cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Nonlinear stability and simulation of two-line ship towing and mooring

The horizontal plane motions — surge, sway, yaw — of a ship towed by two tug boats, or moored to two terminals, are modelled by the nonlinear third order maneuvering equations without memory. Nylon lines, chains, or steel cables are used as towing/mooring lines. Excitation consists of time independent current, wind an mean wave drift forces. The resulting Nonlinear Time Varying (NTV) model is studied by simulation, local linear, and global nonlinear stability analyses. Two-Line Towing/Mooring (TLT/M) systems exhibit, in general, three equilibria. Linear analysis reveals that equilibria may be attractor or repellor nodal or focus points. Near first equilibrium, it is shown that of the five Routh-Hurwitz criteria only two can be active in TLT/M systems of conventional ship hulls. Subsequent parametric study reveals the complexity of stability boundaries which may exhibit fold or cusp singularities. Global analysis is used to find attractor limit cycles and chaotic behavior. A barge with or without stabilizing skegs, a marinetype cargo ship, and a tanker with and without propeller which have different stability characteristics are used in nonlinear numerical simulations to verify all theoretical conclusions.
Assembly of the Brainstem Cochlear Nuclear Complex Is Revealed by Intersectional and Subtractive Genetic Fate Maps

The cochlear nuclear complex (CN) is the entry point for central auditory processing. Although constituent neurons have been studied physiologically, their embryological origins and molecular profiles remain obscure. Applying intersectional and subtractive genetic fate mapping approaches, we show that this complex develops modularly from genetically separable progenitor populations arrayed as rostrocaudal microdomains within and outside the hindbrain (lower) rhombic lip (LRL). The dorsal CN subdivision, structurally and topographically similar to the cerebellum, arises from microdomains unexpectedly caudal and noncontiguous to cerebellar primordium; ventral CN subdivisions arise from more rostral LRL. Magnocellular regions receive contributions from LRL and coaxial non-lip progenitors; contrastingly, ensheathing granule cells derive principally from LRL. Also LRL-derived and molecularly similar to CN granule cells are precerebellar mossy fiber neurons; surprisingly, these ostensibly intertwined populations have separable origins and adjacent but segregated migratory streams. Together, these findings provide new platforms for investigating the development and evolution of auditory and cerebellar systems.
Cholesterol metabolism in poultry, Gallus domesticus: fecal neutral sterol and bile acid excretion.

Abstract 1. 1. Fecal neutral sterol and bile acid excretion of White Leghorn pullets and laying hens, Gallus domesticus, were determined. 2. 2. Variations in poultry fecal neutral sterol excretion were detected between different ages. Neutral sterol variations correlated with egg laying capacity. 3. 3. Variations in poultry fecal bile acid excretion were detected between different ages. No correlation was found between bile acid excretion and poultry egg laying capacity. 4. 4. Variations in total poultry fecal steroid excretion were detected between different ages. No correlation was found between total fecal steroid excretion and poultry egg laying capacity. 5. 5. Intestinal microbial modification of fecal neutral sterols and bile acids varied with poultry age. No microbial modifications of fecal steroids were detected at 8 weeks of age, but were found to develop through 26 and 58 weeks of age.
Communication message strategies for brand extensions

This study searches for the communication message strategies for two distinct brand extension types: close and remote brand extensions. An experiment is conducted with four cells which were exposed to different communication strategies for five extension types. Communication strategies used were brand essence cue, extension attribute cue, extension dissonance reducer cue, and some combinations of the named cues. Results show that different communication strategies are necessary for extension situations that differ in distance from parent brand territories.
Novel platinum initiators for ring‐opening polymerizations

Platinum complexes together with compounds containing silicon-hydrogen bonds comprise a novel class of initiators for the ring-opening polymerization of a wide variety of heterocyclic compounds including; epoxides, oxetanes and 1,3,5-trioxane. This paper reports on a preliminary survey of the scope and limitations of these new initiator systems with special emphasis on the ring-opening polymerization of epoxides. Considerable effort has been directed towards the elucidation of the mechanism of the polymerizations initiated by these systems. The best current evidence suggests that polymerization proceeds by a cationic mechanism. Data is also presented which suggests that platinum metal colloids may function as the active initiating species.
The Toll pathway is required in the epidermis for muscle development in the Drosophila embryo

The Toll signaling pathway functions in several Drosophila processes, including dorsal-ventral pattern formation and the immune response. Here, we demonstrate that this pathway is required in the epidermis for proper muscle development. Previously, we showed that the zygotic Toll protein is necessary for normal muscle development; in the absence of zygotic Toll, close to 50% of hemisegments have muscle patterning defects consisting of missing, duplicated and misinserted muscle fibers (Halfon, M.S., Hashimoto, C., and Keshishian, H., Dev. Biol. 169, 151-167, 1995). We have now also analyzed the requirements for easter, spatzle, tube, and pelle, all of which function in the Toll-mediated dorsal-ventral patterning pathway. We find that spatzle, tube, and pelle, but not easter, are necessary for muscle development. Mutations in these genes give a phenotype identical to that seen in Toll mutants, suggesting that elements of the same pathway used for Toll signaling in dorsal-ventral development are used during muscle development. By expressing the Toll cDNA under the control of distinct Toll enhancer elements in Toll mutant flies, we have examined the spatial requirements for Toll expression during muscle development. Expression of Toll in a subset of epidermal cells that includes the epidermal muscle attachment cells, but not Toll expression in the musculature, is necessary for proper muscle development. Our results suggest that signals received by the epidermis early during muscle development are an important part of the muscle patterning process.
Stimulus and response representations underlying orthogonal stimulus-response compatibility effects.

