cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The billion cell construct: will three-dimensional printing get us there?

How structure relates to function—across spatial scales, from the single molecule to the whole organism—is a central theme in biology. Bioengineers, however, wrestle with the converse question: will function follow form? That is, we struggle to approximate the architecture of living tissues experimentally, hoping that the structure we create will lead to the function we desire. A new means to explore the relationship between form and function in living tissue has arrived with three-dimensional printing, but the technology is not without limitations.
LOW TEMPERATURE RESONANCE RAMAN STUDY OF THE L INTERMEDIATE OF BACTERIORHODOPSIN

— Resonance Raman spectra of photostationary state mixtures at — 80°C of bR568, L, L′, and M for light-adapted bacteriorhodopsin were obtained. The approximate Raman spectrum of L + L’ was obtained by computer, subtracting the known Raman spectra of bR568 and M from the photostationary state spectra. Several new species not previously observed with the bacteriorhodopsin photocycle have been proposed recently. We compare our results to these studies in order to investigate the photoreaction scheme of bacteriorhodopsin.
Bone Concentrations of Antimicrobial Agents After Parenteral Administration

Bone concentrations of seven antimicrobial agents were determined after parenteral administration. Antibiotics were administered in large doses at customary intervals for 12 to 20 h before total hip or knee replacement; anticipated levels of each drug were achieved in the serum. Methicillin, carbenicillin, and clindamycin were detected in bone with greatest frequency. Cefazolin and gentamicin were each detected in bone specimens from only one of four patients. Neither penicillin G nor cephalothin was present in bone in sufficient quantity to be measurable. These data suggest that a number of factors, in addition to serum concentration, affect concentration of antimicrobial agents in bone. The clinical significance of the relationship between bone concentrations of antibiotics and therapeutic outcome is not certain.
A precedence effect model to simulate localization dominance using an adaptive, stimulus parameter-based inhibition process.

A number of precedence-effect models have been developed to simulate the robust localization performance of humans in reverberant conditions. Although they are able to reduce reverberant information for many conditions, they tend to fail for ongoing stimuli with truncated on/offsets, a condition human listeners master when localizing a sound source in the presence of a reflection, according to a study by Dizon and Colburn [J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 119, 2947–2964 (2006)]. This paper presents a solution for this condition by using an autocorrelation mechanism to estimate the delay and amplitude ratio between the leading and lagging signals. An inverse filter is then used to eliminate the lag signal, before it is localized with a standard localization algorithm. The current algorithm can operate on top of a basic model of the auditory periphery (gammatone filter bank, half-wave rectification) to simulate psychoacoustic data by Braasch et al. [Acoust. Sci. Tech. 24, 293–303 (2003)] and Dizon and Colburn. The model performs robustly with these on/offset truncated and interaural level difference based stimuli and is able to demonstrate the Haas effect.
Strategies for Improving Visual Inspection Performance

This paper summarizes recent results obtained in inspection studies including several studies performed by the authors. Both static and dynamic visual inspection tasks are included. Based on these results, a proposed new integrated design procedure for inspection tasks that will approach the optimal design has been formulated. The review of recent research results includes the following primary variables: the speed of the item passing the inspector, the spacing of items, the percentage of defective items, the illumination level, the contrast between the item being inspected and the background, and the effectiveness of individual versus group inspection. The authors have used their research results in combination with the results in the literature to formulate new integrated procedures for designing inspection stations and job procedures. The authors have also analyzed the effects of inspector performance on the overall quality control plans already in use in industry. The economic effects of changes in in...
Higher waves along U.S. East Coast linked to hurricanes

Ocean wave heights measured by buoys along the U.S. Atlantic coast document an increase during the summer months when hurricanes are most important to wave generation. Wave heights greater than 3 meters, which can be attributed to specific hurricanes, have increased on average by 0.7–1.8 meters in the past 30 years, with the southernmost buoy that is offshore of Charleston, S.C., experiencing the highest rate of increase. The most extreme hourly averaged wave heights generated by major hurricanes have increased from about 7 meters early in the records of the buoys to more than 10 meters during the most recent decade. This increase in wave heights can be attributed in large part to a progressive intensification of the hurricanes, which Emanuel [2005] has documented through his analyses of hurricane wind speeds.
Technique and results of pulmonary vein angiography in patients undergoing catheter ablation of atrial fibrillation.

