cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Sulfaethylthiadiazole I. Interpretations of human blood level concentrations following oral doses

Blood concentration studies were conducted for a ten or twelve hour period on eleven human subjects receiving sulfaethylthiadiazole orally in 1-4-Gm. doses. The drug disappearance rate from the blood was characterized as approximately first-order, from which the standard performance indices (kb)kb, (t1/2)b and Co were determined. This approach to characterization of drug disappearance rates from the blood also permitted a close estimation of the per cent of total drug in the blood which existed in the biotransformed state. For this type of drug it is suggested that the methods of analysis presented can furnish useful scientific criteria for better evaluation of drug performance, and that in industrial pharmacy it can guide the pharmaceutical project team in formulation and establishment of dosage schedules.
Solvatochromic characterization of the liquid phase in liquid—supercritical CO2 mixtures

The solvatochromic dye phenol blue (N,N-dimethylindoaniline) is used to characterize the solvent strength (polarity) of the saturated liquid phase in a series of solvent-carbon dioxide binary mixtures. Data were obtained at 35 and 55 C and at pressures up to {approximately}70 bar. Five solvents were investigated--acetone, cyclohexane, methanol, THF, and toluene. The polarity of the liquid phase decreases significantly with increasing pressure due to the increasing carbon dioxide content of this phase at equilibrium. For example, the polarity of acetone saturated with carbon dioxide at 35 C and {approximately}60 bar is equivalent to the polarity of pure cyclohexane at ambient pressure. The local environment about the dye is significantly richer in the polar liquid component than the bulk composition would indicate. The degree of enrichment reflects concentration effects at low pressure, and both concentration and pressure effects at high pressure where the mixtures are highly compressible. The NRTL model of Renon and Prausnitz is able to predict these local compositions with reasonable accuracy except at CO{sub 2}-rich conditions where compressibility effects are important.
Measures of functional performance and their association with hip and thigh strength.

Context: Insufficient hip and thigh strength may increase an athlete's susceptibility to injury. However, screening for strength deficits using isometric and isokinetic instrumentation may not be p...
An Energy Approach to the Plasticity of a Two-Phase Composite Containing Aligned Inclusions

Based on a linear comparison composite (Tandon and Weng, 1988) and an energy criterion for the effective stress of the ductile matrix (Qiu and Weng, 1992), a nonlinear theory is developed to estimate the strain potential and the overall stress-strain relations of a two-phase composite containing aligned spheroidal inclusions. The plastic state of the ductile matrix under a given external load is determined by solving two simultaneous equations, one being its constitutive equation and the other the expression of its effective stress as a function of its secant shear modulus. Then by means of the effective properties of the linear comparison composite, the overall strain and strain potential of the nonlinear system are evaluated. It is demonstrated that, for an elastically incompressible matrix containing either aligned voids or rigid inclusions, the derived strain potential is exactly equal to Ponte Castaneda's (1991) bound or estimate, respectively, of Willis' (1977) type. Comparison with an exact solution of a fiber-reinforced composite under the plane-strain biaxial loading also shows an excellent agreement. The theory is generally intended for the condition when the concentration is not high, and is finally applied to examine the aspect-ratio dependence of the overall response for a silicon carbide/aluminum system. It is found that, more so than the elastic behavior, the nonlinear plastic response of the two-phase composite is very sensitive to the inclusion shape under most types of loading.
Antitoxins: therapy for stressed bacteria.

Bacteria oscillate between the planktonic and biofilm states through many hierarchically organized networks that respond to environmental cues. Recent research describes how a bacterial toxin-antitoxin system mediates this transition by controlling bacterial motility in response to extracellular stress.
RESTRICTIONS IMPLIED BY LORENTZ AND SPIN INVARIANCE FOR SCATTERING AMPLITUDES

A combination of Lorentz invariance and spin independence may restrict scattering amplitudes so severely that no interesting reaction can be described. This is demonstrated for the scattering of two spin-\textonehalf{} particles with spin independence defined as in a definition of $\mathrm{SU}(6)$ for quarks.
Biomarker profiling and reproducibility study of MALDI-MS measurements of Escherichia coli by analysis of variance-principal component analysis.

Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry (MALDI-MS) has proved useful for the characterization of bacteria and the detection of biomarkers. Key challenges for MALDI-MS measurements of bacteria are overcoming the relatively large variability in peak intensities. A soft tool, combining analysis of variance and principal component analysis (ANOVA-PCA) (Harrington, P. D.; Vieira, N. E.; Chen, P.; Espinoza, J.; Nien, J. K.; Romero, R.; Yergey, A. L. Chemom. Intell. Lab. Syst. 2006, 82, 283-293. Harrington, P. D.; Vieira, N. E.; Espinoza, J.; Nien, J. K.; Romero, R.; Yergey, A. L. Anal. Chim. Acta. 2005, 544, 118-127) was applied to investigate the effects of the experimental factors associated with MALDI-MS studies of microorganisms. The variance of the measurements was partitioned with ANO-VA and the variance of target factors combined with the residual error was subjected to PCA to provide an easy to understand statistical test The statistical significance of these factors can be visualized with 95% Hotelling T2 confidence intervals. ANOVA-PCA is useful to facilitate the detection of biomarkers in that it can remove the variance corresponding to other experimental factors from the measurements that might be mistaken for a biomarker. Four strains of Escherichia coli at four different growth ages were used for the study of reproducibility of MALDI-MS measurements. ANOVA-PCA was used to disclose potential biomarker proteins associated with different growth stages.
Corpus Callosum Morphometrics in Young Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder

This study assessed midsagittal corpus callosum cross sectional areas in 3–4 year olds with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) compared to typically developing (TD) and developmentally delayed (DD) children. Though not different in absolute size compared to TD, ASD callosums were disproportionately small adjusted for increased ASD cerebral volume. ASD clinical subgroup analysis revealed greater proportional callosum reduction in the more severely affected autistic disorder (AD) than in pervasive developmental disorder-not otherwise specified (PDD-NOS) children. DD children had smaller absolute callosums than ASD and TD. Subregion analysis revealed widely distributed callosum differences between ASD and TD children. Results could reflect decreased inter-hemispheric connectivity or cerebral enlargement due to increase in tissues less represented in the corpus callosum in ASD.
Practical common-path interferometry for real-time thermal/fluid flow measurements

Abstract Interferometric technique can be a useful gross-field diagnostic tool for quantitative and qualitative evaluation of thermal/fluid flow phenomena. Here, we present a practical interferometric approach based on a common-path configuration of the interfering beams with some results for demonstration. It incorporates advances in the modern optical technology to fully exploit the potential of interferometric techniques for on-site applications. The results of the initial testing are encouraging. The approach can allow one to build a simple and compact system insensitive to external disturbances for real-time monitoring with good measurement accuracy. The system errors contributed by low-quality optics can be eliminated by employing a moire technique. The approach based on the numerical moire, which utilizes the images directly captured by a solid-state camera to avoid wet chemical processing, appears to be promising.
Artificial intelligence: The coming superintelligence

As our tools get ever better, we will become better as well. We may hear less about AI and more about IA – “intelligence amplification”
Distributed geospatial information processing: Sharing distributed geospatial resources to support digital earth

Abstract This paper introduces a new concept, distributed geospatial information processing (DGIP), which refers to the process of geospatial information residing on computers geographically dispersed and connected through computer networks, and the contribution of DGIP to Digital Earth (DE). The DGIP plays a critical role in integrating the widely distributed geospatial resources to support the DE envisioned to utilise a wide variety of information. This paper addresses this role from three different aspects: 1) sharing Earth data, information, and services through geospatial interoperability supported by standardisation of contents and interfaces; 2) sharing computing and software resources through a GeoCyberinfrastructure supported by DGIP middleware; and 3) sharing knowledge within and across domains through ontology and semantic searches. Observing the long-term process for the research and development of an operational DE, we discuss and expect some practical contributions of the DGIP to the DE.
A Targeted Review of Smoking Cessation Aids and Their Pharmacology for the Pharmacy Technician

Objective:To review the pharmacologic treatment options available for smoking cessation.Data Synthesis:Nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) has a less rapid onset than that of nicotine received from smoking; therefore, it does not cause the same pleasurable response but helps to decrease the cravings. NRT is available over the counter as a gum, lozenge, and patch. NRT is also available by prescription as a nasal spray and inhaler. Information is also provided on the dosing and adverse effect profiles of 2 non-NRT prescription products used for smoking cessation including bupropion SR and varenicline.Conclusions:It is important for pharmacy technicians to be aware of the NRT and non-NRT products available both over the counter and by prescription so that they can better work with the pharmacist to aid patients in the smoking cessation process. Current guidelines do not specify any of the medications as first line. Patients should be educated on all of the options available so that they can decide which optio...
Black Policemen in New Orleans During Reconstruction

(1987). Black Policemen in New Orleans During Reconstruction. The Historian: Vol. 49, No. 2, pp. 223-243.
An extraction method for the determination of dimethyl sulfide in cooked corn

Abstract Dimethyl sulfide (DMS) is an important aroma and flavor constituent of a variety of food products, including many vegetables, wine, beer, and milk. Analysis of DMS in food products has been done almost exclusively through headspace analysis. Headspace analysis is not as appropriate for DMS analysis as it is for other compounds because gaseous DMS is so volatile that it cannot be properly contained, even in a sealed vessel. The following method avoids the problems of headspace analysis and, in addition, is compatible with the use of automatic samplers for gas chromatography. Extraction and GC analysis of powdered corn samples supplemented with purified DMS gave recovery rates of near 100%. Analysis for DMS content of different genotypes of corn harvested at different maturities was conducted, and significant differences were found both between genotypes on the same harvest date and within genotypes for different harvest dates.
WAGE SIGNALING: A DYNAMIC MODEL OF INTRAFIRM BARGAINING AND ASYMMETRIC LEARNING*

