cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Production of nutritional cirrhosis in Macacca mulatta monkeys.

Hepatic cirrhosis remains a major medical challenge both in regard to its pathogenesis and its treatment. The natural course of Laennec's cirrhosis, particularly its early development, does not lend itself to detailed clinical investigation, even if its victims were not so characteristically uncooperative. On the other hand, attempts to produce cirrhosis in experimental animals have either employed methods which produce a pathologic lesion significantly different from that encountered clinically (eg, carbon tetrachloride), or involved species whose livers exhibit important anatomical and physiological differences from man, or which are too small for detailed hemodynamic studies of portal hypertension and its modification by surgical shunting procedures. The production of nutritional cirrhosis in subhuman primates offers an opportunity to overcome some of these difficulties; preliminary reports by Wilgram 1 and Gaisford and Zuidema 2 of the production of an early "Laennec" type of cirrhosis in monkeys by a low protein, choline deficient diet
Elastic modes, phase fluctuations, and long-range order in type-II superconductors

We consider the effect of thermal fluctuations on the phase of the superconducting order parameter of the Abrikosov flux-line-lattice state of a type-II superconductor. While in the electrodynamic gauges usually chosen there are apparently divergent phase fluctuations, we show that the gauge-invariant phase has a finite average value. Thus, conventional superconducting long-range order is present in a three-dimensional flux line lattice.
A Model to Describe Protection Problems

A protection model based on access control which gives formal definitions for the terms protection problem and safety is introduced. The model provides features for describing the manipulation of the contents of objects and extends the possibilities of the access matrix model.
Intelligent Macroergonomics Approach for Evaluation of Integrated Manufacturing, Organization, Human Resources, and Information Systems

This paper presents an intelligent-based macroergonomic approach to integration of Manufacturing System, Organization, Information Subsystem and Human Resources. The purpose of this approach is to aid in planning and evaluation of the overall design quality of the IMS systems from the macroergonomic point of view. The proposed method can be used to evaluate the overall design quality of the IMS system prior to implementation, or to evaluate an existing IMS system, to compare alternative IMS system designs, and to do “what-if” type analysis about the effect of system improvements on the quality of integration between technology, organization and people.
Factors that affect planning in a knowledge-based system for mechanical engineering design optimization with application to the design of mechanical power transmissions

Intelligent computer-aided design (CAD) emulates the human activity of design so that production planning, decision making, and inventive design can be performed by computers. Based on the history of human experience in engineering design, a formalized and systematic approach to design should include procedures from (1) conceptual design, (2) layout design, and (3) numerical optimization. The highest level within such a system should be responsible for specifying and symbolically optimizing skeleton structures of generic (nonspecific) elements within the design process that are eventually to be specified uniquely (pinned down) and ultimately optimized numerically. Planning plays a key role in such a system. Planning has been utilized as a tool for process organization within the knowledge domains of chemical engineering, electrical engineering, manufacturing, as well as for general problem formulation and solution. State estimation, subtask scheduling, and constraint propagation have been found to be factors of prime importance in this type of problem. Problems associated with the implementation of a planning strategy within a knowledge-based system for mechanical engineering design optimization are discussed. A hypothesis for planning is put forth and examined within the context of a model of the mechanical design optimization process. An example that demonstrates the applicability of this approach to mechanical power transmission design is considered.
Radiolarian diversity patterns in the latest Jurassic–earliest Cretaceous

Abstract The global diversity patterns of latest Jurassic–earliest Cretaceous (Tithonian–Berriasian) radiolarian faunas were analyzed based on samples from the European Alps, Oman, Philippines and Antarctica and an extensive literature survey. Several measures of diversity were applied to faunas from tropical (Oman, Mexico, Pacific), subtropical (Alps, California, Philippines, Japan), and subpolar (Antarctic Peninsula, New Zealand, Northern Russia) localities. Original diversity patterns are obscured by taxonomic, sedimentological, and preservational biases. Qualitative and quantitative corrections of these biases indicated a significant diversity gradient from tropical–subtropical to subpolar latitudes, but no significant difference between tropical and subtropical assemblages. The latitudinal diversity gradient was apparently asymmetrical, being steeper in the Northern Hemisphere than in the Southern Hemisphere. In the Southern Hemisphere the diversity gradient was similar to the one observed in modern radiolarian sedimentary assemblages. Considering the more equable climate of the Tithonian–Berriasian, it appears unlikely that temperature was the only control of the observed diversity patterns. The results substantiate the notion of latitudinal diversity gradients as a time-invariant feature of the Earth, possibly driven by gradients in biome size.
Intravesical botulinum toxin a administration produces analgesia against acetic acid induced bladder pain responses in rats.

