cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Prediction of Reliability of an Arbitrary System from a Finite Population

ABSTRACT When analyzing single-use nonrepairable systems that degrade over time, summaries of reliability as a function of age often are naturally formulated for individual systems to answer the question “For a given system of a particular age, what is its reliability with its associated uncertainty?” However, in other cases, the natural summary of interest is to predict the probability that an arbitrary system randomly selected from the population works. This second question is a function of both the probability of individual systems working at their given ages as well as the demographics of the population of interest. In this article we discuss the relevance of both these questions for two applications, describe a method for predicting population reliability, and illustrate how the second summary can be efficiently obtained from individual reliability estimates for analyses based on the Probit and Weibull models.
Jackpot? The impact of lottery scholarships on enrollment in Tennessee

Abstract We identify how the cost of college shapes high school graduates’ choice of college state and sector by exploiting discontinuous eligibility criteria for broad-based merit scholarships in Tennessee. For students whose ACT is a decisive factor in their scholarship eligibility, reductions in college cost result in substitution away from two-year community colleges in favor of four-year institutions. This pattern is more prominent among lower income students, and treatment effects are limited to a very local window around the qualifying threshold. We find no evidence that the scholarship affects college-going at the eligibility margin, little to no evidence of substitution between in-state and out-of-state colleges, and no evidence of substitution between public and private universities. Even so, results demonstrate that merit aid encompassing the middle of the ability spectrum can improve the quality of colleges students choose to attend.
Assays to monitor autophagy in Drosophila

The term autophagy refers to the engulfment and degradation of cytoplasmic components within the lysosome. This process can benefit cells and organisms by removing damaged, superfluous, or harmful cellular components, and by generating a supply of recycled macromolecules that can support biosynthesis or energy production. Recent interest in autophagy has been driven by its potential role in several disease-related phenomena including neurodegeneration, cancer, immunity and aging. Drosophila provides a valuable animal model context for these studies, and work in this system has also begun to identify novel developmental and physiological roles of autophagy. Here, we provide an overview of methods for monitoring autophagy in Drosophila, with a special emphasis on the larval fat body. These methods can be used to investigate whether observed vesicles are of autophagic origin, to determine a relative rate of autophagic degradation, and to identify specific step(s) in the autophagic process in which a given gene functions.
Mechanisms of translational control in dendrites.

Synaptogenesis and synaptic plasticity demonstrate the ability of neurons to mature and respond to various stimuli. Both of these events require protein synthesis, in particular, localized translation within dendrites. Dendrites localize specific mRNAs in proximity to dendritic spines and have the capacity to actively translate these mRNAs within various ‘hotspots’ in the dendritic space. Rates of dendritic translation are stimulated and inhibited by various agents, suggesting that several signaling pathways that modulate localized protein synthesis may exist within the dendrite. This review will cover several suggested pathways for regulation of dendritic translation and propose a correlation between deregulated dendritic translation and disease.
Exact solution of a line-transfer problem in kernel approximation

In recent years approximate solutions for line-transfer problems using a kernel representation have been discussed by several authors (cf. Avrett and Loeser, 1966; Hummer and Rybicki, 1967). In this paper, extending an invariant imbedding method to the line-transfer problem with a kernel approximation as a sum of exponentials, we show how to get an exact solution of Milne's integral equation for the frequency-independent line source function with the aid of the resolvent kernel. A Cauchy system for an auxiliary function and the resolvent is suitable for numerical computation by means of high-speed digital computers.
Effect of Instructor Gender and Gender Role on Student Willingness to Take a Psychology Course.

Students read a set of three instructor descriptions representing feminine, masculine, and androgynous gender roles. After reading the descriptions, students rated their willingness to take a clini...
The Language of Linguists

Some linguists seem to feel that the speech of an individual is conditioned by geography alone, and that one English dialect is as good as another. But individual speech is influenced also by racial origin and social environment, and there is such a thing as good English opposed to bad English.
Hypericin, Hypocrellin, and Model Compounds: Primary Photoprocesses of Light-Induced Antiviral Agents

The excited-state photophysics of the light-induced antiviral agents hypericin and hypocrellin are compared with those of the hexa- and tetramethoxy analogues of hypericin. The results are consistent with the interpretation of the primary photoprocess in hypericin and hypocrellin as that of excited-state intramolecular proton or atom transfer.
Respiratory failure following adenosine administration

Adenosine is frequently administered to convert the rhythm of patients with paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia to sinus rhythm. Adverse reactions are common after its administration, but these have been short-lived because adenosine has a half-life of less than 10 seconds. This report describes a 54-year-old male patient with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease who presented with paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia at 200 beats/min. A 12-mg bolus injection of adenosine aggravated mild bronchospasm and produced respiratory failure. The patient subsequently required ventilatory support for 9 days. The presence of bronchoconstriction should be considered as a possible contraindication to the administration of intravenous adenosine.
Mixed Composition Films of Spans and Tween 80 at the Air−Water Interface

