cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Neuroimaging as evidence.

Neuroimaging results offered as evidence is a topic subject to the longstanding conflict the law has between innovative science and reliability. The laws of evidence seek to allow all relevant and ...
Stereocontrol of Paterno-Büchi photocycloadditions

Abstract Diphenyloxetane was synthesized from photocycloaddition of benzaldehyde and styrene. The oxetane products, 2,3 trans and 2,3 cis isomers, were observed in a 3:1 ratio. Irradiation of 1-phenylpropene and trimethylsilyl cinnamyl ether under the same conditions also gave oxetanes. The silyl group resulted in high stereoselectivity for the oxetane formation.
Secretin self-assembles and interacts spontaneously with phospholipids in vitro.

Abstract Secretin, a 27-amino acid neuropeptide, is a member of the secretin/glucagon/vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP) superfamily of amphipathic peptides. The peptide modulates gastrointestinal and neuronal function and is currently being evaluated for the treatment of autism. However, as most peptides, it has a short circulation half-life. Previously, we have shown that VIP self-assembles in aqueous environment and interacts with a biomimetic phospholipid membrane. These in vitro characteristics increase VIP half-life and bioactivity in vivo. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether secretin exhibits similar properties in vitro by forming micelles in aqueous solution and interacting with phospholipids. Results of this study demonstrated that secretin self-assembles to form micelles in HEPES buffer at 25°C above ≈0.4 μM. Additionally, secretin interacts with a biomimetic phospholipid membrane as indicated from a significant increase in membrane surface pressure (from 25.5 ± 1.3 to 32.5 ± 3.0, P
A system plan for a 900-MHz portable radio telephone

The system concepts for a high capacity personal radio telephone system are described. Previous systems for mobile radio telephone service have been based on a rigid assignment of frequencies to specific small geographic areas within the total coverage area. This approach has led to conservative geographic frequency reuse constraints and the requirement for accurate location techniques in the system. Through the utilization of the power imbalance that exists in the proposed portable radio telephone system between base and portable unit transmitters these constraints are eliminated. It will be shown how this power imbalance allows the selection of the optimum signal for the portable unit and relaxed requirements on location and reuse of frequencies. The required signal-to-interference ratios must be obtained within a design reliability level over the coverage area. Computer simulation of the frequency reuse plan and the propagation variability over the area indicates the nominal repeat intervals necessary as a function of this reliability level. A reuse plan that obtains the required repeat intervals with a high degree of spectral efficiency, through the combined use of geographic and frequency separation, will be presented. This system called tertiary offset, achieves a significant increase in interference protection by splitting each channel into a group of three channels and utilizing each subgroup in a different pattern of reuse over the area. The improvement due to this plan will be shown.
Scaling Up Digital Circuit Computation with DNA Strand Displacement Cascades

To construct sophisticated biochemical circuits from scratch, one needs to understand how simple the building blocks can be and how robustly such circuits can scale up. Using a simple DNA reaction mechanism based on a reversible strand displacement process, we experimentally demonstrated several digital logic circuits, culminating in a four-bit square-root circuit that comprises 130 DNA strands. These multilayer circuits include thresholding and catalysis within every logical operation to perform digital signal restoration, which enables fast and reliable function in large circuits with roughly constant switching time and linear signal propagation delays. The design naturally incorporates other crucial elements for large-scale circuitry, such as general debugging tools, parallel circuit preparation, and an abstraction hierarchy supported by an automated circuit compiler.
Efferent Projections from the Ovarian Steroid Receptor-Containing Area of the Ventrolateral Hypothalamus in Female Guinea Pigs

The ventrolateral hypothalamus (VLH) in female guinea pigs includes a subset of neurons which contain estrogen and progestin receptors, and which are implicated in the regulation of female sexual behavior by steroid hormones. However, little is known about where these neurons project, and consequently which other brain areas are involved in sexual behavior in female guinea pigs. The anterograde tracer Phaseolus vulgaris-Leucoagglutinin was used to label efferents from the ovarian steroid receptor-containing part of the VLH. To identify the correct placement of the tracer specifically within the group of neurons containing estrogen receptors, medial hypothalamic sections were also immunostained for estrogen receptors. Forebrain areas receiving dense projections from the ventrolateral hypothalamus included the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis, medial preoptic area, anterior hypothalamic area, anterior ventromedial hypothalamus, and caudal ventrolateral hypothalamus. The midbrain central gray was also heavily labeled. Moderate innervation was observed in the forebrain in the basolateral amygdala, medial preoptic nucleus, lateroanterior hypothalamic nucleus, dorsal hypothalamic areas, posterior hypothalamus, zona incerta, and in the midbrain interspersed among the central and lateral tegmental tracts. The major efferent pathways from the VLH appeared to travel rostrally through the mediobasal hypothalamus and preoptic area, and caudally via the medial thalamic nuclei and periventricular fiber system. These findings are similar to those of previous studies tracing the efferents from the ventromedial nucleus in rats and from the lateral hypothalamus in guinea pigs. Many of these areas that receive input from the steroid receptor rich area within the VLH are likely to be involved in the regulation of female sexual behavior.
Development of a service-simulating, accelerated aging test method for exterior tire rubber compounds II. Design and development of an accelerated outdoor aging simulator

