cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Push vs Pull of Information between Autonomous Cars and Human Drivers

How should information be exchanged between drivers and their cars? What types of information should be exchanged? These questions have become increasingly important as research into autonomous cars interfaces continues to develop. To examine these questions, a varied and complex simulation course has been created for the Stanford Driving Simulator together with a Wizard of Oz Station for operators to manipulate the driving simulation. Outlined in this paper is a Wizard of Oz study that observes/records the effects of "Push vs. Pull" of driving information from the autonomous car, as well as the use of "What vs. Why" information. The objective of this research is to provide a set of psychological principles that will guide the driver-vehicle interface design in providing effective, real-time support for drivers of increasingly autonomous vehicles.
Characterization Of Ultralow-Density Silica Aerogels Made From A Condensed Silica Precursor

Silica aerogels having densities in the range of 0.003 to 0.05 g/cm3, have been prepared from a condensed silica formulation involving a two-step hydrolysis/condensation process with tetramethoxysilane (TMOS). This work describes the preparation of these unique ultralow-density aerogels, and compares several of their properties with those of aerogels made by a single step, base catalysed process.
Interactions of Cocaine with Morphine, U-50,488H and [d-Pen2, d-Pen5]Enkephalin

The effects of acute and chronic administration of cocaine on the antinociception and tolerance to the antinociceptive actions of mu-(morphine), kappa-(U-50,488H), and delta-([D-Pen2,D-Pen5]enkephalin; DPDPE), opioid receptor agonists were determined in male Swiss-Webster mice. Intraperitoneal injection of 40 mg/kg of cocaine by itself produced weak antinociceptive response as measured by the tail-fick test but the lower doses were ineffective. Administration of morphine (10 mg/kg, SC), U-50,488H (25 mg/kg, IP) or DPDPE (10 microg/mouse, ICV) produced antinociception in mice. Cocaine (20 mg/kg) potentiated the antinociceptive action of morphine and DPDPE but had no effect on U-50,488H-induced antinociception. Administration of morphine (20 mg/kg, SC), U-50,488H (25 mg/kg, IP) or DPDPE (20 microg/mouse, ICV) twice a day for 4 days resulted in the development of tolerance to their antinociceptive actions. Tolerance to the antinociceptive actions of morphine and U-50,488H was inhibited by concurrent treatment with 20 or 40 mg/kg doses of cocaine; however, tolerance to the antinociceptive action of DPDPE was not modified by cocaine. It is concluded that cocaine selectively potentiates the antinociceptive action of mu- and delta- but not of the kappa-opioid receptor agonist. On the other hand, cocaine inhibits the development of tolerance to the antinociceptive actions of mu- and kappa- but not of delta-opioid receptor agonists in mice.
Transition-metal complexes of a bifunctional tetradentate gallium alkoxide ligand.

The mixed gallium transition-metal complexes [FeCl{Ga2(tBu)4(neol)2}] (1) and [M{Ga2(tBu)4(neol)2}], M = Co (2), Ni (3), Cu (4), have been prepared by the reaction of [Ga2(tBu)4(neol-H)2] (neol-H2 = 2,2-dimethyl-propane-1,3-diol) with the appropriate metal halide and Proton Sponge. Compounds 1−4 have been characterized by NMR (3), UV/vis, and IR spectroscopy and magnetic susceptibility (solution and solid state), and their molecular structures have been confirmed by X-ray crystallography. The molecular structure of compounds 1−4 consists of a tetracyclic core formed from two four-membered and two six-membered rings. The central metal atom adopts a square pyramidal (1) or square planar (2−4) geometry. The magnetic susceptibilities for 1, 2, and 4 are as expected for strong ligand field environments. On the basis of spectroscopic and structural data, the [Ga2(tBu)4(neol)2]2- ligand appears to be more flexible than other chelating ligands; this is proposed to be due to the flexibility in the O−Ga−O bond angle.
Gravity gradient or gravity jitter induced viscous stress and moment fluctuations in microgravity

The dynamical behavior of fluids affected by the asymmetric gravity gradient and gravity jitter accelerations, in particular the effect of surface tension on partially-filled rotating fluids with a special example applicable to a full-scale Gravity Probe-B Spacecraft dewar tank, has been investigated. Results of slosh wave excitation along the liquid-vapor interface induced by gravity gradient acceleration indicated one-up one-down and one-down and one-up oscillations of two bubbles in the cross-section of doughnut profiles in the vertical r-z plane of a rotating dewar, and an eccentric contour of a bubble rotating around the axis of the dewar in the horizontal r-theta plane. Results of slosh wave excitation along the liquid-vapor interface induced by gravity jitter acceleration showed an equivalent to the time-dependent oscillatory force which pushes a bubble in the combined bubble motion of down-and-up and leftward-and-rightward as the bubble is rotating with respect to a rotating dewar axis. Fluctuations of fluid stress forces, fluid stress moments, and moment arm of fluid moment exerted on the dewar wall of the container due to slosh wave excitations driven by gravity gradient acceleration or gravity jitter acceleration are also investigated.
A computational technique for prediction of the number of microscopically visible phagosomes from data on uptake of radiolabeled outer segment material.

