cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The influence of discoidin domain receptor 2 on the persistence length of collagen type I fibers.

Abstract Collagen fibers in the vertebrate tissue are responsible for its tensile strength. A disruption in the morphological or mechanical properties of collagen fibers is bound to impact tensile strength and contractility of tissues and affect several cellular processes. We had recently established that binding of discoidin domain receptor (DDR2) with collagen type I results in disruption of the native structure and morphology of collagen fibers. In this study we investigate if DDR2 affects the mechanical properties of collagen fibers. We used an analytical approach to determine the persistence length (P L ) of collagen fibers from transmission electron microscope images of immobilized collagen. Fluctuations in the curvature of collagen fibers formed in-vitro (with or without recombinant DDR2) were analyzed to ascertain their P L . The P L values and fiber-diameter measurements were utilized to estimate Young's Modulus (E) of collagen fibers. Our results show that DDR2 significantly reduced P L and E of collagen fibers. We further found that P L for native collagen fibers increases as a function of collagen concentration with little dependence on fiber diameter. These results signify a physiological role of DDR2 in modulating extracellular matrix stiffness, which may be of relevance for tissue engineering and medical implants especially in diseases where DDR2 is upregulated.
Medical liaisons for continuity of head and neck cancer care.

The role of assistance in coordinating treatment and follow-up on the effectiveness and reliability of long-term care of head and neck cancer patients was evaluated. A comparison between the Department of Radiation Oncology, where a liaison team assists cancer patients, and the Department of Otolaryngology, where there were no such personnel, was made. Of 124 consecutive patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma, 31 were treated with surgery alone and 93 had radiation therapy alone or in combination with surgery. Patients were nearly equally divided among stages, although a higher percentage receiving surgery were stage I and those receiving radiation were stage IV. Nineteen radiation patients and 1 surgery patients have died; this is consistent with the differences in stage distribution. Thirteen of 31 surgery patients had unreliable follow-up, with 7 lost to follow-up. Only 8 of 93 radiation patients were unreliable, with 4 lost. The difference is statistically significant. The importance of nursing/social work liaisons in coordinating treatment and follow-up of head and neck cancer patients is discussed.
Evaluation of the Safety of Tara Gum as a Food Ingredient: A Review of the Literature

Tara gum is a potential replacement for locust bean gum for use as a formulation aid, stabilizer, and thickener for food applications. In addition to biochemical and digestibility data, studies ass...
Experiential reward learning outweighs instruction prior to adulthood

Throughout our lives, we face the important task of distinguishing rewarding actions from those that are best avoided. Importantly, there are multiple means by which we acquire this information. Through trial and error, we use experiential feedback to evaluate our actions. We also learn which actions are advantageous through explicit instruction from others. Here, we examined whether the influence of these two forms of learning on choice changes across development by placing instruction and experience in competition in a probabilistic-learning task. Whereas inaccurate instruction markedly biased adults’ estimations of a stimulus’s value, children and adolescents were better able to objectively estimate stimulus values through experience. Instructional control of learning is thought to recruit prefrontal–striatal brain circuitry, which continues to mature into adulthood. Our behavioral data suggest that this protracted neurocognitive maturation may cause the motivated actions of children and adolescents to be less influenced by explicit instruction than are those of adults. This absence of a confirmation bias in children and adolescents represents a paradoxical developmental advantage of youth over adults in the unbiased evaluation of actions through positive and negative experience.
Inactivity-induced motor nerve terminal sprouting in amphibian skeletal muscles chronically blocked by α-bungarotoxin

Abstract There is a positive correlation between contractile inactivity and the initiation of motor neuron sprouting. However, the exact mechanism responsible for this neuronal growth remains obscure. In a previous study (M. M. Wines and M. S. Letinsky, 1988, J. Neurosci. 8: 3909–3919) we investigated this phenomenon by inducing chronic contractile inactivity of an amphibian muscle by exposure to formamide and found that motor neuron sprouting occurs in the presence of normal presynaptic transmitter release and propagated muscle fiber action potentials. The present study investigates motor neuron sprouting in response to inactivity produced when neuromuscular transmission is blocked by chronic exposure to α-bungarotoxin (α-BTX). The α-BTX-induced muscle paralysis was maintained for 1–63 days by repetitive application of the toxin to the cutaneous pectoris muscle of adult Rana pipiens. During the chronic α-BTX treatment end-plate potentials were reduced below threshold, which therefore removed both muscle fiber action potentials and contractile activity. Our findings showed only terminal sprouting. Also, higher sprouting frequencies (up to 100% of the observed terminals) were observed after chronic α-BTX treatment, compared to the sprouting response induced by formamide treatment. In view of our earlier formamide results, these observations suggest that the inhibition of the postsynaptic acetylcholine response, and consequently inhibition of muscle fiber electrical and contractile activity, produces a stronger stimulus to motor neuron sprouting than the presence of contractile inactivity alone coupled with normal synaptic transmission and muscle electrical activity.
Fault-Tolerant Computers for Spacecraft

