cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
High-resolution Bragg focusing optics for synchrotron monochromators and analyzers

A number of different applications for high resolution Bragg Focusing Optics are reviewed. Applications include Sagittal Focusing, Energy Dispersive optics for x-ray absorption and diffraction, a curved analyzer-multichannel detector method for efficient acquisition of powder and small angle scattering data, the use of Backscattering Analyzers for very high resolution inelastic scattering, and curved crystals for high energy applications.
Electrical activity in early neuronal development

The construction of the brain during embryonic development was thought to be largely independent of its electrical activity. In this view, proliferation, migration and differentiation of neurons are driven entirely by genetic programs and activity is important only at later stages in refinement of connections. However, recent findings demonstrate that activity plays essential roles in early development of the nervous system. Activity has similar roles in the incorporation of newly born neurons in the adult nervous system, suggesting that there are general rules underlying activity-dependent development. The extensive involvement of activity makes it likely that it is required at all developmental stages as a necessary partner with genetic programs.
Some experimental observations of secondary motions in a confined vortex flow

Three decades have passed since vortex breakdown was first identified as a natural fluid flow phenomenon. Three key theories have been proposed to explain the phenomenon: hydrodynamic instability, conjugate states and flow stagnation. Despite a considerable amount of theoretical and experimental investigation, there is still nothing approaching a completely satisfactory theory of vortex breakdown. In addition, there is no agreement on a complete physical description of the structure of vortex breakdown. The present experimental investigation may substantiate a few earlier conjectures. We discuss an experimental finding that might help clarify the phenomenon through the use of flow visualization and laser-Doppler velocimetry. Experimental measurements substantiate earlier measurements and theoretical calculations of the velocity field. The evidence suggests that there is a connection between criticality and instability.
Understanding the Mechanical Response of Built-Up Welded Beams Made from Commercially Pure Titanium and a Titanium Alloy

Abstract During the last two decades, titanium has gradually grown in stature, strength and significance to take on the recognition of being a modern and high performance metal that is noticeably stronger and concurrently lighter than the most widely chosen and used steels in a spectrum of industrial applications. Technological innovations have necessitated reduction of part weight, cost and lead time, including concurrent enhancement of performance of structural parts and components made using titanium and its alloys. This has provided the impetus to develop economically viable structural design methodologies and specifications, while at the same time bringing forth innovative and economically affordable manufacturing and fabricating techniques with the primary purpose of both producing and promoting the use of cost-effective titanium structures. The experimental results of a recent study on built-up welded beams are presented in this paper with the primary objective of enabling design, facilitating fabrication, and implementation of large structural members for potential applications in the structural and defense-industry.
Conversion of 3-keto-5β-cholanoic acid to lithocholic acid by guinea pig brain tissue, in vitro

Abstract Incubation of 14C-labelled 3-keto-5β-cholanoic acid with guinea pig brain minced or cell-free preparations resulted in the production of more polar products. One of the major products has been identified as lithocholic acid by thin layer chromatography, gas liquid chromatography combined with a radioactivity monitoring system, and cocrystallization to constant specific activity after isotopic dilution.
Homogenization and optical response properties of sculptured thin films

The concept of nanoscopic-to-macroscopic homogenization of a sculptured thin film (STF) into a unidirectionally nonhomogeneous continuum is presented. The global constitutive properties of linear STFs are connected to the so-called local or reference constitutive properties by rotation dyadics. The local properties are obtained using the Bruggeman formalism for dielectric as well as bianisotropic STFs. Limitations of the presented approach are discussed, and some avenues for further theoretical research are suggested.
Cost control is one of radiology's greatest threats.

R t P C R G t m A c s radiology and imaging coninue to occupy a central role in atient care, those of us who proide these necessary medical serices come under increased scruiny, and our specialty becomes ncreasingly threatened by numerous xternal forces. Therefore, it is imortant to identify those threats, unerstand them, and create effective esponses to them to preserve the pecialty of radiology. In this artile, I would like to share my opinons on what I believe to be one of he greatest threats to radiology and maging: regulatory and business nitiatives to control cost. We have all heard the phrase perception is reality,” and to a arge extent, that is true in today’s ociety. Imaging is perceived as a est. The test is perceived as very xpensive. The test is often pereived as unnecessary. Radiologists re perceived as wealthy. Primary are physicians are perceived as unerpaid. Regulatory systems are erceived as inefficient. Congress nd its advisory groups perceive hemselves as omniscient. Health are costs are perceived as a compay’s worst enemy. Niche industries erceive these other perceptions as usiness opportunities. Cost control is paramount to the uccess of American business, and S industry cannot compete in a lobal market unless it achieves ealth care cost control. Medicare annot finance care for an aging opulation without controlling osts. Methods of cost control can nclude the control and modulaion of rising cost trends as well as he actual reduction of existing t osts. Individual businesses, private ayers, and regulatory groups seek o identify the cost trend outliers as ell as the costs that are easiest to ontrol or reduce. Congress and the enters for Medicare and Medicaid ervices (CMS) do likewise. Costs elated to entities considered to be sacred cows” may indeed be outlirs but are often the hardest to conrol because of concern about backash. Imaging is perceived as an exensive test. Medicare officially reers to imaging as a “test” [1]. That erception is not reality, but it hreatens us. What a radiologist oes is provide medical care. The est is provided by the facility that reates the images. The test is ineed expensive, but the radiologist s perceived as part of that high exense. Our professional compensaion is therefore at risk by associaion. We are clearly not a sacred ow, because our identity and funcion are widely misperceived or unnown. Imaging is often perceived as an nnecessary test. The literature bounds with data on overutilizaion and inappropriate utilization 2,3]. Managed care, Stark I and II, nd physician education are all atempts to stem the tide but are pereived as not getting the job done. maging cost escalation continues o frustrate business and regulators. Primary care physicians are pereived as underpaid sacred cows. ithin the process of the most reent American Medical Association AMA) Relative Value Update ommittee (RUC) 5-year review, here was an increase in the value of c
NETWORK POWER AND GLOBAL STANDARDIZATION: THE CONTROVERSY OVER THE MULTILATERAL AGREEMENT ON INVESTMENT