Abstract A program for a programmable calculator is described which can predict the number of microscopically visible phagosomes at various times given data on the rate of uptake of radiolabeled outer segment material at these times. The phagosomes are assumed to be digested such that the number of visible phagosomes decays exponentially. The half-life of this decay can be varied in the calculations, and the results can be compared with actual phagosome counts.
Influence of cortisol on the larval bullfrog thyroid axis in vitro and in vivo and on plasma and ocular melatonin.

Abstract Adrenal (interrenal) steroids have an important role in amphibian development, antagonizing the metamorphic changes induced by the thyroid at first and then synergizing with the thyroid hormones as their level rises during metamorphosis. Because most of the studies of corticoids at metamorphosis have focused on peripheral tissues, we investigated the effect of cortisol (hydrocortisone; HC) in vitro and in vivo on the thyroid of Rana catesbeiana (bullfrog) tadpoles on 12:12 light/dark (LD) cycles. Plasma and ocular melatonin, which is altered by changes in thyroxine (T 4 ) levels, were also assayed in some experiments. Thyroids from premetamorphic tadpoles secreted less T 4 into culture media when incubated with 10 μg/ml HC and 0.2 μg/ml ovine thyrotropin (TSH) than with TSH alone and when cultured in the absence of TSH following 5 days of 10-μg HC injections, indicating that HC inhibited the thyroid at young stages. The effect of 10 μg/ml HC at older stages was investigated by culturing thyroids and pituitaries separately on the first day in control or HC media and then incubating the thyroids on the second day in homologous pituitary-conditioned media as a bioassay for pituitary TSH. HC had no effect on baseline T 4 secretion by the thyroids of prometamorphic or climax tadpoles on the first day but increased T 4 secretion over the control on the second day. Thyroids cultured with TSH and HC showed no increase in T 4 secretion over the control TSH group on the second day, indicating that, in the previous experiments, HC had enhanced pituitary secretion of TSH, rather than the response of the thyroid to TSH. In vivo, 5 days of injections of 10 μg HC increased plasma T 4 at prometamorphosis and decreased it at climax. There was no marked effect of HC on plasma or ocular melatonin levels. The findings showed that the nature of the effect of HC on the thyroid axis changes during metamorphosis from inhibition at early stages to a positive influence at prometamorphosis and finally to a negative effect on the T 4 level in the plasma at climax.
Fractional Quantum Numbers on Solitons

A method is proposed to calculate quantum numbers on solitons in quantum field theory. The method is checked on previously known examples and, in a special model, by other methods. It is found, for example, that the fermion number on kinks in one dimension or on magnetic monopoles in three dimensions is, in general, a transcendental function of the coupling constant of the theories.
Nonlinear transformations in Hilbert space

Vitalism, from a physicist's standpoint, suggests the introduction of nonlinear transformations in Hilbert space. Two such transformations are introduced and studied in some detail. They are hard to detect by conventional experiments, although they may be very important for living organisms. They can, however, give rise to nonlocal effects, and thus provide a possible physical basis for some parapsychological phenomena, in particular precognition.
Nuclear DNA content in F1 hybrids of maize

The nuclear DNA content was determined in two separate experiments for 19 maize inbred lines and 26 maize F1 hybrids. Ten inbred lines were initially screened in the first experiment. An 11 per cent difference in nuclear DNA amount was observed between the two lines with the lowest amounts of DNA and two lines with the largest genome sizes. All possible hybrid combinations were made among these four lines. In all cases, the genome sizes of the F1 hybrids were not significantly different from their expected parental means. In several cases, however, F1 plants of specific crosses were not uniform in genome size. In these crosses, genome sizes observed ranged from the genome size of the low parental genome to the largest parental genome. These results indicate an instability in F1 genome sizes in certain maize crosses. In order to corroborate this hypothesis, a second experiment was performed. To remove any biases with respect to genome size, 14 F1 maize hybrids were selected solely on the basis of their heterotic response with no regard for their genome sizes or the genome sizes of their parental inbred lines. The nuclear DNA content of the nine parental lines and 14 hybrids was determined. In most of the crosses, the nuclear DNA content of the F1 hybrids was not significantly different from their respective parental means. However, in five parental combinations, the mean nuclear DNA content of the F, hybrids was significantly higher than their respective parental means. The combined results of this study support the hypothesis of instability in nuclear DNA content in F1 hybrids of maize. This instability appears not to be universal in all maize hybrids but is restricted to specific parental combinations.
Lung cancer transcriptomes refined with laser capture microdissection.

We evaluated the importance of tumor cell selection for generating gene signatures in non–small cell lung cancer. Tumor and nontumor tissue from macroscopically dissected (Macro) surgical specimens (31 pairs from 32 subjects) was homogenized, extracted, amplified, and hybridized to microarrays. Adjacent scout sections were histologically mapped; sets of approximately 1000 tumor cells and nontumor cells (alveolar or bronchial) were procured by laser capture microdissection (LCM). Within histological strata, LCM and Macro specimens exhibited approximately 67% to 80% nonoverlap in differentially expressed (DE) genes. In a representative subset, LCM uniquely identified 300 DE genes in tumor versus nontumor specimens, largely attributable to cell selection; 382 DE genes were common to Macro, Macro with preamplification, and LCM platforms. RT-qPCR validation in a 33-gene subset was confirmatory (ρ = 0.789 to 0.964, P = 0.0013 to 0.0028). Pathway analysis of LCM data suggested alterations in known cancer pathways (cell growth, death, movement, cycle, and signaling components), among others (eg, immune, inflammatory). A unique nine-gene LCM signature had higher tumor–nontumor discriminatory accuracy (100%) than the corresponding Macro signature (87%). Comparison with Cancer Genome Atlas data sets (based on homogenized Macro tissue) revealed both substantial overlap and important differences from LCM specimen results. Thus, cell selection via LCM enhances expression profiling precision, and confirms both known and under-appreciated lung cancer genes and pathways.
From Great Green Walls to deadly mires: wetlands as military environments and ecosystems in Chinese history

