cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Accuracy of Computerized Frameless Stereotactic Image-guided Pedicle Screw Placement into Previously Fused Lumbar Spines

STUDY DESIGN A retrospective chart and radiographic review of 122 pedicle screws placed with computerized stereotactic image-guidance into posterolateral fusion masses. OBJECTIVES To determine the accuracy rate of computerized stereotactic image-guided pedicle screw placement in previously fused lumbar spines. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA Placement of pedicle screws into a previously fused lumbar spine is challenging. The normal anatomic landmarks used to determine the starting point and trajectory of the screws have either been removed or are obscured by the fusion mass. Computerized frameless stereotaxis provides precise intraoperative real time multiplanar image-guidance and may be valuable in this clinical situation. METHODS Computerized frameless stereotactic image-guidance was used to place pedicle screws into 78 consecutive patients with prior lumbar spine fusions. Postoperative computed tomography was available on 35 patients (231 screws). One hundred and twenty-two screws were placed into fusion masses. Pedicle cortical perforations were characterized by the direction (medial, inferior, lateral, or superior) and magnitude (in 2-mm increments) of perforation. RESULTS Five (4.1%) of the 122 pedicle screws placed into previously fused levels were found to have unintentional cortical violations. There were 1 superior (<2 mm), 1 medial (<2 mm), and 3 lateral perforations (<2, 4, and 6 mm). None of these perforations led to clinically apparent radicular pain or weakness. No pedicle screws required revision for malpositioning. CONCLUSIONS The accuracy rate of stereotactic image-guided pedicle screw placement into previously fused lumbar spine levels is 96%. Computerized stereotactic image-guidance may have particular application in situations in which posterior element anatomy is altered, such as in the presence of a prior fusion mass.
Evaluation of sea‐surface roughness from underwater‐pressure recordings

A total of 639 records of underwater-pressure fluctuations from Woods Hole vicinity off Cuttyhunk Island, Massachusetts, and 1022 records from Bermuda, has been evaluated in terms of sea-surface roughness. The Woods Hole (Cuttyhunk) records cover the period July 1946 to May 1947, with operational times of 20 minutes every four hours; and the Bermuda records, February to May 1947, with operational times 20 minutes every two hours. Average and modal values of wave heights and wave periods together with standard deviations and probable errors are tabulated for each month. Relationships between the average wave height and period, average of the highest one-third waves, highest waves and wave steepness are also shown.
Fighting Phishing with Trusted Email

Phishing is the combination of social engineering and technical exploits designed to convince a victim to provide personal information, usually for the monetary gain of the attacker (phisher). Attempts to stop phishing by preventing a user from interacting with a malicious web site have shown to be ineffective. We introduce a method to aid in the prevention of phishing by combining automatic and transparent email signing with an email client plugin. The plugin can detect unsigned spoofed messages. In this manner, the user is prevented (or at least discouraged) from visiting malicious web sites, thus stopping the data-gathering phase of the phishing attack before it begins. We describe the system, implementation, weaknesses, and our ongoing user experiments.
Fractionation and Properties of an Extra-Mitochondrial Enzyme System from Peanuts Catalyzing the β-Oxidation of Palmitic Acid

An extra-mitochondrial system prepared from germinating peanut cotyledons by differential centrifugation and ammonium sulfate precipitation is able to catalyze the conversion of C14-labeled palmitic acid to C14-labeled acetyl-CoA, in the presence of CoA, ATP, DPN and Mg (9). This system is found in the supernatant fraction left after centrifugation of the mitochondria at 10,000 X g for 30 minutes. Of course this fraction is heterogeneous containing some mitochondrial debris, microsomes, as well as soluble proteins. The question of intracellular localization of the enzymes catalyzing this ,6-oxidation activity was raised (9) and 3 possibilities were advanced: A) The /3-oxidation activity of this in vitro extra-mitochondrial fraction is derived from ruptured mitochondria; B) The /8-oxidation activity in the 10,COO X g supernatant is indeed of extra-mitochondrial origin, i.e., microsomal, hyaloplasmic or both. C) In vivo ,6-oxidation activity is present both inside and outside the mitochondria. During the course of this study we were able to show that in vitro, the activation of long chain fatty acids is particulate, while the conversion of the activated acids into acetyl-CoA is catalyzed by very soluble enzymes.
Characterizing and Approximating Infinite Scale Mixtures of Normals

The purpose of this study is to approximate and identify infinite scale mixtures of normals, SMN. A new method for approximating any infinite SMN with a known mixing measure by a finite SMN is presented. In the new method, the modulus of continuity of the normal family as a function of the scale is used to discretize the mixing measure. This method will be used to approximate univariate and multivariate SMN with mean 0. In the multivariate case, two different methods are used to approximate the infinite SMN. Several results related to SMN are proved and other known ones are presented. For example, SMN are characterized by their corresponding Laplace transforms.
PRECLINICAL PROFILE OF WY-49,051 : A NEW H1-ANTAGONIST

