cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Space telescope observations of the earth's upper atmosphere by stellar occultations

Stellar occultations provide a useful means of measuring the trace gas composition of the earth's mesosphere with a sensitivity of order one part per billion. The operational details will differ from those of other astronomical observations by ST, because of the difficulties in guiding near the earth's limb. Two specific trace gases of interest to atmospheric studies, Cl and ClO, are discussed in this paper.
Desmin distinguishes cultured fat-storing cells from myofibroblasts, smooth muscle cells and fibroblasts in the rat

Summary To differentiate cultured rat liver myofibroblasts, fat-storing cells, aortic smooth muscle cells and skin fibroblasts from each other, desmin and vimentin stainings were undertaken by indirect immunofluorescence using monoclonal antibodies. In myofibroblasts, the reaction with antibodies to vimentin was positive but that with antibodies to desmin was virtually negative. In primary cultures as well as subsequent passage of fat-storing cells, reactions with antibodies to both desmin and vimentin were positive. In primary culture of smooth muscle cells, both reactions were positive, but in the first passage, smooth muscle cells lost the reactivity with antibodies to desmin. Fibroblasts showed a positive reaction with antibodies to vimentin and a negative one with antibodies to desmin. Thus, immunohistochemistry of intermediate filaments allows for the differentiation between fat-storing cells, which are desmin- and vimentin-positive, and myofibroblasts or fibroblasts, which are desmin-negative but vimentin-positive. Smooth muscle cells are also vimentin-positive and become desmin-negative after the first passage.
Rethinking risk and return: part 2 – some felicitous Fourier frequencies

Purpose – This editorial, the second of a two‐part series, proposes a new measure of risk for analyzing highly non‐normal (i.e. asymmetric and long‐tailed) random variables in the context of both investment and insurance portfolios. The proposed measure replaces the p‐norm‐based definition of “risk” – found wanting in Part 1 – with a cosine‐based alternative.Design/methodology/approach – Just as p‐norm‐based risk measures were derived as generalizations of the standard deviation in Part 1, the paper now extend this approach to a cosine‐based risk measure. This involves computing the Fourier transform of the underlying random variable for a given frequency value. Methods for selecting an appropriate frequency are then discussed.Findings – The cosine‐based risk measure provides an effective alternative to p‐norm‐based measures because the Fourier transform is always well defined, even for long‐tailed random variables. The frequency parameter necessary for the Fourier transform may be computed according to s...
Periodic Variability in the Pre-Main-Sequence Object CB 34V

A photometric study of the G-type pre–main-sequence star CB 34V was undertaken at Van Vleck Observatory during the 2001–2002 observing season. The star remained in its bright state throughout the 5 month monitoring period, showing no evidence of the large amplitude variability that originally drew attention to it. However, it did exhibit periodic variability with an amplitude of ~0.6 mag. A highly significant peak is present in the periodogram at 1.186 days, but analysis of the light curve suggests that the actual rotation period of the star is twice that—2.372 days. Apparently, the star had similar spots on opposite hemispheres during this time and we view it close to equator-on. This circumstance allows us to place additional constraints on the radius and luminosity of the star. The new data argue against its being an FU Orionis star and in favor of its being either a UX Orionis star or an object (similar to KH 15D) that is eclipsed episodically by circumstellar matter.
Practical aspects of distribution automation in normal and emergency conditions

In this study, the practical aspects of the real-time analysis and control of distribution systems in normal and emergency conditions are presented. A load flow algorithm based on loop currents, which is numerically more stable and would require a smaller number of iterations, is considered in distribution systems calculations. In order to obtain an optimal solution within a reasonable time, the problem is decomposed into feeder reconfiguration and volt/VAr optimization subproblems and uses an iterative process between these two subproblems. For feeder reconfiguration, an efficient procedure based on a closed loop resistive scheme which utilizes fast branch removal is proposed. For volt/VAr optimization, a procedure based on the gradient search is developed. The proposed software is devised for interaction with human operators which will provide advice in real-time normal and emergency practices. >
Electro-Optical Implementations For 2-D Array Neural Nets

We show that our recently developed formulation for 2-D array neural net processing is suitably mapped into various electro-optical implementations. The implementations all make use of recent develop-ments pertaining to vector-vector, vector-matrix, or matrix-matrix multiplications. Our formulation hence utilizes an already developed technology and adapt it for 2-D neural net processing.
The performance of minisupercomputers: Alliant FX/8, Convex C-1, and SCS-40

Abstract A comparison of the architectures and performance of a set of standard FORTRAN benchmark codes is made of the Alliant FX, Convex C-1, and SCS-40 minisupercomputers.
AAV-microdystrophin therapy improves cardiac performance in aged female mdx mice.