Chinese wetlands and marshes (Open image in new window ze, Open image in new window ju, Open image in new window pei) were not simply wastelands, but have served a variety of purposes, including leading roles in military literature and militarized landscapes. This paper, which focuses on classic Chinese military literature, the Zoige wetlands of Sichuan, and the Sanjiang wetlands of Heilongjiang, examines wetlands in the context of regional warfare, especially smaller-scale conflicts prior to the 1960s. The examples, the clashes and the contexts of armies in Chinese wetlands in classic literature, the northeast, and west serve to highlight the various roles and legacies that wetlands as militarized landscapes can serve in Chinese military literature. Rather than viewing these smaller scale conflicts and their wetlands as wastelands and strategic dead-zones, this paper seeks to highlight both the short-term impact of military conflict and the longer-term roles in military and historical literature, especially the nature of the wetland ecosystems and topography in military actions. The wetlands themselves proved very resilient in the face of war and conflict, and were used and perceived in a ways beyond actual conflict, especially in the realm of propaganda and militarized language. They even continued to serve in military fashion in Mao’s more politicized “war against nature”. Wetlands and marshes thus served as both literary and tactical characters in a long process of militarizing China’s landscape, and have been continued to be repurposed in this fashion in creative ways. By analyzing the impact of wetlands and marshes and this repurposing, this study begins to outline how wetlands and marsh ecosystems served as an ever-present, large and small-scale boon and bane to military and state activities. In short, this essay outlines an introduction to an ecosystem and militarized landscape history of one of China’s least studied physical environments.
Pulmonary vagal afferent stimulants in the conscious rat: opioids and phenyldiguanide.

Abstract Phenyldiguanide (PDG, 40 μg/kg), D-ala 2 -met 5 -enkephalinamide (D-AME, 250 μg/kg) and morphine sulfate (MS, 2 mg/kg) injected into the right atrium (RA) of conscious freely moving rats produced a profound bradycardia and hypotension 1–2 sec subsequent to administration. Concomitant with the cardiovascular effects apnea occurred and lasted approximately 5 sec. Atropine methyl nitrate (2 mg/kg, RA) significantly attenuated the bradycardia and hypotension produced by all three agents. Naloxone blocked only the opioid responses. Coordinated motor activity was impaired following the administration of PDG (40 μg/kg, RA). Fifty percent of the animals receiving PDG failed to remain on a rotor rod for a 2 min period. Only 8 percent of the saline treated group fell off during this period. It was concluded that the cardiovascular, respiratory, and motor effects caused by PDG, in the conscious freely moving rat, were the result of stimulation of pulmonary vagal afferents (J-receptors). The cardiovascular effects of opioids are also believed to arise from the stimulation of J-receptors. However, unlike PDG, these effects are mediated by pulmonary opiate receptors.
Management of penetrating cardiac injuries: the role of emergency room thoracotomy.

Abstract Sixty-four consecutive patients with penetrating cardiac injuries were treated between January, 1977, and January, 1983, at the University of Maryland Hospital. Twenty-eight patients had major associated injuries of other organs. The patients were divided into groups according to their clinical status on arrival. An aggressive approach was utilized including early emergency room (ER) thoracotomy for "lifeless" or deteriorating patients. Three patients required immediate cardiopulmonary bypass for repair of their injuries. Twenty-one (57%) of the 37 patients undergoing ER thoracotomy survived; most of the deaths occurred in patients arriving "lifeless" from gunshot wounds. Twenty-four (89%) of the 27 patients who were in stable enough condition to undergo initial repair in the operating room (OR) survived. Overall survival was 45 patients (70%). Though superficial wound infections developed in 18 patients, there were no deep or systemic infections. None of the survivors sustained severe neurological sequelae. Five patients underwent late reoperations for closure of a ventricular septal defect (2), mitral valve replacement (1), and pericardiectomy (2) with no deaths. Though repair of penetrating cardiac injuries should preferably be carried out in the OR, immediate thoracotomy for "lifeless" or deteriorating patients can be performed in the ER with a low incidence of direct surgical complications and with high patient survival.
Unstable carotid artery syndrome: clinical management, risks and outcome

Forty-five consecutive patients with unstable carotid artery syndrome were evaluated and treated, 23 surgically and 22 medically. Early cerebral angiogra phy and carotid endarterectomy yielded permanent neurologic morbidity/mor tality incidences of 0% and 8.7%, respectively. Despite a fairly high incidence of stroke acutely and during the follow-up period (24% and 8%, respectively), 80% of the total group continued at their baseline, prepresentation level of daily function at an average follow-up of 22.3 months. Aggressive clinical manage ment of this patient group is generally safe, but the efficacy of such manage ment remains unproven.
Public Capital and Private Productivity

This paper uses three different approaches to investigate whether the declining provision of public capital is a major cause of declining labor productivity. The juxtaposition of approaches removes...
Serum lipid levels of young and old Rhesus monkeys.