ABSTRACTPurpose: There is evidence that botulinum toxin A (BTX-A) might have analgesic properties. However, the mechanisms by which BTX-A alters pain remain largely unexplored. In the bladder afferent nerve fibers contain calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP). In this study we investigated the effect of intravesical BTX-A administration on CGRP immunoreactivity and bladder hyperactivity in an acetic acid induced bladder pain model in rats.Materials and Methods: Experimental and control animals were catheterized and intravesically exposed to protamine sulfate (1 ml, 10 mg/ml), followed by BTX-A (1 ml, 25 U/ml) or saline, respectively. Three or 7 days after intravesical therapy continuous cystometrograms were performed using urethane anesthesia by filling the bladder (0.08 ml per minute) with saline, followed by 0.3% acetic acid. Bladder immunohistochemistry was used to detect CGRP.Results: The intercontraction interval (ICI) was decreased after acetic acid instillation (50.2% and 65.0%) in the control gro...
The three faces of riboviral spontaneous mutation: spectrum, mode of genome replication, and mutation rate.

Riboviruses (RNA viruses without DNA replication intermediates) are the most abundant pathogens infecting animals and plants. Only a few riboviral infections can be controlled with antiviral drugs, mainly because of the rapid appearance of resistance mutations. Little reliable information is available concerning i) kinds and relative frequencies of mutations (the mutational spectrum), ii) mode of genome replication and mutation accumulation, and iii) rates of spontaneous mutation. To illuminate these issues, we developed a model in vivo system based on phage Qs infecting its natural host, Escherichia coli. The Qs RT gene encoding the Read-Through protein was used as a mutation reporter. To reduce uncertainties in mutation frequencies due to selection, the experimental Qs populations were established after a single cycle of infection and selection against RT − mutants during phage growth was ameliorated by plasmid-based RT complementation in trans. The dynamics of Qs genome replication were confirmed to reflect the linear process of iterative copying (the stamping-machine mode). A total of 32 RT mutants were detected among 7,517 Qs isolates. Sequencing analysis of 45 RT mutations revealed a spectrum dominated by 39 transitions, plus 4 transversions and 2 indels. A clear template•primer mismatch bias was observed: A•C>C•A>U•G>G•U> transversion mismatches. The average mutation rate per base replication was ≈9.1×10−6 for base substitutions and ≈2.3×10−7 for indels. The estimated mutation rate per genome replication, μg, was ≈0.04 (or, per phage generation, ≈0.08), although secondary RT mutations arose during the growth of some RT mutants at a rate about 7-fold higher, signaling the possible impact of transitory bouts of hypermutation. These results are contrasted with those previously reported for other riboviruses to depict the current state of the art in riboviral mutagenesis.
Spectroscopic and computational studies of the azide-adduct of manganese superoxide dismutase: definitive assignment of the ligand responsible for the low-temperature thermochromism.

A variety of spectroscopic and computational techniques have been used to examine the thermochromic transition previously reported for the oxidized state of Mn-dependent superoxide dismutase from E...
Isolated sheep heart hypothermic (5–13 °C) perfusion with fresh blood: Successful preservation for 24–72 hours with continuous strong ventricular activity

Abstract Isolated lamb hearts perfused with fresh whole blood at 10 and 13 °C in an ex vivo perfusion circuit continuously contracted at a rate of 15 to 20 times/min with a peak left ventricular systolic pressure (LVPSP) up to 70 mm Hg. These contractions persisted for the duration of the hypothermic study, up to three days with no change in vascular resistance. On rewarming to 38 °C, the hearts resumed regular and efficient contractions. Hearts perfused at 5 °C, however, exhibited no electrical or mechanical activity during hypothermic preservation and were uniformly poorly preserved. Quality of heart preservation was improved if, prior to final cooling, hearts were first rewarmed to 38 °C, followed by cooling. Change of the support animal, or interruption of flow of fresh blood into the perfusion circuit, resulted in cessation of ventricular contractions, ventricular fibrillation, and poor organ preservation.
Real-Time Participant Feedback from the Symposium for Civilian Applications of Unmanned Aircraft Systems

The Symposium for Civilian Applications of Unmanned Aircraft Systems was held 1---3 October 2007 in Boulder, Colorado. The purpose of the meeting was to develop an integrated vision of future Unmanned Aircraft Systems with input from stakeholders in the government agencies, academia and industry. This paper discusses the motivation for the symposium, its organization, the outcome of focused presentations and discussions, and participant survey data from questions and statements that were collected in real time during the meeting. Some samples of these data are presented in graphical form and discussed. The complete set of survey data are included in the Appendix.
Review of cure of polymers and composites by microwave energy.

