cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Endothelial cell permeability and adherens junction disruption induced by junín virus infection.

Junin virus (JUNV) is endemic to the fertile Pampas of Argentina, maintained in nature by the rodent host Calomys musculinus, and the causative agent of Argentine hemorrhagic fever (AHF), which is characterized by vascular dysfunction and fluid distribution abnormalities. Clinical as well as experimental studies implicate involvement of the endothelium in the pathogenesis of AHF, although little is known of its role. JUNV has been shown to result in productive infection of endothelial cells (ECs) in vitro with no visible cytopathic effects. In this study, we show that direct JUNV infection of primary human ECs results in increased vascular permeability as measured by electric cell substrate impedance sensing and transwell permeability assays. We also show that EC adherens junctions are disrupted during virus infection, which may provide insight into the role of the endothelium in the pathogenesis of AHF and possibly, other viral hemorrhagic fevers.
An Inexpensive Electrodeposition Device and Its Use in a Quantitative Analysis Laboratory Exercise

An experimental procedure, using an apparatus that is easy to construct, was developed to incorporate a quantitative electrogravimetric determination of the solution nickel content into an undergraduate or advanced high school quantitative analysis laboratory. This procedure produces results comparable to the procedure used for the gravimetric determination of nickel in many quantitative analysis laboratory texts. This experiment may be run alone or may be used in conjunction with the gravimetric determination of nickel using dimethylglyoxime to determine the nickel content of a common solution by two methods. The students may then use statistical techniques to compare the two procedures. This system may also be used to study the effects of changes in experimental parameters on the degree of precipitation of the metal via electrodeposition.
Digital Rights Management: What the Consumer Wants

Digitization of content as well as the increasing piracy of content such as music, films or software demands appropriate protection against unauthorized access and use. Therefore, and in order to be successful, the management of rights of such content, often known under the umbrella term Digital Rights Management (DRM), is becoming increasingly important for today's digital asset managers. In the first part of this article, we provide a short introduction to DRM by outlining the entities, the various technologies used as well as usage restrictions that come with DRM. We also provide an example of a DRM used for movie downloads. What digital asset managers also have to understand are the consumer needs of those systems, in terms of technology requirement as well usage restrictions. The second part of this article provides first empirical results about the consumer acceptance of DRM systems. We outlined which technologies, as well as usage restrictions, which come with digital content, consumers accept and which might be obstacles for consumer for purchasing digital content. This article concludes by overcoming those obstacles, buying of digital content such as music, movies and software might become more attractive to consumers than copying.
New folate analogs of the 10-deaza-aminopterin series Basis for structural design and biochemical and pharmacologic properties

Structural modification of the N10 position of 4-amino folates affects mediated membrane transport in mammalian cells but has little or no effect on target enzyme (dihydrofolate reductase) inhibition. Some of these modifications have been associated with differential effects on transport in various cell types in a manner which favored greater accumulation and persistence of drug in reponsive tumor cells than in normal proliferative tissue. With the aim of identifying new structures with greater potential for differential mediated accumulation, we have studied three new 10-alkyl analogs of 10-deaza-aminopterin. Two of these analogs showed therapeutic efficacy substantially greater than 10-deaza-aminopterin, an analog with antitumor properties superior to methotrexate. These analogs, the 10-methyl, 10-ethyl, and 10,10-dimethyl derivatives, were equivalent to the parent compound, 10-deaza-aminopterin, and aminopterin, and slightly more potent than methotrexate, as inhibitors of L1210 cell dihydrofolate reductase. The three new analogs, 10-deaza-aminopterin, and aminopterin exhibited similar transport properties in L1210, Ehrlich, and S180 cells. Efflux and influx Vmax were similar to those of methotrexate, but influx Km was 4- to 14-fold lower than for methotrexate. That is, substitution at N10, but not at C10, reduced influx potential in these tumor cells. These differences in transport properties among this group of analogs which determine net accumulation were reflected in the individual values for growth-inhibitory potency. In contrast to that seen in tumor cells, alkylation at both N10 and C10 reduced influx potential (increased Km) in isolated intestinal epithelial cells from mouse small intestine. Influx was in the order aminopterin >10-deaza-aminopterin with further reduction in each series showing a magnitude in proportion to the size of the 10 substituent. Otherwise, influx Vmax and efflux were similar for the group. Accumulation of polyglutamates in small intestine was greater following aminopterin administration than following administration of other analogs (10-ethyl, 10-deaza-aminopterin < methotrexate < 10-deaza-aminopterin). Polyglutamate accumulation for all the analogs was greater in tumor cells, but accumulation of each varied between the two tumors (L1210 and S180) examined. Differences among the analogs were not as great in L1210 as in S180 cells, and their metabolism was not in the same relative order. Plasma pharmacokinetics for 10-methyl and 10-ethyl derivatives were similar to those for 10-deaza-aminopterin and methotrexate. The 10,10-dimethyl analog was cleared more rapidly.
Digoxin prevents MPTP-induced dopamine depletion in mouse striatum.

