cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Optimal Path Planning for Image Based Visual Servoing

Abstract Visual servoing is a control technique that uses image data as feedback in a motion control loop. This technique is useful in tasks that require robots or other automated motion systems to automatically inspect parts or structures. One specific method of visual servoing is Image Based Visual Servoing (IBVS), a method that simply minimizes the differences between an observed image orientation and a desired one. This method works well for orientations where these differences are small, but in the case where the desired orientation is more difficult to reach, the motion system can follow non-optimal trajectories and requires more computation time. In this paper we attempt to address this large difference issue by applying Dynamic Programming, an optimal control method that can determine an optimal trajectory by partitioning possible trajectories into multiple smaller trajectories. Using a cost function to penalize undesirable subtrajectories, the optimal overall trajectory can be determined. We present the method in an application of a camera mounted to a servo positioning system for part inspection.
Magnetically-Actuated Micro-Scale Bristle-Bots

This work presents micro-scale bristle robots, with the size of $233 \mu \mathrm{m}\times 113 \mu \mathrm{m}\times 75 \mu \mathrm{m}$, having five bristles on the top and bottom sides of the robot body. The bristles are tilted 60° from the horizontal surface. The presented micro bristle-bots are fabricated using two-photon lithography direct laser write, followed by nickel (Ni) deposition as the magnetic material. A single electromagnet lying underneath the substrate is used to actuate the robots. The magnetic field applies a torque on the nickel layer of the robot body and, combined with the ON/OFF switching of the magnetic field, induces a rocking motion. This, in turn, modulates the friction forces at the bristle tips via stick-slip cycle, resulting in a net horizontal displacement. This work marks the smallest reported bristle-bot to date.
Blast mild traumatic brain injury is associated with increased myopia and chronic convergence insufficiency.

Abstract While chronic visual symptom complaints are common among Veterans with a history of mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI), research is still ongoing to characterize the pattern of visual deficits that is most strongly associated with mTBI and specifically, the impact of blast-related mTBI on visual functioning. One area that has not been well explored is the potential impact of blast mTBI on refractive error. While myopic shifts have been documented following head injuries in civilian populations, posttraumatic myopic shifts have not been explored in participants with military mTBI. This study investigated the impact of blast mTBIs on a range of visual function measures including distance acuity and refractive error, in a well-characterized cohort of thirty-one Post-9/11 veterans for whom detailed clinical interviews regarding military and TBI history were available. Seventeen participants had a history of blast-related mTBI (blast mTBI + group) while 14 did not (blast mTBI- group). Results show an increased frequency of convergence insufficiency and myopia in the blast mTBI + group relative to the blast mTBI- group. Linear regression analyses further show that deficits in distance acuity and refractive error are associated with the number of blast mTBIs during military service but not the number of non-blast mTBIs or the number of lifetime non-blast TBIs and cannot be accounted for by PTSD. These results are consistent with long-lasting damage following blast mTBI to subcortical visual structures that support both vergence movements and the accommodative functions needed to see clearly objects at varying distances.
Prenatal and Perinatal Factors and Risk of Cancer in Middle and Older Adulthood among Men.

Background: Prenatal factors have been associated with risk of cancers later in life, although studies in men have largely been case–control and focused on birth size only. Methods: We used data from 5,845 men in the Health Professionals Follow-up Study (HPFS) to prospectively examine associations between several prenatal and perinatal factors and incident adult cancer risk. In 1994, mothers of participants reported information on characteristics and behaviors related to their pregnancy with their sons. We used multivariable Cox proportional hazards models to calculate HRs and 95% confidence intervals (CI) of associations between prenatal and perinatal risk factors and cancer risk. Results: During 20 years of follow-up, 1,228 incident cases of overall cancer were documented. Men with a birth weight of ≥4 kg had a 21% increased risk of overall cancer (HR, 1.21; 95% CI, 1.02–1.43) compared with those with a birth weight of 2.5 to 3.9 kg. Greater weight gain during pregnancy (>13.6 kg vs. 6.8–8.6 kg) was also associated with a higher risk of overall cancer (HR, 1.22; 95% CI, 1.02–1.46), and was stronger for men whose mothers had a prepregnancy BMI Conclusions: Higher birth weight and maternal weight gain are associated with increased cancer risk in adult men. Impact: Our findings support the hypothesis that the in utero environment plays a role in the etiology of cancer in middle and older adulthood.
White Supremacy and the Digital World: The Social Construction of White Identity

White Supremacist groups have been an active participant in the digital world since its inception. However, as this technology evolved so too did the opportunities it provided to various iterations of far-right political groups and organizations. Though it would be incorrect to say that the evolving realities of the digital world are the central cause for far-right radicalization, it did provide the opportunity by which those individuals already holding extremist attitudes and beliefs to better consolidate those beliefs, while also embracing a community of like-minded individuals across the country and around the world. Attitudes and beliefs, which were perhaps less welcome in normal day-to-day experience could now be shared and validated in ways that furthered this process extremism and made the possibility of violence more likely.
A nature-inspired firefly algorithm based approach for nanoscale leakage optimal RTL structure