: This essay examines the controversy over the attempt to establish rules governing global capital flows in the Multilateral Agreement on Investment (MAI), which became a target of “antiglobalization” activism. Making sense of the activists' concerns about the MAI requires understanding how the emergence of transnational standards in contemporary globalization constitutes an exercise in power. I develop the concept of “network power” to explain the way in which the rise of a single coordinating standard for global activity can be experienced as coercive, as it eclipses alternative standards and abrogates the genuinely free choice among different conventions. Using a network-power analysis, I reinterpret the controversy over the MAI as a concern about the processes by which neoliberal globalization is being brought about.
Cyclazocine, a Long Acting Narcotic Antagonist: ITS Voluntary Acceptance as a Treatment Modality by Narcotics Abusers

Martin and co-workers (1965b) have proposed that the regular administration of cyclazocine, a long acting narcotic antagonist, might be useful in the treatment of ambulatory patients who are highly motivated to avoid relapse to the compulsive use of narcotics. The purpose of this paper is twofold: 1) To present the pharmacology of cyclazocine and the rationale for its use in the treatment of narcotic addicts, and 2) To describe briefly the patients who have voluntarily accepted this form of treatment and our early experiences with them.
Intravenous bleomycin infusion as a potential syncronizing agent in human disseminated malignancies. A preliminary report

According to cell cycle synchrony principles, bleomycin was infused for 48 hours, followed by a dose of either methotrexate or hydroxyurea after a 24-hour rest, in 36 adult patients with disseminated carcinoma. In this preliminary study, a 59% response rate was noted among patients with epidermoid carcinoma of the head and neck. Four of four patients with transitional cell carcinoma of bladder and one patient with hypernephroma also responded. No responses were noted among five patients with epidermoid carcinoma of the lung. The length of response ranged from 1 to 8 months (median, 2 months). Seventy-seven percent of the responders had extensive prior radiotherapy. The first patient treated had fatal sepsis with leukopenia, which prompted a widening of the treatment interval. Subsequently, toxicity was mainly mild or absent, the moderate or severe toxicity was primarily neutropenia, which was reversible. The use of low-dose bleomycin infusion is safe and may play a role in cancer therapy in combination with other agents specific for certain tumors. The length of infusion should be determined by the cell cycle of the tumor, if its potential synchronizing capabilities are to be exploited.
Seasonal Reproduction in the Meadow Vole

Population structure and reproductive condition of the meadow vole, Microtus pennsylvanicus , were analyzed for the period of July 1954 through July 1955. During this period there was a heavy snow cover throughout the winter and breeding was recorded for every month of the year. In the winters of 1954–55 and 1960–61, when there was very little snow cover, breeding ceased by 17 November and did not resume until about 20 March. From the 1954–55 period, 1,084; in the 1957–58 period, 37; and in the 1960–61 period, 217 meadow voles were examined.
Female partners of patients after surgical prostate cancer treatment: interactions with physicians and support needs

Background: Few studies have explored the women’s experiences as a result of a partners’ diagnosis of prostate cancer. This study begins to explore women’s interactions with physicians (primary care and urologist) and the support needs associated with the diagnosis and treatment of their partners’ prostate cancer. Methods: Two focus groups (n = 14) of women whose partners were diagnosed with prostate cancer (diagnoses’ 1 - 18 months). A trained facilitator used open-ended questions to explore ideas. The framework approach was used to analyze the transcripts. Results: Three main themes emerged: 1. More support. Validation and information is needed for women including emotional support and opportunities to share experiences. 2. Role of the physician. The transfer of care once specialized treatment is no longer needed remained poorly defined, which increased confusion and feelings of abandonment related to the role of the primary physician. 3. Partners’ relationship changes. Men became more dependent on their partners for support and to act as the primary communicator and caregiver. Conclusions: Additional research is needed in this field to confirm the importance of training primary care physicians to consider holistic treatment approaches that recognize the partner and family needs as important in the complete physical and emotional healing of their patients.
Photoionization of acetylene near threshold

