cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Commonality Differentiation Index Using Prominence of Visual Information for Medication Package Family Planning

Consumable products such as medications rely on the package or label to represent the contents. Package confusion has been widely recognized as a major problem for both over-the-counter and pharmacy-dispensed medications with potentially lethal consequences. It is critical to identify a medication as a member of a product family and differentiate its contributing elements based on visual features on the package or label. Indices that indicate degrees of commonality and differentiation of features for platforms have been shown to benefit development of engineered product families. It is possible to take a similar approach for visual features in packaging such as typography, shape/form, imagery and color. This paper establishes a commonality/differentiation index for prominence of visual features on over-the-counter and pharmacy-dispensed medications based on size and location of features. It provides a quantitative measure to assist package designers in evaluating alternatives to satisfy strategic goals and improve safety. The index is demonstrated with several medications that have been identified by the Institute for Safe Medication Practice as commonly confused.Copyright © 2010 by ASME
A Support Vector Machine in Curve Smoothing and Convex Reconstruction

The problem of construction of smoothing and convex curve is actually regression problem.A support vector machine(SVM) is a very effective method for regression issues.How to use SVM to solve problems of curve smoothing and convex reconstruction is discussed in this paper.Herein the SVM is suitable for the smoothing and convex regression,and a modified SVM model is proposed.The parameter C is redefined using the character of round curvature and convex curve.Through an example,the result shows that the modified SVM model is effectively.
Effects of the nozzle divergent cone contour on solid rocket motor performance

The effects of the nozzle divergent cone contour on motor performance are studied through calculating the specific impulse losses of nozzle axisymmetric two-phase flow and boundary layer. The results show that when length of nozzle divergent cone is constant, the nozzle expansion ratio has an optimum value and when the nozzle expansion ratio is a constant, nozzle performance increases along with increased length of nozzle divergent cone. It is concluded that for making the combined performance optimum, a ratio 1～1.25 of the nozzle divergent cone length to its exit diameter is reasonable. The conclusion can be refered by nozzle designers.
Endothelial cell cystine uptake and glutathione increase with N,N-bis(2-chloroethyl)-N-nitrosourea exposure

Glutathione (gamma-glutamylcysteinylglycine, GSH) is an important cellular antioxidant. In typical cultured cell preparations GSH synthesis is limited by the availability of intracellular cysteine. Because extracellular cystine is the chief source of intracellular cysteine in cultured cells, increasing cystine transport can result in increased intracellular GSH. Depletion of GSH or exposure to oxidants has been shown to stimulate cystine transport in bovine pulmonary endothelial cells and other cell types. BCNU [N,N-bis(2-chloroethyl)-N-nitrosourea] is a potent inhibitor of glutathione reductase (GSSG-Red). We examined the effects of BCNU on cystine uptake by bovine pulmonary artery endothelial cells (BPAEC). We hypothesized that blocking GSSG-Red could result in increased cellular uptake of cystine to replenish decreases in GSH caused by oxidation. Levels of BCNU between 0.005 and 0.05 mM added to the cell culture medium inhibited GSSG-Red at 2, 4, and 24 h after addition. BCNU treatment resulted in concentration-dependent increases in both cystine uptake and GSH levels after 24 h of exposure. The increases in uptake were specific for cystine and glutamate and were sodium independent, suggesting induction of a xc(-)-like transport system. No intracellular accumulation of GSSG was measured nor was any significant depletion of GSH noted at any time of BCNU exposure.
Resection of pelvic sarcomas. Reconstruction techniques without use of endoprostheses

Advances in preoperative imaging techniques and surgical expertise now permit limb sparing resections of pelvic sarcomas to be performed in appropriate patients with an acceptable risk of local recurrence. Reconstruction of the skeletal defect remains, however, problematic. Many techniques have been employed, all with advantages and disadvantages. Arthrodesis for the unstable pelvis has been our preferred reconstructive procedure. When successful, we find this a durable and pain-free reconstruction for the young, active patient.
Effect of D-Leucine-6-Luteinizing Hormone-Releasing Hormone Ethylamide in Patients with Hypogonadotropic Hypogonadism with Anosmia

Four men with hypogonadotropic hypogonadism and anosmia were tested with acute intravenous injections of luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone (LH-RH) and D-leucine-6-LH-RH-ethylamide (D-Leu-6-LH-RH-EA) with a 1-week interval. Each patient was then treated with this drug for 60 days and tested again after this period with an intravenous injection of D-Leu-6-LH-RH-EA. The administration of LH-RH resulted in a significant increase in the LH level in only one patient and in follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and testosterone increases in none. The analog D-Leu-6-LH-RH-EA resulted in significant increases in LH levels in two patients, in FSH levels in three, and in testosterone levels in one. Results obtained after treatment were closely similar to those observed before treatment. Clinical improvement in terms of increased libido, erection, pubic hair growth, and testicular size was observed. D-Leu-6-LH-RH-EA could be useful in the treatment of patients with hypogonadotropic hypogonadism, a possibility deserving further studies.
Effects of modulation of renal kallikrein-kinin system in the nephrotic syndrome.

