cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Magnetospheric electron density model inferred from Polar plasma wave data

[1] Observations of the electron density ne based on measurement of the upper hybrid resonance frequency by the Polar spacecraft Plasma Wave Instrument (PWI) are available for March 1996 to September 1997, during which time the Polar orbit sampled all magnetic local time (MLT) values three times. Using the entire data set, we bin the ne values with respect to maximum field line radius LRE and radius R to generate an average density model for 3.5 ≤ L ≤ 7.8 and 3RE ≤ R ≤ LRE. While our method does not assume any particular functional form for the density dependence along field lines, we find that the dependence can be roughly described by the power law form ne = ne0 (LRE/R)α with α having on average a value 0.2–0.9 in the plasmasphere (inner L region, 3.5 ≤ L ≤ 5.5), and a value 1.6–2.1 in the plasmatrough (outer L region, L ≥ 7). For instance, α = 0.8 ± 1.2 at L = 4.4 and α = 2.1 ± 1.4 at L = 7 (where the errors noted are overestimates). This result is similar to a previous result based on the Polar PWI data but using a different method. Alternately, the scale length for field line variation of density Lα ≡ (LRE)/ = 5.5 ± 4.1RE across the entire region 4.4 ≤ L ≤ 7.8 (where the error noted is an overestimate). The data is also separated according to MLT, and it is shown that in the dawn sector the density is depleted and the radial dependence is steeper (larger α) than for other MLT sectors. A similar result holds when the averaged Kp value is large (>2).
A study on a deep-looking resistivity tool for geosteering

Summary Logging-while-drilling (LWD) resistivity tools have been used as a geosteering aid in directional drilling. To provide sufficient information for the operators, both long detection range and directionality are desirable tool features. In this paper, we conducted a study on an ultra-long, lowfrequency directional resistivity tool to evaluate its deeplooking capabilities. With analytical calculations, it has been confirmed that deep measurements can be achieved with the presented tool configurations. In addition, we compared the responses of two types of receivers that can provide azimuthal sensitivity for directional resistivity tools, including transverse coil antennas and tilted coil antennas, and discussed their applications in different scenarios.
Induced thrombospondin expression in the mouse pancreas during pancreatic injury

Abstract Chronic pancreatitis is a disease characterized by pancreatic fibrogenesis in response to sustained or repetitive injury. Pancreatic stellate cells (PSC) are interstitial cells that produce excessive extracellular matrix components during the process of fibrogenesis and therefore play a central role in the pathogenesis of chronic pancreatitis. Because the matricellular proteins thrombospondin-1 (TSP-1) and TSP-2 have a role in regulating fibrogenesis in other tissues, the expression of these major TSP isoforms in the whole pancreas was measured in a mouse model of repetitive pancreatic injury. Specifically, mice were treated with cerulein, 50 μg/kg/h × 6 h with treatments repeated once or twice every 48 h. Expression was also evaluated in cultured PSC. PSC were isolated by outgrowth from normal mouse pancreas and expression of TSP-1 and TSP-2 was evaluated after serum-activation. The mRNA transcripts for TSP-1 and TSP-2 were increased, 16-fold and 87-fold respectively, in the pancreas in response to repetitive injury. In cultured PSC, these transcripts were also increased in response to serum and increases in mRNA were reflected by the secretion of TSP-1 and TSP-2 proteins by PSC into culture media. In summary, PSC may be an important source of both TSP-1 and TSP-2 in the pancreas in response to injury. These modulators of fibrogenesis could play a role in the development of pancreatic fibrosis that characterizes chronic pancreatitis.
Detection of Virtual Environments and Low Interaction Honeypots

This paper focuses on the detection of virtual environments and low interaction honeypots by using a feature set that is built using traditional system and network level finger printing mechanisms. Earlier work in the area has been mostly based on the system level detection. The results aim at bringing out the limitations in the current honeypot technology. This paper also describes the results concerning the robustness and generalization capabilities of kernel methods in detecting honeypots using system and network finger printing data. We use traditional support vector machines (SVM), biased support vector machine (BSVM) and leave-one-out model selection for support vector machines (looms) for model selection. We also evaluate the impact of kernel type and parameter values on the accuracy of a support vector machine (SVM) performing honeypot classification. Through a variety of comparative experiments, it is found that SVM performs the best for data sent on the same network; BSVM performs the best for data sent from a remote network.
Electron density and energetic particle precipitation observed during the eclipse of 26 February 1979

Electron density profiles and energetic particle fluxes are obtained based on data collected by two rockets launched from Red Lake, Ontario, respectively, at the beginning and end of totality during the solar eclipse of February 26, 1979. Data obtained by a rocket launched on February 24, 1979 showed that the electron density was normal (at 10,000 cu cm) above 110 km, to rocket apogee (130.5 km). Below 110 km, the electron density was found to be enhanced compared with data from Wallops Island at the same solar zenith angle (63 deg). It is proposed that this enhancement was due to the large flux of field-aligned energetic particles observed on the same rocket. The electron density above 110 km to rocket apogee (132.6 and 132. 3 km) was found to be reduced during totality by a factor of about three. However, below 110 km, the electron density was found to be much greater than observed during previous eclipses, probably due to the additional ionization resulting from energetic particles. The particle flux measured on February 26 was found to be an order of magnitude less than on February 24 but showed greater variability, particularly at the higher energies (100 keV).
Structure and function of REP34 implicates carboxypeptidase activity in Francisella tularensis host cell invasion.

