cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Sparse Coding of Faces in a Neuronal Model: Interpreting Cell Population Response in Object Recognition

Response to faces as measured by cell discharge in the temporal cortex of monkeys suggests a sparse cell-population coding of complex visual stimuli. The prevailing view assumes that a sparse population code requires the joint contribution of a relatively small group of cells (a neuronal ensemble) for effective coding and recognition. This assumption is based primarily on the consistent observation that single cells in the temporal cortex are broadly tuned rather than narrowly tuned to individual faces. It has been argued that the joint activity of a relatively small number of broadly tuned cells, each responsive to a different constituent feature of a face, could form an ensemble code selective enough to distinguish individual faces. In the present study, schematic faces were presented as stimuli to a model neuronal system for visual pattern learning and recognition. This model effectively codes individual faces by means of competitive activity among single cells during recognition instead of by ensemble coding. The computer simulation permitted an analysis of the activity profiles of all tuned cells during learning and recognition of the faces. All cells were found to be broadly tuned even though coding was mediated by the discrete output of single cells on a competitive basis in a sparse neuronal population rather than by the joint activity of a group of cells. The results show that the observation of broad tuning of cells in temporal cortex under typical experimental conditions does not warrant the conclusion that neuronal ensembles are required for the coding of individual faces. Suggestions are made for changes in the design of experiments to better test hypotheses about the coding of faces (or any other complex visual patterns).
Observation and mitigation of causal re-ordering in distributed business process logs

Cloud computing provides enhanced collaboration opportunities, but auditing business activities in workflows has become more difficult in a distributed, cloud-based system. The fundamental issue stems from timestamp inaccuracy in event logs. Tools that analyze logs for causal relationships are ineffective, yielding products that can neither capture invariant execution, nor perform conformance checking to check workflow health. Therefore, we offer the Flower Chain Net (FCN), a new Petri net that reduces concurrency and improves conformance checking. To build FCN, we provide the Flower Chain Discovery Algorithm. FCN is evaluated for structural expressiveness, efficiency, and behavioral analysis traits against widely employed methods.
Anorectal physiology is not changed following transanal haemorrhoidal dearterialization for haemorrhoidal disease: clinical, manometric and endosonographic features.

Aim The effect of transanal haemorrhoidal dearterialization (THD) on continence and anorectal physiology has not yet been demonstrated. Method Twenty patients suffering from 3rd degree haemorrhoids were enrolled and underwent THD, including both dearterialization and mucopexy. Clinical assessment, anorectal manometry, rectal volumetry and endoanal ultrasound were performed preoperatively and at 6 months postoperatively. Results Postoperatively two and six patients had transient rectal pain and tenesmus, respectively. No patient reported faecal urgency or minor or major incontinence. All patients remained able to discriminate gas from faeces. No significant variation of the mean values of anal manometric and rectal volumetric parameters was recorded at 6 months of follow-up compared with preoperative values. At 6 months both internal and external sphincters were endosonographically intact. Conclusion THD does not cause trauma to the anal canal and rectum.
Functional beta‐diversity patterns reveal deterministic community assembly processes in eastern North American trees

Aim Determining the relative influence of niche-based and neutral processes in driving the spatial turnover of community composition is a central challenge in community ecology. Spatial patterns of functional turnover, or functional beta diversity, may capture important signals of niche-based assembly processes, but these patterns have not been quantified for communities across broad geographic and environmental gradients. Here, we analyse continental-scale patterns of species and functional beta diversity in relation to space and the environment to assess the relative importance of niche-based and neutral community assembly mechanisms. Location Eastern North America. Methods We use a continental-scale forest plot dataset and functional trait data to quantify spatial patterns of species and functional beta diversity. We use redundancy analysis-based variance partitioning to evaluate the influence of space, soil and climate on beta-diversity metrics. We use a null model approach to test for non-random functional beta diversity given the observed patterns of species turnover across spatial scales. Results Species and functional beta diversity increased with increasing geographic distance (i.e. distance decay of community similarity). Results of variance partitioning analysis show that species and functional beta diversity were spatially structured and significantly related to environmental, particularly climatic, variation. Results of null model analysis show that functional beta diversity was lower than expected based on species turnover at fine scales ( 1800 km). Main conclusions The observed patterns of functional beta diversity support a niche-based model of community assembly, driven by the deterministic filtering of species across environmental gradients based on their functional traits.
Estimating similarity among collaboration contributions

