cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Repeated orexin 1 receptor antagonism effects on cocaine seeking in rats.

Abstract The orexin/hypocretin system has been implicated in multiple phases of drug addiction. Acute orexin receptor blockade with the orexin-1 receptor (OX1R) antagonist, SB-334867, has been found to reduce cocaine seeking after cocaine self-administration. As repeated drug dosing can have differential effects and is more clinically relevant than acute dosing, in the current study we examined the effects of repeated SB-334867 on cocaine self-administration, extinction, and reinstatement to cocaine seeking in Sprague–Dawley rats. We found that repeated SB-334867 (10 mg/kg/day) had no effect on established cocaine self-administration. Repeated SB-334867 (both 10 and 20 mg/kg) attenuated cocaine seeking during extinction; however, this effect was only observed when animals had no prior experience with SB-334867 and when SB-334867 was administered prior to, but not after, daily extinction sessions. Notably, daily treatment with SB-334867 (10 mg/kg) during extinction increased subsequent cue-induced reinstatement, whereas repeated SB-334867 (20 mg/kg) administration during extinction enabled acute SB-334867 to reduce cue-induced reinstatement. Repeated SB-334867 treatment (10 or 20 mg/kg) failed to affect reinstatement induced by priming injections of cocaine (10 mg/kg). These results show that repeated inhibition of OX1R-mediated signaling exerts a lasting and specific role in mediating environmentally activated cocaine seeking.
Thymectomy as an experimental system in immunology.

Les experiences de thymectomie ont permis de montrer que le thymus est un organe essentiel du systeme immun, dans lequel s'effectue la cytodifferenciation des lymphocytes T, et dont les fonctions permettent l'etude de la reponse immune
Advanced Placement Human Geography and the Annual Meetings of the National Council for Geographic Education

Abstract Members of the National Council for Geographic Education have been instrumental in the creation, launch, and early success of Advanced Placement Human Geography. Annual meetings of the Council have served as a forum for spreading the word about the course and its follow-up national examination and in helping teachers develop content confidence and delivery strategies. This article tracks, via the Council's 1996–2005 annual meeting programs, agenda time devoted over that ten-year period to this Advanced Placement course, focusing on total minutes by year, minutes by category, and the people presenting.
Solar angle independence in the relationship between absorbed PAR and remotely sensed data for Alfalfa

Abstract Multispectral vegetation indices are often used to estimate the proportion of incident photosynthetically active radiation (PAR, 0.4–0.7 μm) that is absorbed by plants for potential use in photosynthesis. Field experiments were conducted near Phoenix, Arizona to establish such predictive capabilities for alfalfa and also to determine the effect of varying solar zenith angles ( θ s ) on the relationships. The fraction of absorbed PAR ( ƒA PAR ) was measured using a 1-m long line quantum sensor. Canopy reflectance measurements (red, 0.61–0.68 μm; near-infrared, 0.79–0.89 μm) were obtained with a hand-held radiometer. Data were collected for θ s from 27° to 72°. Statistically significant relationships were observed between ƒA PAR and red reflectance factors ( r 2 = 0.97) and several commonly used vegetation indices (ratio, r 2 = 0.96; normalized difference, r 2 = 0.96; and soil adjusted, r 2 = 0.93). Actual values of these parameters varied with time of day, but the relationships between ƒA PAR and various indices derived from reflectance observations were independent of θ s extending the potential usefulness of remote sensing approaches for inferring changes in ƒA PAR at various times of the day and different seasons and latitudes.
Potential Stream Density in Mid-Atlantic U.S. Watersheds

Stream network density exerts a strong influence on ecohydrologic processes in watersheds, yet existing stream maps fail to capture most headwater streams and therefore underestimate stream density. Furthermore, discrepancies between mapped and actual stream length vary between watersheds, confounding efforts to understand the impacts of land use on stream ecosystems. Here we report on research that predicts stream presence from coupled field observations of headwater stream channels and terrain variables that were calculated both locally and as an average across the watershed upstream of any location on the landscape. Our approach used maximum entropy modeling (MaxEnt), a robust method commonly implemented to model species distributions that requires information only on the presence of the entity of interest. In validation, the method correctly predicts the presence of 86% of all 10-m stream segments and errors are low (<1%) for catchments larger than 10 ha. We apply this model to the entire Potomac River watershed (37,800 km(2)) and several adjacent watersheds to map stream density and compare our results with the National Hydrography Dataset (NHD). We find that NHD underestimates stream density by up to 250%, with errors being greatest in the densely urbanized cities of Washington, DC and Baltimore, MD and in regions where the NHD has never been updated from its original, coarse-grain mapping. This work is the most ambitious attempt yet to map stream networks over a large region and will have lasting implications for modeling and conservation efforts.
Public Acceptance for Drug Treatment in Lieu of Incarceration for Drug Offenders in Florida