Francisella tularensis is the etiological agent of tularemia, or rabbit fever. Although F. tularensis is a recognized biothreat agent with broad and expanding geographical range, its mechanism of infection and environmental persistence remain poorly understood. Previously, we identified seven F. tularensis proteins that induce a rapid encystment phenotype (REP) in the free-living amoeba, Acanthamoeba castellanii. Encystment is essential to the pathogen's long term intracellular survival in the amoeba. Here, we characterize the cellular and molecular function of REP34, a REP protein with a mass of 34 kDa. A REP34 knock-out strain of F. tularensis has a reduced ability to both induce encystment in A. castellanii and invade human macrophages. We determined the crystal structure of REP34 to 2.05-Å resolution and demonstrate robust carboxypeptidase B-like activity for the enzyme. REP34 is a zinc-containing monomeric protein with close structural homology to the metallocarboxypeptidase family of peptidases. REP34 possesses a novel topology and substrate binding pocket that deviates from the canonical funnelin structure of carboxypeptidases, putatively resulting in a catalytic role for a conserved tyrosine and distinct S1′ recognition site. Taken together, these results identify REP34 as an active carboxypeptidase, implicate the enzyme as a potential key F. tularensis effector protein, and may help elucidate a mechanistic understanding of F. tularensis infection of phagocytic cells.
Partial depletion of sarcoplasmic reticulum calcium does not prevent calcium sparks in Rat Ventricular myocytes

1. The exact nature of calcium sparks in the heart remains highly controversial. We sought to determine whether calcium sparks arise from a single or multiple calcium release channels/ ryanodine receptors in the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR). If their genesis involves a calcium-coupled recruitment of multiple channels, calcium sparks might be abolished by a modest depletion of SR calcium (because of the decrease in unitary calcium flux and hence a decrease in the gain of local calcium-induced calcium release). If, on the other extreme, calcium sparks are produced despite severe SR depletion, the single-channel origin will be preferred. 2. Spontaneous calcium sparks were studied in rat ventricular myocytes using confocal microscopy and the fluorescent calcium probe fluo-3. A computer algorithm was developed to count and measure objectively calcium sparks in linescan images. 3. Thapsigargin (25-150 nM) depleted caffeine-releasable SR calcium by up to 64%, in a dose- and time-dependent manner, without altering the resting cytosolic calcium level. During SR depletion, calcium sparks were robustly observed, albeit at reduced frequency (> or = 30% of control) and amplitude (> or = 60% of control). 4. Due to the reduced detectability of small sparks against noise background, the observed data would overestimate reduction in spark frequency but underestimate amplitude reduction. After correction for this detection bias, we found that the spark frequency was independent of SR load, whereas the amplitude was proportional to load. 5. We conclude that, although spark amplitude depends on SR filling status, the frequency of spark generation is independent of SR calcium load, and therefore independent of the local calcium release rate. This implies that sparks are single-channel events, or collective events that are well above threshold for local regeneration. Additionally, our results suggest that intraluminal SR calcium, at normal or low loads, does not play a major role in the regulation of on-gating of the ryanodine receptor.
Small aliphatic dicarboxylic acids inhibit renal uptake of administered mercury.

Abstract We evaluated the effects of pretreating rats intravenously with small aliphatic dicarboxylic acids on the renal disposition of injected inorganic mercury. Three different sets of experiments were carried out. When rats were pretreated with succinic acid, glutaric acid, or adipic acid 5 min prior to the injection of a 0.5-μmol/kg dose of mercuric chloride, there was a significant dose-dependent inhibitory effect on the renal disposition of mercury during the first hour after the administration of mercuric chloride. Both glutaric and adipic acid, at a dose of 1.0 mmol/kg, caused the greatest level of inhibition in the renal tubular uptake of inorganic mercury. By the end of the first hour after the injection of mercuric chloride, the renal burden of mercury in rats pretreated with either glutaric or adipic acid was 27–35% lower than in corresponding control rats. Malonic acid at a dose of 1.0 mmol/kg had no effect on the renal disposition of inorganic mercury. The inhibitory effect of succinic, glutaric, or adipic acid on the overall renal uptake of mercury was due to effects in both the cortex and outer stripe of the outer medulla. Findings from an experiment in which rats had their ureters ligated showed that the inhibitory effect of glutaric acid on the renal tubular uptake of mercury was due to inhibition of the uptake of mercury at the basolateral membrane. Our findings confirm that one of the mechanisms involved in the proximal tubular uptake of inorganic mercury is located on the basolateral membrane. According to findings from our previous studies, this mechanism appears to involve the activity of the organic anion transporter. The inhibitory effects of dicarboxylic acids on the renal tubular uptake of administered inorganic mercury, especially in rats whose ureters had been ligated, are consistent with the hypothesis that the organic anion transport system is involved in the basolateral uptake of inorganic mercury along the proximal tubule.
Performance impact of solar gain on photovoltaic inverters and utility-scale energy generation systems

