cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Quest for Unified Concept in Describing Complex Systems

Various incidents such as the Y2K or the Power-Grid Outages served as a channel to increase the awareness for better protecting the national critical infrastructures, However, everyday seems to bring new and complex concepts or performance characteristics that describe computers and communications systems or their services. These qualitative/quantitative characteristic keep growing without limits and need to be clarified. This paper provides clear insights to the general problem of understanding these concepts and their relationship by integrating them into a one structure. It lays the foundation for achieving a unified design model for these characteristics, which will formulate the basic issues to develop unified quantitative approaches, tools, or evaluation methods. The expected outcomes would benefit many different entities in enhancing the design or optimizing it for achieving better systems and networks.
A method for assaying DNA-dependent RNA polymerase II in crude extracts of Drosophila melanogaster adults: its use in identifying mutants with an altered RNA polymerase II.

A method for assaying Drosophila melanogaster adult DNA-dependent RNA polymerase II in crude extracts from as few as two females or three males is described. Preparation of the extracts involves incubating homogenates at 25 C for 60 min and subsequent treatment with Macaloid. Eighty-five percent of the activity in the extracts is inhibited by 1 µg/ml α-amanitin and this fraction is attributed to RNA polymerase II. RNA polymerase II activity in the extracts shows a good dose dependence and a partial dependence on added DNA, Mn2+, and all four ribonucleoside triphosphates. The kinetics of heat inactivation of RNA polymerase II in crude extracts could be reproducibly measured. Flies of different genotypes had different initial rates of RNA polymerase II heat inactivation. The isolation of Drosophila melanogaster α-aminitin-resistant mutants is also reported. Using the assay described in this paper, it appears that the basis for the resistance is an altered RNA polymerase II. The mutation has been mapped to the third chromosome by chromosome replacement.
Data intensive applications on clouds

The cyberinfrastructure supporting science appears will include large-scale simulation systems headed to exascale combined with cloud like systems supporting data intensive and high throughput computing, pleasingly parallel jobs and the long tail of science. Clouds offer economies of scale, elasticity supporting real time and interactive use and powerful new programming models such as MapReduce. We stress that iterative extensions of MapReduce will be necessary to get good performance on for several data mining (analytics) applications. We give several illustrations mainly from bioinformatics. We suggest that the data deluge implies a corresponding increase in the computational resources needed to support analysis and this suggests new architectures for large scale data repositories.
Berry Fruit Enhances Beneficial Signaling in the Brain

Increased lifespans have led to population aging and brought attention to healthcare concerns associated with old age. A growing body of preclinical and clinical research has identified neurological benefits associated with the consumption of berry fruits. In addition to their now well-known antioxidant effects, dietary supplementation with berry fruits also has direct effects on the brain. Intake of these fruits may help to prevent age-related neurodegeneration and resulting changes in cognitive and motor function. In cell and animal models, berry fruits mediate signaling pathways involved in inflammation and cell survival in addition to enhancing neuroplasticity, neurotransmission, and calcium buffering, all of which lead to attenuation of age- and pathology-related deficits in behavior. Recent clinical trials have extended these antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and cognition-sparing effects to humans. This paper reviews recent evidence for the beneficial signaling effects of berry fruits on the brain an...
A study of the rat septohippocampal pathway using anterograde transport of horseradish peroxidase.

Abstract The projection of the septohippocampal pathway in the rat was studied using anterograde transport of horseradish peroxidase. This technique provides a number of advantages over other methods including the ability to differentiate between terminal and preterminal axon labeling, a very high ‘signal to noise’ ratio, and a short delay in obtaining results. As applied to the septohippocampal projection, anterograde transport of horseradish peroxidase reveals a dense septal input to the dentate hilus and stratum oriens of CA3, a modest input to the dentate molecular layer and stratum radiatum of CA3, and a very sparse input to stratum oriens and stratum lacunosum-moleculare of CA1 with most labeling in this field confined to axons passing through it. In addition, our results suggest that a septal projection to the supragranular region of the dentate is present only within the rostral pole of the hippocampal formation. Potential artifacts such as labeling of fibers-of-passage and ‘collateral’ filling do not appear to interfere with the results but transneuronal transport of horseradish peroxidase may occur when large amounts of the protein are injected.
One Martian year of atmospheric observations by the Thermal Emission Spectrometer

The Mars Global Surveyor has completed one full Martian year of mapping. Infrared spectra returned by the Thermal Emission Spectrometer (TES) are very well suited for monitoring the thermal structure and the distribution of aerosols and water vapor in the Mars atmosphere. Nadir-viewing spectra allow a global picture of the state of the Mars atmosphere on a daily basis. We report here on the observed annual cycle of the latitudinal dependence of atmospheric temperature, dust aerosols, water-ice clouds, and water vapor.
Ambiguous loss from chronic physical illness: clinical interventions with individuals, couples, and families.