Albuminuria (UAlbV) can be reduced by converting-enzyme inhibitors (CEI), but the hormonal mechanism responsible for this effect has not previously been defined. Since CEI increase kinin activity as well as reduce angiotensin II (ANG II) activity, experiments were performed to determine the effect of isolated alterations in kinin and ANG II metabolism on UAlbV in rats with passive Heymann pephritis. Phosphoramidon was used to potentiate kinin activity without altering ANG II synthesis. Aprotinin was utilized in combination with the CEI, enalapril, to prevent the increase in kinin activity caused by CEI. UAlbV and the fractional renal clearance of albumin (FCAlb) decreased significantly after either phosphoramidon or enalapril, although only enalapril reduced blood pressure. Glomerular filtration rate (GFR) was not affected by either drug. Phosphoramidon did not affect plasma renin activity (PRA) or the pressor response to angiotensin I (ANG I), indicating that ANG II synthesis was not altered. Aprotinin p...
Strong and Weak Ignition in 2H 2 + O 2 behind Reflected Shocks in Two-Dimensional Navier-Stokes Simulations with Detailed Chemistry

Two modes of ignition, strong and weak, have been observed in reflected shock tube experiments and simulations [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6]. The two ignition modes, differentiated by the location and strength of the initial ignition kernels, have been reported as a function of the incident shock Mach number.
Supreme Court Decision Adds More Confusion to False Claims Act

As modern medicine continues its attempts to bridge the gap between body and mind to provide more comprehensive care for patients, so too must the Federal Government address this gray area while endeavoring to regulate care for those less tangible medical issues of the mind. The already elaborate labyrinth known as the Medicare Act has recently grown even more chaotic under the recent Supreme Court decision Universal Health Services, Inc. v. United States (ex rel. Escobar), which further blurs the line between false and fraudulent claims.
Multiphysics Life-Prediction Model Based on Measurements of Polarization Curves for Copper-Aluminum Intermetallics

Copper wire bonding is finding applications in automotive underhood electronics applications including lane departure warning systems, collision avoidance systems, and vehicle stability systems. The Cu-Al wire bond is susceptible to the corrosion and the reliability of Cu-Al wire bond is of great concern. Typical electronic molding compounds are hydrophilic and absorb moisture when exposed to humid environmental conditions and may contain ionic contaminants including chloride ions as a result of the chemical synthesis of the subcomponents of the resin, etching of metallization, the decomposition of the die-attach, epichlorohydrin in the resin as a flame retardant. The presence of moisture in the operating environment of semiconductor package makes the ion more mobile in the EMC. Models for prediction of the diffusion of the chloride ions and the corrosion of the copper-aluminum interface have been difficult to develop, because of the small scale of the interface and the lack of appropriate electro-chemical properties for the Cu-Al system and the Electronic Molding Compounds under conditions relevant to operation. In this effort, a multiphysics model for galvanic corrosion in the presence of chloride has been presented based on fundamental physics of failure measurements of the corrosion kinetics of Cu, Al, and IMCs. The specific IMCs measured include CuAl, CuAl2, and Cu9Al4. The contaminant diffusion along with the corrosion kinetics has been modeled. In addition, contaminated samples with known concentration of KCl contaminant have been subjected to the temperature humidity conditions of 130°C/100RH. Moisture ingress into the EMC has been quantified through measurements of the weight gain in the EMC as a function of time. Tafel parameters including the open circuit potential and the slope of the polarization curve has been measured for both copper, aluminum under different concentrations of the ionic species and pH values in the EMC. The measurements have been incorporated into the COMSOL model to predict the corrosion current at the Cu-Al bond pad and develop acceleration factors for copper-aluminum wirebond corrosion.
Application of supervised machine learning algorithms in diagnosis of abnormal voltage

This paper introduce a typical supervised machine learning algorithm, which is called C4.5 decision tree classification algorithm. On the basis of analyzing the reason of metering device abnormal voltage, we established a metering device voltage judgment model to evaluate the model performance, then use this model screen out the measurement anomaly, the on-site test results verified the accuracy of the model. This method can effectively improve the accuracy of this kind of abnormal judgment and avoid failure, improve the work efficiency of on-site troubleshooting.
Employment Effects of the Affordable Care Act Medicaid Expansions

We examine whether the recent expansions in Medicaid from the Affordable Care Act reduced â€œemployment lockâ€ among childless adults who were previously ineligible for public coverage. We compare employment in states that chose to expand Medicaid versus those that chose not to expand, before and after implementation. We find that although the expansion increased Medicaid coverage by 3.0 percentage points among childless adults, there was no significant impact on employment.
Comparative Regulation of Corporate Tax Avoidance: An Overview