Accurate performance and reliability evaluation of utility-scale photovoltaic (PV) systems requires accountability of solar gain contributions. A novel solar gain utility-scale inverter model has been developed to characterize inverter efficiency with respect to solar resource, general ambient conditions and thermal system losses. A sensitivity analysis was performed to evaluate the robustness of the model based on four assumed material properties. This analysis revealed 22.9% modeled internal inverter temperature sensitivity to surface absorptivity, with significantly less sensitivity to other parameters studied, indicating the impact of proper surface coating material selection on solar thermal absorption. This analysis was applied to a large utility-scale PV plant, assessing performance data from twelve 500kW inverters, and environmental data from twelve respective meteorological test stations. An RMSE value of 6.1% was found between the model and measured inner inverter temperatures. The results also suggest a negative 3.6×10-4 [W/m2]-1 normalized inverter efficiency correspondence with solar gain heat adsorption across the twelve inverters for a one-day, clear-sky time period.
H4 tail interactions revealed by fluorescent fluctuation spectroscopy

Post-translational modifications to histone tails nave been shown to play a large role in dictating the conformation of chromatin. Structural changes in chromatin can play a large role in gene expression as compact chromatin can occlude transcriptional machinery. The role of the flexible regions of H4 N terminal tails is investigated using fluorescent correlation spectroscopy and the photon counting histogram. The combination of these techniques allows for the distinction between intra-array and inter-array interactions, as well as reveals structural changes that result from these interactions. The H4 tail was found to partake in attractive intra-array interactions that compact the 6x167 nucleosome arrays but did not partake in inter-array interactions that lead to oligomerization.
Rheology and Microstructure of Concentrated Zirconia-Alumina Suspensions for Gelcasting Composites

The relations among colloidal stability, suspension rheology, and solids loading are elucidated for zirconia-alumina mixtures containing 20 volt ZrO{sub 2}, based on solids. The lower colloidal stability of ZrO{sub 2} limits the rheological properties of this system. If the zeta potential of ZrO{sub 2} is less than 49 mV, high degrees of pseudoplasticity, high yield stress, high viscosity, and long relaxation times characterize the binary suspensions. These effects occur, despite the fact that ZrO{sub 2} is the minor ceramic constituent. If the zeta potential of ZrO{sub 2} is maintained above 49 mV, suspensions with high solids loading (55 vol%) can be prepared which behave as Newtonian fluids over the 0-to-200 s-1 shear rate range and as an elastic solid at higher rates. As the solids loading of a highly stable binary suspension is increased, the rheological properties change. They evolve from those of a near Newtonian-like fluid with nearly independent particles (40 vol%) to those of a pseudoplastic fluid with a weakly interacting particle network (50 vol%) to those of an elastic-like solid composed of crowded, strongly repulsive particles (55 vol%). Low-shear conditions for suspension-transport and mold-filling operations that ensure a homogeneous arrangement of ZrO{sub 2} and Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}more » particles in a gelcast ceramic seem promising.« less
Decreased levels of proteasome activity and proteasome expression in aging spinal cord.

Abstract Neuron death and neuron degeneration occur in the CNS during the course of aging. Although multiple cellular alterations transpire during the aging process, those that mediate age-associated neuron death have not been identified. Recent evidence implicates oxidative stress as a possible means of neuron death and neuron degeneration during aging. In the present study, we demonstrate a marked decrease in multicatalytic proteasome activity in the spinal cord of Fisher 344 rats at 12, 24 and 28 months, compared with spinal cord tissue from 3-week- and 3-month-old animals. Application of oxidative injury (FeSO4) or the lipid peroxidation product 4-hydroxynonenal decreases multicatalytic proteasome activity in a time- and dose-dependent manner in a motor neuron cell line. Loss of multicatalytic proteasome activity occurs before the loss of multicatalytic proteasome immunoreactivity, with FeSO4- and 4-hydroxynonenal-mediated decreases ameliorated by the application of a cell permeable form of the antioxidant glutathione. Application of multicatalytic proteasome inhibitors, but not inhibitors of lysosomal proteases, induced neuron death that was attenuated by the caspase inhibitors benzyloxycarbonyl-Val-Ala-Asp-(O-methyl) fluoromethyl ketone or N-acetyl-Asp-Glu-Val-Asp-Cho (aldehyde). Together, these data suggest that multicatalytic proteasome inhibition occurs during aging of the spinal cord, possibly as the result of oxidative stress, and that multicatalytic proteasome inhibition may be causally related to neuron death.
THE IMPLICATIONS OF MORAL STAGES FOR ADULT EDUCATION