During storage and service, exterior tire rubber compounds are subject to aging due to multiple factors. This process cannot be accurately represented by conventional single factor tests. The overall goal of our research is to develop an accelerated, service-simulating, artificial aging test for exterior rubber compounds. During the first part of this work, a cyclic test consisting of a series of single factor sub-tests was proposed and compared to dynamic outdoor aging and two standard single factor test: thermal aging and dynamic ozone aging. Although this cycle test shows promise, it does not account for interactions and is time consuming and inefficient making it unattractive for industrial use. In the present paper, an outdoor accelerated aging simulator is designed, build and tested. It includes the aging factors of heat, ozone, ultraviolet light, dynamic stretching, and aqueous solutions. The chamber is compared against dynamic outdoor aging and the above-mentioned cyclic aging test by characterizing the degradation as a function of aging time. Four formulations of exterior tire rubber compounds are used as experimental materials. The experimental results demonstrate that the chamber runs show excellent correlation with the cyclic and dynamic outdoor aging test. For all the tests completed, the static modulus initially increases, then reaches a maximum, and then decreases. The final chamber test run provided an acceleration factor of roughly 7.5 times the rate at which aging occurs in the dynamic outdoor aging test. It was found that the size of the specimen has a significant affect on the aging rate, which can be utilized to accelerate the aging without elevating the temperature.
Diet-induced changes in endothelial-dependent relaxation of the rat aorta

Abstract Purpose. Hypertension (HTN), hyperlipidemia (HLP), and hyperinsulinemia are known risk factors for the development of cardiovascular disease. Each has independently been shown to be associated with impaired endothelial function, as demonstrated by decreased endothelial derived relaxation (EDR). Previous work in our laboratory has shown that rats fed a high-fat sucrose (HFS) diet will become insulin resistant, hypertriglyceridemic, and hypertensive. We hypothesize that the development of these diet-induced risk factors is associated with endothelial dysfunction and a significant decrease in EDR. Furthermore, the endothelial dysfunction will be improved by returning to a normal (low-fat complex carbohydrate (LFCC)) diet. Methods. Adult, male Fischer rats were fed either a LFCC or a HFS diet for 6 months (n = 8 in each group). A third group of rats (SWITCH) was fed a HFS diet for 6 months and then changed to a LFCC diet for 4 weeks. Blood pressure was measured via the tail-cuff method weekly. The rats were sacrificed and aortic ring segments were placed in physiologic tissue baths for measurement of vascular reactivity to various agents. Arterial ring segments were constricted with potassium chloride (K) and phenylephrine (PE). Endothelial-dependent vasorelaxation was measured with acetylcholine (Ach), bradykinin (BK), and calcium ionophore (CA). Endothelial-independent relaxation was measured using sodium nitroprusside (NTP). Results. The HFS diet group developed HTN compared to LFCC group. Vasoconstriction to K and PE were similar in all groups. Vasorelaxation to Ach, BK, and CA was significantly decreased in the HFS group, but returned to baseline in the diet-switched group, as did the systolic blood pressure. There were no differences in relaxation to NTP. Conclusions. HFS diet-induced HTN is associated with significantly decreased EDR. Switching to a low-fat diet reverses this effect. The vascular smooth muscle contraction and endothelial-independent relaxation are not affected by the diet-induced risk factors. There is a direct and reversible effect of an HFS diet on endothelial function and blood pressure.
Palliation of irresectable hilar cholangiocarcinoma with biliary drainage and radiotherapy

Twelve patients with irresectable or recurrent hilar cholangiocarcinoma were treated with internal biliary drainage followed by intraluminal (iridium-192) and external-beam radiotherapy. Biliary drainage was accomplished by means of a combined surgical and interventional radiological approach. Initial biliary decompression was performed surgically by tumour resection, intrahepatic biliary enteric bypass or distal biliary-enteric anastomosis with a temporary stent. Maintenance of internal biliary drainage and application of intraluminal radiotherapy were accomplished radiologically with the use of percutaneous dilatation and metallic expandable biliary endoprostheses. Median survival was 14.5 months; all 12 patients survived for at least 6 months. Early complications during radiotherapy were minor and included two patients with cholangitis and one with transient haemobilia. Jaundice was relieved in ten of 12 patients, while episodes of cholangitis were seen during long-term follow-up in 11 (median 1.5 episodes per patient). Internal biliary drainage, in conjunction with radiotherapy, appears to be safe and effective palliation of irresectable or recurrent hilar cholangiocarcinoma. Patients can maintain a reasonable quality of life with an acceptable incidence of cholangitis, without the hindrance of external drainage devices.
Protease substrate specificity mapping using membrane-bound peptides.

