cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Developmental Biochemistry of Cottonseed Embryogenesis and Germination III. REGULATION OF THE BIOSYNTHESIS OF ENZYMES UTILIZED IN GERMINATION

Abstract Cotton cotyledons have been found to synthesize de novo during germination two enzymes, a carboxypeptidase and isocitratase. The mRNA for this synthesis is transcribed in embryogenesis at a point when the embryos have reached two-thirds of their final size. The translation of the mRNA is prevented during the completion of embryogenesis by the plant hormone abscisic acid, which is produced by the tissues surrounding the embryo and absorbed by the embryo. The inhibition of the translation of the mRNA appears to require the concomitant synthesis of nonribosomal RNA. The mRNA for the two enzymes can be prematurely induced in younger cotyledons by excision of the embryo from the mother plant. This also stops DNA synthesis and cell division in this tissue. The synthesis of the mRNA and the cessation of DNA synthesis and cell division normally occur at the time in embryogenesis when the vascular connection between the mother plant and the incipient seed degenerates. It is postulated that these events are the result of a loss of vascular factors supplied by the mother plant. The synthesis of the two enzymes appears to be identically regulated, and they may represent a body of enzymes that are required for germination and whose synthesis is under the same coordinated regulation.
miR-210: the master hypoxamir.

MicroRNAs (miRs) are small non-coding RNAs implicated mainly in post-transcriptional gene silencing by interacting with the unstranslated region of the transcript. miR-210 represents a major hypoxia-inducible miRs, also known as hypoxamirs, which is ubiquitously expressed in a wide range of cells, serving versatile functions. This review article summarizes the current progress on biogenesis of miR-210 and its physiological roles including arrest of cell proliferation, repression of mitochondrial respiration, arrest of DNA repair, vascular biology, and angiogenesis. Given the fact that miR-210 is aberrantly expressed in a number of diseases such as tumor progression, myocardial infarction and cutaneous ischemic wounds, miR-210 could serve as an excellent candidate for prognostic purposes and therapeutic intervention. With the advancement of computational prediction, high-throughput target validation methodology, sequencing, proteomic analysis and microarray, it is anticipated that more down-stream targets of miR-210 and its-associated biological consequences under hypoxia will be unveiled establishing miR-210 as a major hub in the biology of hypoxia-response.
Learning sequential structure with the real-time recurrent learning algorithm

Recurrent connections in neural networks potentially allow information about events occurring in the past to be preserved and used in current computations. How effectively this potential is realized depends on the power of the learning algorithm used. As an example of a task requiring recurrency, Servan-Schreiber, Cleeremans, and McClelland1 have applied a simple recurrent learning algorithm to the task of recognizing finite-state grammars of increasing difficulty. These nets showed considerable power and were able to learn fairly complex grammars by emulating the state machines that produced them. However, there was a limit to the difficulty of the grammars that could be learned. We have applied a more powerful recurrent learning procedure, called real-time recurrent learning2,6 (RTRL), to some of the same problems studied by Servan-Schreiber, Cleeremans, and McClelland. The RTRL algorithm solved more difficult forms of the task than the simple recurrent networks. The internal representations developed by RTRL networks revealed that they learn a rich set of internal states that represent more about the past than is required by the underlying grammar. The dynamics of the networks are determined by the state structure and are not chaotic.
Dual‐Function of Alcohols in Gold‐Mediated Selective Coupling of Amines and Alcohols

Oxidative coupling of alcohols (methanol and ethanol) and dimethylamine on atomic-oxygen-activated Au(111) occurs entirely on the surface to form the corresponding amides when the alkoxy of the alcohol and the amide derived from the amine are co-adsorbed. For effective oxygen-assisted coupling the formation of the amide requires excess methanol. Mechanistic studies reveal that molecularly adsorbed methanol removes excess adsorbed atomic oxygen efficiently, precluding either secondary oxidation or oxidative dehydrogenation of dimethylamide to the imine. The adsorbed amide then can react with the aldehyde produced by β-hydride elimination from the alkoxy to form the hemiaminal, the reactive intermediate leading to coupling. The selectivity for formamide production can be increased to nearly 100 % in excess methanol.
Paramagnetic form factors of hcp transition metals

Abstract Recently we have developed a numerical technique to compute the total form factor of the itinerant electrons in hcp transition metals. The calculated orbital contributions deviate from atomic orbital form factors. There is reasonable overall agreement between theory and elastic neutron scattering experiments.
Lobster muscle aldolase: Isolation, properties and primary structure at the substrate-binding site☆

