cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Probing the Primate Visual Cortex: Pathways and Perspectives

Most primates are highly visual creatures, capable of a wide variety of difficult tasks that must be carried out in a complex visual environment. It is therefore hardly surprising that a very large expanse of cerebral cortex is devoted to analyzing and interpreting the relatively raw messages transmitted from the retina. Over the past three decades, much progress has been made in elucidating the organization and function of visual cortex. In this chapter we briefly review recent progress in understanding several aspects of visual processing in the macaque monkey, as revealed by both anatomical and physiological studies. The first topic concerns the nature of information flow through the visual cortex as revealed by analysis of the numerous pathways that interconnect different visual areas. The guiding hypothesis is that the cortex is arranged as a distributed hierarchical system, in which there are many distinct levels of analysis. The second topic concerns parallel processing streams and their relationship to the M and P pathways established within the retina. The third topic deals with the functional significance of the feedback pathways that form a prominent characteristic of the cortical hierarchy. The function of feedback pathways in sensory processing has been an intriguing but elusive issue. There are probably many such functions, and here we emphasize their possible role in modulating neural responses according to the broader context of the visual environment.
Dried Plums Modify Colon Microbiota Composition And Spatial Distribution, And Protect Against Chemically-Induced Carcinogenesis

Differences in microbial populations in the proximal and distal colon may impact apparent site-specific differences in pathology. Diet is known to alter metabolism and composition of colon microbiota, which has major implications for disease prevention and treatment. The hypothesis tested by this experiment was that consumption of dried plums would promote retention of beneficial microbiota and patterns of microbial metabolism throughout the colon, and that by doing so would reduce colon cancer incidence. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were provided either a control (CD, n=25) or plum diet (PD, 5% of calories, n=26) 3 wk before being given two injections of AOM (15 mg/kg BW) or saline, and sacrificed 8 wk later. Tissues were resected and fecal contents isolated separately from the proximal and distal colon. Irrespective of treatment, the PD increased Bacteroidetes (p<0.0001) and reduced Firmicutes (p<0.0001) in the distal colon without affecting their proximal proportions, compared to the CD, which suppressed B...
Physiology of sporeforming bacteria associated with insects: metabolism of Bacillus popilliae grown in third-instar Popillia japonica Newman larvae

The timing and relative participation of concurrent pathways of carbohydrate metabolism as well as the extent of terminal respiratory activity were determined by radiorespirometry with 14-C substrates and by enzyme assays for vegetative and sporulating cells of the bacterium Bacillus popilliae cultured in whole, intact Popillia japonica (Japanese beetle) larvae. During vegetative proliferation, the pentose phosphate pathway predominates in the bacterial cells with minor involvement of the Embden-Meyerhof-Parnas pathway. As the cells proceed through sporulation, pentose phosphate and Embden-Meyerhof-Parnas activity remains constant. No tricarboxylic cycle activity is evident during growth and sporulation of B. popilliae. The results demonstrate (i) predominantly aerobic metabolism for carbohydrate assimilation within in vivo sporulating cells, (ii) a major contrast to the metabolism of other aerobic sporeforming bacteria that exhibit derepression of tricarboxylic acid cycle enzymatic activity at the onset of sporulation, and (iii) no causal necessity of the cycle to B. popilliae sporogeny.
Applications of Fatigue and Fracture Tolerant Design Concepts in the Nuclear Power Industry

To assure the integrity of nuclear power plant components, fatigue and fracture tolerant design concepts have been incorporated in Sections III and XI of the ASME Code; these contain requirements for nuclear power plant design, construction, and in-service inspection. The methods used in the Code to design against fatigue and brittle fracture are described together with the fracture mechanics based procedure suggested in Sections XI for the evaluation of flaws detected by in-service inspections. Some aspects of the present Code methods that could probably be improved are identified. 19 refs.
CRUD, boron, and burnable absorber layer 2-D modeling requirements using MOC neutron transport

Abstract The method of characteristics (MOC) neutron transport modeling requirements of very thin CRUD and burnable absorber layers on pressurized water reactor (PWR) fuel rods are investigated. Ray tracing parameters, including spacing size and number of angles, and mesh refinement studies are performed for two-dimensional assembly simulations using the DeCART code. It is found that the presence of a 10 μm thick Integral Fuel Burnable Absorber (IFBA) layer within the lattice model requires a ray spacing that is approximately five times smaller than modeling a lattice without IFBA. The modeling of a CRUD layer necessitates less stringent requirements, due to the fact that the boron-10 concentration in a CRUD layer is at least one order of magnitude lower than what is typically found in IFBA layers. Three dimensional CRUD distributions and compositions computed by the CRUD chemistry code MAMBA are extracted and utilized. The reactivity effects of radial and azimuthal mesh refinement, including homogenization strategies of the CRUD layer with the coolant, are investigated. Additionally, the reactivity effect of including the CRUD structure porosity is discussed. A fresh fuel lattice with 1300 ppm is also compared with a reduced boron concentration of 0 ppm to assess the reactivity response of the system to changes in the reactor environment.
Microchip cooling module based on FC72 slot jet arrays without cross-flow

