cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A multistage framework for dismount spectral verification in the VNIR

A multistage algorithm suite is proposed for a specific target detection/verification scenario, where a visible/near infrared hyperspectral (HS) sample is assumed to be available as the only cue from a reference image frame. The target is a suspicious dismount. The suite first applies a biometric based human skin detector to focus the attention of the search. Using as reference all of the bands in the spectral cue, the suite follows with a Bayesian Lasso inference stage designed to isolate pixels representing the specific material type cued by the user and worn by the human target (e.g., hat, jacket). In essence, the search focuses on testing material types near skin pixels. The third stage imposes an additional constraint through RGB color quantization and distance metric checking, limiting even further the search for material types in the scene having visible color similar to the target visible color. Using the proposed cumulative evidence strategy produced some encouraging range-invariant results on real HS imagery, dramatically reducing to zero the false alarm rate on the example dataset. These results were in contrast to the results independently produced by each one of the suite’s stages, as the spatial areas of each stage’s high false alarm outcome were mutually exclusive in the imagery. These conclusions also apply to results produced by other standard methods, in particular the kernel SVDD (support vector data description) and matched filter , as shown in the paper.
Behavioral consequences of interference with CNS development in the early fetal period.

As a part of a series of investigations into the structural and functional consequences of interference with cell proliferation, mice were treated with 5-azacytidine during two stages of early fetal life. Treatment on either the twelfth or fourteenth day of gestation led to permanent significant reductions in body weight and brain weight. Behaviorally, the earlier treatment was associated with a delay in development of the righting reflex, permanent deficits in locomotor coordination, and hypoactivity. Treatment on the fourteenth day of gestation led to decreased passive avoidance, increased active avoidance, and hyperactivity — the same syndrome observed after treatment on the eighteenth day. Both treatments led to abnormal behavior on a spatial maze task. The developmental outcome of injuries induced in the early fetal period appears similar to the outcome of injuries at later stages of development.
Central two-particle forces are not sufficient in relativistic Newtonian mechanics for particles with spin.

Another step is taken in an attempt to see if there are physically interesting two-particle forces, for particles with positive mass and nonzero spin, that satisfy both the Lorentz-invariance conditions for Newtonian equations of motion for two particles and the equations that follow from the additional assumption that sums of two-particle forces satisfy the Lorentz-invariance conditions for three-particle systems. It is shown that when each two-particle force is central in the rest frame of the source particle, there are no solutions that give nonzero accelerations for both particles in a two-particle system; then a particle can be accelerated only by forces from particles that do not accelerate. Thus for central two-particle forces for particles with spin, the situation is the same as for any two-particle forces for particles with no spin; many particle forces are needed.
Hydra: Induction of Supernumerary Heads by Isolated Neurosecretory Granules

Neurosecretory granules of Hydra littoralis were isolated by differential centrifugation. Excised midsegments of hydra that were exposed to the fraction containing neurosecretory granules developed additional heads at any site, as they regenerated. Hence neurosecretory granules may contain a factot that regulates or stimulates growth in normal and regenerating hydra.
Knowledge Management for Semi-Automated Automotive Assembly Instruction Authorship and Translation

The design and manufacture of large scale systems, particularly automobiles, is a process that requires collaboration across multiple disciplines. This collaboration is facilitated through efficient and effective data and knowledge storage and transfer. Specifically, the data associated with the final assembly of the vehicle should be generated, organized, and distributed in such a manner that each user of the data is able to use it effectively. Furthermore, the structure for the assembly data should be robust and reliable such that it fosters consistency among various planners for multiple vehicle platforms that are assembled all around the world. This research aims to develop a centralized data structure for assembly planning information that will allow a global automotive production company to create, relate, and store the necessary information for the assembly of multiple vehicle platforms in various locations, performed by associates that speak multiple languages. This is achieved by first observing the existing business processes of the company and identifying which processes are crucial to the production of vehicles, which processes may be omitted, and what processes need to be added. A data model is developed around these processes that allows multiple users to interact with the data as applicable to his or her duties, and a user interface is developed to demonstrate these interactions. The prototype system is demonstrated and tested.Copyright © 2013 by ASME
Insulin-Mediated Cellular Insulin Resistance Decreases Osmotic Shock-Induced Glucose Transport in 3T3-L1 Adipocytes*

Similar to insulin, osmotic shock treatment of 3T3-L1 adipocytes causes translocation of GLUT4 protein to the plasma membrane and an increase in glucose transport activity. In our study, we evaluated the effect of chronic insulin treatment on the osmotic shock signaling pathway leading to GLUT4 translocation and glucose uptake. We found that chronic administration of insulin to the adipocytes induced cellular resistance to osmotic shock-stimulated GLUT4 translocation and glucose transport. We found that chronic insulin treatment attenuated shock-induced Gab-1 tyrosine phosphorylation. Furthermore, chronic insulin exposure led to a marked impairment in the ability of Gab-1 to associate with p85 subunit of PI 3-kinase in response to acute shock and insulin stimulation. Cells that were chronically treated with insulin showed a 70% and a 61% decrease in Gab-1 associated PI 3-kinase activity in shock- vs. insulin-treated cells, respectively. In addition, we found that chronic insulin treatment inhibited both insulin- and osmotic shock-induced membrane ruffling, indicating that two PI 3-kinase dependent effects, GLUT4 translocation and membrane ruffling are decreased in chronically insulin-treated cells. The results described above clearly demonstrate that chronic insulin treatment induces a state of cellular resistance to osmotic shock signal transduction. (Endocrinology 141: 4657‐ 4663, 2000)
COGNITIVE TASK ANALYSIS, INTERFACE DESIGN, AND TECHNICAL TROUBLESHOOTING

