cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Fundamentals of Lossy Image Compression

Lossy compression of images deals with compression processes where decompression yields an imperfect reconstruction of the original image data. A wide range of lossy compression methods have been developed for compressing still-image data. These methods fall into one of the categories shown in Figure 1.2. In this chapter, we describe some of the basic concepts of lossy compression that have been adopted in practice and that form the basis of the image and video compression standards.
Structure and Function of Snake Venom Curarimimetic Neurotoxins

A hydrogen-bonded ion pair between the guanidinium group of the arginine at position 37 and the side-chain carboxylate of the aspartic acid residue at position 31 of sea snake venom neurotoxin has stereochemical features resembling those of acetylcholine. The results of crystallographic determination of the structure of the neurotoxin suggest that such an ion pair can form at the tip of the "toxic loop" and may be involved in inhibition of the cholinergic receptor.
Social Web Identity Established upon Trust and Reputations

Online social networks have become a seamless and critical online communication platform for personal interactions. They are a powerful tool that businesses are using to expand among domestic markets. The increase in participation in online social networking can and has caused damage to individuals and organizations, and the issuance of trust has become a concern on the social web. The factors determining the reputation of persons (customers) in the real world may relate to the factors of reputation on the social web, though relative to how trust is established in the physical world, establishing trust on the social web can be fairly difficult. Determining how to trust another individual’s online social profile becomes critical in initiating any interaction on the social web. Rather than focusing on content on the social network page, this research proposes and examines the application of user reputations to determine whether the trust should be issued on the social web. A top-level framework to establish trust in an identity on the Social Network Sites (SNS) as a function of the users’ associations, usage patterns and reputation on the social web is presented.
Oxidation Behavior of High Strength Chain-Extended Polyethylene Fibers1

The resistance to oxidation of polyethylene fiber intended for engineering applications has been compared with that of conventional polyethylene films. The highly ordered fiber was appreciably more resistant to γ-initiated oxidation and somewhat more resistant to photo-oxidation. Oxidation products from the γ-initiated oxidation were quite highly ordered with respect to the fiber axis as shown by polarized infrared spectroscopy. Photo-oxidation products showed random orientation, possibly as a result of the more extensive chain scission that must accompany the photo-process. Despite the higher resistance of γ-radiation damage of the chain-extended fiber structure as compared to unoriented film, the irradiated fiber did show a slow post-irradiation oxidation.
Great expectations: stress and the medical family. 1987 Committee on issues, association for academic surgery

The high divorce rate and significant stress experienced by families of academic surgeons stimulated the Committee on Issues of the Association of Academic Surgery to choose medical family stress as the topic for the 1987 Committee presentation at the annual meeting. The Committee hoped to provide insight into the cause of this stress and new strategies for coping with this pervasive problem. Forty-three percent of the 505 surgeons who entered the Association from 1981 through 1984 and 38% of their spouses responded to a questionnaire covering issues of time management, response to stress, child rearing, financial security, and spouse career. A panel consisting of Shirley P. Levine, M.D., Hiram C. Polk, Jr., M.D., and Lane A. Gerber, Ph.D., after discussing the questionnaire results, recommended realistic goal setting, specific prioritization of activities, recognition of the considerable contributions of the spouse, and insight into personal limitations as mechanisms for improving family function.
Exchange coupled magneto-optic layers

It is shown that it is possible to separate the storage function from the readout function by exchange coupling two layers, one with high magnetooptical rotation (readout layer) and the other with the coercivity and other properties necessary for small stable bits (storage layer). An investigation is described of the extent of coupling between a storage layer of Nd/sub 10/Tb/sub 20/ (FeCo)/sub 70/ with H/sub c/=5.4 kG and theta /sub K/=17 min and several readout layer compositions with H/sub c/ >
Reasoned and Reactive Decision-Making Processes as Predictors of Between-Person and Within-Person Differences in Risk-Taking Behavior

Both reasoned and reactive decision-making processes contribute to risk-taking behavior. This study tested whether elements of the reasoned and reactive processes are completely separate, partially interconnected, or fully interconnected and whether reasoned and reactive processes predict both between-person and within-person differences in risk-taking behavior. Participants were 580 university students (M age = 20.45, range 18–52 years) who completed surveys assessing decision-making processes and risk-taking behavior. The reasoned and reactive decision-making processes appear to overlap and intersect; distal elements from both decision-making processes exhibit indirect effects on risk-taking behavior through elements from their own, as well as the other, process. However, reasoned and reactive processes both helped explain why some individuals engage in more risk-taking behavior than other individuals and why each individual is more likely to engage in some forms of risk-taking more than others.
A model for critical crack size estimation in fatigue failure of gun barrels

With repeated firing, fatigue cracks are produced in a gun barrel, and the barrel is no longer useful when a crack reaches a critical size. The initial crack size and the critical crack size, as well as the number of firings producing the critical crack size, may be considered as random variables. Assuming a proportional damage model for crack growth, a method for estimating the critical crack size distribution is presented. From these results, an estimate of the barrel life, or the residual barrel life once a crack of a given size is measured, can be obtained.
Anaphylactic reaction to thiopentone: a case report.