Optimization of leakage power is essential for nanoscale CMOS (nano-CMOS) technology based integrated circuits for numerous reasons, including improving battery life of the system in which they are used as well as enhancing reliability. Leakage optimization at an early stage of the design cycle such as the register-transfer level (RTL) or architectural level provides more degrees of freedom to design engineers and ensures that the design is optimized at higher levels before proceeding to the next and more detailed phases of the design cycle. In this paper, an RTL optimization approach is presented that targets leakage-power optimization while performing simultaneous scheduling, allocation and binding. The optimization approach uses a nature-inspired firefly algorithm so that large digital integrated circuits can be effectively handled without convergence issues. The firefly algorithm optimizes the cost of leakage delay product (LDP) under various resource constraints. As a specific example, gate-oxide leakage is optimized using a 45nm CMOS dual-oxide based pre-characterized datapath library. Experimental results over various architectural level benchmark integrated circuits show that average leakage optimization of 90% can be obtained. For a comparative perspective, an integer linear programming (ILP) based algorithm is also presented and it is observed that the firefly algorithm is as accurate as ILP while converging much faster. To the best of the authors' knowledge, this is the first ever paper that applies firefly based algorithms for RTL optimization. HighlightsA novel firefly based architecture-level optimization approach is introduced in the current paper for the first time.Nanoscale register-transfer level (RTL) leakage optimization is presented.A 45nm CMOS based RTL library is presented and characterized for leakage, propagation delay, and area.Experimental results are presented for various digital signal processing RTL benchmarks.Comparative results are presented for dual-oxide and dual-dielectric approaches.
Monte-Carlo Calculations for the Lattice Gauge Theory

Monte-Carlo renormalization-group methods are formulated for the lattice gauge theory following earlier ideas of Ma and Swendson in statistical mechanics. Expectation values of gauge loops and “block gauge loops” have been computed numerically by Monte-Carlo methods on lattices of maximum size 8 × 8 × 8 × 8. The expectation values of block gauge loops are used to determine the dependence of the bare coupling of the lattice theory on the lattice spacing. The lattice Lagrangian used in the renormalization calculations contained three different loops with coefficients in a fixed ratio. The calculations reported here are preliminary and the renormalization calculation is complete only for one value of the coupling constant. Some simple loop expectation values for the simple plaquette Lagrangian are also reported; similar results have previously been reported by Creutz.
Microenvironmental regulation of lymphatic metastasis development

Proc Amer Assoc Cancer Res, Volume 45, 2004 1458 The multi-step process of metastasis development requires dynamic interplay between neoplastic cells and activated ‘normal’ host cells in the tumor microenvironment. To functionally elucidate key mediators of extracellular matrix (ECM) remodeling during de novo metastasis formation, we have utilized a transgenic mouse model of epithelial carcinogenesis, e.g., K14-HPV16 transgenic mice, intercrossed into various MMP homozygous null backgrounds. Our data suggest that distinct parameters of neoplastic progression (proliferation, angiogenesis, malignant conversion into SCCs or metastasis) are attenuated depending upon the repertoire of MMPs present in the developing neoplasm. Altogether, these studies indicate that molecules downstream of protease action play fundamental roles in discrete stages of tumor development. Based on these findings, we hypothesized that altering the susceptibility of critical MMP substrates to proteolytic cleavage might similarly attenuate neoplastic development. Thus, we tested whether the equilibrium between synthesis, accumulation and degradation of a key MMP target, e.g., type I collagen, is central for the cascade of cellular and genetic changes necessary to manifest carcinoma development and/or metastasis in HPV16 mice. Our studies have revealed that both neoplastic progression to SCC and metastatic capability of SCCs are significantly reduced in an environment where type I collagen remodeling is restricted. We are currently investigating whether reduced lymphatic metastasis development in mutant collagen/HPV16 mice represents neoplastic cell intrinsic or neoplastic cell extrinsic regulatory events that alter metastatic capability.
Photoionization models for the wind from TW Vir

One of the outstanding features of the UV spectra from dwarf novae when viewed during outburst, and from many other cataclysmic variable (CV) stars, is the existence of P-Cygni type profiles in the resonance lines of C IV, Si IV, and N V (e.g. Heap et al. 1978; Szkody 1981, 1982). Profiles of this type are familiar from the study of 0 and B stars; in these stars P-Cygni profiles are due to scattering by material in a stellar wind. If the line profiles from dwarf novae are compared to those from 0 and B stars, it is found that the line shapes are similar in the two classes of objects, but that the line strengths differ. The line strengths depend on the abundances of the scattering ions, and hence on the physical conditions in the wind. For example, if the abundances of the ions in the CV winds are determined by the rate of photionization by the local continuum radiation, then the observed UV line strengths can be used to constrain the flux in the radiation field.
The Academic Ethics Of Graduate Business Students: 1993 To 1998