Abstract Fructose 1,6- P 2 aldolase has been isolated from lobster muscle. The crystalline enzyme is shown to be homogeneous by ultracentrifugation, polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and gel filtration. The enzyme has a molecular weight of 160,000 based on sedimentation equilibrium, sedimentation velocity and gel filtration. The amino acid composition of the lobster muscle aldolase is similar to that of rabbit muscle aldolase, except for the content of half-cystine, methionine and aromatic amino acids. Tyrosine is found to be the COOH-terminal amino acid by carboxypeptidase A digestion and hydrazinolysis. The release of 4 moles of tyrosine per mole of enzyme by carboxypeptidase A digestion suggests a tetrameric structure of lobster muscle aldolase similar to that of other mammalian aldolases. The kinetic parameters are similar to those described for rabbit muscle aldolase, except that lobster muscle aldolase has a much lower rate of cleavage of fructose 1- P as compared with fructose 1,6- P 2 . The amino acid sequence of the active site peptide isolated from tryptic digests has been determined. It shows extensive homology with similar peptides isolated from vertebrate muscle and liver. A region containing 12 amino acids immediately adjacent to the lysine residue which forms the Schiff base intermediate is identical in all aldolases thus far examined.
Fixating picture boundaries does not eliminate boundary extension: Implications for scene representation

Observers frequently remember seeing more of a scene than was shown (boundary extension). Does this reflect a lack of eye fixations to the boundary region? Single-object photographs were presented ...
Seismic stability of embankment structures

Abstract In this paper, we discuss the guidelines and criteria used by the U.S. Corps of Engineers for seismic analysis and design of dams, and the procedures used by the Waterways Experiment Station to evaluate the seismic stability of earth and rock-fill dams. The two approaches described here represent the present state of the art of such evaluations, but a state of the art that is evolving rapidly. At the present time, there is a dearth of adequately documented case histories that can be used to validate or calibrate the numerical results of seismic analyses, so that a high degree of numerical exactitude should not be looked for. However, it should be kept in mind that the essential purpose of an engineering analysis is not to compute numbers, but to provide insight into the problem and to help in arriving at a correct engineering judgement that takes into account all of the relevant factors.
The Smith-Walley Interpretation of Subjective Probability: An Appreciation

The right interpretation of subjective probability is implicit in the theories of upper and lower odds, and upper and lower previsions, developed, respectively, by Cedric Smith (1961) and Peter Walley (1991). On this interpretation you are free to assign contingent events the probability 1 (and thus to employ conditionalization as a method of probability revision) without becoming vulnerable to a weak Dutch book.
Glycosaminoglycans of the rat renomedullary interstitium: ultrastructural and biochemical observations.

Abstract The rat renal papillary interstitium which contains abundant proteoglycans is a unique area important in renal function. These proteoglycans were studied ultrastructurally by ruthenium red fixation and staining and phosphate-buffered fixation before and after enzyme digestion. A tissue culture of rat renomedullary interstitial cells, the predominant cell of the renal papillary interstitium, was studied for its ability to synthesize proteoglycans and the proteoglycans were then analyzed. Tissue slices of whole rat renal inner medulla were also evaluated for their synthetic ability. In combination, these studies indicate that the dominant glycosaminoglycan is hyaluronic acid. The tissue culture of rat renal medullary interstitial cells synthesized glycosaminoglycans and on analysis, hyaluronic acid was found to be the cheif glycosaminoglycan secreted by the renomedullary interstitial cells. Combined with the removal of the proteoglycans from tissue by leech hyaluronidase and testicular hyaluronidase, this suggests that the dominant glycosaminoglycan is hyaluronic acid. Hyaluronic acid is also synthesized by the intact papilla confirming the findings with the tissue culture. However, in addition, sulfated glycosaminoglycans were also synthesized by the intact papilla, presumably the product of the noninterstitial components of the papilla.
On the Origin of Microparticles: From “Platelet Dust” to Mediators of Intercellular Communication:

Microparticles are submicron vesicles shed from a variety of cells. Peter Wolf first identified microparticles in the midst of ongoing blood coagulation research in 1967 as a product of platelets. He termed them platelet dust. Although initially thought to be useless cellular trash, decades of research focused on the tiny vesicles have defined their roles as participators in coagulation, cellular signaling, vascular injury, and homeostasis. The purpose of this review is to highlight the science leading up to the discovery of microparticles, feature discoveries made by key contributors to the field of microparticle research, and discuss their positive and negative impact on the pulmonary circulation.
Cells Metabolizing Vitamin D

Excerpt To the editor: We read with interest the reports by Breslau and associates (1) and Mason and coworkers. (2) regarding vitamin D and its relationship to the hypercalcemia of lymphomas and of...
Geochemistry and tectonic affinities of a Proterozoic bimodal igneous suite, west Texas

Diabasic sills from the 1.27-b.y.-old Carrizo Mountain Group of west Texas have immobile element abundances similar to those of modern mid-ocean ridge basalts (MORB). The presence of thick terrigenous sedimentary rocks and peraluminous rhyolitic ash-flow tuffs within the Carrizo Mountain Group preclude the diabases forming in a typical MORB environment. Field, petrographic, and geochemical evidence suggests that the Carrizo Mountain Group was deposited in an incipient continental margin back-arc basin that may have extended northeastward into the Texas panhandle region. The overlying Allamoore Formation consists of sedimentary rocks and basalt accumulated within a mature marginal basin behind the tholeiite-dominated island arc postulated for the Llano area.
Contamination resistant coatings for enhanced laser damage thresholds

