cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Increased pulmonary collagen synthesis in mice treated with cyclophosphamide.

ABSTRACTCyclophosphamide is a widely used anticancer drug which damages lung tissue and elicits a progressive fibrotic lesion in mice. The early time course of collagen accumulation and the changes in collagen synthesis which may accompany this lung damage and fibrosis have not been reported. The total lung concentration of hydroxyproline, an index of collagen content and the extent of pulmonary fibrosis, was not significantly increased in mice until 12 days after treatment with 200 mg/kg cyclophosphamide. The change in total lung hydroxyproline content was preceded, on Day 6, by en increase in the rate of acid-insoluble hydroxyproline synthesis. This rate remained elevated to Day 21, but was no longer significantly increased by Day 28. The percentage of total protein synthesis devoted to the production of collagen was significantly increased 9 and 12 days after cyclophosphamide, compared to saline-treated controls. The rate of pulmonary non-collagen protein synthesis was significantly decreased 3 days af...
Psychological, Cultural, and Informational Barriers to Sustainability

The path to societal sustainability is strewn with barriers, opponents, and traps. That path is mainly uncharted and we can only imagine the barriers that lie ahead. By rehearsing in our minds what the barriers will look like and how they might be surmounted, we will be better prepared for the arduous expedition. Some of the barriers result from deficiencies in consciousness, knowledge, and information. People cannot intentionally change things they do not cognize. Significant barriers are being erected by opponents of environmental protection. Additional barriers stem from being trapped in our culture. Becoming aware of these barriers constitutes the first step toward finding ways to surmount them. I suggest possible solutions for some barriers but others defy solution at this time.
An improved synthesis of the strong base P(MeNCH2CH2)3N

Abstract The proazaphosphatrane P(MeNCH 2 CH 2 ) 3 N is synthesized in high yield from (HMeNCH 2 CH 2 ) 3 N and ClP(NEt 2 ) 2 . The last compound is synthesized from inexpensive PCl 3 and HNEt 2 .
The Strategic Role of Business Intelligence in the Extended Enterprise: BI Configurations for Control Affordances in Outsourcing

This study examines the impact of business intelligence in the extended enterprise. Specifically, we develop propositions about how BI contributes to the way firms can leverage outsourcing relationships for operational performance improvement and two strategic ends: mastery of uncertainty and development of strategic resources and capabilities. Drawing on a set of control theories from the organization theory, economics, and accounting domains, we explain that BI changes the possibilities for the extended enterprise by introducing new control affordances. We operationalize business intelligence as a set of "BI elements" rather than as a unitary construct, in order to propose configurational theory in which the strategic, tactical, and operational benefits of outsourcing can be realized through different BI configurations. This is research-in-progress and we are currently seeking data for a pilot test.
THE EFFECT OF PROSTATE VOLUME ON THE YIELD OF NEEDLE BIOPSY

AbstractPurpose: Early diagnosis of prostate carcinoma has undergone significant evolution mainly due to the widespread use of serum prostate specific antigen, transrectal ultrasonography and spring loaded biopsy devices. A common dilemma faced by clinicians arises when a negative biopsy is obtained in a patient and there is a high suspicion for prostate carcinoma. The literature reveals a 20 to 40% positive repeat biopsy rate in men with elevated prostate specific antigen who had an initial negative biopsy.[1-3] We determined the yield of 6 systematic sector biopsies as a function of total gland and peripheral zone volumes.Materials and Methods: The database of transrectal ultrasound guided prostate needle biopsies performed at the Department of Urology, University of Washington Medical Center and Veterans Affairs Puget Sound Health Care System was reviewed. The yield of the 6 biopsies was determined as a function of the total gland and peripheral zone volumes.Results: A total of 1,057 men who underwent ...
Effective atomic numbers for low-energy total photon interactions in human tissues

A new method is introduced in which the total photon interaction cross sections per electron of human tissues are used to define effective atomic numbers for blood, bone, brain, fat, heart, kidney, liver, lung, muscle, ovary, pancreas, spleen, and water. These effective atomic numbers are equal within 4% from 10 to 200 keV in each soft tissue, whereas for bones of different chemical compositions the variation ranges from 2.86% to 5.03%. This effective atomic number definition is less energy dependent than a previous definition based on the total photon interaction cross section per atom averaged over all elements in the tissue, from which the computed effective atomic numbers varied by as much as 50% (in bone) as a function of photon energy over the energy range from 10 to 200 keV.
CYTOCHEMICAL LOCALIZATION OF CATALASE IN LEAF MICROBODIES (PEROXISOMES)