Abstract : Recent advances in micro-electronics and in computer architecture have led to renewed interest in fault-tolerant computers for spacecraft applications. The general field of fault-tolerant computers is surveyed, and concepts of static and dynamic redundancy, error detection by code or multiple processing, and the significance of low-level redundancy are explained. Prior efforts in the design of fault-tolerant computers for space applications are surveyed with processing capability, weight, and reliability estimates listed for a number of representative efforts. The SAMSO Fault-Tolerant Spaceborne Computer (FTSC) is the most current of these developments, and it is described in greater detail together with the proposed reliability test methodology for the prototype. Recent developments in reliability estimation, employment of microprocessors, and fault-tolerant software that are related to this field are briefly discussed.
Aldose Reductase, Oxidative Stress, and Diabetic Mellitus

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a complex metabolic disorder arising from lack of insulin production or insulin resistance (Diagnosis and classification of diabetes mellitus, 2007). DM is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in the developed world, particularly from vascular complications such as atherothrombosis in the coronary vessels. Aldose reductase (AR; ALR2; EC 1.1.1.21), a key enzyme in the polyol pathway, catalyzes nicotinamide adenosine dinucleotide phosphate-dependent reduction of glucose to sorbitol, leading to excessive accumulation of intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) in various tissues of DM including the heart, vasculature, neurons, eyes, and kidneys. As an example, hyperglycemia through such polyol pathway induced oxidative stress, may have dual heart actions, on coronary blood vessel (atherothrombosis) and myocardium (heart failure) leading to severe morbidity and mortality (reviewed in Heather and Clarke, 2011). In cells cultured under high glucose conditions, many studies have demonstrated similar AR-dependent increases in ROS production, confirming AR as an important factor for the pathogenesis of many diabetic complications. Moreover, recent studies have shown that AR inhibitors may be able to prevent or delay the onset of cardiovascular complications such as ischemia/reperfusion injury, atherosclerosis, and atherothrombosis. In this review, we will focus on describing pivotal roles of AR in the pathogenesis of cardiovascular diseases as well as other diabetic complications, and the potential use of AR inhibitors as an emerging therapeutic strategy in preventing DM complications.
METABOLIC DETERMINANTS OF INTERFERON FORMATION.

Abstract Three antimetabolites were used to study interferon production induced in chick cell monolayers by infectious Sindbis virus and by UV-irradiated Newcastle disease virus (NDV). Interferon production was inhibited by intermediate doses of mitomycin C, by actinomycin D, and by puromycin; while only puromycin inhibited virus replication. Maximal inhibition of interferon production by actinomycin D occurred within 2 hours after inoculation of interferon inducer, suggesting that the formation of DNA dependent RNA required for interferon synthesis is largely completed in that time. Inhibition by puromycin suggests that interferon formation requires new protein synthesis.
Platelets and leukocytes: aggregate knowledge

In this issue of Blood , Haselmayer and colleagues demonstrate that platelets express the ligand for the triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells 1 (TREM-1), and show that its interaction with neutrophil TREM-1 amplifies neutrophil activation. Patelets adhere to neutrophils and monocytes via
Health-related quality of life in sacroiliac syndrome: A comparison to lumbosacral radiculopathy

Background and Objectives: This study attempts to assess the intensity and quality of pain and health-related quality of life in patients with sacroiliac syndrome and to compare those constructs to patients with lumbar radiculopathy. Methods: A retrospective review of patient records with the diagnosis of sacroiliac syndrome or lumbar radiculopathy was performed. Patients with sacroiliac syndrome were age and gender matched to patients with lumbar radiculopathy. Data from the McGill Pain Questionnaire, visual numerical pain scores, and SF-36 health-related quality of life measure (version 2) were compared between groups. Results: The age of patients with a traumatic etiology for sacroiliac syndrome was lower than those with previous back surgery and “idiopathic” etiologies (P Conclusions: The results of this study suggest the following: (1) no true difference exists in the health-related quality of life or pain scores/descriptors between patients with SI syndrome or lumbar radiculopathy, or (2) the presence of comorbid spinal conditions confounds the ability of the SF-36 to detect disparities in health-related quality of life among differing etiologies of low-back pain, despite the use of rigorous diagnostic criteria, and/or (3) other factors besides the diagnostic categories of low-back pain (e.g., functional capability, psychological stress) may be primary determinants of health-related quality of life. To our knowledge, no other study has attempted to use the SF-36 to detect differences in health-related quality of life among patients with different spinal diagnoses.
Animal Model of Neuropathic Tachycardia Syndrome