Abstract Inhibition of Na+/K+ ATPase by cardiac glycosides has been shown to potentiate toxic effects of excitatory amino acids and mitochondrial poisons in neurons in vitro. The present study tested the hypothesis that the systemic administration of the cardiac glycoside, digoxin, potentiates effects of the dopamine neurotoxin 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,5,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP) in vivo. Mice were injected with digoxin (1 mg/kg) or vehicle followed by MPTP (20 mg/kg) or saline 1 h later. After 1 or 8 days, mice were euthanized and dopamine levels in the striatum were measured by high-performance liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection. MPTP caused a significant 35–45% reduction in striatal dopamine levels compared to those in control mice. However, pretreatment with digoxin completely prevented the MPTP-induced dopamine depletion. This result was unexpected and suggests that cardiac glycosides may protect against MPTP neurotoxicity.
Transference of levels by water‐surface on Lake Champlain between Burlington, Vermont, and Port Kent, New York, June and September, 1941

These experiments, conducted on Lake Champlain in June and September of 1941, on the transference of levels by water-surface readings were made as a result of a conversation with officials of the United States Coast and Geodetic Survey. It seemed a splendid opportunity to compare the results of leveling by water-surfaces with the results obtained by spirit-leveling since a level-net already existed around Lake Champlain. Moreover, the line Burlington, Vermont, to Port Kent, New York, was about midway of this net (see Fig. 1) and bench-marks were in easy access at each place, within half a mile or less of where gages would be installed.
Assessment myths and current fads: A rejoinder to a position paper on nonbiased assessment

The Region 9 Task Group position paper on unbiased assessment of culturally different children provided the impetus for describing a number of fallacies pertaining to psychological tests and the assessment procedure for educational purposes. Among the fallacies identified were that child advocacy necessitates the renunciation of standardized assessments, that diagnoses are either harmful to children or useless, that the use of norms in testing is detrimental to a child's well-being, that standardized tests are devoid of value since they fail to help teachers formulate appropriate teaching methodologies, and that the multidsciplinary assessment approach is necessarily the most efficacious. Although it has become highly fashionable to mount sweeping criticisms of standardized tests, a responsible position requires a more careful analysis of the assumptions underlying the use and misuse of these instruments.
PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY AND VOLUNTEERING AFTER A NATURAL DISASTER: THE CASE OF HURRICANE KATRINA

This study examines prosocial behavior and volunteerism in the context of Hurricane Katrina. Using interviews from East Baton Rouge Parish residents, results demonstrate that self-efficacy, education, religious attendance, and organizational membership exert significant, positive effects on feeling personally responsible for helping victims. Education, presence of children in the home, organizational membership, and the interaction between religious attendance and personal responsibility exert significant, positive effects on total hours spent volunteering at shelters for victims. These findings suggest that there is not a one-to-one correspondence between the characteristics of the typical volunteer and those who volunteer in a natural disaster.
Assessing environmental neurotoxicant exposures and child neurobehavior: confounded by confounding?

Increasing numbers of studies seek to identify effects of environmental exposures on neurobehavior, especially among children. One recurring worry in such studies has been that an observed association might be the result, either wholly or in part, of confounding. In this issue, Pamela Mink and her c
Detection of planetary terrain features

ABSTRACT A particular aspect of autonomous target tracking for planetary bodies, detection of "distinct" features appearing in thescene, is addressed. Using the gray level cooccurrence (GLC) matrices, object detection is done by applying measures (metrics)defined on GLC matrices to different regions on the image plane. The decision logic for detecting "unique" features can then be implemented using a supervised or unsupervised parametric method on a set of GLC-metric measurements. Detailed algorithms and test results based on Voyager image data are presented.Keywords: feature detection, planetary terrains, detection metrics, cooccurrence matrices, texture discrimination 1. INTRODUCTION Onboard feature detection capability for planetary spacecraft can prevent the loss of opportunities to conduct detailedinvestigations of serendipitous targets such as erupting volcanoes on Jupiter's moon lo, the moon of Asteroid Ida, geysers onNeptune's moon Triton, and other such features. We have just begun the research to detect, track, and point to targets ofinterest that consist of celestial bodies terrain features.13 The geometric and radio metric simplicity of planetary featurescompared to the more complicated terrestrial scenes addressed by the general computer vision discipline should permit us toquickly advance and mature this intelligent, vision-based technology for space exploration. Although the target features andbackground definitions are somewhat nebulous, some predictable features, such as circular spots, craters, mountains, valleys,and line markings are characteristic of surveyed planets and satellites in our solar system (see Fig. 1).In this paper, we will address a particular aspect of autonomous target tracking for planetary bodies, detection of "distinct"objects appearing in the scene. General functional requirements for planetary exploration based on image processing andpattern recognition have been addressed1 . Note that we will use the term "feature" to denote the distinct object that can be usedto map the targeted celestial body and to initiate/plan detailed investigations through spacecraft maneuvers and pointing to meet
A thermodynamic study of the hydrolysis of L-glutamine to (L-glutamate + ammonia) and of L-asparagine to (L -aspartate + ammonia)

