation is stressed along with the need to analyze specific work activities.
Laminar flow mass transfer with axial diffusion in a tube with chemical reactions

Attempts to obtain a semi-analytical solution for the laminar flow mass transfer in a circular pipe with axial diffusion and chemical reactions are reported. The results of the mathematical solutions compare well with results of the finite difference method. The effect of axial diffusion was found to tend to retard the parabolic concentration distribution due to the field flow. (BLM)
The Influence of Different Parameters of Remodeling Rule and Walking Speed on Resultant Density Distribution of the Proximal Femur

The process of adaptive bone remodeling can be described mathematically and simulated with a self-optimizing finite element method (FEM) model. The aim of this study was to understand the effect of the basic remodeling rule on the bone density distribution of the proximal femur affected by the muscle loadings and the hip joint contact forces during normal gait (walking). The basic remodeling rule, which is an objective function for an optimization process relative to external load, was applied to predict the bone density. The purpose of the process is to obtain a constant value for the strain energy per unit bone mass, by adapting density modeling. The precise solution is dependent on the magnitude and direction of loads, loading rate, initial conditions and the parameters in the remodeling rule. In this study, we applied adaptive bone density remodeling under both static and dynamic loading conditions. In the static case, the forces at different phases in the gait cycle were statically applied as boundary conditions. The density distributions from these loadings were averaged to find the density distribution in the proximal femur. Three different initial densities were considered to investigate the effect of initial conditions. The influence of different parameters and functions on the density distribution and its convergence rate was also investigated. Furthermore, effect of changing of muscle loading and hip joint contact forces on resultant mass and density distribution of proximal femur was studied. In the dynamic approach, the forces of different phases of gait cycle were applied during different gait cycle’s times of 1.27 second (slow speed), 1.11 second (normal speed), 1.01 second (moderately fast speed), and 0.83 second (very fast speed). Although the results of bone density adaptations in both approaches were comparable with an example of an actual bone density distribution of the femoral head, neck and the proximal femoral shaft; the converged density distribution in the static approach was smoother and more realistic. It was shown that by applying more loading conditions through the gait cycle the converged density distribution is smoother. The resultant density distribution was more comparable with actual proximal femur compared to past studies.Copyright © 2007 by ASME
In vitro assessment of the biocompatibility of chemically modified GaAs surfaces

GaAs has excellent optical, electrical, and mechanical properties and shows promise to be used in the fabrication of novel devices. However, the unprotected GaAs surface can release heavy metal compounds such as AsOx, which are toxic to living cells. A promising approach to reduce or eliminate this release relies on the passivation of the GaAs surface using different chemical approaches. In this work, we compared three different passivation methods aimed at enhancing the viability of cells on GaAs. Protective layers composed of self-assembled alkyl thiols, polypeptides, thick polymer layers, and shells of polyelectrolytes were tested. We confirmed that the GaAs surface can be made biocompatible for several days based on in vitro tests with HeLa and KB cells. In addition, we compared the cell spreading behavior on the GaAs substrates modified by different chemical approaches. Our results suggest that when the toxicity of the GaAs surface is reduced or eliminated, the cells’viability and spreading depend on the chemical and topographical nature of the surface.
The oscillations of a fluid droplet immersed in another fluid

From an analysis of small oscillations of a viscous fluid droplet immersed in another viscous fluid a general dispersion equation is derived by which frequency and rate of damping of oscillations can be calculated for arbitrary values of droplet size, physical properties of the fluids, and interfacial viscosity and elasticity coefficients. The equation is studied for two distinct extremes of interfacial characteristics: (i) a free interface between the two fluids in which only a constant, uniform interfacial tension acts; (ii) an ‘inextensible’ interface between the two fluids, that is, a highly condensed film or membrane which, to first order, cannot be locally expanded or contracted. Results obtained are compared with those previously published for various special cases.When the viscosities of both fluids are low, the primary contribution to the rate of damping of oscillations is generally the viscous dissipation in a boundary layer near the interface, in both the free and inextensible interface situations. For this reason inviscid velocity profiles, which do not account for the boundarylayer flow, do not lead to good approximations to the damping rate. The two exceptions in which the approximation based on inviscid profiles is adequate occur when the interface is free and either the interior or exterior fluid is a gas of negligible density and viscosity.
CONGENITAL HYPOTHYROIDISM: INCREASED RISK OF NEONATAL MORBIDITY RESULTS IN DELAYED TREATMENT