How does the public think the drug problem should be solved? Several small opinion polls have suggested that many people believe that drug-abuse treatment is now the best way to fight the War on Drugs. However, opinion polls can be highly questionable as to the accuracy of their claims. This is further complicated by the varied findings of these polls, with some indicating support for the War on Drugs, while others see the war as a failure. A quantitative, non-experimental, descriptive research design was used to evaluate perceptions and beliefs of the population of Pinellas Country, Florida, in an effort to determine whether an individual’s attitude on providing drug-abuse treatment in lieu of incarceration for drug offenders is influenced by his or her personal view of drug addiction. The results of this study show that a majority of the participants are open to reform in the War on Drugs.
Optoelectronic tweezers integrating with lensless imaging for wide field interactive optical manipulation

We demonstrate an optoelectronic tweezer (OET) integrating with a lensless, ultra wide-field imaging system for real-time interactive optical manipulation over a large field of view. This system enables, for the first time, simultaneous on-chip detection and optical manipulation of individual 10-µm microparticles, size of average mammalian cells, over an area of 6.55× 4.92 mm2, a field of view 100 times larger than a typical 10x objective lens used in OET manipulation.
p53-based therapeutics for head and neck squamous cell carcinoma

Inactivation of the tumor suppressor p53 is a pathogenetic event in the development of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). In the absence of functional wildtype p53, HNSCC cells have increased resistance to standard chemotherapeutics and radiation. Numerous approaches to restore p53 function in cancer cells have been developed over the past several decades. This review article focuses on viral approaches to deliver wildtype p53 to HNSCC cells, a designer virus that selectively eliminates mutant p53 HNSCC cells, and chemical approaches to reactivate p53 function in HNSCC cells. These promising studies provide evidence that p53 therapeutics may prove useful alone or in combination with conventional chemotherapy and/or radiation for the management of HNSCC patients.
Testing the impact of process defects on ECL power-delay performance

The impact of process defects on the emitter-coupled-logic (ECL) power-delay product has been evaluated. We have developed modelling equations including process defects in the delay analysis. The delay equation provides an insight into the sensitivity of various process defects on the ECL gate delay. The testing model equations are physics-based and can be generalized to digital circuits other than ECL.
A SOM-based multimodal system for musical query-by-content

The ever-increasing density of computer storage devices has allowed the average user to store enormous quantities of multimedia content, and a large amount of this content is usually music. We present a query-by-content system which searches the actual audio content of the music and supports querying in several styles using a Self-Organizing Map as its basis. Empirical results demonstrate the viability of this approach for musical query-by-content.
Segmentation of objects in a detection window by Nonparametric Inhomogeneous CRFs

This paper presents a method for segmenting objects of a specific class in a given detection window. The task is to label each pixel as belonging to the foreground or the background. We pose the problem as that of finding the maximum a posterior (MAP) estimation in a modified form of Conditional Random Field model that we call a Nonparametric Inhomogeneous CRF (NICRFs). An NICRF, like a conventional CRF, has nodes representing pixels and pairwise links connecting neighboring pixels; however, both the unary and pairwise energy terms are inhomogeneous in the sense of being dependent on pixel positions to account for prior information of the known object class. It differs from earlier methods in that position information is in form of unique term functions for each individual pixel, rather than the same parametric function but with varying parameters. Unary terms are given by a learned boosted classifier based on novel Adaptive Edgelet Features (AEFs) for inferring probability of a pixel being foreground; pairwise terms are learned by joint probabilities for neighboring pixels as a function of contrast; a monotonicity constraint is used to reduce possible over-fit effects. We expand the neighborhood used for pairwise terms, and add inhomogeneous weighting factors for different pairwise terms. We use the Loopy Belief Propagation (LBP) algorithm for MAP estimation. A local search process is proposed to deal with inaccurate detection windows. We evaluate our approach on examples of pedestrians and cars and demonstrate significant improvements compared to earlier methods.
Amphetamine Activates an Amine-gated Chloride Channel to Generate Behavioral Effects in Caenorhabditis elegans

Amphetamine is a highly addictive psychostimulant, which is thought to generate its effects by promoting release of dopamine through reverse activation of dopamine transporters. However, some amphetamine-mediated behaviors persist in dopamine transporter knock-out animals, suggesting the existence of alternative amphetamine targets. Here we demonstrate the identification of a novel amphetamine target by showing that in Caenorhabditis elegans, a large fraction of the behavioral effects of amphetamine is mediated through activation of the amine-gated chloride channel, LGC-55. These findings bring to light alternative pathways engaged by amphetamine, and urge rethinking of the molecular mechanisms underlying the effects of this highly-addictive psychostimulant.
Biological and physical influences on the carbon isotope content of CO2 in a subalpine forest snowpack, Niwot Ridge, Colorado.