Abstract A method is described for assessing the substrate specificity of proteases by screening for proteolytic activity against large numbers of peptides. All 400 possible pep-tides derived from the 20 common amino acids were synthesized on small membrane disks in the arrangement FTC-spacer-amino acid P 1 -amino acid P′ 1 -spacer-membrane, where FTC is a chromophoric group. The disks are incubated simultaneously with the protease, resulting in cleavage of the peptide between the P 1 and P′ 1 amino acids, and the absorbance of the released chromophore is measured as a function of time. As demonstrated for chymotrypsin and papain, plots of the resulting data present a perspective view of the amino acid preferences on both sides of the scissile bond. This technique is fast, requires relatively little enzyme, and can be extended to the systematic screening of longer peptides, including analogs with unnatural amino acids. It has potential use for characterizing the specificity of proteases, assessing the results of site-specific mutagenesis, and searching for optimal substrates and inhibitors.
Structure of Kurdjumov-Sachs interfaces in simulations of a copper-niobium bilayer

Abstract An interfacial atomic structure that contains a strained monolayer of copper is described for copper and niobium in the Kurdjumov–Sachs orientation relation. The interfacial monolayer accommodates the inherent misfit between the adjoining crystals. Computer simulations using embedded-atom potentials demonstrate that the improved coordination of interface atoms in this structure can offset the energy penalty associated with creating the strained Cu monolayer sufficiently to make this interface structure energetically favorable with respect to one created by simply joining two perfect Cu and Nb crystals. Insight gained from the analysis of this novel interface structure is applied to predicting what other pairs of materials may form interfaces that lead to improved radiation damage resistance, such as that observed in CuNb multilayer thin-film composites.
Feedback‐assisted three‐dimensional reconstruction of the left ventricle with MRI

Purpose To develop and test a new technique for rapid, accurate three-dimensional (3D) reconstruction of the left ventricle (LV) and calculation of its volume parameters, with images from multiple orientations and interactive feedback. Materials and Methods The ventricular surface was fit to a number of user-placed guide points in magnetic resonance (MR) images using bivariate smoothing splines. A 3D model was reconstructed and the LV volumes were calculated at both end diastole (ED) and end systole (ES). This technique was validated using a phantom, and applied to studies of 18 patients and four volunteers (N = 22) imaged on a 1.5-T clinical scanner. The results of the 3D method were compared to the standard 2D short-axis slice summation technique, which is widely used for the analysis of cardiac function. Results There was excellent agreement between the computed volume of the phantom using the 3D modeling method and the actual volume (190.50 mL ± 3.06 mL, and 191.0 mL ± 2.5 mL, respectively). There was good correlation between the volumes calculated with our 3D model and the slice summation technique (ED volume (EDV) difference, 6.36% ± 8.99% [mean ± SD]; ES volume (ESV), 0.92% ± 14.75%; stroke volume (SV), 10.54% ± 13.95%; ejection fraction (EF), 4.22% ± 9.16%). The 3D method was found to be more accurate than the slice summation technique for calculating LV volumes and mass from images of different slice orientations. Variations in the parameters between the two separate orientations using the 3D model vs. the slice summation method were as follows: EDV: 2.11% ± 1.52% vs. 10.36% ± 9.33%; ES volume: 2.76% ± 1.64% vs. 6.39% ± 3.62%; SV, 3.02% ± 4.38% vs. 18.84% ± 15.30%; EF, 2.03% ± 2.16% vs. 8.58% ± 6.73%; and LV mass: 4.77% ± 2.41% vs. 24.59% ± 6.41%. Differences in the ES volume due to the inclusion or exclusion of the most basal slice were found to be lower with the 3D model (6.90% ± 3.83%) compared to the slice summation method (25.04% ± 6.15%). Conclusion 3D models can be used to accurately determine ventricular volume parameters. Results can be obtained using images from a variety of orientations, providing greater flexibility during image acquisition and possibly reducing the number of images needed for analysis. Feedback is provided to assist the analysis by providing a continuous update of the LV shape and volume. This feature allows the user to determine LV parameters to a predefined accuracy or to terminate the analysis when the parameters are not changing. This method is not restricted to multislice cine imaging in a single or prescribed slice orientation, and can be used for quick, accurate, and interactive analysis of cardiac function. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2003;17:528–537. © 2003 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Characterization of the recombinant MutY homolog, an adenine DNA glycosylase, from yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe.

Abstract The mutY homolog (SpMYH) gene from a cDNA library of Schizosaccharomyces pombeencodes a protein of 461 amino acids that displays 28 and 31% identity to Escherichia coli MutY and human MutY homolog (MYH), respectively. Expressed SpMYH is able to complement an E. coli mutY mutant to reduce the mutation rate. Similar to E. coli MutY protein, purified recombinant SpMYH expressed inE. coli has adenine DNA glycosylase and apurinic/apyrimidinic lyase activities on A/G- and A/7,8-dihydro-8-oxoguanine (8-oxoG)-containing DNA. However, both enzymes have different salt requirements and slightly different substrate specificities. SpMYH has greater glycosylase activity on 2-aminopurine/G and A/2-aminopurine but weaker activity on A/C thanE. coli MutY. Both enzymes also have different substrate binding affinity and catalytic parameters. Although SpMYH has great affinity to A/8-oxoG-containing DNA as MutY, the binding affinity to A/G-containing DNA is substantially lower for SpMYH than MutY. SpMYH has similar reactivity to both A/G- and A/8-oxoG-containing DNA; however, MutY cleaves A/G-containing DNA about 3-fold more efficiently than it does A/8-oxoG-containing DNA. Thus, SpMYH is the functional eukaryotic MutY homolog responsible for reduction of 8-oxoG mutational effect.
Cell-Selective Biological Activity of Rhodium Metalloinsertors Correlates with Subcellular Localization

