cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Effect of stimulation of the brain-stem reticular formation on cerebral blood flow and oxygen consumption ☆

Abstract The brain-stem reticular formation in the pons was stimulated in twelve monkeys while recording cerebral blood flow and oxygen consumption by the use of electromagnetic flowmeters and cerebral arterio-venous oxygen differences. During stimulation, cerebral blood flow and oxygen consumption usually increased if the EEG showed desynchronization. The EEG desynchronization was associated with a mean increase in cerebral oxygen consumption of 7.7% and an increase in cerebral blood flow of 9.7%. After discontinuing the stimulation, cerebral oxygen consumption returned to the steady state within 3 min while the EEG reverted to the resting pattern immediately after the stimulus was discontinued. Less well defined EEG changes were induced by stimulation of the femoral nerve, weak stimulation of the reticular formation or after transection of the cerebral spinal cord. Such poorly defined EEG changes were associated with little or no increase in cerebral blood flow and oxygen consumption. The increase of cerebral blood flow appeared to be caused by increased cerebral metabolism associated with EEG desynchronization.
Optical characterization and crystal field calculations for some erbium based solid state materials for laser refrigeration

The potential of three erbium based solids hosts has been investigated for laser cooling. Absorption and emission spectra have been studied for the low lying IR transitions of erbium that are relevant to recent reports of cooling using the 4 I 15/2 - 4 I 9/2 and 4 I 15/2 - 4 I 13/2 transitions. Experimental studies have been performed for erbium in three hosts; ZBLAN glass and KPb 2 Cl 5 and Cs 2 NaYCl 6 crystals. In order to estimate the efficiencies of cooling, theoretical calculations have been performed for the cubic Elpasolite (Cs 2 NaYCl 6 ) crystal. These calculations also provide a first principle insight into the cooling efficiency for non-cubic and glassy hosts where such calculations are not possible.
Fluorescence Lifetime and Oxygen Quenching Rate of Gas-Phase Fluoranthene Excited at 337.1 nm

We report that the fluorescence lifetime is 38 ± 2 ns and that the oxygen quenching rate constant is 2.49 × 109 L mol−1.s−1 for gas-phase fluoranthene excited at 337.1 nm. A fluorescence lifetime of 24 ± 3 ns for excitation at 351 nm has been reported previously by Ehrlich and Wilson [J. Chem. Phys. 67, 5391 (1977)]. According to the current spectroscopic assignments, the 337.1-nm and the 351-nm lasers excite fluoranthene molecules to the same S2 electronic state with excess vibrational energies of 1900 cm−1 and 710 cm−1 respectively. Therefore, our measured lifetime reveals an anomalous trend of the fluorescence lifetime if both the current spectroscopic assignment and the value of 24 ns for the lifetime excited at 351 nm are accepted. Our measured oxygen quenching rate constant indicates that the oxygen quenching rate for fluoranthene is about 100 times slower than that of anthracene and pyrene. The unusually slow oxygen quenching rate in the gas phase may be related to the previously reported unusual inertness of excited fluoranthene molecules in other environments. Possible explanations of these abnormal behaviors of fluoranthene are discussed.
Organo-iodine formation in soils and aquifer sediments at ambient concentrations.

One of the key risk drivers at radioactive waste disposal facilities is radioiodine, especially 129I. As iodine mobility varies greatly with iodine speciation, experiments with 129I-contaminated aquifer sediments from the Savannah River Site located in Aiken, SC, were carried out to test iodine interactions with soils and aquifer sediments. Using tracer 125I− and stable 127I− additions, it was shown that such interactions were highly dependent on I− concentrations added to sediment suspensions, contact time with the sediment, and organic carbon (OC) content, resulting in an empirical particle−water partition coefficient (Kd) that was an inverse power function of the added I− concentration. However, Kd values of organically bound 127I were 3 orders of magnitude higher than those determined after 1−2 weeks of tracer equilibration, approaching those of OC. Under ambient conditions, organo-iodine (OI) was a major fraction (67%) of the total iodine in the dissolved phase and by implication of the particulate p...
Is the Brugada syndrome a distinct clinical entity

The Brugada Syndrome. In 1992, Brugada and Brugada described a syndrome characterized by right bundle branch block pattern with ST elevation in leads V1 through V3 and a history of sudden death due to polymorphic ventricular tachycardia or ventricular fibrillation. Since these patients bad no evidence of cardiac disease, these findings were ascribed to a distinct clinical entity. Further experience bas shown that this same pattern may be mimicked by patients with right ventricular dysplasia, acute ischemia of the right ventricle, other infiltrative cardiomyopathies, as well as tricyclic drug overdose. The pathogenesis of these changes may be due to loss of the dome configuration in the transmembrane potential of right ventricular epicardial cells, which would result in a voltage gradient producing ST elevation. Other explanations involve delayed conduction in a dysplastic right ventricle. The clinical importance of this syndrome is that it calls attention to patients at risk for sudden cardiac death. In addition, these observations have sparked the interest of basic electrophysiologists relative to the relationship of these ECG waveforms and malignant ventricular arrhythmias. Finally, the clinician must exclude other organic diseases before diagnosing this entity.
Cohomology rings of multiplicative fibrations