Clinically relevant autonomic dysfunction can result from either complete or partial loss of sympathetic outflow to effector organs. Reported animal models of autonomic neuropathy have aimed to achieve complete lesions of sympathetic nerves, but incomplete lesions might be more relevant to certain clinical entities. We hypothesized that loss of sympathetic innervation would result in a predicted decrease in arterial pressure and a compensatory increase in heart rate. Increased heart rate due to loss of sympathetic innervation is seemingly paradoxical, but it provides a mechanistic explanation for clinical autonomic syndromes such as neuropathic postural tachycardia syndrome. Partially dysautonomic animals were generated by selectively lesioning postganglionic sympathetic neurons with 150 mg/kg 6-hydroxydopamine hydrobromide in male Sprague-Dawley rats. Blood pressure and heart rate were monitored using radiotelemetry. Systolic blood pressure decreased within hours postlesion (Delta>20 mm Hg). Within 4 days postlesion, heart rate rose and remained elevated above control levels. The severity of the lesion was determined functionally and pharmacologically by spectral analysis and responsiveness to tyramine. Low-frequency spectral power of systolic blood pressure was reduced postlesion and correlated with the diminished tyramine responsiveness (r=0.9572, P=0.0053). The tachycardia was abolished by treatment with the beta-antagonist propranolol, demonstrating that it was mediated by catecholamines acting on cardiac beta-receptors. Partial lesions of the autonomic nervous system have been hypothesized to underlie many disorders, including neuropathic postural tachycardia syndrome. This animal model may help us better understand the pathophysiology of autonomic dysfunction and lead to development of therapeutic interventions.
Oral suction in infants

Abstract This is a description of the use of a simple sucking sump catheter for continuous saliva removal.
Explicit construction of exponential sized families of K -independent sets

Abstract Error correcting codes are used to describe explicit collections F k of subsets of {1,2,...; n }, with | F k | > 2 c k · n ( C k > 0), such that for any selections A , B of k 2 and k 1 of members of F k with k 1 + k 2 = k , there are elements in all the members of A and not in the members of B . This settles a problem of Kleitman and Spencer and a similar problem of Kleimman, Shearer and Sturtevant.
Development of an aerodynamic levitation technique to study coal particle combustion

Abstract A flow reactor incorporating aerodynamic levitation is designed to study the combustion characteristics of single, isolated coal particles. In the experiment, spherical coal particles (1000–6000μm diameter) are positioned by a vertical free jet in a well-controlled combustion environment. The particle temperature is monitored continuously by an infrared pyrometer. Coal particles are periodically collected and weighed to determine the extent of reaction. Experimental variables include heating rate, fuel properties, reactor conditions, and transport properties. The resultant kinetics data are compared to theoretical rates calculated using a simplified coal combustion model. The correspondence between measured and predicted rates confirms the applicability of the experimental technique.
Invariance of Sound Velocity Sums in Crystals

A relation between the lattice dissociation energy D of a monatomic crystal, the atomic mass m, and a mean crystal sound velocity csrecently suggested by Fitzgerald in connection with his particle-wave description of non-elastic deformation in solids is reviewed. The cited relation D=m c2s implies that certain sound velocity sums in crystals are invariant and this is shown to be the case for crystals in which small atomic displacements can be described by linear elasticity. The proposed relation between lattice dissociation energy and a mean squared sound velocity is therefore entirely consistent with classical elasticity theory although, of course, not predicted by it. Eine Beziehung zwischen der Gitterdissoziationsenergie D eines monoatomaren Kristalls, der Atommasse m und einer mittleren Schallgeschwindigkeit cs wird diskutiert, die kurzlich von Fitzgerald in Verbindung mit einer Partikelwellenbeschreibung der nichtelastischen Deformation in Festkorpern vorgeschlagen wurde. Die angefuhrte Beziehung D=m c2s beinhaltet, das gewisse Schallgeschwindigkeitssummen in Kristallen invariant sind. Es wird gezeigt, das dies fur Kristalle der Fall ist, in denen atomare Verschiebungen durch eine lineare Elastizitatstheorie beschrieben werden konnen. Die vorgeschlagene Beziehung zwischen Gitterdissoziationsenergie und einer mittleren quadratischen Schallgeschwindigkeit ist deshalb vollstandig konsistent mit der klassischen Elastizitatstheorie, obwohl sie naturlich durch diese nicht vorhergesagt wird.
Insula's functional connectivity with ventromedial prefrontal cortex mediates the impact of trait alexithymia on state tobacco craving.

Rationale Alexithymia is a personality trait characterized by difficulty indentifying and describing subjective emotional experiences. Decreased aptitude in the perception, evaluation, and communication of affectively laden mental states has been associated with reduced emotion regulation, more severe drug craving in addicts, and structural/functional alterations in insula and anterior cingulate cortex (ACC). The insula and ACC represent sites of convergence between the putative neural substrates of alexithymia and those perpetuating cigarette smoking.
A thermal lattice Boltzmann two-phase flow model and its application to heat transfer problems-Part 1. Theoretical foundation

A new and generalized lattice Boltzmann model for simulating thermal two-phase flow is described. In this model, the single component multi-phase lattice Boltzmann model proposed by Shan and Chen is used to simulate the fluid dynamics. The temperature field is simulated using the passive-scalar approach, i.e., through modeling the density field of an extra component, which evolves according to the advection-diffusion equation. By coupling the fluid dynamics and temperature field through a suitably defined body force term, the thermal two-phase lattice Boltzmann model is obtained. In this paper, the theoretical foundations of the model and the validity of the thermal lattice Boltzmann equation method are laid out, illustrated by analytical and numerical examples. In a companion paper (P. Yuan and L. Schaefer, 2006, ASME J. Fluids Eng., 128, pp. 151–156), the numerical results of the new model are reported.
Mesh Layouts for Block-Based Caches