Introduction: Delineation of pulmonary vein (PV) anatomy is an integral part of the PV isolation procedure. The aims of the present study were to (1) describe the technique of selective PV angiography, (2) show the typical fluoroscopic locations and appearance of the PVs, and (3) compare the ostial diameters of PVs measured by angiography and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Methods and Results: Twenty consecutive patients undergoing a PV isolation procedure underwent selective PV angiography using a deflectable 8-French lumened catheter (Naviport, Cardima). The left superior PV (LSPV) runs upward and away from the spine in the right anterior oblique (RAO) projection and upward and toward the spine in the left anterior oblique (LAO) projection. The opposite is true for the right superior PV (RSPV). The left inferior PV (LIPV) has a bull's-eye appearance in the RAO projection, and the right inferior PV (RIPV) has a bull's-eye appearance in the LAO projection due to their end-on trajectories. The LIPV in the LAO projection and the RIPV in the RAO projection run horizontally toward the spine. An excellent correlation was noted in PV ostial size as assessed by angiography and MRI (r2 < 0.90, P < 0.0001). Conclusion: This study describes the technique and results of PV angiography and fluoroscopy. The study also demonstrates good correlation of PV ostial diameters by contrast venography and MRI. PV angiography can be used as an alternate to MRI or computed tomographic imaging, particularly when these tests are unavailable or are contraindicated in the patient. (J Cardiovasc Electrophysiol, Vol. 15, pp. 21-26, January 2004)
The ultrastructural effects of triparanol on rat atrial muscle.

The atrial musculature of rats given the cholesterol inhibitor triparanol (MER/29) (250 mg/kg daily) for 8 days was examined under the electron microscope and compared with that from untreated animals. The sarcoplasmic core of muscle fibers from animals given triparanol exhibited a new formation of sarcoplasmic granules which displayed a crystalline latticework with opaque lines approximately 40–60 A separated by clear spaces 50–70 A. They were partially or completely surrounded by a membrane. The crystalline bodies in cardiac muscle fibers were not as numerous as those observed in adrenocortical, testicular interstitial, or luteal cells as reported earlier by the investigators.
An ELISA for anti-thymocyte autoantibody in NZB mice Comparison with the cytotoxic assay

An ELISA is described for the detection of anti-thymocyte antibody found in the serum of NZB autoimmune mice. This assay avoids the disadvantages of previous assay techniques which require carefully selected complement sources and/or radioactive labelled target cells. Thymocytes from a variety of strains of mice can be used as the antigenic targets, and the plates stored as long as 1 month. The lymphoma line EL4 can be used as the antigenic target in this assay, but it not as sensitive to most serum pools as thymocytes.
Comments on a recent paper by W. Zijl

A recent paper by W. Zijl, which reformulated the Navier–Stokes and Boussinesq equations in terms of Clebsch potentials, has an error that greatly reduces the generality of the results. Some other recent efforts to use such potentials in fluid and plasma dynamics are briefly discussed.
Static pressure and velocity profiles in swirling incompressible tube flow

The phenomenon of reversing axial flow in swirling incompressible flow through a tube has been investigated experimentally. The study was carried out in a 2 in. I.D. test section of plexiglass tubing 10 ft. long. The swirl was introduced by injection of the total fluid stream through two symmetric tangential inlets perpendicular to the tube. Measurements have been made with specially constructed stagnation and static pressure probes. Velocity and pressure profiles obtained for tests conducted at four Reynold's Numbers in one fixed geometrical configuration are presented and discussed in general terms. Swirl decay rate is characterized in a plot of weighted tangential velocity/inlet velocity ratio versus distance along the test section from the inlets. A model presented by a previous investigator to explain the flow reversal phenomenon is discussed in the light of present work. Finally the data is used in an order of magnitude analysis to reduce the turbulent Navier-Stokes equation describing the flow to simpler (though still indeterminate) form.
Multi-target protein-chemical interaction prediction using task-regularized and boosted multi-task learning

Interactions between proteins and small-molecule chemicals modulate many protein functions and biological processes, and identifying these interactions is a crucial step in modern drug discovery. Supervised learning methods for predicting protein-chemical interactions (PCI) have been widely studied, but their performance is largely limited by insufficient availability of binding data for many proteins. In addition, many complex diseases such as Alzheimer's disease and cancers are found associated with multiple target proteins. Chemicals that selectively modulate only one of these target proteins are unable to effectively conquer these diseases. In this paper we propose two multi-task learning (MTL) algorithms for predicting active compounds of multiple proteins related to the same diseases, some of which may have very few binding examples. In the first method we optimize the likelihood of compound features with a Gaussian prior, while the second method boosts compound features using a number of independent boosting classifiers. Experimental studies demonstrate significant performance improvement of our MTL methods over baseline methods. Our MTL methods are also able to accurately identify promiscuous compounds that interact with multiple related proteins.
Screening for Autism Spectrum Disorders in 12-Month-Old High-Risk Siblings by Parental Report

This study examines whether parental report of social-communicative and repetitive behaviors at 12 months can be helpful in identifying autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in younger siblings of children with ASD [high-risk (HR)-siblings]. Parents of HR-siblings and infants without a family history of ASD completed the First Year Inventory at 12 months. Developmental outcomes were based on 24- or 36-month assessments. HR-siblings later diagnosed with ASD showed greater impairments in social communication than those with other developmental outcomes based on parental and clinician ratings. Parental report of decline in play and communication and impaired vocal imitation correctly classified a majority of ASD cases with high specificity. These preliminary findings have important implications for the development of early screening instruments for ASD in HR-siblings.
Nitrogen-Doped Mesoporous Carbon for Carbon Capture – A Molecular Simulation Study

Using molecular simulation, we investigate the effect of nitrogen doping on adsorption capacity and selectivity of CO2 versus N2 in model mesoporous carbon. We show that nitrogen doping greatly enh...
Some considerations in the design of new antineoplastic agents.