Abstract Calorimetric enthalpies of reaction have been measured for the following enzyme-catalysed reactions. An equilibrium model that accounted for the multiplicity of ionic forms of the reactants and products was used to calculate standard molar enthalpies for reference reactions involving specific species. Values of equilibrium constants for the reference reactions were obtained using results from the literature in thermochemical cycle calculations. The thermodynamic results are discussed in relation to the structural changes involved in these reactions.
Kinetics and Mechanism of Nitric Oxide Disproportionation upon Reaction with Ruthenium(II) Porphyrin Carbonyls: Evidence for Dinitrosyl Intermediates1

The kinetics of the reaction of nitric oxide with the ruthenium porphyrin carbonyl complexes Ru(P)(CO) (P = octaethylporphyrin (OEP) or tetra-m-tolylporphine (TmTP)) to give the respective nitrosyl...
Inversion of oceanic tidal currents from measured elevations

Abstract The problem of deducing tidal current velocities from measured tidal elevations is considered. Emphasis is given to global scales for which accurate cotidal charts based on satellite altimetry are readily available. Barotropic tidal currents are deduced from a recent altimetric tide solution by solving the two-dimensional momentum equations and the continuity equation in a least squares fashion. This approach represents a middle ground between commonly used data assimilation schemes and simple local solutions of the momentum equations. The estimated velocities are compared with those of other available global models, with acoustic velocity measurements, and with current meter measurements. Agreement with acoustic measurements is especially good; RMS discrepancies are consistently less than 2 mm s−1. The method appears to be a useful tool for investigating various aspects of tidal dynamics.
Mineral taste and the potability of domestic water

Abstract The aim of the present research was to describe the relation between mineral content and the general taste quality of water. Consumers from 11 selected California communities evaluated the taste of the local water by completing specially constructed attitude scales. Taste panel members evaluated the taste of the same 11 waters using specially constructed rating scales. Total mineral content in the water ranged from 50 to 2250 mg/l. Results from both consumer and panel work showed an inverse linear relation between taste quality and total mineral content. The implications of these results for establishing standards limiting mineral content in domestic water were discussed.
A theorem of equivalence on the methods of least-squares estimation

A theorem on the methods of least-squares estimation is stated and proved. This theorem enables the replacement of a system of correlated measurements by an equivalent system of uncorrelated measurements without a whitening process, thus simplifying the analysis while resulting in the same minimum-variance estimate.
THE LUMINESCENCE OF OXINES AND METAL OXINATES

Abstract The quantum yields of fluorescence (and phosphorescence) of a number of free oxines and metal oxinates have been measured. The effect of high Z closed shell atoms on the anion fluorescence is small. The chelation of a transition metal ion reduces the fluorescence yield markedly but phosphorescence is not observed. It is concluded that the quenching produced by these ions occurs in the singlet manifolds of the ligands.
Pharmacokinetics and Efficacy of the Spleen Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitor R406 after Ocular Delivery for Retinoblastoma

Purpose Retinoblastoma is a childhood cancer of the retina. Clinical trials have shown that local delivery of broad spectrum chemotherapeutic agents is efficacious. Recent studies characterizing the genomic and epigenomic landscape of retinoblastoma identified spleen tyrosine kinase (SYK) as a promising candidate for targeted therapy. The purpose of this study was to conduct preclinical testing of the SYK antagonist R406 to evaluate it as a candidate for retinoblastoma treatment.
Reconnaissance geochemical techniques for detecting uranium deposits in sandstones of northeastern Pennsylvania

Abstract A variety of sampling and analytical techniques have been tested on stream water and stream sediment samples near known sandstone-type uranium prospects in the Catskill Formation of northeastern Pennsylvania and red-bed Cu-U occurrences in north-central Pennsylvania. Uranium in stream water varied with time by a factor of up to 70. The highest values were obtained during a period of low rainfall, but uranium contents were below the detection limit of 0.2 ppb at most other times, so that interpretation of uranium in water appears to be very difficult. Uranium extracted from stream sediment by an acetic acid/H 2 O 2 leach gives greater contrast than total uranium or treatment with nitric acid. Anomalies in sediment show relatively small changes with time, except perhaps during periods of high runoff, but a significant effect of organic matter is found. After correction for organic matter, sediment from small drainages near the known prospects is anomalous, but some of the larger second-order streams near occurrences are not anomalous. In general, anomalies are relatively weak, and careful planning, analysis, and interpretation are required to detect the known prospects of the region.
Special article: Measles: Its history and its eventual eradication

