cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Characterization of mechanical behavior of a porcine pulmonary artery strip using a randomized uniaxial stretch and stretch-rate protocol.

Much of the experimental work in soft tissue mechanics has been focused on fitting approximate relations for specific tissue types from aggregate data on multiple samples of the tissue. Such relations are needed for modeling applications and have reasonable predictability – especially given the natural variance in specimens. There is, however, much theoretical and experimental work to be done in determining constitutive behaviors for particular specimens and tissues. In so doing, it may be possible to exploit the natural variation in tissue ultrastructure – so to relate ultrastructure composition to tissue behavior. Thus, this study focuses on an experimental method for determining constitutive behaviors and illustrates the method with analysis of a porcine pulmonary artery strip. The method characterizes the elastic part of the response (implicitly in terms of stretch) and the inelastic part in terms of short term stretch history (i.e., stretch-rate) H t 2, longer term stretch history H t 1, and time since the start of testing T. A uniaxial testing protocol with a random stretch and random stretch-rate was developed. The average stress at a particular stretch was chosen as the hyperelastic stress response, and deviation from the mean at this particular stretch is chosen as the inelastic deviation. Multivariable Linear Regression Analysis (MLRA) was utilized to verify if H t 2, H t 1, and T are important factors for characterizing the inelastic deviation. For acquiring H t 2and H t 1, an integral function type of stretch history was employed with time constants chosen from the relaxation spectrum of an identical size strip from the same tissue with the same orientation. Finally, statistical models that characterize the inelasticity were developed at various, nominal values of stretch, and their predictive capability was examined. Inelastic deviation from hyperelasticity was high (31%) for low stretch and declined significantly with increasing stretch to a nadir of 3.6% for a stretch of 1.7. The inelastic deviation then increased with increasing stretch at the same point in the stress-strain curve where stiffness began to increase strikingly. MLRA showed that T is a major inelastic parameter at low deformation. For moderate and high deformations, H t 2and H t 1were dominant. A randomized uniaxial testing protocol was applied to a strip of porcine pulmonary artery to characterize the elasticity and inelasticity of a soft tissue. We were successful in determining the elastic response and the factors that gave rise to the inelastic deviation. This investigation seeks methods to better define, phenomenologically, the elastic and inelastic behavior of soft tissues.
A structural form for higher-index semistate equations. I. theory and applications to circuit and control theory

Abstract We investigate the theoretical properties of a structural form for higher-index, linear time varying semistate systems x′ = A(t)x + B(t)u + ƒ 1 (t) , 0 = C(t)x + D(t)u + ƒ 2 (t) , where D ( t ) is singular but has constant rank for all t ∈ [0, T ]. Many systems of interest in circuit and control theory exhibit the form discussed, in particular circuits with differentiators and linear-quadratic regulator problems with higher-order singular arcs. In addition to the semiexplicit structure, the systems we describe are characterized by a block upper Hessenberg coefficient A ( t ), a zero pattern in C ( t ) and B ( t ), and an invertibility condition on the components of C , B , and the subdiagonal blocks of A . We show that there exists a coordinate system in which the Hessenberg form is equivalent to a semiexplicit index-1 system embedded between two linear chains of differentiators. In a companion paper, we establish the convergence and stability of backward differentiation formulas ( BDF ) applied to the index-4 Hessenberg form, extending the theory for the index-2 and index-3 special cases.
Age, but not salinity, affects the upper lethal temperature limits for juvenile walleye (Sander vitreus)

Abstract The walleye (Sander vitreus) is a North American freshwater fish that has been introduced into waters outside its native range for sport fishing purposes. Heat has been identified as a potential method to produce sterile walleye as a means of controlling introduced populations. However, in order to design experiments to study the effects of elevated temperature on developing walleye germ cells, it is necessary to establish the ultimate upper incipient lethal temperature (UUILT) for different juvenile age classes. An additional variable that was studied was the influence of adding modest amounts of salt (i.e., NaCl) to the water to increase the UUILT. To address these questions, the UUILT was estimated for sub-yearling (57–95 mm total length) and yearling (235 mm total length) walleye at salinities of 0.2 (control), 2.5, 5.0, and 10.0 parts per thousand (ppt) by increasing the temperature by 1 °C per day in each of these treatments until death. The UUILT for sub-yearling fish (34.1 °C) was significantly (p
Is glutamine depletion needed in ALL disease

In this issue of Blood, Chan et al report on an innovative study using molecular dynamics and mapping to identify and produce a promising bioengineered clone of Escherichia coli asparaginase (ASNase), mutated at Q59L position (Gln59Leu). The Q59L variant ASNase has undetectable glutaminase coactivity, while retaining its ASNase activity.1
Soluble Nitric Oxide Donor and Surfactant Improve Oxygenation and Pulmonary Hypertension in Porcine Lung Injury

