cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Is Synthesizing MRI Contrast Useful for Inter-modality Analysis?

Availability of multi-modal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) databases opens up the opportunity to synthesize different MRI contrasts without actually acquiring the images. In theory such synthetic images have the potential to reduce the amount of acquisitions to perform certain analyses. However, to what extent they can substitute real acquisitions in the respective analyses is an open question. In this study, we used a synthesis method based on patch matching to test whether synthetic images can be useful in segmentation and inter-modality cross-subject registration of brain MRI. Thirty-nine T1 scans with 36 manually labeled structures of interest were used in the registration and segmentation of eight proton density (PD) scans, for which ground truth T1 data were also available. The results show that synthesized T1 contrast can considerably enhance the quality of non-linear registration compared with using the original PD data, and it is only marginally worse than using the original T1 scans. In segmentation, the relative improvement with respect to using the PD is smaller, but still statistically significant.
Interferon-Beta Alters Monocytes and B-Cells in Multiple Sclerosis and Experimental Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis. (P1.199)

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to determine the cellular changes that occur after interferon-beta (IFN-beta) treatment in relapsing remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) and experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE). BACKGROUND: IFN-beta is one of the most popular first-line treatments for RRMS. However, 15-30% of RRMS patients do not respond to therapy. Since interferon-beta has pleotropic effects, the purpose of this study was to determine the cellular changes that occur after IFN-beta treatment. Design/Methods: Human subjects: We collected PBMCs from 21 RRMS patients (13 on Glatiramer acetate and 8 on interferon-beta) who met the following criteria: 1) age 20-45, 2) diagnosed with RRMS for less than 7 years, 3) clinically stable at the time of blood draw. We assessed populations of B-cell and monocyte subsets by flow cytometry. Mice: EAE was induced in C57BL/6 or muMT (B-cell deficient) mice with immunization with myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein peptide (MOG35-55) and CFA and treated with 10000 units every second day from day 6 - day 18. EAE scores, B-cell and monocyte populations were assessed. Results: In RRMS patients, we found significant increases in circulating CD19+ B-cells, CD24hiCD38hi transitional B-cells and plasma blasts in patients treated with IFN-beta compared to GA. Furthermore we found that patients treated with IFN-beta had increases in CD86 and CD64 expression on CD14+CD16+ monocytes compared to GA. In mice, we found that IFN-β treatment significantly reduced clinical scores in C57BL/6 mice compared to vehicle control. This clinical effect was associated with increased frequency of B-cells, MOG reactive IgG and expression of CD86 on Ly6Chi monocytes. Finally, we found that muMT did develop EAE but was not affected by IFN-beta treatment. Conclusions: Our data clearly shows that IFN-beta has effects on both myeloid and B-cell lineages. Furthermore, our EAE data demonstrates that B-cells have an immunomodulatory effect in neuro-autoimmune disorders. Disclosure: Dr. Axtell has received personal compensation for activities with Atreca Inc. Dr. Schubert has nothing to disclose. Dr. Steinman has received personal compensation for activities with Biogen Idec, Teva Neuroscience, MedImmune, Sanofi-Aventis, and Bayer.
Physical/Chemical Nature of Pectin Associated with Commercial Orange Juice Cloud

The cloud pectin content of two commercial orange juice concentrates was 4.7 and 4.3%. The cloud pectin was solubilized to varying degrees in 6% citric acid. pH 2.5; in 10M urea-6% citric acid, pH 2.5; by hydrolysis of cloud protein with protease; and in sodium oxalate; pH 4.5. Much of the urea-solubilized pectin reprecipitated upon dialysis. The binding of orange cloud to amino paramagnetic latex particles demonstrated a clear association of cloud pectin with cloud protein. Simulation of orange juice processing conditions indicated that some of the cloud pectin arises from the pulp during processing. About 60% of the cloud pectin is soluble pectin that has become associated with cloud protein, 25–30% is calcium pectate and 15% is protopectin.
Discrete random dopant distribution effects in nanometer-scale MOSFETs

Abstract In this paper, discrete random dopant distribution effects in nanometer-scale MOSFETs were studied using three-dimensional, drift-diffusion “atomistic” simulations. Effects due to the random fluctuation of the number of dopants in the MOSFET channel and the microscopic random distribution of dopant atoms in the MOSFET channel were investigated. Using a simplified model for the threshold voltage fluctuation due to dopant number fluctuation, we examine the standard deviations of the threshold voltage that can be expected for a highly integrated chip.
Epigenetic Mechanisms: Critical Contributors to Long-Term Memory Formation

Recent advances in chromatin biology have identified a role for epigenetic mechanisms in the regulation of neuronal gene expression changes, a necessary process for proper synaptic plasticity and memory formation. Experimental evidence for dynamic chromatin remodeling influencing gene transcription in postmitotic neurons grew from initial reports describing posttranslational modifications of histones, including phosphorylation and acetylation occurring in various brain regions during memory consolidation. An accumulation of recent studies, however, has also highlighted the importance of other epigenetic modifications, such as DNA methylation and histone methylation, as playing a role in memory formation. This present review examines learning-induced gene transcription by chromatin remodeling underlying long-lasting changes in neurons, with direct implications for the study of epigenetic mechanisms in long-term memory formation and behavior. Furthermore, the study of epigenetic gene regulation, in conjunction with transcription factor activation, can provide complementary lines of evidence to further understanding transcriptional mechanisms subserving memory storage.
A review of transcriptomics in cutaneous chemical exposure.