Deficiencies in the mismatch repair (MMR) pathway are associated with several types of cancers, as well as resistance to commonly used chemotherapeutics. Rhodium metalloinsertors have been found to bind DNA mismatches with high affinity and specificity in vitro, and also exhibit cell-selective cytotoxicity, targeting MMR-deficient cells over MMR-proficient cells. Ten distinct metalloinsertors with varying lipophilicities have been synthesized and their mismatch binding affinities and biological activities determined. Although DNA photocleavage experiments demonstrate that their binding affinities are quite similar, their cell-selective antiproliferative and cytotoxic activities vary significantly. Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) experiments have uncovered a relationship between the subcellular distribution of these metalloinsertors and their biological activities. Specifically, we find that all of our metalloinsertors localize in the nucleus at sufficient concentrations for binding to DNA mismatches. However, the metalloinsertors with high rhodium localization in the mitochondria show toxicity that is not selective for MMR-deficient cells, whereas metalloinsertors with less mitochondrial rhodium show activity that is highly selective for MMR-deficient versus proficient cells. This work supports the notion that specific targeting of the metalloinsertors to nuclear DNA gives rise to their cell-selective cytotoxic and antiproliferative activities. The selectivity in cellular targeting depends upon binding to mismatches in genomic DNA.
Role of leptin in the development of cardiac hypertrophy in experimental animals and humans.

To the Editor: Barouch et al1 recently published a well-designed study demonstrating that left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) occurs in mice that are either leptin-deficient ( ob/ob ) or leptin-resistant ( db/db ). They also found that systemic administration of leptin to the leptin-deficient animals attenuated LVH more than would be predicted by the leptin-induced hypophagia and weight loss. These observations suggest that leptin may have a direct inhibitory effect on cardiac hypertrophy.1 We have recently examined the association between systemic leptin levels and cardiovascular indexes in a population of healthy obese and lean men.2,3 In addition to showing that …
Diversity, isomer composition, and design of combinatorial libraries of tetrapyrrole macrocycles

Combinatorial libraries of substituted tetrapyrrole macrocycles, which can now be prepared via a variety of approaches, typically are rich in isomers. Terminology for describing such isomers (due to distinct patterns of peripheral substituents) is delineated in several illustrative examples. A hierarchical relationship exists of molecular formula, condensed formula(s) of substituents, set(s) of pyrrole collocates (conveying each pair of β-pyrrolic substituents), and isomers of substituted tetrapyrrole macrocycles. Isomers with identical pyrrole collocate sets can arise owing to distinct positions or orientations of the (homo- or hetero-substituted) pyrrolic units in a macrocycle. Consideration of a handful of virtual combinatorial libraries illustrates tradeoffs of library size, chemical richness, and isomeric content. As one example, octa-derivatization of a tetrapyrrole scaffold with eight reactants A–H affords 2,099,728 members (99.7% isomers, 82,251 pyrrole collocate sets, and 6,435 condensed formulas) whereas the reversible self-condensation of four pyrroles that bear the same eight entities (AB, CD, EF, GH) affords 538 members (93.5% isomers, 35 pyrrole collocate sets, and 35 condensed formulas). Derivatization affords all combinations and permutations whereas self-condensation of substituted pyrroles carries collocational restrictions. Understanding such tradeoffs and the structural origin of isomerism are important aspects in the design of tetrapyrrole combinatorial libraries.
Fixed set theorems of Krasnoselskii type

We revisit the fixed point problem for the sum of a compact operator and a continuous function, where the domain on which these maps are defined is not necessarily convex, the former map is allowed to be multi-valued, and the latter to be a semicontraction and/or a suitable nonexpansive map. In this setup, guaranteeing the existence of fixed points is impossible, but two types of invariant-like sets are found to exist.
With Whom and Where You Play: Preschoolers' Social Context Predicts Peer Victimization

This short-term longitudinal study assessed the relations between the social context of children's play (play-group size, play-group gender composition, and play setting) in the fall and peer victimization in the spring for low-income, minority, preschool girls and boys. Gender differences in these associations, as well as the moderating effect of children's individual problem behavior, were considered. Using a multiple-brief observation procedure, preschoolers' (N = 255, 49% girls) naturally occurring play in each type of social context was recorded throughout the fall semester. Observers also rated children's victimization and problem behaviors in the fall, and teachers rated children's victimization at the end of the school year. Findings suggested that social context variables predicted spring victimization above and beyond fall victimization and individual levels of problem behavior and that these associations varied for boys and girls. The findings signify the importance of the social context on changes in peer victimization.
Intracellular Na+ Concentration Is Elevated in Heart Failure But Na/K Pump Function Is Unchanged