A 32-year-old female was admitted for a minor elective surgical procedure. Her past history included at least six uneventful general anaesthetics. Anaphylaxis developed shortly following induction of anaesthesia with thiopentone, Innovar and gallamine. Resuscitation was successful but was complicated by ventricular fibrillation. Full recovery followed. Subsequent allergy skin tests revealed hypersensivity to thiopentone. Recommendations for investigation of suspected hypersensitivity to anaesthetic agents are included, as are guidelines for the recognition and treatment of anaphylaxis. Une patiente de 32 ans est hospitalisee pour une intervention chirurgicale mineure. Ses antecedents nous apprennent qu’elle a eu six anesthesies anterieures sans particularite. Une reaction anaphylactique s’est developpee rapidement apres l’induction faite avec du thiopentone, de la gallamine et de l’innovar. La reanimation fut efficace et la patiente recupera parfaitement malgre l’pisode de fribrillation ventriculaire qui accompagna l’incident. Des tests cutanes d’allergie out demontre une hypersensibilite au thiopentone. Des recommandations pour l’investigation d’une hypersensibilite suspectee aux agents anesthesiques et un guide de detection et de traitement de l’anaphylaxie sont inclus.
Scalable target detection for large robot teams

In this paper, we present an asynchronous display method, coined image queue, which allows operators to search through a large amount of data gathered by autonomous robot teams. We discuss and investigate the advantages of an asynchronous display for foraging tasks with emphasis on Urban Search and Rescue. The image queue approach mines video data to present the operator with a relevant and comprehensive view of the environment in order to identify targets of interest such as injured victims. It fills the gap for comprehensive and scalable displays to obtain a network-centric perspective for UGVs. We compared the image queue to a traditional synchronous display with live video feeds and found that the image queue reduces errors and operator's workload. Furthermore, it disentangles target detection from concurrent system operations and enables a call center approach to target detection. With such an approach we can scale up to very large multi-robot systems gathering huge amounts of data that is then distributed to multiple operators.
Universal process-inert encoding architecture for polymer microparticles

Polymer microparticles with unique, decodable identities are versatile information carriers with a small footprint. Widespread incorporation into industrial processes, however, is limited by a trade-off between encoding density, scalability and decoding robustness in diverse physicochemical environments. Here, we report an encoding strategy that combines spatial patterning with rare-earth upconversion nanocrystals, single-wavelength near-infrared excitation and portable CCD (charge-coupled device)-based decoding to distinguish particles synthesized by means of flow lithography. This architecture exhibits large, exponentially scalable encoding capacities (>106 particles), an ultralow decoding false-alarm rate (<10−9), the ability to manipulate particles by applying magnetic fields, and pronounced insensitivity to both particle chemistry and harsh processing conditions. We demonstrate quantitative agreement between observed and predicted decoding for a range of practical applications with orthogonal requirements, including covert multiparticle barcoding of pharmaceutical packaging (refractive-index matching), multiplexed microRNA detection (biocompatibility) and embedded labelling of high-temperature-cast objects (temperature resistance). The use of encoded microparticles in industrial settings is hampered by issues of scalability, decoding robustness and encoding density. Now, easily decodable microparticles with spatially patterned rare-earth upconversion nanocrystals, exponentially scalable encoding capacities and ultralow decoding false-alarm rates that are insensitive to harsh processing environments and can be used in practical applications such as durable anti-counterfeiting labels and multiplexed bioassays are reported.
What's So Special About Special Libraries?

Column Editor's Note. Though special libraries share concerns with their more general academic, public, and school counterparts, they also have unique characteristics which merit separate considera...
The effects of monovalent and divalent cations on the ATPase activity of myosin

Abstract The activation of the ATPase activity of myosin by KCl follows sigmoidal kinetics owing to the simultaneous increase in concentration of two activating ions, K+ and Cl−. Activation by K+ at a constant Cl− concentration follows hyperbolic kinetics but becomes sigmoidal in the presence of a constant concentration of Na+. There appears to be competition between Na+ and K+ for enzyme binding sites since increasing the concentration of K+ overcomes the inhibitory effect of a given concentration of Na+. Tryptic digestion of myosin to Subfragment-1 does not alter the sigmoidal activation by KCl nor that by K+ in the presence of Na+. The dependence of activity on the concentration of ATP follows Michaelis-Menten kinetics under all conditions tested. In the presence of K+ or NH4+, the ATPase activity of myosin is inhibited by divalent cations. Both the extent of the inhibition and the concentration of divalent cation required for half maximal inhibition vary with the nature of the divalent cation. The concentration of divalent cation required for half maximal inhibition appears to depend primarily on the ionic radius, the larger the ion the higher the concentration required to inhibit. The extent of inhibition of K+-activated ATPase by divalent cations is inversely related to the extent of activation by divalent cations in the presence of Na+, a non-activating cation. Divalent cations which activate in the presence of Na+ produce only a partial inhibition in the presence of K+. At high concentrations of divalent cations, ATPase activity is the same regardless of the monovalent cation present. These results suggest that the inhibition of K+-activated ATPase by divalent cations involves the conversion of myosin from a monovalent cation-activated enzyme to a divalent cation-activated enzyme.
The emergence of ecological engineering as a discipline