The article analyzes the effect of employer–worker bargaining on wage dynamics in the presence of asymmetric information between current and potential employers. A failure to reach an agreement leads to output loss. Because the disagreement points depend upon the worker's productivity, productive workers separate themselves from less productive workers and signal their ability through wages. In existing models of asymmetric learning, wages are attached to publicly observable characteristics and wage growth occurs only when there is a change in observable characteristics. This model, in contrast, generates an increase in earnings dispersion in cohorts of workers with similar observable characteristics.
Dual Seven Pinhole Tomography

Emission tomography using two orthogonal sets of projections through seven pinhole collimators is considered. This paper describes the acquisition system, the reconstruction algorithm, presents results obtained in phantom studies, and discusses the advantages and disadvantages of this method over conventional Seven Pinhole Tomography.
Arguing for a General Framework for Mass Media Scholarship

Potter, W. J. (2009). Arguing for a General Framework for Mass Media Scholarship. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications. 384 pages. Seems it was not all that long ago that a typical introductory cou...
Effect of physical training on hemodynamic response during submaximal and maximal exercise in 11-13-year old boys.

Nine healthy boys, mean age 11.7 years (11.0–13.0), height 150.4 cm and weight 45.1 kg, were examined with determinations of maximal oxygen uptake (1.85 1×min-1), heart volume (499 ml) and total hemoglobin (391 g). Cardiac output was determined at rest and during exercise, including maximal exercise, using the dye-dilution technique and i.a. pressures were recorded. Cardiac output was approximately 2 1×min-1 lower and the systemic a-v oxygen difference (AVD) was correspondingly higher than for young adult men at the same sub-maximal oxygen uptake. At maximal exercise cardiac output was 12.5 1×min-1, stroke volume 67 ml, AVD 14.2 ml × 100 ml-1, systolic, diastolic and mean blood pressure 160, 71 and 105 mm Hg respectively and total peripheral resistance 8.6 mm Hg×1–1×min. After a training period of 4 months a normal increase in height was found in all boys, but body weight was unchanged. Maximal oxygen uptake increased to 2.21 1×min-1 (p < 0.01), almost entirely due to increased stroke volume (80 ml), resulting in a maximal cardiac output of 14.6 1×min-1. No significant increase in AVD was found. Mean blood pressure at maximal exercise increased significantly, total peripheral resistance was unchanged. Both heart volume and total hemoglobin showed minor increases, but the changes found were not significantly larger than expected from body growth. The hemoglobin concentration was normal (13 g%) for the age and unaffected by training.
An intrinsic state for the interacting boson model and its relationship to the Bohr-Mottelson model

Abstract Within the interacting boson model, an intrinsic state is defined, in terms of quadrupole shape variables, from which all eigenstates of the interacting boson model can be projected by appropriately averaging over these shape variables and the orientations of the intrinsic state. With this intrinsic state, an energy surface and a Bohr hamiltonian can be derived for any boson hamiltonian in terms of these quadrupole variables.
Determination of the transverse delays in the GaAs/AIGaAs modfets

We have developed a computer-efficient algorithm and the related CAD-oriented software to calculate the transverse propagation delays in a GaAs/AlGaAs MODFET. The model has been used to study the dependence of these delays on the various MODFET parameters. The results can be utilized for the optimization of high-speed circuits. © 1992 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
The gibberellin synthesis inhibitors, ancymidol and flurprimidol, promote in vitro rooting of white pine microshoots

Ancymidol and flurprimidol were tested for their ability to induce in vitro rooting on axillary proliferated shoots of white pine (Pinus strobus L.). Shoots were treated for 30 days (pulse) with growth regulators, then subcultured to 0.5X medium for conifer morphogenesis without growth regulators. A pulse treatment containing 5 μM ancymidol and 0.54 μM naphthaleneacetic acid resulted in 43% rooted shoots, whereas a pulse treatment with 0.54 μM naphthaleneacetic acid alone resulted in 7% root formation. Flurprimidol also stimulated rooting of white pine shoots, but was less effective than ancymidol. No detrimental effects on shoot growth were observed with the gibberellin synthesis inhibitors at the 5 μM concentration used. Some rooted shoots were successfully acclimatized to the greenhouse.
Enhancement of In Vitro Growth of Pathogenic Bacteria by Norepinephrine: Importance of Inoculum Density and Role of Transferrin

Norepinephrine is a stress hormone that enhances bacterial growth. We examined the effects of a small inoculum on the norepinephrine-induced growth of species previously reported to be unaffected by norepinephrine. The results indicated that a reduced inoculum density is essential for observing norepinephrine-induced effects. Additional studies using serum-free media suggested that transferrin plays a role in norepinephrine-induced growth.
Changes in activity and mRNA for rat tryptophan hydroxylase and aromaticl-amino acid decarboxylase of brain serotonergic cell bodies and terminals following neonatal 5,7-dihydroxytryptamine