Abstract Measles, a viral disease almost exclusively infectious to humans, has been known to exist for nearly 5,000 years. It is thought to have become established in the great river-valley civilizations of the Tigris and Euphrates about 3,000 BC . Early descriptions of measles often were confused with those of smallpox. During the 16th and 17th centuries, numerous reports of measles epidemics appeared throughout the world. The best known description of an epidemic was that by Peter Ludwig Panum, who reported his epidemiologic findings during an outbreak on the Faroe Islands in 1846. In 1759, Dr Francis Home published his work regarding the first known attempt at vaccinating humans against measles. Measles virus was successfully isolated in tissue culture by Enders and Peebles in 1954. In 1963, the first approved forms of vaccine were licensed in the United States. The further attenuated live Enders-Edmonston strain is the only form currently available in this country. Copyright © 2001 by W.B. Saunders Company
Differences between older and younger adults with Borderline Personality Disorder on clinical presentation and impairment

Abstract Background Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) is well-known to be a clinically severe and impairing diagnosis. Research shows that BPD symptoms decrease in severity over time. However, a subset of patients with BPD continue to meet criteria for the disorder in older adulthood. Little is known about this subset. Perception of BPD as a young-person's diagnosis could lead to under recognition in older patients. As such, the objective of the present report is to provide the first direct comparison between older and younger adults with BPD on demographics, clinical presentation, and functional impairment. Method Over 3000 psychiatric outpatients were evaluated with semi-structured diagnostic interviews. Forty-six older adults (age 45–68) and 97 younger adults (age 18–25) met criteria for BPD. Results Both groups reported high levels of functional impairment and Axis I comorbidity. Older adults were more likely to endorse chronic emptiness, and less likely to endorse impulsivity, self-harm, and affective instability. Older adults also reported fewer substance use disorders, more lifetime hospitalizations and higher social impairment. Conclusion Older adults with BPD had a significantly different clinical presentation from younger adults with BPD, including differences in likelihood of endorsing specific BPD criteria, social impairment, and comorbid substance use. It is important to assess less prototypic features of BPD to avoid overlooking borderline personality features in this population.
An integrated web interface for large-scale characterization of sequence data

Large-scale genome projects require the analysis of large amounts of raw data. This analysis often involves the application of a chain of biology-based programs. Many of these programs are difficult to operate because they are non-integrated, command-line driven, and platform-dependent. The problem is compounded when the number of data files involved is large, making navigation and status-tracking difficult. To demonstrate how this problem can be addressed, we have created a platform-independent Web front end that integrates a set of programs used in a genomic project analyzing gene function by transposon mutagenesis in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. In particular, these programs help define a large number of transposon insertion events within the yeast genome, identifying both the precise site of transposon insertion as well as potential open reading frames disrupted by this insertion event. Our Web interface facilitates this analysis by performing the following tasks. Firstly, it allows each of the analysis programs to be launched against multiple directories of data files. Secondly, it allows the user to view, download, and upload files generated by the programs. Thirdly, it indicates which sets of data directories have been processed by each program. Although designed specifically to aid in this project, our interface exemplifies a general approach by which independent software programs may be integrated into an efficient protocol for large-scale genomic data processing.
EFFECT OF IMEXON TREATMENT ON FRIEND VIRUS COMPLEX INFECTION USING GENETICALLY DEFINED MICE AS A MODEL FOR HIV-1 INFECTION

Imexon (4-imino-1,4-diazobicyclo-3.1.0-hexan-2-one) was moderately effective in the treatment of a retroviral infection in a genetically defined murine model. The animal model consisted of a Friend virus complex (FV) infection in a hybrid mouse strain, (B10.A x A/WySn)F1, which has similarities with acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS). Intraperitoneal imexon initiated 1 or 3 days after FV inoculation and continued through 13 days after inoculation significantly reduced splenomegaly, splenic cell-free virus titers and viral RNA. Viral infectious centers/10(6) splenocytes and FV titers in the plasma were reduced, though not to a statistically significant level. The effect of imexon on survival was not statistically significant which suggested that the antiviral effects were only transiently effective. Phytohemagglutinin-induced blastogenesis and percent of total T cells, T helper cells and T suppressor/cytotoxic cells in the spleens were increased, and the percentage of B cells decreased by imexon treatment of both FV-infected and uninfected mice. The splenic natural killer cell activity and interleukin-1 production were not markedly affected. Virus specific neutralizing antibody developed in both imexon- and placebo-treated FV-infected mice, although titers were lower in the imexon-treated animals.
Response to Thrift's “The future of geography”

Abstract Reviews and observations about the status of the discipline of geography, no matter how positive, invariably raise programmatic concerns. These concerns have a long history that arise from geography's struggles to find an identity that embraces its many parts and yet are consistent with the logic by which the academy partitions knowledge. Pedagogy and research historically claimed by geography is currently being reinvented and relabeled under such headings as “integrated environmental science” and “spatial science”, and these developments have the potential to change the breadth of the “geographic imagination”. Several observations about dominant explanatory perspectives and substantive domains of geographic enquiry are also provided.
On recurrent and recursive interconnection patterns