The theory of ambiguous loss is applied to chronic illness in individuals, couples, and families. Lack of clarity about prognosis, daily physical condition, and fluctuating capabilities create relationship confusion, preoccupation with the illness, or avoidance of the ill individual. Immobilization, depression, and relationship collapse may occur in response to features of chronic illness over which there is no control. A case study illustrates helpful therapeutic interventions for couples and families with chronically ill members.
Chaotic possibilities: Toward a new model of development

Most psychoanalytic models of development and change assume an orderly, sequential and predetermined unfolding of psychological functions and structures. Interferences with orderly unfolding challenge the individual and may lead to pathology. These models derive from a worldview associated with the descriptions of change through linear differential equations, which predict a smooth, orderly world. The study of complex systems and their associated non-linear dynamics predicts a very different kind of world: a world with abrupt changes, discontinuities, idiosyncratic developmental lines, and disproportions between causes and effects. The worldview of non-linear dynamics suggests new possibilities for the psychoanalytic model of change and development, and invites confrontation with the adequacy of many widely accepted models. These new possibilities include discontinuous, sudden and qualitative shifts not only in manifest behavior but also in in-depth psychological functioning.
The role of prior experience and task characteristics in object-oriented modeling: an empirical study

The object-oriented methodology for systems analysis and design has generated considerable interest recently. Object-orientation represents a fundamental shift in focus from the traditional process-oriented approaches that have dominated software development for over two decades. Although there is anecdotal evidence to suggest that systems analysts experienced in process-oriented modeling approaches will find it difficult to apply objective-oriented methodologies, there is no empirical work investigating the relationship between a procedural mindset and an ability to learn and apply object-oriented concepts. Prior research in human problem solving, however, suggests that the efficacy of a systems analysis and design methodology should be judged in the context of the task to which it is applied. To explore the effects of prior experience and task characteristics on performance in systems analysis and design, we conducted an experiment in which two groups of subjects applied the object-oriented methodology to two types of tasks, one process-oriented and the other object-oriented. One group had significant prior experience in process-oriented methodologies, while the other group had no formal experience. Both groups were provided identical training in object-oriented analysis and design prior to the experiment. The results of the study suggest that both prior experience and task characteristics play a role in determining performance. The implications that follow for research and practice are discussed.
Re: O’Connor KM and Kiely EA: Lessons learned using Snodgrass hypospadias repair (Irish J Med Sci 175:37)

The authors reviewed experience with TIP repair for distal hypospadias, finding 21% developed meatal stenosis. Unfortunately, they did not describe their postoperative assessment and so the reasons the diagnosis was suspected, means it was established, and time following surgery it occurred are not reported. As the authors note, meatal stenosis is a well-known complication from hypospadias urethroplasty. However, review of published series on TIP repair indicates this complication occurred in only 1.5% of patients [1], and in my own experience has been found in less than 1%. I perform a single calibration of the neomeatus 6 months postoperatively to confirm a size [ 8Fr in young boys. This low incidence of meatal stenosis in contrast to that reported by the authors most likely indicates technical error. The fact stenosis occurred in their first 2, but not the last 2, years performing TIP further reinforces this impression. Furthermore, the authors themselves state technical modifications improved their results. It is worth emphasizing deep incision of the urethral plate and care to avoid tubularizing the neourethra too far distally both decrease likelihood for stenosis. I tubularize the neourethra to approximately 3 mm from the tip of the glans, and then independently perform glansplasty without securing the neomeatus to the glans wings. In the Introduction, the authors state urethral plate incision should not extend beyond the midglans, but failure to carry the incision further distally to near the end of the plate could contribute to subsequent stenosis. I have never performed postoperative meatal dilation. The fact less than 5% of patients are at risk for meatal stenosis calls to question the authors’ recommendation for routine dilation for all boys the first months after surgery. While it may be ‘‘relatively painless’’, it is certainly not completely painless and may cause unnecessary anxiety for both the child and his mother.
Autism treatments proposed by clinical studies and human genetics are complementary

The article by Wittkowski et al.1 reports results of human genetic studies that suggest that a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) given for a few months from the time of the first symptoms might help some children who are at risk of developing more severe forms of atrial septal defect. While the authors mention the recent article by Lemonnier et al.,2 which reported that a clinical study of the diuretic Bumetanide was partially effective in children with milder forms of autism, they seem to have overlooked that these two treatments may well be complementary, leading to sequential interventions, each targeting specific risks related to well-defined stages in the development of brain and social interactions.
The effect of various stimuli and calcium antagonists on the fluorescence response of chlorotetracycline-loaded human neutrophils.

