cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Trophic level responses differ as climate warms in Ireland

Effective ecosystem functioning relies on successful species interaction. However, this delicate balance may be disrupted if species do not respond to environmental change at a similar rate. Here we examine trends in the timing of spring phenophases of groups of species occupying three trophic levels as a potential indicator of ecosystem response to climate warming in Ireland. The data sets were of varying length (1976–2009) and from varying locations: (1) timing of leaf unfolding and May Shoot of a range of broadleaf and conifer tree species, (2) first appearance dates of a range of moth species, and (3) first arrival dates of a range of spring migrant birds. All three groups revealed a statistically significant (P<0.01 and P<0.001) advance in spring phenology that was driven by rising spring temperature (P<0.05; 0.45 °C /decade). However, the rate of advance was greater for moths (1.8 days/year), followed by birds (0.37 days/year) and trees (0.29 days/year). In addition, the length of time between (1) moth emergence and leaf unfolding and (2) moth emergence and bird arrival decreased significantly (P<0.05 and P<0.001, respectively), indicating a decrease in the timing between food supply and demand. These differing trophic level response rates demonstrate the potential for a mismatch in the timing of interdependent phenophases as temperatures rise. Even though these data were not specifically collected to examine climate warming impacts, we conclude that such data may be used as an early warning indicator and as a means to monitor the potential for future ecosystem disruption to occur as climate warms.
Hartree-Fock studies of helium-surface interaction potentials.

Elastic helium-atom surface scattering is currently being developed into a surface structural tool. To relate experimental diffraction data with atomic positions one requires a helium-surface interaction potential. An approximate relation due to Esbjerg and No/rskov derived from effective-medium theory has been used for calculating these potentials. However, the relation contains a proportionality constant whose value has been somewhat uncertain. We provide a more exact treatment of the He-metal interaction potential using the ab initio cluster model with Hartree-Fock wave functions. We calculate the repulsive potential and show that it decays exponentially (the decay constant is usually called the softness parameter). We considered appropriate clusters to model the bridge and the on-top site for He-Cu(110) interaction. The surface atoms directly involved in ``bonding'' with the helium atom were treated in an all-electron picture whereas the environmental atoms were treated using the effective-core-potential approximation. In both cases we calculated the interaction energy curves as a function of the helium-metal distance. Using these curves, we derived the softness parameter and found that the softness parameter is site dependent. This has an important physical consequence of projecting a rougher (more corrugated) potential surface to the He atom at higher incident energies. Our calculations also provide a proof for the validity of the Esbjerg-No/rskov relation.
Preparation and characterization of dendrimer-gold colloid nanocomposites.

Au colloids in the 2−3-nm size regime were prepared by in situ reduction of HAuCl4 in the presence of poly(amidoamine) dendrimers. The dendrimers encapsulate the colloids, imparting stability to the aqueous colloidal solutions. The nanocomposite materials can be isolated by precipitation. The dendrimer generation used in the synthesis controls the size of the resultant colloids: lower-generation dendrimers give rise to larger colloids. The materials were characterized by infrared and UV−vis spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy.
Glottal airflow and electroglottographic measures of vocal function at multiple intensities

Summary Ten normal female subjects produced syllables at 5 dB increments from soft to loud. The differentiated electroglottogram (dEGG) open and speed quotients were compared to similar quotients from the inverse-filtered airflow waveform. The latter were measured according to objective and subjective criteria. The data indicate that the open quotient from the airflow waveform decreased as the intensity increased. The dEGG open quotient did not demonstrate this trend. The speed quotient from airflow increased initially with vocal intensity and decreased again as the intensity ceiling was approached. The ratio of closing to opening slopes calculated from peaks in the dEGG signal followed a similar pattern. While the trends across intensity conditions were found to correspond for several of the measures, the absolute values obtained using the different methodologies were not comparable.
Validation of Gilberstadt and Duker's 8-6 profile type on a black sample.

The procedure employed by Gilberstadt and Duker (1965) with a Midwestern sample to determine the characteristics of the 8–6 MMPI profile type was replicated with a Southeastern black sample. The cardinal features of paranoid schizophrenia seemed remarkably similar in both groups but significant differences were found in traits, symptoms, and MMPI scale scores. In general, the Southeastern black sample showed a somewhat greater surface manifestation of pathological traits and admitted to more experiences that are viewed in the while culture as odd and bizarre. The differences were interpreted as probably reflecting different baseline personality characteristics between Southeastern blacks and Midwestern whites. The more apparently pathological symptoms and traits in the black population are interpreted as a manifestation of truly adaptive behavior for this subgroup in an aversive social environment.
Calcium Excretion in Human Subjects at Two Levels of Milk Intake

