cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A novel variant of human superoxide dismutase 1 harboring amyotrophic lateral sclerosis-associated and experimental mutations in metal-binding residues and free cysteines lacks toxicity in vivo

Mutations in SOD1 cause FALS. The Cu binding capacity of SOD1 has spawned hypotheses that implicate metal-mediated production of reactive species as a potential mechanism of toxicity. In past experiments, we have tested such hypotheses by mutating residues in SOD1 that normally coordinate the binding of Cu, finding that such mutants retain the capacity to induce motor neuron disease. We now describe the lack of disease in mice that express a variant of human SOD1 in which residues that coordinate the binding of Cu and Zn have been mutated (SODMD). SODMD encodes 3 disease-causing and 4 experimental mutations that ultimately eliminate all histidines involved in the binding of metals; and includes one disease-causing and one experimental mutation that eliminate secondary metal binding at C6 and C111. We show that the combined effect of these mutations produces a protein that is unstable but does not aggregate on its own, is not toxic, and does not induce disease when co-expressed with high levels of wild-type SOD1. In cell culture models, we determine that the combined mutation of C6 and C111 to G and S, respectively, dramatically reduces the aggregation propensity of SODMD and may account for the lack of toxicity for this mutant.
A paradigm shift in vaccine production for pandemic influenza.

The recent introduction of an H5N8 subtype highly pathogenic avian influenza virus (HPAIV) into the United States from Asia is a timely reminder of the propensity of avian influenza viruses to undergo rapid global movement. The subsequent reassortment of this virus to generate an H5N2 subtype variant, which has caused significant mortality in commercial poultry across America, similarly highlights the potential of HPAIV to change quickly and unpredictably. Concurrent with the introduction of H5N2 subtype influenza into the US, H7N9 subtype avian influenza virus continues to circulate in birds in China and to cause associated zoonotic infection of humans, with a high case fatality rate in confirmed cases. Although the incidence of human infections with H7N9 is relatively low, the outbreak has persisted for more than 2 years and spread throughout Eastern China, a region with large areas of high human population density. Given the current high case fatality rate, if the H7N9 virus were to acquire the ability to transmit efficiently in humans, its subsequent emergence into an immunologically naive population would likely require a major global public health response.
Corrosion barriers for silver-based telescope mirrors: comparative study of plasma-enhanced atomic layer deposition and reactive evaporation of aluminum oxide

Astronomical telescopes continue to demand high-endurance high-reflectivity silver (Ag) mirrors that can withstand years of exposure in Earth-based observatory environments. We present promising results of improved Ag mirror robustness using plasma-enhanced atomic layer deposition (PEALD) of aluminum oxide (AlOx) as a top barrier layer. Transparent AlOx is suitable for many optical applications; therefore, it has been the initial material of choice for this study. Two coating recipes developed with electron beam ion-assisted deposition (e-beam IAD) of materials including yttrium fluoride, titanium nitride, oxides of yttrium, tantalum, and silicon are used to provide variations in basic Ag mirror structures to compare the endurance of reactive e-beam IAD barriers with PEALD barriers. Samples undergo high temperature/high humidity environmental testing in a controlled environment of 80% humidity at 80°C for 10 days. Environmental testing shows visible results suggesting that the PEALD AlOx barrier offers robust protection against chemical corrosion and moisture permeation. Ag mirror structures were further characterized by reflectivity/absorption before and after deposition of AlOx barriers.
The Family Pharm: An Ethical Consideration of Psychopharmacology in Couple and Family Counseling

This article presents an overview of ethical issues surrounding psychopharmacology as it applies to the field of couple and family counseling. The authors ground their discussion of these issues in the ethical codes of the American Counseling Association and the International Association of Marriage and Family Counselors. Case studies illustrate the ethical issues that couple and family counselors may face when working with clients who have been prescribed psychotropic medications.
Distinct Functions of Evolutionary Conserved MSF1 and Late Embryogenesis Abundant (LEA)-like Domains in Mitochondria

PRELID1, the only late embryogenesis abundant (LEA) domain-containing protein in humans, exerts cytoprotective effects through its LEA domain within the mitochondria. Although PRELID1 homologs in vertebrates contain the LEA domain, homologs in lower eukaryotes are thought to lack this domain. In this study, we identify a novel LEA-like domain in a yeast PRELID1 homolog, Ups2p, which contains sequence conservation with the LEA domain of human PRELID1. PRELID1 homologs, including Ups2p, are known to contain the PRELI/MSF1 domain. Our study reveals that the MSF1 domain of Ups2p maintains proper mitochondrial electron transport chain function, respiratory competency, and mitochondrial phosphatidylethanolamine metabolism. The Ups2p MSF1 domain mediates cardiolipin depletion in the absence of Ups1p. However, the Ups2p LEA-like domain is responsible for cardiolipin depletion resulting from UPS2 overexpression. The regulation of phosphatidylethanolamine levels by the MSF1 domain is antagonized by the Ups2p LEA-like domain. We demonstrate that the yeast LEA-like domain protects cells from oxidative stress and can be functionally replaced by the human LEA domain. Together our studies suggest distinct roles of MSF1 and LEA-like domains in mitochondrial function and resistance to oxidative stress.
Optical sky polarimetry and photometry at Mauna Loa Observatory affected by stratospheric dust from El Chichon

