cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Integrated geomorphic and geodynamic modeling of a potential blind thrust in the San Francisco Bay area, California

Abstract Geometries and slip budgets of the faults in the San Francisco Bay area imply previously unrecognized fault linkages, including examples of blind thrust structures that appear to connect segments of strike-slip faults and accommodate along-strike variations in slip rate along these structures. Displacement along linking faults may be associated with the development of topography and also may serve as earthquake sources. In Marin County, California, systematic spatial patterns in landscape topography and geomorphic indices suggest that the region north of Mt. Tamalpais is experiencing differential rock uplift. We suggest that a blind thrust underlies the elevated area, creating the observed topography and possibly resolving a slip discrepancy between the Hayward and San Andreas Fault in this region. We have developed and implemented an integrative approach that combines observations from tectonic deformation and geomorphic properties to identify a potential blind thrust beneath Marin County. Elastic displacement modeling has been tested for compatibility with the blind thrust hypothesis and to assess the sensitivity of observables to fault geometry and orientation; from this, a set of plausible blind thrust structures are defined. We use a range of empirical relationships between channel steepness index and erosion rate to estimate spatial variations in erosion rate along Bolinas Ridge. By coupling these erosion estimates with elastic displacement fault modeling, we can use the resulting topographic envelopes to constrain the rate and duration of deformation. These constraints, along with spatial bounds on the possible fault models, are used to calculate potential seismic moment and moment magnitude. With an assumed recurrence interval of ~ 100 years, such blind thrusts can produce a Mw ~ 6.3 earthquake, while a longer recurrence time (~ 1000 years) results in a maximum Mw ~ 7.0 earthquake. Although such events are not likely to be catastrophic, they are large enough to cause significant strong ground motions in the San Francisco Bay area.
Genetic analysis with human--mouse somatic cell hybrids.

Somatic hybridization between mouse cells and human leucocytes confirms the X-linkage of 8-azaguanine resistance in man and suggests that human lactate dehydrogenase A and B genes are not linked.
Braids,q-Binomials, and Quantum Groups

The classical identities between theq-binomial coefficients and factorials can be generalized to a context in which numbers are replaced by braids. More precisely, for every pairi,nof natural numbers, there is defined an elementb(n)iof the braid group algebrakBn, and these satisfy analogs of the classical identities for the binomial coefficients. By choosing representations of the braid groups, one obtains numerical or matrix realizations of these identities; in particular, one recovers theq-identities in this way. These binomial braidsb(n)iplay a crucial role in a simple definition of a family of quantum groups, including the quantum groupsU+q(C) of Drinfeld and Jimbo.
Detecting neutrinos from black hole-neutron star mergers

While it is well known that neutrinos are emitted from standard core collapse protoneutron star supernovae, less attention has been focused on neutrinos from accretion disks. These disks occur in some supernovae (i.e. collapsars) as well as in compact object mergers, and they emit neutrinos with similar properties to those from protoneutron star supernovae. These disks and their neutrinos play an important role in our understanding of gamma ray bursts as well as the nucleosynthesis they produce. We study a disk that forms in the merger of a black hole and a neutron star and examine the neutrino fluxes, luminosities and neutrino surfaces for the disk. We also estimate the number of events that would be registered in current and proposed supernova neutrino detectors if such an event were to occur in the Galaxy.
Some Physiologic Correlates of Vocal-Fry Phonation

Subglottal air pressure, airflow, and electromyographic activity of four intrinsic larygeal muscles were recorded during sustained phonation in the vocal-fry and low-frequency modal registers. Nine...
Synchronization of Growth Hormone Therapy

Based on the hypothesis of periodical refractoriness of the growing tissue to exogenous administration of GH, an experimental approach is presented in which the dosage of GH was adjusted to the natural occurrence of periodical changes of the lower leg growth velocity in five children with short stature. Two 6-month periods were compared, during which the children received an identical cumulative dose of GH of 224 IU/m2. During the first period, the children received a constant GH dose of 14 IU/m2/week by daily subcutaneous injection, whereas a low/high dose alternation was administered at approximately 3-week intervals synchronously with the occurrence of mini growth spurts during the second 6-month period. In all the children, mean linear growth of the lower leg accelerated during the period of synchronization by 595% compared to the previous growth rate during constant GH administration.
Proton-induced X-ray emission measurements of trace elements in water samples collected from an Indiana coal mining locality