Abstract Acute lung injury (ALI) is associated with diminished surfactant activity and pulmonary hypertension. NONOates are soluble NO donors which release NO in solution. Intratracheal NONOates reduce pulmonary hypertension and improve oxygenation in ALI. We hypothesized that the pharmacologic properties of NO donors would be unaltered after surfactant admixture in vitro and that aerosolized NONOate activity would be enhanced by surfactant pretreatment in vivo. NO donors were added to saline or surfactant and analyzed for nitrite/nitrate production and aortic ring vasodilation. Surfactant did not alter nitrate/nitrite production or aortic ring vasodilation. A porcine model of ALI with pulmonary hypertension was produced using intravenous oleic acid. Animals were assigned to Surfactant–Saline, Surfactant–NONOate, Saline–Saline, or Saline–NONOate groups. Saline or surfactant was instilled into the trachea, followed by gas exchange, pulmonary function, and hemodynamic measurements. NONOate or saline was then aerosolized, and additional data were collected. Oxygenation was improved in the Surfactant–NONOate group, while pulmonary hypertension was selectively reduced in both NONOate groups. Aerosolized NONOate following surfactant pretreatment improves oxygenation and reduces pulmonary hypertension in ALI.
Broadband magnetometry by infrared-absorption detection of diamond NV centers and associated temperature dependence

We demonstrate magnetometry by detection of the spin state of high-density nitrogen-vacancy (NV) ensembles in diamond using optical absorption at 1042 nm. With this technique, measurement contrast and collection efficiency can approach unity, leading to an increase in magnetic sensitivity compared to the more common method of collecting red fluorescence. Working at 75 K with a sensor with effective volume 50 x 50 x 300 μm 3 , we project photon shot-noise limited sensitivity of 5 pT in one second of acquisition and bandwidth from DC to a few MHz. Operation in a gradiometer configuration yields a noise floor of 7 nT rms at ~ 110 Hz in one second of acquisition. We also present measurements of the zero-field splitting parameters as a function of temperature, a calibration which is essential for ultra-sensitive magnetometry at low frequencies.
Degree-based ideas and technique can facilitate inter-disciplinary collaboration and education

In many application areas, there is a need for inter-disciplinary collaboration and education. However, such collaboration and education are not easy. On the example of our participation in a cyberinfrastructure project, we show that many obstacles on the path to successful collaboration and education can be overcome if we take into account that each person's knowledge of a statement is often a matter of degree – and that we can therefore use appropriate degree-based ideas and techniques.
Structural Studies on Cutinase, a Glycoprotein Containing Novel Amino Acids and Glucuronic Acid Amide at the N Terminus

Cutinase I and cutinase II, two extracellular enzymes produced by Fusarium solani pisi, were shown to be glycoproteins containing 4.3% and 5.1% carbohydrates, respectively. Upon treatment with alkali both enzymes generated chromophores which absorbed at 241 nm. Treatment of both proteins with alkaline NaB3H4 gave labeled protein and labeled monosaccharides. Hydrolysis of the labeled protein followed by chromatographic and enzymatic analyses of the products showed that alanine, 2-aminobutyrate, phenylalanine, tyrosine and l-gulonic acid accounted for nearly all of the 3H contained in the protein. The four labeled amino acids were shown to be 1:1 mixture of d and l isomers and 3H was nearly equally distributed between α and β positions in each amino acid. The N-terminal amino group of cutinase I did not react with either phenylisothiocyanate or dansyl chloride. This amino group was suggested to be in amide linkage with glucuronic acid because upon treatment of the protein with neutral NaB3H4, gulonic acid attached to the protein became labeled and only gulonic acid was labeled when the protein was deglycosylated with HF prior to alkaline NaB3H4 treatment. Furthermore, N-gulonylglycine was isolated from the pronase digest of the labeled protein. Chromatographic identification and quantification of the labeled carbohydrates released from cutinase I by alkaline NaB3H4 showed that one mole of cutinase I has one mole each of mannose, arabinose, N-acetylglucosamine, and glucuronic acid O-glycosidically linked to serine, threonine, β-hydroxyphenylalanine, and β-hydroxytyrosine. In addition, the N-terminal glycine is in amide linkage with glucuronic acid. Since almost identical experimental results were obtained with cutinase II this protein is also suggested to have the same structural features as those suggested above for cutinase I.
Ab initio calculation of transition state normal mode properties and rate constants for the H(T)+CH4(CD4) abstraction and exchange reactions

We present ab initio (GVB–POL–CI) calculations for enough of the region about the abstraction and exchange saddle points for H(T)+CH4(CD4) to perform a full normal mode analysis of the transition states. The resulting normal mode frequencies are compared to four other published surfaces: an ab initio UHF–SCF calculation by Carsky and Zahradnik, a semiempirical surface by Raff, and two semiempirical surfaces by Kurylo, Hollinden, and Timmons. Significant quantitative and qualitative differences exist between the POL–CI results and those of the other surfaces. Transition state theory rate constants and vibrationally adiabatic reaction threshold energies were computed for all surfaces and compared to available experimental values. For abstraction, the POL–CI rates are in good agreement with experimental rates and in better agreement than are the rates of any of the other surfaces. For exchange, uncertainties in the experimental values and in the importance of vibrationally nonadiabatic effects cloud the comp...
Field-dependence and form discrimination in males

Forty-two males were divided into field-independent, medium, and field-dependent groups and administered a form discrimination task. Field-independent Ss made fewer combined errors than field-dependent Ss. This finding was consistent with active and passive touch as well. When the present study was compared with previous work using females, a clear-cut sex difference emerged.
Genetic analysis of factors controlling high-level expression of cytochrome P450, CYP6D1, cytochrome b5, P450 reductase, and monooxygenase activities in LPR house flies, Musca domestica.