Monitoring gene expression profiles in the skin using microarrays has become a useful approach to enhance the understanding of dermal function, toxicologic mechanisms, and risk assessment. With respect to cutaneous chemical exposure, there are few transcriptomic studies in the published literature, and these often differ in experimental design and availability of raw data. An assessment of multiple microarray data sets could be advantageous for identifying potential redundant biological mechanisms or genes associated with dermal responses to chemical exposure. As in vivo cutaneous chemical exposure models can vary, extrapolations from analyzing multiple cross-species microarray data sets could aid in identifying a general set of pathways or genes that could guide future study direction and evaluation of dermal toxicologic assessments and potential therapeutic intervention. This review provides a summary of studies in the open literature that utilize transcriptomics in assessing the molecular responses in ...
Effectiveness of Transgenic Bt Cottons Against Noctuids in the Lower Rio Grande Valley of Texas

Abstract. The comparative efficacy of Bacillus thuringiensis (Berliner) Bollgard, Bollgard II, WideStrike, and non-Bt expressing cotton, Gossypium hirsutum L., for control of the noctuid complex of bollworm, Helicoverpa zea (Boddie); fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda (J. E. Smith); beet armyworm, Spodoptera exigua (Hubner); and cabbage looper, Trichoplusia ni (Hubner); was evaluated in the Lower Rio Grande Valley of Texas during 2004–2008. When noctuids were abundant, leaves or fruit were significantly less damaged and fewer live larvae were found on Bollgard II cotton compared with non-Bt cotton throughout the growing season. With few to moderate Lepidoptera, cotton with either of the two Bt traits had similar damage. One insecticide application to cotton with Bollgard, Bollgard II, WideStrike, or non-Bt traits resulted in significantly fewer bollworm and beet armyworm larvae and less damage on fruiting structures compared to nontreated cotton. Beet armyworm larval survival and damage to leaves on non...
A Mathematical Structure for Analyzing Fairness in Selection.

A model for examining tradeoffs between rate of minority hiring and quality of selectees is presented. Each case is to be defined in terms of the selection ratio, the relation of outcome to predictor within each group, and other parameters. It is shown that, in a representative case, substantial changes in the rate of minority hiring have only small effects on the quality of the work force. How changes in this rate affect indices of adverse impact and other aspects of fairness is also examined.
Exposure of formulating plant workers to ethion and malathion.

The organophosphorus insecticides, ethion (O,O,0,O'-tetraethyl S,S'-methylene bisphosphorodithioate) and malathion [O,Odimethyl S-l,2-di(ethoxycarbonyl)ethyl phosphorodithioate] have been used for pest control for many years. Evaluation of the hazard to health of workers exposed to these insecticides requires knowledge of the amount of exposure they receive while performing various jobs related to the preparation and use of these compounds.
Effects of variable reproductive potential on reference points for fisheries management

Abstract Analytical and simulation results with hypothetical vectors of biological parameters were employed to demonstrate the impact of variable reproductive potential on reference points based on spawning potential ratio (SPR). Implications for stock recruit function parameterizations are also noted. For the range of variability explored in this illustration, skipped spawning had a negligible impact on reference points, while factors related to spawner condition or experience and density independent survival of recruits (i.e. slope at the origin) had greater effects. When estimating yield per recruit (YPR) associated with a specified SPR, the variability in the biological parameters was greatly dampened. Estimating correlations between the observed trends in maturity and fecundity, and developing models to forecast the probabilities associated with observing a biological state in the future, would be an important contribution to understanding uncertainty in rebuilding projections and future catch advice.
Fieldwork in Schools: A Model for Alternative Settings

OBJECTIVE An exploratory study was conducted at the University of New Hampshire to increase the number of school-based fieldwork opportunities for occupational therapy students and to guide the development of a model for first-time fieldwork supervisors in schools. METHOD Responses to a questionnaire completed by 119 occupational therapists working in schools in northern New England provided a description of both school-based occupational therapy practice and of their needs as supervisors. Interviews with 12 occupational therapists who had supervised fieldwork students in schools provided qualitative information. RESULTS Findings suggested that school-based practice issues such as working part time, traveling between schools, and using a variety of service delivery models created particular challenges for fieldwork supervisors in schools. A process of addressing fieldwork supervisors' concerns during recruitment and in a fieldwork supervisor seminar and providing ongoing support resulted in successful fieldwork experiences for occupational therapy students. DISCUSSION This process of studying a practice setting in order to develop a model for fieldwork that addresses the uniqueness of the setting may be used to develop fieldwork opportunities in other practice settings as well.
Highly directional fluorescence emission from dye molecules embedded in a dielectric layer adjacent to a silver film