Dystrophin deficiency leads to lethal dilated Duchenne cardiomyopathy. A promising therapy is to deliver a highly abbreviated microdystrophin gene to the heart using adeno-associated virus (AAV). Microdystrophin has been shown to mitigate dystrophin-deficient skeletal muscle disease. However, it is not clear whether microdystrophin is equally effective in treating Duchenne cardiomyopathy. To evaluate microdystrophin therapy in the heart, we injected 5 × 1012 viral genome particles/mouse of AAV-9 ΔR4-23/ΔC microdystrophin vector via tail vein to ~16–20-month-old (average 18.7–month-old) female mdx mice, a manifesting model of Duchenne cardiomyopathy. Cardiac transduction and heart function were examined at 2–8 months after gene transfer. We observed robust myocardial microdystrophin expression. Electrocardiography (ECG) and left ventricular catheter hemodynamic assays also revealed significant improvement. Furthermore, AAV-microdystrophin therapy prevented dobutamine-stress induced acute cardiac death. We demonstrate for the first time that AAV microdystrophin therapy significantly ameliorates functional deficiency in a phenotypic model of Duchenne cardiomyopathy. Our results support further exploration of microdystrophin therapy to treat Duchenne cardiomyopathy.
The dual control model: current status and future directions.

The Dual Control Model proposes that sexual responses involve an interaction between sexual excitatory and sexual inhibitory processes. The model further postulates that individuals vary in their p...
Iron and Clay in Tropical Savanna Alluvium, Northern Colombia: A Contribution to The Origin of Red Beds

Along the flanks of Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, northern Colombia, tropical savanna uplands with reddish to reddish-brown soils yield brown alluvium which contains relatively abundant grains of fresh iron-bearing minerals: magnetite, amphibole, and biotite, with subordinate chlorite and ilmenite. They constitute about 4.5 weight percent of bulk samples and 8.8 weight percent of sand-silt fractions. In older terrace deposits bleached biotite is common, amphibole is rare, and some magnetite has been oxidized to specular hematite. Clay minerals consist of varying amounts of montmorillonite, illite, mixed-layer clay, kaolinite, and chlorite. Amorphous to very disordered aluminosihcate constitutes 10 to 26 percent of the clay fraction. Total iron makes up 3.1 to 7.6 percent of bulk samples which is considerably higher than that in Sonoran Desert alluvium (0.7 to 4.7 percent), and its upper range exceeds that in many ancient red beds. With few exceptions most of the total iron is in the clay fractions and about 75 percent of that is combined in clay minerals. Total iron in clay fractions averages about 6.6 percent: 5.5 to 8.0 percent in alluvium in transit, 4.8 to 9.0 percent in flood-plain sediments, and 3.0 to 5.8 percent in older terrace deposits. Free (extractable) iron in brown pigment constitutes 0.7 to 3.2 percent of clay fractions and averages about 0.75 percent of bulk samples. This is about twice that in bulk samples of Sonoran Desert alluvium (0.38 percent mean) and it is more than that in many ancient red beds (0.67 percent mean). According to these data there is enough free brown hydrated ferric oxide in tropical savanna alluvium to produce hematite pigment in a red bed simply by post-depositional dehydration and crystallization in an oxidizing environment of burial.
Quantum measurements of position, detection of weak classical forces, and interferometric noise

We discuss quantum measurements of position and repeated-measurement schemes for monitoring free-mass position to an arbitrary accuracy. Using these schemes, weak classical forces can be monitored to an arbitrary accuracy. To illustrate various measurement uncertainties and intrinsic uncertainties, we consider the case of a Michelson interferometer. In the low-intensity limit, two measurement uncertainties, photon counting error and radiation pressure error, are independent of the intrinsic uncertainty. The uses of squeezed states and number eigenstates are discussed.
A New Approach to Gravitational Microlensing: Time Delays and the Galactic Mass Distribution

Gravitational lensing of distant sources by massive compact objects such as stars produces multiple images which are too closely spaced to resolve. The combined image can be magnified however, resulting in an increase in apparent luminosity. This has been thought to be the sole signature for such «microlensing» events. We propose here a new signature which may be more sensitive and could give an unambiguous determination of the mass of the lensing object, independent of its distance.
Measurement of cosmogenic 36Cl/Cl in young volcanic rocks: an application of accelerator mass spectrometry in geochronology

Abstract We have measured 36 Cl/Cl ratios in a number of young volcanic rocks in order to test the feasibility of using 36 Cl buildup as a geochronometer for materials less than about 700000 years old. All of the analyzed rocks have been dated independently using K-Ar or other radiometric dating methods and have exposure histories that are known or can be reasonably assumed. Measured 36 Cl/Cl ratios in these rocks show a buildup with time that is in good agreement with the calculated in situ 36 Cl buildup curve. These analyses indicate that AMS measurement of 36 Cl buildup in young rocks is a potentially powerful new method for dating materials that had previously been undatable, and as such will have broad applications in volcanology, tectonics, geophysics, and Quaternary research.
The Reluctant Resurrection:New Complexity Methods and Old Systems Theories