In view of the rapid increase of microchip power densities, thermal management has become considerably more challenging. This work presents the first results of an effort aimed at developing a liquid-based cooling module capable of handling high heat fluxes. Four modules 20 times 20 times 2 mm3 in size, containing as many as 120 planar ("slot") jets and a drainage channel system that prevented any cross-flow effect, were tested using FC72 as test fluid. The jet hydraulic diameters were between 173 and 310 mum, with larger drainage channels, 701 to 955 mum in diameter, located between the inlet jets. A custom-made heater resembling an actual microchip was manufactured from silicon and equipped with temperature sensors. The effects of the flow rate, the inlet liquid temperature, the gap between impinged surface and nozzle plate, and different module geometries are discussed. A maximum of 92 W/cm2 was removed at a junction temperature of 85 degC using a coolant flow of 1.46 l/min and an inlet temperature of 20 degC
A highly-extensible, XML-based architecture description language

Software architecture research focuses on models of software architectures as specified in architecture description languages (ADLs). As research progresses in specific areas of software architectures, more and more architectural information is created. Ideally, this information can be stored in the model. An extensible modeling language is crucial to experimenting with and building tools for novel modeling constructs that arise from evolving research. Traditional ADLs typically support a small set of modeling constructs very well, but adapt to others poorly. XML provides an ideal platform upon which to develop an extensible modeling language for software architectures. Previous XML-based ADLs successfully leveraged XML's large base of off-the-shelf tool support, but did not take advantage of its extensibility. To give software architecture researchers more freedom to explore new possibilities and modeling techniques, while maximizing reuse of tools and modeling constructs, we have developed xADL 2.0, a highly extensible XML-based ADL. xADL 2.0 supports run-time and design time modeling, architecture configuration management and model-based system instantiation. Additionally, xADL 2.0 has a set of extensible infrastructure tools that support the creation, manipulation, and sharing of xADL 2.0 documents.
Double Cumulative and Lorenz Curves in Weather Modification

Abstract A graphical presentation of precipitation data has been used for some years in which the cumulative percentage of the total mass falling on various days of a sample of precipitation days, ordered from the largest to the smallest mass, is plotted against the cumulative percentage of days. This type of graph is called a “double cumulative curve” (DCC), but it is essentially the same as the Lorenz curve in economics. The paper reviews the literature, summarizes the properties, shows the DCC's for uniform, log-normal, exponential, gamma and degenerate distributions, studies the average effect of sample size, and presents a formula for testing the significance of the difference between two DCC's. This formula is applied to compare hail data of various types. It is concluded that a sample DCC is a biased estimate of the population DCC, but the bias becomes negligible as the sample size increases beyond ∼30.
An Empirical Research Study of the Efficacy of Two Plagiarism-Detection Applications

This article describes a study of the two most popular plagiarism-detection software platforms available on today's market—Turnitin (http://www.turnitin.com/static/index.html) and SafeAssign (http://www.safeassign.com/). After a brief discussion of plagiarism's relevance to librarians, the authors examine plagiarism-detection methodology and conduct a review of the current literature regarding plagiarism-detection efficacy. To evaluate detection efficacy for Turnitin and SafeAssign, the authors constructed a brief study in which twenty sample papers containing portions of plagiarized material were submitted to each platform. The results show that Turnitin had the highest overall success at plagiarism detection with an 82.4 percent detection rate. Additionally, both platforms had a combined false-positive detection rate of 16.8 percent. The authors conclude that close review of material suspected of plagiarism is still essential for proper identification.
The fundamentals in US presidential elections: Public opinion, the economy and incumbency in the 2004 presidential election

Presidential elections are largely structured by certain fundamentals that are in place before the campaigns begin. These are the public’s opinion about the in‐party and the candidate choice, the general state of the election‐year economy, and incumbency. This trinity of fundamentals have in various ways been incorporated into statistical models that accurately forecast the major party division of the popular vote well before Election Day. This article examines the historical associations between several indicators of these fundamental forces and the national vote. It also examines the state of these indicators in the 2004 presidential election. They indicate that the fundamentals leading into the 2004 campaign generally favoured George W. Bush and anticipated his re‐election.
Microcatheter adhesion of cyanoacrylates: comparison of normal butyl cyanoacrylate to 2-hexyl cyanoacrylate.