The Dave vector model is shown to be a good representation of the atmospheric effects on the photometry and polarimetry of the sky above Mauna Loa Observatory (MLO) on 6 Nov. 1982 produced by the El Chichon veil. Observations and modeling were accomplished at 0.36, 0.400, and 0.500 μm based on fundamental aerosol data. The effects of nonsphericity of the aerosols are included as a previously validated approximation in the input data. Extensive use was made of ground and air truth data available at MLO and the National Weather Service. From the modeling, the vertical number density of the El Chichon aerosol is deduced. The sky is found to be unusually bright from the aerosol scattering (radiance of 0.4 MW/m2/sr at a wavelength of 0.500 μm in the southerly and westerly directions at a sensor zenith angle of 60°) and the corresponding percent polarization low (~3%). Associated meteorological observations indicate stratospheric heating.
Measurement of Interfacial Re‐equilibration during Hydrogen Bubble Coalescence

A new experimental technique has been developed and tested to measure the interfacial velocities associated with the coalescence of small, electrolytically generated gas bubbles. The technique involves measuring, by means of a linear photodiode array, the rate of deflection of a laser-light sheet caused by the movement of a newly formed boundary between coalescing bubbles. Bubble pairs in the 500 to 1,000 [mu]m range were generated at precisely controlled rates between two parallel glass-encased microelectrodes. Correlation of data obtained on the coalescence of two hydrogen bubbles of identical size shows that the position of the interface along the coalescence plane varies with the square-root of time, in agreement with the hole expansion model advanced by Charles and Mason. Initial interfacial velocities are in the range of 200 to 300 cm/s. Larger numbers of such events occurring simultaneously at gas evolving electrodes will significantly disturb the fluid immediately adjacent to the electrode, thereby improving mass transport rates to and from the surface.
Video Synthesizers: From Analog Computing to Digital Art

In the late 1960s, artists and engineers began building increasingly sophisticated video synthesizers, machines that produced abstract or distorted images by electronically manipulating either a video signal or the cathode ray tube on which it was displayed. This article explores how experimental videographers modeled video synthesizers on audio synthesizers, conceptualized them as analog computers, and starting in 1973, interfaced them with digital minicomputers. They used digital computers first as programmable controllers for complex analog synthesizers and then as sources of digital imagery themselves, integrating video and computer graphics in hybrid analog/digital systems.
Chemical crosstalk between heated gas microsensor elements operating in close proximity

Abstract Gas microsensor arrays often have closely-spaced elements, typically separated by hundreds of microns. For such devices, crosstalk between elements operated within a gaseous environment is a concern because sensing materials held at elevated temperatures have an increased probability for disrupting gas flows and activating gas-film interactions that can consume analytes or evolve reaction products. To explore such effects in a microarray, microhotplate array platforms were used to sense carbon monoxide. Carbon monoxide sensing was chosen as a model system because the oscillatory kinetics of CO oxidation on Pt films are known to exhibit sensitive gas-phase coupling. Under proper conditions, a Pt/SnO2 microsensor was observed to oscillate between two stable CO/O2 coverage ratios. The high CO coverage state results in higher film conductance, and the oscillation frequency is extremely sensitive to gas-phase CO concentration. Crosstalk was observed between adjacent microsensors with Pt particles supported on SnO2 films, as evidenced by synchronization of sensor response and mixed-mode oscillations (similar to those observed in CO oxidation on Pt films). The range of crosstalk effects was studied by operating a single device in an oscillatory CO sensing mode and heating neighboring elements in an array. The operation of nearby sensors is believed to produce reactions that effectively lower the CO partial pressure at the monitored device, thereby reducing the period of oscillation. The magnitude of the effect was calculated from the frequency change using a CO concentration calibration, and the effect is greater than 10% when operating 15 neighboring sensors. The effects of heating neighboring microsensors have also been studied for hydrogen and methanol sensing on both Pt/SnO2 and bare SnO2 microsensor arrays. While crosstalk effects are observed for these gases, the effects we observe on Pt/SnO2 sensors are less pronounced than in the case of CO sensing. A less than 1% effect occurs for methanol sensing and the largest effect for H2 sensing was an apparent concentration decrease of ≈4% when heating 15 neighboring devices in 10 μmol/mol (10 ppm) of the analyte. On the bare SnO2 devices, we observe an apparent increase in concentration of methanol and H2 of approximately 5 and 15%, respectively. While crosstalk is only measured for the case of conductometric sensing in this work, similar phenomena are likely to occur for sensors that utilize other detection principles.
Quantitative Assessment of In Vivo Breast Masses Using Ultrasound Attenuation and Backscatter