Segments of mature tobacco leaves were fixed in glutaraldehyde, incubated in medium containing 3,3'-diaminobenzidine (DAB) and hydrogen peroxide, and postfixed in osmium tetroxide. Electron microscopic observation of treated tissues revealed pronounced deposition of a highly electron-opaque material in microbodies but not in other organelles. The coarsely granular reaction product is presumably osmium black formed by reaction of oxidized DAB with osmium tetroxide. Reaction of the microbodies with DAB was completely inhibited by 0.02 M 3-amino-1,2,4-triazole and was considerably reduced by 0.01 M potassium cyanide. These results, when considered in light of recent biochemical studies, strongly suggest that catalase is responsible for the reaction. Sharp localization of this enzyme in microbodies establishes that they are identical to the catalase-rich "peroxisomes" recently isolated from leaf cell homogenates. A browning reaction that occurred in leaves during the incubation step was inhibited by cyanide but not by aminotriazole and therefore could not have been caused by the same enzyme. This reaction and a slight deposition of dense material within primary and secondary walls are ascribed to oxidation of DAB by soluble and wall-localized peroxidases.
Non-equilibrium transient trajectory shaping control via multiple Barrier Lyapunov Functions for a class of nonlinear systems

This paper presents a non-equilibrium transient trajectory shaping (NETTS) control technique based on a set of Barrier Lyapunov Functions for single-input-single-output strict feedback nonlinear systems. The trajectory shapes of the system outputs or tracking errors during the course of convergence to the equilibrium points are important for some physical systems (e.g. some hybrid systems) where reference signals frequently jump. A smooth trajectory shaping control law consisting of a unidirectional switching mechanism and a control signal continuous approximation method is proposed to ascertain that the system tracking error transient trajectory travels within a shaped-boundary while approaching zero. A numerical example is utilized to show the performance of the proposed NETTS control.
Business Ethics on the World Wide Web

Abstract This timely chapter on business ethics includes Web sites of portals, professional associations, and resources on the social responsibility of business.
Neural networks applied to knowledge acquisition in the student model

Knowledge acquisition for the student model of intelligent tutoring systems (ITSs) remains a difficult problem, partly because of the complexity associated with understanding both how people learn and how it is best to tutor, much of which relates to metacognition and problem-solving skills. The bottleneck associated with this area significantly increases the development times of ITSs. Neural networks have made a marked impact in many artificial intelligence areas such as pattern recognition, speech learning, speech understanding, and hand-written character recognition. Neural networks are noted for their ability to handle noisy and approximate data, to generalize over situations they have not handled before, and to be represented in a way amenable to parallel processing. In addition, they have the ability to learn, a characteristic which should prove very useful in the development of ITSs. In this paper, we show that neural networks can address the knowledge acquisition bottleneck associated with the student model. We demonstrate that incomplete knowledge obtained from the expert can be refined and expanded by a neural network to provide a more complete, and hence more accurate, student model.
A super-lyophobic PDMS micro-tunnel as a novel microfluidic platform for oxidized Galinstan®

We report a micro pillar array-based super-lyophobic poly(dimethyl siloxane) (PDMS) micro-tunnel as a novel microfluidic platform for oxidized Galinstan®. Liquid-metal alloy, Galinstan® was expected to be widely utilized in many MEMS applications due to its favorable properties. However, the fact that Galinstan® gets easily oxidized and wets on almost nearly any surface is the difficult challenge for utilization of Galinstan®. We studied various pitch distance micro pillar arrays and evaluated lyophobicity of Galinstan® using static contact angle and sliding angle. A unique approach to fabricate 3-dimensional (3-D) lyophobic micro-tunnel structure was designed using flexible PDMS, which can overcome the limitation of current lithography techniques. It was demonstrated the movement of oxidized Galinstan® without wetting.
Cytochemical Studies of the Vascular Endothelium

Cytochemical methods have been used to examine the vascular endothelium. With hemeproteins and immunocytochemistry, investigators have demonstrated the pathways that blood-borne molecules can take to gain access to the extravascular space (Ghitescu et al. 1986; Milici et al. 1987; Schneeberger and Karnovsky 1971; Simionescu et al. 1975). These same cytochemical methods have also provided evidence that morphologically similar endothelia may have different permeability properties (Hart and Pino 1985b, 1986; Pino 1985; Pino and Essner 1980, 1981). Differences in the location and chemical composition of cell surface moieties have been ascertained with enzyme digestion methods, lectins, and cationic ferritin (De Bruyn and Michelson 1978; Pino 1984c, 1986a, b; Simionescu et al. 1981a). The author hopes that he has provided the reader with representative examples of how investigators have used these cytochemical methods for their studies. As new methods are developed and applications are found for existing techniques such as ultracryomicrotomy (Milici et al. 1987) and colloidal gold markers (Pino 1987b), cytochemistry will remain a fundamental tool for the study of the structure and function of the vascular endothelium.
SOME PHYSIOLOGICAL DIFFERENCES IN VIBRIO MARINUS GROWN AT ENVIRONMENTAL AND OPTIMAL TEMPERATURES1

Cells of an obligately psychrophilic marine bacterium, Vibrio marinus, were grown at environmental (4C) and optimal (15C) temperatures and tested for physiological differences. Sugar fermentation patterns and temperature-shift growth studies showed no differences, but membrane stability and glucose utilization were affected. The cells grown at 15C were more heat stable and utilized glucose at a faster rate than the cells grown at 4C. These differences were attributed to changes in cellular integrity or membrane integrity, or both. The results indicated that for correlation of in vitro results with in situ conditions, marine microorganisms should be grown at the temperature and under the nutrient conditions of their natural habitat.
A working definition of primary prevention related to social concerns

This paper is an interpretive content analysis of two dozen representative definitions of primary prevention from the 1960s to the present, stemming from an interdisciplinary literature review. Six themes emerge that are used to form a working definition of primary prevention related to social concerns.
Role of stoichiometry in the dimer-stabilizing effect of AMPA receptor allosteric modulators.