Abstract A new method of simultaneous multi-elemental analysis, Proton Induced X-ray Emission (PIXE), was used to detect trace elements in waters associated with a coal strip-mining operation in southern Indiana. Stream, pond, and ground water samples were collected and analyzed monthly from, or near, Sulphur Creek in Sullivan County. The concentrations of 26 major and trace elements were determined in samples from eleven locations: K, Ca, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Ga, As, Se, Br, Rb, Sr, Mo, Cd, Sn, Sb, I, Ba, Hg, Pb, and U. Elemental concentrations fluctuated considerably throughout the 13-month sampling period and also among sampling sites. Nickel, Zn, As, Cd, Mn, Fe, and Ca were highest in the upstream water which was most acidic (pH = 2.9–4.0) because of old unreclaimed mining operations. The highest values recorded were Ni = 1662 ppb, Zn = 4953 ppb, As = 26 ppb, Cd = 93 ppb, Mn = 5063 ppb, Fe = 63 ppm, and Ca = 325 ppm. The concentrations of these elements decreased downstream as the pH of Sulphur Creek increased which was likely due to the influence of the calcareous glacial till cover in the area and the recent mining activity which disturbed overburden containing a high percentage of calcareous materials. Lead, I, Br, and Ti values were highest (661 ppb, 86 ppb, 70 ppb, and 45 ppb, respectively) in the ground water from the coal seam (pH approximately 7). Other elements which were relatively high in the pH 7 waters closest to the current mining operations (pond, stream, and groundwater) included K (17 ppm), Sr (3408 ppb), Ba (173 ppb), As (14 ppb), Rb (16 ppb), Sn (14 ppb), and Cu (3840 ppb). The highest Cu concentration was recorded at the point where drainage water from the mine entered Sulphur Creek. Gallium, U, Hg, and Mo were found in low (
The design and testing of novel clinical parameters for dose comparison

Abstract Purpose New multidimensional dose comparison parameters, normalized agreement test (NAT) values and the NAT index, are introduced and compared with an ideal dose comparison parameter. In this article, we analyze a clinically based two-dimensional (2D) quantitative dose comparison case using a wide range of new and old comparison tools. In doing so, we address the benefits and limitations of many common dose comparison tools. Methods and materials An in-house software program was developed using the MATLAB 6.5 programming language. Using this software, several 2D quantitative dose comparison parameters were calculated for the computed and measured dose distributions in an intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) prostate cancer treatment. The experiences gained in the design and testing of this software program form the basis of the dose comparison tool analysis. Results Each dose comparison tool has unique strengths and weaknesses. The underlying assumptions of the NAT values and NAT index lead to acceptable generalized behavior, but are not always valid. Conclusion A thorough 2D quantitative dose comparison analysis can only be accomplished through the use of many dose comparison tools. The introduction of the NAT index allows a 2D dose comparison to be reduced to a single value, and is thus ideal for setting clinical acceptance criteria for IMRT verifications.
Family caregivers' inside perspectives: Caring for an adult with a left ventricular assist device as a destination therapy

Context—Understanding the experience of caring for an adult with a left-ventricular assist device as a destination therapy (LVAD-DT) remains in its infancy.Objective/Design—A hermeneutic-phenomenological inquiry guided by van Manen's methods was used to explore the LVAD-DT family caregiving experience.Participants/Setting—Seven family caregivers (1 man and 6 women) 50 to 74 years old who cared for an adult with an LVAD-DT in home settings. Recruitment and data collection occurred in an outpatient mechanical circulatory support center in the Midwest.Methods—Data were collected by means of face-to-face interviews using open-ended questions and 1 follow-up interview. Interviews were audio recorded and transcribed verbatim. Thematic analysis consisted of writing, rewriting, and reflecting across participants' data, which produced themes illustrating the experience and meaning of caring for an adult with an LVAD-DT. Themes were consensually validated. Procedures for trustworthiness are described.Results—Five m...
Experience with Budgetary Convergence in the WAEMU

This paper reviews the experience of fiscal adjustment undertaken in the West African Economic and Monetary Union (WAEMU) countries since the entry into force of the 1994 treaty establishing the framework for a regional convergence of national fiscal policies. We propose a measure of the structural deficit that corrects for movements of both the business cycle and terms of trade. Though the fiscal deficit worsened in 1998-2001 in some countries because of terms of trade deterioration and unfavorable movements in the business cycle, convergence stalled even when corrected for these factors. Meeting fiscal deficit targets in the future will be facilitated by a favorable external environment but, in any case, will require a higher revenue ratio and downward pressure on government wages as shares of GDP.
Mode-locking applications of nonlinear cooperative interactions

We present results on the first application of upconversion dynamics for short pulse generation in visible solid state lasers. We also describe prospects for passive mode-locking mechanisms based on cooperative nonlinearities and instabilities.
Complete atrioventricularheart block secondary to acute myocarditis requiring intracardiac pacing

static endophthalmitis, is now extremely rare. Findings on physical examination include ciliary injection, exudate in the anterior chamber, swollen muddy iris with posterior synechiae, vitreous filled with exudate, fundus not visible, and blindness; pathologic findings include edema, thickening, and infiltration by white blood cells of the ciliary body, iris, choroid, and retina. 7 It is felt that ocular involvement is either secondary to the septicemia and extension from the vessels of the retina and choroid or rarely due to direct extension from the inflamed meninges along and around the optic nerve and central retinal artery. Endophthalmitis, panophthalmitis, suppurative iridochoroiditis, or metastatic ophthalmia occurs most frequently 3 days after the onset of iIlness but has been reported as early as 24 hours, s Meningococci are rarely isolated from the vitreous. The outcome varies from complete recovery to damage requiring enucleation. Endophthalmitis has been associated with meningococcal meningitis more frequently than with any other disease and has been seen most frequently in children who have recovered from the meningitis.
Highly relativistic magnetospheric electrons: A role in coupling to the middle atmosphere?