Clinical analysis of breast ultrasound imaging is done qualitatively, facilitated with the ultrasound breast imaging-reporting and data system (US BI-RADS) lexicon, which helps to standardize imaging assessments. Two descriptors in that lexicon, "posterior acoustic features" and the "echo pattern" within a mass, are directly related to quantitative ultrasound (QUS) parameters, namely, ultrasound attenuation and the average backscatter coefficient (BSC). The purpose of this study was to quantify ultrasound attenuation and backscatter in breast masses and to investigate these QUS properties as potential differential diagnostic markers. Radio frequency (RF) echo signals were from patients with breast masses during a special ultrasound imaging session prior to core biopsy. Data were also obtained from a well characterized phantom using identical system settings. Masses include 14 fibroadenomas and 10 carcinomas. Attenuation for the acoustic path lying proximal to the tumor was estimated offline using a least squares method with constraints. BSCs were estimated using a reference phantom method (RPM). The attenuation coefficient within each mass was assessed using both the RPM and a hybrid method, and effective scatterer diameters (ESDs) were estimated using a Gaussian form factor model. Attenuation estimates obtained with the RPM were consistent with estimates done using the hybrid method in all cases except for two masses. The mean slope of the attenuation coefficient versus frequency for carcinomas was 20% greater than the mean slope value for the fibroadenomas. The product of the attenuation coefficient and anteroposterior dimension of the mass was computed to estimate the total attenuation for each mass. That value correlated well with the BI-RADS assessment of "posterior acoustic features" judged qualitatively from gray scale images. Nearly all masses were described as "hypoechoic," so no strong statements could be made about the correlation of echo pattern findings in BI-RADS with the averaged BSC values. However, most carcinomas exhibited lower values for the frequency-average BSC than fibroadenomas. The mean ESD alone did not differentiate the mass type, but fibroadenomas had greater variability in ESDs within the ROI than that found for invasive ductal carcinomas. This study demonstrates the potential to use attenuation and QUS parameters associated with the BSC as quantitative descriptors.
Solutions to systems of nonlinear equations via a genetic algorithm

Abstract Solving systems of nonlinear equations is perhaps the most difficult problem in all of numerical computation. It is also a problem that occurs frequently in a spectrum of engineering applications such as electric power generation and distribution, multi-objective optimization, and trajectory/path-planning applications. Although numerous methods have been developed to attack this class of numerical problems, one of the simplest and oldest methods, Newton’s method, is arguably the most commonly used. Like most numerical methods for solving systems of nonlinear equations, the convergence and performance characteristics of Newton’s method can be highly sensitive to the initial guess of the solution supplied to the method. In this paper, a hybrid scheme is presented, in which a genetic algorithm is used to locate efficient initial guesses, which are then supplied to a Newton method for solving a system of nonlinear equations. The hybrid scheme is tested on a specific example that is representative of this class of problems—one of determining the coefficients used in Gauss-Legendre numerical integration. Results show that the hybrid of a genetic algorithm and Newton’s method is effective, and represents an efficient approach to solving systems of nonlinear equations.
Suspended sediment transport in an ephemeral stream following wildfire

[1] We examine the impacts of a stand-clearing wildfire on the characteristics and magnitude of suspended sediment transport in ephemeral streams draining the burn area. We report the results of a monitoring program that includes 2 years of data prior to the Cerro Grande fire in New Mexico, and 3 years of postfire data. Suspended sediment concentration (SSC) increased by about 2 orders of magnitude following the fire, and the proportion of silt and clay increased from 50% to 80%. For a given flow event, SSC is highest at the flood bore and decreases monotonically with time, a pattern evident in every flood sampled both before and after the fire. We propose that the accumulation of flow and wash load at the flow front is an inherent characteristic of ephemeral stream flows, due to amplified momentum losses at the flood bore. We present a new model for computing suspended sediment transport in ephemeral streams (in the presence or absence of wildfire) by relating SSC to the time following the arrival of the flood bore, rather than to instantaneous discharge. Using this model and a rainfall history, we estimate that in the 3 years following the fire, floods transported in suspension a mass equivalent to about 3 mm of landscape lowering across the burn area, 20% of this following a single rainstorm. We test the model by computing fine sediment delivery to a small reservoir in an adjacent watershed, where we have a detailed record of postfire sedimentation based on repeat surveys. Systematic discrepancies between modeled and measured sedimentation rates in the reservoir suggest rapid reductions in suspended sediment delivery in the first several years after the fire.
Free convection about a rectangular prismatic crystal growing from a solution

Sodium chlorate crystals growing from unstirred aqueous solutions were observed by Schlieren techniques. Growth rate data were best correlated by a Sherwood number with finite interface kinetics and a characteristic length equal to the crystal height plus the inverse reciprocal sum of the horizontal dimensions. The growth rate was slightly higher when the plume was laminar than when it was irregular. The horizontal growth rate was greater than the vertical growth rate, with the ratio tending to decrease with increasing plume instability. The threshold Grashof number for plume instability was greatly decreased with decreasing height for crystals with the same horizontal dimensions. The velocity of the eddies approached a constant value with increasing distance above the crystal surface, the terminal value being roughly proportional to the ratio of the square root of the Rayleigh number to the crystal characteristic length.
Meat color stability affected by barley variety fed in finishing diet to beef steers