Abstract Photoion yield curves for C 2 H 2 and C 2 D 2 cooled to 118 K are remeasured at 0.2 A intervals from ionization threshold to about 0.6 eV above threshold. Clearly defined autoionization features are observed superimposed on vibrational step structure. The latter observation suggests molecular predissociation occurring in competition with the autoionization process. A simple means of estimating Franck-Condon factors for the direct ionization in the presence of autoionization gives values in agreement with photoelectron spectroscopy data. Comparisons of observed and calculated Rydberg levels converging to vibrationally excited states of the molecular ion are discussed briefly.
Developmental changes in infants’ visual short-term memory for location

To examine the development of visual short-term memory (VSTM) for location, we presented 6- to 12-month-old infants (N = 199) with two side-by-side stimulus streams. In each stream, arrays of colored circles continually appeared, disappeared, and reappeared. In the changing stream, the location of one or more items changed in each cycle; in the non-changing streams the locations did not change. Eight- and 12.5-month-old infants showed evidence of memory for multiple locations, whereas 6.5-month-old infants showed evidence of memory only for a single location, and only when that location was easily identified by salient landmarks. In the absence of such landmarks, 6.5-month-old infants showed evidence of memory for the overall configuration or shape. This developmental trajectory for spatial VSTM is similar to that previously observed for color VSTM. These results additionally show that infants’ ability to detect changes in location is dependent on their developing sensitivity to spatial reference frames.
Axial Impact of an Orthotropic Cylindrical Membrane

A semi-infinite, cylindrical membrane of helically oriented fiber- reinforced material is considered. The equations of motion are solved by the method of characteristics for a membrane impacting a rigid wall. Results are presented for various fiber orientations using representative material properties.
Subspace approach to multidimensional fault identification and reconstruction

Fault detection and process monitoring using principal-component analysis (PCA) and partial least squares were studied intensively and applied to industrial processes. The fundamental issues of detectability, reconstructability, and isolatability for multidimensional faults are studied. PCA is used to define an orthogonal partition of the measurement space into two orthogonal subspaces, a principal-component subspace, and a residual subspace. Each multidimensional fault is also described by a subspace on which the fault displacement occurs. Fault reconstruction leads to fault identification and consists of finding a new vector in the fault subspace with minimum distance to the principal-component subspace. The unreconstructed variance is proposed to measure the reliability of the reconstruction procedure and determine the PCA model for best reconstruction. Based on the fault subspace, fault magnitude, and the squared prediction error, necessary and sufficient conditions are provided to determine if the faults are detectable, reconstructable, and isolatable.
Anomalous Conformational Instability and Hydrogel Formation of a Cationic Class of Self-Assembling Oligopeptides

A detailed understanding of the mechanistic principles which govern peptide and protein self-assembly is of considerable biomedical and biotechnological importance. Owing to the diversity of peptide and protein sequences which have been shown to aggregate into ordered structures, the ability to self-assemble is now recognized as an inherent feature of the polypeptide backbone. It is therefore of utmost importance to elucidate the rules governing the self-assembly process. De novo designed oligopeptides, based on sequences of alternating hydrophilic and hydrophobic residues and containing complementary charge distributions, have shown the potential to self-assemble into hydrogels rich in β-sheet secondary structure. Here we present and characterize the unexpected self-assembly and hydrogel formation of AK-16, an alanine-rich oligopeptide, whose sequence does not abide by typical rules which allow for peptide self-organization. AK-16 spontaneously forms soluble, thermodynamically unstable β-sheet-rich aggre...
Evaluation of the F-8 DFBW analytic redundancy sensor FDI algorithm using telemetry data

In this paper we present a reliable technique for failure detection and identification (FDI) for dual redundant flight control sensors aboard the NASA F-8 digital fly-by-wire (DFBW) aircraft, and we discuss the successful application of the technique to identifying failures injected on test flight telemetry data. The technique exploits the analytic redundancy which exists as relationships among variables being measured by dissimilar instruments. With straightforward modification the technique may be extended to provide failure monitoring of a single remaining sensor after the identified failure of its companion sensor.
Anti-C3d antiglobulin reagents. I. Characteristics of the anti-C3c and anti-C3d responses during hyperimmunization in rabbits.