We propose a model of the interface design process that makes use of two interdependent levels of cognitive analysis: 1) the study of the criterion task through an analysis of expert/novice differences and; 2) the evaluation of the working user interface design through the application of a practical interface analysis methodology (GOMS model). We review this dual analysis in the context of HYDRIVE, a video-disc based intelligent tutoring system designed to facilitate the development of troubleshooting skills for aircraft hydraulics systems. The initial cognitive task analysis enabled the identification of critical troubleshooting skills and troubleshooting procedures. We find, though, mat even with an in-depth initial cognitive task analysis, the GOMS interface analysis resulted in significant and beneficial design changes.
Laboratory measurements of compressional and shear wave speed and attenuation in muddy sediments

As demonstrated by William M. Carey's field measurements in Dodge Pond, muddy sediments are characterized by a slow compressional wave speed and a low compressional wave attenuation [Carey and Pierce, POMA (5), 7001, 2009]. To gain insight into the measured data, a theoretical treatment of muddy sediments, named the Card House theory [Pierce and Carey, POMA (5), 7002, 2009], was developed. According the theory, isomorphous substitution causes each mud platelet to carry a net negative charge, and the resulting electrical interaction between platelets is responsible for creating a card-house structure. In this work, we examine laboratory measurements of compressional and shear wave properties in mud. Compared to the Dodge Pond measurements, which were affected by the size and distribution of gas bubbles present in the mud, the volume of gas in the laboratory samples was reduced by applying a vacuum. The estimated compressional wave speed is consistent with predicted values for a relatively gas-free mud. The...
Cross-sensitivity considerations for wavelength-modulated and interferometric optical fiber sensors

Cross-sensitivity refers to the `cross-talk' between the perturbation being monitored (strain, etc.) and the unwanted ambient physical variables. These cross-sensitivity considerations need to be resolved for realizing accurate, self-calibrated fiber sensor configurations. This paper presents an evaluation of the cross-sensitivity existing between physical variables typically measured by Bragg grating based fiber sensors and the extrinsic Fabry-Perot interferometer (EFPI) based sensors. Cross-sensitivities were investigated between the desired measurand, axial strain, and undesirable sources of error, lateral strain and temperature fluctuation. It is shown that the EFPI sensors are less susceptible to cross-sensitivity induced error than Bragg grating based optical fiber sensors. From the results obtained, it is concluded that the extrinsic Fabry-Perot sensor is a better candidate for certain applications requiring minimized cross- sensitivities, as compared with the Bragg grating-based optical fiber sensor.© (1996) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
A fast and memory efficient stationary wavelet transform for 3D cell segmentation

Wavelet approaches have proven effective in many segmentation applications and in particular in the segmentation of cells, which are blob-like in shape. We build upon an established wavelet segmentation algorithm and demonstrate how to overcome some of its limitations based on the theoretical derivation of the compounding process of iterative convolutions. We demonstrate that the wavelet decomposition can be computed for any desired level directly without iterative decompositions that require additional computation and memory. This is especially important when dealing with large 3D volumes that consume significant amounts of memory and require intense computation. Our approach is generalized to automatically handle both 2D and 3D and also implicitly handles the anisotropic pixel size inherent in such datasets. Our results demonstrate a 28X improvement in speed and 8X improvement in memory efficiency for standard size 3D confocal image volumes without adversely affecting the accuracy.
Dynamic Migration and Cell‐Cell Interactions of Early Reprogramming Revealed by High‐Resolution Time‐Lapse Imaging

Discovery of the cellular and molecular mechanisms of induced pluripotency has been hampered by its low efficiency and slow kinetics. Here, we report an experimental system with multicolor time-lapse microscopy that permits direct observation of pluripotency induction at single cell resolution, with temporal intervals as short as 5 minutes. Using granulocyte-monocyte progenitors as source cells, we visualized nascent pluripotent cells that emerge from a hematopoietic state. We engineered a suite of image processing and analysis software to annotate the behaviors of the reprogramming cells, which revealed the highly dynamic cell-cell interactions associated with early reprogramming. We observed frequent cell migration, which can lead to sister colonies, satellite colonies, and colonies of mixed genetic makeup. In addition, we discovered a previously unknown morphologically distinct two-cell intermediate of reprogramming, which occurs prior to other reprogramming landmarks. By directly visualizing the reprogramming process with E-cadherin inhibition, we demonstrate that E-cadherin is required for proper cellular interactions from an early stage of reprogramming, including the two-cell intermediate. The detailed cell-cell interactions revealed by this imaging platform shed light on previously unappreciated early reprogramming dynamics. This experimental system could serve as a powerful tool to dissect the complex mechanisms of early reprogramming by focusing on the relevant but rare cells with superb temporal and spatial resolution.
Graphical game development in CS2: a flexible infrastructure for a semester long project