This paper describes a novel approach for the suppression of contamination enhanced laser damage to optical components by the use of fluorinated coatings that repel organic contaminates. In prior work we studied laser damage thresholds induced by ppm levels of toluene under nanosecond 1.064 μm irradiation of fused silica optics. That work showed that moderate vapor-phase concentrations (< 15%) of water and alcohols dramatically increased the laser damage threshold. The data are consistent with the hypothesis that water and alcohols interact more favorably with the hydroxylated silica surface thereby displacing toluene from the surface. In this work, preliminary results show that fluorinated self assembled monolayer coatings can be used to accomplish the same effect. Optics coated with fluorinated films have much higher survival rates compared with uncoated optics under the same conditions. In addition to enhancing survival of laser optics, these coatings have implications for protecting spacecraft imaging optics from organic contamination.
Clinical evaluation of high-performance affinity chromatography for the separation of bone and liver alkaline phosphatase isoenzymes.

Abstract The newly described high-performance (HPLC) affinity chromatography method for the separation of human bone and liver alkaline phosphatase (ALP, EC 3.1.3.1) isoenzymes was clinically evaluated. The improved resolution of bone from liver isoenzyme and lower detection limit was achieved by conjugation of wheat-germ lectin (WGL) to a diol-bonded silica gel column, stepwise elution with N-acetylglu-cosamine (NAG) and post column derivatization using para-nitrophenyl phosphate substrate. To establish a reference interval, we measured bone ALP in 86 healthy women, ages 33 to 95 years. The normal reference interval is described by a piecewise linear regression on age (R2 = 0.20, P U/l = −12.765 + 0.472∗ age. If age ≥ 55 years, then bone ALP, U/l 13.219. In all 10 patients with primary biliary cirrhosis, serum bone ALP levels were elevated. In addition, sera from 43 patients with diverse metabolic bone diseases were evaluated. As expected, the sera from all 6 patients with Paget's disease and 2 with osteolytic metastasis had bone ALP activity which was > 3 standard deviations (SD) from the mean. In all 10 patients with hypoparathyroidism, bone ALP levels were depressed. Only 1 of the 9 patients with glucocorticoid excess and 2 of the 7 patients with primary hyperparathyroidism had elevated bone ALP when compared to the 95% confidence interval for the normal range. Results from the HPLC affinity chromatography correlated significantly with bone ALP levels obtained on the same patients by solid phase immunoassay using monoclonal antibodies specific for ALP (r = 0.91, P
Vortical and Internal Wave Shear and Strain

AbstractDepth–time records of isopycnal vertical strain have been collected from intensive CTD profiling programs on the research platform (R/P) Floating Instrument Platform (FLIP). The associated vertical wavenumber frequency spectrum of strain, when viewed in an isopycnal-following frame, displays a clear spectral gap at low vertical wavenumber, separating the quasigeostrophic (vortical) strain field and the superinertial internal wave continuum. This gap enables both model and linear-filter-based methods for separating the submesoscale and internal wave strain fields. These fields are examined independently in six field programs spanning the period 1983–2002. Vortical and internal wave strain variances are often comparable in the upper thermocline, of order 0.2. However, vortical strain tends to decrease with increasing depth (decreasing buoyancy frequency as ~(N2)1/2, while internal wave strain variance increases as ~(N2)−1/2, exceeding vortical variance by a factor of 5–10 at depths below 500 m.In co...
Determination of vehicle density from traffic images at day and nighttime

In this paper we extend our previous work to address vehicle differentiation in traffic density computations 1 . The main goal of this work is to create vehicle density history for given roads under different weather or light conditions and at different times of the day. Vehicle differentiation is important to account for connected or otherwise long vehicles, such as trucks or tankers, which lead to over-counting with the original algorithm. Average vehicle size in pixels, given the magnification within the field of view for a particular camera, is used to separate regular cars and long vehicles. A separate algorithm and procedure have been developed to determine traffic density after dark when the vehicle headlights are turned on. Nighttime vehicle recognition utilizes blob analysis based on head/taillight images. The high intensity of vehicle lights are identified in binary images for nighttime vehicle detection. The stationary traffic image frames are downloaded from the internet as they are updated. The procedures are implemented in MATLAB. The results of both nighttime traffic density and daytime long vehicle identification algorithms are described in this paper. The determination of nighttime traffic density, and identification of long vehicles at daytime are improvements over the original work 1 .
Diffusion-limited aggregation with surface tension

Computer simulations of diffusion-limited aggregation (DLA) show that surface tension, as a short-range interaction, does not change the fractal structure for large aggregates. Clusters grown with surface tension develop three regions. (1) At the center, the cluster is compact and regular; the effective fractal dimension ${D}_{f}^{\mathrm{eff}}$ is close to 2. (2) Next to the center is a transition region where ${D}_{f}^{\mathrm{eff}}$ decreases quickly from 2 to about 1.70\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.05. (3) Past the transition region, the cluster grows as a DLA fractal and ${D}_{f}^{\mathrm{eff}}$ extrapolates to 1.70\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.05. An increased surface tension is found to produce clusters with rounder shapes, thicker fingers, and larger compact centers. The thickness of the fingers and the size of the compact center are determined theoretically, and these estimations compare well with results obtained from the numerical simulations.
Electrostatically Mediated Liposome Fusion and Lipid Exchange with a Nanoparticle-Supported Bilayer for Control of Surface Charge, Drug Containment, and Delivery