The need for collaboration arises in many activities required for effective problem solving and decision making. We are developing Angler, a web-services tool that supports collaboration among participants on some focus topic. Angler overcomes some common barriers to collaboration by enabling asynchronous and distributed collaboration. Angler supports a collaboration methodology that exploits opportunities afforded by multiple participants each making contributions to the collaboration. One challenge that arises in helping participants manage their contributions and their review of others' contributions is determining when one contribution is very similar to another contribution. Two very similar contributions may suggest either a need to merge them or to further elaborate one or both of them. Indexes over the participant contributions are used to assess similarity across contributions and address this challenge. The indexes may comprise lexical or ontological information; the former indexes require fewer resources to deploy but the later appear to support better similarity estimates.
Joint P- and S-wave velocity determination from reflected PP, SS and converted PS/SP phases from large aperture seismic reflection measurements

Abstract As less aliased (better sampled) seismic studies are acquired more SS reflections and especially PS/ SP converted phases are recognized. We use a synthetic (τ, p) data set to demonstrate the viability of using PP, SS reflections and PS/ SP conversions in a joint inversion scheme to obtain average, one-dimensional P- and S-wave velocity models. We achieve a coupling between the P- and S-wave velocity-depth functions by introducing all these wave types in a single joint inversion. The new information introduced by the converted phases provides additional constraints, and better resolved velocity-depth models can be estimated. In our synthetic data case the resolution kernels become sharper, decreasing the width of the main lobe by 10–50% and increasing their height by 20–40%. This increase in resolution can result in a significant decrease in the uncertainty estimates of Poisson's ratios. In our synthetic test the uncertainties decrease approximately 50%. We use this inversion scheme to invert (τ, p) sections from horizontal components recorded in a seismic experiment along the southwest coast of Greenland. The joint inversion results resolve different levels of anisotropy within the crust. These anisotropic fabrics can be responsible for the time difference (delay) between the radial and transverse (τ, p) sections, that causes a decrease in the amplitude of the S-wave field when the two (τ, p) sections (radial and transverse) are stacked.
The balance equation: Part 2. Derivation of the balance equation for response-specific inhibition

This article and the preceding Part 1 (Anger, 1987) present a new molecular analysis of operant reinforcement and extinction. It is a multifactor analysis of the basic extinction processes that can be studied with procedures that minimize competing behavior. Part 1 showed that response-specific inhibition (RSI; Anger, 1983) can account for animal sensitivity to complex response contingencies. RSI depends on the same events that determine whether a reinforcer is contingent on a response. RSI can average those event frequencies, combine them into a single variable that varies with the contingency, and adjust responding appropriately. In Part 2, the findings of Part 1 were used to derive a rational equation that describes operant responding. That linear additive equation specifies a balance between RSI-augmenting events (e.g., unreinforced responses) and RSI-decrementing events (e.g., reinforced responses). The equation predicts a different relation between responding and reinforcer frequency than do other theories, because it predicts that responding is augmented by an unrecognized variable, unreinforced nonresponse-time during controlling stimuli.
The space scars of Earth.

There is some evidence for a meteoritic origin of craters in the Earth's surface. In this article the characteristic features of impact scars are discussed with the help of some examples.
New developments in adjuvants

The development of improved methods for the production of vaccines have fostered the use of purified subunits in place of live attenuated and whole inactivated organisms. Greater understanding of immune mechanisms has stimulated efforts to design vaccines that elicit specific mechanisms of resistance to particular pathogens. Together these forces have driven a search for novel adjuvants with specific properties optimally suited to vaccines for particular diseases. At the First International Conference on Immunology and Aging, a mini-symposium was devoted to the topic of new adjuvants. This review and the following two papers summarize the proceedings of the mini-symposium and illustrate the potential for the development of new adjuvants of greater efficacy and specificity, and the complexities involved in bringing new discoveries in adjuvants from the laboratory to the clinic.
Tissue accumulation of cadmium as a function of blood concentration

We have provided data relating Cd concentration in tissue to about a 40-fold range in blood Cd concentration. Osmotic pumps containing cadmium chloride were subcutaneously implanted in male New Zealand white rabbits. The pumps continuously delivered either 0.15 or 1.5 mg Cd/d. Blood and plasma levels of Cd were measured weekly throughout the study. After 28 d, the rabbits were killed and tissue concentrations of Cd determined by atomic absorption spectrophotometry. Less than 10% of the total Cd in the blood was carried in the plasma, the remainder was associated with the blood cells, where it was bound mainly to metallothionein. We found the blood and tissue levels of Cd were correlated for each tissue we investigated. There was a wide range in affinity of the tissues for Cd; liver and kidney had the highest Cd uptake, whereas brain affinity was about 500 times less than liver.
Revisiting derivative securities and the 1987 market crash: lessons for 2009