Twenty-seven-day periodic enhancements of the relativistic electrons are observed in association with concurrently measured solar wind streams, and a numerical transport code is used to investigate the coupling of these high-energy electrons to earth's upper and middle atmosphere. When precipitated, these electrons are found to show a large energy deposition at 40-60 km altitude which is 3-4 orders of magnitude greater than the galactic cosmic ray or solar EUV energy deposition at these altitudes. It is suggested that this electron population could play a role in coupling solar wind and magnetospheric variability to the middle atmosphere through a modulating effect on lower D-region ionization and possibly on upper level ozone chemistry.
Copper−Dioxygen Adducts and the Side-on Peroxo Dicopper(II)/Bis(μ-oxo) Dicopper(III) Equilibrium: Significant Ligand Electronic Effects

The variation of ligand para substituents on pyridyl donor groups of tridentate amine copper(I) complexes was carried out in order to probe electronic effects on the equilibrium between μ-η2:η2-(side-on)-peroxo [CuII2(O22-)]2+ and bis(μ-oxo) [CuIII2(O2-)2] species formed upon reaction with O2. [CuI(R-PYAN)(MeCN)n]B(C6F5)4 (R-PYAN = N-[2-(4-R-pyridin-2-yl)-ethyl]-N,N‘,N‘-trimethyl-propane-1,3-diamine, R = NMe2, OMe, H, and Cl) (1R) vary over a narrow range in their CuII/CuI redox potentials (E1/2 vs Fe(cp)2+/0 = −0.40 V for 1NMe2, −0.38 V for 1OMe, −0.33 V for 1H, and −0.32 V for 1Cl) and in C−O stretching frequencies of their carbonyl adducts, 1R−CO: ν(C−O) = 2080, 2086, 2088, and 2090 cm-1 for R = NMe2, OMe, H, and Cl, respectively. However, within this range of electronic properties for 1R, dioxygen reactivity is significantly affected. The reaction of 1Cl or 1H with O2 at −78 °C in CH2Cl2 gives UV−vis and resonance Raman spectra indicative of a μ-η2:η2-(side-on)-peroxo dicopper(II) adduct (2R). Compou...
Wavelength and temperature dependences of the absorption and scattering cross sections of soot

Abstract We have inferred the wavelength and temperature dependence of the absorption and scattering cross sections of mature soot in an ethylene flame from laser-induced incandescence (LII) and transmittance measurements at 532 and 1064 nm. The LII measurements indicate that the emissivity of soot in a flame deviates from the expected 1/ λ dependence. Combining the LII results with transmittance measurements yields single-scattering albedos of 0.058–0.077 at 1064 nm and 0.22–0.29 at 532 nm and values of F ( m )/ E ( m ) of 2.2–2.9 at 532 nm and 2.4–3.3 at 1064 nm. These values confirm that scattering must be taken into account when interpreting extinction data at these wavelengths. Our results also indicate increases in the absorption cross section and decreases in the scattering cross section with increasing fluence at low fluences. The increase in absorption cross section is consistent with increases in primary particle size with increasing particle temperature during laser heating. The decrease in scattering cross section could be attributable to an increase in the radius of gyration or a decrease in the fractal dimension of the aggregate with increasing temperature. Alternatively these trends might be the result of changes to the optical properties of the particles with increasing temperature.
Modern accumulation rates and a sediment budget for the Eel shelf: a flood-dominated depositional environment

The northern California continental margin is periodically impacted by geologically significant storms, which have a marked influence on terrigenous sediment supply, flood deposition, and long-term accumulation of fine-grained sediment on the Eel shelf. Accumulation of Eel River muds on the adjacent shelf was investigated using 210Pb and 137Cs geochronologies, in order to understand the fate of sediment discharged by the Eel River and to relate patterns of net sediment accumulation (100-yr time scale) to sediment dynamics. 210Pb data demonstrate that modern accumulation of river mud occurs from the 50-m isobath seaward. Across-shelf accumulation rates decrease from maximum mid-shelf values of 0.6–1.7 g cm−2 yr−1 to values of 0.2–0.4 g cm−2 yr−1 at the shelf break, with a spatially weighted mean of 0.5 g cm−2 yr−1 (0.4 cm/yr) for the entire shelf. 210Pbxs sediment-depth profiles from the region of highest accumulation rate are characterized by subsurface intervals of low and uniform activity, which are produced by flood deposition. In some cores, particular 210Pbxs activity intervals may be associated with major Eel River floods of 1955, 1964, and 1974. It is postulated that, because of the coincidence of high-river-flow events and southerly winds during cyclonic winter storms, net northward transport allows for preferential deposition of fine-grained sediment north of the river mouth. Over the past ∼100 years, fluvial sediment input combined with marine dispersal processes have produced a mid-shelf depocenter, evident by both the spatial distribution of 210Pb accumulation rates and by clay-rich flood layers partially preserved in shelf deposits. A fine-grained sediment budget for the dispersal system, based on hydrological data and 210Pb geochronologies, demonstrates that a maximum of ∼20% (3×109 kg/yr) of the mean annual supply of fluvial mud (14×109 kg/yr) is trapped on the shelf. The results of this study demonstrate that: (1) short-term sedimentation processes associated with floods can influence sediment accumulation on longer time scales; and (2) a major fraction of fine-grained sediment supplied to tectonically active margins by flood-prone mountainous rivers bypasses narrow continental shelves.
Shock wave codes at Sandia National Laboratories