Background— Intracellular sodium concentration ([Na+]i) modulates cardiac contractile and electrical activity through Na/Ca exchange (NCX). Upregulation of NCX in heart failure (HF) may magnify the...
A Comparison between Methods for Assessing the Resolution of Moving Targets (Dynamic Visual Acuity)

A comparison was made between two measures of visual functioning in a dynamic context that required the resolution of moving targets. Performance obtained on a traditional task of dynamic visual acuity, which involves the determination of the smallest target that can be resolved at a given target velocity, was compared with that obtained with an alternative task that essentially reverses the independent and dependent variables. Generally similar patterns of results were obtained across the two procedures, but the alternative procedure appears to offer several advantages such as greater ease of administration, improved precision of measurement, and more-direct assessment of underlying channel activity. The recommended use of the new procedure in future work involving dynamic acuity as well as particular variables that should be carefully controlled in such work (eg target duration and target size) are discussed.
Induction of HIF-1α and iNOS With siRNA

See related article, pages 133–140 Hypoxia-inducible factor-1 (HIF-1) is a dimeric transcriptional complex composed of HIF-1α and HIF-1β subunits that has been recognized primarily for its role in the maintenance of oxygen and energy homoeostasis.1–3 Although the HIF-1β subunit is constitutively expressed, the expression and function of HIF-1α are precisely regulated by cellular oxygen concentrations.1–3 Under conditions of normoxia HIF-1α is rapidly degraded by the 26S proteasome and nonfunctional whereas HIF-1α accumulates instantaneously under hypoxic conditions.3–5 HIF-1 represents a highly important redox-sensitive transcription factor that regulates the expression of numerous genes under pathological conditions including: heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1), inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), VEGF, glycolytic enzymes, glucose transporters, erythropoietin, and insulin-like growth factor 2 (IGF-2).4,5 All of these genes encode proteins that are prosurvival in nature and can result in cytoprotection. Because the HIF-1α subunit is highly sensitive to oxygen and is degraded by the proteasome after prolyl-hydroxylation and ubiquitination in normoxic cells, attempts have been made to enhance the expression of HIF-1α as a means to protect cells against ischemic injury. Previous studies have demonstrated that stable expression or activation of HIF-1α can protect isolated cardiac myocytes6 and isolated hearts7 against ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury. Additionally, it has been previously reported that inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) is regulated under conditions of hypoxia by HIF-1 in cardiac myocytes.8 In the present issue of Circulation Research …
DNA Barcoding of Schistosome Cercariae Reveals a Novel Sub-Lineage within Schistosoma rodhaini From Ngamba Island Chimpanzee Sanctuary, Lake Victoria

While Schistosoma rodhaini is typically considered a parasite of small mammals and is very scantly distributed in the Lake Victoria basin, it is known to hybridize with the more widespread Schistosoma mansoni, the causative agent of intestinal schistosomiasis. As part of broader parasitological and malacological surveys for S. mansoni across Lake Victoria, schistosome cercariae were harvested from a field-caught Biomphalaria choanomphala taken on Ngamba Island Chimpanzee Sanctuary, Uganda. Upon DNA barcoding, these cercariae were found to be a mixture of both S. rodhaini and S. mansoni, with further phylogenetic analysis revealing a hitherto unknown sub-lineage within S. rodhaini. Despite repeated sampling for eggs and miracidia from both chimpanzees and staff on Ngamba Island Sanctuary, detection of S. rodhaini within local definitive hosts awaits additional efforts, which should be mindful of a potential host role of spotted-necked otters.
Arthroscopic surgical management of osteochondritis dissecans of the knee.

Summary Surgical management of osteochondritis dissecans of the knee is indicated when the ununited fragment remains persistently ununited and the knee becomes symptomatic and does not respond to conservative measures of rest and immobilization. Traditionally, arthrotomy was done and either bone peg grafts, with or without fixation, or excision of the fragment and drilling of the base of the crater were performed. This paper presents a series of 29 patients who were treated surgically for symptomatic osteochondritis dissecans using arthroscopic techniques. In this series of patients, excision of fragment and drilling or abrasion of the crater were done. In the instances when the fragment had become a loose body, the loose body was simply excised and the crater was then either drilled or left alone. The plan of this study is to follow up these patients for a long time to determine the ultimate result. To our knowledge, this paper is the first report of the early results of this form of surgery in the treatment of this difficult lesion of the knee. The early follow-up indicates a 72% satisfactory result rate when both subjective and objective means of measuring the results are considered. An interesting finding during the study was the high incidence of significant intra-articular pathology (51%) other than the osteochondritis discovered when arthroscopic techniques are used. There were no complications from the arthroscopic surgery.
Modified Contemporary and Herdmate Comparisons in Sire Summary