The design of many antineoplastic agents has been based on atom or group replacement in normal metabolites. New dimensions are being added to this approach by the synthesis of transition state, bisubstrate and “suicide” inhibitors. These provide greater potency and in some cases selectivity. Leads for differential sensitivity of viral infected cells are appearing (5′-amino-5-iodo-3′,5′-dideoxy-uridine, AIU). Equally important has been the development of repository and precursor forms of active drugs along with structures having altered physical and metabolic properties. In the future combination therapy may include drugs whose intrinsic antitumor activity is relatively low but which in combination provide the means of potentiating the antitumor activity of other agents (THU, deoxycoformycin, pyrazofurin). Finally, the potential for developing macromolecular “drugs” such as therapeutic enzymes and peptide hormone analogs must be viewed as a whole new area for drug design. Cancer 40:529–533, 1977.
Low dose oral methotrexate in rheumatoid arthritis: an uncontrolled trial and review of the literature

New therapeutic alternatives are needed for patients with progressive RA unresponsive to gold or D-penicillamine. Azathioprine and cyclophosphamide can be effective but have been linked with the development of lymphoreticular malignancies. In an effort to exploit a less toxic agent, we have been impressed by the results and minimal toxicity of low dose oral MTX. Extensive application of this regimen in psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis indicates that low dose MTX does not have an unusual risk for developing cancer. In addition, prior experience with other rheumatic disorders and preliminary studies on the mechanism of action suggest a potential value in RA. We present our initial retrospective results in 28 patients with refractory RA given low dose oral MTX over the past 2.5 yr. An apparent positive response was noted in 19 of these patients (67%) and is similar to the experience of other clinicians. At the same time, the toxicity has been low and, with one exception, amenable to dose modification. Methotrexate in various regimens is being increasingly employed in refractory RA. Issues concerning the pharmacology and potential toxicity are, therefore, important. These topics are reviewed with emphasis on low dose therapy and hepatotoxicity. Despite the encouraging preliminary results it is unclear whether MTX can prevent erosions or improve long-term function and quality of life in RA. There are still no controlled perspective studies comparing MTX to placebo or other immunosuppressive agents in RA. Although short-term toxicity is low, long-term toxicity, especially hepatic, is uncertain. As a result, a controlled, long-term prospective study is necessary.
Differential DM20 mRNA expression distinguishes two distinct patterns of spontaneous recovery from murine autoimmune encephalomyelitis.

Experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) is an animal model for multiple sclerosis (MS) mediated by T cells responding to CNS myelin proteins. Immunization of SWXJ mice with the immunodominant p139-151 peptide of myelin proteolipid protein (PLP) results in a relapsing-remitting pattern of EAE characterized by incomplete remyelination during clinical recovery. In the present study we observed two distinct clinical patterns of spontaneous remission during recovery from EAE, viz., sustained remission involving continuous neurologic improvement and aborted remission involving modest transient clinical improvement. We hypothesized that the ability to recover from autoimmune demyelination was directly linked to remyelination events that recapitulated developmental processes. Quantitative immunocytochemistry of CNS tissue showed decreased demyelination in mice undergoing sustained remission compared to mice undergoing aborted remission. Quantitative RT-PCR analysis showed elevated expression of DM20, the developmental isoform of PLP, in CNS tissue from mice undergoing sustained remission compared to mice undergoing aborted recovery. Moreover, DM20 expression was similarly elevated in CNS tissue from mice undergoing sustained recovery from EAE relapse. Our data indicate that expression of the developmental DM20 isoform of PLP is intimately associated with decreased demyelination and sustained clinical recovery from EAE. Thus, DM20 gene expression may provide an appropriate molecular target for promoting CNS remyelination and may serve as a useful marker for predicting clinical outcome and assessing the effectiveness of strategies aimed at promoting CNS tissue repair during autoimmune demyelinating disease. J. Neurosci. Res. 64:542–551, 2001. © 2001 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Permeability and fracture patterns in extrusive volcanic rocks: Implications from the welded Santana Tuff, Trans-Pecos Texas

