cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Form, Reproduction, and Inherited Characteristics in Aristotle's Generation of Animals

In this paper I discuss a problem of interpretation in the Generation of Animals (abbreviated G.A.), and propose a resolution of it. The difficulty is how to understand Aristotle's explanation of inherited resemblances, which seems to suggest a surprising notion of form at work in reproduction.' Although there is a wide variety of possible views on Aristotelian form, one point of almost universal agreement is that the form or essence2 does not include accidental, material features of the object.3 According to David Balme's interpretation of Aristotle's account of inherited likenesses, however, the form transmitted in reproduction does includes such features. Balme's interpretation of form has serious implications for our understanding not only of the biological writings but of other texts as well in particular the Metaphysics. It is possible, of course, to avoid these implications by reading Aristotle's biological works totally independently of his metaphysical writings and vice versa. In this paper I shall consider it desirable to find, at minimum, a consistent account of form in both contexts.4
Performance of Plug-Type Rocket Exhaust Nozzles

The physical characteristics of a plug nozzle are described and compared with a conventional converging-diverging nozzle. The mathematical analysis of the aerodynamic performance of a plug nozzle is outlined, including the Prandtl-Meyer corner expansion of the flowing gas. The advantages of the plug nozzle in terms of superior performance at lower than design pressure ratio, smaller physical size and aerodynamic thrust vector control are described. A brief description is given of how these advantages can be utilized in liquid propellant rocket engines. Application of plug nozzles for solid propellant rocket engines is discussed primarily from the viewpoint of using the plug's movement to adjust for chamber pressure variation, to control thrust magnitude and direction and to control total impulse.
An aortic-right ventricular fistula of more than eighteen months' duration: an approach to dynamics.

A 79-year-old man who developed evidence suggesting an intracardiac shunt survived at least 18 months after its onset. Intracardiac mechanisms that may protect the pulmonary circulation from excessive flows are suggested, based on anatomic findings at necropsy.
Parathyroid-produced angiopoietin-2 modulates angiogenic response.

Abstract Background. Upon explant, parathyroid tissue (PTH) upregulates vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), a potent endothelial cell mitogen, yet PTH induces a more robust angiogenic response than VEGF alone. This implies that other angiogenic factors are also produced. We tested PTH for production and function of angiopoietin-2 (Ang-2), a protein known to modulate VEGF response. Methods. With use of reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction and SELDI (Surface Enhanced Laser Desorption/Ionization) (Ciphergen, Freemont, Calif) technology, we tested explanted PTH for Ang-2 production and determined the time sequence of Ang-2 upregulation. With use of an in vitro rat microvessel angiogenesis assay, we determined the angiogenic response to PTH-produced Ang-2. Results. Ang-2 messenger RNA was induced within 1 hour of parathyroid explant, with a maximum level detectable at 24 hours. Ang-2 protein production was maximal at 24 hours, with elimination by 48 hours. Ang-2 supplemented gels appeared to prompt earlier angiogenic induction, whereas sequestration of Ang-2 with soluble Tie2 receptor appeared to delay angiogenic induction. Soluble Tie2 treatment did not significantly decrease cumulative microvessel length, and no significant increase in neovessel length was seen with Ang-2 supplemented gels. Conclusions. PTH upregulates Ang-2 upon explantation, with peak protein production by 24 hours. Ang-2 appears to functionally enhance initiation of PTH-induced angiogenesis, although the ultimate neovessel length appears to be dependent on other PTH-produced factors. (Surgery 2001;130:1019-27.)
Semi-Blind Adaptive Multiuser Detection Based on Subspace Constrained Chebyshev Approximation

In this paper, a new semi-blind adaptive multiuser detection based on a subspace constrained Chebyshev approximation (CA) is proposed for multicarrier code division multiple access (MC-CDMA) uplink system. This proposed detector fully utilizes all known inforymation to suppress the interferers within the cell, while mitigating the inter-cell interferers based on the minimum output energy (MOE) principle. A subspace constrained CA algorithm is designed to obtain the MOE weight vector adaptively, which significantly outperforms the CA algorithm. To reduce the computational complexity, an improved projecting approximation subspace tracking with deflation (PASTd) algorithm is developed for adaptive signal subspace estimation. Computer simulations show that the performance of the proposed semi-blind multiuser detection is much better than that of the blind multiuser detection based on Chebyshev approximation.
Medial frontal cortex involvement in PTSD symptoms: a SPECT study.

The regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) responses to a combat stress-related auditory stimulus was examined in Vietnam veterans diagnosed with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Based on prior data in healthy subjects, we hypothesized that the medial prefrontal cortex may be involved in the processing of stress responses. Twelve male veterans diagnosed with PTSD, 11 age-matched, combat-exposed subjects without PTSD, and 12 healthy control subjects were studied with single-photon emission tomography and the blood flow tracer [99m Tc]-HMPAO. Subjects were studied twice, while listening to combat sounds or white noise. Significant increases in the blood flow to the medial prefrontal cortex were observed in PTSD patients, but not in the control groups, which correlated at trend levels with psychophysical measures of stress response. These data support the involvement of the medial prefrontal cortex in the pathophysiology of PTSD, possibly mediating some of its symptoms.
Advanced input modeling: parameter estimation for ARTA processes

Providing accurate and automated input-modeling support is one of the challenging problems in the application of computer simulation. The models incorporated in current input-modeling software packages often fall short of what is needed because they emphasize independent and identically distributed processes, while dependent time-series processes occur naturally in the simulation of many real-life systems. This paper introduces a statistical methodology for fitting stochastic models to dependent time-series input processes. Specifically, an automated and statistically valid algorithm is presented to fit ARTA (Autoregressive-to-Anything) processes with marginal distributions from the Johnson translation system to stationary univariate time-series data. The use of this algorithm is illustrated via a real-life example.
Navigating the Internet: a merit network cruise

Abstract The Internet is a vast ocean of data and resources. Using the Internet can be like floating on a raft. You may find an island of wonderful resources, you may float forever, or you may be eaten by sharks. This paper provides the maps and tools to find the useful Internet resources and avoid the sharks. This presentation compares the Internet to an ocean, explains the various navigational tools, and takes the user on a cruise of the Internet.
Mechanical properties of the extracellular matrix influence fibronectin fibril assembly in vitro.

Abstract Mechanical properties of the extracellular matrix (ECM) are proposed to influence cell behavior and biological activity. The influence of the mechanical environment on fibronectin fibril assembly was evaluated. Fibroblasts were cultured in hydrated collagen gels with two distinctly different mechanical properties. Cells cultured within a stabilized collagen gel generate stress that is transmitted throughout the matrix (stressed gel). In contrast, cells that are cultured within a collagen gel that is floating freely in media do not generate stress (relaxed gel). Fibroblasts in the stressed collagen gel develop large bundles of actin microfilaments and associated fibronectin fibrils, while fibroblasts within relaxed gels do not form stress fibers or assemble fibronectin into fibrils. In addition, we have evaluated the mechanism of fibronectin fibril assembly employed by fibroblasts cultured within a stressed three-dimensional collagen matrix and the role of fibronectin fibrils in transmission of cell-generated forces to the surrounding matrix. Fibronectin fragments (70-kDa amino terminal fragment, 110-kDa cell-adhesive fragment, and GRGDS peptide) and a monoclonal anti-body blocked fibronectin fibril assembly in stressed three-dimensional collagen gels. These results suggest that the features of fibronectin required for fibronectin fibril assembly by cells in collagen gels is similar to those required by cells cultured on a planar substratum. Although fibronectin fibril assembly was blocked by these inhibiting fragments and antibody, the cells displayed prominent actin bundles and developed isometric tension, indicating that stress fiber formation and contractile force transmission is not dependent on the presence of fibronectin fibrils.
Maternal low-level lead exposure and fetal growth.

BackgroundLimited epidemiologic studies have examined the association between maternal low-level lead exposure [blood lead (PbB) < 10 μg/dL] and fetal growth.ObjectiveWe examined whether maternal l...
Cascade regulation of spore coat gene expression in Bacillus subtilis

Endospores of the Gram-positive bacterium Bacillus subtilis are encased in a tough protein shell known as the coat. The coat is composed of a dozen or more different structural proteins. We report the identification of and studies on the regulation of promoters governing the expression of coat protein (cot) genes designated B to E encoding polypeptides of 59, 12, 11 and 24 kDa, respectively. We show that transcription of genes B, C and D is governed by single promoters and that transcription of gene E is governed by tandem promoters designated P1 and P2. In extension of recent work on the transcription of cot gene A and the mother-cell regulatory genes gerE, sigK and spoIIID, we show that genes involved in coat formation are turned on in a regulatory cascade of at least four co-ordinately controlled gene sets. The cascade consists of: cotE as transcribed from its P1 promoter and spoIIID, which are turned on during hours three to four of sporulation; cotE as transcribed from its P2 promoter and sigK, which are turned on during hour five by the appearance of the product (a small DNA-binding protein) of spoIIID; cotA, cotD and gerE, which are turned on during hours five to six by the appearance of the product (sigma factor sigma K) of sigK; and cotB and cotC, which are turned on during hour seven by the appearance of the product (an inferred DNA-binding protein) of gerE. The cascade is hierarchical in that the first three gene sets each contain the regulatory gene that turns on the expression of the next gene set in the pathway. We also show that the level of expression of a member (cotC) of the terminal class of gene expression is strongly influenced by medium and that this effect directly or indirectly depends on the product of sporulation gene spoIV A.
Linnaean nomenclature in the 21st Century: a report from a workshop on integrating traditional nomenclature and phylogenetic classification