In the present study, we examined time-dependent changes in activity, mRNA and immunoreactivity of the serotonin biosynthetic enzymes, tryptophan hydroxylase (TPH) and aromatic L-amino acid decarboxylase (AADC) in dorsal raphe nucleus (DRN), caudal brainstem and hypothalamus, following intracisternal injection of 5,7-dihydroxytryptamine (5,7-DHT) in neonatal rats. TPH activity in central serotonergic cell bodies and terminals was reduced to 20-30% of control levels at 1-8 weeks after neonatal, low-dose 5,7-DHT injection (24 micrograms free base). In contrast, AADC activity was either not changed or decreased to 40% of control levels, depending on the region. In situ hybridization and immunocytochemical staining indicated that 5,7-DHT caused a marked reduction in TPH and AADC message levels as well as the number of 5-HT and AADC-immunoreactive cells within the DRN as early as 1 week after 5,7-DHT. Even 15 weeks after drug administration recovery did not occur. This apparent neuronal loss was region-specific suggesting that some serotonergic neurons are more resistant to neonatal 5,7-DHT treatment than others. Taken together, these studies indicate that neonatal treatment with 5,7-DHT produces a marked and permanent (up to 15 weeks) reduction in the number of central serotonergic neurons.
The relationship between pH and aerobic glycolysis in human and canine erythrocytes.

Abstract 1. 1. Canine erythrocytes contained less ATP and produced lactate at a lower rate than did human erythrocytes. 2. 2. The effect of pH, an increase in the glycolytic rate with increasing pH, was less pronounced in canine than in human erythrocytes. 3. 3. The hexokinase reaction was limiting in fortified hemolysates of both human and canine cells. Utilization of glucose and glucose-6-phosphate was pH dependent in both systems. 4. 4. The ATP content of human erythrocytes was lower at pH 7·6 than at pH 7·1.
Oxidation of CO adsorbed from CO saturated solutions on the Pt(111)/Ru electrode

Abstract Using Pt(111) surfaces covered by ruthenium by a spontaneous deposition method we conducted voltammetric oxidation of chemisorbed CO in clean sulfuric acid electrolyte at 50 mV s−1 and under variable sweep rate conditions. The deposition yields Pt(111) surfaces decorated by two-dimensional nanosized ruthenium islands previously reported. At 50 mV s−1, the CO stripping produces two well-resolved current peaks, at 0.55 and 0.67 V versus RHE. The first peak originates from CO chemisorbed on (and strictly around) ruthenium islands deposited on Pt(111), while another comes from CO chemisorbed on ‘pure’ Pt(111) phases of the Pt(111)/Ru electrode, away from the Ru islands. Using double-potential step chronoamperometry we investigated the CO oxidation on these two surface phases, and found that the low potential oxidation of chemisorbed CO occurred via the Langmuir–Hinshelwood mechanism. This shows that diffusion of CO on ruthenium to the Ru edge is not needed for a complete stripping of CO from such islands, i.e. the oxidation process is activated uniformly across an island. In contrast, CO chemisorbed on Pt sites not occupied by Ru is oxidized at the Pt(111)/Ru edge, and there may be a surface diffusion contribution to a complete removal of CO from the surface. However, a part of the CO adlayer oxidation in the 0.67 V peak area occurs with no participation of surface diffusion, according to a pseudo-first order surface reaction kinetics, and the reaction may involve a ‘reactant pair’ (PtOH⋯OCPt) breakdown on the electrode surface.
Convergence of matrix powers

We provide an elementary and short proof of the following important result: Let A be an n x nreal or complex matrix. Then {Am} converges if and only the following two conditions hold: (a) if A is an eigenvalue of A, then either A = 1 or A lies in the open unit disk of the complex plane; and (b) if 1 is an eigenvalue of A, then its algebraic multiplicity equals its geometric multiplicity. Unlike the standard proofs of this result, our proof requires no knowledge of Jordan canonical forms. In addition, the proof provides students with an example of the interplay between matrix techniques and vector space theory.
A possible signature for quark matter

Abstract We discuss how the intermittency and fractal structure of multiplicity fluctuations in relativistic heavy-ion collisions can be used as a possible signal of quark-matter formation.
University Students' Perceived Effectiveness of Their High School Health Education

Abstract A sample of 410 university students (96% response rate) completed a four-page survey regarding their perceived effectiveness of high school health education in increasing their health knowledge and adoption of healthy behaviors. Results indicated that the majority of students felt health education was important and that healthy behaviors were important to adopt. Students who had taken three or more high school health classes and who had a high school health teacher teach their health classes reported increased perceived effectiveness scores of high school health education. In addition, younger university students (freshmen and sophomores) were more likely than older university students (juniors and seniors) to feel that their high school health education was effective in increasing their health knowledge and health behavior. Based on these findings, it appears that increased high school health education and the hiring of certified health educators to teach high school health classes are warranted...
Fracture of Kinetic Energy Rods Subject to Oblique Impact

The scope of this paper is to examine the ability of CTH, an Eulerian shock physics code, to detect stress concentrations at buttress groove roots and to predict rod fracture due to stress concentrations under simulated experimental conditions. Computational studies were performed using the ARL6A-T rod. Simulations were run using forward ballistics (rod in motion) and reverse ballistics (target in motion). The reverse ballistics simulations yielded results that were qualitatively more accurate
Vascular tree reconstruction by minimizing a physiological functional cost