Current computer architectures employ caching to improve the performance of a wide variety of applications. One of the main characteristics of such cache schemes is the use of block fetching whenever an uncached data element is accessed. To maximize the benefit of the block fetching mechanism, we present novel cache-aware and cache-oblivious layouts of surface and volume meshes that improve the performance of interactive visualization and geometric processing algorithms. Based on a general I/O model, we derive new cache-aware and cache-oblivious metrics that have high correlations with the number of cache misses when accessing a mesh. In addition to guiding the layout process, our metrics can be used to quantify the quality of a layout, e.g. for comparing different layouts of the same mesh and for determining whether a given layout is amenable to significant improvement. We show that layouts of unstructured meshes optimized for our metrics result in improvements over conventional layouts in the performance of visualization applications such as isosurface extraction and view-dependent rendering. Moreover, we improve upon recent cache-oblivious mesh layouts in terms of performance, applicability, and accuracy
Some Aspects of the Early Development of the Hippocampal Formation in Certain Insectivorous Bats

The fascinating configuration of the adult mammalian hippocampal formation has attracted the attention of many investigators (Cscajal, 1911; Elliot Smith, 1896 a, 1897 a and others). Among the studies on Chiroptera are accounts of various portions of the hippocampal formation (Esclliot Smith, 1897b, 1898; Johnston, 1913; Kose, 1926; Humphrey, 1936; Mann, 1963; Brown, 1965).
Shape Readout of AT Rich DNA by Carbohydrates

Gene expression can be altered by small molecules that target DNA; sequence as well as shape selectivities are both extremely important for DNA recognition by intercalating and groove-binding ligands. We have characterized a carbohydrate scaffold (1) exhibiting DNA “shape readout” properties. Thermodynamic studies with 1 and model duplex DNAs demonstrate the molecule's high affinity and selectivity towards B* form (continuous AT-rich) DNA. Isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC), circular dichroism (CD) titration, ultraviolet (UV) thermal denaturation, and Differential Scanning Calorimetry were used to characterize the binding of 1 with a B* form AT-rich DNA duplex d[5′-G2A6T6C2-3′]. The binding constant was determined using ITC at various temperatures, salt concentrations, and pH. ITC titrations were fit using a two-binding site model. The first binding event was shown to have a 1:1 binding stoichiometry and was predominantly entropy-driven with a binding constant of approximately 108 M−1. ITC-derived binding enthalpies were used to obtain the binding-induced change in heat capacity (ΔCp) of −225 ± 19 cal/mol·K. The ionic strength dependence of the binding constant indicated a significant electrolytic contribution in ligand:DNA binding, with approximately four to five ion pairs involved in binding. Ligand 1 displayed a significantly higher affinity towards AT-tract DNA over sequences containing GC inserts, and binding experiments revealed the order of binding affinity for 1 with DNA duplexes: contiguous B* form AT-rich DNA (d[5′-G2A6T6C2-3′]) >B form alternate AT-rich DNA (d[5′-G2(AT)6C2-3′]) > A form GC-rich DNA (d[5′-A2G6C6T2-3′]), demonstrating the preference of ligand 1 for B* form DNA. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Biopolymers 101: 720–732, 2014.
The future of plant-pollinator diversity: understanding interaction networks across time, space, and global change.

Structural analysis of plant – pollinator networks has revealed remarkably high species and interaction diversity and highlighted the species important for pollination services. Although techniques to analyze plant – pollinator networks began to emerge a decade ago, the characterization of spatiotemporal variation of interactions is still in its infancy. Understanding the ecological and evolutionary causes and consequences of spatial and temporal variation in plant – pollinator interactions is important for both basic and applied questions in community structure and function, the evolution of fltraits, and the development of optimal conservation strategies. Here we review observational, theoretical, and experimental studies of temporal and spatial variation in plant – pollinator interaction networks to establish a foundation for future studies to incorporate perspectives in spatiotemporal variation. Such perspectives are crucial given the rapid environmental changes associated with habitat loss, climate change, and biological invasions, which we discuss in this context. The inherent plasticity of plant – pollinator interactions and network structure suggests that many species should be able to persist by responding to environmental changes quickly, even though the identity of their mutualistic partners may change.
Gradient Flow Independent Component Analysis in Micropower VLSI

We present micropower mixed-signal VLSI hardware for real-time blind separation and localization of acoustic sources. Gradient flow representation of the traveling wave signals acquired over a miniature (1cm diameter) array of four microphones yields linearly mixed instantaneous observations of the time-differentiated sources, separated and localized by independent component analysis (ICA). The gradient flow and ICA processors each measure 3mm × 3mm in 0.5 μm CMOS, and consume 54 μW and 180 μW power, respectively, from a 3 V supply at 16 ks/s sampling rate. Experiments demonstrate perceptually clear (12dB) separation and precise localization of two speech sources presented through speakers positioned at 1.5m from the array on a conference room table. Analysis of the multipath residuals shows that they are spectrally diffuse, and void of the direct path.
A Survey of Consumer Difficulties with the Homebuying Process in One Colorado Community