Abstract The influence of various factors on differences in sire evaluation from herdmate comparison and modified contemporary comparison methodology was examined. The average Predicted Difference for milk of bulls with 10 or more daughters changed —8, 33, 13, —20, and —8 kg in Ayrshires, Brown Swiss, Guernseys, Holsteins, and Jerseys; standard deviations of change ranged from 76 to 118 kg. The population from which the bulls were selected (pedigree group means) accounted for 49 to 73% of the change. Genetic average of herdmates’ sires accounted for 26 to 39% of the change. For bulls with repeatabilities of over 80%, the genetic average of herd-mates’ sires accounted for 41 to 83%. New repeatabilities averaged 1.6 to 1.9 less than those from the old method but were more variable. Correlations of Predicted Difference for milk by modified contemporary comparison with information from daughters added after the October, 1974 summary were from .04 to .15 higher than Predicted Differences by herdmate comparison. The Predicted Difference by modified contemporary comparison had the greatest advantage over that from the herdmate comparison when bulls had small numbers of daughters. Correlation of Predicted Difference by modified contemporary comparison with additional daughter information was .13 higher than that of the herdmate comparison when fewer than 10 daughters were in the summary and was only .04 higher when more than 100 daughters were in the summary.
The ideal television station: A “Q”; study

There is a good deal of concern over broadcast stations’ examination of their local community needs, but information on a deeper and related issue is harder to come by. What does the average viewer look for in his “ideal”; TV outlet? What programs does he want and what does he especially dislike? These were the guiding questions which James H. Flynn III used in this small‐sample survey making use of “Q”; methodology. Flynn is instructor of speech at the University of Missouri‐St. Louis, and earned the M.A. at Ohio State in 1969.
Swapped networks: unifying the architectures and algorithms of a wide class of hierarchical parallel processors

In this paper, we propose a new class of interconnection networks, called swapped networks, for general-purpose parallel processing. Swapped networks not only generate a wide class of high-performance interconnection networks, but also generalize, and serve to unify, many proposed parallel architectures as well as their algorithms. We show that swapped networks can efficiently emulate hypercubes, high-dimensional meshes, or generalized hypercubes, while having node degrees significantly smaller than the emulated network in each case. We also show that some subclasses of swapped networks can achieve asymptotically optimal diameters. Swapped networks are highly modularized, make the use of fixed-degree building blocks possible for any practically realizable system, and lead to the construction of high-performance scalable networks with reasonable cost.
ANNUAL SURVIVAL AND POPULATION ESTIMATES OF MOUNTAIN PLOVERS IN SOUTHERN PHILLIPS COUNTY, MONTANA

Information about the demography of declining species is especially relevant to their conservation and future recovery. Knowledge of survival rates and population size can be used to assess long-term viability and population trends, both of which are of interest to conservation biologists. We used capture–recapture techniques to study the demography of Mountain Plovers (Charadrius montanus Townsend) in southern Phillips County, Montana, USA, in 1995–2000. We used the robust design to estimate annual survival (ϕ), conditional capture (p and r) and recapture (c) probabilities, and the annual population size (N) in the presence of temporary emigration. The results support age-specific differences in annual survival that are a function of juvenile body mass and are correlated with the area occupied by prairie dogs. Body mass had a positive effect on juvenile survival; the slope coefficient for the additive effect of body mass on juvenile survival was 0.77 (95% ci = 0.25, 1.28) on a logit scale. A measure of p...
Proximate time-optimal control of third-order servomechanisms

The problem of proximate time-optimal control of third-order systems is considered. Two proximate time-optimal servomechanisms, PTO53 and PTO53 tau , are proposed for type-3 and type-2 third-order plants, respectively. Theorems stating sufficient conditions on each system's control design parameters to ensure global stability are given, and it is shown that the control parameters can be adjusted to accommodate, more or less, disturbances and unmodeled dynamics in the system. The approach used to develop the controllers is that of constructing a 'slab' in three-dimensional state space that describe the 'switching' structure of the control. The technique relies on three-dimensional phase-space analysis, which is rarely applied to systems of order three or higher. Simulation and experimental results demonstrate the performance of the algorithms developed. >
Continuity and change in children's longitudinal neural responses to numbers.

Human children possess the ability to approximate numerical quantity nonverbally from a young age. Over the course of early childhood, children develop increasingly precise representations of numerical values, including a symbolic number system that allows them to conceive of numerical information as Arabic numerals or number words. Functional brain imaging studies of adults report that activity in bilateral regions of the intraparietal sulcus (IPS) represents a key neural correlate of numerical cognition. Developmental neuroimaging studies indicate that the right IPS develops its number-related neural response profile more rapidly than the left IPS during early childhood. One prediction that can be derived from previous findings is that there is longitudinal continuity in the number-related neural responses of the right IPS over development while the development of the left IPS depends on the acquisition of numerical skills. We tested this hypothesis using fMRI in a longitudinal design with children ages 4 to 9. We found that neural responses in the right IPS are correlated over a 1–2-year period in young children whereas left IPS responses change systematically as a function of children’s numerical discrimination acuity. The data are consistent with the hypothesis that functional properties of the right IPS in numerical processing are stable over early childhood whereas the functions of the left IPS are dynamically modulated by the development of numerical skills.
Pathological Interface Between Oligomeric Alpha-Synuclein and Tau in Synucleinopathies