One of the most important findings in recent years regarding response selection is that stimulus-response compatibility (SRC) effects occur for situations in which stimulus and response sets vary along orthogonal dimensions. For two-choice tasks, two types of orthogonal SRC effects are found: an overall advantage for the up-right/down-left mapping, and mapping preferences that vary as a function of position of the response apparatus and responding hand. We review evidence regarding the nature of both types of orthogonal SRC effects. Only asymmetric coding accounts have been proposed for the up-right/down-left advantage, and the evidence indicates that this asymmetry is a property of both verbal and spatial codes. Motoric and coding accounts, as well as a hybrid account based on end-state comfort, have been proposed for the second type of orthogonal SRC effect. In this case, the effects of responseapparatus position, hand, and hand posture conform more closely to predictions of the asymmetric coding accounts than to those of the motoric accounts. We also evaluate the mechanisms proposed by the alternative accounts in terms of related literature on the properties of spatial and verbal codes. Evidence indicates that spatial information is represented in categorical and coordinate codes, and both categorical spatial codes and verbal codes are asymmetric. Experiments on mental rotation suggest that it is unlikely that the direction of rotation is determined automatically by movement constraints, as the end-state comfort hypothesis suggests. An explanation in terms of salient features and referential coding can accommodate the range of orthogonal SRC effects.
The two cultures of scholarship

Abstract This essay examines different approaches to writing the history of science in light of the increased importance of microhistorical studies in the past two decades. It specifically examines the role of microhistory within the history of science and the importance of Thomas Kuhn’s concept of the “normal exception” in early methodological statements about the function of microhistory. It also considers the possibilities for writing archivally based history of science for a general readership as a means of bridging the divide between specialized research within the subfields of the history of science and more general accounts of the nature and growth of science. Attempts to divide anything into two ought to be regarded with much suspicion. —C. P. Snow
Systems genetic analysis of the effects of iron deficiency in mouse brain

Iron regulation in the brain is both necessary and highly complex. Too little or too much iron can compromise neurological function, yet we still do not know all of the regulatory processes. In our research, we seek to identify genes and gene networks underlying individual differences in brain iron regulation. To this end, we fed mice from 20+ inbred strains a diet low in iron from weaning to 4 months of age. At sacrifice, we measured iron content in the ventral midbrain (VMB). The VMB contains the substantia nigra, a region particularly vulnerable to iron imbalance. The results showed high, inter-strain variability in dietary iron reduction, from almost no loss to more than 40 % vs. control. When we performed quantitative trait loci (QTL) analysis, we observed a significant area on chromosome 2. Within this QTL, we selected glial high-affinity glutamate transporter 1 (Glt1) as the leading candidate. Expression of this gene is both correlated with VMB iron and is also cis-modulated by local sequence variants that segregate in the BXD family. VMB expression differences of Glt1 in six strains covary with differential susceptibility to VMB iron loss.
Accuracy of Fibroscan, Compared With Histology, in Analysis of Liver Fibrosis in Patients With Hepatitis B or C: A United States Multicenter Study

Background & Aims Liver biopsy is invasive and associated with complications, sampling errors, and observer variability. Vibration-controlled transient elastography (VCTE) with FibroScan can be used to immediately assess liver stiffness. We aimed to define optimal levels of liver stiffness to identify patients with chronic viral hepatitis and significant fibrosis, advanced fibrosis, or cirrhosis. Methods In a prospective, 2-phase study, patients with chronic hepatitis C or B underwent VCTE followed by liver biopsy analysis from January 2005 through May 2008 at 6 centers in the United States. In phase 1 we identified optimal levels of liver stiffness for identification of patients with stage F2−F4 or F4 fibrosis (the development phase, n = 188). In phase 2 we tested these cutoff values in a separate cohort of patients (the validation phase, n = 560). All biopsies were assessed for METAVIR stage by a single pathologist in the phase 1 analysis and by a different pathologist in the phase 2 analysis. Diagnostic performances of VCTE were assessed by area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC) analyses. Results In phase 1 of the study, liver stiffness measurements identified patients with ≥F2 fibrosis with AUROC value of 0.89 (95% confidence interval, 0.83–0.92) and identified patients with F4 fibrosis with AUROC value of 0.92 (95% confidence interval, 0.87–0.95). Liver stiffness cutoff values (kPa) in phase 1 were 8.4 for ≥F2 (82% sensitivity, 79% specificity) and 12.8 for F4 (84% sensitivity, 86% specificity). In the phase 2 analysis, the liver stiffness cutoff values identified patients with ≥F2 fibrosis with 58% sensitivity ( P P Conclusions In a large U.S. multicenter study, we confirmed that VCTE provides an accurate assessment of liver fibrosis in patients with chronic viral hepatitis. Our findings are similar to those from European and Asian cohorts.
Integrating Palliative Care into the Outpatient Heart Failure Disease Management Setting: A Feasibility Study?

