cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Distributed LIM-based actuator and control for an ultrafast material transfer network

A concept of distributed actuators and their controls for ultra-fast, material transfer network based upon linear induction motors (LIMs) is presented in this paper. The distributed actuator consists of modularized stationary primaries connected to form a distributed, closed guideway structure with multiple loops through which vehicles (moving secondaries of the LIM) are propelled at a maximum velocity of 120 km/hr and a maximum acceleration of 4 g. The turning radius can be less than 1 m. A transverse flux LIM propulsion unit design provides robust, direct-drive electromagnetic vector controlled propulsion and electromagnetic steering. The controlled moving secondary vehicles are completely passive with no power, sensing, or control intelligence onboard. The need to control multiple passive vehicles simultaneously moving through a multitude of propulsion units mandates a highly distributed control architecture where propulsion units cooperate using a communication network. The need for centralized database and control is eliminated by endowing the communication network with a topology identical to that of the guideway network. The distributed control architecture ensures spontaneity of material delivery by integrating vehicle motion control with intelligence for real-time collision avoidance, a parallel shortest-path routing algorithm, and an autonomous dispatching protocol. Recent experimental results are presented.© (1995) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Atomic Structure Calculations in a Factorized Shell

A method is described for calculating matrix elements of operators in a basis in which the spin-up and spin-down spaces of an atomic l shell are both split into separate parts. Instead of elaborate tables of fractional parentage coefficients, only a few reduced matrix elements are required. These are tabulated for d, f, g and h electrons. The transformation coefficients relating the states in the new basis to the familiar LS states are given for f electrons. An operator e h that separates and classifies repeating terms of the configuration h N (in analogy to the separation achieved by Racah for f N ) is shown to take a simpler form if parts off diagonal with respect to N are added to it, thereby accounting for some puzzling coincidences in the eigenvalues of e n .
A Describing Function Analysis of Tracking Performance Using Two Tactile Displays

A display consisting of two vibrators attached to the body was tested using three different error signal-to-vibration amplitude transformations. In addition, a novel ripple display consisting of seven sequentially activated air-jet stimulators was tested on a compensatory tracking task. For both displays the range of gains and body locations were determined by both describing-function and error-power analyses. The results showed that the two-vibrator display was equally effective on all five body areas tested, but that the ripple display produced best tracking performance only when widely spaced or situated on an anatomical landmark. The best ripple display, however, was better than the best vibrator display and provided tracking performance nearly equivalent to visual displays. It was found that the ripple display was not enhanced by apparent motion but produced equivalent operator time delays shorter than those measured with visual displays.
A comparison of automated people mover and accelerating moving walkway costs and effectiveness

This paper compares passenger travel time performance, capacity, initial costs, operating costs, and maintenance requirements for accelerating moving walkways and automated people mover systems. The review is based on a case study involving the Satellite Transit System at the Seattle‐Tacoma International Airport and an accelerating moving walkway network which might have been substituted for the Satellite Transit System. The results of the case study indicate substantial advantages for the accelerating moving walkway alternative insofar as initial cost and travel time performance are concerned. Capacities of the two systems are comparable. Total operating and maintenance costs for the accelerating moving walkway system are concluded to be possibly substantially less than and, at most, comparable to the operating and maintenance costs for the people mover system.
The state of the N-terminus of recombinant proteins: Determination of N-terminal methionine (formylated, acetylated, or free)

Abstract The removal of N-terminal methionine from proteins produced by recombinant DNA techniques is often far from quantitative. Furthermore, a proportion of the methionylated product may be N α -blocked and thus not easily accessible to conventional (Edman) techniques of protein characterization. In this paper, a method for overcoming the resulting analytical problems is described. The technique is based on perdeuteroacetylation (performed only if unblocked methionine is to be determined), cleavage with cyanogen bromide, extraction of any acylhomoserine lactone into ethyl acetate, formation of a chemical derivative, and analysis by combined gas-liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS). The remaining cyanogen bromide fragments, insoluble in ethyl acetate, are available for further analysis by mass spectrometric or other methods if required. Using an acylhomoserine lactone labeled with a stable isotope as internal standard, the method is semiquantitative. It should be possible to develop a quantitative method if appropriate polypeptide standards are prepared. N-Terminal processing of eight recombinant-derived proteins is discussed.
Fibrous Histiocytoma of the Corneoscleral Limbus: The Ultrastructure of a Distinctive Inclusion