Abstract In a population-based screen of 617 913 infants, primary congenital hypothyroidism (CH) was confirmed in 100 children. 32 of the 100 infants with CH had an additional defect or complication. In the group with CH the rates of congenital heart disease, non-cardiac malformations, respiratory distress syndrome, and death were higher than in the general population of the same age. Black infants were less likely than whites to have CH, but were at twice the risk of additional impairment. Infants with CH who had an additional complication were screened (12·7 vs 4·8 days) and treated (32·4 vs 19·7 days) significantly later than those infants with isolated CH. Congenital malformations and neonatal complications should not be reasons for deferring screening for CH.
The sea urchin egg jelly coat is a three-dimensional fibrous network as seen by intermediate voltage electron microscopy and deep etching analysis

The egg jelly (EJ) coat which surrounds the unfertilized sea urchin egg undergoes extensive swelling upon contact with sea water, forming a threedimensional network of interconnected fibers extending nearly 50 μm from the egg surface. Owing to its solubility, this coat has been difficult to visualize by light and electron microscopy. However, Lytechinus pictus EJ coats remain intact, if the fixation medium is maintained at pH 9. The addition of alcian blue during the final dehydration step of sample preparation stains the EJ for visualization of resin embedded eggs by both light and electron microscopy. Stereo pairs taken of thick sections prepared for intermediate voltage electron microscopy (IVEM) produce a threedimensional image of the EJ network, consisting of interconnected fibers decorated along their length by globular jelly components. Using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), we have shown that before swelling, EJ exists in a tightly bound network of jelly fibers, 50–60 nm in diameter. In contrast, swollen EJ consists of a greatly extended network whose fibrous components measure 10 to 30 nm in diameter. High resolution stereo images of hydrated jelly produced by the quick-freeze/deep-etch/rotary-shadowing technique (QF/DE/RS) show nearly identical EJ networks, suggesting that dehydration does not markedly alter the structure of this extracellular matrix. © 1993 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
RBS analysis of spray pyrolyzed Y-Ba-Cu-O thin films

Abstract Y-Ba-Cu-O thin films (55 to 150 nm thick) were deposited on heated (200 to 450 °C) substrates by spray pyrolysis of nitrate solutions. Chemical, structural, and microscopic analyses were conducted by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and Rutherford Backscattering Spectrometry (RBS). The effect of spray processing parameters on the thickness, uniformity, and chemical homogeneity of films was studied. Analyses of film stoichiometry by the RBS technique are highlighted.
Toxic effects of fluoride on the rat kidney. I. Acute injury from single large doses.

Abstract 1. 1. The 30-day LD 50 of sodium fluoride administered intravenously as a 2% aqueous solution in the young rat (75 days old) was 26 mg/kg. The lethal action of sodium fluoride appeared to involve two mechanisms: one causing death in a few hours and the other in 3–10 days. 2. 2. Renal injury did not appear to be the cause of the delayed deaths. Single doses of sodium fluoride (20 and 30 mg/kg, intravenously) produced a mild necrosis of the tubular epithelium in the inner third of the cortex. The necrosis was evident on the first and third days after treatment. Regeneration began by the fifth day and was nearly complete by the ninth day. The renal lesion was relatively limited. A few rats receiving a single dose of sodium fluoride showed a dilatation of the tubules at the junction of the cortex and medulla. 3. 3. Renal functions were deranged temporarily by near lethal doses. A single dose of sodium fluoride of 20 or 30 mg/kg, intravenously, increased urine volume and decreased specific gravity. Sugar excretion was markedly increased the first day after treatment and then decreased below normal for several days. Protein excretion was slightly increased.
Photoelectron spectroscopy of Rydberg states of the methyl radical

