cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Evaluation of a selenium-based digital chest radiography system

Preliminary results are presented from an examination of a selenium based thoracic radiography system (Philips Thoravision). The system has been evaluated with four criteria: (1) systems repeatability, (2) digital linearity, (3) spatial resolution, and (4) scattered photon detection fractions. Phantoms were imaged at 120 kV. Repeatability was measured using a polystyrene phantom and evaluating the mean exposure value detected in a region of interest over a period of time. Digital linearity was examined by plotting the output digital value as a function of input exposure. Resolution was evaluated using a line pair phantom. To measure scatter fractions, an anthropomorphic phantom was exposed with a superimposed array of lead beam stops. Three configurations were examined: (1) the selenium system (including an air gap), (2) the system with an added 12:1 antiscatter grid, and (3) a photostimulable phosphor system (Philips PCR) for reference. For a 4 day interval, output varied less than 1%. Digital output of the system was linear with exposure (regression Rvalue of 0.998) over the range from 0.2 mR to 10 mR. The system resolved 2.5 line pair per mm. Resolution was comparable to phosphor plate systems. Scatter fractions were improved when a grid was included.© (1994) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Expression patterns of the cell adhesion molecule Nr-CAM during histogenesis of the chick nervous system.

Abstract Neuron-glia-related cell adhesion molecule (Nr-CAM) is a recently characterized cell adhesion molecule in the family of immunoglobulin-related molecules of which the neural cell adhesion molecule, N-CAM, is the prototype. Nr-CAM shares structural properties with another member of this family (neuron-glia CAM, Ng-CAM) and both molecules exhibit homophilic and heterophilic binding properties. To understand better the role of such molecules in development, we have examined the sites of synthesis and expression of Nr-CAM by means of in situ hybridization and immunohistochemistry. Both methods indicated that Nr-CAM is expressed only in the nervous system. The molecule was observed on neurons in both the peripheral and central nervous systems and on epithelial floor plate cells in the spinal cord, but it was absent in the germinal zones. The protein was present on perikarya, but was found preferentially on axonal tracts. As observed for messenger RNAs specifying other cell adhesion molecules, messenger RNA for Nr-CAM was localized in the perikarya. The temporal expression of Nr-CAM was correlated with various neural morphoregulatory events, including cell proliferation and migration, axonal outgrowth and myelination. The molecule was expressed during the onset of neurogenesis at embryonic day 3 in the floor plate epithelium, and then on postmitotic ventral horn motor neurons of the spinal cord. At later stages, it was expressed throughout the spinal cord but disappeared from the floor plate. In the cerebellum, Nr-CAM was found on granule and Purkinje neurons and afferent fibers. Both local and projection neurons in the optic tectum, as well as axonal pathways throughout the telencephalon, expressed Nr-CAM. In the peripheral nervous system, Nr-CAM was expressed strongly in sensory and autonomic ganglia and in the enteric nervous system. At the onset of myelination, there was a general decrease in staining for Nr-CAM protein in the central nervous system but not in the periphery. Comparison of the expression of Nr-CAM to that of the structurally related Ng-CAM showed considerable overlap in their distributions, although there were differences in the levels at which each CAM was observed in particular structures. For example, sympathetic ganglia stained more intensely for Nr-CAM protein than for Ng-CAM. This differential but co-distributed pattern is consistent with the idea that although similar cell adhesion molecules have independent binding specificities, they may have related functions that act synergistically in the development of the nervous system.
The ephrins and Eph receptors in angiogenesis.

Abstract Eph receptors are a unique family of receptor tyrosine kinases that play critical roles in embryonic patterning, neuronal targeting, vascular development and adult neovascularization. Engagement of Eph receptors by ephrin ligands mediates critical steps of angiogenesis, including juxtacrine cell–cell contacts, cell adhesion to extracellular matrix, and cell migration. Recent evidence from in vitro angiogenesis assays and analysis of mice deficient for one or more members of the Eph family establishes the role of Eph signaling in sprouting angiogenesis and blood vessel remodeling during vascular development. Furthermore, elevated expression of Eph receptors and ephrin ligands is associated with tumors and associated tumor vasculature, suggesting that Eph receptors and their ephrin ligands also play critical roles in tumor angiogenesis and tumor growth. This review will focus on the relevance of Eph receptor signaling in embryonic and adult neovascularization, and possible contributions to tumor growth and metastasis.
Anthropogenic and natural disturbance lead to differing patterns of gene flow in the Rocky Mountain tailed frog, Ascaphus montanus.