Abstract A case of epibulbar fibrous histiocytoma is presented, with emphasis on the electron microscopic aspects duo to the paucity of ultrastructural descriptions of this rare tumor. A tan-yellow conjunctival tumor developed at the corneoscleral limbus in a 31-year-old male. The clinical diagnosis was confirmed by routine histopathologic evaluation, which demonstrated a typical matted or storiform cellular pattern. Electron microscopy revealed a mixed cell population, composed primarily of histiocytic and fibroblastic cells. The histiocytic cells contained lysosomes and phagosomes and had interdigitating cell processes. The fibroblastic cells were characterized by prominent rough-surfaced endoplasmic reticulum and variable amounts of lipid within vacuoles, but did not possess lysosomes or phagosomes. Both cells occasionally contained an unusual curvilinear structure, suggesting a shared histogenesis. This distinctive inclusion appeared to be a modification of the rough-surfaced endoplasmic reticulum. The nature and origin of the tumor cells are discussed on the basis of their ultrastructure.
Non-Linear Frequency Response of Atomic Force Microscope Cantilevers at the Solid-Liquid Interface

One significant advantage of atomic force microscopy (AFM) over other microscopy methods is its ability to characterize surfaces in liquid environments. However, operation in liquid is complicated by the large hydrodynamic loading, which leads to low quality factors, and in turn leads to many changes in the dynamics as opposed to air/vacuum environments. A thorough understanding of the dynamics is necessary for properly interpreting data from experiments. In this work, we study the non-linear dynamics of AFM micro-cantilevers interacting with hard surfaces in liquids. In comparison to prior works that have mostly examined the dynamics at a single drive frequency, we examine the full nonlinear frequency response. Two important results are highlighted. First, in addition to the primary resonance, there are also superharmonic resonances, which can distort tapping mode approach curves. Secondly, we point out that the layering (hydration forces) of liquid molecules at the solid-liquid interface, traditionally detected using small amplitude (linear) AFM, in fact has a significant effect on the nonlinear response. These results are shown by experiments and examined analytically. The effects of parameters such as cantilever stiffness and quality factors are studied using numerical simulation.Copyright © 2012 by ASME
Capillary electrophoresis-fluorescence line-narrowing system for on-line structural characterization of molecular analytes.

We have demonstrated, for the first time, that capillary electrophoresis (CE) can be interfaced with low-temperature fluorescence line-narrowing (FLN) spectroscopy for on-line structural characterization. Detection by laser-induced fluorescence spectroscopy, under fluorescence non-line-narrowing and line-narrowing conditions, provides three-dimensional electropherograms and FLN spectra, which lead to significantly improved overall resolution and allow for structural characterization (“fingerprinting”) of molecular analytes. This novel CE−FLN system consists of a modular CE system, instrumentation for FLN spectroscopy, and a specially designed capillary cryostat (CC). An absorbance detector serves to determine the migration rates of analytes. After the 77 K fluorescence-based electropherogram is generated, the temperature of the capillary is lowered to 4.2 K for high-resolution FLN characterization. Automated translation of the CC and capillary in the direction of the capillary axis allows the separated an...
Artificial Enhancement of Motivation Is Typically Not a Bioethical Problem

Based on qualitative findings that enhanced motivation to improve academic performance is a primary reason for healthy individuals to take prescription drugs, Torben Kjaersgaard (2015) argued that s...
Analgesia following transcutaneous electrical stimulation and its partial reversal by a narcotic antagonist.

Abstract Transcutaneous electrical stimulation was employed at two sites in the second trigeminal division to induce dental analgesia in 24 human subjects who were undergoing painful tooth pulp stimulation. Injection of either 1 ml (0.4 mg) naloxone or 1 ml saline was given to each volunteer after 20 minutes of stimulation under double blind conditions. Saline subjects showed no loss of analgesia while naloxone subjects had a partial and significant loss of analgesia. This observation suggests that endogenic opiate-like substances play a role in stimulation-induced analgesia.
Culture, Politics, and Moral Panics

Students of deviance and social problems have used the concept of a "moral panic" to describe sudden hysteria about an activity-drug use, rock music, sexual abuse, pornography, drinking-accompanied by calls for suppression. Most often the panic concerns not only the activity but also a preexisting group-such as working-class youths, inner-city racial minorities, or religious sects-thought to engage in it. Thus motorbikes or marijuana become the target of a moral panic when groups already labeled dangerous begin to use them. The classic formulation is Stanley Cohen's (1972:9):
A calibrated 35 GHz airborne scatterometer for NASA's surface water and ocean topography mission

In this paper, an airborne Ka-band (35 GHz) FMCW scatterometer and its preliminary results are presented. The paper describes the system, the calibration and the data processing needed to study the response of different targets to the scatterometer. The results obtained in the first flights include normalized radar cross-section measurements of inland water bodies and a tree height estimation algorithm.
Evaluating aggregate terrestrial impacts of road construction projects for advanced regional mitigation