Abstract Photoelectron spectra following two-photon resonant, three-photon ionization of CH 3 and CD 3 via selected vibronic levels of the 3p z and 4p z Rydberg states are reported. Because the 3p z and 4p z Rydberg orbitals are non-bonding, the geometries of the corresponding Rydberg states of CH 3 and CD 3 are similar to those of the ground states of CH 3 + and CD 3 + , respectively. This results in nearly diagonal Franck–Condon factors, with the photoelectron spectra showing a strong propensity for the preservation of the vibrational state upon ionization. The results are compared with earlier studies of the photoelectron spectra of analogous Rydberg states of NH 3 .
Interactive 3-D computation of fault surfaces using level sets

Deformable implicit surfaces, implemented with level set methods, have demonstrated a great potential in the computational sciences for applications such as modeling, simulation, and segmentation. They allow implicit handling of complex topologies deformed by operations where large changes can occur without destroying the level set representation. The use of level set techniques for the computation and segmentation of plane-like and high positive curvature features is nontrivial. We present a technique for representing and extracting fault surfaces from 3-D seismic attribute data such that 2-manifolds can be interactively computed and segmented. We present our approach as an interactive workflow that generates highly accurate fault surfaces.
Child Slaves in the Modern World

This is the second of two volumes of essays edited by Gwyn Campbell, Suzanne Miers and Joseph C. Miller intended to put child slavery in comparative perspective. Volume 1 (Children in Slavery Throu...
Variational calculation of the potential resulting from a localized arbitrary spherically symmetric charge distribution

Loucks has developed a numerical technique for solving the differential form of Poisson's equation as a set of finite-difference equations for the potential of a localized but otherwise arbitrary spherically symmetric charge density. The present work outlines an alternative approach, a variational method, that permits one to obtain an approximate analytical solution of Poisson's equation.
The Case for Zombie Agency

Recent empirical work suggests that unconscious vision guides and controls much of our bodily actions. We are accordingly zombie agents (Koch and Crick 2001). While many have been willing to accept this zombie picture as part of accepting David Milner and Melvyn Goodale’s (1995) influential account of the human visual system, Christopher Mole (2009) has trenchantly argued against it by questioning a common interpretation of the empirical evidence. Here I respond to Mole’s case. I argue that we must separate two issues: (1) whether Milner and Goodale’s functional account of human vision is correct and (2) whether there are zombie actions. While I agree with Mole that the empirical case for Milner and Goodale’s account is more contentious than philosophers acknowledge, I argue that a case can be made for zombie agency. The empirical evidence at issue is dissociation evidence showing that a subject deploys information p to control behavior, yet when queried explicitly in some way whether p, the subject denies it or assents to incompatible information. Goodale and Milner (1995) draw on this and other evidence to argue for a specific hypothesis about the function of the two anatomically separate cortical visual streams in humans: the dorsal stream directly guides action, the ventral stream generates conscious vision. The
White-light modeling, algorithm, development, and validation on the micro-arcsecond metrology testbed

The Space Interferometry Mission (SIM) scheduled for launch in early 2010, is an optical interferometer that will perform narrow angle and global wide angle astrometry with unprecedented accuracy, providing differential position accuracies of 1uas, and 4uas global accuracies in position, proper motion and parallax. The astrometric observations of the SIM instrument are performed via delay measurements provided by three Michelson-type, white light interferometers. Two 'guide' interferometers acquire fringes on bright guide stars in order to make highly precise measurements of variations in spacecraft attitude, while the third interferometer performs the science measurement. SIM derives its performance from a combination of precise fringe measurements of the interfered starlight (a few ten-thousandths of a wave) and very precise (tens of picometers) relative distance measurements made between a set of fiducials. The focus of the present paper is on the development and analysis of algorithms for accurate white light estimation, and on validating some of these algorithms on the MicroArcsecond Testbed.
Efficacy of betaxolol in the treatment of stable exertional angina pectoris: a dose-ranging study.