This paper discusses a project that has been used to teach CS2 for six semesters at Trinity University. The project spans the full semester, and all eight of the assignments students turn in are part of the project. For this project, the students develop a 2-D game using a framework written by one of the authors. The framework is intended to allow students to produce some results early in the semester before they have significant knowledge without constraining them or doing too much for them. It was originally written for Java 1.3 and has evolved for Java 1.4 and now Java 5. We discuss the details of this project, the benefits it provides, and our experience with it.
Clinical outcomes and utility of cardiac catheterization prior to superior cavopulmonary anastomosis

Abstract Objectives We sought to characterize the outcomes of routine catheterization prior to superior cavopulmonary anastomosis and to determine if some patients were unlikely to benefit from catheterization and thus might be evaluated preoperatively with noninvasive methods alone. Background Congenital heart disease patients with single ventricle physiology undergo routine echocardiography and cardiac catheterization prior to superior cavopulmonary anastomosis to determine anatomic and hemodynamic suitability for this procedure. Methods We performed a retrospective review of all infants (n = 114) evaluated for potential superior cavopulmonary anastomosis at our institution from January 1997 to June 2000. Results Patients' median age was 5.5 months. Full echocardiograms were obtained in 79 patients (69%). At catheterization a total of 41 interventions were performed in 35 patients (31%). Twenty-seven patients (24%) were transfused, 18 patients (17%) required cardiac intensive care unit admission, and median length of stay following catheterization was 1 day (range 0 to 22). Complications occurred in 28 patients (25%), most transient. Of 51 patients who had complete echocardiograms without indication for catheterization, none subsequently had significant interventions and only 2 had new findings at catheterization. Three candidates were excluded from operation; all 111 others underwent successful procedures and survived to hospital discharge. Conclusions Interventions were frequent at catheterization prior to superior cavopulmonary anastomosis, but transient complications, transfusion, intensive care unit admission, and prolonged hospital length of stay were common. For patients in whom no issues indicating need for catheterization are identified by echocardiogram, routine catheterization rarely results in new information or intervention. These patients may be more safely evaluated preoperatively using exclusively noninvasive techniques.
Occupational Identity: Exploring the Narratives of Three Men Living with AIDS

Abstract The relationship between occupation and identity has received increased attention in recent years. This article explores the usefulness of the construct of occupational identity as measured by the Occupational Performance History Interview (OPHI‐II) in understanding the evolving narratives of three men living with AIDS who participated in a vocational rehabilitation program. The narratives of the three men are described and the impact of AIDS and an attempt to return to work on each individual's occupational identity is discussed. Narrative slopes are presented for each of the three men. Directions for future research are suggested.
Eleven new compounds in the RE–Cd–Ge systems (RE=Pr, Nd, Sm, Gd–Yb; Y): Crystal chemistry of the RE2CdGe2 series

A large new family of rare-earth metal-cadmium-germanides RE{sub 2}CdGe{sub 2} (RE=Y, Pr, Nd, Sm, Gd-Yb) has been synthesized and structurally characterized. All eleven structures have been established from single-crystal X-ray diffraction data and have been found to belong to the tetragonal Mo{sub 2}FeB{sub 2} structure type (ordered ternary variant of the U{sub 3}Si{sub 2} structure type-space group P4/mbm (No. 127), Z=2; Pearson symbol tP10). The structural variations among the three series of isostructural RE{sub 2}MgGe{sub 2}, RE{sub 2}InGe{sub 2}, and RE{sub 2}CdGe{sub 2} compounds are discussed, as well as the crystal chemistry changes as a function of the decreasing size of the rare-earth metals (lattice constants a=7.176(2)-7.4589(12) A and c=4.1273(14)-4.4356(13) A). The experimental results have been complemented by tight-binding linear muffin-tin orbital (TB-LMTO) electronic structure calculations. - Graphical abstract: More than 300 compounds have been reported to crystallize with the tetragonal U{sub 3}Si{sub 2} structure type, or the Mo{sub 2}FeB{sub 2} structure type, which is its ordered ternary variant. Among them, there are several large RE{sub 2}CdX{sub 2} classes, where the X-elements are typically late transition metals such as Cu, Ni, Au, Pd, Pt, and Rh. The new RE{sub 2}CdGe{sub 2} phases (RE=Y, Pr, Nd, Sm, Gd-Yb) increase the diversitymore » and represent the first cadmium germanides. Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer RE{sub 2}CdGe{sub 2} (RE=Y, Pr, Nd, Sm, Gd-Yb) are new ternary germanides. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Their structures can be recognized as a 1:1 intergrowth of CsCl- and AlB{sub 2}-like slabs. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The Ge atoms are covalently bound into Ge{sub 2} dumbbells. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Almost all RE{sub 2}CdGe{sub 2} phases are the first structurally characterized phases in the respective ternary RE-Cd-Ge systems.« less
Rate constants for the reaction of OH radicals with COS, CS2 and CH3SCH3 over the temperature range 299–430 K