Abstract Chlorotetracycline has been used in neutrophils and other cells as a probe of the state of membrane-bound calcium. We report here that human neutrophils treated with chlorotetracycline respond to soluble secretagogues by a prompt decrease in chlorotetracycline fluorescence. This response was observed within 2–5 s, making it one of the most immediate reactions of neutrophils to stimulation, and was obtained with three secretagogues studied: a chemotactic peptide N-formyl-methionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine, a tumor promotor (phorbol myristate acetate) and a lectin (concanavalin A). The responses of neutrophils to the three stimuli differed both quantitatively and qualitatively. The calcium chelator EGTA, did not effect the onset of the decrease in chlorotetracycline fluorescence, suggesting that the probe was measuring changes in intracellular calcium pools. The intracellular calcium antagonists, TMB-8, W-7 and trifluoperazine, did not block, but actually augmented, the fluorescence response. All four of these calcium antagonists blocked the recovery of chlorotetracycline fluorescence which was usually observed several minutes after stimulation with N-formyl-methionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine. This suggests that recovery was dependent upon both extracellular calcium and active calmodulin. The results are consistent with the hypothesis that changes in chlorotetracycline fluorescence reflect changes in a pool of membrane-bound ‘trigger calcium’, the release of which is an essential first step in stimulus-response coupling in human neutrophils.
Self-assembled particle monolayers on polyelectrolyte multilayers: particle size effects on formation, structure, and optical properties

Abstract Monolayers of charged polystyrene latex particles ranging in size from 100 nm to 10 μm were deposited on oppositely charged polyelectrolyte multilayers (PEMs) by electrostatic interactions and capillary forces. Ultrathin PEMs (∼30 nm) formed on a glass slide provided an excellent underlying adhesive layer. As the sample surface was being dried, strong capillary forces between particles resulted in a unique pattern of particle monolayers (i.e., two-dimensional (2-D) particle aggregates). The resulting topographical structure of the coatings strongly influenced the transmission of visible light through the slides. The total and specular transmittances showed three different characteristics as a function of particle size: (1) anti-reflection, when the particle diameter (Dparticle) is around a quarter of the wavelength of the incident visible light (Dparticle ∼ λvis/4), (2) diffraction, when the Dparticle is equivalent to the wavelength of the incident beam (Dparticle ∼ λvis), and (3) diffusive scattering when the Dparticle is bigger than the wavelength of the incident beam (Dparticle ∼ λvis). Additionally, for the first time, the monolayer coverage and fractal-dimension analyses have been reported over a wide range of particle sizes. Functional groups present in these coatings allow further customization via chemical modification.
Transition to oscillatory convection in a 3He-superfluid-4He mixture.

The oscillatory instability of Rayleigh-B\'enard convection is studied in a solution of 1.46% $^{3}\mathrm{He}$ in superfluid $^{4}\mathrm{He}$ for the Prandtl-number range $0.045l~\ensuremath{\sigma}l~0.15$. The observed behaviors of the oscillatory frequency and the onset condition support the theory of oscillatory convection for a classical, low-Prandtl-number, one-component fluid.
30 Years of Microsurfacing: A Review

Microsurfacing has been utilized in the United States since 1980 as a maintenance treatment for pavement. This paper reviews the benefits, limitations, and factors that contribute to successful applications of microsurfacing. The history of microsurfacing, as well as a definition and process description of the treatment, is included. The body of scientific work on microsurfacing is shown to promote its use in preventative maintenance programs, and the potential for microsurfacing to meet tightening environmental and budgetary restrictions is discussed. Suggestions are given for future research to expand microsurfacing’s applications and efficacy stemming from the ability of microsurfacing to be cold-applied and utilize polymers in the bitumen.
DNA repair in E. coli strains deficient in single-strand DNA binding protein

Weigle reactivation and mutagenesis have been found to be defective in strains of E. coli deficient in single-strand DNA binding protein (SSB). These defects parallel those previously found in prophage induction and amplification of recA protein synthesis in ssb strains. Together, these results demonstrate a role for SSB in the induction of SOS responses. UV survival studies of ssb- recA- and ssb- uvr- strains are presented which also suggest a role for SSB in recombinational repair processes but not in excision repair. Studies of host cell reactivation support this latter conclusion.
Nonlinear optical processes in one-dimensional polymers

New phenomena are observed theoretically in nonlinear optical responses of polydiacetylene-toluene sulfonate (PTS) irradiated by a strong laser beam. Within a two-level model of PTS the transient behavior of the induced susceptibility is investigated. Optical nutation is found and the optical Stark blue shift and bleaching are also found in qualitative agreement with experiments. In the steady state a new type of optical tristability mediated by phonons is found. A possible mechanism responsible for this tristability is discussed. 1 .
The Effect of Position during Muscle Setting: Analysis of the Electromyographic Activity of the Superficial Quadriceps

本研究の目的は，大腿四頭筋のMuscle Setting時の運動肢位が大腿四頭筋筋活動に及ぼす影響を筋電図学的に明らかにすることである。健常男性5名，女性9名について，背臥位，股関節45°屈曲した長坐位，両足趾を床に接地した腹臥位，立位の各肢位でMuscle Settingを行わせた時の大腿四頭筋の筋活動を分析した。その結果，単関節筋の内側広筋と外側広筋には，肢位による影響は認められなかった。一方，二関節筋の大腿直筋では，腹臥位が他の肢位よりも有意に高い筋放電量を示した。これらのことより，腹臥位での大腿四頭筋のMuscle Settingは，臥床時期の筋力維持・増強訓練として考慮されるべきであると考えた。また，大腿四頭筋のMuscle Settingにおいても各筋の筋活動状態を把握した上で，肢位を考慮して行うことが望ましいと考えた。
Observing NGC 4151 with the Keck Interferometer