The fundamental concepts of microwaves and their application as an alternative energy source for cure of polymers and composites are discussed. The mechanisms of interaction between electromagnetic waves and organic materials are described, and studies reported in the literature on microwave cure of polymers and their composites are discussed. Information is presented about materials, microwave applicators, modes of microwave energy application, and means of monitoring reactions. It is concluded that microwaves as the source of energy offer advantages over thermal cure but that a fundamental study of cure in the microwave field is necessary to fully assess their effect on the physical/mechanical properties of cured polymers.
CT image registration in sinogram space

Object displacement in a CT scan is generally reflected in CT projection data or sinogram. In this work, the direct relationship between object motion and the change of CT projection data (sinogram) is investigated and this knowledge is applied to create a novel algorithm for sinogram registration. Calculated and experimental results demonstrate that the registration technique works well for registering rigid 2D or 3D motion in parallel and fan beam samplings. Problem and solution for 3D sinogram-based registration of metallic fiducials are also addressed. Since the motion is registered before image reconstruction, the presented algorithm is particularly useful when registering images with metal or truncation artifacts. In addition, this algorithm is valuable for dealing with situations where only limited projection data are available, making it appealing for various applications in image guided radiation therapy.
Kinetic studies of food intake and sucrose solution preference by rats treated with low doses of Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol

The experiments to be described were undertaken to determine time-related effects of single low-dose levels of Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol on food and sucrose solution consumption of rats. One hour after receiving oral doses of 0.00, 0.25, and 0.40 mg/kg, rats were offered free access to wet and dry chow and one of five concentrations of sucrose solution and water. Intakes were recorded after various time intervals during the 24 hr following treatment. Rats treated with Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol consumed dry chow at significantly higher rates, during the first hour of feeding, and the strongest sucrose solution, at significantly higher rates during the first half-hour of drinking, than controls. Treatment group differences in food and sucrose solution intakes existed throughout the 24-hr period. In both studies, rats treated with the drug initially consumed kilocalories from food and sucrose at higher rates than controls. Rats compensated for early large kilocalorie intakes by decreasing consumption rates later to yield a total 24-hr intake which nearly matched control values. The findings suggest that low doses of Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol produce dose- and time-dependent effects on food and sucrose solution intake and preference and on kilocalorie consumption rates in rats during the 24-hr period following administration of the drug.
Novel device concepts for high-efficiency InGaN-based light-emitting diodes

Novel staggered InGaN quantum wells (QWs) and type-II InGaN-GaNAs QWs with improved momentum matrix element lead to improved internal quantum efficiency for green-emitting light-emitting diodes (LEDs). Approaches for enhancing internal quantum efficiency, light extraction efficiency, and efficiency-droop in nitride LEDs are discussed.
Electrical characteristics of ZrO2-based metal-insulator-semiconductor structures on p-Si

Abstract The metal-insulator-semiconductor characteristics of annealed ZrO2 films and oxidized zirconium films have been compared. The ZrO2 and zirconium films have been deposited by electron beam evaporation. Scanning electron microscopy analysis reveals a smooth morphology for deposited as well as annealed or oxidized films. The X-ray diffraction analysis shows that the as-deposited films are amorphous and become crystalline as a result of annealing. The static dielectric constant was found to be higher for annealed zirconium oxide films as compared with oxidized zirconium films. The dielectric constant was found to be dependent on annealing temperature.
Molecular scale buckling mechanics in individual aligned single-wall carbon nanotubes on elastomeric substrates.

We have studied the scaling of controlled nonlinear buckling processes in materials with dimensions in the molecular range (i.e., ∼1 nm) through experimental and theoretical studies of buckling in individual single-wall carbon nanotubes on substrates of poly(dimethylsiloxane). The results show not only the ability to create and manipulate patterns of buckling at these molecular scales, but also, that analytical continuum mechanics theory can explain, quantitatively, all measurable aspects of this system. Inverse calculation applied to measurements of diameter-dependent buckling wavelengths yields accurate values of the Young's moduli of individual SWNTs. As an example of the value of this system beyond its use in this type of molecular scale metrology, we implement parallel arrays of buckled SWNTs as a class of mechanically stretchable conductor.
Efficient Gene Transfer into Normal Human Skeletal Cells Using Recombinant Adenovirus and Conjugated Adenovirus-DNA Complexes

In order to assess efficient DNA gene transfer into human primary cell cultures derived from the skeleton we tested two viral-based procedures. First, replication-deficient recombinant adenoviruses (ADV) were used to infect post-confluent human marrow stromal fibroblasts (HMSF) and human trabecular bone (HTB) cells. Both cell types were readily infected by modified adenoviral vectors carrying a reporter gene making this virus an attractive candidate to facilitate DNA gene transfer. In a second approach we coincubated DNA with ADV that had polylysine (PLL) covalently attached. With this ADV/PLL/DNA complex, very efficient gene transfer into multilayered HMSF and HTB cell cultures was observed, and DNA coincubated with unmodified ADV failed to be effectively transferred. These data imply that the covalently bound PLL more effectively binds exogenous DNA, resulting in a highly efficient internalization event in both cell types. Thus, this latter method has many advantages over conventional ADV gene transfer procedures. It is simple, rapid, and it does not require engineering of DNA into the viral genome, thereby allowing transfer of large fragments of DNA.
Variability of ocean heat uptake: Reconciling observations and models