Protein dimerization provides a mechanism for the modulation of cellular signaling events. In α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazole-propionic acid (AMPA) receptors, the rapidly desensitizing, activated state has been correlated with a weakly dimeric, glutamate-binding domain conformation. Allosteric modulators can form bridging interactions that stabilize the dimer interface. While most modulators can only bind to one position with a one modulator per dimer ratio, some thiazide-based modulators can bind to the interface in two symmetrical positions with a two modulator per dimer ratio. Based on small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) experiments, dimerization curves for the isolated glutamate-binding domain show that a second modulator binding site produces both an increase in positive cooperativity and a decrease in the EC50 for dimerization. Four body binding equilibrium models that incorporate a second dimer-stabilizing ligand were developed to fit the experimental data. The work illustrates why stoichiom...
Motion generation for groups of robots: a centralized, geometric approach

We develop a method for generating smooth trajectories for a set of mobile robots satisfying constraints on relative positions. We show that, given two end configurations of the set of robots, by tuning one parameter, the user can choose an interpolating trajectory from a continuum of curves varying from the trajectory corresponding to maintaining a rigid formation to trajectories that allow the formation to change and the robots to reconfigure while moving.Copyright © 2002 by ASME
Conditions for equivalence of gas exchange in series and parallel models of the lung

Abstract The Fick principle was applied to series and parallel compartmental lung models to determine whether conditions existed under which their differentiation was theoretically possible. Respiratory and inert gases were examined under assumptions of steady-state gas exchange, continuous ventilation and bloodflow, perfect mixing within each compartment and alveolar-endcapillary diffusion equilibration. Algebraic analyses allowing broad generalizations were possible for inert gases but not for O 2 and CO 2 for which numerical methods were required. For trace amounts of inert gases present in venous blood but absent from inspired air, a given series model always had an exact parallel equivalent. When inert gases were then inspired, equivalence was lost if more than one ‘resident’ gas (inert or respiratory) was soluble, but the discrepancies were two orders of magnitude smaller than current experimental errors in inert gas measurements. Consequently, steady-state trace inert gas exchange cannot in practice be used to differentiate series from parallel models, but by the same token, if series gas exchange occurs, equivalent parallel analysis is possible.
Bivariate m-interval classifiers with application to edge detection

In this paper, a bivariate extension of the m-Interval Partition Statistic is introduced for the problem of robust detection of a shift of mean in bivariate data. This extension is obtained in a manner similar to Hodges bivariate extension of the sign test. The resulting Bivariate m-Interval Partition Statistic is shown to be robust and amenable to digital implementation. To use the Bivariate m-Interval Partition Statistic, a finite number of quantiles of a specified number of cumulative distribution functions are required. A computationally simple algorithm based upon the Robbins—Monro procedure is presented for estimating these parameters in most realistic noise environments. Simulations of this procedure illustrate its practicality and add considerable insight as to the nature of these quantiles. The performance of the Bivariate m-Interval Partition Statistic as a classifier is discussed in term of its type I error and power and simulated curves for several different noise distributions are included. Two sets of scores are discussed and then incorporated in an application of the Bivariate m-Interval Partition Statistic to edge detection. This example illustrates both the performance and robustness of this classifier in severe noise environments.
Effects of Septal Lesions on Enzymes of Acetyl‐CoA Metabolism in the Cholinergic System of the Rat Hippocampus

Electrolytic lesions made in the medial septum of the rat brain caused an 80% decrease in the activity of choline acetyltransferase and a 33% reduction in ATP-citrate lyase activity in the synaptosomal fraction from the hippocampus. Decreases in the activities of the two enzymes in the cytosol (S3) fraction were 70 and 13%, respectively. The activities of pyruvate dehydrogenase, citrate synthase, acetyl-CoA synthase, and carnitine acetyltransferase in crude hippocampal homogenates and in subcellular fractions were not affected by septal lesions. The data indicate that ATP-citrate lyase is linked to the septal-hippocampal pathway and that the enzyme is preferentially located in cholinergic nerve endings that terminate within the hippocampus.
Auction markets for dispatchable power: How to score the bids

Competitive bidding for electric generating capacity is becoming based on economic dispatch rather than the PURPA “must-take” norm. Incorporating economic dispatch into bidding requires different price scoring procedures. The “avoided cost” of a dispatchable project is determined by the energy price offered. Price scoring methods based on a “percentage of avoided cost” approach are uneconomically biased against baseload projects, because they neglect the duration effects of their dispatch. This bias is illustrated in a simple model of economic dispatch. A number of utilities use the “percentage of avoided cost” method for dispatchable capacity. They can correct the bias by using a net benefits per kW measure of economic value.
A new approach to the generation of Tokamak fluid codes using the PL/1-FORMAC interpreter