Purpose To compare the catheter adhesion properties of 2-hexyl cyanoacrylate (Neuracryl M), a new agent, to those of normal hutyl cyanoacrylate (Histoacryl), the most widely used liquid acrylic agent for microcatheter embolization. Materials and Methods 2-hexyl cyanoacrylate (Neuracryl Ml) was tested in pure form and mixed with either a proprietary polymerization retardant/contrast agent (Neuracryl M2) or ethiodized oil (Ethiodol). Histoacryl was tested in pure form and mixed with Ethiodol. The cyanoacrylate mixtures were injected through microcatheters into wells partially filled with heparinized whole blood. The cyanoacrylates were allowed to polymerize around the microcatheter tips for 1–3minutes. The microcatheters were then pulled at a constant rate until they were extracted from the polymerized cyanoacrylates. The peak forces required for extraction were recorded. Results The peak forces required to extract the microcatheters from either pure Histoacryl or Histoacryl mixed with 33% Ethiodol were significantly higher ( P P P P P Conclusion When Neuracryl Ml was mixed with its proprietary polymerization retardant/contrast agent (Neuracryl M2), catheter adhesion was not significantly different from that of Histoacryl mixed with 50% Ethiodol, a mixture common in clinical use. When Neuracryl Ml was tested alone or mixed with Ethiodol (not intended by the manufacturer), catheter adhesion was significantly decreased relative to pure Histoacryl or equivalent mixtures of Histoacryl and Ethiodol.
Dominant genetic alterations in immortalization: role for 20q gain.

Gain of 20q has been observed in many cancer types, including bladder cancers. However, the biological significance of low-copy-number 20q gain in human cancer pathogenesis has not yet been defined. We reported that immortalization of human uroepithelial cells (HUC) transformed with human papillomavirus 16 (HPV 16) E7 is associated with single-copy 20q gain (P = 2 x 10(-7)). We also observed 20q13.2 amplification in some cell lines, but only after 20 passages. Thus, we hypothesized that low-copy gain of 20q gene(s) contributes in a dominant way to bypassing HUC senescence. To test this hypothesis, we fused precrisis E7-transformed HUCs (pcE7s) with three independent immortal E7-HUCs that acquired a single-copy 20q gain at immortalization. In one of these lines, a single-copy gain of 20q and a 10p12.1-pter loss were the only cytogenetic alterations. Immortal cell hybrids were obtained with all three crosses. Southern analysis for unique HPV16 insertion sites, as well as fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) with whole chromosome 20 painting probes (WCP20) for marker chromosomes in the immortal clones, confirmed the hybrid and independent nature of representative immortal clones. In contrast, when we used the same protocol, no immortal somatic cell hybrids were obtained when HPV16 E6 immortal HUC (E6-HUC) that showed 3p and 9p losses, but no 20q gain, were fused with precrisis E6-transformed HUC (pcE6s). This latter observation is consistent with many results demonstrating that recessive changes are required for cell immortalization. Therefore, the new results reported herein for the first time demonstrate that dominant changes can contribute to bypassing senescence, and that such genes may be located on 20q. Genes Chromosomes Cancer 26:304-311, 1999.
APOE polymorphism is associated with risk of severe sepsis in surgical patients

Objective:To test for an association between apolipoprotein E (APOE) genotypes and the occurrence of severe sepsis in an elective surgical cohort.Design:Prospective, observational, single cohort study.Setting:Sixteen-bed surgical intensive care unit (ICU) at a university hospital.Patients:Patients w
Review: Familial lupus and antiphospholipid syndrome

The occurrence of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) in several members of a family has spurred intense efforts to identify susceptibility genes predisposing to the disease. As a result, a number of candidate association genes in different ethnic groups have been identified, and some genes have been linked to specific lupus manifestations. Particularly where familial disease occurs in childhood, and especially when it occurs prior to puberty, complement deficiencies and other immunologic defects should be explored. Evidence of other forms of autoimmunity, including autoimmune thyroiditis and antiphospholipid syndrome (APS), is common in families with SLE. Familial APS is uncommon in the absence of other thrombophilic defects, but occasionally is seen with apparent autosomal dominant inheritance. Thus far, no firm gene associations have been identified for APS, in part because of the rarity of multiplex families to study. A search for other familial causes of thrombotic disease should be performed when APS occurs in more than one family member.
New arbitrary-spin wave equations for (j, 0) ⊕ (0, j) matter fields without kinematic acausality and constraints

Abstract Following Weinberg, we note that for arbitrary spin the covariant spinors and the field operators can be constructed directly from Lorentz covariance. The propagator may then be defined as the vacuum expectation value of the time-ordered product of the field operators. We produce a new arbitrary-spin wave equation by inverting this propagator. The equation so produced, even at the free-particle level, is nonlocal. Explicit results for j = 1 are given and we have checked the procedure for j = 3 2 and 2 The equation does not support kinematically anomalous solutions, as do Weinberg's equations. In addition, unlike Weinberg's equations for integral spins, it has the particle and antiparticle spinors as its solutions for both fermions and bosons. No constraint equations, as required in the Rarita-Schwinger/Bargmann-Wigner formalism, are needed.
Bahamas Optical Turbulence Exercise (BOTEX): preliminary results