In an effort to develop an orally active, non-sedating H1-antagonist, compound Wy-49,051 was synthesized and examined in various in vivo and in vitro assays. In vitro, the compound possessed high affinity for H1 receptors (IC50 = 44 nM) and was found to competitively antagonize histamine-induced guinea pig ileum contraction. At a concentration of 1 × 10−10 M, Wy-49,051 shifted the histamine dose-response curve to the right in a parallel fashion. Wy-49,051 demonstrated H1 antagonism in a variety of in vivo tests. Wy-49,051 (s.c.) protected against histamine-induced death (guinea pig) in a dose-dependent manner and with a longer duration of action than terfenadine. In addition, Wy-49,051 effectively antagonized histamine-induced wheal formation (administered up to 18 hr prior to challenge) and was more potent than astemizole and chlorpheniramine. At a dose of 5 mg/kg (p.o.), Wy-49,051 produced less inhibition of in vivo brain [3H]pyrilamine binding than ebastine (5 mg/kg, p.o.), terfenadine (20 mg/kg, p.o.), and chlorpheniramine (100 mg/kg, p.o.). Importantly, Wy-49,051 did not exhibit H2-antagonist activity (as indicated by a lack of effect on gastric acid secretion in the pylorus-ligated rat) and did not affect histamine-induced changes in blood pressure and heart rate in the anesthetized guinea pig. Although Wy-49,051 displayed significant alpha1-receptor affinity in vitro (IC50 =8 nM), it did not alter blood pressure or heart rate in SHR rats at doses examined above its projected therapeutic dose for H1-receptor antagonism. Wy-49,051 did not affect carbachol-induced guinea pig ileum contraction and possessed little affinity for M2 muscarinic receptors (IC50 = 7.3 μ). Taken together with the previously mentioned in vivo [3H]pyrilamine binding data, these data indicate that Wy-49,051 is a long-acting, potent H1-antagonist with less potential for sedative and anticholinergic side effects than many common antihistamines including chlorpheniramine.
Nucleosides. CXLIV. Some reactions of 2'-O-triflyl-2,3'-anhydroxylosyluracil with nucleophilic reagents. Synthesis of 2'-chloro-2',3'-dideoxyuridinene. Studies directed toward the synthesis of 2'-deoxy-2'-substituted arabino nucleosides. (5).

Treatment of 2, 3 '-anhydro-1- (5-Ο-acetyl-2-Ο-triflyl-β-D-xylofuranosyl) uracil with LiCl in hexamethylphosphoric triamide afforded the 2 '- “up” chloride of the anhydronucleoside, i.e., the 2'-triflate group was directly displaced by the chloride nucleophile. All attempts to hydrolyze the 2, 3'-anhydro linkage resulted in the formation of 2'-chloro-2', 3'-didehydro-dideoxynucleoside.
Mapping the Spin-Density and Lineshape Distribution of Free Radicals Using 4D Spectral-Spatial EPR Imaging

The development and application of four-dimensional spectral-spatial electron paramagnetic resonance imaging (EPRI) techniques for unambiguous determination of spectral shape and spin distribution of paramagnetic samples are described. Strategies for optimizing acquisition and computation times, image resolution, and data presentation are described. The feasibility of studying small linewidth differences of approximately 0.1 G in samples of up to 25 mm in size was tested by computer simulations and by measurements on phantoms containing 0.5 mM nitroxide spin label. One thousand projections were used to reconstruct 32 × 32 × 32 × 32 pixel images. Similar 4D imaging experiments were performed on an isolated rat heart infused with a suspension of glucose char. The 4D image of the rat heart clearly showed the three-dimensional spatial structure of the heart and the spectral shape at each spatial point. Thus, we have demonstrated, for the first time, that 4D spectral-spatial EPRI could be performed on lossy biological samples or tissues at L-band frequencies, enabling the mapping of spectral information over the entire three-dimensional spatial structure of the object.
Cloud thermodynamic phase detection with polarimetrically sensitive passive sky radiometers

Abstract. The primary goal of this project has been to investigate if ground-based visible and near-infrared passive radiometers that have polarization sensitivity can determine the thermodynamic phase of overlying clouds, i.e., if they are comprised of liquid droplets or ice particles. While this knowledge is important by itself for our understanding of the global climate, it can also help improve cloud property retrieval algorithms that use total (unpolarized) radiance to determine cloud optical depth (COD). This is a potentially unexploited capability of some instruments in the NASA Aerosol Robotic Network (AERONET), which, if practical, could expand the products of that global instrument network at minimal additional cost. We performed simulations that found, for zenith observations, that cloud thermodynamic phase is often expressed in the sign of the Q component of the Stokes polarization vector. We chose our reference frame as the plane containing solar and observation vectors, so the sign of Q indicates the polarization direction, parallel (positive) or perpendicular (parallel) to that plane. Since the fraction of linearly polarized to total light is inversely proportional to COD, optically thin clouds are most likely to create a signal greater than instrument noise. Besides COD and instrument accuracy, other important factors for the determination of cloud thermodynamic phase are the solar and observation geometry (scattering angles between 40 and 60° are best), and the properties of ice particles (pristine particles may have halos or other features that make them difficult to distinguish from water droplets at specific scattering angles, while extreme ice crystal aspect ratios polarize more than compact particles). We tested the conclusions of our simulations using data from polarimetrically sensitive versions of the Cimel 318 sun photometer/radiometer that compose a portion of AERONET. Most algorithms that exploit Cimel polarized observations use the degree of linear polarization (DoLP), not the individual Stokes vector elements (such as Q). Ability to determine cloud thermodynamic phase depends on Q measurement accuracy, which has not been rigorously assessed for Cimel instruments. For this reason, we did not know if cloud phase could be determined from Cimel observations successfully. Indeed, comparisons to ceilometer observations with a single polarized spectral channel version of the Cimel at a site in the Netherlands showed little correlation. Comparisons to lidar observations with a more recently developed, multi-wavelength polarized Cimel in Maryland, USA, show more promise. The lack of well-characterized observations has prompted us to begin the development of a small test instrument called the Sky Polarization Radiometric Instrument for Test and Evaluation (SPRITE). This instrument is specifically devoted to the accurate observation of Q, and the testing of calibration and uncertainty assessment techniques, with the ultimate goal of understanding the practical feasibility of these measurements.
Evolution of a mammalian promoter through changes in patterns of transcription factor binding