As a follow-up to the 2001 Smithsonian Botanical Symposium, in late June of 2002 a group of 15 taxonomists took part in a Workshop entitled "Linnaean Nomenclature in the 21 s t Century" at the Hunt Institute for BotanicalDocumentation in Pittsburgh to discuss integrating phylogenetic information into the current systems of naming plants, animals, and microorganisms. The Hunt Group included a diversity of taxonomists, including traditional and phylogenetic practitioners as well as authorities on the current codes and end-users of nomenclatural rules. The discussion ranged from identifying problems and possible solutions to devising strategies for implementing change. It was concluded that the central problems revolve around the concepts of (1) circumscribing taxa, (2) hierarchical ranking, and (3) the use of binomials. In a critical article-by-article examination of the current edition of the International Code of Botanical Nomenclature it was found that only 14 of the total 62 articles (plus appendices) are relevant to whether or not classification is phylogenetic. Furthermore, each of these potentially problematic articles is either amenable to conveying phylogenetic information or neutral to phylogenetic considerations. There is nothing in the current Linnaean nomenclature that prevents cladistic information from being incorporated into the naming procedure. We suggest that a major effort is needed to educate the botanical community as well as lay persons on the implications and use of these pertinent articles in phylogenetic nomenclature.
Corrosion behavior of a structural nickel electrodeposit

The corrosion behavior of electrodeposited structural Ni (LIGA Ni) was assessed under aqueous and atmospheric conditions. Corrosion rates were measured and damage morphology was documented for comparison with wrought materials such as commercially available Ni 201 and high purity (99.999) Ni. As-fabricated LIGA Ni showed excellent corrosion resistance in aqueous NaCl solution even when galvanically coupled to a more noble material such as gold. Mechanically polished LIGA Ni showed corrosion resistance comparable to that of Ni 201, whereas polished 99.999 Ni had the best overall corrosion performance. Exposure to an aggressive atmospheric environment resulted in a higher density of corrosion sites on the LIGA material than on the control materials; however, the composition of the corrosion products (nickel-chloride) and the morphology of the attack was nominally the same on all tested samples. Overall, no new corrosion modes or susceptibilities were identified for LIGA Ni compared to wrought Ni materials. The superior corrosion resistance of the as-fabricated LIGA compared to mechanically polished LIGA, is discussed in terms of surface property modification during a chemical processing step.
Piezoelectric properties and unipolar fatigue behavior of KNN-based Pb-free piezoceramics

Single-phase perovskite ceramics were synthesized using a Pb-free (K0.44Na0.52Li0.04)(Nb0.86Ta0.10Sb0.04)O3 (LF4) piezoelectric material both with and without CuO as a dopant additive. Bipolar hysteresis measurements showed a relatively high remanent polarization (20 μC/cm2, 16 μC/ cm2) and maximum polarization (25 μC/cm2, 21 μC/cm2) values were found for undoped LF4 and 0.2 wt% CuO-doped LF4, respectively. Unipolar fatigue behavior for this system was found to decrease strongly with increased applied testing fields and increased test durations. For undoped LF4, the maximum polarization values were stable after 10 cycles after testing for 100,000 cycles duration. For the CuO-doped samples, increasing the testing field to 3EC resulted in twice the decrease in PMAX (-32%) compared with the 2EC tests at 106 cycles (-17%). At 2EC testing for CuO doping, polarization decreases continually through 107 cycles, with the decreases in PMAX and d33 both reaching a maximum (-22% and -30%, respectively) after 107 cycles. In the CuO-doped samples, the fatigue is exacerbated because of the influence of space charge on the increased number of defects present.
Sleeping Gods in Surrealist Collections

When Antonin Artaud wrote about “the gods that sleep in museums,” he could have been describing Andre Breton's personal collection, which included the kinds of non-Western works Artaud admired in what were then museums of ethnography. Such objects were plentiful in Breton's study and included shape-shifting animals such as the Haida transformation mask Breton wrote about in 1950, whose features move back and forth from human to animal, recognizing the common spiritual connection between the two in a material representation of the concept of the totem animal embraced by several surrealists—the fish for Breton, the bird for Max Ernst, the horse for Leonora Carrington, the dog for Dorothea Tanning. This article examines how the surrealists’ talismanic animal totems, reflected in their love of non-Western spiritually infused objects, anticipated the current trend in animal studies to expand the human understanding of consciousness in light of animal–human commonalities.
Vapor-phase elemental mercury adsorption by activated carbon impregnated with chloride and chelating agents

The dynamic adsorption capacity for vapor-phase elemental mercury (Hg0) of commercially available granular activated carbon (BPL) impregnated with copper chloride (BPL-C), β-aminoanthraquinone (BPL-A), 2-(aminomethyl)pyridine (BPL-P), and 2-aminoethanethiol (BPL-T) was studied in an attempt to produce economical and effective sorbents for the control of elemental mercury emissions from combustion processes. The dynamic adsorption capacity of BPL-C was found to increase as empty bed contact time (EBCT) and chloride content increased and to decrease with an increase in operating temperature when dry nitrogen was used as a carrier gas. BPL carbon impregnated with 5 wt.% chloride exhibited a higher dynamic adsorption capacity than sulfur impregnated carbon tested previously. However, the observation of oxidized forms of mercury in the effluent from a fixed-bed adsorber under all experimental conditions used in this study indicates that the bond between adsorbed mercury and BPL-C is unstable or that the BPL-C itself lacks the thermal stability required for full-scale applications. BPL-A and BPL-T exhibited high dynamic adsorption capacities at 25°C but had much lower dynamic adsorption capacities at 140°C, while BPL-P showed very poor performance at both temperatures. Due to the high production costs, these chelating agent-impregnated carbons would likely be considerably less cost-effective for the full-scale removal of mercury from combustion flue gases than the chloride- or sulfur-impregnated carbons. Impregnation with thiol was the only promising approach that could provide effective mercury sorbents at room temperature.
Normobaric hyperoxia (95% O2) stimulates CO2-sensitive and CO2-insensitive neurons in the caudal solitary complex of rat medullary tissue slices maintained in 40% O2