Abstract Rate constants for the reaction of OH radicals with COS, CS 2 and CH 3 SCH 3 , which are involved in the global sulfur cycle, have been determined over the temperature range 299–430 K using a flash photolysis-resonance fluorescence technique. For COs and CS 2 upper limits at room temperature of k (COS) −15 cm 3 molecule −1 s −1 and k (CS 2 ) −14 cm 3 molecule −1 s −1 were determined, while for CH 3 SCH 3 the Arrhenius expression k (CH 3 SCH 3 ) = 5.47 × 10 −12 exp[(355 ± 300)/ RT ] cm 3 molecule −1 s −1 was obtained with a rate constant at room temperature of (9.8 ± 1.2) × 10 −12 cm 3 molecule −1 s −1 .
Cholesterol issues and management

The aim of this Minisymposium is to address current cholesterol issues as viewed from the United States. During the past decade the term ‘cholesterol’ has become a household word in the US. This fact can be attributed in large to the efforts of the National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP). This program has wide support from a large number of member organizations such as the American Heart Association, the American College of Cardiology, and the American Medical Association. The NCEP has developed programs in both public health and professional education. NCEP efforts have led to increased public and professional awareness of high blood cholesterol as a major risk factor for coronary heart disease, to increased testing for high cholesterol levels, to modification of the American diet, and to increased use of cholesterol-lowering drugs. The use of drugs has been supported by the recent publication of three major clinical trials: the Scandinavian Simvastatin Survival Study, the West of Scotland Coronary Prevention Study, and the Cholesterol and Recurrent Events study. All three of these trials demonstrated a major reduction in coronary risk accompanying aggressive cholesterol-lowering therapy. They have been highly influential in thinking about cholesterol management in high-risk patients in the US. This Minisymposium considers various issues related to primary and secondary prevention, cholesterol management in special populations, and the problem of adherence to medication.
Information and expression of simultaneous and backward associations: Implications for contiguity theory☆

Abstract Five conditioned lick-suppression experiments with water-deprived rats examined the possibility that simultaneous and backward associations are learned, but are not expressed as anticipatory responses in common indexes of associative strength. Experiments 1–4 used a sensory preconditioning procedure in which clicks preceded the onset of a tone. Subsequently, the tone was paired with footshock in either a forward, simultaneous, or backward arrangement. In no case did the tone trained in the simultaneous or backward manner elicit a conditioned response. However, Experiments 1, 2, and 3 determined that the clicks, which predicted the tone, evoked equally strong conditioned responses regardless of whether the tone was paired with the shock in a forward, simultaneous, or backward manner. Experiment 4 found that responding to the clicks was degraded following postconditioning extinction of the tone, regardless of whether the tone had been paired with the shock in a forward or simultaneous manner. Experiment 5 determined that if the click and tone were paired simultaneously, the click failed a test for excitation following tone-shock simultaneous pairings but passed a test for excitation following tone-shock forward pairings. Collectively, these findings suggest that predictive information (i.e., a forward relationship between stimuli) is not necessary for the acquisition of an association, but may promote the expression of the association in an anticipatory response system. Moreover, these results suggest that associations are not simple linkages, but contain information regarding the temporal relationship of the associates.
Treatment of Vasculogenic Sexual Dysfunction with Pentoxifylline

Objective: To evaluate the use of pentoxifylline to treat impotence in men with mild to moderate penile vascular insufficiency. Design: Double-blind randomized clinical trial. Setting: Sexual Dysfunction Clinic at VA Medical Center, Sepulveda, CA. Participants: Convenience sample of couples. Intervention: Twelve weeks of treatment with placebo or 400 mg tid of pentoxifylline. Measurements: (1) Report of patient verified by partner as to number of coital episodes per month; (2) penile-brachial pressure index determinations. Results: Pentoxifylline therapy regularly increased the PBPI in impotent men in comparison with the placebo, frequently into the normal range. Pentoxifylline therapy was particularly useful in restoring the PBPI in men with the pelvic steal syndrome; six of seven such subjects improved into the normal range. During the pentoxifylline treatment period, in contrast with the control period, nine men were able to reestablish coital function and three had no improvement. Six couples did not attempt intercourse despite a professed interest in sexual activity; however five out of the six men experienced erections during episodes of fantasy or attempts at masturbation during treatment. There were no complications of therapy. Conclusions: These promising preliminary results suggest a well tolerated alternative therapy for erectile dysfunction in patients with mild to moderate penile vascular disease.
Omega‐3 Fatty Acid Modification of Membrane Structure and Function. I. Dietary Manipulation of Tumor Cell Susceptibility to Cell‐ and Complement‐Mediated Lysis