This study examines the temporal variability of ocean heat uptake in observations and in climate models. Previous work suggests that coupled Atmosphere-Ocean General Circulation Models (A-OGCMs) may have underestimated the observed natural variability of ocean heat content, particularly on decadal and longer timescales. To address this issue, we rely on observed estimates of heat content from the 2004 World Ocean Atlas (WOA-2004) compiled by Levitus et al. (2005). Given information about the distribution of observations in WOA-2004, we evaluate the effects of sparse observational coverage and the infilling that Levitus et al. use to produce the spatially-complete temperature fields required to compute heat content variations. We first show that in ocean basins with limited observational coverage, there are important differences between ocean temperature variability estimated from observed and infilled portions of the basin. We then employ data from control simulations performed with eight different A-OGCMs as a test-bed for studying the effects of sparse, space- and time-varying observational coverage. Subsampling model data with actual observational coverage has a large impact on the inferred temperature variability in the top 300 and 3000 meters of the ocean. This arises from changes in both sampling depth and in the geographical areas sampled. Our results illustrate that subsampling model data at the locations of available observations increases the variability, reducing the discrepancy between models and observations.
Touring Homophobia: Understanding the Soulforce Equality Ride as a Toxic Tour

This article considers the 2010 Soulforce Equality Ride, a movement of queer Christian students who traveled around the country protesting conservative Christian colleges and universities with anti–lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) policies. We argue that the movement is comparable to a toxic tour, as described by Pezzullo (2007), because of the harmfulness of the campuses' policies, the difficult rhetorical challenge the movement faces, and the importance of presence for the Equality Ride activists and the students they met along the way. We understand the conservative Christian college campuses as environments and the anti-LGB rhetoric and policies as toxins. We argue that the movement offers hope by undermining the notion that LGB sexualities and Christian spirituality are mutually exclusive categories of binary opposition.
Evaluation of color space information for visualization of contamination plumes

Relating dye concentration and image information is an important consideration in flow studies which employs a tracer to map plumes of contamination. This study employs color space information to increase the data available for analysis than gray scale commonly employed. The objective of this study is to find a color space in which the relationship between transmitted signal and integrated concentration is quantifiable. In particular, the goal was to correlate the spatial concentration of contamination with color pixel information. For this purpose, a new algorithm was used to identify the best concentration for a number of dyes that can be used as tracers. In addition, the ideal color space component for reconstruction of each dye was determined. The effectiveness of this color classification method was assessed using 10,368 color space component images within the framework of peak signal-to-noise ratio for eight different dyes and six color spaces spanning a concentration ranging from 1 to 2,000 ppm, for eight plume lengths.
A COMPARISON OF TWO ADAPTIVE ALGORITHMS FOR DISTURBANCE CANCELLATION

Abstract The objective of this paper is to compare two approaches to the adaptive rejection of disturbance inputs represented by a finite sum of sinusoids. The first approach is based on adapting the parameters of a finite impulse response (FIR) feedback controller using a least mean square (LMS) type algorithm to achieve asymptotic disturbance rejection. The second approach is based on using the recursive least squares (RLS) algorithm to search within the set of parametrized stabilizing controllers for a controller that leads to asymptotic disturbance rejection. The two approaches are compared in terms of thier basic characteristics, as well as their performance in a simulation example.
Competition and regulation in higher education: a comparison of the Netherlands and the United States

This paper compares and contrasts the higher education systems of the Netherlands and the United States in an effort to highlight issues in the competition vs. regulation debate. Based on these illustrative cases, an array of policy options to inject competitive dynamics into a highly regulated system are presented and evaluated. These include both demand-oriented policies such as price changes and enrollment limits as well as supply-oriented policies such as increased institutional autonomy in generating revenues, more flexible input policies, and incentive-based budgetary reforms.
Stemphylium botryosum Pathogenic on Spinach Seed Crops in Washington.