To assess the efficacy of oral betaxolol in the treatment of stable exertional angina pectoris and to determine the relationship between betaxolol doses/serum concentrations and clinical/hemodynamic responses the authors studied 24 patients prior to and following stepwise administration of 5, 10, 20, 40, and 80 mg doses. The major endpoint for the study was the achievement of clinical beta blockade (heart rate 50-60 beats/min and ≤ 20% rise in treadmill stage I heart rate). Betaxolol produced a decrease in mean angina pectoris frequency from 6.6 ± 1.9 episodes/week with placebo to 0.2 ± 0.5 episode/week during clinical beta blockade (p < 0.00005). Mean treadmill exercise time increased from 3.1 ± 1.7 min with placebo to 7.3 ± 2.3 min with doses sufficient to reduce angina pectoris frequency ≥ 75% (p < 0.00005) and to 8.0 ± 2.3 min during clinical beta blockade (p < 0.00005). The mean doses of betaxolol required to produce a ≥ 75% decrease in angina pectoris frequency and clinical beta blockade were 12 ± 5...
Scleroblast cultures from the gorgonianLeptogorgia virgulata (Lamarck) (Coelenterata: Gorgonacea)

Scleroblasts were separated from fragmented tissue of growing tips ofLeptogorgia virgulata and cultured using a modification of the technique of Rannou. Replacement of fetal bovine serum with horse serum seemed to increase scleroblast viability. Cell adhesion occurred from 14 to 43 d. Cultured scleroblasts demonstrated cell aggregation, spicule formation, and extrusion of spicules into the external medium. Cells showing spicules in the process of being extruded appeared on the average after 24 d of culture. Variability among cultures was marked with respect to both division and spicule formation. Healthy cultures were maintained for more than 4 mo.
Protein kinase Cs and tyrosine kinases in permissive action of prostacyclin on cerebrovascular regulation in newborn pigs.

The involvement of protein kinase C (PKC) and protein tyrosine kinase (PTK) in hypercapnia-induced cerebral vasodilation in newborn pigs was investigated with closed cranial windows using the PKC stimulator phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA), and the PTK inhibitors, genistein and herbimycin A. The influence of prostaglandin I 2 was eliminated using the prostaglandin cyclooxygenase inhibitor, indomethacin. Changes in pial arteriolar diameters in response to hypercapnia [partial pressure of arterial CO 2 ≃ 9.3 kPa (70 torr)] were analyzed. Genistein (40 μg/mL), herbimycin A (10 μM), or PMA (I μM) did not affect cerebral vasodilation to hypercapnia when applied topically. Indomethacin (5 mg/kg i.v.) treatment blocked the dilation to hypercapnia and attenuated hypercapnia-induced increase in cortical cAMP. Genistein and herbimycin A restored the response to hypercapnia to indomethacin-treated piglets. PMA also restored the pial arteriolar dilation and the cAMP response to hypercapnia to indomethacin-treated piglets. One-hour exposure to 10 μM PMA, to down-regulate PKC, blocked vasodilation to hypercapnia but did not inhibit vasodilation to sodium nitroprusside. After prolonged (2 h) topical exposure of indomethacin-treated piglets to 10 μM PMA, neither genistein nor iloprost could restore dilation to hypercapnia. These results indicate that PKC stimulation and/or PTK inhibition may permit hypercapnia-induced vasodilation. These data further suggest that PKC is downstream from PTK in the regulatory pathway. Because previous data showed prostaglandin I 2 at subdilator concentrations can also return dilation to hypercapnia to piglets treated with indomethacin, prostaglandin I 2 could provide its permissive input by activating PKC and/or inhibiting PTK.
Induced resistance in tobacco leaves: The role of inhibitors of bacterial growth in the intercellular fluid