A number of trivalent graphs, in particular variants of the cube-connected cycles and shuffle-exchange, have become popular as interconnection patterns for synchronous parallel computers. We consider highly-structured interconnection patterns that allow large parallel machines to be constructed from isomorphic copies of smaller ones, plus (perhaps) a few extra processors. If only a small number of extra processors are added, we call the interconnection pattern recurrent. If no extra processors are added, we call it recursive. We show that a constant-degree recursive interconnection pattern is, in a sense, not as versatile as the cube-connected cycles or shuffle-exchange, and we present a trivalent recurrent interconnection pattern that is.
The Genetics of Hereditary Nonmedullary Thyroid Carcinoma

Nonmedullary thyroid carcinoma (NMTC) includes papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC), follicular thyroid carcinoma (FTC), the Hurthle cell variant of FTC, insular thyroid carcinoma, and anaplastic thyroid carcinoma. PTC is the most common and occurs with an incidence of about 1 per 20,000 per year (1). Although most NMTCs are sporadic, a familial predisposition for PTC represents an important variant. In 1997, Fagin (2) reviewed the evidence for a familial predisposition to PTC in JCEM. He appropriately concluded that there was strong evidence for a familial predisposition to NMTC as a component of known familial tumor syndromes, but that familial NMTC (fNMTC) as a distinct inherited tumor syndrome had not been unequivocally established. It is still fair to conclude that fNMTC has not been unequivocally established, because this will require the identification of a susceptibility gene for this disorder. Individuals with germline mutations of a NMTC susceptibility gene are at risk for developing NMTC. Recent observations provide further evidence for a familial predisposition to PTC and suggest that there may be three or more PTC susceptibility genes. The identification of these genes will unequivocally establish familial PTC (fPTC) as a distinct entity, provide an important diagnostic tool for the practicing physician, and clarify the molecular mechanisms of thyroid tumorigenesis. A familial predisposition to medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) is well recognized, and the genetic abnormalities of multiple endocrine neoplasia (MEN) types 2A and 2B have been characterized. Genetic testing has transformed the clinical approach to these patients. In contrast, a familial predisposition to nonmedullary thyroid neoplasia confronts the traditional teaching that NMTC is sporadic and not familial. However, epidemiological studies suggest that about 5% of all PTC may have a familial component (3). The results of the human genome project and powerful genetic techniques can be applied to fPTC to identify the susceptibility genes. Mutations of these genes are the earliest gene changes that predispose to development of this neoplasm. fNMTC can be divided clinically into two groups (Table 1). In the first group, PTC is the predominant clinical feature of a familial tumor syndrome. In the second group of disorders, NMTC is a relatively infrequent component of a familial tumor syndrome. There are no known familial syndromes characterized by a predominance of follicular, insular, or anaplastic thyroid carcinoma. A related group of interest is comprised of the familial syndromes that predispose to nodular goiter. This review will discuss the evidence that supports a distinct familial tumor syndrome(s) characterized clinically by a predominance of PTC and distill the clinically relevant information from these studies. It will briefly review the second group of inherited tumor syndromes characterized by NMTC as a relatively infrequent component. Clinical care suggestions are derived from this new information (Table 2).
Tumor necrosis factor-α, heme oxygenase-1 and manganese superoxide dismutase immunostaining of vessels and perivascular brain cells provides evidence for cyclic activation and inactivation of brain vessel segments

Abstract The present work explores the possibility that several mediators of local hemostasis, inflammation and reactivity in blood vessels contribute to cyclic activation and inactivation of individual segments of the brain microvascular tree. Immunohistochemistry was performed with anti-manganese superoxide dismutase (MnSOD), anti-heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1), and antitumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) in five different strains of rats and in rats that received lipopolysaccharide to activate their vessels. In both normal and activated brain vessels, immunoreactivity was present as concentric perivascular rings involving vessel wall and surrounding parenchyma that appeared to coincide with one another in serial sections. The ring patterns suggested radial expansion from the vessel lumen into the surrounding parenchyma in cyclic waves. The average number of vessels per high power field (HPF) (mean±SD) with perivascular cuffs of immunoreactive MnSOD increased from 51±28 in Wistar, 72±46 in Wistar-Kyoto, and 84±30 in Sprague–Dawley rats (no spontaneous strokes) to 184±72 in spontaneously hypertensive stroke-prone rats (SHR-SP) (spontaneous strokes). Perivascular immunoreactive cuffs are also increased in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) by the induction of cytokine expression by lipopolysaccharide (64±15 vs. 131±32/HPF). The findings are interpreted to indicate that focal hemostatic balance normally fluctuates in brain vessels and influences surrounding parenchymal cells. Perivascular immunoreactive cuffs representing this process are more frequent in animals with LPS-induced endothelial activation or genetic stroke-proneness.
Nonmethane Hydrocarbon, Monocarboxylic Acid, and Low Molecular Weight Aldehyde and Ketone Emissions from Vegetation in Central New Mexico