Antiglobulin sera designed to detect erythrocyte coating by the third component of complement (C3) should contain primarily antibody to the C3d (α2D) antigenic grouping on the C3 molecule. During immunization, animals respond independently to the C3c (βlA) and C3d antigens. The present study reports quantitative serial precipitin and antiglobulin measurements of anti-C3c and anti-C3d responses in 12 rabbits during a four and one-half month hyperimmunization program and a subsequent six month follow-up period. Anti-C3c precipitin responses occurred earlier and were sustained longer than were anti-C3d precipitin responses. There was a general correlation of the strength of anti-C3d precipitin and antiglobulin responses among serum samples from a single rabbit, but not among sera from different rabbits. While most rabbits developed strong anti-C3c and anti-C3d precipitin and antiglobulin reactivities at the peak of their immune response, five of five commercially manufactured goat anti-C3 sera exhibited strong anti-C3c reactivity with little or no anti-C3d reactivity. The implications of these observations for production of anti-C3 antiglobulin reagents are discussed.
Pediatric injuries: prevention to resolution.

Despite improved education and prevention initiatives, trauma remains the leading cause of death in children over 1 year of age, and exceeds all other causes of death combined. In 2003, there were 14,110 deaths from injury in children less than 18 years old reported to the National Center for Injury Prevention and Control. Of these, deaths from motor vehicle and traffic-related incidents were responsible for 63%, followed distantly by homicide or suicide and drowning. The leading cause of nonfatal injuries was falls, and of the more than 8 million nonfatal injuries receiving medical attention, 151,319 required hospitalization [1].
Molecular Architecture of Myelinated Nerve Fibers Leaky Paranodal Junctions and Paranodal Dysmyelination

Myelinated nerve fibers have evolved to optimize signal propagation. Each myelin segment is attached to the axon by the unique paranodal axoglial junction (PNJ), a highly complex structure that serves to define axonal ion channel domains and to direct nodal action currents through adjacent nodes. Surprisingly, this junction does not entirely seal the paranodal myelin sheath to the axon and thus does not entirely isolate the perinodal space from the internodal periaxonal space. Rather the paranode is penetrated by extracellular pathways between the myelin sheath and the axolemma for movement of molecules and the flow of current to and from the internodal axon. This review summarizes past and current studies demonstrating these pathways and considers what functional roles they subserve. In addition, modern genetic engineering methods permit modification of individual PNJ constituents, which provides an opportunity to define their specific functions. One component in particular, the transverse bands, plays a key role in maintaining the structure and function of the PNJ. Loss of transverse bands results not in frank demyelination but rather in subtle dysmyelination, which causes significant functional impairment. The consequences of such subtle defects in the PNJ are considered along with the relevance of these studies to human diseases of myelin.
Coupling glacial erosion and tectonics at active orogens: A numerical modeling study

[1] Climate change indirectly alters the distribution of tectonic uplift at active orogens by modifying the action of surface processes, which in turn alters mountain topography. The impact of alpine glaciation on tectonic activity is explored here. The predictions of previous analytical, critical wedge models are compared with the output of a numerical model that explicitly couples rock uplift produced by convergence with surface erosion. Glacial and fluvial and erosive processes are calculated over a two-dimensional grid, which uses an ice evolution model to calculate the rate of glacial erosion due to ice sliding. Tectonic uplift is determined by a two-dimensional finite element convergence model. The simulations performed support the predictions of previous one-dimensional analytical modeling of fluvially dominated orogens: Increasing precipitation decreases orogen width by the one quarter power. The simulations show that glacially dominated landscapes have similar dependencies. The total glacial erosion yield is determined to be proportional to the glacial coverage, sublinearly dependent on the precipitation rate, and linearly dependent on the glacial erosion constant that relates erosion with sliding speed. Climate also determines the distribution of tectonic uplift in the model. If the equilibrium line altitude (ELA) is high and glacial processes are limited to peak regions, the center of the mountain range experiences the highest rate of rock uplift. Extensive glaciation increases rock uplift rates on the flanks of the range. The style of glacial erosion is also important: A simple glacial buzzsaw does not create the same tectonic response as models that physically simulate glacial erosion. The simulations support the idea that a climate cooling of the magnitude recorded in the late Cenozoic has the potential to more than double the rate of rock uplift in appropriate orogens. The implications of the model are discussed for observations from the Olympic Mountains of Washington State, the Southern Alps of New Zealand, the Alaskan coastal range, and the southern Andes.
Positive effects of UV radiation on a calanoid copepod in a transparent lake: do competition, predation or food availability play a role?