Sorbitan fatty acid esters (Spans) and the corresponding polyoxyethylene (POE) adducts (Tweens) have a wide range of applications in the pharmaceutical and other industries. In some formulations, mixtures of Span surfactants and Tween surfactants are required, but some of the physical properties of these mixtures are not well defined. To assess the mixing behavior of Spans and Tweens, selected mixtures of these surfactants were studied using Langmuir compression isotherms. Our data indicate that mixtures of Tween 80 (polyoxyethylene sorbitan monoleate) with Span 80 (sorbitan monooleate), Span 83 (sorbitan sesquioleate), or Span 85 (sorbitan trioleate) form expanded mixed monolayer films at the planar air−water interface. Mixing of Tween 80 with these three Spans exhibits significant repulsive nonideality except at low proportions of Tween 80 in Span 85. A model to explain the observed phase behavior is proposed.
Survival of Paddlefish Fingerlings Stocked with Large Channel Catfish

Abstract Fingerling paddlefish (Polyodon spathula; 9–15 cm total length, TL) were stocked with two densities of large channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus; >38 cm TL). No paddlefish were recovered from any of the six ponds at harvest, probably due to predation by the large channel catfish. Advanced paddlefish fingerlings (25–30 cm TL) may be required for polyculture in ponds that contain large channel catfish.
Recombinant Chinese Pinyin system for efficient processing of information in Chinese

Abstract An enhanced Pinyin (Chinese phonetic symbol) coding system has been developed for creating a novel Romanized version of the Chinese language. The homophonic problem associated with inputting Chinese characters to computers has been solved by the addition of a suffix to the conventional Pinyin of individual Chinese characters as well as multisyllable words/phrases. The suffix for the Pinyin of a Chinese character comprises a combination of a tone symbol and a single letter index that is mostly designated as the first letter of an English word giving an appropriate translation. For multisyllable Chinese words, the suffix consists only of a single letter that indicates either the tone of the last Chinese character or the first letter of an English translation. The resulting set of Romanized Chinese notations, christened `Chinish', make it possible to input Chinese characters as efficiently as English words. It is proposed that Chinish be used as a replacement for the current Pinyin system as a standard interface between Chinese speaking users and computers.
Determination of reducing sugars in the nanomole range with tetrazolium blue

Addition of sodium potassium tartrate to basic solutions of tetrazolium blue [(2,2',5,5'-tetraphenyl-3,3'-dimethoxy 4,4'-biphenylene) ditetrazolium chloride] greatly improved their efficacy as colorimetric reagents for reducing sugar determination. This modification increased sensitivity and decreased reaction time. The modified reagent can determine as little as 1 nmol of neutral sugars as well as 2-amino and N-acetyl amino sugars.
Nanocrystalline gamma alumina coatings by inverted cylindrical magnetron sputtering

Abstract Alumina coatings were deposited on glass, silicon and stainless steel substrates by magnetron sputtering of two cylindrical aluminum targets in argon–oxygen plasma using a mid frequency AC power supply operated at 41 kHz and 5 kW. No substrate heating was used during the deposition process. Reactive sputtering was carried out in the poisoned mode of the targets at low deposition rates of about 0.09 nm s − 1 . The coatings were characterized by X-ray diffraction studies and found to be nano-crystalline, γ-phase of aluminum oxide. The coatings thickness was measured using the optical interference effects in the UV–visible spectrum of thin films deposited on glass substrates. Thin film thickness after 4 h of reactive sputtering was found to be 1.3 μm. We further studied the oxidation resistance of the alumina coatings produced on stainless steel substrates at a temperature of 400 °C. Coatings were found to be completely stable at this temperature and prevented the oxidation of underlying stainless steel substrate.
The role of beta-lipoprotein, cholesterol, and various sera in tissue culture intracellular lipidosis.

SummarySerum from human, calf, fetal calf, horse, and roosters fed either a regular or high cholesterol diet produced sundanophilic cytoplasmic inclusions within cloned mouse fibroblasts (“Low line” NCTC No. 2445) in tissue culture. Serum from roosters either fed a 1.0% cholesterol diet or subjected to heat stress exhibited an increased ability to produce cytoplasmic inclusion. The serum protein factor responsible for these inclusions proved to be the low density, β-lipoprotein. α-Lipoprotein produced inclusions only in high concentrations. Besides varying with different sera, the amount of lipidosis was found to be directly proportional to total cholesterol and to the percentage of β-lipo-protein-bound unesterified cholesterol, but inversely proportional to the percentage of bound esterified cholesterol. Furthermore, bovine albumin-bound cholesterol, only in the unesterified form, produced similar appearing sudanophilic, cytoplasmic inclusions. These observations suggest that the protein-bound, and more ...
Flattened generalized luneburg lens via quasi-conformal mapping