Omega-3 fatty acids, abundant in fish oil, are reported to alter membrane properties when incorporated into membrane phospholipids. We report that dietary omega-3 fatty acids, incorporated into tumor cell membranes, alter tumor recognition and cytolysis by the immune system. Mice were fed diets rich in corn oil, hydrogenated coconut oil, or menhaden (fish) oil. T27A leukemia cells were grown as an ascites tumor in these mice and harvested for biochemical and immunologic assays. The incorporation of the long-chain omega-3 fatty acid docosahexaenoic acid (22:6) into tumor plasma membranes correlated with an increased susceptibility to tumor cytolysis by alloreactive cytotoxic T lymphocytes and decreased expression of a class I major histocompatibility complex epitope, monitored by complement-mediated lysis and radioimmunoassay. Thus the immunologic phenotype of this ascites tumor reflected the source of oil present in the diet during tumor growth.
Faithful But Different: Clinical Social Workers Speak Out About Career Motivation and Professional Values

The purpose of this study was to describe licensed clinical social workers' (LCSWs) professional motivation to pursue a social work career and the decision to enter clinical practice. It used a probability sample of 245 New Jersey LCSWs and the Social Work Values Survey as part of an anonymous self-administered mail survey. Descriptive analyses revealed that most LCSWs reported social work values that included the use of a holistic and systems approach and social justice. Inferential analyses revealed that clinical social workers who were women with MSW degrees reported higher mean rank scores on their decision to enter clinical practice compared to clinical social workers who were men with PhDs. The implications for practice and education are delineated.
Load forecasting for multiple sites: development of an expert system-based technique

Abstract Most papers on short-term load forecasting (STLF) emphasize the use of a certain technique rather than the methodology used to arrive at that technique. Moreover, few, if any, of the techniques reported in the literature have looked at the electric power load from a site-independent viewpoint. A newly developed site-independent technique for STLF is analyzed in this paper. The load is modeled using a parameterized rule base and a parameter database. The extraction and representation of knowledge about the load are discussed. A site-independent expert system-based technique is tested using data from different sites around the United States including Alabama, Georgia, Florida, Massachusetts, Texas, Virginia and Washington. The mean absolute percentage errors for 24-h ahead load forecast range from 1.23 to 3.35% over all hours in all seasons. The expert system itself was implemented in UNIX/C, and the solution time per 1 day of forecast is around 4 s.
The College Women's Assertion Sample (CWAS): A Cross-Validation

Two studies were conducted to evaluate the cross-validity of the College Women's Assertion Sample (CWAS), a controlled observational measure of behavioral assertion. The face and content validities of the instrument were cross-validated in Study 1. In Study 2, 74 undergraduate women were tested with a complement of measures designed to assess two behavior constructs, assertion and anxiety, by using two assessment methods, direct observation and self-report. The results supported both the convergent and discriminant cross-validities of the CWAS and suggested certain circumstances in which CWAS data might be preferable to data generated from employing the self-report assertion measures included in this study.
Insulin-Stimulated Glucose Transport Inhibits Ca2+ Influx and Contraction in Vascular Smooth Muscle

Background Insulin attenuates serotonin-induced Ca2+ influx, the intracellular Ca2+ transient, and contraction of cultured vascular smooth muscle cells from dog femoral artery. These studies were designed to test whether insulin-induced glucose transport was an early event leading to the inhibitory effects of insulin on Ca2+ influx, intracellular Ca2+ concentration, and contraction in these cells. Methods and Results Insulin 1 nmol/L stimulated the 30-minute uptake of [3H]2-deoxyglucose in these cells via a phloridzin-inhibitable mechanism. Contraction of individual cells was measured by photomicroscopy, intracellular Ca2+ concentration was monitored by measuring fura 2 fluorescence by use of Ca2+-sensitive excitation wavelengths, and Ca2+ influx was estimated by the rate of Mn2+ quenching of intracellular fura 2 fluorescence when excited at a Ca2+-insensitive wavelength. In the presence of 5 mmol/L glucose, preincubation of cells for 30 minutes with 1 nmol/L insulin inhibited 10−5 mol/L serotonin-induced contraction of individual cells by 62% ( P <.01) and decreased the serotonin-stimulated component of Mn2+ influx by 78% ( P <.05). Removing glucose from the preincubation medium or adding 1 mmol/L phloridzin completely eliminated these effects of insulin. Insulin lowered the serotonin-induced intracellular Ca2+ peak by 37% ( P <.05), and phloridzin blocked this effect of insulin. When glucose uptake was increased to the insulin-stimulated level by preincubation of the cells for 30 minutes with 25 mmol/L glucose in the absence of insulin, serotonin failed to stimulate Mn2+ influx, the serotonin-induced Ca2+ peak was decreased by 46% ( P <.05), serotonin-induced contraction was inhibited by 60% ( P <.01), and addition of insulin did not further inhibit contraction. Conclusions Since the effects of insulin on serotonin-stimulated Ca2+ transport, intracellular Ca2+ concentration, and contraction were dependent on glucose transport and were duplicated when glucose transport was stimulated by high extracellular glucose concentration rather than insulin per se, it is concluded that insulin-stimulated glucose transport is an early event that leads to decreased Ca2+ influx and contraction in vascular smooth muscle.
Expression of membrane IGM by a human B lymphoblastoid cell line in the presence of monensin.

