cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Again, Knowledge of Common Source Fails to Promote Visual-Haptic Integration

The present study tested whether knowledge of a common source of conflicting visual-haptic stimulation promotes intersensory integration. 40 undergraduates manually felt the size of a square while viewing it through a lens that minified its visual size by half. Participants, however, could experience the haptic and the visual stimulation as emanating from either a common source or different sources. Their subsequent matches of the perceived size were biased by the felt size of the square, irrespective of whether they experienced the intersensory stimulation as coming from one or two sources. These results strengthen previous findings suggesting that the integration of sensory discordant information depends on bottom-up rather than on top-down processes.
Response of Bromus inermis inoculated with Glomus fasciculatum to potassium fertilization and drought stress

Bromus inermis Leyss. was grown in a 2×2×2 factorial design using different levels of mycorrhizal inoculation (inoculated and noninoculated), soil water stress (Ψ1 or −0.8 MPa) and potassium (K) fertilization (0 or 150 ppm) as factors. Soil water stress and mycorrhizal inoculation significantly reduced plant top dry weight during the 18 week study. Chlamydospore production by the mycorrhizal symbiontGlomus fasciculatum (Thaxter sensu. Gerd.) Gerd. and Trappe was significantly reduced by soil water stress of −0.8 MPa. Potassium (K) fertilization did not significantly influence plant top growth or mycorrhizal colonization. However, foliar Ca and Mg were significantly lower in plants fertilized with K. Foliar Ca and Mg concentrations of P, K, N, Mn, Zn and Cu were significantly greater in drought stressed plants whereas Ca and Mg concentrations were significantly greater in well-watered plants.
Mutant ion channel in cochlear hair cells causes deafness

The sensation of balance and hearing is initiated by the conversion of the movement of stereocilia in hair cells of the inner ear into electrical signals in nerve fibers leading to the brain. Driven by pressure waves that are generated by sound, head movement, or gravity, this transformation of energy occurs in structures of exceptional delicacy and intricacy, where movements of atomic dimensions result in perception (1). Not surprisingly, these sensory modalities may be easily and irreversibly damaged by, for example, chemical agents, noise, or head trauma. Because sensory transduction requires the performance of single molecules, it is also sensitive to mutation, and there is now a growing list of genetic loci for deafness that have been successfully traced to genes coding for membrane, regulatory, or structural proteins of the inner ear. In this issue of PNAS, Kharkovets et al. (2) report the expression pattern of a novel potassium channel, KCNQ4, in subtypes of hair cells and neurons of the auditory and vestibular systems. As mutations in the gene encoding KCNQ4 appear to cause one form of nonsyndromic dominant deafness, the results of this paper may lead to a refined molecular understanding of transduction, of the central processing of signals generated by hair cells, and of treatment of deafness and balance disorders.
Platonic tessellations of Riemann surfaces as models in chemistry: non-zero genus analogues of regular polyhedra

Abstract The concept of regular polyhedra can be generalized to regular polygonal networks on surfaces of non-zero genus, i.e. platonic tessellations of Riemann surfaces. Examples of such figures include the genus 3 Klein {7,3}8 tessellation of 24 heptagons and the Dyck {8,3}6 tessellation of 12 octagons used to describe possible allotropes of carbon and boron nitride exhibiting low density negative curvature zeolite-like structures. The dual of a related genus 3 double cube {4,2·3} tessellation consisting of four hexagons meeting at each vertex is used by Sadoc and Charvolin in their topological theory of bilayers in liquid crystal and micellar structures. Similar platonic tessellations of non-zero genus provide geometric models for the double point groups used in molecular physics such as the genus 2 {3,4+4} tessellation for the double octahedral group and the genus 5 {3,2·5} tessellation for the double icosahedral group.
CONTROL OF MICROVASCULAR RESISTANCE IN PHYSIOLOGICAL CONDITIONS AND REPERFUSION

Abstract Regulation of coronary microvascular resistance is not distributed uniformly, but varies across different segments of the vasculature. Differences in regulatory mechanisms, including metabolic, myogenic, α -adrenergic and endothelial cell mediated, help define a series of coronary vascular microdomains. Generally, small arterioles, those less than 100 μ m in diameter, respond differently than large arterioles or small arteries. This segmental distribution suggests an integrative hypothesis of regulation whereby a variety of mechanisms play a role in the overall response. One pathology that disturbs these control mechanisms in the microcirculation of the heart is reperfusion injury. Reperfusion injury of the microcirculation has as its primary target the vascular endothelium. The mechanisms responsible for reduced endothelium-dependent relaxation, likely include a reduction in the levels of tetrahydrobiopterin, a co-factor of nitric oxide synthase. Manipulation of levels of tetrahydrobiopterin in endothelial cells may be beneficial in the prevention of the pathophysiological sequelae of reperfusion injury in the coronary microcirculation.
Major alteration in coxsackievirus B3 genomic RNA structure distinguishes a virulent strain from an avirulent strain