Summary Eight male subjects were maintained for ten days on a low-nitrogen basal diet, supplemented with (1) milk to provide 91% of the total calcium intake, or (2) milk to provide 76% of the calcium intake and eggs to provide 7%. The apparent absorption of calcium when milk was fed at the higher level was 62±8%, and at the lower level, 70±8%. The per cent absorption of total calcium was slightly higher when milk was fed at the lower level; this difference was not significant. Fecal bulk on the dry weight basis increased by 77% when milk was fed at the higher level and fecal calcium increased by 119%; 45–54% of the additional 1.25g. calcium at the higher level was absorbed.
Two-solution bone cements with cross-linked micro and nano-particles for vertebral fracture applications: Effects of zirconium dioxide content on the material and setting properties

The application of bone cements for the treatment of vertebral compression fracture requires radiopaque materials for adequate visualization of the flow under fluoroscopy. Besides high radiopacity, it is desirable for the cement to have relatively low viscosity, high compressive strength and appropriate curing parameters. In this study, the properties of novel two-solution bone cements composed of cross-linked poly (methyl methacrylate) PMMA microspheres or nanospheres added to the linear polymer phase were assessed for formulations with increasing concentrations of zirconium dioxide (ZrO2). The addition of a cross-linked phase in the standard two-solution formulation (TSBC) was observed to improve the material properties by increasing setting time and decreasing maximum polymerization temperatures and decreasing the initial viscosity in comparison to the standard cement. The properties of three formulations (TSBC, modified two-solution containing cross-linked PMMA microspheres, and nanospheres) were measured for cements prepared at 0%, 5%, 20%, and 30% ZrO2 and compared to KyphX. Cements prepared with cross-linked particles exhibited significantly higher compressive strength than the standard-two solution cement and KyphX at increasing radiopacifier concentrations. Furthermore, cement viscosity was increased by the addition of increasing concentrations of ZrO2 in the modified two-solution cements, whereas the maximum polymerization exotherm and setting time of these materials were decreased. This study indicates that the addition of high concentrations of ZrO2 significantly affects the properties of two-solution cements acting as a reinforcing phase when cross-linked spheres are added. These materials were observed to be suitable for vertebroplasty applications. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part B: Appl Biomater, 2010
The MEK/ERK pathway is the primary conduit for Borrelia burgdorferi-induced inflammation and P53-mediated apoptosis in oligodendrocytes

Lyme neuroborreliosis (LNB) affects both the central and peripheral nervous systems. In a rhesus macaque model of LNB we had previously shown that brains of rhesus macaques inoculated with Borrelia burgdorferi release inflammatory mediators, and undergo oligodendrocyte and neuronal cell death. In vitro analysis of this phenomenon indicated that while B. burgdorferi can induce inflammation and apoptosis of oligodendrocytes per se, microglia are required for neuronal apoptosis. We hypothesized that the inflammatory milieu elicited by the bacterium in microglia or oligodendrocytes contributes to the apoptosis of neurons and glial cells, respectively, and that downstream signaling events in NFkB and/or MAPK pathways play a role in these phenotypes. To test these hypotheses in oligodendrocytes, several pathway inhibitors were used to determine their effect on inflammation and apoptosis, as induced by B. burgdorferi. In a human oligodendrocyte cell line (MO3.13), inhibition of the ERK pathway in the presence of B. burgdorferi markedly reduced inflammation, followed by the JNK, p38 and NFkB pathway inhibition. In addition to eliciting inflammation, B. burgdorferi also increased total p53 protein levels, and suppression of the ERK pathway mitigated this effect. While inhibition of p53 had a minimal effect in reducing inflammation, suppression of the ERK pathway or p53 reduced apoptosis as measured by active caspase-3 activity and the TUNEL assay. A similar result was seen in primary human oligodendrocytes wherein suppression of ERK or p53 reduced apoptosis. It is possible that inflammation and apoptosis in oligodendrocytes are divergent arms of MAPK pathways, particularly the MEK/ERK pathway.
Numerical solution of ordinary and retarded differntial equations with discontinuou derivatives

This paper studies the propagation of discretization error for discontinuou ordinary and retarded differential equations. Various applications are given including one which extends a fundamental theorem of Henrici concerning round-off error.
Modes of axial reorganization on a slow-spreading ridge: The structural evolution of Kolbeinsey Ridge since 10 Ma

Recently reprocessed aeromagnetic data reveal the slow-spreading Kolbeinsey Ridge underwent a regional axial reorganization at anomaly 3A time that signaled a major change in the segmentation behavior of the spreading center. Prior to anomaly 3A, the axis was a sinuous but essentially continuous feature. The anomaly 3A event separated the axis into four segments, created wide nontransform offsets, and established axial strikes more nearly orthogonal to the spreading direction. In the succeeding ∼5.5 m.y., the axis continued to evolve by ridge propagation, asymmetric spreading, and lateral ridge migration caused by either ultrafast propagation or synchronous ridge jumps. These data suggest that the brief perturbation of axial structure at anomaly 3A time may have altered the long-term segmentation behavior of the ridge. The mechanism for the ridge9s segmentation and the ridge9s post-segmentation behavior indicate styles of axial reorganization that may be significant on slow-spreading centers globally.
Learning the consensus on visual quality for next-generation image management

While personal and community-based image collections grow by the day, the demand for novel photo management capabilities grows with it. Recent research has shown that it is possible to learn the consensus on visual quality measures such as aesthetics with a moderate degree of success. Here, we seek to push this performance to more realistic levels and use it to (a) help select high-quality pictures from collections, and (b) eliminate low-quality ones, introducing appropriate performance metrics in each case. To achieve this, we propose a sequential arrangement of a weighted linear least squares regressor and a naive Bayes' classifier, applied to a set of visual features previously found useful for quality prediction. Experiments on real-world data for these tasks show promising performance, with significant improvements over a previously proposed SVM-based method.
Platelet transfusions in infants with necrotizing enterocolitis do not lower mortality but may increase morbidity.

Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC), a serious multisystemic inflammatory disease most commonly seen in premature neonates, is often associated with thrombocytopenia. Infants with severe forms of NEC commonly have platelet counts of less than 50,000/mm3, occasionally less than 10,000/mm3. Despite an absence of data to support the practice, platelet transfusions are commonly used to maintain a certain arbitrary platelet count in an effort to prevent bleeding. As platelet transfusions contain a variety of bioactive factors including pro-inflammatory cytokines, we hypothesized that a higher number and volume of platelet transfusions would not be associated with an improvement in mortality or morbidity. A retrospective cohort analysis was conducted of the medical records of all infants between 1997 and 2001 with Bell's Stage 2 or 3 NEC associated with platelet counts of <100,000/mm3. The medical records were evaluated for the following variables: platelet counts, number and volume of platelet transfusions, symptoms of bleeding, and hospital course. Mortality and development of short bowel syndrome and/or cholestasis were correlated to the total number and volume (total ml and ml/kg) of platelet transfusions. Differences between the outcome groups were compared using the independent t-test, Fisher's exact test and Mann–Whitney tests. A total of 46 infants met the study criteria (gestational age 28±4 weeks and birth weight 1166±756 g, mean±SD). There were a total of 406 platelet transfusions administered to the study population. Of these, 151 (37.2%) were given in the presence of active bleeding, with 62% of these resulting in the cessation of bleeding within 24 hours. Other listed indications for platelet transfusions were hypovolemia and severe thrombocytopenia. On analysis of the entire cohort, there was no statistical improvement in either mortality or morbidity (short bowel syndrome and cholestasis) with greater number and/or volume of platelet transfusions. Furthermore, we found that infants who developed short bowel syndrome and/or cholestasis had been given a significantly higher number and volume of platelet transfusions when compared to those who did not have these adverse outcomes [median (minimum – maximum)−number of transfusions : 9 (0 to 33) vs 1.5 (0 to 20), p=0.010; volume of transfusions (ml/kg) : 121.5 (0 to 476.6) vs 33.2 (0 to 224.3), p=0.013]. This retrospective analysis suggests that greater number and volume of platelet transfusions in infants with necrotizing enterocolitis are associated with greater morbidity in the form of short bowel syndrome and/or cholestasis without the benefit of lower mortality.
Social Relationships of African American and Hispanic Older Assisted Living Residents: Exploring the Role of Race and Ethnicity

African American and Hispanic older adults are underrepresented in assisted living communities, so little is known about how they experience social relationships in these settings. The purpose of the study was to explore resident-to-resident and resident-to-staff relationships experienced and perceived by African American and Hispanic older residents in assisted living settings. In-depth interviews with 15 African American and 15 Hispanic older adults were conducted in seven assisted living communities in Central Florida. Three salient themes emerged using a grounded theory approach: formation of relationships: emotional vs. instrumental support; language as a facilitator or barrier; and avoidance of inter-racial relationships. Implications for providing culturally competent services in assisted living communities with diverse populations are discussed.
Acid hydrolases in neuronal and glial enriched fractions of rat brain.

Fractions enriched in neuronal and glial cells from rat brain were assayed for several lysosomal acid hydrolases, namely, β-galactosidase (β-D-galactoside galactohydrolase, EC 3.2.1.23), β-glucosidase (β-D-glucoside glucohydrolase, EC 3.2.1.21), α-galactosidase (α-D-galactoside galactohydrolase, EC 3.2.1.22), α-mannosidase (α-D-mannoside mannohydrolase, EC 3.2.1.24), N-acetyl-β-glucosaminidase (β-2-acetamido-2-deoxy-D-glucoside acetamidodeoxyglucohydrolase, EC 3.2.1.30), N-acetyl-β-galactosaminidase, acid phosphatase (orthophosphoric monoester phosphohydrolase, EC 3.1.3.2), β-glucuronidase (β-D-glucuronide glucuronohydrolase, EC 3.2.1.31), arylsulfatase (aryl-sulfate sulfohydrolase, EC 3.1.6.1), glucocerebrosidase and galactocerebrosidase. The data do not show any significant difference in the distribution of these activities between the two cell types.
Assessment of human exposure to nitrogen dioxide, carbon monoxide and respirable particulates in New York inner-city residences