To provide a basis for homebuyer education, this study sought to identify difficulties related to the homebuying process. A questionnaire mailed to a random sample of 250 Colorado homebuyers requested them to indicate problems encountered during search, purchase, and first year of occupancy. They were also asked to identify their two most important homebuying problems and the perceived causes for these difficulties. An 80.4 percent response was realized, of which 153 were eligible respondents. The difficulties most commonly reported by the respondents were utility costs, foregone activities, mechanical system problems, necessary repairs or adjustments, delayed closings, and overlapping payments. Numbers and types of reported problems varied across sample groups categorized by buyer, search, and purchase characteristics. Implications for consumer education and further research are drawn from the study findings.
Incorporating Modular Imperfect Coverage into Dynamic Hierarchical Systems Analysis

This paper deals with the evaluation of the reliability of a dynamic hierarchical system. Reliability of the system is calculated precisely by incorporating modular imperfect coverage model for both static and dynamic subsystems. Modular imperfect coverage model is analyzed in detail using formal methods to debug the specification errors and remove any ambiguity. A modular and hierarchical decomposition method that combines Markov Analysis and a separable binary decision diagrams based combinatorial method is applied to the reliability analysis of dynamic hierarchical systems subject to modular imperfect coverage. We illustrate our approach by analyzing an example hierarchical computer system.
Performance evaluation and analysis of monocular building extraction from aerial imagery

Research in monocular building extraction from aerial imagery has neglected performance evaluation in three areas: unbiased metrics for quantifying detection and delineation performance, an evaluation methodology for applying these metrics to a representative body of test imagery, and an approach for understanding the impact of image and scene content on building extraction algorithms. This paper addresses these areas with an end-to-end performance evaluation of four existing monocular building extraction systems, using image space and object space-based metrics on 83 test images of 18 sites. This analysis is supplemented by an examination of the effects of image obliquity and object complexity on system performance, as well as a case study on the effects of edge fragmentation. This widely applicable performance evaluation approach highlights the consequences of various traditional assumptions about camera geometry, image content and scene structure, and demonstrates the utility of rigorous photogrammetric object space modeling and primitive-based representations for building extraction.
The Grocery Shopper and Food Specials: A Case of Subjective Deception?

Advertised food specials may be deceptive to consumers who mistake the advertised prices as reduced prices. Of all the advertised food specials examined in this research, at least 13 percent and as many as 25 percent of those advertised in newspapers were not reduced in price.
Alcohol Consumption and Risk of Hematologic Malignancies

Purpose Limited data suggest that alcohol drinking may have an inverse relation to risk of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL). Prospective data about alcohol, NHL, and other hematologic malignancies (HM) are sparse. Methods We carried out a cohort study in a multiethnic population of 126,293 adults who supplied baseline information at health examinations. There were subsequent HM diagnoses in 1244 persons. We used Cox proportional hazards models with seven covariates. The role of beverage types was studied by comparing groups with preponderant choices and by studying the role of frequency of drinking beverage types. Results Using lifelong abstainers plus infrequent drinkers as referent, adjusted relative risks (95% confidence intervals) for HM follow: less than one drink per day = 1.0 (0.9–1.2), one to two drinks per day = 0.9 (0.7–1.0), greater than three drinks per day = 0.7 (0.6–0.9, p = 0.008). For 673 NHL these were 1.2 (1.0–1.5), 0.9 (0.7–1.2), and 0.9 (0.6–1.2). Persons reporting greater than three drinks/day had inverse relations to lymphocytic (n = 146) and myelocytic (n = 169) leukemias, with relative risk of 0.5 (0.2–1.0, p < 0.05) for each. No major independent relation was seen for choice of wine, liquor, or beer. Conclusions Alcohol drinking is associated with slightly lower risk of HM, due largely to inverse relations to lymphocytic and myelocytic leukemia.
Infrared-based NDE methods for determining thermal properties and defects in ceramic composites

Continuous-fiber ceramic matrix composites are currently being developed for various high temperature applications, including use in advanced heat engines. In the material classes of interest for such applications, i.e., silicon carbide (SiC)-fiber-reinforced SiC (SiC{sub (f)}/SiC), SiC-fiber-reinforced silicon nitride (SiC{sub (f)}/Si{sub 3}N{sub 4}), Al{sub 2}O{sub 3 (f)}/Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}, etc., the condition of the interface between the fibers and matrix is critical to the mechanical and thermal behavior of each component. A nondestructive evaluation method developed at Argonne National Laboratory uses infrared thermal imaging to provide ``single-shot`` full-field measurement of the distribution of thermal diffusivity in large components. By applying digital filtering, interpolation, and least-squares-estimation techniques for noise reduction, the authors have achieved acquisition and analysis times of minutes or less with submillimeter spatial resolution. The system has been used to examine the effects of thermal shock, oxidation treatment, density, and variations in fiber coatings in a full array of test specimens.
Dynamics of nonrigid articulated robot linkages