Sandia National Laboratories is very active in developing multi-dimensional, multi-material shock wave physics codes. One example is the state-of-the-art, three-dimensional Eulerian code CTH which is used at numerous government and university sites. CTH is being ported to both Single Instruction Multiple Data (SIMD) and Multiple Instruction Multiple Data (MIMD) massively parallel computers. The next-generation arbitrary-Lagrangian-Eulerian code RHALE is under development. This paper will discuss these codes. CTH is an Eulerian code for modelling multi-dimensional, multi-material, large deformation, strong shock physics. Finite-volume numerical schemes are used with one-dimensional, two-dimensional and three-dimensional meshes. CTH has models for elastic-plastic materials, porous materials, high explosive detonation, fracture, and energy deposition. Several analytic equations of state are available including ideal gasses, Jones-Wilkins-Lee high explosive reaction products, Mie-Griineisen solids, and sophisticated multi-phase models that are valid for a very broad range of densities and temperatures. Tabular equations of state are also available. Second-order accurate advection schemes are used to minimize the dispersion found in Eulerian codes. Very large three-dimensional calculations may be run efficiently on a CRAY supercomputer because the code is highly vectorized and the data bases reside on the Solid State Disk (SSD). Data bases larger than one hundred million words are commonly used. Sophisticated color post-processing software was developed to aid in interpreting the results. Much of CTH has been ported to both SIMD and MIMD massively parallel computers. The two-dimensional version is running three times faster than a single CPU CRAY/YMP on the 16k node SIMD Connection Machine and five times faster on the 1024 node nCUBE2 MIMD computer. Both of the massively parallel computers can be expanded by a factor of four to eight yielding a system an order of magnitude faster than a CRAY. The next-generation, three-dimensional arbitrary-Lagrangian-Eulerian code RHALE is under development. Finite element techniques are used to integrate the physics through time. The mesh will move with the material (Lagrangian mesh) until the distortion becomes excessive and then the nodes are automatically repositioned to smooth the mesh and improve the accuracy (Eulerian mesh). Node motion occurs only where the distortion is excessive. This results in a code with the best features of both Lagrangian and Eulerian codes. Arbitrary-connectivity meshes are used to generate very complicated and sophisticated meshes. However, this dramatically increases the complexity of the Eulerian algorithms.
High-efficiency heterojunction solar cells on crystalline germanium substrates

Stand-alone heterojunction (HJ) solar cells demonstrated on crystalline germanium (c-Ge) substrates are proposed for usage as the bottom cells of tandem-junction solar cells in various thin-film solar cell technologies. The emitter of the HJ solar cells is formed by growing thin layers of highly doped hydrogenated microcrystalline silicon (μc-Si:H) and further passivated by growing thin layers of hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a-Si:H). The μc-Si:H and a-Si:H layers are grown in the same reactor using plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) at temperatures close to 200°C. The quality of the c-Ge surface passivation by μc-Si:H and a-Si:H has a direct impact on the electrical performance of the HJ solar cells. Conversion efficiencies of 5.9% and 7.2% have been achieved for stand-alone c-Ge solar cells on n-type and p-type c-Ge substrates, respectively. These conversion efficiencies are well-comparable with the conversion efficiencies reported for conventional homojunction solar cells fabricated at temperatures as high as 600°C.
Developing and Teaching a System Architecting Process

This paper will present the definition and development of a System Architecting (SA) process as well as the SA class that was subsequently developed. Under the auspices of our Total Quality Management Program (TQM) and beginning in 1995, a group of senior System Engineers at Harris Government Communication System Division (GCSD) began meeting on a regular basis. The group's goals were to define SA and its application to GCSD, establish a processes for implementing architectural development and prepare an internal SA class. The group, named the System Architecting System Improvement Project or SA SIP, successfully accomplished its goals. In addition, the SIP contracted with the University of Southern California (USC) during the spring and summer of 1996. USC developed an intensive 48-hour short course on System Architecting for Harris. The USC material was also used in the development of the internal class. The SIP developed class has been taught to System Engineers throughout the Electronic System Sector (ESS) of Harris since the summer of 1997.
NEW NEUTRON-DEFICIENT BARIUM ISOTOPES

Abstract New barium activities, produced by heavy ion bombardments of indium and tin, were assigned on the basis of chemistry and their decay to cesium daughters. They are: 123 Ba, 2 ± 0·5 min; 125 Ba, 6·5 ± 0·5 min; and 127 Ba, 10·0 ± 0·5 min. In addition the following half-lives are proposed for previously assigned nuclides: 126 Ba, 103 ± 5·0 min, 123 Cs, 8·0 ± 0·5 min; 125 Cs, 49 ± 5·0 min; and 123 Xe, 1·85 ± 0·1 hr.
Ethical Challenges in Practice-Based Mental Health Services Research: Examples From Research With Children and Families