This study presents a GIS-based database framework used to assess aggregate terrestrial habitat impacts from multiple highway construction projects in California, USA. Transportation planners need such impact assessment tools to effectively address additive biological mitigation obligations. Such assessments can reduce costly delays due to protracted environmental review. This project incorporated the best available statewide natural resource data into early project planning and preliminary environmental assessments for single and multiple highway construction projects, and provides an assessment of the 10-year state-wide mitigation obligations for the California Department of Transportation. Incorporation of these assessments will facilitate early and more strategic identification of mitigation opportunities, for single-project and regional mitigation efforts. The data architecture format uses eight spatial scales: six nested watersheds, counties, and transportation planning districts, which were intersected. This resulted in 8058 map planning units statewide, which were used to summarize all subsequent analyses. Range maps and georeferenced locations of federally and state-listed plants and animals and a 55-class landcover map were spatially intersected with the planning units and the buffered spatial footprint of 967 funded projects. Projected impacts were summarized and output to the database. Queries written in the database can sum expected impacts and provide summaries by individual construction project, or by watershed, county, transportation district or highway. The data architecture allows easy incorporation of new information and results in a tool usable without GIS by a wide variety of agency biologists and planners. The data architecture format would be useful for other types of regional planning.
Cecal perforation following fiberoptic flexible sigmoidoscopy

The superiority of flexible to rigid sigmoidoscopy is resulting in its increasing utilization by primary care physicians. The procedure is relatively risk-free, but complications including perforations may occur. An unusual case of cecal perforation as a result of flexible sigmoidoscopy is presented in order to draw attention to this complication.
Probabilistic learning of task-specific visual attention

Despite a considerable amount of previous work on bottom-up saliency modeling for predicting human fixations over static and dynamic stimuli, few studies have thus far attempted to model top-down and task-driven influences of visual attention. Here, taking advantage of the sequential nature of real-world tasks, we propose a unified Bayesian approach for modeling task-driven visual attention. Several sources of information, including global context of a scene, previous attended locations, and previous motor actions, are integrated over time to predict the next attended location. Recording eye movements while subjects engage in 5 contemporary 2D and 3D video games, as modest counterparts of everyday tasks, we show that our approach is able to predict human attention and gaze better than the state-of-the-art, with a large margin (about 15% increase in prediction accuracy). The advantage of our approach is that it is automatic and applicable to arbitrary visual tasks.
Subjective responses to oral tobacco products: scale validation.

Introduction Several noncombusted oral tobacco products have been introduced that are primarily marketed to cigarette smokers. An important component of evaluating these products involves assessment of subjective responses to the product. To date, few studies have been undertaken to examine the validity of subjective response questionnaires for oral tobacco products. The goal of this study is to examine the extent subjective responses to a product are related to product preference and extent of product use. Methods Data from a study examining oral tobacco product preference were used. Smokers were asked to sample a variety of oral tobacco products that differed in formulation (snus versus dissolvables) and dose of nicotine. At the end of the sampling period, subjects were asked to choose the product that they would use to completely substitute for cigarettes for the next 2 weeks. During the sampling period, subjects completed a Product Evaluation Scale (PES) that describes subjective responses to the product. During the treatment phase, they kept record of amount of product use. Results Subjective responses to the product on the PES were related to product choice and to some extent, the amount of product use. Product choice was associated with different characteristics of the product and smoker needs. Conclusion The PES may be a useful tool for the evaluation or oral tobacco products.
Developmental regulation of the methylation of the ribosomal DNA in the basidiomycete fungus Schizophyllum commune

The ribosomal DNA (rDNA) ofSchizophyllum commune was shown previously to be highly methylated (Specht et al. 1984). To investigate the role of methylation of rDNA, a map of the recognition sites (CCGG) of the methylation-sensitive restriction endonucleases, MspI and Hpall, was prepared for the rDNA ofS. commune strain 4–40. The incidence of methylation at these CCGG sequences was analyzed. Our analyses demonstrate that either of the cytosines of the CCGG sequence can be methylated in Schizophyllum, however methylation of the internal cytosine is more frequent than methylation of the external cytosine. The external cytosines of CCGG sequences near the rDNA transcriptional initiation site are less frequently methylated than those else-where in the rDNA. The methylation of these sequences has been shown to be developmentally regulated inS. commune. We find that these sequences are more highly methylated in dikaryonic than homokaryotic cells. We propose that methylation of the rDNA may have a role in regulating the transcription of rRNA inS. commune.
Patterns of Interferon Appearance in Mice injected with Bacteria or Bacterial Endotoxin

PREVIOUS work1 has shown that the intravenous injection of large numbers of live Brucella abortus into chickens results in the appearance in the serum of a viral inhibitor with the properties of interferon. Inhibitor reached maximum levels about 12 h after inoculation. It was also reported that large numbers of Newcastle disease virus (NDV) particles produced maximum levels of interferon in chickens about 12 h after intravenous inoculation. Injection of large doses of other gram-positive and -negative bacteria or bacterial endotoxins failed to produce demonstrable inhibitors in the circulation of chickens at 6–8 h.
L-Phenylalanine stereospecifically inhibits the renaturation of muscle pyruvate kinase.

