cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Inter‐Wedging Nature of the Cheyenne Belt – Archean‐Proterozoic Suture Defined by Seismic Reflection Data

New seismic reflection data from the CD-ROM project (Continental Dynamics of the Rocky Mountains) show that the Archean-Proterozoic suture in Wyoming, the Cheyenne belt, consists of a crustal-scale, conjugate thrust wedge, where Archean and Proterozoic crust were thrust into each other. Moderately S-dipping reflections extend to depths of 15-18 km and surface at the mapped shear zones of the Cheyenne belt; these terminate close to a north-dipping reflection that extends to about 24 km depth and converges at the surface at the Farwell-Lester Mountain (FLM) area with several strong, south-dipping reflections. The FLM zone is marked by dismembered ophiolites suggestive of an ocean basin and may represent a back-arc basin subsequently closed by continued south-dipping subduction, resulting in a cryptic suture. Arcuate criss-crossing reflections in Archean basement to the north of the Cheyenne belt are related to folding, inferred conjugate thrusting and an antiformal duplex stack. This stack formed during Paleoproterozoic suturing in supracrustal rocks comprising at least the upper 24 km of the crust. Our analysis of wide-angle seismic data does not reveal a 7 km/s lower crustal layer that could be interpreted as underplate in southern Wyoming or northern Colorado. A suture, marked by complex interwedging of crustal blocks, was probably steepened by continued convergence to the south.
The Perceptual-Motor Workspace and the Acquisition of Skill

The acquisition of skill is examined with reference to the nature of the evolving perceptual-motor workspace. The evolution and dissolution of gradient and equilibrium regions within the workspace is discussed relative to the constraints on action. Some experimental data are reported which address the impact of some of the features of perceptual-motor workspaces on exploratory behavior, criterion performance, and transfer while learning to locate the minimum of an unknown function.
Induction of pterin synthesis is not required for cytokine-stimulated tryptophan metabolism

Activation of the immune system which occurs in inflammatory disease leads to parallel increases in pterin synthesis and increased production of neuroactive L-tryptophan metabolites. Several model systems were studied to determine whether pterins, which are cofactors for hydroxylation reactions, could be required in the oxidative kynurenine pathway of L-tryptophan degradation. Treatment of mice with interferon-gamma increased L-tryptophan metabolism without any corresponding change in tissue biopterin concentrations. Cytokine-treated human fibroblasts, macrophages and glioblastoma cells all showed increases in kynurenine production, which were completely independent of pterin synthesis. When pterin synthesis de novo was blocked, either by an inhibitor of GTP cyclohydrolase or because of a genetic deficiency of one of the enzymes of the pathway of pterin biosynthesis, cytokine-stimulated increases in tryptophan metabolism were unaffected. Furthermore, increasing intracellular tetrahydrobiopterin concentrations by treating cells with sepia-pterin also had no effect on markers of tryptophan metabolism. Therefore, both normal and cytokine-stimulated L-tryptophan metabolism appears to be completely independent of pterin biosynthesis.
Overtightening of the ankle syndesmosis: is it really possible?

Background:Many surgeons and orthopaedic references recommend that fixation of a disrupted distal tibiofibular syndesmosis be performed with the ankle in dorsiflexion to avoid overtightening and subsequent restriction of ankle dorsiflexion. This recommendation is based in large part on one cadaveric
Increased potency of the PHSCN dendrimer as an inhibitor of human prostate cancer cell invasion, extravasation, and lung colony formation

Activated alpha5beta1 integrin occurs specifically on tumor cells and on endothelial cells of tumor-associated vasculature, and plays a key role in invasion and metastasis. The PHSCN peptide (Ac-PHSCN-NH(2)) preferentially binds activated alpha5beta1, to block invasion in vitro, and inhibit growth, metastasis and tumor recurrence in preclinical models of prostate cancer. In Phase I clinical trial, systemic Ac-PHSCN-NH(2) monotherapy was well tolerated, and metastatic disease progression was prevented for 4-14 months in one-third of treated patients. We have developed a significantly more potent derivative, the PHSCN-polylysine dendrimer (Ac-PHSCNGGK-MAP). Using in vitro invasion assays with naturally serum-free basement membranes, we observed that the PHSCN dendrimer was 130- to 1900-fold more potent than the PHSCN peptide at blocking alpha5beta1-mediated invasion by DU 145 and PC-3 human prostate cancer cells, whether invasion was induced by serum, or by the Ac-PHSRN-NH(2) peptide, under serum-free conditions. The PHSCN dendrimer was also approximately 800 times more effective than PHSCN peptide at preventing DU 145 and PC-3 extravasation in the lungs of athymic mice. Chou-Talalay analysis suggested that inhibition of both invasion in vitro and extravasation in vivo by the PHSCN dendrimer are highly synergistic. We found that many extravasated DU 145 and PC-3 cells go onto develop into metastatic colonies, and that a single pretreatment with the PHSCN dendrimer was 100-fold more affective than the PHSCN peptide at reducing lung colony formation. Since many patients newly diagnosed with prostate cancer already have locally advanced or metastatic disease, the availability of a well-tolerated, nontoxic systemic therapy, like the PHSCN dendrimer, which prevents metastatic progression by inhibiting invasion, could be very beneficial.
The Effect of Web Cohesion, Web Commitment, and Attitude toward the Website on Intentions to Use NFL Teams’ Websites