To understand better the biochemical genetics of cytochrome P450 monooxygenase-mediated insecticide resistance, we examined the microsomal monooxygenases in insecticide-susceptible (aabys) and pyrethroid-resistant (LPR) house fly strains, as well as 15 house fly lines derived from crosses of LPR and aabys. In comparison to the aabys strain, LPR had higher levels of total cytochromes P450, cytochrome b5, P450 reductase, CYP6D1, and three P450 monooxygenase activities: 7-ethoxycoumarinO-deethylase (ECOD), methoxyresorufinO-demethylase (MROD), and aromatic hydrocarbon hydroxylase (AHH). The elevated levels of cytochrome b5 were linked to factors on autosomes 1 and 2. This is similar to previous reports on monooxygenase-mediated resistance and is consistent with the idea that elevated cytochrome b5 levels are involved in monooxygenase-mediated resistance in the LPR strain. Linkage of the elevated P450 reductase is different from that of monooxygenase-mediated resistance. Strains having high levels of CYP6D1 (i.e., like LPR) had high levels of P450 reductase, while strains having intermediate levels of CYP6D1 also had high levels of reductase. Therefore, there is no clear evidence that the elevated P450 reductase in the LPR strain is required for the increased monooxygenase activity. Overexpression of total cytochromes P450, CYP6D1 (mRNA and protein), and CYP6D1-mediated monooxygenase activities (MROD and AHH) in LPR microsomes was linked to a combination of factors on autosomes 1 and 2. This demonstrates that increased expression of CYP6D1 in the LPR strain is both cis regulated by a factor(s) on autosome 1 and trans regulated by a factor(s) on autosome 2. The correlation between the overexpression of CYP6D1 mRNA and protein suggests that CYP6D1 expression is regulated transcriptionally. Monooxygenase-mediated resistance in LPR is controlled by factors on autosomes 1 and 2, which supports previous claims that CYP6D1 is responsible for monooxygenase-mediated resistance in the LPR strain.
THE CONCEPT OF ETERNITY

Of all the attributes commonly attributed to the deity, none is more perplexing than the attribute of eternity. In fact, it seems as if it is now the vogue to writeoff eternity as being inessential to theism and opt for a god in process, which unequivocably separates one from the mainstream tradition of Judeo-Christian natural theology.1 Indeed, it does seem as if eternity, as traditionally understood, causes severe if not insuperable difficulties concerning the consistency of theism. There are in particular three related problems which arise from a consideration of God's relation to a world in time if God is taken to be eternal and consequently timeless and immutable.2 One problem is the doctrine of predestination. Orthodox Christians accept the teaching that God predestines all those who are saved.3 But if this is so, then how can free creatures in any way effect their final end, and if their freedom excludes this, of what value is this freedom? It seems none at all. The doctrine of predestination is what, of course, provides the impetus for the Calvinist interpretation of freedom, i.e. a freedom which excludes contingency and is compatible with universal determinism. Rational creatures are free in the sense that (sometimes) they can do what they will, but what they will is necessitated.4 But the Calvinist position is further buttressed by a less theologically inspired argument, and this is the argument from God's omniscience. If God has necessary (and in this context we take "necessary" to mean unmistakably certain) knowledge of future logically contingent states of affairs, it seems as if the occurrence of these events does not allow for the kind of contingency necessary for a libertarian conception of freedom.5 There is yet another problem intimately conjoined to God's relation to a world in time, and this is a problem which appears to arise in offering solutions to the problems of predestination and foreknowledge, particularly when the solutions are predicated upon God's eternal, immutable nature. The problem concerns the reality of time, and is generated in this way. Freedom and foreknowledge would be
Data flow analysis in the presence of procedure calls

The aliasing that results in a variable being known by more than one name has greatly complicated efforts to derive data flow information. The approach we take involves the use of a series of claims that, after we compute the data flow for some of the aliasing possibilities, allows us to produce good approximations for the remaining cases. The method can thus limit the potential combinatorial explosion of aliasing computations while providing results that are frequently exact and almost always very good. The method is illustrated in the context of data flow analysis involving multiple procedures and their calling interactions. It is applicable also in the treatment of recursive procedures.
Tissue-specific, temporal changes in cell adhesion to echinonectin in the sea urchin embryo