Abstract Bovine type M pyruvate kinase can be reversibly denatured by solutions of guanidine HCl. Subsequent dilution of the enzyme into buffer containing β-mercaptoethanol or dithiothreitol results in recovery of enzymatic activity with an average half-time of 17 min at 16 °C. The addition of 1 m m l -phenylalanine increases the average half-time for recovery of enzymatic activity to 26 min, while 8 m m l -phenylalanine further increases this value to 46 min. Tyrosine and tryptophan also inhibit the reactivation but to a lesser extent than phenylalanine. Neither l -alanine, l -valine, d -phenylalanine, phosphoenolpyruvate, nor fructose 1,6-bisphosphate have any appreciable effect on activity recovery rates, either in the presence or absence of l -phenylalanine. Phenylpyruvate is a very potent inhibitor of reactivation. The addition of 5 m m phenylpyruvate increases the half-time to 57 min. The evidence presented in this paper supports the hypothesis that an l -phenylalanine-binding site which probably is distinct from the catalytic site is formed early in the renaturation process. l -Phenylalanine binds to this site and inhibits two first-order relaxations that are rate limiting for the reactivation and that have the following rate constants: 8.76 × 10 −2 and 1.24 × 10 −2 min −1 , respectively, in the absence of phenylalanine and 3.04 × 10 −2 and 7.63 × 10 −3 min −1 , respectively, in the presence of 8.0 m m phenylalanine. We presume these first-order processes to be transconformational steps in the reactivation process.
Lipid Partitioning, Incomplete Fatty Acid Oxidation, and Insulin Signal Transduction in Primary Human Muscle Cells: Effects of Severe Obesity, Fatty Acid Incubation, and Fatty Acid Translocase/CD36 Overexpression

Context: Intracellular lipid partitioning toward storage and the incomplete oxidation of fatty acids (FA) have been linked to insulin resistance. Objective: To gain insight into how intracellular lipid metabolism is related to insulin signal transduction, we examined the effects of severe obesity, excess FA, and overexpression of the FA transporter, FA translocase (FAT)/CD36, in primary human skeletal myocytes. Design, Setting, and Patients: Insulin signal transduction, FA oxidation, and metabolism were measured in skeletal muscle cells harvested from lean and severely obese women. To emulate the obesity phenotype in our cell culture system, we incubated cells from lean individuals with excess FA or overexpressed FAT/CD36 using recombinant adenoviral technology. Results: Complete oxidation of FA was significantly reduced, whereas total lipid accumulation, FA esterification into lipid intermediates, and incomplete oxidation were up-regulated in the muscle cells of severely obese subjects. Insulin signal transduction was reduced in the muscle cells from severely obese subjects compared to lean controls. Incubation of muscle cells from lean subjects with lipids reduced insulin signal transduction and increased lipid storage and incomplete FA oxidation. CD36 overexpression increased FA transport capacity, but did not impair complete FA oxidation and insulin signal transduction in muscle cells from lean subjects. Conclusions: Cultured myocytes from severely obese women express perturbations in FA metabolism and insulin signaling reminiscent of those observed in vivo. The obesity phenotype can be recapitulated in muscle cells from lean subjects via exposure to excess lipid, but not by overexpressing the FAT/CD36 FA transporter.
Screening for Glaucomatous Visual Field Loss with Automated Threshold Perimetry

We examined 27 glaucomatous eyes and 154 normal eyes with automated threshold perimetry. Previously suggested algorithms for detecting mild to moderate glaucomatous visual field loss, primarily by comparing the sensitivity of corresponding clusters of points above and below the horizontal meridian, yielded results remarkably consistent with those of our earlier series: 93% (25 of 27) of abnormal and 88% (135 of 154) of normal eyes were correctly identified. Excluding unreliable examinations increased specificity from 88% to 93%. Test duration was similar to results with the Field Analyzer's older, purportedly slower operating system.
Secondary structural studies of bovine caseins: temperature dependence of β-casein structure as analyzed by circular dichroism and FTIR spectroscopy and correlation with micellization