Previously, we identified evolutionarily derived changes in the pattern of nuclear factor binding to overlapping sites (termed A, B, and C, in proximal to distal order) within the promoter region of the murine D7Rp2e gene. In Mus domesticus, strong binding occurs at site B, with weak binding at sites A and C; in M. pahari, strong binding is observed at sites A and C, with weak binding at site B. The M. pahari-specific occupancy pattern is associated with repression of transcription. Presently, we have identified two interspecies changes, a single A → G substitution within site B and a 7-bp indel within site C, that are primary determinants of the interspecies differences. These mutations alter both the pattern of binding site occupancy and the ability to repress transcription. The results are discussed in terms of a model involving a dynamic equilibrium between states of binding site occupancy, the nature of which can be modified during evolution.
Current Advances in Polymer-Based Nanotheranostics for Cancer Treatment and Diagnosis

Nanotheranostics is a relatively new, fast-growing field that combines the advantages of treatment and diagnosis via a single nanoscale carrier. The ability to bundle both therapeutic and diagnostic capabilities into one package offers exciting prospects for the development of novel nanomedicine. Nanotheranostics can deliver treatment while simultaneously monitoring therapy response in real-time, thereby decreasing the potential of over- or under-dosing patients. Polymer-based nanomaterials, in particular, have been used extensively as carriers for both therapeutic and bioimaging agents and thus hold great promise for the construction of multifunctional theranostic formulations. Herein, we review recent advances in polymer-based systems for nanotheranostics, with a particular focus on their applications in cancer research. We summarize the use of polymer nanomaterials for drug delivery, gene delivery, and photodynamic therapy, combined with imaging agents for magnetic resonance imaging, radionuclide imagi...
Selenium and tellurium selective absorber coatings produced by an oblique vacuum deposition technique

Abstract Selective absorber surfaces with a e ratios greater than 33:1 have been produced by the angled vapor deposition of Te thin films onto specular metal substrates. Such Te films have a remarkable surface texture structure which results in highly absorptive behavior for incident sunlight. The emissivity of the surface is determined primarily by the specular substrate when the Te film is thin, thus producing the extremely high a e ratio observed. Although the texturing of semiconductor surfaces has been attempted before, the present work appears to yield substantially higher a e ratios than those previously studied. Se, which also shows a distinctly different surface texture effect, was not found to yield a e ratios greater than 2:1.
Weakly interacting massive particle densities in decaying-particle-dominated cosmology.

We consider the present cosmological density of weakly interacting massive particles (WIMP's) in the context of models where the energy density is dominated by decaying massive particles, such that WIMP's freeze out of chemical equilibrium during the massive-particle-dominated era. An expression for the density of WIMP's is derived by a generalization of the Lee-Weinberg argument for the density of heavy neutrinos in the standard cosmological model.
Ventilatory changes in the golden hamster, Mesocricetus auratus, compared with the laboratory rat, Rattus norvegicus, during hypercapnia and/or hypoxia

Tidal volume, respiratory frequency, and minute volume were measured with total body plethysmography. Both hypercapnic (0-7% CO2) and hypoxic (13-21% O2) gas mixtures caused "dose" related hyperventilation in the hamsters. However, there was no synergism between combined stimuli. Rats exhibited greater hyperventilation than the hamsters during hypercapnic + hypoxic and hypercapnic exposures. Hamsters responded more than the rats to hypoxia alone. Greater blood buffering capacity of hamsters is a possible explanation for the species differences in ventilatory sensitivity.
Venous pressure monitoring does not accurately predict access failure in children

Access failure is a significant cause of morbidity and mortality in hemodialysis patients. Routine monitoring of arteriovenous (AV) fistulas and grafts could increase access longevity. Dynamic venous pressure monitoring is a surveillance test advocated to detect early signs of vascular thrombosis. Venous pressure measurements obtained, per DOQI recommendations, in children undergoing hemodialysis with an AV fistula or graft were reviewed. Baseline venous pressures were established by calculating the mean of venous pressures obtained without an antecedent thrombosis. A paired t-test was performed comparing mean baseline pressure measurements with pressures immediately preceding each thrombosis episode. Since some patients had multiple thrombosis episodes, the assumption of independence was not met. A second paired t-test was performed comparing mean baseline pressures with the mean pressure measurement per individual, obtained immediately preceding a thrombosis episode; 335 venous pressures were collected in ten pediatric patients. Eighteen thromboses occurred in five patients, in whom a total of 241 venous pressures were measured. Venous pressures did not correlate with thrombotic events (P=0.4284). Specific thrombotic events for each patient were correlated with mean patient-specific venous pressures and showed no correlation (P=0.3229). Dynamic venous pressure monitoring is not an adequate predictor of access thrombosis in pediatric patients.
A cluster of negative charges at the amino terminal tail of CFTR regulates ATP‐dependent channel gating

The cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) chloride channel is activated by protein kinase A (PKA) phosphorylation of its R domain and by ATP binding at its nucleotide-binding domains (NBDs). Here we investigated the functional role of a cluster of acidic residues in the amino terminal tail (N-tail) that also modulate CFTR channel gating by an unknown mechanism. A disease-associated mutant that lacks one of these acidic residues (D58N CFTR) exhibited lower macroscopic currents in Xenopus oocytes and faster deactivation following washout of a cAMP -activating cocktail than wild-type CFTR. In excised membrane patches D58N CFTR exhibited a two-fold reduction in single channel open probability due primarily to shortened open channel bursts. Replacing this and two nearby acidic residues with alanines (D47A, E54A, D58A) also reduced channel activity, but had negligible effects on bulk PKA phosphorylation or on the ATP dependence of channel activation. Conversely, the N-tail triple mutant exhibited a markedly inhibited response to AMP-PNP, a poorly hydrolysable ATP analogue that can nearly lock open the wild-type channel. The N-tail mutant had both a slower response to AMP-PNP (activation half-time of 140 ± 20 s vs. 21 ± 4 s for wild type) and a lower steady-state open probability following AMP-PNP addition (0.68 ± 0.08 vs. 0.92 ± 0.03 for wild type). Introducing the N-tail mutations into K1250A CFTR, an NBD2 hydrolysis mutant that normally exhibits very long open channel bursts, destabilized the activity of this mutant as evidenced by decreased macroscopic currents and shortened open channel bursts. We propose that this cluster of acidic residues modulates the stability of CFTR channel openings at a step that is downstream of ATP binding and upstream of ATP hydrolysis, probably at NBD2.
Chemically regulating Rh(I)-Bodipy photoredox switches

The ability of Rh(I) centers to undergo photoinduced electron transfer from discrete metal orbitals to Bodipy fluorophores is mediated through reversible coordination chemistry.
Methods and limitations of security policy reconciliation

A security policy specifies session participant requirements. However, existing frameworks provide limited facilities for the automated reconciliation of participant policies. This paper considers the limits and methods of reconciliation in a general-purpose policy model. We identify an algorithm for efficient two-policy reconciliation and show that, in the worst-case, reconciliation of three or more policies is intractable. Further, we suggest efficient heuristics for the detection and resolution of intractable reconciliation. Based upon the policy model, we describe the design and implementation of the Ismene policy language. The expressiveness of Ismene, and indirectly of our model, is demonstrated through the representation and exposition of policies supported by existing policy languages. We conclude with brief notes on the integration and enforcement of Ismene policy within the Antigone communication system.
Ultrasound Applications in Wastewater Sludge Pretreatment: A Review

Municipal wastewater sludge, particularly waste activated sludge (WAS), is more difficult to digest than primary solids due to a rate-limiting cell lysis step. The cell wall and the membrane of prokaryotes are composed of complex organic materials such as peptidoglycan, teichoic acids, and complex polysaccharides, which are not readily biodegradable. Physical pretreatment, particularly ultrasonics, is emerging as a popular method for WAS disintegration. The exposure of the microbial cells to ultrasound energy ruptures the cell wall and membrane and releases the intracellular organics in the bulk solution, which enhances the overall digestibility. This review article summarizes the major findings of ultrasonic application in WAS disintegration, and elucidates the impacts of sonic treatment on both aerobic and anaerobic digestion. This review also touches on some basics of ultrasonics, different methods of quantifying ultrasonic efficacy, and some engineering aspects of ultrasonics as applied to biological ...
Special considerations in geriatric injury

Purpose of review As the elderly population expands and adopts increasingly more active lifestyles, trauma and critical care practitioners will be faced with providing care for greater numbers of severely injured patients. However, because of their associated preexisting medical conditions and poor relative physiologic reserve, geriatric patients have higher mortality rates and poorer long-term functional outcomes than their younger counterparts. A thorough understanding of the causes for these disparate outcomes is critical if successful strategies and treatments for this unique patient population are to be developed. Recent findings The currently available geriatric trauma literature is largely descriptive and retrospective, and does not provide ready explanations or solutions for the substantially worse outcomes experienced by this patient population. It does appear that outcomes are improved by providing early and aggressive care in designated trauma centers, yet undertriage remains a significant problem. Early admission to an ICU has been recommended, but its benefits remain unproved. Significant differences exist between older and younger patients in injury patterns, and in the frequency and type of complications These differences in turn demand prompt diagnostic approaches, aggressive treatment, and unique prevention strategies. Summary Ironically, the field of geriatric trauma is still in its infancy. Given the relation between advanced age, associated preexisting medical conditions, and poor physiologic reserve, a poor outcome may be inevitable by the time the geriatric patient presents for medical attention. Greater emphasis should therefore be placed on injury prevention efforts in this patient population. There is a dire need for well-designed prospective studies in geriatric trauma.
Altered characteristics of mammalian RNA polymerase following solubilization from nuclei