Researchers have been encouraged to improve the practical relevance and utility of their work by conducting research based on “real-world” service settings and collaborating with other stakeholders, such as service providers and consumers. Practice-based research presents multiple ethical challenges, not well addressed in the literature. We discuss ethical challenges in three general categories, derived from our experience in practice-based research on child and family services: (a) multiple roles and potentially competing demands of research and clinical care, (b) multiple potential uses of research data, and (c) policy and fiscal challenges. Suggested directions for future work are also proposed.
The neurotrophin receptor p75 regulates gustatory axon branching and promotes innervation of the tongue during development

Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and neurotrophin-4 (NT4) regulate the survival of gustatory neurons, axon growth and branching, and innervation of taste buds during development. These actions are largely, but not completely, mediated through the tyrosine kinase receptor, TrkB. Here, we investigated the role of p75, the other major receptor for BDNF and NT4, in the development of the taste system. We found that p75−/−mice showed delayed axon outgrowth and reduced branching of gustatory axons at embryonic day (E)13.5. From E14.5 to E18.5, gustatory neurons innervated fewer papillae and completely failed to innervate the mid-region of the tongue in p75−/−mice. These early effects of the p75 mutation on gustatory axons preceded the loss of geniculate ganglion neurons starting at E14.5 and also contributed to a loss of taste buds at and after birth. Because knockouts for the TrkB receptor (TrkB−/−) do not lose as many taste buds as hybrid knockouts for its two ligands (BDNF and NT4), we asked if p75 maintains those additional taste buds in the absence of TrkB. It does not; hybrid TrkB−/−/p75−/−mice had more taste buds than TrkB−/−mice; these additional taste buds were not due to an increase in neurons or innervation. p75 regulates gustatory neuron axon branching and tongue innervation patterns during taste system development. This function is likely accomplished independently of BDNF, NT4, and TrkB. In addition, p75 does not support the remaining neurons or taste buds in TrkB−/−mice.
EFFECT OF ULTRASOUND ON THE NEONATAL RAT BRAIN

Six-day-old rat neonates were exposed to 2.25 MHz continuous wave (CW) ultrasound for 5 min at an intensity of 2.5 W/cm2 (SATA). The temperatures on the head surface and in the mouth were measured. There was a higher average temperature elevation in the mouth (9 degrees C) than on the head surface (7 degrees C). Survival differs between control and exposed groups at 30 days after exposure. Ninety percent of the control group lived to 30 days, versus 59.7% for the exposed group. At differing times following exposure, the brains of the pups were removed and tested for enzymatic activities. Changes in acetylcholine esterase and in 2',3'-cyclic nucleotide phosphohydrolase activities were not statistically significantly different from controls. There were no significant differences in brain weight and total protein between control and exposed pups.
Intrauterine Fetal Surgery: A Nursing Challenge

Surgical treatment of the fetus in utero offers new options for selected families with fetal anomalies. Nurses caring for these families must be prepared to meet their unique needs. The diagnosis, treatment, support, and follow-up care of the family is discussed.
PHYSICAL AND SENSORY PROPERTIES OF LEAN GROUND BEEF PATTIES CONTAINING METHYLCELLULOSE AND HYDROXYPROPYLMETHYLCELLULOSE

Broiled, lean ground beef patties containing no additives, two levels of methylcellulose (MC, 0.5 or 1.0%) and two levels of hydroxypropylmethylcellulose (HPMC, 0.5 or 1.0%) were evaluated for raw and cooked composition, cooking losses, sensory attributes and Instron compression measurements. MC or HPMC addition did not significantly affect the fat, moisture or protein content of the raw and cooked patties. Patties containing HPMC received greater tenderness, juiciness and off-flavor sensory scores when compared with patties containing MC or no additive. MC or HPMC addition increased patty gumminess sensory scores and decreased Instron compression values. Sensory cooked meat flavor decreased with gum addition.
Effect of digitalis on skeletal muscle in man

Abstract Although an inotropic effect of digitalis on skeletal muscle has been demonstrated in animals, it has not been shown in man. Digitalis, in previous studies, has failed to improve voluntary exercise performance. In this investigation the strength of nerve-stimulated involuntary thumb adduction was measured before, during and after infusion of ouabain into the brachial artery. With this experimental design, the many uncontrolled factors that govern ordinary exercise tolerance were avoided. Large doses of ouabain (0.5 mg) produced significant augmentation of peak strength of thumb adduction whereas smaller doses (75 μg) more likely to reach the thumb during systemic digitalization produced only suggestive increases in peak contraction strength. In patients previously digitalized for heart failure, the large doses of ouabain did not significantly change contractility. The findings suggest that skeletal muscle is less sensitive than cardiac muscle to ouabain, and that systemic digitalization has a minor effect on skeletal muscle. When the differences between skeletal and cardiac muscle in excitation-contraction coupling are considered, the reduced effect of ouabain on skeletal muscle contraction is compatible with a cell membrane locus of action in both tissues.
Heme Oxygenase-1 Inhibition of Nox Oxidase Activation Is a Microvascular Endothelial Antioxidant Effect of NO