The loading and containment of cargo within nanoparticles and their efficient delivery to cells represent a primary challenge in nanomedicine. We report lipid exchange between free and mesoporous silica nanoparticle-supported lipid bilayers as an effective means of containing cargo, controlling charge, and directing delivery to mammalian cells. The delivery of a membrane-impermeable dye (calcein) and a chemotherapeutic drug (doxorubicin) are demonstrated. Exchanged lipid bilayers minimized premature drug release, and an overall positive charge on the supported lipid bilayer effected enhanced delivery.
Formation of singularities for viscosity solutions of Hamilton-Jacobi equations in higher dimensions

In this work we study the generation of singularities (shock waves) of the solution of the Cauchy problem for HamiltonJacobi equations in several space variables, under no assumption on convexity or concavity of the hamiltonian. We study the problem in the class of viscosity solutions, which are the correct class of weak solutions. We first examine the way the characteristics cross by identifying the set of critical points of the characteristic manifold with the caustic set of the related lagrangian mapping. We construct the viscosity solution by selecting a single-valued branch of the multi-valued function given as a solution by the method of characteristics. We finally discuss how the shocks propagate and undergo catastrophe in the case of two space variables. W This work was part of the author's PhD thesis in the Division of Applied Mathematics, Brown University. Partially supported by NSF Grants DMS-8801208 and DMS-8657464 (PYI) University Libraries Carnegie Mellon University Pittsburgh, PA 15213-3890
Low-intensity pulsed ultrasound treatment for scaphoid fracture nonunions in adolescents.

Background Treatment of scaphoid nonunion is challenging, leading clinicians to pursue innovation in surgical technique and adjunctive therapies to improve union rates. Purpose The purpose of this study was to investigate the use of low-intensity pulsed ultrasound as an adjunctive treatment modality following surgical treatment of scaphoid nonunion in adolescent patients, for whom this therapy has not yet been FDA-approved. Patients and Methods We performed a retrospective review of adolescent patients with scaphoid nonunion treated surgically followed by adjunctive low-intensity pulsed ultrasound therapy. All patients underwent 20 minutes of daily ultrasound therapy postoperatively until there was evidence of bony healing, based on both clinical and radiographic criteria. Final healing was confirmed by > 50% bone bridging on CT scan. Results Thirteen of fourteen (93%) patients healed at a mean interval of 113 days (range 61–217 days). There were no surgical or postoperative complications. One patient developed heterotopic bone formation about the scaphoid. Conclusions Our study suggests that low-intensity pulsed ultrasound therapy can safely be utilized as an adjunctive modality in adolescents to augment scaphoid healing following surgical intervention. Level of Evidence Level IV, Case series
Values of the Bessel functions ber x and bei x and their derivatives

THE FUNCTIONS ber x and bei x and their derivatives are frequently used in electrical-engineering problems connected with heavy conductors and with wires at radio frequencies. For instance, the current distribution and the resistance loss in a round conductor, or in a coreless induction furnace, are often computed by means of these functions.
Kinetic analysis of calcium movements in cell culture. V. Intracellular calcium distribution in kidney cells.

The distribution of intracellular calcium was determined in isolated kidney cells by kinetic analyses of45Ca fluxes. Isotopic desaturation curves reveal an intracellular calcium compartment with a very slow time constant. The size of this calcium compartment is markedly increased by raising the extracellular calcium, by increasing the extracellular phosphate and may contain up to 99% of the intracellular exchangeable calcium. Accumulation of calcium in this pool is completely abolished by two specific inhibitors of mitochondrial calcium uptake, Antimycin A and Warfarin®. These results suggest that this compartment represents a pool of calcium in the cell mitochondria. The sudden removal of phosphate from the medium immediately stimulates calcium efflux from the cell. Conversely, an increase in medium phosphate immediately inhibits calcium efflux. Both effects are rapidly reversible. Finally, calcium efflux from the cells is stimulated after the cells are exposed to low temperature suggesting that calcium transport out of the cell may be regulated by the cytoplasmic calcium activity. These experiments are consistent with the view that mitochondria play an important role in the control and regulation of cytoplasmic calcium activity and of calcium transport.
Computation of the effects of uncertainty in volatility on option pricing and hedging

We quantify the effect of uncertainty in the volatility parameter σ on the Black–Scholes price of the European and American put. We apply probabilistic uncertainty analysis to the Black–Scholes model and compare the results with those of the Uncertain Volatility model. From historical data, we calibrate a probability distribution for the volatility. We then use Monte Carlo MC and a surrogate Polynomial Chaos PC/MC method to compute uncertainty bounds. The calibrated probability distribution is not one related to a standard orthogonal basis, so a basis is constructed numerically for the PC approximation. We show how to construct one stably from the probability distribution. We show that both methods give the same results, and quantify the relative speedup of the surrogate method. Finally, we investigate the effect of the parametric uncertainty, and show, for example, that the presence of uncertainty smoothes out the optimal exercise boundary of the American put.
Strategic transfer: A tool for academic problem solving