Students enrolled in a graduate business school were surveyed in 1993 and 1998 about the extent of their participation in 15 unethical academic practices, their rating of the ethical level of the practices, and the reasons why they would participate in them. The level of participation in the practices showed a moderate increase over the five-year period, while ratings of their ethical level and reasons for participating in them stayed about the same. Possible explanations of the results and their implications for graduate faculty are discussed.
Jim A. Kuypers (Ed.), Purpose, Practice, and Pedagogy in Rhetorical Criticism

Jim Kuypers assembled 15 top rhetorical critics to contribute to this excellent volume. Kuypers's editing is light, offering only a few pages of introduction. The collection is very readable for al...
Patterns in Internet Architecture

The networking research community is working to design the Next Generation Internet, which will meet the needs of the twenty-first century. The Next Generation Internet has to be commerce friendly and secure. It should allow receivers to set policies for how and where they receive their information. The Next Generation Internet should be designed for mobile objects. Naming, addressing architecture, and routing have to be such that these objects can move and decide how and where they want to receive their Internet traffic with full rights of privacy of their location, if desired. Most of such capabilities turn out to be mostly a consequence of the network architecture. Therefore, it is adamant a better understanding of issues related to Internet architectures. In this talk, I will identify several architectural patterns that have emerged from the Internet evolution, from its beginning until now. Furthermore, we will discuss about lessons that could be learned from these patterns in network architecture.
Catalytic Sites for Reduction and Oxidation of Quinones

The determination of the structure of the Rps. viridis reaction center at 3 A resolution1 has provided a great deal of information of direct relevance to the many other membrane proteins which are yet to be solved crystallographically. Two recent reviews2,3 have discussed putative structures for the quinol oxidizing complexes, and independently suggested a structure (the Cramer-Widger-Saraste-Wikstrom or CWSW structure) for the main subunit of the complexes (the cytochrome b subunit) in which the major structural elements are a set of nine membrane spanning helices. Two of these helices have a special role in providing pairs of histine residues to ligand the two b-type hemes of the complex. In this brief paper, we wish to review the structure of the cytochrome b subunit in the light of additional information from the reaction center structure, and from inhibitor resistant mutants, We will discuss first the structure of the catalytic site of the reaction center at which quinone is reduced, and our attempts to predict a tertiary structure for the analogous site on the photosystem II reaction center. We will examine the location of lesions giving rise to inhibitor resistance, and the information these provide about mechanism. We will then discuss the structure of the ubiquinol:cyt C2 oxidoreductases of R. capsulatus and R. sphaeroides, the location of the quinone reactive catalytic sites, and the role of inhibitor resistant mutants in elucidating the structure.
s- and p-wave neutron spectroscopy: Part V. Level Spacings in Heavy Nuclei

Total neutron cross sections were measured for natural rubidium and thallium and for the separated isotopes, Pb208, Pb207, Pb206, Tl203, and Rb85. Approximate s-wave resonance spacings were estimated for Pb207, Y89, Rb87, Rb85, Tl203, and Tl205. D0 = DJ(2J + 1) = 2DS(2I + 1) = 50, 24, 8, 4, and 30 kev, respectively, where Ds is the average (s-wave) level spacing for all channels. The spacings (D0) of Pb206 and Pb208 were found to be of the order of hundreds of kew; there is also evidence that resonance spacings are very wide for Sr86 and Ba136. It is concluded that, in all compound nuclei with a neutron number silightly less than the magic numbers 50, 82, and 126, the resonance spacings are usually not much less than when the magic number is exceeded slightly. Since neutron excitation energies of these sub-magic nuclei are higher than the average, the observed wide level spacings below the magic numbers must be due to the properties of the nearly closed shells and can not possibly be caused only by low excitation energy of the compound nucleus. In considering these comparisons it is shown that, for s-wave resonances, the relation DJ = D0(2J + 1) is a useful approximation in that a plot of D0 is a much less erratic function of A than is the observed spacing. We also discuss the Bethe-Hurwitz effect, i.e., the influence on resonance spacing (apart from the 2J + 1 factor) of an unpaired nucleon in the target nucleus. We estimate that α ≧ 30 in the equation D0(0)D0(W) = exp (αW)12 where D0(0) is the energy and spin independent spacing parameter, and W is the excitation energy of the compound nucleus.
Abstract P097: Predictive Model of Bleeding Events in Atrial Fibrillation Patients Using Dabigatran

Objective: Develop a model to predict incident bleeding events in atrial fibrillation (AF) patients on dabigatran, using clinically available variables. Hypothesis: A predictive model of bleeding in dabigatran users developed from claims data will be clinically useful. Methods: We studied AF patients initiating dabigatran, a new oral anticoagulant, in the MarketScan dataset, a large healthcare utilization database, in the period 2010-2012. Two thirds of the sample was randomly selected and used to derive the predictive model (training dataset), which was then validated in the remaining third (testing dataset). Predictors were selected from diagnosis, procedural, and medication codes potentially associated with bleeding using health claims. The outcome of interest were intracranial bleeding or gastrointestinal hemorrhage, defined by validated algorithms. A Cox model with backwards elimination of variables (p<0.05 threshold) was used to select variables for the predictive model. Discrimination was determine...
Congress (In-) Action: Resolving a Court Created Gordian Knot on Software Patents