Curved lenses and antennas have pivotal meaning in various applications. For example, gradient index lenses such as the Luneburg lens are used to realize perfect imaging. However, the procedure of fabricating the bended surface of these lenses and antennas is difficult and not cost effective. In order to solve this issue, in this paper, we propose to apply transformation optics techniques to re-design these curved lenses antennas. Based on the quasi-conformal mapping technique, the spherical surfaces of various Luneburg lens antennas with different focal lengths will be transformed to flattened shapes, which can be easily implemented with low cost substrates and fabrication techniques. Preliminary simulation results of the designed devices are also given in this paper.
Effect of sediment geochemistry on the nutrient release rates in Cootes Paradise Marsh, Ontario, Canada

Although there has been reduction in nutrient loadings from external sources, high nutrient levels and a prolific algal growth remain major stresses, affecting the water quality in Cootes Paradise, a coastal wetland at the western tip of Lake Ontario. It has been documented that internal loading, resulting from sediment P release, may be a significant contributor of the total P input to some lakes. To assess the importance of internal loadings from sediments to Cootes Paradise, nutrient fluxes from sediments at three locations were estimated. The investigated sites were representative of different sedimentary environments, including sites receiving effluents from a sewage treatment plant and combined sewer overflows. An unaffected site in the main body of the marsh was included for comparison. The results derived from the Fickian diffusion model indicate that sites receiving outfalls from the sewage treatment plant and combined sewer overflow had the highest nutrient fluxes. These two sites had also the h...
Vibrational Spectroscopy of Liquid Polymer Films Adsorbed on Gold Surfaces Under UHV

Abstract The vibrational properties of liquid perfluorinated polyethers on gold surfaces have been studied by polarization modulated Fourier transform infrared reflection-absorption spectroscopy under UHV down to the glass transition at ca. 180 K. The dependence of the IR spectra on temperature and sample thickness yielded information about the mobility and distribution of these very large molecules on flat and lithographically patterned surfaces. The influence of surface morphology on liquid film thickness, surface diffusion, and molecular configurations is discussed.
Foveal lesions do not ameliorate the visual discrimination deficit that follows foveal prestriate lesions

Removal of foveal prestriate cortex impairs visual discrimination learning by rhesus monkeys. To test whether this deficit might be due to a “higher-order” foveal scotoma, monkeys with foveal prestriate lesions were forced to fixate extrafoveally by infliction of central retinal lesions. The retinal lesions did not improve their visual discrimination learning, thereby failing to support the hypothesis.
Theoretical analysis of two-mode, elliptical-core optical fiber sensors

The paper presents a direct solution of the scalar wave equation for a highly-elliptical-core weakly guiding fiber-optic sensor. The simplified method developed has the advantage that all fiber parameters (a,b, n1, and n2) can be fed in from a keyboard and the necessary sensor/device parameters can be found almost instantly. The program is a useful tool for determinations of optimal operating wavelengths and fiber parameters and can be used as aid in the design of novel fibers.
On one modulus inequality for mappings with finite length distortion

The Vaisala inequality, which is well known in the theory of quasilinear mappings, is extended to the class of mappings with finite length distortion.
An Analysis of Two Ground Truth Estimation Methods

An estimation of the so called Ground Truth (GT), i.e. the actual lesion region, can minimize readers’ subjectivity if multiple readers’ markings are combined. Two methods perform this estimate by considering the spatial location of voxels: Thresholded Probability-Map (TPM) and Simultaneous Truth and Performance Level Estimation (STAPLE). An analysis of these two methods has already been performed. The purpose of this study, however, is gaining a new insight into the method outcomes by comparing the estimated regions. A subset of the publicly available Lung Image Database Consortium archive was used, selecting pulmonary nodules documented by all four radiologists. The TPM estimator was computed by assigning to each voxel a value equal to average number of readers that included such voxel in their markings and then applying a threshold of 0.5. Our STAPLE implementation is loosely based on a version from ITK, to which we added the graph cut post-processing. The pair-wise similarities between the estimated ground truths were analyzed by computing the respective Jaccard coefficients. Then, the sign test of the differences between the volumes of TPM and STAPLE was performed. A total of 35 nodules documented on 26 scans by all four radiologists were available. The spatial agreement had a one-sided 90% Confidence Interval of [0.92, 1.00]. The sign test of the differences had a p-value less than 0.001. We found that (a) the differences in their volume estimates are statistically significant, (b) the spatial disagreement between the two estimators is almost completely due to the exclusion of voxels marked by exactly two readers, (c) STAPLE tends to weight more, in its GT estimate, readers marking broader regions.
Subjectivity and sexual difference: New figures of the feminine in Irigaray and Cavarero

This paper argues that the metaphors of breath and voice as employed in the recent works of Luce Irigaray and Adriana Cavarero yield a reconceptualization of subjectivity as unique, embodied and relational. When interpreted in light of Cavarero's reorientation of the question of subjectivity from a what to a who, this newly configured notion of subjectivity can serve as the basis for a non-essentialist politics of sexual difference.
Apomorphine-induced stereotypic cage climbing in mice as a model for studying changes in dopamine receptor sensitivity