Within the context of classroom learning, strategic transfer can be viewed as a tool for academic problem solving. Strategic transfer is defined as the spontaneous access and retrieval (remembering) of previously learned formal procedures for the successful solution of a problem. The transfer-appropriate processing encoding model (Morris, Bransford, and Franks, 1977), and the transfer-appropriate procedures retrieval model (Roediger, Weldon, and Challis, 1989) are reviewed. An integration of the two models is proposed through the development of a training-for-transfer paradigm (Phye, 1990). By integrating encoding and retrieval processing in a single transfer paradigm the issue of accessing prior knowledge (Bransford, 1990) that is also referred to as the inert knowledge problem (Whitehead, 1929) can directly be addressed.
Construction and analysis of cells lacking the HMGA gene family

The high mobility group A (HMGA) family of non-histone chromosomal proteins is encoded by two related genes, HMGA1 and HMGA2. HMGA proteins are architectural transcription factors that have been found to regulate the transcription of a large number of genes. They are also some of the most commonly dysregulated genes in human neoplasias, highlighting a role in growth control. HMGA1 and HMGA2 have also been found to stimulate retroviral integration in vitro. In this study, we have cloned chicken HMGA1, and used the chicken DT40 B-cell lymphoma line to generate cells lacking HMGA1, HMGA2 and both in combination. We tested these lines for effects on cellular growth, gene control and retroviral integration. Surprisingly, we found that the HMGA gene family is dispensable for growth in DT40 cells, and that there is no apparent defect in retroviral integration in the absence of HMGA1 or HMGA2. We also analyzed the activity of approximately 4000 chicken genes, but found no significant changes. We conclude that HMGA proteins are not strictly required for growth control or retroviral integration in DT40 cells and may well be redundant with other factors.
Selective inactivation of NADPH-cytochrome P-450 (c) reductase by diazotized 3-aminopyridine adenine dinucleotide phosphate.

Abstract 3-Aminopyridine adenine dinucleotide phosphate was found to be a potent competitive inhibitor of NADPH-cytochrome P -450 ( c ) reductase. The reductase was rapidly and irreversibly inactivated at pH 7 and 4 °C by diazotized 3-aminopyridine adenine dinucleotide phosphate. However, inactivation required the prereduction of the enzyme by NADPH. Spectral studies were consistent with the incorporation of 0.52 mol of nucleotide per mole of flavin or 1.04 mol per mole of enzyme.
Effect of the Atomic Core on the Magnetic Hyperfine Structure

Equations have been obtained for the magnetic field at the nucleus due to the current induced in the electron core by external valence electron. The magnetic field is written as $\ensuremath{-}4{\ensuremath{\mu}}_{0}[\frac{\mathbf{j}}{(j(j+1))}]{〈{r}^{\ensuremath{-}3}〉}_{p}(1+{R}_{m})$, where ${〈{r}^{\ensuremath{-}3}〉}_{p}$ is the average over the valence electron function, assumed in a $p$ state, ${R}_{m}$ is the correction due to the core, ${\ensuremath{\mu}}_{0}$ = Bohr magneton, $j$ = angular momentum. ${R}_{m}$ is of importance in obtaining the nuclear quadrupole moment $Q$ from the value of the magnetic moment ${\ensuremath{\mu}}_{I}$ and the ratio $\frac{b}{a}$ of the splittings due to $Q$ and ${\ensuremath{\mu}}_{I}$. The electric field gradient at the nucleus, $\ensuremath{-}\frac{2}{5}e{〈{r}^{\ensuremath{-}3}〉}_{p}(1+R)$, which determines $b$, contains a similar term $R$ for the distortion of the core by the valence electron. It is shown that ${R}_{m}$ approximately cancels the exchange terms of $R$, so that the correction factor for $Q$ is that predicted by the Thomas-Fermi model.
Runx2-mediated activation of the Bax gene increases osteosarcoma cell sensitivity to apoptosis

The Runx family of transcription factors regulate cell growth and differentiation, and control the expression of target genes involved in cell fate decisions. We examined the role of the bone-related member of this family, Runx2, in regulating apoptosis via modulation of the Bcl2 family of genes in the osteosarcoma cell line Saos2. Our data demonstrate that Runx2 directly binds to two Runx-specific regulatory elements on the human bax promoter thereby inducing Bax expression. Furthermore, bone morphogenetic protein-induced or vector-mediated expression of Runx2 resulted in upregulation of Bax expression, and subsequent increased sensitivity of Saos2 cells to apoptosis. Finally, the observed upregulation of Bax expression and increased apoptosis were Runx2 dependent as Runx2 loss of function abrogated these effects. Our study provides the first evidence for Bax as a direct target of Runx2, suggesting that Runx2 may act as a proapoptotic factor in osteosarcoma cells.
Texture segmentation parallel model based on the symmetric and asymmetric Gabor filters