The possession of power does not assure its exercise. The Constitution makes clear that should Congress choose to grant patents Congress does not have to, but should they so choose, Congress is limited to implementations that 1) “promote the Progress of Science and useful Arts” 2) are “for limited times” 3) to “Authors and Inventors” solely for their “writings and discoveries” and 4) the right is “exclusive.” Yet, while the Congress has chosen to exercise the power to create a monopoly right and modified the law as recently as 2011 to balance the equities, the most basic notion of what should be eligible for consideration for patent has not been directly addressed by the Congress since the 1952 Patent Act. While Congress is the entity constitutionally charged with deciding what implementations promote the Progress of Science and the Useful Arts, this determination has been abdicated to the Courts and has been particularly problematic in the area of software patents. The following are four suggestions for immediate Congressional action to cut the Court created Gordian Knot.
Mathematical Modeling of Early Cellular Innate and Adaptive Immune Responses to Ischemia/Reperfusion Injury and Solid Organ Allotransplantation

A mathematical model of the early inflammatory response in transplantation is formulated with ordinary differential equations. We first consider the inflammatory events associated only with the initial surgical procedure and the subsequent ischemia/reperfusion events that cause tissue damage to the host as well as the donor graft. These events release damage-associated molecular pattern molecules (DAMPs), thereby initiating an acute inflammatory response. In simulations of this model, resolution of inflammation depends on the severity of the tissue damage caused by these events and the patient’s (co)-morbidities. We augment a portion of a previously-published mathematical model of acute inflammation with the inflammatory effects of T cells in the absence of antigenic allograft mismatch (but with DAMP release proportional to the degree of graft damage prior to transplant). Finally, we include the antigenic mismatch of the graft, which leads to the stimulation of potent memory T cell responses, leading to further DAMP release from the graft and concomitant increase in allograft damage. Regulatory mechanisms are also included at the final stage. Our simulations suggest that surgical injury and ischemia/reperfusion-induced graft damage can be well-tolerated by the recipient when each is present alone, but that their combination (along with antigenic mismatch) may lead to acute rejection, as seen clinically in a subset of patients. An emergent phenomenon from our simulations is that low-level DAMP release can tolerize the recipient to a mismatched allograft, whereas different restimulation regimens resulted in an exaggerated rejection response, in agreement with published studies. We suggest that mechanistic mathematical models might serve as an adjunct for patient- or sub-group-specific predictions, simulated clinical studies, and rational design of immunosuppression.
Radiation-Induced Ocular Motor Cranial Nerve Palsies in Patients With Pituitary Tumor

Background:Radiation therapy is often used in the treatment of pituitary tumor. Diplopia due to radiation damage to the ocular motor cranial nerves has been infrequently reported as a complication in this clinical setting.Methods:Retrospective case series of 6 patients (3 men and 3 women) with pitui
Modeling, processing, and data compression for spatially invariant linearly additive image sequences

A class of image sequences can be characterized as being spatially invariant and linearly additive based on their image formation processes. In these kinds of sequences, all features are positionally invariant in each image of a given sequence but have varying gray-scale properties. The various features of the scene contribute additively to each image of the sequence but the image-formation processes associated with given features have characteristic signatures describing the manner in which they vary over the image sequence. Examples of appropriate image sequences include multispectral image sequences, certain temporal image sequences, and NMR image sequences generated by modification of the excitation parameters. Note that image sequences can be formed using a variety of imaging modalities as long as the linearly additive and spatially invariant requirements are not violated. Features associated with different image-formation processes generally will have unique signatures that can be used to generate linear filters for isolating selected image-formation processes or for performing data compression. Starting with an explicit mathematical model, techniques are presented for generating optimal filters using simultaneous diagonalization for enhancement of desired image-formation processes and data compression with this class of image sequences. A unique property of this approach is that even if several image-formation processes occupy a given pixel, they can still be isolated.
Strongly underwound magnetic fields in co-rotating rarefaction regions: Observations and Implications

[1] Observations of the magnetic field orientation in co-rotating rarefaction regions (CRRs) reveals that the field can be significantly more radial than predicted by the Parker model. In particular, CRRs sampled by the Ulysses spacecraft beyond 4 AU from the sun often show average field orientations deviating by more than 30° from the expected Archimedian spiral and lasting many days. These observations are explained by a model combining footpoint motion between fast and slow solar wind streams at the source surface with the effects of velocity shear across coronal hole boundaries.
The role of mitochondria in the regulation of hypoxia-inducible factor 1 expression during hypoxia.