Abstract The growth and survival of Pseudomonas solanacearum in the intercellular spaces of leaves of tobacco ( Nicotiana tabacum ) treated by prior infiltration with heat-killed cells of the bacterium are reduced significantly when compared to those in untreated leaves. This protective effect takes place only in leaves exposed to strong illumination. Bacteria cultured in the intercellular fluid from protected leaves grow in chains rather than as single cells and have a longer generation time than bacteria grown in fluid from unprotected leaves. Changes in the capacity of the fluid to support bacterial growth may be due to one or more heat-stable, low molecular weight inhibitors. Partial purification of the inhibitory material is obtained by ion-exchange chromatography. When infiltrated into unprotected leaves, intercellular fluid is capable of partially preventing the hypersensitive response elicited by incompatible strains of the bacterium; the inhibitory material may therefore play a role in the protective response. Other factors may also be important, however, since the reinfiltrated fluid does not always induce protection.
Some complex Grassmannian manifolds that do not fibre nontrivially

Abstract A finite CW complex X is said to be prime if, given a Hurewicz fibration F → E → B with E homotopy equivalent to X , and B and F homotopy equivalent to finite CW complexes, either B or F is contractible. We show that certain 3- and 4-plane complex Grassmanian manifolds are prime.
TCF4 deficiency expands ventral diencephalon signaling and increases induction of pituitary progenitors

The anterior and intermediate lobes of the pituitary gland are formed from Rathke’s pouch. FGF, BMP and WNT signals emanating from the ventral diencephalon influence pouch growth and development. In order to examine the role of canonical WNT signaling during pituitary development we examined the pituitary expression of the TCF/LEF family of transcription factors, which mediate WNT signaling through the binding of β-catenin. We report here the expression of several members of this family during pituitary development and the functional role of one member, TCF4 (TCF7L2), in the induction of the pituitary primordium. TCF4 is expressed in the ventral diencephalon early in pituitary development, rostral to a domain of BMP and FGF expression. Tcf4 deficient mice express Fgf10 and Bmp4; however, the Bmp and Fgf expression domains are expanded rostrally. As a result, additional pituitary progenitor cells are recruited into Rathke’s pouch in Tcf4 mutants. Mutants also exhibit an expansion of the Six6 expression domain within Rathke’s pouch, which may increase the number of proliferating pouch cells, resulting in a greatly enlarged anterior pituitary gland. This suggests that TCF4 negatively regulates pituitary growth through two mechanisms. The first mechanism is to restrict the domains of BMP and FGF signaling in the ventral diencephalon, and the second mechanism is the restriction of Six6 within Rathke’s pouch. Thus, TCF4 is necessary both intrinsically and extrinsically to Rathke’s pouch to ensure the proper growth of the pituitary gland.
Solidification in Two-Phase Flow

The results of an experiment designed to measure directly the growth of an ice layer (crust) in a water-nitrogen gas mixture are given.
The electroviscous force between charged particles: beyond the thin-double-layer approximation.

We have investigated the hydrodynamic drag force between charged particles in electrolyte solutions, specifically the electroviscous force that arises from the distortion of the electrical double layers by the flow field. We report an improvement on the thin-double-layer theory (S.G. Bike, D.C. Prieve, J. Colloid Interface Sci. 136 (1990) 95-112), using a more accurate boundary condition for the radial charge current. The differences become important when the double layers start to overlap. We have found that nonlinear hydrodynamic effects are small, whereas nonlinear electric effects can be significant, in some instances leading to qualitatively different behavior. If the ion diffusivities are highly asymmetric, the electroviscous force can be reduced by an order of magnitude when there is an excess of the mobile ions in the double layer. The common supposition that there are substantial differences in the electroviscous force predicted by constant-charge and constant-potential boundary conditions is incorrect; our calculations show that it is an artifact introduced by the Debye-Huckel approximation.
Neural circuits with long-distance axon tracts for determining functional connectivity.