Abstract We have previously confirmed in mice that apomorphine (APO) induces dopamine specific stereotypic cage climbing. Apparent changes in dopamine receptor sensitivity induced by chronic drug administration appear to be measurable by this technique. In the present experiments, murine stereotypic cage climbing was evaluated as a model system for assessing the dopamine receptor supersensitivity induced by chronic administration of the potent butyrophenone neuroleptic spiroperidol. Spiroperidol induced a significantly enhanced response induced by APO (about a 7-fold increase) manifest by 48 hr (but not 24 hr) following cessation of the last chronic injection. Time-response analyses demonstrated that the action of test doses of APO (1.0 or 4.5 mg/kg, IP) was significantly prolonged in the chronic-spiroperidol animals relative to controls. The supersensitivity in the spiroperidol-treated animals lasted more than three weeks for each dose of the neuroleptic and the APO dose-response curve was shifted to the left in spiroperidol-treated animals. Results are discussed in terms of the utility of the model for establishing dose-response, time-course, and duration of effect data within the same group of animals.
Vergleichende Untersuchung über die Bestimmung der Korngrößenverteilung fester Stäube mit Hilfe eines Hochspannungsabscheiders und des Elektronenmikroskops

Die vorliegende Arbeit beschreibt die theoretischen Grundlagen und den Aufbau eines elektrostatischen Hochspannungsabscheiders zur Herstellung und Auswertung von Staubniederschlagen mit reprasentativer Korngrosenverteilung im elektronenmikroskopischen Bereich.
Design and Analysis of Output Feedback Force Control in Parallel Turning

AbstractParallel machine tools (i.e. machine tools capable of cutting a part with multiple tools simultaneously but independently) are being utilized more and more to increase operation productivity, decrease set-ups and reduce floor space. Process control is the utilization of real-time process sensor information to adjust process parameters (e.g. feed, spindle speed) automatically in order to increase operation productivity and quality. To date, however, these two technologies have not been combined. This paper describes the design of an output feedback controller for a parallel turning operation that accounts for the inherent non-linearities in the force process. An analysis of the process equilibriums explains the system's stability behaviour for different design specifications and the reverse trajectory method is used to numerically determine the exact stability boundary. Effects of saturation on stability are also analysed, and from this sufficient conditions for global stability are obtained. Final...
Normalization of Relations with Nulls in Candidate Keys

This paper discusses normalization of relations when the candidate keys of a relation have missing information represented by nulls. The paper shows that when the missing information is of the type â€œnot applicableâ€ or â€œdoes not exist,â€ problems and confusion can arise in normalizing relations. Candidate keys with missing information commonly are found in relations that represent information on two entities with a one-to-one relationship between them. The current definition of Boyce-Codd Normal Form (BCNF) is ineffective in identifying poor designs in such relations that may have insertion/deletion anomalies. It is shown that the above problem can be corrected by incorporating the concept of entity integrity rule into the definition of BCNF. This paper also shows that incorporating the entity integrity rule into the definition of either a relation or a candidate key does not provide a satisfactory solution to the problem.
MALE FETAL PIG LOWER URINARY TRACT FUNCTION IN MID SECOND AND EARLY THIRD TRIMESTER OF GESTATION

Purpose: Routine use of ultrasound during pregnancy has emphasized the need for greater knowledge about normal and abnormal voiding function during fetal live. We describe the developmental changes in lower urinary tract function from the middle of the second to the early third trimester of gestation.Materials and Methods: The study included 22 male fetal pigs of 13 pregnant Goettingen minipigs (gestational period 111 to 115 days) with 11 fetuses in the middle of the second (median 61.5 days, 0.55 of term) and 11 fetuses in the beginning of the third trimester of gestation (median 80 days, 0.72 of term). With the sow under isoflurane anesthesia catheters were placed in the bladder, rectum and amniotic cavity of the fetuses, and a flow probe was placed around the distal urethra. After the sow was at light sleep urethral flow, amniotic pressure, abdominal pressure and bladder pressure were recorded a median of 241 minutes.Results: The recordings of 14 fetuses were evaluable. In the middle of the second trim...
Glucose-6-Phosphate Stimulation of Human Muscle Glycogen Synthase Phosphatase

The influence of glucose-6-phosphate (glucose-6-P) on skeletal muscle glycogen synthase phosphatase was examined in normal glucose-tolerant Southwest American Indians. Phosphatase was stimulated with physiological concentrations of glucose-6-P and inhibited by ATP (5 mmol/L) and glycogen (0.1%). Phosphatase activity was measured before and after insulin infusion using the euglycemic clamp technique. Although glycogen synthase fractional activity increased in all subjects, this increase was not related to a change in phosphatase activity in the absence or presence of glucose-6-P. These results suggest that glycogen synthase phosphatase from human muscle can be regulated by physiological concentrations of glucose-6-P, ATP, and glycogen, and that insulin does not alter glucose-6-P stimulation of the enzyme in normal subjects.
Reconstruction comparison and a composite segmentation method for electron tomography

Electron Tomography (ET) reconstruction involves solving an inverse problem to generate a volumetric map from multiple projection images (tilt-series) acquired from an Electron Microscope (EM). Due to limitations in the acquisition process no unique solution exists for the inverse problem. Hence the reconstructed volumes are different depending on the choice of reconstruction method used. Here, we analyze and compare reconstructions from four different techniques. Secondly, a novel technique for composite segmentation is presented where reconstructed volumes from four different methods and their segmented maps are combined. This method annotates the segmented output with a confidence level based on a voting scheme. This enhances structure visualization and provides comprehensive structure information with error and uncertainty annotations at a voxel level.
Phenylacetate is an inhibitor of prostatic growth and development in organ culture.