The Santana Tuff of Trans-Pecos Texas is a nonwelded to thoroughly welded, fractured, vitric crystal tuff. The unsaturated welded portions of the Santana Tuff were examined to determine its matrix permeability and fracture patterns; more than 1,100 permeability measurements on tuff surfaces were taken with a gas minipermeameter. Independent variables included the degree of surficial weathering, the presence of rock varnish, and the orientation of the surface with respect to direction of emplacement and flattening. The mean permeabilities for fresh, weathered, and varnished surfaces were 55.33 md, 5.03 md, and 3.31 md, respectively. The fresh-surface measurements are significantly different from the other two surface types, both of which were from statistically equivalent populations. Analyses on cut surfaces showed about a 30% decrease in permeability perpendicular to (flow direction and) flattening. This trend was also evident on the varnished and weathered surfaces. Weathering rinds (including the varnish) decrease the permeability. In thin section, the rinds exhibit a thin layer of dark minerals (mostly Fe oxides). SEM photographs of the weathered and varnished surfaces show a lamellate texture indicative of coating by smectitic clay particles. Fracture patterns were examined at six outcrops, spanning 9 km. A pavement was mapped at one outcrop. Rose diagrams and stereonets were prepared from more than 300 observations. Although the composite data show two main orientations of nearly vertical cooling fractures, the fracture trends vary considerably even between out-crops in proximity to each other. Field observations indicate that fractures are continuous across individual flow boundaries. At the mapped outcrop, the fracture density and trace-length are fractal between the 0.5 m and 3 m range (the fractal dimension of fracture density was 1.44, and the length of the fracture was scale-dependent, but a fractal dimension of fracture lengths was not able to be determined). A lower percentage of abutting fractures was observed here than has been noted in similar studies in Nevada. This study demonstrates that weathering along fractures reduces fracture-matrix interactions in such rocks and that fracture patterns on a regional scale may be difficult to characterize.
Assessment of 11β-Hydroxylase Activity with Plasma Corticosterone, Deoxycorticosterone, Cortisol, and Deoxycortisol: Role of ACTH and Angiotensin

In this study we evaluated the role of ACTH and angiotensin on regulation of activities of 11β-hydroxylases of the adrenal cortex. The ratio of the plasma concentrations of 11 deoxycorticosterone (DOC) to plasma corticosterone (B) reflected the activity of the enzyme of the B and/or aldosterone pathways, and the ratio of plasma 11-deoxycortisol (S) to plasma cortisol (F) as the activity of the enzyme in the F pathway. In normal subjects, both ratios were significantly lower at 0800–0900 h (Doc to B,.01 ±.004, mean ± SE, n = 10; and S to F,.01 ±.003) than at 2000 h (DOC to B,.028 ±.024 and S to F,.015 ±.005). The plasma levels of DOC, B, S and F were all significantly lower at 2000–2100 h than at 0800–0900 h. In contrast 9 patients with Cushing's syndrome exhibited no diurnal change in the ratios. The ratios increased substantially following dexamethasone or metyrapone administration. A high or low salt diet and an angiotensin infusion produced no significant effect on the ratios. The plasma concentration ...
Liver SUV in whole body 18F FDG-PET/CT: Stability and correlation with age and gender

2125 Objectives PET/CT imaging is a diagnostic tool that is used for cancer detection and treatment evaluation. Stability of background FDG uptake in normal tissue is important for verifying that a PET study is performed properly from a technical standpoint. The liver SUV is often used as an internal reference to which lesion SUV can be compared. The purpose of this study was to determine the impact of age and gender on the liver SUV, and further evaluate if the liver SUV is a stable and consistent reference point across a large group of cancer patients. Methods We retrospectively reviewed reports of Whole-Body PET/CT (n=1149) scans on patients >18 years of age at a single institution from 6/08-2/09. In our institution, liver SUVmax, as an internal reference measured from mid-right hepatic lobe, is always reported for all patients undergoing PET/CT evaluation. Patients’ sex, age on the date of the scan and correlating liver SUV from their respective PET/CT exam was noted. To evaluate changes in liver SUVmax with age and gender, data was analyzed using independent t-test and Pearson9s correlation coefficient. Results For the 1149 studied patients, mean liver SUVmax was 2.2. The difference in liver SUVs between female and males was not statistically significant (p=.19). There was no correlation between age and liver SUVmax (Pearson9s correlation coefficient=.13). Conclusions There is little to no correlation between age and gender on liver SUV. Liver SUV is a very stable and a reproducible internal reference among adult populations. This allows for accurate quantifiable information in assessing response to cancer therapy for patients undergoing 8F FDG-PET/CT whole body studies
Adaptive Data Placement in an Embedded Multiprocessor Thread Library

Embedded multiprocessors pose new challenges in the design and implementation of embedded software. This has led to the need for programming interfaces that expose the capabilities of the underlying hardware. In addition, for systems that implement applications consisting of multiple concurrent threads of computation, the optimized management of inter-thread communication is crucial for realizing high-performance. This paper presents the design of an application-adaptive thread library that conforms to the IEEE POSIX 1003.1c threading standard (Pthreads). The library adapts the placement of both explicitly marked application data objects, as well as implicitly created data objects, in a physically distributed on-chip memory architecture, based on the application’s data access characteristics.
Classroom Games Rent-Seeking and the Inefficiency of Non-Market Allocations

Economics is often taught at a level of abstraction that can hinder some students from gaining basic intuition. However, lecture and textbook presentations can be complemented with classroom exercises in which students make decisions and interact. The approach can increase interest in and decrease skepticism about economic theory. This feature offers short descriptions of classroom exercises for a variety of economics courses, with something of an emphasis on the more popular undergraduate courses. Suggestions for future columns and comments on past ones should be sent to Charles Holt, c/o Journal of Economic Perspectives, Department of Economics, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia 22903-3288.
Regulation of tension on hair-cell transduction channels: displacement and calcium dependence.