Echinonectin is a dimeric, glycoprotein found in the hyaline layer of the developing sea urchin embryo. It was found that echinonectin supports adhesion of embryonic cells in vitro. Previous studies have shown that the protein hyalin also supports adhesion. The purpose of this study was to examine the specificity of cell-echinonectin interactions during sea urchin development. Primary mesenchyme cells (PMCs) ingress into the blastocoel during gastrulation. In the process the PMCs lose contact with the hyaline layer. It was found experimentally that differentiating PMCs decreased their adhesion to hyalin at the time of ingression. It was of interest, therefore, to determine whether there was a coordinate loss of adhesion to echinonectin at ingression as well. When cell-echinonectin interactions were quantified using a centrifugal force-based adhesion assay, it was shown that micromeres adhered well to echinonectin. At the time of ingression, PMCs displayed reduced adhesion to echinonectin just as had been found when hyalin was tested as a substrate. There was no change in adhesion of presumptive ectoderm or endoderm to echinonectin over the same time period. Early in gastrulation presumptive ectoderm and endoderm adhered to echinonectin only half as strongly as to equimolar concentrations of hyalin. After gastrulation endoderm cells were observed to retain the same relative affinity to hyalin and echinonectin, while ectoderm cells became equally adhesive for both hyalin and echinonectin. Quantitatively, this represents an overall increase in the affinity of ectodermal cells for echinonectin. Adhesion to combined substrata of echinonectin and hyalin was reduced but not abolished by monoclonal antibodies specific for echinonectin. The antibodies did not cross-react with hyalin. We conclude that both echinonectin and hyalin independently act as adhesive substrata for the developing sea urchin embryo. PMCs lose an affinity for echinonectin and ectodermal cells later increase their affinity for this substrate.
Feedback directed modification of designs

Feedback-directed modification, a technique for efficiently improving the solution to a structure-sharing problem, is discussed. This technique uses an analysis of the solution to effect structural modifications to reduce resource usage. Efficiency is obtained through: the reuse of the previous solution and the addition of constraints to prevent subsequent modifications from undoing the changes. The technique allows the efficient generation of new designs through modification of old ones. However, if the initial design is very different from the desired solution, the system will take many iterations to converge and might not even be able to find the solution. In such cases, other techniques would be more suitable. Feedback-directed modification permits more direct and fine-grain control of the solution generation process so that solutions can be generated that would otherwise be unreachable with other, more coarse-grain mechanisms. A model of iterative design for VLSI structure-sharing problems is also described. >
Prostacyclin: An Inflammatory Paradox

Prostacyclin (PGI2) is a member of the prostaglandin family of bioactive lipids. Its best-characterized role is in the cardiovascular system, where it is released by vascular endothelial cells, serving as a potent vasodilator and inhibitor of platelet aggregation. In recent years, prostacyclin (PGI2) has also been shown to promote differentiation and inhibit proliferation in vascular smooth muscle cells. In addition to these well-described homeostatic roles within the cardiovascular system, prostacyclin (PGI2) also plays an important role as an inflammatory mediator. In this review, we focus on the contribution of prostacyclin (PGI2) as both a pathophysiological mediator and therapeutic agent in three major inflammatory-mediated disease processes, namely rheumatoid arthritis, where it promotes disease progression (“pro-inflammatory”), along with pulmonary vascular disease and atherosclerosis, where it inhibits disease progression (“anti-inflammatory”). The emerging role of prostacyclin (PGI2) in this context provides new opportunities for understanding the complex molecular basis for inflammatory-related diseases, and insights into the development of current and future anti-inflammatory treatments.
Traveling-wave-tube simulation: The IBC code

An interactive beam-circuit code (IBC) is presented, to run interactively on fast PCs or workstations, for purposes of first-cut design of traveling-wave tubes (TWTs) at small and large amplitudes. The new physics parts are the use of particle-in-cell methods to obtain the space-charge forces, and the following of the electron beam over the full length of the tube. The model is fully nonlinear and one-dimensional, with the transverse space-charge fields approximated by one mode. The slow-wave circuit is modeled by a transmission line. All variables are displayed continuously, such as the velocity displacement of all the particles (phase space), beam charge and current densities, space-charge field, circuit field, voltage and current, circuit power, and the location of the added loss. Some initial runs are presented. >
Inside the Sending State: The Politics of Mexican Emigration Control

The social science of international migration has generally ignored labor emigration control policies. In the critical case of Mexico, however, the central government consistently tried to control the volume, duration, skills, and geographic origin of emigrants from 1900 to the early 1970s. A neopluralist approach to policy development and implementation shows that the failure of emigration control and the current abandonment of serious emigration restrictions are explained by a combination of external constraints, imposed by a highly asymmetrical interdependence with the United States, and internal constraints, imposed by actors within the balkanized Mexican state who recurrently undermined federal emigration policy through contradictory local practices.
Constellation Design with Parallel Multi-Objective Evolutionary Computation

‡Multi-objective evolutionary algorithms (MOEA) have been shown to be effective optimization tools to search the complex trade-off space s of satellite constellation design. Often the metrics that make up the design trade-off req uire lengthy function evaluation time, resulting in a decreased utility of serial MOEA. In this research the authors implement two parallel processing MOEA paradigms, the master-slave and island models, on a heterogeneous system of processors and operating syst ems. The efficiency and effectiveness of each approach is studied in the conte xt of a regional coverage design problem. The island scheme outperforms the master-slave model with respect to efficiency. A study of the search dynamics for each paradigm demonstrates that both reliably meet the goals of multi-objective optimization (progressing towar ds the Pareto-optimal front while maintaining a diverse set of solutions). A key conclu sion of this research is that both paradigms provide excellent approximations of the true Pareto frontier using a single seed, and when combined across multiple trial runs find nearly the entire set of Pareto-optimal solutions.
The Relative Instructional Efficiency of Small Group Computer-Based Training