Reports of more than 15 countries indicate that all employ some form of a substance over form doctrine in order to defeat taxpayer attempts to obtain a tax advantage in situations not anticipated by the legislature. Some countries regulate corporate tax avoidance under general rules, such as abuse of law principles, that deny tax benefits when an arrangement that meets the literal terms of a statute falls outside the category of transactions intended to be covered. A little more than half of the countries have enacted a statutory general anti-avoidance rule (GAAR) that enunciates principles to be applied by the tax administrator and the courts in a uniform manner. A GAAR provides notice to corporations seeking to aggressively plan transactions that skirt the margins of acceptability and guidance for the adjudicators. It also sends a signal to other taxpayers not willing or unable to manipulate the tax rules to obtain a reduction in tax that standards will be employed to insure that all taxpayers pay a fair share of the revenues the government needs to provide essential public goods and services. When the GAAR has focused too narrowly on a limited number of transactions, some countries have contemplated expansion of coverage. Countries have also buttressed a GAAR by including targeted anti-avoidance rules (TAARs) in specific tax provisions. Countries that have enacted a GAAR have frequently added substantial penalties for participation in tax avoidance schemes and disclosure requirements that alert the tax administration to the construction of new tax-avoidance arrangements. There is evidence that penalty and reporting provisions have, in some instances, deterred proliferation of aggressive tax avoidance schemes.
2.12 – Metal-Rich Compounds of the d-Metals

In this chapter, compounds rich in d-metals ranging from molecular and nanoscale clusters to extended intermetallic, interstitial, and metal-metalloid structures are reviewed. Discussions of structural features are interwoven with aspects of chemical bonding and chemical or physical properties to provide a cohesive perspective of the factors controlling the existence and structure–property relationships found among d-metal-rich compounds.
Polynomial approximate solutions of an unconfined Forchheimer groundwater flow equation

Abstract We consider a one-dimensional, unconfined groundwater flow equation for the horizontal propagation of water. This equation was derived by using a particular form of the Forchheimer equation in place of Darcy’s Law. Such equations can model turbulent flows in coarse and fractured porous media. For power-law head, exponential head, power-law flux and exponential flux boundary conditions at the inlet, the problems can be reduced, using similarity transformations, to boundary-value problems for a nonlinear ordinary differential equation. We construct quadratic and cubic approximate solutions of these problems. We also numerically compute solutions using a new modification of a method of Shampine, which exploits scaling properties of the governing equation. The polynomial approximate solutions replicate well the numerical solutions and they are easy to use. Last, we compare the predicted wetting front positions from our quadratic and cubic polynomials to predictions based on Adomian polynomials of the same degrees. The work demonstrates the value of polynomial approximate solutions for validating numerical solutions and for obtaining good approximations for water profiles and the extent of water propagation. This work also presents a new application of Shampine’s method for this type of groundwater flow equation. We note that this paper introduces additional classes of approximate solutions for the Forchheimer equation. Up to this date, not many solutions are known, especially for the transient cases considered here.
Closing Target Trimming: a Perl Package for Discovering Hidden Superfamily Loci in Genomes

Abstract The contemporary capacity of genome sequence analysis significantly lags behind the rapidly evolving sequencing technologies. Retrieving biological meaningful information from an ever-increasing amount of genome data would be significantly beneficial for functional genomic studies. For example, the duplication, organization, evolution, and function of superfamily genes are arguably important in many aspects of life. However, the incompleteness of annotations in many sequenced genomes often results in biased conclusions in comparative genomic studies of superfamilies. Here, we present a Perl software, called Closing Target Trimming, for automatically identifying most, if not all, members of a gene family in any sequenced genomes. Our test data on the F-box gene superfamily showed 78.2 and 79% gene finding accuracies in two well annotated plant genomes, Arabidopsis thaliana and rice, respectively. This annotation performance is clearly higher than the best ab initio methods that are currently available. To further demonstrate the effectiveness of this program, we ran it through 18 plant genomes and five non-plant genomes to compare the expansion of the F-box and the BTB superfamilies. The program discovered that on average 12.7 and 9.3% of the total F-box and BTB members, respectively, are new loci in plant genomes while it only found a small number of new members in vertebrate genomes. Therefore, different evolutionary and regulatory mechanisms of cullin-RING ubiquitin ligases may be present in the plant and the animal kingdoms. Further studies may shed light on new discoveries in the ubiquitin-26S proteasome system-mediated regulatory pathways in eukaryotic organisms. With a detailed compiling instruction and a simple running operation, we expect that this software will assist many biological scientists with little programming experience to smoothly obtain a comprehensive dataset of a gene superfamily in any sequenced eukaryotic genomes.
A 120 dB, Asynchronous, Time-Domain, Multispectral Imager for Near-Infrared Fluorescence Image-Guided Surgery