We report measurements on the angular radiation patterns from dye molecules embedded in a polymethyl methacrylate thin film spin-coated on a thin silver film. We systematically studied the influence of the thickness of the silver films and the thickness of the dielectric layers on the radiation pattern. We present the detailed radiation patterns over a large angular range showing highly polarized fluorescence emission coupled into the surface plasmon modes or waveguide modes. We also studied the influence of the polarization of the excitation beam on the radiation patterns. The experimental data are compared with numerical simulations using an asymptotic approach based on the Lorentz reciprocity theorem.
High concentrations of antioxidants may not improve defense against oxidative stress

It is often assumed that the oxygen radical defense could be further improved by higher concentration of antioxidants. But this has not been demonstrated over a wide range of concentrations. There are different types of oxygen radicals produced in the body and the antioxidant protection against them may not positively related to their concentrations. We report here that by using H(2)O(2) with Cu(2+) as an hydroxyl-radical generator in vitro, ascorbic acid shows no oxygen-radical absorbing capacity. We also found that the net hydroxyl-radical absorbing capacity of a water soluble alpha-tocopherol analogue (Trolox) and uric acid increases with concentration only when the concentration is lower than the normal value found for alpha-tocopherol and uric acid in human serum. At higher concentrations, the hydroxyl-radical absorbing capacity of the alpha-tocopherol analogue and uric acid decreases. The mechanism involved in the decrease of hydroxyl radical absorbance capacity of Trolox and uric acid at high concentration may be related to their reaction with hydroxyl radicals or other oxygen radicals produced in the presence of both H(2)O(2) and Cu(2+). This kind of reaction could lead to the formation of additional many Trolox or uric acid radicals at the same time. These results may be important not only in evaluating antioxidant activities of antioxidants in vitro but also in studying the potential efficiency of antioxidants in vivo in affecting oxidative stress status.
Symbiotic state influences life-history strategy of a clonal cnidarian

Along the North American Pacific coast, the common intertidal sea anemone Anthopleura elegantissima engages in facultative, flexible symbioses with Symbiodinium muscatinei (a dinoflagellate) and Elliptochloris marina (a chlorophyte). Determining how symbiotic state affects host fitness is essential to understanding the ecological significance of engaging in such flexible relationships with diverse symbionts. Fitness consequences of hosting S. muscatinei, E. marina or negligible numbers of either symbiont (aposymbiosis) were investigated by measuring growth, cloning by fission and gonad development after 8.5-11 months of sustained exposure to high, moderate or low irradiance under seasonal environmental conditions. Both symbiotic state and irradiance affected host fitness, leading to divergent life-history strategies. Moderate and high irradiances led to a greater level of gonad development in individuals hosting E. marina, while high irradiance and high summer temperature promoted cloning in individuals hosting S. muscatinei and reduced fitness of aposymbiotic anemones. Associating with S. muscatinei may contribute to the success of A. elegantissima as a spatial competitor on the high shore: (i) by offsetting the costs of living under high temperature and irradiance conditions, and (ii) by promoting a high fission rate and clonal expansion. Our results suggest that basic life-history characteristics of a clonal cnidarian can be affected by the identity of the endosymbionts it hosts.
Balancing Act: Fiddler's Bottle Dance and the Transformation of "Tradition"

The Bottle Dance in Fiddler on the Roof was inspired by what the director/choreographer Jerome Robbins called “field research” at Orthodox Jewish weddings. Reshaped and expanded by Robbins’s masterful showbiz sensibility, it became a show-stopping number — and, thus transformed, filtered back out of the musical into Jewish celebrations to confer “tradition.”
A Sociology of Psychiatry: A Perspective and Some Organizing Foci

This paper is concerned with a conceptual structure that would give sociological shape to the field of psychiatry. Its more ambitious purposes are to suggest several sociological models as organizing principles for viewing that field and other professional practice fields like it; also, to suggest a number of research problems of value to sociology. Behind these purposes is a concern for some questionable benefits accruing to sociology from its association with, and application to, professional practice and service fields. Social scientists generally may well feel flattered by the demand for their skills and products. Yet much work being done constitutes a service to these practice fields, answering to practical problems suggested by practitioners rather than to problems of fundamental importance to social science itself. In psychiatry, much of what goes by the name of sociological research contributes little toward developing theory essential to an exclusive sociological position-a position which carries no notable concern for the legitimacy, efficacy, efficiency, or morality of psychiatric practice. For several decades now, sociologists have dealt with problems of mental illness, psychiatric practice, and psychiatric institutions.1 Many, and perhaps most of them, have come to accept both the legitimacy of psychiatric practice and its supporting assumptions, though not necessarily its underlying theories. They tend to accept the "facts" of mental illness, and concern themselves with applying their expertise to "problems" of etiology, ecology, treatment, administrative structures and processes; hence the many studies on social factors productive of "disturbance," the prevalence and incidence of "mental illness" among varied populations, professional and patient roles, ward organization, and the consequences of these for patient health and control. Many of these sociologists want to help psychiatrists understand how social events
The Role of Challenge in Information Systems Use