Sport teams are increasingly using their websites to create and nurture relationships with their fans. Like other leisure-based products and services, sport brands have a capacity to facilitate the development of brand communities. Websites can be a key context for the expression of brand community. This study examines the effects of perceived cohesion, commitment, and attitude toward the website on intent to use the website via a web survey of NFL team website users (N=144). Structural equation modelling was used to confirm a model in which commitment and attitude toward the website directly increased intention to use the website; cohesion and commitment directly enhance attitude toward the website; and, cohesion has a strong, positive association with commitment. Implications and practical applications for building web community are discussed, and directions for future research are suggested.
The influence of trimethoprim, sulfamethoxazole, and creatinine on renal organic anion and cation transport in rat kidney tissue

Abstract The use of combined trimethoprim and sulfamethoxazole has been reported to increase serum creatinine concentrations in patients by inhibiting creatinine excretion. In confirmation, we found that trimethoprim given over 24 hr to rats augmented serum creatinine concentrations and decreased creatinine clearance relative to urea clearance. Previously, decreased urinary excretion has been hypothesized to occur secondarily to inhibited renal secretory transport of creatinine via the organic cation pathway, although there was no direct evidence to indicate that trimethoprim inhibits organic cation secretion. Such a mechanism is possible because other studies have shown that creatinine is secreted through both the organic anion and cation pathways. We followed organic anion ([ 3 H]PAH) and organic cation ([ 14 C]TEA) accumulation in incubating rat renal fragments in order to determine whether inhibition of organic cation accumulation by trimethoprim actually does occur. The present investigation shows that trimethoprim interferes with organic cation uptake in vitro but does not influence organic anion uptake. Sulfamethoxazole affected neither organic cation nor anion accumulation significantly. Trimethoprim decreased influx of [ 14 C]TEA, not its efflux. Other metabolic processes such as QO 2 , ammoniagenesis, and gluconeogenesis were not altered greatly by trimethoprim. Creatinine itself decreased organic anion and cation transport through competitive inhibition. Added to the findings that trimethoprim elevates serum creatinine in man without changing glomerular filtration rate, our results strengthen the hypothesis that trimethoprim can decrease serum creatinine excretion through the inhibition of creatinine secretion via the organic cation transport route.
Friction Stir Welding Heat Transfer: Quasisteady Modeling and Its Validation

A quasisteady approach to friction stir welding (FSW) heat transfer modeling is proposed and implemented using FLUENT. An idealized model of the mechanical dissipation heating in FSW is employed. Selected numerical predictions based on the model are shown to capture most of the features of corresponding experimental data available in literature. It is concluded that the quasisteady formulation (due to its simplicity and moderate usage of computational resources) is an attractive alternative to more computationally intensive unsteady approaches to FSW modeling under some circumstances.
The use of 2-O-acyl-1-O-sulfonyl-d-galactopyranose derivatives in β-d-galactopyranoside synthesis

Abstract Several 1-O-sulfonyl derivatives of d -galactopyranose having a participating benzoyl or p-methoxybenzoyl group at O-2 were synthesized from the corresponding d -galactopyranosyl chloride derivatives by use of silver p-toluenesulfonate or trifluoroethanesulfonate in acetonitrile. The reaction of the 1-O- sulfonyl- d -galactopyranose derivatives with several alcohols in various solvents at different times and temperatures served as model reactions to determine the best conditions for synthesizing stereoselectively β- d -galactopyranosides in high yields. This method was used to prepare, in good yield, several β- d -galactopyranosyl-containing disaccharides.
Dopaminergic—cholinergic interactions in naloxone-induced circling in morphine-dependent rats with nigral lesions☆

Abstract 3–4 weeks after placement of a unilateral, electrolytic lesion of the substantia nigra zona compacta, rats were highly dependent on morphine by the s.c. morphine pellet implantation technique. Following challenge with a supramaximal naloxone dose of 20 mg/kg i.p., both continous contralateral circling behavior and severe withdrawal signs in morphine-dependent, lesioned rats were elicited. After various drug pretreatments, the contralateral circling behavior precipitated by naloxone was: (a) reversed to ipsilateral circling by i.p. apomorphine or d-amphetamine, (b) unaltered by i.p. haloperidol or intraneostriatal arecoline administered into the intact neostriatum, and (c) reversed to ipsilateral circling by the administration of atropine into the intact neostriatum. Atropine, apomorphine and amphetamine all interfered with the manifestation of naloxone-precipitated abstinence. These data suggest that a diminution of dopaminergic or an enhancement of cholinergic activities, or both, occur at the level of the neostriatum during naloxone-precipitated withdrawal in morphine-dependent rats.
Carbon-13 Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopic Analyses of 3-Aryl-3-hydroxyl-2,2,4,4-tetramethylcyclobutanones and Related Compounds