Abstract To obtain a molecular basis for the similarities and dissimilarities in the functional, chemical, and biochemical properties between β-casein and the other caseins, three-dimensional models have been presented. Secondary structural prediction algorithms and molecular modeling techniques were used to predict β-casein structure. The secondary structure of bovine β-casein was re-examined using Fourier transform infrared and circular dichroism spectroscopies to test these predictions. Both methods predict a range of secondary structures for β-casein (28–32% turns, 32–34% extended) at 25°C. These elements were highly stable from 5 to 70°C as viewed by circular dichroism. More flexible conformational elements, tentatively identified as loops, helix and short segments of polyproline II, were influenced by temperature, increasing with elevated temperatures. Another view is that as temperature decreases, these elements are lost (cold denaturation). Several distinct transitions were observed by circular dichroism at 10, 33 and 41°C, and another transition, extrapolated to occur at 78°C. Calculations from analytical ultracentrifugation indicate that the 10, 33 and 41°C transitions occur primarily in the monomeric form of the protein. As β-casein polymers are formed, and increase in size, the transitions at higher temperature may reflect changes in the more flexible conformational elements as they adjust to changes in surface charge during polymer formation. The transition at 10°C may represent an actual general conformational change or cold denaturation. Over the range of temperatures studied, the sheet and turn areas remain relatively constant, perhaps forming a supporting hydrophobic core for the monomers within the micelle-like polymer. This interpretation is in accord with the known properties of β-casein, and those predicted from molecular modeling.
Postnatal development of pituitary-thyroid function in male and female rats: comparison of plasma and thyroid T3 and T4 concentration.

Plasma T4, T3, and TSH, and total and 131l-labeled T4 and T3 in thyroid digests were determined in male and female rats from birth to 30–45 days postnatally. Mothers and offspring were fed a high-iodine Purina diet throughout. In both sexes, plasma T4 was<1 μg/100ml at birth but rose linearly to a peak of 6–7 μg/100 ml at day 15. Plasma T3 remained low at 30–40 ng/100 ml until day 10, then rose steeply to 80–100 ng/100 ml at day 20–30. Plasma TSH had a bimodal distribution with an early peak in the intial 1–2 weeks of life and a second rise after day 30. Adult pattern sex differences in plasma TSH appeared by day 30. Labeled T3 was u ndetectable i n thyroid digests until after day 7. Both labeled and stable T3 and T4 concentration and T3/T4 ratios rose progressively during the first 2 weeks of life. After day 7, stable and labeled intrathyroidal T3/T4 ratios were significantly correlated, but the latter was always higher than the former for any given age.
Burnout Contagion in Supervisor-Subordinate Dyads

Employee burnout has an extensive history in applied psychology, with decades of research and hundreds of studies examining both its antecedents and consequences (Cordes & Dougherty, 1993; Shirom, 1989; Taris, 2006). Despite these advancements, and although theoretical models (Numerof, 1983; Perlman & Hartman, 1982) of burnout have cited the importance of supervisory behavior as a factor contributing to the deleterious effects of organizational role stressors, little empirical research has systematically measured supervisory burnout in relation to subordinate burnout. Without a thorough understanding of the relationship between supervisor and subordinate burnout organizations may struggle to properly develop intervention strategies aimed at reducing and eliminating burnout within the workforce. Drawing on emotional contagion theory (Hatfield, Cacioppo, & Rapson, 1994) and the interactional psychology framework (Schneider, 1983), this study proposes and tests a model articulating the processes by which supervisor burnout leads to subordinate burnout. Utilizing a sample of 93 supervisor-subordinate dyads, results indicate that supervisor burnout influences subordinate burnout via the emotional contagion process and that subordinate susceptibility to emotional contagion serves as an important individual difference variable that moderates this relationship. Implications for theory and practice as well as future directions are discussed.
A case of spontaneous innominate artery perforation with pericardial tamponade.

We describe a case of a spontaneously occurring innominate artery perforation which, rather than resulting in immediate death, developed a subacute course with findings suggestive of an expanding mediastinal mass. The cause of the spontaneous perforation appears to have been a combination of atherosclerosis, infection, and infiltration of the underlying structures with malignancy. This is a unique case of subacute spontaneous perforation of a great vessel. © 1996 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Closer to neurogenesis in adult humans

A recent study shows that the birth of new nerve cells occurs in the brains of adult monkeys.
An Essay on Searching for Curriculum and Pedagogy for African American Students: Highlighted Remarks Regarding the Role of Gender

What should be the nature of the curriculum and instructional pedagogy for African American students has a long history of debate. Currently, Afrocentric curriculum/ pedagogy and multicultural curriculum/pedagogy are the main focus of the debate. This essay discusses the nature and purpose of both curricula and critiques their strengths and weaknesses. An argument is present as to which of these curricular concepts best suits the current needs of African American students. Finally, implications are listed for using both Afrocentric and multicultural curricula and pedagogies.
Objective Measures of Neighborhood Environment and Physical Activity in Older Women