Sixty-four subjects participated in three experiments which examined the relative instructional effectiveness of using small group CBT. For experiments 1 and 3, twelve subjects were assigned to eit...
Exploring a Multithreaded Methodology to Implement a Network Communication Protocol on the Cyclops-64 Multithreaded Architecture

The IBM Cyclops-64 (C64) chip employs a multithreaded architecture that integrates a large number of hardware thread units on a single chip. A cellular supercomputer is being developed based on a 3D-mesh connection of the C64 chips. This paper introduces the Cyclops datagram protocol (CDP) developed for the C64 supercomputer system. CDP is inspired by the TCP/IP protocol, yet simpler and more compact. The implementation of CDP leverages the abundant hardware thread-level parallelism provided by the C64 multithreaded architecture. The main contributions of this paper are: (1) We have completed a design and implementation of CDP that is used as the fundamental communication infrastructure for the C64 supercomputer system. (2) CDP successfully exploits the massive thread-level parallelism provided on the C64 hardware, achieving good performance scalability; (3) CDP is quite efficient. Its peak throughput reaches 884Mbps on the gigabit Ethernet, even it is running at the user-level on a single-processor Linux machine; (4) Extensive application test cases are passed and no reliability problems have been reported.
Thermic effect of food, exercise, and total energy expenditure in active females

Abstract Objectives Exercise and the thermic effect of food contribute to total energy expenditure and overall maintenance of health. The aim of this study was to determine the interaction between TEF and exercise on TEE based on meal protein content. Design A randomized, repeated measures study. Methods Ten active females, of normal body weight, participated. Preliminary maximal aerobic capacity (VO 2max ) was determined. Three additional testing sessions consisted of performing a 30-min bout of exercise at 60% VO 2max after consumption of a high (45% total kcal) or low (15% total kcal) protein meal, or fasted. Results Repeated measures ANOVA indicated a significant main effect for the feeding protocols ( α =.05). The high protein meal elicited a 30.39% and 98.15% greater increase in TEF compared to the low protein meal ( p =.006) and fasted state ( p p p =.010) but was not significantly greater than the low protein meal ( p =.122). Significant differences were not found between the low protein meals with exercise compared to fasted conditions ( p =.094). Conclusions Findings of this study provide insight on increased TEE under acute high protein feeding conditions as compared to a low protein meal and fasted state. Combined with exercise, potential for further increases in TEE exists as a result of TEF.
Dark energy and dark matter haloes

We investigate the effect of dark energy on the density profiles of dark matter haloes with a suite of cosmological N-body simulations and use our results to test analytic models. We consider constant equation of state models, and allow both w −1 and w −1 quintessence models seem to exacerbate the central density problem relative to the standard w =− 1 model. Fo re xample, models with w �− 0.5 seem disfavoured by the data, which can be matched only by allowing extremely low normalizations, σ 8 0.6. Meanwhile w< −1 models help to reduce the apparent discrepancy. We confirm that the halo mass function of Jenkins et al. provides an excellent approximation to the abundance of haloes in our simulations and extend its region of validity to include models with w< −1. Ke yw ords: methods: N-body simulations ‐ cosmology: theory ‐ dark matter ‐ large-scale structure of Universe.
Effects of long-term progesterone on developmental and functional aspects of porcine uterine epithelia and vasculature: progesterone alone does not support development of uterine glands comparable to that of pregnancy

In pigs, endometrial functions are regulated primarily by progesterone and placental factors including estrogen. Progesterone levels are high throughout pregnancy to stimulate and maintain secretion of histotroph from uterine epithelia necessary for growth, implantation, placentation, and development of the conceptus (embryo and its extra-embryonic membranes). This study determined effects of long-term progesterone on development and histoarchitecture of endometrial luminal epithelium (LE), glandular epithelium (GE), and vasculature in pigs. Pigs were ovariectomized during diestrus (day 12), and then received daily injections of either corn oil or progesterone for 28 days. Prolonged progesterone treatment resulted in increased weight and length of the uterine horns, and thickness of the endometrium and myometrium. Hyperplasia and hypertrophy of GE were not evident, but LE cell height increased, suggesting elevated secretory activity. Although GE development was deficient, progesterone supported increased endometrial angiogenesis comparable to that of pregnancy. Progesterone also supported alterations to the apical and basolateral domains of LE and GE. Dolichos biflorus agglutinin lectin binding and α(v) integrin were downregulated at the apical surfaces of LE and GE. Claudin-4, α(2)β(1) integrin, and vimentin were increased at basolateral surfaces, whereas occludins-1 and -2, claudin-3, and E-cadherin were unaffected by progesterone treatment indicating structurally competent trans-epithelial adhesion and tight junctional complexes. Collectively, the results suggest that progesterone affects LE, GE, and vascular development and histoarchitecture, but in the absence of ovarian or placental factors, it does not support development of GE comparable to pregnancy. Furthermore, LE and vascular development are highly responsive to the effects of progesterone.
Simultaneous Relevant Feature Identification and Classification in High-Dimensional Spaces