In this paper a parallel mode for texture segmentation is presented. The model is built on a basic texture segmentation model. In the basic model, a bank of filters, Gabor filters and asymmetric Gabor filters, are used to describe texture properties in both frequency and in spacial domains. Since there is much information in texture image, detecting texture boundaries will take a long time. In the parallel model, the operations of filtering image are implemented in parallel by different processors. Since the operations are independent and almost the same, the speedup should be very high. The examples show that the parallel model is very effective for the texture segmentation operation.© (1994) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Born Again in Brazil: The Pentecostal Boom and the Pathogens of Poverty

"An exciting and provocative book! Without sensationalizing, Chesnut brings us to an understanding of the spiritual and emotional profundity of conversion." --Virginia Garrard-Burnett, Institute of Latin American Studies, University of Texas, Austin "An engaging case study of one of the most successful Pentecostal bodies in Latin America. Importantly, it focuses on what most Latin American Pentecostals do--personal healing." --David Stoll, author of Is Latin America Turning Protestant? "For vivid insight, lively narrative, and persuasive use of life histories, this is a major piece of ethnography." --David Martin, University of London A spiritual revolution is transforming the religious landscape of Latin America. Evangelical Protestantism, particularly Pentecostalism, has replaced Catholicism as the leading religion in thousands of barrios on the urban periphery. But in few Latin American nations have Protestants multiplied as rapidly as Brazil. What accounts for this rise? Combining historical, political, and ethnographic research, R. Andrew Chesnut shows that the relationship between faith healing and illness in the conversion process is integral to the popularity of Pentecostalism among Brazil's poor. He augments his analysis of the economic and political factors with extensive interview material to capture his informants' conversion experience. In doing so, he presents both a historical framework for a broad understanding of Pentecostalism in Latin America and insight into the personal motivations and beliefs of the crentes themselves. R. Andrew Chesnut is an assitant professor in the department of history at the Universit of Houston.
High-aspect-ratio microelectromechanical systems deformable mirrors for adaptive optics

Adaptive optics (AO) applications in astronomy and vision sci- ence require deformable mirrors (DMs) with high-stroke, high-order pack- ing density at a lower cost than the currently available technology. The required AO specifications are achievable with microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) devices fabricated with LIGA (lithographie galvanofo- mung abformung) high-aspect-ratio processing techniques. Different ac- tuator designs and a bonded faceplate fabricated in a LIGA process, enabling multilayer fabrication of MEMS devices, are investigated. Vari- ous types of high-stroke gold actuators for AO consisting of folded springs with rectangular and circular membranes as well as x-beam actuators sup- ported diagonally by fixed-guided springs are designed, simulated, and fabricated individually and as part of a continuous-face-sheet DM system. The actuators and DM displacement versus voltage are measured with an interferometer and the corresponding results are compared to finite element analysis simulations. Simulations and interferometer scans show the ability of the actuators to achieve displacements of greater than 1/3 of the initial gap. A stroke of ∼9.4 μm is achieved, thus showing that this fabrication process holds promise in the manufacture of future MEMS DMs for the next generation of extremely large telescopes. C 2010 Society of
Dispersion energies and excitation parameters in fermion fluids

Certain physical mechanisms contributing to the Brueckner pair dispersion energy W/sup D//sub 2/ are reviewed. This W/sup D//sub 2/ is found to appear also in the Iwamoto-Yamada cluster expansion if the same Brueckner state- and momentum-dependent correlation operators are used. It does not appear in the two-body Iwamoto-Yamada energy, however, but in the three-body energy. Up to this point, a Brueckner triplet dispersion energy W/sup D//sub 3/ has not yet appeared. This W/sup D//sub 3/ depends on a triplet excitation parameter kappa/sub 3/, which is calculated using Jastrow correlation functions. We find that kappa/sub 3/ is small when kappa/sub 2/ is small (approximately-less-than0.1), and large when kappa/sub 2/ is large (approximately-less-than0.4). Since kappa/sub 2/ approx. = 0.2 in nuclear matter, there is hope that both Brueckner and Iwamoto-Yamada expansions converge to the same answer at fairly low orders.
Fiberoptic pansigmoidoscopy: An evaluation of its use in an office practice

Using the new, flexible, fiberoptic pansigmoidoscope in place of the standard rigid instrument in office practice, the author found significant lesions that would not have been evident by conventional proctosigmoidoscopy in 12% of 140 patients examined. In two-thirds of the examinations, approximately 65 cm of the distal large intestine were visualized. Insertion and withdrawal of the flexible endoscope required an average of 5 minutes. A majority of patients found examination by the flexible instrument less or no more discomforting than conventional proctosigmoidoscopy.
Super‐Connectors: A New Model of Internationalization from the MENA Region