Abstract The effect of the carboxylic ionophore, monensin, on the synthesis and expression of membrane IgM in the human lymphobiastoid cell line, Daudi, was investigated. The normal processing events in the maturation of μ chains and K chains were altered in monensin treated Daudi cells; the immunoglobuli n chains did not appear to undergo complete terminal glycosylation modifications. Transport of the glycoprotein to the plasma membrane could be demonstrated indicating that the interference of intracellular processing of the IgM by monensin did not significantly influence the membrane expression of the IgM.
Reversal transition paths: The possible effect of an enhanced conducting D″ layer beneath the Pacific

Abstract Following the discovery that the behavior of the geomagnetic field during polarity reversals might involve preferred paths for the virtual geomagnetic poles, considerable effort has been put into finding possible explanations. One possible explanation involves the presence of a hemispherical shell of high electrical conductivity beneath the Pacific basin. Changes in the dipole during a reversal will induce currents in this shell. The resultant of the induced and dipole field will vary with the rates of change of the dipole components and the thickness and conductivity of the conducting shell. Assuming reasonable values for these parameters, models which can reproduce the preferred paths are possible.
Histochemical, light and electron microscopic study of polonium-210 induced peripheral tumors in hamster lungs: evidence implicating the Clara cell as the cell of origin.

Abstract Peripheral lung tumors induced in Syrian golden hamsters by intratracheally administered polonium-210 (210Po) are similar to the peripheral lung tumors induced in many species by a variety of carcinogens. In addition, they show many of the histopathological features observed in human bronchiolar-alveolar carcinomas. Serial sacrifice studies of hamsters exposed to multiple instillations of 210Po have been carried out to identify the cell of origin of these tumors. By means of thin, plastic (glycol methacrylate) sections, electron microscopy, and histochemistry, we conclude that the bronchiolar Clara cell is the probable cell of origin, and that this view is generally compatible with many of the reported cytological characteristics of the human tumor.
Expression of colony-stimulating factor-1 in the human uterus and placenta.

Previous studies in the mouse have strongly implicated colony-stimulating factor-1 (CSF-1) in the regulation of placental development. In this study of human pregnancy, we detected CSF-1 in serum, endometrium, placenta, chorion, amnion, and amniotic fluid, with significant increases in serum and endometrial samples from the first trimester compared to levels in nonpregnant controls. CSF-1 mRNA was demonstrated in all of these tissues, except amnion, with a significant increase within the first trimester endometrial samples over nonpregnant control values. In addition to the major 4.0-kilobase mRNA, other species of CSF-1 mRNA were detected, which were shown to be due to alternative splicing within exon 6 and the alternative use of exon 9 or 10. In the endometrium, CSF-1 was localized to glandular epithelial and endothelial cells. In first trimester placenta, CSF-1 was in the cytotrophoblasts lining the villous core and in the cytotrophoblastic shell. During the second trimester, CSF-1 was localized to vil...
Rate-temperature responses in scyphozoan medusae and polyps

The effects of temperature on oxygen consumption and spontaneous rhythmic activity have been investigated in various stages of the life histories of 3 species of jellyfish from the Chesapeake Bay, USA. All 3 species clearly show the ability to acclimate positively to temperature change. Thermal sensitivity of metabolism in the winter medusa Cyanea capillata fulva is fairly low at temperature intervals which are experienced in nature. Polyps of the two summer medusae, Chrysaora quinquecirrha and Aurelia aurita, show reduced metabolic sensitivity at temperatures normally accompanying high developmental activity and the onset of strobilation.
The collapse of the Eastern Mediterranean: climate change and the decline of the East, 950–1072

Ronnie Ellenblaum, Cambridge, Cambridge University Press, 2012, 282 pp., 22 maps, 2 tables £60.00 (hardback), ISBN 978-1-107-02335-2 Ronnie Ellenblum has packed a huge argument into a relatively br...
Predictive Evaluation of Size Restrictions as Management Strategies for Tennessee Reservoir Crappie Fisheries

Abstract We evaluated the potential effect of minimum size restrictions on crappies Pomoxis spp. in 12 large Tennessee reservoirs. A Beverton–Holt equilibrium yield model was used to predict and compare the response of these fisheries to three minimum size restrictions: 178 mm (i.e., pragmatically, no size limit), 229 mm, and the current statewide limit of 254 mm. The responses of crappie fisheries to size limits differed among reservoirs and varied with rates of conditional natural mortality (CM). Based on model results, crappie fisheries fell into one of three response categories: (1) In some reservoirs (N = 5), 254-mm and 229-mm limits would benefit the fishery in terms of yield if CM were low (30%); the associated declines in the number of crappies harvested would be significant but modest when compared with those in other reservoirs. (2) In other reservoirs (N = 6), little difference in yield existed among size restrictions at low to intermediate rates of CM (30–40%). In these reservoirs, a 229-mm li...
Effective field equations for fermionic strings

Abstract We show how to obtain loop-corrected effective field equations in tachyon-free heterotic string theories. The corrections are automatically gauge-invariant; they simultaneously secure Brst -decoupling and unambiguous loop amplitudes. We introduce a cutoff for two-dimensional field theory which is more general than the choice of a world-sheet metric, and using this we give an invariant description of factorization of fermionic amplitudes. As an example we work out the linearized corrections for the O(16) × O(16) heterotic string. They come from a finite corrected effective action.
Initiation of histone synthesis by f-met-tRNAf in an ascites cell-free system.