Understanding the influence of habitat alteration on population structure and persistence is critical for effective conservation strategies. Timber harvest and wildfire are two of the most prevalent disturbances across temperate forests, yet the long-term effects of these two forces on population connectivity have rarely been studied. We studied populations of the Rocky Mountain tailed frog (Ascaphus montanus) across landscapes that have experienced either timber harvest or broad scale fires. Rocky Mountain tailed frogs generally require forested habitat, and are a species of concern in managed forests. We used landscape genetic techniques to test the explanatory power of alternative paths of connectivity across both burned and harvested forests and identified topographical and climatic variables that significantly influenced gene flow. We found that timber harvest and fire led to different patterns of genetic connectivity. Widespread terrestrial gene flow was maintained across previously burned areas and connectivity was primarily limited by solar radiation. In contrast, gene flow among populations in managed forests followed riparian corridors, presumably to avoid the loss of cover due to timber harvest. Gene flow along riparian corridors in Rocky Mountain tailed frogs differs from a population of the closely related coastal tailed frog (Ascaphus truei), for which gene flow appears to occur primarily over land. These results suggest management of Rocky Mountain tailed frogs should focus on maintaining riparian buffer zones, which may be less effective for the coastal species. Thus, consideration of landscape differences is essential even for conservation of closely related, morphologically similar species.
Synthesis and Crystal Structure of the Two-Dimensional Coordination Polymer (Ph3Sn)3Fe(CN)6·H2O·2CH3CN

An aqueous solution of K3Fe(CN)6 reacts with an acetonitrile solution of Ph3SnCl to form the red layered polymeric compound (Ph3Sn)3Fe(CN)6·H2O·2CH3CN. The structure of the compound contains one semilinear chain and one zigzag chain. The zigzag sheets formed by those two chains are connected by hydrogen bonds. Channels formed by the chains are filled with phenyl rings on tin atoms and the acetonitrile solvent molecules.
Provenance analysis: Towards quality provenance

Data provenance, a key piece of metadata that describes the lifecycle of a data product, is crucial in aiding scientists to better understand and facilitate reproducibility and reuse of scientific results. Provenance collection systems often capture provenance on the fly and the protocol between application and provenance tool may not be reliable. As a result, data provenance can become ambiguous or simply inaccurate. In this paper, we identify likely quality issues in data provenance. We also establish crucial quality dimensions that are especially critical for the evaluation of provenance quality. We analyze synthetic and real-world provenance based on these quality dimensions and summarize our contributions to provenance quality.
Becoming: A Powerful Theory

The article presents a review of the book “Becoming: A Powerful Theory,” by Gordon Allport.
General, μ and κ opioid antagonists in the nucleus accumbens alter food intake under deprivation, glucoprivic and palatable conditions

Abstract Ventricular microinjection studies found that whereas μ (β-funaltrexamine, B-FNA), μ1 (naloxonazine) and κ (nor-binaltorphamine, Nor-BNI) opioid receptor antagonists, but not δ antagonists, reduce deprivation-induced intake, κ and μ, but not μ1 or δ antagonists reduce both 2-deoxy- d -glucose (2DG) hyperphagia and sucrose intake. Since opioid agonists stimulate spontaneous food intake in the accumbens, the present study examined whether administration of either naltrexone, B-FNA or Nor-BNI in the accumbens altered intake under deprivation (24 h), glucoprivic (2DG: 500 mg/kg, i.p.) or palatable sucrose (10%) conditions. Naloxonazine's effects in the accumbens were also evaluated for deprivation-induced intake. Deprivation-induced intake was significantly decreased over 4 h by naltrexone (5–20 μg, 44%), B-FNA (1–4 μg, 55%) and Nor-BNI (4 μg, 31%), but not naloxonazine (10 μg) in the accumbens. 2DG hyperphagia was significantly decreased by naltrexone (10–20 μg, 79%), B-FNA (1–4 μg, 100%) and Nor-BNI (1–4 μg, 75%) in the accumbens. Sucrose intake was significantly decreased by naltrexone (50 μg, 27%) and B-FNA (1–4 μg, 37%), but not Nor-BNI in the accumbens. These data suggest that μ receptors, and particularly the μ2 binding site in the accumbens are responsile for the opioid modulation of these forms of intake in this nucleus, and that this control may be acting upon the amount of intake per se.
Uncoupling protein expression in skeletal muscle and adipose tissue in response to in vivo porcine somatotropin treatment

Abstract These experiments examined the potential roles of somatropin (pST) and IGF-I in the regulation of uncoupling protein (UCP)2 and UCP3 and their regulatory proteins peroxisome proliferator activated receptor (PPAR) α, γ and δ using in vivo pST treatment of swine and in vitro supplementation of pST or IGF-I to adipose slices. Six, 90 kg barrows were treated with recombinant pST (10 mg) for 2 week while another six pigs were injected with buffer. Total RNA from outer subcutaneous adipose (OSQ) and middle subcutaneous adipose (MSQ) tissues, leaf fat, liver and longissimus (LM) was amplified by reverse transcription-PCR with quantification of transcripts by capillary electrophoresis with laser-induced fluorescence detection. UCP2 mRNA abundance increased in liver ( P P P P P P P In vitro , pST reduced UCP2 mRNA abundance in OSQ and MSQ tissue slices ( P P P P
Compressor Erosion and Performance Deterioration