Abstract Pioneering efforts in ecological engineering (a precedent setting engineering and applied science discipline in which the self-engineering capabilities of ecosystems are managed for the benefit of the environment and humankind) research and practice have proven to be tremendous strides toward establishing a new engineering discipline with a science base in ecology. Case studies, demonstrations and applications pertaining to restoration, rehabilitation, conservation, sustainability, reconstruction, remediation and reclamation of ecosystems using ecological engineering techniques are numerous. This has brought the field to the current level where many scientists and engineers adequately support the concept of, and need for, ecological engineering, and generally agree that ecological engineering has been sufficiently defined. There is also general agreement that full emergence as an engineering discipline remains a difficult task. Certain general characteristics of existing engineering disciplines can guide the emergence of ecological engineering and thus are a vital context covered in this paper. From the context of engineering practice, three concepts are evident including: (1) establishment of formal foundations for ecological engineering research and development; (2) development of core ecological engineering sciences and curricula; and (3) certification in ecological design. These elements are important components of a formal approach to develop ecological engineering as a principled, quantitative, recognized, practical, novel, and formal engineering discipline that coalesces past and future research and practice into cohesive underpinnings.
The Choice of Variable for Atmospheric Moisture Analysis

The implications of using different control variables for the analysis of moisture observations in a global atmospheric data assimilation system are investigated. A moisture analysis based on either mixing ratio or specific humidity is prone to large extrapolation errors, due to the high variability in space and time of these parameters and to the difficulties in modeling their error covariances. Using the logarithm of specific humidity does not alleviate these problems, and has the further disadvantage that very dry background estimates cannot be effectively corrected by observations. Relative humidity is a better choice from a statistical point of view, because this field is spatially and temporally more coherent and error statistics are therefore easier to obtain. If, however, the analysis is designed to preserve relative humidity in the absence of moisture observations, then the analyzed specific humidity field depends entirely on analyzed temperature changes. If the model has a cool bias in the stratosphere this will lead to an unstable accumulation of excess moisture there. A pseudo-relative humidity can be defined by scaling the mixing ratio by the background saturation mixing ratio. A univariate pseudo-relative humidity analysis will preserve the specific humidity field in the absence of moisture observations. A pseudorelative humidity analysis is shown to be equivalent to a mixing ratio analysis with flow-dependent covariances. In the presence of multivariate (temperature-moisture) observations it produces analyzed relative humidity values that are nearly identical to those produced by a relative humidity analysis. Based on a time series analysis of radiosonde observed-minus-background differences it appears to be more justifiable to neglect specific humidity-temperature correlations (in a univariate pseudo-relative humidity analysis) than to neglect relative humidity-temperature correlations (in a univariate relative humidity analysis). A pseudo-relative humidity analysis is easily implemented in an existing moisture analysis system, by simply scaling observed-minus background moisture residuals prior to solving the analysis equation, and rescaling the analyzed increments afterward.
Chiral discrimination in the exchange of α‐tocopherol stereoisomers between plasma and red blood cells

The transport of 2R,4′R, 8′R-α-tocopherol and 2S,4′R,8′R-α-tocopherol from plasma into rat red blood cell membranes occurs with essentially no chiral discrimination. The previously demonstrated (10) preference of red blood cell membranes favoring 2R,4′R,8′R-α-tocopherol over the 2S,4′R, 8′R stereoisomer is shown to be due to better retention of the former compound, i.e., to preferential retention of natural vitamin E.
Acidic fibroblast growth factor (FGF1) increases survival and haematopoietic recovery in total body irradiated C3H/HeNCr mice.

Abstract Basic fibroblast growth factor is known to stimulate the proliferation of bone marrow stem and/or progenitor cells in vitro and in vivo. We examined a similar cytokine, acidic fibroblast growth factor (FGF1), for its in vivo radiomodifying effects. Female C3H/HeNCr mice were given human recombinant FGF1intravenously at doses ranging from 1 to 24 μg. FGF1was delivered in two equal doses 24 and 4 h before or 24 h after otherwise lethal total body irradiation (TBI). In vivo FGF1radioprotection of C3H mice was maximized at a total dose of 12 μg/mouse given before TBI. The radiomodification was 1.16 ± 0.03 (±1 SD) with an increase of LD50/30from 736 ± 9 to 854 ± 16 cGy (P
Territory quality and territorial behavior in two sympatric species of hummingbirds