Zooplankton tolerant to ultraviolet radiation (UVR) could be indirectly affected by UVR through interactions with UV-sensitive species in the same ecosystem. In Lake Giles, Pennsylvania, USA, the calanoid copepod Leptodiaptomus minutus is more UVR tolerant than the cohabiting species Daphnia catawba and Cyclops scutifer. We asked whether L. minutus is affected by UV-induced mortality of a food competitor (D. catawba) or a predator of its nauplii (C. scutifier). We conducted two in situ enclosure experiments with six treatments: L. minutus alone, L . minutus + Daphnia and L. minutus + Cyclops in the presence and absence of UVR. There were few differences in survival among treatments in Experiment 1, which had enhanced food and a cumulative UVR (320 nm) dose of 9.3 kJ m -2 . In Experiment 2, which had ambient food and a UVR (320 nm) dose of 20.0 kJ m -2 , L. minutus survival and reproduction were higher in the + UVR compared to -UVR, regardless of competitors or predators. Chlorophyll a (Chl a) in Experiment 2 was higher in the +UVR than -UVR. While interactions between zooplankton species of differing UVR tolerances are potentially important, these results instead demonstrate that the beneficial UVR effect on L. minutus is independent of concurrent detrimental UVR effects on competitors and predators. Further research on the phytoplankton community is necessary to determine whether UVR alleviates bacterial competition, increases nutrient availability or affects phytoplankton by other mechanisms.
RECOVERY OF LACTOSE FROM AQUEOUS SOLUTIONS: PRECIPITATION IN THE PRESENCE OF CALCIUM HYDROXIDE AND AMMONIUM CHLORIDE ADDITIONS

The use of calcium hydroxide instead of calcium oxide for recovery of lactose from solutions was studied. With lactose concentrations of less than 10%, recovery was unsatisfactory. Addition of NH4Cl increases the solubility of calcium hydroxide, and at an adequate concentration of NH4Cl it is possible to solubilize part of the Ca(OH)2 without decreasing the amount of lactose in the precipitate. Then, NaOH addition improved lactose recovery markedly, precipitating more than 90% of total lactose. Acetone addition also proved effective.
The Vocal Joystick

The Vocal Joystick is a novel human-computer interface mechanism designed to enable individuals with motor impairments to make use of vocal parameters to control objects on a computer screen (buttons, sliders, etc.) and ultimately electro-mechanical instruments (e.g., robotic arms, wireless home automation devices). We have developed a working prototype of our "VJ-engine" with which individuals can now control computer mouse movement with their voice. The core engine is currently optimized according to a number of criterion. In this paper, we describe the engine system design, engine optimization, and user-interface improvements, and outline some of the signal processing and pattern recognition modules that were successful. Lastly, we present new results comparing the vocal joystick with a state-of-the-art eye tracking pointing device, and show that not only is the Vocal Joystick already competitive, for some tasks it appears to be an improvement.
Innovative Therapies in Wound Healing

Background: Apligraf is a bioengineered skin product composed of neonatal fibroblasts and keratinocytes. The FDA has approved Apligraf for the treatment of chronic venous ulcers and diabetic ulcers. Objective: We review the development of bioengineered skin, examine the cellular activities of various growth factors that may facilitate wound healing, and discuss the results of clinical trials with a particular construct, Apligraf, as proof of principle. Conclusion: Bioengineered skin acts as a “smart” delivery system for growth factors and other stimulatory substances. Not only does it present a novel treatment for chronic and diabetic ulcers, but it could also be considered for application to other types of acute wounds.
Efficient GMM estimation of weak AR processes

Abstract A simple argument is used to derive the optimal GMM estimator of a finite order autoregressive process whose innovation may be conditionally heteroskedastic.
Genetic variability in the cytochrome P450-paraoxonase 1 (PON1) pathway for detoxication of organophosphorus compounds.

Detoxication of organophosphorus (OP) compounds is affected by genetic and environmental modulation of a number of enzymes involved in the process. For organophosphorothioate insecticides, different P450 isozymes and variants carry out two reactions that have quite different consequences; (1) they bioactivate their parent compounds to highly toxic oxon forms that are many times more toxic than the parent compounds, and (2) concurrently, they dearylate the parent OP compounds, generating much less toxic metabolites. The ratios at which these different P450s carry out bioactivation versus dearylation differ among the P450 isozymes. The detoxication of the oxon forms of diazinon and chlorpyrifos is achieved by hydrolysis to the respective aromatic alcohols and diethyl phosphates primarily by paraoxonase 1 (PON1), a plasma enzyme tightly associated with high-density lipoprotein particles and also found in liver. Stoichiometric binding to other targets also contributes to the detoxication of these oxons. PON1 is polymorphically distributed in human populations with an amino acid substitution (Gln/Arg) at position 192 of this 354-amino acid protein (the initiator Met residue is cleaved on maturation) that determines the catalytic efficiency of hydrolysis of some substrates. In addition to the variable catalytic efficiency determined by the position 192 amino acid, protein levels of PON1 vary by as much as 15-fold among individuals with the same PON1192 genotype (Q/Q; Q/R; R/R). The generation of PON1 null mice and transgenic mice, expressing each of the human PON1192 alloforms in place of mouse PON1, has allowed for the examination of the physiological function of the PON1192 alloforms in OP detoxication. Sensitivity to diazoxon exposure is primarily determined by the plasma level of PON1, whereas for chlorpyrifos oxon exposure, both the plasma PON1 level and the position 192 amino acid are important—PON1R192 is more efficient in inactivating chlorpyrifos oxon than is PON1Q192. The availability of PON1 null mice provides an opportunity to examine the contribution of other enzymes in the OP detoxication pathways without PON1 interference. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biochem Mol Toxicol 21:197–205, 2007; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/jbt.20181
Production policies under deteriorating process conditions