Let p be an odd prime. Let X˜ be the fibre space induced from an H-map f:X→K where K is a generalized Eilenberg MacLane space and X is a simply connected H-space. Such spaces occur frequently in Postnikov towers and connective covers. In this paper, we compute the mod p cohomology of X˜ as a ring. The ring depends on the structure of imf* and the structure of subkerf* as modules over the Steenrod algebra.
Investigating phylogenetic relationships of sunfishes and black basses (Actinopterygii: Centrarchidae) using DNA sequences from mitochondrial and nuclear genes

The 32 species of the Centrarchidae are ecologically important components of the diverse fish communities that characterize North American freshwater ecosystems. In spite of a rich history of systematic investigations of centrarchid fishes there is extensive conflict among previous hypotheses that may be due to restricted taxon or character sampling. We present the first phylogenetic analysis of the Centrarchidae that combines DNA sequence data from both the mitochondrial and nuclear genomes and includes all described species. Gene sequence data were collected from a complete mtDNA protein coding gene (NADH subunit 2), a nuclear DNA intron (S7 ribosomal protein intron 1), and a portion of a nuclear DNA protein-coding region (Tmo-4C4). Phylogenetic trees generated from analysis of the three-gene dataset were used to test alternative hypotheses of centrarchid relationships that were gathered from the literature. Four major centrarchid lineages are present in trees generated in maximum parsimony (MP) and Bayesian maximum likelihood analyses (BML). These lineages are Acantharchus pomotis, Micropterus, Lepomis, and a clade containing Ambloplites, Archoplites, Centrarchus, Enneacanthus, and Pomoxis. Phylogenetic trees resulting from MP and BML analyses are highly consistent but differ with regard to the placement of A. pomotis. Significant phylogenetic incongruence between mtDNA and nuclear genes appears to result from different placement of Micropterus treculi, and is not characteristic of relationships in all other parts of the centrarchid phylogeny. Slightly more than half of the 27 previously proposed hypotheses of centrarchid relationships were rejected based on the Shomodaira-Hasegawa test.
Age‐Related Differences in the Effects of GABA, Agonists Microinjected Into Rat Substantia Nigra: Pro‐ and Anticonvulsant Actions

Summary: GABAergic transmission in the substantia nigra pars reticulata (SNR) has an important role in the control of experimental seizures. In the flurothyl seizure model, SNR microinjection of the selective GABA, receptor agonist muscimol results in a biphasic dose-response curve in adults: Intermediate doses are anticonvulsant, but high doses have proconvulsant effects. Another GABAA agonist, THIP (4,5,6,7-tetrahydroisox-azolo-[5,4-c]pyndin-3-01), also produces anticonvulsant effects at lower doses, whereas higher doses tend to produce a proconvulsant effect. In 16-day-old rat pups, no Both clinically and experimentally, it is recognized that the immature brain is at increased risk for sustaining epileptic seizures, particularly generalized seizures (1). An important goal of neuroscience research is to identify the neuronal circuitry and synaptic pharmacology underlying this ontogenic phenomenon. Such understanding will help direct the development of more efficacious and selective age-specific therapies than those currently available.
Electrical conductivity of insulating polymer nanoscale layers: environmental effects.

As electronic devices are scaled down to submicron sizes, it has become critical to obtain uniform and robust insulating nanoscale polymer films. For that reason, we address the electrical properties of grafted polymer layers made of poly(glycidyl methacrylate), polyacrylic acid, poly(2-vinylpyridine), and polystyrene with thicknesses of 10–20 nm. It was found that layers insulating under normal ambient conditions can display a significant increase in conductivity as the environment changes. Namely, we demonstrated that the in-plane electrical conductivity of the polymer grafted layers can be changed by at least two orders of magnitude upon exposure to water or organic solvent vapors. Conductive properties of all polymer grafted films under study could also be significantly enhanced with an increase in temperature. The observed phenomenon makes possible the chemical design of polymer nanoscale layers with reduced or enhanced sensitivity to the anticipated change in environmental conditions. Finally, we demonstrated that the observed effects could be used in a micron-sized conductometric transducing scheme for the detection of volatile organic solvents.
Prospects for Higgs search at DØ

The D0 experiment is recording physics quality data. Both the detector and the accelerator performance are continually improving. We are studying issues such as the b{bar b} mass resolution, b-jet tagging efficiency, missing E{sub T} resolution, and backgrounds to Higgs processes. We look forward to seeing exciting results. The status of the Higgs search at the upgraded D0 detector is discussed.
“An inescapable network of mutuality”: Building Relationships of Solidarity in a First Grade Classroom

This case study of a first grade teacher enacting a social action curriculum is based on the understanding that schools can be sites where even young children can work toward the common good. This paper examines the way a first grade teacher (Paula Rogovin) and her students built solidarity with a community member and in turn adopted a new social concern as their own. We identify, detail, and analyze the building of ties of solidarity as a practice enacted within a social action curriculum.
Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine: Are 3 Doses Equal to 4 Doses?