Hypoxia-inducible factor 1 (HIF-1) is a heterodimeric transcription factor that regulates transcriptional activation of several genes responsive to the lack of oxygen, including erythropoietin, vascular endothelial growth factor, glycolytic enzymes, and glucose transporters. Because the involvement of mitochondria in the regulation of HIF-1 has been postulated, we tested the effects of mitochondrial electron transport chain deficiency on HIF-1 protein expression and DNA binding in hypoxic cells. The neurotoxin 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP) inhibits electron transport chain at the level of complex I. MPTP is first converted to a pharmacologically active metabolite 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridinum (MPP+). MPP+ effectively inhibited both complex I activity and hypoxic accumulation of HIF-1α protein in dopaminergic cell lines PC12 and CATH.a. In C57BL/6 mice, a single dose of MPTP (15 mg/kg, intraperitoneal) inhibited complex I activity and HIF-1α protein accumulation in the striatum in response to a subsequent hypoxic challenge (8% O2, 4 h). In a genetic model system, 40% complex I-inhibited human-ape xenomitochondrial cybrids, hypoxic induction of HIF-1α was severely reduced, and HIF-1 DNA binding was diminished. However, succinate, the mitochondrial complex II substrate, restored the hypoxic response in cybrid cells, suggesting that electron transport chain activity is required for activation of HIF-1. A partial complex I deficiency and a mild reduction in intact cell oxygen consumption effectively prevented hypoxic induction of HIF-1α protein.
Transformation of nitroaromatic compounds by a methanogenic bacterium, Methanococcus sp. (strain B)

The transformation of several nitroaromatic compounds by a newly isolated methanogenic bacterium, Methanococcus sp. (strain B) was studied. The presence of nitroaromatic compounds (0.5 mM) viz., nitrobenzene, 2,4-dinitrobenzene, 2,4,6-trinitrobenzene, 2,4-dinitrophenol, 2,4-dinitrobenzene, and 2,6-dinitrotoluene in the culture medium did not inhibit growth of the isolate. The bacteria grew rapidly and reached stationary phase within seven days of incubation. All the nitroaromatic compounds tested were 80 to 100% transformed by the bacterium to amino compounds by a reduction process. The isolate did not use the nitroaromatic compounds as the sole source of carbon or nitrogen. The transformation of nitroaromatic compounds by this isolate was compared to that of other methanogenic bacteria. Out of five methanogens studied, only Methanococcus deltae and Methanococcus thermolithotrophicus could transform the nitroaromatic compounds; however, the transformation rates were significantly less than that of the new isolate Methanococcus sp. (strain B). The nitroaromatic compounds were not transformed by Methanosarcina barkeri, Methanobacterium thermoautotrophicum, and Methanobrevibacter ruminantium.
The impact of international experience on cultural intelligence: an application of contact theory in a structured short-term programme

The objective of this study is to examine the impact of a short-term international experience, which is designed to address the conditions outlined in Allport’s (Allport, G.W. 1954. The Nature of Prejudice. New York: Perseus Book Group) contact hypothesis, on each of the four factors which make up cultural intelligence (CQ). A sample of 135 university students was broken up into test and control groups. The results for the test group suggest that the short-term experience ranging from 7 to 12 days within a structured study abroad service programme, including modest pre-trip preparation, found a significant increase in each of the four factors of CQ. At the same time, there was no significant change in the control group. Implications for human research development research and practice as well as limitations and suggested areas for future research are discussed.
Ultraviolet irradiation of monkey cells enhances the repair of DNA adducts in alpha DNA

Excision repair of bulky adducts in alpha DNA of African green monkey cells has previously been shown to be deficient relative to that in the overall genome. We have found that u.v. irradiation of these cells results in the enhanced removal of both aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) and acetylaminofluorene (AAF) adducts from the alpha DNA sequences without affecting repair in the bulk of the DNA. The degree of enhanced removal of AFB1 is dependent upon the u.v. dose and the time interval between irradiation and AFB1 treatment. The u.v. enhancement is not inhibited by cycloheximide. Exposure of the cells to dimethylsulfate or gamma-rays does not affect AFB1 adduct repair. The formation and removal of N-acetoxy-2-acetylaminofluorene (NA-AAF) adducts from alpha and bulk DNA was studied in detail. A higher initial level of the acetylated C8 adduct of guanine was found in alpha DNA than in bulk DNA. Although both the acetylated and deacetylated C8 adducts were removed from the two DNA species, the level of repair was significantly greater in the bulk DNA. Irradiation of cells with u.v. prior to treatment with NA-AAF enhanced the removal of both adducts from alpha DNA with little or no effect on repair in bulk DNA. We conclude that the presence of u.v. photoproducts or some intermediate in their processing alters the chromatin structure of alpha DNA thereby rendering bulky adducts accessible to repair enzymes. In addition, the differential formation and repair of AAF adducts in alpha DNA compared with that in the bulk of the genome supports the hypothesis of an altered chromatin structure for alpha domains.
Transformation of Dictyostelium discoideum with plasmid DNA

DNA-mediated transformation is one of the most widely used techniques to study gene function. The eukaryote Dictyostelium discoideum is amenable to numerous genetic manipulations that require insertion of foreign DNA into cells. Here we describe two commonly used methods to transform Dictyostelium cells: calcium phosphate precipitation, resulting in high copy number transformants; and electroporation, an effective technique for producing single integration events into genomic DNA. Single integrations are required for gene disruption by homologous recombination. We also discuss how different selection markers affect vector copy number in transformants and explain why blasticidin has become the preferred selectable marker for making gene knockouts. Both procedures can be accomplished in less than 2 h of hands-on time; however, the calcium phosphate precipitation method contains several incubations, including one of at least 4 h, so the total time required for the transformation is approximately 8 h.
Crustal properties of Mercury by morphometric analysis of multi‐ring basins on the Moon and Mars