(1977). THE IMPLICATIONS OF MORAL STAGES FOR ADULT EDUCATION. Religious Education: Vol. 72, No. 2, pp. 183-201.
Attractivity properties of α-contractions☆

Abstract It is known that if T : X → X is completely continuous where X is a Banach space, then point dissipative and compact dissipative are equivalent, and imply the existence of a maximal compact invariant set which is uniformly asymptotically stable and attracts bounded sets uniformly. If T is an α-contraction, it is not known whether point dissipative and compact dissipative are equivalent. However, it is known that if T is an α-contraction and compact dissipative, then there exists a maximal compact invariant set which is uniformly asymptotically stable and attracts a neighborhood of any compact set uniformly. In this paper we show that for most practical examples which give rise to α-contraction, point dissipative and compact dissipative are equivalent. For example, we show this is true for stable neutral functional differential equations, retarded functional differential equations of infinite delay, and strongly damped nonlinear wave equations. We conjecture that this should be true for almost any practical application which gives rise to an α-contraction.
Condensation Front Migration in a Protoplanetary Nebula

Condensation front dynamics are investigated in the mid-solar nebula region. A quasi-steady model of the evolving nebula is combined with equilibrium vapor pressure curves to determine evolutionary condensation fronts for selected species. These fronts are found to migrate inwards from the far-nebula to final positions during a period of 10(exp 7) years. The physical process governing this movement is a combination of local viscous heating and luminescent heating from the central star. Two luminescent heating models are used and their effects on the ultimate radial position of the condensation front are discussed. At first the fronts move much faster than the nebular accretion velocity, but after a time the accreting gas and dust overtakes the slowing condensation front.
An optimal control formulation of the Blaschke-Lebesgue theorem

Abstract The Blaschke–Lebesgue theorem states that of all plane sets of given constant width the Reuleaux triangle has least area. The area to be minimized is a functional involving the support function and the radius of curvature of the set. The support function satisfies a second order ordinary differential equation where the radius of curvature is the control parameter. The radius of curvature of a plane set of constant width is non-negative and bounded above. Thus we can formulate and analyze the Blaschke–Lebesgue theorem as an optimal control problem.
In vivo imaging of the mammary gland: the shape of things to come.

Non-invasive imaging has long been an indispensable diagnostic tool in clinical medicine. Moreover, remarkable improvements in the resolution and speed of structural imaging techniques over the past two decades have been accompanied by equally impressive strides in the development and application of functional imaging approaches to the detection and analysis of human disease. Together, these modalities have revolutionized the role of radiology in patient care. Today, these powerful approaches are increasingly being applied to laboratory animals to further our understanding of biology and disease in these model organisms. The set of reviews contained within this issue chronicles these advances and provides a glimpse of what is to come. An inherent strength of mouse models is that investigators can analyze disease progression along the continuum of stages. Imaging provides an unparalleled means to do this in an intact organism. Why is this important? It is important because the complexities of development and cancer are rooted not only in the intricate changes that take place within the cells themselves during these processes, but also in the complexities of interactions between cells and their microenvironment and of their behavior within the organism as a whole. These facts alone compel the analysis of development and of tumor biology to be studied in vivo.
Syntheses and reactions of the fluorinated cyclic thionylphosphazene NSO(Ar)[NPF(2)]2(Ar = 4-t-BuC(6)H(4)-) with difunctional reagents.

The S−aryl substituted thionylphosphazene (Cl2PN)2[4-t-BuC6H4(O)SN] (1) was prepared by Friedel−Craft's reaction of NSOCl(NPCl2)2 with tert-butylbenzene. When it reacted with excess KSO2F at 110 °C...
Thin-Film HgCdTe For Mosaic Focal Planes

Hgl-xCdxTe is becoming increasingly important for the preparation of both monolithic and hybrid infrared focal plane arrays. The preparation of such devices utilizing thin film HgCdTe is very attractive due to its cost-effective feature. Based on a study carried out at General Dynamics, sputtering, which minimizes the vapor pressure problems of HgCdTe deposition, promises to be a relatively simple, inexpensive and versatile technique for preparing high quality single crystal Hgl-xCdxTe films with electronic properties suitable for array (large area) fabrication. This paper reports on the initial results of this study which support this claim.© (1981) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Integrating Palm hand-held technology into the web-based inquiry science environment (WISE)

We describe a program of research to explore how Palm Pilot technology can facilitate inquiry activities in K-12 science and mathematics curriculum. This research was conducted within the context of the Web-based Inquiry Science Environment (WISE) project, which addresses fundamental questions concerning the role of inquiry and technology in science education. Working in close collaboration with two large school districts, we developed new approaches for integrating Palm applications into existing WISE curriculum. We developed a sophisticated and generalized solution to enable hand held survey and observation forms that can be uploaded into a class data set.
A deterministic-stochastic crossover algorithm for simulation of complex biochemical systems