This empirical study investigates the role of a challenge adjustment feature in the Information Technology (IT) interface to enhance cognitive absorption and increase intention to use IT. Challenge is integral to hedonic IT such as games and is present when using a new IT. When a user has difficulty in utilizing an IT feature, high challenge is present which might discourage further IT use. The IT artifact studied here utilizes a user assist feature that is context-aware, user-selectable, and offers varied levels of assistance. The focal IT artifact has a mix of hedonic (pleasure-seeking) and utilitarian (goal-oriented) purposes. Initial results show that adjustable challenge can enhance cognitive absorption which can be an important determinant of behavioral intention to use IT. Findings demonstrate that the assist feature allowed the user to regulate challenge to increase the user's cognitive absorption with IT in the presence of both high and low challenge.
A student-designed Undergraduate program

In recent years there has been a growing interest and concern among professionals and educators in Computer Science about undergraduate and graduate programs. A student could possibly offer a new viewpoint into this area, being immediately involved in such a program. However, his view is restricted by the educational environment he has been exposed to, usually in a single undergraduate institution. The following presentation of an undergraduate student's views on a Computer Science education is based upon problems and solutions encountered in designing a possible undergraduate Computer Science curriculum for the University of Dayton. To be applicable, the curriculum needed to be constructed within the confines of current departmental and university constraints and also needed to consider faculty and their interests. This curriculum could be adapted to another university and to another faculty, providing that the faculty can cover the areas reflected in the curriculum.In designing such a curriculum for the University of Dayton, the interests and abilities of five full-time and two part-time instructors had to be considered. Their interests covered the areas of numerical analysis, linear programming, graph theory, compilers, operating systems, logic, programming languages, automata, formal language theory and analog computers. The faculty are especially knowledgeable in the areas of numerical analysis, logic, compilers, programming languages, operating systems, linear programming and graph theory, with individual abilities covering the remaining areas. The minimum departmental and university requirements consisted of 124 semester hours for graduation, 24 hours in upper level (junior and senior) courses in Computer Science, 12 hours in upper level mathematics courses, 30 hours of humanities, 6 hours of physics, 6 hours of chemistry, and the remaining hours consisting of electives. All of these factors had to be considered and incorporated into the designing of the curriculum.
The Role of Genetic Markers in the Evaluation and Management of Thyroid Nodules

Thyroid nodules are common, with increasing incidence, but only 5% to 15% of nodules are malignant. Genetic markers should only be used as an ancillary diagnostic tool for indeterminate thyroid nodules. Veracyte Afirma may improve the diagnostic accuracy for a subset of indeterminate cytologic diagnosis. Overall clinical, imaging, and cytopathologic evaluation in addition to patient preference should guide the management of indeterminate nodules. Further multicentered and independent validation studies are needed in order to prove the efficacy of commercially available genetic markers.
Scatter search for the vehicle routing problem with time windows

In this paper we use a scatter search framework to solve the vehicle routing problem with time windows (VRPTW). Our objective is to achieve effective solutions and to investigate the effects of reference set design parameters pertaining to size, quality and diversity. Both a common arc method and an optimization-based set covering model are used to combine vehicle routing solutions. A reactive tabu search metaheuristic and a tabu search with an advanced recovery feature, together with a set covering procedure are used for solution improvement. Our approach led to a robust solution method, generating solution quality that is competitive with the current best metaheuristics.
Performance analysis and array design for wide-band beamformers

We study and analyze passive imaging arrays and apertures for their performance in the imaging of spatially incoherent source distributions. The concept of difference coarray is used to provide interesting insight into the aperture synthesis process using frequency diversity or wide-band imaging. We also exploit this understanding of wide-band operation to design imaging arrays, and illustrate our results through examples. The proposed methods are also applicable to imaging of coherent distributions of reflectors.
Photodecomposition of several compounds commonly used as sunscreen agents