A series of 2-aryl-2-hydroxy-1,1,3,3-tetramethyl-5,8-dioxaspiro[3.4]octanes (1), 3-aryl-3-hydyoxyl-2,2,4,4-tetyramethylcyclobutanones (2), and l-aryl-2,2,4-trimethyl-1,3-pentadiones (3) were studied using 13C NMR analyses. The chemical shifts of C-c are dependent on the substituent groups on the phenyl ring for compounds 1 (ρ =-0.966, R2 = 0.987) and 2 (ρ = −1.378, R2 = 0.998). The chemical shifts of C-a follow a similar trend (ρ =−0.926, R2 = 0.989). In the case of compounds 3, C-c yielded the opposite trend with very poor correlation coefficiency (ρ = 1.22, R2 = 0.179). This result reveals the field effect of a polar bond and resonance-induced changes in pi electron-density at C-1 on the cyclobutanering series.
Carbachol-induced accumulation of inositol-1-phosphate in neurohybridoma NCB-20 cells: Effects of lithium and phorbol esters

Clonal neurohybridoma NCB-20 cells expressed muscarinic cholinergic receptors coupled to phospholipase C. Addition of carbachol in the presence of Li+ to cells prelabeled with 3H-inositol increased 3H-inositol-l-phosphate (3H-IP1) accumulation by more than 4-fold with an EC50 of about 50 microM. This carbachol-induced response was blocked by atropine and pirenzepine with a Ki of 0.5 and 25 nM, respectively. The EC50 of Li+ for the carbachol-induced phosphoinositide turnover was 17 +/- 1.2 mM compared with a value of 1.8 +/- 0.2 mM in brain slices, suggesting the presence of an unusual type of inositol-l-phosphatase in NCB-20 cells. Carbachol-induced IP1 accumulation in these cells was potently and noncompetitively inhibited by the biologically active phorbol esters, phorbol dibutyrate (PDB) and phorbol myristate diacetate (PMA), while the biologically inactive phorbol, 4 beta-phorbol, failed to affect this phosphoinositide breakdown. The basal IP1 accumulation was also significantly attenuated by PDB and PMA but not by 4 beta-phorbol.
Reactions of cyclopentadienylmetal-2-alkenyl carbonyl complexes with sulfur dioxide. Isolation and characterization of metal—η2-alkenesulfinate intermediates

The isolation and characterization of the 2-alkene-S-sulfinato products of the reactions of transition metal-2-alkenyl complexes η5-C5H5M(CO)xCH2C(R)CR′R″ (M = Fe and x = 2, M = Mo and x = 3, M = W and x = 3; R = R′ = R″ = H, R = R′ = H and R″ = CH3, R = H and R′ = R″ = CH3, R = R′ = H and R″ = C6H3, R = CH3 and R′ = R″ = H, and/or R = R′ = H and R″ = Cl) with SO2 under a variety of conditions are described. Products containing a 1,3 rearranged, MS(O)2C(R′)(R″)C(R)CH2, and/or an unrearranged, MS(O)2CH2C(R)CR′R″ allylic fragment are obtained from unsymmetrical 2-alkenyl complexes. In addition, some metal 2-alkene-S-sulfinates exhibit cis-trans isomerism associated with the allylic CC bond. The formation of the rearranged S-sulfinato isomers is promoted by the use of M = Fe over M = Mo or low temperatures of neat SO2, and non-polar over polar organic solvents Moreover, the ratio of the rearranged to the unrearranged isomer decreases with the nature of the substituents R, R′ and R″ in the order R = R′ = H, R″ = CH3 > R = H, R′ = R″ = CH3 ⩾ R = R′ = H, R″ = C6H5. The isomers were found not to interconvert under several different experimental conditions. The incidence of the above isomerism is rationalized in terms of a mechanism that entails the formation and subsequent dissociation of a metal-η2-alkenesulfinate zwitterion, a 1.3 rearrangement via “internal return” of the dissociated alkenezulfinate anion, and recombination of the rearranged and/or unrearranged anion with the cationic cyclopentadienylmetal carbonyl species. The desulfination of η5-C5H5Fe(CO)2S(O)2C6F5 thermally in toluene at reflux and photochemically in toluene is also described.
Estimating the value of volunteer-assisted community-based aging services: a case example.

This study demonstrates the use of a social return on investment (SROI) approach in estimating the financial and social value created by volunteer-assisted community-based aging services. An expanded value added statement (EVAS) analysis found that the total value of outputs produced by the Concierge Club of San Diego substantially exceeded the cost of the program, after considering likely secondary and tertiary benefits for a range of affected stakeholders—including elderly service recipients, family members, volunteers, and societal institutions. Additional research is needed regarding the direct and indirect costs and benefits of volunteer support services for vulnerable older adults and their families.
Reactivation of recent or remote memory before electroconvulsive therapy does not produce retrograde amnesia.