Abstract Unlike the bacterial enzyme, mammalian RNA polymerase is usually assayed as an “aggregate enzyme” preparation consisting of the polymerase tightly bound to its deoxyribonucleoprotein template. In consequence changes in enzyme activity cannot be distinguished from alterations in available template in the aggregate. To overcome this difficulty, attempts have been made to release polymerase free of DNA from chicken embryo ( Furth and Loh, 1963 ), bovine lymphosarcoma ( Furth and Ho, 1965 ), rat testes ( Ballard and Williams-Ashman, 1966 ) and from isolated rat liver nuclei ( Ramuz et al. , 1965 ; Cunningham and Steiner, 1967 ; Seifert and Sekeris, 1967 ) followed by measurement of the activity of the isolated enzyme using purified DNA as template. None of these authors obtained total release of the enzyme and in most cases it is evident that only a small proportion of the activity was solubilized. Since polymerase activity occurs both in Mg2+- and Mn2+-dependent forms in whole nuclei ( Widnell and Tata, 1964 ) and in nucleoli ( Jacob et al. , 1968 ), extraction of only a fraction of the total activity does not allow meaningful conclusions to be drawn about the quantities of each type of activity present in intact nuclei. In the present communication, we report a procedure for release of more than 80% of the total polymerase activity from rat liver nuclei.
Fungal pulmonary abscess in an adult secondary to hyperimmunoglobulin E (Job's) syndrome

Job's syndrome is characterized by recurring bacterial infections of the skin and sinopulmonary tract. Laboratory evaluation reveals consistent elevation of circulating immunoglobulin E levels. The syndrome has been reported as a rare cause of bacterial pulmonary abscess and pneumatocele formation in childhood; here we present a case of cavitating fungal abscess in an adult with Job's syndrome.
Toward a more transformative participation in the conservation of Madagascar’s natural resources

Abstract For nearly two decades, participatory conservation projects in Madagascar have failed to gain the backing of rural populations. I believe that the concept of participation as it is currently theorized and practiced by conservationists in Madagascar lies at the heart of the problem. It is essential, therefore that the notion of participation be unpacked, an egalitarian framework for the notion be formulated and the theoretical and methodological infrastructure needed to enable effective conservation praxis reconstructed. Toward this end, this paper considers two general theories of democratic political action: a Habermasian-inspired conception of deliberative democracy and Jacques Ranciere’s post-structuralist account of dissensus politics. I argue that by tacking between the results of a critique of the notions of normative legitimacy and political efficacy in the deliberative model and Ranciere’s politics of radical equality, users and managers of natural resources in Madagascar and elsewhere will have a set of conceptual tools toward reconstructing a more powerful, transformative participatory conservation. Ethnographic data collected from the Ifanadiana/Ranomafana region of southeastern Madagascar helps illuminate the argument.
Transforming Growth Factor-βs and Mammary Gland Involution; Functional Roles and Implications for Cancer Progression

During rodent mammary gland involution there is a dramatic increase in the expression of the transforming growth factor-β isoform, TGF-β3. The TGF-βs are multifunctional cytokines which play important roles in wound healing and in carcinogenesis. The responses that are activated in the remodeling of the gland during involution have many similarities with the wound healing process and have been postulated to generate a mammary stroma that provides a microenvironment favoring tumor progression. In this review we will discuss the putative role of TGF-β during involution, as well as its effects on the mammary microenvironment and possible implications for pregnancy-associated tumorigenesis.
The Economics of War

Paul Poast, (2006). McGraw Hill Irwin, Published by New York, xv + 218 pp. For some time now economists have been using their toolkit to address the problem of conflict. The events of 9/11/2001 bro...
A quasi-iterative method for computing interface temperature distributions

Es wird ein einfaches Modell fur gleitenden Kontakt vorgeschlagen, zur Ermittlung der Verteilung des Verschleisses, die ihrerseits mit der Verteilung der Temperatur langs der Gleitflache zusammenhangt. Dabei wird eine relativ einfache Methode entwickelt fur die Berechnung der Verteilung der Gleitflachentemperatur. Die Methode ist im wesentlichen iterativ; im besondern verringert die hier entwickelte quasi-iterative Methode die Anzahl der Quasi-Iterationen betrachtlich—in den meisten Fallen auf nicht mehr als eine. Dieses Verhalten wird an einem Beispiel erlautert. Obwohl die dargestellte Methode iterativ ist, erfordert sie weniger Rechenarbeit, als fur die numerische Losung des Problems bei vorgeschriebener Genauigkeit notwendig ware. Es wird auch gezeigt, dass das Modell als Analogon fur die Inversion einer Klasse von singularen Integralgleichungen erster Art dienen kann.
Role of hypothalamic monoamines in nicotine-induced anorexia in menopausal rats.