Molecular profiling technologies monitor thousands of transcripts, proteins, metabolites or other species concurrently in biological samples of interest. Given two-class, high-dimensional profiling data, nominal Liknon [4] is a specific implementation of a methodology for performing simultaneous relevant feature identification and classification. It exploits the well-known property that minimizing an l1 norm (via linear programming) yields a sparse hyperplane [15,26,2,8,17]. This work (i) examines computational, software and practical issues required to realize nominal Liknon, (ii) summarizes results from its application to five real world data sets, (iii) outlines heuristic solutions to problems posed by domain experts when interpreting the results and (iv) defines some future directions of the research.
The effect of epidermal pigmentation on selective vascular effects of pulsed laser

The effect of epidermal pigmentation on the threshold exposure dose for inducing purpura with a tunable dye laser at 577 nm, 1.5 microseconds pulse duration, was studied in 21 human volunteers with varied genetically determined amounts of melanin. More laser energy was required to produce purpura as constitutive skin pigmentation increased. Histology showed that, in lighter skin, the laser threshold dose produced the most specific vascular injury with no disruption of surrounding structures. In more pigmented skin, damage occurred in the epidermal basal layer and very few changes were seen in blood vessels below.
Reasonable Disagreement about Identifed vs. Statistical Victims

People tend to contribute more—and think they have stronger obligations to contribute more—to rescuing an identified victim rather than a statistical one. Indeed, they are often disposed to contribute more to rescuing a single identified victim than a greater number of statistical ones. By an “identified victim,” I mean Terry Q., lying injured in the passenger seat of the wrecked automobile on the corner of Main Street and Broadway, or Jessica McClure, the child who fell into the Texas well in 1987 and whose family was sent $700,000 in donations for her. We need not know their names, however, and we can accept a very minimal form of identification. By a “statistical victim,” I mean the person who, extrapolating from traffic records, will be in a similar, serious car accident tomorrow (and may then be identified), or the children who will fall into wells next year if we do not cap them better than we did the well that trapped Jessica. Does this disposition (or perceived obligation) have any normative force? I initially thought there could be no such normative force, but consequentialist and nonconsequentialist arguments, pro and con, have convinced me that reasonable people can disagree with each other. This disagreement poses a problem for political philosophy: how should policy choices take such disagreement into account?
Ultrastructural Study of the Kidney in the Coelacanth Latimeria chalumnae (Rhipidistia: Coelacanthini)

The morphology of the nephrons of the coelacanth Latimeria chalumnae was investigated by electron microscopy. Each nephron is composed of a large renal corpuscle with well vascularized glomerulus, ciliated neck segment, proximal tubule divided into first and second proximal segments, ciliated intermediate segment, distal tubule, collecting tubule, and duct. The podocytes of visceral epithelium contain large bi-lobed nuclei and their surface membranes pinch off vesicles into the cytoplasm. The processes of the podocytes give rise to pedicels that enclose narrow filtration slits. The endothelium of glomerular capillaries is attenuated and fenestrated. The short cytoplasmic processes of mesangial cells do not penetrate deeply into the sub-endothelial lamina. The glomerular basement membrane is about 286 nm in thickness. The pedicels also arise from podocyte cell bodies, and are connected by diaphragms and enclose slits, which open into narrow urinary spaces between podocytes. The cuboidal cells of the short neck segment display cilia with a characteristic pattern of 9+2 microtubules. The first proximal tubule segment differs from the second proximal segment in having densely packed microvilli, prominent endocytotic-lysosomal apparatus, and numerous basal membrane infoldings associated with mitochondria. The lateral cell membranes like those of other segments are straight and joined by desmosomes and apical adhering and tight junctions. The distal tubules display few short luminal microvilli and numerous basal mitochondria. The distal tubule, collecting tubule and duct are devoid of intercalated cells. The ultrastructure of the L chalumnae nephrons correlates well with their osmoregulatory function and resembles that of freshwater rainbow trout.
Grossmanite, CaTi3+AlSiO6, a new pyroxene from the Allende meteorite

Grossmanite, Ca(Ti3+,Mg,Ti4+)AlSiO6 with an end-member formula CaTi3+AlSiO6, is a new member of the Ca clinopyroxene group, where the trivalent cations are dominant in the M1 site with Ti3+ being the dominant trivalent cation. It occurs as micrometer-sized crystals along with spinel and perovskite in a melilite host in Ca-, Al-rich refractory inclusions from the Allende meteorite. The mean chemical composition determined by electron microprobe analysis of the type material is (wt%) SiO2 27.99, Al2O3 24.71, CaO 24.58, Ti2O3 10.91, TiO2 6.68, MgO 4.45, Sc2O3 0.43, V2O3 0.19, ZrO2 0.13, FeO 0.08, Cr2O3 0.03, sum 100.20. Its empirical formula calculated on the basis of 6 O atoms is Ca1.00[(Ti0.353+Al0.18Sc0.01V0.013+)∑0.55Mg0.25Ti0.194+]∑1.00(Si1.07Al0.93)∑2.00O6. Grossmanite is monoclinic, C 2/ c; a = 9.80 A, b = 8.85 A, c = 5.36 A, β = 105.62°, V = 447.70 A3, and Z = 4. Its electron back-scatter diffraction pattern is an excellent match to that of Ti3+-rich pyroxene with the C 2/ c structure. The five strongest calculated X-ray powder diffraction lines are [ d spacing in A, ( I ), hkl ] 2.996 (100) (221), 2.964 (31) (310), 2.581 (42) (002), 2.600 (28) (131), 2.535 (47) (221). The name is for Lawrence Grossman, a cosmochemist at the University of Chicago.
Canopy gaps are sites of reduced belowground plant competition in a productive old field