The reconstruction of complete vascular trees from medical images has many important applications. Although vessel detection has been extensively investigated, little work has been done on how connect the results to reconstruct the full trees. In this paper, we propose a novel theoretical framework for automatic vessel connection, where the automation is achieved by leveraging constraints from the physiological properties of the vascular trees. In particular, a physiological functional cost for the whole vascular tree is derived and an efficient algorithm is developed to minimize it. The method is generic and can be applied to different vessel detection/segmentation results, e.g. the classic rigid detection method as adopted in this paper. We demonstrate the effectiveness of this method on both 2D and 3D data.
Designing the Molybdopterin Core through Regioselective Coupling of Building Blocks

Molybdopterin is an essential cofactor for all forms of life. The cofactor is composed of a pterin moiety appended to a dithiolene-functionalized pyran ring, and through the dithiolene moiety it binds metal ions. Different synthetic strategies for dithiolene-functionalized pyran precursors that have been designed and synthesized are discussed. These precursors also harbor 1,2-diketone or osone functionality that has been condensed with 1,2-diaminobenzene or other heterocycles resulting in several quinoxaline or pterin derivatives. Use of additives improves the regioselectivity of the complexes. The molecules have been characterized by (1)H and (13)C NMR and IR spectroscopies, as well as by mass spectrometry. In addition, several compounds have been crystallographically characterized. The geometries of the synthesized molecules are more planar than the geometry of the cofactor found in proteins.
Diagnostics of an r.f. sputtering glow discharge - correlation between atomic absorption and mass spectrometry

Abstract In a neon r.f. sputtering glow discharge with a copper target, the Cu+ ion current, measured by glow discharge mass spectrometry, is shown to be proportional to the product of the densities of the neutral Cu atoms and the neon metastable atoms, both determined by atomic absorption spectroscopy. This result supports the premise that Penning ionization is the dominant process for the ionization of trace species in this type of glow discharge and also provides confidence in the reliability of mass spectrometric diagnostics of a glow discharge. A discussion is presented of the relationship between the sputtering rate of the copper target and the neutral Cu atom density in the discharge as the discharge pressure is varied.
Effect of any auditory stimulus on the processing of a visual stimulus single- and dual-tasks conditions.

Abstract The Sternberg Additive Factor Method was used to draw inferences about the flow of information under single- and dual-tasks conditions which were identical in terms of the stimuli involved but different in terms of response requirements. In both conditions, subjects pressed a left- or right-hand key in response to the onset of an X or O (intact or degraded) which was accompanied by a monaural or binaural tone. In the dual-tasks condition, subjects responded verbally to the tone location while also making the key-press response, whereas, in the single-task condition, no response to the tone was required. The pattern of main effects and interactions suggested that the same model of information flow described both single- and dual-tasks conditions; i.e., visual and auditory stimuli were encoded separately but shared capacity at the response selection stage.
Flow in the neighborhood of a confined aquifer observation well

Summary An analytical solution for flow in the vicinity of an observation well is developed. The observation is emplaced in a homogeneous aquifer of infinite radial extent that is pumped at a constant rate, and satisfies the Theis solution. We attempt to account for the effect of an observation well on the drawdown response in a neighborhood of finite radial extent centered around the well. The model of Black and Kipp [Black, J.H., Kipp Jr., K.L., 1977. Observation well response time and its effect upon aquifer tests. Journal of Hydrology 34, 297–306] only makes a correction to the drawdown response at the well location and does not modify the flow pattern in the neighborhood of the well. This may be sufficient for isolated observation wells but, for well-fields or sites with relatively closely spaced wells, the flow patterns in the neighborhoods of the wells may significantly impact drawdown response. The model we develop is applied to field data and is shown to yield an aquifer hydraulic diffusivity that is comparable to that estimated with the model of Black and Kipp [Black, J.H., Kipp Jr., K.L., 1977. Observation well response time and its effect upon aquifer tests. Journal of Hydrology 34, 297–306]. In addition to providing estimates of formation conductivity and specific storage, the solution yield estimates of the hydraulic conductivity and specific storage of the zone of influence and has the ability to predict the effect of the observation well on drawdown response in a finite region of influence in the vicinity of the well.
Affective infrastructures: toward a cultural neuropsychology of sport

Recently researchers within sport studies have argued that the traditional focus on clinical psychology and performance enhancement is incomplete, and emphasize athletes’ social and familial contexts in a paradigm that examines movement, cognition, and emotion. But this model is still incomplete since it is missing a fundamental variable—our evolutionary neurobiological roots. Affective neuroscience shows that because sport so clearly activates neural systems at the ultimate level of causation, it can be seen to serve fundamental needs for affective balance. A neurobiology of affect shows how the evolution of the mammalian autonomic nervous system has resulted in neurophysiological substrates for affective processes and stress responses, and has wide-ranging implications for sport studies by suggesting what forms of coaching might be most effective. I propose “cultural neuropsychology of sport” to describe a model that examines relationships between neurophysiological substrates and athletes' social and familial contexts, and how these variables facilitate athletes’ neuroceptions of safety, which impact performance. A cultural neuropsychology of sport thereby concretely connects proximate and ultimate mechanisms.
Hurwitz-based stability criteria for bounded nonlinear time-varying systems