Considerable research has recently been devoted to understanding biogeochemical processes under winter snow cover, leading to enhanced appreciation of the importance of many winter ecological processes. In this study, a comprehensive investigation of the stable carbon isotope composition (d 13 C) of CO2 within a high-elevation subalpine forest snowpack was conducted. Our goals were to study the d 13 C of biological soil respiration under snow in winter, and to assess the relative importance of diffusion and advection (ventilation by wind) for gas transport within snow. In agreement with other studies, we found evidence of an active microbial community under a roughly 1-m deep snowpack during winter and into spring as it melted. Under- snow CO2 mole fractions were observed up to 3,500 lmol mol -1 , and d 13 Co f CO 2 varied from *-22 to *-8%. The d 13 C of soil respiration calculated from mixing relationships was -26 to -24%, and although it varied in time, it was generally close to that of the bulk organic horizon (-26.0%). Subnivean CO2 and d 13 C were quite dynamic in response to changes in soil temperature, liquid water availability, and wind events. No clear biologically-induced isotopic changes were observed during periods when microbial activity and root/ rhizosphere activity were expected to vary, although such changes cannot be eliminated. There was clear evidence of isotopic enrichment associated with diffusive transport as predicted by theory, but simple
Cyclo-oxygenase inhibition restores the attenuated vasodilation in manganese-deficient rat aorta.

Previously we showed that manganese (Mn) deficiency enhances the arterial contractile response to a1 adrenergic stimuli and affects vasomotor tone. The aim of this study was to test the hypothesis that dietary Mn deficiency inhibits the vasodilation pathways of rat aorta. Vascular ring studies were conducted in aortic rings from weanling male SpragueDawley rats that were fed either a Mn deficient (MnD) or a Mn adequate/control diet (MnA) (,1 and 12 mg/kg Mn, respectively) for a 14-wk period. We investigated endothelium-dependent vasodilation induced by acetylcholine (Ach; 10 28 to 3 3 10 26 mol/L) in isolated 3-mm aortic rings precontracted with L-phenylephrine (L-Phe; 10 26 mol/L). Seven concentrations of Ach were used in the presence or absence of inhibitors of nitric oxide synthase and cyclo-oxygenase. After a second precontraction, 8 doses of sodium nitroprusside (SNP; 10 28 to 10 25 mol/L) were added to assess endothelium-independent vasodilation. We observed a decrease in Ach-induced and SNP-induced vasodilation in MnD rat aortas when compared with MnA rat aortas (P # 0.05). Vessel sensitivity of MnD and MnA aortas to Ach was similar. The addition of L-arginine had no effect on nitric oxide‐mediated vasodilation in either group. Nitric oxide synthase-inhibition blunted endothelium-dependent vasodilation to the same degree for both diet groups. Cyclo-oxygenase inhibition enhanced both Ach-induced and SNP-induced vasodilation of MnD rings compared with MnA aortic rings (P # 0.05). Manganese inhibits the synthesis or activity of a prostanoid-derived vasoconstrictor, which seems to be present at basal and at stimulated levels. This effect is independent of membrane-related events. Our results provide further information on the critical role of Mn on vasomotor tone. J. Nutr. 136: 2302‐2307, 2006.
KARMEN: multi-agent monitoring and notification for complex processes

Early and consistent detection of abnormal conditions is important to the safe and efficient operation of complex industrial processes. Our research focuses on enabling the operators and engineers who control and maintain such systems to describe process conditions to software agents, deploy such agents to continuously monitor live process data, and receive appropriate notification from their personal agents concerning the process state. The resulting dynamic population of monitoring agents is managed by our agile computing framework according to policies that define computing and networking resource restrictions as well as user notification requirements and preferences.
Fingertip Representation in the Human Somatosensory Cortex: An fMRI Study ☆

Eight right-handed adult humans underwent functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) of their brain while a vibratory stimulus was applied to an individual digit tip (digit 1, 2, or 5) on the right hand. Multislice echoplanar imaging techniques were utilized during digit stimulation to investigate the organization of the human primary somatosensory (SI) cortex, cortical regions located on the upper bank of the Sylvian fissure (SII region), insula, and posterior parietal cortices. The t test and cluster size analyses were performed to produce cortical activation maps, which exhibited significant regions of interest (ROIs) in all four cortical regions investigated. The frequency of significant ROIs was much higher in SI and the SII region than in the insula and posterior parietal region. Multiple digit representations were observed in the primary somatosensory cortex, corresponding to the four anatomic subdivisions of this cortex (areas 3a, 3b, 1, and 2), suggesting that the organization of the human somatosensory cortex resembles that described in other primates. Overall, there was no simple medial to lateral somatotopic representation in individual subject activity maps. However, the spatial distance between digit 1 and digit 5 cortical representations was the greatest in both SI and the SII region within the group. Statistical analyses of multiple activity parameters showed significant differences between cortical regions and between digits, indicating that vibrotactile activations of the cortex are dependent on both the stimulated digit and cortical region investigated. r 1998 Academic Press
Effect of dietary fat saturation on acylcoenzyme A:-cholesterol acyltransferase activity of Ehrlich cell microsomes.