Abstract We tested the hypothesis that decreasing the control level of O2 from 95% to 40% reduces tissue partial pressure of oxygen (pO2), decreases extracellular nitric oxide ( NO) and decreases intracellular superoxide ( O2−) while maintaining viability in caudal solitary complex (cSC) neurons in slices (∼300–400 μm; neonatal rat P2–22; 34–37 °C). We also tested the hypothesis that normobaric hyperoxia is a general stimulant of cSC neurons, including CO2-excited neurons. Whole-cell recordings of cSC neurons maintained in 40% O2 were comparable to recordings made in 95% O2 in duration and quality. In 40% O2, cSC neurons had a significantly lower spontaneous firing rate but similar membrane potentials and input resistances as cSC neurons maintained in 95% O2. Tissue pO2 was threefold lower in 40% O2 versus 95% O2. Likewise, extracellular NO and intracellular O2− were lower in 40% versus 95% O2. 67% of neurons maintained in 40% O2 control were stimulated by hyperoxia (95% O2) compared to 81% of neurons maintained in 95% O2 that were stimulated during hyperoxic reoxygenation following acute exposure to 0–40% O2. cSC slices maintained in 40% O2 exhibited CO2-chemosensitive neurons, including CO2-excited (31.5%) and a higher incidence of CO2-inhibited (31.5%) neurons than previously reported. Likewise, a higher incidence of CO2-inhibited and lower incidence of CO2-excited neurons were observed in 85–95% O2. 82% of O2-excited neurons were also CO2-chemosensitive; CO2-excited (86%) and CO2-inhibited neurons (84%) were equally stimulated by hyperoxia. Our findings demonstrate that chronic (hours) and acute (minutes) exposure to hyperoxia stimulates firing rate in the majority of cSC neurons, most of which are also CO2 chemosensitive. Our findings support the hypothesis that recurring exposures to acute hyperoxia and hyperoxic reoxygenation—a repeating surge in tissue pO2—activate redox and nitrosative signaling mechanisms in CO2-chemosensitive neurons that alter expression of CO2 chemosensitivity (e.g., increased expression of CO2-inhibition) compared to sustained hyperoxia (85–95% O2).
Octave-spanning coherent Mid-IR generation via a single adiabatically chirped grating

A prototype single-crystal device efficiently converts a μJ-energy near-IR OPA pulse to the mid-IR by adiabatic frequency conversion, generating an octave-spanning pulse covering the 2–5-μm range and suggesting wide applicability to existing laser systems.
Statistics of Ground Motions in a Foam Rubber Model of a Strike‐Slip Fault

Abstract The peak ground acceleration (PGA) and peak ground velocity (PGV) from 5058 ruptures of a foam rubber stick‐slip model are not distributed according to a lognormal probability distribution function. PGA and PGV values are decomposed using the method of Anderson and Uchiyama (2011). The statistically significant deviations from the lognormal distribution occur near the peak of the distribution. In some cases, high‐amplitude tails differ by a much greater ratio, but the statistical significance of this effect is low. This result is true of both raw data and data adjusted for site and magnitude. Event terms are also not lognormal but can be modeled as a sum of three or four lognormal subdistributions, which possibly represent different preferred rupture initiation points rather than a uniform distribution of initiation points. The event term subdistributions with highest median values have small standard deviations, so if shapes of this nature were used in ground‐motion prediction equations (GMPEs) during a probabilistic seismic‐hazard analysis, the effect of the long tail of the lognormal distribution in controlling the hazard would be weakened considerably. Static stress drop was recorded for each event, and event terms for PGA and PGV are well correlated with static stress drop. Unlike Next Generation Attenuation‐West 2 GMPEs, residual variances for the foam model are dominated by variability in the source slip function, rather than the path and site effects. This difference in the variance budget results from the way in which the source and site residuals are defined in this study; the source uncertainty includes variation in the rupture size (magnitude) and location, along with deviations in distance and path. We do not know if these results apply to earthquakes, but we do think tests of repeating stick‐slip events in a physical system are useful to expand the set of credible hypotheses regarding possible behavior modes of earthquake faults.
Echocardiographic assessment of interrupted aortic arch.