* Abbreviations: IPD — : invasive pneumococcal disease PCV — : pneumococcal conjugate vaccine PCV-7 — : 7-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine After the introduction of routine infant immunization with 7-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV-7), the United States has witnessed a 74% decline in the number of children <5 years of age diagnosed with invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD) and a 30% decline among all age groups.1 Likewise, rates of pneumonia- and otitis media-related medical visits among children, hospitalizations for pneumonia among children and young adults, and procedures for insertion of tympanostomy tubes also decreased.2 Because of increases in IPD owing to pneumococcal serotypes not included in the vaccine, 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine replaced PCV-7 10 years later.3,4 Although a major public health accomplishment, the current 4-dose 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine series administered at 2, 4, 6, and 12 to 15 months of age is now the most expensive vaccine series in the routinely recommended immunization schedule for persons 0 through 18 years of age.5 In this issue, Stoecker et al describe the cost savings if the United States adopted a reduced 3-dose pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV) (2 + 1) schedule, as is recommended in … Address correspondence to Emmanuel B. Walter, MD, MPH, Duke Children’s Primary Care, 4020 North Roxboro St, Durham, NC 27704. E-mail: walte002{at}mc.duke.edu
Urinary Zinc, Copper, Nitrogen, and Potassium Losses in Response to Trauma

The urinary losses of zinc, copper, nitrogen and potassium were measured for 14 trauma patients for periods ranging from nine to 30 days and for nine normal subjects over four days each. The mean losses per day as well as peak losses by patients were compared to the mean normal losses. The mean peak losses of all elements were 2 to 10 times greater than normal. The ratios of the urinary concentrations of these catabolites in relation to each other were calculated. Since nutritional support was predominantly by routine intravenous solutions, the large amounts of urinary zinc, copper, nitrogen and potassium excreted represent a severe drain on the body's reserves of these elements.
Weight Gain Prevention for College Freshmen: Comparing Two Social Cognitive Theory-Based Interventions with and without Explicit Self-Regulation Training

The college transition represents a critical period for maintaining a healthy weight, yet intervention participation and retention represent significant challenges. The objective of this investigation was to evaluate the preliminary efficacy and acceptability of two interventions to prevent freshman weight gain. One intervention provided opportunities to improve outcome expectations and self-efficacy within a social cognitive theory framework (SCT), while the other targeted the same variables but focused on explicit training in self-regulation skills (SCTSR). Methods. Freshmen ( n = 45 ) aged >18 years were randomized to a 14-week intervention, SCT or SCTSR; both included online modules and in-class meetings. Of the 45 students randomized, 5 withdrew before the classes began and 39 completed pre- and posttesting. Primary outcomes included body weight/composition, health behaviors, and program acceptability. Analyses included independent sample t-tests, repeated measures ANOVA, and bivariate correlational analyses. Results. Body weight increased over the 14-week period, but there was no group difference. Percent body fat increased in SCTSR but not SCT (mean difference: SCTSR, +1.63 ± 0.52%; SCT, −0.25 ± 0.45%; P = 0.01 ). Class attendance was 100% (SCTSR) and 98% (SCT); SCTSR students (>50%) remarked that the online tracking required “too much time.” Conclusions. The intervention was well received, although there were no improvements in weight outcomes.
Impact of response delay and training on user performance with text-based and graphical user interfaces for engineering design

With recent computer advances, visualization techniques are becoming more prevalently used as decision support tools for parametric design and engineering optimization. Despite the apparent advantages of visualization techniques, we have found little evidence in the engineering design literature that assesses the impact of fast graphical design interfaces on the efficiency and effectiveness of engineering design decisions. In this paper, we present experimental results from an I-beam design problem where the importance of rapid feedback is investigated by incorporating time delays in the software response to “mimic” computationally expensive design analyses. Design efficiency is measured by recording the completion time for solving the design problem, and design effectiveness is measured by calculating the error between a submitted design and the known optimum. The impact of graphical feedback is examined by comparing user performance on three different design interfaces to determine if their functionality and graphical capabilities mediate the impact of response delays in the software or the amount of training needed. Experimental results indicate that, on average, error increased by 280% and completion time increased by 33% when a delay of 1.5 s was present, and the perceived workload significantly increased as well. Meanwhile, user performance improved and perceived workload decreased as the “richness” of the design interface increased. The combination of a rich interface with a fast response time, therefore, will lead to the “best” interface as one might surmise, but our work provides the first empirical evidence of the effect of response delay on user performance within a realistic engineering design setting. Implications for interface development for engineering design are explored within the context of our findings, as are suggestions for future work.
Sample introduction techniques for microfabricated separation devices