The saturation of the fat contained in the diet has been observed to affect the acylcoenzyme A:cholesterol acyltransferase (ACAT) activity of rat liver microsomes. ACAT activity in microsomes (Mp) prepared from livers of rats fed a polyunsaturated fat-enriched diet containing 14% sunflower seed oil was 70-90% higher than in microsomes (Ms) prepared from livers of rats fed a saturated fat-enriched diet containing 14% coconut oil. This difference was observed within 20 days after the diets were begun, the earliest time tested, and persisted throughout the 70-day experimental period. The difference was noted at all [1-14C]palmitoyl CoA concentrations tested, 2.5-33 micronM, and at temperatures between 18 and 40 degrees C. Arrhenius plots revealed a single transition in enzyme activity, occurring at 29 degrees C in both microsomal preparations. Likewise, the activation energy above this transition was the same in Mp and Ms, 12.5 KCal/mol. Addition of albumin to the incubation medium increased the ACAT activity of both microsome preparations, but the difference between Mp and Ms persisted. Mp was enriched in polyenoic fatty acids, primarily 18:2 and 20:4, while Ms was enriched in monoenoic acids. Although the 20:4 increase in Mp occurred in all phosphoglycerides, it was especially pronounced in the serine and inositol phosphoglyceride fraction. There were no differences in the phospholipid or cholesterol content, phospholipid head group composition, or protein composition of the two microsomal preparations. The possibility is discussed that the changes in ACAT activity result from the differences in fatty acid composition of the microsomes. Other microsomal enzymes exhibited varying responses to these dietary fatty acid modifications. Palmitoyl CoA hydrolase and NADPH cytochrome c reductase activities were unchanged. UDP glucuronyl transferase activity was 50% higher in Mp, but glucose-6-phosphatase and NADH cytochrome b5 reductase activities were 25% higher in Ms. Therefore, dietary fat modifications do not produce a uniform effect on the activity of microsomal enzymes.
Recognition of fine-scale imbricate thrusts in lower Paleozoic orogenic belts—An example from the Roberts Mountains allochthon, Nevada

Dating of lower Paleozoic cherts is now possible through advancements in radiolarian biostratigraphy, permitting greater refinement of structural and stratigraphic models than has previously been possible. A detailed study of the type section of the Ordovician Vinini Formation, Vinini Creek, Roberts Mountains allochthon, Nevada, has yielded anomalously young Devonian ages. These ages were unanticipated and indicate that structural imbrication exists in a classic and previously well dated section of basinal strata. Previous ages of cherts were inferred from their stratigraphic position relative to graptolite-bearing shales. New mapping and biostratigraphy reveal considerable structural interleaving of Ordovician and Devonian strata within the allochthon, and many of the cherts appear to have structural bases. The Roberts Mountains allochthon, considered to be allochthonous but not far traveled, displays a highly complex structural history, including out of sequence thrusting and/or overprinting by later contractional deformation having a similar transport direction. This deformation was previously unrecognized because of the lack of overlap sequences in critical areas and the paucity of internal age control. Because the Roberts Mountains allochthon is not considered to be exotic, but rather has undergone only a modest amount of transport, this study shows that convergent margins with high degrees of structural imbrication do not require large amounts of transport. A biostratigraphic approach that examines all lithologies, coupled with detailed observations of field relations, is required for the construction of detailed and accurate structure sections in early Paleozoic orogenic belts.
Interactions among prescribed fire, herbivore pressure and shortleaf pine (Pinus echinata) regeneration following southern pine beetle (Dendroctonus frontalis) mortality

Wemonitored naturaland artificially regenerating shortleaf pine(Pinus echinata) seedlingsand their associated herbivoresin forests standsthat suffered extensive overstory mortality due to the southern pine beetle (Dendroctonus frontalis). Seedling performance was evaluated based on survival and absolute and relative growth rates. Trapping stations were established to monitor the abundance and seasonal activity of pine regeneration insects. Seedlings were regularly inspected for the frequency and severity of herbivore pressure. Seedling performance, insect abundance and activity, and herbivore pressure were compared between stands treated with prescribed fire and untreated controls. Survival and absolute growth rates were greatest for naturally regenerating seedlings. Naturally regenerating seedlings grew morevigorously in the burned areas, but prescribed fire did not influence the growth of planted seedlings. Relative height growth comparisons indicated the growth potential of planted seedlings was not significantly different from that of the natural seedlings. Herbivore pressure was greater on natural regeneration, possibly due to superior seedling health and vigor. Pine weevil (Hylobius pales and Pissodes nemorensis) and Nantucket pine tip moth (Rhyacionia frustrana) abundance and herbivore pressure did not differ between the burned and unburned stands, but there was a significant interaction between sampling date and prescribed fire on their seasonal activity. Conifer sawfly (Hymenoptera: Diprionidae) abundance and activity was effectively suppressed by prescribed fire treatments. Pine webworm (Tetralopha robustella) infestations occurred with greater frequency and severity on seedlings growing in burned areas. Mammalian herbivory was minimal. Herbivore-induced seedling mortality was low, and herbivory did not reduce seedling growth. Growth of naturally regenerating shortleaf pine seedlings was greater in burned plots. # 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Development of excitable membrane properties in mammalian sympathetic neurons