Observations of the nucleus of NGC 4151 at 2.2 microns using the two 10-meter Keck telescopes as an interferometer show a marginally resolved source less than or equal to 0.1 pc in diameter. These observations are the first measurement of an extragalactic source with an optical/IR interferometer. These observations represent a ten-fold improvement in angular resolution when compared to previous near-infrared measurements of AGN and make it possible to test the subparsecscale, near-infrared emission models of NGC 4151.
The effective conductivity of a composite material with a periodic rectangular geometry

We consider a composite material which has a periodic rectangular geometry. After developing a method for solution, we give a simple but accurate formula for the effective conductivity, which is valid for all values of the physical parameters.
Technology impacts on sub-90nm CMOS circuit design & design methodologies

Summary form only for tutorial. This tutorial discusses design challenges of scaled CMOS circuits in sub-90nm technologies and the design methodologies required to design them in order to produce robust designs with desired power performance trade-off. It is increasingly difficult to sustain supply and threshold voltage scaling to provide the required performance increase, limit energy consumption, control power dissipation, and maintain reliability. These requirements pose several difficulties across a range of disciplines. On the technology front, the question arises whether we can continue along the traditional CMOS scaling path - reduce effective oxide thickness, improve channel mobility, and minimize parasitics. On the design front, researchers are exploring various circuit design techniques to deal with process variation, leakage and soft errors.
A new high strength steel for generator retaining ring application

A new nonmagnetic steel with yield strength in excess of 200 ksi and plane strain fracture toughness (KIC) in excess of 100 ksi √in. has been developed by the Electric Power Research Institute in collaboration with the University of California at Berkeley. The alloy has good resistance to cracking in presence of hydrogen and chloride environments. The properties are obtained in the asheattreated condition without the need for cold expansion as has been the practice in the past. It is anticipated that successful commercialization of the alloy for use as retaining rings can result in improved generator reliability, size capability and efficiency. This paper is a progress report on this significant development.
Deposition of inhaled particulate matter in the upper respiratory tract, larynx, and bronchial airways: A mathematical description

A mathematical description of inhaled particle behavior suitable for analysis of factors affecting deposition in the human upper respiratory tract (nasopharyngeal and oropharyngeal compartments), larynx, and ciliated airways is presented. When upper respiratory tract and larynx filtering efficiencies are incorporated in the model, theoretical calculations of aerosol deposition agree with tracheobronchial (TB) data reported in the open literature. The model predicts the sigmoidal shape of TB deposition patterns measured in human subjects, the slopes of the quasilinear segments of these curves, and the positions of their two asymptotes. The model could therefore be used to evaluate the health effects of toxic airborne particles.
Nifedipine, but not verapamil, acutely elevates parathyroid hormone levels in premenopausal women

Summary BACKGROUND Calcium channel antagonist therapy in humans has been associated with changes In anterior pitultary, thyroid and adrenal hormone secretion. Human studies assessing effects of calcium channel antagonists on calclotropic hormones have been few and typically involved small numbers of subjects studied for short periods of time. Few of these previously published studies have included women. The endocrine effects of calcium channel antagonists in women have become increasingly important as more women are taking these agents for diseases such as hypertension, angina, Raynaud's phenomenon and migraine. OBJECTIVE To assess both acute and chronic effects of calcium channel antagonists on calclotropic hormones in women. DESIGN A four-week prospective, randomized trial. SUBJECTS Twenty-nine premenopausal women, randomly assigned to receive either 240 mg of sustained release verapamil or 30 mg of sustained release nifedipine daily. LABORATORY END-POINTS Total and ionized serum calcium, phosphate, creatinine, parathyrold hormone (PTH), parathyroid hormone-related protein (PTHrP) and calcitonin, measured at baseline, after 24 hours, and 28 days of treatment. RESULTS Total and ionized calcium, phosphate, creatinine, PTHrP and calcitonin levels were not altered significantly after 24 hours or 28 days in any of the subjects, when compared to baseline. There were no significant differences in PTH levels after 24 hours or 28 days of verapamil treatment. There was a significant increase in serum PTH levels after 24 hours of nifedipine therapy; however, these differences were not evident after 28 days of therapy. CONCLUSIONS The short-term administration of nifedipine results in increased release of parathyroid hormone; however, long-term administration has no significant effect on the concentrations of calclotropic hormones.
Zero-Inertial Recession for Kinematic-Wave Model

Kinematic-wave models of surface irrigation assume a fixed relationship between depth and discharge (typically, normal depth). When surface-irrigation inflow is cut off, the calculated upstream flow depth goes to zero, because the discharge is zero. For short time steps, use of the kinematic-wave model can create an incorrect water-surface profile. Issues include difficulty in solving the continuity equation in the first upstream cell and a calculated adverse water-surface profile. The kinematic-wave model produces a recession time at the upstream boundary that is too small, that can lead to incorrect calculation of recession times when water continues to recede from the surface. This problem becomes more severe for smaller values of bottom slope. In this paper, we present a zero-inertia approximation to the water-surface profile at cutoff, which can be extended to the start of recession, after which calculations continue with the kinematic-wave model.
Feeding and aggressive behavior evoked by hypothalamic stimulation in a cichlid fish.