Abstract: Nonlinear tools and concepts (derived from the relatively recent computational advances in the physical, biological, and cognitive sciences) offer valuable insights into the evolution and behavior of human as well as natural systems. Hence, of late, organizational studies have begun to apply both the methods, as well as the metaphors, of nonlinear dynamical systems (known by the popular terms “chaos” and “complexity”). While these various studies often allude to unique epistemological features, full-blown theoretical developments are rare indeed. Moreover, this lack of a coherent foundation leads to a number of misconceptions, not the least of which is the belief that the results of nonlinear analysis can be integrated easily with existing social theories. In reality they present significant theoretical challenges. Specifically, they rely upon its concepts of holism and emergence, as well as alternative perspectives of sociocultural evolution and collective rationality. Thus, serious theory buil...
Radiation properties of the Linac Coherent Light Source: challenges for x-ray optics

The Linac Coherent Light Source (LCLS) is a free-electron (FEL) now in the advanced planning stage at the Stanford Linear Accelerator Center. This machine will employ the process of self-amplified spontaneous emission (SASE) to generate extremely bright pulses of hard x-ray radiation, at wavelengths d own to about 1.5A. Being the first laser to operate in this spectral region, it will produce radiation with properties that are radically different in several respects from that produced by any other x-ray source, including today's 3rd generation synchrotron sources. Using this radiation to best scientific advantage will place unprecedented demands on the x-ray optics. Most importantly, the LCLS will be a pulsed radiation source, with extremely intense, short pulses and a low duty cycle. It will be possible and desirable to collect a complete experimental data set with a single radiation pulse. This will require optics which manipulate a single pulse so as to cover the full range of parameter space to be studied. Also, because of the very high peak power, sub-picosecond pulse length, and very high coherence of the FEL pulse, optics must be robust and able to preserve the short pulse length, and able to preserve spatial coherence. Finally, since it seems likely that the LCLS FEL radiation will be right enough to promote nonlinear x-ray processes, there will be a need for optics which emphasize particular nonlinear effects.
Modeling Mass Transfer and Nanoparticle Capture in Electrostatically Charged Monolith Filters

Analyzing trajectories of particles in monolith filters is important for predicting the capture efficiency and improving the design of this class of filters. Modeling and simulations of the particle trajectories are carried out to evaluate the probability of capture by the filter’s front surface and filter channel’s inner wall. Due to Brownian motion and electrostatic attraction, the particles exhibit a random walk and their trajectories deviate from the streamlines of the fluid flow. Particle trajectories are computed by the integration of Newton’s second law, where the electrostatic force, the Brownian motion force resulting from random collisions of the particle with air molecules, and the drag force from the surrounding fluid are all taken into account. A computer simulation for computing the particle trajectories and evaluating the probability of particle capture by the filter was developed. For this model, both flow field and electric field must be provided. The electric charge was assumed to be uniformly distributed along the edge of the channels of the filter and calculated numerically. The flow field is difficult to obtain due to the complex geometry of the model. The commercial CFD package ANSYS CFX [1] is used to compute the flow field. The resulting velocity flow field is then used to evaluate the drag force on the particles. We assume a one-way coupling between the fluid flow and the particle motion. Although there can be over one million uniformly distributed channels per square centimeter in the monolith filter, for simulation purposes, a single unit cell which models only one channel is used. The single unit model effectively describes the behavior of particles outside and inside the channels of monolith filter. The effects of different forces and different particle sizes were analyzed to investigate which factors affect the capture efficiency.Copyright © 2010 by ASME
Vivronic spectroscopy of single molecules: Exploring electronic-vibrational frequency correlations within an inhomogeneous distribution

Abstract Vibrationally resolved dispersed fluorescence spectra have been obtained from single molecules of terrylene in polyethylene at 1.5 K using excitation wavelengths from 577 to 566 nm, spanning both sides of the inhomogeneously broadened electronic origin. The spectra of different molecules exhibit significantly different frequency and intensity patterns. There is a weak overall correlation between ground state vibrational frequencies and wavelength of the electronic origin, with the redder-absorbing molecules tending to have higher vibrational frequencies. The red-shifted absorbers may reside in smaller cavities in the matrix, thus experiencing both strongerh dispersive interactions and more severe atom-atom repulsions.
Determination of patch electrode position for the internal cardioverter-defibrillator by cine computed tomography and its relation to the defibrillation threshold.