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the role of derivative securities in over‐pricing and market corrections.Design/methodology/approach – Daily market data from major indices are used to determine if the market was over‐priced in 1987. Then, the literature is examined to show differences in research findings for what caused the bubble and its correction.Findings – Evidence is found that there was a market bubble in 1987. Examples are provided of how portfolio insurance can lead to the aggregation of traders' idiosyncratic errors and to an increase in the use of leverage, both of which can cause over‐pricing.Research limitations/implications – Although the analysis is limited to equity markets, the findings should stimulate further research on the relationship between derivatives and asset pricing. Theoretically, derivative prices should be a function of asset prices, but it could be argued that the relationship is symbiotic.Practical implications – The findings may impact policy makers in e...
Graphical approach for complex PSA cycle scheduling

A simple graphical approach for complex pressure swing adsorption (PSA) cycle scheduling has been developed. This new methodology involves a priori specifying the cycle steps, their sequence, and the number of beds, and then following a systematic procedure that requires filling in a 2-D grid based on a few simple rules, some heuristics and some experience. The outcome or solution is a grid comprised of columns that represent the total cycle time, rows that represent the total number of beds, and cells that represent the duration of each cycle step, i.e., the complete cycle schedule. This new approach has been tested successfully against several cycle schedules taken from the literature, including a two-bed four-step Skarstrom cycle, a four-bed nine-step process with two equalization steps, a nine-bed eleven-step process with three pressure equalization steps, and a six-bed thirteen-step process with four pressure equalization steps and four idle steps. This approach also revealed the existence of numerous cycle schedules for each bed and cycle step combination examined. Although it cannot identify the total number of permutations or which one is better, it does provide a very straightforward way to determine some of the possible cycle schedules of virtually any PSA process that can be conceived.
Petri Nets: A Tool For Representing Concurrent Activities In Space Station Applications

With the complexities that are likely to be found in control processes aboard the Space Station, it is appropriate to identify a tool for the analysis of these structures at an early stage in the design. The interest in Petri nets for the representation of concurrent structures has grown considerably in the past few years. Introduced here is a robust notation for the machine representation of Petri nets. The notation has been used successfully in the Control Flow and Data Flow representations of systems.
Fiber optic delivery for excimer laser coronary surgery

The development of specialized fiber tips, tapered fibers and fiber bundles for the XeCl excimer laser recanalization of coronary arteries during open heart surgery is described.
Persistence of external signs in Pacific herring Clupea pallasii Valenciennes with ichthyophoniasis

The progression of external signs of Ichthyophonus infection in Pacific herring Clupea pallasii Valenciennes was highly variable and asynchronous after intraperitoneal injection with pure parasite preparations; however, external signs generally persisted through the end of the study (429 days post-exposure). Observed signs included papules, erosions and ulcers. The prevalence of external signs plateaued 35 days post-exposure and persisted in 73-79% of exposed individuals through the end of the first experiment (147 days post-exposure). Among a second group of infected herring, external signs completely resolved in only 10% of the fish after 429 days. The onset of mortality preceded the appearance of external signs. Histological examination of infected skin and skeletal muscle tissues indicated an apparent affinity of the parasite for host red muscle. Host responses consisted primarily of granulomatous inflammation, fibrosis and necrosis in the skeletal muscle and other tissues. The persistence and asynchrony of external signs and host response indicated that they were neither a precursor to host mortality nor did they provide reliable metrics for hindcasting on the date of exposure. However, the long-term persistence of clinical signs in Pacific herring may be useful in ascertaining the population-level impacts of ichthyophoniasis in regularly observed populations.
Transcriptional profiling of enriched populations of stem cells versus transient amplifying cells. A comparison of limbal and corneal epithelial basal cells

The basal layer of limbal and central corneal epithelium is enriched in stem cells and transient amplifying cells, respectively. This physical separation of stem and transient amplifying cells makes the limbal/corneal epithelium an exceptionally suitable system for isolating basal cells enriched in these two proliferative populations. Prior attempts to isolate epithelial stem cells used methods such as proteolytic tissue dissociation and cell sorting that could potentially alter their gene expression profile. Using laser capture microdissection, we were able to isolate resting limbal and corneal basal cells from frozen sections with minimal tissue processing, thereby improving the yield and quality of RNA. Analyses of RNA isolated from 300 limbal and corneal basal cells from eight mice revealed a set of ∼100 genes that are differentially expressed in limbal cells versus corneal epithelial basal cells. Semiquantitative reverse transcription-PCR confirmed the up-regulation of three limbal and three corneal genes. LacZ identification of epiregulin from epiregulin-null mice and immunohistochemical staining of wild type mice confirmed that epiregulin, one of the limbal epithelium-enriched genes, was associated with the limbal epithelial basal cells. Within the limbal and corneal basal cells, we detected previously unknown genes that were differentially expressed in these two regions that contribute further to our understanding of the unique heterogeneity of these two closely related basal cell populations. Our findings indicate that we can obtain accurate gene expression profiles of the stem cell-enriched limbal basal cell population in their "natural" quiescent state.
PD09-01: Target-Based Therapeutic Matching in Early-Phase Clinical Trials in Patients with Advanced Breast Cancer and PIK3CA Mutations.