The Bahamas Optical Turbulence Exercise (BOTEX) was conducted in the coastal waters of Florida and the Bahamas from June 30 to July 12 2011, onboard the R/V FG Walton Smith. The primary objective of the BOTEX was to obtain field measurements of optical turbulence structures, in order to investigate the impacts of the naturally occurring turbulence on underwater imaging and optical beam propagation. In order to successfully image through optical turbulence structures in the water and examine their impacts on optical transmission, a high speed camera and targets (both active and passive) were mounted on a rigid frame to form the Image Measurement Assembly for Subsurface Turbulence (IMAST). To investigate the impacts on active imaging systems such as the laser line scan (LLS), the Telescoping Rigid Underwater Sensor Structure (TRUSS) was designed and implemented by Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute. The experiments were designed to determine the resolution limits of LLS systems as a function of turbulence induced beam wander at the target. The impact of natural turbulence structures on lidar backscatter waveforms was also examined, by means of a telescopic receiver and a short pulse transmitter, co-located, on a vertical profiling frame. To include a wide range of water types in terms of optical and physical conditions, data was collected from four different locations. . Impacts from optical turbulence were observed under both strong and weak physical structures. Turbulence measurements were made by two instruments, the Vertical Microstructure Profiler (VMP) and a 3D acoustical Doppler velocimeter with fast conductivity and temperature probes, in close proximity in the field. Subsequently these were mounted on the IMAST during moored deployments. The turbulence kinetic energy dissipation rate and the temperature dissipation rates were calculated from both setups in order to characterize the physical environments and their impacts. Beam deflection by multiple point patterns are examined, using high speed camera recordings (300 to 1200 fps), in association with measured turbulence structures. Initial results confirmed our hypothesis that turbulence impacted optical transmissions. They also showed that more research will be needed to better quantify and mitigate such effects, especially for the U.S. Navy's next generation EO systems, including active imaging, lidar and optical communications.
Radical-pair decay kinetics, triplet yields and delayed fluorescence from bacterial reaction centers

Abstract Purified reaction centers from Rhodopseudomonas sphaeroides and Rhodospirillum rubrum were excited with short flashes of light, under conditions that blocked electron transfer to the first quinone (Q). The radical-pair state (P F ) generated by the excitation decays by several different back-reactions. One back-reaction repopulates an excited singlet state (P∗) and results in delayed fluorescence; another produces a triplet state (P R ). We measured the decay kinetics of P F , the quantum yield of P R , and the intensity and decay kinetics of the delayed fluorescence under a variety of conditions, including cryogenic temperatures, magnetic fields, depletion of Q and Fe, and isotopic replacement of 1 H by 2 H. The delayed fluorescence decays about twice as rapidly as P F , and has an unusual temperature dependence. It increases in amplitude with decreasing temperature from 260 to 215 K, and then decreases. From the amplitude of the delayed fluorescence, we estimate the standard free energy and enthalpy differences between P F and P∗, and an effective rate constant for the repopulation of P∗, as functions of temperature. Regeneration of P∗ accounts for only a small fraction of the decay of P F . Contrary to expectation, the quantum yield of P R is not decreased by deuteration of the reaction centers, or by depletion of Q or Fe. The known decay paths of P F cannot fully account for the dependence of the P R yield and the decay kinetics of P F on temperature and magnetic fields, nor for the decay kinetics and temperature dependence of the delayed fluorescence. Possible solutions to some of these problems are suggested.
Lytic but not latent infection by Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus requires host CSL protein, the mediator of Notch signaling

Infection by Kaposi's sarcoma (KS)-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) is a key factor in the development of KS. Both latent and lytic KSHV infection is observed in KS tumor cells, and both genetic programs contribute importantly to KS pathogenesis. The viral replication and transcription activator (RTA) protein is a transcription factor that controls the switch from latency to lytic replication. We have previously shown that RTA can activate the expression of several lytic viral genes in transfected cells by interaction with recombination signal sequence-binding protein-Jκ (RBP-Jκ, also called CSL), which in uninfected cells is a transcriptional repressor that is the target of the Notch-signaling pathway. The recognition that many KSHV lytic genes, including RTA itself, contain RBP-Jκ-binding sites raised the possibility that RBP-Jκ-mediated repression may be central to the establishment of latency. Here, we have tested this hypothesis by examining KSHV infection of RBP-Jκ-null murine fibroblasts. Our results show that KSHV latency is efficiently induced in such cells; however, the reactivation of lytic gene expression, viral DNA replication, and the release of progeny viruses are dramatically inhibited in the absence of RBP-Jκ. RBP-Jκ-mediated repression is therefore not essential for establishment of latent infection, but the RTA-mediated redirection of RBP-Jκ activity from repression to activation is critical for lytic viral replication.
Evidence for an Essential Lysine in Glucose‐6‐Phosphate Dehydrogenase from Leuconostoc mesenteroides