Using the whole-cell patch-clamp recording technique, resting membrane potentials (RPs), action potential (AP) waveforms, and the properties of voltage-activated inward Na+ (lNa) and Ca2+ (lCa) currents and outward K+ (lA,lK) currents were examined in embryonic and neonatal rat superior cervical ganglion (SCG) neurons as a function of time during development in vivo and in vitro. The passive and active membrane properties of neonatal SCG cells examined less than or equal to 24 hr after isolation were similar to those described previously for adult SCG neurons and for neonatal SCG cells maintained for several weeks in culture. Since recordings were obtained within hours of cell dissociations, it is assumed that the results reflect the membrane properties of neonatal SCG neurons in vivo at the time of isolation. When neonatal cells were examined as a function of time (up to approximately 2–3 weeks) in vitro, neither RPs nor AP waveforms varied measurably. Although absolute (inward and outward) current amplitudes increased in cells maintained in vitro, in parallel with increases in cell size, no changes in the time- or voltage-dependent properties of the currents were observed. Similar results were obtained for cells isolated on or after embryonic day 18.5 (greater than or equal to E 18.5). The membrane properties of E 14.5–16.5 SCG cells examined less than or equal to 24 hr after isolation, in contrast, were significantly different: mean lCa density was higher, and APs were broader than in greater than or equal to E 18.5 cells, and, in addition, lA was absent in these cells. When E 14.5–16.5 cells were examined after approximately 1 week in vitro, lCa densities and AP waveforms were indistinguishable from those in greater than or equal to E 18.5 SCG neurons, and lA was present. These studies reveal that rat SCG neurons are electrophysiologically mature early in development. Even lA, which seems to be the last voltage-gated current to develop, appears well before birth. As the appearance of lA correlates with decreased membrane excitability and AP shortening, it seems likely that the development of lA either reflects or regulates a marked change in the overall input and output properties of developing sympathetic neurons.
Regulation of asymmetric cell division in the epidermis

For proper tissue morphogenesis, cell divisions and cell fate decisions must be tightly and coordinately regulated. One elegant way to accomplish this is to couple them with asymmetric cell divisions. Progenitor cells in the developing epidermis undergo both symmetric and asymmetric cell divisions to balance surface area growth with the generation of differentiated cell layers. Here we review the molecular machinery implicated in controlling asymmetric cell division. In addition, we discuss the ability of epidermal progenitors to choose between symmetric and asymmetric divisions and the key regulatory points that control this decision.
Indentation fracture of low-dielectric constant films: Part II. Indentation fracture mechanics model

Part I [D.J. Morris and R.F. Cook, J. Mater. Res.23, 2429 (2008)] of this two-part work explored the instrumented indentation and fracture phenomena of compliant, low-dielectric constant (low-κ) films on silicon substrates. The effect of film thickness and probe acuity on the fracture response, as well as the apparent connection of this response to the perceived elastic modulus, were demonstrated. These results motivate the creation of a fracture model that incorporates all of these variables here in Part II. Indentation wedging is identified as the mechanism that drives radial fracture, and a correction is introduced that adjusts the wedging strength of the probe for the attenuating influence of the relatively stiff substrate. An estimate of the film fracture toughness can be made if there is an independent measurement of the film stress; if not, a critical film thickness for channel-cracking under the influence of film stress may be estimated.
Sequence-dependent cytotoxicity of second- generation oligonucleotides

In this study, we have examined the potential of second-generation antisense chimeric 2 0 -O(2-methoxy)ethyl/DNA phosphorothioate oligonucleotides (ONs) to affect cell growth through non-antisense mechanisms. Evaluation of a series of ONs demonstrated that only a small number were cytotoxic at concentrations close to those required for antisense activity. Toxicity of the ONs appeared to be sequence dependent and could be affected by base and backbone modifications. Caspase-3 activation occurs with some ONs and it is most likely secondary to necrosis rather than apoptosis, since cells treated with toxic ONs did not show chromatin condensation, but did exhibit high-extracellular lactate dehydrogenase activity. Caspase-3 activation does not correlate with and appears not to be required for the inhibition of cell proliferation. Toxicity was only observed when ONs were delivered intracellularly. The mechanism by which one of the most cytotoxic ON produces cytotoxicity was investigated in more detail. Treatment with the cytotoxic ON caused disruption of lysosomes and Pepstatin A, a specific inhibitor of aspartic proteases, reduced the cytotoxicity of the ON. Reduction of lysosomal aspartic protease cathepsin D by prior treatment with cathepsin D-specific antisense ON did not attenuate the cytotoxicity, suggesting that other aspartic proteases play a crucial role in the cellular proliferation inhibition by ONs.
Effects of Initial Surface Treatment Timing on Chloride Concentrations in Concrete Bridge Decks

In consideration of concrete cover thickness and the presence of stay-in-place metal forms (SIPMFs), research was done to determine the latest timing of initial surface treatment applications on concrete bridge decks subjected to external chloride loading before chlorides accumulate in sufficient quantities to initiate corrosion of the reinforcing steel. Chloride concentration data for this research were collected from 12 concrete bridge decks located within the Interstate 215 corridor in Salt Lake City, Utah. Numerical modeling was used to generate a chloride loading function and to determine the diffusion coefficient of each deck. On the basis of average diffusion coefficients for decks with and without SIPMFs, chloride concentration profiles were computed through time for cover thicknesses of 2.0 in. (50.8 mm), 2.5 in. (63.5 mm), and 3.0 in. (76.2 mm). The results of the work show that the average diffusion coefficient for bridge decks with SIPMFs is approximately twice that of decks without SIPMFs and that, on average, each additional 0.5 in. (12.7 mm) of cover beyond 2.0 in. allows an extra 2 years for decks with SIPMFs and 5 years for decks without SIPMFs before a surface treatment must be placed to prevent excessive accumulation of chlorides. Although the data generated in this research are based on conditions typical of bridge decks in Utah, they clearly illustrate the effect of cover depth and the presence of SIPMFs. This information may be especially valuable to bridge engineers and managers responsible for programming surface treatments on concrete bridge decks.
Deciding branching time properties for asynchronous programs