Background In patients with interrupted aortic arch echocardiography provides detailed information about the anatomy of the aortic arch and the associated cardiac anomalies. Only a few reports have evaluated the reliability of this non-invasive diagnostic procedure by correlation with angiographic and surgical findings. Methods From 1988 through 1993, 45 infants with interrupted arch underwent surgical repair (mean age 13.02 days). Of the patients, 33 had interruption of the arch between the left common carotid and subclavian arteries; 25 patients had a ventricular septal defect, and the remaining 20 had coexisting complex congenital heart defects. Preoperative diagnosis was made exclusively by echocardiography in 25 of the patients. Accuracy of echocardiographic diagnosis was evaluated retrospectively by comparing preoperative studies with angiography and surgical reports. We then investigated whether the morphologic features of the interrupted arch might influence surgical procedure or outcome. Results Intracardiac anatomy was accurately diagnosed by echocardiography in all cases; in 2 patients angiography provided additional information concerning the morphology of the aortic arch. Operative notes described differences in morphology of the arch in 7 patients, but these did not influence the surgical procedure. Direct anastomosis of the interrupted segments was possible in 38 patients, and 36 patients underwent primary intracardiac repair. Echocardiographic measurements revealed that the diameter of the ascending aorta was related to the number of vessels originating from the proximal aortic arch. The distance between the interrupted segments was significantly different according to the site of interruption, but not between cases with an isolated ventricular septal defect versus those with complex heart disease. It did not influence the method of arch repair, nor was it related to recurrent or residual obstruction. Conclusion Preoperative echocardiography offers accurate and complete diagnosis in the critically ill neonate with interrupted aortic arch and associated intracardiac abnormalities.
Strategic Transformation of Population Studies: Recommendations of the Working Group on Epidemiology and Population Sciences From the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Advisory Council and Board of External Experts

In 2013, the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute assembled a working group on epidemiology and population sciences from its Advisory Council and Board of External Experts. The working group was charged with making recommendations to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Advisory Council about how the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute could take advantage of new scientific opportunities and delineate future directions for the epidemiology of heart, lung, blood, and sleep diseases. Seven actionable recommendations were proposed for consideration. The themes included 1) defining the compelling scientific questions and challenges in population sciences and epidemiology of heart, lung, blood, and sleep diseases; 2) developing methods and training mechanisms to integrate "big data" science into the practice of epidemiology; 3) creating a cohort consortium and inventory of major studies to optimize the efficient use of data and specimens; and 4) fostering a more open, competitive approach to evaluating large-scale longitudinal epidemiology and population studies. By building on the track record of success of the heart, lung, blood, and sleep cohorts to leverage new data science opportunities and encourage broad research and training partnerships, these recommendations lay a strong foundation for the transformation of heart, lung, blood, and sleep epidemiology.
Human Domination of Earth's Ecosystems

Human alteration of Earth is substantial and growing. Between one-third and one-half of the land surface has been transformed by human action; the carbon dioxide concentration in the atmosphere has increased by nearly 30 percent since the beginning of the Industrial Revolution; more atmospheric nitrogen is fixed by humanity than by all natural terrestrial sources combined; more than half of all accessible surface fresh water is put to use by humanity; and about one-quarter of the bird species on Earth have been driven to extinction. By these and other standards, it is clear that we live on a human-dominated planet.
5-Lipoxygenase Products Modulate the Activity of the 85-kDa Phospholipase A2 in Human Neutrophils (∗)

Addition of submicromolar concentrations of arachidonic acid (AA) to human neutrophils induced a 2-fold increase in the activity of a cytosolic phospholipase A2 (PLA2) when measured using sonicated vesicles of 1-stearoyl-2-[14C]arachidonoylphosphatidylcholine as substrate. A similar increase in cytosolic PLA2 activity was induced by stimulation of neutrophils with leukotriene B4 (LTB4), 5-oxoeicosatetraenoic acid, or 5-hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid (5-HETE). LTB4 was the most potent of the agonists, showing maximal effect at 1 nM. Inhibition of 5-lipoxygenase with either eicosatetraynoic acid or zileuton prevented the AA-induced increase in PLA2 activity but had no effect on the response induced by LTB4. Furthermore, pretreatment of neutrophils with a LTB4-receptor antagonist, LY 255283, blocked the AA- and LTB4-induced activation of PLA2 but did not influence the action of 5-HETE. Treatment of neutrophils with pancreatic PLA2 also induced an increase in the activity of the cytosolic PLA2; this response was inhibited by both eicosatetraynoic acid or LY 255283. The increases in PLA2 activity in response to stimulation correlated with a shift in electrophoretic mobility of the 85-kDa PLA2, as determined by Western blot analysis, suggesting that phosphorylation of the 85-kDa PLA2 likely underlies its increase in catalytic activity. Although stimulation of neutrophils with individual lipoxygenase metabolites did not induce significant mobilization of endogenous AA, they greatly enhanced the N-formylmethionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine-induced mobilization of AA as determined by mass spectrometry analysis. Our findings support a positive-feedback model in which stimulus-induced release of AA or exocytosis of secretory PLA2 modulate the activity of the cytosolic 85-kDa PLA2 by initiating the formation of LTB4. The nascent LTB4 is then released to act on the LTB4 receptor and thereby promote further activation of the 85-kDa PLA2. Since 5-HETE and LTB4 are known to prime the synthesis of platelet-activating factor, the findings suggest that 85-kDa PLA2 plays a role in platelet-activating factor synthesis.
Thalamic atrophy and cognition in unilateral temporal lobe epilepsy.