Understanding biology at the system level has gained much more interest recently due to the rapid development in genome sequencing and high-throughput measurements. Mathematical descriptions of biological systems are normally formalized using two different approaches. The deterministic method is very efficient in predicting the overall behavior of the system but ignores the inherent fluctuations and correlations at lower concentration. The stochastic method captures the intrinsic randomness but is often computationally expensive. Our group has developed a deterministic-stochastic crossover algorithm for simulating biological networks. This method features with XML-based model representation, multiple compartments and events. More importantly, the improved algorithm is able to simulate Michaelis-Menten type reactions directly. Simulation on a complex glycolysis system showed that our algorithm retained the high efficiency of deterministic method and still reflected the random fluctuations at lower concentration. The ability of revealing the stochastic property with high efficiency makes our new algorithm useful for researches and applications based on systems biology.
Outcome of patients with myelodysplastic syndrome after failure of decitabine therapy

BACKGROUND: The prognosis of patients with myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) after decitabine failure is not known. METHODS: Data from 87 patients with MDS (n = 67) and chronic myelomonocytic leukemia (n = .20) after failure of decitabine regimens were reviewed. RESULTS: After a median follow-up of 21 months from decitabine failure, 13 (15%) patients remained alive; the median survival was 4.3 months, and the estimated 12-month survival rate was 28%. The estimated 12-month survival rates were 27%, 33%, and 33%, respectively, for patients with high-risk, intermediate-2-risk, and intermediate-1-risk disease (P = .99) by the International Prognostic Scoring System. The estimated 12-month survival rates were 100%, 54%, 41%, and 18%, respectively, for patients with low-risk, intermediate-1-risk, intermediate-2-risk, and high-risk disease according to The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center risk model (P = .01). CONCLUSIONS: The outcome of patients after decitabine failure is poor and appears to be predictable after decitabine failure. Cancer 2010. © 2010 American Cancer Society.
SU‐GG‐I‐27: Adaptive Projection Weighting in CBCT Using Laser Profilometry

PURPOSE: Laser profilometry is a three‐dimensional surface reconstruction technique which bases volume delineation on data acquired using a laser range‐finding system.Fusion of such a system with cone‐beam CT(CBCT)imagingsystems shows promise in improving imaging fidelity without imagingdose escalation. In filtered back‐projection (FBP), the algorithm most commonly used in computed tomography,images are formed by smearing projection pixel intensities throughout the reconstruction volume. Imagecontrast and edge definition can suffer as a result of pixel incrementation outside of where the imaged objects actually lie. By providing information on imaged object location (such as table and body location), laser profilometry can be used to design per‐projection adaptive weighting filters which result in the accentuation of object image data (the patient) and deemphasize non‐object data (the imaging table). MATERIALS AND METHODS: A laser profilometry system was developed and attached to a Nucletron Digital Integrated Brachytherapy Unit (IBU‐D), orthogonally offset from axis where the kV source and digital flat‐panel detector lie. This system is able to detect surfaces with +/−1.5 mm uncertainty. Imaging proceeds on a water‐filled Jaszczak Phantom containing spheres of varying contrasting materials using reduced‐image‐set CBCT (18‐images). Surface data and kV imaging are acquired in immediate succession. RESULTS: A comparison of laser‐weighted FBP‐based reconstructions with nonweighted FBP‐reconstructions shows that the laser‐weighted techniques yield higher uniformity of voxel‐intensity values. CONCLUSION: In CBCT, voxel nonuniformity in an image reconstruction (especially near the surface) is usually reduced with the use of a bowtie filter; an accessory which requires more dose to the patient. This increased dose can possibly be reduced with the used of weighted projection data acquired using laser profilometry. Research supported in part by NIH T32‐CA113267 and Nucletron, B.V.
OPTIMIZATION OF CONICAL WINGS IN HYPERSONIC FLOW

A method of calculation is presented to determine conical wing shapes that minimize the coefficient of (wave) drag, C D, for a fixed coefficient of lift, C L, in steady, hypersonic flow. An optimization problem is considered for the compressive flow underneath wings at a small angle of attack δ and at a high free-stream Mach number M ∞ so that hypersonic small-disturbance (HSD) theory applies. A figure of merit, F=C D/C L 3/2, is computed for each wing using a finite volume discretization of the HSD equations. A set of design variables that determine the shape of the wing is defined and adjusted iteratively to find a shape that minimizes F for a given value of the hypersonic similarity parameter, H= (M ∞δ)−2, and planform area. Wings with both attached and detached bow shocks are considered. Optimal wings are found for flat delta wings and for a family of caret wings. In the flat-wing case, the optima have detached bow shocks while in the caret-wing case, the optimum has an attached bow shock. An improved drag-to-lift performance is found using the optimization procedure for curved wing shapes. Several optimal designs are found, all with attached bow shocks. Numerical experiments are performed and suggest that these optima are unique.
Students’ Attitudes Toward Gene Technology: Deconstructing a Construct