The stability and behavior of continuous-time nonlinear time-varying (NTV), nonlinear time-invariant (NTI) and linear time-varying (LTV) systems are generally very difficult to ascertain using current analytical tools. This paper presents sufficient conditions under which a NTV system with a bounded system matrix, A(t,X), is globally exponentially stable (GES). The continuous-time NTV system is modeled as an uncertain polytopic system even though A(t,X) may be reasonably known. It is shown that if all polytope-vertex matrices are Hurwitz, then the system is GES. Also, a method for determining the boundary estimate of a NTV system state-trajectory norm is developed. Presented is a unified stability analysis approach for a large class of NTV, NTI, and LTV systems. Even for large systems, application of the GES theorem presented is straight forward using readily available software and computational power. Examples are given that illustrate the application of the theorem offered.
Effects of hypoxia-reoxygenation on rat blood-brain barrier permeability and tight junctional protein expression

Cerebral microvessel endothelial cells that form the blood-brain barrier (BBB) have tight junctions (TJs) that are critical for maintaining brain homeostasis. The effects of initial reoxygenation after a hypoxic insult (H/R) on functional and molecular properties of the BBB and TJs remain unclear. In situ brain perfusion and Western blot analyses were performed to assess in vivo BBB integrity on reoxygenation after a hypoxic insult of 6% O2 for 1 h. Model conditions [blood pressure, blood gas chemistries, cerebral blood flow (CBF), and brain ATP concentration] were also assessed to ensure consistent levels and criteria for insult. In situ brain perfusion revealed that initial reoxygenation (10 min) significantly increased the uptake of [14C]sucrose into brain parenchyma. Capillary depletion and CBF analyses indicated the perturbations were due to increased paracellular permeability rather than vascular volume changes. Hypoxia with reoxygenation (10 min) produced an increase in BBB permeability with associated alterations in tight junctional protein expression. These results suggest that H/R leads to reorganization of TJs and increased paracellular diffusion at the BBB, which is not a result of increased CBF, vascular volume change, or endothelial uptake of marker. Additionally, the tight junctional protein occludin had a shift in bands that correlated with functional changes (i.e., increased permeability) without significant change in expression of claudin-3, zonula occludens-1, or actin. H/R-induced changes in the BBB may result in edema and/or associated pathological outcomes.
A case study to track teacher gestures and performance in a virtual learning environment

As part of normal interpersonal communication, people send and receive messages with their body, especially with their hands. Gestures play an important role in teacher-student classroom interactions. In the domain of education, many research projects have focused on the study of such gestures either in real classrooms or in tutorial settings with experienced teachers. Novice teachers especially need to understand the messages they are sending through nonverbal communication as this can have a major effect on their ability to manage behaviors and deliver content. Such learning should optimally occur before experiencing the real classroom. To assist in this process, we have developed a virtual classroom environment- TeachLivE- and used it for teacher practice, reflection and assessment. This paper investigates the way teachers use gestures in the virtual classroom settings of TeachLivE. Biology and algebra teachers were evaluated in our study. Analysis of video recordings from real and virtual environment seems to indicate that algebra teachers gesture significantly more often than biology teachers. These results have implications for providing useful feedback to participant teachers.
Comparing and contrasting extreme stratospheric events, including their coupling to the tropospheric circulation

Recent work has emphasized the importance of stratosphere-troposphere coupling associated with extreme values of the polar vortex strength and stratospheric planetary wave heat flux during Northern Hemisphere winter. Here using ERA-Interim reanalysis data the evolution of the two types of events are compared. The life cycle of total (anomaly plus climatology) positive/negative heat flux events are associated with vertically deep high-latitude planetary wave structures and exhibit largely equal but opposite-signed impacts, including a net deceleration/acceleration of the polar vortex due to EP flux convergence/divergence and an equatorward/poleward tropospheric jet shift in the North Atlantic. The tropospheric wave pattern is westward propagating. High-latitude stratospheric vertical zonal wind shear plays a key role during both events. A comparison of the stratospheric events reveals that planetary wave events contribute to the development of vortex events. In particular, total negative heat flux events precede strong vortex events showing that strong vortex events represent true dynamical events involving significant wave-mean flow interaction. Coupling with the North Atlantic jet occurs preceding vortex events when wave-1 dominates the total eddy heat flux in the lower stratosphere since interference with wave-2 makes the impacts less clear. The tropospheric impacts in the North Atlantic associated with planetary wave events are found to be comparable if not larger than those following vortex events.
Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) and the Professional Identity of the Dual Degrees Student

Abstract Students in dual degree programs have an additional task of negotiating dual professional identities. While students do this somewhat successfully, it seems they do it without any deliberate or systematic help from either their divinity or social work curricula. This article suggests that the divinity requirement for Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) can serve as an integrating element of the curriculum and examines perceived identity blocks that may make this possible.
SET(BP1)‐ing the stage for a better understanding of Schinzel—Giedion syndrome