A study by Jiang et al1 in this issue of Hypertension reports evidence suggesting that NO has a novel antioxidant-type effect in cultured human microvascular endothelial cells associated with an inhibition of Nox oxidase activation, which seems to be mediated by increasing the expression and activity of heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1). The induction of HO-1 was observed to occur when the cultured endothelium was exposed to a long-acting NO donor for ≥6 hours. Because freshly isolated vascular tissue from normal animals is generally thought to contain low levels of HO-1, the levels of NO seen in endothelium under physiological conditions do not seem to be a stimulus for maintaining an elevated level of this enzyme. Physiological stresses associated with oxidant production were initially observed to increase HO-1 expression in multiple tissue preparations.2 The formation of reactive NO-derived species (NOx) from the reaction of NO with superoxide, such as peroxynitrite, were initially observed to promote HO-1 expression in endothelial cells exposed to NO donors in a manner that was modulated by free thiol availability.3 Although the precise mechanism involved in how NOx induces HO-1 expression is currently not known, the gene for HO-1 has many sites in its promoter region for redox regulation by intracellular and nuclear signaling events that lead to transcriptional activation.2 Thus, increases in HO-1 expression by elevated levels …
Combined segmentation and tracking of overlapping objects with feedback

We present a new adaptive technique for segmenting a sequence of images and tracking the moving objects contained therein. The algorithm is illustrated on a biomedical problem, namely, the tracking of a group of fibroblast (tissue) cells whose motion is induced by an external electric field using phase contrast micrographs. Because of their proximity to one another and their motion characteristics, in addition to the nature of the images, the objects cannot be segmented accurately: they appear to merge/overlap and split. An adaptive fine segmentation technique, which can handle large objects that "appear" to have merged or split, is presented. The combined segmentation/tracking is formulated as a global optimization problem where the merging/splitting and the motion characteristics of the objects determine the final results. The motion parameters of the objects are estimated using a multiassignment algorithm (a scheme that associates segmented regions to tracks) combined with a modified version of a tracking filter (motion estimator), known as the probabilistic data association filter. Analytical expressions quantifying the accuracy of the segmentation scheme are also presented. The technique is also applicable to tracking people, ground vehicles and ballistic missiles, where the targets can be closely-spaced.
The organization of adjectival meanings

Abstract It is proposed that meanings of predicative adjectives in English are organized in semantic memory by relations of antonymy and synonymy. The basic semantic structure is given by antonymous pairs, with synonymous adjectives clustering around the two antonyms. Thus, every predicative adjective is either a member of an antonymous pair or is similar in meaning to a member of such a pair. This claim is defended theoretically, then tested experimentally by comparing the times required to judge pairs of adjectives as directly or indirectly antonymous.
Effects of estradiol-17 beta on basal and luteinizing hormone releasing hormone-induced secretion of luteinizing hormone and follicle stimulating hormone by ovine pituitary cell culture.

Ovine pituitary cells collected during anestrous season were cultured to study the effect of estradiol-1 713(E2) on basal and luteinizing hormone releasing hormone (LHRH)-induced secretion of follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH). When pituitary cells were incubated with 1 X 10 M E2 for 6 h or longer, decreased FSH but increased LH basal secretion was observed. Further, both LHRH-induced FSH and LU release were enhanced by E2. The degree of this enhancement was dependent on E2 concentration, and a concentration of E2 higher than
On the chip rate of CDMA systems with doubly selective fading and rake reception

The bit error probability for a direct-sequence code division multiple access (CDMA) system is determined as a function of the chip rate for communications over doubly selective fading channels. The effect the chip rate has on the performance of a CDMA system is considered for both a correlation receiver and a rake receiver. Several selective fading channels are employed as examples to illustrate that the choice of the best chip rate depends upon the characteristics of the channel and the number of taps in the rake receiver. The tradeoff between the number of taps and the bit error probability is investigated for different chip rates. Additionally, the effects of the Doppler spread on the performance of the system and the choice of chip rate are considered. The purpose of this paper is to examine some of the fundamental issues that influence performance of CDMA systems when employed for mobile cellular telephony and personal communication systems on channels with doubly selective fading. >
Acquiring word-meaning mappings for natural language interfaces

This paper focuses on a system, WOLFIE (WOrd Learning From Interpreted Examples), that acquires a semantic lexicon from a corpus of sentences paired with semantic representations. The lexicon learned consists of phrases paired with meaning representations. WOLFIE is part of an integrated system that learns to transform sentences into representations such as logical database queries. Experimental results are presented demonstrating WOLFIE's ability to learn useful lexicons for a database interface in four different natural languages. The usefulness of the lexicons learned by WOLFIE are compared to those acquired by a similar system, with results favorable to WOLFIE. A second set of experiments demonstrates WOLFIE's ability to scale to larger and more difficult, albeit artificially generated, corpora. In natural language acquisition, it is difficult to gather the annotated data needed for supervised learning; however, unannotated data is fairly plentiful. Active learning methods attempt to select for annotation and training only the most informative examples, and therefore are potentially very useful in natural language applications. However, most results to date for active learning have only considered standard classification tasks. To reduce annotation effort while maintaining accuracy, we apply active learning to semantic lexicons. We show that active learning can significantly reduce the number of annotated examples required to achieve a given level of performance.
A novel approach for K-best MIMO detection and its VLSI implementation