Tests of recent memory and remote memory were administered to psychiatric patients before and after electroconvulsive therapy (ECT). When learning occurred just prior to ECT, subsequent retention was poorer than when learning occurred several hours before ECT. Retention was not affected when a reminder procedure was given just prior to ECT. The results do not support the hypothesis that the reactivation of previously learned material before convulsive stimulation can cause amnesia. Retrograde amnesia seems to be determined largely by the amount of time between initial learning and treatment with an amnesic agent.
Hallucinogen use predicts reduced recidivism among substance-involved offenders under community corrections supervision

Hallucinogen-based interventions may benefit substance use populations, but contemporary data informing the impact of hallucinogens on addictive behavior are scarce. Given that many individuals in the criminal justice system engage in problematic patterns of substance use, hallucinogen treatments also may benefit criminal justice populations. However, the relationship between hallucinogen use and criminal recidivism is unknown. In this longitudinal study, we examined the relationship between naturalistic hallucinogen use and recidivism among individuals under community corrections supervision with a history of substance involvement (n=25,622). We found that hallucinogen use predicted a reduced likelihood of supervision failure (e.g. noncompliance with legal requirements including alcohol and other drug use) while controlling for an array of potential confounding factors (odds ratio (OR)=0.60 (0.46, 0.79)). Our results suggest that hallucinogens may promote alcohol and other drug abstinence and prosocial behavior in a population with high rates of recidivism.
FDA's good laboratory practice regulations and computerized data acquisition systems

Abstract Lepore, P.D., 1992. FDA's good laboratory practice regulations and computerized data acquisition systems. Chemometrics and Intelligent Laboratory Systems: Laboratory Information Management Systems, 17: 283–287. The Food and Drug Administration's good laboratory practice regulations apply to computerized systems that are used to collect and process data deriving from a non-clinical laboratory study. Such systems are considered to be ‘equipment’ and are regulated similarly to other equipment used in a laboratory. In this regard, computerized systems are to be of appropriate design and adequate capacity to accomplish protocol directions, and their fitness for use in a study is to be documented. Written, approved standard operating procedures are to cover system testing, calibration, standardization, inspection, and maintenance, and a historical file is to contain a listing of versions and dates of implementation. The system is to accommodate the identification of each individual responsible for direct data entry at the time of entry. Data entries may be changed but an audit trail must preserve the original entry and identify the person making the change, list the date of the change, and provide a reason for the change. In view of the forgoing, FDA's inspections of computerized systems are designed to determine whether the systems operated properly in the past, whether they are currently operating properly, and whether they will continue to operate properly in the future. A satisfactory outcome can best be achieved through the development, installation, use, and maintenance of systems comporting with high quality standards.
Brief daily periods of unrestricted vision preserve stereopsis in strabismus.

Purpose. This study examines whether brief periods of binocular vision could preserve stereopsis in monkeys reared with optical strabismus.
Thermal conductivity of glasses: Theory and application to amorphous Si.

Vibrations of amorphous Si are represented by the network model of Wooten, Winer, and Weaire and the forces of Stillinger and Weber. It is shown how the Kubo formula for thermal conductivity can be evaluated "exactly" assuming harmonic vibrations, making only finite-system-size errors. The results support a "shunt-resistor model" which fits data for glasses very well.
WATER CONSERVATION METHODS IN URBAN LANDSCAPE IRRIGATION: AN EXPLORATORY OVERVIEW

ABSTRACT: The increasing use of irrigation for urban landscapes is causing new demands for efficient watering systems. Conservation techniques for irrigated agricultural fields cannot be applied to urban landscapes without amendment. This paper attempts to review methods of urban landscape water conservation in the context of the diversity and complexity of urban landscapes and the demands upon them for quality of the urban environment. A development's initial site layout and planting design fundamentally determine how much irrigation water will be required; the complexity and creativity inherent in urban design open a number of specific possibilities for reducing water demand. Irrigation hardware is then designed to deliver the required volume of water to the specified landscape efficiently by implementing a number of physical and operational principles. Maintenance of the finished development involves monitoring results and making adjustments as the plantings grow and develop. The potential for conserving urban irrigation water is large. Effective conservation need not compromise other qualities of the urban environment such as aesthetics, screening, or shade. Urban design can address both the kinds of landscapes people need, and minimal consumption of irrigation water.
Defects in cell-mediated immunity

Defects in cell-mediated immunity result in remarkable susceptibility to opportunistic infection in contrast to the recurrent pyogenic infections observed in children with defects in antibody-mediated immunity. The major congenital defects in T lymphocytes are presented.
Linear Coding of Voice Onset Time