Recently, with the advance of the plasma diffusion theory of toroidal devices and the success of experimental results of the tokamak. octupole and spherator, quantitative comparison between the existing diffusion theory and the experimental results is necessary for an understanding of plasma diffusion in the magnetic trap.Here, the authors demonstrate the use of FORMAC – Formula Manipulation Compiler to carry out the analytical work and to prepare the corresponding portion of the FORTRAN program necessary to solve the equations numerically.
Cardiac Hypertrophy Is Not Attenuated by Angiotensin Type 2 (AT2) Receptor Blockade in Fetal Sheep |[bull]| 139

We have previously shown in pulmonary artery (PA) banded fetal sheep that angiotensin II type 1 (AT1) receptor blockade fails to attenuate the development of right ventricular hypertrophy (RVH) and does not alter expression of cardiac AT1 or AT2 mRNA (Am J Physiol 42:R1501-8, 1997). Because AT2 mRNA is expressed in higher abundance in fetal compared to neonatal heart, and because there is evidence suggesting these receptors are involved in cellular growth and differentiation, we tested the hypothesis that endogenous angiotensin II and AT2 receptors participate in the development of fetal RVH. Three groups of fetuses were studied beginning at 126 d gestation(term 145 d) and were given either the AT2 receptor antagonist PD 123319 (5 mg/kg/d iv) for 7 consecutive days (n=5), PA banding plus PD 123319 (n=5), or sham surgery alone (n=4). Fetal heart rate and arterial pressure were similar among groups before and after the treatment period. Body weight and left ventricle weight/body weight at the end of study were also similar among groups. However, RV weight/body weight was significantly greater (p<0.05) in PA banded animals (2.38±.07 g/kg) than in PD alone (1.83±.14 g/kg) or sham fetuses (1.72±.07). Northern blot analysis revealed that PD alone decreased cardiac AT1 mRNA levels (55±7% and 73±13% of control (100%) in RV and LV, respectively). Similar decreases were seen in the RV (76±16%) and LV (71±9%) of PA banded animals. No changes in cardiac AT2 mRNA levels were detected in any group. These data suggest that in the ovine fetus, AT2 receptors do not contribute to the maintenance of blood pressure or the development of pressure-overload RV hypertrophy. In addition, expression of cardiac AT1 but not AT2 mRNA is altered by AT2 receptor blockade.
Multiple simultaneous acute putrid lung abscesses.

SUMMARY Multiple simultaneous acute putrid lung abscesses are a rare clinical occurrence. A case is reported in which three distinctly separate acute putrid lung abscesses appeared within a week of onset of symptoms. The etiological factor was aspiration of infected particulate matter from the mouth. Each abscess behaved differently—one perforated, causing a localized putrid pyopneumothorax which was drained; another disappeared spontaneously; and the third was treated by surgical drainage. A complete cure was obtained.
Glucose and Synaptosomal Glutamate Metabolism: Studies with [15N]Glutamate

The metabolism of [15N]glutamate was studied with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry in rat brain synaptosomes incubated with and without glucose. [15N]Glutamate was taken up rapidly by the preparation, reaching a steady-state level in less than 5 min. 15N was incorporated predominantly into aspartate and, to a much lesser extent, into gamma-aminobutyrate. The amount of [15N]ammonia formed was very small, and the enrichment of 15N in alanine and glutamine was below the level of detection. Omission of glucose substantially increased the rate and amount of [15N]aspartate generated. It is proposed that in synaptosomes (a) the predominant route of glutamate nitrogen disposal is through the aspartate aminotransferase reaction; (b) the aspartate aminotransferase pathway generates 2-oxoglutarate, which then serves as the metabolic fuel needed to produce ATP; (c) utilization of glutamate via transamination to aspartate is greatly accelerated when flux through the tricarboxylic acid cycle is diminished by the omission of glucose; (d) the metabolism of glutamate via glutamate dehydrogenase in intact synaptosomes is slow, most likely reflecting restriction of enzyme activity by some unknown factor(s), which suggests that the glutamate dehydrogenase reaction may not be near equilibrium in neurons; and (e) the activities of alanine aminotransferase and glutamine synthetase in synaptosomes are very low.
Spectral-line profiles and wavelength measurements using the beam–foil light source*

The beam–foil exponential decay factor is used to develop the spectral-line-profile theory, which accurately predicts the proper wavelength. Several families of line profiles for various experimental parameters are given.
QUALITY PARAMETERS OF TORTILLAS FORTIFIED WITH SOY AND CHEESE

Tortillas were prepared according to methods used by Bolivians, but full-fat soy meal was substituted for 10, 20, and 30% cornmeal. Tortillas were prepared without and with 10% cheese. Firmness of tortillas decreased with increased amounts of soy and with cheese. Soy and cheese caused small differences in color of tortillas. In general, flavor scores decreased slightly with increased levels of soy, but tortillas with cheese were preferred over those without cheese. Addition of soy and cheese improved the essential amino acid composition of the protein mixtures over that of corn alone. For the mixtures in general, the first limiting amino acids were sulfur amino. acids and lysine; the second limiting amino acids were threonine and valine. Diets of corn-soy having 30% soy, and diets of corn-soy-cheese having 20–30% soy were first limiting in sulfur amino acids and second limiting in valine. However. the PER's of these diets were similar to the PIER of the casein diet.
Spontaneous symmetry-breaking effects in some soluble field-theoretical models