Coxsackievirus B3 (CV-B3) is a cardiovirulent enterovirus that utilizes a 5' untranslated region (5'UTR) to complete critical viral processes. Here, we directly compared the structure of a 5'UTR from a virulent strain with that of a naturally occurring avirulent strain. Using chemical probing analysis, we identified a structural difference between the two 5'UTRs in the highly substituted stem-loop II region (SLII). For the remainder of the 5'UTR, we observed conserved structure. Comparative sequence analysis of 170 closely related enteroviruses revealed that the SLII region lacks conservation. To investigate independent folding and function, two chimeric CV-B3 strains were created by exchanging nucleotides 104-184 and repeating the 5'UTR structural analysis. Neither the parent SLII nor the remaining domains of the background 5'UTR were structurally altered by the exchange, supporting an independent mechanism of folding and function. We show that the attenuated 5'UTR lacks structure in the SLII cardiovirulence determinant.
The large subunit of bacteriophage λ’s terminase plays a role in DNA translocation and packaging termination

Abstract The DNA packaging enzyme of bacteriophage λ, terminase, is a heteromultimer composed of a small subunit, gpNu1, and a large subunit, gpA, products of the Nu1 and A genes, respectively. The role of terminase in the initial stages of packaging involving the site-specific binding and cutting of the DNA has been well characterized. While it is believed that terminase plays an active role in later post-cleavage stages of packaging, such as the translocation of DNA into the head shell, this has not been demonstrated. Accordingly, we undertook a generalized mutagenesis of λ’s A gene and found ten lethal mutations, nine of which cause post-cleavage packaging defects. All were located in the amino-terminal two-thirds of gpA, separate from the carboxy-terminal region where mutations affecting the protein’s endonuclease activity have been found. The mutants fall into five groups according to their packaging phenotypes: (1) two mutants package part of the λ chromosome, (2) one mutant packages the entire chromosome, but very slowly compared to wild-type, (3) two mutants do not package any DNA, (4) four mutants, though inviable, package the entire λ chromosome, and (5) one mutant may be defective in both early and late stages of DNA packaging. These results indicate that gpA is actively involved in late stages of packaging, including DNA translocation, and that this enzyme contains separate functional domains for its early and late packaging activities.
Endgame Problem Part 2: Multibody Technique and the Tisserand-Poincare Graph

This two-part series studies the anatomy of the endgame problem, the last part of the spacecraft trajectory before the orbit-insertion maneuver into the science orbit. The endgame provides large savings in the capture A v, and therefore it is an important element in the design of ESA and NASA missions to the moons of Jupiter and Saturn. The endgame problem has been approached in different ways with different results: the ν ∞ -leveraging-maneuver approach leads to high-Δ ν, short-time-of-flight transfers, and the multibody technique leads to low-Δν, long-time-of-flight transfers. This paper series investigates the link between the two approaches, giving a new insight to the complex dynamics of the multibody gravity-assist problem. In this paper we focus on the multibody approach using a new graphical tool, the Tisserand-Poincare graph. The Tisserand-Poincare graph shows that ballistic endgames are energetically possible and it explains why they require resonant orbits patched with high-altitude flybys, whereas in the ν ∞ -leveraging-maneuver approach, flybys alone are not effective without impulsive maneuvers in between them. We then use the Tisserand-Poincare graph to design quasi-ballistic transfers. Unlike previous methods, the Tisserand-Poincare graph provides a valuable energy-based target point for the design of the endgame and begin-game and a simple way to patch them. Finally, we present two transfers. The first transfer is between low-altitude orbits at Europa and Ganymede using almost half the Δν of the Hohmann transfer; the second transfer is a 300-day quasi-ballistic transfer between halo orbits of the Jupiter-Ganymede and Jupiter-Europa. With approximately 50 m/s the transfer can be reduced by two months.
Inhibition of adrenal cortical hormones by an extract of lymphoid tissue

Les resultats obtenus indiqueraient une relation etroite entre le tissu lymphatique et les glandes endocrines, l'hypophyse et les corticosurrenales. Les auteurs suggerent la possibilite d'un systeme endocrinaire, comprenant l'hypothalamus, l'hypophyse, les surrenales et le tissu lymphatique.
The end of history

Species and Specificity: An Interpretation of the History of Immunology. By Pauline M. H. Mazumdar Cambridge University Press: 1995. Pp. 457. £40, $64.95. Immunology: The Making of a Modern Science. By R. B. Gallagher Jean Gilder G. J. V. Nossal and G. Salvatore Academic: 1995. Pp. 246. £27.50, $39.95.
A Thyratron Circuit for Theater Lighting

AT present there is a definite need in small theaters, such as those in colleges and universities, for a flexible, highly advanced system of stage lighting control. During recent years such systems capable of supplying the relatively tremendous loads of the large muscial comedy houses — up to about 25 kilowatts individual circuit capacity — have been developed. However, little attention has been paid to the needs of the small legitimate theater, which requires just as much flexibility of light control and perhaps almost as many circuits but of much smaller individual capacity — perhaps a kilowatt or two maximum. It is with circuits appropriated for this use that the present paper deals. Experimental circuits employing thyratrons as power rectifiers, supplying uni-directional current directly to a lamp load, were developed as part of the investigation and proved satisfactory. The fundamental problem in stage lighting is that of supplying voltages of proper magnitude to appropriate lamp circuits in the required sequence. Although it may be difficult to decide which single feature is most desirable in a satisfactory theater lighting control system, a number of characteristics are agreed to be essential, and their comprehension lies in a brief analysis of a few typical examples of the operator's task.
Novel method for precise focal length measurement

A new technique for precise focal length measurements by use of a hologram is presented. The hologram is used in first order diffraction to emulate the reflective properties of a convex spherical mirror when performing null tests with a phase-shifting interferometer. The hologram, comprised of concentric reflective rings (much like a Fresnel zone plate), is written lithographically and offers a higher degree of precision, at lower cost, than its spherical mirror counterpart and many other potential measurement techniques.
Studies on the mechanism of the GABA-mediated inhibition of prolactin secretion.