Background: Therapeutic matching based on underlying molecular abnormalities showed promising results in early-phase clinical trials. PIK3CA mutations may predict response to therapies with PI3K/AKT/mTOR inhibitors. Methods: Tumors from patients with breast cancer referred to the Clinical Center for Targeted Therapy (Phase I Program) were analyzed for PIK3CA mutations. Patients with PIK3CA mutations were treated, whenever feasible, with agents targeting the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway. Results: Of 54 patients analyzed, 15 (28%) had PIK3CA mutations. PIK3CA mutations were found in 5/9 (56%) metaplastic, 3/8 (38%) HER2−positive, 7/29 (24%) hormone receptor-positive, and 0/8 (0%) triple negative (excluding metaplastic) breast cancers (P=0.07). Of the 15 patients with PIK3CA mutations, 12 (80%) were treated in clinical trials containing a PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway inhibitor (median age, 54; median number of prior therapies, 3). Of these 12 patients, 3 (25%, 95% CI 0.09−0.53) had stable disease for more than 6 months (SD≥6 months; n=1) or a partial response (PR; n=2). Breast cancer patients without PIK3CA mutations treated on the same protocols had a rate of SD≥6 months/PR of 8% (1/12; 95% CI 0.01−0.35, p=0.6). Of the 4 patients with a H1047R mutation treated with agents targeting the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway, 3 (75%) had SD≥6 months (n=1) or a PR (n=2) compared to 0 of 8 patients (0%) with other PIK3CA mutations (P=0.045). Patients with H1047R mutations had a median progression-free survival (PFS) of 8.5 months compared to 2 months in patients with other PIK3CA mutations (p=0.13). Conclusion: Heavily pretreated patients with PIK3CA -mutant advanced breast cancer had a SD≥6 months/PR rate of 25% on protocols incorporating PI3K/AKT/mTOR. Patients with mutation H1047R had significantly longer SD≥6 months/PR rate compared to those with other PIK3CA mutations. Our observations suggest that screening for PIK3CA mutations is warranted in larger numbers of patients with advanced breast cancer when treatment with PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway inhibitors is planned. Citation Information: Cancer Res 2011;71(24 Suppl):Abstract nr PD09-01.
Ideological externalities, social pressures, and political parties

Members of political parties may influence each other. For example, a liberal in a party of moderates may moderate his views. At the same time, the moderates in the party may become more liberal. Voters in a district who favor such effects may care about the ideology of officeholders in other districts. They may therefore prefer a candidate who affiliates with a party over an independent with the same position.
The Hegelian Concept of Political Freedom

TRADITIONAL SOCIOLOGY tends to assume that the State is part of the Social System, and that a system of power operates only at some levels within the System. This is not the only possible or plausible vision of human interaction. If the dialectical tradition culminating with Hegel did nothing else, it established the unique place of political theory in the study of culture. Hegel's analysis of freedom is distinguished by a firm separation of civil society from polity. His approach is theoretical in that throughout he is concerned with basic properties of social and political structures. Social phenomena are not viewed empirically as going entities, but selectively, through logical, i.e., dialectical distinctions. The Hegelian approach assumes completeness in that all relevant concepts and relations which would be required in empirical undertakings are -worked out. This special sense of methodology as ideal typification should be kept in mind when examining Hegel. What we are provided with is a systems approach rather than empirical analysis. Few commentators have viewed the directly political and social writings of Hegel as an extension of his more abstract works. A British analytic philosopher has even suggested that Hegel's Philosophy of Right, in which the social and legal basis of political freedom
Aortic stenosis: a study with particular reference to an indirect carotid pulse recording in diagnosis.

Abstract The clinical findings in 70 individuals with aortic stenosis are reported. Confirmation of the diagnosis was available in 28. Special emphasis was placed on the indirect recording of the carotid pulse as a diagnostic aid. By means of a “tuned” system, the characteristic contour of aortic stenosis, consisting of a plateaued curve with systolic vibrations, was obtained in 68 of the 70 patients (97 per cent). It is felt that the method described offers a simple and practical diagnostic aid.
Anytime communication over the Gilbert-Eliot channel with noiseless feedback