As surgery has become the standard-of-care for cancer, surgeons have been left underequipped to identify tumors in the operating room, causing many operations to end in positive margins and necessitating secondary treatments to remove remaining tumor tissue. Near-infrared fluorescence image-guided surgery utilizes near-infrared fluorescent markers and near-infrared sensitive cameras to highlight cancerous tissues. Unfortunately, state-of-the-art imaging systems are unable to handle the high dynamic range between strong surgical lighting and weak fluorescent emission and suffer from temperature-dependent co-registration error. To provide a cost-effective and space-efficient imaging system with sufficient dynamic range and no co-registration error, we have developed a single-chip snapshot multispectral imaging system that provides four channels across the visible and near-infrared spectra. By monolithically integrating an asynchronous time-domain image sensor and pixelated interference filters, we have achieved a dynamic range of 120 dB without co-registration error. The imager can detect less than 100 nM of the FDA-approved fluorescent dye indocyanine green under surgical lighting conditions, making it a promising candidate for image-guided surgery clinical trials.
The Role of Choice and Control in the Impact of Autism Waiver Services on Family Quality of Life and Child Progress

Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) Waivers provide support and services to families with a child/youth with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Research indicates HCBS Waivers are positively related to family quality of life (FQoL) and Child Progress. This study replicated and expanded prior research using propensity score matching of 460 families. Results support prior findings that HCBS waivers have a positive impact on FQoL and aspects of child progress. This study also found that having choices in the selection of services and service providers, as well as control over day-to-day provision of services, strengthened both the child and family impacts of the Waiver services. In addition, the study provides preliminary evidence for psychometric properties of a quick and inexpensive parent-report of ASD severity.
A Pilot Study Comparing Cued Versus Recognition Recall Question Design on Medical Student Utilization, Effectiveness, and Perceptions of Pharmacology Educational Games

Although games are used for active learning, research is lacking on how design impacts learning, engagement, and utilization in medical students. This pilot study compared pharmacology educational games designed with cued recall questions with a recognition-recall trivia multiple choice format. Learning was determined by comparing quiz performance pre- and post-game, and perceptions were measured by post-game survey. Pharmacology performance improved regardless of game design, although the trivia game produced greater post-game performance improvement. Medical students positively perceived both pharmacology games to be interesting, effective, and engaging tools, supporting that they are a feasible method to promote engagement and active pharmacology learning.
Method and sensor for monitoring weight of trucks in motion based on bridge girder end rotations

Traffic monitoring, including the estimation of axle and gross vehicle weights of passing trucks over bridges plays an important role in the determination of actual service loads. Knowledge of thes...
Plagues, Epidemics and Pandemics

Pandemic always emerge as social constructions determined by the synergy of socioeconomic, cultural, religious, ecological and biological factors. Plagues have been on earth before mankind and in fact they emerge along with life on earth experiencing three and a half billions of years of evolution and adaptation. The encounter of civilizations has facilitated the exchange of microorganisms determining the emergence of plagues and pandemics that have decimated populations. One of the most striking social demonstrations were observed during the Processions of the Flagellants that took place in the Europe of the fourteenth century, in the times of the Black Plague. In the 1990s, a rampant expansion of the seventh cholera pandemic originated in the Celebs Islands, Indonesia arrived into the Pacific coasts of South America, similar social reactions were seen in the times of cholera when this plague arrived into the Americas. Parishioners of the port of Guayaquil, Ecuador participated in the Eastern Christ of Consolation Procession begging to God for a cessation of the epidemic. But also, the London of 1854 was also struck by cholera leading to the John Snow’s classic Soho study where water was found to be the vehicle of transmission. The reanalysis of Snow’s study brings to discussion the following questions: Did the consumption of not well-cooked fish or seafood have been another route of transmission as demonstrated in recent cholera outbreak investigations? Was the cholera epidemic controlled not only by John Snow’s clever interventions but also because of the development of protective natural immunity by the Londoners?
The Relationship Among Demographic Factors, Transition Services, and Individual Development Account (IDA) Saving Participation Among Transition-Age Youth With Disabilities:

Saving participation in adolescence is crucial for young adults to achieve financial well-being over their lifetime. Yet, very little is known about the factors that encourage saving participation ...
Impact of Mineralocorticoid Receptor and Angiotensin II Type 1 Receptor Antagonism on Blood Pressure Regulation in Obese Zucker Rats: Role of Sex Differences.