In September 2000, symptoms typical of leaf spot caused by Cladosporium variabile were observed on a spinach (Spinacea oleracea L.) seed crop in western Washington. Dry, bleached spots (1 to 20 mm) were most abundant on lower leaves. Two isolates of C. variabile and three isolates of Stemphylium were recovered by plating surface-sterilized (0.1% sodium hypochlorite) sections of symptomatic leaf tissue onto water agar and acidified potato dextrose agar (PDA). Transfers of each isolate were made to PDA, and cultures were kept at 24 ± 2°C on a lab bench (natural day/night cycle) for 10 to 14 days. Spore suspensions (105/ml) of the isolates of C. variabile were prepared in a 0.01% solution of Tween 80. Isolates of Stemphylium produced few spores, so mycelial suspensions (105 fragments/ml) were prepared. Five 8-week-old seedlings of each of the cultivars Winter Bloomsdale and Ozarka II were inoculated per fungal isolate by atomizing the inoculum onto each seedling until all leaves were covered with a thin film of droplets (4 to 5 ml of inoculum per seedling). Plants were enclosed in plastic bags on a greenhouse bench (24 ± 3°C) for 72 h (8 h/16 h day/night). Symptoms developed within 80 h of inoculation for both isolates of C. variabile and two isolates of Stemphylium. Small (1 to 2 mm) sunken spots turned white 24 to 48 h later and became dry and bleached. Lesions caused by isolates of Stemphylium enlarged and coalesced more rapidly than lesions caused by C. variabile, and were more irregular and usually not delimited by the thin brown margin typical of lesions caused by C. variabile. The differences in symptoms were consistent on both spinach cultivars. Symptoms were not observed on non-inoculated control plants nor on plants inoculated with the third isolate of Stemphylium. C. variabile and Stemphylium were reisolated from symptomatic leaf tissue. Colony morphology, conidiophores, and conidia of the pathogenic Stemphylium isolates were similar to those of pathogenic isolates of Stemphylium botryosum obtained from spinach plants in California (2). This is the first report of S. botryosum as a foliar pathogen of spinach seed crops in Washington. Although Correll et al. (1) noted Stemphylium to be damaging on mature spinach plants grown for seed production, S. botryosum may not have been diagnosed previously on spinach seed crops in Washington because of the similarity of symptoms caused by S. botryosum and C. variabile. S. botryosum was recently reported as a foliar pathogen of spinach in California (2). References: (1) J. C. Correll et al. Plant Dis. 78:653, 1994. (2) S. T. Koike et al. Plant Dis. 85:126, 2001.
The effects of d-amphetamine on prey killing and prey eating in the rat and mouse

d-Amphetamine inhibited mouse, frog, and cricket killing in the rat and cricket killing in the laboratory mouse. Feeding on the same prey was also inhibited, but required a lower dose of the drug. While the anoxeric effects of d-amphetamine may contribute to the drug’s inhibition of prey killing, other actions of the drug also appear to be involved.
Lipase immobilized on hydrophobic porous polymer supports prepared by concentrated emulsion polymerization and their activity in the hydrolysis of triacylglycerides

Microporous polymer supports for the immobilization of lipase have been prepared by the polymerization of a concentrated emulsion precursor. The concentrated emulsion consists of a mixture of styrene and divinyl-benzene containing a suitable surfactant and an initiator as the continuous phase and water as the dispersed phase. The volume fraction of the latter phase was greater than 0.74, which is the volume fraction of the dispersed phase for the most compact arrangement of spheres of equal radius. The lipase from Candida rugosa has been immobilized on the internal surface of the hydrophobic microporous poly(styrene-divinyl benzene) supports and used as biocatalysts for the hydrolysis of triacylglycerides. The effects of the amount of surfactant, of the molar ratio of divinylbenzene/styrene in the continuous phase, and of the aquaphilicity of the supports on the adsorption, activity, and stability of the immobilized lipase have been investigated. The microporous poly(styrene-divinylbenzene) adsorbents constitute excellent supports for lipase because both the amount adsorbed is large and the rate of enzymatic reaction per molecule of lipase is higher for the immobilized enzyme than for the free one. © 1993 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
“All This Happened, More or Less”: The Science Fiction of Trauma in Slaughterhouse-Five

Kurt Vonnegut struggled for years to depict his memories of Dresden's infamous firebombing in 1945, due in part to the fact that no specific medical discourse yet existed regarding psychological trauma. This article explores how Vonnegut found a unique way to recount an experience that lies outside the bounds of normative human consciousness by turning to the generic characteristics of science fiction. By paying particular attention to the familiar/unfamiliar binary intrinsic to science fiction, Vonnegut finds the terminology and structure to narrate the bizarre, frightening experience of trauma in general and traumatic memory in particular.
Stocks, shocks and price-output decisions

Abstract As an exploration in the microfoundations of macroeconomics, this paper provides a general solution for how a price-setting firm will respond to both anticipated and unanticipated changes in demand and in costs. A critical stock-cost function is derived explicitly. There is also an indication of what it takes not only to have the Keynesian phenomenon of output movements preceding price movements in the same direction but also to have price movements preceding output movements in the opposite direction, a pattern noted in recent time-series analyses.
Neighborhood Rehabilitation and Policy Transfer