Emergent technologies are commonly characterized as involving cutting-edge developments while lacking wide-scale public implementation. Although currently prevalent in many applications, gene technology is often considered emergent in that the science changes so rapidly. Science educators at all levels of formal education are faced with a unique challenge of facilitating student understanding of gene technology (in comparison with more established content) as well as integrating some of the more controversial socioscientific aspects of such content into the curricula. Much of the literature regarding student understanding of biotechnology has focused on development of student attitudes toward the field and the impact of this on their learning. However, there has, of yet, been no unifying framework in the literature regarding what is meant by attitudes toward gene technology. This article reviews the current scholarship (38 empirical studies published between 1990 and 2011) on the measurement of student attitudes toward biotechnology in order to highlight major themes present within the literature. Items from all reviewed studies were collected, coded, and sorted for construction of a comprehensive instrument representing the conceptualizations of attitudes toward gene technology in all 38 studies. Factor analytic techniques were used as a tool to reduce and categorize measurement items. Results provided a framework of five factors that help describe student attitudes toward biotechnology across all the studies. This emergent framework of factors is proposed as a useful means to standardize the discourse in future research.
Multiple subunits in human ferritins: evidence for hybrid molecules.

Abstract The subunit composition of human heart and liver ferritins was examined by both sodium dodecyl sulfate gel electrophoresis and acetic acidurea gel electrophoresis. These analyses indicated that both tissues contained two subunit types of similar size but different surface charge. One subunit was common to both tissues. The implications of these findings in relation to the known heterogeneity of isoferritins are discussed, and a new model of ferritin structure is proposed.
Subsets of pituitary intermediate lobe cells bind CRH and secrete ACTH/CLIP in a reverse hemolytic plaque assay

Dissociated neurointermediate lobe cells (75%) bound [biotinyl-Ser1]corticotropin releasing hormone (bio-CRH) and secreted adrenocorticotropin [ACTH(25–39)] in a reverse hemolytic plaque assay (RHPA). The bio-CRH was rapidly internalized (<1 min) in vesicles and scattered vacuoles. Plaque percentages increased from 26±4% to 53±8% after CRH stimulation. Areas increased from 1688 ± 791 μm2 to 3773 ± 788 μm2. After AVP treatment for 1 hr, plaque percentages and areas were augmented further. The heterogeneity in secretion may indicate the presence of quiescent IL cells or cells secreting an opiocortin peptide not detected in the plaque assay.
The Safety of Cardiopulmonary Exercise Testing in a Population with High-Risk Cardiovascular Diseases

Background—Cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPX) with measurement of peak oxygen uptake (Vo2) is a powerful test for assessment and quantification of functional impairment resulting from cardiovascular disease. The safety of CPX has been established in patients with coronary artery disease and congestive heart failure, but clinical use of CPX in other cardiac diseases has been limited, in part because of a paucity of safety data. This study investigates the safety of CPX in a heterogeneous cohort of patients with a wide variety of underlying high-risk cardiac diagnoses. Methods and Results—This single-center retrospective review examined 5060 CPX studies performed in 4250 unique patients, including 1748 (35%) female subjects and 686 (14%) subjects aged ≥75 years. The primary end point was major adverse event during stress testing. The study population included patients with a variety of high-risk cardiac diseases, including congestive heart failure (n=1289, 25.5%), hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (n=598, 11....
Delay analysis of buffered BTMA protocols in multihop packet radio networks

The delays analysis of multihop packet radio networks using busy-tone type protocols is presented. An interrupted link queue model is proposed to resolve the difficulties of dependency and interference between different users and an embedded Markov chain for the queue is formulated. The steady state behavior of the system is studied and the delay-throughput performance is given. Numerical results are compared for the network performance under receiver-initiated busy-tone multiple access (RI-BTMA) and conservative BTMA (C-BTMA). It is found that RI-BTMA performs better because of better utilization of the spatial reuse property of multihop packet radio networks. >
Exposure assessment of young children living in Chicago communities with historic reports of ritualistic use of mercury.

Objective. According to a 1997 finding, mercury was available for sale in several Chicago communities for use in spiritual or medicinal practice. Mercury used this way may impact the health of chil...
The surgical CAD/CAM paradigm and an implementation for robotically-assisted percutaneous local therapy

Computer-integrated surgery represents a growing segment of our national healthcare system. These systems transform preoperative images and other information into models of individual patients, assist clinicians in developing an optimized interventional plan, register this preoperative data to the actual patient in the operating room, and then use a variety of means, such as robots and image overlay displays, to assist in the accurate execution of the planned interventions. Finally, they perform complex postoperative analysis of the interventions. Borrowing analogies from industrial production systems, the process was named surgical CAD/CAM. Percutaneous ("through skin") local therapies represent a significant portion of minimally invasive procedures. They involve the insertion of tubular therapy devices (needles, catheters, bone drills, screws, tissue ablating devices, etc.) into the body, with the guidance of intra-operative imaging devices, like CT, MRI, ultrasound, or fluoroscopy. Percutaneous systems also depend on sophisticated image acquisition and analysis tools. This paper provides an introduction to the surgical CADICAM paradigm and also presents an implementation of the paradigm for percutaneous local therapies.
Partitioning the population attributable fraction for a sequential chain of effects