Abstract 1. 1. Chronic electrodes were implanted in the hypothalamus of the cichlid fish Tilapia heudelotti macrocephala . 2. 2. Stimulation near the lateral recess of the third ventricle evoked feeding, snapping up gravel and aggressive behavior. 3. 3. Stimulation close to the midline near the thalamic-anterior hypothalamic junction also elicited feeding and aggressive responses.
Inhibition of in vivo DNA synthesis in regenerating rat liver following thermal injury

Abstract Hepatic repair and regeneration which is extremely important after thermal injuries can be inhibited by the acute inflammatory reaction. Since thermal injury initiates this acute inflammatory reaction, DNA synthesis was studied in the regenerating liver following this injury. In vivo incorporation of [3H]-thymidine into hepatic DNA, autoradiographic determination of a labeling index, and thymidine kinase activity were determined. Incorporation of [3H]-thymidine into hepatic DNA and labeling indices were markedly diminished at 24 hours if partial hepatectomy and thermal injury were carried out concurrently. After partial hepatectomy, the expected elevations in thymidine kinase activity were inhibited by the thermal injury (p
Electronic Reminders to Patients Within an Interactive Patient Health Record

Keeping patients with complex medical illnesses up to date with their preventive care and chronic disease management services, such as lipid testing and retinal exam in patients with diabetes, is challenging. Within a commercially available electronic health record (EHR) with a secure personal health record (PHR), we developed a system that sends up to three weekly reminders to patients who will soon be due for preventive care services. The reminder messages reside within the secure PHR, which is linked to the EHR, and are displayed on a screen where patients can also send to the physician's office an electronic message to request appointments for the needed services. The reminder messages stop when the patient logs on to review the reminders. The system, designed with patient input, groups together all services that will be due in the next 3 months to avoid repeatedly messaging the patient. After 2 months, the cycle of reminders begins again. This system, which is feasible and economical to build, has the potential to improve care and compliance with quality measures.
Post-beamforming second-order Volterra filter for pulse-echo ultrasonic imaging

We present a new algorithm for deriving a second-order Volterra filter (SVF) capable of separating linear and quadratic components from echo signals. Images based on the quadratic components are shown to provide contrast enhancement between tissue and ultrasound contrast agents (UCAs) without loss in spatial resolution. It is also shown that the quadratic images preserve the low scattering regions due to their high dynamic range when compared with standard B-mode or harmonic images. A robust algorithm for deriving the filter has been developed and tested on real-time imaging data from contrast and tissue-mimicking media. Illustrative examples from image targets containing contrast agent and tissue-mimicking media are presented and discussed. Quantitative assessment of the contrast enhancement is performed on both the RF data and the envelope-detected log-compressed image data. It is shown that the quadratic images offer levels of enhancement comparable or exceeding those from harmonic filters while maintaining the visibility of low scattering regions of the image.
The long term prognosis of non-obstructive urinary tract infection in infancy and childhood after the advent of sulphonamides.

Summary One hundred and seven cases of urinary tract infection in children, hospitalized during the years 1940-1949, were reinvestigated with an observation time ranging from 15 to 24 years. Primary and late mortality was low. Non-obstructive urinary infections in boys show a good prognosis, concerning recurrence as well as progressive renal disease. Non-obstructive urinary tract infection in girls seems to be a potentially serious disease, where recurrence developed in half the cases in spite of the initial sulpha-treatment given. A minimum of 19 % of the girls showed progressive renal disease according to radiological examinations. Early recurrence, according to the primary report, increased the risk of progressive renal disease from 4 to 30%. In 40% of the girls with late symptomatic recurrence, progressive renal disease could be diagnosed at about 20 years of age. The reinvestigation shows that in certain individuals the child's susceptability to recurrent urinary tract infection is retained even in the adult, in whom it manifests itself as acute pyelonephritis. It is of special interest to note that between one half to one third of those who had been pregnant had suffered from urinary tract infection of pregnancy. At about 20 years observation time negative results of single determination of blood pressure, sedimentation rate, haemoglobin, serum-creatinine, protein or leucocytes or bacteria in the urine and maximal urinary concentration capacity does not seem to guarantee the ab-scence of chronic or recurrent pyelonephritis. A thorough case history, including a paediatric history, is recommended in dealing with urinary tract infections in children and young adults.
Agonist regulation of muscarinic acetylcholine receptors in rat spinal cord