Abstract Background. Nicotine reduces body weight by reducing appetite. Estradiol modulates food intake. Menopause or ovariectomy (Ovx) increases food intake and body weight. Nicotine and estradiol individually influence hypothalamic dopamine (DA) and serotonin (5-HT), whose interaction influences food intake and body weight. We investigated whether lower weight gain in menopausal smokers is mediated via changes in hypothalamic DA/5-HT. Methods. Ovx or sham-operated female rats had 2 microdialysis guide cannulas simultaneously implanted in ipsilateral ventromedial nucleus of hypothalamus (VMN) and contralateral lateral hypothalamic area (LHA). Rats were divided into 4 groups and received a continuous subcutaneous infusion of nicotine or saline Ovx and sham. DA and 5-HT in LHA and VMN were measured by in vivo microdialysis. Results. Nicotine infusion decreased food intake and body weight in Ovx and sham groups. Increase in LHA-DA and VMN-5-HT in sham group occurred with nicotine, whereas an increase in VMN-DA in Ovx groups with and without nicotine and VMN-5-HT in Ovx group with nicotine was observed. Conclusions. In the presence of estradiol (ovary intact sham-operated rats), nicotine lowers food intake and body weight via increased LHA-DA and VMN-5-HT. In menopause (Ovx rats), nicotine lowers food intake and body weight only via increased VMN-DA and 5-HT. Data show that lower weight gain is mediated via changes in hypothalamic monoamines, primarily via ventromedial hypothalamus. (Surgery 2001;130:133-42.)
Simple method for transportation and storage of rare earths or similar isotopic materials in vacuum or inert gas

Abstract The rare earth isotopes are mostly delivered in the form of oxides. Sometimes, after the reduction procedure, not all metal is used immediately and often excess of the rolled foil or the scraps is left over. The remains may be used in future in case they are properly preserved. In order to avoid oxidation, a method of storage in quartz tube under vacuum is described. One can apply the similar solution for transportation of sensitive targets. This paper describes the procedure and the equipment for sealing, storage or transportation of rare-earth metal foils in vacuum or inert-gas atmosphere. The described solution is appropriate for isotopes, which can be exposed to air for a short time without significant oxidation damage. The procedure can also be applied for storage in low-pressure inert-gas atmosphere like argon (below atmospheric pressure).
LOW-RESISTANCE JUNCTIONS BETWEEN CANCER CELLS IN VARIOUS SOLID TUMORS

Electrical coupling, which reveals the presence of specialized low-resistance intercellular junctions, has now been found in four types of tumors, Sarcoma 180, Novikoff hepatoma, and Morris hepatomas 3924-A and 7777. Coupled cancer cells were distinguished from coupled normal cells by intracellular marking techniques. Although the evidence suggests that coupling may be extensive in some cases, it is not possible to say that the coupling was normal. In particular, the results do not exclude less obvious defects in the specialized junctions, such as abnormal distribution or decreased permeability to molecules other than small inorganic ions. The results are discussed in relation to previous studies of coupling in Novikoff hepatomas and in cultures of S1801 and II cell lines.
How robust is a neural circuit

Design in engineering begins with the problem of robustness-by what factor should intrinsic capacity exceed normal demand? Here we consider robustness for a neural circuit that crosses the retina from cones to ganglion cells. The circuit's task is to represent the visual scene at many successive stages, each time by modulating a stream of stochastic events: photoisomerizations, then transmitter quanta, then spikes. At early stages, the event rates are high to achieve some critical signal-to-noise ratio and temporal bandwidth, which together set the information rate. Then neural circuits concentrate the information and repackage it, so that nearly the same total information can be represented by modulating far lower event rates. This is important for spiking because of its high metabolic cost. Considering various measurements at the outer and inner retina, we conclude that the "safety factors" are about 2-10, similar to other tissues.
Preeclampsia is not related to clinical periodontal disease in nonsmoking and nondrinking Jordanian women.

Article Title and Bibliographic information Lack of Association Between Periodontal Parameters and Preeclampsia Khader YS, Jibreal M, Al-Omiri M, Amarin Z. J Periodontol 2006;77(10):1681-7 Level of Evidence 3b Purpose/Question Authors evaluated the association between periodontal parameters and preeclampsia among a group of Jordanian pregnant women. Source of Funding Information not available Type of Study/Design Case-Control Study with 115 Cases and 230 Random Controls
Analysis of effects of tRNA:message stability on frameshift frequency at the Escherichia coli RF2 programmed frameshift site

The codon that is in-frame prior to +1 frameshifting at the E.coli prfB (RF2 gene) frameshift site is randomized to create thirty-two variants. These alleles vary 1000-fold in frameshift-dependent expression in fusions to lacZ. Frameshifting is more frequent at sites where the in-frame codon ends in uridine, as if third position wobble pairs to message uridine facilitate slippage into the +1 frame. Consistent with other studies of programmed frameshift sites, efficient frameshifting depends on stable message:tRNA base pairs after rephasing. For complexes with mispairs, frameshift frequency depends on the nature, number, and position of mispairs. Central purine:purine mispairs are especially inhibitory. Relative stabilities of +1 rephased complexes are estimated from published data on the stabilities of tRNA:tRNA complexes. Stability correlates with frameshifting over its entire range, which suggests that stability is an important determinant of the probability of translation of the rephased complex.
Determining coastal water sampling frequencies using a profiling mooring