We use satellite altitude free-air and terrain gravity correlations to differentiate regional variations in crustal viscosity and transient cavity diameters of impact basins on the Moon and Mars that we combine with surface roughness for a rheological assessment of the crust of Mercury. For the Moon and Mars, we separate the free-air anomalies into terrain-correlated and -decorrelated components using the spectral properties of the free-air and computed terrain gravity effects. Adjusting the terrain effects for the terrain-correlated anomalies yields compensated terrain effects that we evaluate for crustal thickness variations of the impact basins. We interpret the terrain-correlated anomalies for uncompensated elements of the crustal thickness variations that we find are strongly correlated with the distribution of basin rings from photogeologic analyses. Hence, we estimate the transient cavity diameter from the innermost diameter of the gravity-inferred rings. Comparing these diameters with the related crustal thickness estimates clearly differentiates regional variations in the crustal rheologies. For the Moon, the analysis points to a farside crust that was significantly more rigid than the nearside crust during bombardment time. For Mars, the growth in transient cavity diameters with apparent crustal age also reflects increased viscosity due to crustal cooling. These results are also consistent with local estimates of surface roughness developed from the root-mean-squared topography over 64 x 64° patches centered on the basins. Hence for Mercury where gravity observations are lacking, rheological inferences on its crust may result from comparing photometric estimates of transient cavity diameter and local surface roughness with the lunar and Martian estimates. These results for the Beethoven Basin, a typical multi-ring impact feature of Mercury, suggest that the viscosity of the Mercurian crust was relatively great during bombardment time. This enhanced rigidity, despite crustal temperatures that were probably much hotter than those of the Moon and Mars, may reflect an extremely dry crust for Mercury in its early development.
Low Self-Control and Social Learning in Understanding Students' Intentions to Pirate Movies in the United States

This study determined whether social learning theory conditioned the link between low self-control and movie piracy. Using cross-sectional data from college students (n = 338), the findings revealed that the link between low self-control and movie piracy is exacerbated by substantial association with movie-pirating peers and positive attitudes toward software piracy. Policy implications are also presented.
Comet Shoemaker‐Levy‐9 impact with Jupiter: Aeronomical predictions

The fragments of comet Shoemaker-Levy-9 will enter the atmosphere of Jupiter during July 20-26, 1994. Significant amounts of water vapor will be injected into the upper atmosphere of Jupiter either from the comet itself or from the lower atmosphere of Jupiter. The photochemistry of both the neutral gas and the ionosphere will be greatly altered by the influx of this water vapor or the atomic oxygen generated by the dissociation of the water. Enhanced abundances of H2O (or other species such as NH3) in the atmosphere above the homopause should persist for at least a year and should be globally distributed. The odd oxygen (i.e., O or H2O or OH) associated with the cometary water influx alters the ion chemistry by removing H(+) ions, which also has the effect of reducing the ionospheric electron density because H(+) is ordinarily the main ion species in the Jovian ionosphere. The density of H3(+), both in the auroral and non-auroral ionosphere, will also be reduced due to presence of water. This ion species has been detected spectroscopically at Jupiter, and a drop in its abundance should be detectable. The major ion species will become H3O(+) which could reach a peak density as high as 10(exp 4)/cu cm in the non-auroral ionosphere and 10(exp 5)/cu cm in the auroral ionosphere. It should be possible to detect this ion species spectroscopically from Earth-based observatories.
Obstetric ultrasound quality improvement initiative-utilization of a quality assurance process and standardized checklists.

Objective Our aim was to assess whether mandated completion of an electronic checklist and a quality assurance (QA) process improved obstetric (OB) ultrasound image documentation. Study Design A checklist of mandated images based on the American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine guidelines was created. A baseline QA assessment was performed with a lead senior sonographer reviewing eight random OB examinations for each sonographer. An electronic checklist was then instituted for all OB examinations on each ultrasound machine. It was mandated that each anatomical structure be checked off during real-time image acquisition. A repeat QA assessment of each sonographer was then performed quarterly. Results Baseline assessments were performed between September 2011 and November 2011. Out of the 110 examinations analyzed, only 49% were deemed “complete” with none of the sonographers having a 100% complete examination rate. Following institution of the mandated electronic checklist, a repeat assessment revealed an 81% complete examination rate for the next quarter, and 90% were complete at the end of a year. All sonographers improved their image acquisition regardless of baseline skill level at the initial QA. Conclusion A QA process and a mandated standardized electronic checklist improved the image documentation.
Complementary displacement-encoded MRI for contrast-enhanced infarct detection and quantification of myocardial function in mice.