In vitro studies with cultured cells originating from nervous tissue have shown that chronic exposure to muscarinic agonists results in a loss of muscarinic receptors. To determine whether this type of regulation of muscarinic receptor number also occurs in vivo, we infused carbachol into the spinal cords of rats. A single carbachol injection into the lumbar spinal cord caused a significant increase in the nociceptive threshold. This effect of carbachol diminished to control levels after 12 h of repeated agonist injections every 4 h and was blocked by atropine. The desensitization to the antinociceptive effects of carbachol was associated with a loss of muscarinic receptors as determined by the binding of the muscarinic antagonist [3H]quinuclidinyl benzilate. After a 24-h exposure to carbachol given every 4h, there was about a 60% loss of binding sites. The loss of muscarinic receptors was also blocked by atropine and was reversible. These results represent direct evidence that a muscarinic agonist can regulate receptor number in the central nervous system and suggest that this loss of receptors is associated with a desensitization to the antinociceptive effects of carbachol injected into the spinal cord.
An infrastructure ecology approach for urban infrastructure sustainability and resiliency

The concept of ecology can be extended to the urban infrastructure as well when the infrastructure components are not analyzed individually but as an interlinked system, which then can be termed as ‘infrastructure ecology’. Urban infrastructure can be envisioned as an integrated network of four major infrastructure components, which are the water infrastructure, the energy infrastructure, the transportation infrastructure and the land-use pattern or the urban form. Two of the more prominent interactions are between water and energy and that between energy and transportation, but these inter-relations extend beyond the water-energy nexus to all individual infrastructure components. A system level integrative approach reveals many options which might be more sustainable but not apparent when approached on an individual basis. A holistic system level approach is required to attain sustainability as a comprehension of these interrelations lead to better design and assessment of the urban infrastructure system.
Robust mesh watermarking

We describe a robust method for watermarking triangle meshes. Watermarking provides a mechanism for copyright protection of digital media by embedding information identifying the owner in the data. The bulk of the research on digital watermarks has focused on media such as images, video, audio, and text. Robust watermarks must be able to survive a variety of “attacks”, including resizing, cropping, and filtering. For resilience to such attacks, recent watermarking schemes employ a “spread-spectrum” approach – they transform the document to the frequency domain and perturb the coefficients of the perceptually most significant basis functions. We extend this spread-spectrum approach to work for the robust watermarking of arbitrary triangle meshes. Generalizing spread spectrum techniques to surfaces presents two major challenges. First, arbitrary surfaces lack a natural parametrization for frequency-based decomposition. Our solution is to construct a set of scalar basis function over the mesh vertices using multiresolution analysis. The watermark perturbs vertices along the direction of the surface normal, weighted by the basis functions. The second challenge is that simplification and other attacks may modify the connectivity of the mesh. We use an optimization technique to resample an attacked mesh using the original mesh connectivity. Results show that our watermarks are resistant to common mesh operations such as translation, rotation, scaling, cropping, smoothing, simplification, and resampling, as well as malicious attacks such as the insertion of noise, modification of low-order bits, or even insertion of other watermarks. CR Categories: I.3.5 [Computer Graphics]: Computational Geometry and Object Modeling—Surface Representations.
Application of infrared light for in vivo neural stimulation.

A novel method for damage-free, artifact-free stimulation of neural tissue using pulsed, low-energy infrared laser light is presented. Optical stimulation elicits compound nerve and muscle potentials similar to responses obtained with conventional electrical neural stimulation in a rat sciatic nerve model. Stimulation and damage thresholds were determined as a function of wavelength using a tun- able free electron laser source =2 to 10 m and a solid state hol- mium:YAG laser =2.12 m. Threshold radiant exposure required for stimulation varies with wavelength from 0.312 J/cm 2 =3m to 1.22 J/cm 2 =2.1 m. Histological analysis indicates no dis- cernable thermal damage with suprathreshold stimulation. The largest damage/stimulation threshold ratios 6 were at wavelengths corre- sponding to valleys in the IR spectrum of soft tissue absorption 4 and 2.1 m. Furthermore, optical stimulation can be used to generate a spatially selective response in small fascicles of the sciatic nerve that has significant advantages e.g., noncontact, spatial resolution, lack of stimulation artifact over conventional electrical methods in diagnos- tic and therapeutic procedures in neuroscience, neurology, and neurosurgery. © 2005 Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers. DOI: 10.1117/1.2121772
Expression of a bovine rhodopsin gene in Xenopus oocytes: demonstration of light-dependent ionic currents.