Asynchronous programming is a paradigm that supports asynchronous function calls in addition to synchronous function calls. Programs in such a setting can be modeled by automata with counters that keep track of the number of pending asynchronous calls for each function, as well as a call stack for synchronous recursive computation. These programs have the restriction that an asynchronous call is processed only when the call stack is empty. The decidability of the control state reachability problem for such systems was recently established. In this paper, we consider the problems of checking other branching time properties for such systems. Specifically we consider the following problems - termination, which asks if there is an infinite (non-terminating) computation exhibited by the system; control state maintainability, which asks if there is a maximal execution of the system, where all the state visited lie in some ''good'' set; whether the system can be simulated by a given finite state system; and whether the system can simulate a given finite state system. We present decision algorithms for all these problems.
Quo vadis, BTSoC (billion transistor SoC)?

Billion transistor systems-on-chip (BTSoCs) present designers with a classic case of the "embarrassment-of-riches" syndrome: with so many devices at one's disposal, designers may be tempted to integrate functionality willy-nilly, with no strategic rethinking of what this level of integration can both afford, as well as achieve. While many advocate "business-as- usual" - including ad-hoc integration of functionality to achieve application-specific or domain-dependent designs. The author believes that BTSoCs present us with some opportunities for a paradigm shift in the architectural strategies and design processes for designing such complex chips. The author summarizes some key principles and ideas here.
Human inter-individual variability in metabolic pathways and genotoxic response to zidovudine

Proc Amer Assoc Cancer Res, Volume 47, 2006 4451 Patients infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV-1) undergo extensive therapy with antiretroviral nucleoside analog drugs, among which Zidovudine® (AZT) is used the most frequently. The genotoxicity of AZT, a DNA replication chain terminator, has been documented in experimental models, but inter-individual variability in human genotoxic response has not been well studied. Here we used 19 different strains of normal human mammary epithelial cells (NHMECs) cultured from breast tissue obtained at reduction mammoplasty and representing human inter-individual variability. Cells, at passage 6, were exposed to either 0 or 200 μM AZT for 24 hr, and incorporation of AZT into DNA was analyzed by radioimmunoassay using anti-AZT antiserum. Of the 19 cell strains, 7 had no detectable AZT-DNA incorporation, 8 had 6–50 molecules of AZT/106 nucleotides, 2 had 51–100 molecules of AZT/106 nucleotides, and 2 had >100 molecules of AZT/106 nucleotides. exposure to the direct-acting DNA damaging agent bleomycin indicated that these responses were specific for the AZT exposures and not general responses to DNA damage. Further studies were therefore focused on AZT metabolism, and Western blots of all 19 NHMEC strains were performed for thymidine kinase 1 (TK1), the first enzyme phosphorylating AZT on the pathway to DNA incorporation. The 7 NHMEC strains showing no AZT-DNA incorporation had no measurable TK1 before AZT exposure, while 3 of these strains had AZT-inducible TK-1 at 24 hr. Of the 12 strains showing AZT-DNA incorporation, 9 had functional or AZT-inducible TK1. Taken together these data suggest that there may be a metabolic specificity underlying human sensitivity/resistance to AZT. Whereas the patients having high levels of TK1 may sustain more organ genotoxicity as a result of AZT exposure and incorporation, those with lower levels or inducible TK1 still have sufficient enzyme for the antiretroviral properties of the drug, but may be less susceptible to host genotoxic effects.
Cognitive analysis of the (Bingol Anti Terror Police Department) BATPD Buddy Program

Buddy programs help newcomers to smooth transition. The programs also try to increase the performance of the new personnel, give them a moral support and provide a proper atmosphere. This study aims to figure out the deficiencies of the buddy program implemented in Bingol Anti-Terror Police Department (BATPD) and try to develop effective solutions for the program’s shortages. Thus, the newcomers are able to adapt to the organization in the fastest way without losing time and energy. In this study, the researcher applied observations and interviews to measure the effectiveness of the program. The participants were selected all of the newcomers who joined the organization in 2012. Data collection process took almost 12 months. According to results of the research, insufficient physical conditions of the unit, multitasking character of the personnel, and incompetent buddies are three reasons that hinder the program from being more successful. Training programs for buddies, focusing on one task at the one time, and more comfortable designed atmosphere in the organization are potential solutions for a better program.
Scaphoid Proximal Pole Fracture Following Headless Screw Fixation.