The problem of constructing nonrelativistic field theories which display a nontrivial spontaneous symmetry breakdown is considered within the framework of some simple soluble models. It is demonstrated by direct calculation that the formal construction of the symmetry-breaking solutions by means of an improper operator transformation is entirely equivalent to solving the equations for the Green's functions subject to a broken-symmetry condition. As an auxiliary result some useful techniques are developed for dealing with theories which do not have vacuum polarization effects.
Physiological insights into all-trans-retinoic acid biosynthesis

All-trans-retinoic acid (atRA) provides essential support to diverse biological systems and physiological processes. Epithelial differentiation and its relationship to cancer, and embryogenesis have typified intense areas of interest into atRA function. Recently, however, interest in atRA action in the nervous system, the immune system, energy balance and obesity has increased considerably, especially concerning postnatal function. atRA action depends on atRA biosynthesis: defects in retinoid-dependent processes increasingly relate to defects in atRA biogenesis. Considerable evidence indicates that physiological atRA biosynthesis occurs via a regulated process, consisting of a complex interaction of retinoid binding-proteins and retinoid recognizing enzymes. An accrual of biochemical, physiological and genetic data have identified specific functional outcomes for the retinol dehydrogenases, RDH1, RDH10, and DHRS9, as physiological catalysts of the first step in atRA biosynthesis, and for the retinal dehydrogenases RALDH1, RALDH2, and RALDH3, as catalysts of the second and irreversible step. Each of these enzymes associates with explicit biological processes mediated by atRA. Redundancy occurs, but seems limited. Cumulative data support a model of interactions among these enzymes with retinoid binding-proteins, with feedback regulation and/or control by atRA via modulating gene expression of multiple participants. The ratio apo-CRBP1/holo-CRBP1 participates by influencing retinol flux into and out of storage as retinyl esters, thereby modulating substrate to support atRA biosynthesis. atRA biosynthesis requires the presence of both an RDH and an RALDH: conversely, absence of one isozyme of either step does not indicate lack of atRA biosynthesis at the site. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: Retinoid and Lipid Metabolism.
Fundamental and subharmonic resonances in a system with a '1-1' internal resonance

The fundamental and subharmonic resonances of a two degree-of-freedom oscillator with cubic stiffness nonlinearities and linear viscous damping are examined using a multiple-seales averaging analysis. The system is in a ‘1−1’ internal resonance, i.e., it has two equal linearized eigenfrequencies, and it possesses ‘nonlinear normal modes.’ For weak coupling stiffnesses the internal resonance gives rise to a Hamiltonian Pitchfork bifurcation of normal modes which in turn affects the topology of the fundamental and subharmonic resonance curves. It is shown that the number of resonance branches differs before and after the mode bifurcation, and that jump phenomena are possible between forced modes. Some of the steady state solutions were found to be very sensitive to damping: a whole branch of fundamental resonances was eliminated even for small amounts of viscous damping, and subharmonic steady state solutions were shifted by damping to higher frequencies. The analytical results are verified by a numerical integration of the equations of motion, and a discussion of the effects of the mode bifurcation on the dynamics of the system is given.
Confinement Effects on Evolution of Intermetallic Compounds During Metallurgical Joint Formation

In this work, we compare the microstructural evolution of Sn/Cu/Sn and Cu/Sn/Cu ‘sandwich’ configurations under metallurgical bonding conditions. These simulations are relevant in explaining experimental observations that suggest that the resulting dominant intermetallic compound in Cu-Sn systems depends on the relative supply of Cu and Sn. Through the analysis of morphological evolution and growth rate, it is shown that the Cu6Sn5 layer becomes dominant in the Sn/Cu/Sn structure, while the Cu/Sn/Cu structure is dominated by Cu3Sn after extended reaction periods.
Invited talk: Computing beyond the 11nm node: Which devices will we use?

Summary form only given. The enormous success of Si CMOS technology is based on the economy of scale. Cost is driven down by increasing wafer size and decreasing feature sizes while performance is steadily growing. The pervasive nature of microelectronic can be seen in all aspects of daily life. The industry enjoyed the success story for several decades by simply following the scaling laws. More recently it is realized that increased performance will come at an unacceptable cost of power and conventional CMOS scaling is rapidly coming to an end. The quest for solutions is in full swing how to meet the computational demands for the foreseeable future. Possible solutions are the change of device architecture and the introduction of high mobility materials for the devices to boost performance. Beyond the classical device materials Si, Ge, and some III/V compounds carbon in the form of carbon nano tubes or graphene are suggested as possible alternative candidates for digital applications. Replacing the field effect transistor by a tunnel FET holds the promise of a low power switch that can be realized with conventional channel materials. Moving from electrical charge to other state variables, like for instance spin, might provide new possibilities to meet the computational needs in the future.
The Roles of Low Literacy and Social Support in Predicting the Preventability of Hospital Admission