BACKGROUND Previous studies suggest that obesity-induced hypertension in females, but not males, is due to leptin-mediated stimulation of aldosterone secretion and subsequent activation of the mineralocorticoid receptor (MR). Although angiotensin II type 1 receptor (AT1R) antagonism lowers blood pressure (BP) in male obese Zucker rats (OZR), which have defective leptin signaling, the potential role of sex differences in BP responses to renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system blockade, including MR antagonism, in obesity is still unclear. We tested the cardiovascular effects of MR antagonism, alone or in combination with AT1R blockade in male and female OZR (n = 5/sex) and lean Zucker rats (n = 7/sex). METHODS BP and heart rate (HR) were measured by telemetry 24 hour/day. After a 6-day control period, spironolactone (40 mg/kg/day) was given for 10 days followed by a 7-day combined treatment with losartan (20 mg/kg/day), and followed by 6-day post-treatment recovery period. RESULTS Compared with lean rats, OZR were hypertensive (mean arterial pressure: 115 ± 4 vs. 104 ± 2 and 111 ± 1 vs. 100 ± 3 mm Hg for males and females) and had lower HR (355 ± 9 vs. 393 ± 7 and 367 ± 10 vs. 412 ± 13 bpm). MR blockade alone did not alter BP or HR in lean or obese male and female Zucker rats, whereas combined treatment reduced BP in obese and lean rats by 31 ± 3 vs. 21 ± 1 and 8 ± 1 vs. 5 ± 1 mm Hg in males and females, respectively. No changes were observed in HR. CONCLUSIONS These results suggest that there are important sex differences in BP responses to chronic AT1R blockade but no major involvement of MR activation in BP regulation in OZR.
Luteinizing hormone and the aging brain.

Abstract Fluctuations in luteinizing hormone (LH) release contribute to the development and maintenance of the reproductive system and become dysregulated during aging. Of note, increasing evidence supports extra-gonadal roles for LH within the CNS, particularly as it relates to cognition and plasticity in aging and age-related degenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease (AD). However, despite increasing evidence that supports a link between this hormone and CNS function, the mechanisms underlying LH action within the brain and how they influence cognition and plasticity during the lifespan is poorly understood and, in fact, often in conflict. This chapter aims to provide an up-to-date review of the literature addressing the role of LH signaling in the context of CNS aging and disease and put forward a unifying hypothesis that may explain currently conflicting theories regarding the role of LHCGR signaling in CNS function and dysfunction in aging and disease.
Are 2 cords better than 1

In this issue of Blood, Verneris and colleagues report that patients receiving 2 partially HLA-matched cord blood units have significantly less leukemia relapse than patients receiving 1 partially HLA-matched cord blood unit in myeloablative transplantation.
Utilization of Antibacterial Nanoparticles in Photocurable Additive Manufacturing of Advanced Composites for Improved Public Health

This paper presents the additive manufacturing and characterization of nanoparticle-reinforced photocurable resin-based nanocomposites with a potential antimicrobial function for improved public health applications. Two types of photocurable resins are reinforced by titanium dioxide (TiO2) or zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles with average diameters in the 10-30 nm range to provide antimicrobial properties. The developed nanocomposites can be additively manufactured using the digital light processing method with an outstanding surface quality and precise geometrical accuracy. Experimental characterizations are conducted to investigate key mechanical properties of the 3D printed nanocomposites, including Young's Modulus, tensile strength, and abrasion resistance. Specimens produced were observed to demonstrate the following characteristics during testing. Tensile strength increased by 42.2% at a maximum value of 29.53 MPa. The modulus of elasticity increased by 14.3%, and abrasion resistance increased by 15.8%. The proper dispersion of the nanoparticles within the cured resin is validated by scanning electron images. The wettability and water absorption testing results indicate that the developed nanocomposites have an outstanding water resistance capability. The pairing of digital light processing with these novel nanocomposites allows for the creation of complex composite geometries that are not capable through other manufacturing processes. Therefore, they have the potential for long-term usage to improve general public health with antimicrobial functionality. The pairing of an unmodified photocurable resin with a 1% ZnO concentration demonstrated the most promise for commercial applications.
Butyrate supplementation to pregnant mice elicits cytoprotection against colonic injury in the offspring.

Background Maternal diet during pregnancy can impact progeny health and disease by influencing the offspring's gut microbiome and immune development. Gut microbial metabolism generates butyrate, a short-chain fatty acid that benefits intestinal health. Here we assess the effects of antenatal butyrate on the offspring's gastrointestinal health. We hypothesized that antenatal butyrate supplementation will induce protection against colitis in the offspring. Methods C57BL/6 mice received butyrate during pregnancy and a series of experiments were performed on their offspring. RNA sequencing was performed on colonic tissue of 3-week-old offspring. Six-8-week-old offspring were subjected to dextran sulfate sodium-induced colitis. Fecal microbiome analysis was performed on the 6-8-week-old offspring. Results Antenatal butyrate supplementation dampened transcript enrichment of inflammation-associated colonic genes and prevented colonic injury in the offspring. Antenatal butyrate increased the offspring's stool microbiome diversity and expanded the prevalence of specific gut microbes. Conclusions Antenatal butyrate supplementation resulted in downregulation of genes in the offspring's colon that function in inflammatory signaling. In addition, antenatal butyrate supplementation was associated with protection against colitis and an expanded fecal microbiome taxonomic diversity in the offspring. Impact Dietary butyrate supplementation to pregnant mice led to downregulation of colonic genes involved in inflammatory signaling and cholesterol synthesis, changes in the fecal microbiome composition of the offspring, and protection against experimentally induced colitis in the offspring. These data support the mounting evidence that the maternal diet during pregnancy has enduring effects on the offspring's long-term health and disease risk. Although further investigations are needed to identify the mechanism of butyrate's effects on fetal gut development, the current study substantiates the approach of dietary intervention during pregnancy to optimize the long-term gastrointestinal health of the offspring.
Analyses of the In Vivo Trafficking of Stoichiometric Doses of an Anti-Complement Receptor 1/2 Monoclonal Antibody Infused Intravenously in Mice