A great deal of progress has been made toward the development of the micro total analysis system (micro-TAS) since its inception in 1990. A wide variety of applications, including genomics, proteomics and drug discovery, have prompted the development of analytical methods capable of very high throughput while maintaining low cost. The micro-TAS concept addresses both of these requirements. Electrophoresis has been a key element in the development of the micro-TAS. Most chemical and biochemical assays utilize a separation component at some point during analysis. Genomics, in particular, depends almost exclusively on electrophoresis for size-based separations of DNA. This review examines sample introduction into microfabricated electrophoretic devices, or chips, primarily for DNA analysis. Sample introduction is an important component of these systems and is an essential process for making chip electrophoresis a widely applicable analytical technique. Specific issues, such as automation, the delivery of large numbers of samples to microfabricated devices and injection of picoliter-sized sample plugs into a separation lanes on chips, are presented.
Auxin and Gibberellin Effects on Cell Growth and Starch During Abscission in Cotton

An increase in starch content of cells in the abscission zone of the cotton explant appeared correlated with an increase in number of cells. A large increase in the number of cells in the abscission zone, concomitant with an increase in starch content, followed treatment with gibberellin as compared to auxin. In the final stages of abscission starch was hydrolyzed in the cells of the separation layer. Some starch remained after the petiole abscised.A positive phloroglucinol-hydrochloric acid reaction in the cells of the petiole distal to the line of separation indicated the presence, not of lignin, but of soluble sugars and uronic acids. This reaction was especially intense following gibberellic acid treatment.It was concluded that gibberellin in accelerating abscission leads to (1) an increase in cell number and starch content in the abscission zone, (2) the hydrolysis of starch in the separation layer just before abscission, and (3) the breakdown of polysaccharides and the release of soluble sugars and uronic acids. Auxin, an abscission retardant, either delays or prevents these events.
The Curious Death of Constantine Samuel Rafinesque (1783–1840): The Case for the Maidenhair Fern

Constantine Rafinesque, a French emigre to America in the early 19th century, was a forerunner of Charles Darwin and a zealous field naturalist who identified thousands of new species of plants and animals. His career was controversial in part because of his unfocused ambition to gain scientific recognition. In his later years he published in many areas apart from biology. His polymathic life ended in 1840 with his death (aged 57) from stomach cancer. In 1826 he had developed an illness he thought was consumption and which he believed was cured by a herbal mixture he devised. It may have contained one or more species of ferns related to one now known to induce human gastric carcinoma. Rafinesque's self-medication may have led to his death years later.
Mycorrhizae and succession in plantings of beachgrass in sand dunes

A survey of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF), arbuscular mycorrhizae (AM), and hyphal networks of AMF was carried out in sand dune sites of different successional stages in the Province Lands Area of Cape Cod National Seashore, Massachusetts. The study focused on large-scale plantings (each of 12-20 ha) of American beachgrass (Ammophila breviligulata) aged 0-7 yr and five adjacent natural dune areas. Sample sites ranged in vegetative cover from barren to forested. Spores of 17 species of AMF were recovered from the dunes. Over the successional sequence, there were increases in the richness and spore populations of the AMF community, the extent of colonization of A. breviligulata roots, and the mycorrhizal inoculum potential of the soil. Unvegetated sites lacked propagules of AMF, but roots of planted culms of A. breviligulata (which carried propagules of AMF) became mycorrhizal in <1 yr after planting. Spores were recovered from previously AMF-free sites that had been planted with beachgrass for 47 wk, and five species of AMF sporulated in sites <6 yr old. Significant hyphal networks were not present in any of the planted areas (<6 yr old at the time of sampling), but did occur in natural areas. The rate of invasion of areas planted to A. breviligulata by later successional plant species may in part depend upon the establishment of a vigorous network of hyphae of AMF in a site.
Predicting outcome of substance abuse treatment in a feedback study: Can recovery curves be improved upon?

Objective: The goal of the study was to evaluate whether enhanced normative feedback recovery curves are needed for treatment of substance use problems. Method: Patient predictors of outcome were examined using data from four substance abuse treatment clinics. Results: Baseline severity of symptoms/functioning, employment, and craving were found to be associated with rate of change in symptoms/functioning. Several other variables were associated with rate of change in alcohol use, although in the opposite direction than found in efficacy trials. Conclusions: The results point to the complexity of designing feedback systems using normative recovery curves for those with substance use problems and highlight the important differences between real-world treatment of those with substance use problems compared to data from efficacy trials.
Electrical and structural characterization of Co and Ni silicide contacts to silicon

Abstract Cobalt and nickel were deposited onn-type silicon (〈111〉 oriented, 0.9—1.0 Ω cm, 4.5 μm epilayer) by e-beam deposition process. These metal contacts were annealed in a quartz furnace (N 2 gas atmosphere) for different temperatures and times to form low-resistivity silicides. The most consistent and lowest sheet resistence values were obtained for samples annealed at 800°C for 240 min. These sheet resistance values were0.3—0.4 Ω/□ forCo/Si samples and0.2—0.7 Ω/□ forNi/Si samples. X-ray diffraction and Auger electron spectroscopy (AES) data analysis did not conclusively show the presence of the disilicide. The AES data showed some intersting similarities and differences indicating possible discrete for mation of the disilicides in that had low sheet resistance values.
A light and electron microscopic study of an atypical calcifying odontogenic tumor containing "amyloid".