While the population attributable fraction (PAF) provides potentially valuable information regarding the community-level effect of risk factors, significant limitations exist with current strategies for estimating a PAF in multiple risk factor models. These strategies can result in paradoxical or ambiguous measures of effect, or require unrealistic assumptions regarding variables in the model. A method is proposed in which an overall or total PAF across multiple risk factors is partitioned into components based upon a sequential ordering of effects. This method is applied to several hypothetical data sets in order to demonstrate its application and interpretation in diverse analytic situations. The proposed method is demonstrated to provide clear and interpretable measures of effect, even when risk factors are related/correlated and/or when risk factors interact. Furthermore, this strategy not only addresses, but also quantifies issues raised by other researchers who have noted the potential impact of population-shifts on population-level effects in multiple risk factor models. Combined with simple, unadjusted PAF estimates and an aggregate PAF based on all risk factors under consideration, the sequentially partitioned PAF provides valuable additional information regarding the process through which population rates of a disorder may be impacted. In addition, the approach can also be used to statistically control for confounding by other variables, while avoiding the potential pitfalls of attempting to separately differentiate direct and indirect effects.
Activation of metabotropic glutamate receptors produces reciprocal regulation of ionotropic glutamate and GABA responses in the nucleus of the tractus solitarius of the rat

Whole-cell voltage-clamp recordings were made in thin transverse slices from neurons of the dorsomedial subdivision of the nucleus of the tractus solitarius (NTS) of the rat. Cells were exposed to either the ionotropic glutamate receptor agonist (R, S)-alpha-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methylisoxazole-4-propionate (AMPA) or the GABAA receptor agonist muscimol via pressure ejection directed at the cell soma. The metabotropic glutamate receptor agonist 1S,3R-1-aminocyclopentane-1,3-dicarboxylate (1S,3R-ACPD; 2-100 microM) reversibly depressed muscimol-evoked currents. Conversely, 1S,3R-ACPD reversibly potentiated AMPA-evoked currents. High-frequency stimulation of the tractus solitarius in the presence of 6,7-dinitroquinoxaline-2,3-dione and D-2-amino-5-phosphonopentanoic acid also produced a reversible depression of muscimol-evoked currents that was occluded in the presence of 100 microM 1S,3R-ACPD. 8-Br-cGMP or brain-derived natriuretic peptide mimicked the effects of 1S,3R-ACPD on AMPA and muscimol currents. However, agents that mimicked the actions of cAMP or diacylglycerol did not. These findings indicate that metabotropic glutamate receptors may mediate multiple components of excitatory transmission in the NTS including modulation of glutamate and GABA-activated ion channels.
Finite-temperature QCD sum rules for the nucleon.

Using the QCD sum rules, we investigate the effects of temperature on the nucleon below the phase transition. The mass and width of the nucleon are analyzed using various parametrizations of the nucleon continuum. Overall, the nucleon mass in found to depend substantially on temperature variations in the quark condensate, irrespective of the continuum parametrization. Our results are compared with the ones discussed in the context of the chiral approach
Negative Circuit Constants

A brief review of literature on devices furnishing negative resistance is made and further possibilities of development indicated New names are suggested for negative circuit constants. It is shown that for transient states the negative inductances and negative capacitances respond as would be expected of true negative circuit constants. External circuits are suggested to vary the negative resistance of a given vacuum tube system. A system of circuits is described by means of which it is possible to obtain impedences proportional to ±(jω)n, where n is any positive or negative integer.
DEVELOPMENT OF RELATIVIZATION IN KOREAN AS A FOREIGN LANGUAGE: The Noun Phrase Accessibility Hierarchy in Head-Internal and Head-External Relative Clauses

This study examines how Keenan and Comrie's (1977) noun phrase accessibility hierarchy (NPAH) intersects with the typological characteristics of Korean in the acquisition of relative clauses (RCs). Korean has two types of RC constructions: head-external and head-internal. The head-external relative has its head to the right of the RC, whereas the head-internal relative has its lexical head in the RC and is marked by the complementizer kes. In first language development, it has been observed the head-internal type emerges earlier than the head-external type. The current study investigates how the use of the two types of RCs interacts with the NPAH, with a focus on subject (SU) and direct object (DO) RCs in Korean second language development. Oral production data were collected from 40 learners of Korean as a foreign language. The results showed that there was an advantage for SU over DO in the head-external RC and that the head-external construction was preceded by headless and head-internal constructions. The results suggest that a head-external RC in Korean involves the syntactic mechanism of linking the head and the gap relation, whereas this might not be the case for a head-internal RC.The authors would like to thank Yasuhiro Shirai, Stephen Matthews, Virginia Yip, and the anonymous SSLA reviewers for their valuable input and feedback on this paper. Any errors, of course, are our own.
Interval Model Control of Consumable Double-Electrode Gas Metal Arc Welding Process