Voice onset time (VOT) provides an important auditory cue for recognizing spoken consonant-vowel syllables. Although changes in the neuromagnetic response to consonant-vowel syllables with different VOT have been examined, such experiments have only manipulated VOT with respect to voicing. We utilized the characteristics of a previously developed asymmetric VOT continuum [Liederman, J., Frye, R. E., McGraw Fisher, J., Greenwood, K., & Alexander, R. A temporally dynamic contextual effect that disrupts voice onset time discrimination of rapidly successive stimuli. Psychonomic Bulletin and Review, 12, 380--386, 2005] to determine if changes in the prominent M100 neuromagnetic response were linearly modulated by VOT. Eight right-handed, English-speaking, normally developing participants performed a VOT discrimination task during a whole-head neuromagnetic recording. The M100 was identified in the gradiometers overlying the right and left temporal cortices and single dipoles were fit to each M100 waveform. A repeated measures analysis of variance with post hoc contrast test for linear trend was used to determine whether characteristics of the M100 were linearly modulated by VOT. The morphology of the M100 gradiometer waveform and the peak latency of the dipole waveform were linearly modulated by VOT. This modulation was much greater in the left, as compared to the right, hemisphere. The M100 dipole moved in a linear fashion as VOT increased in both hemispheres, but along different axes in each hemisphere. This study suggests that VOT may linearly modulate characteristics of the M100, predominately in the left hemisphere, and suggests that the VOT of consonant-vowel syllables, instead of, or in addition to, voicing, should be examined in future experiments.
Experience with a DICOM-compatible digital pediatric echocardiography laboratory.

A digital pediatric echocardiography laboratory, without videotape redundancy was established at Children's Hospital of Wisconsin in December 1998. To characterize the experience, 1198 consecutive patient studies were reviewed-50% from the first 2 months after establishing the digital protocol and 50% from the last 2 months available. Each study was stored using a protocol that was based on capture of single beat clips of relevant two-dimensional/color Doppler imaging and static frame spectral Doppler tracings. Studies were digitally compressed using a DICOM-compatible JPEG algorithm at 20:1 and edited with deletions of redundant clips to minimize archival storage needs. Study quality was uniformly excellent, and no errors were attributable to the digital protocol or compression-related loss of information. The average study required 21.5 ± 11.4 MB of storage space with 35.4 ± 12.3 total clips/study captured. Studies reviewed from the earlier experience were not significantly larger (23.6 ± 14 vs 19.7 ± 8.1 MB, 35.6 ± 12.5 vs 35.2 ± 12 clips) than those done recently. Studies in patients with isolated ventricular septal defect used comparable storage (23.7 ± 8.9 MB, 42.8 ± 11.5 clips) to that of the group as a whole. More complex congenital heart disease studies were slightly larger-tetralogy of Fallot (28.2 ± 19.5 MB, 43.4 ± 13.9 clips), transposition of the great arteries (30.6 ± 17.4 MB, 40.3 ± 16.7 clips), and single ventricle (29.7 ± 19.6 MB, 39.9 ± 12 clips)-although this trend was not significant. This study suggests that digital pediatric echo is feasible using a DICOM-compatible protocol with maintenance of diagnostic integrity despite compression of study size to allow rapid archival storage and retrieval.
A test of Wheeler’s closed-offer arbitration system: An experimental study

This study investigates the impact of two alternative forms of arbitration — conventional arbitration and final-offer arbitration — and whether or not prearbitration bargaining information is available to the arbitrator on negotiation behavior and outcomes. Contrary to Wheeler’s prediction, participants anticipating closed-offer arbitration neither conceded more nor reached more settlements than did participants anticipating open-offer arbitration. Participants anticipating final-offer arbitration made a greater final concession than did participants anticipating conventional arbitration.
First-order theories of abstract dependence relations

La notion d'un systeme de dependance est d'ordinaire formule en termes d'une relation entre des points et des ensembles qui n'admettent pas d'analyse par les outils logiques habituels. On traduit ces axiomes en termes d'ordre 1 ordinaires. On montre que ce langage permet la formulation de concepts qui eliminent les distinctions entre des relations de dependance apparaissant dans differentes approches algebriques et permet la preuve commune de resultats dans des approches differentes ou des relations de dependance satisfont ces proprietes communes
The new biology and computational statistical physics

While it has historically been an exploratory, descriptive, and empirical science, in the past 100 years, biology has become more discovery- and mechanism-oriented. There are a number of ways in which this new paradigm is driving much of the current biological research toward statistical physics. This is happening at a molecular level due to the very large nature of biological molecules, such as proteins and nucleic acids. It is also occurring at the cellular level where random processes play an important role in cell function. There are even examples that describe the behavior of large numbers of individual organisms within one or more species. Finally, this trend has been accelerated with the advent of high-throughput experimental techniques that are driving biology towards information science. Analysis and discovery of the information gained from such experiments will rely heavily on techniques that have traditionally been applied in statistical physics. This paper will focus on examples of how statistical physics techniques are being applied and hope to be applied to biological problems, with an emphasis on high-performance computing. We will also speculate on what we feel are the necessary computing requirements to solve many of the outstanding problems in computational biology using the techniques that will be discussed.
Low-temperature recursion relations and high-temperature series expansions

We suggest that renormalization-group recursion relations can profitably be combined with high-temperature series expansions in systems with critical points at zero temperature. Low-temperature recursion relations are integrated out to high temperatures, where conventional high-temperature series should accurately describe quantities such as the susceptibility. A "variational" principle is suggested which gives the optimal temperature at which to splice together the low- and high-temperature results. In this way, we obtain a sequence of approximants to the susceptibility of the classical two-dimensional Heisenberg model which apparently converges exponentially fast at all temperatures. Although further investigation reveals that these approximants are not as accurate as their exponential convergence suggests, they do appear to give a good quantitative description at all temperatures of the susceptibilities we have studied.
Constraints Based Nonrigid Registration for 2D Blade Profile Reconstruction in Reverse Engineering