AbstractPurpose: Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is the most common proliferative disease affecting men, and the obstructive uropathy it causes results in serious morbidity and financial cost. Phenylacetate (PA) is a small molecule that is a product of phenylalanine metabolism and is normally present in the mammalian circulation at very low levels. It has long been safely used in humans to treat the hyperammonemia resulting from urea synthesis disorders and liver failure. It has recently been investigated as an anticancer agent because it decreased growth and increased differentiation of a variety of human neoplasms, including prostate cancer in which a phase I trial has recently been completed.Materials and Methods: Because of PA's growth-inhibitory effects on a variety of cell lines and the idea that BPH is due to a reawakening of embryonic-like inductive activity in prostatic stromal cells, which then induce development of epithelial nodules, we examined the effect of PA on serum-free organ cultures...
Filter-out-grazers (FOG): A filtration experiment for separating protozoan grazers in soil

In the present experiment, natural protozoan fauna and other microbial components in water extracts from shortgrass prairie soil were separated on the basis of size by differential filtration (8-, 5-, and 3-μm porosities). All extracts contained bacteria and fungi, along with a few very small flagellates (3-μm pore size filtrate); flagellates and a few small amoebae (5-μm pore size filtrate); and flagellates, small amoebae, and small ciliates (8-μm pore size filtrate). All microorganisms, except a few species of flagellates, were present in the centrifuge treatment. Each filtrate was added to sterile soil, and the population of each microbial group was determined after inoculation at intervals up to 80 days (at room temperature). Populations of all added groups decreased on initial addition to soil but then increased during the incubation. By following nitrogen, phosphorus, and CO2 dynamics, we observed impacts of protozoan grazing on bacteria, including mineralization of N from microbial biomass.
Africa and the Indian Ocean in Chinese maps of the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries

From the other side, the Arabs undoubtedly possessed considerable advantages which enabled them to venture across the dry lands and beyond. A unified religion and a simple code of ethics, the high regard for long distance travel and the making of new converts in distant lands, and the use of camels to cross the deserts and maneuverable sails in unfavorable winds, were factors commonly credited for their success in maintaining the busy traffic from the shores of the Mediterranean to the Guinea Coast and from the Hadramaut to the Mozambique. From the eighth century onward, Arab vessels dominated the high seas from the East African shores to the South China coast. During the heyday of Arab settlement in southern China, Canton alone accounted for no less than one hundred thousand Arab residents.1 Through the long period of Sino-Arab trade and intellectual exchange, the Chinese on their part were able to accumulate a good deal of valuable information on the Indian Ocean and Africa. This knowledge not only manifested itself in the emerging world concept of Chinese cartography, but also served to facilitate the spurt of maritime activities in the Indian Ocean and along the coast of East Africa in the early Ming dynasty. In order to bring the matter into focus, I have chosen to examine three of the oldest Chinese maps relating to Africa and the Indian Ocean and to assess their significance in the large perspective of the history of geographical thought and cartography. While numerous places in North Africa were mentioned by Chinese authors of the eighth and ninth centuries, it is rather difficult to establish a clear milestone in the advance of China's knowledge concerning tropical Africa.2 Chou Ch'ii-fei, author of Ling-wai-tai-ta written in 1178 A.D., first mentioned Ts'engch'i-k'un-lun or the 'Land of the Black' and the slave trade in its off-shore islands.3 His statement on the 'Giant Birds' there which could swallow camels, appears almost identical with that of Marco Polo's a century later.4 Chao Ju-kuo, Commissioner of the Maritime Trade Office at Ch'iian-chou (Marco Polo's Zaitun) with extensive contact with the Arab merchants, and author of Chu-fan-chih written in 1226, provided the first account of the products on the East African coast from Somalia to Zanzibar including an elaborate description of the ostrich and the giraffe.5
Developmental Patterns in Spiralian Embryos

At least five animal phyla exhibit spiralian development, which is characterized by striking similarities in the geometry of the early cleavage pattern and the fate map of the blastula, along with similarities in larval morphology. Recent advances in reconstructing the phylogeny of spiralians and their relatives suggest that the common ancestor of a large clade of protostome phyla known as the Lophotrochozoa had spiralian development. In this minireview, I describe characteristics of spiralian development and some recent insights into its mechanisms and evolution.
The Luminal Ca2+ Transient Controls Ca2+ Release/ Re-uptake of Sarcoplasmic Reticulum☆☆☆