CORE 2. EPIDEMIOLOGY AND PREVENTION OF CV DISEASE: PHYSIOLOGY, PHARMACOLOGY AND LIFESTYLE SESSION TITLE: PSYCHOSOCIAL ISSUES AND END OF LIFE IN HEART DISEASE Abstract 9305: Integrating Palliative Care into the Outpatient Heart Failure Disease Management Setting: A Feasibility Study Dawn Lombardo, L orralne 8 Evangellata, Shalata Malk, Jennifer Ballard-Hernandez, Marjan Motle and Solomon Liao Published: November 20, 2012 Article Info & Metrics eLetters ... Jumpto Abstract BACKGROUND: There is limited research on the effectiveness of palliative care (PC) programs on symptom distress and quality of life (QOL) in patients with advanced heart failure (HF). PURPOSE: We conducted this prospective, comparative study to determine whether a shared care model that integrates PC with standard HF care in an outpatient setting versus standard HF care alone impacts symptom burden, depression, anxiety, and QOL (physical, emotional, overall). METHODS: Thirty-six patients (mean age 53.9 ± 68.0; predominantly male [72%]; White [61%]; married [69%]; New York Heart Association class II [69%]) were referred for an outpatient PC consultation in conjunction with their post-discharge follow-up visit with their HF provider. Changes in symptom burden, depression, anxiety and QOL at three months were compared to 36 patients with advanced HF matched on age, gender, race, and NYHA functional class. RESULTS: Significant improvements were observed in symptom burden (P < .001 ), depression (P .002), emotional QOL (P .001) and overall QOL (P < .001} in both groups over time; anxiety and physical QOL improved for patients receiving PC but worsened for patients in the comparison group (Table 1). A multivariate
Polarimetric glucose sensing in vitro: a high frequency approach

Optical polarimetry as a method to monitor glucose levels in the aqueous humor has shown promise as a way to noninvasively ascertain blood glucose concentration. A major limiting factor to polarimetric approaches for glucose monitoring in the aqueous humor is time varying birefringence due to motion artifact. Here, we present a modulation approach for real-time polarimetry that is capable of glucose monitoring in vitro at optical modulation frequencies of tens of kHz and includes the DC-compensation in a single device. Such higher frequency modulation has the potential benefit of improving the signal-to-noise ratio of the system in the presence of motion artifacts. In this report we present a near real-time closed-loop single wavelength polarimeter capable of glucose sensing in vitro at an optical modulation frequency of 32 kHz. The single wavelength polarimetric setup and in vitro glucose measurements will be presented demonstrating the sensitivity and accuracy of the system. Our PID control system can reach stability in less than 10 ms which is fast enough to overcome motion artifact due to heart beat and respiration. The the system can predict the glucose concentration with a standard error of less than 18.5 mg/dL and a MARD of less than 6.65% over the physiologic glucose range of 0-600 mg/dL. Our results indicate that this optical modulation approach coupled with dual-wavelength polarimetry has the potential to improve the of the dual-wavelength approach for in vivo glucose detection applications.
Relocation after a disaster: posttraumatic stress disorder in Armenia after the earthquake

ABSTRACT Objective To explore the relationship between exposure to the earthquake in Armenia on December 7, 1988, and relocation from the disaster zone, and the subsequent development of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, and behavioral difficulties in children. Method The PTSD module of the Diagnostic Interview for Children and Adolescents-Revised and the Depression Self-Rating Scale were administered to 25 children, aged 11 through 13 years, who had high exposure to the earthquake and remained in the earthquake city. They were compared with a demographically similar group of 24 children exposed to the earthquake who were relocated to another city after the earthquake and 25 nonexposed children. For each child the mothers responded to the Child Behavior Checklist and the teachers responded to the Teacher's Report Form. Results The hypothesis that relocated children would present with less PTSD, depression, and behavioral problems was not confirmed. Both groups of children with high exposure to the earthquake, one remaining in the earthquake city and one relocating, demonstrated significantly higher rates of PTSD, depression, and behavioral difficulties than the comparison group, there were no differences between the relocated children and those who remained in the earthquake zone. Conclusion: Children who were relocated after a natural disaster did no worse than children who remained in the disaster zone. Relocation should be considered as an alternative after catastrophic natural disasters in situations where resources are so limited that rebuilding cannot take place for an indefinite period of time. J. Am. Acad. Child Adolesc. Psychiatry , 1996, 35(3):374–383.
Variation in gene flow levels among predominantly self‐pollinated plants