Abstract Cardioverter-defibrillator implantation in 22 consecutive patients after aborted sudden cardiac death was followed by prospective determination of the correct anatomic position of epicardial patch electrodes by chest X-ray study and cine computed tomography; the data were compared with the defibrillation threshold obtained intraoperatively. Patch electrode position was qualitatively graded. Computed tomography improved the assessment as compared with X-ray study in 13 patients (59%), visualizing electrodes in relation to the underlying myocardial and vascular structures. Although the computed tomographic technique provided more precise visualization, its grading of patch position correlated as poorly as that of the X-ray study with the measured acute defibrillation threshold. Three-dimensional reconstruction by computed tomography made it possible to determine quantitatively left ventricular mass (free wall and septum) and the mass encompassed by the patch electrodes. The 34.6 ± 13.7% (range 12.6 to 61.1%) of the left ventricular mass encompassed by both patch electrodes showed a linear relation to the defibrillation threshold (r = 0.64, p = 0.01). Differentiation of free wall and septal mass in these measurements revealed that the proportion of septal mass encompassed by patch electrodes correlated closely with the defibrillation threshold (r = −0.6, p = 0.019), whereas that of the free wall mass, although significantly larger (35.4 ± 15.8 vs. 20.6 ± 15.4 g, p = 0.007), did not. Thus, the position of epicardial patch electrodes could be reliably determined by computed tomography. Although the tomographically measured fraction of left ventricular mass encompassed by patch electrodes was predictive of defibrillation threshold, for achievement of a low threshold, it was more important to include the interventricular septal mass than the free wall mass.
Non-Arrhenius behaviour of transitions across energy barriers due to crossing of potential energy surfaces

Abstract Barriers arising through potential energy surface crossing are shown to allow a simple and physically transparent expression for the transfer rate constant. The temperature dependence of this rate constant deviates from the Arrhenius formula and exhibits a maximum for temperatures of the order of the barrier height.
Sleep patterns in a patient with a brain stem infarction involving the raphe nucleus.

Abstract A patient with an infarction in the basis pontis had a decreased sleep time but a normal percentage of REM sleep. Autopsy revealed a well defined infarction destroying the pontine and midbrain portions of the raphe nucleus. This patient's polygraphically recorded sleep patterns are similar to the sleep patterns of experimental animals with raphe lesions.
Juxtaglomerular cell tumor of the kidney

The authors describe a juxtaglomerular cell tumor (JGCT) which caused severe hypertension in a 58-year-old man. Light microscopy showed a circumscribed tumor composed of interlacing cords and occasional nodules of relatively uniform cells with no mitotic activity. Rhomboid crystals characteristic of "prerenin" were present within the cytoplasm of tumor cells, and there was a close relationship between the tumor and unmyelinated nerve axons. Intracytoplasmic renin was demonstrated by immunofluorescence, and tumor granules were shown to contain zinc by electron-beam microanalysis. Review of 14 prior cases, with additional follow-up of 9, showed that no patient had developed recurrence, metastasis, or another tumor. Four patients, however, are hypertensive but probably because of secondary tumor effects rather than recurrent hyperreninism. The distinction of JGCT from hemangiopericytoma with renal involvement is important because of the high mortality associated with the latter. The authors conclude that JGCT is benign, but patients with JGCT may remain hypertensive postnephrectomy because of hypertensive angiopathy.
Posttranscriptional Regulation of the Yersinia pestis Cyclic AMP Receptor Protein Crp and Impact on Virulence

ABSTRACT The cyclic AMP receptor protein (Crp) is a transcriptional regulator that controls the expression of numerous bacterial genes, usually in response to environmental conditions and particularly by sensing the availability of carbon. In the plague pathogen Yersinia pestis, Crp regulates the expression of multiple virulence factors, including components of the type III secretion system and the plasminogen activator protease Pla. The regulation of Crp itself, however, is distinctly different from that found in the well-studied Escherichia coli system. Here, we show that at physiological temperatures, the synthesis of Crp in Y. pestis is positively regulated at the posttranscriptional level. The loss of the small RNA chaperone Hfq results in decreased Crp protein levels but not in steady-state Crp transcript levels, and this regulatory effect occurs within the 5′ untranslated region (UTR) of the Crp mRNA. The posttranscriptional activation of Crp synthesis is required for the expression of pla , and decoupling crp from Hfq through the use of an exogenously controlled promoter and 5′ UTR increases Pla protein levels as well as partially rescues the growth defect associated with the loss of Hfq. Finally, we show that both Hfq and the posttranscriptional regulation of Crp contribute to the virulence of Y. pestis during pneumonic plague. The Hfq-dependent, posttranscriptional regulation of Crp may be specific to Yersinia species, and thus our data help explain the dramatic growth and virulence defects associated with the loss of Hfq in Y. pestis. IMPORTANCE The Crp protein is a major transcriptional regulator in bacteria, and its synthesis is tightly controlled to avoid inappropriate induction of the Crp regulon. In this report, we provide the first evidence of Crp regulation in an Hfq-dependent manner at the posttranscriptional level. Our discovery that the synthesis of Crp in Yersinia pestis is Hfq dependent adds an additional layer of regulation to catabolite repression in this bacterium. Our work provides a mechanism by which the plague pathogen links not just the sensing of glucose or other carbon sources but also other signals that influence Crp abundance via the expression of small RNAs to the induction of the Crp regulon. In turn, this allows Y. pestis to fine-tune Crp levels to optimize virulence gene expression during plague infection and may allow the bacterium to adapt to its unique environmental niches.
Phosphohistidines in bacterial signaling.