Our recent study (Saiki, Y., and Ikemoto, N., Biochemistry 38, 3112-3119, 1999) suggests that Ca2+ release and re-uptake of the released Ca2+ are coordinated. The following results suggest that the coordination is mediated by the luminal Ca2+ ([Ca2+]lum) transient. Upon inducing the release of the passively loaded Ca2+ from the SR with polylysine, the luminal Ca2+ ([Ca2+]lum) first increased then decreased ([Ca2+]lum transient). The activity of the SR Ca2+ ATPase was monitored at different times after inducing Ca2+ release. The phosphoenzyme (EP) formation as determined by the MANT-fluorescence increased concurrently with the initial rapid increase in the [Ca2+]lum. EP decay (pumping turnover) was accelerated concurrently with a decrease of the [Ca2+]lum. The results suggest that the [Ca2+]lum transient serves as a mediator for the acceleration of the Ca2+ re-uptake occurring soon after the induction of Ca2+ release.
WORLDS OF WRITTEN DISCOURSE: A GENRE-BASED VIEW

WORLDS OF WRITTEN DISCOURSE: A GENRE-BASED VIEW. Vijay K. Bhatia. New York: Continuum, 2004. Pp. xvii + 228. $49.95 paper.In this volume, Bhatia discusses multiple aspects of written discourse as produced in the real world by focusing not just on academic genres but on genres from professional and institutional contexts as well. His consideration of disciplinary variation in genres, relationships across genres, appropriation of generic resources as seen in hybrid genres, and the nature of generic integrity has led to an extension of genre theory not “constrained by the nature and design of its applications” (p. xiv) that is discussed here. In addition to this development of genre theory, this well-crafted volume provides a multiperspective, multidimensional model of genre analysis.
In vitro reactivation of anaphase spindle elongation using isolated diatom spindles

A key step for analysing the mechanochemistry of mitosis would be the isolation of a functional spindle capable of anaphase chromosome movement in vitro. Although Mazia and Dan first isolated spindles in 19521, with one or two possible exceptions2–4, isolated spindles are non-functional (reviewed in ref. 5). An alternative approach has used permeabilized cells to study anaphase chromosome movement6–10, but these preparations are biochemically and morphologically complex, and hence difficult to analyse. We describe here a simple procedure for isolating diatom spindles which are capable of anaphase spindle elongation in vitro. With addition of ATP, the two half-spindles slide completely apart, with concomitant decrease in the zone of overlap. Electron microscopy reveals decreased numbers of microtubules throughout the spindle after ATP addition and confirms the complete absence of structures beyond the spindle poles. These results are inconsistent with theoretical models of mitosis which suggest that spindle poles are pushed apart by microtubule growth11, are pulled apart by external forces applied to the poles12–15, or are released from tension generated during spindle formation16. The results are consitent with models that postulate mechanical interactions in the zone of microtubule overlap as a factor in spindle elongation17,18.
Power and perspective: the discourse of professional development school literature

This paper reports on the results of a study in which the discourse within 75 professional development school (PDS)-related publications was examined to determine where the power, influence, and representation lies in PDS partnerships, as indicated by how those partnerships are described in writing. The results found that while university faculty overwhelmingly wrote the articles, their perspectives and experiences were under-represented in the literature and, moreover, their influence within the partnerships appeared to be negligible. School and university administrators were similarly absent in PDS writing. Significantly, university authors and researchers represented themselves in a way that was highly deferential to practitioners and denigrated the role of theory and research in PDS work. In contrast to the traditional image of university dominance of partnerships, this research suggests that the real power and influence in PDS partnerships are the classroom teachers. The paper concludes with suggesti...
Ethics, education, and corporate leadership

The purpose of this study is to determine the relative frequency of course offerings on social issues and business ethics in American business schools. Specifically, a random sample of the curricula of 119 American business schools were analyzed in order to gauge the importance given to coursework on ethics and social issues. The findings indicated that the incidence of such courses was generally low in American business curricula, particularly at the graduate level. These findings are discussed in light of the current concern for more responsible corporate behavior.
Bias-corrected heterosced asticity robust covariance matrix (sandwich) estimators

Two simple bias-corrected sandwich estimators are proposed for the covariance of the least squared coefficient estimator in the linear models. These estimators are unbiased with homoscedastic errors and are shown to be robust against moderate deviations from the homoscedasticity assumption. Simulation results suggest that one of the proposed estimators produces at most a small bias but with an increased variance while the other produces a smaller mean squared error than the classical estimators such as those of Hinkley (1977), White (1980), and Furno (1997) in both cases of homoscedastic and heteroscedastic errors.
PO-0265 Non Invasive Ventilation For Severe Bronchiolitis