. The light and electron microscopic appearances of an atypical calcifying odontogenic mandibular tumor containing “amyloid” arc presented. In a part of the tumor, PAS-reactive hyalin eosinophilic material which showed green dichroism by polarized light after Congo Red staining, and also hematoxylinophilic mineralized portions were found. By electron microscopy the hyalin material revealed a fibrillar structure. The fibrils had a median diameter of 100 A. and were short and curved with some apparent outer modularity. They differed morphologically from other unidentified extracellular and intracellular densely packed fibrils of about 85 A in diameter, from collagen fibers and from a small number of elastic fibers found in the connective tissue. Apparent calcification had occurred in aggregates of the 100 A fibrils to produce- a linear and angulated electron-dense front. Calcification within epithelial cells of the tumor, and calcification in irregular foci around collagen fibers were also found. Quite different histopathological appearances were noted by light microscopy in different parts of the tumor. An anterior region contained numerous islands with large areas of odontogenic epithelium with peripheral ameloblast-like cells and also solid sheets of cuboidal epithelial cells resembling in some ways those of the calcifying epithelial odontogenic tumor. The upper or posterior region of the tumor contained marked cavernous hemangiomatous elements separated by a loose and often myxoid stroma. Metaplastic cartilage formation had occurred in one part of it. The third molar tooth was located near the coronoid notch. The tumor, although not precisely classified, appeared to be an atypical ameloblastic fibro-odontoma.
Managers of nonprofit organizations are rewarded for performance

We consider the effect of performance on the compensation of nonprofit executives. Performance is measured as the ratio of revenue from a particular activity (such as fundraising or program services) to the expenditures associated with those services, exclusive of managerial compensation. This is consistent with previous works, which use measures of size, spending, or budget percentages as measures of performance. We also consider whether the compensation received by the executives enhances their performance. The empirical results support the hypothesis that compensation and performance are simultaneously determined.
Morphic effects II-effects of external forces on the frequencies of theq ≈ 0 optical phonons

Abstract The frequency of the vibrational modes in crystals may be shifted and the degeneracy may be lifted, as a generalized external force is applied. We discuss the symmetry aspects of this problem for the q ≈ 0 optical modes, based on simple group-theoretical symmetry arguments and also on independent inspection techniques. Specific examples are given in the case of an applied static electric field and a homogeneous uniaxial stress.
TH-D-AUD-08: Automated Stereotactic Radiosurgery Quality Assurance Using a Portal Imager

Purpose: An automated portal vision based quality assurance method is implemented to replace the labor intensive manual used to ensure the collimator alignment accuracy prior to performing stereotactic radiosurgery.Method and Materials: We use Varian PortalVision™ EPID on a Varian Trilogy™ linear accelerator to acquire the projection images of an isocentrically‐placed tungsten sphere produced during Winston‐Lutz Alignment Test that includes multiple gantry and couch combinations. The analysis routine applied to each acquired image consists of 1) search for the sphere and collimator edges 2) fitting them to a circle and 3) calculation of distance between the collimator and sphere optimized center points. The method, based on the properties of pseudo‐inverse matrices, is implemented to calculate the cumulative 3D shift of the sphere center relative to the isocenter of the Trilogy machine. The graphic interface was created using MatLab™ that permits the choice of the type of the QA procedure (daily or weekly), performs image analysis and allows visual examination, saving and printing of the results. Results: The in‐house software was tested in 17 trials by comparing it to the conventional SRS QA technique based on film image acquisition with subsequent manual shift measurements. The calculated mean of the difference between film and portal vision — based methods was: 0.07±0.11mm vertical, −0.11±0.17mm lateral, 0.02±0.08 mm longitudinal shift components. The mean of 0.11±0.13 mm was shown for the absolute value of the vector shift differences in 3D. Conclusion: The automated QA procedure for SRSLINAC QA is created, tested and proven to be fast, precise and efficient replacement for the conventional film‐based quality assurance technique. The use of the presented routine should allow more frequent SRS QA tests, which ensures high accuracy and quality of the patient treatments. Conflict of Interest: Partial support by Varian Medical Systems, Inc. acknowledged.
A study of pituitary thyrotropin, its subunits, and messenger ribonucleic acids in nonthyroidal illness