Abstract The movement of Gram-negative bacteria in response to nutrients in the environment is driven by two interlinked chemotaxis systems, the methyl-accepting chemotaxis protein (MCP)-mediated pathway, and the phosphoenolpyruvate: sugar phosphotransferase (PTS)-mediated pathway. The physical link connecting the two systems in unclear, but the common utilization of histidine-containing phosphocarrier proteins is an intriguing similarity. The recent structure determinations of several proteins from the PTS-mediated pathway, the phosphotransfer domain from the kinase CheA of the MCP-mediated chemotaxis pathway, and homologous kinase, ArcB, enable the comparison of the histidine active sites of these systems. Overall, the tertiary folds of the proteins are quite different, as are the structural details of the histidine active sites within the proteins, and therefore there is not an obvious structural homolog via which the two pathways communicate, despite their similar chemical mechanisms
Priorities for Kindergarten Curricula: Views of Parents and Teachers

Abstract This investigation explored what skills kindergarten teachers and parents of kindergartners believe children should possess prior to kindergarten entry. In addition, the views of these two groups concerning which skills and developmental areas should be emphasized in the kindergarten curricula were examined. Teachers', mothers' and fathers' responses to these two questions were examined. Major findings suggest that some significant differences and similarities do exist between parents and teachers in skill priorities for kindergarten entry. Supporting previous research, both mothers and fathers rated counting, reading and writing as significantly more important skills to acquire before beginning kindergarten. By contrast, teachers rated being curious and developing independence as significantly more important than either mothers or fathers. Notable are the significant patterns of agreement that emerged between parents and teachers for the order of prioritization. All three groups displayed agreem...
Velocity measurement by vibro-acoustic Doppler

We describe the theoretical principles of a new Doppler method, which uses the acoustic response of a moving object to a highly localized dynamic radiation force of the ultrasound field to calculate the velocity of the moving object according to Doppler frequency shift. This method, named vibro-acoustic Doppler (VAD), employs two ultrasound beams separated by a slight frequency difference, Δf, transmitting in an X-focal configuration. Both ultrasound beams experience a frequency shift because of the moving objects and their interaction at the joint focal zone produces an acoustic frequency shift occurring around the low-frequency (Δf) acoustic emission signal. The acoustic emission field resulting from the vibration of the moving object is detected and used to calculate its velocity. We report the formula that describes the relation between Doppler frequency shift of the emitted acoustic field and the velocity of the moving object. To verify the theory, we used a string phantom. We also tested our method by measuring fluid velocity in a tube. The results show that the error calculated for both string and fluid velocities is less than 9.1%. Our theory shows that in the worst case, the error is 0.54% for a 25° angle variation for the VAD method compared with an error of -82.6% for a 25° angle variation for a conventional continuous wave Doppler method. An advantage of this method is that, unlike conventional Doppler, it is not sensitive to angles between the ultrasound beams and direction of motion.
Nanopore Sequencing of “Alien” DNA Bases

Recently, it was shown for the first time that Escherichia coli can efficiently propagate a genetic alphabet expanded from the four canonical DNA nucleotides to include the synthetic “alien” bases d5SICS and dNaM. Traditional sequencing platforms cannot detect these alien bases. We tested whether nanopore sequencing with the protein pore Mycobacterium smegmatis porin A (MspA) is sensitive to d5SICS and dNaM. In nanopore sequencing, a nanometer scale pore provides the only electrical connection between two electrolyte solutions. An applied voltage causes a current to flow through the pore. Negatively-charged single stranded DNA is drawn through the pore, causing a nucleotide specific reduction in the measured current. Thus-far, MspA is the only nanopore shown to demonstrate single-nucleotide sensitivity to standard nucleotides as well as methyl cytosine and hydroxymethyl cytosine. We use the φ29 DNA polymerase to regulate DNA motion to single-nucleotide steps. Here, we demonstrate the direct detection d5SICS and dNaM with MspA-enabled nanopore sequencing.
Convex hulls of algebraic curves

A new algorithm based on curve tracing and decomposition techniques is presented for computing the convex hull of an algebraic curve defined implicitly by f(x,y) equals 0; the curve may have multiple components as well as singular points. The output is an ordered collection of line segments and sections of the curve represented by a sample point and interval bounds; this representation is suitable for rendering the convex hull by classical curve tracing techniques. Additionally, we present a point classification function for the convex hull based on Sturm sequences. Progress toward extending these results to algebraic surfaces is briefly discussed.© (1992) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Direct electrical stimulation of rat soleus during denervation-reinnervation