In reverse engineering, 2D profile curve reconstruction based on cross-sectional points is a very crucial step for surface reconstruction such as lofting surface, swept surface, translational surface, and rotational surface. Unlike the traditional constrained fitting method that assumes that the cross-sectional points have been segmented in advance, and that the initial fitted curves are very close to the points, we propose a nonrigid registration method, through which a template curve can be automatically transformed and deformed to best fit the cross-sectional points. Compared with constrained fitting, nonrigid registration does not need any data preprocessing such as sorting, segmentation, and parametrization. The simulated and real examples have demonstrated the effectiveness and superiority of nonrigid registration for 2D blade profile curve reconstruction.
Early coronary angiography improves long-term survival in unstable angina.

Abstract Background The role of early coronary angiography in the evaluation of patients with unstable angina has been controversial. This study was designed to determine the effect of early coronary angiography on long-term survival in patients with unstable angina. Methods We reviewed the Olmsted County Acute Chest Pain Database, a population-based epidemiologic registry that includes all patients residing within Olmsted County who were seen for emergency department evaluation of acute chest pain from 1985 to 1992. Patients with symptoms consistent with myocardial ischemia qualifying as unstable angina were classified as undergoing early (≤7 days of index presentation) angiography or not. Results A total of 2264 patients with symptoms consistent with unstable angina were identified with a mean duration of follow-up of 6 years; 892 underwent early angiography. Early angiography patients were younger; less likely to have heart failure; more likely to be male, hypercholesterolemic, and smokers; had prior coronary revascularization; and had a myocardial infarction at the index presentation. After baseline differences were controlled, early angiography was associated with a reduction in all-cause long-term mortality (relative risk 0.63, 95% CI 0.53-0.74). Patients at intermediate or high risk for death or myocardial infarction at presentation were most likely to benefit from early angiography. Conclusion Early angiography in the evaluation of patients with unstable angina was associated with a reduction in all-cause mortality, particularly in intermediate- and high-risk patients, in this retrospective population-based study. (Am Heart J 2001;142:768-74.)
Building a champagne helpdesk on a beer budget

Over the last several years many attempts have been made to obtain commercial helpdesk software for the University. In each case the initial investment and recurring costs far exceeded available funding. With dwindling budgets and increased focus on creating efficiencies, it was imperative that we identify an inexpensive, yet powerful, helpdesk solution for the campus. The cost savings generated by using Open Source software can be substantial. Server licenses and commercial helpdesk solutions can cost tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars annually. Open Source offers free solutions that can be used as-is or enhanced to meet your needs. Oregon State University has successfully leveraged Open Source software to move forward a central Helpdesk Project that was otherwise cost prohibitive. In this poster session we will present the pros and cons of Open Source development. We will describe the OSU Helpdesk, the current status of the project, and present to-date and anticipated costs. We'll present a live demonstration of OSU Helpdesk as well as links to our demonstration site, source code, and documentation.
The Problem of Evil and a Plausible Defence

This paper argues that God may create and exist in any possible world, no matter how much suffering of any sort that world includes. It combines the traditional free will defence with the notion of an ‘occasion’ for good or evil action and limits God's responsibility to the creation of these occasions. Since no possible world contains occasions for more evil than good action, God is morally permitted to create any possible world. With regard to suffering that is not due to free will, namely the suffering of beings who are not moral agents, the paper questions the idea that the relief of such suffering is a moral perfection.
Human B1 cells are CD3−: A reply to “A human equivalent of mouse B-1 cells?” and “The nature of circulating CD27+CD43+ B cells”

Griffin et al. respond: In the January 2011 issue of the JEM , we identified a population of B cells in human umbilical cord and adult peripheral blood that manifests three key functional features of mouse B1 cells (spontaneous immunoglobulin secretion, tonic intracellular signaling, and efficient
The Magnetotelluric Phase Tensor: A Critical Review

The magnetotelluric (MT) phase tensor is a property of the MT impedance that is resistant to a common form of distortion due to unresolvable local structure. Review of the theory leads to a new geometrical description that cleanly separates information about directionality and dimensionality of regional conductivity structure. This information is widely used to justify two-dimensional (2D) interpretation, but the case is seldom made convincingly. In particular, errors are largely ignored and it is not understood that full data covariance is essential for accurate error bars. It is also common to use 2D impedance tensor decompositions when the phase tensor shows this model to be inconsistent with the data. A phase tensor-consistent impedance tensor decomposition is introduced. Because the phase tensor is a distortion-free 3D response, it should be used as data for 3D inversions. Until codes for this become more developed, comparison of predicted and observed phase tensors can ascertain whether 3D aspects of the data have been adequately fit by other inversions or modeling.
A note on constraint aggregation and value functions for two-stage stochastic integer programs

We consider a class of two-stage stochastic integer programs and their equivalent reformulation that uses the integer programming value functions in both stages. One class of solution methods in the literature is based on the idea of pre-computing and storing exact value functions, and then exploiting this information within a global branch-and-bound framework. Such methods are known to be very sensitive to the magnitude of feasible right-hand side values. In this note we propose a simple constraint-aggregation based approach that potentially alleviates this limitation.
Is progesterone a pre-hormone in the CNS?