Abstract We studied serum TSH, pituitary TSH and α and β-subunits of TSH and their messenger ribonucleic acids (mRNAs) in three models of nonthyroidal illness (NTI) in the rat, ie diabetes mellitus (1 wk after 65 μg streptozotocin/g BW IP), turpentine oil-injection (8 to 48 hours after after a dose of 5 μl/g bw SC), and complete fasting for 72 hours. Euthyroid, hypothyroid (two months after thyroidectomy) and hyperthyroid rats (30 μgT4/d × 7, SC) were also studied for comparison. Pituitary TSH, α and β subunits and serum TSH, T4, and T3 were measured by RIA. Pituitary mRNAs coding for common δ and TSH-β subunits were determined by cytoplasmic dot hybridization technique using specific [32P]-cDNA probes. In all NTI models there were significant decreases in serum levels of TSH, T4, and T3, but no significant changes were observed in the pituitary content of TSH, and α and TSH-β subunits. Hypothyroid rats had an increase in serum TSH, pituitary TSH, and pituitary TSH-β subunit and a decrease in pituitary α subunit. On the other hand, hyperthyroid rats showed a decrease in serum TSH, pituitary TSH, and pituitary TSH-β subunit, while there was no change in the α subunit. A significant reduction in the pituitary TSH-β mRNA levels was observed in all NT1 models and hyperthyroidism, while TSH-β mRNA was increased in thyroidectomized rats. α-mRNA was increased only in the pituitary of hypothyroid rats; there was no appreciable change in the pituitary α-mRNA in the various other pituitary groups. The kinetics of changes were studied in turpentine oil-injected rats and showed a significant reduction in serum TSH at four and eight hours after the injection, whereas TSH-β mRNA levels were decreased significantly at eight hours but not at 12 hours or later. We also studied 5′-monodeiodination of 126I-T4 (to T3) in pituitaries of all three experimental models and control rats; there was no significant difference. Our data suggest that NTI is associated with a decrease in the pituitary content of the mRNA for TSH-β subunit that may be transient and may contribute to fall in serum TSH in chronic NTI. Since pituitary TSH content was normal, a reduction in TSH release may be a more important factor than reduced TSH biosynthesis in determining fall in serum TSH at an early stage of NTI. Low serum TSH in NTI is not a result of an increase in the conversion of T4 to T3 in the pituitary.
Structural and mutational analysis of the PhoQ histidine kinase catalytic domain. Insight into the reaction mechanism.

Abstract PhoQ is a transmembrane histidine kinase belonging to the family of two-component signal transducing systems common in prokaryotes and lower eukaryotes. In response to changes in environmental Mg2+ concentration, PhoQ regulates the level of phosphorylated PhoP, its cognate transcriptional response-regulator. The PhoQ cytoplasmic region comprises two independently folding domains: the histidine-containing phosphotransfer domain and the ATP-binding kinase domain. We have determined the structure of the kinase domain of Escherichia coli PhoQ complexed with the non-hydrolyzable ATP analog adenosine 5′-(β,γ-imino)triphosphate and Mg2+. Nucleotide binding appears to be accompanied by conformational changes in the loop that surrounds the ATP analog (ATP-lid) and has implications for interactions with the substrate phosphotransfer domain. The high resolution (1.6 A) structure reveals a detailed view of the nucleotide-binding site, allowing us to identify potential catalytic residues. Mutagenic analyses of these residues provide new insights into the catalytic mechanism of histidine phosphorylation in the histidine kinase family. Comparison with the active site of the related GHL ATPase family reveals differences that are proposed to account for the distinct functions of these proteins.
The projective power method for the algebraic eigenvalue problem

Abstract A new method for computing several largest eigenvalues of a matrix has some common features with the power method but uses orthogonal projections instead of the customary ways of deflation. The rate of convergence is basically the same as for the power method but the fast refinement of the approximations to eigenvalues and eigenvectors in the cases of real symmetric and Hermitian matrices can be done even without the inverse iterations.
Culture and the self: Implications for cognition, emotion, and motivation.

People in different cultures have strikingly different construals of the self, of others, and of the interdependence of the 2. These construals can influence, and in many cases determine, the very nature of individual experience, including cognition, emotion, and motivation. Many Asian cultures have distinct conceptions of individuality that insist on the fundamental relatedness of individuals to each other. The emphasis is on attending to others, fitting in, and harmonious interdependence with them. American culture neither assumes nor values such an overt connectedness among individuals. In contrast, individuals seek to maintain their independence from others by attending to the self and by discovering and expressing their unique inner attributes. As proposed herein, these construals are even more powerful than previously imagined. Theories of the self from both psychology and anthropology are integrated to define in detail the difference between a construal of the self as independent and a construal of the self as interdependent. Each of these divergent construals should have a set of specific consequences for cognition, emotion, and motivation; these consequences are proposed and relevant empirical literature is reviewed. Focusing on differences in self-construals enables apparently inconsistent empirical findings to be reconciled, and raises questions about what have been thought to be culture-free aspects of cognition, emotion, and motivation.
Multicriterial Optimization Approach to Eliminating Multiplications

Widely used image compression algorithms, such as Discrete Cosine Transform (DCT), can be described as applying a linear operator to a vector of samples. This is computationally quite complex and a number of algorithms have been developed to minimize the number of necessary operations, particularly multiplies. This paper describes a method to find approximations of the remaining multiplication constants in these algorithms, such that the approximation error is minimized for each substitution of multiplications by shifts and adds.
Minimum 24-Month Followup of the Sling for the Treatment of Stress Urinary Incontinence