Abstract The cortical circuitry in the brain consists of structurally and functionally distinct neuronal assemblies with reciprocal axon connections. To generate cell culture-based systems that emulate axon tract systems of an in vivo neural network, we developed a living neural circuit consisting of compartmentalized neuronal populations connected by arrays of two millimeter-long axon tracts that are integrated on a planar multi-electrode array (MEA). The millimeter-scale node-to-node separation allows for pharmacological and electrophysiological manipulations to simultaneously target multiple neuronal populations. The results show controlled selectivity of dye absorption by neurons in different compartments. MEA-transmitted electrical stimulation of targeted neurons shows ∼46% increase of intracellular calcium levels with 20 Hz stimulation, but ∼22% decrease with 2k Hz stimulation. The unique feature of long distance axons promotes in vivo -like fasciculation. These axon tracts are determined to be inhibitory afferents by showing increased action potential firing of downstream node upon selective application of γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) to the upstream node. Together, this model demonstrates integrated capabilities for assessing multiple endpoints including axon tract tracing, calcium influx, network architecture and activities. This system can be used as a multi-functional platform for studying axon tract-associated CNS disorders in vitro , such as diffuse axonal injury after brain trauma.
Spatial organization of excitatory synaptic inputs to layer 4 neurons in mouse primary auditory cortex

Layer 4 (L4) of primary auditory cortex (A1) receives a tonotopically organized projection from the medial geniculate nucleus of the thalamus. However, individual neurons in A1 respond to a wider range of sound frequencies than would be predicted by their thalamic input, which suggests the existence of cross-frequency intracortical networks. We used laser scanning photostimulation and uncaging of glutamate in brain slices of mouse A1 to characterize the spatial organization of intracortical inputs to L4 neurons. Slices were prepared to include the entire tonotopic extent of A1. We find that L4 neurons receive local vertically organized (columnar) excitation from layers 2 through 6 (L6) and horizontally organized excitation primarily from L4 and L6 neurons in regions centered ~300-500 μm caudal and/or rostral to the cell. Excitatory horizontal synaptic connections from layers 2 and 3 were sparse. The origins of horizontal projections from L4 and L6 correspond to regions in the tonotopic map that are approximately an octave away from the target cell location. Such spatially organized lateral connections may contribute to the detection and processing of auditory objects with specific spectral structures.
Disheartened consumers: impact of malevolent apparel business practices on consumer's heart rates, perceived trust, and purchase intention

In response to consumers’ increasing desires to know about apparel businesses’ ethical/responsible practices and the importance of trust between a firm and its consumers in today’s marketplace, this study investigated how distrustful messages, specifically malevolent messages, affect consumers’ perceived trust and purchase intention. The results of 67 participants’ heart rate deceleration patterns and psychometric responses from a randomized experimental design showed that participants experienced greater heart rate deceleration during exposure to messages about a firm’s malevolent business practices, than during messages about benevolence. Indeed, consumers seemed to get more disheartened when they were exposed to messages about malevolent business activities, and these messages seemed to affect consumers’ perceived trust and purchase intention. The study concludes with important business implications for building and strengthening trust, or reducing and eliminating distrust, with consumers.
Rotenone, Deguelin, Their Metabolites, and the Rat Model of Parkinson's Disease

Rotenone and deguelin are the major active ingredients and principal components of cuberesin from Lonchocarpus utilis used as a botanical insecticide and piscicide. They are also potent complex I (NADH:ubiquinone oxidoreductase) inhibitors. Rotenone was known earlier, and deguelin is shown here to induce a Parkinson's disease (PD)-like syndrome after subcutaneous treatment of rats by osmotic minipump. Rotenone at 3 mg/kg/day or deguelin at 6 but not 3 mg/kg/day induces degeneration of the nigrostriatal dopaminergic pathway, as shown by reduced tyrosine hydroxylase immunoreactivity with treatments for 5 or 6 days. The neuropathological lesions are associated with a brain level of parent rotenoid of 0.4-1.3 ppm but not with the much smaller brain level of 12abeta-hydroxyrotenoids or other metabolites analyzed by HPLC and LC/MS. We previously established that the hydroxylated metabolites and derivatives of rotenone and deguelin are all less active (i.e., detoxified) as complex I inhibitors relative to the parent rotenoids. The PD-like syndrome induced in rats by rotenone and deguelin is therefore due to the parent compounds rather than metabolites. Deguelin is about half as active as rotenone in inducing the PD-like syndrome in rats and in acute ip LD50 in mice. Rotenone and deguelin are metabolized by human recombinant 3A4 and 2C19 but not five other P450 enzymes. 2C19 is more selective than 3A4 in forming the 12abeta-hydroxyrotenoids. Identified sites of metabolic attack individually or in combination are as follows: 12abeta hydroxylation and 2-O-demethylation of both compounds, oxidation of the rotenone isopropenyl substituent to mono and diol derivatives, and probable oxidation of the deguelin dimethylchromene double bond. These toxicological features must be considered in using rotenone, deguelin, and their analogues as pesticides, candidate radioimaging and cancer chemopreventive agents, and models of PD.
Symptom duration and CT findings in pediatric deep neck infection.