Introduction Non-invasive ventilation (NIV) is a relatively new ventilatory mode that has been increasingly used in the acute setting over the past 15 years, demonstrating beneficial effects in the paediatric population with different types of respiratory failure. Objectives To examine whether infants with severe bronchiolitis could be managed with non-invasive ventilation (NIV) alone. To study the characteristics, clinical course and outcome of NIV patients. Patients and methods A retrospective analysis was made of infants with severe bronchiolitis in a Paediatric Intensive Care Unit admitted from 01/09/2011 to 31/01/2012 and from 01/09/2012 to 31/02/2013. One thousand and sixty-four infants with severe bronchiolitis were admitted. One thousand and two were invasively ventilated, seventy-two were treated with NIV. We aimed to examine the characteristics, clinical course and outcome for those who received NIV. Results Seventy-two patients, including 6 with apnea, were treated exclusively with NIV. The mean age was de 54,2 days ± 39,1 (8–221). The mean respiratory rate was 61 breaths/min ±16,7 (20–104). NIV was delivered by continuous (CPAP) in seven patients, bi-level (BiPAP) positive airway pressure in thirty-four infants and high-flow nasal cannula in thirty-one patients. Twenty-three failed to respond and were invasively ventilated. Risk factors for NIV failure were prematurity and bacterial infection. Duration of hospital stay was shorter in responders. There were no major complications related with NIV. Conclusion This study demonstrates the efficacy of NIV as a form of respiratory support for infants with severe bronchiolitis avoiding ETI in most of the patients. Risk factors for failure were related with immaturity and severe infection.
Acute suppurative and gangrenous cholecystitis

Abstract A series of eighty-two cases of empyema and/or gangrene of the gallbladder were reviewed from the standpoint of incidence, symptoms, signs and laboratory findings. The perforated cases were reviewed separately in a similar manner and comparisons made. No consistent significant differences were found other than an intensification of signs and symptoms. All the cases were also considered and discussed from the standpoint of surgery, gallstones and mortality. The thirteen cases of diabetes mellitus were then analyzed separately. The mortality of these patients was found to be much higher than that for the non-diabetic patients.
Joint-Link Parameter Assignment in Mechanisms and Robotics

Atlases are developed which aid the student in properly evaluating the joint-link parameters to model the mechanics of mechanisms and robotic systems. Experience in conducting mechanisms and robotics courses has indicated that students often have difficulty in determining these parameters. To assist them, atlases have been developed where the student can find an illustration corresponding to the relationship between coordinate frames on links in the mechanism or robot and then read off the appropriate values of the link twist or joint rotation if that is fixed. The atlases have been developed to include all of the popular coordinate-transformation schemes, 3 × 3 dual-number coordinate transformation matrices for a link and its proximal joint, and 4 × 4 homogeneous transformation matrices for either a link with its proximal joint or a link with its distal joint. Students will find the atlas an aid for correctly assigning joint-link parameters in difficult-to-visualize mechanisms and robotic systems.
II. Slow Oscillations in Vaginal Blood Flow: Regulation of Vaginal Blood Flow Patterns in Rat by Central and Autonomic Mechanisms

ABSTRACT Introduction A new method for assessing female sexual arousal through changes in slow oscillatory patterns in vaginal blood flow was first described in the previous manuscript [1] . This method was translational and discriminated between normal healthy volunteers and women with female sexual arousal disorder. Aim These studies addressed the influence of autonomic and central nervous systems on slow vaginal blood flow oscillations in rats. Methods Vaginal blood flow oscillations were measured in urethane-anesthetized rodents using laser Doppler flowmetry. Acquired data were filtered for frequency analysis range of 0.013–2.5 Hz. Main Outcome Meaures Data were assessed for changes in a high frequency range (HF = 0.6–2.5 Hz), and low frequency range (LF = 0.013–0.6 Hz). Results The basal HF oscillatory component of vaginal blood flow was primarily vagally mediated, although could be modulated pharmacologically with p-chloroamphetamine in the absence of vagal innervation. The LF component could be modulated by antagonists of noradrenergic receptors but did not appear to be dependent upon tonic activation of sympathetic circuitry. The non-selective dopamine receptor agonist apomorphine induced changes in vaginal blood flow oscillations consistent with sexual arousal during metestrus in the presence of the peripheral antagonist domperidone but not in the presence of the centrally acting antagonist haloperidol. Electrical stimulation of the paraventricular nucleus (PVN) of the hypothalamus induced an anti-arousal response in vaginal blood flow oscillations. These data demonstrated that manipulation of the central nervous system alone (via centrally acting apomorphine or electrical stimulation of the PVN) could produce either a pro-arousal or an anti-arousal response in vaginal blood flow oscillations. Alterations in the LF/HF ratio measured from vaginal laser Doppler flowmetry were independently regulated from vasculature in the trunk, the tongue, and electrocardiogram-derived heart rate variability, and were independent of overall vasocongestion of the vagina as measured by mean blood flow. Conclusions These data indicated that slow oscillations in vaginal blood flow from rodents may be utilized as an animal model of female sexual arousal. Changes in these oscillations are driven by the central nervous system and modulated by the autonomic nervous system. Allers KA, Richards N, Scott L, Sweatman C, Cheung J, Reynolds D, Casey JH, and Wayman C. II. Slow oscillations in vaginal blood flow: Regulation of vaginal blood flow patterns in rat by central and autonomic mechanisms.
FORSTER ENERGY TRANSFER STUDIES OF POLYELECTROLYTE HETEROSTRUCTURES CONTAINING CONJUGATED POLYMERS : A MEANS TO ESTIMATE LAYER INTERPENETRATION