Aircraft engines operating in areas where the atmosphere is polluted by small solid particles are typical examples of jet engines operating under hostile atmospheric environment. The particles may be different kinds of sand, volcanic ashes or others. Under these conditions, the gas and particles experience different degrees of turning as they flow through the engine. This is mainly due to the difference in their inertia. This paper presents the results of an investigation of the solid particle dynamics through a helicopter engine with inlet particle separator. The particle trajectories are computed in the inlet separator which is characterized by considerable hub and tip contouring and radial variation in the swirling vane shape. The nonseparated particle trajectories are determined through the deswirling vanes and the five stage axial flow compressor. The results from this study include the frequency of particle impacts and the erosion distribution on the blade surfaces.
Transcriptional Networks in Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition

Backround Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) changes polarized epithelial cells into migratory phenotypes associated with loss of cell-cell adhesion molecules and cytoskeletal rearrangements. This form of plasticity is seen in mesodermal development, fibroblast formation, and cancer metastasis. Methods and Findings Here we identify prominent transcriptional networks active during three time points of this transitional process, as epithelial cells become fibroblasts. DNA microarray in cultured epithelia undergoing EMT, validated in vivo, were used to detect various patterns of gene expression. In particular, the promoter sequences of differentially expressed genes and their transcription factors were analyzed to identify potential binding sites and partners. The four most frequent cis-regulatory elements (CREs) in up-regulated genes were SRY, FTS-1, Evi-1, and GC-Box, and RNA inhibition of the four transcription factors, Atf2, Klf10, Sox11, and SP1, most frequently binding these CREs, establish their importance in the initiation and propagation of EMT. Oligonucleotides that block the most frequent CREs restrain EMT at early and intermediate stages through apoptosis of the cells. Conclusions Our results identify new transcriptional interactions with high frequency CREs that modulate the stability of cellular plasticity, and may serve as targets for modulating these transitional states in fibroblasts.
Instabilities and ductility of nanocrystalline and ultrafine-grained metals

Abstract High-strength nanocrystalline (nc) and ultrafine-grained (ufg) metals often show much reduced room-temperature tensile ductility compared with their coarse-grained counterparts. We discuss the various plastic and/or failure instabilities the nc and ufg metals are susceptible to, and present strategies to enhance the ductility, especially in terms of improving the uniform tensile strain.
Psychotherapy versus Voice Therapy for a Child with a Deviant Voice, a Case Study

A case study is presented of a boy, age 10–11, who had a “severe voice problem” characterized by hoarseness, stridency, tension, low pitch and the presence of vocal cord nodules. He proved resistiv...
Comparison of endoscopy and sonography findings in dogs and cats with histologically confirmed gastric neoplasia.

OBJECTIVE To compare sonographic and endoscopic findings in a group of dogs and cats with histologically confirmed gastric neoplasia. METHODS Retrospective analysis of cases with concurrent abdominal ultrasound and endoscopy to evaluate the presence of gastric wall abnormalities, location and tumour appearance between the two examinations. Sonographic findings of the small intestines, liver, spleen and lymph nodes were recorded. Comparison of the findings from each test and assessment of predictive characteristics for neoplasia was evaluated. RESULTS In total 17 dogs and 5 cats were included, Sonography identified 50% and endoscopy identified 95% of all gastric neoplasms. Lymphoma was the most commonly missed tumour by sonography. There was sonographic and endoscopic tumour location agreement in 36% of cases (Cohen's kappa = 0 · 25). Animals with sonographically normal small intestines had a statistically greater probability of gastric neoplasia (P = 0 · 035). All cats had lymphoma (P < 0 · 001). CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE Sonography and endoscopy are useful for the diagnosis of gastric neoplasia. Endoscopy is more accurate in identifying gastric neoplasia; however, sonography can raise the clinical suspicion for gastric neoplasia and may provide a less invasive means of gathering information before endoscopy. Intraluminal gastric gas or fluid may limit diagnostic capabilities of sonographic evaluation.
Birthdate and Outgrowth Timing Predict Cellular Mechanisms of Axon Target Matching in the Developing Visual Pathway

How axons select their appropriate targets in the brain remains poorly understood. Here, we explore the cellular mechanisms of axon target matching in the developing visual system by comparing four transgenic mouse lines, each with a different population of genetically labeled retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) that connect to unique combinations of brain targets. We find that the time when an RGC axon arrives in the brain is correlated with its target selection strategy. Early-born, early-arriving RGC axons initially innervate multiple targets. Subsequently, most of those connections are removed. By contrast, later-born, later-arriving RGC axons are highly accurate in their initial target choices. These data reveal the diversity of cellular mechanisms that mammalian CNS axons use to pick their targets and highlight the key role of birthdate and outgrowth timing in influencing this precision. Timing-based mechanisms may underlie the assembly of the other sensory pathways and complex neural circuitry in the brain.
The Lie Algebra of Homeomorphisms of the Circle