Complement plays a critical role in the immune response by opsonizing immune complexes (IC) and thymus-independent type 2 Ags with C3 breakdown product C3dg, a CR2-specific ligand. We used a C3dg-opsonized IC model, anti-CR1/2 mAb 7G6, to investigate how such substrates are processed. We used RIA, whole body imaging, flow cytometry, and fluorescence immunohistochemistry to examine the disposition of 0.1- to 2-microg quantities of mAb 7G6 infused i.v. into BALB/c mice. The mAb is rapidly taken up by the spleen and binds preferentially to marginal zone (MZ) B cells; within 24 h, the MZ B cells relocate and transfer mAb 7G6 to follicular dendritic cells (FDC). Transfer occurs coincident with loss of the extracellular portion of MZ B cell CR2, suggesting that the process may be mediated by proteolysis of CR2. Intravenous infusion of an FDC-specific mAb does not induce comparable splenic localization or cellular reorganization, emphasizing the importance of MZ B cells in intrasplenic trafficking of bound substrates. We propose the following mechanism: binding of C3dg-opsonized IC to noncognate MZ B cells promotes migration of these cells to the white pulp, followed by CR2 proteolysis, which allows transfer of the opsonized IC to FDC, thus facilitating presentation of intact Ags to cognate B cells.
Turbidimetric Changes Accompanying the Interaction of Endotoxin and the α Chains of Human Hemoglobin

Setlow, Peter (Brandeis University, Waltham, Mass.), Lawrence Levine, and Helen Van Vunakis. Turbidimetric changes accompanying the interaction of endotoxin and the alpha chains of human hemoglobin. J. Bacteriol. 89:1237-1243. 1965.-With the use of a turbidimetric assay, the effects of pH, ionic strength, anions and cations, and varying concentrations of reactants on the interaction of Escherichia coli endotoxin (prepared by the Boivin procedure) with the alpha chain of hemoglobin were studied. The reaction was found to be partially reversible by addition of NaCl or by addition of an excess of either reactant. The characteristics of the reaction indicated that complex formation between two multivalent molecules had taken place. The formation of the complex was inhibited by endotoxin (prepared by the Westphal procedure) and by the products which resulted from partial tryptic digestion of alpha chain.
Cellular and Subcellular Localization of the Dopamine Transporter in Rat Cortex

Publisher Summary Ultrastructural subcellular studies indicate that most of the dopamine transporter (DAT) protein in striatal dopamine axons is distributed at the periphery of synapses and at nonsynaptic membrane sites. The extensive distribution of the DAT protein is likely to greatly restrict the extracellular diffusion of dopamine in this brain region. Several neurochemical observations suggest that extracellular dopamine in the prelimbic division, or prefrontal cortex (PFC), undergoes less regulation by DAT-mediated uptake, compared with the striatum. Relative to total tissue content, extracellular dopamine levels are 20 times higher in the PFC than in the striatum. The electron microscopic results from six rats with the best morphology and most robust staining with the rat antibody were quantified in the experiment demonstrated in this chapter. One to two tissue sections per region per animal were examined, and the surface of the tissue was sampled at random until at least 40 DAT-immunoreactive processes were photographed. Processes were then numbered on the micrographs from upper left to lower right, and a random number generator was used to select 30 processes per region per animal. The processes were then traced using an image analysis system, which calculated their maximum diameter along the short axis. By electron microscopic examination of the dorsolateral striatum, peroxidase immunoreactivity for DAT was abundantly expressed in axon varicosities, some of which made punctate symmetric synapses on spines or distal dendrites.
A Biological Basis for Animal Model Studies of Learning and Memory

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses a classification of behavioral phenomena and gives examples of how behavior is measured in animal systems. It provides a historical account of animal model organisms used to investigate the neural mechanisms of learning and memory. The chapter focuses on nonassociative and associative learning, the two main classes of behavioral plasticity commonly studied in animals. Nonassociative learning is the response to a change in the salience of an object or event with interpretations ranging from benign to fearful. The two most frequently discussed subsets of nonassociative learning are habituation and sensitization. Habituation is a decrease in the speed or severity of a response to a repeated stimulus, whereas sensitization is an increase. Typically, the difference in behavior is caused by the relative noxious nature of the stimulus with habituation elicited by a neutral stimulus and sensitization induced by negative stimuli. Associative learning entails the pairing of two or more objects or events to provide new meaning to the previously novel stimuli. The chapter discusses homology as the biological basis for the comparative approach using animal model systems.
The Psychological Concept of Subjective Probability: A Measurement-Theoretic View