Abstract Xenopus oocytes express a gene encoding bovine rhodopsin as well as its SP6 RNA polymerase-derived transcripts and total retinal mRNA. The opsin produced is in unglycosylated (30 kDa) and two glycosylated (35 kDa and 41 kDa) forms. Incubation of the cells expressing the above proteins with 11-cis-retinal generates rhodopsin, which was purified by immunoaffinity chromatography. The purified protein shows the expected UV/visible absorption spectrum and characteristic light-dependent activation of the rod outer segment GTP binding protein. Oocytes expressing rhodopsin exhibit light-dependent ionic currents that are detected by voltage-clamp techniques.
You can get there from here: connectivity of random graphs on grids

Using random graphs, we address the need for non-local communication channels in emerging nanotechnology interconnection structures. In this model, a grid of radicNtimesradicN processing elements are connected by non-local wires, which are fabricated as a post processing self-assembly step by electro-chemical migration of functionalized carbon nanotubes. We show that under reasonable assumptions, 80% of the cells can be connected into a single spanning tree with only N wires deposited randomly across the surface of the substrate.
Inaugurating the Study of Animal Metacognition.

Metacognition—the ability to monitor and control one’s own cognition—is a sophisticated ability that reveals humans’ reflective mind and consciousness. Researchers have begun to explore whether animals share humans’ metacognitive capacity. This article reprises the original study that explored metacognition across species. A captive dolphin performed an auditory pitch-discrimination task using High/Low discrimination responses and an Uncertainty response with which he could declineto complete any trials he chose. He selectively declined the difficult trials near his discriminative threshold—just as humans do. This comparative exploration of metacognition required a trial intensive titration of perceptual threshold and the training of a distinctive behavioral response. It could not have been conducted in the wild, though the naturalistic observation of dolphin uncertainty behaviors and risk-management strategies would no doubt yield complementary insights. The dolphin study inaugurated a new area of cross-species research. This research area opens a new window on reflective mind in animals, illuminates the phylogenetic emergence of metacognition, and may reveal the antecedents of human consciousness.
Evaluating the Influence of Amenities on the Location of Manufacturing Establishments in Urban Areas

Public and private planners concerned with economic growth and development are increasingly marketing intangible characteristics. This paper investigates the notion that amenities influence manufacturers' location choices in urban areas. If amenities affect wages, land values and other costs, then amenities will influence location decisions. Using urban, county-level, Census data, regression models were estimated for the location of small and medium-sized manufacturing establishments. Holding constant scale and agglomeration economies, amenities, measured by a quality-of-life index, are found to influence manufacturers' location with the effects varying by industry. Labour-intensive industries are more strongly attracted to high-amenity urban locations.
Biological applications of large electric fields: some history and fundamentals

The history of electric fields in biology is summarized briefly. Physical concepts important for explaining the action of electric field pulses on biological objects are reviewed: relation of pulse width to frequency spectrum; precise meaning of "conductor" and "dielectric"; electrical properties of living tissues; translatory and rotational motion of electric charges and dipoles; effects of inhomogeneity, diffusion and viscosity; conditions for validity of linear models; electrical mobility of ions in membrane channels and membranes; conditions for radiation; reflection, refraction, and penetration of radiated fields; effect of radiated magnetic fields on chemical reaction rates; radiation pressure; electrostriction; the problem of distinguishing between thermal and nonthermal effects. The rationale for close collaboration among biologists, engineers, physicists, and physicians is discussed.
Logical dynamics meets logical pluralism

Where is logic heading today? There is a general feeling that the discipline is broadening its scope and agenda beyond classical foundational issues, and maybe even a concern that, like Stephen Leacock’s famous horseman, it is ‘riding off madly in all directions’. So, what is the resultant vector? There seem to be two broad answers in circulation today. One is logical pluralism, locating the new scope of logic in charting a wide variety of reasoning styles, often marked by non-classical structural rules of inference. This is the new program that I subscribed to in my work on sub-structural logics around 1990, and it is a powerful movement today. But gradually, I have changed my mind about the crux of what logic should become. I would now say that the main issue is not variety of reasoning styles and notions of consequence, but the variety of informational tasks performed by intelligent interacting agents, of which inference is only one among many, involving observation, memory, questions and answers, dialogue, or general communication. And logical systems should deal with a wide variety of these, making information-carrying events first-class citizens in their set-up. The purpose of this brief paper is to contrast and compare the two approaches, drawing freely on some insights from earlier published papers. In particular, I will argue that logical dynamics sets itself the more ambitious diagnostic goal of explaining why substructural phenomena occur, by ‘deconstructing’ them into classical logic plus an explicit account of the relevant informational events.
ANAESTHESIA FOR HEART TRANSPLANTATION A Retrospective Study and Review

The anaesthetic records of 261 heart transplant recipients were reviewed. Data collected included demographic characteristics, physical status, results of preoperative cardiac catheterization studies, anaesthetics agents and incidences of complications which may have been related to anaesthetic management Forty-five patients received a volatile agent (methoxyflurane 31, enflurane 10, halothane 4) and 216 patients were anaesthetized with a high-dose narcotic technique (morphine 122, fentanyl 71, hydro-morphone 14, meperidine 9). Hypotension and arrhythmias were correlated with use of volatile and narcotic anaesthetics, respectively. No mortality was associated with anaesthetic management.
Plasmonic Fabry-Pérot nanocavity.