SummaryGABA has a direct inhibiting effect on prolactin release by the pituitary in vitro and this effect is not blocked by coin-cubation with the specific GABA-receptor antagonist picrotoxin. GABA appears to be at least 100-fold less potent than dopamine as an inhibitor of prolactin secretion. Systemic administration of GABA did not affect basal serum prolactin levels, but inhibited the 5-hydroxytryptophan-induced secretion of prolactin. It is concluded that the direct effect of GABA on prolactin secretion by the pituitary is not mediated by well-defined neurotransmitter mechanisms.
Towards Thermal Profiling in CMOS/Memristor Hybrid RRAM Architectures

In this paper, we propose a hybrid temperature sensing resistive random access memory (TSRRAM) architecture composed of traditional CMOS components and emerging memristive switching devices. The architecture enables each RRAM switching element to be used both as a memory bit and a temperature sensor. The TSRRAM is integrated into an Alpha 21364 processor as an L2 cache. Its accuracy and performance were simulated using a customized simulation framework. SPEC2000 benchmarks were used to generate thermal profiles in the Alpha processor core. Active and passive sensing mechanisms are also introduced as means for DTM algorithms to determine the thermal profile of the RRAM switching layer. The proposed architecture yielded a 2.14 K mean absolute temperature error during passive sensing, which is well within the useful range of dynamic thermal management (DTM) algorithms. Furthermore, the proposed design is shown to have only an 8 cycle performance overhead.
Three-valued logics: An introduction, a comparison of various logical lexica, and some philosophical remarks

Etude comparative des differents lexiques logiques en logique trivalente et caracterisation algebrique de leur puissance expressive
The First Law of Thermodynamics in a salty ocean

Abstract The First Law of Thermodynamics is developed from fundamentals for open, non-equilibrium systems of seawater in motion, exchanging salt and freshwater internally and with their surroundings, and varying continuously in temperature, pressure, and salinity. The aim is clarity and consistency of concepts – and precision in the accompanying vocabulary. Particular attention is given to the way in which salinity variation plays out in the logical structures. The arbitrary constants in the thermodynamic potentials and the various First Law equations are highlighted, in order to remove them, and to recover the physically meaningful content. When this is done, it is seen that salinity variations have little consequence in application of the First Law to the ocean, apart from affecting values of coefficients.
Acute, oral ethanol administration suppresses episodic growth hormone secretion in the male rat

The effect of single dose ethanol administration on GH secretion was studied in young adult male rats bearing indwelling gastric and right-atrial cannulas. Rats (nonfasted) received saline or ethanol (1, 2, 3, or 4 g/kg) via gastric cannula 2h before the onset of the daily dark period; blood was sampled every 15 min for 5 h. Each rat served as its own control, receiving saline and one ethanol dose separated by 2-3 days. Plasma samples were assayed for ethanol, GH, and testosterone. On saline days, all rats showed typical, episodic peaks of GH in plasma. This pattern was unaffected by ethanol at 1 g/kg (peak plasma ethanol approximately 65 mg/100 ml). Ethanol at 2 g/kg caused a rapid, marked, but not total suppression of plasma GH levels (peak plasma ethanol approximately 140 mg/100 ml), whereas at doses of 3 or 4 g/kg ethanol, a total suppression of GH secretion occurred (peak plasma ethanol approximately 190 and 240 mg/100 ml, respectively). Plasma testosterone levels showed a similar dose-sensitivity to...
Self-shortening dynamics measured along a femtosecond laser filament in air.

The filamentation-induced temporal shortening of a 40 femtosecond pulse propagating in air is traced using impulsive vibrational Raman scattering and measurement of the power spectrum as a function of position along the propagation axis. The N{sub 2}, O{sub 2}, and H{sub 2}O vibrational Raman responses reveal self-shortening of pulse features to 14 fs during the first filamentation cycle and to at least 9 fs in the second cycle. Spectral measurements further demonstrate that the coherent bandwidth generated in the region from 470 to 330 nm during the self-shortening process forms the {approx}9 fs pulse.
Do laboratory frontal crash test programs predict driver fatality risk? Evidence from within vehicle line variation in test ratings