In the mid-1980s, Britain initiated a new neighborhood regeneration program based on a US model, Neighborhood Housing Services. Both programs are based on a partnership between residents, the private sector, and local governments. The central objective of the British government was to reorient British national housing rehabilitation policy from its traditional public-sector, grant-based programs to the private-sector, loan-based system which characterizes US policy. The British program, Neighbourhood Revitalisation Services (NRS), began as a pilot program in four cities and was expanded to twenty-five more neighborhoods. Data suggest considerable reluctance among British homeowners to tap their own savings or borrow money to make home improvements in the NRS neighborhoods. That reluctance may stem from some disincentives built into the early stages of the new program. Thus, at least in the short term, the data suggest that the transition to the US private-sector model has not been readily embraced by Brit...
Stock Recommendations as a Source of Bias in Earnings Forecasts

Recent scandals and controversies have focused substantial attention on the behavior of financial analysts. Responses such as the Sarbanes‐Oxley Act, new regulations at securities exchanges, and massive legal settlements are consistent with the perception that analysts' research and stock recommendations exhibit significant self‐serving bias. While anecdotal and legal evidence support the allegations that some analysts have intentionally mislead the investing public, recent archival research suggests unintentional cognitive processes also contribute to systematic bias in analysts' forecasts (Eames et al. 2002). However, studies based on stock‐market data cannot distinguish between unintentional cognitive processes and intentional bias stemming from economic incentives (e.g., trade boosting). In a laboratory experiment we eliminate economic incentives and find that cognitive processes unintentionally lead to earnings forecast bias. Our results suggest that recent regulations and policy changes by Congress,...
Parametric and additive perturbations for global optimization

A new iterative approach to global minimization is proposed. In each iteration, the approach rocks the `landscape' of the objective function and rolls the ball representing the current state of the variable down to the bottom of a nearby `valley.' In the process of lowering the rock level, some critical rock levels are sufficient to rock the ball out of the attraction region of a strictly local minimum, but insufficient to rock it out of that of a global minimum. If these critical rock levels are maintained long enough, the attraction region of a global minimum is expected to be reached. When the rock stops, the ball rolls right into the global minimum. The approach applies to both continuous and combinatorial optimization. Rock is performed by either perturbing the constants of the objective function, adding a perturbing function to it, or both. Roll is carried out by any local minimization method. Although some initial numerical results are encouraging, a systematic way to schedule the rock level lowering, which guarantees convergence to a global minimum, is yet to be discovered. To demonstrate the application of the rock and roll approach under the assumption that a rock schedule is available, we show in the last two sections, how the backpropagation training algorithm can be rocked to produce a globally optimal multilayer perceptron and how the Hopfield net can be rocked to produce a combinatorially minimal solution.© (1992) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Effect of Environmental Temperature on Iron Deficiency Anemia in Athens-Canadian Randombred Chicks

Abstract OLSON (1937) reported that erythrocyte number in the domestic fowl increased during the winter. Winter (1935) found that during cold weather the hemoglobin content of the blood of hens increased significantly. Huston (1960, 1965) compared the packed erythrocyte volume of birds in controlled temperature environments and found that it increased in the colder environmental temperatures. Deficiencies of various nutrients, including iron and copper may also result in anemia which can be produced experimentally by feeding a skim milk diet deficient in iron and copper (Hill and Matrone, 1961). Since both environmental temperature and iron-copper deficiencies affect the packed erythrocyte volume, the magnitude of interaction between the two in their effect on hematology could become important. The purpose of this study was to compare the changes in packed erythrocyte volume of chickens receiving various levels of iron and copper and exposed to different environmental temperatures. EXPERIMENTAL Five hundred day-old Athens-Canadian randombred . . .
Update on pigmented lesions of the sinonasal tract.

Melanocytes are derived from the neural crest and migrate to the skin and mucosa during embryogenesis. They are present in the mucosa of the upper aerodigestive tract in persons of all races. Hyperpigmentation or melanosis of the head and neck mucosa has been reported in the sinonasal mucosa, however, benign pigmented lesions of the sinonasal tract are extremely rare. The most common pigmented lesion of the sinonasal tract is melanoma.
Computers and Gifted Students: An Effective Mathematics Program

Computers were successfully integrated into the mathematics program of gifted fifth and sixth graders. Special emphasis was placed on learning to develop computer programs in order to develop skill...
Duty Hour Recommendations and Implications for Meeting the ACGME Core Competencies: Views of Residency Directors