Pyridoxal 5′-phosphate inhibits glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase from Leuconostoc mesenteroides reversibly which Ki= 0.04–0.06 mM. This inhibition is competitive with respect to glucose 6-phosphate and non-competitive with respect to NADP+ or NAD +. Interaction between enzyme and excess pyridoxal 5′-phosphate follows pseudo-first-order kinetics and indicates that one molecule of inhibitor reacts with each active unit of enzyme. Substrate and coenzyme protect the enzyme from inhibition by pyridoxal 5′-phosphate. Dissociation constants for NADP+ and glucose 6-phosphate were determined from their effects on the kinetics of enzyme–inhibitor interaction. Reaction of the enzyme with pyridoxal 5′-phosphate produces a typical Schiff-base absorbance peak at 430 nm. Subsequent reduction with sodium borohydride leads to spectral changes characteristic for the formation of a secondary amine. The irreversibly inactivated enzyme thus produced contains two moles of inhibitor per mole of enzyme (two subunits per mole). After protein hydrolysis, N6-pyridoxyllysine can be identified by paper chromatography. The enzyme is inhibited irreversibly by 1-fluoro-2,4-dinitrobenzene, even in the presence of excess 2-mercaptoethanol. At least one dinitrophenyl group is bound per active unit of enzyme; 4 to 5 moles of dinitrophenyl group are bound per mole of enzyme. NADP+ and glucose 6-phosphate protect against inhibition by 1-fluoro-2,4-dinitrobenzene. The absorption spectrum of dinitrophenyl-enzyme corresponds to that for dinitrophenylated amino groups. These studies indicate that there is an essential lysine at the active site of the enzyme. It is suggested that the function of this lysine is to bind glucose 6-phosphate. It is proposed that a group of “active lysine” proteins may exist (in analogy with the “active serine” enzymes), which share a common structural feature at their substrate-binding site and to which pyridoxal 5′-phosphate binds specifically.
Intracranial complications before and after endoscopic skull base reconstruction.

BackgroundEndoscopic skull base reconstruction (ESBR) has been widely accepted in the management of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leaks. However, it is not the CSF leak itselfbut the potential for life...
Studies on the protective effect of prostacyclin in acute myocardial ischemia

The ability of prostacyclin (PGI2) to alter responses to acute myocardial ischemia was studied in open-chest, anesthetized cats. PGI2 was infused intravenously at 0.5 nmoles kg−1 min−1 in cats subjected to 5 h of myocardial ischemia by occlusion of the LAD coronary artery, and in sham-operated controls. PGI2 infusion resulted in significantly decreased arterial blood pressure and inhibition of platelet aggregation. Coronary ligation resulted in significant S-T segment elevations lasting 5 h in vehicle-treated animals but only 1 h in cats with myocardial ischemia and receiving PGI2. At 5 h, cats with ischemia and given the vehicle showed S-T segment elevations significantly greater than the other two groups. Ischemic myocardium from vehicle-treated animals exhibited significantly less creatine phosphokinase (CPK) specific activity than normal tissue from the same hearts or myocardial tissue from the other two groups. This loss of CPK from ischemic myocardium of the cats given vehicle was reflected in plasma CPK specific activities which were significantly greater than those of shamoperated cats. The cats with ischemia and treated with PGI2 exhibited lower plasma CPK activities. These changes were moderated by PGI2 infusion during myocardial ischemia. PGI2 infusion may protect the ischemic myocardium by reducing oxygen demand, primarily through reductions in cardiac work, and by perhaps inhibiting platelet aggregation and preserving myocardial cell integrity.
The professionalism curriculum as a cultural change agent in surgical residency education.

Abstract Background Teaching professionalism effectively to fully engaged residents is a significant challenge. A key question is whether the integration of professionalism into residency education leads to a change in resident culture. Methods The goal of this study was to assess whether professionalism has taken root in the surgical resident culture 3 years after implementing our professionalism curriculum. Evidence was derived from 3 studies: (1) annual self-assessments of the residents' perceived professionalism abilities to perform 20 defined tasks representing core Accrediting Council on Graduate Medical Education professionalism domains, (2) objective metrics of their demonstrated professionalism skills as rated by standardized patients annually using the objective structure clinical examination tool, and (3) a national survey of the Surgical Professionalism and Interpersonal Communications Education Study Group. Results Study 1: aggregate perceived professionalism among surgical residents shows a statistically significant positive trend over time ( P = .016). Improvements were seen in all 6 domains: accountability, ethics, altruism, excellence, patient sensitivity, and respect. Study 2: the cohort of residents followed up over 3 years showed a marked improvement in their professionalism skills as rated by standardized patients using the objective structure clinical examination tool. Study 3: 41 members of the national Surgical Professionalism and Interpersonal Communications Education Study Group rated their residents' skills in admitting mistakes, delivering bad news, communication, interdisciplinary respect, cultural competence, and handling stress. Twenty-nine of the 41 responses rated their residents as “slightly better” or “much better” compared with 5 years ago ( P = .001). Thirty-four of the 41 programs characterized their department's leadership view toward professionalism as “much better” compared with 5 years ago. Conclusions All 3 assessment methods suggest that residents feel increasingly prepared to effectively deal with the professionalism challenges they face. Although professionalism seminars may have seemed like an oddity several years ago, residents today recognize their importance and value their professionalism skills. As importantly, department chairpersons report that formal professionalism education for residents is viewed more favorably compared with 5 years ago.
Natural convection in an enclosure with localized heating from below