De novo mutations of SETBP1 cause Schinzel–Giedion syndrome Hoischen et al. (2010) Nature Genetics 42: 483–485
Control of Nonholonomic Mobile Robot Formations Using Neural Networks

In this paper the control of formations of multiple nonholonomic mobile robots is attempted by integrating a kinematic controller with a neural network (NN) computed-torque controller. A combined kinematic/torque control law is developed for leader-follower based formation control using backstepping in order to accommodate the dynamics of the robots and the formation in contrast with kinematic-based formation controllers. The NN is introduced to approximate the dynamics of the follower as well as its leader using online weight tuning. It is shown using Lyapunov theory that the errors for the entire formation are uniformly ultimately bounded, and numerical results are provided.
Ca2+-dependent Muscle Dysfunction Caused by Mutation of the Caenorhabditis elegans Troponin T-1 Gene

We have investigated the functions of troponin T (CeTnT-1) in Caenorhabditis elegans embryonic body wall muscle. TnT tethers troponin I (TnI) and troponin C (TnC) to the thin filament via tropomyosin (Tm), and TnT/Tm regulates the activation and inhibition of myosin-actin interaction in response to changes in intracellular [Ca2+]. Loss of CeTnT-1 function causes aberrant muscle trembling and tearing of muscle cells from their exoskeletal attachment sites (Myers, C.D., P.-Y. Goh, T. StC. Allen, E.A. Bucher, and T. Bogaert. 1996. J. Cell Biol. 132:1061-1077). We hypothesized that muscle tearing is a consequence of excessive force generation resulting from defective tethering of Tn complex proteins. Biochemical studies suggest that such defective tethering would result in either (a) Ca2+-independent activation, due to lack of Tn complex binding and consequent lack of inhibition, or (b) delayed reestablishment of TnI/TnC binding to the thin filament after Ca2+ activation and consequent abnormal duration of force. Analyses of animals doubly mutant for CeTnT-1 and for genes required for Ca2+ signaling support that CeTnT-1 phenotypes are dependent on Ca2+ signaling, thus supporting the second model and providing new in vivo evidence that full inhibition of thin filaments in low [Ca2+] does not require TnT.
Genetically determined hypercholesterolemia in a rhesus monkey family due to a deficiency of the LDL receptor

A family of rhesus monkeys comprising a sire, a dam, and four male offspring were fed a cholesterol-free Purina Chow diet for several months. The sire, 431-J, and two of the offspring, B-8204 and B-8806, had persistent plasma cholesterol levels in the range of 100-130 mg/dl, whereas the dam, 766-I, and the two other offspring, B-1000 and B-7643, exhibited a marked hypercholesterolemia in the 250-300 mg/dl range associated with an elevation of plasma LDL and apoB. When fed for 12 weeks a diet containing 12.5% lard and 0.25% cholesterol, sire, dam, B-1000 and B-7643 exhibited a marked hypercholesterolemia (500-800 mg/dl range), whereas B-8204 and B-8806 developed only a modest hypercholesterolemia (200-250 mg/dl). All animals were Lp[a]+. Skin fibroblasts from each animal and from control cells were grown in 10% fetal calf serum, transferred to 10% lipoprotein-deficient serum for 48 hr, and then incubated at 4 degrees C or 37 degrees C with 125I-labeled Lp[a]-free LDL. The fibroblasts from dam and offspring B-1000 and B-7643 bound and internalized 125I-labeled LDL less efficiently than control cells. Mathematical analyses of the 4 degrees C binding data indicated that there were no significant differences in LDL binding affinity between test and control cells suggesting that cells from the animals with a spontaneous hypercholesterolemia had a decreased number of LDL receptors. This conclusion was supported by the results of ligand and immunoblot analyses carried out on cell lysates separated by gradient gel electrophoresis. We conclude that a genetically determined LDL receptor deficiency was responsible, in part, for the spontaneous hypercholesterolemia observed in three out of the six family members and that this deficiency accounted for the hyperresponsiveness to a dietary fat and cholesterol challenge by the dam and the two offspring, B-1000 and B-7643. The hyperresponsiveness noted in the sire that had no evidence for LDL-receptor deficiency illustrates that factors other than the LDL receptor were responsible for the hypercholesterolemia attending the fat challenge.
A novel chipless RFID-based stretchable and wearable hand gesture sensor

The continuous monitoring of hand gestures is a very challenging application due to the demanding requirements for robustness, accuracy, efficiency and cost effectiveness. Although several vision-based gesture sensors have made good progress in human action recognition, the human hand is a smaller object with more dexterity and is more easily affected by segmentation errors. In this paper, we present a novel chipless RFID-based hand gesture sensor utilizing stretchable silicone-based electrically conductive adhesives (silo-ECAs) which effectively create a “smart-skin”. The hand sensor uses wearable multi-resonator spectral signatures to encode data and to provide a unique ID for every hand gesture.
Speaker Recognition and Diarization

This chapter contains sections titled: Introduction Common Approaches to Speaker Diarization and Recognition Speaker Diarization Speaker Recognition Conclusions References
Linear state feedback, quadratic weights, and closed loop eigenstructures