Abstract A study design to obtain personal exposure to 48-h and shorter-term exposure to nitrogen dioxide and carbon monoxide in an inner-city population consisting mainly of Black and Hispanic lower socioeconomic status families residing in small apartments with gas cooking stoves is described. Results from 92 homes are provided.
Paired directional transform based methods of image enhancement

In this paper, an effective realization of the α-rooting method of image enhancement by splitting-signals is proposed. The splitting-signals completely determine the image and split its spectrum by disjoint subsets of frequencies. Image enhancement is reduced to processing separate splitting-signals. We focus on processing only one specified splitting-signal, to achieve effective image enhancement that in many cases exceeds the enhancement by known a-rooting and wavelet methods. An effective realization of enhancement of image (N × N) is achieved by using one coefficient, instead of N/2 such coefficients for splitting-signals in the split α-rooting and N × N in traditional α-rooting. The proposed method does not require Fourier transforms, its realization is performed with N multiplications. The processing of the splitting-signal leads to the change of the image along the parallel lines by N different values, which leads to the concept of directional images and their application in enhancing the image along directions. A novel method of combining paired transform (pre-step of SMEME (spectral spatial maximum exclusive mean) filter) by wavelet transforms is proposed. While denoising directional clutters, the most corrupted splitting-signal is estimated and found, depending on the angle of long-waves.
The Choice Among Interbank Settlement Systems: The European Experience

This paper addresses the choice of banks between alternative channels for interbank payments. The conventional view assumes a tradeoff between the safety of real-time gross settlement (RTGS) and the liquidity savings of multilateral netting. Moreover, correspondent banking is believed to be inefficient, both in terms of liquidity and of administrative costs. In the last decade, however, the impulse of the Committee on Payment and Settlement Systems, technological changes and the management of RTGS systems by central banks have reduced the difference between the various systems. This is especially true for risk, whereas liquidity cost crucially depends on the refinancing policy adopted by the central bank and the co-ordination among the participants. On the basis of the recent evolution of payment systems in Europe, we verify the importance of liquidity, as well as other variables like transaction costs, for the choice of banks among different settlement systems. Cost factors imply that the nature of payments flows (value, commercial versus financial) and some structural features of the banking systems (dimension of the intermediaries, concentration of the banking sector) become important. The analysis is carried out both through a theoretical model and a cross-country comparison based on three data sources: ECB (European Central Bank, EBA (Euro Banking Association) and SWIFT (Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication).
Faith, Reason, and Charisma: Rudolf Sohm, Max Weber, and the Theology of Grace

Charismatic authority has been central to twentieth-century politics and theory, yet confusion about charisma is rife. Max Weber's classic texts on this subject have been a major source of insight, yet key features of his analysis remain obscure–so much so that many scholars who call themselves Weber's disciples defend views opposed to his. For Weber, charisma is a social status; for many “Weberians,” charisma is a personal quality. For Weber, charisma is a quicksilver, unstable form of authority; for his errant followers, it is an existential limit to democracy. One reason for this contradiction is that, influenced by the theologian Rudolf Sohm, Weber used the vocabulary of the theology of grace. Many readers, unfamiliar with the nature of Weber's debt to theology, have thought that Weber, like Rudolf Sohm, viewed charisma as a divinely given personal quality. In fact, however, Max Weber's sociology of charisma is radically opposed to Sohm's theology.
Trait differences in affective and attentional responding to threat revealed by emotional Stroop interference and startle reflex modulation

This study utilized startle reflex and reaction time (RT) measures to examine the hypothesis that anxious individuals exhibit an attentional bias for threatening information. High and low trait-anxious (HTA; LTA) participants performed an emotional Stroop task in which pleasant, neutral, and threat words were presented under conditions of anticipation, or no anticipation, of electric shock. Acoustic startle probes were presented during the interval between word presentation and production of the color-naming response. HTA participants showed longer color-naming RT for threat words than pleasant words under both shock anticipation and safe conditions of the procedure. Under safe conditions, startle patterns paralleled these effects with HTA participants exhibiting smaller blink responses—indicating greater allocation of processing resources—for threat words than pleasant words. Under shock anticipation conditions, HTA individuals showed an opposite response pattern: startle blinks were potentiated for threat words relative to pleasant, indicating that the emotional impact of the threat words was enhanced by the aversive mood state. Despite evidence that the startle response effects were limited by habituation to the first half (180 trials) of the procedure, these findings support the hypothesis that HTA individuals possess an attentional bias for threatening information and exhibit greater defensive emotional reactivity to threat cues during states of heightened negative affectivity than low anxious individuals.
Effective base resistance of bipolar transistors

Two formulations, one appropriate for dc analysis and the other for low-frequency ac analysis, are developed to calculate effective lumped base resistance of bipolar junction transistors. These formulations are defined in terms of terminal characteristics, and are more appropriate for device behavior in circuit modeling applications than those formulations currently in the literature. This is most apparent at high current levels, where appreciable current crowding is present and all of the models under consideration give markedly different results. The present calculations are made for a discrete transistor of single base-stripe geometry, but the results are applicable to integrated-circuit transistors and can be readily extended to other geometries.
Selective matrix (hyaluronan) interaction with CD44 and RhoGTPase signaling promotes keratinocyte functions and overcomes age-related epidermal dysfunction.