We define and study an infinite-dimensional Lie algebrahomeo+which is shown to be naturally associated to thetopologicalLie grouphomeo+of all orientation-preserving homeomorphisms of the circle. Roughly, we rely on the universal decorated Teichmuller theory developed before as motivation to provide Frechet coordinates on the homogeneous space given byhomeo+modulo the group of real fractional linear transformations, whose corresponding vector fields on the circle we then extend by the usual Lie algebrasl2of real traceless two-by-two matrices in order to definehomeo+. Surprisingly,homeo+turns out to be equal to the algebra of all vector fields on the circle which are “piecewisesl2” in the obvious sense. It is evidently important to consider the relationship between our new Frechet coordinates and the usual trigonometric functions on the circle, and we undertake here both natural infinitesimal calculations. We finally apply some further previous work in order to give sufficient conditions on the Fourier coefficients of a certain class of homeomorphisms of the circle which arises naturally in topology and number theory.
Black male athlete activism and the link to Michael Jordan: A transformational leadership and social cognitive theory analysis

Have you ever thought about the potentialities coming about if Michael Jordan chose to emulate previous figures such as Muhammad Ali, John Carlos, and Tommie Smith regarding social activism? Michae...
Automated Analysis of Fluorescent in situ Hybridization (FISH) Labeled Genetic Biomarkers in Assisting Cervical Cancer Diagnosis

The numerical and/or structural deviation of some chromosomes (i.e., monosomy and polysomy of chromosomes 3 and X) are routinely used as positive genetic biomarkers to diagnose cervical cancer and predict the disease progression. Among the available diagnostic methods to analyze the aneusomy of chromosomes 3 and X, fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) technology has demonstrated significant advantages in assisting clinicians to more accurately detect and diagnose cervical carcinoma at an early stage, in particular for the women at a high risk for progression of low-grade and high-grade squamous intra-epithelium lesions (LSIL and HSIL). In order to increase the diagnostic accuracy, consistency, and efficiency from that of manual FISH analysis, this study aims to develop and test an automated FISH analysis method that includes a two-stage scheme. In the first stage, an interactive multiple-threshold algorithm is utilized to segment potential interphase nuclei candidates distributed in different intensity levels and a rule-based classifier is implemented to identify analyzable interphase cells. In the second stage, FISH labeled biomarker spots of chromosomes 3 and X are segmented by a top-hat transform. The independent FISH spots are then detected by a knowledge-based classifier, which enables recognition of the splitting and stringy FISH signals. Finally, the ratio of abnormal interphase cells with numerical changes of chromosomes 3 and X is calculated to detect positive cases. The experimental results of four test cases showed high agreement of FISH analysis results between the automated scheme and the cytogeneticist’s analysis including 92.7% to 98.7% agreement in cell segmentation and 4.4% to 11.0% difference in cell classification. This preliminary study demonstrates that the feasibility of potentially applying the automatic FISH analysis method to expedite the screening and detecting cervical cancer at an early stage.
Apical ballooning "tako-tsubo" syndrome associated with transient left ventricular outflow tract obstruction.

A 72-year-old female without prior cardiovascular history presented with intermittent crushing chest pain associated with diaphoresis and weakness for 2 days prior to admission. An electrocardiogram (EKG) revealed ST segment elevation across the anterior precordial leads (Fig. 1). On initial examination, the patient was hypotensive (88/40 mmHg) and tachycardic (110 bpm) with a grade III/VI harsh systolic murmur along the left sternal border. An initial troponin level of 0.36 ng/dL (reference range of 0.0–0.1 ng/dL) was noted. Transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) revealed a dilated and akinetic left ventricular (LV) apex. Compensatory hyperkinesis of basal LV segments with associated systolic anterior motion (SAM) of the mitral valve was noted (Fig. 2 and Video Clip). A dynamic LV outflow tract (LVOT) gradient by continuous wave Doppler (CW) was 90 mmHg. The patient was taken emergently to the cardiac catheterization laboratory where coronary arteriography revealed minimal luminal irregularities. Left ventriculography was not performed. Based on TTE findings along with the absence of significant epicardial coronary disease, a diagnosis of apical ballooning “takotsubo” syndrome (ABS) was made. The patient was treated with fluids and beta blockers; and within 24 hours the murmur re-
Effect of phosphate and non-phosphate buffers on thermolability of unstable haemoglobins.

A GROUP of hereditary non-spherocytic anaemias have been shown to be associated with unstable haemoglobins through the application of a simple screening test for thermolability involving incubation of haemolysate at 50° C in phosphate buffer (pH 6.5–7.4; 0.1 M)1–3. Unstable haemoglobins form a precipitate within a few hours but normal haemoglobin remains in solution. We have encountered two families with this type of anaemia whose haemoglobins demonstrated little or no precipitate in these conditions, but formed copious precipitate in the presence of non-phosphate buffers—observations which led us to wonder whether the recently described effects of phosphates on the oxygen-binding properties of haemoglobin4–7 might not also modify the heat stability of the molecule.
Maternal Recasts and Other Contingent Replies to Language-Impaired Children

Mothers' recasts and other contingent replies to their children's utterances were examined in two groups of mother-child dyads. In one group there were 14 dyads that contained language-impaired children; in the other there were 14 dyads that contained non-language-impaired children. Results indicated that mothers' overall use of recasts, as well as other contingent replies, was highly similar for the two groups, except that complex recasts were used more often by the mothers of non-language-impaired children. Differences in discourse functions were also observed. Mothers of language-impaired children used recasts less often than mothers of non-language-impaired children to respond to, or request clarification of, their children's utterances. Further, they more often used such replies to serve the functions of information requests, assertion, or direction. Recasts were also found to vary in relation to observed differences in children's intelligibility and in contrasting patterns of dialogue initiation for the two kinds of dyads.
Data augmentation algorithms for detecting conserved domains in protein sequences: a comparative study.