A number of studies have examined whether the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's (NHTSA) frontal crash test results reliably indicate the risk of fatality or injury in serious crashes. The conclusions of these studies are mixed. Generally, studies that examine crashes in the circumstances as close as possible to those of the laboratory test find that crash test results do predict real-world risk, but studies of crashes outside those specific circumstances find either no support for the predictive validity of crash test results or limited support with important inconsistencies. We provide a new test of the predictive validity of the crash test results using information from multiple crash tests within vehicle lines, thus controlling for systematic differences in driver behavior across vehicle lines. Among drivers of passenger cars, we find large, statistically significant differences in fatality risk for vehicles with one- to four-star NHTSA ratings versus a five-star rating. We also examine the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety's frontal offset crash test, though our sample of vehicle lines tested twice or more is considerably smaller than for NHTSA ratings. Our results also support the predictive validity of the frontal offset crash test results for passenger cars, but not for trucks.
WHEN GURBANI SINGS A HEALTHY HAPPY HOLY SONG

This article examines 3HO Kirtan (devotional music of the international Kundalini Yoga Sikh community aka Healthy Happy Holy Organization) whose innovative musical styles and practices reconstruct and deconstruct particular notions of 3HO Sikh identity and orthopraxy. 3HO Kirtan also includes the singing of Sikh devotional hymns (Gurbani Kirtan) which maintain specific performative parameters. Thus, normative Sikh ideology views 3HO Kirtan as transgressive when Gurbani is sung in various musical styles, in translation, and when incorporated with Celestial Communication movement within Gurdwaras (Sikh temples) as well as Kundalini Yoga and dancing at 3HO Kirtan concerts. Through deconstructing the nature of Gurbani itself, this article questions whether embodied practices of the 3HO Sikh community are indeed proscribed acts or if they can be understood as entraining the spiritual intentionality necessary to sing and thus embody the Bani as Guru. Today, New-Age spirituality markets ‘kirtaan’ music through y...
Effects of Soliciting Opinions on Contributions to a Public Good1

In a field study, subjects were mailed a request for a monetary contribution toward the maintenance of a public good. One half the subjects received only this request, while the other half received the request along with a short questionnaire that asked for subjects' opinions regarding how their contributions might be best put to use. It was predicted that subjects to whom questionnaires were sent, through enhanced perceptions of efficacy and ingroup identity, would contribute more money than subjects not given the opportunity to communicate their opinions The results, however, indicated that the manipulation had the reverse effect: subjects in the questionnaire condition contributed less money than subjects in the nequestionnaire condition. A post hoc explanation for the data based on the notion of “symbolic” helping actions is provided, and implications for solicitation programs and for research on social dilemmas are discussed.
Recognition of Polyadenosine RNA by the Zinc Finger Domain of Nuclear Poly(A) RNA-binding Protein 2 (Nab2) Is Required for Correct mRNA 3′-End Formation*

Proteins bound to the poly(A) tail of mRNA transcripts, called poly(A)-binding proteins (Pabs), play critical roles in regulating RNA stability, translation, and nuclear export. Like many mRNA-binding proteins that modulate post-transcriptional processing events, assigning specific functions to Pabs is challenging because these processing events are tightly coupled to one another. To investigate the role that a novel class of zinc finger-containing Pabs plays in these coupled processes, we defined the mode of polyadenosine RNA recognition for the conserved Saccharomyces cerevisiae Nab2 protein and assessed in vivo consequences caused by disruption of RNA binding. The polyadenosine RNA recognition domain of Nab2 consists of three tandem Cys-Cys-Cys-His (CCCH) zinc fingers. Cells expressing mutant Nab2 proteins with decreased binding to polyadenosine RNA show growth defects as well as defects in poly(A) tail length but do not accumulate poly(A) RNA in the nucleus. We also demonstrate genetic interactions between mutant nab2 alleles and mutant alleles of the mRNA 3′-end processing machinery. Together, these data provide strong evidence that Nab2 binding to RNA is critical for proper control of poly(A) tail length.
Materially and geometrically non-linear woven composite micro-mechanical model with failure for finite element simulations

A computational micro-mechanical material model of woven fabric composite material is developed to simulate failure. The material model is based on repeated unit cell approach. The fiber reorientation is accounted for in the effective stiffness calculation. Material non-linearity due to the shear stresses in the impregnated yarns and the matrix material is included in the model. Micro-mechanical failure criteria determine the stiffness degradation for the constituent materials. The developed material model with failure is programmed as user-defined sub-routine in the LS-DYNA finite element code with explicit time integration. The code is used to simulate the failure behavior of woven composite structures. The results of finite element simulations are compared with available test results. The model shows good agreement with the experimental results and good computational efficiency required for finite element simulations of woven composite structures.
How to spend $9.3 billion in three days: examining the upfront buying process in the production of US television culture

This article explores the relatively unstudied practice of the US ‘upfront’ buying process in which advertisers make multimillion-dollar commitments to buy 70 to 90 percent of the commercial time in the upcoming year in just a few days. Using observation of a media buying agency during the 2005 upfront buying period, attendance at a number of upfront presentations in 2003, and interviews with media buyers and planners, this article explains and analyzes the importance of the upfront buying process to the cultural production of the US television industry. I examine the causes of the durability of this significant economic practice, suggestions of its demise and its consequences for cultural production during a time of substantial industry reorganization. Access to industry workers and processes reveals important information about the actual operation of commercial media structures that add valuable insight to established understandings of economic practices.
Assessment and prevalence of obesity: application of new methods to a major problem.