Abstract The photolysis reactions of three compounds commonly used as a sunscreen agents, Parsol 1789 (1-[4-(1,1-dimethylethyl)phenyl]-3-(4-methoxyphenyl)-1,3- propanedione), Oxybenzone ((2-hydroxy-4-methoxyphenyl)phenyl-methanone) and Padimate O (2-ethylhexyl-4-(dimethylamino)benzoate), were investigated to provide a chemical background to aid in the understanding of the photosensitization of the sunscreen agents. Photolysis was carried out in cyclohexane for 70–140 h using a mercury vapor lamp (450W) without excluding oxygen. Irradation of Parsol 1789 in cyclohexane yielded tert -butylbenzene, p - tert -butylbenzoic acid and p -methoxybenzoic acid; products obtained from the combination of the sunscreen with the solvent included the cyclohexyl esters of p -methoxybenzoic acid, p - tert -butylbenzoic acid and methanoic acid; products obtained from the solvent included cyclohexanol, cyclohexanone and dicyclohexyl ether. Irradiation of Oxybenzone in the cyclohexane for 100 h produced no detectable products by either gas or liquid chromatographic analysis. Oxybenzone was recovered unchanged and no products were observed from the photoinitiated reaction of oxygen with the solvent. Irradiation of Padimate O in cyclohexane yielded the ethylhexyl esters of p -aminobenzoic acid, p -monomethylaminobenzoic acid and p -dimethylamino ( o/m )-methylbenzoic acid, as well as products from the photoinitiated reaction of oxygen with the solvent.
The Impossible Decision: Social Tagging and Derrida’s Deconstructed Hospitality

Social tagging has been lauded for providing a voice of the user community, free of restrictions dictated by knowledge organization standards for subject access. Tagging allows many perspectives to be represented, but at what cost? Using deconstruction, Derrida argues that absolute hospitality is required to ensure justice for access and inclusiveness; however, the consequence becomes that the host becomes hostage to the other. In this ongoing research, we explore the Derridean concept of hospitality as it relates to social tagging, examining the consequences of unconditional inclusiveness, the process of discerning constraints to hospitality in order to interpret different kinds of "otherness"—or what Derrida (2000, 75) calls the "impossible" decision—and what mitigation means, using the social tagging environment to illustrate.
Pallidal afferent territory of the Macaca mulatta thalamus: Neuronal and synaptic organization of the VAdc

Ventral anterior thalamic nucleus pars densicellularis (VAdc) as delineated earlier (Ilinsky and Kultas-Ilinsky [1987] J. Comp. Neurol. 262:331-364) was analyzed by using qualitative and quantitative neuroanatomical techniques. Projection neurons (PN), retrogradely labeled with wheat germ agglutinin conjugated horseradish peroxidase from the cortex, were small to medium in size (mean area, 312 microm2) with numerous primary dendrites displaying a tufted branching pattern. Local circuit neurons (LCN), immunoreactive for gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) and glutamic acid decarboxylase, were small (mean area, 110 microm2), and gave off few dendrites. Two subpopulations of GABA positive boutons (F1 type) were distinguished: large (mean area, 2.6 microm2) terminals with symmetric synapses containing few pleomorphic vesicles and numerous mitochondria densely covered proximal PN sites; smaller F1 boutons with a slightly different morphology contacted mostly distal PN dendrites. Two subpopulations of terminals containing round vesicles and forming asymmetric synapses were distinguished by bouton size (mean areas, 0.4 microm2 and 1.6 microm2, respectively). These targeted mainly distal PN dendrites, but some synapsed proximally next to large F1 boutons. On distal dendrites, representatives of both types were labeled from the cortex. The density of boutons with symmetric and asymmetric synapses (the number of boutons per 100 microm of PN membrane length) was 3.3:0.2 on primary, 2.5:1.2 on secondary, and 0.8:12 on distal dendrites. The numerical density of synapses formed by presynaptic LCN dendrites on all PN levels was 20 to 40 times less than that of axon terminals at the same sites. Afferent input to LCN from boutons of all types, including that from 50% of labeled cortical boutons, mainly targeted distal dendrites. Overall, the findings suggest that PN in VAdc receive massive inhibitory input proximally intermingled with some presumably excitatory input, and that LCN contribution to PN inhibition is modest.
Polyamide Nucleic Acid−DNA Chimera Lacking the Phosphate Backbone Are Novel Primers for Polymerase Reaction Catalyzed by DNA Polymerases†

A peptide nucleic acid (PNA) oligomer, an analogue of DNA, was examined for its ability to function as a primer or a template to support DNA synthesis catalyzed by DNA polymerases. The analogue, (PNA)19-TpG-OH, comprised of 19 bases in the form of PNA followed by a dinucleotide (TpG-OH) with a single phosphate and a free 3‘OH terminus, was recognized as a bona fide primer by 2 reverse transcriptases and also by the Klenow fragment of E. coli DNA polymerase I. The 21-mer PNA chimera is extended on both RNA and DNA templates by all three polymerases. The specificity of binding of the PNA chimeric primer/DNA template at the template-primer binding site of the enzyme was shown by its photo-cross-linking ability to the enzyme which could be effectively competed out by another TP but not by template or primer alone. Furthermore, the chimeric TP−enzyme covalent complex was found to be catalytically active as judged by its ability to incorporate one nucleotide onto the 3‘OH terminus of the immobilized primer. PNA...
Hybrid Hopfield networks