Levels of gene flow, Nm, were calculated for 34 predominantly self-pollinated plants, using information on differentiation among populations, Gst. Gene flow levels varied from 0.01 to 6.55, and departed significantly from a uniform distribution. High, medium and low levels of gene flow were found among 15, 38, and 47 percent of the species, respectively. The average heterozygosity (H) and the Nm values showed a positively significant association. These results were compared to gene flow levels obtained with a limited number of predominantly outcrossed plants. Gene flow levels in several self-pollinated species were comparable to those characteristic of some outcrossed species. Pollen flow, combined with long distance dispersal of propagules through various vectors may be responsible for the high levels of gene flow observed in self-pollinated species. High gene flow may provide the genetic flexibility required for successful colonization, which is an essential feature of self-pollinated plants.
Exploring the Promise of Eudaimonic Well-Being Within the Practice of Health Promotion: The “How” is as Important as the “What”

A brief historical and philosophical analysis suggests that the biomedical model and prevention have been the pillars of health promotion practices with the underlying assumption that these concepts provide answers to people’s health woes. Another observation resulting from this analysis is that biomedical, prevention, and more recently, wellness, do not differ much from each other paradigmatically (e.g., instrumental rationality) and, hence, are severely restricted in their short- and long-term effectiveness for helping people with healthy living and quality of life. It is proposed that eudaimonic well-being—if explored, understood, and implemented in a manner that holds true to the purity of the concept—offers significant promise for shifts in health promotion practices that may lead to transformative health experiences and enhanced quality of life.
The small GTP-binding proteins Rac1 and Cdc42regulate the activity of the JNK/SAPK signaling pathway

Summary c-Jun amino-terminal kinases (JNKs) and mitogen-activatedprotein kinases (MAPKs) are closely related; however, they are independently regulated by a variety of environmental stimuli. Although molecules linking growth factor receptors to MAPKs have been recently identified, little is known about pathways controlling JNK activation. Here, we show that in COS-7 cells, activated Ras effectively stimulates MAPK but poorly induces JNK activity. In contrast, mutationally activated Rac1 and Cdc42 GTPases potently activate JNK without affecting MAPK, and oncogenic guanine nucleotide exchange factors for these Rho-like proteins selectively stimulate JNK activity. Furthermore, expression of inhibitory molecules for Rho-related GTPases and dominant negative mutants of Racl and Cdc42 block JNK activation by oncogenic exchange factors or after induction by inflammatory cytokines and growth factors. Taken together, these findings strongly support a critical role for Racl and Cdc42 in controlling the JNK signaling pathway.
When Gestures and Words Speak Differently

Consider a 6-year-old child atI tempting to justify her belief that the amount of water changed when it was poured from a tall, skinny glass into a short, wide dish. The child says, "It's different because this one's tall and that one's short," thus making it clear that she has focused on the heights of the containers. However, in the very same utterance, the child in dicates with her hand shaped like a C first the diameter of the glass and then, with a wider C, the larger diameter of the dish. The child speaks about the containers' heights but has also noticed?not necessarily consciously?that the containers differ in width as well.
HF signal amplitude distributions and total spectrum power measurements

Wide-band RF systems and receivers must be capable of handling the total power generated by all signals, noise, and interference within their operating bandwidth. In addition, spectrum users must know the amplitude distribution of specific types of signals to assess the reliability of their reception in the presence of other signals, noise, and interference. Measurements have established the total signal power received by large aperture HF receiving antennas. These levels establish the upper limit of the dynamic range required of analog amplifiers, filters, analog-to-digital converters, and other RF components. The authors provide examples of the total signal power obtained at Pacific and European area receiving sites. Measurements also confirm the log-normal distribution of the amplitude of signals in the fixed, maritime, aeronautical, and other non-broadcast bands. This information allows the estimation of the performance of a receiving site affected by noise and interference.
Presidential leadership and charisma: The effects of metaphor

Abstract Two studies examined the relationship between the rated charisma of US presidents and their frequency of use of metaphors in inaugural addresses. In the first study, the incidence of metaphors was recorded from the first-term inaugural addresses of 36 presidents (17 high charisma; 19 low charisma). Charismatic presidents used nearly twice as many metaphors (adjusted for speech length) than non-charismatic presidents. In the second study, judges rated the passages from the speeches that they found most inspirational. Results suggested that metaphors are important for inspiring audience members. This work increases our understanding of the process by which charismatic leaders inspire and motivate followers.
An Innovative Excel Application to Improve Exam Reliability in Marketing Courses

Measures of survey reliability are commonly addressed in marketing courses. One statistic of reliability is "Cronbach's alpha." This paper presents an application of survey reliability as a reflexive application of multiple-choice exam validation. The application provides an interactive decision support system that incorporates survey item accuracy and item discrimination. The application both illustrates a theory of survey reliability and simultaneously can be used to practically improve marketing teaching. The application is implemented in Excel without macros and is freely available for download.
SPICE modeling of polysilicon thermal actuators