BACKGROUND: Aberrant accumulation of α-synuclein constitutes inclusion bodies that are considered a characteristic feature of a group of neurological disorders described as synucleinopathies. Often, multiple disease-causing proteins overlap within a given disease pathology. An emerging body of research focuses on the oligomeric populations of various pathogenic proteins, considering them as the culprits causing neuronal damage and degeneration. To this end, the use of conformation-specific antibodies has proven to be an effective tool. Previous work from our laboratory and others has shown that oligomeric entities of α-synuclein and tau accumulate in their respective diseases, but their interrelationship at this higher order has yet to be shown in synucleinopathies. METHODS: Here, we used two novel conformation-specific antibodies, F8H7 and Syn33, which recognize α-synuclein oligomers and were developed in our laboratory. We investigated brain tissue from five of each Parkinson’s disease and dementia with Lewy bodies patients by performing biophysical and biochemical assays using these antibodies, in addition to the previously characterized anti-tau oligomer antibody T22. RESULTS: We demonstrate that in addition to the deposition of oligomeric α-synuclein, tau oligomers accumulate in these diseased brains compared with control brains. Moreover, we observed that oligomers of tau and α-synuclein exist in the same aggregates, forming hybrid oligomers in these patients’ brains. CONCLUSIONS: In addition to the deposition of tau oligomers, our results also provide compelling evidence of cooccurrence of α-synuclein and tau into their most toxic forms, i.e., oligomers suggesting that these species interact and influence each other’s aggregation via an interface in synucleinopathies.
Spectral learning of predictive state representations with insufficient statistics

Predictive state representations (PSRs) are models of dynamical systems that represent state as a vector of predictions about future observable events (tests) conditioned on past observed events (histories). If a practitioner selects finite sets of tests and histories that are known to be sufficient to completely capture the system, an exact PSR can be learned in polynomial time using spectral methods. However, most real-world systems are complex, and in practice computational constraints limit us to small sets of tests and histories which are therefore never truly sufficient. How, then, should we choose these sets? Existing theory offers little guidance here, and yet we show that the choice is highly consequential—tests and histories selected at random or by a naive rule significantly underperform the best sets. In this paper we approach the problem both theoretically and empirically. While any fixed system can be represented by an infinite number of equivalent but distinct PSRs, we show that in the computationally unconstrained setting, where existing theory guarantees accurate predictions, the PSRs learned by spectral methods always satisfy a particular spectral bound. Adapting this idea, we propose a simple algorithmic technique to search for sets of tests and histories that approximately satisfy the bound while respecting computational limits. Empirically, our method significantly reduces prediction errors compared to standard spectral learning approaches.
High Surface Reactivity and Water Adsorption on NiFe2O4 (111) Surfaces

Transition metal-doped ferrites are attractive candidates for a wide range of applications including catalysis and electronic and magnetic devices. Although their bulk characteristics are well-understood, very little is known about their surface properties at the molecular level. Here, we demonstrate high reactivity of NiFe2O4 (111) surfaces, a Ni-doped ferrite, by elucidating the surface structure and water adsorption mechanism using density functional theory with on-site correction for Couloumb interaction (DFT + U). The surface reactivity of NiFe2O4 (111) surfaces (with 0.25 ML Fetet1 and 0.5 ML Feoct2–tet1 terminations) is shown to be significantly higher in comparison with the undoped Fe3O4 (111) surfaces. Dissociation of water is found to be highly favorable with an adsorption energy of −1.11 eV on the 0.25 ML Fetet1 terminated surface and −2.30 eV on the 0.5 ML Feoct2–tet1 terminated surface. In addition, we computed a low activation barrier of 0.18 eV for single water molecule dissociation on the ...
Biochemical properties of the blood of pigeons in polyneuritis and starvation.

The data in Table 1, showing the analyses of the whole blood of (1) normal pigeons, (2) normal pigeons starved until they had lost 40 per cent. of their body weight, (3) pigeons with “latent” polyneuritis, (4) pigeons with acute polyneuritis, (5) pigeons which had attained normal weight following acute polyneuritis, i.e. “relieved polyneuritis,” and (6) pigeons starved to a 40 per cent. loss of weight following “relieved polyneuritis,” indicate that the decrease in total solids and in the nitrogenous constituents of the blood, both protein and non-protein, as well as the diminution in the erythrocytes, are probably due to the self-imposed starvation which accompanies the later stages of polyneuritis in pigeons. It is to be noted, however, that simple inanition in its advanced stages is accompanied by a decline in the relative amount of protein in the blood which is not apparent even in acute polyneuritis. This result is contrary to the recent observations of Pacchinsa.2None of the usual “symptoms” of poly...
Rational Approach for Evaluating Fire Resistance of FRP-Strengthened Concrete Beams

AbstractThis paper presents a rational approach for evaluating the fire resistance of reinforced concrete (RC) beams strengthened with different types of fiber-reinforced polymers (FRP). This approach is based on conventional fire design principles for RC beams, but incorporates the contribution of FRP and fire insulation in fire resistance calculations. Simplified equations are proposed for evaluating cross-sectional temperatures in fire-exposed FRP-strengthened RC beams with and without fire insulation. These temperatures are used to determine the loss of strength in steel, FRP, and concrete using temperature-dependent strength properties. Employing the strength in different materials, the moment capacity of FRP-strengthened beams is calculated, at any given fire exposure time, by applying force equilibrium and strain compatibility principles. At each time step, the limit state is applied to define the failure of an FRP-strengthened RC beam, and the time to failure is taken as the fire resistance of the...
Feeding and Nursing Experience of One Case of Triplets Giant Panda Cubs