Using a sequential adsorption process, thin film multilayer assemblies of polymers which photophysically interact via the Forster energy transfer mechanism have been fabricated and characterized in order to determine the level of interpenetration between layers. The assemblies consisted of layers of poly(phenylene vinylene) (PPV) which were separated from layers of a sulfonatopropoxy anion derivatized poly(p-phenylene) [(−)PPP] by nonconjugated polyelectrolyte spacer bilayers. The spacer bilayers were composed of poly(allylamine hydrochloride) (PAH) with a polyanion of either poly(acrylic acid) (PAA), poly(methacrylic acid) (PMA), or poly(styrenesulfonate) (PSS). An estimate of the level of interpenetration of the layers was made for each type of spacer bilayer by correlating the relative amount of quenching of the (−)PPP photoluminescence with the measured total thickness of the spacer bilayer(s) utilizing a diffuse layer model which assumed a Gaussian distribution of polymer segments. Using this approac...
Mechanism of insolubilization by a single-point mutation in alphaA-crystallin linked with hereditary human cataracts.

αA-Crystallin is a small heat shock protein that functions as a molecular chaperone and a lens structural protein. The single point mutation R49C in αA-crystallin causes hereditary human cataracts. We have previously investigated the in vivo properties of this mutant in a gene knock-in mouse model. Remarkably, homozygous mice carrying the αA-R49C mutant show nearly complete lens opacity concurrent with small lenses and small eyes. Here we have investigated the 90° light scattering, viscosity, refractive index and bis-ANS fluorescence of lens proteins isolated from the αA-R49C mouse lenses and find that the concentration of total water-soluble proteins showed a pronounced decrease in αA-R49C homozygous lenses. Light scattering measurements on proteins separated by gel permeation chromatography showed a small amount of high molecular weight aggregated material in the void volume which still remains soluble in AA-R49C homozygous lens homogenates. Increased binding of β-and γ-crystallin to the α-crystallin fraction was observed in αA-R49C heterozygous and homozygous lenses but not in wild type. Quantitative analysis with the hydrophobic fluorescence probe bis-ANS showed a pronounced increase in fluorescence yield upon binding to α-crystallin in αA-R49C lenses as compared with the wild type protein. These results suggest that the decrease in solubility of the αA-R49C mutant protein was due to an increase in its hydrophobicity and supra-aggregation of αA-crystallin that leads to cataract formation. Our study further shows that analysis of mutant proteins from the knock-in mouse model is an effective way to understand the mechanism of protein insolubilization in hereditary cataracts.
Capturing perceptual expertise: a sound equalization expert system

This paper describes an intelligent interface to assist in the expert perceptual task of sound equalization. Inductive learning is used to acquire expert skill using nearest neighbor pattern recognition. This skill is then used in a sound equalization expert system, which proficiently adjusts the timbres (tonal qualities) of sound in a context-dependent fashion. The computer is used as a tool to sense, process, and act in helping the user perform a perceptual task. The developed system shows that the nearest-neighbor context-dependent equalization is rated 68% higher than the set linear average equalization and that it is preferred 81% of the time.
Eye-Tracking Students' Attention to PowerPoint Photographs in a Science Education Setting.

Eye-tracking technology allows for the determination of the exact location of the point of gaze of a subject's eye. This study sought to take advantage of this ability to determine how students attend to science related photographs. Pre-service science teachers were shown a PowerPointTM Presentation with embedded photographs. The photographs were classified according the Pozzer and Roth (2003) classification scheme. Special focus was given to the photographs classified as complimentary, most highly integrated with the text, and decorative, the least integrated with the text. A second variable, accompanying audio narration, was integrated into the study design. Analysis indicated complimentary photographs received significantly more attention from the subjects. The effect of audio narration was to blur this distinction as students spent a greater amount of time on the given slides. Using eye-tracking technology, this study was able to confirm that students' devote more attention to highly relevant photographs.
The OWL: Software support for a model of argumentation

The OWL is an “idea cruncher” designed to assist in constructing, analyzing, and comparing debates and arguments. The design philosophy of OWL and the pragmatics of representing argument structures are explained, and applications are presented in three different areas: a 2-year open forum on state revenue issues, an analysis of the cohesiveness of a published argument, and a personalized learning system. The presentation concludes with a prognosis and a discussion of future plans.
Differential responses to doxorubicin-induced phosphorylation and activation of Akt in human breast cancer cells.

Introduction We have shown previously that overexpression of constitutively active Akt or activation of Akt caused by constitutively active Ras or human epidermal growth factor receptor-2 (HER2) confers on breast cancer cells resistance to chemotherapy or radiotherapy. As an expanded study we here report differential responses in terms of phosphorylation and activation of Akt as a result of treatment with doxorubicin in a panel of breast cancer cell lines.