This paper reports on modeling the behavior of micromachined polysilicon thermal actuators. The thermal actuators used in this research were fabricated using the DARPA-sponsored multi-user MEMS processes. Data collected in both air and vacuum demonstrates that thermal actuators can be controlled and positioned using a pulsed input with a period much less than the thermal time constant of the device. Both pulse width and pulse amplitude modulation have been successfully employed to position lateral actuators, lateral actuator arrays, and piston micro-mirrors. In order to better exploit the power averaging characteristics of thermal actuators, SPICE models for polysilicon thermal actuators were developed using relationships between resistance, deflection, and average power. These models incorporate the polysilicon thermal actuators electrical load and transient characteristics necessary for predicting actuator performance and developing CMOS drive circuits. The SPICE models exhibit good agreement with theory and measured performance of the polysilicon thermal actuators.
An inventory of theory in logistics and SCM research

Purpose – Theory is needed for a discipline to mature. This research aims to provide a summary analysis of the theories being used in contemporary logistics and supply chain management (SCM) studies.Design/methodology/approach – A comprehensive literature review of articles appearing in five top tier logistics and SCM journals is conducted in order to identify how often theory is used and to classify the specific theories used. An analysis of the theoretical categories is presented to explain the type and frequency of theory usage.Findings – Over 180 specific theories were found within the sampled articles. Theories grouped under the competitive and microeconomics categories made up over 40 per cent of the theoretical incidences. This does not imply all articles utilize theory. The research found that theory was explicitly used in approximately 53 per cent of the sampled articles.Practical implications – Two implications are central. First, in the minds of editors, reviewers and authors is approximately 5...
Pattern recognition: a potential tool for data analysis in atmospheric laser spectroscopy

The problem of pattern recognition is introduced and several major techniques in statistical pattern recognition are described. Data analysis in atmospheric laser spectroscopy could be viewed as a pattern recognition problem when the exact functional relationships between various atmospheric situations and spectral measurements are unknown. This paper tries to illustrate the use of pattern recognition as a potential tool to solve this class of data analysis problems.
Experience in international travel and aversion to terrorism

Unlike the great majority of international travelers whose purposes are mainly recreational, touring or visiting among relatives and friends, business executives are obliged by the nature of their occupations, much like airline personnel and other professional groups, to travel despite varying degrees of hazard to their persons. And it is this segment of the traveling public that has suffered the most in terrorist incidents.
Airway physiology and clinical function testing

The advent of pulmonary function testing in small animals has opened the door to new interpretations of old diseases. This article reviews the salient features of airway pathophysiology in dogs and cats that relate to the interpretation of newly developed airway function tests.
GLUCOSE INHIBITS HYDROPHOBIC SURFACTANT PROTEIN mRNA LEVELS IN FETAL RAT LUNG EXPLANTS. † 2067

GLUCOSE INHIBITS HYDROPHOBIC SURFACTANT PROTEIN mRNA LEVELS IN FETAL RAT LUNG EXPLANTS. † 2067
Solar Collector Durability Evaluation by Stagnation Temperature Measurements

An analytical and experimental investigation was undertaken to evaluate an alternative method for measuring the thermal degradation of materials used in flat plate collectors. This test method is based on measuring the temperature of the absorber under a no-flow condition before and after prolonged exposure. The primary material properties of interest are cover transmittance, solar absorptance and infrared emittance of the absorber, and thermal conductivity of insulation. The advantages and limitations of the proposed test method are compared with those for the currently used method, which is based on measuring the energy output from collectors. Experimental results from both outdoor and indoor tests are presented. Steady-state and transient analytical models are developed to evaluate the proposed test method and interpret experimental results. While the measurements required in the proposed method are simpler than those used to measure energy output, other factors, such as nonisothermal absorbers, variations in environmental conditions, and transient response, must be reconciled.
Enhanced nitrogen incorporation by pulsed laser annealing of GaNxAs1-x formed by N ion implantation

We demonstrate that pulsed laser annealing followed by rapid thermal annealing greatly enhances incorporation of substitutional N in N+-implanted GaAs. Films implanted to 1.8% N exhibit a fundamental band gap of 1.26 eV (a band gap reduction of 160 meV), corresponding to an N activation efficiency of 50%. The optical and crystalline quality of the synthesized film is comparable to GaNxAs1−x thin films of similar composition grown by epitaxial growth techniques. Compared to films produced by N+ implantation and rapid thermal annealing only, the introduction of pulsed laser annealing improves N incorporation by a factor of 5. Moreover, we find that the synthesized films are thermally stable up to an annealing temperature of 950 °C.
Self-knowledge, akrasia, and self-criticism

L'A. se propose de developper un diagnostic plausible de l'action akratique, definie non pas comme un obstacle insurmontable pour la theorie traditionnelle de l'explication de l'action a partir du desir et des croyances, mais comme un defaut dans la connaissance et la comprehension de soi. Rejetant l'idee d'une action intentionnelle irrationnelle, l'A. montre que l'akrasia releve d'une forme importante d'autocritique
Alteration in ovarian gene expression in response to 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin: reduction of cyclooxygenase-2 in the blockage of ovulation.