An epithelial preparation of the bullfrog sacculus was used to characterize the initial rate of the adaptation mechanism in hair cells and its dependence on displacement and calcium. The I(X) curve relating transduction current and bundle displacement shifted along the X-axis without substantial change in slope, as previously observed, suggesting that adaptation involves a change in the attachment point of the elastic element connected to ion channels. If the “tip links” model of transduction is correct, this implies that one end of the link moves along the side of the stereocilium. The rates were highly asymmetric: in the tensioning direction the rate was roughly constant at 1– microns/sec (calculated as motion along a stereocilium); this is similar to that of myosin on actin. In the relaxing direction it appeared linearly dependent on tension. Calcium preferentially potentiated the relaxation, and apparently reduced the resting tension in the elastic element. The calcium site appears specific for calcium, as other divalent cations inhibited its action. Dihydrostreptomycin inhibited the positive rate, but its effect could not be explained by a simple channel block, and it seems inconsistent with screening of negative charge in the mouth of the transduction channel.
The effect of texture shape on the friction coefficient and stiffness of gas-lubricated parallel slider bearings

Abstract Surface texturing is used to increase hydrodynamic pressure and reduce friction and wear between gas-lubricated parallel sliding surfaces in a variety of applications. The shape, geometry, and density of the patterned microtexture features (“dimples”) play a key role in the tribological performance of textured slider bearings. In this paper we evaluate the friction coefficient and stiffness of gas-lubricated textured parallel slider bearings as a function of six different texture shapes. The texture geometry and density are optimized in terms of minimum friction coefficient and maximum bearing stiffness for each individual texture shape, and then compared relative to each other. The ellipsoidal shape is found to yield the minimum friction coefficient and the highest bearing stiffness, independent of the operating conditions.
Demonstration of the Weighted-Incidence Syndromic Combination Antibiogram: An Empiric Prescribing Decision Aid

objective. Healthcare providers need a better empiric antibiotic prescribing aid than the traditional antibiogram, which supplies no information on the relative frequency of organisms recovered in a given infection and which is uninformative in situations where multiple antimicrobials are used or multiple organisms are anticipated. We aimed to develop and demonstrate a novel empiric prescribing decision aid. design/setting. This is a demonstration involving more than 9,000 unique encounters for abdominal-biliary infection (ABI) and urinary tract infection (UTI) to a large healthcare system with a fully integrated electronic health record (EHR). methods. We developed a novel method of displaying microbiology data called the weighted-incidence syndromic combination antibiogram (WISCA) for 2 clinical syndromes, ABI and UTI. The WISCA combines simple diagnosis and microbiology data from the EHR to (1) classify patients by syndrome and (2) determine, for each patient with a given syndrome, whether a given regimen (1 or more agents) would have covered all the organisms recovered for their infection. This allows data to be presented such that clinicians can see the probability that a particular regimen will cover a particular infection rather than the probability that a single drug will cover a single organism. results. There were 997 encounters for ABI and 8,232 for UTI. A WISCA was created for each syndrome and compared with a traditional antibiogram for the same period. conclusions. Novel approaches to data compilation and display can overcome limitations to the utility of the traditional antibiogram in helping providers choose empiric antibiotics.
Amlodipine/benazepril: fixed dose combination therapy for hypertension

Myocardial infarction, stroke, heart failure and end-stage renal disease have all been linked to inadequate control of blood pressure. Despite overwhelming evidence that uncontrolled hypertension is responsible for a sizeable number of adverse health-related outcomes, control of the disease remains considerably suboptimal. Available data demonstrate that in order to achieve adequate blood pressure control, a large number of patients require therapy with more than one medication. Fixed dose combination antihypertensive therapy has many advantages over other treatment options. Positive effects on blood pressure control, rates of adherence, adverse effects and cost have been identified. Amlodipine/benazepril (Lotrel®, Novartis) is a fixed dose combination product indicated for the treatment of hypertension. Although not currently recommended as first-line therapy, studies confirm that this combination of a long-acting calcium antagonist and an angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor possesses substanti...
Organic trace gases of oceanic origin observed at South Pole during ISCAT 2000