Protein conserved domains are distinct units of molecular structure, usually associated with particular aspects of molecular function such as catalysis or binding. These conserved subsequences are often unobserved and thus in need of detection. Motif discovery methods can be used to find these unobserved domains given a set of sequences. This paper presents the data augmentation (DA) framework that unifies a suite of motif-finding algorithms through maximizing the same likelihood function by imputing the unobserved data. The data augmentation refers to those methods that formulate iterative optimization by exploiting the unobserved data. Two categories of maximum likelihood based motif-finding algorithms are illustrated under the DA framework. The first is the deterministic algorithms that are to maximize the likelihood function by performing an iteratively optimal local search in the alignment space. The second is the stochastic algorithms that are to iteratively draw motif location samples via Monte Car...
Accelerator mass spectrometry at ATLAS

Abstract The special conditions required to run AMS experiments at a large heavy-ion accelerator such as ATLAS are discussed. Operational schemes for the current tandem-linac combination and their application to measurements of the long-lived radioisotopes 41 Ca, 60 Fe and 126 Sn are described. A brief outlook of future possibilities for AMS experiments with the new positive ion injector of ATLAS is presented.
Role of visual experience in postcritical-period reversal of effects of monocular deprivation in cat striate cortex.

We reported previously that the effects of monocular deprivation on cat striate cortex cells can be partially reversed after the critical period by enucleation of the experienced eye (Kratz et al., '76). The enucleation resulted in a rapid (less than 12 hours) increase in the percent of cells which responded to the deprived eye; however, the receptive field properties of the responsive cells were abnormal. There was no change in this result if the animals were allowed to survive 3 to 16 months after the enucleation, during which the deprived eye remained closed. The present study investigated whether enucleation of the experienced eye extends the period of sensitivity during which connections from the deprived eye can be modified by visual experience. That is, we asked whether opening the deprived eye and allowing it normal visual experience after enucleation of the experienced eye would lead to a further increase in the percentage of responsive cells or produce a modification of receptive field properties. Using single-cell recording in striate cortex, comparisons were made between monocularly deprived control kittens (MD), kittens which had the experienced eye enucleated at four months of age while the deprived eye remained closed (MD-DE) or was opened (MD-DE-O) for an additional three to four months, and kittens which received reverse-suture at the same age and for the same duration (MD-RS). Kittens in both the MD-DE and MD-DE-O groups showed an increase in the percent of cells responsive to the deprived eye compared to MD control kittens, replicating our previous findings. However, there were no differences between the MD-DE and MD-DE-O groups either in terms of percent responsive cells or in the receptive field properties of those which responded. Reverse-suture also produced a significant, although variable, increase in the percent of cells responding to the initially deprived eye. However, this increase was significantly less than that produced by enucleation of the experienced eye in MD-DE and MD-DE-O animals. Among the cells responsive to the initially deprived eye in the reverse-suture animals, the receptive field properties remained abnormal. These results suggest that binocular interactions continue to play an active role in the effects of monocular deprivation after the previously defined critical period. However, reversal procedures such as suture or enucleation of the experienced eye do not extend the period in development during which cells in striate cortex can be modified by visual experience. Rather, they may simply release those cells already receiving anatomical connections from the deprived eye from a tonic inhibition mediated by the experienced eye.
Tetraalkyl titanium and zirconium metal chloride catalyst systems for ethylene polymerization

Coordination polymerization of olefins has become an industrially important, yet still poorly understood enterprise. The ethylene polymerization activity of (neophyl)nZrCl4-n shows a twentyfold increase from n = 4 to n = 3 and a further tenfold increase to n = 2. The heterogeneous MR4/TiCl4 catalysts (M = Ti, R = benzyl; M = Zr, R = benzyl, neophyl) have been developed. To explore the breadth of extendability, other metal chlorides (main group and transition metal) were substituted for TiCl4. Indeed, excess AlCl3 or MgCl2 and the MR4 compounds also produced ethylene polymerization catalysts. The inactivity of corresponding (neophyl)4Ti systems is attributed to sterics. The abovementioned catalysts highlight the necessity of alkyl and chloride ligands at the transition metal catalyst centers.
Enhanced E- and EAC-rosette formation by neuraminidase.