The effect of direct, low-frequency electrical stimulation (at 10 Hz continuously 8 h daily) of muscle on isometric twitch contractile properties of adult rat soleus was observed during denervation and reinnervation. The normal and the bilaterally sciatic nerve crush-denervated groups were implanted with unilateral juxtamuscular electrodes to stimulate the soleus muscle in one limb. After 10, 15, 20, 25, and 30 days of electrical stimulation (2- to 4-mA pulses at 4 ms duration) the normal control, normal-stimulated, crush-denervated control, and crush-denervated-stimulated soleus muscles (N = 6) were evaluated in vitro by massively field stimulating the muscles in physiologic buffer (pH 7.2) at 23 to 24°C. The parameters of isometric twitch contraction measured were latent period (LP), maximum isometric twitch tension (Pt), contraction time (CT), maximum rate of isometric twitch tension (Vtmax), and half-relaxation time (HRT). In normal muscle, 25 and 30 days of electrical stimulation produced significant (P < 0.05) changes: muscle hypertrophy (26.5 and 16.6%, respectively), decline in the Pt (23.4 and 12.1%, respectively), and decrease in the (Vtmax) (17.3 and 21.6%, respectively). For the same periods, compared with the crush-denervated control, the crush-denervated-stimulated muscles also showed significant (P < 0.05) changes: prolongation of the LP. (22.9 and 26.5%), decline in the Pt (24.5 and 31.6%), and decrease in the Vtmax (27.7 and 33.3%). These results, therefore, suggest that the long-term (200 to 240 h) direct, lowfrequency (10 Hz) electrical stimulation may impair the mechanism of isometric twitch development in slow-twitch muscle of the rat. However, our study does not prove that this pattern of electrostimulation can significantly alter the course of self-reinnervation in muscle.
Development of a Low RCS Reflector Antenna

ABSTRACT RCS (Radar Cross Section) reduction by proper shaping is applied to the problem of reducing the RCS levels of a center fed parabolic reflector antenna system such that antenna gain, sidelobe level, and physical size of the reflector are preserved. A detailed numerical - physical investigation of the electromagnetic scattering phenomena associated with parabolic reflector antennas is presented. The electromagnetic scattering phenomenon are identified and categorized according to their contributions to the overall RCS level of the antenna system. The dominant scattering phenomena is used to formulate a low RCS design requirement for the design of low RCS reflector antennas. These antennas have radiation characteristics similar to center fed parabolic antennas, but have greatly reduced RCS levels. A new low RCS reflector antenna system is designed to replace an existing center fed parabolic reflector antenna system. The new antenna is designed by combining a high frequency, ray based, reflector desi...
Urinary Sodium, Potassium and Aldosterone in Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy1

Four adolescent boys with Duchenne (progressive) muscular dystrophy (DMD) of 10–11 years duration and six normal boys of similar age were studied on a metabolism ward for 22 days. Sodium and potassium intake was as follows: Period I, Na 60 meq, K 60 meq; Period II, Na 10, K 60; Period III, Na 10, K 95–150; Period IV, Na 60, K 60. The differences between the DMD group and the group of normal boys for sodium and potassium in serum and urine and for urinary aldosterone were not significant. These findings show that the pathologically elevated sodium-potassium ratio in skeletal muscle of patients with DMD is not due to increased aldosterone or other causes of renal wastage of potassium.
Cirrhosis and its complications:Evidence based treatment

Cirrhosis results from progressive fibrosis and is the final outcome of all chronic liver disease. It is among the ten leading causes of death in United States. Cirrhosis can result in portal hypertension and/or hepatic dysfunction. Both of these either alone or in combination can lead to many complications, including ascites, varices, hepatic encephalopathy, hepatocellular carcinoma, hepatopulmonary syndrome, and coagulation disorders. Cirrhosis and its complications not only impair quality of life but also decrease survival. Managing patients with cirrhosis can be a challenge and requires an organized and systematic approach. Increasing physicians’ knowledge about prevention and treatment of these potential complications is important to improve patient outcomes. A literature search of the published data was performed to provide a comprehensive review regarding the management of cirrhosis and its complications.
Selective Requirements for Histone H3 and H4 N Termini in p300-Dependent Transcriptional Activation from Chromatin

The N-terminal tails of the core histones play important roles in transcriptional regulation, but their mechanism(s) of action are poorly understood. Here, pure chromatin templates assembled with varied combinations of recombinant wild-type and mutant core histones have been employed to ascertain the role of individual histone tails, both in overall acetylation patterns and in transcription. In vitro assays show an indispensable role for H3 and H4 tails, especially major lysine substrates, in p300-dependent transcriptional activation, as well as activator-targeted acetylation of promoter-proximal histone tails by p300. These results indicate, first, that constraints to transcription are imposed by nucleosomal histone components other than histone N-terminal tails and, second, that the histone N-terminal tails have selective roles, which can be modulated by targeted acetylation, in transcriptional activation by p300.
Reduced Uterine Vascular Permeability During the Pre-Implantation Period in Cox-1 Deficient Mice. † 300

Reduced Uterine Vascular Permeability During the Pre-Implantation Period in Cox-1 Deficient Mice. † 300
The effects of predictive ability information, locus of control, and decision maker involvement on decision aid reliance