Abstract The serum lipid levels of old (5–10 years) Rhesus monkeys are higher than those of young (under 2 years) Rhesus monkeys. Serum cholesterol and triglyceride levels (mg/dl) were 140 and 117 in young monkeys and 173 and 186 in old monkeys. Phospholipid levels were similar but phosphatidyl choline and phosphatidyl ethanolamine were significantly higher in serum from old monkeys. Serum from old monkeys contained 2% more saturated fatty acids, 12% more monounsaturated fatty acids and 11% less polyunsaturated fatty acids. The results are consistent with those reported for rats and humans.
Role of the proteasome in protein oxidation and neural viability following low-level oxidative stress

Numerous studies suggest that proteasome inhibition may play a causal role in mediating the increased levels of protein oxidation and neuron death observed in conditions associated with oxidative stress. In the present study we demonstrate that administration of non-toxic levels of oxidative stress does not result in impairment of 20S/26S proteasome activity, and actually increases the expression of specific proteasome subunits. Non-toxic levels of oxidative stress were observed to elevate the amount of protein oxidation in the presence of preserved proteasomal function, suggesting that proteasome inhibition may not mediate increases in protein oxidation following low-level oxidative stress. Preserving basal proteasome function appears to be critical to preventing the neurotoxicity of low-level oxidative stress, based on the ability of proteasome inhibitor treatment to exacerbate oxidative stress toxicity. Taken together, these data indicate that maintaining neural proteasome function may be critical to preventing neurotoxicity, but not the increase in protein oxidation, following low-level oxidative stress.
Formation of ε-(γ-Glutamyl) Lysine Cross-Link in Cured Horse Mackerel Meat Induced by Drying

Block meat cut from horse mackerel was cured in 3M NaCl (pH 7.5) in the presence and absence of 5 mM EDTA for 3 hr at 4°C. During drying at 30°C, changes in the myosin heavy chain and e-(γ-glutamyl)lysine isopeptide bonds in the meat were observed. After 20 hr drying, cross-linking of the myosin heavy chain was observed and e-(γ-glutamyl)lysine bonds increased eight fold. These changes were inhibited in the presence of EDTA. These results suggested that trans-glutaminase was probably involved in the cross-linking reaction of the myosin heavy chain in the manufacture of dried fish (“Himono” in Japan).
Molecular staging of bladder cancer.

Attempts are being made in many laboratories to find new biomarkers for and new methods of molecular staging of bladder cancer. At the forefront of this are the authors from Los Angeles who have contributed the first of four mini-reviews in this section. Other mini-reviews examine the role of hand-assisted laparoscopy in urology, a contribution to the sometimes heated argument about whether laparoscopy should be ‘pure’ or hand-assisted: in addition, two mini-reviews describe the role of photodynamic diagnosis in managing superficial bladder cancer, and the contribution of non-surgical factors to the success of hypospadias repair.
Magnetic resonance imaging versus computed tomography for target localization in functional stereotactic neurosurgery.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), compared with computed tomography (CT), provides consistent and accurate target localization for ventrolateral thalamotomy and posteroventral pallidotomy. METHODS: For 93 procedures (78 pallidotomies and 15 thalamotomies) in 83 patients, coordinates for the anterior commissure, posterior commissure, and stereotactic target were calculated from MRI- and CT-derived images and compared. RESULTS: The mean differences for the target were -0.41 mm on the X axis (P < 0.001), 0.06 mm on the y axis (P = 0.412), and -0.34 mm on the z axis (P < 0.01). The mean absolute differences were 0.53 mm on the X axis (median, 0.50 mm; range, 0.00-2.00 mm), 0.46 mm on the y axis (median, 0.50 mm; range, 0.00-2.00 mm), and 0.78 mm on the z axis (median, 0.50 mm; range, 0.00-6.00 mm). The mean three-dimensional distance between MRI- and CT-derived coordinates for the anterior commissure was 1.65 mm, with a distance of more than 4 mm in two cases (2%). The mean three-dimensional distance for the posterior commissure was 1.65 mm, with a distance of more than 4 mm in two cases (2%). The mean three-dimensional distance for the target was 1.25 mm (median, 1.14 mm; range, 0.00-6.27 mm), with a distance of more than 4 mm in one case (1%). CONCLUSION: Statistically significant but relatively small differences between MRI- and CT-derived target coordinates were found. In some cases (approximately 2% of this series), the differences between MRI- and CT-derived coordinates may be relatively large (greater than 4 mm and up to 8 mm). However, given the superior anatomic resolution of MRI and the nature of the stereotactic procedures under consideration, we conclude that MRI, when validated within an institution, may be used alone for target localization in pallidotomy and thalamotomy.
An inversion formula for relative kazhdan—lusztig polynomials