Abstract Background Mouse epidermal chronologic aging is closely associated with aberrant matrix (hyaluronan, HA)-size distribution/production and impaired keratinocyte proliferation/differentiation, leading to a marked thinning of the epidermis with functional consequence that causes a slower recovery of permeability barrier function. Objective The goal of this study is to demonstrate mechanism-based, corrective therapeutic strategies using topical applications of small HA (HAS) and/or large HA (HAL) [or a sequential small HA (HAS) and large HA(HAL) (HAs → HAL) treatment] as well as RhoGTPase signaling perturbation agents to regulate HA/CD44-mediated signaling, thereby restoring normal epidermal function, and permeability barrier homeostasis in aged mouse skin. Methods A number of biochemical, cell biological/molecular, pharmacological and physiological approaches were used to investigate matrix HA-CD44-mediated RhoGTPase signaling in regulating epidermal functions and skin aging. Results In this study we demonstrated that topical application of small HA (HAS) promotes keratinocyte proliferation and increases skin thickness, while it fails to upregulate keratinocyte differentiation or permeability barrier repair in aged mouse skin. In contrast, large HA (HAL) induces only minimal changes in keratinocyte proliferation and skin thickness, but restores keratinocyte differentiation and improves permeability barrier function in aged epidermis. Since neither HAS nor HAL corrects these epidermal defects in aged CD44 knock-out mice, CD44 likely mediates HA-associated epidermal functions in aged mouse skin. Finally, blockade of Rho-kinase activity with Y27632 or protein kinase-Nγ activity with Ro31-8220 significantly decreased the HA (HAS or HAL)-mediated changes in epidermal function in aged mouse skin. Conclusion The results of our study show first that HA application of different sizes regulates epidermal proliferation, differentiation and barrier function in aged mouse skin. Second, manipulation of matrix (HA) interaction with CD44 and RhoGTPase signaling could provide further novel therapeutic approaches that could be targeted for the treatment of various aging-related skin disorders.
Left ventricular thrombi in three children with dilated cardiomyopathy: diagnostic procedure and clinical course.

In three of nine children with dilated cardiomyopathy (aged 1–9 years), left ventricular thrombi were diagnosed and followed by echocardiography. Thrombi recurred in two patients, in one of them, embolized to the cerebral arteries. Resolution of the thrombi was observed under therapy directed against platelet aggregation. However, this did not prevent thrombus formation.
Using Behavioral Parent Training to Treat Disruptive Behavior Disorders in Young Children: A How-to Approach Using Video Clips

Abstract This article describes the application of a behavioral parent training program, Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT), in the treatment of behavior disorders in young children. PCIT is unique in that it works with both the child and parent in treatment and it focuses on improving the parent-child relationship as a means to improving parent and child behaviors and interactions with each other. A case illustration is provided and video components are included to highlight the procedures and concepts used in PCIT.
Evolution of planetary lithospheres: Evidence from multiringed structures on Ganymede and Callisto

The thickness and viscosity of a planetary lithosphere increase with time as the mantle cools, with a thicker lithosphere leading to the formation of one (or very few) irregular normal faults concentric to the crater. Since a gravity wave or tsunami induced by impact into a liquid mantle would result in both radial and concentric extension features, which are not observed in the case of the large impact structures on Ganymede and Callisto, an alternative mechanism is proposed in which the varying ice/silicate ratios, tectonic histories, and erosional mechanisms of the two bodies are considered to explain the subtle differences in thin lithosphere ring morphology between Ganymede and Callisto. It is concluded that the present lithosphere thickness of Ganymede is too great to permit the development of any rings.
Tyrannical Spaces: Young people, bullying and urban neighbourhoods

We consider the street experiences of a group of urban children living in a large East Midlands town in the UK. Our attention focuses upon an issue that has seldom been examined, neighbourhood bullying. We highlight how some children, through their propinquity within neighbourhood spaces, clash and collide to such an extent that their experiences of a locality become severely blighted. For these unfortunate young people local environments are tyrannical spaces, defined in terms of 'no-go areas', danger and threat. These are not remarkable geographies, however, and we suggest that like many school environments, where bullying has increasingly been recognised and disclosed, within many localities there is a 'hidden' geography of fear waiting to be uncovered. The paper is organised into five parts: first, we briefly examine the concept of bullying, particularly in relation to young people in schools; secondly, we extend these ideas into a neighbourhood context drawing upon recent ideas of 'self', 'other' and microgeographies; thirdly, we outline the research project from which this article emerges; fourthly, we look at some empirical evidence from an urban case study that draws attention to the form and consequences of neighbourhood bullying; lastly, we discuss the relevance of these findings to future policy and practice, particularly in relation to the management of neighbourhood spaces. We propose that systematically applied local strategies to tackle bullying within neighbourhoods are needed, particularly those which engage young people and adults together through a whole community approach.
An analysis of the geometry of light-striping vision systems for feedrate control in robot welding and other industrial processes