We study the reliability of sequential codes in a two-state Markov fading AWGN channel under the assumption of noiseless feedback and an average power constraint. We present a capacity achieving scheme with a doubly exponential anytime reliability function with respect to delay for every bit. The scheme is represented by a hybrid control system at the encoder in which the discrete system dynamics evolves based only on the channel state information while the continuous part of the state at the encoder reflects the evolution of the message uncertainty at the decoder. Whereas the classical Schalkwijk-Kailath scheme achieves double exponential reliability by exploiting the average nature of the power constraint to combat atypicality of the AWGN noise, our scheme also uses it to combat atypical fading realizations
A catalytic and in situ Raman spectroscopy study of the decomposition of nitrous oxide over barium oxide supported on magnesium oxide

Abstract The decomposition of N2O in a 10% N2O/He mixture occurs at a rate of 0.8 μmol g−1 s−1 at 500°C over a catalyst containing 14 mol% BaO on MgO (Ba/MgO). Barium oxide is the active component. The reaction is inhibited by O2, via the formation of surface barium peroxide ions. The decrease in activity due to inhibition of O2 and the increase in both surface and crystalline BaO2 were followed in several transient experiments. The variation in peroxide concentrations was determined under catalytic conditions using Raman spectroscopy. The transient results are consistent with a mechanism in which N2O reacts with surface oxide ions to form peroxide ions. At steady state, the surface peroxide ions are nearly in equilibrium with gas phase O2. The equilibrium favors extensive decomposition of the peroxide ions to O2 and surface oxide ions under the conditions of the catalytic reaction.
Active Object Recognition with a Space-Variant Retina

When independent component analysis (ICA) is applied to color natural images, the representation it learns has spatiochromatic properties similar to the responses of neurons in primary visual cortex. Existing models of ICA have only been applied to pixel patches. This does not take into account the space-variant nature of human vision. To address this, we use the space-variant log-polar transformation to acquire samples from color natural images, and then we apply ICA to the acquired samples. We analyze the spatiochromatic properties of the learned ICA filters. Qualitatively, the model matches the receptive field properties of neurons in primary visual cortex, including exhibiting the same opponent-color structure and a higher density of receptive fields in the foveal region compared to the periphery. We also adopt the “self-taught learning” paradigm from machine learning to assess the model’s efficacy at active object and face classification, and the model is competitive with the best approaches in computer vision.
A new epsilon-dominance hierarchical Bayesian optimization algorithm for large multiobjective monitoring network design problems

Abstract This study focuses on the development of a next generation multiobjective evolutionary algorithm (MOEA) that can learn and exploit complex interdependencies and/or correlations between decision variables in monitoring design applications to provide more robust performance for large problems (defined in terms of both the number of objectives and decision variables). The proposed MOEA is termed the epsilon-dominance hierarchical Bayesian optimization algorithm ( e -hBOA), which is representative of a new class of probabilistic model building evolutionary algorithms. The e -hBOA has been tested relative to a top-performing traditional MOEA, the epsilon-dominance nondominated sorted genetic algorithm II ( e -NSGAII) for solving a four-objective LTM design problem. A comprehensive performance assessment of the e -NSGAII and various configurations of the e -hBOA have been performed for both a 25 well LTM design test case (representing a relatively small problem with over 33 million possible designs), and a 58 point LTM design test case (with over 2.88 × 10 17 possible designs). The results from this comparison indicate that the model building capability of the e -hBOA greatly enhances its performance relative to the e -NSGAII, especially for large monitoring design problems. This work also indicates that decision variable interdependencies appear to have a significant impact on the overall mathematical difficulty of the monitoring network design problem.
A Rejoinder to Ackerly and Young's Comments on My Analysis of Formative Period Sites in the Valley of Mexico

In a recent commentary ("Formative Period Political Differentiation in the Southern Valley of Mexico," AA 86:976-985, 1984), Ackerly and Young find fault with my analysis of Formative period settlements in the Valley of Mexico (Steponaitis 1981), and question the validity of certain inferences that I reached. These inferences originally stemmed from an argument in which I constructed an ideal mathematical model, deduced implications from this model, and showed that the prehistoric settlement data were largely consistent with these implications. Ackerly and Young challenge the last step in this line of reasoning and contend that their "rigorous statistical testing" fails to confirm an adequate fit between my model's predictions and the data in question. They further claim that my model contains a raft of "unstated" or "im-
Equivalent Circuits-I

Equivalent circuits have been found valuable in the solution of certain problems in that they simplify the analysis. Furthermore, equivalent circuits provide a means of replacing magnetic coupling with simple impedance links thereby permitting the use of the calculating board for solution. In Part I of this paper, the general equivalent mesh for the n-winding transformer is derived, and other less rigorous transformer circuits are discussed and compared. In Part II the mesh equivalent for the general network having (m + l) points of entry is derived and its application is explained. The generalizations of Parts I and II provide a background for the particular problem treated in Part III in which the study of system networks involving groups of parallel transmission lines is considered. The usually difficult problem of accurately determining ground fault currents in such a system is readily solved by applying the special equivalent circuits developed in Part III to a calculating board set-up of the system. These circuits are particularly valuable in the solution of any problem involving an analysis of the zero phase impedance diagram of a system. The methods and circuits developed in this paper are perfectly general and have many evident applications other than those treated.
Careers of Men and Women MBAs 1950-1980