As part of the Northwest Association of Networked Ocean Observing Systems (NANOOS), a mooring is maintained in Pu-get Sound, WA that makes water-column profiles for temperature, salinity, oxygen, fluorescence, turbidity, nitrate and currents as well as surface pCO2 and air pCO2 every two hours. Additionally, 10-minute averages of the meteorological data (atmospheric temperature, wind velocity, wind direction, relative humidity, solar radiation) are also taken. All data is telemetered back to a laboratory computer in near-real time, where it is automatically processed and posted to the Internet. Analysis of data obtained from the mooring for the summer 150 day growing season are used to determine the frequency of sampling at this site necessary to characterize various parameters. High frequency variability is characteristic of the study site and the variability is caused by a combination of tidal advection of horizontal patchiness as well wind induced destabilization of the mixed layer. The analysis suggest that sampling frequencies on the order of hours to weekly are required to resolve the seasonal cycles and true values of various parameters and variables.
Validation of an image-guided robot system for measurement, biopsy and injection in rodents

We are developing an image-guided robot system to achieve highly accurate placement of thin needles to in-vivo rodent tumor tissue in a predefined pattern of about 1 mm granularity. The multiple uses of needles are: (1) oxygen tension measurement, (2) biopsy, and (3) injection of adenoviral sequences in form of a liquid agent. This paper focuses on the design of the base robot system to achieve the initial objective of inserting pO/sub 2/ probes in a three-dimensional (3D) grid pattern defined with respect to a positron emission tomography (PET) scan of the tumor. The design is also compatible with other imaging modalities, including single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT), computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), which will be used for future applications.
Growth and Surface Morphology of Thin Silicon Films Using an atomic Force Microscope

The growth and surface morphology of thin LPCVD silicon films were investigated with an atomic force microscope (AFM). Silicon films of 30 nm thicknesses were deposited on SiO 2 using SiH 4 at four different temperatures between 550 °C and 625 °C. These AFM results permitted visualization of silicon surface granularity, roughness, and the transition with temperature from amorphous to crystalline structure between 550 °C and 580 °C. The surface of the amorphous film deposited at 550 °C is very smooth and the film is continuous physically, while the film formed at 580 °C appears crystalline, rough and porous. At 600 °C and 625 °C the films are fully crystalline. For these higher temperature films surface roughness and the average grain size decreased significantly compared to 580 °C film. Crystallinity and film continuity were further examined by x-ray diffraction (XRD) and cross-sectional TEM measurements.
The English and Scottish Popular Ballads (Digital Edition)

Reviewed Medium: book Authors: Francis James Child Year: 2003 Pages: 0 Publisher: ESPB Publishing, Ltd. and Heritage MuseTM, Inc. Prices: $125 (individual rate)
Development and evaluation of a field-based high- throughput phenotyping platform

Physiological and developmental traits that vary over time are difficult to phenotype under relevant growing conditions. In this light, we developed a novel system for phenotyping dynamic traits in the field. System performance was evaluatedon25Pimacotton(GossypiumbarbadenseL.)cultivarsgrownin2011atMaricopa,Arizona.Field-grownplants wereirrigatedunderwellwateredandwater-limitedconditions,withmeasurementstakenatdifferenttimeson3daysinJuly andAugust.Thesystemcarriedfoursetsofsensorstomeasurecanopyheight,reflectanceandtemperaturesimultaneouslyon four adjacent rows, enabling the collection of phenotypic data at a rate of 0.84ha h -1 . Measurements of canopy height, normalised difference vegetation index and temperature all showed large differences among cultivars and expected interactions of cultivars with water regime and time of day. Broad-sense heritabilities (H 2 )were highest for canopy height (H 2 =0.86-0.96), followed by the more environmentally sensitive normalised difference vegetation index (H 2 =0.28-0.90) and temperature (H 2 =0.01-0.90) traits. We also found a strong agreement (r 2 =0.35-0.82) between values obtained by the system, and values from aerial imagery and manual phenotyping approaches. Taken together, these results confirmed the ability of the phenotyping system to measure multiple traits rapidly and accurately.
Differentiating Malicious DDoS Attack Traffic from Normal TCP Flows by Proactive Tests

To defend against distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks, one critical issue is to effectively isolate the attack traffic from the normal ones. A novel DDoS defense scheme based on TCP is hereby contrived because TCP is the dominant traffic for both the normal and lethal flows in the Internet. Unlike most of the previous DDoS defense schemes that are passive in nature, the proposal uses proactive tests to identify and isolate the malicious traffic. Simulation results validate the effectiveness of our proposed scheme
A global sensitivity analysis and Bayesian inference framework for improving the parameter estimation and prediction of a process-based Terrestrial Ecosystem Model