Since the complexity of MIMO detection algorithms is exponential, the K-best algorithm is often chosen for efficient VLSI implementation. This detection problem is often viewed as a tree search problem where the breadth first search (BFS) method is adopted and only the K-best branches are kept at each level of the tree. An earlier VLSI implementation of the K-best BFS has been reported, however it has an inherent speed bottleneck due to the calculation of many path metrics and then sorting among them to select the K-best. In this paper an alternative implementation of the BFS is presented, which is suitable for VLSI implementation. To test the performance of this approach it has been applied to a 4X4 MIMO detector with a 64 QAM constellation. The results show less than 1 dB degradation from the sphere decoding algorithm. The implementation of a single spiral cell, the basic block behind the system, occupies a 764 mum2 of area and consumes a 52.58 muw of power a 0.13 mum CMOS technology.
A multi-model approach for anomaly detection and diagnosis using vibration signals

Continuous vibration monitoring of mechanical roller bearing parts potentially reduces machine downtime through timely prediction and diagnosis of abnormal events. Despite the progress made in the literature, challenges remain in how to assess performance related information for maintenance decision-making from large data streams. Furthermore, since roller bearings operate under various regimes (e.g., speed and load), it is not trivial to consider the effect of regime changes in the modeling in order to reduce false alarms. The paper describes a multi-model approach to monitor the condition of roller bearings under different operating regimes. Two modeling approaches for anomaly and degradation monitoring are proposed to automatically retrieve information from the data. A self-organizing map (SOM) and a support vector machines (SVM) are used comparatively for the evaluation of a bearing degradation in time (i.e., a dynamic health indicator) and for the determination of changes in the tracked features. The proposed method is validated using data from multiple bearings of the same type.
Rectal carcinoid tumour observed by magnifying colonoscopy with narrow band imaging.

A 59-year-old healthy man underwent a colonoscopy durng a physical checkup, revealing one 3 mm sessile polypoid esion at the middle rectum (Fig. 1A). Magnifying colonoscopy ith narrow band imaging showed small round pits, slightly arger than those observed on the normal mucosa, surrounded y brown, honeycomb-like microvessels (Fig. 1B), different from yperplastic polyps with starry-shaped pits without a change n microvasculature. Biopsy disclosed foci of uniform polygonal ells in the lamina propria and superficial submucosa, suggesive of a carcinoid tumour (Fig. 2A: arrows, HE B: ynaptophysin stain). Endoscopic mucosal resection with a ligation
Brain basis of self: self-organization and lessons from dreaming

Through dreaming, a different facet of the self is created as a result of a self-organizing process in the brain. Self-organization in biological systems often happens as an answer to an environmental change for which the existing system cannot cope; self-organization creates a system that can cope in the newly changed environment. In dreaming, self-organization serves the function of organizing disparate memories into a dream since the dreamer herself is not able to control how individual memories become weaved into a dream. The self-organized dream provides, thereby, a wide repertoire of experiences; this expanded repertoire of experience results in an expansion of the self beyond that obtainable when awake. Since expression of the self is associated with activity in specific areas of the brain, the article also discusses the brain basis of the self by reviewing studies of brain injured patients, discussing brain imaging studies in normal brain functioning when focused, when daydreaming and when asleep and dreaming.
Counseling for depression by primary care providers.

Objective Primary care providers (PCPs) deliver a significant amount of depression care, yet little is known about the content of clinical encounters with depressed patients. We describe the extent to which PCP's encounters with depressed and non-depressed patients involve psychotherapeutic counseling relative to other types of counseling during primary care visits. Method Cross-sectional evaluation of audiotaped office visits between October 1997 and September 1998 with 154 patients of 27 PCPs at three Veterans' Health Administration clinics in California. Using the Roter Interaction Analysis System, we coded conversation into mutually exclusive talk categories and developed specific measures of depression counseling coded for sequences of depression talk. Analysis of variance and covariance was used to evaluate differences in counseling by depression type adjusted for encounter length, previous depression treatment, patient characteristics, and provider clustering. Results PCPs delivered significantly more depression care (assessed using coded audiotapes of patient visits) to their patients with major depression compared with patients who had no depression or symptoms but no disorder. However, counseling using psychotherapeutic techniques did not differ by depression level and was equivalent for patients with major depression and subthreshold relative to non-depressed. Encounters with patients who had major depression included more talk about depression, devoted more time to discussing depression, and included more depression talk per minute. PCP encounters with depressed patients also included less biomedical talk compared to other groups. Conclusions Findings suggest that PCPs do provide depression counseling to their patients who need it the most. Whether counseling is associated with appropriate treatment and subsequent outcomes will require additional research.
Adaptive Cruise Control, System Optimisation and Development for Motor Vehicles

001d15aConventional cruise control systems fulfil the function of automatic speed control. A desired speed is selected by the driver, and a control system operates on the throttle to maintain this desired speed. When traffic density is moderate or high, the driver is faced with having to adjust the set speed regularly in order to maintain a comfortable distance from preceding vehicles and will frequently have to brake, disengaging the cruise control. Thus conventional cruise control can become a source of irritation when used in moderate or heavy traffic. If a distance sensor is added to a conventional cruise control system, then it is possible to add distance keeping to the basic speed control function. This forms the basis for adaptive cruise control, which can be further improved if a limited authority braking system is incorporated. Use can then be made of both throttle and brake actuators to control the distance and relative velocities between a vehicle and a preceding target vehicle.
Children's thinking: What never develops?