Angus crossbred steers were assigned randomly to one of four finishing diets based on corn, Chinook, Logan, or H3 barley. Steers were harvested and after a 72-h chill, carcass quality and yield grade data were collected. Beef ribs were removed from 72 carcasses for further analysis. Ribs were aged in vacuum bag at 2°C for 14 days. After aging three adjacent steaks (3.18cm) were removed to determine color stability, tenderness, proximate analysis and pH. Diets fed to steers had no effect on quality and yield grade or tenderness of beef steaks. Steaks from steers fed Logan barley variety were significantly less red at 10 days of storage (Hunter a*=24.06) than steaks from steers fed the other barley varieties (Chinook a*=26.4; H3 a*=28.05) or corn (a*=26.14). Identification of barley varieties that affect color stability could result in designing diets specifically for improved color and increase the use of barley as a finishing grain.
Ca2+ and Ba2+ effects on basolateral tetraethylammonium transport in isolated snake renal proximal tubules

Previous work on snake renal tubules suggested that basolateral transport of tetraethylammonium (TEA) is symmetrical. To examine regulation of this transport step more closely, we determined the effects of (1) reductions in the extracellular Ca2+ concentration and basolateral Ca2+ entry, and (2) the presence of extracellular Ba2+ on TEA uptake and efflux across the basolateral membrane of isolated snake renal proximal tubules. Removal of extracellular Ca2+ reduced initial TEA uptake and enhanced TEA efflux. Blocking Ca2+ entry also reduced initial TEA uptake. Extracellular Ba2+ depolarized the basolateral membrane and reduced both TEA uptake and efflux. Inhibition of basolateral TEA uptake with a reduced membrane potential supports previous data indicating that uptake involves potential-driven facilitated diffusion. Inhibition of basolateral TEA efflux by Ba2+ even with a reduced membrane potential not only supports previously obtained data indicating that efflux is not influenced by the potential difference and that basolateral TEA transport is asymmetrical, but also suggests that TEA uptake and efflux may occur by separate pathways.
Arylsulfatase activity in human urine: quantitative studies on patients with lysosomal disorders including metachromatic leukodystrophy

Abstract A rapid and simple quantitative assay has been employed to measure the arylsulfatase A activity in urine samples from 173 individuals. This group includes three patients with late infantile metachromatic leukodystrophy (MLD), three patients with the adult form of metachromatic leukodystrophy, seven patients with other lysosomal disorders, and a control group. The average urinary arylsulfatase A activity of the MLD patients was 3.4% of the average activity found in the control group. In marked contrast, the arylsulfatase for the seven patients with other lysosomal disorders was found to be elevated in most of the urine samples tested.
Partial iris and recognition as a viable biometric scheme

Iris recognition is a well-studied biometric technique that is both reliable and convenient. The paper focuses on the hypothesis that due to the rich structure of the iris data, a portion of the iris data could render results comparable to those achieved by processing the full data. Experiments are conducted on partial iris data using Daugman|s algorithm. Using the phase orientation of Daugman|s algorithm, only half of the iris data was examined in a series of tests. Identical irises were identified using partial data in most cases. For those cases that a match could not be found, the similarity score for identical irises was still significantly higher than that for different irises. The results support the promise of making the iris recognition a covert technique with many applications in security.
Nostalgia, the Silent Cinema, and the Art of Quotation in Herbert Stothart’s Score for The Wizard of Oz (1939)

Composed under the direction of Herbert Stothart, the orchestral score to MGM’s The Wizard of Oz (1939) is laden with musical quotations ranging from Kodaly to Schumann. While the inclusion of outside musical sources in a film score is not unusual, Stothart elevates this practice to a high level of sophistication. In particular, he incorporates melodies previously associated with silent film musical accompaniment, reinforcing Oz’s nostalgic character by hearkening to an earlier era of film exhibition. In this article I analyze the various implications of this musical nostalgia as they intersect with earlier cinematic practices, the film’s narrative, and Herbert Stothart’s musical aesthetics. In addition to bringing a retrospective quality to the Oz score, Stothart’s quotations interact musically and semantically with the film’s songs, further unifying orchestral background score and vocal material.
A multi-component species identifying pheromone in the goldfish.