This study examined quantitative magnetic resonance volumes of the thalamus and hippocampus and determined their relationship with cognitive function and clinical seizure characteristics in a sample of 46 unilateral temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) subjects (20 left and 26 right) and 29 controls. The hippocampus and thalamus exhibited different patterns of volume abnormality, different associations with clinical seizure characteristics, and different patterns of relationship with cognitive measures. Hippocampal volume reduction was primarily ipsilateral to the seizure focus, and thalamic volume reduction was bilateral. Ipsilateral hippocampal volume was significantly correlated with both early neurodevelopmental features (age of seizure onset) and disease characteristics (duration of epilepsy), whereas thalamus integrity was related only to disease variables. Hippocampal volume showed a selective association with verbal memory performance. In contrast, both left and right thalamic volumes were significantly correlated with performance on both memory and nonmemory cognitive domains. These findings underscore the importance of thalamic atrophy in chronic TLE and its potential implications for cognition. (JINS, 2008, 14, 384–393.)
An escape routing framework for dense boards with high-speed design constraints

Shrinking transistor sizes, increasing circuit complexities, and high clock frequencies bring new board routing challenges that cannot be handled effectively by traditional routing algorithms. Many high-end designs in the industry today require manual routing efforts, which increases the design cycle times considerably. In this paper, we propose an escape routing algorithm to route nets within multiple dense components simultaneously so that the number of crossings in the intermediate area is minimized. We also show how to handle high-speed design constraints within the framework of this algorithm. Experimental comparisons with a recently proposed algorithm (Ozdal and Wong, 2004) show that our algorithm reduces the via requirements of industrial test cases on average by 39%.
A molecular docking strategy identifies Eosin B as a non-active site inhibitor of protozoal bifunctional thymidylate synthase-dihydrofolate reductase.

Protozoal parasites are unusual in that their thymidylate synthase (TS) and dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR) enzymes exist on a single polypeptide. In an effort to probe the possibility of substrate channeling between the TS and DHFR active sites and to identify inhibitors specific for bifunctional TS-DHFR, we used molecular docking to screen for inhibitors targeting the shallow groove connecting the two active sites. Eosin B is a 100 M non-active site inhibitor of Leishmania major TSDHFR identified by molecular docking. Eosin B slows both the TS and DHFR reaction rates. When Arg-283, a key residue to which eosin B is predicted to bind, is mutated to glutamate, however, eosin B only minimally inhibits the TS-DHFR reaction. Additionally, eosin B was found to be a 180 M inhibitor of Toxoplasma gondii in both biochemical and cell culture assays.
How does NO activate hemeproteins

NO was reported to activate guanylate cyclase and, recently, prostaglandin H synthase. NO interaction with the heme component in different hemeproteins is determined by ligand property, electronic configuration of the heme iron and the specific effects contributed by the protein structure. It is found that although NO interaction with the free heme provides some common rules of interaction, the consequences of NO binding to different hemeproteins should be dealt with individually.
Emotional Ability Training and Mindful Eating

Consumers are often mindless eaters. This research provides a framework for how consumers can become more mindful of their food choices. To do so, the authors develop an ability-based training program to strengthen people's ability to focus on goal-relevant emotional information. They demonstrate not only that emotional ability (EA) is trainable and that food choices can be enhanced (Study 1) but also that EA training improves food choices beyond a nutrition knowledge training program (Study 2). In Study 3, the authors test a conceptual model and find that EA training increases goal-relevant emotional thoughts and reduces reliance on the unhealthy = tasty intuition. Both factors mediate mindful eating effects. Last, Study 4 demonstrates the long-term benefits of EA training by showing that emotionally trained people lose more weight in a three-month period than a control group and a nutrition knowledge training group. Together, these findings suggest that consumers can gain control of their food choices t...
Performance evaluation of block-iterative algorithms for SPECT reconstruction

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the performance of four block-iterative algorithms, ordered-subsets expectation-maximization (OS-EM), rescaled block-iterative EM (RBI-EM), modified row-action maximum likelihood algorithm (RAMLA) and rescaled block-iterative maximum a posteriori EM (RBI-MAP-EM), for In-111 ProstaScint/spl reg/ SPECT image reconstruction. The 3D NCAT phantom with realistic In-111 ProstaScint/spl reg/ activity distribution was used in the study. Noise-free and noisy projections of the phantom obtained using a medium-energy general-purpose (MEGP) collimator were generated using Monte Carlo simulation methods. For each algorithm, the projection data were reconstructed with the compensations for attenuation, collimator-detector response and scatter. Image quality was evaluated in terms of FWHM of a profile through a small blood vessel, normalized mean square error (NMSE), ensemble normalized standard deviation (NSDE) of a uniform region of interest (ROI) in the reconstructed image measured from 30 noise realizations, and regional NSD (NSDR) of an ROI measure from 1 noise realization. The results indicated that, RBI-EM has superior performance than that of OS-EM when less than 4 views per subset were used and similar performance when 4 or more views per subset were used. Modified RAMLA provides similar image quality with a slower convergence rate than that of OS-EM. Using well-chosen parameters, RBI-MAP-EM provides increased noise smoothing with less loss in resolution and error. We conclude that when compared with OS-EM, the RBI-EM and modified RAMLA have the same performance at a slower convergence rate, while the RBI-MAP-EM has superior performance and can potentially improve image quality.
Effective use of mirtazapine for refractory pruritus associated with carcinoma en cuirasse