Formyl-[35S]methionine is incorporated into histones synthesized by a mouse ascites cell-free system supplemented with histone mRNA and f-[35S]met-tRNAf from yeast. Most of the [35S]methionine incorporated can be shown to be at the N-terminus by Edman degradation after deformylation. This indicates that methionine can be used as the initiator amino acid for histones in this cell-free system.
Achieving Quality Oncology Practice Initiative Certification Through Quality Improvement

The public and healthcare payers are increasingly looking to specialty designations and certifications to determine the quality of cancer centers. The Quality Oncology Practice Initiative (QOPI®) Certification Program is one way for cancer centers to demonstrate commitment to high-quality patient care. Achieving QOPI certification for the author's cancer center was driven by a nurse-led quality improvement initiative. The result was an official designation that reflects the mission, vision, and philosophy of the organization.
Minimally invasive estimation of systemic vascular parameters for artificial heart control

Abstract Systemic vascular parameters are important indices of heart condition, incorporating these parameters into the control of a ventricular assist device (VAD) would facilitate the implementation of an effective control strategy. In order to minimize the need for indwelling sensors for obtaining these parameters, an estimator was developed to identify the systemic vascular parameters (characteristic resistance, blood inertance at the aorta, systemic compliance, and systemic resistance) using measurements from the Novacor left ventricular assist system (LVAS) and arterial pressure. Systemic compliance was estimated by the ratio of the LVAS pump stroke volume to the arterial pulse pressure and systemic resistance was calculated by the ratio of mean arterial pressure to LVAS pump output. These two parameters were then used as known parameters in an extended Kalman filter to identify the other unknown parameters using LVAS pump volume and arterial pressure measurements. Performance of the estimator was evaluated using data from a mock circulatory system experiment. The results showed that the estimates converged more accurately in a limited time when arterial pressure was used with the LVAS pump volume as measurements. These parameter estimates can provide diagnostic information for patient and device monitoring and can be used for future VAD control development.
Synthesized Speech Output and Children: A Scoping Review

Purpose Many computer-based augmentative and alternative communication systems in use by children have speech output. This article (a) provides a scoping review of the literature addressing the int...
Histological staining of pre- and postsynaptic components of amphibian neuromuscular junctions

We have developed a combined staining technique whereby pre- and postsynaptic structures of the neuromuscular junction can be simultaneously visualized in the light microscope. The general approach was first to stain presynaptic nerve terminals using nitroblue tetrazolium (NBT), which when reduced to its diformazan state coloured the entire nerve terminal arborization blue. When the NBT stain was combined with the Karnovsky acetylcholinesterase (AChE) procedure the blue-coloured nerve terminal processes were vividly outlined by the brown copper ferrocyanide-AChE reaction product. Experiments were performed to ensure that the NBT-AChE method stained nerve reliably and that even extremely small neural processes were stained and visualized in the light microscope. This method stained cholinergic neuromuscular junctions and unmyelinated axons in a variety of preparations. Aldehyde pre- and poststaining fixation markedly affected the quality of NBT nerve stain. In addition, glutaraldehyde had a direct role in the staining process. The quality of the nerve terminal staining was affected by the pH and the constituents of the staining solution. The powerful experimental advantage of the NBT-AChE stain for neuromuscular junctions resulted from the sharp colour contrast which made possible accurate determinations of the relationship between the presynaptic nerve terminal arborization and the postsynaptic junctional AChE activity.
Analyses of sedimentation equilibrium data

Abstract A numerical procedure is presented which can quite adequately compute the molecular weight averages as a function of solute concentration from sedimentation equilibrium data for homogeneous systems and for monomer-dimer associating systems with a possible extension to heterogeneous systems where monotonic variation in the weight average molecular weight is observed such as in weakly associating or dissociating systems. The procedure utilizes the method of orthogonal polynomials for curve fitting which allows for a rapid determination of best fit with minimal round off error. The procedure is particularly applicable in cases where the concentration of solute at the meniscus can be considered to be neither appreciable and reasonably well determined as in low speed sedimentation equilibrium experiments, nor essentially zero as in high speed sedimentation equilibrium experiments where the calculations become somewhat more simplified. The use of moderate speed sedimentation equilibrium has the advantage of providing a more broad concentration distribution in the centrifuge cell which yields more extensive information concerning dissociating systems yet still provides results at low solute concentrations where most solutes can be considered to be behaving ideally.
Influence of Cation Size on the Structural Features of Ln1/2A1/2MnO3 Perovskites at Room Temperature