BACKGROUND: Prior studies found higher hospitalization rates among patients with low literacy, but did not determine the preventability of these admissions or consider other determinants of hospitalization, such as social support. This study evaluated whether low literacy was a predictor for preventability of hospitalization when considered in the context of social support, sociodemographics, health status, and risk behaviors.
How did Martian polar gullies form

Gullies on Mars have been pointed to as evidence of the presence of flowing liquid water. However, gullies also exist in Mars's polar regions, where temperatures are too low to support liquid water. Other processes have been proposed to explain the origin of gullies but have not been confirmed. For instance, sediment lying on top of a seasonal accumulation of carbon dioxide (CO2) frost could flow like a fluid if the frost sublimes (turns to gas directly from the solid stage) quickly enough. This fluidized sediment could form gullies.
An Efficient Online Hierarchical Supervoxel Segmentation Algorithm for Time-critical Applications.

Video segmentation has been used in a variety of computer vision algorithms as a pre-processing step. Despite its wide application, many existing algorithms require preloading all or part of the video and batch processing the frames, which introduces temporal latency and significantly increases memory and computational cost. Other algorithms rely on human specification for segmentation granularity control. In this paper, we propose an online, hierarchical video segmentation algorithm with no latency. The new algorithm leverages a graph-based image segmentation technique and recent advances in dense optical flow. Our contributions include: 1) an efficient, yet effective probabilistic segment label propagation across consecutive frames; 2) a new method for label initialization for the incoming frame; and 3) a temporally consistent hierarchical label merging scheme. We conduct a thorough experimental analysis of our algorithm on a benchmark dataset and compare it with state-of-the-art algorithms. The results indicate that our algorithm achieves comparable or better segmentation accuracy than state-ofthe-art batch-processing algorithms, and outperforms streaming algorithms despite a significantly lower computation cost, which is required for time-critical applications.
Physiological evidence for a cochleo-cochlear pathway in the cat

1. Wird eine Elektrode an das runde Fenster der Katzenschnecke gelegt und wird ein Knack entweder dem rechten oder dem linken Ohre zugeleitet, so werden in jedem Falle registrierbare elektrische Potentiale hervorgerufen. Ein Knack, der dem in Bezug auf die Registrierelektrode ipsilateralen Ohr zugeleitet wird, gibt den bekannten Komplex von Mikrophon- und Nervenpotentialen. Kontralaterale Knacke verursachen Potentiale, die zeitlich etwas nachhinken und auch kleiner sind.
A strategy for designing telescoping models for analyzing multiway contingency tables using mixed parameters

In the analysis of cross-classified data, sociologists often focus on building flexible models for the marginal distributions of a selected set of variables. One strategy for achieving flexible modeling is to design models for telescoping marginal distributions. As an illustration of telescoping distributions, consider a joint distribution of four crossclassifying variables: occupational attainment, education level, race, and gender. A set of telescoping distributions would be the univariate occupation distribution, the bivariate occupation by education, the trivariate occupation by education by race, and the entire joint distribution. A methodology that enables the telescoping modeling strategy is mixed parameterization, which has its roots in the statistics and sociology literatures. In this article, the authors develop a scheme of multilevel mixed parameterization that can be applied to a hierarchy of marginal distributions of reducing dimension. An example from the General Social Survey illustrates mi...
Dihydropyridine-sensitive skeletal muscle Ca channels in polarized planar bilayers. 2. Effects of phosphorylation by cAMP-dependent protein kinase

The effects of phosphorylation on the voltage-dependent properties of dihydropyridine-sensitive Ca channels of skeletal muscle were studied. Single channel currents were recorded upon incorporation of transverse tubule membranes into planar bilayers that were kept polarized at near physiological resting potential and subjected to depolarizing pulses under voltage clamp. Studies were conducted to analyze the properties of the channels at both the single channel and macroscopic level, using methods introduced in the preceding paper (Ma et al., 1991. Biophys. J. 60: 890–901.). Addition of the catalytic subunit of cAMP-dependent protein kinase to the cis (intracellular) side of the bilayers containing channels resulted in: (a) an increase in open channel probability at all voltages above -50 mV; (b) a leftward shift (by 7 mV) in the curve describing the voltage-dependence of activation; (c) an approximate twofold decrease in the rate of inactivation; and (d) an increase in the availability of the channel. These findings provide new insights at the single channel level into the mechanism of modulation of the dihydropyridine-sensitive Ca channels of skeletal muscle by signal transduction events that involve elevation in cAMP and activation of the cAMP-dependent protein kinase.
In vivo binding of [123I]4-(2′-methoxy phenyl)-1-[2′-(N-2″-pyridinyl)-P-iodobenzamido-]ethyl-piperazine, p-MPPI, to 5-HT1A receptors in rat brain