Abstract Pre-treatment by neuraminidase of lymphocytes obtained from peripheral blood of normal donors significantly enhanced E- and EAC-rosette formation. Of other lymphoid cells only spleen cells showed significant enhancement of E-rosettes. The EAC-rosettes slightly increased when the peripheral blood lymphocytes from patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia or chronic lymphocytic leukemia and MOLT-4 lymphoid cells were pre-treated with this enzyme. The EAC-rosettes were not increased by neuraminidase treatment of phytohemagglutinin-induced blasts, thymus cells or spleen cells. Pre-treatment of peripheral blood lymphocytes with neuraminidase also increased the proportion of stable E-rosettes resistant to incubation at 37° C and to vigorous shaking. Various concentrations of neuraminidase (1–100 U/ml) produced enhancement of E- and EAC-rosettes with the highest activity at 25 and 50 U/ml. Neuraminidase treatment of sheep red blood cells failed to increase the proportion of E-rosettes of peripheral blood lymphocytes. The increased rosette forming capacity induced by neuraminidase is probably related to changes in lymphocyte surface properties.
Pain and Anxiety during Interventional Radiologic Procedures: Effect of Patients' State Anxiety at Baseline and Modulation by Nonpharmacologic Analgesia Adjuncts

PURPOSE To assess how patients' underlying anxiety affects their experience of distress, use of resources, and responsiveness toward nonpharmacologic analgesia adjunct therapies during invasive procedures. MATERIALS AND METHODS Two hundred thirty-six patients undergoing vascular and renal interventions, who had been randomized to receive during standard care treatment, structured empathic attention, or self-hypnotic relaxation, were divided into two groups: those with low state anxiety scores on the State–Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI, scores n = 116) and those with high state anxiety scores (≥ 43; n = 120). All had access to patient controlled analgesia with fentanyl and midazolam. Every 15 minutes during the procedure, patients rated their anxiety and pain on a scale of 0–10 (0, no pain/anxiety at all; 10, worst possible pain/anxiety). Effects were assessed by analysis of variance and repeated-measures analysis. RESULTS Patients with high state anxiety levels required significantly greater procedure time and medication. Empathic attention as well as hypnosis treatment reduced procedure time and medication use for all patients. These nonpharmacologic analgesia adjunct treatments also provided significantly better pain control than standard care for patients with low anxiety levels. Anxiety decreased over the time of the procedure; patients with high state anxiety levels experienced the most significant decreases in anxiety with nonpharmacologic adjuncts whereas patients with low state anxiety levels coped relatively well under all conditions. CONCLUSION Patients' state anxiety level is a predictor of trends in procedural pain and anxiety, need for medication, and procedure duration. Low and high state anxiety groups profit from the use of nonpharmacologic analgesia adjuncts but those with high state anxiety levels have the most to gain.
Big bang nucleosynthesis

Abstract We present an overview of the standard model of big bang nucleosynthesis (BBN), which describes the production of the light elements in the early universe. The theoretical prediction for the abundances of D, 3He, 4He, and 7Li is discussed. We emphasize the role of key nuclear reactions and the methods by which experimental cross section uncertainties are propagated into uncertainties in the predicted abundances. The observational determination of the light nuclides is also discussed. Particular attention is given to the comparison between the predicted and observed abundances, which yields a measurement of the cosmic baryon content. The spectrum of anisotropies in the cosmic microwave background (CMB) now independently measures the baryon density to high precision; we show how the CMB data test BBN, and find that the CMB and the D and 4He observations paint a consistent picture. This concordance stands as a major success of the hot big bang. On the other hand, 7Li remains discrepant with the CMB-preferred baryon density; possible explanations are reviewed. Finally, moving beyond the standard model, primordial nucleosynthesis constraints on early universe and particle physics are also briefly discussed.
Stability of landscape perceptions in the face of landscape change

Abstract The study of landscape perceptions is a sufficiently new field that changes in perceptions over time have not yet been investigated. This paper reports the initial results of such a study. It investigates a town on Cape Cod, Massachusetts that experienced substantial conversion of forest to residential land-use over a decade. Citizens' perceptions of landscape classes and scenic value at the beginning and end of this period are measured. Substantial stability is found in these perceptions.
A Dynamic Neuro-Fuzzy Model Providing Bio-State Estimation and Prognosis Prediction for Wearable Intelligent Assistants

Background Intelligent management of wearable applications in rehabilitation requires an understanding of the current context, which is constantly changing over the rehabilitation process because of changes in the person's status and environment. This paper presents a dynamic recurrent neuro-fuzzy system that implements expert-and evidence-based reasoning. It is intended to provide context-awareness for wearable intelligent agents/assistants (WIAs).
Study on Development of High Performance Shoes with Human Compatibility

In recent years, accidents of bone fracture with elderly people increase because of tendency to fall by a little step in a house. As one of this cause, it is considered that the center of gravity position with foot parts is changed. Therefore, in order to solve this problem, we propose a new type of shoes with high performance by making use of compound rubber element. The rubber element can estimate an external force by measurement of pressure in the actuator. Thus, when the rubber element is used in the insole of the shoes, it is possible to estimate distribution of the external forces with foot parts. Further, the rubber element can control stiffness by adjusting of inner pressure. Therefore, the insole can adjust the center of gravity position of the foot part. In this paper, the mechanism of the proposed shoes is explained and basic performances of the proposed mechanism are clarified through some experimental results.
Role of pediatric health care professionals in the provision of parenting advice: a qualitative study with mothers from 4 minority ethnocultural groups.