Equations are derived for the angles of general multivariable root loci and linear quadratic optimal root loci, including angles of departure and approach. The generalized eigenvalue problem is used to compute angles of approach. Equations are also derived to find the sensitivity of closed loop eigenvalue and the directional derivatives of closed loop eigenvectors. An equivalence class of quadratic weights that produce the same asymptotic eigenstructure is defined, a canonical element is defined, and an algorithm to find it is given. The behavior of the optimal root locus in the nonasymptotic region is shown to be different for quadratic weights with the same asymptotic properties. An algorithm is presented that can be used to select a feedback gain matrix for the linear state feedback problem which produces a specified asymptotic eigenstructure. Another algorithm is given to compute the asymptotic eigenstructure properties inherent in a given set of quadratic weights. Finally, it is shown that optimal root loci for nongeneric problems can be approximated by generic ones in the nonasymptotic region.
Whole-animal imaging of bacterial infection using endoscopic excitation of β-lactamase (BlaC)-specific fluorogenic probe

Tuberculosis (TB), caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb), remains one of the most frequent causes of death worldwide. The slow growth rate of Mtb limits progress toward understanding tuberculosis including diagnosis of infections and evaluating therapeutic efficacy. Development of near-infrared (NIR) β-lactamase (BlaC)-specific fluorogenic substrate has made a significant breakthrough in the whole-animal imaging to detect Mtb infection. The reporter enzyme fluorescence (REF) system using a BlaC-specific fluorogenic substrate has improved the detection sensitivity in whole-animal optical imaging down to ~104 colony forming units (CFU) of bacteria, about 100-fold improvement over recombinant strains. However, improvement of detection sensitivity is strongly needed for clinical diagnosis of early stage infection at greater tissue depth. In order to improve detection sensitivity, we have integrated a fiber-based microendoscpe into a whole-animal imaging system to transmit the excitation light from the fiber bundle to the fluorescent target directly and measure fluorescent level using BlaC-specific REF substrate in the mouse lung. REF substrate, CNIR800, was delivered via aerosol route to the pulmonary infected mice with M. bovis BCG strain at 24 hours post-infection and groups of mice were imaged at 1–4 hours post-administration of the substrate using the integrated imaging system. In this study we evaluated the kinetics of CNIR800 substrate using REF technology using the integrated imaging system. Integration of these technologies has great promise for improved detection sensitivity allowing pre-clinical imaging for evaluation of new therapeutic agents.
An Inquiry of the Friction Factor “Jump” Phenomenon in Hole-Pattern Seals

Experiments measuring the leakage rate through hole-pattern seals operating at high pressures of up to 8400 kPa reveal the presence of an abrupt variation in the friction factor (up to a factor of three) with change in the pressure difference across the seal. The measured pressure fluctuations suggest that this observation may, perhaps, be understood as a change in fluid instability modes across the cavities of the seal. A more detailed investigation via large eddy simulations (LES) suggest that the switching from shear layer instability mode to a wake instability mode, a phenomenon well known in fundamental studies of cavity flow (without a top bounding wall), is responsible for the observed variation.
Response to Letter Regarding Article “Chromosome 9p21 Haplotypes and Prognosis in White and Black Patients With Coronary Artery Disease”

We thank Dr Patel and colleagues for the very positive letter regarding our article on chromosome 9p21 and prognosis in patients with coronary artery disease.1 They observed findings similar to our data that the 9p21 locus (rs10757278) was not associated with risk of major adverse events in >2400 white patients, with a trend toward a protective effect. Patel et al suggested several potential explanations for why we did not observe an increased risk for the cardiovascular outcome with the widely reported risk allele for heart disease in 2 cohorts of patients with existing coronary artery disease. We agree that our cohort (mean age, 68.5 years) and theirs (mean age, 65 years) are older than most of the association studies of 9p21 and heart disease. According to a recent meta-analysis, 9p21 risk alleles are more strongly associated with incidence of heart disease in …
Chapter 2 – Structure, Synthesis, and Application of Nanoparticles

Nanoparticles, such as metals, carbon nanotubes (CNTs), polymers, and dendrimers, are structures having a diameter of 1–100 nm in at least one dimension. Metal nanoparticles include transition metal, paramagnetic, and porous/hollow nanoparticles. Metal nanoparticles are mostly colloids synthesized using a reductive technology, except for silica porous nanoparticles, which are synthesized using a seed-based technology. CNTs are one of the carbon allotropes generated by various physical and chemical (requiring metal catalysts) methods. Linear polymers are the oldest form of nanoparticles that can also be the starting material for synthesis of complex nanoparticles, such as dendrimers. DNA dendrimers are unique nanoparticles used in constructing biological sensors. Nanoparticles, despite their chemical differences, exhibit common size- and shape-dependent physical properties (a large surface area-to-volume ratio and quantum confinement) that are not found in the corresponding bulk materials. Therefore, to understand the physicochemical properties, beneficial effects, and toxicity of nanoparticles, it is important to understand their structure and mode of synthesis.