(1990). An inversion formula for relative kazhdan—lusztig polynomials. Communications in Algebra: Vol. 18, No. 2, pp. 371-387.
THE NEW POLITICAL ECONOMY: ITS EXPLANATORY POWER FOR LDCs*

This paper reviews the new political economy and its relevance to explaining policymaking in the developing countries.
Short latency somatosensory evoked potentials in infants

Short latency somatosensory evoked potentials (SEPs) to unilateral median nerve electrical stimulation were recorded from normal infants at birth and at 2, 4, 6, 8, 10 and 12 months of age. Three channels were recorded: Erb's point-Fz; C II (over 2nd cervical vertebra)-Fz; contralateral C' (2 cm posterior to C3 or C4)-Fz. Sweep time = 50 msec. At birth, the C II potential was seen in all infants; the Erb's point and C' potentials were seen in two-thirds. All older infants had well developed potentials at all sites. The mean latency of the Erb's point potential was stable over time. The latency of the C II potential decreased with maturation. At C', 4 components were seen, the latencies of which decreased with maturation: N1, P1, N2 and P2. The duration of N1 and P1 decreased with maturation. Standard deviations were relatively small for latencies and large for amplitudes. SEPs were adversely affected by using the 60 c/sec filter. Increasing the low frequency filter from 1 to 30 c/sec changed SEP, particularly in younger infants. Abnormal SEPs were seen in prematures surviving periventricular hemorrhage.
Near-Field Plates: Metamaterial Surfaces/Arrays for Subwavelength Focusing and Probing

In this paper, we present a brief overview of near-field plates, which are nonperiodic grating-like surfaces/arrays that can focus electromagnetic field to subwavelength resolutions. The general properties of near-field plates are described, and the procedure used to design these devices is outlined. The design of two separate near-field plates is discussed in detail. One of the near-field plates produces a subwavelength line (1-D) focus while the other a spot (2-D) focus. Potential applications of near-field plates are also reviewed.
ALGAL ASSEMBLAGES IN ANTARCTIC PACK ICE AND IN ICE-EDGE PLANKTON1

A significant amount of the primary production in the Southern Ocean and other ice-covered oceans takes place in localized ice edge plankton blooms. The dynamics of these blooms appear to be closely related to seasonal melting of sea ice. Algal cells released from the ice are a possible source of ice edge planktonic assemblages, but evidence for this “seeding” has been equivocal. We compared algal assemblages in ice and water in the Weddell Sea during the austral spring of 1983 at a receding ice edge with a well-developed ice edge bloom. The high degree of similarity between ice and water column assemblages, the spatial and temporal patterns in the distribution and abundances of species, and preliminary evidence for the viability and growth of ice-associated species provide evidence for seeding from sea ice of some species in Antarctica.
University Faculty Awareness and Attitudes towards Open Access Publishing and the Institutional Repository: A Case Study

INTRODUCTION The purpose of this study was to understand TAMU faculty awareness of open access (OA) publishing; assess their attitudes towards, and willingness to, contribute to an institutional repository (IR); and investigate their perceptions of newer OA trends and resources, including Open Educational Resources (OER) and DMPTool. The survey also served as an outreach tool to inform and educate TAMU faculty about OA publishing, the IR, and the Libraries’ OA services. METHODS The 34-question survey was conducted between Nov. 6–Dec 15, 2014 using Qualtrics, a web-based survey tool. Responses were anonymous, and participants were prevented from answering the survey more than once. Two hundred ninety-five faculty responded to the survey, resulting in a response rate of 11 percent. RESULTS Survey results suggest that tenured faculty are more engaged and interested in OA publishing topics in general, and tenure-track faculty are more willing to adopt new initiative such as Open Textbooks. Overall, the responding TAMU faculty are willing to consider publishing in OA publications, and almost half of them believe OA journal publications are acceptable for consideration of tenure and promotion in their departments. Despite their positive attitudes towards OA publishing, they are not so positive towards OA mandates. The survey also revealed there is a low awareness level of the TAMU IR, as well as of newer OA trends and resources. CONCLUSION The majority of responding TAMU faculty are aware of OA journals in their fields, and indicated their willingness to publish in an OA publication. Being unaware of the IR deposit process stood out as the greatest barrier that accounts for the low IR participation rate at TAMU. In line with previous studies, copyright concerns, as well as the perception of IR contents as being of lower quality, are the second most significant barriers. Workshops or seminars on copyright, data management, and the IR are badly needed. Several participants appreciated this survey because it provided many web links to the resources mentioned for them to explore further, and as a result they learned a lot from the survey. Despite our best efforts to make faculty aware of the abundance of resources made available by the Libraries, it seems that our audience continues to remain unaware of some of our services and resources. This only reinforces the need for continuous communication—after all, there is no such thing as too many reminders.
How to Move a Chair Through a Door

The door width of a simple polygon (a chair) is defined and an O(n^{2}) algorithm for computing its door width is given. It is first shown that all passages of the chair through the door can be reduced to a sequence of certain elementary motions. The technique of constraint analysis in characterizing elementary motions is introduced. Our algorithm actually constructs a motion of the chair through a door, and thus is a "local expert" for planning motion through doors. Such algorithms have applications in more general motion-planning systems in robotics.
Thiazole orange: a new dye for reticulocyte analysis.