OBJECTIVE. This study9s aim was to elicit the perspectives of minority parents on their expectations of pediatric health care providers as a source of advice on “raising their child” and whether they would seek advice from these providers. A secondary aim was to demonstrate the value of qualitative methods for assessing parental attitudes in pediatric research. METHODS. Mothers with children between 3 and 12 years of age who identified themselves as African American, Jamaican, Haitian, or Puerto Rican were recruited from community sites. Audiotaped focus groups were conducted by trained moderators using an interview guide, to obtain the perspectives of the participants regarding the role of pediatric providers in the provision of parenting advice. RESULTS. Ninety-one mothers participated in a total of 20 focus groups, with 4 to 6 discussions per ethnocultural group. The focus groups revealed that, in general, parents do not look to child health care providers for advice on raising their children. The identified themes emphasized the importance of the relationship between providers and families. A few parents had the type of relationship within which the pediatrician already functioned as a provider of parenting advice. Physicians were considered skilled in the maintenance of physical health. The parents expressed a desire to receive more anticipatory guidance on developmental and behavioral stages and milestones. Pediatricians also served specific administrative functions valued by parents. CONCLUSIONS. Minority parents of preschool-aged and school-aged children do not view the primary care provider9s role as including the provision of parenting advice. Expectations must be modified to enable health care professionals to function effectively in the role of advisor regarding parenting issues.
Virulence factor–activity relationships (VFAR) with specific emphasis on Aeromonas species (spp.)

The human population most commonly inflicted with Aeromonas infection includes young children, the elderly and immunocompromised individuals. Importantly, the isolation rate of Aeromonas species from children suffering from diarrhea is similar in developing and developed countries. It is becoming clear that only a small subset of Aeromonas species belonging to a particular hybridization group causes disease in humans. Human infections with this pathogen occur by consuming contaminated food and water. Aeromonas species were isolated from wounds of patients during the tsunami in southern Thailand. Further, increased numbers of this pathogen were recovered from floodwater samples during Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans. Among various species of Aeromonas, A. hydrophila, A. caviae and A. veronii biovar sobria are mainly responsible for causing disease in humans. Our laboratory has isolated various virulence factors from a diarrheal isolate SSU of A. hydrophila and molecularly characterized them. In addition to various virulence factors produced by Aeromonas species, the status of the immune system plays an important role in inducing disease by this pathogen in the host. Taken together, we have made significant advances in better understanding the pathogenesis of Aeromonas infections, which will help in differentiating pathogenic from non-pathogenic aeromonads. This review covers virulence aspects of a clinical isolate of A. hydrophila.
Development of a Simulation Model to Analyze the Effect of Thermal Management on Battery Life

Battery life and performance depend strongly on temperature; thus there exists a need for thermal conditioning in plug-in vehicle applications. The effectiveness of thermal management in extending battery life depends on the design of thermal management used as well as the specific battery chemistry, cell and pack design, vehicle system characteristics, and operating conditions. We examine the case of an air cooled plug-in hybrid electric vehicle battery pack with cylindrical LiFePO4/graphite cell design and address the question: How much improvement in battery life can be obtained with passive air cooling? To answer this question, a model is constructed consisting of a thermal model that calculates temperature change in the battery and a degradation model that estimates capacity loss. A driving and storage profile is constructed and simulated in two cities Miami and Phoenix - which have different seasonal temperatures. The results suggest that air cooling may extend battery life by 5% in Miami, characterized by higher average temperatures, and by 23% in Phoenix, characterized by higher peak temperatures. Thus, thermal management appears to have the greatest effect in regions with high peak temperatures, even if the region has lower average temperatures.
Development testing of zinc/bromine batteries

The zinc/bromine battery is a relatively high energy density system with the potential for bulk energy storage at a low cost. A new design that uses a thermal welding technique to achieve a hermetically sealed battery stack is described. Electrodes in the design are based on polyethylene, instead of polypropylene, since the latter was more susceptible to expansion and warpage in the presence of bromine. Embedded glass fibers are also used to increase the tensile modulus of the electrodes in the new design. Improved separators and improved electrolyte flow distribution within the battery stack have reduced the amount of self-discharge compared to earlier batteries. Specific properties of the batteries were measured by different kinds of tests in the laboratory. The initial test given to each battery was a set of constant current cycles to determine the fundamental operating characteristics. These test results served as a baseline for comparison after other tests were completed. >
Three phase linear permanent magnet energy scavenger based on foot horizontal motion

Energy scavenging from human body motion is gaining more attention. Most of research in energy harvesting from foot motion has focused on heel strike and foot vertical motion. This paper presents a linear electric machine topology and power electronic converter for energy harvesting from horizontal foot movement. Micro level aspect of the whole system makes generator topology unconventional. Therefore, design methodology comprises numerical and analytical modelling. Numerical analysis is based on comprehensive three dimensional finite element analysis (FEA), which provides possibilities for inclusive optimizations presented in this paper. Final results demonstrate that the proposed generator topology is a promising candidate for energy scavenging applications from human foot motion.
Timing of kernel development in water-stressed maize: water potentials and abscisic acid concentrations.