2,3,7,8-Tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) is a reproductive toxicant and endocrine disrupter that is known to block ovulation. This study was designed to investigate alterations in relevant ovarian genes that may be involved in the blockage of ovulation by TCDD in immature intact rats primed with equine chorionic gonadotropin (eCG). In this ovulation model, rats were given either 32 μg/kg TCDD or corn oil by gavage on 25 days of age. The next day, eCG (5 IU) was injected subcutaneously (s.c.) to stimulate follicular development. Ovulation occurs 72 h after administration of eCG in controls of this model. TCDD blocked ovulation at the expected time and also reduced both ovarian and body weights. At 72 h after eCG (the morning after expected ovulation), TCDD did not alter significantly serum concentrations of progesterone (P4) and androstenedione (A4). However, estradiol (E2) was significantly higher at 72 h after eCG in TCDD-treated rats when compared with controls. Western blots revealed that ovarian CYP1A1 was induced by TCDD. In addition, the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) and AhR nuclear translocator (ARNT) were down- and up-regulated by TCDD, respectively, indicating that AhR-mediated signal transduction was altered in the ovary. Ovarian estrogen receptor (ER)α, ERβ and progesterone receptor (PR) were not altered significantly by TCDD, but ovarian glucocorticoid receptor (GR) was increased at 24 h after TCDD and decreased at 72 h after eCG when compared with controls. TCDD induced the early appearance of ovarian plasminogen activator inhibitor type-1 (PAI-1), plasminogen activator inhibitor type-2 (PAI-2), urokinase plasminogen activator (uPA), and tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) at 24 h after dosing when compared with controls. On the morning after ovulation (72 h after eCG), no significant differences between control and TCDD-treated rats were observed except that TCDD had still increased tPA and decreased PAI-2 when compared with controls. Interestingly, ovarian COX-2 was induced on the morning after ovulation (72 h after eCG) in controls, but was greatly inhibited in TCDD-treated rats at that time. On the other hand, COX-1 was constitutively expressed throughout the ovulatory period and remained unaffected by TCDD. Immunolocalization of COX-2 in the ovary revealed that TCDD inhibited COX-2 expression in the granulosa cell layer when assessed in the morning of expected ovulation. In conclusion, AhR signaling is activated in the ovary by TCDD and inhibition of COX-2 appeared to be a critical step in the TCDD blockage of ovulation because blockage or reduction of COX-2 expression is well known to be associated with failure of ovulation.
JRA SYNOVIAL FLUID IgG FRACTIONS INDUCE A BROAD SPECTRUM OF PROINFLAMATORY CYTOKINES FROM PERIPHERAL BLOOD MONONUCLEAR CELLS . • 2344

JRA SYNOVIAL FLUID IgG FRACTIONS INDUCE A BROAD SPECTRUM OF PROINFLAMATORY CYTOKINES FROM PERIPHERAL BLOOD MONONUCLEAR CELLS . • 2344
Examining Laughter Functionality in Jury Deliberations

Despite a presumption that laughter and a death penalty decision seem incompatible, transcript data of jury deliberations from both the guilt-or-innocence and penalty phases of the State of Ohio v. Mark Ducic trial demonstrate that jurors do laugh. Working from the disparate literature on laughter, we problematized laughter from a group communication perspective and analyzed its functionality in jury interaction. The authors identified and analyzed 51 laughter sequences across 414 transcript pages. Three categories of laughter functions (i.e., relational, processual, and informational) were identified; these categories were further detailed by 6, 10, and 10 subfunctions, respectively. Based on these findings, the authors revised their definition of laughter to incorporate its multifunctionality as vocalic and public emotional displays that (a) can be read as positive, negative, or ambiguous and (b) question, control, and regulate relationships, procedures, and information in the group. That laughter can b...
Preparation of 2,9-dioxabicyclo[3.3.1]nonanes. A model for tirandamycin

Abstract An efficient synthesis of a 2,9-dioxabicyclo[3.3.1]nonane system, similar to that of tirandamycin, is accomplished from 2,3-dimethylfuran.
Experimental determination of ternary partition coefficients in Fe-Ni-X alloys

A directional solidification experiment to measure partition coefficients of ternary additions in Fe-Ni alloys is described. A model is developed to calculate the extent of solid state diffusion effects during and after solidification. Ternary diffusivities of Ge and Au in Fe-Ni were measured for use in the calculation procedure. The model is used to correct the measured partition coefficients for solid state diffusion effects. The resulting equilibrium partition coefficients, K x o , for elementX in Fe-Ni-X alloys are 0.43 for Au, 0.58 for Ge, 0.12 for P, 0.87 for Ni, and 1.45 for Pt. These studies demonstrated that solid state diffusion effects are significant when the diffusivity of the third elementX, in Fe-Ni, is higher than 1 × 10−10 cm2/s at 1300 °C. The partition coefficient data is of particular interest in understanding the fractionation behavior of trace elements in iron meteorites.
Sox and Stripes: Baseball's Ironic American Dreams

Sports media depictions of the Yankees and Red Sox have produced ironic team personae that can best be understood through the lens of Fisher's (1973) materialistic and moralistic American dreams. In this article, the author traces the interaction of Burke's first three tropes—metaphor, metonymy, and synecdoche—in sports news coverage of the Yankees and Red Sox from 2000–2010 to explain the discursive construction of the teams' ironic personae. Collectively, media emphasis on money metaphors, the Yankees' lucrative 21st century stadium, and a militaristic owner align the team persona with a materialistic, aggressive economic competition model, whereas the Red Sox are represented by metaphors of frugality, a classic stadium, and familial “Idiots” to create a moralistic, cooperative image of the organization. The teams' personae are ultimately created and sustained through the tropological cycle and the dialectical interaction of the rivals.
The human F box protein beta-Trcp associates with the Cul1/Skp1 complex and regulates the stability of beta-catenin.