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) were measured at the South Pole (SP) from late Austral spring to mid-summer 2000 as part of the Investigation of Sulfur Chemistry in the Antarctic Troposphere Program (ISCAT-2000). This paper focuses on VOCs that are directly emitted from the ocean, specifically dimethyl sulfide (DMS), methyl nitrate (CH3ONO2), methyl iodide (CH3I) and bromoform (CHBr3). A partial seasonal cycle of these gases was also recorded during the year following ISCAT-2000. During the summer, the SP periodically receives relatively fresh marine air containing short-lived oceanic trace gases, such as DMS( tE1 day). However, DMSwas not detected at the S P until January even though DMSemissions from the Southern Ocean typically start peaking in November and elevated levels of other ocean-derived VOCs, including CH3ONO2 and CHBr3, were observed in mid-November. We speculate that in November and December most of the DMSis oxidized before it reaches the S P: a strong correlation between CH3ONO2 and methane sulfonate (MSA), an oxidation product of DMS, supports this hypothesis. Based on a limited number of samples taken over the course of one year, CH3ONO2 apparently accumulates to a quasi-steady-state level over the SP in winter, most likely due to continuing emissions of the compound coupled with a lower rate of photochemical destruction. Oceanic emissions were concluded to be the dominant source of alkyl nitrates at the SP; this is in sharp contrast to northern high latitudes where total alkyl nitrate mixing ratios are dominated by urban sources. r 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Multimedia correlation analysis in unstructured peer-to-peer networks

Recent years saw the rapid development of peer-to-peer (P2P) networks in a great variety of applications. However, similarity-based k-nearest-neighbor retrieval (k-NN) is still a challenging task in P2P networks due to the multiple constraints such as the dynamic topologies and the unpredictable data updates. Caching is an attractive solution that reduces network traffic and hence could remedy the technological constraints of P2P networks. However, traditional caching techniques have some major shortcomings that make them unsuitable for similarity search, such as the lack of semantic locality representation and the rigidness of exact matching on data objects. To facilitate the efficient similarity search, we propose semantic-aware caching scheme (SAC) in this paper. The proposed scheme is hierarchy-free, fully dynamic, non-flooding, and do not add much system overhead. By exploring the content distribution, SAC drastically reduces the cost of similarity-based k-NN retrieval in P2P networks. The performance of SAC is evaluated through simulation study and compared against several search schemes as advanced in the literature.
Egg Production Rate and Fertility in Inbred Chickens

Abstract THERE has been an increasing amount of interest in inbreeding and hybridizing chickens which has become an important phase in many poultry breeding programs. The effect of inbreeding on the reproductive capacity of chickens influences the decision concerning the following: number and size of the inbred lines, ways of testing inbred lines, rates and ultimate levels of inbreeding and eventual commercial use of the surviving lines. As an example, if reproductive capacity is not greatly reduced, the most efficient methods will tend toward starting with many small lines, using intense inbreeding carried to high levels, practicing intense selection between lines continuously, and expanding the surviving lines rapidly in order to test in crosses. On the other hand, if reproductive capacity is greatly reduced, selection within lines would be emphasized instead of selection between lines. The lines would need to be larger and the process of making and testing lines would . . .
Mass-producible monolithic silicon probes for scanning probe microscopes

This paper describes the design, fabrication, and characterization of monolithically micromachined silicon probes for Scanning Probe Microscopes (SPM) applications. Each probe contains three integral components: an atomically sharp tip, a supporting flexural beam and a handle for packaging. A new fabrication technology for producing highly uniform devices has been developed, in which robust processing steps such as oxidation sharpening and etch stop are utilised to replace steps that require critical timing. Improved device uniformity and mass-producibility include the following aspects: (1) wafer- as well as batch-scale uniformity of tip/beam geometry, (2) robust compensation of uncertainty and inaccuracy in process and materials, and (3) no requirement for post-process assembly (e.g. wafer-wafer bonding). The flexural beam exhibits good mechanical characteristics (high resonant frequency, zero intrinsic stress, low creep and fatigue) due to the monolithic single crystal silicon material used. Mechanical characteristics of the probes, including resonant frequencies and quality factor, have been experimentally determined using a laser Doppler vibrometer. The operation of probes has been successfully demonstrated in force feedback configuration (AFM mode).
Effectiveness of a Required Course in Career Planning for Psychology Majors

Two studies investigated the effectiveness of a course in career planning for psychology majors. Study 1 used a quasi-experimental design. Students who completed a corequisite research methods course in the year before the department added the careers course to the curriculum served as a comparison group. Analyses showed that students in the careers course increased their self-perceived knowledge of career options for psychology majors, confidence in their ability to make career decisions, and movement toward achievement of vocational identity. In Study 2, precourse versus postcourse comparisons demonstrated increases in actual career-related knowledge and in both career exploration and decidedness. Results suggest that such courses can facilitate career development among psychology majors.
The Promise and Perils of Alternative Forms of Data Representation

This article addresses the potential strengths and weaknesses of alternative forms of data representation. As educational researchers become increasingly interested in the relationship between form of representation and form of understanding, new representational forms are being used to convey to "readers" what has been learned. These explorations are rooted in an expanding conception of the nature of knowledge and the relationship between what one knows and how it is represented. While new forms of representation have their potential virtues, they also have their limitations. The uses and limitations of these new methods are addressed in what follows.
A Bioeconomic Approach to Marriage and the Sexual Division of Labor