Although it has been established that sexually-immature goldfish and their relatives recognize members of their own species by using chemicals that they release, the identity of this cue(s) and whether it might be produced and used by other life stages is not yet known. To address this question, this study tested the behavioral responses of sexually immature and mature goldfish to each other’s body washings, their sensitivity to this cue, the role of the olfactory sense in detecting it, and whether it is comprised of either polar and/or non-polar compounds. Tests that used two-choice mazes discovered that juvenile, immature, mature male, and mature female goldfish all release and respond to a common chemical cue(s). Dilution studies next demonstrated that this cue is active when diluted over 10 times and thus capable of functioning as a short range attractant/identifier. Olfactory occlusion demonstrated that it is detected by the olfactory sense. Finally, chemical fractionation demonstrated that it is comprised of both polar and non-polar components but likely does not include bile acids. Together, these results suggest that all life stages of goldfish use a complex multicomponent pheromonal odor to discern species identity, and that this odor has the potential to function with hormonal metabolites to identify sexual condition in behaviorally active fish of many species.
Calibrating multi-projector cylindrically curved displays for "wallpaper" projection

This paper presents a novel algorithm for calibrating multiple casually placed projectors, via a single uncalibrated camera, to produce a "wallpaper" projection, which is equivalent to printing a single image onto a flat sheet of paper and pasting it to the screen. Based on a piecewise planar model, the method described here combines the advantages of global surface fitting and homographies to generate high accuracy geometric correction independent of the camera position and viewing angle. Experimental results validate the approach, achieving seamless displays with various multi-projector arrangements. The proposed calibration mechanism is applicable to both curved and planar screen surfaces and to single as well as multiple projector displays.
Acute Aortic Dissection With Tear in Ascending Aorta Not Diagnosed Until Necropsy or Operation (for Another Condition) and Comparison to Similar Cases Receiving Proper Operative Therapy

Acute aortic dissection (AD) with a tear in ascending aorta (AA) is recognized to masquerade occasionally as another condition, and therefore the proper diagnosis is never made or made too late. During a recent 3-year period (2009 to 2011) at Baylor University Medical Center at Dallas, 30 patients with acute AD with tear in AA were diagnosed: 23 (77%) were diagnosed clinically and underwent proper urgent operative therapy; the remaining 7 (23%) with AD with tear in AA were not diagnosed until operation (for another condition) or necropsy or retrospectively by review of antemortem computed tomographic scan after death. The number of patients with AD from tear in AA whose cardiac condition was not diagnosed clinically and who died in the hospital but did not have an autopsy is unclear. Because the autopsy rate in most United States hospitals, including Baylor University Medical Center, is now 23%.
On the Edge of Innovation: Transition and Transformation in Statewide Administrative Models for Online Learning.

State-level virtual institutions have taken various and instructive paths as they developed.
Glancing-angle ion bombardment for modification and monitoring of semiconductor surfaces

Using glancing-angle ion bombardment for surface modification rather than conventional near-normal incidence ions has the advantages of reducing damage and implantation projected ranges, reducing channeling, reducing sputtering, and preferentially removing surface asperities leading to flat surfaces. The effects of bombardment conditions on the surface morphology and perfection of GaAs (001), InP (001), and Si (001) surfaces are reported. Air-exposed surfaces were cleaned and smoothened to near atomic flatness without damage under optimal conditions. Sputtering yield, measured using film thicknesses and changes in reflection high-energy electron diffraction oscillations, decreased with decreasing incidence angle. The low sputtering yield and minimal damage make a glancing-angle geometry ideal for real-time characterization by ion scattering spectroscopy. Surface composition measurements on single monolayers of InAs on GaAs showed that the glancing-angle Ar beam did not measurably change the In coverage over relatively long times. A new ion beam monitoring technique was also developed that utilizes the advantages of glancing-angle ions. Specular scattering of 3 keV He ions was observed for incidence angles of 2–6° from GaAs (001). Oscillation in the specularly scattered ion current during GaAs growth were observed with periods corresponding to monolayer growth times. The oscillations allow a simple quantitative interpretation based on scattering by adatoms and step edges.
The Impression Management Strategies Associated with Transformational Leadership at the World-Class Level: A Psychohistorical Assessment.

This study explored the extent to which the five basic impression management strategies of ingratiation, self-promotion, intimidation, exemplification, and supplication were associated with transfo...
Economics of food irradiation: Comparison between electron accelerators and cobalt-60

Abstract The Codex Alimentarius Commission's proposed international standard permits three types of ionizing radiation to be used on foods: gamma rays from radioactive cobalt-60 or cesium-137, high energy electrons, and x-rays. The latter two types of radiation are produced by electron accelerators powered by electricity. Unlike gamma rays and x-rays which can penetrate pallet loads of foods, electrons of the allowed energy levels only penetrate 1 to 3 inches when irradiated from one side. Thus, electrons are limited to treating the surface of foods or foods in thin packages or a shallow stream of grains, powders, or liquids. Average costs per kilogram (kg) of irradiating selected foods are similar for the electron accelerator and cobalt-60 irradiators analyzed in this study, but initial investment costs generally vary by U.S. $1 million. Irradiation treatment costs range from 1 to 15 U.S. cents per kg for the foods and annual volumes examined with larger volumes having lower treatment costs. Cobalt-60 is less expensive than electrons when annual volumes are below 23 million kgs. For radiation source requirements above the equivalent of about 1 million curies of cobalt-60, electrons become more economical. The largest differences in costs occur with the papaya irradiators where using x-rays to penetrate the fruit is more expensive than using cobalt-60.
Effect of bilateral ablation of the vestibular cerebellum on visual-vestibular interaction.