Ubiquitin-conjugation targets numerous cellular regulators for proteasome-mediated degradation. Thus, the identification of ubiquitin ligases and their physiological substrates is crucially important, especially for those cases in which aberrant levels of regulatory proteins (e.g., β-catenin, p27) result from a deregulated ubiquitination pathway. In yeast, the proteolysis of several G1 regulators is controlled by ubiquitin ligases (or SCFs) formed by three subunits: Skp1, Cul A (Cdc53), and one of many F-box proteins. Specific F-box proteins (Fbps) recruit different substrates to the SCF. Although many Fbps have been identified in mammals, their specific substrates and the existence of multiple SCFs have not yet been reported. We have found that one human Fbp, β-Trcp (β-Transducin repeat containing protein), does indeed form a novel SCF with human Skp1 and Cul1. Consistent with recent reports indicating that Xenopus and Drosophila β-Trcp homologs act as negative regulators of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway, we report here that human β-Trcp interacts with β-catenin in vivo. Furthermore, β-catenin is specifically stabilized in vivo by the expression of a dominant negative β-Trcp. These results indicate that the Cul1/Skp1/β-Trcp complex forms a ubiquitin ligase that mediates the degradation of β-catenin.
A systematic use of reverse engineering in evaluating the overall accuracy of the fabricated parts

In this paper a systematic approach is proposed that evaluates the overall accuracy of a part. In this approach, by using the feature taxonomy, a part is decomposed into primitive features. Then, each feature is compared to the original CAD. Features are evaluated based on their size, form, orientation, and position. Laser scanning technique is used to collect a feature's data and its conversion into CAD data. To reduce data processing time for non–freeform features, manual digital dial indicators were customised and used for data collection. To process and evaluate the part's accuracy, statistical and CAD methods are applied. One benefit of the proposed hybrid system is that different errors can be differentiated and separated.
Salicylate Intolerance: Pathophysiology, Clinical Spectrum, Diagnosis and Treatment

If a natural substance causes symptoms which do not involve the immune system, this is not an allergy or a side effect, but is known as intolerance. One example is the bronchial asthma and rhinitis which develops in some patients after administration of salicylates. Although salicylate intolerance has been known for more than 100 years, it is not adequately recognized in the relevant areas of medicine. The present article is intended to rectify this deficiency.
Temperature and Mortality in 11 Cities of the Eastern United States

Episodes of extremely hot or cold temperatures are associated with increased mortality. Time-series analyses show an association between temperature and mortality across a range of less extreme temperatures. In this paper, the authors describe the temperature-mortality association for 11 large eastern US cities in 1973-1994 by estimating the relative risks of mortality using log-linear regression analysis for time-series data and by exploring city characteristics associated with variations in this temperature-mortality relation. Current and recent days' temperatures were the weather components most strongly predictive of mortality, and mortality risk generally decreased as temperature increased from the coldest days to a certain threshold temperature, which varied by latitude, above which mortality risk increased as temperature increased. The authors also found a strong association of the temperature-mortality relation with latitude, with a greater effect of colder temperatures on mortality risk in more-southern cities and of warmer temperatures in more-northern cities. The percentage of households with air conditioners in the south and heaters in the north, which serve as indicators of socioeconomic status of the city population, also predicted weather-related mortality. The model developed in this analysis is potentially useful for projecting the consequences of climate-change scenarios and offering insights into susceptibility to the adverse effects of weather.
An unusual dematiaceous fungal infection of the skin caused by Fonsecaea pedrosoi: a case report and review of the literature.

Background: A case of an unusual dematiaceous fungal infection of the skin in a 43-year-old man with diabetes mellitus treated with steroids for reactive airway disease is presented. He developed chromoblastomycosis in the left wrist and was treated with antifungals and multiple surgical excisions. Results: Histologic examination of the excised tissue revealed widespread suppurative granulomatous inflammation in the dermis and subcutaneous tissue. Thick-walled internally septated brown fungal cells were found both inside multinucleated giant cells and extracellularly. Non-to-lightly pigmented septate hyphal elements, however, were also identified with special stains and, in retrospect, on one of the routinely stained sections. In culture, the organism was reported to initially grow as soft white colonies that soon turned to black and velvety. Conclusions: The two unusual features of this case include the controversial report of the organism's initial growth in culture as soft white colonies and the presence of hyphal elements in addition to the sclerotic bodies in the dermis and subcutaneous tissue. This has not been reported before in human cases of dermal infection by Fonsecaea pedrosoi.
Generating Fuzzy Equivalence Classes on RSS News Articles for Retrieving Correlated Information