This paper presents the kinematic and dynamic analysis of an n -link manipulator with flexible members. The deformation of a link from its rigid body position is modeled by a homogeneous transformation. The dynamic equations are obtained using Euler-Lagrange formulation. These equations are compared to those describing a rigid link mechanism.
The Objectives-Based Motor-Skill Assessment Instrument: Validation of Instructional Sensitivity

To validate the instructional sensitivity of the Objectives-based Motor-skill Assessment Instrument 34 preschoolers aged 30 to 65 mo. were randomly assigned to a group who received formal motor-skill instruction or one who received supervised free play for 30 min. three times weekly for 10 wk. This test was administered before and after 10 wk. according to standardized procedures. A one-way analysis of covariance was applied to the total-test score to examine the effect of training, using the pretest data as the covariate. When the differences attributed to pretest scores were partialled out, there were significant between-group differences in posttest scores favoring the instructed group. This result supports the claim by the test developer that the test can be used to evaluate the success of fundamental training programs for gross motor skill.
Influence of CYP3A5 genotype on the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of the cytochrome P4503A probes alfentanil and midazolam.

The hepatic and first-pass cytochrome P4503A (CYP3A) probe alfentanil (ALF) is also metabolized in vitro by CYP3A5. Human hepatic microsomal ALF metabolism is higher in livers with at least one CYP3A5*1 allele and higher CYP3A5 protein content, compared with CYP3A5*3 homozygotes with little CYP3A5. The influence of CYP3A5 genotype on ALF pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics was studied, and compared to midazolam (MDZ), another CYP3A probe. Healthy volunteers (58 men, 41 women) were genotyped for CYP3A5 *1, *3, *6, and *7 alleles. They received intravenous MDZ then ALF, and oral MDZ and ALF the next day. Plasma MDZ and ALF concentrations were determined by mass spectrometry. Dark-adapted pupil diameters were determined coincident with blood sampling. In CYP3A5*3/*3 (n=62), *1/*3 (n=28), and *1/*1 (n=8) genotypes, systemic clearances of ALF were 4.6±1.8, 4.8±1.7, and 3.9±1.7 ml/kg/min and those of MDZ were 7.8±2.3, 7.7±2.3, and 6.0±1.4 ml/kg/min, respectively (not significant), and apparent oral clearances were 11.8±7.2, 13.3±6.1, and 12.6±8.2 ml/kg/min for ALF and 35.2±19.0, 36.4±15.7, and 29.4±9.3 ml/kg/min for MDZ (not significant). Clearances were not different between African Americans (n=25) and Whites (n=68), or between CYP3A5 genotypes within African Americans. ALF pharmacodynamics was not different between CYP3A5 genotypes. There was consistent concordance between ALF and MDZ, in clearances and extraction ratios. Thus, in a relatively large cohort of healthy subjects with constitutive CYP3A activity, CYP3A5 genotype had no effect on the systemic or apparent oral clearances, or pharmacodynamics, of the CYP3A probes ALF and MDZ, despite affecting their hepatic microsomal metabolism. Clinical Pharmacology & Therapeutics (2007) 82, 410–426; doi:10.1038/sj.clpt.6100237; published online 6 June 2007
Cobalt‐Mediated [2 + 2 + 2]‐Cycloadditions: A Maturing Synthetic Strategy [New Synthetic Methods (43)]

Dicarbonyl (η5-cyclopentadienyl)cobalt functions as a matrix on which a variety of unsaturated organic substrates undergo mutual bond formation. In this way α,ω-diynes cocyclize with monoalkynes to give annelated benzenes, while o-diethynylbenzenes furnish biphenylenes, and α,ω-enynes lead to the formation of complexed bi-and tricyclic dienes. Nitriles cocyclize with two alkynyl groups to give pyridines and other heterocycles, isocyanates allow access to annelated 2-pyridones, and incorporation of carbon monoxide provides complexed cyclopentadienones. In many cases remarkable chemo-, regio-, and stereoselectivity are observed, partially facilitated by use of the trimethylsilyl substituent as a controlling group. The scope and level of maturity of the method are demonstrated by the synthesis of a series of hitherto inaccessible, novel, and theoretically interesting molecules, and by its utilization in several unique approaches to a variety of natural products, e.g. protoberberines, steroids, vitamin B6, and camptothecin.
The relationship between post-parturient fatty liver and blood composition in dairy cows.