Direct emissions of nonmethane hydrocarbons, monocarboxylic acids, and low molecular weight carbonyl compounds were measured from vegetation typical to central New Mexico. These species included quaking aspen, cottonwood, Gambel oak, Douglas fir, Engelmann spruce, Rocky Mountain juniper, pinyon pine, and ponderosa pine. The hydrocarbon emissions from most of the coniferous trees were dominated by α-pinene. In general, α-pinene emissions were 100-10 000 ng g -1 h -1 and displayed the expected temperature dependence. Other identified hydrocarbons included isoprene, camphene, β-pinene, myrcene, Δ 3 -carene, and d-limonene. The deciduous trees as well as the spruce and fir trees showed isoprene emission rates of 100-100 000 ng g -1 h -1 . Formaldehyde and acetaldehyde were the most common low molecular weight carbonyl compounds measured. The carbonyl emissions averaged 50-1660 ng g -1 h -1 , depending on the compound and the trees species. Unlike the hydrocarbons, the carbonyl emissions displayed little correlation with enclosure temperature. Formic acid emissions averaged 15-920 ng g -1 h -1 , and acetic acid emissions averaged 50-1300 ng g -1 h -1 . As with the carbonyls, poor correlation was found between the acid emissions and the enclosure temperature. The deciduous trees were found to have average (mass-based) emissions of 98% hydrocarbons, 1% carbonyls, and 1% organic acids. The coniferous trees averaged 80%, 8%, and 12%, respectively.
Learning manufacturing variance analysis in accounting—computer assisted

Abstract The advantage of separating course material into the following three components is explored: (1) syntactical, (2) semantical, and (3) pragmatic. The concept is illustrated with LOTUS macros for the syntactical and semantical components involved in teaching manufacturing variance analysis in accounting; the pragmatic aspect is left to classroom discussion. The macro which assists in teaching the syntax is comprised of a series of matrices and screen displays which explain how the variances are computed and the meanings of the symbols used. The macro designed to help teach the semantic aspect allows students to read a problem and map the problem-variables to the syntactical-symbols. The variances are computed by the macro which provides feedback by allowing the student to compare predetermined and macro answers.
A Dynamic Model of Racial Competition, Racial Inequality, and Interracial Violence

Race relations and stratification literatures offer explicit expectations concerning interracial conflict. Causal arguments derived from these perspectives are examined in this study to explore their ability to explain interracial violence above and beyond criminological perspectives of economic deprivation and racial inequality. The vast majority of previous aggregate-level studies on violence are cross-sectional, ignoring the importance of a dynamic model that incorporates the influence of changing structural conditions in urban areas on interracial violence. We explore theories that incorporate dynamic explanations for the influence of structural factors related to crime as well as racial conflict and employ a methodological approach that models the change in structural conditions for rare events such as interracial homicide. We find that changes between 1980 and 1990 in urban Black and Hispanic population composition, racial competition and racial inequality differentially explain the variation in White and Black interracial homicide offending.
Sexual Experience in Female Rodents: Cellular Mechanisms and Functional Consequences

The neurobiology of female sexual behavior has largely focused on mechanisms of hormone action on nerve cells and how these effects translate into the display of copulatory motor patterns. Of equal importance, though less studied, are some of the consequences of engaging in sexual behavior, including the rewarding properties of sexual interactions and how sexual experience alters copulatory efficiency. This review summarizes the effects of sexual experience on reward processes and copulation in female Syrian hamsters. Neural correlates of these sexual interactions include long-term cellular changes in dopamine transmission and postsynaptic signaling pathways related to neuronal plasticity (e.g., dendritic spine formation). Taken together, these studies suggest that sexual experience enhances the reinforcing properties of sexual behavior, which has the coincident outcome of increasing copulatory efficiency in a way that can increase reproductive success.
Integrated diffuse optical tomography and photoacoustic tomography

We designed, fabricated and tested a novel imaging system that fuses DOT and PAT in a single platform which can potentially provide dual-modality two dimensional functional and cellular images of the breast quantitatively.
Image enhancement filters in CCTVs significantly improve reading performance for low-vision observers

As people age, so do their photoreceptors. If the visual system has been exposed to sufficient UV radiation combined with other precursors for age-related maculopathies (ARM), then a large number of photoreceptors in central vision stop functioning when the person reaches their late sixties and early seventies. There are channels in the visual system tuned to different bands, approximately one octave, of spatial frequencies. In low vision observers with ARM, the loss of central vision causes a loss in channels sensitive to spatial frequencies above 8 to 10 cyc/deg. Therefore, for ARM observers, words must be magnified to read normal text. I have developed image enhancement filters that compensate for the low vision observer's losses in contrast sensitivity to intermediate and high spatial frequencies. These filters automatically enhance the text displayed on closed-circuit TVs (CCTVs) and render the text in shades of gray more easily perceivable than black and white text. These filters work by boosting the amplitude of the less visible intermediate spatial frequencies more than the lower spatial frequencies. Not only do these image enhancement filters reduce the magnification needed for reading by up to 70%, they also increase the speed that can be used to read text two to four times. A short summary of this research is presented.© (1992) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Photo-cross-linked hybrid polymer networks consisting of poly(propylene fumarate) and poly(caprolactone fumarate): controlled physical properties and regulated bone and nerve cell responses.