Pruritus is a debilitating symptom that can be associated with cutaneous involvement by an underlying malignancy. We report the case of a 68-year-old woman with a history of triple-negative breast cancer who presented with extensive, localised cutaneous metastasis complicated by incapacitating, treatment-refractory pruritus localised to the anatomic regions involved by her metastatic disease. Physical examination revealed an indurated, ecchymotic, ulcerated plaque circumferentially encasing her thorax. Histopathological examination revealed substantial dermal lymphatic involvement and dilation as well as dermal collagen infiltration by tumour cells and nodules. The clinical and pathological findings were consistent with a diagnosis of carcinoma en cuirasse. Mirtazapine, a noradrenergic antidepressant with antiserotonin and antihistamine activity, was started and led to rapid, sustained relief of the patient's pruritus. Mirtazapine may be a useful systemic agent for the palliative relief of pruritus associated with cutaneous infiltration by an underlying malignancy.
Earth‐Surface Multipath Detection and Error Modeling for Aircraft GPS Receivers

: For aircraft precision approach operations, Earth-surface multipath observed by an aircraft GPS antenna aegraaes tne accuracy of pseudorange measurement. Uf particular concern are stabuized approaches over water where the water reflection of the GPS signal could generate sustained multipath error. A novel multi-path detection method is introduced in this work. It provides accurate estimates of multipath strength and fading frequency using a software-defined radio GPS receiver and radio frequency data collected from a top-mounted antenna. Combined with analysis of flight-test data collected from both the top-mounted antenna and a bottom-mounted antenna, the new method allows for a realistic model of the Earth-surface multipath environment. Narrow-band and wide-band airborne receivers are simulated, and their responses to Earth-surface multipath are evaluated. The two receivers are found to have different code phase error signatures in the same multipath environment. Under different conditions, both receivers can experience smoothed pseudorange bias of up to 0.3 m.
The Mechanism of Pilling

Studies of the mechanism of pilling have demonstrated that pilling propensity is determined by the rates of fuzz formation, entanglement, and pill wearoff. Motion pictures of fabrics subjected to a...
Polyaniline-derived Non-Precious Catalyst for the Polymer Electrolyte Fuel Cell Cathode

This paper focuses on a new polyaniline-derived non-precious cathode catalyst with high oxygen-reduction activity, verified in electrochemical and fuel cell testing. The rotating disk (RDE) onset and half-wave potential of oxygen reduction were measured at 0.90 V and 0.77 V, respectively. Rotating ring-disk electrode (RRDE) study revealed very good selectivity in the four-electron reduction, with peroxide yields below 1% (0.4% at 0.4 V). Similarly, the catalyst showed good performance in the hydrogen-air fuel cell, even at high cell operating voltages, yielding 0.04 A cm-2 at 0.80 V and 0.21 A cm-2 at 0.6 V. Fuel cell life test at a constant voltage of 0.4 V demonstrated promising stability up to 450 hours, generating a current density of approximately 0.32 A cm-2, a respectable performance for a non-precious cathode catalysts operated on air rather than oxygen. Ex situ characterization pointed to pyridine- and pyrrole-like metal species as likely active ORR sites.
Anti–JC virus antibody levels in serum or plasma further define risk of natalizumab‐associated progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy

Natalizumab is a highly efficacious therapy for patients with relapsing multiple sclerosis (MS) based on significant reductions in annualized relapse rate and the risk of sustained disability progression in a 2-year phase 3 study1 and in 4- to 5-year open-label observational studies.2,3 Natalizumab treatment is associated with an increased risk of progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML), and understanding this risk is necessary for informed benefit–risk evaluation and treatment decisions. The presence of anti–JC virus (JCV) antibodies in serum or plasma is a risk factor for PML development, and in anti-JCV antibody–positive patients, the use of immunosuppressants prior to natalizumab treatment and extended duration of natalizumab treatment (especially beyond 2 years) increase PML risk.4 Detection of anti-JCV antibodies using a 2-step enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) has been proven to reliably stratify the risk of PML. Using this assay, anti-JCV antibodies were detected in 232 of 234 natalizumab-treated patients (99%) who had a blood sample available for anti-JCV antibody analysis >6 months prior to PML diagnosis (data as of August 5, 2014).5 The reported prevalence of anti-JCV antibodies using the 2-step ELISA ranges from approximately 50% to 70% in natalizumab-treated MS patients.6–10 The risk of PML in anti-JCV antibody–negative patients is 1 per 10,000 patients, as demonstrated by data from postmarketing sources as well as from a large prospective study, STRATIFY-2.5,6 A small proportion of patients demonstrate fluctuating anti-JCV antibody status over time, and the risk of PML in these patients is unclear.11,12 The overall incidence of PML in anti-JCV antibody–positive patients with no prior immunosuppressant use remains <1 per 1,000 patients during the first 2 years of natalizumab treatment.4,5 A recent exploratory analysis of anti-JCV antibody data from natalizumab-treated MS patients showed higher anti-JCV antibody levels in 9 patients who developed PML compared with non-PML anti-JCV antibody–positive patients.10 Higher antibody levels to other polyomaviruses, BK virus (BKV) and Merkel cell virus (MCV), in patients with increased viral burden also have been observed.13–15 We therefore performed an extensive retrospective analysis to determine whether anti-JCV antibody levels may further define PML risk in anti-JCV antibody–positive patients. Data from this analysis have been presented at 2013 meetings of the Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers–Americas Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis and the European Neurological Society.16,17
Recycling, evolution and the structure of human personality