The in vivo regional distribution and pharmacological profile of a novel iodinated phenylpiperazine derivative, [123I]p-MPPI (4-(2′-methoxy-)phenyl-l-[2′-(N-2″pyridinyl)-p-iodobenzamido-]ethyl-piperazine), in the rat brain were evaluated for use as a potential in vivo imaging agent for 5-HT1A receptors. The new ligand penetrated the blood-brain barrier quickly and efficiently, with 1.2% of the injected dose found in the whole brain at 2 min post i.v. injection. The rate of radioactivity washout was slowest from the hippocampal region, followed by the hypothalamus, cortex, striatum, and cerebellum. The maximum ratio of hippocampus/cerebellum was 3.3 at 30 min postinjection. The specific binding of the radioligand in the hippocampal region, an area rich in 5-HT1A receptor density, was blocked by pretreatment with a dose of (±) 8-OH-DPAT (2 mg/kg, i.v.) or WAY 100635 (1 mg/kg, i.v.), whereas the regional distribution of [123I]p-MPPI was unaffected by pretreatment with non-5-HT1A agents such as ketanserin or haloperidol. Ex vivo autoradiographic studies further confirmed that the specific binding of [123I]p- MPPI is associated with 5-HT1A receptor sites. These results indicate that [123I]p-MPPI may be a useful candidate for noninvasive single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) imaging of 5-HT1A receptor sites in the living human brain. © 1994 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Kinetics of silica sorption and clay dissolution reactions at 1 and 670 atm

Rates of reactions between clay minerals and silica-spiked seawater and the effect of pressure on the direction, extent and rate of such reactions have been studied. Kinetic behavior of short-term, clay-silica reaction indicates that diffusion is the rate controlling process in both clay dissolution and clay reconstitution reactions. Rate constants of these reactions are of the order of 10−13 moles/ sec12cm2. No significant pressure effect on the rate of clay dissolution was observed. Estimates of diffusion coefficient of silicic acid for clay dissolution and silica sorption reactions indicate that the true value lies within the range, 10−13–10−17cm2/sec, thus reflecting the semicrystalline or amorphous nature of the reaction product through which diffusion is occurring.
Combinatorial Materials Science for Polymer Thin-Film Dewetting

Combinatorial methods involving data collection in multiparameter space allow a rapid identification of measured property trends as a function of system parameters. The technique has been applied with success to pharmaceutical, inorganic and organic materials synthesis, but not significantly to measurements of polymeric films and coatings. We demonstrate the use of 2-D combinatorial libraries to investigate thin-film dewetting. We have prepared libraries of thin films of polystyrene on silicon substrates containing orthogonal, continuous variations of thickness (h), and temperature (T) that represent about 1200 practical state points per library. The libraries were screened for dewetting behavior using automated optical microscopy. Dewetting trends were visibly apparent on the libraries, and a comprehensive map of the T, h, and time (t) dependence was generated in a few hours. The combinatorial libraries, spanning a large T, h, and t range, not only reproduced known dewetting structures and phenomena but also enabled a novel T, h superposition of the heterogeneous nucleated hole dewetting kinetics. We observed three hole nucleation regimes as a function of thickness: heterogeneously nucleated holes (h > 55 nm), a crossover regime where both heterogeneous and capillary instability nucleation compete (33 nm < h < 55 nm), and a regime of holes nucleated by capillary instability (16 nm < h < 33 nm).
A Skin Effect Approximation for Eddy Current Problems

This paper concerns an interface problem in the plane. It arises in the study of eddy currents in electromagnetic theory as outlined in section two. Let Γ be a simple, closed curve in E 2 with interior Ω − and exterior Ω +. For any χ ∈ C(Ω ±) let χ± denote the limits from Ω ±. Let n be the exterior normal to Γ and write χ n for grad χ · n.
A note on a new class of generalized Pearson distribution arising from Michaelis-Menten function of enzyme kinetics

Many problems of enzyme kinetics can be described by a function known as the Michaelis-Menten (M-M) function. In this paper, motivated by the importance of Michaelis-Menten function in biochemistry and other biological phenomena, we have introduced a new class of generalized Pearson distribution arising from Michaelis-Menten function. Various properties of this distribution are derived, for example, its probability density function (pdf), cumulative distribution function (cdf), moment, entropy function, and relationships with some well-known continuous probability distributions. The graphs of the pdf and cdf of our new distribution are provided for some selected values of the parameters. It is observed that our new distribution is positively skewed and unimodal. We hope that the findings of this paper will be useful in many applied research problems. 2000 Mathematics Subject Classification : 60E05, 62E10, 62E15.
Identification of the bZIP and Rta homologues in the genome of rhesus monkey rhadinovirus.

Abstract Rhesus monkey rhadinovirus (RRV) is a γ2-herpesvirus identified from the peripheral blood mononuclear cells of rhesus macaques ( Macaca mulatta ). Serologic studies suggested that the infections of RRV are prevalent among rhesus monkeys. RRV can be efficiently propagated and grows to a high titer in cultured rhesus monkey fibroblasts, thus providing a valuable model to study the rhadinovirus replication. By comparative genomic studies, here we describe the identification of two potential transcriptional factors encoded by RRV, designated as R-Rta and R-bZIP. Initial functional characterization of these products suggested that R-Rta is a potent transcriptional activator and R-bZIP forms homodimers in vivo. Viral homologues of R-Rta and R-bZIP, previously identified from other rhadinoviruses, have been implicated in serving as molecular switches in lytic replication.
SELF-SENSING ACTUATORS IN ELECTROHYDRAULIC VALVES ⁄