This paper examines a single-stage production system that manufactures multiple products under deteriorating equipment conditions. The machine condition worsens with production, and improves with maintenance. The condition of the process can be in any one of several discrete states, and transitions from state to state follow a semi-Markov process. In many production environments, the quality or yield of output depends heavily on the condition of the production process. The problem considers the trade-offs between manufacturing products that have a higher profit, a longer processing time, and therefore, a higher deterioration probability versus products that have a smaller profit, shorter processing time with a lower process deterioration probability. The firm needs to determine the optimal production choice in each state in a way that maximizes the long-run expected average reward per unit time. The paper makes three sets of contributions. First, it introduces the concept of critical ratios for the firm's...
Estimation and Statistical Bounds for Three-Dimensional Polar Shapes in Diffuse Optical Tomography

Voxel-based reconstructions in diffuse optical tomography (DOT) using a quadratic regularization functional tend to produce very smooth images due to the attenuation of high spatial frequencies. This then causes difficulty in estimating the spatial extent and contrast of anomalous regions such as tumors. Given an assumption that the target image is piecewise constant, we can employ a parametric model to estimate the boundaries and contrast of an inhomogeneity directly. In this paper, we describe a method to directly reconstruct such a shape boundary from diffuse optical measurements. We parameterized the object boundary using a spherical harmonic basis, and derived a method to compute sensitivities of measurements with respect to shape parameters. We introduced a centroid constraint to ensure uniqueness of the combined shape/center parameter estimate, and a projected Newton method was utilized to optimize the object center position and shape parameters simultaneously. Using the shape Jacobian, we also computed the Cramer-Rao lower bound on the theoretical estimator accuracy given a particular measurement configuration, object shape, and level of measurement noise. Knowledge of the shape sensitivity matrix and of the measurement noise variance allows us to visualize the shape uncertainty region in three dimensions, giving a confidence region for our shape estimate. We have implemented our shape reconstruction method, using a finite-difference-based forward model to compute the forward and adjoint fields. Reconstruction results are shown for a number of simulated target shapes, and we investigate the problem of model order selection using realistic levels of measurement noise. Assuming a signal-to-noise ratio in the amplitude measurements of 40 dB and a standard deviation in the phase measurements of 0.1deg, we are able to estimate an object represented with an eighth-order spherical harmonic model having an absorption contrast of 0.15 cm-1 and a volume of 4.82 cm3 with errors of less than 10% in object volume and absorption contrast. We also investigate the robustness of our shape-based reconstruction approach to a violation of the assumption that the medium is purely piecewise constant.
The Effects of β-Bungarotoxin on the Morphogenesis of Taste Papillae and Taste Buds in the Mouse

Although it has been long accepted that innervation by a taste nerve is essential for maintenance of taste buds, it is not clear what role, if any, innervation plays in the morphogenesis of taste papillae and taste bud development. The following study was undertaken to determine what effects lack of sensory innervation have on the development of taste papillae and the formation of taste buds in the mouse. Timed-pregnant female mice (n = 3) at gestational day 12 (gd12) were anesthetized and a 1 μl solution (1 μg/μl) of β-bungarotoxin (β-BTX), a neurotoxin that disrupts sensory and motor neuron development, was injected into the amniotic cavity of two embryos per dam. Two shams were injected with PBS. Fetuses were harvested at gd18, 1 day before birth, and four β-BTX-injected embryos, two shams and two controls were fixed in buffered paraformaldehyde. Serial sections were examined for the presence and morphology of taste papillae and taste buds. No nerve profiles were observed in β-BTX-injected tongues. Although circumvallate papillae were present on β-BTX tongues, only five fungiform papillae could be identified. Taste buds were present on a large percentage of fungiform papillae profiles (24%) and on circumvallate papillae in sham and control fetuses; in contrast, no taste buds were associated with taste papillae in β-BTX fetuses. These results implicate a significant role for innervation in taste papillae and taste bud morphogenesis.
Fundamental motor skill, physical activity, and sedentary behavior in socioeconomically disadvantaged kindergarteners

AbstractGuided by Stodden et al’s conceptual model, the main purpose of the study was to examine the relation between fundamental motor skills (FMS; locomotor and objective control skills), different intensity levels of physical activity (light PA [LPA], moderate-to-vigorous PA [MVPA], and vigorous PA[VPA]), and sedentary behavior (SB) in socioeconomically disadvantaged kindergarteners. A prospective design was used in this study and the data were collected across the 2013–2014 academic school year. Participants were 256 (129 boys; 127 girls; Mage = 5.37, SD = 0.48) kindergarteners recruited from three public schools in the southern United States. Results found that FMS were significantly related to LPA, MVPA, VPA, and SB. Regression analyses indicate that locomotor skills explained significant variance for LPA (6.4%; p < .01), MVPA (7.9%; p < .001), and VPA (5.3%; p < .01) after controlling for weight status. Mediational analysis supports the significant indirect effect of MVPA on the relation between FM...
Feasibility of crack free reinforced concrete bridge deck from materials composition perspective: a state of the art review