Overweight and obesity are major health problems worldwide. A body mass index of ≥25 has been classified as overweight and of ≥30 as obesity. However, national and epidemiologic data on overweight and obesity are not based on actual measures of body fat because of the difficulty of collecting such data from large groups and especially from the obese. There are now numerous direct and indirect methods to assess body fat. Anthropometric techniques are the most common indirect methods used in epidemiologic and clinical assessments, but these are restricted in the obese to circumferences. The other methods of assessing body fat are bioelectrical impedance, body density, total body water, and dual X-ray absorptiometry, all of which have advantages and limitations when applied to the obese. All these methods make use of statistical models in calculating body composition. There are several sources of available reference data for anthropometric measures for the US population, but no direct measures of body fat are currently available. There is a clear need for continued development and validation of new and existing techniques to determine levels of fat.
Carrier leakage in Ge/Si core-shell nanocrystals for lasers: core size and strain effects

The electronic structure and optical properties of Ge-core/Si-shell nanocrystal or quantum dot (QD) are investigated using the atomistic tight binding method as implemented in NEMO3D. The thermionic lifetime that governs the hole leakage mechanism in the Ge/Si QD based laser, as a function of the Ge core size and strain, is also calculated by capturing the bound and extended eigenstates, well below the band edges. We also analyzed the eect of core size and strain on optical properties such as transition energies and transition rates between electron and hole states. Finally, a quantitative and qualitative analysis of the leakage current due to the hole leakage through the Ge-core/Si-shell QD laser, at dierent temperatures and Ge core sizes, is presented.
COMPETITION BETWEEN MAGNETIC AND STRUCTURAL TRANSITIONS IN CRN

CrN is observed to undergo a paramagnetic to antiferromagnetic transition accompanied by a shear distortion from cubic NaCl-type to orthorhombic structure. Our first-principle plane wave and ultrasoft pseudopotential calculations confirm that the distorted antiferromagnetic phase with spin configuration arranged in double ferromagnetic sheets along [110] is the most stable. Antiferromagnetic ordering leads to a large depletion of states around Fermi level, but it does not open a gap. Simultaneous occurence of structural distortion and antiferromagnetic order is analyzed.
High dietary sodium reduces brachial artery flow-mediated dilation in humans with salt-sensitive and salt-resistant blood pressure

Recent studies demonstrate that high dietary sodium (HS) impairs endothelial function in those with salt-resistant (SR) blood pressure (BP). The effect of HS on endothelial function in those with s...
Use of antisense oligodeoxynucleotide to δ-opioid receptor mRNA in the study of turnover of δ-opioid receptors in the spinal cord of the mouse

Pretreatment of male ICR mice with an antisense oligodeoxynucleotide to δ-opioid receptor mRNA (DOR AS oligo, 163 pmol) given intrathecally (i.t.) once a day for 1–3 days produced a time-dependent attenuation of antinociception produced by i.t.-challenged [D-Ala2] deltorphin II (6.4 nmol), a δ-opioid receptor agonist. The attenuation of the [D-Ala2]deltorphin II-induced antinociception caused by pretreatment with DOR AS oligo given i.t. daily was blocked by co-pretreatment with naltriben (14.5 nmol), a δ-opioid receptor antagonist, but was markedly enhanced by concomitant pretreatment with thiorphan (19.7 nmol) or bestatin (14.5 nmol), which inhibits the degradation of endogenously released Met-enkephalin. Concomitant pretreatment with antiserum to Met-enkephalin, but not with antiserum to Leu-enkephalin, β-endorphin or dynorphin A (1–17), and DOR AS oligo given i.t. daily for 3 days prevented the attenuation of i.t.-challenged [D-Ala2]deltorphin II-induced antinociception caused by the DOR AS oligo pretreatment. Our results support the existence of a turnover of δ-opioid receptors in the mouse spinal cord caused by the release of Met-enkephalin.
Adhesive Properties of Cured Phenylethynyl-Terminated Imide Oligomers

Abstract As part of a program to develop structural adhesives for high performance aerospace applications, phenylethynyl-terminated imide oligomers are under evaluation. Imide oligomers with different molecular weights and compositions endcapped with either 4-(3-aminophenoxy)-4′-phenylethynylbenzophenone (3-APEB) or 4-phenylethynylphthalic anhydride (PEPA) have been prepared and characterized. These oligomers exhibit excellent processability. After heating to 350°C for 1 hour, the terminal phenylethynyl groups have reacted to provide chain extension, branching and crosslinking. The cured polymers exhibit excellent solvent resistance and high mechanical properties as neat resins and in various adhesive forms (tensile shear, sandwich flatwise tension and climbing drum peel specimens). The chemistry and properties of these phenylethynyl-terminated imide oligomers are discussed.
Regional Mechanical Anisotropy in Decellurized Rat Heart Ventricle

The whole cadaveric rat heart can be perfused with a detergent to completely decellurize the tissue [2]. What remains is a three-dimensional scaffold that can be repopulated with neonatal cardiac cells or rat aortic endothelial cells. However, in the development of a biological substitute to replace a tissue or organ, a critical question is how to evaluate the proposed substitute.Copyright © 2011 by ASME
Quantum Theory of Spontaneous Parametric Scattering of Intense Light