Purpose: The SPARC™ procedure is a retropubic approach for the placement of a synthetic polypropylene sling for stress urinary incontinence. Although the approach appears to be efficacious, there still exist limited long-term data. We report our experience with SPARC at a minimum followup of 24 months.Materials and Methods: Patients with stress urinary incontinence undergoing a SPARC sling procedure were entered into a prospective, institutional review board approved database. Postoperatively patients were asked to complete quality of life questionnaires at 6 months and annually thereafter. Success was defined by questionnaire response of 1 or fewer stress urinary incontinence episode per week or greater than 70% subjective improvement in those with greater than 1 stress urinary incontinence episodes per week.Results: A total of 307 patients were identified during a 5-year period, of whom 280 were more than 24 months from surgery. Of the patients 154 (55%) had questionnaire followup at 24 months or greate...
Fast approximations of the orthogonal dual-tree wavelet bases

Recently, there has been a significant interest in the design of iterated filter banks in which the resulting wavelet bases form an approximate Hilbert transform pair. In this work, we propose three approximations of such dual-tree wavelet bases that satisfy Hilbert transform conditions. Our designs are derived from Selesnick's and Kingsbury's orthogonal wavelet filter solutions, and meet other desirable properties such as high coding gain, reduced computational complexity and sufficient regularity. The quantization is performed in the lattice domain using sum-of-power-of-two (SOPOT) coefficients. Several performance comparisons are presented. Furthermore, this paper introduces a proposition that lattice coefficients of filters that are time-reversals of each other are closely related.
The Use of Water Immersion Tests in the Evaluation of the Effects of Water on Cold-Recycled Asphalt Mixtures

The effectiveness of various immersion-mechanical tests in measuring the water susceptibility of cold-recycled asphalt mixtures was investigated. The immersion-mechanical tests involved subjecting compacted recycled asphalt mixtures to a 24-h water immersion process followed by mechanical tests. The various mechanical tests used in this study included the resilient modulus, Marshall stability, Hveem stabilometer S value, Hveem stabilometer R value, and Hyeem cohesiometer tests. The test values obtained from the wet specimens were compared to the values obtained from the dry specimens, and the effectiveness of the test methods was evaluated. The results of the study indicated that the resilient modulus, Marshall stability, Hveem S value, and Hveem cohesiometer tests were effective in measuring the changes in stiffness, stability, and cohesion of cold-recycled mixtures caused by water damage. The Hveem R-value test was not very sensitive in measuring the effect of water when a recycled mixture was relatively stable. However, the R-value test became very sensitive when a mixture was unstable, and thus it was very effective in determining the recycled mixtures that were highly water-susceptible. The water resistance of cold-recycled mixtures generally increased with curing time and compactive effort. The effects of the type of added virgin binder and the type of added virgin aggregate to the water resistance of cold-recycled asphalt mixtures were significant. The proper consideration of curing time, compactive effort, added virgin binder, and added virgin aggregate will help to attenuate the effect of water on cold recycled asphalt mixtures.
Raman study of the incommensurate layer crystal (CH3CH2CH2NH3)2MnCl4 (=PAMnC) from 10 to 300 K

The temperature dependent Raman spectra of the title compound confirm the presence of some rotational disorder of the NH3 end groups below 112 K. The central carbon-carbon stretching mode around 865 cm-1 is coupled to the order parameter of the incommensurate phase transition at 168 K. No other clear evidence of the incommensurate modulation appears in the Raman spectra between 112 and 168 K. In the Abma phase (above 168 K) a dynamic conformational gauche-trans equilibrium is observed. The corresponding enthalpy difference is estimated to be 18.4+or-6.5 kJ mol-1.
Enhancing autonomy in paid surrogacy.

The gestational surrogate – and her economic and educational vulnerability in particular – is the focus of many of the most persistent worries about paid surrogacy. Those who employ her, and those who broker and organize her services, usually have an advantage over her in resources and information. That asymmetry exposes her to the possibility of exploitation and abuse. Accordingly, some argue for banning paid surrogacy. Others defend legal permission on grounds of surrogate autonomy, but often retain concerns about the surrogate. In response to the dilemma of a ban versus bald permission, we propose a ‘soft law’ approach: states should require several hours of education of surrogates – education aimed at informing and enhancing surrogate autonomy.
All Friends Are Not Created Equal: An Interaction Intensity Based Approach to Privacy in Online Social Networks

Recent research identifies a growing privacy problemthat exists within Online Social Networks (OSNs). Severalstudies have shown how easily strangers can extract personaldata about users from the network. Other studies haveshown that an extremely small percentage of OSN userschange their permissive default privacy settings. Complementary systems have been proposed to provide privacy for OSN users but many of them seem to be costly in terms ofsimplicity or management overhead. Furthermore, severalof these approaches seem to violate the social aspect of online social networks by reducing the problem to manual access management with cryptography. Under this setting, instead of freely sharing one’s data with its friends, a user will share data only with those friends possessing allowed cryptographic keys. While these systems will indeed provide additional privacy for user data, they will not address a more fundamental problem that exists within OSNs: the inability of the network to easily and automatically distinguish relationship quality between a user and its friends. This distinction may be critical in providing a simple, automatic privacy mechanism for OSNs. We propose a unique approach utilizing interactions between friends as the currency for data access. This model operates within the bounds of social networks while incurring minimum additional management overhead for the user. As a first step, we consider interaction intensity as a proxy for relationship quality for the purpose of making privacy decisions. Although we present our ideas from the privacy perspective we also discuss how our approach can be used to support the development of more secure social network based applications.
Functional, Nutritional, Mycological, and Akara-making Properties of Stored Cowpea Meal