Over the past three decades, male and female work roles have been rapidly changing. This study explored the varying experiences of men and women who received MBAs and started their careers in the fifties, sixties, and seventies. Qualitative analysis of intensive interview data was the method used. The findings were that women rarely held positions in business firms, choosing instead independent work or alternative settings such as universities. Women's salaries and authority lagged behind those of men, and they more often felt blocked from further advancement. Several propositions are advanced to explain the reluctance of women to enter or remain in business management.
Reliable prediction of phase stability using an interval Newton method

Abstract A key step in phase equilibrium calculations is determining if, in fact, multiple phases are present. Reliably solving the phase stability and, ultimately the phase equilibrium problem, is a significant challenge for high pressure vapor/liquid, liquid/liquid and vapor/liquid/liquid equilibrium. We present the first general-purpose computational method, applicable to any arbitrary equation of state or activity coefficient model, that can mathematically guarantee a correct solution to the phase stability problem. In this paper, we demonstrate the use of this new method, which uses techniques from interval mathematics, for the van der Waals equation of state to determine liquid/liquid and liquid/vapor phase stability for a variety of representative systems. Specifically, we describe and test interval methods for phase stability computations for binary mixtures that exhibit Type I and Type II behavior, as well as for a relatively simple ternary mixture. This shows that interval techniques can find with absolute certainy all stationary points, and thus solve the phase stability problem with complete reliability.
Development of a Passive Turbine Blade Damper Using Magnetomechanical Coating

The feasibility of using magnetomechanical coating for enhancing high damping capacity on turbine blades is investigated. An analytical procedure is developed for modeling the dynamic behavior of beams and blades coated with a plasma sprayed iron-chromium based coating. A probabilistic distribution function proposed by Smith and Birchak (1968, 1969) is used to evaluate and qualify the stress or strain distribution on the coating material. The equations of motion and associated boundary conditions are derived for uniform coated beams and blades. The resulting equation of motion is solved for simply supported and cantilevered beams and blades with a free surface coating layer by a closed form procedure and finite element approximation. The results show that a 2–5% beam and blade thickness free surface magnetomechanical coating layer can have a significant contribution on the damping enhancement and the reduction of vibratory stresses.© 2000 ASME
Manganese superoxide dismutase is dispensable for post-natal development and lactation in the murine mammary gland

Mammary gland development is a multistage process requiring tightly regulated spatial and temporal signalling pathways. Many of these pathways have been shown to be sensitive to oxidative stress. Understanding that the loss of manganese superoxide dismutase (Sod2) leads to increased cellular oxidative stress, and that the loss or silencing of this enzyme has been implicated in numerous pathologies including those of the mammary gland, we sought to examine the role of Sod2 in mammary gland development and function in situ in the mouse mammary gland. Using Cre-recombination driven by the mouse mammary tumor virus (MMTV) promoter, we created a mammary-specific post-natal conditional Sod2 knock-out mouse model. Surprisingly, while substantial decreases in Sod2 were noted throughout both virgin and lactating adult mammary glands, no significant changes in developmental structures either pre- or post-pregnancy were observed histologically. Moreover, mothers lacking mammary gland expression of Sod2 were able to sustain equal numbers of litters, equal pups per litter, and equal pup weights as were control animals. Overall, our results demonstrate that loss of Sod2 expression is not universally toxic to all cell types and that excess mitochondrial superoxide can apparently be tolerated during the development and function of post-natal mammary glands.
Sex differences in response to physical and social factors involved in human mate selection The importance of smell for women

Abstract A survey study examining the relative importance of various social and physical traits in heterosexual attraction was conducted. Data from 198 male and female heterosexual college students revealed that women ranked body odor as more important for attraction than "looks" or any social factor except "pleasantness." Moreover, in contrast to response to fragrance use, liking someone's natural body odor was the most influential olfactory variable for sexual interest for both men and women. Men rated a woman's good looks as most desirable and as more important than any other factor except pleasantness. Sex differences in the relative ranking of several social factors were consistent with prior research.
Modifying the response to defoliation during vegetative growth in CERES-Maize