Polycrystalline samples of Ln1/2Sr1/2MnO3 (Ln = La, Pr, La0.33Nd0.67, Nd, Nd0.5Sm0.5, Sm, and Gd) and Ln1/2Ca1/2MnO3 (Ln = La, Pr, La0.5Nd0.5, Nd, Sm, and Y0.5Sm0.5) have been prepared, and structure determinations have been carried out at room temperature using high-resolution synchrotron X-ray powder diffraction data. The octahedral tilting distortion increases as the average ionic radius of the Ln/A cations, 〈rA〉, decreases. The two crystallographically distinct Mn−O−Mn bonds [Mn−O(eq)−Mn and Mn−O(ax)−Mn] are almost identical for Ln0.5Ca0.5MnO3 compounds, with the exception of La0.5Ca0.5MnO3. The La0.5Ca0.5MnO3 compound and the entire Ln0.5Sr0.5MnO3 series adopt structures where the Mn−O(eq)−Mn bond angle is consistently and significantly larger (2−6°) than the Mn−O(ax)−Mn bond angle. All of the Ln0.5Ca0.5MnO3 compounds have Pnma symmetry, whereas across the Ln0.5Sr0.5MnO3 series with increasing 〈rA〉, an evolution from Pnma (tilt system a-b+a-) over Imma (tilt system a-b0a-) to I4/mcm (tilt system a0a0...
Changes in bone health and skeletal-related events following implementation of a multidisciplinary consensus statement guiding surveillance and treatment of men undergoing androgen deprivation therapy for prostate cancer.

Purpose. Androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) is a cornerstone for inhibiting progression of prostate cancer (CAP) and improving survival. After previously establishing that men with CAP treated with ADT at our institution had significant skeletal morbidity, we evaluate the effectiveness of a multidisciplinary consensus statement (MCS) to improve outcomes.Materials and methods. We reviewed the records of men treated with ADT in our clinic. Only 38% of men had BMD studies, and 81% of those men had bone loss. Twenty-four percent of men had skeletal-related events (SREs). A minority of men were being treated for bone loss. We decided not to initiate therapy soon enough, and implemented an MCS to guide surveillance and treatment.Results. Four years after implementing the MCS, half of the men were still being treated with ADT and the average treatment length doubled. Significantly more men were being screened, bone loss remained stable, and there was a trend towards decreased SREs. Significantly more men were be...
Topical applications of caffeine or (−)-epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) inhibit carcinogenesis and selectively increase apoptosis in UVB-induced skin tumors in mice

SKH-1 hairless mice were irradiated with ultraviolet B (UVB) twice weekly for 20 weeks. These tumor-free mice, which had a high risk of developing skin tumors during the next several months, were then treated topically with caffeine (6.2 μmol) or (−)-epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG; 6.5 μmol) once a day 5 days a week for 18 weeks in the absence of further treatment with UVB. Topical applications of caffeine to these mice decreased the number of nonmalignant and malignant skin tumors per mouse by 44% and 72%, respectively. Topical applications of EGCG decreased the number of nonmalignant and malignant tumors per mouse by 55% and 66%, respectively. Immunohistochemical analysis showed that topical applications of caffeine or EGCG increased apoptosis as measured by the number of caspase 3-positive cells in nonmalignant skin tumors by 87% or 72%, respectively, and in squamous cell carcinomas by 92% or 56%, respectively, but there was no effect on apoptosis in nontumor areas of the epidermis. Topical applications of caffeine or EGCG had a small inhibitory effect on proliferation in nonmalignant tumors as measured by BrdUrd labeling (16–22%), and there was also a similar, but nonsignificant, inhibitory effect on proliferation in malignant tumors. The results suggest a need for further studies to determine whether topical applications of caffeine or EGCG can inhibit sunlight-induced skin cancer in humans.
A model of a sunspot chromosphere based on OSO 8 observations

OSO 8 spectrometer observations of the H I, Mg II, and Ca II resonance lines of a large quiet sunspot during November 16-17, 1975, along with a C IV line of that event obtained by a ground-based spectrometer, are analyzed together with near-simultaneous ground-based Stokes measurements to yield an umbral chromosphere and transition region model. Features of this model include a chromosphere that is effectively thin in the resonance lines of H I and Mg II, while being saturated in Ca II, and an upper chromospheric structure similar to that of quiet-sun models. The similarity of the upper chromosphere of the sunspot umbra to the quiet-sun chromosphere suggests that the intense magnetic field plays only a passive role in the chromospheric heating mechanism, and the observations cited indicate that solar-type stars with large areas of ordered magnetic flux would not necessarily exhibit extremely active chromosphere.
North-South investment flows and optimal environmental policies.

Abstract In the context of a simple North–South model that focuses on the international movement of capital, we show how neglect of pollution-generating effects of foreign investment may lead to distorted and misleading policy recommendations. Such a neglect has recently received emphasis in the empirical literature on East Asian economies, as in Bello and Rosenfeld (1990, “Dragons in Distress: Asia's Miracle Economics in Crisis,” Food First, San Francisco), and was shown to overlook resulting tendencies in these economies toward specialization, away from agriculture and toward manufacturing. Our simple model formalizes this observation and allows us to show that even for an unspecialized capital-poor, resource-rich South, such pollution-generating effects provide incentives for the North to encourage, rather than to discourage, foreign investment abroad and strengthen Southern incentives to restrict foreign investment more sharply than is conventionally assumed. In a nutshell, it brings out the implications of Northern capital “creating its own demand” as a consequence of its adverse impact on the Southern resource base. Despite its simplicity, the model thus sheds light on three interrelated aspects of international trading relations: production asymmetry, incomplete markets, and monopolistic advantage.