A quantum theory is developed for the spontaneous optical parametric process in nonlinear, anisotropic, and dispersive media; the process is treated directly as a scattering problem rather than a problem involving equivalent coupled oscillators. Following the general procedure in quantum field theory, a general expression is obtained for the differential extinction coefficient, which contains all the information on the intensity of the spontaneous emission in the parametric scattering process. The tuning characteristics, beam divergence, and spectral properties of the spontaneous emission for colinear and noncolinear interactions are described in detail and illustrated with numerical examples on such standard nonlinear optical crystals as LiNb${\mathrm{O}}_{3}$, N${\mathrm{H}}_{4}$${\mathrm{H}}_{2}$P${\mathrm{O}}_{4}$, and K${\mathrm{H}}_{2}$P${\mathrm{O}}_{4}$ under various pumping conditions. Explicit formulas for the intensity of the spontaneous emission are also obtained. The spontaneous intensity calculated using the formulas given is shown to be in complete agreement with known experimental data on N${\mathrm{H}}_{4}$${\mathrm{H}}_{2}$P${\mathrm{O}}_{4}$ pumped at 3472 \AA{}.
The Finite-Amplitude Nature of Tropical Cyclogenesis

Abstract We have constructed a simple, balanced, axisymmetric model as a means of understanding the existence of the threshold amplitude for tropical cyclogenesis discovered by Rotunno and Emanuel. The model is similar to Ooyama's but is phrased in Schubert and Hack's potential radius coordinates. The essential difference between this and other balanced models lies in the representation of convective clouds. In the present model the cumulus updraft mass flux depends simply and directly on the buoyancy (on angular momentum surfaces) of lifted subcloud-layer air and is not explicitly constrained by moisture convergence. The downdraft mass flux is equal to the updraft flux multiplied by (1−ϵ), where ϵ is the precipitation efficiency. The complete spectrum of convective clouds in nature is here represented by two extremes: deep clouds with a precipitation efficiency of one, and shallow, nonprecipitating clouds. The former stabilize the atmosphere both by heating the free atmosphere and drying out the subcloud...
Repeated Presentation of Stimuli and Production of Original Responses by Children

Form I of the Children's Version of Onomatopoeia and Images was administered to 107 elementary school students and Form II to 100 junior high school students. Their responses to 4 presentations of 5 verbal stimuli showed progressive mean gains in originality scores with the greatest gains occurring on the first repetition.
Delay Differential Equations in the Dynamics of Gene Copying

We analyze a model of gene transcription and protein synthesis which has been previously presented in the biological literature. The model takes the form of an ODE (ordinary differential equation) coupled to a DDE (delay differential equation), the state variables being concentrations of messenger RNA and protein. The delay is assumed to depend on the concentration of mRNA and is therefore state-dependent. Linear analysis gives a critical time delay beyond which a periodic motion is born in a Hopf bifurcation. Lindstedt’s method is applied to the nonlinear system, resulting in closed form approximate expressions for the amplitude and frequency of oscillation.
Open-cell design stents in congenital heart disease: a comparison of IntraStent vs. Palmaz stents.

Slotted stainless Palmaz stents (PS) remain the most commonly used in congenital heart disease (CHD). Limitations of PS include rigidity, foreshortening, poor conformability on expansion, balloon rupture, and jailing of side branches. Recently, stents with open-cell design (IntraStent; IS) in appropriate sizes for CHD have been introduced. We reviewed our experience with the IS, comparing performance with the PS in a retrospective nonrandomized, uncontrolled observational study. Between May 1999 and March 2001, 34 IS (10–36 mm) and 34 PS (10–40 mm) were implanted in 57 patients (3 months to 25 years old; median, 3.24 years) in congenital or postoperative lesions. There was no statistically significant difference between the two groups in efficacy, % diameter increase (162% ± 203% for IS vs. 153% ± 177% for PS), and % gradient reduction (69% ± 23% for IS vs. 80% ± 27% for PS). Other aspects of stent performance differed significantly (P 15% (0/34 for PS vs. 7/34 for IS; P = 0.006); IS conformed almost twice as well to vessel curvature (P = 0.003). Although these factors did not affect immediate procedural success, balloon rupture in two PS resulted in stent malpositions. Among IS, the origins of three covered side branches were accessed and balloon dilated up to 6 mm through the side of the stent. In conclusion, stents with open-cell design have some characteristics that seem beneficial for their use in CHD: they foreshorten less, are conformable, are less likely to cause balloon rupture, and can allow access to jailed branches. However, they have a higher incidence of significant percent recoil and protrusion of intimal tissue in between struts, which may impact long-term stent performance. Cathet Cardiovasc Intervent 2002;56:400–409. © 2002 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Factor Structure of Scores from the Conners’ Rating Scales–Revised Among Nepali Children