Background Headless screw fixation of scaphoid fractures and nonunions yields predictably excellent outcomes with a relatively low complication profile. However, intramedullary implants affect the load to failure and stress distribution within bone and may be implicated in subsequent fracture. Case Description We describe a posttraumatic fracture pattern of the scaphoid proximal pole originating at the previous headless screw insertion site in three young male patients with healed scaphoid nonunions. Each fracture was remarkably similar in shape and size, comprised the volar proximal pole, and was contiguous with the screw entry point. Treatment was challenging but successful in all cases. Literature Review Previous reports have posited that stress-raisers secondary to screw orientation may be implicated in subsequent peri-implant fracture of the femoral neck. Repeat scaphoid fracture after screw fixation has also been reported. However, the shape and locality of secondary fracture have not been described, nor has the potential role of screw fixation in the production of distinct fracture patterns. Clinical Relevance Hand surgeons must be aware of this difficult complication that may follow antegrade headless screw fixation of scaphoid fracture nonunion, and of available treatment strategies.
Artificial Intelligence and Decision-Support Technology in the Clinical Laboratory

Computer-assisted decision making has the potential to greatly enhance the performance of the clinical laboratory. The reasoning techniques used to develop programs for such procedures as medical diagnosis, quality assurance, and test selection are discussed, with an emphasis on artificial intelligence methods. These programs have not been developed and implemented as quickly in the health care field as they have been in other industries because of issues inherent to health care’s structure. This situation will change as conventional software developers become familiar with artificial intelligence techniques and introduce them to the medical community.
Backcrossing to Increase Survival of Larvae of a Laboratory Culture of the European Corn Borer on Field Corn

Larvae of the European corn borer, Ostrinia nubilalis (Hubner) (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae), reared continuously on a meridic diet lost their ability to survive on a susceptible inbred line of dent corn, but survival equal to that of wild borers could be recovered by 1 backcross to the wild parent. The trait is therefore genetically controlled.
STEMCOM: An Analytical Model for Marketing Control:

Although one of the major objectives of a manager involves controlling strategic marketing plans, there is a dearth of research dealing with the framework for developing control models. This paper ...
Texting Adolescents in Repeat DKA and Their Caregivers.

Background:Text message interventions are feasible, preferable, and sometimes effective for youth with diabetes. However, few, if any studies, have examined the personalized use of text messages with youth repeatedly hospitalized for diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) and their caregivers. This study characterizes the use of personalized text messages in Novel Interventions in Children’s Healthcare (NICH).Methods:Approximately 2 months of text messages sent to youth with repeat DKA and their caregivers were logged regarding the following text characteristics: (1) content, (2) intervention type, (3) timing, and (4) recipient characteristics.Results:NICH interventionists sent 2.3 and 1.5 texts per day to patients and caregivers, respectively. Approximately 59% of outgoing texts occurred outside of typical business hours, and roughly 68% of texts contained some form of support and/or encouragement. The relation between type of intended intervention and day/time of text was significant, χ2(2, N = 5,808) = 266.93, P ...
Lost objects: Feminism, sexualisation and melancholia

A prolific discourse on the sexualisation of girls has developed in the Anglophone west. Since 2006, at least six governmental policy papers, four think tank reports, ten parenting manuals as well ...
Gait Disorders in Autism

Gait in 11 children with autism (age range 4-7 years) and 11 controls was analyzed, using the GAITRite electronic walkway connected to a computer in a study at Department of Psychological Medicine, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia.
An Inexpensive Trimmer for Paraffin Blocks

One of the minor difficulties in cutting serial sections with the rotary microtome is the accurate trimming of the block of paraffin so that the upper and lower edges facing the knife are parallel to each other and to the knife edge; this is necessary to ensure a straight ribbon. Several block trimmers have been described,1 but they are all rather complicated and expensive to make. The device described below can be made in a short time at little or no expense in any laboratory.
Content-Based Recommender Systems

The collaborative systems discussed in the previous chapters use the correlations in the ratings patterns across users to make recommendations. On the other hand, these methods do not use item attributes for computing predictions. This would seem rather wasteful; after all, if John likes the futuristic science fiction movie Terminator, then there is a very good chance that he might like a movie from a similar genre, such as Aliens. In such cases, the ratings of other users may not be required to make meaningful recommendations.
Primary study on the bacteria of overwintering housefly(Musca domestica) in kitchen

In order to study the bacteria number on the surface of wintering housefly,and find out the species of pathogenic bacteria of the wintering housefly,the total DNA of surface bacteria of wintering housefly were extracted,and 16S rDNA library was constructed.Through cultured,the bacteria number of wintering housefly was between 5×104～1.2×105.And 987 library clones were sequenced.Sequences analysis of 16S rDNA showed that among the clones bacterial accounted for 88.6%.And there were 32 bacteria detected in total.Among the bacteria,Escherichia coil accounted for 13.6%,Yersinia enterocolitica accounted for 1.9%,Enterobacter cloacae accounted for 3.3% and Salmonella enterica accounted for 1.5%.Meanwhile,the pathogens and conditioned pathogens,including Mycobacterium tuberculosis,Leptotrichia buccalis,Bordetella bronchiseptica,Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Propionibacterium acnes were detected.
SU-G-201-04: Can the Dynamic Library of Flap Applicators Replace Treatment Planning in Surface Brachytherapy?