Background Regular physical activity is known to help prevent chronic disease and promote healthy aging. Yet, most older women are not regularly active. This study attempts to identify objectively measured attributes of the neighborhood environment that may be associated with physical activity levels in older women. Methods Sociodemographics and physical activity level, as measured by pedometer, were assessed in 158 overweight Caucasian and African-American postmenopausal women from southwestern Pennsylvania at the baseline evaluation of a randomized clinical trial in 2002–2003. Geographic information systems technology was used to obtain neighborhood-level data, including neighborhood socioeconomic status (SES) indicators, the median year that homes were built (as a proxy measure for urban form), and proximity to businesses and facilities. Multiple linear regression was used to test associations between individuals' physical activity level and neighborhood characteristics. Results After controlling for individual age, race/ethnicity, education, smoking status, and body mass index, indicators of low neighborhood SES, living in a neighborhood with homes built between 1950 and 1969 (representing an urban form that is more pedestrian-friendly than after 1969), and living within walking distance (1500 m) of specific types of businesses and facilities were positively associated with individuals' physical activity level measured by pedometer ( p Conclusions Results suggest that certain aspects of the neighborhood environment may have an important influence on the physical activity levels of postmenopausal women. Results warrant future research to clarify the role of these environmental attributes in other populations.
Effect of divalent metal ions on DNA studied by capillary electrophoresis

Divalent metal ions, such as Zn(2+), Co(2+), and Ni(2+), are capable of incorporating into DNA under certain conditions to form complexes termed M-DNA. To better understand the effects of these cations on DNA we used capillary electrophoresis (CE). The presence of these metal ions in a typical genotyping buffer led to broad peaks with low fluorescence intensities. In addition, some of the metal-complexed DNA molecules had different electrophoretic mobilities than their normal DNA counterparts. It is likely that the mobility shifts observed in the electropherograms of these affected fragments are due to the divalent cations causing structural changes in the single-stranded DNA. However, as can be seen from the resulting peak shapes, the structure, charge, and/or mass changes due to metal binding are not conserved among all of the DNA fragments. The extent of both peak-broadening and mobility shifts were found to be dependent on the metal cation and its concentration, the length of time that the DNA sample existed in formamide prior to injection into the capillary, and also the fragment size and sequence. These results suggest that the presence of metal ions might be responsible for the poor CE performance that occurs when genotyping certain kinds of DNA samples.
Conversion dependent morphology predictions for composite emulsion polymers: 2. Artificial latices

Abstract An equilibrium thermodynamic analysis of composite particle morphology development within artificial latices is presented. The analysis emphasizes the role of the solvent upon phase compositions and interfacial tensions, and predictions of the favoured morphology are made as a function of the extent of solvent removal. Experimental observations of the morphology of poly(methyl methacrylate)/polystyrene composite particles agree well with the predictions and demonstrate the significant role that the surfactant can have upon the preferred particle structure. Consideration is given to the choice of solvent used to produce the artificial latex and it is predicted that the preferred particle morphology is unlikely to be dependent upon the type of solvent used in the process.
Methods of reducing blood loss and non-blood substitutes

A variety of techniques can aid the anaesthetist in reducing requirements for perioperative blood products. These include careful preoperative assessment of the patient, and employing techniques during surgery which reduce the blood pressure and help preserve the normal haemostatic mechanism. If the level to which haematocrit will be permitted to decrease is decided, then physiological crystalloid and/or colloid solutions may be used to maintain circulating volume. Where large volumes of fluids are required cardiac filling pressures should be monitored because of the complex nature of the fluid shifts which occur. There is no evidence that any one fluid (physiological crystalloids, colloids) is better than any other in terms of the incidence of perioperative morbidity.
On the Meaning of Life in the age of the Most Meaningless Death

Using the cases of Pavel Florensky and Edith Stein (who were killed in a Soviet and a Nazi camp, respectively) as a jumping board, the author proposes a phenomenological reconstruction of the process of “demolition of man” (Primo Levi), to which prisoners were subjected both in Hitler's and in Stalin's camps. This essay, relying systematically on first-hand accounts from camp survivors, dwells on several stages of this process, which were strikingly similar in the two types of camp: “becoming an enemy,” “becoming a number,” “becoming a thing,” “becoming nothing.” One of the conclusions of the article is that, despite the numerous differences between the Nazi and the Soviet regimes, there was a sense in which their approach to what they considered “enemies” was fundamentally similar.
Distributed RankBoost Acceleration Using FPGA and MPI for Web Relevance Ranking

Web search engine ranks web pages according to their relevance to user queries, which is critical for the success of commercial search engines. Rank Boost algorithm is promising in Web relevance ranking area, while its computation complexity makes our existing implementations (including single node software-based implementation and a FPGA-based accelerator) too slow to reflect the dynamics of the Web. Moreover, previous implementations can not handle the huge web-scale data. As such, in this paper, we present the RankBoost implementation on a MPI-based distributed FPGA-based accelerators. Our results show that the combination of the coarse parallel efficiency of distributed system and the fine parallel efficiency of reconfigurable hardware accelerators can significantly increase the computing performance.
Large Margin Multi-channel Analog-to-Digital Conversion with Applications to Neural Prosthesis