Abstract If heat is applied at the center of the base of a closed, axially symmetric cylinder, convective flow results in the interior. In this paper, a numerical method is described for solving the Navier-Stokes equations associated with a mathematical model of this type of flow. A variety of problems are described and solved.
Formation of self-organized nanoscale porous structures in anodic aluminum oxide

A theory of the spontaneous formation of nanoscale porous structures in aluminum oxide films growing during aluminum anodization is presented. The main elements of this theory are the Butler-Volmer relation describing the exponential dependence of the current on the overpotential and the dependence of the activation energies of the oxide-electrolyte interfacial reactions on the Laplace pressure and the elastic stress in the oxide layer. Two cases are considered, distinguished by whether the elastic stress dependence is significant or not. In the case when the effect of elastic stress is negligible, a linear stability analysis predicts a long-wave instability resulting from the field-assisted dissolution reaction; its competition with the stabilizing effect of the Laplace pressure due to the surface energy provides the wavelength selection mechanism. A weakly nonlinear analysis near the instability threshold reveals that the nonlinear dynamics of the interface perturbations is governed by the Kuramoto-Sivashinsky equation. The spatiotemporally chaotic solutions of this equation can explain the formation of spatially irregular pore arrays that are observed in experiments. In the case when the effect of elastic stress in the oxide layer is significant we show that the instability can transform from the long-wave type to the short-wave type. A weakly nonlinear analysis of the short-wave instability shows that it leads to the growth of spatially regular, hexagonally ordered pore arrays, as observed experimentally.
Localization of type XII collagen in normal and healing rabbit cornea by in situ hybridization

To identify the cell types responsible for type XII collagen synthesis in normal and healing rabbit cornea, a partial cDNA sequence of rabbit type XII collagen, obtained from an adult rabbit cornea cDNA library, was used to develop highly specific oligonucleotide probes for Northern blot analysis and in situ hybridization. Approximately 2000 bases of a type XII collagen 2·2 kb cDNA clone were sequenced. Comparative sequence analysis of the bases showed a 74% identity with chick α1 (XII) chain of type XII collagen. The deduced amino acid sequence indicated a 72% identity with chick type XII collagen. Northern blot analysis showed that cultures of cornea stromal and endothelial cells each contain two RNA species, greater than 10 kb, that hybridize to rabbit type XII collagen oligonucleotide probes. Although normal stromal cells failed to show type XII collagen mRNA, normal endothelial cells contain mRNA for this collagen. These results indicate that endothelium of normal rabbit cornea has a potential to synthesize type XII collagen. During corneal wound healing, both endothelium-derived and stromaderived cells in the developing scar tissue contained type XII mRNA. In view of the known presence of type XII collagen in corneal stromas from chick and mouse, the distribution of mRNA in normal cornea is puzzling.
32-channel digital 6-bit TDC with 2.5 ns least count

The authors have built, and used to take physics data, a 5000-channel common start TDC system in which each channel has a 6-bit range with a nominal least count of 2.5 ns. The rms error on the time, as measured with a commercial 100 ps TDC, is less than 0.8 ns for all channels. They use ECL 10 K technology for all but the gray code clock bits, which they generate and fan out with 100 K ECL. The 32-channel boards are part of the custom readout system which includes an extra buffer just after each channel's digitizing circuitry. Immediately after digitization, the data are shifted to these buffers, so that the front end can be re-enabled for the next event while readout from the buffers through the crate controllers proceeds independently at 100 ns per hit channel. The reliability is excellent, with negligible failures of the 30000-chip system during four months of running of BNL AGS Experiment 791 in 1987 and 1988. >
Altered trafficking of Fas and subsequent resistance to Fas-mediated apoptosis occurs by a wild-type p53 independent mechanism in esophageal adenocarcinoma.

Background Decreased cell-surface expression of Fas (CD95) results in resistance to Fas-mediated apoptosis in esophageal adenocarcinoma (EA). Because p53 is known to increase transcription of Fas and also may induce trafficking of the protein to the plasma membrane, we investigated whether the loss of wild-type (wt)-p53 function accounts for our previous findings. Materials and methods Surgical specimens of Barrett’s Esophagus containing areas of dysplasia were immunostained for p53 and Fas protein expression. Three EA cell lines were transfected with a wt-p53 containing adenovirus to examine the effects of p53 overexpression. The p53 status of these EA cell lines was determined by sequence analysis. Results Regions of dysplasia where p53 protein accumulation was observed corresponded to areas of loss of Fas expression. Sequence analysis of the p53 coding sequence in three EA cell lines (Seg-1, Bic-1, and Flo-1) that retain Fas protein within the cytoplasm, demonstrated that Seg-1 contained wt-p53, but mutations were found in Flo-1 and Bic-1 cell lines. Adenoviral transduction of the cell lines with wt-p53 resulted in cell growth arrest in Seg-1 and Bic-1 and induced cell death in Flo-1, but did not result in an increase in Fas protein expression, cell-surface expression, or restoration of sensitivity to Fas-mediated apoptosis. Conclusions These data suggest that decreased cell-surface expression of Fas and resistance to Fas-mediated apoptosis may occur independently of loss of wt p53 expression.
A New Blue Cheese Food Material from Ultrafiltrated Skim Milk and Microbial Enzyme-Mold Spore Reacted Fat