Self-sensing refers to extracting the position information from the electromagnetic signals instead of from a physical position sensor. Self-sensing actuator has the benefit of significantly reducing hardware effort. In this paper, we investigate self-sensing actuators applied in direct acing proportional valves. The study is based on the configuration of a dual-solenoid actuator where each solenoid provides the independent single direction force. By considering the electrical dynamics of the solenoids and the nonlinear constraint between the two solenoids, an observer for the flux linkages is obtained. The position estimate is then calculated based on the flux linkage estimates. Both simulation and experiments verify the validity of the proposed algorithm.Copyright © 2004 by ASME
U.S. interests in the Caspian Sea Basin

The Caspian Sea's vast energy wealth offers the industrialized world a vital new source of oil in the next century of exploding global oil demand. Caspian oil also has magnified the post‐Soviet competition for influence among Turkey, Russia, and Iran in Transcaucasia and Central Asia. The United States has failed to recognize what is at stake in the struggle for oil and influence in the Caspian Sea Basic, thus contributing to the rise of a potentially dangerous security environment in the region. The United States must articulate a new, more proactive policy toward the Caspian states aimed at promoting free access to regional energy reserves and encouraging cooperation rather than confrontation among rival powers.
Interstitial pneumonitis associated with human herpesvirus-6 infection after marrow transplantation

Abstract Severe interstitial pneumonitis in 2 marrow-transplant recipients was associated with human herpesvirus-6 (HHV-6) infection. The virus was repeatedly detected in respiratory specimens from 1 patient, and HHV-6-infected cells were shown in lung tissue from both patients by immunohistochemical staining. The infected cells were primarily intra-alveolar macrophages, although infected lymphocytes were seen. HHV-6 should be considered as a cause of unexplained lung disease in marrow-transplant recipients and other immuno-compromised patients.
Damage Characterization of Composite Wing Subjected to Impact Loading: An Experimental Study

Damage on woven composites is a phenomenon that is difficult to characterize due to complex weave geometry. A woven composite wing structure adds to the complexity of characterizing damage through Fiber Bragg Grating (FBG) sensors. The present paper studies the FBG response and damage characterization of foam core and hollow composite wings. Plain and twill weave wings were manufactured and subjected to low energy (52.5J) and high energy (150J) impacts. Damage was assessed using FBG sensors, flash thermography, and visual inspection of the wings. Two FBG sensors were placed along the chord length and the spanwise direction at equal distances from the impact site to measure the axial strain as a function of time. The main failure modes of foam core wings were fiber breakage and foam crushing for high energy impacts, while core crushing and delamination between the core and the composite wing was found for low energy impacts. The hollow wings had a significant reduction in stiffness, resulting in a ripple effect where the wing would go into tension, then compression. This phenomenon varied depending on the location of the sensors on the wing. Although the impact zone was near the middle of the chord length of the wing, the resulting stress has caused large damage at the leading edge and significant debonding at the trailing edge of the hollow wing. An FE model was created to validate the experimental results and showed good correlation between the high stress areas in the model, the FBG response, and the damage sites on the wing.Copyright © 2009 by ASME
Exercise training increases components of the c-Cbl-associated protein/c-Cbl signaling cascade in muscle of obese Zucker rats

The purpose of this investigation was to determine whether alterations in the c-Cbl–associated protein/c-Cbl pathway and/or p38-mitogen–activated protein kinase (p38 MAP kinase) were associated with improved skeletal muscle insulin responsiveness in exercise-trained obese Zucker rats. Obese Zucker rats ran 5 d/wk on a motorized treadmill for 90 minutes over a 7-week period. Age-matched obese Zucker rats (OB-SED) and their lean littermates (LN-SED) were obtained to serve as nontrained controls. Twenty-four (OB-EX-24 h) or 48 hours (OB-EX-48 h) after the last exercise bout, the trained rats were studied via the hind limb perfusion technique in the presence of insulin. Insulin-stimulated glucose uptake was significantly decreased across the skeletal muscle of OB-SED rats compared with LN-SED, but was normalized in the obese rats by 7 weeks of training. The insulin-stimulated plasma membrane protein concentrations of TC10 and glucose transporter 4 were reduced in the sedentary Zuckers, but both proteins were increased by the training protocol. Training did not increase insulin-stimulated p38 MAP kinase protein concentration, nor did it have an effect on insulin-stimulated p38 MAP kinase phosphorylation at the plasma membrane. These results suggest that skeletal muscle insulin resistance is associated with reduced expression of TC10 and that this deficiency can be corrected with exercise training.
Electrospinning technology: A novel approach to sensor application

Abstract The synthesis, fabrication, fluorescence and fluorescence quenching behavior of fluorescent polymer, polyacrylic acid-poly (pyrene methanol) (PAA-PM) are reported. The Stern-Volmer plots of the electrospun membranes exhibited good linearity for Fe3+, Hg2+ and DNT and the Stern-Volmer constants Ksv are 4.4×104 (M−1), 3.5×104 (M−1) and 2.9×104 (M−1), respectively. These values are one order of magnitude more than those obtained previously from films made by electrostatic layer-by-layer adsorption of the same polymer.