The main purpose of this case-based research is to investigate and analyze three fast-growing airlines (Emirates/Dubai, Qatar Airways/Qatar, and Etihad Airways/Abu Dhabi) and their internationalization from the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. The three carriers that are commonly known as “super-connectors” in the airline industry continue to excel in their business models and internationalization. Based on secondary data, surveys, and company-specific information, the article uses a longitudinal case-based research approach to discuss the three airlines. Findings of the work reveal that the three super-connectors have aggressively expanded in the MENA region and beyond by seeking multiple alliances, joint ventures, long-term collaborative agreements (code sharing), and foreign direct investment (FDI). These activities represent innovative business models and operational efficiencies in the global airline industry. We believe that non-MENA airlines may not have the same dynamism, strategic clout, corporate-related efficiencies, and financial prowess that we witness among the three super-connectors. In international business (IB) and multinational corporation (MNC)-related areas, researchers, industry analysts, and policymakers need to pay attention to the MENA region's super-connectors and their emerging internationalization models. The article also provides useful trends and implications that can be benchmarked by practitioners, researchers, and airlines regarding the issues of internationalization, growth, and new business models. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Murder and Euthanasia Accusations Against Physicians

Conflicts are ubiquitous in medicine, but it is difficult to imagine a physician facing a more calamitous accusation than that of murder or euthanasia.1 In 2005, my colleagues and I published an article describing such accusations following the care of dying patients.2 While it is important for law enforcement to identify and prosecute the rare medical personnel who are bona fide criminals, we were more interested in learning about unjustly charged practitioners. Our review found that doctors from any specialty providing terminal care could become the object of allegations, although many of these physicians worked under the rubric of palliative care. As a result, we subsequently developed an online research survey to be administered to members of a national palliative medicine professional society because these practitioners are most likely to be involved in the management of end-of-life cases. The overall survey findings have just been published,3 and 25 of 633 respondents (4%) reported having been formally investigated for hastening a patient's death when that was not their intention—13 while using opiates for symptom relief and 6 for using various medications while discontinuing mechanical ventilation. In one-third of these cases, a fellow member of the health care team initiated the charges against the physician. In this commentary, I intend to explore the implications of another question from the survey—one about humor and its double-edged qualities in the end-of-life setting. I will then speculate as to why accusations of hastening death are occurring and specifically why medical colleagues are charging physicians on their team with engaging in this practice.
The longitudinal association of vitamin D serum concentrations & adiposity phenotype

Several cross-sectional studies have reported on the association between serum 25-hydroxy vitamin D concentrations (25(OH)D) and body mass index (BMI). We examined the longitudinal effect of BMI on serum 25(OH)D concentrations among 866 Puerto Rican adults living in the Greater Boston area: 246 men and 620 women, aged 45–75 years at baseline and 2 year. Our analyses showed negative correlations at two time points between BMI and serum 25(OH)D concentrations. The multivariate analysis showed that when predicting the change of serum 25(OH)D concentrations, baseline-BMI had significant inverse association (P < 0.04) controlling for age, sex, and baseline-BMI. This association remained significant after adjusting for vitamin D supplement use, smoking, miles walked/day and alcohol intake (P < 0.01). In conclusion, the major findings of the present study are obesity (1) was inversely associated with 25(OH)D at baseline; (2) with the change in serum 25(OH)D at 2-year in this population of older Puerto Rican adults living in the Boston area. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled ‘16th Vitamin D Workshop’.
Comparative energetics of divergent foraging modes: a doubly labelled water experiment on hummingbird competition

Two tropical hummingbird species with divergen foraging modes and competitive strategies were tested for energetic and behavioural responses during food competition. In a large flight cage, heterospecific pairs competed for limited food (sucrose solution) delivered to five artificial flowers (feeders) arranged in two food-density treatments. When feeders were tightly clumped, the dominant territorial species (the steely-vented hummingbird, Amazilia saucerottei) actively defended them, thereby reducing access by the subordinate ‘traplining’ species (the fork-tailed emerald, Chlorostilbon canivetii). As a consequence, the dominant species maintained relatively high mass-specific rates of energy intake (J/g/h) and a balanced energy budget; whereas the trapliner maintained low food intake, high energy expenditures, and suffered negative energy balance. When feeders were widely dispersed and infefensible, the trapliner obtained food at a higher mass-specific rate than the territorialist, but again suffered negative energy balance as a result of excessive energy expenditure. In contrast, the territorialist had low intake and expenditures, thus maintaining energy balance. Regardless of treatment, both species changed their behaviour in similar ways over the feeding day, reducing (1) visit rate to feeders, (2) diversity of feeders visited, (3) overlap between cagemates in feeders visited, and (4) time spent flying. After repeated interactions, each cagemate eventually concentrated its foraging on a disjunct subset of feeders, thus enhancing foraging profitability while partially mitigating the negative energetic impacts of competition for limited food.
Shear alignment behavior of nematic solutions induced by ultralong side-group liquid crystal polymers

Addition of a low concentration of a very long (430 kg/mol) side group liquid crystal polymer is shown to produce dramatic changes in the flow characteristics of a calamitic nematic liquid crystal. This polymer causes a typical flow-aligning nematic liquid crystal to align near the velocity gradient direction rather than near the velocity direction, corresponding to having a tumbling parameter lambda<–1, for concentrations greater than 7.5% polymer. Such flow-aligning behavior has not been reported previously in a calamitic nematic. The large molecular weight of the present polymer relative to those examined in the prior literature is responsible for these new phenomena.
A method for in situ embedding of cultured cells grown on plastic surfaces.