MRI is emerging as an important modality for assessing myocardial function in transgenic and knockout mouse models of cardiovascular disease, including myocardial infarction (MI). Displacement encoding with stimulated echoes (DENSE) measures myocardial motion at high spatial resolution using phase-reconstructed images. The current DENSE technique uses inversion recovery (IR) to suppress T1-relaxation artifacts; however, IR is ill-suited for contrast-enhanced infarct imaging in the heart, where multiple T1 values are observed. We have developed a modified DENSE method employing complementary acquisitions for T1-independent artifact suppression. With this technique, displacement and strain are measured in phase-reconstructed images, and contrast-enhanced regions of infarction are depicted in perfectly coregistered magnitude-reconstructed images. The displacement measurements and T1-weighted image contrast were validated with the use of a rotating phantom. Modified DENSE was performed in mice (N = 9) before and after MI. Circumferential (Ecc) and radial (Err) strain were measured, and contrast-enhanced infarcted myocardium was detected by DENSE. At baseline, Ecc was −0.16 ± 0.01 and Err was 0.39 ± 0.07. After MI, Ecc was 0.04 ± 0.02 and Err was 0.03 ± 0.04 in infarcted regions, whereas Ecc was −0.12 ± 0.02 and Err was 0.38 ± 0.09 in noninfarcted regions. In vivo Ecc as determined by DENSE correlated well with Ecc obtained by conventional tag analysis (R = 0.90). Magn Reson Med 51:744–752, 2004. © 2004 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
The Bacterial Spore as an Energy-Rich Adaptive Material

Stimuli responsive materials are in high demand for myriad applications within the fields of biomedicine, adaptive-architecture, robotics, and alternative energy. The non-pathogenic bacterial spores of Bacillus subtilis have the ability to swell as much as 12% in response to humidity gradients. Within the spore unique biomaterials drive this dynamic response, resulting in energy densities greater than 10 MJ∗m−3, more than a hundred times the potential of existing synthetics. We hypothesize that the spore's cortex, a protective layer surrounding the genetic core, is largely but not solely responsible for this peculiar water-responsive behavior. To evaluate the spore's constituent biomaterials we developed AFM techniques that assay individual spores during a thermodynamic cycle of varied applied force and relative humidity. This method resulted in energy density and strain profiles for multiple spore variants and structural mutants. Electron microscopy (FIB SEM) was then used to ascribe radial dimensions to biomaterial layers within the spore. Quantifying precise substructural contributions to the spore's hygrodynamics will allow for in vitro optimization of composite spore biomaterials and may even facilitate artificial synthesis in the future. The bacterial spore's inherent ability to form monolayers and superior performance in highly efficient energy conversion and actuation qualifies it as an intriguing material worthy of broad development.
Inspection of polarizer tiny bump defects using computer vision

In recent years, the demand of polarizer films has increased since that liquid crystal displays are widely used in consumer electronics products such as smart phones, tablet computers and large-size TVs. For improving production yields, manufacturers actively adopt automated inspection equipment to detect in-line polarizer film defects. This study uses computer vision techniques to develop a cost-effective optical detection system for the tiny bump defects of polarizer films. The proposed system applies digital fringes and image processing techniques to detect the tiny bump defects. Experiments show that the proposed system can effectively detect the tiny bump defects, and complete the defect inspection of a sample polarizer film with an area of 1600 × 1200 pixels (36mm × 27mm) within 0.3 seconds.
The characteristics of 15 MeV and fission neutron damage in niobium

Displacement damage by 15 MeV (d-Be source) and fission neutrons at 30$sup 0$C in high purity niobium single crystals has been studied by transmission electron microscopy. The fluence of the 15 MeV neutrons was 1.5-- 2.0 x 10$sup 17$ n/cm$sup 2$ and the fluence of the fission neutrons (5 x 10$sup 17$ n/cm$sup 2$) was chosen so that samples from both types of irradiations had approximately the same damage energy. In both 15 MeV and fission neutron irradiated specimens, the loops were observed to be about $sup 2$/$sub 3$ interstitial and $sup 1$/$sub 3$ vacancy type. The analysis of Burgers vectors of the dislocation loops showed that more than $sup 2$/$sub 3$ of the loops were perfect a/2(111) and that the rest were a/2(110) faulted. It is concluded that at equal damage energies, the detailed nature of the damage is the same for 15 MeV and fission neutron irradiated niobium. (auth)
Nesfatin‐1 activates cardiac vagal neurons of nucleus ambiguus and elicits bradycardia in conscious rats