Aiming to achieve suitable polymeric biomaterials with controlled physical properties for hard and soft tissue replacements, we have developed a series of blends consisting of two photo-cross-linkable polymers: polypropylene fumarate (PPF) and polycaprolactone fumarate (PCLF). Physical properties of both un-cross-linked and UV cross-linked PPF/PCLF blends with PPF composition ranging from 0% to 100% have been investigated extensively. It has been found that the physical properties such as thermal, rheological, and mechanical properties could be modulated efficiently by varying the PPF composition in the blends. Thermal properties including glass transition temperature (Tg) and melting temperature (Tm) have been correlated with their rheological and mechanical properties. Surface characteristics such as surface morphology, hydrophilicity, and the capability of adsorbing serum protein from culture medium have also been examined for the cross-linked polymer and blend disks. For potential applications in bone...
Models of Stresses and Deformation Due to Welding—A Review

This paper first discusses the use of computers in welding, then the development of studies on residual stresses and distortion during welding. Since the late 1960s, computer programs have been developed to analyze transient thermal stresses and metal movement during welding. Systematic research efforts have been carried out at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology on residual stresses and distortion in weldments. A series of computer programs has been developed to calculate residual stresses and distortion in various types of welds. Experimental data have been generated on weldments in various materials and processes; data on steel weldments are presented in this paper.
Chirping of electroabsorption modulation

dtThis equation suggests that smaller a, is desired for intensity modulation to reduce the amount of frequency chirping,and larger a, is desired for phase modulation to reduce intensity fluctuation. For direct modulation of laser diodes in the 1.3µm and 1.55 µm wavelength, an a, value of 5 is typically observed [2]. Experimentally, waveguide modulators have beendemonstrated in bulk InGaAsP [3 -5], bulk GaAs [6], and quantum well materials [7 -9], and a value of a, smaller than 1 hasbeen achieved [4,5,9]. Theoretically, even small a, may be expected [10,11].
Transverse-field bandgap modulation on graphene nanoribbon transistors by double-self-aligned spacers

Independently-driven tri-gate graphene nanoribbon transistors were implemented by CMOS-compatible double-self-aligned spacer lithography, which effectively suppresses the line edge roughness and width variation. The consistent electrical characteristics show bandgap modulation with transverse electrical fields and ambipolar conduction with perpendicular fields in graphene film.
Antiviral activity of Viracea® against acyclovir susceptible and acyclovir resistant strains of herpes simplex virus

Viracea, a topical microbicide, is a blend of benzalkonium chloride and phytochemicals derived from Echinacea purpurea and is a proprietary formula from Destiny BioMediX Corp. Viracea was tested against 40 strains of herpes simplex virus (HSV): 15 strains (five HSV-1 and ten HSV-2) were resistant to acyclovir (ACV-R) and 25 strains (13 HSV-1 and 12 HSV-2) were susceptible to ACV (ACV-S). The median ED50 of Viracea for the five ACV-R strains of HSV-1 was a 1:100 dilution of the drug with a range of 1:50-1:400. The median ED50 of Viracea for the ten ACV-R strains of HSV-2 was 1:200 with a range of 1:50-1:3200. For the ACV-S strains of HSV-1 and HSV-2, the median ED50 of Viracea was 1:100 and 1:200, respectively. The cytotoxicity of Viracea was evaluated in a standard neutral red dye uptake assay in human foreskin fibroblasts. The cytotoxicity of Viracea approached only 50% at the highest concentration of the drug tested, a 1:2 dilution, indicating that Viracea is non-toxic in this cell cytotoxicity assay. Although the active component(s) in Viracea that has anti-HSV activity is not known, it appears that this extract has good antiviral activity against both ACV resistant and ACV susceptible strains of HSV-1 and HSV-2.
Association Between Differentiated Processing of Syllables and Comprehension of Grammatical Morphology in Children With Down Syndrome

Our purpose in this exploratory investigation was to examine the relationship between degree of impairment in grammatical morpheme comprehension and event-related potential measures of differentiated processing of speech syllables in 10 children with Down syndrome. Results strongly support the hypothesized association. Graphs of the association indicate that children with less impaired grammatical comprehension had greater amplitude differences in event-related potentials to contrast of syllables within preselected poststimulus latency ranges. The theoretical and clinical ramifications of these results are discussed.
Increased inspiratory and expiratory muscle strength following respiratory muscle strength training (RMST) in two patients with late-onset Pompe disease.