A method is described for the electron microscopic visualization of contact relationships between monolayer cells and the supporting surface of the plastic culture vessel.
Hemilability and regioselectivity in palladium and platinum complexes of dppm(E) [E = O, S, Se] ligands

Abstract Hemilability and nonrigidity in a series of mixed P^P E donor ligands where E = O, S, or Se have been studied in palladium and platinum complexes of the type [M{κ2-(dimethylamino)ethylnaphthyl-C,N)}(P^P E)][SbF6] where P^P E = Ph2PCH2P(E)Ph2.The role of the donor in hemilability, regioselectivity and the binding preferences of particular donors trans to the metallated carbon atom were also investigated. NMR parameters including couplings to 195Pt and 77Se were investigated for cis and trans isomers. The magnitude of 2J 13C–77Se couplings can readily distinguish the cis and trans isomers. A large through-space 13C–77Se 3J coupling was observed in one of the amino methyl groups of the dppm(Se) complexes.
Health insurer monopsony power: the all-or-none model

The textbook model of monopsony that is typically employed in analyzing health insurer monopsony power does not adequately describe the supply decision of physicians confronting a dominant health insurer. Rather than restricting purchases in order to extract a lower price for provider services, monopsonistic insurers are able to obtain discounts from providers without experiencing a decrease in quantity when physicians are forced to operate along their "all-or-none" supply curve. The welfare effects of the all-or-none model of monopsony are compared to those implied by the traditional model.
Training and Motivating the New Labor Force: The Impact of Ethnicity

The old American concept of “melting pot” may no longer be the correct conceptual framework to use when dealing with the influx of new immigrants into the work force. It may be best neither to treat nor to expect everyone to be the same but rather to consider and to accommodate ethnic diversity. Harmonization may provide more effective management than homogenization. Problems can arise when words, examples, and relationships between trainers, trainees, and managers are contrary to the cultural norms and expectations of the employees. Managers and trainers can improve human performance by changing their standard operating procedures to include an understanding of the implication of ethnicity in the training environment. Although there is little research on the new labor force and few tested strategies, some earlier work addressed the preparation of employees of multinational corporations for work abroad. This paper explores ethnic differences and potential problems resulting from a new labor force and discusses some potential approaches to interethnic training based on investigations in sociological and communications research.
Evolutionary Genomics of Colias Phosphoglucose Isomerase (PGI) Introns

Little is known of intron sequences’ variation in cases where eukaryotic gene coding regions undergo strong balancing selection. Phosphoglucose isomerase, PGI, of Colias butterflies offers such a case. Its 11 introns include many point mutations, insertions, and deletions. This variation changes with intron position and length, and may leave little evidence of homology within introns except for their first and last few basepairs. Intron position is conserved between PGIs of Colias and the silkmoth, but no intron sequence homology remains. % GC content and length are functional properties of introns which can affect whole-gene transcription; we find a relationship between these properties which may indicate selection on transcription speed. Intragenic recombination is active in these introns, as in coding sequences. The small extent of linkage disequilibrium (LD) in the introns decays over a few hundred basepairs. Subsequences of Colias introns match subsequences of other introns, untranslated regions of cDNAs, and insect-related transposons and pathogens, showing that a diverse pool of sequence fragments is the source of intron contents via turnover due to deletion, recombination, and transposition. Like Colias PGI’s coding sequences, the introns evolve reticulately with little phylogenetic signal. Exceptions are coding-region allele clades defined by multiple amino acid variants in strong LD, whose introns are closely related but less so than their exons. Similarity of GC content between introns and flanking exons, lack of small introns despite mutational bias toward deletion, and findings already mentioned suggest constraining selection on introns, possibly balancing transcription performance against advantages of higher recombination rate conferred by intron length.
Different associations of blood lead, meso 2,3-dimercaptosuccinic acid (DMSA)-chelatable lead, and tibial lead levels with blood pressure in 543 former organolead manufacturing workers.

Abstract In this study, the authors' objective was to determine the influence of blood lead, meso 2,3-dimercaptosuccinic acid (DMSA)-chelatable lead, and tibial lead on systolic and diastolic blood pressures and on hypertension in 543 former organolead manufacturing workers. All workers had past exposure to inorganic and organic lead. The authors used linear regression to model systolic and diastolic blood pressure separately, and logistic regression was used for the modeling of hypertension status (i.e., systolic blood pressure > 160 mm Hg, diastolic blood pressure ≥ 96 mm Hg, or current use of antihypertensive medications). Blood lead, DMSA-chelatable lead, and tibial lead levels had means (standard deviations appear within parentheses) of 4.6 μmlg/dl (2.6 μmlg/dl), 19.3 μmlg (17.2 μmlg), and 14.4 μmlg/g (9.3 μmlg/g) respectively. The authors adjusted for covariates, and they found that blood lead was a predictor of (1) both systolic and diastolic blood pressures and (2) hypertension status in men ≤ 58 ...