Abstract We evaluated the role of the vestibulocerebellum in the production of visual-vestibular-oculomotor reflexes in rabbits. Oculomotor responses (nystagmus) were compared with optokinetic, vestibular, and combined visual-vestibular stimuli, obtained before and after bilateral removal of the flocculus, paraflocculus, and paramedian lobes. Measurements were made in response to binocular and monocular stimulation. These experiments give further evidence that, in the rabbit, each eye is mainly connected to the ipsilateral vestibular floccular structures and corroborate previous investigations that point to the significance of the vestibulocerebellum in the optokinetic and visual-vestibular-ocular reflexes.
On a slowly evaporating droplet near a hot plate

Analyse mathematique du processus de vaporisation d'une gouttelette au voisinage d'une plaque chaude en l'absence de chaleur par convection et rayonnement thermique. Calcul de la force due a la pression de vapeur s'exercant sur la gouttelette, en negligeant la gravite. Etude de la variation de celle-ci en fonction de la temperature et de la distance de la plaque
Dendritic spines and linear networks

The function of the cortical microcircuitry is still mysterious. Using a bottom-up analysis based on the biophysics and connectivity of cortical neurons, we propose the hypothesis that the neocortex is essentially a linear integrator of inputs. Dendritic spines would slow the neuron and contribute to linearize input summation. Since excitatory axons are relatively straight, they appeared designed to help disperse information to a large number of recipient neurons, generating a distributed circuit. A linear summation regime will ensure the full benefit of a distributed connectivity matrix. Linear integration could also help the neocortex decode the sensory world and may have additional computational advantages. In this view, spines would be the anatomical signature of linear networks.
The instrumental response and hypothalamic stimulus-bound drinking

Abstract The role of the instrumental response in initiating 2 sec trains of electrical stimulation to the lateral hypothalamus (ESLH) on stimulus-bound drinking was evaluated. Rats self-administering ESLH drank more water than when the same stimulations were externally imposed. It is hypothesized that the instrumental response activates a neural substrate which facilitates the ESLH in evoking drinking behavior.
Grain boundary structure and migration

Abstract Grain boundary dislocations move during grain boundary migration, but only for low-angle boundaries does their motion account satisfactorily for the observed grain boundary motion. The difficulties in the high-angle regime are partly a consequence of the the limitation of high resolution microscopy mainly to simple tilt boundaries and partly attributed to the difficulties associated with control of contrast conditions during in situ heating.
Dixon center blade: adaptable urologic retractor.

Inherent in any surgical procedure is the need for proper exposure of the operative site . Selfretaining retractors provide rather constant exposure and decrease the need for surgical assistants . An ideal self-retaining retractor should be easy to set in place, be relatively atraumatic, he easy to remove, and provide good exposure. Although numerous self-retaining retractors are available for use in the flank, the pelvis, and the abdomen, few fit these criteria . A Balfour retractor is a self-retaining retractor of simple design which is easy to set in
Expressions for the computer-evaluation of the four kernel functions for line formation with Doppler and Lorentz profiles

Abstract Rational approximations for the kernel functions K1(τ), K2(τ), M1(τ) and M2(τ) that describe the transfer of radiation scattered with complete redistribution over Doppler and Lorentz profiles have been obtained from their series and asymptotic expressions by the techniques of Pade approximants with a maximum relative error of less than 10-4.
Lean practices for quality results: a case illustration.

Purpose – Increasingly, healthcare providers are implementing lean practices to achieve quality results. Implementing lean healthcare practices is unique compared to manufacturing and other service industries. The purpose of this paper is to present a model that identifies and defines the lean implementation key success factors in healthcare organisations. Design/methodology/approach – The model is based on an extant literature review and a case illustration that explores actual lean implementation in a major USA hospital located in a Midwestern city (approximately 300,000 people). An exploratory/descriptive study using observation and follow-up interviews was conducted to identify lean practices in the hospital. Findings – Lean practice key drivers include growing elderly populations, rising medical expenses, decreasing insurance coverage and decreasing management support. Effectively implementing lean practices to increase bottom-line results and improve organisational integrity requires sharing goals a...
VCache: visualization applet for processor caches

Caches can be one of the more difficult subjects to teach in computer organization introductory courses. To aid this, we introduce an applet, VCache, which can visualize cache interactions on various caches with different sizes, structures and policies. The visualization is achieved by animating and color-highlighting the activity and showing the contents of the cache. Using this, students can learn the principles of the cache and the performance implications, by experimenting different sets of memory accesses on different caches.
Blimp-1 and systemic lupus erythematosus

Our laboratory has been studying the impact of low Blimp-1 expression on dendritic cell function in SLE, analyzing both a mouse model of SLE in which there is a deletion of Blimp-1 in CD11c dendritic cells (DC Blimp-1KO mice) and healthy individuals with the SLE risk allele of Blimp-1. This allele leads to reduced Blimp-1 expression in dendritic cells. Low expression of Blimp-1 alters cytokine expression following TLR activation and antigen-processing machinery. This leads to a highly distinct TCR repertoire in T-follicular helper cells in DC Blimp-1KO mice. Much of this phenotype is under estrogen regulation. These data therefore provide an integrated explanation for altered cytokines, autoantibodies and female predisposition in SLE.
Influence of infusion line compliance on drug delivery rate during acute line loop formation.