In this paper we present a hybrid neural method that uses a neural network to generate initial search points for a discrete heuristic. We demonstrate the method for the subset-sum problem (SSP). The method hinges on using the continuous valued activations of the neural system to select a corner of the n-cube that can be used to initialize a discrete search. This can be done at each neural iteration, resulting in many discrete searches over the coarse of a single neural run. Without the discrete heuristic, the selected corners can be interpreted as instantaneous neural solutions and the best-so-far tabulated as the neural system runs. This allows the neural system to be terminated without losing the full effort of the run, and should the network be run until convergence, the best-so-far result is at least as good as the convergent corner, and usually better. With the discrete heuristic, a search is launched from the instantaneous neural solutions, greatly improving the overall results (again keeping the best-so-far). The results are presented for an n equals 25 SSP, with comparisons to simulated annealing and genetic approaches.© (1994) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Optimization of Discharge Parameters for a Flat-Type Radio-Frequency Glow Discharge Source Coupled to a Quadrupole Mass Spectrometer System:

A radio-frequency (rf)-powered glow discharge (GD) atomization/ionization source for nominally flat sample types (>6 mm o.d.) has been designed and coupled to a commercial GD mass spectrometer system, the VG GloQuad. This source was evaluated and optimized for conducting as well as nonconducting samples. A parametric study has been conducted on this rf-GDMS system with respect to discharge power, Ar flow (cell pressure), limiting orifice plate (anode) diameter, and ion sampling distance. Analytical characteristics under the optimized source parameters—including stabilization times (5 min for conducting samples, 60 min for nonconducting samples); repeatability (overall internal <2% RSD, overall external <8% RSD employing ion beam ratios); quantification; and detection limits—were evaluated for both conducting and nonconducting samples.
A fundamental framework for network security

The general concept of security in message communications may be traced to the advent of human civilization. In contrast, however, security in automation and control is a recent phenomenon, originating with the computer age and is rapidly gaining importance with the proliferation of networks. With computer networks integrating the dual functions of (i) communications and (ii) automation and control, computer network security must address the security issues inherent in both communications and automation. Until recently, research and development in computer security was strongly linked with cryptography including encryption and decryption of electronic messages. However, as computer networks have started to proliferate into large, complex, real-world systems, such as electronic banking, the power grid, and the proposed intelligent vehicle highway system, the authors believe that computer network security has transcended the traditional definition and has migrated to a higher, logical level. In current and future networks, the information riding on the network may control parts of the network while the control, in turn, may ensure the correct propagation of information from the source to the intended destination. Thus, networks constitute complex, multi-dimensional entities that require security at different levels of both network hardware and network software. This paper first reviews the current literature in network security, in detail. Second, it presents the definition of the network rating model, arrived at by consensus, at the National Security Agency's Network Rating Model (NRM) conference in March 1996 and a subsequent NRM author's group workshop in July 1996. Third, it proposes a fundamental framework for network security that consists of eight perspectives of network security and nine attributes of a secure network. The framework approach was adopted at the NRM author's group workshop. The perspectives, termed «pillars» in this paper, individually provide orthogonal views of network security and collectively constitute a comprehensive stable structure that supports the total network security. The attributes refer to the inherent characteristics of a secure network. The paper then presents a list of the research efforts in high-level security and intrusion resistance and logically argues for their need towards comprehensive network security. A few of the key research areas stressed in this position paper include, (i) the stability of networks under perturbation, (ii) formal proofs of correctness of the algorithms designed to ensure network security, (iii) the use of fuzzy logic and fuzzy thresholds for modeling networks and security criteria, (iv) dynamicity of the parameters constituting the security criteria, over time, to foil intrusion attempts, and (v) the design of innovative schemes aimed at reducing performance impact of security overhead by exploiting key environment or protocol characteristics of the network under consideration.
Plasticity of the aging brain: New directions in cognitive neuroscience

Cognitive neuroscience has revealed aging of the human brain to be rich in reorganization and change. Neuroimaging results have recast our framework around cognitive aging from one of decline to one emphasizing plasticity. Current methods use neurostimulation approaches to manipulate brain function, providing a direct test of the ways that the brain differently contributes to task performance for younger and older adults. Emerging research into emotional, social, and motivational domains provides some evidence for preservation with age, suggesting potential avenues of plasticity, alongside additional evidence for reorganization. Thus, we begin to see that aging of the brain, amidst interrelated behavioral and biological changes, is as complex and idiosyncratic as the brain itself, qualitatively changing over the life span.
Plant root-bacterial interactions in biological control of soilborne diseases and potential extension to systemic and foliar diseases