Whether small gaps in the aboveground vegetation of productive oldfields correspond to gaps in belowground plant biomass, and whether such“root gaps” result in a reduction of competition for soil resourcesis not known. Our study in an abandoned hayfield shows that root biomass withinsmall gaps (< 0.50 m diam) is 20% of that found withinintact vegetation, similar to the findings for shoot biomass. Associated withthe decrease in root biomass was a 25% reduction in the intensity ofbelowground competition within gaps compared to the surrounding matrixvegetation. These differences could not be attributed to variation in soilproperties, as gap and matrix soils did not differ in any of the physical orchemical properties measured. These results indicate that the increased plantgrowth commonly observed within gaps may be partly due to reduced belowgroundcompetition, independent of any advantage gained from increased lightavailability. By providing areas of low belowground competitive intensity, gapsin this field could allow poor belowground competitors to exist with in oldfields,thusincreasing community diversity.
The Past, Present, and Future of Web Search Engines

Web search engines have emerged as one of the central applications on the Internet. In fact, search has become one of the most important activities that people engage in on the the Internet. Even beyond becoming the number one source of information, a growing number of businesses are depending on web search engines for customer acquisition.
An analogy for heat transfer with wavy/stratified gas‐liquid flow

The von Karman analogy between heat transfer and momentum transfer in turbulent fluids is shown to apply to heat transfer through wavy liquid films in horizontal, stratified, gas-liquid flow. Nusselt numbers predicted from the analogy are shown to be in good agreement with experimental data for air-water flows involving three-dimensional wavy films and large-amplitude roll waves. The Nusselt numbers encountered with these turbulent water films are found to be in the same range as those associated with condensation of organics in horizontal tubes under stratified flow conditions.
Motion-vector optimization of control grid interpolation and overlapped block motion compensation using iterated dynamic programming

The application of advanced motion compensation techniques-control grid interpolation (CGI) and overlapped block motion compensation (OBMC)-to video coding systems provides significant performance advantages, terms of compression ratio and visual quality, over traditional block-matching motion compensation. However, the two-dimensional (2-D) interdependence among motion vectors introduced by these compensation frameworks makes the problem of finding rate-distortion optimal motion vectors, computationally prohibitive. Thus, iterative optimization techniques are often used to achieve good compensation performance. While most reported optimization algorithms adopt an approach that uses a block-matching algorithm to obtain an initial estimate and then successively optimize each motion vector, the over-relaxed motion-vector dependency relations often result in considerable performance degradation. In view of this problem, we present a new optimization scheme for dependent motion-vector optimization problems, one based on dynamic programming. Our approach efficiently decomposes 2-D dependency problems into a series of one-dimensional (1-D) dependency problems. We show that a reliable initial estimate of motion vectors can be obtained efficiently by only considering the dependency in the rate term. We also show that at the iterative optimization stage an effective logarithmic search strategy can be used with dynamic programming to reduce the necessary complexity involved in distortion computation. Compared to conventional iterative approaches, our experimental results demonstrate that our algorithm provides superior rate and distortion performance while maintaining reasonable complexity.
THE NORMAL CONSTANTS OF MOTION IN QUANTUM MECHANICS TREATED BY PROJECTION TECHNIQUE

Abstract : The normal operators Lambda commuting with the Hamiltonian form an important class of constants of motion. It is shown that the eigenfunctions to Lambda associated with different eigenvalues are not only orthogonal ut also non-interacting with respect to the Hamiltonian. Every trial function may be resolved into eigenfunctions to Lambda by means of a projection operator formalism, which may also be used to split the secular equation into independent parts. The exchange phenomenon, the antisymmetry requirement, the angular momenta, the cyclic o erators, and the translations are treated as illustrative examples. (Author)
An experimental 180 Mb/sec PRML channel for magnetic recording

An experimental 180 Mbit/s partial-response maximum-likelihood (PRML) channel was developed in order to investigate various technical issues arising in very high speed magnetic disk recording systems. The channel was implemented with discrete analog and logic components. A thin-film 10-turn write head and an experimental high-resolution magnetoresistive read head were used with a high coercivity, thin-film disk. Linear densities of 4000 fc/mm were achieved at 45 m/s and 100 nm flying height. The authors describe the experimental channel in detail and also indicate some of the new experimental results obtained. >
Association of Oral Disease with 12 Selected Variables: I. Periodontal Disease