Changes in territorial behavior of blackchinned hummingbirds (Archilochus alexandri) in response to experimental changes in territory quality were investigated using artificial feeders and simultaneous, pair-wise observations of owners. Some of the responses of A. alexandri were similar to those documented by a previous study of the Anna's hummingbird (Calypte anna): A. alexandri defending rich territories spent more time on their territories, encountered a greater percentage of intruders, and chased more intruders than did A. alexandri defending poor territories. In contrast to C. anna, A. alexandri supplemented chases with energetically inexpensive threat vocalizations more extensively when territory quality was increased. This difference may be related to A. alexandri's more tenuous control of rich territories. When both species were observed on very poor territories, A. alexandri chased a greater percentage of intruders, consumed a greater proportion of available food, and obtained a greater net energy gain from their territories. When observed simultaneously on territories with ad lib food, both species defended highly exclusive territories but A. alexandri suffered higher intrusion pressure and spent more time and energy in defense. These interspecific differences in territorial behavior may facilitate sympatric coexistence of the two species through aggressive partitioning of flower patches according to productivity: the greater payoff received by C. anna on rich territories and A. alexandri on poor territories should favor a corresponding monopolization of rich areas by C. anna and poor areas by A. alexandri.
Tuning Bulk Electrostatics to Regulate Protein Function

Cyclin-dependent kinase activation can prevent yeast cells from responding to mating pheromone. Strickfaden et al. (2007) now show that this block arises from the multisite phosphorylation of Ste5. This provides a beautiful example of how phosphorylation can produce decisive changes in protein function through bulk electrostatics, without the necessity of intricate conformational changes.
Midline pericardial cyst in the posterior mediastinum sonographic and computed tomographic correlation

A chest radiograph revealed an incidental finding of a large mediastinal mass located in the midline posterior to the lower aspect of the heart. The computed tomogram and sonographic examinations of the chest showed the mass to be cystic in nature, contiguous with the heart, and anterior to the displaced distal esophagus. At surgery this proved to be a pericardial cyst. The unusual location of this entity, which has never before been documented, now behooves us to include pericardial cyst and diverticulum in the differential diagnosis of mediastinal masses, posterior to the heart.
Efficient reversible NOR gates and their mapping in optical computing domain

Abstract Reversible logic is a computing paradigm in which there is a one to one mapping between the input and the output vectors. Reversible logic gates are implemented in an optical domain as it provides high speed and low energy computations. In the existing literature there are two types of optical mapping of reversible logic gates: (i) based on a semiconductor optical amplifier (SOA) using a Mach–Zehnder interferometer (MZI) switch; (ii) based on linear optical quantum computation (LOQC) using linear optical quantum logic gates. In reversible computing, the NAND logic based reversible gates and design methodologies based on them are widely popular. The NOR logic based reversible gates and design methodologies based on them are still unexplored. In this work, we propose two NOR logic based n-input and n-output reversible gates one of which can be efficiently mapped in optical computing using the Mach–Zehnder interferometer (MZI) while the other one can be mapped efficiently in optical computing using the linear optical quantum gates. The proposed reversible NOR gates work as a corresponding NOR counterpart of NAND logic based Toffoli gates. The proposed optical reversible NOR logic gates can implement the reversible boolean logic functions with a reduced number of linear optical quantum logic gates or reduced optical cost and propagation delay compared to their implementation using existing optical reversible NAND gates. It is illustrated that an optical reversible gate library having both optical Toffoli gate and the proposed optical reversible NOR gate is superior compared to the library containing only the optical Toffoli gate: (i) in terms of number of linear optical quantum gates when implemented using linear optical quantum computing (LOQC), (ii) in terms of optical cost and delay when implemented using the Mach–Zehnder interferometer.
Narrowband Transmitters: Ultralow-Power Design

Recent advancements in integrated radio design have enabled many new applications ranging from wearable health-care or fitness monitors to Internet of Things devices, structural integrity monitors, and beyond. In many of these applications, device size and battery life are of critical importance. Since radios often consume a significant portion of the power budget in small sensing nodes [1], reducing radio power consumption is an effective way to decrease battery size or increase battery life. Reducing radio power consumption can be challenging as there are important tradeoffs between power consumption and performance metrics such as radiated output power, linearity, sensitivity, channelization capabilities, and interference sensitivity. Low-power radio designs often sacrifice one or more of these metrics in the pursuit of low overall power consumption.
Protection and Restoration of the Environment VII