: Cowpea meal was packaged in high-density polyethylene bags, stored at -18 °C, 21 °C/55% RH, 37 °C/55% RH, and evaluated at 0, 4, 8, 12, 18, and 24 mo for functional, nutritional, mycological, and akara-making properties. Moisture content of meal varied no more than 0.5% and there were no marked changes in yeast and mold populations. Meal stored at -18 and 21 °C retained color, foam capacity, and akara-making quality for 24 mo. Overall, storage of cowpea meal at 37 °C was detrimental to its foaming characteristics, a key measure of performance in akara-making. A decline in protein solubility was also observed in the 37 °C samples.
Material instability criterion near a notch-tip under locally adiabatic deformations of thermoviscoplastic materials

A material instability criterion for locally adiabatic plane strain deformations of a thermoviscoplastic material near a notch-tip is proposed. It is used to rank eight materials according to their susceptibility to instability.
Magnesium sulphate only slightly reduces the shivering threshold in humans

Background. Hypothermia may be an effective treatment for stroke or acute myocardial infarction; however, it provokes vigorous shivering, which causes potentially dangerous haemodynamic responses and prevents further hypothermia. Magnesium is an attractive anti-shivering agent because it is used for treatment of postoperative shivering and provides protection against ischaemic injury in animal models. We tested the hypothesis that magnesium reduces the threshold (triggering core temperature) and gain of shivering without substantial sedation or muscle weakness. Methods. We studied nine healthy male volunteers (18–40 yr) on two randomly assigned treatment days: (1) control and (2) magnesium (80 mg kg � 1 followed by infusion at 2 g h � 1 ). Lactated Ringer’s solution (4 � C) was infused via a central venous catheter over a period of approximately 2 h to decrease tympanic membrane temperature by � 1.5 � Ch � 1 . A significant and persistent increase in oxygen consumption identified the threshold. The gain of shivering was determined by the slope of oxygen consumption vs core temperature regression. Sedation was evaluated using a verbal rating score (VRS) from 0 to 10 and bispectral index (BIS) of the EEG. Peripheral muscle strength was evaluated using dynamometry and spirometry. Data were analysed using repeated measures ANOVA; P<0.05 was statistically significant. Results. Magnesium reduced the shivering threshold (36.3 [SD 0.4] � Cvs 36.6 [0.3] � C, P = 0.040). It did not affect the gain of shivering (control, 437 [289] ml min � 1 � C � 1 ; magnesium, 573 [370] ml min � 1 � C � 1 ; P=0.344). The magnesium bolus did not produce significant sedation or appreciably reduce muscle strength. Conclusions. Magnesium significantly reduced the shivering threshold. However, in view of the modest absolute reduction, this finding is considered to be clinically unimportant for induction of therapeutic hypothermia. Br J Anaesth 2005; 94: 756–62
Human pair-bonds: Evolutionary functions, ecological variation, and adaptive development

Stable mating relationships are widespread in our species, with important economic, social, and reproductive implications.1 Pair-bonds are part of the unique human mosaic, including very large brains, childhood, concealed ovulation, sexual intercourse in private, cultural symbols, and complex social groups. Yet we understand relatively little about the evolution of human pairing, its functions, and consequences for human diversity. We can define pair-bonds as the long-term affiliation, including a sexual relationship, between two individuals. The important point is that the union, whether monogamous or polygamous, is relatively enduring. Recent debate about human pair-bonds highlights apparently conflicting hypotheses: Are pair-bonds the evolutionary consequence of male mating competition2,3 or are they an adaptation for paternal provisioning?4,5 Unfortunately, a simple answer seems unlikely. The evidence indicates selective pressures from both mating competition and provisioning needs, suggesting different benefits of pair-bonds in different contexts. Whether a bond emphasizes mating or parenting effort may depend on environmental cues. Childhood experience evidently affects pair-bond development, suggesting further adaptive design for flexible life-history strategies. © 2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
An architecture for high-speed analog in-circuit testing

Conventional analog in-circuit tests run considerably slower than digital ones, putting throughput at risk as circuit boards incorporate more analog components. The authors describe a novel architecture in which distributed processors work in parallel to dramatically speed analog testing. This architecture uses distributed digital-signal-processing chips operating independently and in parallel to achieve a sevenfold improvement in analog in-circuit test throughput over conventional test approaches. Design efforts concentrated on efficient use of the distributed processors in handling matrix-resource allocation and all analog test functions, and on minimizing physical effects that could inhibit test speed. >