Typically, investigators of cognitive development have adopted a perspective opposite to my title (e.g., Siegrer, 1978). Differences between children and adults are explored and descriptions are put forth of how knowledge structures and processes of one age group differ from those of another. There has been surprisingly little attention to those properties that remain invariant across developmental change or, put differently, to the boundary conditions that limit the nature of the change. This perspective may help to explain why the most popular theories of cognitive development-those of Piaget, Bruner, and Vygotsky-propose radical restructurings as children progess through various stages of development. Given such accounts, it often seems as if there is no continuity to develop mental change. One feels a bit like the motorist who asks a rural farmer for directions to a nearby town. The farmer starts giving one set of diu:ctions, pauses, corrects himself and gives another sei, then pauses again for a loriz~r period and finally says, “Nope, can‘t get there from here”, Many of our de-velopmental theories leave us s$randed. in a similar manner. We may have detailed descriptions of children% knowledge structures at several ages but may have no idea of how to get from one stage to another. While some (e.g., Fodor, 1972, 1975; Mandler, 1981) have sharply, ‘criticized theories of this sort on the grounds that the lack of continuity is counterintuitive, nonetheless, these theories represent the predominant point of view ,in cognitive development research. Part of the reason for this theoretical orientation is that frequentiy the only alternative is seen to be traditional learning theory views. Such views do provide continuity by proposing that knowledge is acquired through basic, universal principles of learning that apply in the same manner to all types of knowledge in all learning situations. They do so, however, at the cost of being hopelessly inadequate to explain the acquisition of certain special types of knowledge, such as that of a natural language.
Does Local Autonomy Enhance Representation? The Influence of Home Rule on County Expenditures:

This article examines the interactive role between institution type and ideology at the local governmental level, demonstrating that additional degrees of autonomy allow for meaningful policy decis...
Deconvolution Analysis of Photoacoustic Waves of Electron Transfer in Photosystem I of men G Null Mutant of Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803

Inactivating the menG gene causes 2-phytyl-1,4-naphthoquinone (Q) to be presented as a quinone acceptor in PSI of Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803. The electron transfer from Q− to FX is slowed to 600 ns in the menG null mutant [Sakuragi Y, B Zybailov G Shen, AD Jones, PR Chitnis, A van der Est, R Bittl, S Zech, D Stehlik, JH Golbeck, and DA Bryant. (2002) Biochemistry 41: 394–405]. Despite of the alternation of kinetics, the thermodynamics of electron transfer in the mutant is not known. In this work, we conducted deconvolution analysis on photoacoustic waves of the menG null mutants and the wild type strains of Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 obtained by pulsed photoacoustics on the microsceond time scale. The fit by convolution of menG photoacoustic waves revealed a large volume contraction (−28 ± 2 A3) for the P700* → Q step and a positive volume change (+5 ± 2 A3) for the Q− → FA/B step. The enthalpy changes were −0.7 ± 0.2 eV for the P700* → Q step and +0.5 ± 0.2 eV for the Q− → FA/B step, respectively. Taking the free energy of −0.7 eV and −0.1 eV for these steps, the data presented here shows that the Q− to FA/B electron transfer step in the menG null mutant is entropy driven.
Generation of Health Care Policy: Using Evidence to Implement Change for a Nurse-Midwifery Practice

This article examines how a certified nursemidwifery practice used evidence-based practice data from 2000 to 2001 to influence health care policy in a managed care environment. Managed care has ass...
Intramolecular Reactions and the Relevance of Models

In the past few years, there has been a growing interest in chemical models of enzyme action. In this large body of research, two distinct types of models emerge. The first type is mimetic models; i.e., the reactions model specific enzymes. This area will not be covered in this chapter, but the reader is referred to an excellent review by Fife(1) which covers this approach for three enzymic reactions. The second type is nonmimetic models; i.e., the reactions or interactions model a specific feature of the general process of enzyme catalysis. Among nonmimetic models are two further subdivisions. One subdivision encompasses catalysis by complexation, thus modeling the binding of the substrate to the protein. This subdivision includes reactions catalyzed by micelles, cyclodextrins, hydrophobic interactions in aqueous solution, chargetransfer complexes, and polar associations in apolar solvents. The other subdivision encompasses catalysis by functional groups, thus modeling catalysis by functional groups on side chains of the peptide backbone in the enzyme—substrate complex. This topic is our major concern in this chapter.