This study used exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses to examine the structures of scores from the Conners' Teacher and Parent Rating Scales-Revised (CTRS-R and CPRS-R, respectively; Conners, 1997). The scales were administered to 1,835 parents and 1,387 teachers of children in Nepal's Sarlahi district - a region where no other measures of child psychopathology have been studied. With a Nepali sample, the findings indicate that reduced two factor models for the Conners' scales are superior to the models identified in the scale development research. The hyperactivity and inattention factors were comparable to what has been identified in prior research, while other factors (e.g., social problems) differed substantially. Implications for use of the Conners' scales in Nepal and cross cultural issues in the assessment of ADHD symptoms are discussed.
Crystallization of opals from polydisperse nanoparticles

We report the reversible formation of crystals of nanoparticles (opals) from solutions of polydisperse gold nanocrystals. The structures are identified by transmission electron microscopy, and are characterized by hexagonal domains of large particles at the center, surrounded radially by successively smaller particles. Simulated annealing Monte Carlo calculations are used to demonstrate that these configurations correspond to minimization of the mesoscopic van der Waals energy of polydisperse particles, and the driving force for ordering is the size dependence of dispersional attractions.
Infrared multiphoton dissociation for enhanced de novo sequence interpretation of N-terminal sulfonated peptides in a quadrupole ion trap.

Infrared multiphoton dissociation (IRMPD) of N-terminal sulfonated peptides improves de novo sequencing capabilities in a quadrupole ion trap mass spectrometer. Not only does IRMPD promote highly efficient dissociation of the N-terminal sulfonated peptides but also the entire series of y ions down to the y1 fragment may be detected due to alleviation of the low-mass cutoff problem associated with conventional collisional activated dissociation (CAD) methods in a quadrupole ion trap. Commercial de novo sequencing software was applied for the interpretation of CAD and IRMPD MS/MS spectra collected for seven unmodified peptides and the corresponding N-terminal sulfonated species. In most cases, the additional information obtained by N-terminal sulfonation in combination with IRMPD provided significant improvements in sequence identification. The software sequence tag results were combined with a commercial database searching algorithm to interpret sequence information of a tryptic digest on α-casein s1. Ener...
Principles of the analytic element method

An overview of the development and current state of analytic element method, as well as a brief presentation of the principles on which the technique is based is presented in this article. Illustrations of a few representative analytic elements are also presented. A brief discussion is added of both rotational flow and transient flow. The latter two aspects of the method require further development before they are ready for implementation in computer programs and can be applied to the modeling of groundwater flow.
The use of HMDS (hexamethyldisilazane) to Replace Critical Point Drying (CPD) in the Preparation of Tardigrades for SEM (Scanning Electron Microscope) Imaging

HMDS (hexamethyldisilazane) may be used to replace the critical point drying step in sample preparation of tardigrades for SEM imaging. Previous procedures required a Critical Point Drying apparatus or machine to achieve the temperature/pressure combination to completely dehydrate a small specimen for SEM work. Now a simple bath in HMDS brings the specimens to the same state of dehydration without special equipment. Results are equal to the previous method.
Halothane accumulation in rat brain and liver.

Halothane concentration (μg/g wet weight) was measured in rat brain and liver following exposure to various concentrations of halothane in air. Because of the difficulty of determining the amount of a volatile compound in brain, we analyzed tissue fixed by two different methods. The apparent concentration of halothane in brain was higher following direct decapitation into liquid nitrogen, than after decapitation, removal of fresh tissue, and then freezing. However, the relative effects of altering the inspired concentration were essentially the same in each case. Thus, absolute quantitative accuracy remains a point for discussion; however, we can reach several conclusions regarding the relative accumulation of halothane in brain tissue following various conditions of exposure. Resultant tissue concentrations of halothane were not linearly related to ambient concentrations. Above an inspired concentration of 1.0%, an increase to 1.5% inspired concentration caused little further increase in the halothane concentration in brain, although the liver concentration increased in proportion to the dose increase. Below an inspired concentration of 0.5%, tissue concentrations were less than expected, probably as a result of metabolic degradation occurring at a rate that becomes more noticeable at lower inspired concentrations. Body size was shown to be an important variable affecting the time required for each tissue to reach equilibrium at a given inspired concentration. These data indicate that tissue concentrations at low exposure levels may be less than proportional to dose and that concentrations in small laboratory animals may be expected to exceed values in humans under equivalent conditions of exposure.
On the anomalous brightening of Io after eclipse

Abstract Photometric observations of Io during eclipse reappearances, made by various observers, are in conflict and cannot be easily reconciled. We present new observations, some of which show a small brightness anomaly similar to that first reported by Binder and Cruikshank. However, we feel that the standard photometric technique is not sufficiently sensitive to give an unambiguous answer.
Treatment of anorexia nervosa in a specialty care continuum