Abstract Light-stripping, whereby a laser or other source of a stripe of light in conjunction with a single camera can provide three-dimensional information of a scene, can be used to estimate the volume of a seam gap for welding, filling, or gluing robots, and thus provide automated feedrate control. The geometry of light-striping systems is analyzed to yield an efficient method to map the locations of stripe pixels in the image to three-dimensional coordinates. Methods are discussed to determine fill-points by recognizing the pattern produced by seam walls despite noise. Combined with computation of areas and volumes, the steps simplify to an effective algorithm for microprocessor implementation.
Respect for Everything

Species egalitarianism is the view that all living things have equal moral standing. To have moral standing is, at a minimum, to command respect, to be more than a mere thing. Is there reason to believe that all living things have moral standing in even this most minimal sense? If so—that is, if all living things command respect—is there reason to believe they all command equal respect?1 I explain why members of other species command our respect but also why they do not command equal respect. The intuition that we should have respect for nature is one motive for embracing species egalitarianism, but we need not be species egalitarians to have respect for nature. This paper questions whether species egalitarianism is even compatible with respect for nature.
Forecasting Contributions of Lake Whitefish Year-Classes to a Lake Superior Commercial Fishery from Estimates of Yearling Abundance

Abstract We developed a simple linear regression model to forecast year-class contributions of lake whitefish Coregonus clupeaformis to the commercial harvest in the Apostle Islands region of Lake Superior. We indexed year-class strength from catches of yearling fish in bottom trawl samples. Recruitment of each year-class was measured by its relative abundance in the fishery at age 6. The relation between recruitment to the commercial fishery and year-class strength indices was positive and significant (r 2 = 0.67, P < 0.01). The model produced reliable estimates of recruitment to the fishery within the range of the regression. Projected recruitment of the 1983–1987 year-classes to the fishery in 1989-1993 should be sufficient to sustain current levels of harvest through 1993.
Influence of ethnicity on histological differences in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease

Background/Aims Previous studies examining ethnic differences in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) are limited by small sample sizes and the lack of liver biopsy as a diagnostic modality. Methods We retrospectively examined the influence of ethnicity on the biochemical and liver histological differences in NAFLD patients. Results The proportion of African Americans (AA) in the NAFLD sample (total 238 patients; 15.1% AA) was lower than in the base population (68.2%). Median ALT (47 IU/L; p =0.05) and triglyceride (134mg/dL, p =0.002) levels were lower in AA than other ethnicities. AA showed lower degrees of steatosis [odds ratio (OR) 0.44, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.22–0.89; p =0.02] than Whites. In contrast, Asians showed higher grades of ballooning than Whites (OR 2.67, 95% CI 1.03–6.93; p =0.04) and other ethnicities combined (OR 2.71, 95% CI 1.06–6.92; p =0.04). Hispanics showed a higher rate of Mallory bodies than Whites (OR 2.38, 95% CI 1.05–5.39; p =0.04) and other ethnicities combined (OR 2.41, 95% CI 1.09–5.34; p =0.03). Conclusions African Americans showed a lower degree of steatosis than Whites. In contrast, Asians and Hispanics showed higher grades of ballooning and Mallory bodies, respectively, than Whites and other ethnicities combined. These findings highlight the need for prospective studies to evaluate ethnic differences in NAFLD.
Atomic photoionization by the complex-basis-function expansion method: Application to ground-state and metastable Mg.

We present photoionization cross sections for the ground and metastable (3s3p) /sup 3/P states of atomic magnesium, using ab initio many-electron wave functions in the LS-coupling scheme. The effects of initial-state correlation and channel coupling are incorporated in a straightforward manner with use of configuration-interaction methods. The selective use of complex basis functions obviates the need for explicit construction of continuum wave functions. This method also provides a convenient way of incorporating the effects of autoionization into atomic photoionization cross sections.
Is omeprazole helpful in inflammatory bowel disease

Omeprazole, a proton pump inhibitor, was added to the treatment regimen of seven patients with biopsy proven inflammatory bowel disease. Six of the seven patients showed a marked clinical improvement in symptoms, especially pain and diarrhea after starting omeprazole. One of the six is using omeprazole as her sole medication for her colitis currently. Others have been able to decrease steroid doses. A possible mechanism of action relates the similar chemical structure of omeprazole to metronidazole which is efficacious in colitis.
Stereoblock copolymers and tacticity control in controlled/living radical polymerization.