Early age cracking on bridge deck has been the subject of many studies for years. Cracking is a major concern because it leads to premature deterioration of structures. Millions of dollars spent to repair the cracked bridge decks each year. To design an appropriate mixture for crack free bridge deck, it is important to study previous researches. This paper presents a comprehensive literature review of the performance of different materials compositions as well as methods have been used to reduce and control bridge deck cracks. Different material compositions and methods are discussed in terms of their performances as well as advantages and disadvantages.
Other-Orientation in Nonnative Spanish and Its Effect on Direct Objects

Other-orientation (Linell, 2009) is an essential element of language in that all speakers dialogue with an “other” when communicating. They take into consideration the other's assumed perspective, knowledge, and needs, and manipulate their language in response to these assumptions. This study investigated the extent to which other-orientation was present in second language (L2) Spanish learners and, if so, how it affected L2 learners' production of direct object nominal, pronominal, and null expressions. The results indicated that L2 Spanish learners were sensitive to their interlocutors' perspective. However, the actual effect that other-orientation had on direct object expressions was constrained by the limits of the learners' interlanguage in that only higher-level learners were capable of manipulating direct object expressions in accordance with the assumed accessibility of the referents. The results support Bardovi-Harlig's (1999) argument that grammatical competence is a necessary condition of pragmatic competence.
The South China Sea: Primary Contradictions in China-Southeast Asia Relations

The emergence and reemergence of disputes in the South China Sea as a high-profile security challenge offers bookends on an important chapter in China-Southeast Asia relations. That chapter began in the early 1990s, when the South China Sea last posed major challenges to relations; it concludes in 2008 with the eruption of fresh tensions after more than a decade of relative calm and significantly improved relations. The significance of the South China Sea dispute is that it brings together outstanding concerns that have come to define contemporary relations between China and Southeast Asian states. These include power asymmetries, the questions and expectations generated by China’s historical centrality in East Asia, and the uncertainties and dynamics associated with the United States’ strategic role in the region. Situating the disputes against the larger trajectory of China-Southeast Asia relations, this chapter begins with an overview of states’ core concerns, with reference to both the previous and current periods of tensions in the South China Sea. It then identifies the conditions and processes that have facilitated both the downgrading of the South China Sea disputes and the improvement of China-Southeast Asia relations over the last decade as a way to gain insight into the dispute’s resurgence at this particular time. The chapter concludes that while the diplomatic processes and economic dynamics created over the last 20 years offer incentives and opportunities to moderate disputes, recent tensions have nevertheless prompted all parties to reassess existing strategies, priorities and relations. Ultimately, how each side chooses to address both their own and the other’s reassessments, as well as their respective relations with the United States, will largely determine how dramatically new the next chapter of China-Southeast Asia relations will be compared to the last.
Antigenic analysis of cells and tissues: common antigens on human erythrocytes and in cultured cells.

SummaryAntisera were available which had been prepared in guinea pigs and other animal species against established human cell strains such as HeLa, etc. By means of agar-immunodiffusion tests numerous cellular antigens had been denned. Individual sera had been analyzed regarding the antibody specificities they contained. In the present study, selected reference sera were absorbed with pooled human erythrocytes and then subjected to immunodiffusion tests against cell antigen extracts of known composition. Disappearance or significant weakening of specific precipitation lines indicated successful absorption of a specific antibody and, hence, the presence of the corresponding antigen on the erythrocyte membrane. This was established for 8 out of 15 specific cellular antigens investigated. An attempt to correlate precipitating and species-specifically hemagglutinating antibodies was in part satisfactory. It was emphasized in the discussion that pre-cipitable cellular antigens exist in soluble form whereas the...
Using HSPF to Model the Hydrologic and Water Quality Impacts of Riparian Land-Use Change in a Small Watershed

Although land-use change in the riparian corridor can be a viable option in mitigating nonpoint source pollution, its impacts under different geographical scales have yet to be ascertained. The goal of this research was to quantify the hydrologic impacts of land-use change in the riparian zones of a subwatershed through the use of an integrated modeling approach. The Hydrological Simulation Program-Fortran model was adopted to develop a hydrologic and water quality model for the Upper Little Miami River basin, a headwater subwatershed in Ohio, USA. After calibration and validation, the model was used to predict the hydrologic and water quality impacts under various scenarios of buffer zones. Results indicated that the 60 m, 90 m, and 120 m riparian forest and wetland buffers were able to reduce the mean annual flow by 0.26 to 0.28%, nitrite plus nitrate by 2.9 to 6.1%, and total phosphorus by 3.2 to 7.8%. Wilcoxon signed rank test for paired data revealed significant differences between the base case (no change in land-use pattern) and scenarios of forest or wetland buffer zones, between pairs of different buffer widths, and between pairs of forest and wetland buffers within a single width level. By integrating environmental information and systems analysis, this study has demonstrated that HSPF is an effective tool to model nonpoint source pollution from riparian land-use changes, even in a small subwatershed with relatively minimal anthropogenic influences. The findings from this research may be useful in facilitating the development of management solutions.
Extraction and Isolation of a Blue Pigment from Third-Stage Larvae and Pupae of the Fly Orthellia caesarion (Diptera: Muscidae)