Tens of thousands of news articles are posted on-line each day, covering topics from politics to science to current events. In order to better cope with this overwhelming volume of information, RSS (news) feeds are used to categorize newly posted articles. Nonetheless, most RSS users must filter through many articles within the same or different RSS feeds in order to locate articles pertaining to their particular interests. Due to the large number of news articles in individual RSS feeds, there is a need for further organizing articles to aid users in locating non-redundant, informative, and related articles of interest quickly. In this paper, we present a novel approach which uses the word-correlation factors in a fuzzy set information retrieval model to (i) filter out redundant news articles from RSS feeds, (ii) shed less-informative articles from the non-redundant ones, and (iii) cluster the remaining informative articles according to the fuzzy equivalence classes generated on the news articles. Our clustering approach requires little overhead or computational costs, and experimental results have shown that it outperforms other existing well-known clustering approaches.
Computing Curvature From Images

Computing curvature from imagesBenjamin M. Dawson and George TreeseNatural Computation Group, Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyE10 -120, 79 Amherst St., Cambridge, MA 02139AbstractThe planar image of an object can be represented as a "codon" list of maxima, minima andzeros of the image's curvature. This representation is invariant over rotation, transla-tion, scale, and other distortions of the image, making it a useful representation for vi-sual recognition or inspection. Calculating this representation from a digital image isdifficult because of the granularity of the image and the possibility of many scales for theobject (e.g., a fractal). We present an algorithm for examining a digital image at variousscales, computing curvature, and symbolically encoding this information. This algorithm isdesigned for a digital frame buffer and video arithmetic logic unit.IntroductionAn intermediate goal for many machine vision systems is the calculation of symbolic rep-resentations of imaged objects, which are then used to recognize, compare, inspect, etc. theobjects. A good symbolic representation is both abstract and computable. By abstract wemean that invariant features are selected from the image, and that incidental changes in theimage will therefore not change the objects' representations. For example, human visionreliab]y2a sttracts the color of objects over a wide range of illumination and viewing condi-
Biomechanical Analysis of Laparoscopic Incisional Gastropexy With Intracorporeal Suturing Using Knotless Polyglyconate.

Objective To evaluate load to failure of laparoscopic incisional gastropexy performed with intracorporeal suturing using knotless polyglyconate (KP). Study Design Cadaveric study. Animals Canine cadavers (n = 12). Methods Laparoscopic incisional gastropexy using 2 strands of KP was performed in 6 canine cadavers and by an open approach in 6 cadavers. Length of the gastropexy, number of suture bites on each side of the gastropexy, and number of inadvertent full thickness gastric suture bites were recorded. Load to failure was measured. Results There was no significant difference in mean (±SD) gastropexy load to failure for the open (46.3 ± 19.6 N) and laparoscopic (69.0 ± 26.0 N) approaches (P = .123). No significant differences between laparoscopic and open approaches were detected for mean stomach (3.1 ± 0.1 cm; 3.0 ± 0.2 cm; P = .353) or abdominal wall (3.1 ± 0.2 cm; 3.0 ± 0.2 cm; P = .553) incision lengths. There was no significant difference between groups for number of suture bites medially (P = .448) or laterally (P = .363). There were 3 instances of a single gastric intraluminal suture for the laparoscopic group and none for the open approach (P = .023). Conclusion Incisional gastropexy performed with laparoscopic intracorporeal suturing and KP has a load to failure that is comparable with an open method. Load to failure was similar to reported values for open incisional gastropexy with knotless glycomer 631.
Technology design for high current and ESD robustness in a deep submicron CMOS process

The intrinsic ESD/EOS robustness of a technology is determined by the sensitivity to thermal initiated second breakdown. We show, for the first time, high current and ESD robustness results for a deep submicron CMOS technology with drawn poly gate lengths of 0.35 /spl mu/m and oxide thicknesses down to 4.5 nm. It is shown that a transistor design window can be determined for optimized drive current and good robustness, while maintaining low off currents. An important observation is that robustness increases for smaller channel lengths and is directly proportional to the transistor drive current. Hence, robust deep submicron technologies can be designed with optimized transistor performance without using additional masks or increasing process complexity. >
Ranolazine-Tacrolimus Interaction

Objective:To report the case of a kidney allograft recipient on a stable regimen of tacrolimus who exhibited increased tacrolimus concentrations within 24 hours of initiating ranolazine.Case Summary:A 64-year-old kidney allograft recipient on a stable dose of tacrolimus (10 mg twice daily) was admitted for recent worsening of her chronic anginal pain. The patient was initiated on ranolazine 500 mg twice daily on hospital day 2. Tacrolimus concentrations rose from 7.0-10.1 ng/mL preadmission to 17.8 ng/mL within 24 hours of ranolazine initiation. Ranolazine therapy was continued due to the patient's beneficial response; therefore, the tacrolimus dose was eventually decreased by 70% to 3 mg twice daily to maintain steady-state trough concentrations between 6.6 and 7.9 ng/mL with ranolazine therapy. Ranolazine dechallenge on a subsequent admission produced subtherapeutic tacrolimus concentrations requiring dosage increases.Discussion:Ranolazine, an antianginal agent, is both a substrate and a weak inhibitor ...