The blood composition of 45 cows with more than 20% fat in the liver (moderate fatty liver) was compared with that of 83 cows with less than 20% fat in the liver (mild fatty liver). The cows were sampled at 1 week after calving and were from three Friesian and one Guernsey herds. Blood concentrations of non-esterified fatty acids, bilirubin and aspartate amino-transferase were significantly elevated in cows with more than 20% in the liver whereas concentrations of glucose, cholesterol, albumin and magnesium were all significantly reduced. Blood samples from cows in two of the herds were analysed for ammonia, insulin and D(-)3-hydroxybutyrate. Cows with moderate fatty liver in these two herds had significantly lower insulin concentrations and higher D(-)3-hydroxybutyrate concentrations than those with mild fatty liver. Using an equation based on blood concentrations of non-esterified fatty acids, glucose and aspartate aminotransferase it was possible to assign correctly three out of four cows to either the mild or moderate fatty liver groups.
Crime and U.S. Cities: Recent Patterns and Implications

Crime fell substantially in the United States between the early 1990s and 2005. This article examines the size and nature of crime reductions that occurred in cities and their surrounding suburbs and identifies the characteristics of cities experiencing greater declines. The authors then explore two questions: how these changes altered existing disparities in safety (or exposure to crime) among particular groups and the extent to which these reductions increased the relative attractiveness of cities and ultimately led to city growth. The authors find that reductions in crime contributed to the ability of cities to retain households that might otherwise have moved to the suburbs, although the measurable impact on overall city growth is modest at best. Additionally, reductions in crime clearly changed the geography of crime and dramatically reshaped differential exposure to crime among demographic groups. At the city and neighborhood level, the authors find that the distribution of crime reductions was high...
Exploring the ONC’s Health IT Dashboard

Readers are living the reality of the government’s efforts to move the United States health care system into an electronic environment. It is often easy to develop tunnel vision and focus on efforts at your home institution. In this column, we explore a big picture perspective using an online resource that provides national-level data focused on specific areas of interest.
Dynamics of Laser Ablation and Vaporization of PbZr0.54Ti0.66O3: Laser Fluence and Ambient Gas Effects

A systematic study of the gas phase products observed from the pulsed laser vaporization of a PbZro.54Ti0.46O3 target was performed as a function of laser fluence and ambient gas pressure. At low fluences, ≤0.3 J/cm2, only Pb and PbO were observed, while at higher fluences, between 0.3–1.3 J/cm2, neutral atomic species Pb, Zr, and Ti were detected. Small oxide molecules and atomicions were also observed. These regimes are associated with two ejection mechanisms: thermal evaporation and ablation, respectively. No direct evidence of chemical reactions was found over the gas pressure range explored (0-5 mTorr). Within the 25 cm reaction cell distance however, the addition of both inert and reactive gases greatly changed the velocity distributions of the ejected species. The decrease in velocity (energy) as a function of gas pressure was due to physical scattering and could be modeled as a pseudo-first order bimolecular collision process. The scattering rate increased linearly with the physical cross-section of the background gas and was independent of the kinetic energy of the ablated species.
Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease: a gene-dosage effect.

A broad spectrum of inherited neuropathy has been traced to three myelin genes, yet in the two most common disorders, there is no mutated gene. Instead, a gene has an extra or missing copy, as part of a 1.5-megabase DNA duplication or deletion. Eventually, duplications may emerge as a large fraction of all mutations. The discoveries have implications even for acquired disorders—including carpal tunnel syndrome.
Anticoagulation in Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension

Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is characterized by molecular and pathologic alteration to the pulmonary circulation, resulting in increased pulmonary vascular resistance, right ventricular failure, and eventual death. Pharmacologic treatment of PAH consists of use of a multitude of pulmonary vasodilators, sometimes in combination. PAH has been associated with increased thrombosis and disrupted coagulation and fibrinolysis, making anticoagulation an attractive and frequently employed therapeutic modality. Observational studies have provided some insight into the therapeutic potential of anticoagulation in idiopathic PAH, but there is a distinct lack of well-controlled prospective trials. Due to the conflicting evidence, there is a large amount of heterogeneity in the application of therapeutic anticoagulation in PAH and further well-controlled prospective trials are needed to clarify its role in treating PAH.
The mechanisms of far transfer from cognitive training: Review and hypothesis.

Objective General intelligence is important for success in daily life, fueling interest in developing cognitive training as an intervention to improve fluid ability (Gf). A major obstacle to the design of effective cognitive interventions has been the paucity of hypotheses bearing on mechanisms underlying transfer of cognitive training to Gf. Despite the large amounts of money and time currently being expended on cognitive training, there is little scientific agreement on how, or even whether, Gf can be heightened by such training. Method We review the relevant strands of evidence on cognitive-training-related changes in (a) cortical mechanisms of distraction suppression, and (b) activation of the dorsal attention network (DAN). We hypothesize that training-related increases in control of attention are important for what is termed far transfer of cognitive training to untrained abilities, notably to Gf. Results We review the evidence that distraction suppression evident in behavior, neuronal firing, scalp electroencephalography, and hemodynamic change is important for protecting target processing during perception and also for protecting targets held in working memory. Importantly, attentional control also appears to be central to performance on Gf assessments. Consistent with this evidence, forms of cognitive training that increase ability to ignore distractions (e.g., working memory training and perceptual training) not only affect the DAN but also affect transfer to Gf. Conclusions Our hypothesis is supported by existing evidence. However, to advance the field of cognitive training, it is necessary that competing hypotheses on mechanisms of far transfer of cognitive training be advanced and empirically tested. (PsycINFO Database Record
Public Engagement in Environmental Impact Studies: A Case Study of Professional Communication in Transportation Planning