OBJECTIVE To describe the views of residency program directors regarding the effect of the 2010 duty hour recommendations on the 6 core competencies of graduate medical education. METHODS US residency program directors in internal medicine, pediatrics, and general surgery were e-mailed a survey from July 8 through July 20, 2010, after the 2010 Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) duty hour recommendations were published. Directors were asked to rate the implications of the new recommendations for the 6 ACGME core competencies as well as for continuity of inpatient care and resident fatigue. RESULTS Of 719 eligible program directors, 464 (65%) responded. Most program directors believe that the new ACGME recommendations will decrease residents' continuity with hospitalized patients (404/464 [87%]) and will not change (303/464 [65%]) or will increase (26/464 [6%]) resident fatigue. Additionally, most program directors (249-363/464 [53%-78%]) believe that the new duty hour restrictions will decrease residents' ability to develop competency in 5 of the 6 core areas. Surgery directors were more likely than internal medicine directors to believe that the ACGME recommendations will decrease residents' competency in patient care (odds ratio [OR], 3.9; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.5-6.3), medical knowledge (OR, 1.9; 95% CI, 1.2-3.2), practice-based learning and improvement (OR, 2.7; 95% CI, 1.7-4.4), interpersonal and communication skills (OR, 1.9; 95% CI, 1.2-3.0), and professionalism (OR, 2.5; 95% CI, 1.5-4.0). CONCLUSION Residency program directors' reactions to ACGME duty hour recommendations demonstrate a marked degree of concern about educating a competent generation of future physicians in the face of increasing duty hour standards and regulation.
Highly efficient copper-catalysed oxidation of ascorbic acid by peroxynitrite

The simple salt CuCl2·2H2O, and the new Cu-substituted polyoxometalate (POM), Na7[CuCoW11O39]·5H2O 1 are highly efficient catalysts for the oxidation of ascorbic acid by peroxynitrite.
Behavioral treatments of epilepsy: methodological characteristics and problems of published studies.

Abstract Eleven studies that used operant or respondent conditioning procedures in the treatment of seizure disorders were evaluated primarily with respect to methodological considerations and secondarily with respect to procedure and outcome. The majority of studies used seizure frequency as the main dependent variable, but failed to adequately describe the observational procedure. Blind observers, unaware of experimental conditions and expected outcomes, were never used and measures of inter-observer agreement were rarely provided. Ten studies reported data for a single subject. All of the investigations used within-subject analyses, but only three employed an experimental design adequate to demonstrate a functional relation between treatment and changes in seizure activity. A variety of treatments were used, some imprecisely described, and across studies seizure frequency was reduced in 14 of 15 subjects during treatment. However, because of obvious methodological inadequacies, these reductions cannot be conclusively attributed to treatment in the majority of cases. While the studies reviewed suggest that behavioral treatments of seizure disorders are potentially beneficial, further and more carefully controlled research is required to conclusively evaluate the generality and power of such treatments.
Frequency of supernumerary limbs following blastemal rotations in the newt

An examination has been made of the supernumerary limbs produced as a result of tissue interaction following ipsilateral rotation of blastemas at the stage of early digits. The frequency of supernumerary limb formation peaks sharply at angles of rotation near 180°, where tissues from widely separated circumferential locations are opposed. This behavior is compatible with predictions of the polar coordinate model with positional values clustered in the anteriorventral quadrant of the circumference (French et al., '76; Bryant and Iten, '76).
Correlating the positional reactivity of a masked electrophilic center to the topology of the electron density

Masking of electrophilic centers in biological molecules via structural modifications serves to control chemical reactivity and in some cases may affect the regioselectivity of a reaction. In the work presented the regioselective reactivity of the electrophilic cyclopropylpyrrololindole (CPI) center in the DNA alkylator CC-1065, a highly toxic antibiotic that has served as a structural template for the development of a series of novel anticancer drugs containing the CPI reactive center has been examined. The CPI reactive center is an interesting example of chemical masking as it relates to acid-dependent electrophilicity, and regioselective addition of a nucleophile to an electrophilic center. In an effort to better understand the reactivity of the CPI center, calculations using the B3LYP density functional theory (DFT) method, the 6-31G(d) basis set, and the atoms in molecules (AIM) theory were performed on unprotonated and protonated forms of the CPI reactive center. The results of these calculations demonstrate that activation of the CPI group via protonation induces significant changes in the electron density (ρ), the Laplacian of the density (∇2ρ), and the bond ellipticity (e), and that these changes are linked to the observed reactivity of the CPI reaction center. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Quantum Chem, 2005
A hybrid-choice latent-class model for the analysis of the effects of weather on cycling demand

This research is based upon work supported by the University Transportation Research Center Region II, Grant NYSDOT ID 49997-35-24.
Topological Charge and Chiral Anomalies in Fermi Superfluids

We review some of the topological properties of Fermi superfluids, in particular the persistent currents in superfluid 3 He . We show that the topological charge formalism developed by Garg et al. is related to the chiral anomaly viewpoint of Volovik and co-workers through the Callan-Harvey effect. We stress that the question of the existence of a “twist” term in the current induced by a texture is a history-dependent phenomenon which depends on how the textures are envisaged as being created.
Out-of-sequence, basement-involved structures in the Sadlerochit Mountains region of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, Alaska: Evidence and implications from fission-track thermochronology