The purpose of this study was to find a 488-nm excitable fluorescent dye for reticulocyte analysis by the use of fluorescence activated cell cytometry. The chemical structure of thioflavin T, a dye used for reticulocyte analysis with 457-nm excitation, was used as a model. Several dyes were synthesized and evaluated by quantum yield determination, fluorescence microscopy, and flow cytometry. The best results were obtained with a dye we have named “thiazole orange”; analysis of several blood samples with thiazole orange gave a correlation coefficient of 0.97 as compared to a manual determination of reticulocyte percentage.
Robotic foregut surgery.

Background Computer-assisted surgical systems, or surgical robots as they are more commonly called, are complex new devices which may be used to perform minimally invasive surgical procedures. There are certain technical limitations to a traditional laparoscopic approach that these devices can help a surgeon to overcome. Several surgical teams have applied these new devices to surgical procedures of the upper gastrointestinal tract and foregut. Methods A retrospective review of the currently published literature on robotic foregut surgery. Results Robotic foregut surgery appears to be feasible and safe. These procedures may be associated with increased operative time and cost when compared to their traditional laparoscopic counterparts. Procedures that require complex manoeuvres, delicate dissection, or a magnified high-definition image may be best suited to a computer-assisted approach. Conclusions Robotic foregut surgery is an exciting new field with tremendous potential for growth and dissemination. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Recruiting blacks to the Adventist health study: Do follow-up phone calls increase response rates?

Purpose To determine whether follow-up phone calls improve response rates to a long questionnaire among black and white subjects. Methods Forty black and 39 white Seventh-day Adventist churches were randomized to experimental or control status in a 2:1 ratio favoring the intervention, which is a follow-up phone call to certain church members. Subjects selected from each church were those who had signed up for the Adventist Health Study-2 but not returned a questionnaire 3 months after promotion began. Further returns from a church over the next 3 months, and this increment as a proportion of baseline response, were assessed using t-tests and Poisson regression, respectively. Results Comparing black experimental and control churches, the mean difference was 5.5 returned questionnaires per church (p Conclusion Follow-up phone calls improved response rates among black subjects only.
Low frequency acoustic energy harvesting using PZT piezoelectric plates in a straight tube resonator

A novel and practical acoustic energy harvesting mechanism to harvest traveling sound at low audible frequency is introduced and studied both experimentally and numerically. The acoustic energy harvester in this study contains a quarter-wavelength straight tube resonator with lead zirconate titanate (PZT) piezoelectric cantilever plates placed inside the tube. When the tube resonator is excited by an incident sound at its acoustic resonance frequency, the amplified acoustic pressure inside the tube drives the vibration motions of piezoelectric plates, resulting in the generation of electricity. To increase the total voltage and power, multiple PZT plates were placed inside the tube. The number of PZT plates to maximize the voltage and power is limited due to the interruption of air particle motion by the plates. It has been found to be more beneficial to place the piezoelectric plates in the first half of the tube rather than along the entire tube. With an incident sound pressure level of 100 dB, an output voltage of 5.089 V was measured. The output voltage increases linearly with the incident sound pressure. With an incident sound pressure of 110 dB, an output voltage of 15.689 V and a power of 12.697 mW were obtained. The corresponding areal and volume power densities are 0:635 mW cm 2 and 15:115 W cm 3 , respectively. (Some figures may appear in colour only in the online journal)
A Bispecific Recombinant Immunotoxin, DT2219, Targeting Human CD19 and CD22 Receptors in a Mouse Xenograft Model of B-Cell Leukemia/Lymphoma

A novel bispecific single-chain fusion protein, DT2219, was assembled consisting of the catalytic and translocation domains of diphtheria toxin (DT(390)) fused to two repeating sFv subunits recognizing CD19 and CD22 and expressed in Escherichia coli. Problems with yield, purity, and aggregation in the refolding step were solved by incorporating a segment of human muscle aldolase and by using a sodium N-lauroyl-sarcosine detergent-based refolding procedure. Problems with reduced efficacy were addressed by combining the anti-CD19 and anti-CD22 on the same single-chain molecule. DT2219 had greater anticancer activity than monomeric or bivalent immunotoxins made with anti-CD19 and anti-CD22 sFv alone and it showed a higher level of binding to patient leukemia cells and to CD19(+)CD22(+) Daudi or Raji cells than did anti-CD19 and anti-CD22 parental monoclonal antibodies. The resulting DT2219, mutated to enhance its avidity, was cytotoxic to Daudi cells in vitro (IC(50) = 0.3 nmol/L). In vivo, DT2219 was effective in a flank tumor therapy model in which it significantly inhibited tumor growth (P < 0.05) and in a systemic model in which it significantly prolonged survival of severe combined immunodeficient mice with established Daudi (P < 0.008) compared with controls. DT2219 has broader reactivity in recognizing B-cell malignancies, has more killing power, and requires less toxin than using individual immunotoxin, which warrants further investigation as a new drug for treating B leukemia/lymphoma.
Sex differences in the activation of the spinoparabrachial circuit by visceral pain.