In order to take good care of a set of newborn triplets Giant Panda cubs of which two were relative weak,the cubs were removed into the nursery box,their bodies were covered with staff hands and massaged with cotton dipping warm water to help increasing their body temperature,and induced to eat. Meanwhile,enough colostrums after being pasteurized of panda mother were collected to feed the three babies artificially and separately. And then the cubs were given to their mother to feed or kept inside the nursery box to feed artificially in their individual situation. Furthermore,they were fed by their mother in turns. Therefore,the three cubs grew equally and healthily. All of these methods would provide useful experiences for feeding and nursing the Giant Panda.
Multiband and Broadband Wireless Power Transfer Systems Using the Conformal Strongly Coupled Magnetic Resonance Method

Novel multiband and broadband wireless power transfer (WPT) systems based on conformal strongly coupled magnetic resonance (CSCMR) are presented in this paper. An analytical model for CSCMR systems is developed in order to study their performance. Optimal multiband and broadband CSCMR systems are designed and their performance is validated using simulations and measurements. A broadband CSCMR system, which exhibits seven times broader bandwidth than conventional SCMR and CSCMR systems operating at the same frequency, is designed and prototyped.
Sandy-beach fauna of the Pacific and Atlantic coasts of Costa Rica and Colombia

The macroscopic infaunas of 18 tropical sandy beaches along both coast; of Costa Rica and Colombia were examined during the spring of 1971. The Pacific beaches averaged 7 times the density of individuals, had significantly larger numbers of species, and had significantly finer sand than the Atlantic beaches. The two most abundant species the isopods Cirolana salvadorensis and Exosphaeroma diminutum, occurred on both coasts. The polychaetes Scolelepis agilis and Hemipodus armatus were found on the majority of beaches on both coasts. In general, the faunas of the Pacific and Atlantic sandy beaches were composed of closely related species.
Abstract 590: Abrogation of Nuclear Factor-Kappa B Activation in the Heart Alleviates Post-Infarction LV Remodeling

The failing heart is characterized by chronic activation of nuclear factor (NF)-κB, a central transcriptional mediator of inflammatory and stress responses. As NF-κB can signal to either survival or apoptotic pathways, however, whether such activation confers cardioprotective or detrimental effects is unknown. We tested the hypothesis that sustained activation of NF-κB exacerbates LV remodeling in heart failure (HF). We examined LV remodeling following permanent coronary ligation (or sham-operation) in adult male transgenic (TG) mice with NF-κB abrogation in the heart via the cardiac-specific overexpression of a phosphorylation-resistant IκBα (n=16), or in non-transgenic (NTG) littermates (n=16). Baseline echocardiography showed no inherent cardiac phenotype in the TG mice. Compared to NTG sham, 4 weeks after surgery, NTG HF hearts showed: increased (p hypertrophy (LV/tibia length [TL] 5.3 ± 0.7 vs. 3.7 ± 0.3, p significantly (p increased apoptotic rates by TUNEL staining (1.1 ± 0.5 vs. 0.03 ± 0.03%, p In contrast, compared to NTG HF, TG HF hearts had markedly reduced (p Conclusion: Persistent NF-κB activation imparts detrimental effects in post-infarction HF and worsens LV remodeling, related, at least in part, to augmentation of inflammatory cytokine expression and apoptosis.
Boot-IoT: A Privacy-Aware Authentication Scheme for Secure Bootstrapping of IoT Nodes

The Internet of Things (IoT) devices perform security-critical operations and deal with sensitive information in the IoT-based systems. Therefore, the increased deployment of smart devices will make them targets for cyber attacks. Adversaries can perform malicious actions, leak private information, and track devices' and their owners' location by gaining unauthorized access to IoT devices and networks. However, conventional security protocols are not primarily designed for resource constrained devices and therefore cannot be applied directly to IoT systems. In this paper, we propose Boot-IoT – a privacy-preserving, lightweight, and scalable security scheme for limited resource devices. Boot-IoT prevents a malicious device from joining an IoT network. Boot-IoT enables a device to compute a unique identity for authentication each time the device enters a network. Moreover, during device to device communication, Boot-IoT provides a lightweight mutual authentication scheme that ensures privacy-preserving identity usages. We present a detailed analysis of the security strength of BootIoT. We implemented a prototype of Boot-IoT on IoT devices powered by Contiki OS and provided an extensive comparative analysis of Boot-IoT with contemporary authentication methods. Our results show that Boot-IoT is resource efficient and provides better scalability compared to current solutions.
Brute Force Ceramic Constitutive Model Parameterization

We conducted simplified long rod impact experiments which were instrumented with flash X-ray and Photon Doppler Velocimetry (PDV). The time resolved experimental data was used to fit a geomaterials model using both 2D and 3D simulations. It was found that the 2D simulations could not fit the experimental data satisfactorily. The 3D simulations were much more successful with some limitations.