Among living organisms plants are the most tolerant to pollution. This fact, emphasizes their utility for phytoremediation, a promising technology for environmental cleanup. Many botanical families include multiple species which exhibit a notable phytoremediation potential. Each of these species enjoys certain advantages, but at the same encounters some limitations with respect to its application as phytoremediants. Careful selection of the appropriate family and genotype to match the particular pollutant and environment is crucial for successful phytoremediation; the Poaceae family seems to be one of the most important for this technology. Phytoremediation of inorganic and organic pollutants largely depends on sulfur (S) metabolism. Therefore, S sufficient conditions and efficient S metabolism constitute the prerequisites for the effectiveness of the process. In the modern societies, heavy-metal pollution of soils is causing ever greater problems, exacerbated by the fact that most heavy metals accumulated in plants may, either directly or indirectly, find their way into animals and human beings. Wheat, rice and maize are among the world’s most prominent crops, whilst cadmium (Cd) and nickel (Ni) are among the most toxic metals. Therefore, the physiological adaptations induced in cereals, by Cd for example, are alarming and subsequently, the responsiveness of these species has been studied extensively as model plants. Studies with Arundo donax as phytoremediant have proven that this species is tolerant to increased concentrations of Cd and Ni in its rhizosphere, and as a consequence, it can be cultivated in contaminated areas for phytoremediation and energy production purposes. S-deficiency of crops is frequently reported, especially during the past two decades, worldwide. The main reasons for this deficiency are: the reduction of sulfur dioxide emission from power plants and various industrial sources, the ever increasing use of high-analysis low-S-containing fertilizers and the decreasing use of S-containing fertilizers, S-containing fungicides, pesticides and high-yielding varieties. A sufficient S supply of cereal crops is required in early growth stages, which cannot be fully compensated by S fertilization during later growth. Elemental S proved to contribute continuously to the crop’s S nutrition due to its constant release after oxidation. Therefore, the early diagnosis of S deficiency, the profiling of S forms in the soil of the phytoremediation site and the prediction of S-fertilizer requirements are of key importance for achieving a successful process.
Measuring the severity of transboundary freshwater conflict: structural vs. behavioural indices in Africa

In the global crisis over access to clean, adequate freshwater, Africa is a special case. Not only are many African states under severe water stress, but the continent is one of the most hydrologically interconnected regions on the planet. With 113 rivers, lakes and aquifers that cross an international border, over 60% of Africa’s territory falls into a transboundary watershed. Africa’s hydrology is interdependent, and mass poverty and political volatility heighten the risk of conflict over freshwater resources. This paper compares two approaches to understanding the severity of transboundary freshwater conflict; one based in behavior and the other based on structural factors unique to each water resource and its users. The goal is to identify Africa’s water hot spots, or those areas where violence over water resources is most likely. The broader aim is to better understand how the way we measure severity affects our understanding of freshwater conflict, and how policy-makers might best approach water pol...
EXTREMUM SEEKING CONTROL VIA SLIDING MODE WITH TWO SURFACES

Abstract In this paper, we present a new approach of extremum seeking control scheme, which applies two surfaces. Compared to other extremum seeking control algorithms, the new approach produces nearly no oscillation in the control results because the searching signal in this approach is no longer a periodic one. The control accuracy can be guaranteed by choosing two surfaces at a suitable distance. The proof of stability of the approach and several examples are also provided.
Hippocampal tissue of patients with refractory temporal lobe epilepsy is associated with astrocyte activation, inflammation, and altered expression of channels and receptors

Temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) is the most common form of focal epilepsy. Previous research has demonstrated several trends in human tissue that, undoubtedly, contribute to the development and progression of TLE. In this study we examined resected human hippocampus tissue for a variety of changes including gliosis that might contribute to the development and presentation of TLE. The study subjects consisted of six TLE patients and three sudden-death controls. Clinicopathological characteristics were evaluated by H&E staining. Immunohistological staining and Western blotting methods were used to analyze the samples. Neuronal hypertrophy was observed in resected epileptic tissue. Immunohistological staining demonstrated that activation of astrocytes was significantly increased in epileptic tissue as compared to corresponding regions of the control group. The Western blot data also showed increased CX43 and AQP4 in the hippocampus and downregulation of Kir4.1, α-syntrophin, and dystrophin, the key constituents of AQP4 multi-molecular complex. These tissues also demonstrated changes in inflammatory factors (COX-2, TGF-β, NF-κB) suggesting that these molecules may play an important role in TLE pathogenesis. In addition we detected increases in metabotropic glutamate receptor (mGluR) 2/3, mGluR5 and kainic acid receptor subunits KA1 (Grik4) and KA2 (Grik5) in patients’ hippocampi. We noted increased expression of the α1c subunit comprising class C L-type Ca2+ channels and calpain expression in these tissues, suggesting that these subunits might have an integral role in TLE pathogenesis. These changes found in the resected tissue suggest that they may contribute to TLE and that the kainic acid receptor (KAR) and deregulation of GluR2 receptor may play an important role in TLE development and disease course. This study identifies alterations in number of commonly studied molecular targets associated with astrogliosis, cellular hypertrophy, water homeostasis, inflammation, and modulation of excitatory neurotransmission in hippocampal tissues from TLE patients.
The effect of HapMap on cardiovascular research and clinical practice.