Three controlled/living radical polymerization processes, atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP), reversible addition-fragmentation transfer (RAFT) polymerization, and nitroxide-mediated polymerization (NMP), were investigated for the polymerization of N,N-dimethylacrylamide in the presence of Lewis acids known to enhance isotacticity, such as yttrium trifluoromethanesulfonate (Y(OTf)3) and ytterbium trifluoromethanesulfonate (Yb(OTf)3). Poly(N,N-dimethylacrylamide) with controlled molecular weight, low polydispersity (Mw/Mn < 1.2), and a high proportion of meso dyads (∼85%) was prepared by ATRP (with initiating system methyl 2-chloropropionate/CuCl/Me6TREN) and RAFT (with cumyl dithiobenzoate transfer agent) in the presence of Y(OTf)3. The combination of NMP (using N-tert-butyl-1-diethylphosphono-2,2-dimethylpropyl nitroxide, SG1) and a Lewis acid complexation technique led to less precise control over chain architecture and microstructure (∼65% meso dyads), as compared to RAFT/Y(OTf)3 or ATRP/Y(OTf...
Access of solar protons to the Earth's polar caps

Energetic solar proton observations in the interplanetary medium by Explorer 33 and Explorer 35 and over the polar caps by Injun 5 during the period from September 1968 through March 1970 have been examined in detail. The solar proton intensities observed over the polar regions were compared with the interplanetary intensities on an absolute basis. The high polar latitude (HPL) proton intensities tracked the magnetic field aligned interplanetary intensities well (solar-antisolar intensities as determined from the sectored Explorer data). The tracking was in agreement with the open magnetosphere model about 90% of the time - i.e., the intensities observed on the HPL magnetic lines of force, which would be connected to magnetic lines of force from the sun in an interconnected geomagnetic and interplanetary magnetic field, were in agreement with the maximum intensity of the interplanetary proton pitch angle distribution. The intensities observed at the HPL region of the opposite polar cap were in agreement with the minimum intensity of the interplanetary pitch angle distribution. The low polar latitude intensities generally tracked the maximum interplanetary intensity very well.
The spatial Broca-Sulzer and sensitization effects for foveal viewing.

Abstract Under certain conditions a small, circular stimulus field will appear brighter (the spatial Broca-Sulzer effect) and produce a higher increment threshold (Westheimer's sensitization effect) than a larger stimulus field of the same retinal illuminance. In this experiment, a two stage procedure was used to compare the two effects for foveal viewing by determining if the different stimulus area-retinal illuminance combinations that are perceived equally-bright produce equivalent states of increment-threshold sensitivity. The results indicate that, while both effects are observed at comparable levels of retinal illuminance, the two effects cannot be considered synonymous.
A new member of the GM130 golgin subfamily is expressed in the optic lobe anlagen of the metamorphosing brain of Manduca sexta

During metamorphosis of the insect brain, the optic lobe anlagen generate the proliferation centers for the visual cortices. We show here that, in the moth Manduca sexta, an 80 kDa Golgi complex protein (Ms-golgin80) is abundantly expressed in the cytoplasm of neuroblasts and ganglion mother cells in the optic lobe anlagen and proliferation centers. The predicted amino acid sequence for Ms-golgin80 is similar to that of several members of the GM130 subfamily of Golgi-associated proteins, including rat GM130 and human golgin-95. Homologs of Ms-golgin80 from Drosophila melanogaster, Caenorhabditis elegans, andBrugia malayi were identified through homology sequence search. Sequence similarities are present in three regions: the N-terminus, an internal domain of 89 amino acids, and another domain of 89 amino acids near the C-terminus. Structural similarities further suggest that these molecules play the same cellular role as GM130. GM130 is involved in the docking and fusion of coatomer (COP I) coated vesicles to the Golgi membranes; it also regulates the fragmentation and subsequent reassembly of the Golgi complex during mitosis. Abundant expression of Ms-golgin80 in neuroblasts and ganglion mother cells and its reduced expression in the neuronal progeny of these cells suggest that this protein may be involved in the maintenance of the proliferative state.
Bone marrow deficiency of TRPC3 channel reduces early lesion burden and necrotic core of advanced plaques in a mouse model of atherosclerosis

Aims Macrophage apoptosis plays a determinant role in progression of atherosclerotic lesions. An important goal in atherosclerosis research is to identify new components of macrophage apoptosis that can eventually be exploited as molecular targets in strategies aimed at manipulating macrophage function in the lesion. In the previous work from our laboratory, we have shown that transient receptor potential canonical 3 (TRPC3) channel is an obligatory component of survival mechanisms in human and murine macrophages and that TRPC3-deficient non-polarized bone marrow-derived macrophages exhibit increased apoptosis, suggesting that in vivo TRPC3 might influence lesion development. In the present work, we used a bone marrow transplantation strategy as a first approach to examine the impact of macrophage deficiency of TRPC3 on early and advanced atherosclerotic lesions of Apoe−/− mice. Methods and results After 3 weeks of high-fat diet, lesions in mice transplanted with bone marrow from Trpc3−/− donors were smaller and with reduced cellularity than controls. Advanced lesions from these mice exhibited reduced necrotic core, less apoptotic macrophages, and increased collagen content and cap thickness. In vitro , TRPC3-deficient macrophages polarized to the M1 phenotype showed reduced apoptosis, whereas both M1 and M2 macrophages had increased efferocytic capacity. Conclusions Bone marrow deficiency of TRPC3 has a dual beneficial effect on lesion progression by reducing cellularity at early stages and necrosis in the advanced plaques. Our findings represent the first evidence for a role of a member of the TRPC family of cation channels in mechanisms associated with atherosclerosis.
Adaptive vector quantization using a self-development neural network