Abstract A new Blue cheese food material with a potential for continuous production was developed by blending a skim milk retentate of ultrafiltration with microbial lipase-mold spore reacted butterfat or coconut oil. Fat and salt in the new product were lower than in natural Blue cheese. The food showed similar organoleptic characteristics as Blue cheese and a smooth, creamy texture. It was uniformly white without any visible mold mycelia. Total carbonyls (77.8 μmol/g) and methyl ketones (55.6 μmol/g) were considerably higher than in natural Blue cheese before standardization. Heptanone and nonanone, major methyl ketones in the new product, existed at 25.7 and 10.3 μmol/g.
Thousand Core ChipsA Technology Perspective

This paper presents the many-core architecture, with hundreds to thousands of small cores, to deliver unprecedented compute performance in an affordable power envelope. We discuss fine grain power management, memory bandwidth, on die networks, and system resiliency for the many-core system.
Predicting the temperature-dependent viscosity of vegetable oil/diesel reverse microemulsion fuels

Abstract Vegetable oils are of considerable interest for potential diesel fuel replacement applications, as a result of their non-toxic nature and the fact that they can be produced from renewable sources. However, vegetable oils cannot be used directly for diesel replacement because of their high viscosities and resulting potential to cause engine problems. A number of different methods have been developed to reduce the viscosity of vegetable oils for diesel replacement. The work described here focuses on a promising, but less-studied approach: the use of surfactants to stabilize reverse microemulsions in fuels containing vegetable oils. The objective of the work was to explore the ability of one of the more widely used viscosity prediction models, the Chevron model, coupled with temperature dependent viscosity relationships for the individual fuel components, to predict the viscosities of reverse microemulsion fuels. Experiments were conducted with canola, algae or palm kernel oil, combined with No. 2 diesel and ethyl alcohol. Oleylamine surfactant and octyl alcohol cosurfactant were used to stabilize the reverse microemulsions. Measurements were conducted at 5, 10, 25 and 40 °C. Selected experiments also explored the effects of added water. Results of the work show that the model provides very good prediction of viscosities across nearly all systems and temperatures studied. Only in systems with very high water content (4%) were viscosities underpredicted. This result suggests that the presence of microemulsion droplets has a minimal impact on viscosity of reverse microemulsion fuels in the absence of significant water, while the composition of the fluid continuum largely dictates the viscosity of the resulting fuel. The prediction approach used here could be valuable for formulation of reverse microemulsion fuels for optimal viscosity.
Development of a patient-specific bone analog for the biomechanical evaluation of custom implants

Purpose – The aim of this study is to describe an improved experimental substrate for the mechanical testing of patient-specific implants fabricated using direct metal additive manufacturing processes. This method reduces variability and sample size requirements and addresses the importance of geometry at the bone/implant interface. Design/methodology/approach – Short-fiber glass/resin materials for cortical bone and polyurethane foam materials for cancellous bone were evaluated using standard tensile coupons. A method for fabricating bone analogs with patient-specific geometries using rapid tooling is presented. Bone analogs of a canine radius were fabricated and compared to cadaveric specimens in several biomechanical tests as validation. Findings – The analog materials exhibit a tensile modulus that falls within the range of expected values for cortical and cancellous bone. The tensile properties of the cortical bone analog vary with fiber loading. The canine radius models exhibited similar mechanical ...
Plane autonomous state classifiers

Abstract The theory of autonomous state classifiers in framed in the context of dynamical systems. Plane autonomous state classifiers are studied in depth within this context. A comprehensive theory of autonomous state classifiers is obtained. The relation of this theory to the problem of generalizing a saddle point is considered.
Under-vehicle autonomous inspection through undercarriage signatures