Children may be viewed as public goods whereby both parents receive equal genetic benefits yet one parent often invests more heavily than the other. We introduce a microeconomic framework for understanding household investment decisions to address questions concerning conflicts of interest over types and amount of work effort among married men and women. Although gains and costs of marriage may not be spread equally among marriage partners, marriage is still a favorable, efficient outcome under a wide range of conditions. This bioeconomic framework subsumes both cooperative and conflictive views on the sexual division of labor. We test hypotheses concerning marriage markets, assortative mating, and men’s labor motivations among Tsimane forager-horticulturalists of Bolivia and find that: (1) men and women both value work effort in marital partners, (2) marital labor contributions are complementary, (3) work effort is correlated between spouses, (4) total production is correlated with total reproduction, and (5) better hunters have higher fitness gains within marital unions.
Control of intrinsic buccal muscles by motoneurons B11, B15, and B16 in Aplysia californica

To further define the control of intrinsic buccal muscles by identified motoneurons B11, B15, and B16 in Aplysia californica, we made physiological recordings from semi-intact and isolated preparations of the buccal ganglia and buccal mass. B15 and B16 were previously known to innervate muscle 15 (also called the accessory radula closer muscle). We show here that these motoneurons also innervate other buccal muscles ipsilateral to their cell bodies; for example, B15 reliably innervates and can cause contraction in intrinsic muscle 14. Likewise, B11 appears to innervate all of the intrinsic buccal muscles, but elicits contractions only in I4. The form and time course of synaptic plasticity displayed by these motoneurons is common to all the muscles they innervate. No evidence for electrical coupling between fibers of adjacent muscles could be obtained, suggesting that all recorded innervation is direct. Like B15 and B16 (Cohen et al., '78), B11 neuromuscular synapses appear to be cholinergic, since they are reversibly antagonized by hexamethonium and d-tubocurarine (acetylcholine [ACh] receptor antagonists). In addition, direct application of ACh elicits depolarizing responses and contractions in I4 which are also blocked by hexamethonium. Application of glutamate and GABA do not elicit depolarizations or contractions in I4 or I5. We conclude that these motoneurons control radula position through complex synaptic actions on multiple intrinsic buccal muscles, using ACh as their conventional transmitter. © 1993 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Sonographic evaluation of upper extremity deep venous thrombosis.

Objective The purpose of this presentation is to review the techniques of performing an upper extremity Doppler examination, in addition to illustrating the sonographic appearances of acute and chronic upper extremity deep venous thrombosis (UEDVT). Methods The risk factors and complications of UEDVT are discussed, and the anatomy of the upper extremity deep venous system as well as examination techniques are described. Cases of acute and chronic deep venous thrombosis were also chosen to illustrate the spectrum of sonographic appearances. Results Color Doppler sonography is accurate in the diagnosis of UEDVT. However, in cases of equivocal Doppler findings, or when the sonographic findings are normal but clinical suspicion for central venous thrombosis is high, magnetic resonance or contrast venography is necessary for further evaluation. Conclusions Color Doppler sonography is a rapid and noninvasive technique in the evaluation of venous disease in the upper extremity and is the modality of choice in screening for UEDVT.
FULL-SCALE SHAKE TABLE INVESTIGATION OF BRIDGE ABUTMENT LATERAL EARTH PRESSURE

SUMMARY During strong seismic excitation, passive earth pressure at the abutments may provide resistance to longitudinal displacement of the bridge deck. The dynamic pressure component may also contribute to undesirable abutment movement or damage. Current uncertainty in the passive force-displacement relationship and in the dynamic response of abutment backfills continues to motivate large-scale experimentation. In this regard, a test series is conducted to measure static and dynamic lateral earth pressure on a 1.7 meter high bridge abutment wall. Built in a large soil container, the wall is displaced horizontally into the dense sand backfill, in order to record the passive force-displacement relationship. The wall-backfill system is also subjected to shake table excitation. In the conducted tests, lateral earth pressure on the wall remained close to the static value during the low to moderate shaking events (up to about 0.5g). At higher levels of input acceleration, a substantial portion of the backfill inertial force started to clearly act on the wall.
The structural basis of oocyte-granulosa cell communication.

The ontogeny of female germ cells in animals encompasses phases of prolonged storage, rapid growth and maturation, and mechanisms for releasing oocytes from the ovary (Wallace and Selman 1990). Ovarian follicles provide the multicellular unit for prolonged storage of oocytes both prior to and during the reproductive lifespan of females. The follicle, formed by the physical interaction of oocytes and granulosa cells, supports the rapid growth and maturation of oocytes (Canipari 1994). To accomplish this, the somatic granulosa cells surrounding the oocyte undergo periodic changes in structure and function that concurrently attend the needs of the developing oocyte and organismal reproductive cyclicity. The physical linkage between female germ cells and the ovarian soma is finally interrupted during the process of ovulation, even though in many animals the oocyte is released with somatic cells attached to the oolemma or investing extracellular matrices (Suzuki et al. 2000). Thus, from both a phylogenetic and ontogenetic perspective, oogenesis clearly involves a protracted period of contact between the oocyte and surrounding follicle cells. The morphological and physiological relevance of oocyte—granulosa cell contact in the mammalian ovary is considered below with reference to the form, composition and functions subserved by specialized structures known as transzonal projections (TZPs).
Gyrogroup actions: A generalization of group actions