This study examines several factors that influence decision makers' willingness to rely on mechanical decision aids. The first experiment examined the effects of predictive ability information and locus of control on decision aid reliance. The results indicate that decision makers were more likely to rely on a decision aid when its predictive validity was not disclosed. Further, decision makers with an external locus of control relied more on the decision aid than those with an internal locus of control. The second experiment expanded upon this result to examine the interactive effects of decision maker involvement and locus of control. The results suggest that involving decision makers in the aid's development enhanced reliance. However, decision makers with an internal locus of control were more strongly influenced by this form of involvement (in terms of increasing their reliance on the decision aid) than decision makers with an external locus of control. Copyright 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Dense TiO2 Coating Using the Solution Precursor Plasma Spray Process

A dense titania (TiO2) coating was deposited from an ethanol solution containing titanium isopropoxide using the solution precursor plasma spray process. Thermal and crystallization behaviors of the solution precursor were investigated by thermal gravimetric analysis–differential thermal analysis, Fourier-transform infrared spectrum, and X-ray diffraction (XRD). XRD and Raman spectrum analyses confirmed that the coating is exclusively composed of rutile TiO2. Scanning electron micrographs show the as-sprayed coating is dense with uniform thickness and there are no coarse splat boundaries. The individual ultrafine splats (1–5 μm diameter) are composed of columnar grains. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis indicates that some Ti–OH groups exist in the as-sprayed coating surface. Deposition mechanisms are described based on model experiments.
Transition and transparency in the employment contract

Purpose – To suggest a counseling model for human resource professionals, firmly based in providing complete transparency, which will assist employees and organizations in adapting to changes in the psychological contract.Design/methodology/approach – The authors posit that as the psychological contract between employers and employees undergoes a metamorphosis reflecting the fundamental changes in the exchange of work and rewards, human resource professionals would be well served to include a counseling approach to employee communication.Findings – The authors suggest that the counseling model will support a culture of transparency and yield positive outcomes for all concerned.Research limitations/implications – The co‐authors relied on their research and own experience in the field of human resource management and student counseling to develop this paper. The suggested model needs to be subjected to the rigors of academic scrutiny before it can be applied. The implications for human resource professional...
Transcriptional regulation of myotrophic actions by testosterone and trenbolone on androgen-responsive muscle

Androgens regulate body composition and skeletal muscle mass in males, but the molecular mechanisms are not fully understood. Recently, we demonstrated that trenbolone (a potent synthetic testosterone analogue that is not a substrate for 5-alpha reductase or for aromatase) induces myotrophic effects in skeletal muscle without causing prostate enlargement, which is in contrast to the known prostate enlarging effects of testosterone. These previous results suggest that the 5α-reduction of testosterone is not required for myotrophic action. We now report differential gene expression in response to testosterone versus trenbolone in the highly androgen-sensitive levator ani/bulbocavernosus (LABC) muscle complex of the adult rat after 6weeks of orchiectomy (ORX), using real time PCR. The ORX-induced expression of atrogenes (Muscle RING-finger protein-1 [MuRF1] and atrogin-1) was suppressed by both androgens, with trenbolone producing a greater suppression of atrogin-1 mRNA compared to testosterone. Both androgens elevated expression of anabolic genes (insulin-like growth factor-1 and mechano-growth factor) after ORX. ORX-induced increases in expression of glucocorticoid receptor (GR) mRNA were suppressed by trenbolone treatment, but not testosterone. In ORX animals, testosterone promoted WNT1-inducible-signaling pathway protein 2 (WISP-2) gene expression while trenbolone did not. Testosterone and trenbolone equally enhanced muscle regeneration as shown by increases in LABC mass and in protein expression of embryonic myosin by western blotting. In addition, testosterone increased WISP-2 protein levels. Together, these findings identify specific mechanisms by which testosterone and trenbolone may regulate skeletal muscle maintenance and growth.
Does the thermal environment influence vigilance behavior in dark-eyed juncos (Junco hyemalis)? An approach using standard operative temperature

Abstract One might expect that increased thermal stress would cause wintering birds to forage faster in order to meet the increased metabolic demand. Faster foraging should, in turn, lead to a reduction in vigilance, since feeding and vigilance are mutually antagonistic activities. We examined these intuitive behavioral expectations using newly developed standard operative temperature sensors designed specifically to characterize the thermal effect of the microclimate environment (rain excluded) on wintering dark-eyed juncos ( Junco hyemalis ). These sensors allowed us to distinguish the behavioral effects of thermal stress from non-thermal effects associated with micrometeorological conditions (e.g. wind noise). Our analysis indicated that neither thermal nor non-thermal aspects of the physical environment influenced the proportion of time spent vigilant by juncos. However, the rate of food ingestion (measured as pecking rate) exhibited a negative correlation with thermal stress per se. This unexpected result may reflect the effect of thermal stress on feeding posture, peripheral muscle cooling, or both. The effect of thermal stress on pecking rate was nevertheless minor in comparison to the effect of flock size, which exerted by far the largest effect on both vigilance and pecking rate. Our overall results suggest that birds experiencing thermal stress will not necessarily lower their vigilance, but rather increase feeding bout length to compensate for the greater metabolic demand. This interpretation is consistent with theoretical models of vigilance in a non-time-limited environment, and may help explain the contradictory results to date on the effect of thermal stress on vigilance.
Integrative simulation: A novel approach to educating culturally competent nurses