[1] A global sensitivity analysis and Bayesian inference framework was developed for improving the parameterization and predictability of a monthly time step process-based biogeochemistry model. Using a Latin Hypercube sampler and an existing Terrestrial Ecosystem Model (TEM), a set of 500,000 Monte Carlo ensemble simulations was conducted for a black spruce forest ecosystem. A global sensitivity analysis was then conducted to identify the key model parameters and examine the interaction structures among TEM parameters. Bayesian inference analysis was also performed using these ensemble simulations and eddy flux data of carbon, latent heat flux, and MODIS gross primary production (GPP) to reduce the uncertainty of parameter estimation and prediction of TEM. We found that (1) the simulated carbon fluxes are mostly affected by parameters of the maximum rate of photosynthesis (CMAX), the half-saturation constant for CO2 uptake by plants (kc), the half-saturation constant for Photosynthetically Active Radiation used by plants (ki), and the change in autotrophic respiration due to 10C temperature increase (RHQ10); (2) the effect of parameters on seasonal carbon dynamics varies from one parameter to another during a year; (3) to well constrain the uncertainties of TEM predictions and parameters using the Bayesian inference technique, at least two different fluxes of NEP, GPP, and ecosystem respiration (RESP) are required; and (4) different assumptions of the error structures of the flux data used in the Bayesian inference analysis result in different uncertainty bounds of the posterior parameters and model predictions. We further found that, using the Bayesian framework and eddy flux and satellite data, the uncertainty of simulated carbon fluxes has been remarkably reduced. The developed global sensitivity analysis and Bayesian framework could further be used to analyze and improve the predictability and parameterization of relatively coarse time step biogeochemistry models when the eddy flux and satellite data are available for other terrestrial ecosystems.
Shape reconstruction in projective grid space from large number of images

This paper proposes a new scheme for multi-image projective reconstruction based on a projective grid space. The projective grid space is defined by two basis views and the fundamental matrix relating these views. Given fundamental matrices relating other views to each of the two basis views, this projective grid space can be related to any view. In the projective grid space as a general space that is related to all images, a projective shape can be reconstructed from all the images of weakly calibrated cameras. The projective reconstruction is one way to reduce the effort of the calibration because it does not need Euclid metric information, but rather only correspondences of several points between the images. For demonstrating the effectiveness of the proposed projective grid definition, we modify the voxel coloring algorithm for the projective voxel scheme. The quality of the virtual view images re-synthesized from the projective shape demonstrates the effectiveness of our proposed scheme for projective reconstruction from a large number of images.
Fresh clouds: A parameterized updraft method for calculating cloud densities in one-dimensional models

Models of cloud condensation under thermodynamic equilibrium in planetary atmospheres are useful for several reasons. These equilibrium cloud condensation models (ECCMs) calculate the wet adiabatic lapse rate, determine saturation-limited mixing ratios of condensing species, calculate the stabilizing effect of latent heat release and molecular weight stratification, and locate cloud base levels. Many ECCMs trace their heritage to Lewis (Lewis, J.S. [1969]. Icarus 10, 365–378) and Weidenschilling and Lewis (Weidenschilling, S.J., Lewis, J.S. [1973]. Icarus 20, 465–476). Calculation of atmospheric structure and gas mixing ratios are correct in these models. We resolve errors affecting the cloud density calculation in these models by first calculating a cloud density rate: the change in cloud density with updraft length scale. The updraft length scale parameterizes the strength of the cloud-forming updraft, and converts the cloud density rate from the ECCM into cloud density. The method is validated by comparison with terrestrial cloud data. Our parameterized updraft method gives a first-order prediction of cloud densities in a ‘‘fresh’’ cloud, where condensation is the dominant microphysical process. Older evolved clouds may be better approximated by another 1-D method, the diffusive–precipitative Ackerman and Marley (Ackerman, A.S., Marley, M.S. [2001]. Astrophys. J. 556, 872–884) model, which represents a steady-state equilibrium between precipitation and condensation of vapor delivered by turbulent diffusion. We re-evaluate observed cloud densities in the Galileo Probe entry site (Ragent, B. et al. [1998]. J. Geophys. Res. 103, 22891–22910), and show that the upper and lower observed clouds at � 0.5 and � 3 bars are consistent with weak (cirrus-like) updrafts under conditions of saturated ammonia and water vapor, respectively. The densest observed cloud, near 1.3 bar, requires unexpectedly strong updraft conditions, or higher cloud density rates. The cloud density rate in this layer may be augmented by a
A Model of Metal Melting and Premelting

On the basis of the theory by Mitus and Patashinskii a cluster model of metal melting and premelting is developed. It is assumed in the model that there are lattice misorientation defects in the solid phase at temperatures very close to Tm. Thermodynamics of melting and premelting is analysed in terms of the orientation order parameter. The latter slightly decreases with temperature in the solid phase and drops to zero at Tm. The melt consists of crystalline clusters with random lattice orientations. Phenomenological parameters of the model are estimated by fitting the model to experimental data. Possible mechanisms relating the generation of misorientation defects are discussed. [Russian Text Ignored].
Public policy and employment of people with disabilities: exploring new paradigms.

A "sea change" in public attitudes, legislation, and political power at the end of the 20th century in the United States has helped set the stage in the early 21st century for the entry of people with disabilities into the labor force. Major pieces of federal legislation have altered national policy with the intention of maximizing the work force participation of people with disabilities. At the same time, a new theoretical paradigm of disability has emerged, which emphasizes community inclusion, accommodation, and protection of civil rights. This "New Paradigm" of disability can be applied in concert with rigorous behavioral science methodologies to shed light on the outcomes of recent federal policy changes regarding the labor force participation of people with disabilities. In so doing, social science can be used in more meaningful ways to understand both the intended and unintended consequences of federal policy.