A key challenge in designing analog-to-digital converters for cortically implanted prosthesis is to sense and process high-dimensional neural signals recorded by the micro-electrode arrays. In this paper, we describe a novel architecture for analog-to-digital (A/D) conversion that combines ∑Δ conversion with spatial de-correlation within a single module. The architecture called multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) ∑Δ is based on a min-max gradient descent optimization of a regularized linear cost function that naturally lends to an A/D formulation. Using an online formulation, the architecture can adapt to slow variations in cross-channel correlations, observed due to relative motion of the micro-electrodes with respect to the signal sources. Experimental results with real recorded multi-channel neural data demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed algorithm in alleviating cross-channel redundancy across electrodes and performing data-compression directly at the A/D converter.
Activation of Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase in Porcine Carotid Arteries

Abstract The thin-filament protein h-caldesmon (the high molecular weight isoform of caldesmon) is phosphorylated in resting and contracted porcine carotid arteries. Phosphorylation of h-caldesmon in intact tissue occurs at sites that are covalently modified by mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) in vitro. In this study, we have evaluated MAPK activation in arteries in response to mechanical load and pharmacological stimulation. MAPK was extracted from resting and stimulated porcine carotid arteries and then partially purified by anion-exchange fast-performance liquid chromatography. MAPK activity was separated into two peaks corresponding to the tyrosine-phosphorylated 42- and 44-kD isoforms of MAPK (p42MAPK and p44MAPK, respectively). Of the total MAPK activity, 42% was associated with p42MAPK, and 58% was associated with p44MAPK; this percentage was not altered by stimulation of the muscles with either KCl (110 mmol/L) or phorbol 12,13-dibutyrate (PDBu, 1 μmol/L). Both p42MAPK and p44MAPK, purified...
Early to Middle Ordovician back-arc basin in the southern Appalachian Blue Ridge: characteristics, extent, and tectonic significance

Fault-dismembered segments of a distinctive, extensive, highly allochthonous, and tectonically significant Ordovician (ca. 480–460 Ma) basin, which contains suites of bimodal metavolcanic rocks, associated base metal deposits, and thick immature deep-water (turbiditic) metasediments, occur in parts of the southern Appalachian Talladega belt, eastern Blue Ridge, and Inner Piedmont of Alabama, Georgia, and North and South Carolina. The basin’s predominantly metasedimentary strata display geochemical and isotopic evidence of a mixed provenance, including an adjacent active volcanic arc and a provenance of mica (clay)-rich sedimentary and felsic plutonic rocks consistent with Laurentian (Grenvillian) upper-crustal continental rocks and their passive-margin cover sequences. Geochemical characteristics of the subordinate intercalated bimodal metavolcanic rocks indicate formation in a suprasubduction environment, most likely a back-arc basin, whereas characteristics of metasedimentary units suggest deposition above Neoproterozoic rift and outer-margin lower Paleozoic slope and rise sediments within a marginal basin along Ordovician Laurentia’s Iapetus margin. This tectonic setting indicates that southernmost Appalachian Ordovician orogenesis (Taconic orogeny) began as an extensional accretionary orogen along the outer margin of Laurentia, rather than in an exotic (non-Laurentian) arc collisional setting. B-type subduction polarity requires that the associated arc-trench system formed southeast of the palinspastic position of the back-arc basin. This scenario can explain several unique features of the southern Appalachian Taconic orogen, including: the palinspastic geographic ordering of key tectonic elements (i.e., back-arc, arc, etc.), and a lack of (1) an obducted arc sensu stricto on the Laurentian margin, (2) widespread Ordovician regional metamorphism, and (3) Taconic klippen to supply detritus to the Taconic foreland basin.
Nationalism and Hybridity in Mongolia

Nationalism and Hybridity in Mongolia. Uradyn E. Bulag. New York: Oxford University Press, 1998. + 302 pp., illustrations, tables, notes, bibliography, index.
Photonics (Optoelectronics) in Medicine and Surgery for the 21st Century

Innovations from the fields of clinical lasers, computer science, medical imaging, spectroscopy, robotics, and biochemistry are being integrated into multi-media and virtual reality medical systems. These systems are designed to aid physicians in diagnosis and minimally invasive surgery. The graphic displays of biologic processes and images of the body are ideal for remote transmission over medical teleconferencing networks.
Evaluation of treatment for 1971-1972 DARP admissions: comments and conclusions.