Observations were reported on a blue fly larva, Ortheliia caesarion Meigen, as early as 1902 (Brues 1902, Bequaert 1922, Muirhead Thomson 1937), but no attempts were made to identify the pigment or to determine its function. Preliminary work and IR and UV spectral analyses suggested that the pigment was an aphinin-sm pigment, previously reported only from Aphididae and Phyloxeridae (Todd 1966). Further evidence for grouping the pigment with the aphinin pigments derived from aphids was that only squashed fly pupae fluoresce. After a brief exposure to air, the blue pigment from freshly squashed pupae turns yellowgreen. In living aphids, protoaphin does not fluoresce, but upon death certain enzymes are inactivated, converting protoaphin into a yellow, fat-soluble compound called xanthoaphin which strongly fluoresces (Duewell et al, 1948). Recent correspondence with Prof. D. W. Cameron, leading authority on aphinin pigments, leads us to believe that this pigment may not be an aphinin pigment but instead, may be a chromoprotein complex of the biliverdin type. Spectra comparisons of our work with those of Goodwin and Srisukh (1951) also suggest this possibility.
Simultaneously Determination of 407 Pesticide Residues by LC-MS

A new method was developed for determination of 407 pesticide residues in complex matrix by using LC-MS with triple quadrupole(QQQ).Comparing with regular method,the method has high sensitivity and repeativity,and was applied for the determination of peticide in real sample with satisfactory results.
Establishment and Genetic Analysis of a Stable Herbicide Resistant Transgenic Rice Line TR4

Immature embryos of rice variety Jingyin ll9 were treated with bar gene via particle bombardment. Herbicide resistant transgenic rice plantlets were obtained. The stable herbicide resistant transgenic rice line TR4,which possesses agronomic characters similar to Jingyin 1l9,was consecutively selected from the self-pollinated progenies of above transformed plant. Genetic analysis of the crosses of TR4 with four japonica rice varieties demonstrated that the herbicide resistance of TR4 was controlled by a pair of dominant genes and accorded with Mendelian segregation. Successful transbreeding of bar gene by sexual hybridization is valuable in selection of hybrid rice and direct seeded rice.
Allergens and Asthma

This article presents the studies that show that asthma in children is strongly associated with sensitization to dust mite and other indoor allergens. In addition, the recent evidence that this association reflects a causal relationship between allergen exposure and asthma is reviewed. The relevance of quantitative measurements of the major indoor allergens (dust mite, cockroach, and cat) in the houses of children with asthma is discussed. Finally, the increasing evidence that avoidance measures can be an effective treatment for asthma is considered together with the details about avoidance protocol for dust mite and cat allergen.
Magnetic Resonance Imaging of Corpus Callosum Dysgenesis

The normal corpus callosum is probably best viewed in the midline sagittal section (Figure 1). This plane can be achieved by neuropathologists at brain cutting or, noninvasively, by Magnetic Resonance Imaging (abbreviated MRI or simply MR). By comparison, using Computed Tomography (CT) it is generally physically impossible to produce direct midsagittal images. Ultrasound, another commonly used imaging modality, can image patients in the midsagittal plane but requires a sonographic “window” through the skull. This is only available naturally in infants with fontanels which are still open. MR, on the other hand, allows high resolution and high contrast images in multiple directly acquired planes in patients of all ages. For this reason, MR is by far the most superior tool currently available for evaluation of the corpus callosum in its normal and pathologic state. While it is true that neuropathologists are able to obtain very high resolution images of the brain, such studies are not available until after the patient’s demise. Obviously at that time it is too late to administer neuropsychological tests to these patients to investigate their callosal function. As will be seen, MR not only allows the identification of abnormal development of the corpus callosum in the living patient, but allows accurate delineation of the extent of callosal abnormality as well. Another advantage over neuropathology is that MR can perform direct acquisitions in the axial, coronal, and sagittal planes. Once the neuropathologist has made the standard cuts in the axial (or coronal) plane, it is often difficult to piece the brain back together to produce precise sagittal images in the case of an incidental finding such as callosal dysgenesis.
Occult Bacteremia and Septicemia in the Febrile Child Younger Than Two Years

The literature on the assessment and the preferred treatment strategies for children without a focus of infection is reviewed. Opinions are offered regarding the diagnostic evaluation and therapeutic interventions for febrile infants and children who are at risk for occult bacteremia or sepsis. Clinicians are encouraged to consider the proposed strategies but not to supplant their prevailing practice.