Abstract In this paper, experimental evidences have been presented indicating that progesterone per se appears to be a powerful modulatory steroid of presynaptic striatal dopaminergic terminals of the central nervous system of the rat. This effect of the progesterone signal is concentration as well as infusion mode dependent. Low pulsatile doses of the steroid positively modulate the mechanism by which dopamine terminals respond to amphetamine stimulation and increase tissue dopamine concentration. Whereas, continuous and/or high doses of this steroid negatively modulate the response of the dopamine terminals to amphetamine stimulation and decreases tissue dopamine concentration. This effects occurs through a membrane mediated mechanism either upon the dopamine neuron directly and/or upon an interneuron. Pregnanolone a 5- β-3 β-metabolite of progesterone known to activate the hypothalamic LHRH neural apparatus at the level of the hypothalamus of ovariectomized estrogen primed rats in both in vitro as well as in vivo preparations was completely ineffective at the level of the corpus striatum of similar animal preparations. Therefore, it is reasonable to assume that site specific mechanisms exist within the central nervous system which may control differentially the final action of progesterone. In the hypothalamus, pregnanolone appears to be the final signal for its action on the LHRH neural apparatus, whereas in the corpus striatum, the steroid per se, and dependent on the modality and/or the strength of the signal can either directly or indirectly up-regulate (stimulatory component) or down-regulate (inhibitory component) the activity of striatal dopaminergic terminals.
An explanation for the plateau phenomenon in isoelectric focusing

Isoelectric focusing of mixtures of simple ampholytes occurs in two phases, an initial rapid separation phase and a second relatively slow stabilizing phase. Transient and steady-state computer simulation data are shown to predict the development of pH plateaus around neutrality during the stabilizing phase of the focusing of such mixtures. This occurs because a nonzero electrophoretic flux is present in a pure zone of focused ampholyte, which is a function of both its isolectric point (pI) and its Delta-pK value. For an ampholyte with a pI greater than 9 or less than 5, this flux causes the development of a significant concentration gradient within its focused zone which is accompanied by a contraction of this zone along the focusing axis. Acidic and basic ampholytes are thereby displayed toward the anode and cathode respectively, creating a pH plateau in the neutral region. Thus, there will be regions of the focusing column, closer to the electrodes and containing more acidic or basic pH values, within which the resolution of samples will reach a maximum and then decrease.
Neighborhood Transition and Mental Hospitalization Patterns.

This study assesses the relationship of the change in neighborhood ethnic composition with 1970 psychiatric hospitalization rates for those persons born in Ireland, Germany, Poland, Austria and Hungary, the U.S.S.R., and Italy. Using data extracted from the admission records of foreign born psychiatric patients and from the 1960 and 1970 censuses, it was found that change in ethnic composi? tion was unrelated to psychiatric hospitalization rates of the foreign born. The study concludes with a discussion of policy implications and recommendations for further research.
Progressive nonfluent aphasia and its characteristic motor speech deficits.

Progressive nonfluent aphasia (PNFA) is a clinical le characterized by motor speech impairment and syndrome characterized by motor speech impairment and agrammatism, with relative sparing of single word comprehension and semantic memory. PNFA has been associated with the characteristic pattern of left anterior insular and posterior frontal atrophy, including the motor and premotor regions and Broca's area. Postmortem histopathologic evidence has shown that PNFA is usually associated with tau pathology, although focal Alzheimer disease pathology and tau-negative, ubiquitin-TDP-43 inclusions also have been reported in association with this clinical syndrome. We performed a detailed analysis of motor speech errors in 18 patients with PNFA and investigated their neural correlates using voxel-based morphometry on magnetic resonance imaging scans. Seven patients demonstrated only apraxia of speech (AOS) errors, whereas 11 showed AOS along with dysarthria. Slow rate of speech, effortful articulation with groping, and consonant distortions were the most common AOS errors. Hypernasality was the most represented dysarthric feature and dysarthria was most often classified as spastic, hypokinetic, or mixed spastic-hypokinetic. Neuroimaging results demonstrated that patients with AOS-only and AOS plus dysarthria showed atrophy in the left posterior frontal, anterior insular, and basal ganglia regions when compared with controls. Patients with AOS plus dysarthria showed greater damage than patients with AOS-only in the left face portion of primary motor cortex and left caudate. PNFA is a distinct frontotemporal lobar degeneration clinical syndrome associated with characteristic clinical, neuroimaging, and pathologic features. The clinical features are driven by the severity of left frontal and caudate damage.
Gaussian orbitals optimized for lower bounds of hydrogenic atoms

Various optimization criteria are compared ior the hydnogen atom to find orbitals which improve lower bounds computed from the Weinstein, Temple, and Stevenson- Crawford fonanulas. Minimization of squared energy deviation, variance,'' is recomMended because the resulting lower bound orbitals give excellent lower bounds, converge to the exact wave function, are relatively easy to optmize, and are insensitive to the estimated energy eigenvalue. New linear combinations of Gaussian orbitals which minimize the variance are presented for the 1s, 2s, 2p, 3s, 3p, and 3d orbitals. These orbitals are compared with previous linear combinations with regard to their expectation values and local properties. (auth)
Endogenous institutions and political extremism