In this instructive Review, Skelding et al. explain how the recently published Haplotype Genetic Map (HapMap) has the potential to revolutionize our genetic discoveries. By cataloguing common haplotypes in the human genome, the HapMap will help elucidate the multiple genetic variants underlying common complex processes, such as in-stent restenosis. Jargon-free and informative, this Review provides insight into the relevance of HapMap to cardiovascular practice. The Haplotype Genetic Map (HapMap) is an invaluable resource to the cardiovascular researcher, enabling a decrease in cost and an increase in the efficiency and speed of discoveries in the laboratory. As cardiologists, we need to understand the vocabulary of genomics because the translation of scientific findings using HapMap could provide insight for improved care and therapeutic guidance of our patients. Genomics is the evaluation of genes as a dynamic system, in which genes interact to influence biologic pathways, networks and physiology. The HapMap promises to increase the efficiency of genomics in identifying cardiovascular-disease-related genes that could become vital for choosing relevant tests and providing preventative and curative therapies. In this Review, the HapMap will be described, to provide insight into the relevance of this work to cardiovascular practice, to clinical research in cardiovascular disease and to future discoveries in diagnostic and therapeutic modalities.
An index number approach to measuring bank efficiency: An application to mergers

Abstract The current wave of bank mergers has resulted in an interest in the measurement of consequent efficiencies. Previous studies have generally focused on the measurement of merger-induced cost efficiencies. In this paper, we turn to the production side and examine the change in relative productivity arising from bank mergers. After deriving our superlative multilateral productivity index, we compute the indexes for our entire sample of banks, approximately 2,000 banks in each of the years 1984–1988, and for a cohort of 160 banks that merged in 1986. We find that acquiring banks achieve no gains in efficiency, and this finding supports those of other studies. On the other hand, we find that our acquiring banks are consistently more productive than the sample as a whole. By implication, if mergers can be generally characterized as the acquisition by a relatively more productive bank of a relatively less productive bank, an empirically valid supposition, then industry performance should improve as a result of these mergers.
Localization of Photons

In a popular quantum mechanics textbook one reads … “If we have some indications that classical wave theory is macroscopically correct, it is nevertheless clear that on the microscopic level only the corpuscular theory of light is able to account for typical absorption and scattering phenomena such as the photoelectric effect and the Compton effect, respectively. One must still ascertain how the photon hypothesis may be reconciled with the essentially wave-like phenomena of interference and diffraction …[1], and in another “…We have, on the one hand, the phenomena of interference and diffraction, which can be explained only on the basis of a wave theory; on the other, phenomena such as photoelectric emission and scattering by free electrons, which show that light is composed of small particles.”[2]
The Marketing/Logistics Interface

This monograph progresses from a consideration of definitional issues to the development of a conceptual model for marketing‐logistics interaction and finally to a discussion of the issues of implementation of the model within the context of marketing strategy. Thus, following an introduction, Part II begins with definition of the field and examines the position of physical distribution in relation to marketing. Part III discusses the relationship of physical distribution and macro‐marketing, and is thus concerned about the social, aggregative goals of logistics systems, including the costs of distribution. Part IV continues this argument, examining specifically the influence of physical distribution on channel structure. Part V then focuses on the assumptions underlying the customer service function, asking how physical distribution can influence final demand in the market place. Part VI presents a conceptual model of marketing‐logistics demand stimulation. The operational issues concerned with its implementation are shown in Part VII; and a summary of the relevant points is presented in Part VIII. The concern has been not with presenting either new computational models nor empirical data but with presenting a new perspective on the marketing‐logistics interface. There is a need to reduce the barriers between these fields and to present more useful ways for co‐operation.
Kinetic extinction: A three-step model☆

Abstract Peters and Smooke [1] recently proposed a four-step model to explain the phenomenon of the lean flammability limit. Close examination of the model reveals, however, that the phenomenon is not exactly the lean flammability limit as customarily perceived (by Coward and Jones [2], for example). In fact, the phenomenon revealed, which we call kinetic extinction, can be modeled by a simpler three-step model, the two-step Zeldovich-Linan model [3] augmented by an additional reaction. In the context of this model, we analyze the mechanism of kinetic extinction which manifests itself in the establishment of a critical flame temperature below which a mixture cannot burn.
Reduced severity of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis in GMF-deficient mice

Glia maturation factor (GMF), a highly conserved brain-specific protein, isolated, sequenced and cloned in our laboratory. Overexpression of GMF in astrocytes induces the production and secretion of granulocyte-macrophage-colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF), and subsequent immune activation of microglia, expression of several proinflammatory genes including major histocompatibility complex proteins, IL-1β, and MIP-1β, all associated with the development of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE), the animal model for multiple sclerosis. Based on GMF’s ability to activate microglia and induce well-established proinflammatory mediators, including GM-CSF, we hypothesize that GMF is involved in the pathogenesis of inflammatory disease EAE. In this present investigation, using GMF-deficient mice, we study the role of GMF and how the lack of GMF affects the EAE disease. Our results show a significant decrease in incidence, delay in onset, and reduced severity of EAE in GMF-deficient mice, and support the hypothesis that GMF plays a major role in the pathogenesis of disease.
Husserlian Phenomenology and the de re and de dicto Intentionalities