Plant-associated bacteria reside in the rhizosphere, phyllosphere, and inside tissues of healthy plants. This chapter discusses concepts and examples of how naturally occurring and introduced bacteria may contribute to management of soilborne and foliar diseases. Introduced bacteria which have demonstrated biological control activity against soil-borne pathogenic fungi and nematodes include rhizobacteria (root-colonising bacteria) and endophytic bacteria (bacteria isolated from within healthy plant tissues). Recently, some introduced rhizobacteria have been found to enhance plant defences, leading to systemic protection against foliar pathogens upon seed or root-treatments with the rhizobacteria. In these cases, introduction of the rhizobacteria results in reduced damage to multiple pathogens, including viruses, fungi and bacteria. An alternative strategy to the introduction of specific antagonists is the augmentation of existing antagonists in the root environment. This augmentation may result from the use of specific organic amendments, such as chitin, which stimulate populations of antagonists, thereby inducing suppressiveness. Inter-cropping or crop rotation with some tropical legumes, including velvetbean (Mucuna deeringiana), lead to management of phytoparasitic nematodes, partly through stimulation of antagonistic microorganisms. Some biorational nematicides, such as specific botanical aromatic compounds, also appear to induce suppressiveness through alterations in the soil microbial community.
Ultrasonographic diagnosis of uterine rent at 33 weeks' gestation with history of curettage

A 30-year-old pregnant woman with a history of an uncomplicated curettage for incomplete abortion was seen at 33 weeks' gestation with decreased fetal movement and intermittent abdominal pain for 1 week. Ultrasonographic evaluation demonstrated a singleton vertex pregnancy, oligohydramnios, and a fundal uterine rent continuous with a large, fluid-filled cystic mass. Laparotomy revealed a right cornual uterine rent with hourglass amniotic sac and fluid. A healthy infant was delivered by cesarean section.
A novel method for accurate patterning and positioning of biological cells

The ability to anchor cells in predefined patterns on a surface has become very important for the development of cell-based sensors, tissue-engineering applications, and the understanding of basic cell functions. Currently, the most widely used technique to generate micrometer or sub-micrometer-sized patterns for various biological applications is microcontact printing (mCP). However, the fidelity of the final pattern may be compromised by deformation of the PDMS stamps used during printing. A novel technique for accurately patterning and positioning biological cells is presented, which can overcome this obstacle. We have fabricated a chip on a silicon wafer using standard photolithographic and deposition processes consisting of gold patterns on top of PECVD silicon dioxide. A hydrophobic self-assembled monolayer (SAM) derived from 1-hexadecanethiol (HDT) was coated on the gold surface to prevent cell growth, and a hydrophilic SAM derived from (3-trimethoxysilyl propyl)-diethylenetriamine (DETA) was coated on the exposed PECVD silicon dioxide surface to promote cell growth. Immortalized mouse hypothalamic neurons (GT1-7) were cultured in vitro on the chip, and patterned cells were fluorescently stained and visualized by fluorescence microscopy. By our method, hydrophobic and hydrophilic regions can be reliably generated and easily visualized under a microscope prior to cell culturing. Cell growth was precisely controlled and limited to specific areas. The achieved resolution was 2 microns, and it could be improved with high resolution photolithographic methods.
A cartilagenous graft as an adjunct to finger joint implant arthroplasty.

A method is described which is proposed to prolong the functional life of a Silastic finger joint endoprosthesis which has been shown to fail because of abrasion and cutting by the recipient bones. Swanson design Silastic finger joints prostheses were implanted into the knee joints of rabbits. The technique of simultaneously transplanting ear cartilage to the prosthetic implant bed was tested for the purpose of protecting the prostheses from wear and eventual failure. The clinical, radiographic, gross, and histologic results of the animals implanted for 1, 3, and 6 months show that the cartilage graft remains viable and it proliferates. The cartilage provides a smooth, gliding surface with normal appearing joint fluid surrounding the Silastic implant. Control limbs, with no cartilage grafts, had thinner, fibrous tissue encapsulating the implants. The presence of the cartilage reduced the amount of prosthetic wear particles observed in the tissue sections, thus indicating a protective function. The rabbit model developed an osteoarthritis that was caused by the prostheses in its knee joints and was unaffected by our cartilage grafting procedure. The success of our cartilage grafts, in the presence of such an arthritis, provides the impetus for its clinical use in arthritic human finger joints. Further studies are necessary to determine the clinical feasibility of a cartilage grafting technique and its efficacy in reducing implant failure in human finger joints.
Lolium perenne L. root systems are a collection of Gaussian curve shaped meso diameter class length distributions

Aims Determine if the root system of Lolium perenne L. (L perenne) is a continuous distribution of diameters, or a collection of discrete diameters classes.
Does combination pharmacological intervention for smoking cessation prevent post-cessation weight gain? A systemic review.

Abstract Background Most smokers who quit smoking gain weight. There are some interventions designed to limit weight gain following smoking cessation. Objective To conduct a systematic review to evaluate if combination pharmacological therapy interventions for smoking cessation are effective in reducing post-cessation weight gain. Methods The following databases were researched: Medline, PubMed, PsycINFO, CENTRAL and EMBASE. Detailed inclusion and exclusion criteria were specified a priori before conducting abstract and full text screening. Included studies were required to: (1) report data on combination pharmacotherapy including at least one FDA-approved smoking cessation medication; (2) report outcome measure of weight change from baseline to the end of follow up; (3) incorporate a minimum of 2-week follow-up; (4) recruit adult smokers. Studies were excluded if they had (1) behavioral interventions; (2) sample size of Results Out of 1873 studies identified, 1083 studies were included for abstract screening. Finally, 12 studies met the eligibility criteria after full text screening of 242 studies. Seven studies showed that participants in the combined therapy group had less post-cessation weight gain than those in the group of individual drugs or placebo. Four studies did not report differential weight gain measures by treatment groups. Only one study showed that post-treatment weight gain in the combined therapy group was more than the monotherapy group, although the result was not statistically significant. Conclusions Seven out of twelve studies indicated that combination smoking cessation medications had less post-cessation weight gain than monotherapy or placebo in short term. Long term weight gain was not well documented by most of the studies and future research is warranted.
Cooperative Geographic Routing in Wireless Sensor Networks