Abstract Women are more sensitive to most noxious visceral stimuli, both in terms of intensity and frequency. The spinoparabrachial (spino-PBn) pathway is an essential neural circuit for the central relay of viscerosensitive information, but studies characterizing the anatomical and physiological characteristics of this pathway have only been conducted in males. Sex differences in the anatomical and/or physiological organization of the spino-PBn may contribute to the sexually dimorphic incidence rate for visceral pain syndromes. Retrograde labeling and colorectal distention (CRD) induced Fos expression was used to delineate the spino-PBn circuit in male and cycling female Sprague–Dawley rats. The ability of morphine to suppress CRD evoked responses was also examined. Neurons retrogradely labeled from the PBn were localized primarily within the superficial dorsal horn and sacral parasympathetic nucleus of the L5–S1 spinal cord. While no sex differences were noted in either the distribution of spino-PBn neurons or in CRD-induced Fos expression, significantly greater Fos expression was noted specifically in spino-PBn neurons in males compared to females. Morphine selectively attenuated Fos expression in spino-PBn neurons in males, but not females. Subsequent anatomical studies showed significantly reduced mu opioid receptor protein levels and radioligand binding within the PBn of females in comparison to males. Together, these data indicate that there are profound sex differences in how a noxious visceral stimulus and opiates engage the spino-PBn pathway, which may account for the observed clinical differences in visceral pain sensitivity and morphine antinociception.
Equivalence of the noise figures of common-source and common-gate f.e.t. circuits

It is shown that the common-source and the common-gate f.e.t. connections have nearly identical noise figures in almost all practical cases. This makes it difficult to explain Mavor's experimental data.
Prenatal Exposure to Tobacco: I. Effects on Physical Growth at Age Three

The height and weight of 714 children whose mothers smoked at the beginning of their pregnancies were assessed at three years of age. The children of women who quit smoking during pregnancy were taller and heavier than those of women who continued to smoke throughout pregnancy. Adjustment for maternal postpartum smoking status reduced the difference in weight, but had little effect on height. The differences in both height and weight at three years of age were greatly reduced when adjusted for size at birth and length of gestation. These results suggest that deficits associated with maternal smoking are not overcome by three years of age and that at least some of the observed anthropometric deficits may be extensions of deficits in fetal growth.
Ionic mechanism of long-lasting discharges of action potentials triggered by membrane hyperpolarization in the medial lateral habenula

The activation of inhibitory synapses typically suppresses the generation of action potentials by hyperpolarizing the membrane of postsynaptic cells. In contrast to such conventional action of inhibitory synapses, we report here the ionic mechanism through which hyperpolarizing synapses trigger long-lasting discharges of action potentials that persist up to several tens of seconds. By using extracellular and intracellular recordings in slice preparations, we demonstrate that the activation of synaptic input from the limbic forebrain generates transient hyperpolarizing postsynaptic potentials in neurons of the medial part of the lateral habenular nucleus of the epithalamus. The synaptic hyperpolarization then sets off the coordinated activation of a distinct set of membrane ion channels and intracellular Ca2+ mobilization by internal stores. The activation of these cellular events in distinct temporal order drives a persistent depolarization of habenular cells and promotes long-lasting discharges of tonic action potentials. The cells in the medial division of the lateral habenula project to dopamine and serotonin cells in the midbrain. We suggest that these habenular cells, by generating persistent action potentials in response to a transient increase in the activity of the limbic forebrain, may contribute to the regulation of the serotonergic and dopaminergic activity in the brain.
The Impact of Income on the Utilization of Adjuvant Radiation Therapy and Clinical Outcomes in Patients With FIGO Stage I-II Endometrial Adenocarcinoma

Gy e 60.3% vs 29.4%; 26e40 Gy e 28.2% vs 58.8%. In whole, preeplanned course of chemoradiation was completed successfully in 104 (92.8%) [Ie74 (94.9%), II e 30 (88.2%)] with HReCTV doses lower in group I vs group II: 62e66 Gy e 42.3% vs 17.6%, 67e70 Gy e 39.7% vs 52.9%, 71e75 Gy e 12.8% vs 23.5%, 76e81 Gy e 5.1% vs 5.8%. Treatment was safe in both groups, more tolerable in group I vs group II (no breaks: 25.6% vs 5.8%; break duration 7 3.4 vs 12.5 5.4 days, toxicity 3 II grade RTOG in bladder 15.4% vs 23.5%, intestinum 17.1% vs 41.1%, hematologic e 32.1% vs 73.5%. 5-year OS 88 (75.9%) [I- 62 (79.8%), II e 23 (67.6%)], DFS 81 (72.3%) [Ie 60 (76.9%), II e 21 (62.4%)], no late complications Grade III-IV EORTC. Conclusions: In locally advanced cervical cancer patients neoadjuvant chemotherapy allows to reduce significantly GTV, HR-CTV and OAR irradiated volumes before brachytherapy to ensure adequate tandem positioning and dose minimization in OAR; concomitant chemoradiation with full-dose chemotherapy doesn’t increase significantly speed and volume of tumor regression before brachytherapy. Image-guided brachytherapy with 3D DVH-based dose optimization allows to concentrate doses in target with maximal sparing of bladder, rectum and sigmoid, so optimal HR-CTV and IR-CTV doses for full-dose chemotherapy chemoradiation programs should be specify in additional trials. 10e15% increase of target dose and new cytotoxic drugs synthesis with moderate haematological, gastro-intestinal and urological toxicity are the most real ways to improve the results of locally advanced cervical cancer treatment.
Estimating Inter-city Differences in the Price of Housing Services: Further Evidence 1