A neural network model, called SPAN (space partition network), is presented. This model differs from most of the currently seen neural networks in that it allows a network to adapt its structure by adding neurons, killing neurons, and modifying the structural relationships between neurons in the network. An adaptive vector quantization source-coding system based on SPAN is proposed. The major advantage of using SPAN as the codebook of a vector quantizer is that SPAN can capture the local context of the source signal space and map onto a lattice structure. A fast codebook-searching method utilizing the local context of the lattice is proposed, and a coding scheme, called the path coding method, for eliminating the correlation buried in the source sequence is introduced. The performance of the proposed coder is compared to an LBG (Y. Linde, A. Buzo, and R.M. Gray, 1980) coder on synthesized Gauss-Markov sources. Simulation results show that, without using the path coding method, SPAN yields performance similar to an LBG coder; however, if the path coding method is used, SPAN displays a much better performance than the LBG for highly correlated signal sources. >
Abstract 439: Evaluation of hypoxia in a feline model of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma using64Cu-ATSM positron emission tomography

Tumor hypoxia substantially impacts the prognosis of cancer patients by impairing the response to therapy and by promoting the acquisition of a malignant cellular phenotype. A variety human tumors exhibit hypoxia including head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) where it is considered a barrier to successful management of these patients. In the feline, HNSCC is a common and aggressive malignancy that shares morphologic, clinical and molecular features with human HNSCC. Therefore, feline HNSCC may serve as an informative model. To date, there are no data concerning the occurrence of hypoxia in feline HNSCC. We hypothesized that like its human counter part, feline HNSCC would demonstrate regions of intratumoral hypoxia and that hypoxia would be a feature of malignant rather than benign oral tumors. To test this hypothesis, cats with spontaneously occurring oral tumors (N=7) were administered 2 mCi 64 Cu- diacetyl-bis(N4-methylthiosemicarbazone) (ATSM) IV 20 minutes prior to PET-CT scan (Discovery ST, GE Healthcare). Histologically, 4 cats had invasive squamous cell carcinoma, 1 had osteosarcoma and 2 had inflammatory lesions (1 polyp and 1 granuloma). All four squamous cell carcinomas and both inflammatory lesions demonstrated strong diffuse uptake of 64 Cu within the tumor. Two cats with metastases to regional lymph nodes also demonstrated significant 64 Cu uptake. Tumor hypoxia was confirmed by fluorescent lifetime probe measurements (Oxylab pO2), Oxford Optronix) in 4 cats and pimonidazole (Hypoxyporbe TM -1, Hypoxyprobe Inc) uptake in biopsy samples in 4 cats. These data indicate that HNSCC in the cat exhibits significant, diffuse hypoxia. Hypoxia was also significant in inflammatory lesions and thus was not a marker of malignancy, but could indicate that inflammatory disease may provide a selective microenvironement to promote tumorigenesis in the cat. The feline model may provide an important tool for studying clinical methods to modulate hypoxia and to study the role of hypoxia on oral carcinogenesis. We are currently evaluating the effect of vascular modulating agents on feline HNSCC and intratumoral hypoxia as a means to optimize this therapy for combination with irradiation. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 101st Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2010 Apr 17-21; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2010;70(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 439.
Cholinergic stimulation of pancreatic polypeptide release by a meal, bombesin, neurotensin, tetragastrin, cholecystokinin, and cerulein.

Abstract It has been demonstrated that pancreatic polypeptide (PP) release can be markedly impaired by vagotomy or anticholinergic drugs. The current studies examine the role of cholinomimetic stimulation on PP release in dogs. Eight conscious animals underwent a series of tests: (1) a test meal (10 g/kg Alpo); (2) tetragastrin infusion (4 μg/kg/hr); (3) bombesin infusion (1.0 μg/kg/hr); (4) cerulein infusion (100 ng/kg/hr); (5) cholecystokinin octapeptide (CCK-OP) infusion (100 ng/kg/hr); (6) neurotensin infusion (3 ng/kg/hr). All the studies were repeated individually with intravenous bethanecol (100 μg/ kg/hr) as the background stimulant. The mean increment of PP released by a meal (160 ± 32 fmol/ ml) was significantly increased by bethanecol infusion (316 ± 49 fmol/ml) (P 0.05). This study indicates that PP release by a meal is sensitive to cholinomimetic stimulation and that the peptide involved is neither gastrin, neurotensin, CCK, bombesin, nor cerulein. These data support the possibility of the existence of a cholinergic stimulatable mechanism, possibly a peptide responsible for the release of PP.