Objective: Inpatient hospitalization has been a mainstay of treatment for anorexia nervosa (AN), but decreasing lengths of inpatient stay have prompted the development of alternative care-continuum models. This study characterizes the 6-month outcomes of 71 patients with AN who completed an inpatient-treatment protocol (∼5 weeks), followed by a day-hospital program (DHP) (∼3 weeks). Method: Data were derived from chart reviews and questionnaire data were collected during routine clinical care. Results: On discharge from DHP, 35.2% of patients showed excellent outcomes, whereas 23.9% exhibited poor outcomes. At 6 months after DHP discharge, 47.9% of the patients were successful in maintaining outpatient treatment status. Patients with successful 6-month outcomes were admitted to inpatient at a higher weight, had fewer previous hospitalizations, were younger, were rated by inpatient staff as more committed to treatment, endorsed less AN psychopathology during inpatient admission, and showed greater weight gain during DHP. Number of previous hospitalizations and weight gain immediately after inpatient discharge predicted 89.2% of outcome classifications 6 months after DHP discharge. Conclusion: These findings highlight both the potential benefits of this care-continuum model for patients who previously have not been hospitalized and the pressing need to develop alternative treatment strategies for patients with more chronic AN. © 2008 by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Eat Disord 2008
Deformation resulting from regional extension during pluton ascent and emplacement, central Sierra Nevada, California

Solid-state foliation, lineation, small-scale folds and domainal shear zones have developed in preexisting granitic and minor metasedimentary wallrock during a combined deformation involving a regional extensional strain and ascent and emplacement of the Mt Givens pluton (MGP). Mylonite is common throughout much of the ∼1–2 km wide, 10 km long shear zone, with ultramylonite best developed near the contact with the MGP, which itself lacks significant solid-state deformation. Migmatization accompanies ultramylonite formation in the northern half of the zone, but both these features are poorly developed or absent in its southern half where the shear zone is distributed over a wider area. Strain estimates across the shear zone using microgranitic enclaves as markers show a positive gradient and an increasing ratio of simple shear/pure shear towards the MGP. Microprobe analyses on hornblende and plagioclase yield pressure and temperature estimates of ∼3.5 kb and ∼680°C respectively, during shear zone formation, at least at its late stages of development. Zircon Pb/U and ^(40)Ar/^(39)Ar ages constrain timing of the high-temperature movement on the shear zone to ∼90 Ma, essentially the age of the MGP, although movement immediately prior to that time appears likely. We speculate that a regional extensional shear zone was developing prior to the emplacement of the MGP, which, as it ascended, heated the wallrock facilitating both further strain in the zone as well as buoyant rise of the pluton along the zone. The MGP was near its critical melt fraction during the last several kilometers (?) of its ascent, and could have possessed sufficient viscosity (strength) to impose a weak shear strain on the shear zone rocks, although most of the foliation and extensional features in the zone are probably related to the regional strain field. Late-stage folding of the foliation is attributed to shouldering aside of the wallrock by the MGP during the last increment of its ascent and final emplacement.
The detailed isotope effect in the F + NH3 AND F + ND3 reactions

Abstract Arrested relaxation infrared chemiluminescence measurements show that the reaction of fluorine atoms with ND 3 channels a much larger fraction of the available exoergicity into DF product vibration than the analogous NH 3 reaction channels into HF vibration. This result is interpreted by a mechanism involving competition between direct abstraction and formation of an intermediate complex.
Estrogen- but not androgen-dominant human ovarian follicular fluid contains an insulin-like growth factor binding protein-4 protease

Estrogen-dominant follicular fluid (FFe) and granulosa-luteal cell conditioned media, in contrast to androgen-dominant FF (FFa), contain barely detectable levels of insulin-like growth factor binding protein-4 (IGFBP-4) by ligand binding techniques. The current study was designed to evaluate the possibility of an IGFBP-4 protease in FFe, which may alter the affinity of IGFBP-4 for insulin-like growth factors (IGFs), rendering IGFBP-4 undetectable by ligand binding techniques. FFe and FFa were obtained from regularly menstruating women, and FFe was also obtained during in vitro fertilization procedures. Mixing experiments were performed by using human recombinant IGFBP-4 or IGFBP-4 in nonpregnancy serum (NPS) as substrate and FF as the source of the putative protease. Incubation of NPS at 37C for 5 h in the presence of FFe resulted in the reduction of IGFBP-4 to barely detectable levels when analyzed by Western ligand blotting, with no change occurring in the levels of the other binding proteins present in NPS. In contrast, incubation of FFa with NPS under similar conditions had no effect on the levels of IGFBP-4. The disappearance of IGFBP-4 when NPS was mixed with FFe exhibited optimal pH-dependence at pH 7-9. Inhibition of the putative protease by aprotinin, ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid, and 1,10-phenanthroline supports its identification as a metalloserine protease. Western immunoblot analysis detected the presence of a proteolytic fragment of approximately 17-18 kDa after incubation of recombinant IGFBP-4 in the presence of FFe but not in the presence of FFa. Similar incubation of other recombinant human IGFBPs did not reveal their degradation, further suggesting that the protease in FFe is specific for IGFBP-4. These data demonstrate the presence of an IGFBP-4-specific metalloserine protease in FFe but not in FFa, and they suggest that proteolytic cleavage may be responsible for effectively decreasing levels of inhibitory IGFBP-4 and thus increasing bioavailability of IGF peptides within estrogen-dominant follicles. The importance of this mechanism may lie in providing the dominant follicle with more available IGFs to synergize with gonadotropins in stimulating estradiol production and in inhibiting this synergy in androgen-dominant and atretic follicles.