We experimentally demonstrate a novel, all-plasmonic nanoscopic cavity exhibiting Q-factors up to 200 at visible frequencies. The Fabry-Perot type resonator uses tall metallic fins that reflect up to 98% of incident surface plasmon to concentrate light within a subwavelength cavity mode. High aspect ratio metal fins, constructed using lithography and electroplating, reduce surface plasmon scattering out of the surface, while a short cavity length reduces the propagation loss. A simple Fabry-Perot cavity model adapted for surface plasmon dispersion and reflection describes the underlying physics of the nanocavities and the results agree well with Johnson's and Christie's permittivity data. The occurrence of an optimum wavelength for plasmon storage in these cavities allows us to clearly visualize the fundamental trade-off between propagation loss and the spatial extent of surface plasmon polaritons. The subwavelength optical mode area within these cavities enables the enhancement of weak optical processes such as spontaneous emission and nonlinear optics at nanoscale dimensions.
Repeat Until Bored: A Pattern Selection Strategy

An alternative to the typical technique of selecting training examples independently from a fixed distribution is formulated and analyzed, in which the current example is presented repeatedly until the error for that item is reduced to some criterion value, β; then, another item is randomly selected. The convergence time can be dramatically increased or decreased by this heuristic, depending on the task, and is very sensitive to the value of β.
Who Mentors Hispanic English Language Learners

Ten Hispanic university students enrolled in higher education courses were interviewed and considered successful despite the lack of support they received in learning English during their primary and secondary education. Analysis of the questionnaires and personal interviews reveal four major types of mentors who supported and motivated them to succeed throughout their post—high school education: family mentor, advisor mentor, self-mentor, and peer mentor.
Kappa Coefficient Calculation Using Multiple Ratings Per Subject: A Special Communication

The purpose of this special communication is to describe the application of the Kappa coefficient for the estimation of interobserver agreement. Kappa is a preferred statistic for the estimation of the accuracy of nominal and ordinal data in clinical research by physical therapists. A brief introduction to the properties of the Kappa coefficient is given, and a special case of Kappa for multiple ratings per subject is explained. A FORTRAN program, written specifically for the multiple-ratings situation, is described.
Decay of Z′ in W+W− and Higgs modes

Abstract We show that Z′ → WW and into Higgs mode are valuable probes of the symmetry breaking mechanism in gauge theories. Results are derived for a decay of an arbitrary Z′ from string inspired E 6 theory.
The Ideal and the Real: The Working Out of Public Policy in Curricula for Severely Handicapped Students:

Increasingly, public policy requires that appropriate educational programs for severely handicapped students employ a functional approach to teaching content and prepare students for futures in competitive employment. This study examines how teachers' interpretations of this policy shape their curricular decisions, and, in turn, might shape future policy. The teachers find the demands of competitive employment and productivity too stringent for many students who have too few marketable skills and too little time left to acquire them. Discussion centers on how teachers' attempts to reconcile student ability with productivity threaten the success of reform for many of the very students such reform is designed to help.
Seasonal succession of bloodsucking Diptera in Wisconsin during 1965.

Abs:ract : The seasonal sequences of species of Culicidae, Simuliidae, Tabanidae and several other bloodsucking Diptera as determined by CO&rap c01kcti0n.s are reported, as are the dates of first flowering of a number of plant species. Insect species that appeared th- p earliest as bloodseeking females were the mosquitoes, Cuiiseta inoranta and Ano@& punctipennis, and the black flies, Cnephia tamiatifrons and Simulium johannseni, each of which was active before the first flowering of such earlyflowering plants as Juneberry, wild plum and pin cherry. Considered as groups, mosquitoes of genera that mostly hibernate as adults (Culiseta, Ano@&s, C&x) were first to appear zs bloodseeking females followed closely by the Simuliidae, then the eariier aedine mosquitoes, and, finally, the Tabanidae and Ceratopogonidae. Among the Tabanidae, species of Chqsops and f&/bon&a appeared much earlier than species of Tabanxc. In 1965 a trapping program for bloodsucking Diptera was started as part of a study of the host relationships of bloodsucking arthropods, their roles in the ecology of arboviruses in Wisconsin, and as pests in recreational and agricultural lands. In this program we had,the following objectives: 1. To determine the seasonal sequence of bloodseeking adults of the families Culicidae, Ceratopogonidae, Simuliidae, and Tabanidae. Such information, in conjunction with data on host-preferences, would be useful both in determining with which arthropod species a vertebrate might have had contact before acquiring an arbovirus infection, and in revealing the sequence of problems posed by the various species as biting pests in recreational areas. 2. To determine how closely the seasonal appearances of the adults parallel those of flowering and other phenological botanical events. Many variables are involved. But if a predicatable parallel exists, easily observed plant events might serve as useful indicators of the progress of the season, not only for entomologists, but also for nonentomologists such as park and forest administrators who must deal with problems posed by biting insects. 3. To establish a continuing surveillance of arboviruses in arthropods-this surveillance to