Abstract Respiratory muscle strength training (RMST) is an exercise-based intervention which targets respiratory muscle weakness. We implemented RMST in two patients with late-onset Pompe disease (LOPD), both who had received long-term enzyme replacement therapy and had severe respiratory weakness. Over 16–32 weeks, inspiratory muscle strength increased by 73–74%. Expiratory muscle strength increased 31–48% over 12–22 weeks. These findings suggest that RMST may increase respiratory muscle strength, even in the setting of LOPD and severe baseline weakness.
Robust Expectation–Maximization Direction-of-Arrival Estimation Algorithm for Wideband Source Signals

Direction-of-arrival (DOA) estimation for wideband source signals using far-field acoustic sensors has recently drawn much research interest. A wide variety of DOA estimation approaches are based on the maximum-likelihood objective. In this paper, we tackle the DOA estimation problem based on the realistic assumption that the sources are corrupted by spatially nonwhite noise. We explore the respective limitations of two popular DOA methods to solve this problem-the stepwise-concentrated maximum-likelihood (SC-ML) and approximately concentrated maximum-likelihood (AC-ML) algorithms-and design a novel expectation-maximization (EM) algorithm. In addition, we provide the Cramer-Rao lower bound (CRLB) and the computational-complexity analyses for the aforementioned DOA estimation schemes. Through Monte Carlo simulations and our derived CRLB and computational-complexity analyses, it is demonstrated that our proposed EM algorithm outperforms the SC-ML and AC-ML methods in terms of the DOA estimation accuracy and computational complexity.
Role of sequence in salt-bridge formation for alkali metal cationized GlyArg and ArgGly investigated with IRMPD spectroscopy and theory.

The roles of hydrogen bonding, electrostatic interactions, sequence, gas-phase basicity, and molecular geometry in determining the structures of protonated and alkali metal-cationized glycyl-l-arginine (GlyArg) and l-arginylglycine (ArgGly) were investigated using infrared multiple photon dissociation spectroscopy in the spectral range 900−1800 cm−1 and theory. The IRMPD spectra clearly indicate that GlyArg•M+, M = Li, Na, and Cs, form similar salt-bridge (SB) structures that do not depend significantly on metal ion size. In striking contrast, ArgGly•Li+ exists in a charge-solvated (CS) form, whereas ArgGly•M+, M = K and Cs, form SB structures. SB and CS structures are similarly populated for ArgGly•Na+. Computed energies of low-energy structures are consistent with these results deduced from the experimental spectra. By comparison to Arg•M+, GlyArg•M+ and ArgGly•M+ have a greater and lesser propensity, respectively, to form SB structures. The greater propensity for GlyArg to adopt SB structures in comple...
Mobile Technology for the Facilitation of Direct Observation and Assessment of Student Performance

Background: We developed, implemented, and assessed a web-based clinical evaluation application (i.e., CEX app) for Internet-enabled mobile devices, including mobile phones. The app displays problem-specific checklists that correspond to training problems created by the Clerkship Directors in Internal Medicine. Purpose: We hypothesized that use of the CEX app for directly observing students’ clinical skills would be feasible and acceptable, and would demonstrate adequate reliability and validity. Methods: Between July 2010 and February 2012, 266 third-year medical students completed 5 to 10 formative CEXs during their internal medicine clerkship. The observers (attendings and residents), who performed the CEX, used the app to guide and document their observations, record their time observing and giving feedback to the students, and their overall satisfaction with the CEX app. Interrater reliability and validity were assessed with 17 observers who viewed 6 videotaped student–patient encounters, and by meas...
3D body scan analysis of dimensional change in lower body measurements for active body positions

In this study we use 3D scans to measure and analyze lower body measurement change for various active body positions, comparing a standing posture, a 120° knee bend posture, a one pace stepping pos...
A pipeline and parallel architecture for supporting database management systems

A pipeline and parallel architecture is described and analyzed for efficient support of database management systems. The main feature of the architecture is a RAM consisting of two bit-arrays, one word-array, and one memory bank. Through the use of the RAM, cross referencing involved in the join and project operations can be removed, without the need for sorting. Further performance improvements are achieved by using parallelism in tuple cancatenation and tuple comparison via a set of servers. The architecuture is quite suitable for a wide range of database applications, especially those requiring a high percentage of cross referencing. A hardware simulator was developed for determining the optimal number of servers for different applications.
Antibody detection of translocations in Ewing sarcoma.

The detection of chromosomal translocations has important implications in the diagnosis, prognosis and treatment of patients with cancer. Current approaches to translocation detection have significant shortcomings, including limited sensitivity and/or specificity, and difficulty in application to formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) clinical samples. We developed a new approach called antibody detection of translocations (ADOT) that avoids the shortcomings of current techniques. ADOT combinesatranscriptionalmicroarray-basedapproachwithanovelantibody-based detection method. ADOT allows for the accurate and sensitive identification of translocations and provides exon-level information about the fusion transcript. ADOT can detect translocations in poor-quality unprocessed total ribonucleic acid (RNA). Furthermore, the technique is readily generalizable to detect any potential fusion transcript, including previously undescribed fusions. We demonstrate the feasibility of ADOT by examples in which both known and unknown Ewing sarcoma translocations are identified from cell lines, tumour xenografts and FFPE primary tumours. These results demonstrate that ADOT may be an effective approach for translocation analysis in clinical specimens with significant RNA degradation and may offer a novel diagnostic tool for translocation-based cancers.