A point of view is presented concerning the psychological concept of subjective probability, both to study its relation to the corresponding mathematical and philosophical concepts and to provide a framework for the rigorous investigation of problems unique to psychology. In order to do this the empirical implications of axiom systems for measurement are discussed first, relying primarily on Krantz’s work, with special emphasis, however, on some similarities and differences between psychological and physical variables. The psychological variable of uncertainty is then examined in this light, and it is concluded that few, if any, current theories of subjective probability are satisfactory when viewed from this perspective, including those deriving from the mathematical work in the axiomatic foundations of probability. This might appear to pose difficulties for applications to real problems of normative decision theory when those applications require numerical probability judgments from individuals. Two possible solutions are discussed briefly
Second‐Order Linkage and Family Datasets

Publisher Summary This chapter addresses the issues involved in creating databases so that family relationships is readily determined and followed. The chapter discusses the benefits and limitations of family‐based datasets and the implications of the methods in research. The principle for creating a second order dataset that makes it possible to organize information in a database based on families is also described. Such datasets provide a valuable opportunity to conduct truly unique types of research among siblings and across multiple generations. They also help to create a longitudinal dataset within a relatively short period by performing a second order data linkage. The key to create a second‐order dataset establishes identifying numbers (IDs) for all individuals in a record and establishes IDs for all records in a dataset. By doing so, one can identify various relationships within different types of families and capture the fluidity of the modern family structure. One of the benefits of a second‐order dataset is enhanced identification and tracking capacity, which is particularly important to public health officials. The enhanced tracking capacity makes it easier for health officials to ensure uninterrupted services to those who are eligible. The benefits of a second‐order data linkage imposes a high demand on computing, programming capacity, and accentuates the difficulties seen in typical data linkage projects based on individuals alone.
RT: a Role-based Trust-management framework

The RT Role-based Trust-management framework provides policy language, semantics, deduction engine, and pragmatic features such as application domain specification documents that help distributed users maintain consistent use of policy terms. This paper provides a general overview of the framework, combining some aspects described in previous publications with recent improvements and explanation of motivating applications.
Laser cross-linking of proteins to nucleic acids. II. Interactions of the bacteriophage T4 DNA replication polymerase accessory proteins complex with DNA.

Abstract In this paper we examine the interactions of the polymerase accessory proteins subassembly of the bacteriophage T4 DNA replication complex, using single-pulse ultraviolet laser excitation to induce protein-nucleic acid cross-links. The laser-induced cross-linking permits effective "freezing" of the instantaneous equilibrium state of the complex and thus provides a mechanism to dissect the individual protein-nucleic acid interactions involved in complex assembly. We find that the binding of the gene 44, 62, and 45 proteins is dependent not only on the presence of each of the other proteins, but also on the presence of adenine nucleotide cofactors. We find that the nonhydrolyzable analogs of ATP often behave more like ADP than ATP in these experiments. Gene 45 protein is able to induce an increase in cross-linking of the gp44/62 complex to nucleic acids, and this increased cross-linking correlates with changes in the apparent Km of the gp44/62 complex for polynucleotides and with changes in Vmax during ATP hydrolysis. Our results suggest that the enhanced DNA binding is predominately through the gene 62 protein and not the ATPase catalytic subunit (gene 44 protein). Thus the gene 62 protein seems to play an integral role in gp45-mediated enhancement of the ATP hydrolytic activity of gp44. These results are summarized and integrated in the form of a model for the multiple interactions of the accessory proteins with DNA and one another in the presence of mononucleotide cofactors and substrates.
Low sidelobe taper choice for wideband adaptive arrays

Chebychev and Taylor weightings are both used to produce low sidelobe patterns for array antennas. The Chebychev taper may be considered superior because it produces a narrower mainlobe for a given maximum sidelobe level. However, for wideband adaptive arrays the Taylor apodization can result in narrower interference nulls, thus providing better overall adaptive beamformer performance.
Factors affecting the absorption and excretion of lead in the rat

A reliable method for studying lead absorption and excretion in rats is described. Lead absorption occurs primarily in theduodenum where lead enters the epithelial mucosal cells. There is a relative mucosal block for lead with increasing intraluminal doses. Certain substances which bind lead and increase its solubility enhance its absorption. Iron, zinc, and calcium decrease the absorption of lead without affecting its solubility, probably by competing for shared absorptive receptors in the intestinal mucosa. The total body burden of lead does not affect lead absorption. Thus, lead does not have a feedback mechanism which limits absorption. Lead absorption is increased during rapid periods of growth and in iron-deficient animals. It is diminished with starvation and in iron-overloaded animals. The excretion and kinetics of tracer doses of radiolead were quantified. Erythrocytes seem to serve an important role in transport. Excretion occurs in urine and stool. Bile is an important route of excretion in the gut. Although most of a tracer dose is rapidly excreted, the excretory process is limited permitting lead accumulation primarily in bone.
A CAD tool for circuit extraction from VLSI layout cells