Background : Environmental impact studies often enlist professional communicators to develop and implement public engagement plans and processes. However, few detailed reports of these public engagement plans exist in either scholarly venues or government reports. This case reviews one public engagement project in transportation planning as implemented by one professional communications firm. Research questions: 1) What communication and engagement strategies do the consultants employ in their public engagement process? 2) How do professional communicators design engagement for diverse citizen groups? Situating the case: A number of cases have revealed the ways professional and technical communicators integrate participatory or user-centered design strategies in public engagement projects. These cases suggest that professional and technical communicators are uniquely positioned to develop ethical and effective public engagement plans for environmental impact studies. Professional and technical communicators are further prepared for this work because of their knowledge about theories of intercultural communication and rhetorical theories of delivery. Methodology: This case was studied over the course of 1.5 years using qualitative research methods, including observations, interviews, and textual analysis. About the case: This case reviews the work of one particular public engagement firm, VTC Communications, as they planned and implemented public engagement in one environmental impact study. This environmental impact study team was tasked with determining the best way to accommodate the increase in rail traffic the city anticipated with the development of the high-speed rail. The public's input was needed to fulfill environmental impact statement (EIS) requirements and to fully understand the community concerns regarding the increased traffic, noise, vibrations, and family/business displacements. VTC Communications was hired to conduct this portion of the environmental impact study, and their work included the development of a range of deliverables and events. Conclusions: This case provides an overview of the process of developing public engagement plans, the deliverables designed, as well as the key goals that guided the development of public engagement. My case suggests that effective public engagement can address intercultural concerns by developing projects that are adaptable, multimodal, and dialogic.
A Fully Coupled XFEM-EDFM Model for Multiphase Flow and Geomechanics in Fractured Tight Gas Reservoirs

Unconventional reservoirs are typically comprised of a multicontinuum stimulated formation, with complex fracture networks that have a wide range of length scales and geometries. A timely topic in the simulation of unconventional petroleum resources is in coupling the geomechanics of the fractured media to multiphase fluid flow and transport.We propose a XFEM-EDFM method which couples geomechanics with multiphase flow in fractured tight gas reservoirs. A proppant model is developed to simulate propped hydraulic fractures. The method is verified by analytical solutions. A simulation example with the configuration of two multiple-fractured horizontal wells is investigated. The influence of stress-dependent fracture permeability on cumulative production is analyzed.
Methylphenidate Dosing Schedules

Efficacy and side effects of twice daily (bid) and three times daily (tid) methylphenidate (MPH) dosing schedules (mean dose, 8 mg, 0.3 mg/kg) in 25 boys with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) were compared in a 5-week, placebo-controlled, crossover evaluation at the Departments of Psychiatry and Pediatrics, University of Chicago.
Stochastic Differential Equations As Insect Population Models

Stochastic differential equations are a potentially important class of models for describing insect population dynamics. Their advantages include ease of use, relative tractability, ease of understanding, and the potential for approximating many types of stochastic variation affecting insect populations. This paper is an exposition for quantitative ecologists on parameter estimation for one-dimensional stochastic differential equations. Stochastic versions of the exponential growth model and the logistic model are developed in detail as examples. Topics discussed include transition distributions and moments, stationary distributions, maximum likelihood estimates, conditional least squares estimates, maximum quasi-likelihood estimates, jackknifing, multiple stable and unstable equilbria, and deterministic chaos.
Role of Simulation Models in Understanding the Salt Marsh Restoration Process

Interest in model-assisted restoration planning is growing among salt marsh resource professionals, and managers increasingly recognize the need to consider factors beyond tidal hydraulics in designing restoration solutions. In fact, practical experiences show that restoration designs based entirely on hydrologic assessment may not result in optimal recovery of marsh habitat, ecological functions, or estuarine biodiversity. As Zedler (2000, 402) noted in a review of wetland restoration progress, “it takes more than water to restore a wetland.” It is not possible to anticipate long-term habitat responses without also considering a myriad of interrelated ecological factors. Inability to account for complex ecological interactions, even if tidal exchange is restored, may lead to unintended and less than optimal results when measured against management goals of recovering specific acreage of salt marsh habitat and controlling invasive species.
Effects of phosphorus-containing additives on soy and cottonseed protein as wood adhesives

Abstract Soy and cottonseed proteins appear promising as sustainable and environment-friendly wood adhesives. Because of their higher cost relative to formaldehyde-based adhesives, improvement in the adhesive performance of proteins is needed. In this work, we evaluated the adhesive properties of soy and cottonseed protein formulations that included phosphorus-containing acids and esters. For cottonseed protein isolate, most of these additives improved dry adhesive strength, with methylphosphonic acid, phosphorous acid, and phosphoric acid increasing the dry strength by 47, 44, and 42%, respectively, at their optimal concentrations. For soy protein isolate, these additives did not show significant benefits. The phosphorus-containing additives also improved the hot water resistance of the cottonseed protein formulations but showed either no effect or a negative effect for the of soy protein formulations. Thus, the combination of cottonseed protein with phosphorus additives appears to be attractive as wood adhesives.