Two sorts of questions have been raised in recent literature about the concept of intentionality in phenomenology. Some have asked, whether Husserlian intentionality can be anything but de re and have wondered what account of de dicto intentionality it is possible for Husserl to give.1 Others have started by recognising that on the Frege-Husserl theory intentional reference is necessarily mediated by an abstract entity called the Sinn or noema and have drawn the conclusion that for such a theory all intentionality must be de dicto.2 What account then, it is asked, can Husserl give of de re intentionality? The very fact that there are two such opposed readings of the situation gives rise to the suspicion that there must be something wrong either in the way the de re — de dicto distinction is drawn or in the understanding of Husserl’s concept of intentionality or in both. This alone justifies an attempt to begin anew.
Effect of day and night temperature on the expression of male sterility of nuclear male-sterile (ms8ms8) soybean

In soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.], an environmentally stable male-sterility system is one of the requirements to produce large quantities of hybrid seed. Observations of the nuclear male-sterile, female-fertile mutant ms8ms8 in different environments suggested that environmental conditions affected expressivity of the ms8 allele with respect to male sterility. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of day and night temperatures on the expression of male sterility of the ms8 ms8 genotype. Eighteen male-sterile, female-fertile ms8ms8 plants and ten fertile siblings Ms8_ were grown in growth chambers with the following day/night temperatures regimes: 20/20, 24/18, 25/19, 25/20, 27/21, 28/25, 29/17, 29/24, 30/25, 30/30, 32/25, and 35/25°C. Stability of the ms8 allele was affected by the different temperature regimes. Increased sterility of the ms8ms8 genotype was observed when night temperature was 25°C and day temperature varied between 30 and 35°C. We found optimal temperature regimes for sterility expression of the ms8 mutant. These regimes could be used for hybrid seed production when using insect-mediated cross pollination.
Acetylcholinesterase isozymes from the housefly brain.

Abstract 1. 1. Cholinesterase activity in insect head extracts was investigated by disc electrophoresis followed by spectrophotometric analysis. The supernatant of 100 000 × g , 1 h, revealed the presence of four isozymes in the housefly, two in the American cockroach and only one in the southern army worm. 2. 2. The four isozymes, present in the head extract of houseflies, were totally inhibited by 10 μM guthoxon or eserine but were unaffected by 10 μ M p- chloromercuribenzoate (PCMB) or tri -o- cresylphosphate . All four isozymes had higher activity with acetylthiocholine than butyrylthiocholine as substrates; indicating they are isozymes of acetylcholinesterase. 3. 3. Centrifugation at 200 000 × g for 4 h precipitated 66% of the acetylcholin-esterase originally present in the supernatant of 100 000 × g for 1 h but the four isozymes remained soluble and were estimated to have molecular weights of less than 500 000. 4. 4. Two methods of gel staining were used to detect esterase activity, the direct-coloring thiocholine method using acetylthiocholine as a substrated and the modified Gomori method using α-naphthylacetate. The first proved to be effective for detecting cholinesterase activity; but at least two of the eserine-sensitive bands found by the technique of Gomori 20 were not cholinesterase.
Comparative Sequence Analysis Suggests a Unified Gating Mechanism for TRP Channels

The transient receptor potential (TRP) channel superfamily plays a central role in the transduction of diverse stimuli in eukaryotes. Their transmebrane regions assemble in tetramer, similarly to voltage-gated potassium (Kv) channels. Given the degree of structural similarity between the two superfamilies, an intriguing question concerns the sequence determinants of such highly divergent activation mechanisms. To provide insight into this question and to investigate the fascinating hypothesis of a conserved allosteric activation mechanism shared amongst TRP channels, we have performed comparative sequence analysis on large, comprehensive ensembles of TRP and Kv channel sequences.
Meningeal hemangiopericytoma of the posterior fossa and thoracic spinal epidural space: case report.

ABSTRACTThe rare combination of spinal and intracranial meningeal hemangiopericytomas in the same patient is reported. The coexistence of cerebral and spinal meningiomas of all histological subtypes is distinctly uncommon with only nine cases found in the literature.
TRANSVERSE ENERGY PRODUCTION AND THE EQUATION OF STATE OF NUCLEAR MATTER

In nuclear collisions of Au+Au, Nb+Nb and Ca+Ca at bombarding energies between 150 and 800 MeV per nucleon, transverse energy and transverse momenta of light particles are studied event by event at θ=90° in the center of mass system. At all energies, a rise of the mean transverse energy per nucleon is observed with increasing charged particle multiplicity. Particularly large values of E⊥ have been found for 3He-fragments. The hydrodynamical picture is discussed for a possible separation of the collective flow and the thermal parts of the E⊥-spectrum. From this, evidence for a rather stiff equation of state is found.
Determination of Ventricular Ejection Fraction: A Comparison of Available Imaging Methods