Purpose: Contemporary brachytherapy treatment planning systems-(TPS) include the applicator model libraries to improve digitization; however, the library of surface-flap-applicators-(SFA) is not incorporated into the commercial TPS. We propose the dynamic library-(DL) for SFA and investigate if such library can eliminate applicator reconstruction, source activation and dose normalization. Methods: DL was generated for the SFA using the C++class libraries of the Visualization Toolkit-(VTK) and Qt-application framework for complete abstraction of the graphical interface. DL was designed such that the user can initially choose the size of the applicator that corresponds to the one clinically placed to the patient. The virtual applicator-(VA) has an elastic property so that it can be registered to the clinical CT images with a real applicator-(RA) on it. The VA and RA matching is performed by adjusting the position and curvature of the VA. The VA does not elongate or change its size so each catheter could always be at a distance of 5mm from the skin and 10mm apart from the closest catheter maintaining the physical accuracy of the clinical setup. Upon the applicator placement, the dwell positions were automatically activated, and the dose is normalized to the prescription depth. The accuracy of source positioning was evaluated using various applicator sizes. Results: The accuracy of the applicator placement was in the sub-millimeter range. The time-study reveals that up to 50% of the planning time can be saved depending on the complexity of the clinical setup. Unlike in the classic approach, the planning time was not highly dependent on the applicator size. Conclusion: The practical benefits of the DL of the SFA were demonstrated. The time demanding planning processes can be partially automated. Consequently, the planner can dedicate effort to fine tuning, which can result in the improvement of the quality of treatment plans in surface brachytherapy.
Antiferromagnetism in La 2 CuO 4-y

Powder neutron diffraction studies of undoped ${\mathrm{La}}_{2}$${\mathrm{CuO}}_{4\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}\mathrm{y}}$ have revealed new superlattice peaks below \ensuremath{\sim}220 K. The absence of corresponding x-ray superlattice lines and an observed susceptibility anomaly near 220 K suggest the occurrence of antiferromagnetism. From the magnetic peak intensities we deduce a structure consisting of ferromagnetic sheets of Cu spins alternating along the [100] orthorhombic axis, with the spins aligned along the [001] orthorhombic axis, The low-temperature magnetic moment is approximately 0.5${\mathrm{\ensuremath{\mu}}}_{\mathrm{B}}$/(Cu atom). The tetragonal-orthorhombic transition at 505 K has also been studied.
Temperature dependence of spectroscopic and electrical properties of Cr(Fe):ZnSe laser active materials

Temperature influence on spectroscopic characteristics is crucial for many aspects of laser engineering including output noise, single frequency oscillation, and thermal bistability. We report on the spectroscopic characterization of chromium and iron doped ZnSe gain element media at temperatures ranging from 77K to 389K. Heating of Cr:ZnSe resulted in the absorption peak shifting to a shorter wavelength from 1.806 μm at 77K to 1.753 μm at 389K. It also resulted in broadening of the absorption band from Δλ=260 cm-1nm to Δλ=373 cm-1nm and decreasing of the absorption cross section by 69%. Similar characterization was done for Fe:ZnSe laser material. The cooling of the Fe:ZnSe crystal from room temperature to 77K resulted in a 32% increase of the absorption coefficient at 2.94 μm which is usually used as a pump source. We also studied the absorption of the electrical free-carriers in n-type Al:ZnSe crystals in visible and mid- IR absorption spectral ranges. Diffusion of Al into ZnSe samples was achieved by annealing at 1000°C during 4 days in Al vapors. It was demonstrated that free-carriers absorption of Al:ZnSe samples with resistivity σ=100-150 Ω×cm resulted in an increase of the absorption coefficient at 2.4 μm up to 2.5 cm-1.
Competitive Fixed Interval Performance in Humans: Role of “Orienting” Instructions

Three experiments investigated the role of “orienting” instructions, that is, instructions about task performance, in controlling human performance on a competitive fixed interval schedule. In all experiments, the basic procedure was to train pairs of participants initially on a regular (noncompetitive) FI 30-s schedule and then to expose them to a competitive FI schedule in which the first student to satisfy the schedule requirement received reinforcement (25 points on a counter) while the second student received feedback to this effect. In Experiment I, participants were informed when to compete against one another, that is, given orienting instructions. All students exhibited increased response rates during competitive phases of the experiment. In Experiment 2, participants received identical orienting information but remained on the noncompetitive FI schedule. Three of four participants emitted increased response rates during the initial “competitive” session but decreased rates in the following session. Volunteers in Experiment 3 were not given orienting instructions prior to being exposed to the competitive FI schedule. Both participants showed a gradual increase in response rate during competition. These results suggest that orienting instructions are not necessary to produce or control increases in subjects’ competitive behavior. The primary functions of orienting instructions are (a) to set the occasion for competitive behavior, and (b) to facilitate increased responding such that participants can compete more effectively sooner. Advantages to an experimental analysis of social behavior are briefly presented.