Fission-track thermochronology and structural analysis set limits on the timing and nature of structural development of the Sadlerochit Mountains, along the southern edge of the coastal plain in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) of northeastern Alaska. The Sadlerochit Mountains are the northernmost part of the north-vergent Brooks Range fold-and-thrust belt and lie close to the Arctic continental margin. Thermochronology results indicate that sedimentary rocks exposed within Ignek Valley, south of the Sadlerochit Mountains, were subjected to two episodes of rapid cooling from elevated paleotemperatures at ca. 45 Ma and at some time since ca. 31 Ma, whereas similar-aged rocks exposed along the northern flank of the Sadlerochit Mountains cooled rapidly at ca. 45 Ma and ca. 27 Ma. Combined with five additional analyses from the Beli Unit #1 well, located northwest of the Sadlerochit Mountains, the thermochronology results indicate that the Sadlerochit Mountains region was progressively heated during Late Cretaceous through middle Eocene time, after which two major episodes of rapid cooling occurred in the middle Eocene at ca. 45 ± 3 Ma (±2σ) and in the late Oligocene at ca. 27 ± 2 Ma (±2σ). These episodes of rapid cooling are interpreted to have occurred in response to kilometer-scale erosional denudation resulting from rapid (≤5 m.y.) uplift due to structural thickening during the emplacement of thrust sheets in a basement-involved duplex. Initially, at least one thrust sheet was probably emplaced to the north of the Sadlerochit Mountains at ca. 45 Ma. Subsequently, at ca. 27 Ma, (1) the Sadlerochit Mountains thrust sheet was probably emplaced out of sequence behind the earlier-emplaced thrust sheet(s), and (2) basement-involved deformation formed structures beneath the coastal plain to the north. Both of these events occurred far within the continent, >1200 km from the southern Alaska convergent plate boundary. These results indicate that maximum burial, and hence peak hydrocarbon generation, occurred prior to middle Eocene time, before the formation of potential traps in and immediately north of the Sadlerochit Mountains. However, (1) hydrocarbons generated from these rocks could have migrated updip into existing stratigraphic traps prior to structural deformation, and (2) hydrocarbons generated later in more distal parts of the basin could have migrated updip into subsurface structures formed in middle Eocene and late Oligocene time north of the Sadlerochit Mountains and along strike to the east and west.
What's New in Orthopaedic Research

Exciting advances continue to be made in numerous areas of orthopaedic research. One of the most important areas of research continues to be the discovery of biologic solutions to degenerative joint disease. Emerging information about the genetic basis of bone and cartilage pathology is being used to provide insight into the fundamental mechanisms of common conditions such as osteoporosis, degenerative disc disease, and arthritis. Other active areas of investigation include stem cells, growth factors, tissue engineering, biomaterials, and the biomechanical properties of tissues at the nanoscale. Another common theme is improving the understanding of the basic cellular mechanisms that control the response of musculoskeletal tissues to mechanical load. Investigations in these areas have the potential to improve current treatments and to lead to the development of novel therapies and implants. This paper reviews several major areas of active investigation. ### Bone and Skeletal Development A study of mice deficient in membrane-type 1 matrix metalloproteinase (MT1-MMP) showed that MT1-MMP plays a fundamental role in a novel mechanism of remodeling of unmineralized cartilage anlagen into membranous bone, ligament, and tendon1. While the most common mechanisms of remodeling in the skeleton (endochondral ossification and postnatal bone remodeling) involve replacement of a mineralized matrix by a newer mineralized matrix, in this newly discovered process MT1-MMP directs dissolution of unmineralized cartilage and apoptosis of nonhypertrophic chondrocytes. This process occurs without progression through the sequence of matrix mineralization. MT1-MMP also allows remodeling of cartilage into ligament at insertion sites. MT1-MMP is expressed at ligament insertion sites, implying that this molecule likely plays an important role in soft tissue-bone attachment. Human genetic diseases can provide a mechanism for identifying genes that are important for bone formation. Genetic studies also may shed light on the sensitivity of bone to mechanical loading. It is known that some individuals respond better to exercise …
The Proof Is in the Screencast

This paper will present results from an action research study that incorporated two different technologies for the purpose of students valuing and communicating a geometric proof to their peers. The author followed the Mathematics TPACK (Technology, Pedagogy and Content Knowledge) Framework (Association of Mathematics Educators, 2009) to structure an action research project in her classroom. Preservice elementary education majors used The Geometer’s Sketchpad (Jackiw, 2006) to illustrate a problem solution and its supporting proof based on the mathematics of similar or congruent triangles. The students then used a freeware screen capture program, Jing, to produce an audio supported screencast. Once the screencasts were completed, the students engaged in the process of self- and peer review. The results of the study indicate that the self- and peer review process allowed the students a chance to reflect accurately on the essential elements of a proof. Students reported that the experience of reviewing their peers’ screencasts had a stronger influence on developing their skills at writing and evaluating geometric proofs compared to the process of creating their own screencast proofs.