Abstract The election of extreme political leaders is often associated with changes in political institutions. This paper studies these phenomena through a model in which the median voter elects a leader anticipating that he will impose institutional constraints—such as constitutional amendments, judicial appointments, or the implicit threat of a coup—that influence the behavior of future political challengers. It is typically optimal for the median voter to elect an extreme incumbent when democracy is less fully consolidated, when the costs of imposing institutional constraints are intermediate, and when the distribution of potential challengers is asymmetric. The median voter typically elects a more right-wing incumbent when the distribution of potential challengers shifts to the left. Implications of the model for the consolidation of democracy and institutional constraints are discussed, as are several related mechanisms through which politiciansʼ ability to affect institutions may lead voters to optimally elect extremists.
Polyclonal antibodies in immunosuppression

HE central component of the immune response to a transplanted organ is presentation of foreign antigen in the context of the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) by antigen-presenting cells (APCs), to the T-cell receptor (TCR) complexed to the CD3 antigen complex. At least two signals are required for the immune response. Initial activation occurs through the interaction of the trimolecular complex of MHC, antigen, and TCR, which provides signal 1 to the T cell. Signal 2 rescues the cell from activation-induced cell death (AICD). Signal 2 is provided by a variety of co-stimulatory molecules, adhesion molecules, and cytokines. The immune response is a redundant response, and many co-stimulatory molecules, adhesion molecules, or cytokines may substitute in part for one another. The transplant immune response is also polycellular involving not only APCs and T cells, but B cells, NK (natural killer) cells, polymorphonuclear cells, and endothelial cells, to name a few. Because of the redundant and polycellular nature of the transplant immune response, polyclonal antibodies are particularly suited to modify the transplant immune response.
Presence of cysteinyldopa in the mature bovine eye.

Abstract The concentration of dopa, dopamine and cysteinyldopa were measured in various parts of the mature bovine eye, using a fluorescent assay. Special attention was paid to cysteinyldopa levels, since this compound is thought to be a specific marker of melanin turnover . Levels of cysteinyldopa in the iris and choroid/retinal pigment epithelium were indicative of the presence of active melanin synthesis in the adult eye. This data is presented as confirmatory evidence for the recent documentation of active tyrosinase activity in adult mammalian uveal tracts.
The third party. Levinas on the intersection of the ethical and the political

Dans le cadre du trentieme anniversaire de la Societe anglaise de phenomenologie celebre les 11-13 avril 1997 a Oxford dans le cadre d'un colloque consacre au theme du renouveau de la phenomenologie, l'A. analyse la conception du troisieme parti developpee par Levinas en trois moments : 1) dans l'article «Le moi et la totalite» («Revue de metaphysique et de morale», 1954, 59, pp. 353-73); 2) dans le chapitre «L'autre et les autres» dans «Totalite et infini»; 3) dans le paragraphe «Du dire au dit, ou la sagesse du desir» au chapitre 5 de «Autrement qu'etre ou au-dela de l'essence». Distinguant trois sens de la tertialite (le tiers, la troisieme personne et l'illeite), l'A. mesure la place du troisieme dans la relation ethique du face a face comme condition de possibilite de la justice, d'une part, et comme localisation de l'interhumain et de la fraternite a l'intersection de l'ethique et du politique, d'autre part
NON-ARRHENIUS RATE CONSTANTS IN HIGHLY EXOTHERMIC REACTIONS

Abstract Highly exothermic chemical reactions can produce chemical species with much kinetic energy. Since the Arrhenius expression for the rate constant is based on the assumption that the kinetic energy distribution is approximately a Maxwellian, a study has been carried out to determine if the Arrhenius expression is always valid for chemical reactions initiated by products of highly exothermic reactions. A Monte Carlo method was used to estimate the rate constants of chemical reactions initiated by energetic species and it was found that the rate constant could be much greater that its Arrhenius value. Under certain conditions it is shown that the non-Arrhenius rate constant as a function of temperature is given approximately by a simple dimensionless group.
Family Labor Strategies in Early Modern Swabia

The article presents evidence from the period 1480–1618 in Augsburg suggesting that there were economic constraints on the decisionmaking of the peasant family: (1) Inheritance patterns and village rights offered options to the peasant. These supply side factors helped to promote an integrated labor market in Swabia. (2) Market forces influenced the supply of labor by acting on subsidiary enterprises of the peasant family. The rise of the grain prices and of land forced peasants into auxiliary enterprises to earn cash. (3) Peasant households on small land holdings were vulnerable to harvest failure and consequently did not benefit from the rise in agricultural prices that accrued to holders of larger plots. (4) On the demand side, the structure of production and long-distance trade caused real wages to decline. Within these constraints, the rural community in Swabia became integrated with the urban trading sector in a type of protoindustrialization in which the individual decision makers began to respond ...