It is plausible that the amount of ABA accumulated in kernels at the early stage may depend on the water status of maternal tissues. According to this hypothesis, imposition of water stress during this period of grain development would increase endogenous ABA concentration in kernel tissues, which may hasten the onset of storage product accumulation. To test this hypothesis, we sought to determine the extent to which ABA accumulates in maize kernel tissues during an imposed water stress, the origin of stress-induced ABA in kernels and the relationship of endogenous ABA concentration in kernel tissues of water-stressed plants and the onset of the storage-product accumulation phase.
Vodú Chic: Haitian Religion and the Folkloric Imaginary in Socialist Cuba

During the first three decades of the twentieth century, hundreds of thousands of Haitian agricultural laborers arrived in Cuba seeking employment in the expanding sugar industry. Historically, Haitian cane cutters were marginal and occupied the lowest socio-economic status in Cuban society. Until relatively recently, the maintenance of Haitian spiritual beliefs, music, dance, and language in Cuba were associated with rural isolation and poverty. Today however, the continuation of Haitian customs is no longer linked with isolation, but exactly the opposite: performance troupes, heritage festivals, art exhibitions, the circulation of religious specialists, collaborations with research centers and academia, endorsement by music promoters, and the tourism industry. Cubans of Haitian heritage have found innovative ways to transform the abject into the exotic, and are currently gaining a public voice in cultural production, particularly through folkloric performance.
Fetal plasma insulin and thyroid hormone levels during acute in utero ethanol exposure in a maternal-fetal sheep model

The effects of acute in utero ethanol (ETOH) treatment on basal and stimulated thyroid and insulin levels in fetal plasma were studied in chronically cannulated fetal sheep. In test situations, pregnant ewes (0.78–0.88 gestation) which were chronically cannulated received 2 g/kg ETOH [25% (vol/vol) in isotonic saline] for 2 h; this was followed by a maintenance iv infusion of 0.13 g/kg ETOH. Control animals received isovolemic infusions of isotonic saline. Fetal arterial plasma samples were obtained after the 2-h infusion, and basal levels of T3, T4, glucose, and insulin were measured. The 2-h ETOH infusion did not influence fetal basal plasma T3, T4, insulin, or glucose. Fetal thyroid responses to an intraarterial injection of 0.01,0.10,1.00, or 10.00 μg/kg TRH or of 5 mU/kg TSH through the fetal catheters were studied in the presence or absence of high plasma ETOH concentrations. Fetal T4 or T3 levels during the 4 h following any of these stimuli were not significantly different in ethanol-treated and c...
A Unique Mouse Strain That Develops Spontaneous, Iodine-Accelerated, Pathogenic Antibodies to the Human Thyrotrophin Receptor

Abs that stimulate the thyrotropin receptor (TSHR), the cause of Graves' hyperthyroidism, only develop in humans. TSHR Abs can be induced in mice by immunization, but studying pathogenesis and therapeutic intervention requires a model without immunization. Spontaneous, iodine-accelerated, thyroid autoimmunity develops in NOD.H2(h4) mice associated with thyroglobulin and thyroid-peroxidase, but not TSHR, Abs. We hypothesized that transferring the human TSHR A-subunit to NOD.H2(h4) mice would result in loss of tolerance to this protein. BALB/c human TSHR A-subunit mice were bred to NOD.H2(h4) mice, and transgenic offspring were repeatedly backcrossed to NOD.H2(h4) mice. All offspring developed Abs to thyroglobulin and thyroid-peroxidase. However, only TSHR-transgenic NOD.H2(h4) mice (TSHR/NOD.H2(h4)) developed pathogenic TSHR Abs as detected using clinical Graves' disease assays. As in humans, TSHR/NOD.H2(h4) female mice were more prone than male mice to developing pathogenic TSHR Abs. Fortunately, in view of the confounding effect of excess thyroid hormone on immune responses, spontaneously arising pathogenic human TSHR Abs cross-react poorly with the mouse TSHR and do not cause thyrotoxicosis. In summary, the TSHR/NOD.H2(h4) mouse strain develops spontaneous, iodine-accelerated, pathogenic TSHR Abs in female mice, providing a unique model to investigate disease pathogenesis and test novel TSHR Ag-specific immunotherapies aimed at curing Graves' disease in humans.
Anorexia Nervosa as a Disorder of Emotion Dysregulation: Evidence and Treatment Implications

[Clin Psychol Sci Prac 18: 183–202, 2011] Successful treatment for anorexia nervosa (AN) has been elusive, and the disorder remains poorly understood. Emotion dysregulation is a mechanism that recent evidence suggests may underlie many psychological disorders. However, research and treatment with the AN population have neither focused on the role of emotions in the development and maintenance of the disorder nor aimed therapeutic interventions toward improving emotion regulation abilities. In this article, the utility of applying a focus on emotion dysregulation to the theoretical understanding of AN is explicated. Evidence is reviewed that supports application of a transactional model of emotion regulation to the understanding of AN, and a model is described that is consistent with the available data. Important treatment implications and future research directions are discussed.