Knowledge of left ventricular ejection fraction has been shown to provide diagnostic and prognostic information in patients with known or suspected heart disease. In clinical practice, the ejection fraction can be determined by using one of the five currently available imaging techniques: contrast angiography, echocardiography, radionuclide techniques of blood pool and first pass imaging, electron beam computed tomography, and magnetic resonance imaging. In this review, we discuss the clinical application as well as the advantages and disadvantages of each of these methods as it relates to determination of ventricular ejection fraction.
N-methyl-D-aspartate transmission modulates GABAB-mediated inhibition of rat hippocampal pyramidal neurons in vitro

Abstract Slow inhibition was investigated by stimulating inhibitory neurons at the border of stratum radiatum and lacunosum-moleculare with focal microapplications of glutamate, while recording resultant slow inhibitory postsynaptic potentials in CA1 pyramidal neurons in rat hippocampal slices. The slow inhibitory postsynaptic potentials evoked had an average peak amplitude of −2.2 mV, measured at −60 mV. Their peak conductance was 2.5 nS. These events were characterized as slow GABAB inhibitory postsynaptic potentials because they reversed at −90 mV, and were blocked by CGP 35348 (500 μM). Exposure to magnesium-free solutions augmented glutamate-evoked slow inhibitory postsynaptic potentials. Mean peak amplitude and conductance were −3.1 mV and 4.0 nS. Exposure to the N-methyl- d -aspartate antagonist MK-801 (20 μM) allowed separation of the glutamate-triggered slow inhibitory postsynaptic potential into components induced by non-N-methyl- d -aspartate and N-methyl- d -aspartate receptor activation. The N-methyl- d -aspartate component dominated, even under control conditions, and could account for up to 60% of the control slow inhibitory postsynaptic potential. Thus, the activation and recruitment of GABAB-mediated inhibition depend on both non-N-methyl- d -aspartate and N-methyl- d -aspartate-mediated excitation of inhibitory interneurons. Under physiological conditions slow inhibition may act as an important synaptic filtering mechanism, but when N-methyl- d -aspartate-mediated excitation increases, slow inhibition is further recruited, providing an important means to offset excessive excitation.
Stochastic Sensitivity Analysis and Kernel Inference via Distributional Data

Cellular processes are noisy due to the stochastic nature of biochemical reactions. As such, it is impossible to predict the exact quantity of a molecule or other attributes at the single-cell level. However, the distribution of a molecule over a population is often deterministic and is governed by the underlying regulatory networks relevant to the cellular functionality of interest. Recent studies have started to exploit this property to infer network states. To facilitate the analysis of distributional data in a general experimental setting, we introduce a computational framework to efficiently characterize the sensitivity of distributional output to changes in external stimuli. Further, we establish a probability-divergence-based kernel regression model to accurately infer signal level based on distribution measurements. Our methodology is applicable to any biological system subject to stochastic dynamics and can be used to elucidate how population-based information processing may contribute to organism-level functionality. It also lays the foundation for engineering synthetic biological systems that exploit population decoding to more robustly perform various biocomputation tasks, such as disease diagnostics and environmental-pollutant sensing.
Analysis of self-association of bovine neurophysins by gel chromatography

Abstract Analytical gel chromatography has been used to examine self-association of bovine neurophysins I and II under several sets of conditions. The data provide no evidence for associated species larger than the dimer. Association constants and Stokes radii of both monomer and dimer are very similar for both proteins in both 0.1 m KOAc, 0.16 m KCl and 0.1 m KPO4, 0.16 m KCl at pH 5.6 and 25 °C. The average values derived for the Stokes radii of the monomer and dimer under these conditions are 14.5 ± 0.7 and 23.0 ± 0.4 A, respectively. These results confirm the conclusion of Rholam and Nicolas [(1981) Biochemistry20, 5837–5843] that the monomer and, to a lesser extent, the dimer are highly assymmetric. The Stokes radius of the monomer calculated by Rholam and Nicolas (op cit.) is ~30% larger than the value derived here. This discrepancy is probably the result of end-on penetration of the gel by elongated molecules [ Y. Nozaki, N. M. Schechter, J. A. Reynolds, and C. Tanford (1976) Biochemistry 15, 3884–3890 ]. In contrast to Tellam and Winzor [(1980) Arch. Biochem. Biophys.201, 20–24 ], it was found that neurophysin II does not exist solely as the dimer in 0.1 m KPO4, pH 5.6, although substitution of 0.1 m KPO4 for 0.1 m KOAc does increase the association constant by a factor of seven. Addition of 1.4 m LiCl at pH 8.1 also increases the association constant sevenfold, as well as increasing the Stokes radius of the monomer ~20%. The effects of ionic strength are consistent with the conclusion of Nicolas et al. [(1978) J. Biol. Chem253, 2633–2639 ] that formation of the dimer depends upon hydrophobic bonding.