This application paper concerns the modeling and control of an innovative welding process, namely, the Consumable Double-Electrode Gas Metal Arc Welding. This innovative process can dramatically increase welding productivity and reduce weld distortion. It has demonstrated the feasibility to double the travel speed for automatic welding but requires controls to realize its unique advantages. To reach this goal, the bypass voltage and base metal current were selected as process outputs to be controlled. The bypass current and main wire feed speed were selected as the inputs and the control system was reduced to two single-input-single-output (SISO) subsystems for convenient implementation and design. Physical analysis and derivation show that these subsystems can be approximated as first-order model systems but their parameters depend on manufacturing conditions. Hence, they were described using first-order interval models whose parameters are unknown but bounded by known intervals. Step response experiments were conducted with selected range of manufacturing conditions to identify a few models for each of the subsystems. These models were then used to derive two interval models. To increase the stability margin, the intervals identified were artificially enlarged. Finally, a prediction-based interval model control algorithm was used to control the resultant interval models and closed-loop control experiments verified the effectiveness of the developed control system.
Objective Evaluation of Bone Metastases in Prostate Cancer: To What End?

The technetium Tc 99m bone scan, computed tomography (CT) scan, and x-rays are routinely used for baseline assessment of advanced prostate cancer (PCa). Unfortunately, the objective radiographic evaluation of volume of disease is plagued by the frequent presence of nonmeasurable metastases in bone only, except in themost chemorefractory setting, and the lowprevalence ofmeasurable soft tissue and visceralmetastases. The bulk of disease burden inmetastatic PCa has been a challenge to quantify objectively. Consequently, the more crucial objective evaluation of response to therapeutic agents is also suboptimal, particularly inbone. Surrogates fordiseaseburdenhavebeenused to identify the activity of systemic agents. For example, a prostate-specific antigen (PSA) decline 30% within 3 mo of docetaxel initiation is moderately associated with improved overall survival [1]. Similarly, the conversion of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) from unfavorable (five or more cells per 7.5 ml) to favorable (less than five cells per 7.5 ml) and the reverse conversion have correlated with improved or worsened outcomes, respectively [2]. However, it is unclear if these alterations of PSA and CTCs represent changes solely in disease burden or an aggregate of tumor volume and biological changes. Progression-free survival defined by a composite end point (progression by bone scan, PSA criteria by PSAworking group, and measurable tumor progression) also correlated with poorer overall survival (OS) but have been weak surrogates for OS to date [3]. Bone scan progression remains poorly characterized, and Prostate Cancer Working Group 2
Visible ink: A flexible and individually tailored writing intervention for cancer patients

OBJECTIVES Subjective reports on the effectiveness of and satisfaction with writing interventions in medical populations have indicated that they can have a profound impact on patients. Further, past research on these programs has demonstrated that they can lead to a number of different positive outcomes depending on the personal characteristics of the participating patients and the type of writing with which they are tasked. For this reason, a flexible and individually tailored writing intervention may be particularly effective for patients, molding its approach to their desires and backgrounds. This paper examines Visible Ink, a writing program for cancer patients at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC) that follows this model. METHODS At Visible Ink's First Fall Writing Festival in November 2012, an optional survey was provided to all program participants in attendance, capturing both quantitative and qualitative information on patient experiences in the program. Twenty-nine surveys were completed. RESULTS The program appears to have a variety of positive effects, including fostering personal growth and providing a positive distraction. Respondents reported that they write in a number of different genres on topics both related and not related to their illnesses, which supports the flexible model of the program. All respondents indicated that they would recommend the program to others, and satisfaction with the program's general approach (i.e., individualized work with a writing coach) was unanimous. A few areas for potential improvement were also identified, most of which involved expanding the services and events offered by the program. SIGNIFICANCE OF RESULTS Despite the limitations of this survey (e.g., small sample size and low response rate), its results support the promise of the Visible Ink model and demonstrate participants' satisfaction with the program. Future research can more thoroughly examine Visible Ink's effectiveness, and additional resources could enable the program to expand.
Fast algorithms for running wavelet analyses

We present a general framework for the design and efficient implementation of various types of running (or over-sampled) wavelet transforms (RWT) using polynomial splines. Unlike previous techniques, the proposed algorithms are not necessarily restricted to scales that are powers of two; yet they all achieve the lowest possible complexity: O(N) per scale, where N is signal length. In particular, we propose a new algorithm that can handle any integer dilation factor and use wavelets with a variety of shapes (including Mexican-Hat and cosine-Gabor). A similar technique is also developed for the computation of Gabor-like complex RWTs. We also indicate how the localization of the analysis templates (real or complex B-spline wavelets) can be improved arbitrarily (up to the limit specified by the uncertainty principle) by increasing the order of the splines. These algorithms are then applied to the analysis of EEG signals and yield several orders of magnitude speed improvement over a standard implementation.