The association of periodontal disease with 12 selected variables, considered to be intrinsic-systemic factors, was examined. A probability sample of 324 subjects, ≥ 20 years old, was studied. The statistical analyses included simple, partial, and multiple correlations, and linear regression.
REQUIREMENTS FOR MODELING TRACE METAL PARTITIONING IN OXIDIZED ESTUARINE SEDIMENTS

Abstract The fate of particulate-bound metals is of particular importance in estuaries because major biological energy flows involve consumption of detrital particles. The biological impact of particulate-bound metals is strongly influenced by the partitioning of metals among sediment components at the oxidized sediment—water interface. Adequate methods for directly measuring this partitioning are not available, thus a modeling approach may be most useful. Important requirements for such a model include: (1) determinations of metal binding intensities which are comparable among sediment components important in oxidized sediments; (2) comparable determinations of the binding capacities of the several forms of each component; (3) operational determinations of the abundance in natural sediments of components of defined binding capacity; (4) assessments of the influence of particle coatings and multicomponent aggregation on the available binding capacity of each substrate; (5) consideration of the effect of Ca and Mg competition on binding to different components; and (6) determinations of the kinetics of metal redistribution among components in oxidized sediments.
Specific deposition of complement protein C3b on abnormal PNH erythrocytes permits their separation by partitioning. Possible general approach for isolation of specific cell populations.

Abstract The deposition of complement proteins on a cell surface has previously been shown to reduce the cell's partition ratio in a two-polymer aqueous phase system. This phenomenon has now been extended to segregate, by partitioning, subpopulations of erythrocytes from patients with paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH). Purified components of the complement system were employed to deposit the protein C3b specifically on abnormal erythrocytes which lacked the membrane-associated complement regulatory protein DAF. As few as 2100 C3b/cell reduced the partition ratio and 24 000 C3b/cell resulted in resolution of the C3b-bearing and non-bearing human red cells. It was found that the proportion of cells separated did not equal the proportion of cells lysed by complement in the acidified serum lysis test when blood from three of the five patients was examined. The results indicate that the defect giving rise to DAF− cells may be, but is not necessarily, coexpressed with defects affecting other membrane-associated regulatory factors. A broader application of the method using monoclonal antibodies to direct purified complement components to specific cell populations should permit their isolation in large quantities.
Footprints of Utah's Last Dinosaurs: Track Beds in the Upper Cretaceous (Maastrichtian) North Horn Formation of the Wasatch Plateau, Central Utah

Abstract Dinosaur track beds occur at several localities in the uppermost Cretaceous (Maastrichtian) North Horn Formation in the Wasatch Plateau, central Utah. The track bed localities, separated by up to 80 km, also contain dinosaur body fossils. At the type locality at North Horn Mountain in Emery County, more than 100 individual exposures and/or stratigraphic levels within a 1.2-km2 study area exhibit tracks in vertical cross-sectional view. These biogenic structures are similar to others that have been interpreted elsewhere as deep dinosaur tracks. At the type section, track beds vertically span at least 183 m from the base of the formation up to a few meters below the highest dinosaur eggshells, which are interpreted to occur immediately below the Cretaceous-Tertiary (K-T) boundary interval. Track occurrence in the North Horn Formation demonstrates that large dinosaurs were present in central Utah until very shortly before the K-T boundary. The track structures feature deformation, overprinting, and ...
Ant Colony Optimization in a Changing Environment

Ant colony optimization (ACO) algorithms are computational problem-solving methods that are inspired by the complex behaviors of ant colonies; specifically, the ways in which ants interact with each other and their environment to optimize the overall performance of the ant colony. Our eventual goal is to develop and experiment with ACO methods that can more effectively adapt to dynamically changing environments and problems. We describe biological ant systems and the dynamics of their environments and behaviors. We then introduce a family of dynamic ACO algorithms that can handle dynamic modifications of their inputs. We report empirical results, showing that dynamic ACO algorithms can effectively adapt to time-varying environments.
Bcl-2 protein expression during murine development.

Abstract Bcl-2 functions as a death repressor molecule in an evolutionarily conserved cell death pathway. To further explore the role of Bcl-2 in development, we assessed its pattern of expression during murine embryogenesis. Immunohistochemical analysis demonstrates that Bcl-2 is widely expressed early in mouse fetal development in tissues derived from all three germ layers and that this expression becomes restricted with maturation. Within epithelium, the E12.5 lung bud demonstrates a proximal to distal gradient of Bcl-2 expression which is enhanced by E18.5. Bcl-2 is expressed throughout the intestinal epithelium through E14.5, but by E18.5 only cells in the crypts and lower villi express Bcl-2. In the mesoderm-derived kidney, Bcl-2 is expressed in both the ureteric bud and metanephric cap tissue at E12.5. Tubular structures also express Bcl-2, although overall levels drop as the kidney matures. Retinal neuroepithelial cells uniformly express Bcl-2 until cells begin to differentiate and then display the topographic distribution maintained into adulthood. The developing limb provides a clear example where Bcl-2 is restricted to zones of cell survival; Bcl-2 is expressed in the digital zones but not in the interdigital zones of cell death. The wide distribution of Bcl-2 in the developing mouse suggests that many immature cells require a death repressor molecule or that Bcl-2 may have roles beyond regulating developmental cell death.