Abstract CERES-Maize (Vl. 0) predicted no grain yield when 100% defoliation occurred during vegetative growth. This result conflicted with field observations where 100% defoliation early in the vegetative stage did not materially reduce grain yield. CERES-Maize was modified to realistically predict yields when defoliation greater than 50% occurred during vegetative growth by taking into account stem (stem proper and sheath) photosynthesis and translocation of dry matter from the stem to the developing leaves. With these modifications, predictions from CERES-Maize were in good agreement with field measurements when defoliation occurred both early and later in the vegetative stage. This modified version of CERES-Maize can be the basis of a decision support system for defoliating pests of corn where yields can be evaluated under different management strategies and climate scenarios.
MR evaluation of age-related increase of brain iron in young adult and older normal males

The purposes of this study were to extend the investigation of age-related increases in brain iron to a younger age group, replicate previously published results, and further evaluate the validity of a novel noninvasive magnetic resonance (MR) method for measuring tissue iron (ferritin) levels with specificity. The method consists of measuring the dependence of tissue transverse relaxation rates (R2) on the field strength of MR instruments. Two MR instruments operating at 1.5 and 0.5 T were used to measure the field-dependent R2 increase (FDRI) in the frontal white matter, caudate, putamen, and globus pallidus. A group of 13 normal adult males (ages 21-77), with seven subjects below and six above age 35, was examined. As expected from postmortem and prior FDRI data, robust and significant age-related increases in FDRI were observed in the caudate, putamen, and globus pallidus, with the globus pallidus FDRI increasing sharply in the second decade and reaching a plateau after age 30. In addition, we replicated previous reports showing very high correlations between FDRI and published brain iron levels for the four regions examined. The data replicate and extend previous FDRI observations on brain aging and are consistent with postmortem data on age-related increases in brain iron. These results are relevant to the investigation of age-related neurodegenerative diseases in which iron may catalyze toxic free radical reactions.
Experimental allergic encephalitis: Study of cellular immunity to the encephalitogenic determinant

Abstract Guinea pigs were tested for cellular immunity to the encephalitogenic tryptophan peptide, the major encephalitogenic determinant of central nervous system basic protein, representing residues 114 to 122 of the molecule. Guinea pigs sensitized with human basic protein regularly developed experimental allergic encephalitis, but did not show cellular immunity to the encephalitogenic tryptophan peptide as measured by skin test reactivity, lymphocyte stimulation, or macrophage migration inhibition, although they did show cellular immunity to the immunizing antigen, human basic protein. Animals sensitized with the synthetic tryptophan peptide also regularly develop clinical and histologic features of experimental allergic encephalitis, and show cellular immunity to the peptide but not to human basic protein. The work of others indicates that, in guinea pigs sensitized with the whole basic protein, there are determinants for cellular immunity located near the encephalitogenic tryptophan peptide. The test peptides used in these studies all included amino acid residues of the basic protein not included in the encephalitogenic tryptophan peptide used in our study. Our work indicates that the encephalitogenic peptide is not one of the determinants for cellular immunity in the basic protein molecule. Since cellular immunity to the disease-producing determinant of the molecule could not be demonstrated, this work further suggests that cellular immunity, as measured by the three tests described herein, may not necessarily be correlated with production of experimental allergic encephalitis.
Mosaic Drosophila wings reveal regional heterogeneity in the guidance of ectopic axons

In most studies of axon guidance in the peripheral tissues of insects, the ability of experimentally perturbed axons to pathfind was examined only along their normal pathways. This means that regions normally devoid of axons have not been sampled for their ability to influence axonal trajectories. To examine this question, we have induced the formation of single sensory neurons in a variety of abnormal locations in the developing wing of Drosophila and have examined the course taken by their axons. The axons of such ectopic neurons have a regionally varying tendency to grow in the normal, proximal direction. This proximal bias approaches 100% for neurons located in the distal part of vein L2 and 70% in distal vein L4 but falls to chance (50%) along vein L5. Thus, neurons forming in ectopic regions of the wing, especially those found near the normal axon pathways (veins L1 and L3), have a high probability of growing axons in the correct direction. We conclude that information relevant to axon outgrowth is not restricted to the normal pathways. Whether this information is intrinsic or extrinsic to the neurons, and why its strength shows such conspicuous regional variation, awaits further study.
Effects of pneumoperitoneum on intraoperative pulmonary mechanics and gas exchange during laparoscopic gastric bypass