Nesfatin-1, a peptide whose receptor is yet to be identified, has been involved in the modulation of feeding, stress, and metabolic responses. More recently, increasing evidence supports a modulatory role for nesfatin-1 in autonomic and cardiovascular activity. This study was undertaken to test if the expression of nesfatin-1 in the nucleus ambiguus, a key site for parasympathetic cardiac control, may be correlated with a functional role. As we have previously demonstrated that nesfatin-1 elicits Ca²⁺ signaling in hypothalamic neurons, we first assessed the effect of this peptide on cytosolic Ca²⁺ in cardiac pre-ganglionic neurons of nucleus ambiguus. We provide evidence that nesfatin-1 increases cytosolic Ca²⁺ concentration via a Gi/o-coupled mechanism. The nesfatin-1-induced Ca²⁺ rise is critically dependent on Ca²⁺ influx via P/Q-type voltage-activated Ca²⁺ channels. Repeated administration of nesfatin-1 leads to tachyphylaxis. Furthermore, nesfatin-1 produces a dose-dependent depolarization of cardiac vagal neurons via a Gi/o-coupled mechanism. In vivo studies, using telemetric and tail-cuff monitoring of heart rate and blood pressure, indicate that microinjection of nesfatin-1 into the nucleus ambiguus produces bradycardia not accompanied by a change in blood pressure in conscious rats. Taken together, our results identify for the first time that nesfatin-1 decreases heart rate by activating cardiac vagal neurons of nucleus ambiguus. Our results indicate that nesfatin-1, one of the most potent feeding peptides, increases cytosolic Ca²⁺ by promoting Ca²⁺ influx via P/Q channels and depolarizes nucleus ambiguus neurons; both effects are Gi/o-mediated. In vivo studies indicate that microinjection of nesfatin-1 into nucleus ambiguus produces bradycardia in conscious rats. This is the first report that nesfatin-1 increases the parasympathetic cardiac tone.
Integrin Receptors Are Required for Cell Survival and Proliferation during Development of the Peripheral Glial Lineage

Abstract Proliferation and survival of Schwann cells are important for nerve development and for disease processes in peripheral nerves. We have analyzed embryos lacking α4- or α5-integrins and show here that these integrins contribute to the control of glial cell numbers. To overcome early embryonic lethality an explant and grafting system that allows the study of isolated glial progenitor cells both in vitro and in vivo was used. Schwann cells differentiate in the absence of α5 but their numbers and the proliferation rate of early progenitor cells are reduced, suggesting that α5 is essential for normal proliferation. Survival, rather than proliferation, is compromised in α4-deficient explants. Conditional immortalization allowed further characterization and revealed that α4 contributes to survival in a cell-density-dependent fashion. In addition, transplants into chicken embryos were used to analyze in vivo cell migration and showed that cell death occurs mainly in highly motile, individually migrating cells. The cell death patterns in vitro and in vivo argue that α4-integrins play a role in survival during cell migration. Neural crest migration has been suggested to require these integrins; however, no defects in migration were observed in the absence of α4 or α5. We conclude that integrins can complement growth factors in the control of glial cell numbers.
Rumination in Interpersonal Relationships: Does Co-rumination Explain Gender Differences in Emotional Distress and Relationship Satisfaction Among College Students?

Rose (Child Dev 73:1830–1843, 2002) found evidence that co-rumination accounts for girls’ greater emotional distress as well as their greater friendship satisfaction compared to boys. Co-rumination is defined as a passive, repetitive discussion of symptoms or problems with a close other. The present study explored the associations between co-rumination in various types of close relationships and both emotional distress and relationship satisfaction in college students. First, confirmatory factor analyses demonstrated that co-rumination is distinct from depressive rumination. Further, co-rumination with one’s closest friend mediated the relationship between gender and both depressive symptoms and friendship satisfaction. Specifically, females reported higher levels of co-rumination with their closest friend, which in turn, predicted their higher levels of depressive symptomatology and friendship satisfaction. In contrast, there were no gender differences in co-rumination in other close relationships, and for the most part, co-rumination in these relationships was not associated with gender differences in emotional distress or relationship satisfaction. Therefore, co-rumination in close friendships may be particularly important in understanding the higher levels of both depression and relationship satisfaction among females compared to males.
Antagonism between tropolone and colchicine in rat fibroblast cultures.

Il a ete demontre ici que la tropolone, analogue simple de la colchicine, est capable d'agir comme antagoniste puissant de celle-ci. Dans une culture de fibroblastes du rat soumise a l'action d'un melange de ces deux agents, cette action — consistant dans la disparition soudaine de l'arret metaphasique produit par la colchicine—commence a se manifester apres 16 h.
Dynamical supersymmetries and the positive parity states in /sup 193/Au

The positive parity states in $^{193}\mathrm{Au}$ are discussed in terms of a dynamical super (Bose-Fermi) symmetry that has recently been proposed by Iachello. In the present example the supersymmetry is generated by $L=0,2$ bosons with O(6) symmetry and a fermion with $j=\frac{3}{2}$.
Fluconazole in the treatment of persistent coccidioidomycosis.

Fluconazole is one of the new antifungal triazoles undergoing clinical trials. We used fluconazole at a dose of 50 or 100 mg/day in an open trial for the treatment of patients with persistent coccidioidomycosis. Fourteen patients were enrolled and treated for a mean of 13 ± 7 months. Two failed to respond. Of the 12 who responded, one reactivated while being treated, and one died of myocardial infarction after successful treatment of his fungal infection; six had relapses from nine days to 15 months after treatment was stopped. Only four patients are asymptomatic at a mean of 14 ± 3 months after cessation of treatment. Fluconazole is well tolerated at this dose. In view of its low toxicity, the partial clinical efficacy observed, and the high recurrence rate of chronic coccidioidal infection, it would be justified to try higher doses.