The authors present an approach to converting and displaying a VLSI layout definition file, such as one produced by the MAGIC layout editing system, into a circuit diagram. The ideas presented have been incorporated into a software tool written in C language for the Microvax GPX/II workstation; the routines in the graphic kernel system are used for the graphics component of the software. An example of a cell layout developed using MAGIC is shown along with the MAGIC layout definition file relative to this. It is also demonstrated that the circuit diagram developed by such a CAD (computer-aided design) tool can be useful in verification of layout. The terminal interconnectivity information generated from the layout definition file can also be used directly for circuit simulation. >
Symbolic analysis of Feynman diagrams by computer

Abstract We describe a system of programs in the language LISP 1.5 which handles all stages of calculation from the specification of an elementary-particle process in terms of a Hamiltonian of interaction or Feynman diagrams to the derivation of an absolute square of the matrix element for the process. Examples of significant parts of the programs are presented in the text, while a detailed listing of this material is contained in two Appendices which are available on request from the authors.
Growth of retinal ganglion cell axons following optic nerve crush in adult hamsters

Regrowth of retinal ganglion cell axons was examined 2 to 60 days after intraorbital optic nerve crush lesions in adult hamsters. Anterograde axonal transport of intraocularly injected wheat germ agglutinin-horseradish peroxidase conjugate was used to label the axons after specific postinjury time periods. Labeled axons were present in the region of the optic nerve lying between the eye and the crush site at all times, but their numbers appeared to decrease with increasing survival time. Labeled axons were first detected in the segment of optic nerve lying distal to the crush site 1 week after injury and had extended as far as 2.3 mm beyond the crush site by 60 days postinjury, growing at a rate similar to that at which the collateral branches of developing ganglion cell axons extend into their targets. Although most axons failed to regrow after these lesions, the slow reextention exhibited by members of a small population of axons indicates that the degenerating adult mammalian optic nerve provides an adequate environment for a particular mode of regrowth by injured axons of the central nervous system.
Distribution and characterization of GFP(+) donor hematogenous cells in Twitcher mice after bone marrow transplantation.

The twitcher mouse is a murine model of globoid cell leukodystropy, a genetic demyelinating disease caused by a mutation of the galactosylceramidase gene. Demyelination of the central nervous system commences around 20 postnatal days. Using GFP-transgenic mice as donors, the distribution of hematogenous cells after bone marrow transplantation was investigated in the twitcher mice. Bone marrow transplantation was carried out at 8 postnatal days. In twitcher chimeric mice examined before 30 postnatal days, numerous GFP+ cells were detected in spleen and peripheral nerve but only a few were detected in the liver, lung, and spinal white matter. In contrast, at 35 to 40 postnatal days when demyelination is evident, many GFP+ cells with ameboid form were detected in the white matter of the spinal cord, brainstem, and cerebrum. Approximately half of these GFP+ cells were co-labeled with Mac-1. In twitcher chimeric mice examined after 100 postnatal days, the majority of GFP/Mac-1 double-positive cells displayed the morphological features of ramified microglia with fine delicate processes and was distributed diffusely in both gray and white matter. These results suggest that a significant number of donor hematogenous cells are able to infiltrate into the brain parenchyma, repositioning themselves into areas previously occupied by microglia, and to ameliorate lethality.
Predicting the initiation of minimum-jerk submovements in three-dimensional target-oriented human arm trajectories

Target-oriented human arm trajectories can be represented as a series of summed minimum-jerk submovements. Under this framework, corrections for errors in reaching trajectories could be implemented by adding another submovement to the ongoing trajectory. It has been proposed that a feedback-feedforward error-detection process continuously evaluates trajectory error, but this process initiates corrections at discrete points in time. The present study demonstrates the ability of a feed-forward Artificial Neural Network (ANN) to learn the function of this error-detection process. Experimentally recorded human target-oriented arm trajectories were decomposed into submovements. It was assumed that the parameters of each submovement are known at their onset. Trained on these parameters, for each of three participants, an ANN can predict presence of corrections with sensitivity and specificity > 80%, and can predict their timing with R2 > 40%.
Transport of radioactivity derived from labeled N-acetylglucosamine in mammalian motor axons.

The distribution of radioactivity in L7 ventral roots after microinjection of N-acetyl-3H-glucosamine into the L7 segment of the feline neuraxis was examined under several conditions; i.e., the isotope was injected before and after ligation of the roots and various periods were allowed for uptake. The results indicated a transport of radiolabeled macromolecular material in both slow and fast components of axoplasmic flow. Further characterization of the nature of the transported, macromolecular material revealed that more than half of the radioactivity was non-ultrafilterable even after pronase digestion, only 2% of this activity was incorporated into acidic glycosaminoglycans and the remaining activity was probably derived from glycoproteins.