Objective: To investigate whether children with less than 48 hours of localized symptoms of deep neck infection are less likely to have an abscess on CT scan.Study Design: Case series.Subjects and Methods: The charts of children seen in a tertiary children's hospital for deep neck infections between 2000 and 2007 were reviewed.Results: Of 179 children identified, 167 (93.3%) underwent a CT scan of the neck of which 102 (61.1%) were positive for abscess. There was no significant difference in the rate of abscess on CT between children with less than 48 hours of localizing symptoms and 48 or more hours of symptoms at 58.1 percent and 58.3 percent, respectively (P = 0.98). Furthermore, there was no significant difference in age, gender, C-reactive protein levels, disease location, or length of stay between children with and without abscess on CT. White blood cell counts were significantly higher in the abscess group (P = 0.01); however, the median white blood cell count in both groups was above normal.Conclu...
Repeated microinjections into the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) impair extinction of conditioned place preference in mice

The medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) is important for extinction of many behaviors including conditioned place preference (CPP). We examined the effects of intra-mPFC inactivation (with bupivacaine) on extinction of ethanol-induced CPP in mice. Injections of both bupivacaine and vehicle impaired extinction whereas no-surgery control mice extinguished normally. Consistent with recently reported effects of mPFC lesions, these data suggest that extinction was impaired by excessive mPFC damage induced by repeated intracranial infusions.
A Comparison of Machine Organizations by Their Performance of the Iterative Solution of Linear Equations

It is shown that for a given problem different machine organizations will vary in time of solution over a nine-fold range. This holds even if it is assumed that the machines used the same arithmetic section and the same memory. The comparison is made on the basis of a typical problem—in this case the Kaczmarz iteration. An efficiency number is developed giving the relative solution time required by each organization. When the efficiency number of a single address machine is taken to be 1.0, the following numbers are obtained: four address machine, 1.25; single address machine with index registers, 2.5; complex organization, 9.
Adaptive online control of cascading blackouts

We study online control algorithms to be deployed in the event of a cascading power system failure. The control mechanism is computed after the initial event that sets off the cascade and is applied as the cascade unfolds, with the goal of reaching a stable state while shedding a minimum amount of load. We focus on robust controls, using models of line outages that explicitly account for noise. Computational experience is presented using simulated cascading failures of the U.S. Eastern Interconnect.
The Development of an Instrumented Wheelchair Propulsion Testing and Training Device

Researchers have used several types of testing devices and training surfaces to examine wheelchair propulsion. Testing and training wheelchair users on the actual surface of interest, such as tile floors or ramps, is ideal but difficult. Devices such as treadmills, dynamometers, and ergometers allow for researchers and clinicians to observe wheelchair users in a controlled space. However, these devices often do not have the ability to realistically simulate the environment. This methodological article describes the instrumentation, development and function of a wheelchair dynamometer system, the WheelMill System (WMS), a uniquely adjustable roller system for wheelchairs. Three participants wheeled on the WMS, over a tile surface and up two different graded slopes with the SmartWheel to compare speed and forces. The WMS reasonably simulated propulsion over a tile floor, though the participants' speed was slightly faster on tile, and the peak forces for each propulsion stroke varied more on tile than on the WMS. For the slopes, the speed oscillated over a greater range and was slower, and the measured peak forces were higher than the values measured on the WMS. The WMS may have several applications, though additional studies on a greater and more diverse population are needed.