Nursing education faces many challenges as a result of the population ’s increased cultural diversification. Of primary importance is the need to prepare culturally competent nurses to provide care in both urban and remote rural areas. This paper presents a HRSA funded program that utilises simulations to provide culturally diverse learning opportunities for both university-based and distance learning students. Cases are developed using focus groups and individual interviews. The information is used with standardised patients to develop vignettes that are loaded into a web-based virtual hospital where students conduct interviews with culturally diverse patients. The information obtained during the interview is then used to provide hands-on care to a high performance simulator (simulated mannequin). The encounters are videotaped for use in debriefing sessions with the students, for educational programs in the classroom, and for video-streaming to web-based distance students. Students in the debriefing sess...
Cilia put a brake on Wnt signalling.

Two studies suggest that the primary cilium, a microtubule-based structure protruding from the surface of most vertebrate cells, has a role in restraining Wnt/β-catenin signalling. These findings have implications for the pathogenesis of a plethora of diseases associated with abnormal cilia; however, the mechanism linking Wnt signalling and cilia remains a mystery.
A single intermediate language that supports multiple implementations of exceptions

We present mechanisms that enable our compiler-target language, C--, to express four of the best known techniques for implementing exceptions, all within a single, uniform framework. We define the mechanisms precisely, using a formal operational semantics. We also show that exceptions need not require special treatment in the optimizer; by introducing extra dataflow edges, we make standard optimization techniques work even on programs that use exceptions. Our approach clarifies the design space of exception-handling techniques, and it allows a single optimizer to handle a variety of implementation techniques. Our ultimate goal is to allow a source-language compiler the freedom to choose its exception-handling policy, while encapsulating the architecture-dependent mechanisms and their optimization in an implementation of C--that can be used by compilers for many source languages.
Extrasynaptic GABAA Receptors and Tonic Inhibition in Rat Auditory Thalamus

BACKGROUND Neural inhibition plays an important role in auditory processing and attentional gating. Extrasynaptic GABA(A) receptors (GABA(A)R), containing α(4)and δ GABA(A)R subunits, are thought to be activated by GABA spillover outside of the synapse following release resulting in a tonic inhibitory Cl(-) current which could account for up to 90% of total inhibition in visual and somatosensory thalamus. However, the presence of this unique type of inhibition has not been identified in auditory thalamus. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS The present study used gaboxadol, a partially selective potent agonist for δ-subunit containing GABA(A) receptor constructs to elucidate the presence of extrasynaptic GABA(A)Rs using both a quantitative receptor binding assay and patch-clamp electrophysiology in thalamic brain slices. Intense [(3)H]gaboxadol binding was found to be localized to the MGB while whole cell recordings from MGB neurons in the presence of gaboxadol demonstrated the expression of δ-subunit containing GABA(A)Rs capable of mediating a tonic inhibitory Cl(-) current. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE Potent tonic inhibitory GABA(A)R responses mediated by extrasynaptic receptors may be important in understanding how acoustic information is processed by auditory thalamic neurons as it ascends to auditory cortex. In addition to affecting cellular behavior and possibly neurotransmission, functional extrasynaptic δ-subunit containing GABA(A)Rs may represent a novel pharmacological target for the treatment of auditory pathologies including temporal processing disorders or tinnitus.
Upper body musculoskeletal symptoms of Latino poultry processing workers and a comparison group of Latino manual workers

Background: Upper body musculoskeletal injuries are often attributed to rapid work pace and repetitive motions. These job features are common in poultry processing, an industry that relies on Latino immigrants. Few studies document the symptom burden of immigrant Latinos employed in poultry processing or other manual jobs. Methods: Latino poultry processing workers (n?=?403) and a comparison population of 339 Latino manual workers reported symptoms for six upper body sites during interviews. We tabulated symptoms and explored factors associated with symptom counts. Results: Back symptoms and wrist/hand symptoms lasting more than 1-day were reported by over 35% of workers. Poultry processing workers reported more symptoms than comparison workers, especially wrist and elbow symptoms. The number of sites at which workers reported symptoms was elevated for overtime workers and workers who spoke an indigenous language during childhood. Conclusion: Workplace conditions facing poultry processing and indigenous language speaking workers deserve further exploration.
Structure and Properties of Inversion Domain Boundaries in β-Sic

The structure of inversion domain boundaries in β-SiC (i.e. boundaries between domains with inverted Si and C positions) is investigated by means of a Keating model. For the (110) boundary, the relaxation of the C-C and Si-Si bonds towards the ideal bond lengths which occur in the diamond structure can basically be achieved by a rotation of neighboring Si-C bonds. For the (001) boundary, it is achieved by varying the spacing between the domains. The electronic properties and total energy of formation of the relaxed (110) boundary are studied by means of linear muffin-tin orbital calculations. The interface localized states in the semiconducting gap are mainly due to the Si-Si bonds and lead to a semimetallic situation near the interface.