Increased threats to gate security have caused recent need for improved vehicle inspection methods at security checkpoints in various fields of defense and security. A fast, reliable system of under-vehicle inspection that detects possibly harmful or unwanted materials hidden on vehicle undercarriages and notifies the user of the presence of these materials while allowing the user a safe standoff distance from the inspection site is desirable. An autonomous under-vehicle inspection system would provide for this. The proposed system would function as follows: A low-clearance tele-operated robotic platform would be equipped with sonar/laser range finding sensors as well as a video camera. As a vehicle to be inspected enters a checkpoint, the robot would autonomously navigate under the vehicle, using algorithms to detect tire locations for weigh points. During this navigation, data would be collected from the sonar/laser range finding hardware. This range data would be used to compile an impression of the vehicle undercarriage. Once this impression is complete, the system would compare it to a database of pre-scanned undercarriage impressions. Based on vehicle makes and models, any variance between the undercarriage being inspected and the impression compared against in the database would be marked as potentially threatening. If such variances exist, the robot would navigate to these locations and place the video camera in such a manner that the location in question can be viewed from a standoff position through a TV monitor. At this time, manual control of the robot navigation and camera control can be taken to imply further, more detailed inspection of the area/materials in question. After-market vehicle modifications would provide some difficulty, yet with enough pre-screening of such modifications, the system should still prove accurate. Also, impression scans that are taken in the field can be stored and tagged with a vehicles's license plate number, and future inspections of that vehicle can be compared to already screened and cleared impressions of the same vehicle in order to search for variance.
Possibilistic Approach for Damage Detection in Structural Health Monitoring

This article suggests the process of structural health monitoring (SHM) in the context of a nonstatistical damage detection paradigm. We particularly focus on applying the theory of possibility to the damage detection problem. The basic idea behind the proposed approach is that the application of possibility theory does not require probabilistic knowledge or assumptions on the damage feature and thus encompasses aleatoric and epistemic types of uncertainties. The approach is not damage feature dependent and thus is generic for use in many SHM systems. Additionally, two new damage metrics are introduced. These metrics extract information concerning damage evidence from observations performed at unknown health states of structures. Damage detection with the aid of the proposed approach is demonstrated by means of a case study.
Comparative study between intra-anal sponge and needle electrode for electromyographic evaluation of constipated patients.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to compare the intraanal sponge electrode with the conventional needle electrode for electromyography of the pelvic floor in constipated patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Forty consecutive patients (27 females) with a mean age of 64.3 (range, 15–87) years who had chronic constipation were prospectively evaluated for electromyographic evidence of nonrelaxation or paradoxical contraction of the puborectalis and external anal sphincter during simulated defecation. The soft intra-anal sponge electrode and then the concentric needle electrode were used in each patient as an internal control. Furthermore, in all patients, cinedefecography was used as an independent standard to confirm the diagnosis. Agreement was calculated using the kappa statistic. RESULTS: Confirmation of needle electromyography was noted in 19 of 20 patients (95 percent) who had sponge electromyographic evidence of paradoxical activity. Similarly, concurrence was noted in 19 of 20 patients (95 percent) with normal relaxation of the puborectalis observed with the sponge electrode. Agreement between needle and sponge electromyography was very good (κ=0.9), between needle electromyography and cinedefecography was fair (κ=0.4), and between sponge electromyography and cinedefecography was moderate (κ=0.5). Furthermore, needle electromyography was more painful in all aptients compared with sponge electromyography. CONCLUSION: The soft sponge surface intra-anal electrode is an excellent alternative to the needle electrode for assessment of puborectalis activity in constipated patients. Sponge electromyography has the advantage of being as accurate as, but less painful than, needle electromyography.
Importance of Domain Purity and Molecular Packing in Efficient Solution‐Processed Small‐Molecule Solar Cells

Connections are delineated between solar-cell performance, charge-carrier mobilities, and morphology in a highperformance molecular solar cell. The observations show that maximizing the relative phase purity and structural order while simultaneously limiting the domain size may be essential for achieving optimal solar-cell performances in solution-processed small-molecule solar cells .
An ab-initio investigation of the effect of graphene on the strength-electron density correlation in SiC grain boundaries

Abstract Recent developments in SiC based ceramic materials have shown a possibility of graphene dispersion at grain boundaries (GBs) significantly modifying bulk thermomechanical properties. Graphene and SiC have been known to have significant electronic affinity for each other. This work presents an electronic density of states-mechanical strength correlation based understanding of the effect of graphene layer defects on the tensile strength of selected 3C–SiC GBs that incorporate graphene layers. The tensile deformation simulations are performed using Car–Parrinello molecular dynamics (CPMD) method. Three different SiC GBs are examined (unit GB, ∑3 tilt SiC GB, and ∑9 tilt SiC GB). For each examined GB type, graphene layers with four different defect types are examined. Analyses establish quantitative correlation between the tensile strength of the examined GBs and graphene defect type in GBs. Of the defects examined, double vacancy defect most significantly deteriorates GB strength. GB failure strain is mainly determined by graphene cleavage fracture strain. Graphene cleavage is accompanied by monoatomic carbon chain formation, pentagon ring formation, and heptagonal ring formation. The specific mechanism closely depends upon the graphene–SiC interaction strength defined based on total electron density of states. The interaction strength variation is found to be closely correlated to the tensile strength variation in GBs. Examination of electron density variation points to specific sites of graphene cleavage fracture that correlates to earlier failure mechanism observations. Observations are used to predict strength of SiC GBs as a function of GB misorientation angle. The developed relation predicts other reported values in literature quite closely.