This paper reconsiders an approach to inter-area house price index construction applied by Harvey Rosen in a recent article in Urban Studies. Rosen's cost function-based approach is shown to rely upon certain implicit assumptions regarding consumer preferences and housing production technology. Using FHA home purchase data, we estimate a more general production model and generate alternative inter-area indexes. Based on our results, Rosen's production technology assumptions are rejected. Further, the production-theoretic indexes are shown to differ only negligibly from a fixed-weight index using FHA data. Thus the difference which Rosen finds between the production-theoretic FHA and published BLS indexes does not result from Rosen's recognition of substitution in production, but because of very different data sources and scopes of coverage.
A Call to Enhance the Resiliency of the Nation’s Water Management

A little more than a decade ago, a small band of engineers and ecologists came together along the banks of the Green River of Kentucky to discuss a simple idea. The Green River—“where Paradise lay” in the words of John Prine—is in fact a magical place. Although Prine’s song “Paradise” laments the region’s environmental degradation and associated social decline—including the literal disappearance of the riverside town of Paradise—a large segment of the Green River remains a natural wonderland. Today, it is one of the most ecologically rich rivers in the nation, supporting more than 150 species of fish, 70 species of mussels, and a host of species endemic to the hydrologically connected Mammoth Cave complex. However, the environmental health of an extended reach of the Green has been diminished by changes in natural river flows caused by the Green River Dam, built as a multipurpose project by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps). It was this nexus of engineering infrastructure and ecological richness that spurred the group of engineers and ecologists to ask whether reservoir operations could be changed to restore the health of a significant reach of the Green River below the dam and meet— or even enhance—other project purposes. Their solution offers lessons on how water and floodplain management can be changed to better meet the nation’s current and future needs for more sustainable flood protection, water supply, hydropower, recreation, and environmental health. On a much larger scale, the current flooding in the Mississippi Basin—and the effectiveness of the flood-management system designed in the aftermath of the disastrous 1927 Mississippi flood—emphasizes the importance of using floodplains to help manage floods and the great value in learning from past events and responding with comprehensive water-management systems. As we describe subsequently, it is time to explore more sustainable approaches to floodplain management and to examine opportunities for reallocation of reservoir storage coupled with tighter integration of reservoir and floodplain management. These two components of Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) will help to alleviate current stresses on water resources and enhance both social and ecological resiliency. Growing Stresses on Water Management
Scheduling tasks with variable deadlines

Traditional real time scheduling algorithms typically assume that deadlines of tasks do not change with time. Task deadlines in many real time command, control and communication applications change over time. Deadlines of some tasks in these applications depend on the states of the objects monitored and controlled by the applications. Because the states of the objects change with time, the deadlines may also change with time. The paper discusses the problem of scheduling tasks with variable deadlines and presents preliminary results and on-going work.
The effects of alcohol and alcohol expectancies on subjective reports and physiological reactivity: a meta-analysis.

The balanced placebo design (BPD) has been used to understand the etiology and maintenance of alcohol consumption. The utility of this design lies in its ability to examine both actual alcohol consumption and the expectation of alcohol consumption. A meta-analysis of the BPD literature was conducted in the context of cue-reactivity, which may be characterized as an experimental phenomenon observed in studies utilizing alcohol. Sixty-four studies were obtained in literature searches and coded for type of experimental setting and cues present during the actual beverage consumption. Lab setting was a moderator for both pharmacological (alcohol) and expectancy effects with the largest effects (in the same direction) noted in natural environment labs (i.e., an easy chair and casual environment). Contrary to predictions, the bar lab produced the smallest effects. Cues present during alcohol consumption served as a moderator of pharmacological effect, with the largest effect observed when alcohol was placed on the rim of the glass. Implications of these findings for cue-reactivity studies and the treatment of alcohol abuse are discussed.
Mixed-Methods for Comparing Tobacco Cessation Interventions

Introduction: The National Comprehensive Cancer Control Program (NCCCP) and National Tobacco Control Program (NTCP) are both well-positioned to promote the use of population-based tobacco cessation interventions, such as state quitlines and Web-based interventions. Aims: This paper outlines the methodology used to conduct a comparative effectiveness research (CER) study of traditional and Web-based tobacco cessation and quitline promotion approaches. Methods: A mixed-methods study with three components was designed to address the effect of promotional activities on service usage and the comparative effectiveness of population-based smoking cessation activities across multiple states. Results/Findings: The cessation intervention component followed 7,902 smokers (4,307 quitline users and 3,595 Web intervention users) to ascertain prevalence of 30-day abstinence rates seven months after registering for smoking cessation services. User characteristics and quit success was compared across the two modalities. In the promotions component, reach and use of traditional and innovative promotion strategies were assessed for 24 states, including online advertising, state Web sites, social media, mobile applications, and their effects on quitline call volume. The partnership intervention component studied the extent of collaboration among six selected NCCCPs and NTCPs. Conclusions: This study will guide program staff and clinicians with evidence-based recommendations and best practices for implementation of tobacco cessation within their patient and community populations and establish an evidence base that can be used for decision making.