Objective: To determine whether infusion line compliance contributes to irregular drug delivery during vertical displacement of syringe pumps.¶Design: Five different commercially available infusion lines were studied at infusion rates of 0.5, 1.0, and 1.5 ml/h. Zero drug delivery time was measured after acute line loop formation (70 cm) using an electronic balance. Compliance of each infusion line was calculated using a pressure transducer and measurement of the occlusion release bolus at 300 mmHg occlusion pressure. Finally, the influence of infusion line compliance on drug delivery during acute lowering of the syringe pump was studied using low- and high-compliance infusion lines.¶Results: Acute line loop formation resulted in zero drug delivery time from 5.1 ± 1.5 to 44.0 ± 6.8 s at flow rates of 0.5 ml/h. Increased flow rates significantly reduced loop-induced flow variability. A close correlation was found between zero drug delivery time and calculated infusion line compliance at 0.5 ml/h (linear regression R2 = 0.79). Lowering of the syringe pump 50 cm prolonged zero drug delivery time from 295.8 ± 20.7 s with the low-compliance tube to 463.3 ± 24.0 s with the high-compliance infusion line.¶Conclusions: Infusion line compliance contributes to irregular drug delivery associated with vertical displacement of syringe pumps. Siphoning of the infusion line during patient care should be avoided, and flow rates of 1 ml/h or higher are recommended. Low-compliance infusion lines are indicated whenever highly short-acting vasoactive drugs at low delivery rates are administered.
How does one develop and document the skills needed to assume a deanship in higher education

(2004). How Does One Develop and Document the Skills Needed to Assume a Deanship in Higher Education? Occupational Therapy In Health Care: Vol. 18, No. 1-2, pp. 185-197.
How robust are switches in intracellular signaling cascades

Since all-or-none decisions of the cell are controlled by extracellular signals, cells have biochemical switches within their intracellular signaling networks. Central elements of these switches are multisite phosphorylation, enzymic saturation, and amplification by cascades. Moreover, positive feedback can contribute to switch-like behavior termed also ultrasensitivity. Here we analyse the robustness of these mechanisms exemplified by models of the three-molecule MAPK-cascade and the single-molecule Goldbeter-Koshland switch. We show that the ultrasensitivity in the MAPK-cascades is more robust against changes of the kinetic parameters than the Goldbeter-Koshland switch. If multiple parameters are changed randomly, the effects of parameter changes can compensate each other in the cascade leading to a remarkable robustness of the switch-like behavior. The different degrees of robustness can be traced back to the different mechanisms of generating ultrasensitivity. While in the Goldbeter-Koshland switch the saturation of the enzymes are crucial, in the MAPK-cascade the adjustment of working ranges determines the ultrasensitivity. Our results indicate that amplification of ultrasensitivity in cascades and multisite phosphorylation might be a design principle to achieve robust switches.
Deidentification of facial images using composites.

Purpose Maxillofacial surgeons rely on photography for education and documentation. Photographs of the face, unlike those of other body regions, are readily identifiable. Traditional methods of facial image deidentification decrease educational quality or fail to adequately conceal identity. In the present study, a method that uses blended facial composites to deidentify original facial images was developed. This method allows significant components of the original face to be visualized while concealing its identity. Materials and Methods The method was used to develop 20 different composite facial images that were viewed by student subjects. Ten of these images contained at least one third of a face that was familiar to the subjects. Subjects viewed the composite faces twice—first unaware that the faces were composites, and then primed to the presence of composites. Subjects later rated the efficacy of this method for image deidentification. Results When unaware that they were viewing composite images, no subjects recognized the familiar faces within the composites or rated them as familiar (0/120 total views, 0%). When later primed to the potential presence of familiar faces within composites, the identification rate increased significantly (74/120, 62%; P Conclusion The use of composites appears to be a promising concept for facial image deidentification. Further larger-scale studies are needed to validate these findings.
A 3D non-hydrostatic model to predict flow and sediment transport in loose-bed channel bends

The validation and application of a model to solve for the flow, the sediment transport, and bed morphology changes in open channels is discussed. The non-hydrostatic model solves the three-dimensional (3D) incompressible, Reynolds-Averaged Navier–Stokes (RANS) equations in generalized curvilinear coordinates. The model uses adaptive grids in the vertical direction needed to account for changes in the free surface elevation and bed levels due to erosion/deposition at the bed as the code converges toward steady state (equilibrium conditions). The model is used to predict flow and sediment transport through straight and curved open channels, including the 140? open channel bend studied by Olesen (1985) and the 193? very sharp bend studied by Blanckaert (2002). An estimate of the peak non-dimensional shear stress at the banks is deduced function of the ratio between the radius of curvature of the bend and the channel width
Aberrant synthesis of antibodies directed at the Fab fragment of IgA in patients with IgA nephropathies.