Abstract This article explores the novel notion of gyrogroup actions, which is a natural generalization of the usual notion of group actions. As a first step toward the study of gyrogroup actions from the algebraic viewpoint, we prove three well-known theorems in group theory for gyrogroups: the orbit-stabilizer theorem, the orbit decomposition theorem, and the Burnside lemma (or the Cauchy–Frobenius lemma). We then prove that under a certain condition, a gyrogroup G acts transitively on the set G / H of left cosets of a subgyrogroup H in G in a natural way. From this we prove the structure theorem that every transitive action of a gyrogroup can be realized as a gyrogroup action by left gyroaddition. We also exhibit concrete examples of gyrogroup actions from the Mobius and Einstein gyrogroups.
Self-incompatibility of Zinnia angustifolia HBK (compositae)

Visible light and UV epifluorescence microscopy were used to assess self-incompatibility (SI) in Zinnia angustifolia clones. Pistils were fixed 24 h after pollination and stained either with aniline blue in lactophenol (visible light microscopy) or decolorized aniline blue (fluorescence microscopy). Percentage of florets with embryos 21 days following pollination (% embryo set) was used as a control. Embryo set following self- or incompatible cross-pollinations ranged from 0% to 9.9%, whereas compatible crosses yielded 55.5%–87.1% embryo set. Observations using visible light microscopy indicated pollen load and number of germinated grains were significantly higher for compatible compared to incompatible crosses, and both variables were positively correlated (r = 0.89–0.96) to % embryo set. Examinations with UV epifluorescence microscopy revealed pollen load was higher and little or no callose accumulated in stigmatic papillae following compatible crosses, whereas for incompatible crosses, pollen load was low and callose lenticules were deposited in stigmatic papillae; the correlation between pollen load and % embryo set was 0.89. The intensity of callose fluorescence of the pollen tube-papillae attachment sites was quantitatively measured via micro spectrofluorometry. Callose fluorescence intensity ranged from 47.9% to 62.6% for incompatible and from 6.4% to 9.9% for compatible crosses, and was negatively correlated (r= — 0.95) with % embryo set. Microscopal techniques permit rapid assessment of SI and may be used routinely when each observed or measured parameter is highly correlated to the incompatibility response.
Design and Preliminary Analysis of Variable Geometry SCRAM jet / Rocket

This paper describes the preliminary design of a combined cycle, variable geometry, SCRAM jet / rocket propulsion system. Design details illustrate how the geometry could be varied in a practical manner. A variety of configurations were considered. The two dimensional analysis that was used to select the best configuration is discussed in detail. Several configurations, all using a single combustion chamber with a full nozzle, were found to generate significantly more thrust than form -drag from Mach 5 to Mach 10. Computational Fluid Dynamic analysis of one of the successful designs is currently underway.
Inching Away From the Toy Department: Daily Newspaper Sports Coverage of Jason Collins’ and Michael Sam’s Coming Out

This study compares how U.S. daily newspaper sports journalists covered the coming out of National Basketball Association (NBA) veteran Jason Collins and college football All-American Michael Sam b...
Host Utilization by Bracon hebetor

When Ephestia cautella (Walker) larvae that have been paralyzed by Bracon hebetor Say are aged, the number of hosts remaining moist and thus suitable to the parasites for adult feeding, oviposition and offspring development declines by 15%/wk. Hemolymph ingestion from aged paralyzed hosts equals that from freshly paralyzed hosts. Parasites given a choice between aged and freshly paralyzed hosts consistently lay 68.7% of their eggs on the fresh. The number of parasites developing on aged paralyzed hosts is 0–25% lower than the number developing on freshly paralyzed hosts. The prolonged suitability of the parasite-paralyzed host means that B. hebetor has considerable time to relocate the hosts that crawl away after envenomization, but before paralysis is complete. Thus, the rates of accumulation and utilization of these hosts are a significant part of the natural dynamics of parasite populations and may be manipulated for pest management.
Nearest-Neighbor Search on a Time Budget via Max-Margin Trees.

Many high-profile applications pose high-dimensional nearest-neighbor search problems. Yet, it still remains difficult to achieve fast query times for state-of-the-art approaches which use multidimensional trees for either exact or approximate search, possibly in combination with hashing approaches. Moreover, a number of these applications only have a limited amount of time to answer nearest-neighbor queries. However, we observe empirically that the correct neighbor is often found early within the tree-search process, while the bulk of the time is spent on verifying its correctness. Motivated by this, we propose an algorithm for finding the best neighbor given any particular time limit, and develop a new data structure, the max-margin tree, to achieve accurate results even with small time budgets. Max-margin trees perform better in the limited-time setting than current commonly-used data structures such as the kd-tree and more recently developed data structures like the RP-tree.