The overall evaluative results indicate that the methadone programs generally have the best marks, at least in relation to retention and outcomes during treatment. The record nevertheless leaves room for much improvement. First, in regard to retention, 45% of MM-A and 38% of MM-CO patients leave treatment under unfavorable conditions within 12 months of admission. As already noted, the retention record of all other treatments is lower than that for MM. Second, with respect to outcome criteria, the noteworthy immediate effects during treatment are on drug use and drug use-related criminal activity. Analysis of the data on employment and productive activities suggests, as found in Cohort 1, that the drug abuse treatment programs are not being effective in these areas. Finally, again in agreement with the Cohort 1 results, it appears that the best results are being obtained with patients above the age of 22. The under-23 segment constitutes about 15% of the MM population, but between 40 to 50% of the patient...
Genetically diverse pig models for neonatal cholesterol nutrition: A review

Abstract Lipid metabolism and cholesterol homeostasis in swine are reviewed in relation to the use of the pig as a model for studying neonatal cholesterol nutrition. Several genetically unique pig populations used in cardiovascular and obesity research are described. Recent work with two specific genetically selected dietary cholesterol during the neonatal period modulates central nervous system development and atherogenesis in some genetically distinct populations of swine. Implications for the role of dietary cholesterol in human infant nutrition are discussed.
Performance driven analog layout compiler

An approach to developing an automated analog layout compiler which results in a circuit layout based on a user-specified performance is described. The final layout is derived from sensitivities of the circuit performance with respect to layout interconnect parasitics and recognition rules of various configurations and topologies. The parasitic effects, which are important from an analog layout point of view, are minimized by this approach. This methodology is currently implemented in an analog circuit layout compiler. >
Representation and learnability in visual languages for Web-based interpersonal communication

Computer-based visual languages have been developed primarily in order to help people program and operate computers. Now that many people in the world have personal computers with good graphics and Internet connections, we are seeing a great deal of informal electronic visual communication via Web pages. More formal visual languages can be expected to appear on the Internet in the near future. Visual languages offer various possible advantages to textual e-mail, such as permitting communication between people who do not speak or read the same textual language and such as permitting the incorporation of rich graphical material. Designing these languages requires making some important decisions about ontology, visual representation, interactivity, and how users learn the language, as well as about the more traditional issues of language design such as syntax. The power of the computer to generate alternative views of a language object can be harnessed by incorporating an iconic-symbolic continuum as a basic representational axis. Concreteness of representation in limited domains can be achieved by the use of microworld-like simulations. However, the objects in these simulations can convey richer meanings by associations with real-world people and objects. This paper presents a variety of research questions and briefly attempts to answer a few of them.
EFFECTS OF HYPOXIA, CALCIUM, CARBACHOL, ATROPINE AND TETRODOTOXIN ON THE FILLING OF THE IN-VITRO RABBIT WHOLE BLADDER

AbstractPurpose: The urinary bladder stores urine at low intravesical pressure and empties the urine efficiently and completely. Bladder compliance is the property that allows the bladder to fill to near capacity without a large increase in intravesical pressure. The current study utilized an in vitro whole bladder model to determine the effects of hypoxia, alterations in extracellular calcium concentration, carbachol and atropine on bladder capacity and compliance.Methods: Mature male New Zealand White rabbits were used in this study. The urinary bladder was excised from the rabbit together with a short segment of proximal urethra and mounted in a 400 ml. isolated bath containing Tyrode's buffer. Bladder filling was started by opening the bladder to a saline reservoir placed 80 cm. above the bladder. Intravesical pressure, rate of pressure increase, rate of volume increase, and maximal volume were digitally recorded. The bladder filling was repeated while the whole bladder was subjected to hypoxia, high ...
Deacetylation by SIRT1 Reprograms Inflammation and Cancer

NAD+-dependent deacetylase SIRT1 is a master regulator of nucleosome positioning and chromatin structure, thereby reprogramming gene expression. In acute inflammation, chromatin departs from, and returns to, homeostasis in an orderly sequence. This sequence depends on shifts in NAD+ availability for SIRT1 activation and deacetylation of signaling proteins, which support orderly gene reprogramming during acute inflammation by switching between euchromatin and heterochromatin. In contrast, in chronic inflammation and cancer, limited availability of NAD+ and reduced expression of SIRT1 may sustain aberrant chromatin structure and functions. SIRT1 also influences inflammation and cancer by directly deacetylating targets like NFκB p65 and p53. Here, we review SIRT1 in the context of inflammation and cancer.
The Impact of Social Contagion on Non-Suicidal Self-Injury: A Review of the Literature

In this review, we explore social contagion as an understudied risk factor for non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) among adolescents and young adults, populations with a high prevalence of NSSI. We review empirical studies reporting data on prevalence and risk factors that, through social contagion, may influence the transmission of NSSI. Findings in this literature are consistent with social modeling/learning of NSSI increasing risk of initial engagement in NSSI among individuals with certain individual and/or psychiatric characteristics. Preliminary research suggests iatrogenic effects of social contagion of NSSI through primary prevention are not likely. Thus, social contagion factors may warrant considerable empirical attention. Intervention efforts may be enhanced, and social contagion reduced, by implementation of psychoeducation and awareness about NSSI in schools, colleges, and treatment programs.