Abstract The sera of 37 patients with IgA nephropathy (IgA NP) were assayed for levels of antibodies specific for the Fab fragment of homologous IgA, and the values obtained were compared to antibody levels in a panel of 26 normal volunteers. IgG antibody levels in IgA NP patients were significantly elevated over those of the controls (P
Generalization of the kolmogorov-smirnov goodness-of-fit test, usinggroup invariance

We develop a framework for designing consistent goodness-of-fit tests, based on known invariances in the situations where the data are observed, and generalizing the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test.Our method is based on Vapnik-Chervonenkis classes of partitions of R n, invariant under various groups of transformations.Several examples are presented, including k-point K-S-type tests and a test for periodicity in one dimension, and hyperplane and other partition-based tests in higher dimensions. The latter are consistent, coordinate-independent under the affine group, and distribution-independent across the corresponding families of probability densities (affine orbits).We report some critical values and power comparisons obtained through Monte-Carlo techniques; under certain conditions, the tests we study are considerably more powerful than conventional tests.
Seeking Asylum: Literary Reflections on Sexuality, Ethnicity, and Human Rights

Over the past decade, immigration law in the United States has taken several important steps toward establishing that human rights violations arising from sexual-orientation-based persecution are recognized grounds for granting asylum to refugees. Sexual orientation is joining other more established grounds for seeking protection from persecution. However, US asylum laws and practices still fail to protect all the refugees on US soil who face persecution if returned to their homelands. Asylum law, as written by Congress and interpreted by the courts and the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS), is forged through the conflict of two incompatible functions: it attempts to meet US obligations under international accords to shelter those persons whose own national governments cannot or will not protect them from persecution, and it attempts to limit the number of successful asylum claims in response to anti-immigrant feelings strongly felt and expressed by the American public. Asylum seekers, immigrant rights activists, and human rights advocates work to overcome the latter of these functions while strengthening the former. Scholarly human rights advocacy is typically carried out in the fields of law, public health, politics, and journalism. What is to be gained by expanding this range of fields to include literary criticism? In this essay I analyze an autobiography, Reinaldo Arenas' Before Night Falls, and two novels, Elias Miguel Mufioz' The Greatest Performance and Shyam Selvadurai's Funny Boy. These
A Scalable Model for Human Scala-Tympani Phantoms

In cochlear-implant (CI) insertion experiments, scala-tympani (ST) phantoms are often used in place of in vivo studies or cadaver studies. During the development of novel CI technology, a scaled-up phantom is often desirable. In this paper, we create a scalable model of the human ST by synthesizing published anatomical data and images. We utilize the model to fabricate an accurate, inexpensive, and reproducible ST phantom at a 3:1 scale.
Fluoride at mitogenic concentrations increases the steady state phosphotyrosyl phosphorylation level of cellular proteins in human bone cells.

This study was designed to test the hypothesis that treatment of human bone cells with mitogenic concentrations of fluoride would lead to an increase in the steady state level of tyrosyl phosphorylation of specific cellular proteins. With an immunoblot assay method, it was found that mitogenic concentrations of fluoride (i.e. 50-200 mumol/L) induced a dose- and time-dependent increase in the level of tyrosyl phosphorylation of at least 13 cellular proteins in both normal human bone cells and human TE85 osteosarcoma cells. Time-course studies revealed that a statistically significant increase in tyrosyl phosphorylation of these 13 cellular proteins in human bone cells was observed after 3-6 h of fluoride treatment and was sustained for up to 24 h. This time course was not compatible with a direct activation of tyrosyl kinases, as epidermal growth factor, which activates tyrosyl kinase activity, induced an immediate and acute response that was rapidly reversible within 1 h. Although fluoride increased the steady state tyrosyl phosphorylation of the cellular proteins in human bone cells, the same micromolar doses of fluoride had no effect on human skin fibroblasts, which are fluoride-nonresponsive cells. The effects of fluoride were rapidly reversible in the absence of fluoride and could be acutely potentiated by pretreatment with epidermal growth factor. In summary, we have shown for the first time that mitogenic concentrations (i.e. 50-200 mumol/L) of fluoride increased the steady state level of tyrosyl phosphorylation of at least 13 cellular proteins in human bone cells, and that the increases were relatively show in onset and sustained. In conclusion, these findings are consistent with the hypothesis that the osteogenic actions of fluoride are mediated at least in part by an inhibition of the activity of one or more fluoride-sensitive phosphotyrosyl protein phosphatases in human bone cells.
Renal vein thrombosis and the nephrotic syndrome: a case report with protein selectivity studies.

An eight-year-old boy with the nephrotic syndrome was noted to have a notched proximal ureter, which suggests hypertrophy of collateral veins. Unilateral renal vein thrombosis was confirmed by an inferior vena cavogram and selective catheterization. A percutaneous renal biopsy revealed changes compatible with membranous glomerulonephritis. Protein selectivity studies showed the proteinuria to be equally selective from both kidneys.