Background: Hypercarbia and elevated intraabdominal pressure resulting from carbon dioxide (CO2) pneumoperitoneum can adversely affect respiratory mechanics. This study examined the changes in mechanical ventilation, CO2 homeostasis, and pulmonary gas exchange in morbidly obese patients undergoing a laparoscopic or open gastric bypass (GBP) procedure. Methods: In this study, 58 patients with a body mass index (BMI) of 40 to 60 kg/m2 were randomly allocated to laparoscopic (n = 31) or open (n = 27) GBP. Minute ventilation was adjusted to maintain a low normal arterial partial pressure of CO2 (PaCO2), low normal end-tidal partial pressure of CO2 (ETCO2), and low airway pressure. Respiratory compliance, ETCO2, peak inspiratory pressure (PIP), total exhaled CO2 per minute (VCO2), and pulse oximetry (SO2) were measured at 30-min intervals. The acid–base balance was determined by arterial blood gas analysis at 1-h intervals. The pulmonary gas exchange was evaluated by calculation of the alveolar dead space–to–tidal volume ratio (VDalv/VT) and alveolar–arterial oxygen gradient (PAO2–PaO2). Results: The two groups were similar in age, gender, and BMI. As compared with open GBP, laparoscopic GBP resulted in higher ETCO2, PIP, and VCO2, and a lower respiratory compliance. Arterial blood gas analysis demonstrated higher PaCO2 and lower pH during laparoscopic GBP than during open GBP (p < 0.05). The VDalv/VT ratio and PAO2–PaO2 gradient did not change significantly during laparoscopic GBP. Intraoperative oxygen desaturation (SO2 < 90%) did not develop in any of the patients in either group. Conclusions: Laparoscopic GBP alters intraoperative pulmonary mechanics and acid–base balance but does not significantly affect pulmonary oxygen exchange. Changes in pulmonary mechanics are well tolerated in morbidly obese patients when proper ventilator adjustments are maintained.
A Profile of Users of Electronic Mail in a University: Frequent Versus Occasional Users.

Each active user of electronic mail contributes a portion of the activity (usage) necessary to maintain the viability of the system. Frequent users contribute a greater proportion of that individual usage than occasional users contribute and are essential for maintaining critical mass. This study examines factors that differentiate among frequent and occasional users of electronic mail, for the purpose of developing a profile of users to help organizations develop strategies for increasing system usage. Mail users responded to a quantitative self-report survey that was administered over the organization's electronic mail system. Results of discriminant analysis yielded a significant discriminant function composed of five of the factors: preference for telephony and electronic mail, perception that users are required to use electronic mail in their jobs, degree to which use is for oneself or to send or receive messages for others, perception of system problems, and ease of teaching another to use the syste...
Solution-liquid-solid (SLS) growth of silicon nanowires.

Here we report the solution−liquid−solid (SLS) synthesis of silicon (Si) nanowires. Nanowires are grown by trisilane (Si3H8) decomposition in a high boiling solvent, octacosane (C28H58) or squalane (C30H62), in the presence of either Au or Bi nanocrystals. To our knowledge, this is the first report of a colloidal synthetic route carried out in a solvent at atmospheric pressure that provides crystalline Si nanowires in large quantities.
Characterization of polysaccharides isolated from maple syrup

Abstract Seven high molecular weight polysaccharides, including a dextran, four hydroxyprolyl-containing arabinogalactans, a rhamnogalacturonan, and another fraction rich in fucosyl, glucosyl, mannosyl and xylosyl residues, have been identified as components of maple syrup. The glycosyl-linkage compositions of several of these polysaccharides are similar to those of plant cell wall polysaccharides.
Resilient readers? University students who are poor recoders but sometimes good text comprehenders

The authors screened 194 university students to determine whether some could comprehend text well despite very poor recoding skills, measured by pseudoword reading. Most of the 17 poorest recoders had never been identified as reading disabled. We classified 6 poor recoders as resilient readers because their text comprehension scores were average or above, relative to the sample as a whole. They were indistinguishable from 6 matched typical readers on measures of text comprehension derived from oral-reading think-aloud protocols. There was no evidence that the resilient readers relied on superior verbal ability or working memory to compensate for poor recoding. The resilient readers were poor at spelling, reading isolated words, and reading text rapidly, but they showed adequate phonemic awareness.
XPS and AFM study of chemical mechanical polishing of silicon nitride

Abstract In this paper, the effect of chemical–mechanical polishing (CMP) of silicon nitride films was investigated using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and atomic force microscopy (AFM). Silicon nitride films with different deposition methods (PECVD and LPCVD) and two different silica-based slurries were studied. The surface chemical structure of as-deposited LPCVD film is slightly better than that of as-deposited PECVD film, and the surface morphologies (RMS roughness ∽0.3 nm for LPCVD film, and 1.9 nm for PECVD film) are much different. After CMP, the LPCVD film was more dramatically oxidized, and the surface became rougher for the process conditions used. The PECVD film was less dramatically oxidized, a subsilicon nitride (SiNx) appeared on the surface, and the surface became smoother. These results suggest that the quality of as-deposited nitride film, as well as the CMP process conditions, impact significantly on the quality of the polished surface.