Node cooperation is one unique feature distinguishing wireless sensor networks from conventional wireless networks. In this paper, we explore cooperative geographic routing in coalition-aided wireless sensor networks. We first propose a new communication paradigm, i.e., cooperative data transport, where sensor nodes within a coalition cooperatively transmit data via a three-phase procedure. We then treat the routing path selection as a multistage decision problem, where at each stage, the coalition head would choose the next hop destination to minimize the corresponding energy consumption. Next, we investigate the impact of location errors and synchronization errors on the routing performance degradation. Furthermore, we generalize our study to let the nodes with good channel conditions participate in cooperative forwarding, and keep others silent to reduce energy consumption further. Our results demonstrate that the coalition-aided sensor network architecture is most amenable to cooperative sensor networks, simply because it improves energy efficiency and reduces control overhead significantly.
Expression and characterization of a multivalent human respiratory syncytial virus protein

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) has been recognized as one of the most common causes of severe respiratory tract infection in infants worldwide. As yet, a safe and effective vaccine has not been developed to protect humans from RSV. The F and G surface proteins have been widely investigated due to their potential to induce protective immunity. In addition, the M2 protein has been shown to be important in inducing a T-cell response. Our project involved the cl oning of the immunodominant regions of the RSV F, M2 and G proteins into a bacterial vector, pET-32a(+). The recombinant RFM2G protein was expressed in Escherichia coli and purified using His Bind columns. The purified rRFM2G protein was analyzed by poly-acrylamide gel electrophoresis and Western blotting. The predicted structure of the recombinant protein built by the Swiss PDB Viewer program suggested a rod shape with a distinct swollen head and neck which was confirmed by transmission electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy. BALB/c female mice were immunized with either RSV, rRFM2G alone, or rRFM2G in combination with flagellin as a mucosal adjuvant. Serum was collected on days 0, 14, 28 and 49 to assess the immune response by Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Intranasal immunization of mice with the rRFM2G protein yielded significantly high serum IgG titers. Co-administration of the rRFM2G protein with flagellin did not augment the serum antibody response.
RNA interference: a potential therapeutic tool for silencing splice isoforms linked to human diseases

Alternative splicing of precursor messenger RNAs (pre-mRNAs) is one of the most important sources of protein diversity in vertebrates. An estimated 35%-70% of human genes generate transcripts that are alternatively spliced, and defects in this process are linked to numerous human genetic diseases and various forms of cancer. The discovery that 21-23 nucleotide RNA duplexes, known as small interfering RNAs (siRNAs), can knockdown the homologous mRNAs in mammalian cells has revolutionized many aspects of drug discovery including down-regulation of disease-associated splicing isoforms. In addition, RNA interference (RNAi)-mediated silencing of splicing regulators has the potential to define the complex network of alternative splicing regulation and to analyze gene function. In this review, I first provide a brief introduction to mRNA splicing and its relationship to human diseases. This is followed by a brief overview of RNAi. Finally I discuss the therapeutic potential of RNAi in targeting disease-linked splicing isoforms.
EMG-force dynamics in human skeletal muscle.

An on-line parameter tracking algorithm, implemented on an analogue computer, is used to obtain parameter values in an assumed mathematical relation between the full-wave rectified EMG and the force produced by the human triceps muscle in an isometric task. The relation between the actual force produced by human subjects and the computed force predicted by the model is discussed.
A closed-loop artificial pancreas based on model predictive control: Human-friendly identification and automatic meal disturbance rejection

Abstract Type 1 diabetes is characterized by a lack of insulin production by the pancreas, causing high blood glucose concentrations and requiring external insulin infusion to regulate blood glucose. Continuous glucose sensors can be coupled with continuous insulin infusion pumps to create a closed-loop artificial pancreas. A novel procedure of “human-friendly” identification testing using multisine inputs is developed to estimate suitable models for use in an artificial pancreas. A constrained model predictive control (MPC) strategy is developed to reduce risks of hypo- and hyperglycemia (low and high blood glucose concentration). Meal detection and meal size estimation algorithms are developed to improve meal glucose disturbance rejection when incoming meals are not announced. Closed-loop performance is evaluated through simulation studies of a type 1 diabetic individual, illustrating the ability of the MPC-based artificial pancreas control strategy to handle announced and unannounced meal disturbances.