Concomitant with the recent surge in environmental awareness of the industrialized world, social scientists have begun searching for the determinants of recycling behavior. Although the efforts of these scientists – most notably, environmental psychologists – are commendable, they have as yet not isolated the strategies by which long-term recycling can be effectively encouraged. In this article, I comment that by giving proper attention to the evolved structure of human personality, the emerging paradigm of evolutionary psychology may have something to offer those wishing to encourage durable and generalizable recycling behavior.
Deformation and Fracture of Resin Matrix Composites in Combined Stress States

The analytical prediction of elastic constants and strengths in highly anisotropic composites is complex and always requires experimental verifi cation. This paper describes a study of the room-temperature mechanical characterization of high performance reinforced-resin composite materials. The composites were fabricated from three high strength filaments: Union Carbide's graphite fibers, Thornel 75S and Thornel 400 and duPont's organic fiber, Kevlar 49. The matrix was a filament-winding epoxy resin, Dow Chemical DER-332 room-temperature cured with Jeffamine T-403. Test specimens were thin-walled, cylindrical tubes fabricated with unidirec tional (90° or hoop wound) or quasi-isotropic [±30/90] S filament orienta tions. Specimens were tested in uniaxial and biaxial tension; axial loads were applied with an electrohydraulic testing machine and circumferential loads by internal pressurization. Deformations were monitored with strain gages.Data from uniaxial tests and from the literature provided the elastic ...
Optimal interconnection circuits for VLSI

The propagation delay of interconnection lines is a major factor in determining the performance Of VLSI circuits because the RC time delay of these lines increases rapidly as chip size is increased and cross-sectional interconnection dimensions are reduced. In this paper, a model for interconnection time delay is developed that includes the effects of scaling transistor, interconnection, and chip dimensions. The delays of aluminum, WSi 2 , and polysilicon lines are compared, and propagation delays in future VLSI circuits are projected. Properly scaled multilevel conductors, repeaters, cascaded drivers, and cascaded driver/ repeater combinations are investigated as potential methods for reducing propagation delay. The model yields optimal cross-sectional interconnection dimensions and driver/repeater configurations that can lower propagation delays by more than an order of magnitude in MOSFET circuits.
Examining and elaborating upon the nature of elementary prospective teachers’ conceptions of partitive division with fractions

The purpose of this study was to examine and elaborate upon elementary prospective teachers’ (PSTs) conceptions of partitive division with fractions. We examined the degree to which PSTs’ conceptions were connected (i.e., capable of translating between representations correctly; aware that partitive division generates a unit rate for its quotient) and flexible (i.e., capable of differentiating between opportunities to partition or iterate (or both) when solving a partitive division task; aware that partitioning or iterating (or both) could be associated with the operation of division, as appropriate). Seventeen PSTs participated in task-based interviews prior to instruction in a mathematics content course for teachers. These PSTs demonstrated disconnected conceptions of partitive division with fractions when they incorrectly translated between representations and either inconsistently or did not express awareness that the purpose of the task was to generate a unit rate. These PSTs demonstrated rigid conceptions of partitive division with fractions such that they did not express awareness that the process of iterating could be associated with the operation of division, even when they obtained a correct answer by iterating. Results extend prior research by looking beyond PSTs’ performance on tasks to elaborate upon PSTs’ conceptions of the operation of partitive division. This study contributes new insights into PSTs’ conceptions that can be used by mathematics teacher educators to inform the design of future instructional interventions.
Instructional Influences on Analogue Functional Analysis Outcomes.

Analogue assessments were conducted with a common contingency (escape from tasks) that varied only by three different instructions describing the contingency. In one condition, the contingency was described as "taking a break," in another condition it was described as "time-out," and no description of the contingency was provided in a third condition. The participant was a typically developing 5-year-old child with a diagnosis of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Rates of inappropriate behavior varied substantially across the three conditions as an apparent effect of the prior instructions. Some implications for conducting functional analyses with verbal children are discussed.
Autoshaping in the rat: Interposing delays between responses and food

Rats were exposed to an autoshaping procedure in which each lever-contact or leverpress delayed trial offset and, hence, food delivery. Yoked subjects received identical trial-food pairings as did delay subjects. This procedure was studied at two delay values (2.5 and 10.0 sec) in experimentally naive rats and those which had previously received 25 sessions of autoshaping. The delay procedure retarded the acquisition of autoshaped responding in naive subjects and reduced responding for experienced subjects. Yoked subjects responded at higher levels than did delay subjects throughout training.